Rest 'N Relaxation; Upcycled on Etsy

It's only wednesday and I am already dreaming of the weekend! Here are some great upcycled picks to help us get that much needed Rest and Relaxation!

Lattice and Lace Eye Pillow with Washable Cover from AbelaBodycare at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/96194658/lattice-and-lace-eye-pillow

Sunflower - Effortless Massage & Pain Relief  from BlissTherapyBall  at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/115513492/sunflower-effortless-massage-pain-relief

XL Long Hudson Bay Woolen Pillow Vintage Upcycled Shabby Chic Pink, Seafoam Green & Cream Stripes Wool Blanket 36 x 20 from StockingsEtc at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/106986322/xl-long-hudson-bay-woolen-pillow-

Legs Up from TheUpcycleFamily at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/155431752/legs-up

Floating Wine Barrel Adirondack Chair - Swing from TCBarrelWorks at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/112555090/floating-wine-barrel-adirondack-chair

Cashmere Stress Ball - Felted - Hand Exercise - Relaxation - Dryer Ball - Blue from castoncastaway at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/128138154/cashmere-stress-ball-felted-hand

Set of Three Upcycled Upholstery Sample Fabric Lavender Sachets from cleanbreak at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/100290158/set-of-three-upcycled-upholstery-

Relax Recycled Smash Book - Photo Pocket with Tag and Bonus Kit By DetailsDelights at
https://www.etsy.com/listing/106317978/relax-recycled-smash-book-photo-pocket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Upcycled and Recycled on Etsy - Get Well Soon

Since I have a nasty bug and I am just getting a little bit better now, those comforting items are on my mind.  I have to always have the Puffs with lotion, honey lemon halls, and popcycles when I have a cold.  I simply cannot function without them.  Here are some other wonderful items that are either upcycled or repurposed from Etsy that will help us either stay well or get better when feeling down.

Lavender Eye Pillow By AbelaBodycare at http://ow.ly/gF6oQ

Slippers By Linkaa at http://ow.ly/gF6fr

Robe By BansheeHouseOfMake at http://ow.ly/gF5Om

Plushy By GarrishRubbish at http://ow.ly/gF5mf

Paper Flowers By JillyAnnsCreations at http://ow.ly/gF4BX

$25 Giveaway from Butterfly In The Attic on Savories of Life

This wonderful Christian blog has featured some of my items and a giveaway from Butterfly In The Attic and Postcards In The Attic.  The value of the giveaway is $25.00 an includes free shipping to US residents.

What you could win:

Set of 12 postcards
From PostcardsInTheAttic
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80765841/set-of-12-standard-postcards-cute 

A yummy handmade Lavender Sachet from
ButterflyInTheAttic https://www.etsy.com/listing/72794528/organza-fabric-lavender-sachet-spring

A Vintage Irish Linen Souvenir Sint Maarten Towel from ButterflyIntheAttic
https://www.etsy.com/listing/70218390/reserved-for-giveaway-irish-linen

If you want to win all of these items there is a very simple entry process set up at:
Savories Of Life (this is a clickable link)

Thanks Friends and Good Luck

Butterfly's Giveaway - Hosted by Christie Cottage

I am very excited about my very first giveaway.   Christie Cottage has been so kind to host my giveaway on her wonderful blog.  To enter please go to http://christiecottage.blogspot.com/2012/02/win-it-wednesday-new-giveaway.html   and follow the instructions found on this post. 

I am giving away a package of items that has a value of over $23.00 that will be shipped free to the winner.  This lovely package includes:
12 Blank Postcards from Postcards In The Attic...

3 Lovely Handmade Lavender Sachets from Butterfly In The Attic...

And 1 Bag of Lavender Oatmeal Bath Soak from Butterfly In The Attic...

Entering is simple and you have multiple chances to win!  Click here http://christiecottage.blogspot.com/2012/02/win-it-wednesday-new-giveaway.html for this great giveaway!
Good luck everyone!!!!!

Early Aromatherapy - Ornamental Pomander

One of the earliest uses of aromatherapy was as pomanders.  Pomanders were small apple shaped ornaments made up of resins, herbs and perfumes that were carried or worn in midevil times to repell illness or mask foul odors.  It was also used in religious ceramonies throughout history and many pendants and ornaments were used to carry the ball of fragrance. 

Over time many cultures created there own versions of a pomander some very expensive and scientific and others very basic and cheap.  One cheaper trational version was a hollowed out apple or orange filled with herbs and spices.  Slits or decorative holes pierced this ornament allowing the fragrance to excape the fruit.  Another method is one that I enjoyed creating as a kid.  We took oranges and other citrus fruits piercing the flesh with whole cloves making designs or covering it enirely.  At the top we added a ribbon loop fastened with a pin.  We would then dry the fruit in an area away from sunlight and then either hang it from our Christmas tree or would adorn the staircase or mantel with our handmade decorations.

While this method is a great decorative tradition I have really enjoyed using the more recent vintage ornaments available to encase the wonderful sachet mixes I have been creating.  Many room fresheners have chemicals and containers that you throw away, these little treasures are made with natural products and the reusable ornaments are enviromentally friendly. 

Found at http://www.etsy.com/listing/67615179/handmade-sachet-with-vintage-ceramic

Aromatherapy Thursday - Chamomile

Grow Your Own!!!  Seeds found in ETSY shop Cubits at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cubits?ref=seller_info

Chamomile is such a sunny dainty little flower that has a clean soothing scent.  It looks and smells like came straight from the summer sun.  I am particularly fond of Chamomile because it was the first "herb" I discovered growing wild in the Midwest fields.  Of course there are many kinds of Chamomile and typically those that we relate to aromatherapy are German, Roman, and English Chamomile.  Their fragrances are more delicate than the wild Chamomile I found.

These dried flowers can be used to make your own wonderful relaxing blends.  Found in ETSY shop Herbal Sunshine at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/herbalsunshine?ref=seller_info

Chamomile is heralded for its soothing properties not only through aromatherapy but in teas.  It is often used to sooth stomach aches and noted for calming the nervous digestive tract. 

This scrumptious Chamomile Tea can be found in ETSY shop Spirit Horse Herbals at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/spirithorseherbals?ref=seller_info

In aromatherapy no other pair seems more natural as Lavender and Chamomile; Lavender aides in sleep and relaxation while Chamomile provides an additional soothing property.

This relaxing combination can be found in ETSY shop Skinplicity at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Skinplicity?ref=seller_info

Using these two wonderful herbs together can be as simple as adding 3 drops of Chamomile oil and 2 drops of Lavender oil into 2 Teaspoons of vegetable or grape seed oil.  Because of their clean scents, many other oils, such as Bergamot, can be easily added for additional "tones” creating a little more complex aroma.  Using this same combination you can treat yourself to a relaxing bath.

This wonderful Organic Herbal Bath Soak can be found in ETSY shop Organic Pagan at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThyLocalOrganicPagan?ref=pr_shop

Chamomile has also been noted to add special shine to a person's hair.  Used alone steeped as a strong tea it, can be used as a rinse to highlight blonde hair.  But it can also be used in companion with other herbs and ingredients to bring out highlights for anyone and it will give your hair a beautiful luster.   (My mother never let me color my hair so finding that large patch of wild Chamomile was extra important to me as a teen.)

This wonderful Herbal Rich Hair Oil was found in ETSY shop Brown Butter Beauty at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChristineGant?ref=seller_info

To Chamomile the flower that makes you smile...




Remember to always check for allergies prior to using any essential oil or aromatherapy product.  Use the patch test as described in my blog post, Aromatherapy Thursday - Lavender.  Also note that aromatherapy is to enhance and bring enjoyment to a person's life and never to be substituted for medical care with your physician.  If you are a pregnant woman or if you are planning to use aromatherapy on a child you should check with your physician first.

Treasuries Featuring Butterfly In The Attic

Some of the wonderful people at ETSY has featured items from my shops in treasuries recently.  I would love to share their creative choices and curation.


Always End Up Wearing Grey featuring my Lavender Bath Salts



Sweetness featuring my Lavender Oatmeal Bath Sachets



Pink Lullaby featuring one of my antique postcards



Sunshine featuring my Handmade Lemon Grass Sachet Mix



Summer is Just Around The Corner featuring my vintage saucy seaside postcard



and last but not least
I Love You Mom featuring my vintage plastic buttons



Thank you to all my ETSY friends for your support.

Creating My New Bath Products & The Walk Down Memory Lane It Stirred

I've been so busy having fun creating my special bath and aromatherapy products. I haven't had many opportunities to work on these and I am so glad that I have been able to today. It brings back many beautiful memories.

My daughter, Ashley Rose, has significant special needs, but despite these challenges she is one of the most creative people I know. I spent many years with her and her brother, Wally, creating potpourri and bath salts as gifts for family, friends, and teachers. I feel blessed to have had such creative children; they both are artists, although in very different ways.

Ashley's rendition of Sponge Bob in playdough.  She is an abstract artist.

One year, when the kids were in their teens, the local library offered a craft show for children. Although she was older than the usual participant they allowed her to sign up because she was at the same level as the other kids cognitively. We spent hours in my gardens and out in the fields picking beautiful flowers, leaves, herbs, and pods to add to her creations.

We brought in buckets and bags of our handpicked goodies. As I started to prepare them for cleaning and drying I noticed that she had picked a significant amount of wild catmint (catnip.) If you have a cat, more than likely you are aware of its strong pungent odor. I tried to very gently tell her that this was not an appropriate ingredient for potpourri. She insisted that she wanted to keep it. Since there was an entire grocery bag full I figured it was her project and who am I to tell her what to use.

We spent hours carefully stripping petals and leaves from their stems. We placed them on our drying sheets, in my oven, in my dehydrators, and anywhere else they could dry in time. We had quite a little production line going.

About a week later everything had dried and was ready to mix with the fixatives and essential oils. Ashley was very skilled with this already, so with supervision she concocted most of the entire potpourri herself. With the exception of the catnip, which I purposely set aside, not sure what I wanted to do with it.

Ashley spent many hours mixing and adding a little of this and a little of that. It is amazing but if you let kids make potpourri it always turns out beautiful. We also had time to make Bath Salts and Soaks. She loved mixing the salts with the dye and fragrance. These also always looked very professional when she was through.


After almost 10 years Ashley's Potpourri still has the light fragrance of Hyacinth and just as beautiful as when she made it.

 Ashley helped me package all of her creations with beautiful cardstock headers that had Victorian lettering brightly declaring, "Designs by Ashley Rose" with a picture of a beautiful cabbage rose and the item's description.   At the point we were almost done with all of our hard work I thought she had forgotten about her catmint. But of course she had not and she asked me where it was. I showed her the container and told her that we could sell it people that had cats. I made the header and we packaged it. She was happy but I was skeptical thinking that I would be lugging around 2-3 pounds of catnip all day.

The day of the big craft show Ashley I set up our little table and chairs. Wally helped us, but at that age he was not extremely thrilled with the whole girly process so he went to find something else to do while we peddled our wares. We set out all her wares and a sign with the prices. The prices probably were a little low but I wanted her to feel the excitement of success from a job well done and it worked. She was selling items left and right.

Pretty soon we sold the last bag of catmint. Ashley's wild catnip was the talk of the craft show. We had several people come up asking if we had more and were disappointed that they had missed out. Ashley was beaming, not only is she the most creative person I know, but she is the best sales lady I know.

Even though I am making these items for my business, the simple smell of lavender or hyacinth will bring me back to those wonderful summer days.   Back to the day when my kids were little and we were creating our handmade gifts together. It was a treasured learning experience for them but also for me and it was a good thing that I didn't get rid of that catmint.

Here are some of my newly listed items that I was able to create today without getting too nostalgic.

Lavender Bath Salts at Butterfly In The Attic http://www.etsy.com/listing/71825380/handmade-lavender-bath-salts

Almond Milk Bath by Butterfly In The Attic at http://www.etsy.com/listing/71799984/handmade-almond-milk-bath

8 oz Almond Milk Bath by Butterfly In The Attic at http://www.etsy.com/listing/71800714/handmade-almond-milk-bath

Please remember to go to: http://byhandgiveaways.blogspot.com/search/label/saturday tomorrow and vote for my Lavender Bath Salts under Butterfly In The Attic.  They will look like the Lavender Bath Salts shown above.  I want you to know how much I appreciate the time you take to visit the blog and cast your vote.

I'm Exhausted and It's Only Tuesday - I'm In Need Of A Home Spa

So...I realize that it is only Tuesday but for some reason or another I am exhausted.  I can't drink enough coffee or smell enough peppermint to get myself going.  Along with those symptoms, I have a writer's block of sorts so I apologize in advance. 

I am dreaming of getting a spa treatment on a Caribbean Island but the reality is that I am freezing my tuchus off on a mountain.  So...what's the next best thing?  A home spa!   My treasury and featured shop include those home spa necessities.  I hope you can treat yourself to some of these yummy delights.

To start off my fantasy spa...Hana sent me a wonderful sample of her Detox Foot Scrub and Hydrating 101 Body Butter.  I really enjoyed the foot scrub but I especially loved the Body Butter.  It is thick, very creamy and absorbs right away leaving your skin feeling immediately softer.  Love it!!!  So, thank you Hana Essentials at  http://www.etsy.com/shop/hanaessentials?ref=pr_shop



Wonderful scent at Hana Essentials



Love how my skin felt after using this product A++ at Hana Essentials



Maybe this is what I need to wake up today found at Hana Essentials



Now to complete my fantasy home spa...My Treasury

If you are on a budget; fear not.  Here is a treasury full of spa-bath & beauty samples all $2.00 and under + Shipping. Treat yourself or treat a friend or maybe both!

Treasuries and Don't Forget To Vote

While I truly do want to win, it is more important for us to gain exposure for our ETSY shops.  So if you haven't voted on Handmade Creations please go to
http://aulaniphotography.blogspot.com/2011/04/handmade-creation-saturday-link-up-vote.html


I am very proud of my Spring Sachets; they turned out pretty and delicate along with having the Heavenly smell of Lavender flowers.

These little lovelies are #5 on the list of participants in the contest

I was also featured in three fabulous treasuries this weekend that I would love to share.  Thank you to my fellow Etsians...


Bring Me May Flowers by Lizzy Lizano Featuring my sachet mix and vintage floral pomander ball



Summertime by Adelyn Stone Featuring my Sunny Lemon Grass Sachet Mix



Oh Deer by Three Deluxe Featuring my very Large Brass Fallow Deer

Aromatherapy Thursday

While working on my natural product line and realized how fitting the subject of aromatherapy is for my blog.  While you don't necessary collect aromatherapy it is a very important aspect of our homes.  I have been in homes beautifully decorated and very neatly organized but filled with stale air or unpleasant odors.  Not that it can always be avoided but what we smell can affects our moods dramatically.  Currently to my knowledge there is only one scent that has been studied using blind tests in a lab and that would be Lavender. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67025618/handmade-relaxing-lavender-sachet-mix

Lavender is one of my favorite fragrances.  It is not only proven to help people relax and sleep but it smells pleasant.  It is a gentle oil that can be used in a variety of ways:  lotions, massage oils, room fragrances, perfumes, soaps and much more.  It also has aseptic properties meaning that it cleanses the air around it.  

Dried Fragrant Lavender

To benefit from these special properties you must use items made with essential oils or that contain the natural herb itself.   Fragrant oils are synthetic, they will smell similar, but will not have all of the properties that an essential oil or herb has.  Essential oils are usually made through a process of distillation that will capture the oils from the actual plant.  These can be costly but are well worth it. 

Most of my products will contain only or primarily essential oils.  I prefer to use the best quality available whenever possible. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67615179/handmade-sachet-with-vintage-ceramic

So when you are feeling stressed or have a stressful period in life, remember the benefits of having the aroma of lavender in your space.  It can be as simple as having a cotton ball with a little oil on it or as luxurious as soaking in handmade sea salts.

Please Vote For My Featured Item

Good Morning Friends,  I would like to request your vote for one of my featured items.  It is a handmade sachet mix with a beautiful vintage potpourri holder, shown below.  You can vote me at http://byhandgiveaways.blogspot.com/
This blog is a wonderfully fun site to visit so it will be worth your time.


If you like what you see, please check out my store and my fellow Estian's stores.  It is amazing how tallented these artist are and what wonderful vintage things you can find.  I love shopping there myself.


I greatly appreciated your support and thank you in advance.