Feathers in Our Nest

a blog about faith, family, food, & more written by a wife and stay at home mom of five

DIY Travel Bags: To Wear & To Wash {Gift Idea!}

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DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our Nest
I’ve been eyeing these travel bags for a while and wanting to make some of my own!  Aren’t they perfect for travel?  You tuck your clean underthings in one, and then as the trip progresses, transfer them to the other one.  This makes it so easy to keep everything separated in your luggage.  This weekend, I took a few minutes to make a set of my own!

First I grabbed these bags (more than you need, so you can make extras to give as gifts!) and a fabric marker (from Target in the craft department, but this set is similar to the one I bought).DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our Nest

You can print out the text in a favorite font to use as inspiration.  (Left: Harlems Font. Right: Wanderlust.)  I used these for reference but put my own twist on the letters!

Place a small piece of cardboard inside the bag so the ink doesn’t bleed through to the other side.  Then write “to wear” on one and “to wash” on the other.DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our Nest

Tip: Use the bullet point end of the fabric marker to do faux calligraphy (as pictured). Write the words, then thicken each down stroke to give it that calligraphy or brush pen look.  DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our Nest

DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our Nest

Check the fabric marker packaging for washing instructions.DIY Gift Idea: Travel Bags - To Wash & To Wear! | Feathers in Our NestThese would make nice gifts for a girlfriend who loves to travel!

Other phrases to write on your bags: “bits and baubles,” “hair thingies,” “socks,” “chargers & earbuds,” and “this and that.”

Let me know if you make any!

DIY Travel Lingerie Bags with Brush Lettering: To Wear & To Wash {Gift Idea!} | Feathers in Our Nest

Aliesha Caldwell is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

DIY Fragrance Sticks {Using Your Favorite Essential Oils!}

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Make your own fragrance sticks (solid perfume) using your favorite essential oils or blends! Three simple ingredients and easy to make! | Feathers in Our Nest

Today I wanted to share another fun way to use the essential oils you have in your “stash”!  Making personal fragrance sticks (or solid perfume, as some call it) couldn’t be easier.  Simply choose your favorite essential oil or a blend of oils and whip up these fragrance sticks in a few minutes!  While they look like lip balm, they are intended to be applied to your neck, wrists, or behind your ears as a light personal perfume.

When I made these to give away as a gift, I used Blend of Jasmine for a pleasant floral scent.  You can use many different oils!  I recommend starting with an oil or blend that you love the fragrance of and have used topically before with no problems (skin irritation, etc.).

Here are a few suggestions:
–Bergamot
–Pink Grapefruit
–Lavender
–Blend of Jasmine
–Citrus Blend
–Blend of Vanilla
–Calming
–Citrus Passion
–Sonata
–Peace and Quiet

These make great little gifts (and you could plan ahead to make stocking stuffers!).  They are super cute to enclose with a birthday card.

I used white beeswax when I made these, but if you use yellow beeswax (which is totally fine), the sticks will be a light yellow color.  You can also use sweet almond oil in place of the olive oil if you prefer.

This recipe yields 5 sticks, but you can easily double or triple the recipe to make more!

DIY Fragrance Sticks {Using Your Favorite Essential Oils!}
 
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Easily make these fragrance sticks so you can carry your personal perfume with you anywhere you go! Use your favorite essential oil or blend to customize it for you.
Author:
Serves: 5 sticks
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. beeswax pellets (white or yellow)
  • ¼ tsp. essential oil
Instructions
  1. Prepare empty lip balm containers by opening the lids and standing them on their ends. Group together and secure with a rubber band. (Alternatively, you can use tiny round tins.)
  2. Place olive oil and beeswax in a glass Pyrex measuring cup OR a mason jar and set it inside a saucepan on the stovetop filled with an inch or two of water. (The advantage of the measuring cup is the pouring spout!)
  3. Heat the saucepan over medium heat and stir the contents of the glass measuring cup or mason jar until melted and combined.
  4. Remove from heat and add essential oil(s).
  5. Immediately pour into empty tubes, working quickly as it will harden rapidly.
  6. Allow to cool, then label or package! (You don't want to get confused and think they are lip balms!)

Sources: beeswax pellets  |  essential oils  |  lip balm tubes

Make your own fragrance sticks (solid perfume) using your favorite essential oils or blends! Three simple ingredients and easy to make! | Feathers in Our Nest

Let me know if you make these!  I’d love to hear what essential oils you use!

Make your own fragrance sticks (solid perfume) using your favorite essential oils or blends! Three simple ingredients and easy to make! | Feathers in Our Nest

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  If you choose to make a purchase through my links, it will help support this blog and my family. Thank you!

ALIESHA CALDWELL IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

DIY Citronella Candles {Keep Mosquitoes at Bay!}

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DIY Citronella Candles to keep mosquitoes away from your picnics and outdoor gatherings in the summer! Easy to make using soy wax and essential oils. | Feathers in Our Nest

You know what my least favorite part of summer is?  The mosquitoes, by far!  When I get a mosquito bite, it swells up to the size of a goose egg, which is totally lovely.

We have a big beautiful porch on our historic bungalow, and we are hoping to spend lots of time out there this spring and summer!  We bought some pretty cafe lights, and I made these citronella candles to keep the mosquitoes away from us!DIY Citronella Candles to keep mosquitoes away from your picnics and outdoor gatherings in the summer! Easy to make using soy wax and essential oils. | Feathers in Our Nest

Candles are so simple to make at home.  You can use this basic recipe and adapt it for different sized containers, and of course you can use different essential oils to fragrance the candles!  The oils used in these candles smell very distinct.  If you’ve burned citronella candles before, they smell like that, but less chemically and a little more lemony and fresh.  DIY Citronella Candles to keep mosquitos away from your picnics and outdoor gatherings in the summer! Easy to make using soy wax and essential oils. | Feathers in Our Nest

DIY Citronella Candles {Keep Mosquitoes at Bay!}
 
Print
DIY Citronella Candles to keep mosquitoes away from your picnics and outdoor gatherings in the summer! Easy to make using soy wax and essential oils.
Author:
Serves: 3 half-pint candles
Ingredients
  • approx. 6 cups soy wax flakes
  • 3 half-pint mason jars
  • 3 large candle wicks
  • popsicle sticks
  • 16 drops citronella essential oil
  • 8 drops Purify essential oil blend
Instructions
  1. Place a large glass mason jar (quart size) or a glass measuring cup in a saucepan of water on the stove.
  2. Add 4 cups soy wax flakes (fill to top of mason jar).
  3. Heat over medium/low heat.
  4. As wax melts, stir with a wooden popsicle stick and add more wax flakes. The goal is to end up with 3 cups of MELTED wax.
  5. Set out half-pint mason jars and place a wick in each one.
  6. When wax is melted completely (will look like olive oil), remove from heat and add essential oils, stirring well.
  7. Pour wax into mason jars. Adjust wicks so they are in the center of the jars. Use 3-4 popsicle sticks laid flat across each jar to "prop up" the wicks so they don't move around.
  8. Allow candles to cool (they will turn opaque as they cool).
  9. Trim wicks. Enjoy!

Sources:  soy wax flakes  |  large candle wicks  |  citronella essential oil  |  Purify essential oil blend

DIY Citronella Candles to keep mosquitos away from your picnics and outdoor gatherings in the summer! Easy to make using soy wax and essential oils. | Feathers in Our Nest


Disclosure: This post contains links to the essential oil company I use and love. If you choose to make a purchase through my links, it will help support my family and this blog. Thanks!

ALIESHA CALDWELL IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

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