Bath Bombs (Sze, 2022)
Hello Possums, as we approach the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, I feel like we need this fresh start considering all the stresses and uncertainties of the past few years. The festive season can be challenging for some of us. For hubby and I, it’s the first Christmas without our fathers. I’m sure that many of you reading this, have similarly felt loss at these times.
I wanted to put something together that was both therapeutic for us as well as others, so I’ve come up with some ideas for Christmas presents you can make for family and friends here. My all-time favourite goodies to create because the PROCESS of making them is just as much a gift and the sharing of them! While you’re mixing up magic on your kitchen bench, all the aromatic herbs, spices, grains and oils will be soothing and nourishing your mind and body and reminding you of just how beautiful and precious our world is. All those flowers, petals, oils and natural powders…..
I think DIY gifts are underrated. They’re personalised, they’re economical, they don’t come wrapped in single-use plastics and they’re a reflection of the effort you’ve made. Read on to find out how to make some fun, herby, aromatic gifts with your own beautiful hands 🙂
- Gut-lovin’ Seed Loaf Premix in a Bottle
- Bath Bombs
- Aromatic Lotion Bars
And have a beautiful end of year friends. May your dreams and hopes find a path to manifestation in the coming year.
Gut-lovin’ Seed Loaf Pre-Mix in a Bottle
Honestly this is the easiest and best seed loaf I’ve come across, I LOVE this loaf! Anytime I feel peckish, a single slice of this fills me up and lifts my energy. It’s the perfect gift for someone who like healthy recipes and making their own staples. This recipe is based on the Life Changing Loaf of Bread. If you don’t want the Turmeric that’s fine, go ahead and take it out. And feel free to play around with different types of Herbal infusions to use in place of the water.
Smells sooooooo good! Seed Loaf Premix in a Bottle (Sze, 2022)
Here’s the list of ingredients for your bottles or jars of Pre-Mix. Remember to include a label with the ingredients in case your recipient has allergies or intolerances. And also specify that they need to add the additional wet ingredients before baking. I suggest:
“Pour mix into a loaf tin. Then, mix 1.5 cups water, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 3 tbsp melted coconut oil in a bowl, and pour over the seed mix. Leave to sit for 2 – 3 hrs, then bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.”
Seed Loaf Pre-Mix in a Bottle
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- Bottle
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1.5 cup Organic Rolled Oats
- 0.5 cup Pepitas
- 0.5 cup Flaxseed
- 2 tbsp Chia seeds
- 4 tbsp Psyllium Husks
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp Black Nigella sativum Seeds
- 1 tsp Pink Himalaya Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients and jar/bottle.
- Prepare labels with all ingredients listed, including this: "Pour mix into a loaf tin. Then, mix 1.5 cups water, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 3 tbsp melted coconut oil in a bowl, and pour over the seed mix. Leave to sit for 2 - 3 hrs, then bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour."
Notes
Smells sooooooo good! Seed Loaf Premix in a Bottle (Sze, 2022)
Bath Bombs
Firstly let me say, your home is going to smell AMAZING. Grab your favourite essential oils and whip up these bombs that can be used in the bath, shower, even in the toilet. When you pop one in the bath it will fizz and add aroma to the water. You can put on the shower floor as well.
Often you’ll have some left-over mixture which I like to throw into the toilet as a cleaner and fragrance.
(Sze, 2022)
Bath Bombs
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 pair gloves to protect your hands
Ingredients
- 530 grams Baking Soda
- 20 grams Coconut Milk powder
- 150 grams Citric Acid
- 2 tbsp Oil (I used Calendula infused oil)
- 30 drops Essential Oil I used Lavender, Sweet Orange and Ylang Ylang
- Water Add drops slowly or use a spritzer and only add enough to make the mix like wet sand.
- Flowers I used Lavender flowers and Rose petals to the molds before adding the bomb mixture.
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients together in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Stir in oil. Spray or add water until you achieve the consistency of wet sand, but don't make it too wer or the mixture won't set properly.
- If you're adding flowers, throw a few into the mold first.
- Add bomb mixture to molds and immediately turn out. Leave to set at room temperature for a few hours.
Toilet bombs anyone? (Sze, 2022)
Aromatic Lotion Bars
Perfect for dry skin, ageing skin and joint or muscle aches and pains, these lotion bars can be personalised by your choice of base and essential oils. You’ll need beeswax to make them. A cute mold set is an absolute must, but even the humble ice cube tray can be used if needed. I get my molds from IKEA and Kmart mostly.
For a little extra beauty, add some dried flowers into your mold before pouring the hot mixture, but bear in mind this can make things messy when applying the lotion bar. Up to you!
Lotion bars (Sze, 2022)
Aromatic Lotion Bars
Equipment
- 1 Double Boiler setup i.e a small saucepan sitting in a large pot with boiling water.
- 1 Mold
Ingredients
- 80 mL Oil (straight oil or a herbal infused one like Calendula oil) Best to use Sunflower, Grapeseed or Almond. Avoid strong smelling cooking oils like Olive Oil.I used an infused oil of Calendula, Frankincense and Myrrh.
- 20 grams Beeswax pellets Or if you have a block, you'll need to grate it.
- 30 drops Essential oils of your choice I added Lavender.
Instructions
- If you want to use an infused oil, then add your selected herbs (flower parts are best) to a jar and top with oil. Keep saturated and allow to infuse over a 2-4 week period. Strain at the end. You can also gently warm the oil and it will infuse more quickly ( in around 15 minutes). But avoid the heating method if you want the retain the aroma as the volatile oils in flowers like Chamomile and Lavender may evaporate with cooking.
- If topping with flowers, sprinkle a few into your molds before beginning the cooking process.
- Pour your oil into the small saucepan, using a double boiler setup (i.e have the small pot sitting in a larger one filled with boiling water, like how you would melt chocolate).
- Stir in the beeswax until fully melted. As soon as the mixture is pure liquid, take the small saucepan out of the larger one, and pour the liquid into your molds.
- Leave to set for an hour or so.
IKEA mold used here (Sze, 2022)
I hope you like these, and that making them makes your lil’ heart happy 🙂 It’s a nice way to reconnect with working with our hands and hearts, making things of beauty and sharing them with our loved ones isn’t it?
Hey there! Welcome to my world of totally natural and powerful healing medicines. Medicines from nature. Medicine from Source. I’m a naturopath and herbalist with extensive clinical experience working with a range of health conditions including hormonal, metabolic, mental health, sleep and more.
I’ve brought together years of clinical and teaching experience, academic skill and curiosity to bring you this blog. I hope you enjoy it! If you do, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!
