DIY Glade scented oil refills

Okay, so I got lucky a few months back and got a lot of the Glade Scented Oil Refills on clearance at payless for a little over a buck a piece. I didn't like the scent all that much, but I figured since it was so cheap, I could hardly afford to complain. I use them in my basement and the cat's room, so it's not like I was picky either. But now I'm out of those and it became time to buy more. I had no idea the list price for these is so high!

So I started to investigate making my own. I already use Essential Oil to make my own soap, fabric softener, shampoo, body butter, and candles. And I use oils for oil burners (no genius there). Why not glade warmers? Same concept right?

So here we go.

Materials:
Essential Oil of your choice (I used Jasmine).
Carrier Oil, such as Jojoba, Almond, or Olive Oil.
Itty Bitty Screwdriver, flathead (I used my Stanley Precision set.)
Butter Knife

Step One : Open the old Glade Oil Carrier

I've found that if you go about this wrong, the old container will crack and will be unusable. So, do NOT be in a hurry when doing this. Use your flat head Stanley or small screwdriver and carefully slip it inbetween the lip of the top of the carrier and body.

DO NOT twist like you're trying to open a container of paint. That will break it. Just give it a little wiggle and move on. You may not feel like you're getting anywhere, but you'll see when you're done that there's a the smallest space between the two.

Now use your butter knife, blunt, non-serrated end, and ease it around with the same gentle nudging motion. Go around the few times. The break gets wider and wider. Now, take your hands and gently but firmly twist them apart. If it won't give, repeat with the butter knife until it does. This whole process only took me a couple minutes.

Step Two : CLEAN

Take of whiff of your carrier. WHEW! Still smells just like the original oil, doesn't it? Not all too pleasant, that phoney smell. You'll need to wash it and the wick out. A few times. I put mine in the dishwasher but ONLY because it has a silverware tray on the door that is away from the bottom of the machine. It would have melted otherwise. You can also use a little tray on the top and low heat cycle. If you have concerns, just soak them by hand. Then make sure they are dried out completely, especially the wick! If not, you'll have water running out of your wick into your oil holder and diluting your scented oil.

Step Three: Add essential oil

When using Essential Oil on the skin, you need a high dilution rate (more carrier, less essential oil). However, when burning oils, the rate decreases dramatically because it's not coming in contact with your skin. HOWEVER. I strongly suggest testing out a small patch of oil on the inside of your wrist and waiting a few minutes to make sure you don't have an allergy. Otherwise, the rest of your day may be extremely unpleasant.

I've seen numerous suggestions to add water at this point. BAD IDEA. The answer why is obvious. What normally happens when you add water and oil? The oil will float on the top and your wick will suck it up and you'll burn it all off in the first few minutes. Not productive for all this work.

When I make fabric softener, I add only 15 drops of essential oil to an entire gallon of softener. The results are a light scent I can smell on my clothes out of the dryer. However, this is going to burn over the course of 30 days at a very slow rate. I added 40 drops of essential oil to the container. You may add more or less depending on the oils and your desired smell.

Step Four: Add carrier oil

Fill the rest of the bottle up with your carrier oil til just about a quarter inch from the top. The wick will take up some space.

Step Five: Shake

Now, go ahead and recap the container firmly with the wick. Push until you hear and feel a definite click. Now shake that baby. Like crazy. Like it's an unmixed paint container. Plug in and enjoy. I'd love to hear feedback and suggestions. Remember, BE SAFE. A good place to research essential oils and their warnings is http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/index.htm. Particularly if you're pregnant or have a serious medical condition, look at that site first!!! Thanks and have a great holiday season!

Krashani Hood Crochet Pattern

So. I am the luckiest teacher in the world, and I have very thoughtful students. One of my fabulous and thoughtful students is Krashani. This week, she brought me a gift: Two skeins of Deborah Norville Chunky Weight Yarn! She must have figured out that I love DN, because I'm always recommending it as a good worsted weight non-pilling yarn for projects like hats, which get a lot of handling. Well, this was the DN Chunky, and it has a texture almost like a felted yarn. It's in the color stormy.

Well, I am one of those that if you give me a gift, I'll get you one back...particularly if you give me yarn. (Keep that in mind, readers! If you send me a skein of yarn you love, I'll make something out of it for you!!). Anyways, I made her this tie hood.

It's very roomy, and, better, it's easy to make. I wanted something I could take back to my intermediate class and they could pick it right up. So, without further ado....

Krashani Crochet Tie Hood Pattern

Download PDF of this pattern.

Pinterest Pin of this Pattern.

Materials:

J Hook
K Hook
2 Skeins of Deborah Norville Chunky Weight Yarn in Stormy or color of your choice.

Gauge: 3 rows of dc = approx 2" Sq

With K Hook, chain 67.

Row 1: Switch to J Hook. Dc in third st from hook and in each st across. Turn.
Row 2 - 14: Ch 2. Counts as first Dc her and throughout. Dc in each st across. Turn.

Fasten Off.

Fold in half lengthwise.

Whip stitch with a length of the yarn up the left side (Note: whichever side you stitch up will be the BACK of the hood, in case you have a variegated pattern you prefer to be in the front.)

Now you should have this:

Turn inside out to put whip stitch on inside:

Ties:

With K Hook, attach yarn with sl st to any bottom corner of hood, as shown above. Ch 46.

Row 1: Switch to J Hook. Sc in 2nd st from hook and in each st back to body of hood. Sl st into side of hood as shown:

Sl St once more up side of hood:

Row 2: Now turn and work sc back down the length of the chain. Fasten off.

Repeat for other side. It should look like this:

Weave in your loose ends and give to a caring friend :) Or keep for yourself.

Thanks again so much! Feel free to comment with your questions! Have a great day!

Toilet Seat Cover Crochet Pattern

Howdy, all! Wednesday is my cleaning day. I know I am the strangest woman in the world, but I love to clean my bathroom. While this is a constant source of puzzlement for others, I'm sure my guests and family appreciate it. However, I noticed yesterday that my toilet seat cover had developed a blowout:

Well, I thought to myself that I could either go out to Big Lots and drop another $5 on a cover....or I could use this as motivation to make my own. So I did:

No offense, Big Lots, but I like mine better. I left mine plain because I have a really noisy shower curtain and I didn't want to crowd it. However, feel free to add your own embellishments to yours!

So I wrote out the pattern for this week's blog.

And now, without further ado:

Download PDF of this pattern here.

Toilet Seat Cover Crochet Pattern

Materials:

J Hook
Bernat Premium Worsted Weight Yarn in Dark Green or your choice in worsted weight yarn

Ch 8.

Row 1: Hdc in third chain from hook. 2 hdc in next st. 1 hdc in next st. 2 hdc in next st. 4 hdc in next st. Now flip the chain over, so you're working on the opposite side of your foundation chain. 2 hdc in next st. 1 hdc in next st. 2 hdc in next st. 2 hdc in next st. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.

NOTE: You are going to be working your increases only on the curved ends of your piece. That would be the top and bottom of the piece below. Work only hdc in sides. You're working to get an oval here, not a circle.

Row 2: Ch 2. Hdc Inc in each stitch of the curved ends of your oval. Hdc in the one stitch in sides. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 3: Ch 2. Hdc Inc in every other st of the ends. Hdc in sides. Your sides will be getting longer. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 4: Ch 2. Hdc Inc in every third st of ends, and hdc in sides. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 5: Ch 2. Hdc Inc in every fourth st of ends, and hdc in sides. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 6: Ch2. Hdc Inc in every fifth st of ends, and hdc in sides. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.

Now your piece should be shaping up:

Row 7 - 8: Ch 2. Hdc Inc only THREE TIMES in each end. Imagine your ends are half circles. Inc where the marks are below. Hdc elsewhere and in sides. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.

Row 9 - 15: Ch 2. Inc only as needed each round until the piece covers the top of the toilet lid as you desire. You no longer have to do increases only in the ends. Now just do an increase whenever you feel your hook is having to reach a bit. For my lid, I stopped after row 15. Join by sl st in top of ch 2

Row (16?): Ch 2. Hdc in each st around. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 17: Ch 2 Hdc Decrease in every fifth st. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 18: Ch 2 Hdc Decrease in every fourth st. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 19: Ch 2 Hdc Decrease in every third st. Join by sl st in top of ch 2.
Row 20: Ch 2 Hdc Decrease in every other st. Join by sl st in top of ch 2. Fasten off.

Ta Da!

Don't forget to re-pin the pin to get your free yarn! See you next time!

Download PDF of this pattern.

Critter Fingerless Gloves/Mitts

Materials:
I Hook
H Hook
Carons Simply Soft in Charcoal Heather or similar Medium Worsted weight yarn
Sew On Eyes
Sewing needle and thread

NOTE: These mitts are adult medium woman size. Adjust your beginning chain to adjust size. the rest of the pattern remains the same.

With I Hook, chain 25. Join to beginning chain with sl st.

Switch to H Hook.
Row 1 - 2: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc). Hdc in each remaining ch around (25 sts). Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 3: Ch 2. Decrease first two stitches (hdc2tog). Hdc in each remaining stitch. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 4: Ch 2. Hdc in each stitch around.Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 5: Ch 2. Decrease first two stitches (hdc2tog). Hdc in each remaining stitch.Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 6 - 7: Ch 2. hdc loop in each stitch. Please note that the link to the tutorial for the loop stitch is a sc    loop stitch. Make sure you're doing hdc loop stitches (yarn over before beginning stitch.) Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 8 - 11: Ch 2. Increase hdc loop stitch in first stitch. (Do two hdc loop stitches in the first stitch only). Hdc loop stitch in remaining stitches around. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 12 - 15: Ch 2. Increase hdc loop stitch in first stitch. Hdc loop round to other side of mitt. Incr loop stitch again. Hdc loop stitch in remaining stitches around. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 16: Ch 2. Increase hdc loop stitch in first stitch. (Do two hdc loop stitches in the first stitch only). Hdc loop stitch in remaining stitches around. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 17 - 18: Ch 2. hdc loop in each stitch. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 19: (making thumb hole). Ch 9. Sk next 7 sts. Hdc loop stitch in remaining stitches. Join with sl st to SECOND chain of the chain 7 you made at the beginning of the row.
Row 20: Ch 2. Hdc in remainder of ch 9 (7hdc including ch2 in beginning of row). Hdc loop stitch in remaining sts. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 21: Ch 2. Hdc2tog in first two sts. Hdc in remaining hdc from row below. Hdc loop stitch to other stide of mitt. HdcLoop2tog. (2 decr in this row). Hdc loop st in remaining sts. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 22 - 27: Ch 2. Hdc2tog in first two sts. Hdc to other side of mitt. Hdc2tog. Hdc in remaining sts. Join w sl st to top of ch 2. (2 decr in each row).

Fasten off.

Thumb:
Join yarn with sl st to any st in thumb hole.
Row 1: Ch 2. Hdc in each remaining st around. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 2 - 4: Ch2. Hdc2tog in first 2 st. Hdc to other side of thumb hole. Hdc2tog. Hdc in remaining sts. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.
Row 5: Hdc around. Join w sl st to top of ch 2.

Fasten off.

Weave in ends.

Sew on eyes. Yay for Halloween!

Please post your questions and comments below!