Homemade gifts with oils

Many of you know how much I enjoy making things from scratch... food, bath and body products, cleaning products, personal care products, and gifts. As I learn more and more about Young Loving Essential Oils, I'm enjoying making many types of products and gifts "from scratch". Here are a few of my favorite homemade items that would make great Christmas gifts!

Lip Balm - This recipe was inspired by another blogger's recipe, but I tried a couple other oils and will only use glass containers for storing lip balm. I find my glass containers for many of these homemade concoctions at Abundant Health.
3 TBSP beeswax
3 TBSP coconut oil
2 TBSP shea butter
1/4 tsp raw honey
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
8-10 drops of Young Living Lavender, Peppermint or Lemongrass (some people may like Orange or other Citrus oil, but Citrus oils can cause your skin to be photosensitive in sun exposure)

• Over a double boiler, heat (until melted) beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter.
• Once melted, remove from heat and add honey, vanilla and Essential Oils. 
• Pour quickly (before hardened) into 1/4oz glass containers. 
• Seal, label and give away (or enjoy for yourself)
• Makes approximately 10-12 1/4 oz. containers.

Luxurious Body Butter
This is my absolute favorite lotion! I use daily on face and body!!
1 cup shea butter
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil
1/4-1/2 cup almond or grapeseed oil
1 tsp Vitamin E oil
10-12 drop Essential Oil-- Great oil choices are Lavender, Lemongrass, or Peppermint, I also like Lavender with a couple drops Frankincense or Lemongrass with Cypress).

• Over a double boiler, heat (until melted) shea butter and coconut oil.
• Once melted, remove from heat and add almond oil, vitamin E oil and EOs.
• Chill a few minutes in refrigerator (over over a bowl of ice water) and whip with a mixer to get a wonderful creamy luxurious body butter!!

Bath Salts are super easy to make and a wonderful gift!!

Mix 1 cup of Epsom salts with 6-8 drops of Essential Oil. My favorites are:

• Lavender - calming 
• Peppermint - refreshing
• Lemongrass - great for circulation and detox
• PanAway - awesome for sore muscles!
• Stess Away - exactly how it sounds!

Sugar Scrubs are great for face and body! 

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup sea salt

1/4-1/3 cup Almond or coconut oil

5 drops Essential Oil

Great YL Essential Oils are: Peppermint, Orange, Lemongrass, Lavender, Lemon, Citrus Fresh

Super Easy Youthful Face Cream

4 oz unrefined coconut oil

12 drops Lavender

3-4 drops Frankincense

Combine--that simple! You can also whip with mixer for a whipped lotion.

Interested in ordering Young Living Essential Oils? I would love to help!

Here's a link to order Young Living Essential Oils.

Creative Gift Ideas for Boys

With Christmas approaching, many parents and grandparents are searching for the perfect gifts for their kids. Many get tired of the same noisy toys or video games. Here are several ideas that I've found (and links that others have compiled) of great gift ideas that grow kids' imaginations, minds and love for the Lord!

Here's an awesome link by Megan Spires, with a list of 100+ battery free Christmas gifts for kids! From building toys, paper airplanes and Star Wars Origami to creative toys I would have never thought of... this is a great list!

Looking for gifts that grow kids' imagination and love for the Lord? Check out this post!

Ann Voskamp, author of The Greatest Gift, talks about how to have the greatest Christmas! She has beautiful family devotions (for grown up kids and littles) in her Jesse Tree Advent books.

My boys get excited every year when we pull this out of the attic! I love hearing them act out the Christmas story as they play together!!

Do you have a history lover? Or trying to foster an appreciation for American History? This inexpensive CD set would be a great gift!

Looking for family devotional books? Hero Tales is a family favorite with our boys! There are several volumes in this series.

My favorite gift for our oldest son this year is The Dangerous Book for Boys!

My son's favorite book from library, because what boy doesn't LOVE Legos!!

Snap Circuits has been one of my boys' favorite gifts!! They (and Grandpa) spent hours playing with it together!

I would love to hear your creative gift ideas!!!

Disclaimer: There are NO affiliate links. Just sharing my opinion and ideas that I liked!