Ginger Citrus Simmering Spices

Ginger Citrus Simmering Spices

Ginger Citrus Simmering Spices. It's easy to make and will make a great addition to your autumn winter recipes

(Note: this is not a beverage...it's like potpourri and is only meant to be enjoyed as a way to scent your home.)

These make the perfect gifts, great as hostess gifts or just something to surprise a friend.

Ingredients

Dried Orange Slices
Ginger Root chunks
Cinnamon Sticks
Whole Cloves
Whole Allspice

You will also need your choice of Mason Jars and some raffia for the jar lid.

You don't need any precise measurements for this recipe.

It's really just about layering each of the ingredients until you get to the top.

I always start with 3-4 orange slices, then add a few pieces of ginger root,

then the cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice.

I also add either a hangtag to the back, or a sticker to the bottom with directions for simmering.

They can be added to a simmering potpourri pot, or to an old pot on the hob

Notice I don't add any fragrance oil to this recipe; it's all natural so it can't hurt the pan used for simmering.

The ingredients just need to be covered with water and simmer on low--remembering to always

check the water level! The smell is fabulous. Perfect for fall.

Note: I don't always dry my own orange slices.

Natural Home Aroma Homemade

I Love to fill the air in my home with subtle scents of spices, herbs, and fruit. I've now got a simple routine going that keeps our house smelling pleasant without staleness or day-after garlic odour.
Keeping the supply list simple i only use items available at the grocery store or in a garden for these scent recipes. I want this to be easy and inexpensive so that I can set up a sustainable routine of wonderful scents in my home. These recipes are simply guidelines and don't have to be followed exactly. In fact, I will change them based on what I have in my kitchen.

How to Make Natural Yummy Room Scents

citrus -- Citrus is sturdiest, longer-lasting, and gives these scent recipes freshness. Lemons and oranges are particularly fragrant and have the best staying power in these scented waters.

herbs -- Any herb can be used for making a room scent, but the ones that are sturdier and on woody twigs hold up the best. 

extracts -- A touch of vanilla or almond extract improves most room fragrance mixtures. Mint extract has a nice fresh scent. You can also use whole vanilla beans instead of vanilla extract; pricey but amazingly fragrant. Bergamot is warm an comforting. It is best to use essential oils they may be a little pricey but a few drops go a long way.

spices -- You can use ground or whole sweet spices. The whole spices look prettier, if your scented water will be in a location where it will be seen. I have found that cinnamon sticks and whole cloves have the most scent staying power. Cinnamon sticks can be rinsed off and reused several times. They keep on giving.

Four Natural Room Scent Recipes

General procedure: Combine the ingredients in a 2 cup (pint) jar or container, or in a pan on the hob. Cover them with water and heat. I'll explain different heating options further down. Keep reading.

 Scent 1: Oranges, cinnamon & cloves (allspice and anise are optional). This is my favorite, both for it's wonderful aroma and for it's staying power. This scent carries into multiple rooms better, and it can be reheated to scent your rooms for several days.

 Scent 2: Lemon, rosemary, & vanilla, It has a lovely freshness to it.  

Yummy Scent 3: Lime, thyme, mint & vanilla extract. This combination has such a fresh, pleasant scent.

Yummy Scent 4: Orange, ginger (fresh or powdered), and almond extract. This is a sweet, delicious scent. 

Make ahead and...

...store in the fridge. Uncooked jars of scented waters will keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks, so you can make these ahead to have on hand. I recommend adding all of the ingredients, including the water, to the jars before refrigerating them. I've tried refrigerating the fruit/spice/herb combos in jars without the water, but they don't last as long that way.

...freeze them.  I've tried freezing them both with and without the water added, and both ways work fine. I haven't tested them in the freezer longer than 2 weeks, but I'm confident that they can be frozen for a month or longer. Make sure you use freezer-safe jars  (Not all jars are freezer-safe.)

How to heat the scented mixtures

I have just tried a variety of methods, and all of these work to varying degrees. Some of them provide a more powerful scent than others. Just like the air fresheners you buy, none of these will scent a whole house; but I'll show you some ways to set up individual scent sources in multiple rooms. Hopefully you already have what you need to try out one or more of these options.

Hob method.

This is by far the best way I've found to get the most powerful scent that will spread to more rooms the fastest. It's easy as can be. Simply combine the ingredients in a pot on the stove, bring them to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer. They will immediately begin to scent your kitchen and spread to other rooms. How far the scent spreads depends on the size and layout of your house. A simmering pot like this makes all four rooms on our first floor smell good. The only drawback of this method is that you have to keep a close eye on the water level. If the pan dries out, you'll be smelling burned citrus instead of sweet, fragrant citrus.  NOTE: For a stronger scent, simply double or triple the recipe in a larger pot on the stove.

Uncovered Slow Cooker Method.

This is my personal favorite. I used a slow cooker--the kind making stews & casseroles. The mixture never actually bubbles and visibly steams. I left it uncovered on my kitchen counter to slowly release scent throughout the day. It's subtle, but creates a pleasant smell in my kitchen and a hint of scent in surrounding rooms. When I'm home, I will keep my  slow cooker going. It's easy and uses very little electricity. When I fill mine in the morning, it won't dry out for an entire day. If you're concerned about accidentally letting it run dry,  I put a scented jar mixture in the MICROWAVE for 2 minutes to get it really hot before I add it to the slow cooker. That gives it a jump start on releasing the scent.  NOTE: For a stronger scent, simply double or triple the recipe in a larger, full-size slow cooker and set it on high.

Fondue Pot Method.

If you have a fondue pot, then you have a portable scent station. Set it up in any room you'd like to scent. if you have a small ceramic fondue pot  that uses a tea light for heat  this will only remain warm as long as the candle lasts--3-1/2 to 4 hours. Like the slow cooker, this is a low level of heat and releases a very subtle scent--enough for a small room. Get the scent mixture boiling hot before adding it to the fondue pot. It would be yummy to set this up in our hall when we have guests. It would smell yummy when you walk through our FRONT DOOR. And, it looks pretty

Add more hot water as needed. As the water evaporates from any of these warming bowls o top it off with additional HOT water. It needs to be hot when it's added so that it doesn't cool down the temperature of the scented water.  Higher heat = more fragrance.

Gift them! These make a fun, unique hostess gift. Take one along to a party as a gift for your host that can be simmered and enjoyed the next day.

Re use each mixture 2-3 times. After these have been heated and simmered for awhile, the water becomes cloudy  and some of the ingredients lose their vibrant color. Although they don't look as pretty, they still smell good. Usually, you can reheat and simmer these again 2-3 times. Jar them up and refrigerate them between uses. Open the jar and give it the sniff test--if it still smells good, reheat and reuse it. Add more water as needed.

Cost saving tips

You can save, use and reuse a number of fragrant ingredients. These scents don't need to be expensive.

Leftover ginger --  If you ever cook with fresh ginger and end up with leftover pieces , this is a way to use them up before they spoil. Slice the leftover ginger and freeze it in a bag or container to have on hand for whipping up a quick batch of scented water. 

Save your orange peels -- When you eat an orange, save the peel for use in scented waters. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer until you need them.

Save your juiced lemons and limes -- After you've juiced these for use in a recipe, refrigerate or freeze the leftover pieces.

Save your leftover herbs -- If you have herbs in a garden or have leftover herbs that you've purchased for cooking, they can be frozen and saved for use in these scented waters.

Use expired juices. If you have fruit juices that are past their prime, use them as a base in place of the water in these mixtures. They're both fragrant and colorful.

Use expired spices. Spices are supposed to be replaced after a year, because they lose much of their flavor. But, they still smell good! Instead of throwing out old spices, use them for scenting water.There are endless combinations for these scented waters.

 If you have some additional ideas, please share. I'm always looking for a new, pleasant scent for my home.

Winter Treats

PinkPeonyPetal has been busy creating our indulgent "At Home Spa Treatments" tailored to suit, whether you wish to purchase as a gift or to treat yourself our products are pure and organic, all ingredients are clearly labelled. 
Pretty gift baskets can be made in any combination.
Prices start From £5.00 for Body Oils 8 oz
Soaps range £2.00 -£3.00.
Body Scrubs and Body Lotions start from £5.00 for 1/2 Litre
Bath Bombs start £3.00

Gift baskets prices on inquiry

Postage extra shipping to UK only. 




 Body Oils:
 Lavender, Cinnamon Spice, Refreshingly Minty, Sweet Orange and Yang Yang, Rose, Vanilla, Jasmine and Lemon, Patchouli and Lime,




  Homemade Soaps:

Chocolate Milky Rosebar, Coffee and Cream, Apple Tart, Dead Sea mud, Vanilla and Almond, 
Spicy Tea Glycerin,  Ginger Coconut Lime, Lollipop (great for children soap on a stick).    


Warm Vanilla Sugar Coconut Body Scrub
Warm Vanilla Brown Sugar Coconut Body Scrub 

This brown sugar scrub smells absolutely amazing!

 Its definitely the perfect treat for skin that's begging to be pampered.

 Not only is it a wonderful exfoliant,

 but thanks to the coconut oil included in this recipe,

 its a perfect moisturiser.

Ginger and Coconut Body Scrub

Body Scrubs
Ocean, Lemon, Chocolate and Orange. Sweet Orange and Yang Yang, Ginger and Coconut, Coconut Lime, 






Bath Bombs

Bath Bombs: Rose and Geranium, Sweet Orange and Yang Yang,
 Peppermint. Lemon, Ginger, White Jasmine, Honey, Bergamot, Warm Vanilla
                                              




Other products coming soon: Home Scents, Laundry  Cleaning Products, Face Cleansing, Shaving Products
Contact me through Facebook, Email fdarbinson@gmail.com or through this Blog.

Thank You 

Clean Living

Fresh Summery Scented Bedding Year Round

Winters are pretty cold & damp here in UK so windows tend to be kept shut and clotheslines hang empty for months, but there are a few tricks that help us enjoy fresh, fragrant bedding year round (with no nasty chemicals or expensive LAUNDRY PRODUCTS).
Beat Those Stale Winter Blues With These Tips


One of the things I miss most in winter is flinging open the bedroom window, stripping the bedding back and letting nature freshen up my bed linens naturally with sun and fresh air. But this list offers options that are just as easy and will provide a fragrance filled sleep year-round.

Herbal Lavender Dryer Bags

Try these easy to make dryer bags filled with lavender buds, they provide a natural moth repellent, SLEEP AID and a natural antibacterial.
Herbal Lavender Bags:
Fresh and fragrant laundry can be achieved chemical free with easy to make lavender bags. Using lavender buds gives the benefit of a natural moth repellent, SLEEP AID and a natural antibacterial.
Use 1/4 cup vinegar in your rinse cycle (for static cling help, up the amount to 1/2 cup if needed) and toss the herbal sachets in the dryer for fresh smelling laundry. For optimal benefit, use organic lavender.

Materials Needed:
5″ x 5″ cotton muslin or cheesecloth squares (2)
Thread
Lavender
Directions:
Sew large “tea bags” out of the muslin or cheesecloth squares, leaving an opening at the top to fill with lavender. Sew the top shut. No need to sew fancy, just place the squares together and sew a single seam along the top about 1/4″ from the edge.
Roughly squeeze the bags before tossing in with wet laundry. When items are done the scent is light, not overwhelming at all. Especially nice to use on loads of bedding (sweet, fragrant dreams).
Bags are reusable! When the lavender is no longer doing its job, take a seam ripper and open about 2″ on one end, empty the bag, refill and sew shut. For one last kick at the can, crush the used lavender and toss it around your carpet. Let sit for about an hour then vacuum.
Tip: Make more than one bag so that the same one isn’t in one load after another, alternate them so each bag has a chance to cool down before being used again.Easy Trick Using ESSENTIAL OILS

Directions: Fill a small spray bottle with water then add several drops of ESSENTIAL OIL (lavender, mint, whatever you like). Shake then spray a clean white washcloth with the water/EO solution until lightly damp, toss in the dryer with the wet laundry. Scent will transfer to the bedding, lovely!

Lavender Buds Vinegar Rinse

Use this recipe for making a lavender vinegar suitable to use as a laundry rinse and fabric softener

 Lavender Vinegar Recipes

Handful of Lavender FLOWERS and 1 Pint White Vinegar

Directions:

Combine lavender and vinegar, seal and let sit for 6 weeks before using. Strain. Use about 1/4 cup in the rinse cycle, increase up to 1 cup per load if stronger scent is desired.

Scented Vinegar Rinse (ESSENTIAL OILS)

Use this recipe for Fabric Softener Recipes & Dryer Sheet Tips

Using 1/4 cup vinegar in your laundry’s rinse cycle keeps clothes soft. You can set aside a vinegar jug just for laundry and add about 2 dozen drops of your favorite essential oil to the vinegar if you’d like (or as much EO as you feel necessary).

Scented Laundry Booster

Directions:

Fill a PLASTIC CONTAINER with baking soda then add a few drops of essential oil to preference (start with about 2 drops per cup). Stir well with a wooden stick or spoon (not one used for cooking). Seal the container and set aside for two weeks.

After two weeks use it as a laundry booster (1/2 cup per load in the wash or rinse cycle–your choice). Do not add any commercial fabric softener.

Homemade Scented Fabric Softener

The fragrance is light once bedding has dried and you can increase the amount of ESSENTIAL OILS if it isn’t strong enough for you. Choose your favorite scents and add 1/2 to 1 cup of this mixture at the start of the rinse cycle:

1 cup baking soda, 1 1/4 cups warm water, 8 cups white vinegar, Essential Oils of your choice.

Tips & Tricks

MATTRESS & Linen Freshener

Using your blender, grind until fine 1/2 cup of dried herbs (try mint, lavender, lemon balm, etc.).

Mix ground herbs with 1/2 cup baking soda.

Sprinkle mixture lightly over MATTRESS PAD or cover then top with clean fitted sheet.

Spread mixture more heavily on top half of bed where upper body rests to enjoy a consistent fragrance.

Here’s another recipe you can try…

Pixie Dust

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp ground orange zest (dried)

10 drops of your favorite ESSENTIAL OIL

Blend all ingredients together in a blender then pour into a large shaker. Sprinkle on bed linens as needed.

Scented Starch For Linens

You can substitute the lavender EO in this recipe for any fragrance you like. 

Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 pint cold water. Add 6 drops of lavender ESSENTIAL OIL. Place in a spray bottle. Shake before using.

Fresh pressed linens, nicely starched, and lavender scent wafting in the air. Nice!

Homemade Linen Sprays

Source: Hallmark Magazine

Combine vodka (which is also a disinfectant), distilled water and fragrant oils to make these lovely linen sprays. Here are three easy to mix recipes

Pour 2 TBS 100 proof vodka into a 16 or 32-ounce spray bottle then add the following:

Jasmine Bergamot: 1 teaspoon jasmine oil and 1/2 teaspoon bergamot oil

Lavender Sandalwood: 1 teaspoon lavender oil and 1/2 teaspoon sandalwood oil

Vanilla Ginger: 1 teaspoon vanilla oil and 2 drops ginger oil

Directions: Top the vodka and oils with distilled water, cap and shake to mix. Spray linens as needed, shaking bottle lightly before each use.

Sweet Dreams Pillow Spray

2 cups distilled water

6 drops lavender ESSENTIAL OIL

2 drops chamomile EO

2 drops orange EO

2 drops ylang ylang

Directions: 

Shake before using, spray on pillows and allow to dry before resting your head.  

Linen Closet Sachets

Directions: Mix 50/50 dried lavender and lemon balm and fill cotton fabric or cheesecloth sachets. Tuck sachets into CLEAN folded linens. These will scent the linens while being stored and can be used repeatedly. Lavender and lemon balm together is a very calming and relaxing mix, perfect for bed linens.

When scenting your bed linens, it’s tempting to overdo it since you’re likely choosing your favorite fragrances. However, a light application is preferable since headaches and stuffiness may occur if fragrances are too strong (you’ll be sleeping on the linens for hours at a time). Strong smells may also keep you awake rather than ease you into a peaceful sleep.

What To Use

Choose scents that are pleasing to you and help you relax rather than those that perk you up. Your sleep will be more peaceful and less restless. This is especially helpful for those suffering from insomnia or who have regular trouble falling asleep. Some suggestions:

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lilac

Rose Petals

Peppermint

Peaceful Sleep Mixes

Lavender is commonly recommended as a home remedy for sleep since it’s thought to be effective in inducing a calm and peaceful rest. It’s also suggested as an excellent repellent for dust mites (see bottom of page), so it’s a great choice for linens. Most of the mixes I have collected include lavender…

Lavender, Lemon Balm

Lavender, Rose Petals

Lavender, Rose Petals, Thyme, Rosemary

Lavender, Rose Petals, Jasmine

Lavender, Peppermint

Lavender, Lilac

Rose Petals, Lemon Balm, Chamomile

When using dried herbs and flowers to fill sachets and sleep pillows or scent bedding, choose those that are pesticide free for best results. Here are several sachet patterns  .

Dust Mites

If you have perpetual stuffiness or the sniffles when you wake up each morning–it may be a slight allergy or reaction to the dust mites living in your pillows and mattress.

Here is a collection of home remedies and tips to try combating these mighty creatures…

Make lavender sachets to place underneath mattresses as well as tuck inside pillows

Try using buckwheat pillows (instructions at bottom of page), apparently dust mites don’t live in them.

If your bed linens can take it, Hot Water Removes Allergens Best (140°F/60°C or higher)

Launder pillows too if they can be washed without damage (even down pillows)

On hot sunny days, lay out or line hang pillows and heavy quilts outside to soak in the sun.

Regularly pull back the bedding to allow mattresses to air out.

Regularly vacuum the mattress as thoroughly and deeply as you can.

Dust mites thrive in the environment provided by beds, kitchens and homes in general, where the sun’s rays do not reach them. Mites remain in mattresses, carpets, furniture and bedding, since they can climb lower down through the fabric to avoid sun, vacuum cleaners, and other hazards, and climb higher up to the surface if necessary to get another skin cell to feed on, when humidity is high. Even in dry climates, dust mites survive and reproduce easily in bedding (especially in pillows) because of the humidity generated by the human body during several hours of breathing and perspiring.

Nasty little critters. But the thing to note is they don’t actually crawl all over you and feast on your body while you’re sleeping. They just live very close to you (and off your sloughed skin cells). It’s their feces and cast skins that pile up and make us sick.

Dust mites feed on organic matter such as shed human skin. In nature, they are killed by micro-predators and by exposure to direct sun rays. Dust mites in bedding derive moisture from human breathing, perspiration, and saliva.

The dust mite’s partially digested food, and fecal matter, is one of the most significant sources of allergens contributing to allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and dermatitis.

Mite Management Tips:

*Steam cleaners may be effective at reducing enzyme allergens since the heat of the steam breaks down the compound. The application of frequent vacuuming as a dust control measure may aggravate allergic asthmatic conditions because conventional vacuum cleaners blow some dust through the cleaner’s bag into the air. Vacuuming helps remove the residue, as does washing, however, vacuuming does not generally kill mites because they cling to the surface. Dust collection by conventional vacuums results in a significant increase in air borne concentrations. Cleaners that send dust into a “liquid medium” such as water (rather than a dust bag) best accomplish vacuuming.

* Enclose mattresses, box springs, and pillows in zippered allergen- and dust-proof covers.

* Wash bedding materials, including pillowcases, sheets, blankets, and mattress pads every other week in hot water (130 °F).

* Eliminate or reduce fabric wall hangings such as tapestries or pennants.

* Purchase stuffed toys that are machine washable.

* Avoid using curtains, drapes, or blinds on windows. Use plastic shades instead.

* Remove carpeting from the bedroom of the allergic person and replace it with tile or wooden floors.

* Replace upholstered furniture with wooden or plastic furniture.

* Vacuum often with a vacuum cleaner provided with a high efficiency purifying air (HEPA) filtration system. Throw away vacuum bags after use because dust mites can leave the bag.

My Love of White Linens

Going green means we're trying to avoid harmful chemicals in our everyday CLEANING SUPPLIES. That pretty much nixes bleach altogether, but here are a few natural ways to whiten laundry without the use of bleach...


• If you spill something dark, pour salt on it to absorb moisture from the spill.
• Apply white vinegar or lemon juice directly to stains.
• Soak whites in a solution of water and lemon juice.
• Wash whites with washing soda, similar to baking soda but with a lower pH.
• After washing, hang whites to dry in the sun. Sunlight naturally bleaches without setting stains the way a dryer does.

Clean Living

Several years ago, as I was spraying some household cleaner on my kitchen counter tops, it occurred to me as I inhaled the strong fumes that they were probably settling in my water glass that sat nearby! And did I really want all this toxic residue on the surfaces on which my children ate, leaned, and played? Having read a bit about the effectiveness of good old vinegar as a cleaning agent and disinfectant, I dug out a spray bottle and poured some in. I never turned back!

When I saw the idea to steep the vinegar in orange peels, I marveled at how that could be a simple, clever, and inexpensive way to turn ordinary vinegar into a boutique-type cleaner (which could probably fetch ten times it’s value!). But would the orange essence or the vinegar smell dominate? Mind you, the vinegar smell never bothered me, but I do love that fresh, sweet smell of an orange being peeled!

After two weeks of steeping in the vinegar, the essence of the orange peels did, in fact, permeate the liquid and the result was a sweet smelling success! While I used the following amounts, you could choose any size jar with a tight-fitting lid, stuff it with peels, and fill with vinegar. Although it would require more fruit, lemons, limes, and clementines would be excellent options!

Orange Vinegar:
1 16-ounce canning jar
2 oranges, peels only (eat the insides!)
vinegar to cover 

Curl the peels around the inside of the jar. I used two large oranges and would not have been able to fit another peel. If your oranges are small and you could fit another peel, feel free to add one more. Pour vinegar into the jar to cover the peels and close tightly. Store in the cupboard for two weeks, then transfer the vinegar to a spray bottle and use for all your CLEANING purposes!

Note: I like to dilute the vinegar with 50% water for general CLEANING

Origami Cards

here are 4 designs from my Origami card collection 

Christmas Dress

Kimonos

Here is a step by step tutorial for making an evening dress

Purple Haze

This cup is pure decadence

Beautiful purple swirl pattern glass unknown supplier

Carolyne Roehm beautiful floral arrangements

An exquisite lilac linen dress with matching hat... for Silkstone Barbie. (Easter Morning Custom Fashion by Matisse.)

I love this lilac damask wallpaper and the sofa, it just makes such a statement for any room

Fenton Art Glass Perfume Bottle Collectable

High Society - Victoria colorway for Anthology (image from Hawthorne fabrics)