There are two things that I like that will be highlighted in this post: 1) baths and 2) nature-inspired goodies.

When I still lived in Des Moines and went to college at DMACC, I took a human biology class from a woman named Donna Julseth. I thought she was a really nice, interesting, and intelligent woman. By the end of the class I learned that she had her own business called Prairieland Herbs. Donna and her daughter grow a wide variety of herbs and flowers which they then turn into herbal products such as bath teas, lotions, chapsticks, shampoo bars, massage oils and more. I hadn't actually tried any of her goods until we went to Living History Farms a week ago. While I was there, I bought a lavender and mint bath tea. It was fabulous! It colored the water just like a tea you'd drink, and the smell of lavender and mint wafted through the air as I relaxed. Now I really want to try more of her products, or perhaps learn to make a few of my own.

Already I buy soap from a local soap maker. She doesn't have a webpage (what a shame!) but you can buy her products, Plant Me A Garden Soaps, at Indian Creek Nature Center. Her soaps smell wonderful and get me squeaky clean. She also sells lavender cookies from her herb garden at our local farmer's market. They are amazingly good and fragrant.

One of my friends, Julie, is currently working on her social work masters degree. She works at a gift shop that uses mentally disabled individuals to create soaps, lotions, and other products. Shamefully, I don't know much about it because my big trap never closes long enough for her to get a word in edge wise. I'm working on it. This shop sells their products at Living History Farms as well, and I picked up a luffa lavender scrub. I have no idea how they made it, but at a wild guess I'd say they took a cross-section of a luffa fruit and filled it with lavender scented soap. It works as an excellent exfoliater as the luffa is a little scratchy and coarse. I wouldn't use it on any delicate parts.

Of course, for the past year since I watched a gardening show about the luffa plant, I've wanted to grow my own. I'm also interested in growing all my own herbs and drying them. So, perhaps some day in the future, I'll be making my own luffa soaps and herbal lotions. Wouldn't that be fun?

Labels: crafts, environment, gardening

This project took me a little under sixty minutes. You can see the project via five photos on our Flickr site, but I'll also describe the steps briefly here.

1) Wash the glass thoroughly and dry.
2) Grab a stencil, place it on a regular piece of computer paper, and mark the picture. Apply non-permanent adhesive to the back of the piece of paper.
3) Cut out the picture and apply it to the glass.
4) Brush Armour Etch on in a thick coat. Wait 5 minutes.
5) Wash off Armour Etch with warm water. Let dry.

Easy!

I have a ton of old glass jars and candle holders that I can turn into unique gifts (and gift wrapping) by etching neat designs on them. This was my first foray into glass etching, and I know that I didn't take a lot of time on it. It certainly isn't perfect. However, it was a great test project and I can't wait to do more. :)

The pattern I re-used is one that I painted on our kitchen wall above our window a month or two ago. I figure I'll use this quite a few times in different ways throughout our house, because I really like it! Right now I'm just hoping to find the perfect glass containers for our flour, sugar, coffee, and other such staples. I can't wait to etch 'em!

Labels: cooking, crafts