Home and Family

Some people love to take long, luxurious baths. Others can’t wake up without a shower in the morning. Whichever you prefer, hydrotherapy, in the form of a bath or shower, is something almost everyone enjoys. There’s nothing better for waking us up in the morning than a nice, hot shower. And there’s nothing better for relaxing our bodies and soothing our minds into restful sleep than a bath before we go to bed. It lowers our body temperature and prepares us for sleep, naturally.

Scented Bath Salts

When I want to relax, I take a bath with these bath salts. I’ve been making them since the 70′s when I sold them at craft fairs. Now I make them for my own enjoyment. They’re so simple to make and leave your skin soft and silky. Kids love to watch them color the bath water and they’re not irritating like commercial kids’ bath products can be.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sea Salt, Kosher Salt or Rock Salt

20 Drops Essential Oil

Add the essential oil to the salt. Spread it out on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil or parchment paper. (Don’t use paper towels, because they’ll absorb the scented oil.) When it’s dry, which may take as long as 24 hours or as little as 3, pour it into a pretty glass jar with a cover. If you like colored bath salts, use a couple of TBSPS of beet juice, or non-toxic food coloring to the salts with the essential oil. You can find non-toxic food coloring at Health Food Stores. To use, just scoop out about a half-cup and add to running water.

Remember, scent is a very personal thing. It’s wonderful to surround yourself with it in your own home. But it’s considerate to keep it very light or just not use it in public.

Scented Shower Gel

Ingredients:

1 Cup Water

1 1/2 Cups Liquid Glycerine Soap, Scented (Dr. Bronner’s or any natural brand)

2 TBSP Finely Milled Sea Salt

Natural Food Coloring (optional)

Add liquid soap to water. Do not add water to liquid soap, because you’ll have a kitchen full of suds. Stir in salt and coloring, if you want it. If it separates, shake gently before using.

Variations: Use unscented liquid soap and add about 20 drops of essential oil to it. Or add a stick of cinnamon, a tsp of ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut or chocolate extract. Store in a shampoo bottle.

Simple Soothing Milk and Honey Bath

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Dry Milk Powder (I use organic)

2 TBSP of Dried Honey Powder (I use HoneySweet Brand)

2 Cups of Finely Processed Oats (I use my food processor)

12-20 drops of essential oil (I use half lavender and half rose)

Mix milk and honey powder in large bowl. I use a whisk. Add essential oil, mix well and put in a plastic bag or tightly covered jar. Let the powder absorb the oil for at least 24 hours. Add 1/2 cup under the tap while you’re running your bath. This is a good bath powder for children, although I omit the essential oil for children under 2, just in case it irritates them.

One of the miracles of life is having the gift of procreation. In today?s generation there are numerous ways an expecting mom can get excited, well, even dads too. One of the basic things that come into the minds of would-be parents is preparing a nursery for the little angel?s arrival. Some would be anxious while others overwhelmed on the idea. Well, many for sure are having mixed emotions on where to start and how to create a perfect baby nursery.

Here are some few basic steps:

Start with a budget. The best way to start is to know how much money you can afford. This will be the foundation on everything you will have to consider. Allot a certain amount of that budget for specific items such as furniture and baby nursery decorations.

Then plan and create a theme. Nowadays, there are lots of themes to choose from. The animated characters have evolved since the old days. There are superheroes, adorable animal groups and many others. These can be provided by wallpapers that are already printed with colorful character designs. However, if you prefer to maintain a low profile in your nursery, painting it with more calming and neutral colors would suffice, with some few accents like designed boarders. In this way, there is a lot you can still improve on the room as your taste and imagination may flourish together with your baby?s growth. One healthy advice if you are undecided whether to do paper walls or painting is to collaborate both. Try making a center wall that would be subject to your wallpaper of colorful characters, and accent it by painting the other walls with colors that would result in visual harmony.

Start shopping. This could be the most tedious part, but also the most fun. After having a theme in mind or whether to exclusively do wallpapers, painting or combination of both, start buying these things for the wall. Then proceed with the accessories. One important thing in shopping for furniture, decorations and nursery bedding for your baby nursery is to make sure the items are non toxic and are packed with safety features. Plus, they should of course match with your walls and the theme you planned. Make sure you don’t buy too much little stuff so as to crowd your nursery. When the time comes for you to put them all inside the room, it might be too late to realize that you’ve bought so much for the space you have available. Besides, small items would be eventually hazardous for your little angel as he may learn to crawl and put every little thing he sees inside his mouth.

Finally, have a major room makeover! Yes, save the best for last. After planning and shopping, now is the time to transform that lifeless room into a work of art. Start with the walls. Apply the theme you have created. If you?ve decided to paint make sure to keep the room well ventilated. Then decorate and explore your imagination.

Remember that the baby nursery will be your little angel’s haven. Take time and seriously plan on how to make that room the best place for your baby.