WBW: DIY Wellness Gifts
Hello friends, and happy holidays! I am excited to offer another small batch of Well•Being Wednesdays for you. Somehow, 2021 flew by and we are already in December! I can hardly believe it. My first post is a fun one: 3 DIY wellness gifts for the holidays. I like the personal touch of a homemade gift, especially if it is functional.
Palo Santo with a baby crystal bundle
This is my favorite for many reasons - it is easy to make, adorable, and I love that musky-almost-pepperminty smell of palo santo.
What is palo santo? It translates as "holy wood" and is a smudging stick burned to clear energy; it also smells amazing. It grows in South America and has ancient Incan roots.
You can buy a bundle of palo santo from a variety of shops, but I have ordered these in the past and they work perfectly. I have also purchased these mini crystals (as pictured).
Palo Santo with baby crystals and bath bomb
Supplies:
String (I like cross stitch floss because of all the color options but anything will work)
Dried flowers
To make: put a bundle of dried flowers on one stick of palo santo followed by a crystal. Wrap the bundle with string and tie it off (a bow or square knot will do).
Mini Copper Candles
I made these a few years ago as a unique Christmas gift for friends and family; my sister still has hers on display! **Of course, this project involves a little more risk, so please exercise caution when melting and pouring the wax**
Mini Copper Candles
This candle making kit includes everything you need: wax, wicks, pouring pot, stickers for the wicks and more. I like soy wax because it has a longer burning time.
Supplies:
50 drops of candle fragrance - I used lavender essential oil
Large shallow pot
To make:
1) Using the double sided sticker (or glue), secure a wick to the inside center of each copper end cap
1) Double boil to melt the wax: fill the large pot with 2 inches of water and heat on the stove to just below boiling
2) Place 14 oz of soy wax into the metal pouring pitcher and set in the water. Stir wax frequently
3) Remove from water as soon as wax melts so it doesn't become too hot
4) Let wax cool a little for a bit (to about 125 degrees F)
5) Stir in your fragrance (you can mix and match scents, but see below about ratios)
6) Put newspaper or plastic down where you are working in case you spill. Carefully pour wax into your copper caps (The kit I shared has wick holders to keep the wicks centered)
7) Cut wick to desired length
8) Wait several days before burning
**A note about essential oils: add too little oil and you won't notice your scent, but adding too much oil can cause the wick to extinguish itself or the wax could sweat. A recommended ratio is roughly 1/2 oz of essential oil for every 8 ounces of wax. Some fragrances are more pungent than others.
DIY Body Scrub
Check out this post to create a personalized body scrub. This gift can be customized and dressed up with pretty ribbons and stickers or tags. Find a full tutorial here .