August 30th, 2008 -- Posted in essential oil recipe, soy candles |
When you are making candles for your pagan festivals you can choose the colours and scents to suit your own personal preferences for the festival, but here are a few ideas to get you started. I have stated the dates for northern and southern hemisphere festivals.
Yule (Dec 21st / June 21st): Dark red and dark green candles scented with frankincense oil, rosemary oil, cedarwood oil or rosemary oil.
Imbolc (Feb 2nd/ August 1st): White candles scented with vanilla oil or basil oil.
Ostara (March 23rd/ september 23rd): Light green candles scented with jasmine oil, rose oil or violet oil.
Beltane (May 1st/October 31st): Dark green candles scented with frankincense oil, almond oil or lilac oil.
Litha (June 21st/December 21st): Red candles scented with chamomile oil, lavender oil or thyme oil.
Lammas (August 1st/February2nd): Yellow candles scented with frankincense oil.
Mabon (September 23rd/march 23rd): Brown or cinnamon scented with myrrh or pine oil.
Samhein (October 31st/ May 1st): Orange candles scented with patchouli oil.
These are only guidelines, obviously if the festival is celebrated with other scents or colours in your tradition then you can swap and change. It is after all your intent that matters in these things.
Technorati Tags: almond oil, basil oil, cedarwood oil, chamomile oil, frankincense oil, jasmine oil, lavender oil, lilac oil, pagan festivals, patchouli oil, rose oil, rosemary oil, Thyme oil, vanilla oil, violet oil
August 20th, 2008 -- Posted in aromatherapy recipe, essential oil, essential oil recipe |
We all want to minimise the use of toxic chemicals around our families, but very often the kitchen is the one place we still use them. We are torn between the modern phobia about germs, and the modern want for organic alternatives. Essential oils can be used in many ways to help us in our quest for a clean kitchen without using toxic chemicals.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is a natural antiseptic, with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. You can use it to clean the kitchen in two ways. On a major clean up half fill the sink with warm water and add a half cup of white vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Use this water to wipe down all your surfaces. The Eucalyptus cleans marks off easily, and acts as an antiseptic as you go.
Any tough marks can be dealt with by leaving a damp patch over the mark and coming back to it in a few minutes. The Eucalyptus oil will strip most marks from your work surfaces, cupbaords and cooker very easily. If you have a particularly tough spot use the oil neat.
The second way of using the oil is to take a spray bottle and fill it with water. Add few drops of eucalyptus oil and shake. Keep the bottle handy and just shake, spray and wipe when you wipe down your work space.
The smell
I like the fresh smell of eucalyptus oil, but if you find it overpowering try lemon oil or lavender oil.
Synergistic spray bottle blend
For the more adventurous try blending a combination of the following oils in your spray bottle. ( About eight drops per cup of water.)
Lavender oil, lemon oil, Eucalyptus oil, Bois de Rose, Lime, Pine, Thyme oil, Cinnamon oil and clove oil.
Experiment until you find a blend you like, or change it with the seasons.
Technorati Tags: bois de rose, cinnamon oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, Kitchen, lavender oil, lemon oil, Lime oil, Pine oil, recipe, Thyme oil
