Mind Your Beeswax

Earlier in the year I was surveying blog land and I came across this post from 3191 Miles Apart for a home-made wood conditioner.  I have several beloved new and old wood kitchen products that are near and dear to me like my cutting board, my long-handled spoons and a few wood tools (e.g. the ice pick).

So, to protect them, I got out the double boiler and got to work.  I followed the recipe which is simply one part beeswax to one part mineral oil....and easy peasy...

1lb brick of unrefined beeswax

I bought some unrefined beeswax in bricks from a vendor on ebay.  I do not recommend bricks of this size.  First, if you need anything less than a full pound, it's a #@@! to cut into smaller pieces.  Also, it takes a while for it to melt completely due to its size.  My future purchases were made at GloryBee Foods in the unrefined, cosmetic grade beeswax.used a quart mason jars to simultaneously mix the ingredients....in hindsight, not the best choice.  They were very difficult to handle, once hot. 

I went to the Container Store and got some hermetic jars to hold my newest wood alixir.

Finished product in these jars

Wood Butter...ready to be gifted and pressed into service in the kitchen. ~ksp

Butter Me Up!

I am a planner at heart...so when it comes to throwing a party, the planning comes naturally.

As I metioned earlier, my BFF and her husband are expecting as as part of my "Best Aunite in the World" duties, I hosted not one, but two baby showers.

The colors for the party were pink and yellow and the theme was "Walk in the Sunshine"**. We worked baby footprints (like the ones below)into some of the elements...although the ones we used are pink and carried the shower theme into favors.

I scoured several sources to get decent body butter/cream recipes. I had a few criteria.  I wanted to use all natural ingredients.  Natural to the point that you could eat it with no ill effects.  I also wanted products with citrus scents and I wanted something practical that would be used.

I started with some unrefined cosmetic grade beeswax and added equal proportions of shea butter,  mineral oil.  I also added citrus essential oil.

Melting solids in a double boiler.

The ingredients in a liquid state

Wand-mixing while the ingredients cooled

I wanted more of a whipped texture and so I whipped out the handy wand mixer.  It took forever, because it cooled very slowly.

Amber PET jars from here.

The finished result....

It was added to the bag (below) with other bath-related items including: a bath scrunchie, a duck-shaped pumice stone, some product samples and a made-by-me bath bomb.

Everyone loved the party and the food and the favors and most of all the honoree...can't wait to become an auntie. ~ksp


** We call her "Sunshine" because of her constant bright and sunshiny disposition...NOT!