Veronica Julep

Crafts

Quick and Easy Rose Bath Bombs

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Bath bombs. Who doesn’t love them? With the winter almost here important to focus on taking good care yourself. Between all the sickness going around and the fact it’s just cold out so we spend a lot of time being uncomfortable. This is one of my tricks to help with the winter self-care.

Read on

 

This project is super fast and super easy. It’s a very quick 10 minute craft that really brings a lot of enjoyment. The best part about this recipe is it uses mostly regular household items. Quick and easy self-care right when you need it.

The bath bombs themselves take a short time to make but need to sit overnight to retain their shape. If you don’t have that amount of time or patience on your hands you can still make this. Just follow the recipe and put the mixture in a very large jar. Once sealed it won’t dry all the way and you’ll have awesome fizzy bath sprinkle salt. Just scoop out half a cup worth and enjoy. It feels just as good there’s just a bit less of a show.

There is a Danish term that roughly translates to coziness, togetherness and well-being in the darkness of times. The word is hygge.  It is pronounced HYUU-ga. As a culture the Danish really embrace the winter and everything that goes with it from sweaters to warm tea and cookies. Even playing in the snow, they embrace it all. This is my goal for this winter to really savor it. Taking a hot bath with these bath bomb I’m sure will make it even better.

First things first this is what you need for supplies. Also, if you so desire, you can add food coloring (just a couple drops) to make them whatever color you so desire. I chose to keep mine white. Don’t worry if you do add a few drops though, it won’t stain your body or your tub. The only way that would happen is if you use a lot of food coloring. I mean a lot a lot.

What can make these bath bombs even better is using a scent that is really you. I tend to like more classical things so I went with rose. If this is your first time making bath bombs I suggest you stick with rose, lavender or chamomile. Those are the three classic scents and after that you can just get fancy. Some people even add fresh herbs to theirs. Whatever you choose make it your own. When you make these the whole house smells wonderful.


These next items are the hardware you need to make bath bombs. Gloves are key. None of the chemicals will burn you (otherwise we wouldn’t be putting them in a in a bath bomb right?) but, if you get the essential oil on you in it’s highly concentrated form it’s kinda hard to get the scent off your hands. It’s also easier to do the clean up at the end if you just have the gloves to take off. You also need a tray (I use a cookie sheet and one piece of aluminum foil to cover it with. Not tightly, we will get that.


The only other items you will need are molds. It can be any fancy shape you want just make sure that it won’t be too hard to get the physical bath bomb out so it can dry. One very popular mold is the gumball machine prize plastic case. They are the perfect size and shape.


I am going to make one that way but, my standby for this is a mini muffin tin. It’s quick, easy to clean and I can do multiple moldings at a time.


The first step is to measure the dry ingredients. Keep in mind we are doing chemistry after all so they need to be as precise as possible. In glass bowl start with 1 cup of baking soda.

Next add 1/2 a cup of cornstarch. Cornstarch is superfine and super sticky. Make sure you take an extra second to scrape out as much as you can from your measuring vessel. Also, it will go everywhere and it’s not you it’s just it’s nature. This cannot be avoided that’s why am using the mat. Another tip is to measure it over the sink for easy clean up.

Next add 1/2 a cup of Epsom salt. Before you open the container though shake it because it does get very cakey.

Then add 1/2 a cup of citric acid. Citric acid can be a little interesting to look for in a store. It’s with the canning stuff generally. It’s usually used in pickle making.

Once all the dry ingredients are in the bowl use your hands to break up any big chunks then, whisk to get the finer ones. It’s very important that there are no chunks. Otherwise this recipe won’t come together.

It should look like this when it’s ready. So soft. So smooth.

Next the wet goods. In a mason jar start by adding 2 1/2 teaspoons of water. You really just need a container to mix the wet ingredients in. My container of choice for that is always a mason jar. It is a chilly dry day here so this amount worked well for my recipe today. Add a small bit more at the end if the bath bombs are not sticking together.

Then 2 teaspoons of the essential oil of your choice. The bottle I bought had a governor on it which made it take a while for enough to come out to fill up the measuring spoon. It’s easier if you remove it before you pour.

Lastly add 2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Some people prefer coconut oil but, due to possible allergens of these gifts I’m making I prefer olive oil it’s more neutral.

Swish about in the bottom of the jar it should look like this when well mixed. This is the point to add the optional food coloring if you wish. Carefully pour the mason jar of liquid slowly, I mean super slowly, into the dry goods bowl stirring the whole time. I find to start mixing a whisk is best but once you get towards the bottom of the liquid in the container switch to a fork or your hands. They just work better. If it starts foaming as you pour that means you’ve poured too much at once. The easy fix to that is to just stir faster. Last add 1/8 teaspoon of pink salt then mix.

Once mixing all the ingredients are together the mixture will be sticky. Now it is time to mold. I first went with the gumball machine prize container. I filled both and packed them down as tight as possible this is key to having a strong bath bomb.

My favorite mold is a mini muffin tin. You can do a larger batch at a time that way. I also find the bath bombs come out more uniform because of the tough metal of the pan.

Let the gumball price mold sit for about 10 minutes then gently tap them both out.

Take your loosely lined with aluminum foil cookie sheet and place the bottom of the bath bomb on it. Flat side up.

Put about three dribbles the water on the tip of your finger then touch the flat top of the bottom piece of the bath bomb half. Then, place the top flat side down on top of that. Let sit overnight.

Place the muffin tin on the cookie sheet then cover with the aluminum foil from the pan, folding it up. Turn the pan so it’s upside down then tap out the bath bombs.

Easy peasy. Let sit overnight.

I always end up with a bit left over. I put it in a small jar and put a lid on it. This is the awesome fizzy bath sprinkle salt I mentioned earlier. It’s wonderful.

Recipe

1 Cup of Baking Soda

1/2 Cup of Corn Starch

1/2 Cup of Citric Acid

1/2 Cup of Epsom Salt

1/8 teaspoon of Pink Salt

2 1/2 teaspoons of Tap Water

2 teaspoons of Essential Oil (rose is my favorite)

2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil

4 drops of Food Coloring (optional)

These bath bombs are quick and easy to make. They make great gifts for everyone. Also, try to hygge. I’ve heard that’s where it’s at. Treat yourself. As always make it but, make sure you make it your own. Enjoy.

Witch’s Besom Broom How To

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I love October. It’s my very favorite month. Everything that goes with it. The taste. The smells. The leaves changing color. It’s all so wonderful. Last weekend we put away the yard for the year. In my house this is a very important family tradition. When we are finished it’s always apple pie (recipe here https://www.veronicajulep.com/classic-homemade-scratch-apple-pie/ ). As I was collecting fallen sticks it occurred to me I’ve never made a broom.

Read on

 

Besom brooms are traditionally an old British custom made with pieces of their local indigenous trees hazelwood, asch and birch seem to be the most used (from my research). When the practice was more common it was also popular to tie flowers like heather or herbs into the bunch for scent and luck. Most of the best things in life come locally. It’s one of the best things about living in New England. You are never far from nature or a farm. My broom is made from maple and pine.

For my broom I will be using the sticks in my backyard. First step is collecting. I gathered about 25 small diameter sticks. Between 20 and 30 will work. As you can see we have fairly substantial stick pile so, I had choices.

If you don’t have a yard or fancy stick pile this is the perfect time to go for a walk in the woods. It’s very important to keep your eyes peeled for the actual broomstick. You’ll know it when you see it. It will be just the right size and length and shape. Trust your eyes. Mine is just a hair shy of 2 1/2 feet long. Exact precise measurements will take away from the real charm of this craft, just get close. That will really make it yours.

The best plan with this is to head outside with a towel. I grabbed a dish towel that I use for craft clean up. Nothing fancy. Just something to place the sticks on top of for easy transport.

The first thing is to hold a few sticks up next to the handle. Look for the one with the perfect visual length. This will be your guide stick. Mine measures 20 inches. This way you’ll have an easy time making sure they’re all about the same size. It will save you a lot of work later and that way when it’s time for assembly things will be well set up. Good prep is key. Make sure the bristles all are not perfectly straight and exactly the same length just close.When you are choosing sticks clean them up as you go. Take the small branches off the main sticks. This will make your broom come together rather than turn into a tangled mess.

As with pretty much all my craft projects I use my go to scissors. They were Christmas present from DB a couple years ago they are Leatherman Raptors. Originally made for paramedics so, when they hop on the scene they are ready to cut seat belts or break through car windows. They’re pretty serious. I like them because they can basically cut through anything and the grip is really good, big and substantial so you’re not having them slip around on you while you’re trying to make cuts.

This photo is my broom handle being groomed. Just a few simple cuts.

My pile of sticks (bristles). About 25 and all the same length.

The towel in action for the easy commute to my work area.

These are the things you will need. On the left is my broomstick measuring approximately 2 1/2 feet. My magic scissors. Twine. I used conventional cotton kitchen twine. Since it’s generally use for trusting chickens I figured it’s perfect for the job. A white candle and matches to light it. Nothing fancy. Just things I had around the house.


Once everything is gathered dig through your broom bristle pile and pick out the sticks that are the very thickest. Set everything else aside. Cut a 15 inch piece of twine.

Lay down the twine. 3 inches then place the first big stick.

Wrap the twine over.

Then around.

Place the next stick about 2 1/2 inches over from the now wrapped stick and do the same. Then the third sick and so on and so forth until all of them are wrapped. Like so.

Pull slightly tight. Place the broom stick handle in the middle on top of the bristles. 1 foot deep past the twine line. So only 21 inches of the handle sticks out. Putting this much of the handle inside the broom makes it very sturdy.


The next step is to tie it as tight as you can. Wiggle and pull the string so it will get as tight as possible. Double knot. This is the base of the bristles so it needs to be very strong and very tight.

Place on craft mat for ease of cleanup then, cut the strings. This will alleviate some of the underneath bulk and give a tighter grip on the broom stick.

Next light the candle and drip wax all over all of the twine. This will seal and secure it. Start with the knot first.


Go all the way around over the twine and let cool while you are assembling the next step.

Gather about 1/2 of the sticks you have in the set aside pile.

Divide into fourths.

Cut 7 inches of twine and tie each quarter.

Now cut 15 inches of twine and lay out on your mat. Place the first bunch in the middle of your craft mat. Then place broom on top of that centered. Lining up the twine.

Place two more bunches, one on each side of the establishing broomstick.

Put the last one on top and tighten. Before tying off it might make sure to adjust one or all of the new bunches so they are together in a broom-like shape. The shape of the sticks and how they lay together really make this project. Wrap around the twine as tight as you can and give one final pull. Then tie it off with a double knot.

It will look like this.


Next, wax the twine as before. This time some of the wax will drop through the cracks and make the inside wax warm again so it’s good after this step to leave it for a minute to cool down. Otherwise the sticks might shift.


Take the rest of the sticks you have set aside, dividing the four and tie as before but the twine binding these (being the more outside sections) need to be waxed for tightness.

Cut another section of cut another 15 inch section of the twine place. Place on your craft mat.This next part is similar to the other procedure except we are going to place these for in between the last four. Imagine the bundles the four cardinal directions. The first four are north, south, east and west. This new four need to be placed between then at northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest. They go right in that gap I’m pointing out. Then wrap the twine around crisscross a couple times and tie as tight as possible.


Next cut a 12 foot piece of twine and fold it into quarters. This is our outermost top layer. Wrap this crisscross around over all of the previous layers of twine then tie as absolutely tight as you can. Yank, pull, then pull tighter to get the outside of the broom together.

Next is a double layer of wax. The first one I put on super thick and let it sit for 5 minutes then went over it again with a second thick layer to make sure it’s secure.

Adorable Halloween Cloth Pumpkins

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October is my favorite month of the year. I love Halloween. Making all the yummy treats, costumes AND the decorations. The brisk air. The leaves starting to change color. Sweater weather. I really could not get any better?

Read on

 

A big part of what I love about October is making fall related crafts. These pumpkins are very simple, very quick and very easy. There is a good chance you actually have all the pieces you need just lying around the house. One of the nice things about this craft it is it is not very expensive but, makes a big impact.

First step is to gather the supplies. I always grab the fabric first for this to make sure I have enough. You can use any fabric you want but my preference is super bulky funky fabric. Like furry or something else with a bold texture. The thicker fabric just makes them turn out cooler. I picked some from my collection and had a great time at the fabric store to find the other ones.

You’ll also need to gather some sticks. I grabbed ones that were just lying about the yard. I prefer thicker ones but it all depends on the size your pumpkins come out. It’s good to have a variety. Different fabrics look better with different thicknesses irrelevant of size of pumpkin.

You also need to make sure you have something to cut them with. These are my favorite scissor. They are Leatherman Raptors. DB got them for me for Christmas a couple years ago. They fold which is a great novelty and come with a belt holster. They are actually made by Leatherman for paramedics so they are super sharp, have a seatbelt cutter and a little pokey thing that breaks glass. I love that they are a multi tool. There is so many things you can do with them that my children call them the Magic Scissors.

The next thing you need is templates. The easiest template comes from your kitchen cupboard. You already have it. Plates. Grab a few different sizes to make them more interesting.

The next thing you need is a water erasable pen or some chalk. I prefer the water erasable pen. The one I use is this one. The color is bright enough that there will be no question where the cutline is. It can be challenging with thicker and more textured fabrics. In a pinch caulk works that’s what my mother used, That’s what my grandmother used and I’m sure her grandmother used but the water erasable pen just works better especially if your fabrics white.

The last thing you need is stuffing. I prefer using just regular stuffing. Nothing fancy is needed. What I happen to have on hand is poly. It keeps its’ shape super well under different temperature conditions and is very squish able (so necessary for this project).
… And a needle and thread. The color of the thread doesn’t have to perfectly match the pumpkin it’ll be tucked away so you won’t be able to see it either way.
To begin roll and flatten the cloth out (if wrinkled iron). I always start in one corner and go from there that way you can optimize class for your project.

Trace the plate with your water erasable pen.

Cut out the circle (preferably with your equivalent of magic scissors) then, begin sewing.


Thread the needle with enough thread to go around what will look like 2/3rds of it’s way around. After you thread your needle pick a spot and go all the way in keeping in mind that the less even stitches the better. If the pumpkin is too even it will look artificial and strange.

Sharpie for scale of stitch evenness. Just go for it.

This far in is the best place to remove the water erasable pen. Use a damp cloth‘s to gently pat where the line is. I left mine so it would be easier to see what I was doing in the final stages of sewing with white on white.

Stuff the pumpkin and pull the thread tight.


To finish so an X on the top gathering as tight as possible then tie off the stitch and cut the thread as close to the quick as you can.

Squeeze gently a few times to even out the stuffing.


I like waiting till the end to decide what thickness my stem should be because I don’t know exactly how the pumpkins going to look until the end.


For this one I want kind of a thick one so i’m going to pick the perfect knot on the stick then, take my magic scissors and cut.


Last step I  poke a little hole with my finger where the stitch was trussed at the end and insert the stem.


Voila. Fancy pumpkin. Enjoy.

These are so fun and easy to make I went and made some from a few other different fabrics. It’s a tossup whether the green fur or the white one is my favorite but, I can’t say enough about how much I love this project.


Did you have fun making this craft? Post your photos. Leave a comment. I love feedback. Tell me what you think.

Enjoy. Life is too short.

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