Ah, cleaning the stove is such a joy, especially when you cut yourself. :/
Thank goodness I have an arsenal of oils at my - ahem - fingertips.
Helichrysum is my go to for bleeding. One drop and a Mickey Mouse Band-aid.By tomorrow you won't even see where I cut myself.
Thank goodness because my hands have to look nice for a meeting.

I hope everyone's New Year is off to a good and healthy start. I have to say that as a severe asthmatic, I always get sick around the winter holidays. I catch bronchitis at least twice a year and it takes me months to get over it. This has been my life for at least 10 years. BUT... this past winter has been different (so far :) ) I owe it to my use of Essential Oils. I use them all the time and in different ways. Keep in mind that I do not encourage anyone to do anything, but I personally ingest just 1-2 drops of the lemon or orange essential oils in my glass of water at least 1-2 times per day for 5-6 days out of the week. I use my own recipe of No One Knows Spray, not just in the toilet bowl but as an air spray in the bathroom or any other room I think needs refreshing, As the spray falls onto surface areas it disinfects and kills germs. Oh and it smells good too! I spray essential oil sprays onto my linens, in my car and I have a 4 diffusers in my home. Now I am no "health nut" as some may coin it, I am not a fanatic, and I'm not paid by anyone. After suffering for so many years I am finally feeling better than most and that makes me feel HAPPY! All of a sudden I am no longer allergic to all the trees and grass where I live that have plagued me for a decade and I take no more allergy pills. Now you tell me.... how does that just happen? Essential Oils that's how. So if you or anyone in your family is susceptible to respiratory infections, take a look at my recipes or available spray products. You can thank me later. :)

I was looking for something good to diffuse to help lift my mood and catapult me into the holidays. Not like it's hard to find something good to diffuse in my house! I grabbed Black Spruce and Sweet Orange - 3 drops of each in my diffuser. It had such a lovely aroma that filled my house. With four dogs that's a good thing! Just kidding. Believe it or not, they're not stinky. You can also add cinnamon and nutmeg to this blend for a little spicy note.

It feels like we blink and the holidays are here. Where does the time go? We get stressed while we try to get into the spirit. I know for me the struggle is real. But I put some music and my diffuser on and enjoy the creative process of making aromatherapy necklaces and diffusers. By the way, if you're trying to keep the calm during all the holiday hubbub, a little lavender or frankincense with sweet orange will work wonders. Bergamot, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Mandarin and Ylang Ylang are good choices too. Chamomile, lavender and marjoram make a lovely calming blend. So take in the aroma and keep the calm. :)

Everyday that I get up I am thankful that I survived that → → → → → → → → →
Though I have aches, pains, restrictions and other residual issues, I am here. That is a big and full sentence. I AM HERE. Even when we don't feel good, are depressed, worried, scared, feeling weak, poor or broken down... we are here with a new chance everyday to make a change, be a change, see a change. I have to remind myself of that often. I am sure that we all can think of something that makes us realize how lucky we are to be here. So with Thanksgiving upon us, I would like to take a moment and thank every person in my life that has stuck by my side, been there with open arms and open ears. You have made a difference that you may not even be aware of. I hope in soem manner, I have done the same for you. You mean the world to me and I THANK YOU for being a part of my life. ♥

Lately I've been getting a little down with the holiday season coming. When you're a woman of a certain age, your emotions are a bit crazy as it is. So what can you do? I found a little recipe that helps pull you back. If you have a diffuser you can add 5 drops of grapefruit, 3 drops of geranium and 2 drops of petitgrain essential oils to the appropriate level of water for your diffuser. Be Happy!

After a few days of being bad with my nibbling, I am suffering from heartburn. I have GERD so I have to be careful with peppermint. Peppermint relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, connecting the stomach, which keeps acid and bile from flowing back into the esophagus. GERD and peppermint don't get along. I usually dilute it and rub it on my stomach for relief but tonight I added 2 drops of fennel to my glass of water. The licorice flavor is oh so familiar and actually pleasant.

Fennel has been a popular remedy for stomach issues. It is referred to as a Stomachic: is a historic term for a medicine that serves to tone the stomach, improving its function and increase appetite.. Fennel oil helps keep the stomach healthy and functioning properly, and maintains the normal function of all the secretions of digestive acids and bile. Furthermore, it protects the stomach from infections and ulcers, thus ensuring the all around health and wellness of the stomach. I feel pretty good so far. :)

Use of fennel essential oil is contraindicated during pregnancy, for breast-feeding mothers, and in cases of epilepsy and estrogen-linked cancers. Please note that this is personal entry of my experience with essential oils and I am not recommending or suggesting anyone to consider ingestion. You need to do your own research and be responsible for your own decisions when using essential oils.