CREDITS:

Digital scrap items in the header, layouts and sidebar are by Miss Mint at PeppermintCreative.com or Jen Wilson at JenWilsonDesigns.com

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Cheater, Cheater, Cheater!

Oh, the things I have come up with to save time or money and to still have all the little luxuries I want. We got on the topic of Bath & Body Works on our CT Forum and it reminded me that I should share some of my tricks here!

I'm a sucker for home fragrances. I love matching the scent of my house for each season or holiday. I already mentioned the Bath & Body Works Autumn Leaves room spray I'm currently using and my stockpile of The Perfect Christmas - Winter has begun! Here are some tricks to scent your whole house without going broke:

Room Sprays: They're not just for the air! I spritz door wreaths and silk flowers with them to help keep the house smelling delightful throughout the season. These items will hold the fragrance for a couple of days. If you have potpourri or those decorative balls made out of wicker, bark or other natural items, spray them, too. You can also spray a bowl of pinecones, strands of garland, hanging stockings and the christmas tree skirt to keep the whole house smelling magical! (Don't spray your tree if it has christmas lights - the spray is flammable!)

Sneaky Entry Way Trick: Lightly spray the backs of your christmas cards when you recieve them and display them near the front door. This will ensure that at least the entry will smell nice for unexpected visitors! Even better, tuck a bottle of spray behind the cards for "emergency" spritzes. ;)

Home Fragrance Oils: I stock up when Bath & Body Works has them on sale for $5 or less. In addition to using them in a warmer, I add them to the same-scented candles I buy to double the fragrance. It works very well!

Sneaky Votive Trick: Instead of throwing down for scented votives that I may not be able to use up, I make my own scented ones when I need them. Partially burn a regular, unscented votive and then dump out most of the melted wax. Place the votive in it's holder and immediately fill the now-empty center with home fragrance oil and re-light. Scatter throughout the house as you normally would. Add oil as needed while burning to maintain the fragrance. Use cinnamon oil in a tea light and place it inside Jack-O-Lanterns at your halloween party for a nice, pumpkin spice scent. Your friends will wonder why your cheap votives smell so good!

No comments: