The GRAY Area

Music to My Ears Blend

2016-04-20T11:08:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone.....
Well, it's about time I posted again! Phew, sorry that I've been AWOL.

I had to come up with a new blend this weekend for my ears. It was a strange phenomenon. I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I had fluid in my ears. I also had a ringing/echo type of thing going on. ugh!

So, I got out my essential oil books and got online for some quick research. And, I found some oils that will compliment each other and hopefully rid my ears of this fluid and stop the ringing/echo.

These are the oils I decided to put together in a blend, due to their properties and common uses for problems with the ear:

Basil antibacterial, anti-inflamatory, decongestant
Eucalyptus antibacterial, anti-inflamatory, antiviral, expectorant
Lavender antihistamine, anti-inflamatory, regenerative
Peppermint antibacterial, anti-inflamatory, antiviral

Here's the recipe:

Music To My Ears Blend

3 drops Basil Essential Oil

2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

2 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil

2 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Fractionated Coconut Oil

1/6 oz. roller bottle

This blend was a true help and I was even able to sing and worship at church on Sunday...although I did still have some ringing-it was much better and by mid-afternoon it was completely gone. I'm still waking up with the slight feel of fluid in my ears, so I'm continuing to use it each morning and whenever I need it.

I roll this blend behind my ears and down my neck right below them.

Quick note: I am no longer an affiliate for Spark Naturals, due to their manufacturing, marketing and selling my ReFresh Blend without my consent. So, I will no longer link to their oils in my posts. If you are currently purchasing from them using my old code "sonshine" you need to find and use someone else's code. Thanks so much for your support through the years. (Hopefully, throughout this summer I can revise all my old posts and remove the links. Thanks for your patience.)

I so appreciate you stopping by The Gray Area for a little bit of Sonshine in the Wildwood!!

Thanks,

Dawn

Homeschool Voice Level Chart

2015-09-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I know I've been a little AWOL, here lately. We just always seem to have too much going on.

Can you relate? I'm sure most of you can.

We've started our homeschool year and are loving it so far.

I'm wanting to share more homeschool type posts with you as we go through our homeschool year. So, hopefully some of you will benefit from these. Please comment below and let me know if you are a homeschool family.

I'll still be posting about essential oils because we truly love the essential oil life. There will be more of these posts coming soon, also.

This is something that we just started today and it should help bring great improvement to our homeschool days and every day in between.

Are you having trouble keeping the voice levels down in your home?

We ARE!

I have a 4 year old who just screams pretty much everything he says.

I think it's the "baby of 5" syndrome.

He is desperate to be heard!

Well, thanks to my sister, Lora Joy Adzima (A Speech Therapist for Knox County Schools) we now have a really handy voice level chart to help teach my son the right level of voice to use!

I just printed and laminated it this morning. He responded well.

We talked about the colors, numbers and the pictures to help give him a feel for what each level is about and then we practiced the level in our voices to show him the level his voice should be at for each different scenario in our home.

Also, this will help me when I'm working with Hannah or Caleb and I can remind him by saying "Judah, look at your voice level chart....where are you?" "Where should you be?"

We also printed and laminated one to keep in the van.

Can you feel the excitement in this mama's heart to get these changes incorporated into our home?!! My ears are singing instead of ringing...and, "It makes me wanna shout!"

Um...well, I'll have to keep my voice level down because that's for outside use. So, excuse me for a moment while I run outside and shout (oops...can't run in the house either, so I'll just walk quickly)

hehehe!

This mama's sanity might soon return ;) !

Ok, ok....I hear all that giggling and laughing. I know this will not fix my sanity problem, but every little bit helps, right? And one can always HOPE!!

If you need this chart, please comment below and I'll be happy to email you the pdf file.

Thanks for stopping by,
Dawn

Burn Spritzer

2015-06-18T10:33:00.000-05:00

Sunburned?

Rope Burn?

Stove Burn?

Rash?

Bruised?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, then you need some Burn Spritzer.

It's very easy to make and have on hand.

It's very soothing and healing on your skin and smells good, too!

BURN SPRITZER

4 drops helichrysum essential oil

4 drops lavender essential oil

4 drops geranium essential oil

Aloe Vera Juice

1 oz. Spray Bottle

Try making some today. Click on any of the essential oils above and the link will take you straight to Spark Naturals to purchase these. Use code "sonshine" at checkout for a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Lavender Essential Oil

2015-05-26T08:12:00.001-05:00

I've honestly never been much of a fan of lavender essential oil, mainly because of it's smell.

Ironically, It seems like that's the reason that most people love it! (yes, I'm just weird that way).

Even though I don't enjoy the smell of lavender, it's a powerhouse in the essential oil arena and we use it quite a lot.

We were on a weekend vacation (the first in 10 years--wow!) and I received two wasp stings. OUCH! Those little buggers make quite a wallop! I was just walking along minding my own business and guess I stepped into their territory.

I went straight for my burn spritzer and sprayed it on the stings. Within 20 minutes you couldn't even tell I'd been stung. I love that about essential oils.

Lavender is one of the essential oils in this blend.

Here's my recipe:

Burn Spritzer
4 drops helichrysum essential oil

4 drops lavender essential oil

4 drops geranium essential oil

Aloe Vera Juice

1 oz. spray bottle

This is a very versatile spray that we use for many different things like

sunburn

kitchen burn

rope burns

blisters

stings

Here's a family photo from our vacation

And how about this wonderful information on lavender:

"A study in the journal Holistic Nursing Practice found that smelling lavender and rosemary essential oils reduced test-taking stress in a group of graduate nursing students. This was “evidenced by lower scores on test-anxiety measures, personal statements and pulse rates,” according to the research.

Another study in the journal Psychiatry Research found that when sniffed for five minutes, both rosemary oil and lavender oil decreased levels of cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone,” in participants."

Bloating and poor digestion can result from an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria (which can happen when you take antibiotics). "The polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) in lavender can help reduce the 'bad' bacteria in your gut," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, author of Doctor's Detox Diet and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

And more good news....lavender can help with dandruff!

Dandruff is a very common issue that can be embarrassing and very frustrating to eradicate.

All Natural ~ Essential Oil Protocol:

Warm 2-3 TBSPs oil (coconut, olive, almond and/or avocado are top choices) in a cup.

Add: 15 drops Lavender EO, 2 drops Melaleuca EO & 2 - 3 drops Rosemary.

Using a comb, part your hair down the middle and on both sides. Apply warm mixture with a dropper bottle and massage into scalp. Wrap a plastic bag around head and hair and let sit for 30 - 45 minutes before washing out.
Repeat as needed - it may take 2-3 treatments to see complete results.

If you are part of Spark Naturals Oil of the Month Club then you just received Rosemary as May's Oil of the Month. Well, even greater news...Lavender is the June Oil of the Month.

What, you've not heard of the Oil of the Month Club?! It's a simple, affordable way to purchase essential oils. You will get a 15 ml bottle of a different essential oil each month for only $15.99 per month and it includes tax and shipping--this is a discounted price on each oil, too. What a deal, right?! Sign up today--Spark Naturals Oil of the Month Club.

Well, now that I've shared some ways to use lavender, tell me, how do you use lavender essential oil? Please be sure and comment below.

As always, purchase quality essential oils at Spark Naturals and use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount on your order. Also, be sure to watch my facebook page--The GRAY Area for the deals of the month and other sales!

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

It's That Time Again

2015-05-08T19:10:00.001-05:00

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN....

Yep, we all love (notice the sarcasm here!) this part of the Spring and Summer. It's the time that bugs and insects become more of a pest than normal. Those pesky mosquitos...

And, this is why I love essential oils! And, Spark Naturals!

So, use your essential oils to keep the pests away.

We keep a large spray bottle by the front door--the quickest path to our treehouse play area. The kids spray themselves down with this and it keeps the mosquitos and all the other pests from biting.

One thing to note here....this spray does not work if it stays in the bottle! hehehe! When we don't use it, we get bit/stung.

Be sure to shop Spark Naturals for all your essential oil needs. Use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount on your order.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

DIY Toothpaste--True Tooth Grit

2015-04-22T11:41:00.002-05:00

True Tooth Grit

(Another favorite Re-post)

Yeah, it's a spin-off name of the famous John Wayne movie--True Grit. That John Wayne sure had grit and so did young Maddie! They were both brave, passionate and motivated to catch a criminal. I don't know about you, but I like a toothpaste that does the same thing...

SORT OF...

a toothpaste that is brave, passionate and motivated to catch a germ.

(without all the chemicals that most toothpastes are laden with)

I want it to be brave to get inside my germ-laden mouth,

passionate about fighting germs in there, and motivated to ridding my teeth, tongue and gums of them!

And, I like my toothpaste to have grit--the kind that cleans really well. My husband says "you mean to tell me I'm cleaning my teeth with dirt?"

Yep! {grin}

Honestly, since I've been using this my teeth and mouth have never felt cleaner.

True Tooth Grit

1 cup Bentonite Clay

1 cup Baking Soda
1 tsp. Xylitol

2 teaspoons kosher salt

6 drops Wintergreen essential oil

6 drops Clove Bud essential oil

6 drops Cinnamon Bark essential oil

water
(recipe updated 7/5/16)

Bentonite Clay--neutralizes acid, removes bacteria filled organic matter, eliminates toxins from metals in your mouth, and promotes healthy gums

Baking Soda--neutralizes stains and odors, polishes and whitens

Xylitol--optional for flavoring

Kosher Salt--can heal sores or irritations in the mouth

Wintergreen EO--analgesic, antiseptic,

Clove Bud EO--analgesic, antibacterial, anti-infectious, antiseptic

Cinnamon Bark EO--antibacterial, antiseptic and astringent

Mix all ingredients except for the water. Once blended well, add water until it's the consistency you like. Fills approximately six 4 oz. canning jars. I use a plastic canning lid on these because the regular lids will definitely rust because of the salt.

Some do not like the idea of dipping their toothbrush into a jar of toothpaste due to the germ factor. Well, we just keep a small jar full of water with a few drops of Shield essential oil blend in it. We clean our toothbrush with it after each use...that keeps it clean for dipping in the jar of True Tooth Grit. Just dip only once and give each family member their own jar!

Thanks for stopping by,
Dawn

This post was shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday.

ReFresh--A DIY Sanitizing, Deodorizing, Cleaning Blend

2015-04-13T10:22:00.001-05:00

It's Spring Cleaning Time!!

So I am re-posting a favorite blend.
(See the original post from September, 2013 here: http://sonshineinthewildwood.blogspot.com/2013/09/refresh-diy-sanitizing-deodorizing.html )

Are you tired of several different cleaning blends for each and every area of your house?

Me, too.

Too many different things to make, etc.
I love how this blend will work for so many different things--not everything, mind you....but there are a lot of different uses for ReFresh.

This is a great all-purpose, cleansing blend of essential oils. It has sanitizing, purifying and deodorizing properties.

ReFresh Concentrate

6 drops Cilantro essential oil

8 drops Citronella essential oil

20 drops Lemon essential oil

31 drops White Fir essential oil

13 drops Lime essential oil

7 drops Melaleuca essential oil

This will give you 85 drops of oils and will fill an empty 5 ml essential oil bottle.

ReFresh Spray Cleaner
Add 35 or more drops to a 16 oz. bottle of vinegar for an all-purpose cleaner.

**Use this as an antiseptic/antibacterial/anti-viral cleaner and wipe down countertops, kitchen table, doorknobs, refrigerator (especially the handles), front of dishwasher, stove handles, microwave, outside of toilets, inc.

**This spray blend works well on windows, too.

**We used it to get rid of the mold on our grill...inside and out.

**It's a great cleaner for all things mold and dirt that covers your outdoor lawn furniture after a really wet summer.

**Spray it in trash cans to get rid of odor.

**Spray on carpet where puppy thinks it's the potty area. Make sure to sop up all the pee first. It cleans and gets rid of the odor. I typically spray in the area once a week to keep the fresh EO smell so puppy won't "go" there again.

**A great deodorizing spray for bags (like duffel or gym bags).

**Use it as a Fe-breeze type spray on furniture!

Other Uses:
We mix ReFresh with witch hazel and spray in stinky shoes every night for a wonderful "Stinky Feet No More" Spray (click link to see blog post about this one).

Diffuse ReFresh in rooms that have an odd odor and in vehicles.

Place a few drops of ReFresh in the rinse cycle of your laundry. I use vinegar in my rinse dispenser and just add a few drops of ReFresh in with it.

Add a spray top to the 5 ml ReFresh bottle and you have an instant anti-itch spray....we call it "Stop that Itch"!! You can use witch Hazel for a carrier, if needed.

And...
when you think you've encountered poison ivy. Just spray it on and rub it in...rub on your flip flops, too. It stops poison ivy in it's tracks!!

Each of the oils properties are:

Cilantro is antibacterial

Citronella is antifungal, antibacterial, antiseptic, tonic and stimulant

Lemon is antiseptic, antidepressant, antifungal, antiviral, astringent

White Fir is analgesic, antiseptic, and stimulant

Lime is antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, restorative and tonic

Melaleuca is analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-infectious.

Mix up some ReFresh today! I think you'll be glad you did!

Essential oils can be purchased at Spark Naturals.
Use code "Sonshine" for a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by!
Dawn

How many days until Spring?

2015-03-06T14:15:00.001-06:00

Tired of all the cold, ice, and snow? Me, too! Click the link below to find out how many days until SPRING!!

How many days until Spring?

Need To Get Things Moooooving?

2015-02-24T12:30:00.000-06:00

Ever had a time just going regularly? For me, those blessedly few times seem to happen when we are traveling. Seems like all that sittin' on my backside and drinking lots of sodas team together to make me pretty miserable.

Did you know that EO's can help get things moving again?

Here are some suggestions to try if you get to this uncomfortable place:

A cup of hot water with 2 tsp. honey, 1 drop of ginger essential oil and 1 drop of fennel essential oil. Sip slowly, wait for 10 min. and then massage this blend of Rosemary, Ginger, Patchouli, and Fennel in 2 tsp. of coconut oil clockwise over the stomach, hips, lower back, and down the spine to just above the anus. (From Valerie Ann Worwood's Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy).
Massage as an alternate blend to the one above....Patchouli, Black Pepper, and Fennel in 2 tsp. coconut oil.
Put a heating pad to your backside as you sit or lie down.

And, if you know you'll be at risk of sluggish bowels or constipation due to traveling or whatever else may cause this to happen for you, then be sure to take a proactive approach:

Drink plenty of water.
Lay off the sodas.
Get plenty of greens, fruits--especially dried, and fiber in your diet.
And get up and moooove!

It might also be a good idea to keep this blend made up "just in case" you slooooow down.

Get Things Moving Blend

2 drops Rosemary essential oil

5 drops Ginger essential oil

2 drops Patchouli essential oil

4 drops Fennel essential oil

Fractionated Coconut Oil

Add drops to a 1/3 oz (10 ml) roller bottle and fill with fractionated coconut oil. Roll on abdomen in a clockwise motion and also on lower back.

Hope you're dancing a jig in no time.....

And as always, remember to purchase your essential oils from Spark Naturals and use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

(This post contains affiliate links)
I shared this on Wildcrafting Wednesdays and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home....hop on over and check these out.

Jeddy's Blend

2014-10-23T16:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever tried Jeddy's Blend? If not, you're missing out!

We use it when my kids are wild and I need them to focus.

We use it when I've had a stressful day and just need to calm down.

We use it when my daughter has some anxiety before an oral school report.

We use it to help our kids wind down at bedtime if they seem to be having a hard time calming down.

It's also great to put in the diffuser! We diffuse it in the kitchen and it benefits the whole family.

I've heard fantastic reports of other ways it has helped families....click here for more information and testimonials.

http://jeddysblend.blogspot.com/

You can purchase Jeddy's Blend at Spark Naturals. Don't forget code "sonshine" for a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by,

Dawn

Fall Giveaway 2--Winner

2014-10-22T21:30:00.003-05:00

Congratulations, Jessica!

You have 24 hours to provide me with your contact information!

Thanks for stopping by,

Dawn

Another Fall GIVEAWAY

2014-10-21T11:35:00.005-05:00

SURPRISE! Another GIVEAWAY!

GIVEAWAY Ends Wednesday, October 22 at 9:00 p.m. CDT

Please be sure to leave a comment on this post.

Winner will have 24 hours to give me contact information.

Thanks for stopping by

Dawn

Fall GIVEAWAY!

2014-10-12T19:02:00.001-05:00

It's GIVEAWAY time!

One winner will receive:

1 5 ml bottle of Shield Essential Oil Blend from Spark Naturals

1 micro mini roller bottle (out of stock)

1 spritzer

Shield Essential Oil Blend is a proprietary blend from Spark Naturals. It's a fabulous blend for your diffuser, roller bottle, spritzer or sprays. Shield is a great protective blend. It's made up of the essential oils of clove, cinnamon bark, lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

From Spark Natural's website: Spark Naturals is pleased to present this ancient blend based upon legend. The legend has its roots in 15th century England during the time of the great plague. Grave robbers thieves developed their own blend of Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Lemon, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary to protect them while robbing the plague victims.

We use this blend in our DIY hand soap, our hand sanitizer and our Germs Aside.

All of these items are available from Spark Naturals and if you use code "sonshine" at check out you'll receive a 10% discount.

TO ENTER The GIVEAWAY:

Just post a comment below telling how you would use these items.

So simple!

Now go....

Winner will be randomly chosen on Monday, October 13th at 9:00 p.m. Central. The winner's name will be announced on the blog and Facebook page:
The GRAY Area

Winner will have 24 hours to contact me with name and address.

Thanks for stopping by The GRAY Area

Dawn

Ringworm--Day 18 Update

2014-10-10T13:04:00.003-05:00

Well, we are at Day 18 of this nasty ringworm. Here's a picture update....

The angry red has lessened and it is drying up. It's just taking longer than I would like. I think the "Slip Away" blend is very effective. We are keeping at it. My biggest problem with this is consistency...and keeping him from playing in the dirt.

See prior posts→

Say Goodbye to Ringworm

Say Goodbye to Ringworm Day 2

Ringworm Day 3 and 4

Ringworm Update Day 9

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment on this post.

Thanks for Stopping by:

Dawn

Ringworm Update--Day 9 and Nose Ouch

2014-10-01T10:42:00.001-05:00

Today is day 9 of the Ringworm saga....it's drying up! On day 7, I added 6 drops of Melaleuca to the blend. Over the past weekend it was hit or miss (mostly miss) in applying the blend to Judah's arm.

Here's the new recipe:

"Slip Away" Ringworm Blend

2 drops Oregano
2 drops Thyme
3 drops Lavender
4 drops Geranium
6 drops Melaleuca

Add drops to a 1/3 oz. roller bottle and fill the rest of the way with Fractionated Coconut Oil. Apply 3-5 times per day. Remember, ringworm is highly contagious. Do not share. If you have multiple people who need to use this blend, make up a bottle for each person.

Remember to purchase quality essential oils from Spark Naturals. Use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount on your order.

We had to make a quick trip to the doctor yesterday due to a nasty fall and face plant in the concrete (think ouch to the nose). It swelled up so fast and bled and bled....so we went to have it checked out.

About 20 min. after happened

Judah wasn't quite acting like himself either. A little lethargic and no talking, no noise whatsoever. If you know Judah...that is NOT like him at all. Doc was a little concerned also and wanted us to go for a CT Scan. As he left the room we were in to go and schedule it, Judah started talking again. Then, he started playing. When the doctor came in to tell me about the scan, Judah started running around me in circles making noise (like usual). The doctor said, aha! it was the threat of the scan and now he's acting like normal (lol!). We say Jesus is a mighty healer!

At doc's office-Judah wanted to see what it looked like, so I took a pic so he could see

So, we decided no scan after all. Just take him home and watch him for signs of concussion. Once we got to Nanny Boo Boo and Poppie's house for dinner, he was totally fine. The swelling was even miraculously going down. We prayed a lot and God answered our prayers!

Rebecca from Camp Wander suggested Lavender, Cypress and Frankincense when I was in a panic and holding a crying child and couldn't get to my books or think straight to decide what to do for his nose. Thank you, Rebecca! I do not have any Cypress so used Lavender, Lemongrass and Frankincense in a roller bottle and am rolling it on his nose.

This morning. So thankful! It only looks like a scrape, now with just a little swelling.

So silly!

All of that to say, I had the doctor look at the ringworm on his arm. He just said "yep, it's ringworm." I'll call in a cream for you.

We are going to keep going with the essential oils for a little longer. Let's get this to clear up without the cream! I've got to stay consistent with this. So, I'm setting a timer to remind me to keep applying.

It's actually redder than it has been, but it's drying up. Between treatments of the Slip Away Ringworm Blend it's really dry and almost peeling.

Day 9

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Original and follow up posts:

Say Goodbye to Ringworm
Say Goodbye to Ringworm--Day 2

Say Goodbye to Rinworm--Day 3 and 4

Say Goodbye to Ringworm--Day 3 & 4

2014-09-25T11:40:00.001-05:00

Good morning all!

This is just an update from my original post here→Say Goodbye to Ringworm

I'm just going to post pictures to compare.

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

It's looking pretty red and raw. But, it's also looking like it's starting to dry up. So, we are keeping at it. He's a rough and tumble boy and has been playing in the dirt a lot. Not sure that's helping any--lol!

I've started rolling the Cold and Flu Bomb on the bottom of his feet several times a day, too.

Cold & Flu Bomb
Oregano
Melaleuca
Shield

I put 2 drops of each essential oil in a 1/3 oz. roller bottle and filled to top with fractionated coconut oil. We roll on the bottoms of our feet.

The Cold and Flu Bomb Kit can be purchased at Spark Naturals. Use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Love My Morning Smoothie!

2014-09-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

What do you eat for breakfast?

I'm usually a "coffee drinker and skip the breakfast kinda gal".

However, I'm realizing that is not the best thing for my body, and....it's not a great example for my kids. So, I've started making smoothies.

I found this mix from Bulk Herb Store called Erin's Green Drink Mix.

This mix is chock full o vitamins!

Here's what the Bulk Herb Store website has to say about this mix:

Contains Very Small Amount of Natural Caffeine: Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Beet Root, Bilberry Fruit, Burdock Root, Chamomile Flowers, Cinnamon, Dandelion Leaf, Fennel Seed , Ginkgo Leaf, Eleuthero Root, Green Tea , Hawthorn Berry, Kelp, Lemon Peel Nutritional Yeast, Oatstraw Olive Leaf, Orange Peel Passion Flower, Red Raspberry, Rose Hips, Spinach Leaf, Spirulina, St. John's Wort, Nettle Leaf, Turmeric root and Wheat Grass.

After much research, I developed a Super Green Smoothie Mix that contains 28 different herbs that contain a balance of nutrition that tops any multivitamin you can buy on the market for literally half the price.

I make a smoothie with bananas, kale, frozen strawberries and blueberries and some 100% cranberry juice and 2 tsp of Erin's Green Drink Mix. Some mornings I will add fresh mango if I have any.

It is sooo yummy! Now, if I can just get my kids to drink one, too. They see me put the kale in it and refuse to drink it. We'll keep working on it. :)

Do you make smoothies? What do you put in yours?

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

I am an affiliate for Bulk Herb Store and if you click on any of the links in this post and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

I linked up at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home....check out all the great posts!

Say Goodbye to Ringworm--Day 2

2014-09-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

Original Post: Say Goodbye to Ringworm

Day 1

Day 2

We remembered to roll the "Slip Away" Ringworm Blend on 3 times yesterday. Will try to do more today.

He also played in the dirt some more yesterday, which was probably NOT a good thing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Say Goodbye to Ringworm

2014-09-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

Well, this is a new experience for me. I've never had ringworm and none of my kids have ever had ringworm...until I noticed this, yesterday.....

Judah's right wrist

So, I've been researching the essential oils that will effectively fight this fungus.

I've come up with a blend that we will start using today and I will keep you updated with daily pics.

Some information about ringworm:

It's a fungal infection

It's highly contagious

Doctors recommend using a topical over-the-counter anti-fungal cream
You shouldn't share towels or bedding with an infected person

It can take up to 2 weeks or even longer for the infection to clear.

Ringworm can be transmitted by pets, other humans, or soil.

hmmmm...my kids have been playing in a bunch of dirt we just brought in as we are expanding our Christmas tree farm parking lot.

They've been digging, making forts, moving dirt and just having a grand old time! Who knows if this could be the culprit or not.

No anti-fungal creams in use here. Let's see how our essential oils take care of this.

"Slip Away" Ringworm Blend:

(My daughter, Hannah, likes the name cuz you know, worms are slimy, right?)

2 Oregano

2 Thyme

3 Lavender

4 Geranium

Remember to purchase quality essential oils from Spark Naturals. Use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount on your order.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Essential Oils to the Rescue!

2014-09-18T14:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday something really cool happened....well, um....it wasn't a good thing...but we found out something really interesting, cool, and informational!

I took my son, Caleb to his K-3 Fun class that meets 2x a month. He absolutely loves it and this was the first day of the semester.

When we arrived, there was an unmistakeably yucky smell in the building. I later learned that the vacuum cleaner had blown it's belt. You know that smell, right? Well, there was a building full of K-3 graders and parents and it was downright icky. The teacher asked me if I could find some febreeze or something to try and counteract the smell.

I remembered that essential oils will actually break down the molecules of the odor and send it on its way. So, I went to the van to see what I had with me. My purse was full of roller bottles, so I knew those wouldn't work. And, then it hit me....I had a couple spray bottles of my Sonshine Hand Sanitizer. So, I grabbed them and sent my daughter to one area of the building and I went to the other (class had already started by then) and I was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible spraying this in each room. I left a bottle with one of the helpers and we left.

My cutie, Caleb holding the EO bottle with glee

2 hours later, when we returned there was no evidence whatsoever of the odor. His teacher even mentioned that some who had come in after I left were remarking at how GOOD the building smelled!

YAY! Essential oils to the rescue!!

Sonshine Hand Sanitizer

(doubles as an Air Freshener)

12 drops Shield
8 drops Lemon
6 drops Grapefruit
4 drops Lavender

4 drops Cinnamon

Put drops in 2 oz. spray bottle and fill with witch hazel.

Purchase quality essential oils at great prices with a $5.00 flat shipping rate at Spark Naturals. Use code "sonshine" and you will get 10% off your order.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

I linked up here--check out all the posts!

True Tooth Grit

2014-02-19T08:43:00.002-06:00

Yeah, it's a spin-off name of the famous John Wayne movie--True Grit. That John Wayne sure had grit! He was brave, passionate and motivated to catch a criminal. I don't know about you, but I like a toothpaste that does the same thing...

SORT OF...

a toothpaste that is brave, passionate and motivated to catch a germ.

(without all the chemicals that most toothpastes are laden with)

I want it to be brave to get inside my germ-laden mouth,

Honestly, since I've been using this my teeth and mouth have never felt cleaner.

True Tooth Grit

1 cup Bentonite Clay

1 cup Baking Soda

2 Splenda packets-optional

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 drops Wintergreen essential oil

4 drops Clove Bud essential oil

4 drops Cinnamon Bark essential oil
water

Bentonite Clay--neutralizes acid, removes bacteria filled organic matter, eliminates toxins from metals in your mouth, and promotes healthy gums

Baking Soda--neutralizes stains and odors, polishes and whitens

Splenda--optional for flavoring

Kosher Salt--heals sores or irritations in the mouth

Wintergreen EO--analgesic, antiseptic,

Clove Bud EO--analgesic, antibacterial, anti-infectious, antiseptic

Cinnamon Bark EO--antibacterial, antiseptic and astringent

Mix all ingredients except for the water. Once blended well, add water until it's the consistency you like. Fills six 4 oz. canning jars. I use a plastic canning lid on these because the regular lids will definitely rust.

Some do not like the idea of dipping their toothbrush into a jar of toothpaste due to the germ factor. Well, we just keep a small jar full of water with a few drops of Shield in it. We clean our toothbrush with it after each use...that keeps it clean for dipping in the jar of True Tooth Grit. Just dip only once and give each family member their own jar!

Thanks for stopping by,
Dawn

Use code "sonshine" for 10% off all products at Spark Naturals! This post contains affiliate links.

Inspiration for this recipe came from Patti over at Patti's Place.

I linked up here:
WILDCRAFTING WEDNESDAY!

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

Super Salves!

2014-02-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

We love my Cold Cough Chest Salve and so when I heard about Bulk Herb Store's Salve Mix herb blends that you can herbally infuse....I just knew I needed to try some of these. So, I ordered two of their mixes and I had the other herbs already on hand.

Arthritis Salve Mix
Bulk Herb Store has this to say about this mix:
"Whether you or one of your friends struggle with joint pain, this is a great salve to have on hand. Each herb has benefits that come together to relieve inflammation, fight pain, and promote circulation. Rub this salve onto the sore areas as often as needed."

Includes the following dried herbs:

St. John's Wort

Arnica Flowers

Lobelia Leaf

Comfrey Leaf

Peppermint Leaf

Cayenne

Muscle Salve Mix
Bulk Herb Store has this to say about this mix:
"This salve penetrates the skin, soothes and helps to heal damaged muscles, while reducing inflammation. Rub this salve onto the sore muscle as often as needed."

Includes the following dried herbs:

Ginger Root

Echinacea Leaf

St. John's Wort

Boswelia Serrata

Cayenne

And, I used 3 different herbs for my poison ivy salve...I've made this one in the past and we've used it for many things other than poison ivy. Anything really...if it was closest when we needed something--like for diaper rash. This time, though I added some ReFresh/Purify blend to help more with the itching!

Plantain Leaf
Comfrey Leaf
Whole Calendula Flowers

First you have to herbally infuse these dried herbs. I used coconut oil for the first two. And I used coconut oil and olive oil for the last one (only because I ran out of coconut oil--bummer!)

Here's what you'll need:
pint canning jar/jars and lids
herbs/herb mix
coconut oil (my favorite is Tropical Traditions)/olive oil
crock pot
water
dish towels

I washed pint canning jars and lids. Added the herbs until jar was 1/3 full. Then, I filled with the coconut/olive oil until 1 inch from top. Now my coconut oil was in its hardened state, so as it melted I added more to my jar--never did get them full enough. I'd hoped to end up with about 12 oz. of infused oil when done. Tightly fasten the lid on each jar.

Place folded dish towel in bottom of crock pot. Add jar or jars full of herbs and oil. If doing multiple jars in a large crock pot, I suggest placing a couple of dish towels around the jars to help hold them upright and to keep them from touching each other.

Day 1

Add water in the crock pot to the level of the oil in the jars. Place on low and let simmer for 3 days. You want the water to be really hot but not boiling. Watch the water level in the crockpot as it will evaporate and you'll want to add more. Be sure when you add more water that you add HOT water to the crockpot or your jars could break.

Day 2

Day 3

At the end of the 3 days you will have an herbal infused oil. This makes a great massage oil or you can make a salve out of it.

To Make a Salve:

Strain herbs out of the oil. I used a piece of cheesecloth, pyrex measuring cup and rubber band. (You can also use a very worn, old t-shirt)

Squeeze excess oil out of the cheesecloth

At this point you want to add beeswax to your oil to make the salve

I use my pan and a double boiler. I add water to the pan and set the double boiler on top. Once the water begins to boil I turn the burner off and slowly let the beeswax melt. Stirring occasionally.
Add essential oil if needed and Vitamin E for a preservative.

Pour into jars and let set until cool.

I love how they look as they start to set up.

Below are the exact recipes that I used in each of the salves:

Sore NO More--Sore Muscle Salve

Muscle Mix from Bulk Herb Store herbally infused in coconut oil-8 oz (this is the amount I had at the end of the 3 days).

2.5 oz. Beeswax
20 drops peppermint eo
15 drops clove eo
15 drops helichrysum eo
3 vitamin E gels
(use with caution as the cayenne in the mix will irritate the eyes)

Aches Away--Arthritis Salve

Arthritis Mix from Bulk Herb Store herbally infused in coconut oil--7 oz.

2.0 oz. Beeswax
20 drops peppermint eo
20 drops Marjoram eo
2 vitamin E gels

(Use with caution as the cayenne in the mix will irritate the eyes)

Ditch the ITCH--Poison Ivy Salve

Plantain

Comfrey Leaf

Whole Calendula

Herbally infused in olive oil/coconut oil 12 oz.

3 oz. Beeswax
60 drops ReFresh/Purify
4 Vit. E gels

Thanks to a contest on my facebook page...the following ladies came up with the names of these salves. I'm sending them each a jar of salve for their help.

Arthritis Salve - Aches Away WINNER: Jamie Briggs

Sore Muscle Salve - Sore No More WINNER: Nicole Kleve

Poison Ivy Salve - Ditch the Itch WINNER: Kristin Fennell

Random WINNER: Camille Rains

I would love to hear what you think about these salves. Especially if you make some of your own.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

I've added these salves to my Sonshine Botanicals page if you'd like to purchase them instead of buying all the ingredients and making them yourself.

You can purchase essential oils at Spark Naturals and use code "sonshine" for 10 % off your order at checkout.

This post contains affiliate links.

Super Salves was one of the top 3 most read posts on Wildcrafting Wednesday! Thanks everyone!

I linked up here:

Joyous Notions Blog Hop Wednesday

Wildcrafting Wednesday

And the Winner Is.....Share the Love GIVEAWAY!

2014-02-11T08:24:00.001-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Entry # 4601 Bonnie C.

Thanks to everyone who entered! What an awesome giveaway!

Dawn

Share The Love Essential Oil GIVEAWAY!

2014-02-03T02:00:00.000-06:00

I've teamed up with several blogger friends who are also Spark Naturals Affiliates to offer you a great GIVEAWAY!

It's the "Share the Love" Essential Oil GIVEAWAY!

A Spark Naturals essential oil 4-pack (contains 5ml bottles of Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint and Melaleuca Essential Oils),
5 ml bottle of oregano,
5 ml bottle of shield and
2-10ml roller bottles for YOU

and then another set to give to a FRIEND.

If you win the giveaway~~Share the Love!

Monday, Feb. 3rd-12:00 am PST to Friday, Feb. 10th-9:00 pm PST

The prize is:

2 Essential Oil 4-Packs

2-5ml bottles of Oregano essential oil

2-5ml bottles of Shield essential oil.

4-10ml roller bottles

Check out the blogs below to get to know each blogger bringing you this awesome giveaway!

A Mouse In My Kitchen
Patti's Place
The Granola Mommy
Life Inside Nickie's Little Bubble
Just Trixie
Bobbins N' Thread
Clothesline Chic
The Gray Area
Abundance of Goodness
Enjoy Life Anyway
Natural Mama
Curly Loves Essential Oils
Backdoor Survival
Haute Mess Mama
Crunchy Urban Mom
Simple Sunsets

Click here to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners must be US residents age 18 and older

The winning entry will be verified (if you say you liked a facebook page but didn't, you won't be eligible to win)

The winner will have 48 hours to reply to an email before a new winner will be selected.

I can't wait to see who wins!

Don't forget that all purchases from Spark Naturals can be discounted by 10% if you use the code "sonshine" during checkout!

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn

Peppermint Essential Oil

2014-01-11T13:45:00.001-06:00

Peppermint is one of my favorite essential oils! I thought I'd write a blog post about it since it's the oil of the month at Spark Naturals!

Some tips about the Oil of the Month Club:

A 15 ml Peppermint Essential Oil at Spark Naturals is $18.45. Each order you place is charged a $6.49 shipping fee unless your order is over $99.00.

If you sign up for the Oil of the Month Club at Spark Naturals you can get this oil shipped to you free of charge and it's only $15.99! It's a great deal!

Here are some ways that we use Peppermint essential oil:

We use peppermint at the first sign of tummy issues. Here's a previous post about a blend that we keep handy→TummyEase.

Have you heard that peppermint will help keep spiders away? It will!! We add it to a spray bottle with witch hazel.→Spider Ban

We use peppermint when we are struggling to keep focus or if having a rough start to the morning due to sleepy minds or just fogginess as we start school.

We put 3 drops peppermint essential oil and

3 drops wild orange essential oil

in the diffuser.

We use peppermint at the first sign of a headache. Here's a post about another blend that we always keep handy→Headache Cease

One of our most used EO (essential oil) blends is a salve that I make called Cold & Cough Chest Salve. It contains peppermint along with a few other EO's. →Cold and Cough Chest Salve

We use peppermint if feeling queasy, have nausea, motion sickness or dizziness...especially in the car. Try our Motion Potion blend.

Peppermint is a great essential oil to have handy at home or in your vehicle...

Purchase some today from Spark Naturals!

Peppermint Essential Oil

Or better yet, join the Oil of the Month Club and build up your EO supply at a great discount!

Oil of the Month Club

And, as always...use code "sonshine" for a 10% discount on any order at Spark Naturals. (Discount code does not apply to the Oil of the Month Club--bummer, I know...but, hey! You're already getting such a great deal! :) )

Thanks for stopping by!

Dawn