Don’t have a bath and still want to relax? Want the spa-like experience without the high costs? Want a lovely way to pamper yourself? Then go ahead and try out this DIY bath steamer recipe.
Ingredients & Necessary Items: ❅ Silicone Mold ❅ Glass Bowl ❅ Whisk ❅ Measuring Utensils ❅ Face Mask ❅ Baking Soda (8oz or 1cup) ❅ Citric Acid (8oz or 1 cup) ❅ Polysorbate 80 (Can also use Sorbitan Oleate)(2.5oz or 1/3 cup) ❅ Essential Oils of Your Choosing (Minimum of 10 drops per scent, adjusted to your smell preference.) ❅ A Colorant of Choice (Plant Power, Flower Dye, etc) ❅ Dried Herbs and/or Flowers (Optional) ❅ Nitrile Gloves
Prep Work: ❅ Grab your gloves and mask. It’s not the best to inhale the dry ingredients so a well ventilated space (at least a window open) is needed. Gloves are necessary because direct contact with the dry ingredients can cause dryness in skin or irritate it.
Initial Instructions: ❅ Mix your dry ingredients together (Baking Soda & Citric Acid) into a class bowl. I recommend sifting the Baking Soda into the Citric Acid as it will combine better. Stir with a whisk to further combine. Add in half of the herbs and/or flowers you think you’ll want. ❅ If you choose to have colored steamers, stir in the Flower or Plant Powder. If you don’t add in a colorant, they’ll be white and can still be really pretty. ❅ Mix the wet ingredients together (Polysorbate 80/Sorbitant Oleate and Essential Oils) until the Essential Oils blend evenly with Polysorbate 80/Sorbitant Oleate. There should be little to no streaking of the Oils in the mixture. ❅Add the wet ingredients into the dry material little by little while mixing with a whisk. Once initially combined, begin to mix with your gloved hands, kneading until the liquids are nicely distributed. This mixture should have the consistency of wet sand– just moist enough to hold its shape when pressed together. ❅ Adjust mixture as needed
Silicone Mold Usage: ❅ Add in herbs and/or flowers to mold before you add in mixture. Go lightly and be sure to avoid the edges of the mold. ❅ Fill the mold(s) with the mixture and press the mixture into the mold with your fingertips, paying attention to any edges in the mold. Fill and compress bit by bit until mold is completely full. Then take the bottom of something flat and hard (like a measuring cup) to further flatten and compress. ❅ Let dry overnight for a 24 hour period. Room temperature is OK and the mold can remain uncovered. Do not leave in a moist/humid area. ❅ Gently demold, tapping the mold to check if it sounds and feels solid. If so, continue with the demolding process. Very gently loosen the steamer from the mold by carefully pulling away the silicone while using your thumbs to gently push out the steamer.
Notes: ❅ Feel free to check out this post of mine for essential oil combinations to use. There’s more essential oils for those associations than I have in that post so if you have questions or want more options, feel free to ask. ❅ All ingredients can be found locally in grocery stores, in specialty shops or even online.
Tarot Cards & Their Simple Meanings (Yes, No, or Undecided):
The Major Arcana 0 The Fool - Yes 1 The Magician - Yes 2 The High Priestess - Undecided 3 The Empress - Yes 4 The Emperor - No 5 The Hierophant - Undecided 6 The Lovers - Yes 7 The Chariot - Yes 8 Strength - Yes 9 The Hermit - Undecided 10 Wheel of Fortune - Yes 11 Justice - Yes 12 The Hanged Man - Undecided 13 Death - No 14 Temperance - Undecided 15 The Devil - No 16 The Tower - No 17 The Star - Yes 18 The Moon - No 19 The Sun - Yes 20 Judgement - Yes 21 The World - Yes
Swords Ace of Swords - Yes Two of Swords - Undecided Three of Swords - No Four of Swords - Undecided Five of Swords - No Six of Swords - Yes Seven of Swords - No Eight of Swords - No Nine of Swords - No Ten of Swords - No Page of Swords - Yes Knight of Swords - Yes Queen of Swords - No King of Swords - Undecided
Pentacles Ace of Pentacles - Yes Two of Pentacles - Undecided Three of Pentacles - Yes Four of Pentacles - No Five of Pentacles - No Six of Pentacles - Yes Seven of Pentacles - Undecided Eight of Pentacles - Yes Nine of Pentacles - Yes Ten of Pentacles - Yes Page of Pentacles - Yes Knight of Pentacles - Yes Queen of Pentacles - Yes King of Pentacles - Yes
Wands Ace of Wands - Yes Two of Wands - Undecided Three of Wands - Yes Four of Wands - Yes Five of Wands - No Six of Wands - Yes Seven of Wands - Undecided Eight of Wands - Yes Nine of Wands - Undecided Ten of Wands - No Page of Wands - Yes Knight of Wands - Yes Queen of Wands - Yes King of Wands - Yes
Cups Ace of Cups - Yes Two of Cups - Yes Three of Cups - Yes Four of Cups - No Five of Cups - No Six of Cups - Yes Seven of Cups - Undecided Eight of Cups - No Nine of Cups - Yes Ten of Cups - Yes Page of Cups - Yes Knight of Cups - Yes Queen of Cups - Yes King of Cups - Yes
This morning I crafted up some protection oil. This can be used for anointing candles, spaces, yourself and anything you want to protect. Let’s look at the recipe
✧ Sunflower Oil
You can basically use any carrier oil. I use sunflower oil because it’s inexpensive and carries sun properties of healing and happiness
✧ Pink Himalayan Salt
Salt has great protection properties and pink salt is great for enhancing spellwork and it’s powers. A little boost for everything else in the oil
Sub: any salt you associate with protection (normal salt works too)
✧ Rosemary
A great catchall but I infused the intention of protection into this rosemary for the oil
Sub: Any herb you associate with protection. Sage and juniper are others
✧ Lavender
It smells nice…and also! It’s good for inducing a sense of calm protection. When protected with this oil, I want to feel calm and safe
Sub: Any herb associated with calming. Like chamomile! (Tea bags anyone?)
How do I put it together?
☾ Gather your herbs. To start the intention train, make sure you know why you’re grabbing each ingredient. Think about it. This begins infusing your ingredients with intention
☾ Place the ingredients into a mortar and pestle, thinking about the intention of each. This can include a keyword (protection, calm) and also thinking about the feeling (how does it feel to be protected and safe?)
☾ Grind the ingredients up into powder while thinking of intention. You can infuse while grinding clockwise to bring protection
☾ Add a bit of powder to little glass jars or whatever container you would like to use for your anointing oils
☾ Fill the rest with oil. Leave air room to shake it up
☾ Enjoy! (Shake before every use! The powder will sink to the bottom)
Hello again, friends! It’s Winter time where I am and it’s a wonderful time to share my spiced wine/mulled wine recipe that I personally love to use. Let’s get into it:
Ingredients:
The Wine: •2 bottles of red wine, either a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot (I adore the Apothic brand wines. I use Apothic Red a lot.)
The Spices: • Cinnamon • Clove • Star Anise • Cardamom
The Fruit: • Grapefruit • Lemon • Orange
The Additional: • Honey
**I will say this now that I’ve used both fresh and dried fruit, and think both ways comes out lovely. Use whatever you have on hand and in whatever amounts you prefer.**
Directions: • Pour the bottles of wine into a pot large enough to hold them both and turn the heat of the stove on low. • As it begins to warm (I dip my finger in to test, no judgement please), begin adding the spices in amounts that you like. - For 2 bottles of wine, I use anywhere from 3-4 cinnamon sticks, a small handful of cloves, 3-5 star anise and a small handful of cardamom. • When the mixture begins to come to a boil/simmer, add in the fruit. I prefer sliced circles but wedges certainly work as well! • Cover and leave for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. • Ladle into a cup and enjoy, sweetened with honey to taste!
**Note: • Premade/bought mulling spice blends work perfectly well for this as well.
a short and [hopefully] helpful guide to the twelve astrological houses
[aries] the first house - house of self
this house represents your personality and characteristics. it’s your identity — your outer personality.
ex; if you have a 1H moon, you appear to be more emotional than others.
[taurus] the second house - house of resources / personal values
this house represents resources, material objects, money, possessions, values. your environment and how you may approach daily tasks and so on. it’s also ones view on their own self esteem / self worth.
[gemini] the third house - house of communication / siblings
this house represents ones way of communicating, whether it be through writing or spoken - intellect / thinking and early education. also represents your attitude towards / relationship with your siblings. short travel / neighbors.
[cancer] the fourth house - house of home / family
this house represents private life, home / family. self care, emotional comfort and security. the mother and your childhood, traditions.
[leo] the fifth house - house of pleasures
this house represents damn near everything under the sun [get it - leo is 5H.. leo is ruled by the sun.. ahaha]. this house is creativity and leisure, its self expression and your talents. it’s also romance, fertility, and your love affairs / children.
[virgo] the sixth house - house of health / routines
this house is all about services to the self and to others. it’s work, habits, routines. self disciplines / improvements. health, fitness and illnesses. pets are also ruled under this house
[libra] the seventh house - house of partnerships
this is romantic partnerships, but also business partnerships. attractions and agreements and conflicts. opposite of the 1H, 7H is the house of others - it’s how you fit into others world.
[scorpio] the eighth house - house of intimacy / transformations
this house governs death / rebirth, transformations and sex. also, loans and taxes, and your partners money. bonding and connecting. going towards growth and change. its a mysterious house to say the least.
[sagittarius] the ninth house - house of philosophy
opposite of 3H, this house represents long distance travel and higher education [college, universities]. ones understanding, beliefs, morals, religion, etc. its culture and ethics.
[capricorn] the tenth house - house of status / career
your public life / status, authority. correlates with the father. ones achievements and honor; goals for the long term.
[aquarius] the eleventh house - house of friendship
your social life; groups/friends, humanitarian interests and social causes. acquaintances and who you associate yourself with. your hopes + wishes
[pisces] the twelfth house - house of subconscious
this house represents things that are unseen / undetected. its your dreams, spirituality, religion, psychic abilities and interests, secrets. it’s also healing, karma and privacy / solitude. old age and the after life
other terms
ascendant [1H cusp]
how you’re perceived / first impression and your physical appearance. it represents your soul.
ic or imum coeli [4H cusp]
where you stand emotionally - the base of your personality [as shaped by family]. the self image and how you may perceive yourself.
descendant [7H cusp]
the type of romantic partners you seek. the things that you want / need
mc or midheaven [10H cusp]
represents your individuality and your ego. your aspirations and ideals that you strive towards since it’s the 10H cusp, it also has to do with career and status.
ever had a friend try & make you look like you’re bragging about something you’re genuinely proud of? an accomplishment that you look back on frequently because it’s really helped shape you into the person you are today? because same. and I’m here to tell you to always “brag” about your proud moments. life is meant to be celebrated. so here I go, clapping for my damn self. everyone should.
