I spend an obscene amount of time on the computer. Not obscene compared with the average Canadian, but obscene compared to how much time I spend on other chores or tasks: cooking, cleaning, reading to my daughter, creating new products, etc, etc, etc.
So I decided that maybe it was time that my aching wrists deserved a little bit of a treat. So, while I was cutting out material today to get ready for the upcoming charity golf tournament that Lavender Breeze is attending, I cut out a couple of samplers to test them out. Using bamboo velour, I created lavender wrist rests for while I am typing. I have to say, I am quite pleased with the result. The velour is really nice in the freezer or in the microwave, and I have to say, it really takes the pressure off of the wrists while typing.
I grew up playing the piano, and even now, I feel my old piano teacher's eyes on me, telling me to "Keep those wrists up!" whether I'm playing the piano or typing at the computer, so being able to just relax them on a soft velour rest really gives me something to enjoy.
My little brother is a computer programmer, so I think I'll give him the other one to try out and see what he thinks before adding this to our repertoire, but I think this is a keeper. I think anything that can make me relax while on the computer for too many hours of the day, is a step in the right direction!
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Friday, 20 August 2010
Adopting Bamboo
Well, I have been terribly lax on my blogging this summer, and I can't imagine I will get all that much better during my final year of University, but I am going to start again. And perhaps I will get a few posts done before life gets away from me again!
The grant has been moving forward, and I am starting to get to my new phase. I have had wonderful feedback on my bamboo fabrics, and just went and picked up my large shipment today.
However, there was a glitch. The bamboo supplier lost their supplier who makes the bamboo satin. Literally. They are apparently lost somewhere in India. This, of course, is problematic, since I now have no supplier for my satin eye pillow material. Of course, I have been frantically combing the web, searching for somewhere new, but have found nothing this side of the Atlantic ocean. So switching to new materials for those will have to wait. If anyone knows of bamboo suppliers in North America, I would love to hear from you!
On the positive side, the bamboo fleeces and velours are amazing, and I love heating one up (yes, even on the warm summer evenings!) to go to sleep, and I find myself waking up hours later, with the heat still retained, and the stress I carry in my shoulders from chasing a two-and-a-half year old all day, having slipped away.
We will soon be blowing out the rest of our merchandise to bring in the bamboo materials for our wonderful "green" lavender heating pads. Which in the summer we also point out are great for sticking in the freezer to cool down on hot summer nights as well.
Well, motherhood calls, but watch for my next post on our new bath salts!
The grant has been moving forward, and I am starting to get to my new phase. I have had wonderful feedback on my bamboo fabrics, and just went and picked up my large shipment today.
However, there was a glitch. The bamboo supplier lost their supplier who makes the bamboo satin. Literally. They are apparently lost somewhere in India. This, of course, is problematic, since I now have no supplier for my satin eye pillow material. Of course, I have been frantically combing the web, searching for somewhere new, but have found nothing this side of the Atlantic ocean. So switching to new materials for those will have to wait. If anyone knows of bamboo suppliers in North America, I would love to hear from you!
On the positive side, the bamboo fleeces and velours are amazing, and I love heating one up (yes, even on the warm summer evenings!) to go to sleep, and I find myself waking up hours later, with the heat still retained, and the stress I carry in my shoulders from chasing a two-and-a-half year old all day, having slipped away.
We will soon be blowing out the rest of our merchandise to bring in the bamboo materials for our wonderful "green" lavender heating pads. Which in the summer we also point out are great for sticking in the freezer to cool down on hot summer nights as well.
Well, motherhood calls, but watch for my next post on our new bath salts!
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Ongoing Mosquito Repellent Trials
With mixed reviews on our first attempt at a lavender mosquito repellent, I decided it was time to try something a little bit different. With our first attempts, one friend used the lavender mosquito spray while camping and said she didn’t have any mosquito bites the whole trip. My husband said he needed something stronger. Our initial mosquito spray, a lavender spray in a mister, works well for some, and is also effective as a pillow mister to help restless minds drift off to sleep. It is now one of the new products on our website, called Lavender Lullabye.
I started by using witch hazel in place of distilled water as a base. I gave it to my landscaper husband, who got bit before he even put it on. He sprayed it on, and was surprised to find that it took away the itch of the bite – something I have read both lavender and witch hazel are good for. He found that that the spray worked for him in the morning, but by afternoon, it no longer had any effect. We thought it might have something to do with the heavy manual labour required in his job, or the exhaust from the machines overpowering the scent of the spray, since even commercial mosquito repellent with DEET were having little effect at keeping the mosquitoes at bay.
To make the mosquito repellent more effective, I tried adding a few different essential oils as well, including the ever popular citronella. I will continue testing, but am already more satisfied with the new results and like the smell of the mixture a lot better than a lot of “citronella” mosquito repellents.
Check back over the next couple of weeks to see our progress as well as to check out what else is going on here at Lavender Breeze!
I started by using witch hazel in place of distilled water as a base. I gave it to my landscaper husband, who got bit before he even put it on. He sprayed it on, and was surprised to find that it took away the itch of the bite – something I have read both lavender and witch hazel are good for. He found that that the spray worked for him in the morning, but by afternoon, it no longer had any effect. We thought it might have something to do with the heavy manual labour required in his job, or the exhaust from the machines overpowering the scent of the spray, since even commercial mosquito repellent with DEET were having little effect at keeping the mosquitoes at bay.
To make the mosquito repellent more effective, I tried adding a few different essential oils as well, including the ever popular citronella. I will continue testing, but am already more satisfied with the new results and like the smell of the mixture a lot better than a lot of “citronella” mosquito repellents.
Check back over the next couple of weeks to see our progress as well as to check out what else is going on here at Lavender Breeze!
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Lavender Dreams
As mosquitoes haven’t been out much with the snow hitting Calgary this week, I have not been testing the spritzers so much for mosquito repellent this week. Instead, I tried them as pillow sprays to help us sleep, and as body sprays as a light perfume.
I decided to try making a mix of lavender and vanilla for the spritzers, which smelled absolutely delicious. We sprayed my daughter’s pillow with it before her nap, and she fell asleep rather quickly. Pleased with this apparent success, we sprayed all of the pillows before bedtime. Big mistake. It started with our daughter. By 11:00, she had been up about 5 times, and at 2:00 am, my husband brought her back to our bed. But she wasn’t the only one having problems sleeping. My husband and I were also up tossing and turning all night. The next day, I read somewhere that lavender essential oils, when blended with other essential oils, enhance any effects of the oils they’re blended with. My conclusion? Vanilla does not help you sleep, and the lavender enhanced that.
Anxious to sleep well the following night, I used the pure lavender Spritzer. The result was heavenly. I did not hear a peep out of my little angel all night long, and she slept in an hour later than usual. Since she’s been potty trained, she hasn’t slept much later than 6:00am. With the lavender scent on her pillow, she slept until 7:00. Thinking it may have been a fluke, I used it again the next night (last night), and the same thing. It’s 6:30 as I write this, and I still haven’t heard a sound from her room. As far as I’m concerned, they are a success for helping with sleep. (I had some on my pillow last night, and I slept much better as well.)
Now if only I can find a way to make it stop snowing, so I can use it as a mosquito repellent!
I decided to try making a mix of lavender and vanilla for the spritzers, which smelled absolutely delicious. We sprayed my daughter’s pillow with it before her nap, and she fell asleep rather quickly. Pleased with this apparent success, we sprayed all of the pillows before bedtime. Big mistake. It started with our daughter. By 11:00, she had been up about 5 times, and at 2:00 am, my husband brought her back to our bed. But she wasn’t the only one having problems sleeping. My husband and I were also up tossing and turning all night. The next day, I read somewhere that lavender essential oils, when blended with other essential oils, enhance any effects of the oils they’re blended with. My conclusion? Vanilla does not help you sleep, and the lavender enhanced that.
Anxious to sleep well the following night, I used the pure lavender Spritzer. The result was heavenly. I did not hear a peep out of my little angel all night long, and she slept in an hour later than usual. Since she’s been potty trained, she hasn’t slept much later than 6:00am. With the lavender scent on her pillow, she slept until 7:00. Thinking it may have been a fluke, I used it again the next night (last night), and the same thing. It’s 6:30 as I write this, and I still haven’t heard a sound from her room. As far as I’m concerned, they are a success for helping with sleep. (I had some on my pillow last night, and I slept much better as well.)
Now if only I can find a way to make it stop snowing, so I can use it as a mosquito repellent!
Friday, 21 May 2010
New Natural Mosquito Repellents
Don’t get me wrong. I love our lavender dryer sachets. I think they’re wonderful for a natural mosquito repellent. But there’s something about having an independent 2 year old who insists on wearing the same outfit for a week that makes it less effective by day 3 or 4 for warding off the mosquitoes. And hanging my delicates to dry on the line posed an additional problem.
So when someone suggested making spritzers, I was intrigued. I found some bottles with spritzer tops and made a concoction of orange and lavender essential oils and created a spray. I added the orange, just for something a little different. I’ve sprayed it on myself and my daughter each time we’ve gone out, and even down by the river, it seemed to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and it’s a light spray, more of a mist, so it doesn’t feel heavy or oily when I sprayed it on.
The spritzers can be used as room sprays, pillow sprays, body spritzers, as well as for the mosquito repellent, but that’s where I began to question the orange mixed with the lavender. It smelled wonderful, but as a pillow spray, citrus is a stimulant, whereas lavender is a relaxant, also citrus can cause some sun sensitivity (although in those small amounts, it should be unlikely.)
However, with my husband, the landscaper, wearing a new outfit that hadn’t been put through the dryer with our lavender sachets, he was swarmed by mosquitoes, so I am making up some new spritzers for him and other volunteers to test them out before adding them to our line.
Check back next week to see our results!
So when someone suggested making spritzers, I was intrigued. I found some bottles with spritzer tops and made a concoction of orange and lavender essential oils and created a spray. I added the orange, just for something a little different. I’ve sprayed it on myself and my daughter each time we’ve gone out, and even down by the river, it seemed to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and it’s a light spray, more of a mist, so it doesn’t feel heavy or oily when I sprayed it on.
The spritzers can be used as room sprays, pillow sprays, body spritzers, as well as for the mosquito repellent, but that’s where I began to question the orange mixed with the lavender. It smelled wonderful, but as a pillow spray, citrus is a stimulant, whereas lavender is a relaxant, also citrus can cause some sun sensitivity (although in those small amounts, it should be unlikely.)
However, with my husband, the landscaper, wearing a new outfit that hadn’t been put through the dryer with our lavender sachets, he was swarmed by mosquitoes, so I am making up some new spritzers for him and other volunteers to test them out before adding them to our line.
Check back next week to see our results!
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Going even Greener!
I’m back, and we’re going greener!
Well, I admit I have taken a bit of a sabbatical from my blog (my apologies!) while I was in school over the last year, but I’m back this summer with ideas on creating a greener product.
This year, I was awarded a grant from the Alberta government – a technopreneurship – to help my little company. When I say I was awarded a grant, I should say that I was informed that I had been awarded the grant. I’m still fighting through the red tape to actually receive it, but it is helping achieve our plans to go greener.
So I would like to let you know some of the exciting changes we have planned for this coming year.
Our first green plan is to switch our flax. Currently we have been using regular flax, which I’m sure comes through several hands before we purchased it. We have discovered an organic flax farm just south of Calgary. We will be able to switch to organic flax, and also decrease our carbon footprint on this product.
Our second change we are looking forward to is changing to organic bamboo material. We have found a carrier of bamboo material that has organic cotton/bamboo fleece blend which we are hoping to use for our heating pads and snuggle buddies, as well as bamboo silk for our lavender silk eye pillows. We are also looking at the soy/bamboo material as well as the hemp/bamboo blends to see if those might be something that would work in the future.
Our third change that we are hoping to do is to travel to France and find a lavender farm that will send us the lavender and lavender essential oils directly. This way we will be able to make sure that it is the highest quality organic lavender and lavender essential oils as well as cutting down on our carbon footprint. It will also give us a chance to visit the lavender festivals to come up with ideas for new products. It will also allow us to see the farms up close to ensure the best possible product for our customers.
We’re looking forward to the red tape being fought through to make these switches and bring you an even more environmentally friendly product!
Well, I admit I have taken a bit of a sabbatical from my blog (my apologies!) while I was in school over the last year, but I’m back this summer with ideas on creating a greener product.
This year, I was awarded a grant from the Alberta government – a technopreneurship – to help my little company. When I say I was awarded a grant, I should say that I was informed that I had been awarded the grant. I’m still fighting through the red tape to actually receive it, but it is helping achieve our plans to go greener.
So I would like to let you know some of the exciting changes we have planned for this coming year.
Our first green plan is to switch our flax. Currently we have been using regular flax, which I’m sure comes through several hands before we purchased it. We have discovered an organic flax farm just south of Calgary. We will be able to switch to organic flax, and also decrease our carbon footprint on this product.
Our second change we are looking forward to is changing to organic bamboo material. We have found a carrier of bamboo material that has organic cotton/bamboo fleece blend which we are hoping to use for our heating pads and snuggle buddies, as well as bamboo silk for our lavender silk eye pillows. We are also looking at the soy/bamboo material as well as the hemp/bamboo blends to see if those might be something that would work in the future.
Our third change that we are hoping to do is to travel to France and find a lavender farm that will send us the lavender and lavender essential oils directly. This way we will be able to make sure that it is the highest quality organic lavender and lavender essential oils as well as cutting down on our carbon footprint. It will also give us a chance to visit the lavender festivals to come up with ideas for new products. It will also allow us to see the farms up close to ensure the best possible product for our customers.
We’re looking forward to the red tape being fought through to make these switches and bring you an even more environmentally friendly product!
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Bath Bombs and Bath Salts
I have begun trying my hand at bath bombs and bath salts. Lavender is a natural relaxant, so it seemed a natural addition to a luxury in our fast paced society- a soothing bath.
While visiting the Calgary Stampede, I picked up a booklet on “Crafts in the kitchen with kids”, with bath bombs as one of the activities.
I followed the recipe, making the mini bath bombs, and ended up with 3 ping pong sized balls (makes 2-3, the recipe said). After allowing them to dry, I took a bath, dropping in the bath bomb. To say the recipe “bombed”, would be putting it lightly. The ball sank to the bottom of the tub, and sort of melted there. The bath water was okay, but it didn’t react as a bath bomb should. There was nothing explosive about it.
My next attempt, I decided, needed a little more research. So I went to my search engine and did some homework. After discovering other people’s mistakes, I found enough information to make a second attempt. At fizzing lavender bath salts, this time.
The recipe I had discovered suggested putting the salts into organza bags to keep the lavender from plugging up the tub. So after mixing together the fine ingredients, I poured them into an organza sack. The powder sifted right through. I found a tighter weave of organza and tried it. Again, it sifted right through. I found the tightest weave of organza I had. Again, it sifted through. Frustrated, I made a small cotton sachet and filled it.
Success!
The salts stayed in the bag. I sewed up the top. Looking over, I saw my muslin material. I wonder… I thought to myself. I poured in the bath salt mixture. A little leaked through, but mostly it stayed in place. Satisfied, I sewed up the top of the bag.
A couple days later, I decided it was time to test them out. Unable to find someone to watch my little girl so that I could have a long, luxurious bath, it was decided she would join me. She loves baths, and I figured it couldn’t hurt, as all the ingredients are natural and safe.
I noticed the salts had hardened in their sachets, but as I dropped them in, both the cotton and muslin sachets began to bubble and fill with air, floating around the tub. My daughter thought it was great fun to play with the little sacks. They were strangely cool to the touch, and floated on top of the water. Also, as promised, the lavender stayed in the sachets instead of going down my drain.
The cotton sack released the air much more slowly, but both bubbled quite satisfyingly. As for the lavender added to the bath, it was definitely the most relaxing bath I have ever taken with an active 20-month-old.
I tried out another test sample after a day with 2 long bike rides, and the combination of hot water and lavender did wonders for my sore muscles, even relaxing a pulled muscle in my neck better than the lotions and massages had managed to. It’s not completely better, but it’s a lot better.
So it’s still a trial in motion. I am waiting on some specialty salts to try a new recipe, and I’m going to try moulding my fizzing bath salts into bath bombs.
Next week, our blog will feature something special – our new heating pads and an encounter with Mike Holmes!
While visiting the Calgary Stampede, I picked up a booklet on “Crafts in the kitchen with kids”, with bath bombs as one of the activities.
I followed the recipe, making the mini bath bombs, and ended up with 3 ping pong sized balls (makes 2-3, the recipe said). After allowing them to dry, I took a bath, dropping in the bath bomb. To say the recipe “bombed”, would be putting it lightly. The ball sank to the bottom of the tub, and sort of melted there. The bath water was okay, but it didn’t react as a bath bomb should. There was nothing explosive about it.
My next attempt, I decided, needed a little more research. So I went to my search engine and did some homework. After discovering other people’s mistakes, I found enough information to make a second attempt. At fizzing lavender bath salts, this time.
The recipe I had discovered suggested putting the salts into organza bags to keep the lavender from plugging up the tub. So after mixing together the fine ingredients, I poured them into an organza sack. The powder sifted right through. I found a tighter weave of organza and tried it. Again, it sifted right through. I found the tightest weave of organza I had. Again, it sifted through. Frustrated, I made a small cotton sachet and filled it.
Success!
The salts stayed in the bag. I sewed up the top. Looking over, I saw my muslin material. I wonder… I thought to myself. I poured in the bath salt mixture. A little leaked through, but mostly it stayed in place. Satisfied, I sewed up the top of the bag.
A couple days later, I decided it was time to test them out. Unable to find someone to watch my little girl so that I could have a long, luxurious bath, it was decided she would join me. She loves baths, and I figured it couldn’t hurt, as all the ingredients are natural and safe.
I noticed the salts had hardened in their sachets, but as I dropped them in, both the cotton and muslin sachets began to bubble and fill with air, floating around the tub. My daughter thought it was great fun to play with the little sacks. They were strangely cool to the touch, and floated on top of the water. Also, as promised, the lavender stayed in the sachets instead of going down my drain.
The cotton sack released the air much more slowly, but both bubbled quite satisfyingly. As for the lavender added to the bath, it was definitely the most relaxing bath I have ever taken with an active 20-month-old.
I tried out another test sample after a day with 2 long bike rides, and the combination of hot water and lavender did wonders for my sore muscles, even relaxing a pulled muscle in my neck better than the lotions and massages had managed to. It’s not completely better, but it’s a lot better.
So it’s still a trial in motion. I am waiting on some specialty salts to try a new recipe, and I’m going to try moulding my fizzing bath salts into bath bombs.
Next week, our blog will feature something special – our new heating pads and an encounter with Mike Holmes!
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