Lavender Bliss

Lovely lavender’s intoxicating fragrance is throughout our home and in our garden too. I was just smooshing a lavender sachet ( for a refresh) and today’s post popped into my head. Not only does the fragrance of lavender stimulate our olfactory gland, it also has other uses. One of our grandsons has a sensitivity to smells. When he smells something he finds unpleasant he will smell his sleeve or something else he knows smells nice, in order to cover the unpleasant smell. We were in my art room a few years ago and I asked him if he would like to smell some fresh lavender. I had my sleeve ready just in case. I moved the lid of my fresh lavender buds to open it just a bit and I waved a bit with my hand to move the fragrance towards him. He smiled and asked me to open the lid completely, he really loved it. Right there and then I sat down and made him a “boy” sachet to keep in his pocket. Whenever he comes upon a smell he finds unpleasant he just grabs the sachet and smells it or he gives it a squeeze and smells his hand.

I’ve mentioned before that I  keep an open box of lavender soap in our guest linen cupboard. The fragrance is subtle and lovely. Every time you open the linen cupboard door you enjoy a light whiff of bliss. I also keep lavender sachets in my drawers and closets it keeps things smelling fresh and clean too.

If you are growing lavender in the garden like we do, the best time to cut it is in the morning before it gets too hot. Drying lavender bundles is relatively easy, clip off enough to fill the palm of your hand. Be careful not to cut down too far ( it can stunt the growth of the plant) make sure you are leaving behind plenty of the stem and green bits. wrap twine around the base of the lavender bundle and then hang upside down ( flowers facing down) for about two weeks. All of the natural lavender oil has now traveled to the blossoms of the bundle. now you can display dry lavender anywhere in your home.

Lightly spritz a bit of fresh lavender on your bed linens to help you have a restful sleep. Lavender linen spray ( lavender water) is simple to make. Lavender is used frequently in laundry and baths to help purify, rejuvenate, and control unpleasant odors. I love lavender linen spray and it’s easy to make your own. Bring 2 cups of water two a boil, reduce heat to simmer and add 5 large tablespoons of dried lavender buds to the boiling water. Stir and remove from heat. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place it over the top of a bowl. Pour the lavender bud water through the cheesecloth and into the bowl. Discard the cloth and lavender bits. Add two tablespoons of vodka and 10 drops of lavender oil to the bowl. Add 1 cup of distilled water and let it all cool completely. Place a funnel into the opening of a jar or bottle. And fill your bottle. It will be a very pale yellowish color. Lightly spritz your linens etc. from about 24-30 inches from the linens. Do not pour or spray directly in one spot.

Well, there you have it lavender bliss. Have you ever made your own lavender linen spray?