"Hand" Made Gifts: Moisturizing Bee Balm

Winter time gives you dry hands. Working in a preschool gives you dry hands because you wash them every 30 seconds. I saw this recipe on This Chick Cooks, gave it my own twist, and violá! Gifts for my coworkers: Done.

I got the cute little jars at JoAnn Fabrics, on sale for 2 dollars each. I had all the ingredients (odd, I know... who has a big chunk of beeswax sitting in their craft basket? Me, apparently).

Here's a how-to:

• 2 cups light olive oil (I used regular olive oil, and it made the balm green-ish yellow. I'm fine with that, but white would have been prettier.)
• 1.5 cups chopped or grated beeswax (available from Amazon too, but I like to support independent companies). Use white for white balm, and yellow for a golden balm.
• 15 - 20 drops essential oil (I used lavender and orange, but there are so many options)
• Optional: If you want a nice rosy tint, you could add a drop or two of pink or peach gel food coloring. Only do this if you use light olive oil and white beeswax.
• Optional: a cup of herbs like rosemary, mint, lavender or chamomile.

1) Put a pot of water on the stove to boil, with just enough water to come up half way on a small pot when placed inside. This smaller pot should be big enough to easily hold about 4 cups of liquid.

2) Start to chop or grate your beeswax. Don't worry about ruining your grater, with a little work the wax will melt off with boiling water. I recommend grating it into a metal or glass bowl, as plastic reacts strangely and static-y with the grated wax.

3) When your water is boiling, add your olive oil to the small pot. If you are using herbs, add them now. Let heat for 15 minutes. Be sure the water isn't boiling over the edges of the oil pot. After 15 minutes, strain out herbs.

4) After 15 minutes (or when you've grated enough beeswax), add the beeswax to the small pot. It will melt very quickly. Stir.

5) Add essential oils and coloring as desired.

6) Test the thickness of the balm by dipping a spoon into the pot and scooping up a little of the mixture. Quickly remove and set on a paper towel. It should solidify in a few minutes. If it's too liquid for your taste, add more wax. If it's too solid, add more olive oil. 

7) Remove from heat and pour into containers. I recommend using a funnel for this.

8) Pour the pot of boiling water over your grater, spoons, and other utensils that are now caked in the balm. You might consider doing this outside over pavement or grass, as to prevent sink clogging.

9) Allow the containers to sit out for several hours, or until the balm is solid. 

Tip: If you make more than your containers will fit, you can pour it into a small jar. This jar can later be reheated using the same double-boiler method, and the melted balm can be poured into new or empty containers.

Mint Tea Leaves

Mint is one of those herbs that always goes rogue. It's nearly impossible to permanently remove from a garden because the roots are so pervasive. So if you're considering planting it, I suggest planting it in a pot to control spreading. Unless you WANT more mint than you know what to do with.

Once your mint has become the octomom of herbs, here's something you can do with it. Mint tea is a great tummy soother and a wonderful herbal alternative to a caffeinated morning beverage. To make your own tea leaves:

1) Harvest your mint sprigs. Wash thoroughly and let dry for several hours.

2) Put the washed and dried sprigs in an oven at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. It will dry without a loss of any oils or fragrance.  
 

Cooking times vary depending on the type of mint you are using. The mint shown, lemon mint, only took 25 minutes to completely dry into tea leaves. But heartier types of mint, such as spearmint or peppermint, will take longer. 

 

 

3) Remove the sprigs from the oven and strip the dried leaves from the branches.


4) Store the dry leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark area. Use a spoonful of crumbled leaves for each cup of tea with a strainer. You can also make your own teabags from muslin. These make a great gift!

Mint Facial Mist

 
My mint plant is very happy on my deck, and now that summer is over there are fewer food recipes that call for it. I could make tea, but I'd rather start making Christmas gifts. And it's been awhile since I posted something that wasn't about food!

Mint Facial Mist
-1 c. witch hazel (available at most drug stores for about $5)
-1/2 c. fresh mint
-1/2 c. fresh rosemary
-Peel from 1 orange, 2 tangerines or a lemon

1) Combine ingredients in an 8 oz. glass jar or other container you can tightly seal.

2) Cover with a lid and shake well.
3) Leave in a cool, dark area (such as a pantry or cabinet) for at least one week.
4) Strain off solids using fine muslin or a paper coffee filter.

5) Put solution in a pretty misting bottle.

Courtesy of Design Sponge.

Watermelon Salad

This unlikely combination of ingredients is a hit with 99/100 people who try it. Credit goes to my friend Amy, who made it for one of our weekly Girls' Nights a few months ago.

• Half a large watermelon, or a whole small watermelon
• A few ounces of crumbled feta or goat cheese (I prefer goat cheese for the flavor, but feta holds together a little nicer)
• Mint leaves, chopped
• Balsamic vinegar (I was recently introduced to White Balsamic, which would be nice, as it wouldn't discolor the watermelon)
• A sprinkling of pepper (optional)