Gifts Wrapped in Glass Day 8

This is my birthday today. It's been a beautiful fall day, warm and sunny. The leaves are beginning to fall and I know that soon the cold weather will set in. Sort of like old age, it's really only a matter of time.

But, for today, we can pretend that it will be beautiful outside forever, and that old age is a long way off. Today is a gift. Unfortunately, it's also a gift you cannot bottle. 

If I could bottle it, and give it to you I would. 

Today's Gift Wrapped in Glass may be the next best thing to bottled sunshine. I enjoy making this Almond Creme hand remedy to give as a gift. I made a batch last year, and everyone loved it. Somehow, it reminds me of all things sunny.

It's very pure and simple. The only ingredients are almond oil, bees wax and essential oil.

Sometimes I use scented lemon oil, but today I used sweet orange oil. It smells good enough to eat!

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup almond oil

3 Tablespoons melted bees wax or paraffin

Essential Oil

Directions:

In a double boiler, warm the almond oil until it nearly boils. Add wax 1 tablespoon at a time (available in the candle making supplies at the craft store), stirring until completely melted. When fully combined, remove from heat. Cool slightly, then add essential oil.

I bottled my hand creme in 4 oz. Mason Jars. They are really for jelly, but this size works great as a gift. 

I heated the jars until boiling in a water canning bath, then filled them with the warm oil mixture. I pre-warmed the Mason jar lids, and hand tightened the bands on.

The final step was to cook the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Remove jars and let cool. The wax mixture solidifies as it cools, and the lids will "pop" and seal the jars tightly so they won't leak during transportation and packaging.

I labeled the lids of the jars with some fun gift labels I designed. I used Avery Labels # 22926. The circles are just the right size to cover the entire lid. I think I am going to be obsessed with them for a while. Just like my obsession with bees and sunshine.

A bow completed the jars, although they are beautiful just as they are.

You could also put the jar in a pretty little gift box with some shinny colored shredded filler from the Dollar Store.

Sunshine in a box! Great idea for those garden hands and cracked heals! 

Join me again tomorrow for more GIFTS WRAPPED IN GLASS.....

and a BIG announcement!