Laundry Scent Booster

I know that laundry is not everyone's chore of choice - at least, it sure isn't mine! But I do love to pull out a load of hot, fresh clothes that smell amazing and help my house to smell amazing as well. This laundry scent booster does just that- makes my laundry smell like fresh oranges.

This DIY laundry scent booster was so easy to make and it was literally, start to finish about 2 minutes!

And it only requires 3 ingredients! I wonder if you look at your current brand of laundry scent booster how many ingredients it has? (And how many of those can you pronounce?)

Not to mention how much cheaper it is to make your own versus buying it at the store.

This is simple, mixing the baking soda and the Epsom salt together until they are well blended. Add in your oils and mix until blended. That is all.

1 ½ cups Epsom Salt
½ cup baking soda
30 drops essential oil (I used Wild Orange)

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container
Add 2-3 Tbsp to your laundry load prior to adding clothes, along with your normal detergent.

The first time I made this I used 20 drops and when I used it, honestly, the scent just wasn't what I was expecting. Then the next time I made it I did an additional 10 drops, so 30 in total and it was definitely better!

You could easily do a different scent such a Wintergreen, Rosemary or Cedarwood. The options are endless for what smells you use to spruce up your laundry!

Have you ever added essential oils to your laundry? If not, what scent would you use?

If you need more Essential Oil DIY projects, check out this amazing Lip Balm, Foaming Hand Soap or Healing Salve.

Foaming Hand Soap

Currently, the world seems to be buying (or hoarding) every bit of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, hand soap, etc that they can find. Me? I have a normal amount of all of the above. And I also love that I can make my own hand soap to keep my families hands clean. So today I wanted to share this foaming hand soap that I made.

I already had some of the foaming pumps from dōTerra so I was able to make this foaming hand soap in just a matter of moments. And as you can imagine, it smells amazing and clean and fresh. Right now I just keep them in my kitchen and bathroom because my little kids think the foam is so fun to play with and blow through it - so they don't get it in their bathroom.

If you ever make any of your own things at home you might already have castile soap, but if not you can find it at Walmart, or Amazon.

• 2 tablespoons unscented liquid castile soap
• 1 tablespoon Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 20 drops essential oil
• Water

Note: I used 10 drops of Peppermint oil and 10 drops of Melaleuca oil

Instructions

1. Put castile soap and Coconut Oil into the bottle.
2. Add essential oils
3. Add water into the bottle slowly, (make sure you leave room for the pump!)
4. Put the lid on and shake
5. Pump one to two times into hands when washing

You will love this soap as much as I do! It has an amazing smell that makes you feel so fresh and clean and it helps get rid of all those pesky germs you have on your hands!

Want to try and make some of your own shower melts? Lip Balm? Sanitizing Spray? Click the posts to read more. You can also follow along with my Instagram to see other things I am working on.

DIY: Peppermint Lip Balm

Where are my fellow chap stick lovers? I have used the same brand and scent of chapstick since I was about a freshman in high school. I have occasionally strayed and tried other brands but I have always gone back to my one true love chapstick, until now.  Recently I decided to make my own and for my birthday I asked for a lip balm kit that I found on amazon. And now, this lip balm is my new true love. It's amazing. You need to try it asap!

It was easy to make and thankfully I had the ingredients on hand thanks to making the Healing Salve a while back.

In a matter of minutes I had lip balm hardening up and not long later it was ready to use!

I just used an empty jelly jar that I had cleaned out a while ago.

All melted and ready to go!

• 1 Tbsp Beeswax


• 3 Tbsp of your favorite carrier oil


• 2½ tsp Shea Butter


• 5 drops Vitamin E Oil


• 2 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil


• 3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil


• 15 lip balm tubes  - This kit I got for my birthday and it's awesome!
  
  
  

Note: This recipe said it would make 20 lip balm tubes, however, when I made it I only got 12 tubes and you can see by the picture above that a couple of my tubes were not even filled quite to the top. 

Instructions

1. 1. Add beeswax, shea butter and carrier oil into a glass jar.
   
   
   2. Fill a saucepan with about an inch of water and set glass jar into the water.
   
   
   3. Heat over medium-low heat until melted. (But not to a boil)
   
   
   4. Occasionally stir until ingredients are melted and combined.
   
   
   5. After the wax is melted, remove from heat and let sit for a minute before adding oils.
   
   
   6. Pour mixture into containers and let cool.

I love this lip balm and you could easily customize it to work for you. Feel free to change the scent by using other essential oils to mix it up.

If you were making your own lip balm, which essential oil combination would you use?

Keep an eye out on my Instagram for more Essential Oil recipes!

DIY: Clean Hands

Last Summer I really started to make more of my own cleaners and natural remedies for chemical-filled household items. I've said before, I know I am not even close to getting rid of all the chemicals within my house, but slowly, over time I am working to get rid of more and more.  Insert DIY: Clean Hands here

I made this hand cleaner to keep on my kitchen counter. I'm always working on projects and I wash my hands a lot. But I have always been a hand sanitizer person too and I won't lie, you'll still find it in my house because I am not a money waster either. So as those items get finished off I just won't buy more. But I use this often and so do my kids because it is just awesome to have.  I keep a big bottle at our lake house because right now we keep the water off in the winter but a girl still needs clean hands, yes?

10 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree)
10 drops Frankincense
10 drops On Guard
1 Tbsp Witch Hazel
Top with Water

One of my favorite things about this is that it smells delicious so I don't feel like I am missing out on all those fun flavors that you find at the lotion store! One scent I look forward to making is Eucalyptus and Spearmint because that combination is awesome!  And I recently made more combos so keep an eye out for those posts coming soon!

As you can see, with only 4 actual ingredients this is super easy to make and have on hand! So don't waste any more time and make some for yourself!

If you are interested in more DIY Essential Oil projects, check out this Lavender Sugar Scrub, or keep an eye out on my Instagram for others as well! Linen Spray and Mermaid hair recipes to come soon! What else would you like to see?

Lavender Sugar Scrub

I love to pamper myself as much as the next person and one way I do that is using lavender sugar scrub to exfoliate my skin. My favorite time to use it is right after I shave my legs. It gives such a soft feeling to my legs and especially during the winter months it helps to get rid of any lingering dry skin.

The great thing about this scrub is that you can throw it together in just a couple of minutes! Mix everything in one bowl and stir!

Lavender essential oils are good for so many things such as promoting relaxation, treating depression, anxiety, and can even treat fungal infections! So many great benefits to using something as simple as this Lavender Sugar Scrub.

I got this super cute container from Hobby Lobby with the little wooden spoon that is the perfect amount to use each time! But really you just want any container that seals airtight. And you might need to give it a stir before using as the oils will probably make their way to the bottom of the jar.

How beautiful is this scrub? And it made enough for two containers!  So I'll keep one for myself and the other is for my bestie, because it is a great gift!

Lavender Sugar Scrub

• 1 cup white sugar


• ¼ C fractionated coconut oil


• 5 drops lavender essential oil


• 1 tsp vanilla


• Soap colorant (optional- I used a lilac color I already had)

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl.


2. Enjoy! (Yes, it is really that easy!)

I love using this Lavender Sugar Scrub! Not only does it have an amazing, relaxing smell but it is great for our skin!

Make sure you check out my Instagram so you can keep up to date on what else I am making with Essential Oils!

Also, if you loved this Lavender Sugar Scrub, check out the Healing Salve, Toilet Bombs, and Shower Melts!

Essential Oil Shower Melts

Anyone that's ever had a cold knows all too well that you want it over fast! Anything you can do to speed up the process is on the table and that includes hot showers with Vicks shower disks. I wanted to share an alternative so you can skip the Vicks and still get the same effects. These essential oil shower melts will do just that!

They smell amazing and really help clear up your sinuses while in the shower! I love to leave off the fan and just let all the steam and oils diffuse into the air and breathe it all in!

And they are so easy to make!

The first time I made the essential oil shower melts I used 10 drops each but I felt like I needed a stronger scent and now I typically use 15 drops of each. (If anything, do extra eucalyptus!)

Shower Melts

• 1 cup baking soda


• 4 tablespoons water


• 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil


• 10 drops peppermint essential oil


• 10 drops lavender essential oil


• Soap colorant (optional - I used seafoam green)


• A mold to put your mixture in (I grabbed these from the dollar store)

1. Put baking soda into the bowl and slowly mix water with baking soda one tablespoon at a time until you reach a thick paste consistency. 


2. Add in your essential oil and mix well.  If you are using a coloring add it now, and be careful using colorant because some do stain. (I’ve been there!) Make sure the coloring you are using is for crafts/bath bombs. 


3. Your mixture should look a bit like a paste. 


4. Press your mixture into your mold. Put it in the freezer to harden. If you have too much liquid at the top you can use a paper towel to soak in some. 


5. Melts should be ready within a couple of hours, store in an airtight container. 


6. You can also add more essential oil if you are looking for a stronger scent. 

For more DIY with Essential Oils, check out the Healing Salve and the Toilet Bombs! and make sure you are following along on Instagram too!

Essential Oil Toilet Bombs

In an effort to keep myself and my family healthy I started using my essential oils to make things to clean my house to reduce the chemical load that we brought in. And that is why I decided to make essential oil toilet bombs to start!

One day when I was using a chemical-filled toilet cleaner I found myself coughing uncontrollably and it actually took me a moment to put it together and walk out of the room to realize that my lungs were reacting to the cleaner.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure if someone came to my house and looked around they will see plenty of things that are no good for my family to be using. I'm not sure my house will ever be completely chemical-free - (I mean, I love my nail wraps and if you've ever used them then you know the smell that is there when you open that package) But I do try to eliminate what I can!

These were really easy to make and I made the mixture in about 5 minutes. But then I did let them sit on the counter to harden overnight before I took them out of the trays.

I started with mixing together the soda and citric acid, then the oils then slowly, the water.

Once everything was mixed well I added it to these ice cube trays that I picked up from the dollar store just to make things like this! Make sure you pack the mixture in well!

And then, as I said above, I just let them rest on the counter overnight to let them dry up.

Toilet Bombs

• 1 1/3 cup baking soda


• 1/2 cup citric acid (I found mine in the canning section)


• 1 teaspoon water


• 30 drops Lemongrass Essential Oils


• small spray bottle


• a mold to put the mixture in. (I used a regular ice cube tray.)

1. Mix the baking soda and citric acid 


2. One drop at a time add EO in. Stir well.


3. Using a spray bottle with water, spray the mixture once then stir. Spray again then stir. It’s important that you don’t overspray as it will make the mixture sticky, but if you don’t use enough it will be dry and crumble. 


4. Use your hands to mix until it is lump-free and just the right amount of water. 


5. Pack the mixture tightly into each mold you are using. Let them dry overnight, then carefully remove them from the mold.


6. Store in an airtight container. 


7. To use, drop one toilet bomb into the toilet. After is fizzes scrub with a toilet brush. Let sit for 10 minutes before flushing.
   
   

Have you ever used or made Essential Oil Toilet Bombs? What did you think?

If you're interested in other Essential Oil DIYs, check out this Healing Salve. And following along on Instagram to see more of my favorite essentials!

Essential Oil Healing Salve

Essential Oils aren't new to me, but if you follow along with my social media then you have probably started to see me sharing them more and more. And really, that is because I finally am feeling more confident in sharing and feeling like I might know enough to help others.  And that is why I wanted to share this Essential Oil Healing Salve.

The first time I tried essential oils was clear back in 2016- so yeah, in comparison to how long they've been around, I'm still a newbie. Summer was having a playdate with a preschool friend and her mom and I were talking about digestion, a total mom conversation, right? She made me a roller bottle with DigestZen and told me to roll it on my belly. I did and it worked basically immediately.....

But then I forgot about it for the next 6 month or so. Obviously, I wasn't committed. :) Over the next couple of years, I used my DigestZen roller when I remembered, along with the On Guard I acquired from another friend and finally decided to just dive it. Really, I am so thankful that I did. The times I used my oils were helpful enough to keep my coming back and wanting to learn more.

This essential oil healing salve is pretty new to me but I noticed a difference on my dry hands and feet so quick after I started to use it that I decided I needed to make my own so that I never ran out! And thankfully it was easy to make!

Adding all ingredients except your essential oils, heat until they are melted and then set aside to cool for a few before adding your essential oils so that you don't scorch them. You also don't want to let your mixture come to a boil.

Once I had the mixture melted, I set it aside to cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, I set out my containers.

I actually waited a tiny bit too long to pour mine into the containers and when I scraped the side of the bowl it left it a little bumpy and not as pretty. But that is okay.

• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil


• 1/2cup +2tbls Raw Organic Shea Butter


• 4 tbsp beeswax


• 1 tbsp Vitamin E oil


• 20 drops Frankincense


• 20 drops Lavender


• 20 drops Copaiba

1. Using a double boiler heat coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax and vitamin e oil over medium heat.


2. Stirring occasionally, heat until everything is melted


3. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes


4. Add your essential oils and mix well


5. Add mixture to your 2 oz tins and let harden for a couple of hours before using.

If you don't have a double boiler you can do like I did in the pictures. I used a saucepan with just an inch or so of water and then put a glass dish over it that fit without falling or touching the water.

Also, you could use this base to make so many different salves based on what you are needing it for! So change up the oils you add to work for you!

This Essential Oil Healing Salve is so awesome and it filled 6 tins! Eczema? Diaper Rash? Dry or chapped skin? This is for you!

Follow along on Instagram for more Essential Oil tips and tricks.

Tree Ornaments - 3rd Grade Art

The holidays may have come and gone but I still wanted to share this super cute project that I did with Tyler's grade class just before the holiday break.  Tree Ornaments were the perfect thing for these third graders to take home to their parents for Christmas and they really had fun making them.

I started by heading to my dad's house. He always has tree limbs around and he let me know he had a few he thought would be the perfect size for what I was wanting to make. And he was right. Two different branches that were going to work great.

Next, I turned to my trusty DecoArt paint. They have been great to me this year, providing all the paint I have used in our projects this year. If you haven't, check out our Fall Leaves project and the Witches Feet we've already made. Between the paint and the paint markers, DecoArt had me covered!

Next, I did a quick, thin coat of paint. These are both super basic and simple for the kiddos! Once the paint was dry,  you can then add the face. That took a little bit with the kids because their coat of paint was thicker than mine.

After the paint was dry the kids each picked either the twine or the string, then I cut off small sections and tied knots for them to add to their ornaments.

I inserted the string, unknotted side first and just pulled it through the loop to tie it around the wood.

The kids did a great job and had a lot of fun making the tree ornaments! Only one of the kids made the Santa ornament and the rest all chose snowmen and they turned out really cute!

Tree ornaments turned out to be a great third-grade art project!

How cute did they turn out?

What are some of your favorite projects to do with your kids?

Kid Friendly Lunch Ideas

This post has been compensated by IHelpMoms.com and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

As a busy mom of three, kid friendly lunch ideas are so important because the last thing I want to spend a lot of time on is packing lunches. And while my kids like to eat sandwiches they get bored with them so I am always looking for ways to change up lunch time.

I am super lucky that none of my kids have food allergies to date, but Tyler is my picky kid so sometimes I have to get creative with lunches. He occasionally has school lunch, but I would say at least half of the time he doesn't like the option and wants to pack a lunch so I wanted to share a few of his favorite lunches to take.



That is why I love this bento lunch box set from Bentology. The five separate compartments leave lots of room for food for my always hungry kiddos while keeping everything portion controlled.

And the fun patterns that they come in keep the kids laughing and entertained! They love their emojo set! And I think I need the Flamingo Set!

Weekly Menu ideas, Recipes, and more on the blog: https://bentology.com/resources/bentology-blog/





Make sure you look for Bentology on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST



This one is totally Summer's ideal lunch! And Tyler won't touch mac n cheese!



They aren't just for school lunches! Sometimes if we are going to be out and about running errands I love to pack a lunch before we head out the door. I know it is just a matter of time before I hear someone from the back seat say, "I'm hungry" and now I am more than prepared!

Purchase your own kit with a 25% discount right now through 1/22/18! Use the code ihelp25

And feel free to check out a few of my past Kid Friendly Lunch Ideas and Nutter Butter Ice Cream Cones.



Right now you can win a Bentology Bento Kit of your very own! Check out the Giveaway below to enter to win!! You have lots of chances to get your name in the running!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dinosaur Birthday Party

My little guy isn't so little any more. Yesterday Tyler turned 7 years old. I know that he really is still "little" but such a big kid too!
He is loving first grade and I love to watch him grow. His reading and writing is so great and I love having him read stories to me. And he asked for notes cards and envelopes for his birthday so he can write notes. He is so my child.

For his birthday he asked for a Dinosaur birthday party and as soon as Summer's Mermaid Party was over I got to work on a few things.



I really wanted to keep food more simpler than I have before. We did food for Carivores: Chicken nuggets and pigs in a blanket. Herbivores: veggies and ranch. And Sweetivores: Dino footprint cookies.

We also had Dino eggs which were grapes. Dino bones that were pretzels and Dino teeth that were Bugles. We also had green Din-o-mite punch!



These plates I use are awesome and I use them for every party I have! I just get a can of spray paint and give them a fresh color for whatever our theme is! check out how I made them in this post from Summer's Tea Party.



We had several games that we played. The first was just "Pin the head on the skeleton" and I picked that up from Party City for just a couple of dol1ars. It came with 12 skeleton head stickers, a blindfold and the sheet to put up on that wall. The kids could see out of the bottom of the blindfold if you weren't paying attention. The we had a couple of non cheaters! (Ha!)



We also played another game where we tied a string to a balloon and tied the other end around the kids waist. Then once they were all ready we let them loose and they had to stomp the other kids balloons to pop them without getting their own popped. The last balloon standing wins. I think we only had three kids that cried..... The others seemed to enjoy it!



The last game we played was called Feed the dinosaur. Zachary drew this Dino for me and cut out the mouth then we just put a bucket behind it. We had a bag of plastic golf balls from a game we played over the summer that worked perfectly and the kids seemed to love it. They each took multiple turns!



Then it was time for presents and cupcakes. Tyler got tons of legos, which he loves so he was super excited and couldn't wait to get building!



And next was chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and I used candy corn to make spikes on the back of our Dino!



To make the leaves I just cut them out with my cricut. Such a time saver!



I also made shirts for my family. Getting a 15 year old boy to wear a shirt that says "brothersaurus" isn't easy, but he wanted to stay the night at his friend's so I told him only if he wore the shirt for the party. #noshameinmygame So here we are: mamasaurus, daddysaurus, brothersaurus, sistersaurus and Tylersaurus.



Tyler had such a fun party and I think all the kids had a fun time too! You can see the "binoculars" we made using toilet paper rolls, tape and string. Makes for a pretty inexpensive party and the kids enjoyed the time!