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Indian Rose Aromatherapy Candle
The scent of roses works on the heart chakra and helps us release fear. This is a simple way to begin creating your own handcrafted candles for different purposes, as you can replace the roses with lavender for calming, basil for happiness or even citrus for energy boosts. You will need:
1 2-inch votive candle, white.
1 21/2 inch diameter, straight-sided container. (It must be heat proof, try juice cans.)
1/3 cup melted bees wax
12 drops rose essential oil
1/2 cup dried rose petals and small buds
nonstick cooking spray, for the container.
Coat the inside of the container with nonstick spray. Place the votive in the center of the container. Pack the roses and petals around the votive. Melt the wax in a double boiler, (to make an easy one - put the wax in a small coffee can, and float in a bigger pan full of water.) Stir the rose oil into the melted wax. Pour the wax into the container to the very top of the candle. Be sure not to cover the wick in the votive. Let cool completely before removing from the container - at least 24 hours.

Candle directions courtesy of A Place to Dream, Lynne Blackman and Kathy Corey.

Rose Votive Cups
These are gorgeous, I couldn't resist. Sorry, I don't have a pic, as they just don't do it justice. Just picture a huge, perfect rose with a votive candle in glass in the center. Directions here are for one... But you may want to go ahead and buy supplies for more. You will need:

2 large Silk Roses with leaves. (Velvets are very nice)
1 smallest size glass "bubble" votive holder
1 wax pencil or dark crayon
Designer Tacky Glue or ModPodge.
Scissors and wire-cutters, if using wrapped stem roses.
Popsicle stick or large toothpick for applying glue
Wax paper or Saran Wrap to cover work surface.

Remove the rose heads from stems. Remove any plastic or silk calico from base of rose, (the green part.), set aside. Remove all leaves from stem and set aside. Cut each petal of the rose heads apart making separate stacks of each size: inner(smallest), middle(between), outer ( largest). Once all petals are cut apart, Hold the inner petal against the glass cup and place the top of the petal even with the top of the votive cup. Mark the cup where the bottom edge of the petal hits the cup with the crayon/pencil. Place a small dab of glue on the bottom of the rose petal, and glue at mark. Do not glue upper edge of petal to glass. Continue with remaining inner petals, over lapping each edge slightly to avoid gaps.(The secret is to keep all the upper edges almost level, so it looks real.)

When you have finished with all inner petals, remeasure for Middle size petals, and continue to glue as before.

Repeat all steps for largest petals, these should be at very bottom edge of glass cup, and touch the table with their edges. That way they are covering the cup completely. You may have to glue the very edge of the petal and apply "sideways" to finish this layer. Once all petals are applied, dry the project overnight.

If you desire more realism: Cut Calexys in fourths, glue to outer edges of largest petals at base of cup. Glue leaves in a pleasing arrangement onto base of glass cup, you can use three leaves on stem or a single leaf. I also like to leave the leaves loose and simply arrange them within a grouping of these rose votives.

Fill cup with your favorite votive or small floating candles.
Candle cup directions courtesy of Crafts Magazine.

Progressive Potpourri

Take one large and shallow wooden or woven bowl. Place it in a seat of honor in your living space. Place 3-4 sticks of Cinnamon, a handful of Cloves, and 2-4 whole Nutmegs, that you have cracked with a hammer, or heavy skillet, in the bowl. Add the peeled rind of any citrus fruit you consume, as you think of it, making sure now to crowd the bowl space. You can also add the dried fruits from the back of your produce drawer, as long as they aren't wet. Add any whole herbs and spices, that are past their prime, when you clean out your spice shelf. As you trim your garden, add the slips to the bowl. When you recieve flowers, or give them to yourself, add some of the flowers or petals to the bowl. Christmas tree trimmings are wonderful additions, as are any pretty berries, cones, leaves or nuts you may find on walks and other journeys. You may also add any Spirit Gifts, as they appear to you. Feathers, stones, shells or even Fortune Cookie slips are fun additions. As the bowl overflows, simply remove the upper layers - as soon as they are completely dry - to a ceramic or glass container, (mayonnaise jars work very well), if you want to save them for other places in your home.You can add drops of any essential oil to the jars and shake to impart more scent.The most interesting thing is watching the Season's changes reflected in your bowl!

Marbled Bottle
Talk about a quick, easy and inexpensive craft! This is one way to take care of your girlfriend's Christmas or Yule gifts without breaking your budget. For extra pizazz, fill them with homemade body oils. There are ideas on the Seduce page for starting blenders. It's presented out for facial massage, but by multiplying the base oil, and adding essential oil in proportion, you can create body oils as well. You will need:

Clear glass bottle with cork stopper
Illinois Bronze Webbing Spray - Plum Punch
Krylon Make It Pearl! - Spring Violet
Krylon Living Color - Elderberry
Krylon Spray Adhesive (optional)
12 in. flat lace ribbon (optional)

Procedure:

1. Spray entire bottle with Spring Violet Pearl. Allow to dry.
2. Lightly apply Webbing Spray to bottle.
3. If using - Cut lace ribbon to circle neck and base of bottle. Spray with Krylon Spray Adhesive. Wait
about 2 minutes for adhesive to set.
4. While adhesive is setting, spray cork with Krylon Living Color - Elderberry. Place in
bottleneck when completely dry.
5. If using lace - Wrap lace ribbon securely around bottle.

You can also change colors, and use peaches, roses or greens and blues. There are many choices from these brands.
Bottle directions courtesy of Krylon, Inc.

Woven Ribbon Pillows
Materials:

Several yards of different colored fabric, lace or satin ribbon
Medium weight fusible interfacing Cardboard backing & straight pins Material to match main ribbon colors (1/2 - 1 yard)
1/2 inch Fusible glue tape for seams and back
Cording
Thread and needle or fabric glue for finishing

Instructions:
To weave the ribbons - Cut a piece of interfacing about 10" square. Place it on the cardboard, fusible side up. Cut 10" strips of ribbon and lay them vertically, securing at the top with a pin. Weave 10" strips of ribbon horizontally, over and under (just like those potholders we made as kids...) and secure with pins.

Create Pillow - Using a medium heat, iron the ribbon onto the interfacing - this usually requires holding the iron in place for about 10 seconds, follow the instructions for the interfacing. Glue on the front border - Cut two strips of material 3" x 10". Place on opposite sides of your woven ribbon, right sides together, and place fusible tape for 1/2" seam. Fold a small bit of edgeover the fusible tape to finish.Cut off the excess and iron to adhere. Cut two strips of material 3" x 13". Place along the top and bottom, right sides together. Place tape and iron as above. Trim with cording - Hand stitch, or fabric glue, the cording around your ribbon square, or criss cross through the middle. Use your imagination, this is the fun part. Iron on backing - Cut a 13" x 13" square of material. Place wrong sides together and remove the backing from the fusible tape. Iron along 3 sides. Fill with polyfill material or pre-made pillow. Pin to hold and iron last edge closed.

Trim - If you want, you can add extra trim to the outer edges of your pillow, such as cording that matches the ribbons, tassels, lace, etc. You can place these inside the edge with a line of fusible glue before ironing, for a finished edge. For a removable pillow cover - If you want to be able to remove the pillow from its covering, make the backing 13" by about 16" long. Iron three sides as above, and hem the top edge 1/2" with fusible tape to finish. This will fold down over the pillow inside the pillow case.

Rose Petal Beads

Fallen rose petals that are still fresh can be used for making the most beautiful beads. Any color will do. You’ll need about sixty petals for a necklace, or forty for a child size necklace. If you fill a regular brown shopping bag you’ll have plenty.

Materials:
Meat grinder, blender or food processor
Dental floss or waxed thread
Rose petals (a shopping bag full)
Necklace clasp
Straight pins

Instructions:
The best way to prepare your petals is to put them through a meat grinder, or processor. But you can also cut the petals up into tiny pieces with scissors, then pound and crush them into a fine paste that resembles clay. Place the petals in a cast iron skillet. (The petal paste affects other metals and will turn another pot black). Repeat the process of grinding the rose petal paste several times. It will become increasingly denser. As the rose petal paste stays in the skillet it will begin to turn darker and darker.

Form the petal paste into beads by rolling small amounts in your hands. Make each bead twice the size you want. They will shrink as they dry. Stick a pin into each bead while it is still moist or they will dry too hard to thread. Place the pins into something soft like a cork or bulletin board so that air will circulate around the beads. It will take about a week for them to dry thoroughly.

String the beads on strong linen, button thread. This is a waxed thread, or you can use dental floss. You can alternate a rose petal bead with another bead such as a semiprecious stone of a different color.

To Finish Rose-Petal Beads Polish each bead with a soft cloth. Attach a clasp at the back for closing. A necklace clasp is called a jewelry finding so this is the category under which you’ll find this item. The beads will become harder and darker and more polished-looking with age and use.

Bead directions courtesy of Nell Zeigler and Grace Bouvier

Natural Beauty

This is a short list of various natural skin and body care recipes that I have accumulated over the past 20 years... I am posting the easiest and most useful here this month:

Homemade Strawberry Moisturizer
Materials Needed:
1 tbsp each: olive, coconut and vegetable oils
2 tbsp mashed strawberries
(Optional) 1-2 drops Vitamin E oil
Procedure: 1.Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in the refrigerator in a covered jar between uses.
2.To give as gift, pour into small plastic or glass container (found in many drugstore or department stores
in cosmetic department). Add gift tag with instructions for use and storage.

Bath Bomb Recipe
Materials Needed:
2 T Citric Acid
2 T Cornstarch
1/4 c baking soda
1/4 t fragrance oil
3 - 6 drops of liquid colorant (if desired)
3 T Coconut Oil ( or any other emolient oil like
Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, or Apricot Kernel Oil)
Procedure: 1.Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. 2.Mix fragrance and colorant together.
3.In a small glass bowl combine oil with fragrance and colorant mixture. 4.Slowly add oil mixture to dry ingredients and blend well. 5.Take truffle sized scoops of the mixture and shape into balls. Balls should be about
1" in diameter. Let balls rest on a sheet of waxed paper for 2 - 3 hours. 6.Let the bombs dry and harden for 24 - 48 hours. You can pack each bomb into its own candy cup. Store bombs in a closed container. 7.To use - drop 1 - 3 into warm bath water.

Lemon Moisturizer

1 beaten egg yolk
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp lemon juice

Combine egg yolk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir with a wire whisk while adding both oils until the mixture
thickens. If too thick, add more lemon juice.