Using Plants to Make Pretty Colors

I love trying new things with plants!  I wanted a hands-on project that was lots fun and part science. Thoughts of combining a cool project with a unique souvenir (T-shirts scream vacation souvenir, right?!) using natural, non-toxic ingredients that are gentle on the planet. Using plant materials to create natural dyes - win/win!

The rest of the train of thought leading to my newest idea was a bit winding so I won’t confuse (or bore) you with the  entire stream of thought that inspired using plants to create natural fabric dyes.

The shopping list was super simple - colorful fruits and veggies from the market, loose dried flower petals (in bulk tea isles), plants growing in abundance in your yard (think blueberries when they are in season), etc. Next, grab those not so white shirts from the closet that should really be on the ‘throw me away list’ or grab some white undershirts the next time you head to the store. FYI - white towels, cloth, scarves, etc. are also great options. Stick with white or cream colored natural fabrics like cotton, muslin, wool or linen.

Here are some blogs I found during my late night research:

List of plants and the colors of dyes

Where I got the idea to use  Turmeric -  side note - really like this blog, might have to start following it on a regular basis

Another source of info

DISCLAIMER - This was a fun project and our first try so you might not want to follow this verbatim without doing your own research.

Due to other planned activities and short attention spans of at least one participant, this was a multi-day project for us. Day 1 was creating the dyes and Day 2 was prepping the fabric and then dying it.

Again, I repeat, this was all new and we had no real idea how everything would turn out so we tried a few things at once in the hopes that at least one thing would look good at the end.

Pull out the different supplies (vinegar or salt, rubber gloves and pots)  and ingredients. We tried beets (1-2 lbs cut into small chunks), dried Hibiscus flowers, (1-2 cups) carrots,  spinach  and kale, dried lavender flowers (1/2 cup) and dried turmeric powder (1/2-1 cup). *If you are picking materials from the wild, please be careful. The point is to be gentle on the planet, not to strip an area of a plant.

MAKING DYE

-Plant material to water ratio will depend on what you  are using. My measurements  are above. The spinach & carrots were a last minute addition after finding them in the fridge and I used small pots with twice as much water as plant material.

-Bring water and plant material to low boil and then simmer for 1 hour. I left everything  in their pots to cool, then stored in large baggies over-night.

-Before dying, strain the plant material and add it to your compost bin.

PREPARING FABRIC

-The fabric needs help holding on to the dye - why my favorite shirts do not need help holding on to the random other stains that I dribble here and there just doesn’t seem fair though.

-You need to make a ‘fabric fixative’ using vinegar or salt. For  berries use salt  (1/2 cup of salt to 8 cups of cold water) and vinegar for plant materials (1 part vinegar to 4 parts cold water).

-Simmer your cloth in the fixative for an hour then drain and rinse until the  water runs clear and/or their is no longer a vinegar smell to it. Remember, the water is hot and  the cloth will be too until you run water on it for a while.

-New fabric/clothing should be washed and dried before  starting this process.

DYING FABRIC

-If tie-dying your fabric, now is the time to tie it up or rubber band it.

-Add your fabric to the dye (we had to reheat our dyes since they  sat over night) and  let it simmer/sit for 15 minutes to 1 hr depending on the color that you want to achieve. Remember that it will dry 1-2 shades lighter

-Ring out your cloth and lay it out to dry

-Wash separately, then it is ready to wear. Or if you are impatient like us, just put it on and show it off after you are all done!

RESULTS - Success!!!

The turmeric and hibiscus were awesome! The beets were not as deep as expected, but that could be because I had too much water and not enough beets. The carrots and spinach need more experimenting to see if I can get a darker dye. I can’t wait to try this again with other plant materials - cinnamon and blueberries  are top on my list.

Definitely something to do again! It is a fun project with or without kids. It is a neat way to give white cloths a second chance, but I am not sure it will be a  foolproof way to cover stained material.

HAVE FUN!!! Try something new, take a new path, plan on making mistakes and deviating from your original plan, then at the end celebrate the mess that you made. There is beauty in the learning and creating - especially if it is a memory.

Creating a smoother bedtime

Bedtime with little ones can be challenging at best. If bad dreams and worries are added to the mix, then it’s almost unbearable. The more tired all in the family become, the shorter the tempers and more frustrated all involved become.

Here are some relatively simple things to try. I say ‘relatively’ because not much feels easy when it comes to being tired and frustrated and the crying and whining keeps escalating. Been there!

Keep a routine. Remember, that while young children cannot tell time, their bodies benefit from routine and repetition. Follow the same pattern every night (even on the weekends) and timing of the activities. If dinner is at 6:00 keep it as close to 6:00 as possible every night especially while you are establishing your routine.

Suggestion - Try working backward from bedtime. If bedtime is 7:30, here is a sample nighttime routine:

Snuggles & bed

7:10 - Story time

7:05 - Brush teeth

6:45 - Bath time

Dinner clean up

6:00 - Dinner

Play & fun time

5:30 - Home from school & work

Obviously, no person's life is ever exactly on schedule, and this is a guide that leaves room for more time to deal with crying and arguing because ‘Yes, you have to have your hair washed’ and the naked child that is running around refusing pjs.

Adding essential oils to your regular routine. When you need extra help to soothe and settle down try adding in essential oils. You can add a few drops of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) to the bath and/or to the lotion.

Make it yourself        

Add a drop of Lavender to a palm full of body wash

Add a drop of Ylang Ylang to a palm full of unscented lotion and rub down after bath time.

Using “sleepy spray" or a linen spray. Right before bed, spray your little love’s face (eyes closed) and/or pillows. After a while the smell itself will trigger thoughts and memories of being sleepy and snuggled into bed. Soon, your kids will be reminding you that it is time for their Sleepy Spray. The ingredients themselves will have a physiological effect helping the body relax.

This is great to use in the middle of the night if bad dreams send them running your way. Spray more on your child and on the pillows. Good smell for us, yucky smell for monsters and bad dreams.

Make it yourself        

Choose oils that are sedative – i.e. Lavender, Ylang Ylang or Sandalwood

RECIPE suggestion

1oz spray bottle

1 oz water (or Lavender hydrosol)

5-6 drops of Lavender

Buying oils or products from the store

Quality products with essential oils can be found commercially. Just be careful and be wary. Just because the packaging says ‘essential oils’ does not always mean that they truly have natural essential oils. Look at the list of ingredients. When there is a long list and it is primarily comprised of chemical names, put it down and look for something else. Another thing to be wary of is when it says ‘fragrance oils’ because those are typically synthetically created and while they smell good, they will not have a physiological effect on the body.

**Unless you are working with a trusted medical professional or aromatherapist, it’s best to use essential oils on toddlers and older children, not infants and babies. With infants and babies, you can still spray the linens and into the air. Another good idea is putting the lotion with essential oils (i.e. lavender) on mom or dad and then snuggle with your baby. Everyone involved settles down and relaxes.

Wishing you a calmer bedtime full of snuggles and sleepy children!

Soothing your little love after vaccinations

Oh, do I hate the doctor’s appointments when the boys have to get shots. The obvious reason is because that needle stick hurts. We protect our babies as much as possible and then we have to hold them still while they get poked. That look of ‘How could you’ breaks my heart almost as much as the tears.

Here are some ways to make vaccination/shot day at the doctor better and hopefully a little easier – for mommy, daddy and munchkin:

-Knowledge is power so learn a bit before you head to the doc. Find out about the vaccinations your child needs. Your pediatrician will have lists and schedules for you. One of the useful sites I found after a quick search is: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

-To tell or not to tell – You know your child. If more information will help, then let your child know that there will be shots at this visit. If you are like me, then you will even talk to your baby about it.

-Something to snuggle should come along – favorite stuffed animal or snuggly blanket always make us feel better.

-Bring entertainment – distractions can be good. Coloring books, reading books, cars, Legos, etc. Getting bored at the doctor’s office can add to the nervousness.

-Consider a treat after – I am not above bribery where appropriate. Go for a special lunch, get some ice cream, buy a small toy (keep it small), stop at the park, etc.

-A dose of Tylenol half an hour before the shots is optional too. I have no idea if it helps, but my mom said, “Honey, it couldn’t hurt.”

Being me, I also go armed with essential oil blends to ease the worry and the ouch.

Before the shots, when the worry starts to build, I offer the boys ‘Sleep Spray,’ which is a blend of sweet grass hydrosol and sandalwood. I spray it on their faces (eyes closed of course), mine and daddy’s too. It helps us all take a deep breath and relax.

After the shots, I dab some Lavender with Helichrysum around the bandaids. Reapply later when the bandaids come off and/or if the area is tender the next day.

Later, when the cranky starts and your love is a bit out of sorts (this can just be the stress of the day, not always feeling crummy after the shots), I draw up a bath. The ¼ cup of bath salts are a blend of sea salts with 6-8 drops of Lavender, Vetiver, Helichrysum and Sweet Marjoram. All meant to comfort, ease any pain and reduce inflammation or swelling from the shots.

Get your love snuggled into bed a bit early and start another fun day tomorrow.

If you are concerned at any point about your child’s reaction to the shots, follow the instructions given to you by your health professional (i.e. call the doc’s office or go to your after-hours clinic)

Good luck!!

PS I did not and at this point I am not going to tackle the subject of get your child vaccinated or not. I will leave it simply that I see the need for keeping the general population safe, but I worry that the tiny immature immune systems are bombarded too early.

Creating a New Blend

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties” - Erich Fromm

Time to get creative and blend!

A new blend was requested for massage oil to battle aches and pains. Thought I would try using this blog post as a way to think through and then create this new custom blend. After the request was made, lots of questions come to mind (very typical of me). I would hate to make assumptions and end up missing something important.

What I want to know...

-Overall health and wellness of the person including any allergies or sensitivities.

-What does ‘massage oil’ mean to this person? Oil like Jojoba, lotion or thick cream or a body butter? Having examples to show or test out was very helpful to narrow down the options.

-Next comes therapeutic value - is there a recent injury, sore muscles from exercise, tight shoulders from stress, etc.?  

-Last, but certainly not least is aroma. Are floral scents a favorite? or citrus? Maybe earthy and herbaceous or woody.

Next comes selecting the ingredients. Sometimes I already have an idea of what I want in a blend. It must be all of that information that I have stashed away and experience from every other blend I have created. Other times, I mull it over, research the chemistry of the oil, research what has been done, traditional uses, go back to the research, write some notes, etc. Then it’s time to see how everything smells together.

Since this blend will be used for massages to relax and to address sore spots from tension, the best texture is a really soft butter. It was a clear winner after some samples were tested. Butters to be used:

Beeswax to act as an emulsifier

Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil and Jojoba Oil combine to provide a wonderful moisturizer for the skin

 Beeswax melting

Butter hardening

Next comes the therapeutic expectations - primarily relaxation, but also pain relief and anti inflammatory - and the aroma - floral.

I have narrowed the list of essential oils to Orange, Geranium, Neroli, Ylang Ylang and Vetiver because of their sedative and grounding effects.

Now it’s time to blend...

Wow! I love! Might have to make another batch and save some for myself! Hopefully it is used and enjoyed in the days to come.

Thanks for joining me on this blending adventure. Each one is always a bit different and geared toward the needs of those using the blend(s). Even if the same ingredients are used, the potency or strength of them might be tweaked. There are so many options.

Time to bottle up the blend!

For more blending fun, visit www.kristajean.com. 

Finally, something that works for Cradle Cap

A favorite product or ingredient for babies is Jojoba Oil. Besides using it to moisturize newborn skin, Jojoba Oil came in very handy when treating cradle cap. Our family is waiting for our new niece to arrive, so the topic of babies is coming up often - I am sure that this means there are more baby blog topics to come!

I never could say ‘cradle cap’ even while talking to our son’s pediatrician. If only I was stocked with Jojoba oil when our oldest son was itty bitty. It wasn’t until he was headed out of his toddler years and solidly into the little boy years that I had the knowledge and the ingredients to pair with the ‘hmmm I wonder if this will help’ thought.

Quick definition – What is cradle cap? It is also known as infantile seborrheic dermatitis. You will probably notice scaly or crusty patches on the baby’s scalp. Cradle cap does not always stay on the scalp though, you might notice it down the back of the neck, on the cheeks, forehead, etc.  Check with your trusted medical professional to diagnose.

Jojoba oil is very close to our body’s natural sebum (skin’s own moisturizing system). It comes from a nut and is actually a liquid wax, not an oil. It will not go rancid like oils and it has little to no aroma of its own. It has the beautiful golden color, is silky smooth to the touch and absorbs quickly and cleanly into the skin.

It was the word sebum that finally triggered the idea. Any research on scalps and you will run across the word sebum. My brain connected the dots and I tried putting small amounts of Jojoba oil directly onto the scalp. It gets a bit messy when you have a 4-5 year old (aka moving target), but is pretty easy with a baby. For older children, apply the jojoba oil while in the tub. Once our son was free to play, he could care less what was sitting and soaking into his scalp. Next came the torture of hair washing, but it was always torture at that age. No soap came close to the eyes or ears, but screaming was always a necessary part of the hair washing experience.

Expect flakes to come off while you rinse and then brush the hair even into the next day. Sometimes the hair can stay a bit greasy looking and it takes another washing the next day. This can be alleviated with a better bottle to apply it and a child that stays still. Added to that, our son has extremely thick hair so sometimes extra oil was needed to ensure his scalp was reached.

I had to do this a handful of times over a couple of years before we finally had it under control.

This is very gentle and can be used on infants and babies. Instead of having the first bath with soap, our youngest was rinsed with warm water and a little jojoba oil.

RESOURCES

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cradle-cap/DS01074