Holiday Decor Using Essential Oils

Transforming our homes into cheerful, inviting spaces with festive decor is one of the most fun parts of the holiday season. Making our own decorations lets us add a personal touch and choose the scent ourselves, and it makes a good indoor project for the whole family on a chilly winter day. The five projects below use essential oils to scent pine cones, sachets, salt dough, felt and clay.

Pine Cone Gnome Ornament

Materials

• Pinecones
• Red Felt
• Cotton Balls
• Hot Glue
• 4 oz Amber Bottle with Spray Top
• 3 oz of High Percentage Alcohol
• 1 oz of Distilled Water
• 5 mL of Nutcracker Blend

Instructions

1. Add the alcohol, water and essential oil blend to the spray bottle and shake well to combine.
2. Lay the pinecones on a covered surface and spray generously with the essential oil mix. Be sure to shake the bottle frequently, as separation will occur. Flip the pinecones over to spray both sides. Allow them to dry and absorb for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. To form the beard, hold a cotton ball firmly and pull the fibers on one side until they become thin and wispy at the end, like a long beard.
4. Glue the cotton ball just below the top of the pinecone with the wispy edge down.
5. To form the hat, cut a long triangle with a rounded bottom (like a slice of pizza) from the felt. Overlap the bottom corners and glue them together.
6. Glue the hat on top of the pinecone, covering the top of the cotton ball.
7. Cut two small ovals from the felt and glue them to the bottom of the pinecone to make feet.
8. Attach each gnome to an ornament hook, or string them together with yarn to form a garland.

Stocking Sachets

Materials

• Holiday Printed Fabric
• Red Felt
• Thread
• 1 cup of Uncooked Rice
• ½ cup of Epsom Salt
• ¼ cup of Whole Mulling Spices
• 1 mL of Sweet Orange Essential Oil
• 1 mL of Cedarwood Essential Oil
• 0.5 mL of Cinnamon Cassia Essential Oil

Instructions

1. Fold the fabric in half, printed sides together. Trace the shape of a small stocking onto your fabric and cut it out of both layers.
2. Place the two fabric pieces printed sides together and sew around the edge, leaving the top open.
3. Cut out a long narrow strip of red felt and fold it in half.
4. Combine the rice, Epsom salt and spices in a bowl and stir thoroughly.
5. Add the essential oils to a small bowl and stir to blend. Pour the essential oils into the rice mixture a little at a time, stirring in between so that everything is evenly scented.
6. Turn the stocking right side out and iron to flatten. Fill the stocking with the scented rice mixture, leaving enough room to close the top.
7. Fold the top edge in. Insert the ends of the folded felt piece into one side of the opening and pin it in place.
8. Sew along the top edge to close the stocking and remove any pins. The folded felt strip should now form a loop for hanging the sachet.
9. Hang the sachet on the mantel alongside your stockings.

Salt Dough Garland

Materials

• 2 cups of Flour
• 1 cup of Salt
• 1 cup of Warm Water
• Holiday Cookie Cutters
• Yarn
• Straw
• 1.25 mL of Fir Needle Essential Oil
• 0.5 mL of Lemon Essential Oil
• 0.5 mL of Peppermint Essential Oil

Instructions

1. Add the flour and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Add the essential oils and stir again.
2. Slowly pour in the warm water, a little at a time, while stirring. Stop adding water when the dough reaches the consistency of play dough.
3. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is smooth and pliable.
4. On a covered surface, roll the dough to about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick.
5. Use the cookie cutters to cut out as many shapes as possible. Use the straw to make a hole at the top of each shape.
6. Transfer the shapes to a baking sheet and bake them at 200 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. The shapes should be completely dry and feel hard when they are done baking. Allow them to cool.
7. String yarn through the shapes, tying a small knot through the hole of each shape to keep them in place.

DIY Felt Diffuser Ornaments

Festive decor is always a great gift to receive, and a handmade touch makes it all the better. These felt ornaments hold a few drops of an essential oil blend and scent the tree or the mantel.

Supplies

• Sheets of Felt in Holiday Colors
• Scissors
• Hole Punch
• Complementary Color Fabric Markers
• 6 to 8 inches of Yarn or String per Ornament
• 10 mL Bottle of Pirates Blend, Holiday Blend, or Peace & Comfort Blend

Instructions

Cut the felt sheets into holiday shapes, 4 to 6 inches in size. Use the fabric markers to add details. Punch a hole toward the top of each ornament and put the yarn through it. If the ornaments are a gift, package them with the bottle of essential oil blend and include a card explaining how to use them.

To use, place 0.25 to 0.5 mL of the essential oil blend on the felt and allow it to absorb for several minutes. Hang the ornament on your Christmas tree, from your mantel, or anywhere in your home that needs a fragrant holiday touch. Reapply the blend every few days as needed.

Clay Diffuser Pendant

An air dry clay pendant works the same way as the felt ornaments and makes a small gift for the essential oil lover in your life.

Supplies

• Air Dry Clay
• Small Cookie Cutter (the size and shape you want your pendant to be)
• Metal Straw
• Rubber Stamp
• Jewelry Cording
• 10 mL Bottle of Essential Oil or Essential Oil Blend

Instructions

1. On a covered surface, roll out your clay until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Press the cookie cutter into the clay to create your pendant shape. Use a rubber stamp to imprint a design if desired. Use the straw to create a hole at the top of the pendant for the cording.
3. Allow the pendant to dry overnight.
4. Cut the desired length of cording and string it through the hole in the pendant. Tie a knot to secure.
5. Gift wrap the necklace along with the bottle of essential oil and include a card explaining how to use it.

To use, place a few drops of essential oil on the pendant and allow it to dry for several minutes. Reapply as needed.

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