Natural Fabric Freshener

By request from Vanesa, my fellow writer at "Confessions of an All-Purpose Model".


This is far less chemical-laden than Febreeze, and smells better to boot.

This is an old theatre costume-department trick jazzed up a notch.

Equal parts filtered water and cheap vodka with or without clear essential oils to scent. That's it. If you need it stronger, increase the vodka-to-water ratio.

I scented mine with lavender, cedarwood, bergamot, tea tree and a few drops of lemon. It took all of five minutes to make and most of that was looking for some duct-tape to use as a label so I didn't mistake it for toning mist based on the empty bottle I used.

http://www.gentletwist.com

In my wanderings, I came across this little gem of a website. Written by a "fledgling yogi", the posts are filled with gentle humor, touching insight, and breathtaking photography.

This post on Fairy houses is very inspiring. Not far from an apartment I lived in, near the hustle and bustle of a lake in the center of a large city, there was a tiny, quiet bit of magic. A tree on a busy path had a tiny little door at the base. Those hurrying through their day would not see it. But for those taking a gentle stroll, taking note of the world around them, there was a surprise. Behind the door there were notes, by adults and children alike, addressed to "Mr. Little Guy". Alongside these are return messages from Mr Little Guy. At the end of every response are the words "I believe in you". Four little words that hold so much power, so much healing. Suddenly I cannot wait for the snow to clear so I can build little pockets of mystery and imagination in the many wooded areas near my home. What a lovely way to add a touch of magic to someone's walk.

Also inspiring is the post entitled Heart Center. A few years ago, I was in a local metaphysical shop looking for stones to use in my jewelry. I found a lovely little citrine, naturally formed as a heart. It never became an accessory. The simple stone heart was a comfort, a kiss from nature that I carried in the pocket of my skirt. When my grandfather died, my aunt gifted me with some of his possessions, including a palm-sized heart of grey marble. Somewhere I have a heart-shaped worry stone. I once thought of collecting heart-shaped stones for a small altar, and then life became busy and the idea was forgotten in my own hustle and bustle. Wrapped up in the rush of a new career, I almost forgot the lesson of Mr. Little Guy's door, to slow down, enjoy the journey, and keep an eye open for magic. This post has renewed my interest in both the altar and the slowing down and reminded me "Return to heart center. Every time."