QUICK, EASY, INEXPENSIVE , NATURALLY SCENTED, GIFTS YOU and the KIDS CAN MAKE

QUICK, EASY, INEXPENSIVE , NATURALLY SCENTED, GIFTS YOU and the KIDS CAN MAKE – As seen on 3TV/Phoenix (GMAZ) – Monday, November 27, 2017 (8:20am)

GEL AIR FRESHENERS
Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 box (4 packets) of unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon salt
1-4 drops food coloring or an amount that you like
20 drops or more of essential oils (depending on the size of your container and personal preference)
1 oz witch hazel or cheap vodka (the ingredients in these fresheners are free of preservatives. Using the witch hazel or alcohol will slow or inhibit mold growth)
Instructions
Boil one cup of water
When water is boiling, add the 4 packets of gelatin and stir continuously or it will clump
Once the gelatin is combined remove from the heat and add a cup of cold water, vodka and salt
Transfer gelatin to heat safe jars (gelatin recipe makes one pint to choose your containers accordingly. jars)
Add essential oil and food coloring
Let sit overnight to set
Store covered in the refrigerator prior to gift giving

SCENTED PINE CONES*
Pine cones
Essential oils in cinnamon and clove
Large plastic zip lock baggies
Here are a few other scents that will work:
Orange
Apple
Vanilla
Pumpkin Spice
Other “sweet” scents

Clean the Pine Cones
If you have gathered your pine cones from trees locally, it is a good idea to clean them first. If they were purchased go on to step 2.
If they need to be cleaned, put them into a sink of warm water and let them sit and soak for about 30 to 45 min or so until you notice all the pine cones have closed up. Once they are closed up, shake the water from inside them and sit them on a foil lined cookie sheet. Turn your oven on to 200 degrees and put the pine cones in.
Let the pine cones sit in the oven and check them about every half hour to see if they are starting to open back up. When they have completely opened back up, that means they are dry and ready to be scented. Another option is letting them air dry. Since I’m in Arizona, I sat mine out in the sun.
Add the Scented Oils
Put a few drops of each essential oil all around pine cone and then drop them into the plastic bag and seal it. You can add a few more drops of oil to the pine cones before you seal the bag. The more oil you use the stronger the scent will be.
Seal and Let Sit
After you have sealed them into the bags let the essential oils sit and soak into them for a while. I think you need about 3 days to a week to really get the scent into the cones.
If the scent is too strong for you, try mixing a few in with regular pine cones.
* These will not be like those highly over scented cones you buy at the grocery store and they will not be scented with chemicals but rather natural products.

ESSENTIAL OIL REED DIFFUSERS
You will need:
A glass container with a narrow opening (check $$$ Stores and thrift stores)
4-5 reed diffuser sticks or bamboo skewers. Go to Amazon for inexpensive reed diffuser sticks.
1/4 cup carrier oil. Use a light oil for better absorption. Fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or safflower oil work well
20-25 drops of essential oil to achieve a fragrance you are happy with
Mix the essential oils and carrier oil together in the glass container.
Place the diffuser sticks in the container. It will take a while for the oil to travel up the sticks, so speed up the process by flipping the sticks after several hours.
Continue to flip the sticks every few days to refresh the scent.
Notes:
A container with a narrow-opening is preferred for this project since it will slow down evaporation.
Heavier oils, such as olive oil or jojoba oil, will take longer to travel up the reeds, so for quicker results, stick with lighter oils, like sweet almond.
To speed absorption add about a tablespoon either rubbing alcohol or vodka)
Once the reeds become completely saturated, you’ll need to replace them with new ones. And you’ll also need to replenish your oil supply eventually too–although that will depend on what type of essential oils, container, and carrier oil you are using.

ORANGE PEEL CANDLE
Oranges
Paraffin
Candle wicking
Orange Zest
Orange Essential Oil

• Cut the fresh oranges in half. Squeeze the juice out carefully, but make sure not to scar or cut the orange when you are squeezing the juice or the hot wax will leak out. Use a spoon to remove the sections of the orange, leaving only the shell.
• Take a piece of painters tape or scotch-type tape and stick it across the middle of the orange, attaching one end to each side of the orange.
• Make a small hole in the center of the tape and insert the wick through the tape, making sure it is in the middle. Make sure you leave a ring of wick in the bottom of the orange and enough at the top to light and burn. You can trim it once you are totally done.
• Once you have prepared the oranges sit them on aluminum foil on a tray.
• Melt the paraffin wax over a double boiler. Using a double boiler is very important, it prevents the wax from burning. Use an old dish or repurpose a fruit or vegetable can to hold the paraffin. Don’t try to wash it. The paraffin will melt into the new paraffin the next time you use it.
• Once the wax is melted, add your favorite citrus essential oil using as many drops as you want. You can also add some orange zest if you like.
  Stir the paraffin and pour it carefully into prepared orange immediately. If you wait for too long the wax will set and you will have to melt it again.
• Wait for the wax to completely set before carefully cutting off the tape from the orange using sharp scissors to remove without damaging the wick.
• Burn as you would any candle. The orange peel will give off a wonderful scent as it is warmed during burning.
• Don’t sit it on wood without a candle holder under it.
• These are fabulous for table decorations.

FRAGRANT COFFEE CANDLE
This is a wonderful way to give a Starbucks or other coffee house gift card. It makes it extra special.

Fill a dish with whole coffee beans and place a small candle or tea light down in them. The heat from the candle will heat the coffee beans and the aroma will infuse the room.

Tuck the gift card on an angle in the beans.

Look for candles and unusual dishes or large, low mugs at the $$$ Store. Also look for inexpensive whole bean coffee there.