Tag: essential oils

Quick Tip & Pests – Oh No….Spider Mites

On By TimelessladyIn Pests, Quick Tip12 Comments


I have some lavender plants on a windowsill near my desk. I love to stop what I am doing and brush them with my hands. The lovely, fresh scent of lavender fills the air and gives me a boost of energy amid mid-winter doldrums. 

You can imagine my outcry when, out of the corner of my eye, I  spotted movement on my lavender—spider mites. The tiny pests were fearless and having a marvelous time, creating webbing, feasting on the juices, and multiplying by the minute. 

Running the plant under a heavy stream of water is always my first course of action. The spider mites are small and are quickly swept away by the deluge. So far, my initial treatment is working, and I’ve only seen one or two stray mites.

One of the problems with diagnosing spider mites on a houseplant is their size. The webbing and drying leaves are a clue to an infestation. Sometimes, as in my case, you can see them moving along their webs. To be sure I was aware of all the infested spots, I sprayed the lavender with water before washing the mites away. The side-by-side photo shows how much easier it is to see an infestation after spraying.

Unfortunately, I must be realistic; removing every spider mite from the lavender will most likely take several sessions under the faucet. This pest spreads quickly in the dry air of a heated house. I will check all my houseplants for infestation with water sprays throughout the week. 

Project & Pinterest – Headache Salve and Tin

On By TimelessladyIn Pinterest, Projects5 Comments

I kid you not…I have pinned thousands of items on Pinterest. If I live for another 300 years I still would never have enough time to do all the projects I’ve pinned.

Last night, through Pinterest, I came upon a recipe for headache salve from the blog Confessions of an Overworked Mom. Her recipe and instructions are easy and the salve turns out great. Combine coconut oil and a few drops of essential oils in a glass bowl and gently heat over a bowl of hot water. The gentle smell of the salve is comforting.  Massaged into your temples when you have a headache, or an overload of stress, would bring some natural, non-chemical relief. Check out Overworked Mom’s post for step-by-step instructions.

I combined making the headache salve with a project. I upcycled an old Altoid tin I had on hand into a pretty container for the salve.

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Before you make the salve, prepare your container. Wipe out an Altoid tin with a soft cloth or napkin. You will also need a thin piece of cardboard and a picture or design of some kind. I used a page from an old Mary Engelbreit calendar.

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Trace the shape of the tin top onto a piece of thin cardboard. I used a piece of an old tissue box.

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Cut out the cardboard, about an 1/8 of an inch smaller than the traced line. I wanted the pretty color of the Altoid tin to frame the finished picture.

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Trace cardboard shape onto the back of the picture or design you have chosen to use. Make sure you have half an inch of extra paper for wrapping around the edge of the cardboard.

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Clip the edges of this excess paper to the line you traced. I used Mod-Podge to glue the picture to the cardboard, wrapping the excess paper around the sides and gluing them to the back of the cardboard.

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I used non-toxic glue to attach the picture to the top of the tin, and applied a thin coat of Mod-Podge to the picture to waterproof it. Let tin dry completely before adding salve.

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I filled the tin with the liquefied headache salve. In the coolness of the house it quickly hardened. In the summertime you will need to store the tin in the refrigerator. Coconut oil liquefies in the heat of the summer.

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I’m pleased I finally got around to making use of one of my Pinterest pins. Give the salve a try. You don’t need to make a fancy container, any tin or jar will do.

The salve would make a nice Christmas present for someone who appreciates handmade gifts. One caution…if the coconut oil becomes warm it WILL liquefy again. Keep in a cool spot. A little dab is all you need to massage into your temples.

* Look up upcycling altoid tins on Pinterest if you want to be amazed and inspired. You will quickly realize why I’ve pinned projects by the thousands. Oh the fun you can have with what others consider a piece of trash.