Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Making Herbal Gifts Series - quick and easy

In the continuing series of Making Herbal Gifts, I am giving you something quick and easy to do.  Many people want to make gifts but children and family time is a premium, so these few suggestions are quick and easy.  Especially with the holiday so close.

Spiced Door Sachets

Materials:
6″ diameter circle of cotton fabric
broken vanilla bean
2 whole nutmeg crushed
10 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks, broken
ribbon

Method:
Place all items in the center of the fabric. Gather the fabric up to enclose the spices and tie with one end of a 12 inch long piece of ribbon. Tie the other end of the ribbon to a doorknob. Whenever the door is opened or closed, scent will be released into the room. You can use other winter scented herbs and spices in place of the ones above and tie several sachets together to give a stronger scent, the small bags can be hung individually on the tree as decorations. A couple of drops of orange oil is also
nice and the sachets can be freshened up with the addition of a few drops of a suitable festive essential oil.


Scented Cards, Tags & Writing Sets

Materials:
a large seal-able box
cards and envelopes or tags or stationary
blotter paper
cotton fabric or cheese cloth
your choice of essential or fragrance oils

Method:
Cut the blotter paper to the size of the bottom of the sealable container.  Place a few drops the oils onto the blotter paper.  Wrap the blotter in a fabric so the oil does not mark the cards, paper or tags.  Place the items over the wrapped blotter paper and seal the box. Leave the fragrance to permeate the cards for approximately two weeks. I use Glad containers, place the items inside, wrap them and give them as gifts.  While the gift waits to be delivered and unwrapped the cards inside become scented. You can use any combination of scented oils, from just a plain pine scent to a spicy or herby concoction. Or for stationary something brighter, like lavender, citrus or mint.

Herb Decorated Candles

Materials:
simple pillar candle
pressed flowers and herbs
or fresh fragrant herbs

Method:
Two ways to do this one.  Use Fresh herbs and tie them around the candle with raffia and include a note saying to remove the herbs before burning the candle.  Use pressed flowers and leaves by attaching them with thinned white glue to decorate the surface of the candle.  Do not use hot glue as this is flamable.

Don't forget to vist the ADVENT CALENDAR for more tips, recipes and holiday ideas using herbs.  We even include a few discounts as well.  Visit each day until December 25th for new daily additions.

1 comment:

  1. I just found your blog and it is so much fun!!

    ReplyDelete

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