How to make your own air freshener!

Room sprays and air fresheners are costly, and contain many synthetic ingredients. If you would like to create an inexpensive, natural air freshener, then you are in the right place. All you will need is an essential oil, some 100 proof vodka or rubbing alcohol, a spray bottle, and water. Making your own air freshener is similar to making a perfume, so first we will look at how perfume is made.
Essential Oils are the oils from herbs, flowers, or leaves that have been separated from the plant. This is usually done using a method called steam distillation. The oil is bottled and sold as an essential oil. Essential oils are sold individually, such as lavender, sage, and mint, or as blends. Essential oil blends are harmonious mixes of oils. Essential oils are different from fragrance oils. Fragrance oils are synthetic fragrances, which are usually made to recreate smells that are not found naturally. Ocean, rain, and grass scents are usually synthetic. Both essential oils and fragrance oils are mixed to create perfumes. You can also use either or both to make your own air freshener and room spray.


First, you need an essential oil. Essential oils (and fragrance oils) are commonly found in health food stores, although you may find them cheaper online. I use a lot of essential oils, so I buy them online in larger bottles. I recommend that you start out with a simple oil, such as lavender, or a blend that has already been mixed for you. Take advantage of the samples in the store and smell them all. Mixing your own scents can be a little tricky at first, and you should learn more about blending perfumes before giving it a try.
Once you have the oil, you will need an alcohol. An alcohol will break down the oil while leaving the scent intact, allowing you to mix it with water. Otherwise, your oil will just float on top of the water. For this, you can use 100 proof vodka or rubbing alcohol. I tend to use vodka for perfumes that I use on my body, and rubbing alcohol when making room sprays and air fresheners, just because I like to spray it all the time without worrying about the cost. The smell of the rubbing alcohol will not be noticeable once it is diluted. Finally, you need a spray bottle and water, and you are ready to go.
The great thing about making your own air freshener is that you don't have to worry about following a recipe. Pour some alcohol or vodka into the spray bottle - about one to two tablespoons. Then put your essential oil or fragrance oil drops in. You can experiment with how strong you want it to smell. I usually put 25 - 35 drops. Put the lid on, and shake it up for a few seconds for the oil to dissolve. Then, fill it all the way up with water. You now have your own all purpose room spray and air freshener.

Lip Balm How To!

How to Lip Balm?

Ingredients:
2 oz. + 1 heaping Tablespoon Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1.5 tsp vitamin E Essential Oil (You can use the gel caps or the dropper formula)
2 oz Cosmetic Grade Beeswax
Plastic Lip Balm Containers
Optional: 25 drops vanilla essential oil or peppermint essential oil (or whatever scent you prefer, just make sure to use an essential oil for fragrance)

Other Items:
Sauce pan & metal mason jar lid ring
wooden Spoon

Step one: The first step is to place your coconut oil, beeswax, and vitamin E oil into a glass measuring cup. The vitamin E will act as a moisturizer and preservative, the coconut oil is our moisturizer, and the beeswax will hold everything together.

Step two: Next, get a pan and fill it about half way with water and bring it to a boil. I also put a metal mason jar lid inside of ours to create a homemade double boiler type contraption. You do not want to place the glass measuring cup right in your pan as it may crack from the heat.

Step three: Once the water is at a slight boil, place your glass measuring cup into the water to melt the oils. After all of the oils are melted together, the beeswax will take the longest, you should have a nice golden liquid.

Adding Fragrance & Flavoring to Your Balm: (Optional)

Do this while your balm is still over the heat so that the cooler oil doesn’t cause your balm to solidify again. Add either a vanilla essential oil or peppermint essential oil scent to it using essential oils. You can also add in flavoring.

Fragrance: Keep in mind some oils are stronger than others, so you might consider adding a few drops at a time until the scent is to your liking.
Flavoring: To test the flavor of your balm, you can dab a small amount onto your lips. Keep in mind that the flavors get a bit stronger as the balm solidifies.

Once the balm is scented & flavored to your liking, carefully pour it into your containers and allow to cool fully.

This is a nice simple way to whoop up your own lip balm! If you have issues with cold sores or things like that consider taking a bit longer and infusing your own fresh herbs into your oils like we do with our Herbal Lip Healing Balm!

Natural Hair Spray Recipe

Natural Hair Spray Recipe

 

A super-simple homemade hair spray that is all natural and works well!

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups filtered water (boil if you can’t filter)
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar (darker ones don’t really work here)
• 1 tablespoon of high proof alcohol like vodka (I actually like spiced rum for the scent)
• 10-15 drops of essential oil of choice

Instructions

1. Boil water and dissolve sugar in it.
2. Allow to cool to room temp and add alcohol and essential oils.
3. Store in spray bottle and use as regular hair spray.

Notes

This recipe lasts indefinitely if kept in an air tight container. Adjust the sugar up or down for more or less stiffness/hold (more sugar=stronger hold) but don’t add too much or hair will feel sticky.

Update! Where have I been???

As some of you know we have been making a transition in our household from home school to private school. From no extra curricular activities to oh my goodness its practices and games every day! The kids are adjusting fine... mom on the other hand has been a bit lost in the transition! We are going to be changing a few thing here at WWA! We will no longer have the web site up. We will be direct selling through our facebook page only and email, telephone orders. We feel like this will allow us to speak with each individual and make sure the product is proper for that individual. We will not be reopening the store. We will however take pick up calls and have your order ready if you would like to pick it up here at my house! We will not be accepting any more consignment items due to not having the store area. We are planning on vending around and about again really soon! If you need a particular product please feel free to email or call us!

Happy Herbal Healing!

Ashley

You can however find plenty of DIY recipes on our site still!!!!!!!!! 

Lets Make Vanilla Extract!!!

 Lets Make Vanilla Extract!!
Supplies needed:
Vanilla Beans (http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/vanilla_bean.php) About 3-4 whole beans per jelly jar
80-100 proof Vodka
and a jar!

 I start by cutting my vanilla beans in half then slitting the been length wise.

 Place the vanilla beans in the jars!

Fill the jar with Vodka!

Then Shake Shake Shake!!
I try and shake daily for at least a week then once every other day!

Make now for an awesome Christmas gift!

Running low? No problemo the beans are good for years just add vodka and you have more extract!!!




Happy Herbal Healing!!

Ashley

Super Q... Allergy relief!!!!

I have been so sick of allergies! Drinking nettle tea really helps but after about 4 days it irritates my stomach. I have found something I am trying now called Super Quecertin. Its completely natural! I took 6 yesterday it was the first day I have taken it. Today I will take two. Yesterday I didn't get the usual allergy headache in the evening! Fingers crossed!! You can find Super Q at any natural health food store! I was told that children can also take this for seasonal allergy if they can swallow the pill... make sure you check out the size of the pill though bf buying for your kid! They are really large capsules!

Happy Herbal Healing!

Prepping with herbs- Echinacea Tincture

So we are going to be doing a bit of talking here on WWA about prepping for disasters today! You never hear a lot about preppers and herbs? I have to ask myself why? Seems like this would be a natural connection since preppers are prepping and storing food indefinitely? If your a prepper you should start learning herbs!
Tinctures!! Yes lets talk tinctures!!!
In truth, I use very few tinctures for my family and myself these days. I prefer to add herbs to my food or drink them in teas, enjoying their continual nourishment when added to our diet.
But I do however store them!
I suggest your first tincture for your SHTF stockpile to be Echinacea! Here is where you find it: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/search/search.php?refine=y&keywords=Echinacea+purpurea

So during a stressful disaster time people are more likely to get sick due to lack of cleanliness, dehydration, and stress!

Use your echinacea tincture once a month for two weeks on each individual of your group to keep your community healthy during SHTF!

Echinacea has long been used to boost immunity to all sorts of nasty germs including flu and the common cold!! It also is an excellent wound cleaner for people and animals!

So I ordered this dry herb that looks like grass what do I do with it now?
Well, you will need a ½ pint jar, ½ cup of dried echinacea, and 100 proof vodka to fill your jar. (I have ran into quite a few people that are all anti booze to make your meds and prefer glycerine... and Ill address you people later)

STEP 1:Fill the jar ½ way with dried echinacea
STEP 2: Pour 100 proof vodka over the leaves until the jar is full.
STEP 3: Stir and cap your tincture in progress.
STEP 4: LABEL your tincture!!!!!
STEP 5: Shake daily for 6 weeks! If you forget one day no biggie just shake when you remember!
STEP 6: Strain through cheese cloth into dropper bottles (dark colored!)

Shelf Life? Indefinite! Make sure you label the dropper bottles and seal them tightly! Keep out of sunshine and in a cool dark place!

  I have found that this formula will knock out even the most stubborn illnesses. To prevent illness, you’d take 3 full dropperfuls once a day, but in a crisis mode, you could take a 3 dropperful dose every 30 minutes. I’ve gotten rid of many flu’s in 4 hours dosing every 30 minutes. This is also great for tooth abscesses and can be dropped directly in the ear for ear infections.
Uses: Colds, Flu, Strep, coughs, sore throat, ear infections, abscess, itching, congestions, pink eye, fever
Application: Internally, or as an external wash for wounds Substitute for: antibiotics, OTC cold medications, antibiotic ointments, Neosporin