Create an air freshener by mixing gelatin, food coloring and essential oils. Pour the mixture into clean baby food jars and let cool. The jars also make great gifts.
TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham shows how to make potpourri, air freshener and scented rocks.
Freshen up the air in the kitchen by adding a few teaspoons of sugar and cinnamon to an empty pie tin and slowly burn over the stove. The kitchen will smell like the cook has been baking all day.
Make the whole home smell great by filling a small saucepan with water and heating to a low simmer on the stove. Once heated, add cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and orange peels.
For a natural carpet freshener, mix three parts baking soda with one part lavender and one part rosemary leaves. Sprinkle on the carpet and let it sit for about a half an hour before vacuuming. Another option is to add potpourri to the vacuum-cleaner bag to freshen a room each time it is vacuumed.
Make an air freshener by adding a few drops of essential oil to a spray bottle, fill with water, then spray around the home to freshen up each room.
Scented rocks make a great air freshener. Mix 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of a favorite essential oil and 2/3 cup boiling water and a few drops of a food coloring to create a desired shade. Blend all ingredients, form into balls and allow to dry.
Here's an easy way to make an air freshener that works with a potpourri burner: Heat one cup of distilled water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in one package of gelatin, stir until it is dissolved, then add another cup of distilled water. Add 10 to 20 drops of an essential oil and food coloring if desired. Place mixture in baby food jars and let set overnight at room temperature. Place on a potpourri burner and enjoy, or decorate the jars and give to friends.
A mixture of rose petals, flowers and essential oil make for a fine batch of homemade potpourri. Combine one cup of dried pink rose petals, 1/2 cup of dried red rose petals, 1/2 cup of dried white rose petals, 1/2 cup of dried chamomile flowers, 1/2 cup crushed statice, 1/4 cup eucalyptus leaves and 1/4 cup oak moss in a large bowl.
Lightly scatter about 20 drops of rose oil over the petals and mix well. Place into a large plastic bag and seal the bag. Store in a cool, dark place for two weeks, stirring the mixture every other day to disperse the scents. After two weeks, place in a decorative bowl and enjoy.
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