Regardless of my financial situation, I felt compelled to at least try to come up with something, because this lady has been THE best boss I have ever had in my 11 + years in the career force. That means something when you feel like all you have done your whole life is job hop to avoid drama in low-paying jobs.
I decided it was going to have to be something homemade, and in my language, that means crafty. Something not thrown together and cheap either.
So after some countless meanderings through Pinterest, website browsing and my reflections of our spa-pedicure theme from the sleepover at church, I decided to do something that would be relaxing and from the heart since she works very hard.
I happened to come across a simple recipe for bath salts- and low and behold....I had all the items!
So, if you are somewhat of a baker and a stressed-out person, you will probably have these items on hand if you ever come in a bind and would like to make something for a gift:
Bath Salts recipe-
Materials:
- Bottle or Jar
- Epsom Salts
- Food Coloring
- Perfume or Essential Oil
Instructions:
Combine the desired amount of Epsom salts (enough to fit in your bottle or jar) with food coloring. Mix well so color is even. Add your perfume or essential oil and mix again. Spread the mixture out on a sheet of wax paper to dry for a couple of hours and then put it in the bottle or jar.
Combine the desired amount of Epsom salts (enough to fit in your bottle or jar) with food coloring. Mix well so color is even. Add your perfume or essential oil and mix again. Spread the mixture out on a sheet of wax paper to dry for a couple of hours and then put it in the bottle or jar.
While the salts can be used right away, the perfume or essential oil will blend better with the salt if it is allowed to set in the jar for a few weeks.
My resourceful husband finally became of some good use, all the random pickle and tomato paste jars he stored away could be used for the bath salts container. I peeled off the labels, used a rubber cement picker upper to take off the sticker goo, and used some of my craft items to decorate the jar. You could leave plain, print a label or use anything of your own imagination to decorate. I used some crocheted headbands I had leftover from a previous project, ribbon and fabric. But before I show the pictures, I will show my bath salts.
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I had some perfume oil that you can buy from Hobby Lobby in the candle aisle. I used Lavender scent. I took the Epsom Salts, mixed with the lavender, and then mixed red and blue food dye to create violet.
I mixed this all together, and laid out on wax paper on a baking sheet for about an hour and a half.
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If you are impatient or want to give it longer, you can be decorating your jar in the process. I am always one for multi-tasking! (You have to when you are a youth pastor, wife and mother, part-time worker, and full-time school student.) It seemed relatively dry after this, so I funneled the salts into the jar and Voila!
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What a nice touch. I loved that I could make this for her and she could enjoy. I'm anxious about her reaction tomorrow. I also didn't have any gift bags, so I took an empty zipper package that contained a set of curtains and filled with a brand new vinyl table cloth from the dollar store that I already had, hot glued to line the inside, punched holes in the sides and knotted with yarn for a handle. It actually looks pretty good. The envelope doesn't look too classy, but that's because I have a special picture I took of her with my old 35 mm film camera and her birthday card in it. So I figured I could get away with that!
Anyway, I am pretty tired. Been playing too much on this new MacBook Pro I got for school and can't seem to part with it until I am overly tired.
Good night, and Best Wishes on your Homemade Bath Salts Gift!
-Daphne C.
