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Fragrance Your Home
by Gail Miller
It's just the little homely things,
the unobtrusive, friendly things,
The "won't-you-let-me-help-you"
things that make our pathway light.
~Unknown
How can you make easy transformations to your home without moving a stick of furniture? By using scents of course. Using fragrances to enhance the ambience in your home is one of the easiest ways to make a difference to your surroundings. Citrus scents are lively and invigorating, sandalwood and patchouli are more sensual and ideal for the bedroom. Pine promotes a feeling of cleanliness and florals evoke memories of the great outdoors. Our sense of smell helps us to reach deep into our subconscious, bringing back memories, awakening our senses and evoking new moods.
Scented candles are very popular these days and you can purchase the smallest candles which fit into little glass holders, right through to large pillars and unusual shaped candles with many wicks. Not only do these products create a warm and subtle fragrance, they also look nice. Some scented candles come in decorative containers so when the candle is used the container can be utilised in another way.
Incense goes back many centuries and is a lovely way to release wonderful aromas into the air. Used throughout history for prayer, ritual and ceremony, it is still widely used in many cultures. Incense comes in sticks or in small cones which, when lit, emit the most wonderful aromas.
'Burning' essential oils in an oil burner or spraying (in a dilution of water) around the house is another way to make your environment smell gorgeous. In addition, essential oils have many therapeutic properties as well as smelling divine. 'Green' oils, such as Basil, Clary Sage, Marjoram or Rosemary provide fresh, herbal smells. Citrus oils, including Mandarin, Lime, Lemon or Grapefruit are tangy, sharp and give out an invigorating freshness. Frankincense, Vetivert and Myrrh evoke a warm, woody feeling and brings tranquillity to the surroundings.
Other ways to perfume your home are with pot pourri, which can be purchased readily from many home style and craft shops, pomanders, which are easily made by making holes in an orange and filling with various whole spices such as cloves and peppercorns. These are particularly wonderful around Christmas time. Also fresh flowers can be placed strategically around the house to provide a wonderful fragrance as well as a beautiful display.
Sheila "I am a Christian Woman, a stay home homemaker and a Mom.
My interests: I love to knit, crochet, sew, embrodiery, and quilt. I play the piano, read music, I write Chrisitan poems and writings. I collect teddy bears, angels, hearts and butterflies."
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