Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Merry Making

This is the first time I have made salve and lip balm, but I am hooked.
Once I find a good source for containers my dear friends can count on these every year.

Hand Salve:
1 cup olive oil with dried herbs (comfrey, slippery elm, calendula)
simmer for 20 minutes.
Then slowly melt beeswax (about 3 tablespoons) in a double boiler or in my case a little stainless steel bowl over a copper pot.
Add beeswax to oil and 1/2 tsp Vitaman E oil. Let cool a little and put in containers.
When I do this again, I will either use powdered herbs or strain them from the oil before adding the beeswax.


Lip Balm:
From Soulemama   http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/12/elving.html
But I changed it a little bit:
I made half a batch:
4 tbls. coconut oil
1.5 tbls beeswax
2 tsp raw honey
10 drops of Thieves (Clove, lemon, cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary)
A about a teaspoon of pink lipstick that had some sparkle to it.
Melt everything together, let cool slightly before pouring into containers.
I used a small funnel and needed to rewarm a few times.



Little Big guy requested star eggs for Breakfast.
While preparing and eating Star eggs I thought of how blessed I am to be at home with my boys
and we can get completed diverted with making things a little special.
Of course the Star eggs needed birthday candles because this is what they usually get for their birthday breakfast.  But that was fun too.


Auntie Nettie's Birthday and Christmas:
The boys painted the apron last year and I finished the edging last week.
She requested Chocolate Brown Curtains.
I was very happy to make something useful.




Winter Walk

We are blessed to live a short distance from The Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Every time we get to Kendall Lake or the Ledges I feel
immersed in beauty and awe.
I love this big field.
As soon as the little guys shoes were on they ran as fast as they could down the hill.
It was a warm Sunday winter walk (58 degrees in December) and so much fun.




Sunday, December 16, 2012

Chickens and boys on the roam

Our lovely chickens have decided they would rather roam.
We take little walks with them around the yard.
The boys love picking them up and holding them. Umm, and also helping them with their dust baths.