SAFE THE HEDGEHOGS

Yesterday evening, while watching TV, I finished a family of hedgehogs out of pine cones, felt, beads and yarn for a special reason. During this hot and long summer in Europe the hedgehogs don´t find enough food to survive hibernation. Especially the little ones are in danger because they their fat tissue is still too thin.

I tried to feed the hedgehogs in my garden with catfood the last couple of days but the only one who happily gained fat was our tomcat (who already has surplus weight). Anyway, the DIY-Hedgehogs are simply done and they are a cute reminder of helping our little prickly friends surviving winter.
So this is how they are done.

For one hedgehog you need:
- 1 pine cone the size you want
- a piece of grey felt
- three black beads
- grey threads
- a hot glue gun

First, you cut a cone out of the felt the size it fits your pine cone. Glue it to a cone with your glue gun.
Sew eyes onto the felt with thread and glue a nose on, using the glue gun once more. Glue the felt on the pine cone. Done.

I used different sizes of pine cones with different sizes of felt cones to create my hedgehog family.
They look very neat together, don´t you agree.
XxOoXx,

LAVENDER OIL

A couple of days ago I made lavender oil and used dried lavender blossoms from my own garden. The entire kitchen smelled just wonderful while getting this project done and I felt very soothing and calm which is a side effect of lavender. I´ll use this oil as base of making cosmetic products as christmas presents and soon they´ll be made and shown on my blog here. I want to make a lavender ointment for ladies and a chili-pain-remover oinment for gentlemen.

The lavender oil base is very easily done.

You just need:
- 500 ml oil (I used thistle oil but olive oil or avocado oil are also perfect)
- 200 g dried lavender blossoms
- a wooden spoon
- a glass bottle with lid (don´t use plastics. It´s colour can change)
- a pot

Rub the lavender blossoms between the palms of your hands to free the aromatic oil. Fill the blossoms into the bottle. Warm the oil and pour it into the bottle with the blossoms until the blossoms are all covered with oil. Stir the oil/blossom mix with a wooden spoon and make sure, both parts are wonderfully combined. Close the bottle and keep it in a warm place but not in direct sunlight for about 3-4 weeks. Sift the oil to separate the blossoms and pour the remaining oil into a clean bottle and keep it until you need it for further steps. The blossoms are not needed any longer.
As soon as the oil smells intesive like lavender I´ll start making the ointments.
Bye for now,