lavender sugar scrub

This weekend we had a bridal shower for my sister. (One of my little sisters, I have three.)

It wasn't your typical bridal shower.

There were no "bridal shower games."

Some of us did play croquet though. We had fabulous weather!

Rachel won. How appropriate.

Her wedding color is a gorgeous muted teal. But this mid-day gathering had a perfect and simple color theme of yellow and white.

We all sipped lemonade from ball jars with paper straws and cute little flag.

No need to plan things "to-do" for this kind of shower. The idea was simple: visit, chat, relax.

After a meal including a mini-coconut-pancake bar (very yummy and gluten free) with fresh berry syrup we enjoyed some refreshing watermelon granita. (Which is something you all should try! I highly recommend it for your next gathering.)

After the gifts were opened and the ooh's and ahh's were said, each guest left with a jar of lavender sugar scrub. (Sugar, olive oil, young living lavender oil and a splash of lemon juice.)

You could also make a sea salt scrub if you prefer. Other oil possibilities could be coconut, almond or jojoba oil. There is no need to spend money at a boutique. This really is a simple and easy thing to make (even bulk batches) with your choice of essential oil! Think of all the possibilities, rosemary or rosewood, peppermint or even a nice citrus like orange! The perfect gift for any lady in your life!

1/4 c of salt or sugar

1/4 c of your choice of oil

5-10 drops of your favorite Young Living oil*

Congratulations Rachel!!!

*Remember to alway use common sense. Don't use it on open wounds or sores. Also, oil is slippery, be very careful if you're using and rinsing it off your feet.

When to use EO's?

That's easy.

Anytime!

But, especially when away from home. My purse is always stocked!

This past week most of my family (of origin) went on a mission trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

It was the perfect opportunity for me to send along some Young Living EO's. Of the handful I sent two were most commonly used: Peppermint and Purification Oil.

1. Peppermint for headaches. I sent it in a small spray bottle diluted with distilled water. Sprayed on the back of the neck and temples. INSTANT tension relief was reported! In this day and age "instant" is popular and almost required! And in THIS case "instant" wasn't from a medication or drug, but from oil from steam distilled from leaves, steams and flower buds. The stuff God created. In the beginning.

My favorite use for Peppermint Essential Oil is on the bottom of my feet (or wrists) for an afternoon pick-me-up instead of a latte or chai. My husband uses it in the car on road trip for alertness.

"For centuries peppermint has been used to soothe digestive difficulties, freshen breath and relieve colic, gas headaches, heartburn and indigestion." (via)

2. The other popular oil on this trip was Purification Oil. Again, I sent it diluted in a small spray bottle. It was used on two bee stings and it eliminated the pain and the swelling went down right away! It was also used on bug bites to relieve itchiness. Double win!!

This is an oil blend containing: Citronella, Lemongrass, Rosemary cineol, Melaleuca, Lavandin and Myrtle.

My favorite uses for Purification oil are for stinky things... cloth diaper pail, stinky shoes, or in the car after someone gets sick. Handy little oil to have on hand.

lavender

I have been a Young Living essential oil user for almost 4 years and really should have shared more about them before now... I HAVE to stop and share a story about lavender from this past week!

Essential oils: the "vital fluids of the plants that are their life blood. They are called "essential" because they are necessary for the life of the plant and contain the "essence" of the plant." -Healing Oils of the Bible by David Steweart Ph.D.

Lavender is the second oil I bought, after Thieves. It has the claim of being the most versatile of all essential oils... and I tend to agree!

I've only scratched the surface of its uses. I knew it was good for relaxing and skin healing. I'd used it on my arm for an oven burn and plenty of relaxing baths... but when Aaron fell and split his chin open last Sunday I really saw how useful it was!

I think he might be growing, not only do his legs look longer but he was a bit clumsy last week. Or maybe I just noticed it more than usual. But either way, one of his falls landed him on a toy truck, chin first.

ouch.

He wasn't too upset about the wound or blood... mostly upset I wanted to take him home to get him cleaned him up. (We were at a park close to home.)

It wasn't the worst wound I'd seen, but I knew it needed a butterfly bandaid, if not more. It was split pretty good. (FYI: Hydrogen peroxide gets blood stains out of clothes.)

We always pray first when the kids get any kind of "owie." I'd done that back at the park, and now having it cleaned up I saw it needed two butterflies.

Lavender 'popped' into my head... so I applied that first, neat (undiluted), THEN the butterflies. He was off and playing like nothing happened.

I don't know if I should have, but I took the butterflies off in the morning... just to see... and the skin had sealed back together! I couldn't believe it so... I put more lavender and a new butterfly back on -just in case he bumped it. Big cuts like that aren't supposed to heal so fast I thought!

But I'm not even sure it would have reopened unless he really fell hard again. That night I check it and let him sleep with no covering, just lavender.

The next day I put on a bandaid with lavender. By night, I took it off and have left it uncovered since then.

I don't know how to best explain my amazement! By Wednesday night when we saw some friends -they agreed it DID NOT look like a wound from Sunday! It was pretty much gone.

Sorry there are no pictures. The photographer in me DID think of taking some but I don't want to make anyone sick. :-P

If you're interested in ordering some lavender let me know! (I'm a distributer now!)

Here are a few more of it's many uses...

• applying to the feet may cause a calming effect on the body or on palms then rub them on your pillow to help you sleep.
• a drop on a bee sting or insect bite may soothe itching, stinging and discomfort. (Purification oil helps with this too!)
• 2-3 drops may soothe a minor burn. (Works like a charm!)
• dropping Lavender oil may soothe a cut. (yep, yep!)
• possible help in alleviating the symptoms of motion sickness, place a drop of Lavender oil on the end of the tongue or around the naval or behind the ears. (We use ginger and peppermint for motion sickness rubbed on your belly.)
• possible in helping to reduce and/or minimize the appearance of scar tissue, try massaging Lavender oil on and around the area.
• rubbing several drops of Lavender oil into the scalp may help with flaking.
• a few drops of Lavender oil on a cotton ball and placing in your linen closet to scent the linens and may help repel moths and insects. (WAY better than the smell of moth balls!)
• a few drops of Lavender oil on a wet cloth and throwing into the dryer, may help to deodorize and freshen your laundry.
• Spritzing several drops of Lavender oil mixed with distilled water on a sunburn may help soothe it.
• dropping Lavender oil on a cut may help clean the wound, sanitize and soothe it.
• 2-3 drops of Lavender oil to a rash may help and soothe the skin.

That's probably way more than you ever wanted to learn about lavender. I'm working my way through the book quoted above, Healing Oils of the Bible. I'd highly recommend it! I love what I'm learning about oils in the Bible! Worth checking out!

**I am not a doctor and do not claim to be one. Just sharing my experience with these oils created from plants God made.