Spring is bursting out all around and for me that means more entertaining. I personally hibernate all winter and figure most other people do too, but when spring comes around I feel so much more like having family and friends over. There’s something about more sunlight hours that puts me in a better mood and gives me more energy, both of which I need in order to do my ’spring cleaning’ to prepare for all my visitors. This year, when I’m shaking out the winter cobwebs, I think I want to shake out all my tired old kitchen linens and get some new ones to help bring the spirit of spring into my kitchen. Since we always end up hanging out in the kitchen anyway, some bright new linens will help liven up the party too.

Here are some of my favorites.

Table Runner by Fribert :::: Table Runner from OM Home :::: Table Cloths from Henry Road

Cloth Napkins from Michelle Brusegaard :::: Cotton Tea Towels from Lisa Stickley :::: Dish Towels from Reyart

Tea Towels from Hammocks and High Tea :::: Tea Towels from Gloaming Design :::: Table Cloths from PataPri Textile

Tea Towels from Skinny LaMinx :::: Linen Napkins from Lotta Helleberg

Linen Napkins from InSaneity :::: Woven Napkins from Plait

I always get really excited when I’m about to run out of hand cream. I know that sounds like I’m being sarcastic, but it really truly is something I look forward to, because it means I get to make MORE. That’s right folks, I make my own eco-friendly hand-cream (more like body cream– I use it for everything!) and my skin will accept no other. It has become spoiled and snooty about what it likes to have soaking into it, and I love dreaming up new concoctions when the time comes.

Here is a very versatile recipe for a rich, emollient, decadent cream that will last you a good long while. And I promise you’ll be excited when yours runs out, too!

Ingredients:

6 oz. raw shea butter
1/2 oz. jojoba oil
1/2 oz. sweet almond oil
1/2 oz. grapeseed oil
1/2 oz. apricot kernel oil
1/2 oz. lanolin (melted)
1/2 oz. aloe vera gel
1/2 oz. glycerin
1/4 oz. Vitamin E oil
5-10 drops favorite essential oil (some of my favorites are geranium, rose, clove, clary sage, cinnamon, and lemongrass.)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl (I like glass or stainless steel). Mush together with your hands to get the lumps out of the shea butter. (Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer, but doing it by hand is the eco-friendlier way, because it saves energy!) Adjust accordingly– if you like a thicker cream, more lanolin and less oil will do the trick; a thinner cream can be made by adding more oil or aloe vera juice)

P.S. This recipe is very fudgeable—what I usually do (since I’m the type that doesn’t really measure things and just eyeball it!) is just toss everything in a big glass bowl and mush it up with my hands and if it needs adjusting I’ll add a little oil here, a little lanolin there…!

Have fun!

WHERE TO BUY:

*My personal favorite: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary in Boulder, CO
*Goldthread Apothecary in Florence, MA
*Botanica Medica in the UK
*Florapathics
*Mountain Rose Herbs
*The Essential Oil Company

If you want more information about essential oils, herbs, oils, aromatherapy, etc, here are a couple of great resources:
*Herbaldiary.org
*Aroma Web
*The Herbal Body Book by Jeanne Rose

GREEN CHALLENGE: change 1 (or more!) light bulb in your house or studio to a compact fluorescent bulb!

About Jessica:
Jessica is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia who is endlessly creating. Her work includes paintings, drawings, illustrations, and paper goods and is vibrant, colorful, and charming. Her work can be found on her site, in her Etsy shop and in the Indie Fixx Shop. You can also read more about Jessica and her work on her blog.