Lavender Laundry

I 

                                                         Lavender Laundry

I admit it, I actually like to fold and iron laundry.  I don't like the dirty side of laundry.  I dread sorting through our perpetually overflowing communal basket. I never look forward to the acknowledgement that, I should have gotten started the day before.  I certainly hate lugging baskets up from our basement laundry room to our second floor bedrooms.  But, it isn't all bad.

My laundry room is the only place in the house where my family, for the most part, will leave me alone.  That hasn't always been the case until I started chanting robotically preprogrammed phrases like this:  "You are welcome to come in if you would like to help." and "If you are having trouble getting along (aka scrapping and screaming), you can come in and keep me company...while sorting."  

I don't just like it for the solitude,  I also like to treat myself while I'm there.  Sometimes with my own favorite music, sometimes with a little distraction from HULU, and with some home grown aromatherapy.  I have long had a love affair with lavender.  I love lavender for tea, for burns, in waffles and in my laundry. Spraying fresh lavender water on clothes in place of water or starch is simple and wonderful.  The heat from the iron creates a nice sweet cloud to stand in while you work.

Most linen spray recipes include vodka.  Since I don't usually have this on hand, I don't use it.  It would result in a more potent formula since the vodka acts as a carrier and takes on the fragrance of the herb.  I have 2 concoctions that I use, one when I have fresh lavender in my garden and one for the rest of the year.

Lavender Water:

One cup of fresh lavender buds

4 cups of water

Combine in a sauce pan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one half.  This version has the added benefit of acting as an air freshener.  (*Wait to cool before transferring into your spray bottle.*)

Lavender Linen Spray:

One Cup of distilled water 

10 drops of lavender essential oil

Simple combine and add to your spray bottle.

Happy Laundering!

Nurturing your Creative Spirit, Part 1

Creativity is a funny thing.  We use it constantly.  As a mother, I tap into my creativity everyday.  I find creative ways to distract my spirited child from a public tantrum.  I look for creative ways to make chores seem like fun, or camouflage vegetables in bland food.  But, creativity and trickery are not synonyms.  Creativity should come from inspiration, not duty.  For me, this is where the challenge lies.  Lately, all of my creativity undertaking come from duty.

Prior to having children,  I could easily waste away an afternoon listening to music and painting at my kitchen table.  I loved to take a journal to the park and clear my brain on it's pages.  Or, practice voice or piano, just for fun.  Now, with a house filled to the brim with activity and noise, these outlets seem like indulgences not likely to happen any time soon.  Where ever your creative passions roam or what your full time job is, if you are over the age of 30 and/or have children, you are probably in the same boat.

I have been thinking a lot about the need for creativity in my life lately.  As a parent, I have always taken time and effort to focus on the artful ingenuity of my children.  After all, it is great for cognitive growth, relaxation, patience, confidence and so much more.  But wait, couldn't I use all of those things too? While my children need a creative outlet as a life skill, I need it as a coping mechanism.  

Here is a little check in to see if I could benefit from a little creative down time.  Can you freshen up in any of these areas?  I can, see my responses:

Cognitive growth:  growth?  I struggle for mental clarity and I             could use some more.  


Relaxation:  I relax when I am sleeping.


Patience:  Pass.


Confidence:  In domestic affairs, sure.  Outside of that, not really.

So what now?  I have read parenting magazines that suggest that you can get creative with your kids.  Doodle when they color, sing with them or dance together.  These are great things, but it doesn't replace our own needs.  Drawing race cars with crayons while my son orders the specs., doesn't fulfill me.  For that, I am thankful.   

Today, I have one simple idea.  I am going to create my own art box.  I have often done things like this for my children.  Only, my box will not have glitter glue or construction paper.  My box will have charcoal and drawing pencils.  In short, it will have a real art supplies.  Maybe for others, this will be a knitting box, a journal, or a scrapbooking kit.  Mine will be a small box that is easy to pack up,  can move from room to room, and easily be put away.  A box that can be stored on a high shelf away from curious hands.  Whatever makes up your box, I hope that you will keep it close.  Use it while your children are using playdough, building legos or doing homework.  I hope that it will nurture YOUR creative spirit.


What creative Activities do you wish you had more time for?  What will you put in your box?