Relaxing Herbal Tub Tea

These little tub tea bags are so cute!

For this craft we wanted to make a spa gift that wasn't in a bottle or a jar. Turns out, nine pretty tub teas fit perfectly in a cigar box! 

YOU'LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Pretty cigar box, 6"x7"x3"
9 gold organza favor bags, 3" wide
Florentine paper, 5"x6"
Ivory paper, 31/2"x41/2"
Red organdy ribbon, 28" long, 1" wide
Dried lavender flowers, 11/4 cup
Dried chamomile flowers, 11/4 cup
Chamomile Roman essential oil, 30 drops
Ylang Ylang essential oil, 10 drops

Tools & Supplies

Glue stick
Ultra fine black Sharpie
Bowl
Measuring cup
Tablespoon
Spoon

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the relaxing herbal tub tea, combine the lavender flowers and chamomile flowers in a bowl. Add 30 drops of chamomile roman essential oil and 10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil to the mixture and stir with a spoon.

2. Make 9 tea bags by filling each organza favor bag with 3 tablespoons of the lavender and chamomile tub tea. Arrange the tea bags 3 across by 3 deep in the cigar box.

3. To make the instruction card, print the instructions for using the tub tea on the center of the ivory paper. Glue the ivory instructions page to the center of the Florentine paper with the rubber cement. Lay the instruction sheet on top of the tea bags.

4. Close the lid and tie the red organdy ribbon around the cigar box.

Relaxing Herbal Tub Tea Instructions: Drop a tea bag into your bath. Ease yourself into the warm water and relax. For a more intense aroma, use three tea bags.

Crafty Shopping Tip: You can buy empty cigar boxes for a dollar or two at cigar shops like Tinder Box.

Vanilla Cupcake Lip Balm

 

This sweet treat makes a great gift for teachers.
Kids can make it with Mom, with just a little supervision!

We’re really getting into making spa crafts for Christmas gifts this year. We love cooking up the recipes, then packaging our creations into pretty little gifties! We tried out this recipe for lip balm over the weekend, and it was just too easy not to share. We’re going to make them as stocking stuffers for all of our friends. Sweet!

 

Vanilla Cupcake Lip Balm

This delightful cupcake lip balm is a sweet treat and a cinch to make!

Lip Balm Ingredients

1 tablespoon beeswax pellets

2 tablespoons vitamin E oil

Vanilla essential oil

Red lipstick 

Materials & Embellishments

½ ounce to 1 ounce clear plastic container

1 flatback Swarovski rhinestone, Light Siam, 4mm

Beacon Adhesives Gem-Tac

1 sheet glossy cardstock 

Tools

Pyrex cup

Chopstick

Potato peeler

Microwave oven

Scissors

Double-stick tape

Toothpick 

1. In the Pyrex cup, melt the beeswax pellets into the vitamin E oil by microwaving for about 1 minute on high. Stir with the chopstick. Continue to heat, 10 seconds at a time, until all pellets are melted into the vitamin E oil. 

2. Add 4 to 6 drops of vanilla essential oil and stir. 

3. Use the potato peeler to shave the lipstick, about 3 shavings, into the mixture. Stir with the chopstick until thoroughly melted and blended.

4. Dispense into the plastic container. Let cool.

 

5. Print the label on glossy cardstock and cut it out. Attach the label to the top of the lid with double-stick tape. Glue the Light Siam rhinestone to the cherry on the label using the toothpick to apply the Gem-Tac.

Big Easy: Make a big batch of this lip balm by multiplying the recipe. You can make dozens of party favors or stocking stuffers at once!



Right-click to save label to your computer.

At 300dpi, this label will print 1.3" x 1.3".



Tea Tree Salt Scrub

Rub a palmful of salt scrub over dry skin in the shower to exfoliate and moisturize!

More spa fun! We have been trying out all kinds of recipes for homemade spa goodies to give as gifts this Christmas. We've already figured out our favorite body butter (Rich Cocoa Body Butter!). And now we have a wonderful salt scrub. We love how the brisk scent of tea tree makes this salt scrub refreshing and invigorating.

Salt Scrub Ingredients

1½ cups table salt
10 tablespoons vitamin E oil
Tea tree essential oil

Materials & Embellishments

15-ounce lidded, wide-mouthed jar
2 flatback Swarovski rhinestones, Crystal, 5mm
12 flatback Swarovski rhinestones, Crystal, 3mm
Beacon Adhesives Gem-Tac
1 sheet glossy cardstock

Tools

Mixing bowl
Chopstick
Scissors
Double-stick tape
Toothpick

1. Mix salt and vitamin E oil together in a bowl and stir with a chopstick.

2. Stir in 32 drops of tea tree essential oil and stir until blended.

3. Dispense the salt scrub into the jar, pressing the mixture down with a chopstick.

 
4. Print the label on glossy cardstock and cut it out. Embellish the label with the rhinestones using a toothpick to apply the Gem-Tac. Use double-stick tape to attach the label to the front of the jar.



Click on the image above to view the label actual size.

Then right-click to save the label to your computer.

It will print 2.25" x 5" at 300dpi.





Rich Cocoa Body Butter

Real cocoa infuses this creamy body butter with the fragrance of rich chocolate.

This creamy body butter makes a lovely gift.

Body Butter Ingredients
3 ounces cocoa butter
1 ounce vitamin E oil
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
Vanilla essential oil

Materials & Embellishments

3.5-ounce short, wide-mouthed jar
Brown satin ribbon, 5/8" wide
Brown satin ribbon, 1/8" wide
Gold shank button, 7/16"
Krylon Gold Foil Metallic spray paint, 18 KT
Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip
1 sheet glossy cardstock

Tools

Pyrex cup
Chopstick
Microwave oven
Scissors
Double-stick tape

Steps

1. Scoop 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa butter (3 ounces) into the Pyrex cup and melt in the microwave. Add 2 tablespoons of vitamin E oil (1 ounce) and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and stir with a chopstick.

2. Add 15 drops of vanilla essential oil and stir the mixture until blended.

3. Dispense the body butter into the jar and let cool.

4. To decorate the jar, spray paint the lid with the Gold Foil Metallic spray paint. Tie the wide brown ribbon into a double-bow with tails. Tie it onto the neck of the jar with the thin brown ribbon. Glue the shank button over the knot.

5. Print the label on the glossy cardstock, cut it out, and attach it to the lid using the double-stick tape.



Right-click to save label to your computer.
At 300 dpi, this label will print 1.6" x 1.6".

 

Aromatherapy Foot Soak With Beautiful Beaded Scoop

Give the gift of happy feet with an aromatic foot soak in exhilarating eucalyptus and rosemary.

This soothing footsoak is a thoughtful gift for Mom!

YOU'LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Wide-mouth glass jar with lid, 16-ounce size

Aluminum flashing tape, 2" wide

Stainless coffee scoop (2or  Tbsp spoon)

Copper wire, 20 gauge, 48" long

Glass beads, assorted

Garnet satin ribbon, 1" wide, 24" long

Foot Soak Ingredients

Epsom salts, 1 cup

Coarse sea salt, 3/4 cup

Baking soda, 1/4 cup

Dried rosemary, 2 tablespoons

Eucalyptus essential oil

Rosemary essential oil

Glycerin, 1 tablespoon

Tools & Supplies

Bowl

Spoon
Chopstick

Needle-nose pliers

Wire snips

Ruler

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the foot soak, pour the Epsom salts, sea salt, baking soda, and dried rosemary into a mixing bowl and stir. Add 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and 20 drops of rosemary essential oil, then drizzle in the glycerin and stir. Spoon the foot soak into the jar.

2. To label the foot soak, cut a 3" piece of the aluminum flashing tape (do not remove the backing yet!). Using the chopstick, handwrite "Rosemary Foot Soak" on the tape, pressing firmly to emboss the letters into the metal tape. Carefully peel the backing off without bending the aluminum tape and place the label onto the jar.

3. To bead the salt-scoop, wrap the wire around the handle adding a bead every other time around. Finish off the ends of the wire with a swirl.

4. Tie your beaded salt-scoop to the jar by wrapping a piece of garnet ribbon around the neck of the jar and tying a knot around the scoop. Now that foot soak is good for the sole!

CRAFTY SHOPPING TIP

Epsom salts have been used in bath soaks since the mid 1600s, when a farmer in Epsom, England discovered that the salt seemed to heal scratches. Chemically, it is Magnesium Sulfate, but you can find it in cartons at the drugstore simply labeled "Epsom Salts." 

Dreamy Kimono Eye Pillow

Say sayonara to sleepless nights with this pretty eye pillow made from Kimono fabric and tied with a simple obi sash. The tranquil scent of lavender makes this the eye pillow of your dreams.



To soothe an achy head, place your eye pillow in the freezer
for 15 minutes before use. Then place over your eyes and chill out.

YOU’LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments
Kimono fabric, 8” x 8” square
Periwinkle satin, 4” x 10”
Peach satin ribbon, ¼” wide, 18” long
All-purpose light blue thread

Scented Herbs & Essences

Dried lavender flowers, ¾ cup
Whole flax seeds, ¾ cup
Lavender essential oil

Tools & Supplies

Straight pins
Sewing needle
Scissors
Bowl
Spoon
Kitchen funnel
Iron

WHAT TO DO

1. To make the pillow, lay the kimono fabric face-up and fold in half, with the wrong side out. Pin all three open edges together with the straight pins.

2. Hand stitch the pinned sides together with a backstitch. On the last side, leave a 2” gap to pour in the filling. Remove the pins and turn the pillow right side out.

3. To make the filling, blend the lavender flowers, flax seeds, and 30 drops of lavender essential oil in a bowl. Let air dry for one hour.

4. Use the funnel to pour the filling into the 2” opening in the pillow. The pillow should be floppy, not plump.

5. Stitch the opening closed with a slipstitch hidden inside the seam by folding the fabric edges in and tacking them together. Stitch inside each fold in a back-and-forth pattern.

6. To get the look of an obi sash, lay the periwinkle satin face down. Fold a 1” hem on the two long sides and iron. Then fold a 1” hem on one of the short sides and iron.

7. Lay the pillow crossways across the periwinkle fabric. Fold the periwinkle satin around the pillow, overlapping the hemmed end on top of the unironed end. Pin together.

8. Stitch the top end of the periwinkle satin to the bottom end of the satin with a slipstitch.

9. Wrap the peach ribbon around the periwinkle sash and finish with a petite bow. Naptime!

Scentsational Lavender-Rose Sachet

Create a fancy, floral sachet scented with soothing botanicals. A simple and lovely gift for Mother's Day!

YOU’LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Teal silk shantung, 11” x 11” square.

White iridescent organdy ribbon, 1½” wide, 18” long.

Magenta silk rose, 4” diameter.

Small rubber band.

Scented Herbs & Essences
Dried rose buds & petals, 1 ½ cups.
Rose fragrance oil.
Lavender essential oil.

Tools & Supplies
Scissors.
Ruler.
Wire snips.
Bowl.
Spoon.

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the scented sachet filling, pour the rose buds and petals into a bowl. Add 10 drops of the rose fragrance oil and 10 drops of the lavender essential oil and stir.

2. To make the sachet, lay the silk shantung square out on a table. Spoon the sachet filling onto the center of the square. Gather the corners and edges of the fabric square tightly together to create a ball. Secure the fabric at the top with a small rubber band.

3. To embellish the sachet, snip the stem of the silk rose 2” from the base of the bloom. Stick the remaining rose stem down into the center of the sachet.

4. Finish the sachet by wrapping the organdy ribbon around the top to conceal the rubber band. Then tie the ribbon in a tidy knot and trim the ends at an angle. Scentsational!

Give Your Bath The Spa Treatment

Turn your bathroom into a retreat with simple, chic accessories.

A spa bathroom lets you pamper yourself with little indulgences for a fraction of what you'd spend at the spa. To create your own spa bathroom, just think "relaxing" with calming candlelight, soothing scents, and big, fluffy towels. Then just add a few personal touches to create your own retreat in the middle of a bustling household.

Decorating Scents
The spa experience always starts with the aroma—when you walk through the doors, the calming scents help you transition from traffic to tranquility. Get the same effect in your own home with personal aromatherapy blends. Add aromatic essential oils to drugstore Epsom salts for a professional mineral bath that is a treat for the senses. To refresh and revitalize, try scents like tea tree and eucalyptus. Ylang ylang and neroli are perfect before bedtime. For a relaxing mini-facial for puffy eyes, use Victorian Trading Company’s Eyes Tea, filled with fennel, chamomile, and rose petals.

Lighten The Mood
A spa should make you feel good and look good! So do like the spas do and lower your lighting. Turn off the overhead and place small jar candles on the counter and candle tins around the tub. Candlelight flatters every skin tone. And in this room you see a lot of your own skin, so why not make it look its best!? Don't be afraid to mix large and small pillars with votives and tea lights, just choose a single scent to keep the aromas from clashing. Specialty candles, like Victorian Trading Company's Soybean Beauty Candle, melt into a smoothing emollient you can massage into your skin to make it velvety. Talk about soft lighting.

Keep It Simple To get a refined spa look, clear your counters by stashing less attractive products in linen-lined baskets. Then dress your counter with elegant glass jars like The Container Store's Vibe Canisters. Fill them with lovely bath products like Organic Bath Company's flower-shaped Bath Petals. They not only please the eye, the lavender vanilla scent soothes the soul. Personalize the containers with scrapbooking tags tied with twine. Then add a glass vase of blooming lavender to your countertop, nature’s own aromatherapy!

Sound Effects

When it comes to setting a spa mood, don't forget the acoustic music and soothing nature sounds. Spa music is designed to transport you to a tranquil place of inner peace, and you can have all of that for the price of a few CDs! Get a small CD player and store a selection of CDs in a tidy wooden box. Then with just the touch of a button, you can close your eyes and listen your way to inner calm.

Put Yourself On a Pedestal
The finest spas have a serene space where guests can relax while they leave the stresses of the day behind them. Create your own relaxation zone with a sleek Teak Stool from Smith & Hawken—the perfect perch for a foot soak. To make an authentic footbath, fill a large bowl with warm water and your own aromatherapy salts. Now you can give your feet a pampering pedicure without teetering on the side of the tub!

Wrap Yourself in Luxury

Nothing says "ooh la la spa" like fluffy cotton towels. When it comes to these bathroom necessities, a little splurge can make a big splash. Instead of regular bath towels, go for oversized bath sheets, like 100% Turkish Cotton LuxeSPA Allure Towels from Bed Bath & Beyond. At 40 inches by 70 inches, these ultra-soft towels are so big they'll warm you from head to toe--literally. To complete the spa effect, hang a natural cotton shower curtain from simple chrome hooks. Then add a matching bath rug, the plushest you can find. Your tootsies will thank you.

Tray Chic
What's the best reason to have a spa bathroom at home? You can soak in the tub to your heart's content whenever you want. With a wooden tub tray from IKEA, your bath essentials will always be at your fingertips. Fill your tub caddy with exfoliating oatmeal soap, a pumice stone, and a natural loofah sponge. An organized space is a relaxing space, and that's what a spa bath is all about.

Now that your bathroom has been transformed into a spa retreat, celebrate by easing yourself into a bubbling whirlpool. You don’t have to replace your standard tub with a Jacuzzi to have the ultimate in relaxation. Conair's Dual-Jet Spa Bath fits over the side of the tub and whips your water into hydrotherapy whirlpools. HoMedics Massaging Bubble Mat fills the water with thousands of bubbles. So put on that mud mask, close your eyes, and let your new spa bathroom give you the spa treatment.

Enchanting Chai Sachet

Blend black tea leaves with spicy essential oils for a sweet sachet steeped in love.

YOU'LL NEED
Fabrics & Embellishments
Turquoise silk sari fabric, 6"x6" square, 2 pieces.
Thread to match sari fabric.
Black rose iron-on applique, 3½"x 3½".
Orange satin ribbon, 7/8" wide, 24" length.
Gold ribbon, ½" wide, 24" length.
Inkadinkado Clear Stamps, Bold Damasks, scroll rubber stamp.
Acrylic stamp block.
Black pigment ink stamp pad.
Self-adhesive metal nailheads, 3mm, turquoise.

Scented Herbs & Essences
Loose black tea leaves, ½ cup.
Whole cloves, ¼ cup.
Dried orange peel, ¼ cup.
Whole flax seeds, 1 cup.
Cinnamon essential oil.
Vanilla essential oil.

Tools & Supplies
Iron.
Pressing cloth.
Sewing machine.
Straight pins.
Sewing needle.
Measuring cup.
Mixing bowl.
Spoon.
Kitchen funnel.

WHAT TO DO
1. To attach the applique, place one piece of sari fabric face up, then center the applique on top. Cover with the pressing cloth and iron using the "cotton" setting. (Test a corner first to make sure the iron is not too hot.)

2. Pin the two pieces of fabric together with the good sides facing in. Using the sewing machine and a straight stitch, sew the pillow all the way around with a ¼" seam allowance. Leave a 2" opening on one side. Turn the pillow right side out.

3. To make the scented filling, stir the tea leaves, cloves, orange peel, and flax seeds together in a mixing bowl. Scent the mixture with ten drops of each essential oil and stir well. Let the mixture air dry for one hour to prevent the oil from staining the silk. Use the funnel to pour the scented filling into the opening of the pillow.

4. Hand stitch the pillow closed using a hidden ladder stitch.

5. To embellish the ribbon, stamp the scroll design repeatedly onto the orange ribbon using the black pigment ink pad. Let dry. Embellish the design with the metal nail head stickers.

6. Gather the orange and gold ribbons together, wrap around the pillow, then tie in a knot. Trim the ends at an angle leaving 3" tails.

Instant Tea: If mixing herbs and essences is not your cup of tea, use aromatic chai tea instead. Blend 1 cup of chai tea and 1 cup of flax seeds as the filling.

Orange You Clever: Before you get out a bag of oranges and start drying the peels, look for dried orange peel in the spice section of your grocery store! Ours came in a spice jar labeled "Orange Peel." Who knew?

Beachcomber's Bath Salts

We love spa gifts. They just smell so good! We made these Beachcomber's Bath Salts by topping a jar lid with shells and sand, then filling the jar with aromatic bath salts. Our sea shells came from a trip to the beach, but you can buy shells at Michael's or the dollar store if you don't live near the shore!