REVIEW -- GreenAir Glass Accessories

Good morning, everyone!  My apologies for being away for so long but life (as it tends to do) got in the way.  :-)

I have lots I plan on sharing with you but before we get back into the swing of things, I will be posting some back to back reviews.

GreenAir, in the last several months, has come out with several new products and they have been generous enough to send me several items to share with you.

Their most recent offerings are a line of glass accessories for your aromatherapy blending needs.

Pictured -- 1/4 dram bottles, 5/8 dram bottles, 4oz cobalt spray bottle, 1oz brown spray bottle, 1/2 oz spray bottle and three 10ml roller bottles.

I've decided to review all of these products together to streamline things.

THE PROS --

* All products are very sturdy and able to withstand normal wear and tear.  I've had them for a few weeks not and they've been smacked together, dropped, rolled off the table, etc and no breakage.  No need to worry about them breaking while knocking around a back pack or purse.

*All lids fit securely.  No leakage noted with any of the bottles.  Even when the cap was left off a full roller bottle there was no leaking.

* A wide variety of sizes are available to fit your needs.

*All of the spray tops offer a list mist of product.  I made a "after dryer" spray for our laundry and put it in the 4oz bottle.  I was concerned that it would be too heavy but it is very light.

*The spray top for the 4oz cobalt bottle would be a great alternative for those with arthritis in their hands/fingers as it doesn't require much force to spray the contents.

THE CONS --

I honestly do not have any to offer.  These products are drop shipped from myoilgear.com which may be a con for some of you.

FINAL THOUGHT --

I definitely recommend considering these products for your at home needs.  Prices are comparable to others and GreenAir is a trusted and respected company.  Products usually come as singles or in packs of three, six or twelve (depending on the item), if you are looking at purchasing larger quantities I would recommend contacting the company first to see if bulk pricing is available.

If you are not familiar with GreenAir and their products, you can find them here --

Website - http://newgreenair.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/newgreenair

Twitter - https://twitter.com/newGreenair

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/SpaVapor/

Let's talk ingestion....

This is an important conversation so I am going to preface this with some equally important information.  I AM NOT a certified, registered or clinical aromatherapist.  I am a person who is passionate about essential oils, who is on her way to becoming a professional.  I am also not aligned with any company.  In fact, I use many well respected companies when I purchase oils. 

I consider myself fortunate because I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with many professional aromatherapist with varying years of experience.  They have been very generous in sharing their knowledge with me and guiding me as I learn more about oils and aromatherapy. 

Now, you may be wondering why I am talking about this if I am not a professional. I feel as though I may be able to help those who are in the very position I found myself in not too very long ago.... 

Being brand spanking new to essential oils and

being inundated with conflicting information.

While maneuving these rough waters, I have discovered that there 4 categories of people involved in the controversy over internal use... 

1) DRINK ALL THE ESSENTIAL OILS!!!!  These are more often than not people who belong to particular companies, who have been told by friends and upliners that ingestion multiple times a day is 100% safe.  These people almost always have no essential oil training and when asked for "proof" or "research" will start parroting the same marketing ploys that were used on them. 

2) NEVER USE ESSENTIAL OILS INTERNALLY!!!  Safety renegades.  They feel as though it is NEVER appropriate in any case to use oils internally.   

3) USE THEM INTERNALLY (WHEN NECESSARY) BUT USE THEM SAFELY AND CORRECTLY!  These are where your professionals lie.  This is also where you will find those who are not certified but are passionate about oils and take courses regularly.  This is the comfy middle ground.  It make sense when you think about it.  How often is being an extreme a good thing!?!? 

4) NEWBIES!  We've all been there.  You are interested in essential oils, you are curious about using them so you ask seemingly innocent questions.  Chances are if you've asked about ingestion, you found yourself in a whirlwind of facts, claims, anecdotal evidence and insult flinging.  You are not sure where you stand or if you ever want to open a bottle of essential oils again. 

So, now onto ingestion. 

 Here's what we do know- 

*Ingestion has its place within the field of aromatherapy but there are contraindications, adverse effects (some that are medication as well as condition specific) and proper methods of administration that need to be considered not only with each oil but with each individual.  

*Improper administration of essential oils internally can and has caused mucous membrane burning, esophageal damage as well as gastrointestinal upset of varying degrees.    

*Incorrect dosing can, overtime (timeline varies based on oil and liver function), cause liver toxicity as the chemical constituents build up in the liver.  

*Some oils have been proven safe as food additives but that has no bearing on safety in regards to therapeutic usage. (For more information, please see - http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/)

*Some oils have been proven safe for internal use when correct methods of administration (usually via suppository or enteric coated tablets) are employed.

*Adding essential oils to water is NEVER considered a safe method of administration. 

*The leading cause of poisoning in regards to essential oils is directly related to ingestion. 

*In countries where ingestion has been used for many years, the oils are prescribed by physicians trained in internal usage. 

*In the above mentioned countries, ingestion is still not used as a regular means of treatment. 

*Safety recommendations for internal use are NOT BRAND SPECIFIC!  No matter what your upline tells you!  Safety recommendations are across the board as the research done on essential oils is also NOT brand specific. 

Here's what we don't know.... 

*The efficacy or safety of all oils in regards to ingestion. 

*Safety in regards to regular/routine usage. 

*The full range of side effects in regards to various time frames of usage.

Unfortunately, the research into essential oils and ingestion specifically is minimum so it is VITAL that we work with the information that is currently available to us.  

While we hope that with the increase usage of oils, research will increase but it could still be many, many years before we have a very clear imagine of the range of efficacy and safety of oils. Modern medicine was predated by the usage of herbs and there still isn't as much research available as herbalist would like there to be because, frankly, the money isn't there.

The decision to ingest is yours and yours alone but I URGE you to think about a few things before you do so –

Do you have enough knowledge about the safety and efficacy of oils when used internally?

Have you done any independent research or are you basing your decision off of what someone else is telling you?  And if you are, did you take time to consider their education or what they have to gain from your internal usage.

Is there another (safer) way to accomplish what you want to gain through ingestion?

Why do you NEED to ingest?

So, where do I stand? 

I am in a subset group of group 4.  While I believe and have seen research to support the safe internal usage of essential oils when administered properly, I do not ingest.  I have found zero need to ingest as inhalation and topical application have proven to be very effective.  I also do not ingest because I do not feel that I have enough knowledge to do so safely.

Where do you stand?

Below I have included articles, blog entries and safety statements from various aromatherapy organizations, schools and aromatherapist that are specific to ingestion.  I hope you find them informative.

http://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/naha-safety-statements/

http://www.alliance-aromatherapists.org/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-safety/

http://theida.com/essential-oils/the-internal-use-of-essential-oils-an-exploration

http://www.westcoastaromatherapy.com/free-information/articles-archive/essential-oil-safety-internal-use/

http://www.atlanticinstitute.com/blog/2014/11/8/essential-oils-can-be-taken-internally

http://www.learningabouteos.com/index.php/2013/08/06/ingesting-essential-oils/

http://empoweredsustenance.com/ingesting-essential-oils/

http://www.thebarefootdragonfly.com/why-essential-oils-are-not-water-flavoring-agents/

http://essentialoilblogging.com/2014/01/14/can-essential-oils-be-ingested/

https://www.naturesgift.com/aromatherapy-information/essential-oil-safety/#internal-use

New Diffuser Blend

Citrus essential oils are my all-time favorite oils.  They are bright, uplifting, remind me of summer and generally make me feel good.

With the cold front that has blown in, we all needed a little bit of brightness and a reminder of summer so I put together the following blend, Sweets Shoppe.

The name tells you everything you need to know about the scent.  The kids and I really enjoyed it so I wanted to share it with you.

What are your favorite oils to diffuse?  Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day!

Reusable Cloth Food Wraps

It's a cold, wet and generally miserable day here in West Virginia.  I'm supposed to be working on lesson plans but didn't much feel like it, so to distract myself I decided to finally try my hand at making reusable food wraps.

I heard about them last year but never got around to making them.  They were said to be super-simple to make and clean (a bit of soap and hot water will do the trick) as well as a great way to replace plastic wrap as well as sandwich bags. 

The materials are pretty basic; food-grade beeswax (grate or purchase pastilles), cotton fabric (don't forget to wash it) and pinking shears.

There are three methods to accomplish making these reusable food wraps: using an iron, your oven or a pan.

Iron Method:

Supplies at the ready!
Ironing board, parchment paper, iron,
 shears, beeswax and cotton fabric.

Cut your fabric to the size you desire.  Cover your work space with parchment paper, and then cover your ironing board with parchment.  Lay the fabric on top of the parchment, sprinkle beeswax onto it (don't add too much or it will run down the sides) and then cover it with another sheet of parchment.  Use your iron to melt the beeswax, spreading it across your fabric.  When finished, remove the fabric from the parchment and hang until cooled.

Melting the wax.

.

THE END RESULT:

Final thoughts the on iron method: I won't be doing this again.  Yes, it is easy.  Yes, if you are careful clean up should be fairly simple. However, even with all the parchment I still somehow managed to get beeswax on my ironing board cover.  NOTE: I have seen where people have used old blankets to make a makeshift ironing area so they didn't have to worry about any leaks or drips.

The other problem I ran into is that I needed to add more beeswax and while doing so I got just distracted enough to flip the parchment wax side up and set my hot iron right on it.  Now my iron isn't ruined but in this house, distractions are a constant. If there is an easier way to do this with minimal mess, I'm game!  :-)

Oven Method:

Covered with beeswax and ready for the oven.

How to do it: Cut fabric.  Heat your over to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Place your fabric on the aluminum foil and sprinkle beeswax over fabric.  Place in oven for 4-6 minutes or until the wax is completely melted.  Remove from oven and hang fabric to dry.

The End Result:

Cooled and ready for use.

Final Thoughts on Oven Method:

For me, this is the way to go!  Super easy, no fuss, no muss!  When you are finished, just throw the aluminum foil away or fold it up and save it to make more at a later date.

Pan Method:

I had every intention of giving this a go but to be honest, after trying the oven method I see no reason to sacrifice a pan to the beeswax gods!  If you've ever worked with beeswax, you understand the difficulty that can come with cleaning it up.

This is a great way to use up fabric scraps and random fat quarters you have lying around.  You can use various sizes of rubber bands to secure the food wraps to containers.  For sandwiches you can can keep them closed.  I've seen where some bloggers have even stitched large buttons to one corner and wrapped twine of string around the button to keep them secure.  

These good wraps can be as simplistic or fancy as you choose for them to be.  If you are frequently taking dishes to potlucks, you may want to consider embroidering your name or initials on them.  :-)

Have you made reusable food wraps?  What method did you use?  Do you like them?  Feel free to share your thoughts and pictures below!

Have a wonderful weekend!

REVIEW - Herbal Cold Care - Natural Remedies for Cold & Flu Season

If you follow my Facebook page, you may remember that at the end of October I shared an offer from the wonderful people at Learning Herbs.  The offer was for Rosalee de la Foret's Herbal Cold Care course.

I finished the course yesterday and wanted to share a quick review with you.

This isn't the first product or course that I've purchased from the Learning Herbs family.  I am a member of their paid site, Herb Mentor.  Two years ago, I purchased their video series, Rosemary's Remedies, we have an HerbFairies membership for Abbie and we also own their game, Wildcraft.  As I type this I am anxiously awaiting the re-release of their Taste of Herbs video series.

Needless to say, this is a company that I have a long history with.  When this new course was made available, I was nothing short of excited.

When you first sign in, this is what greets you.....a crisp, well organized and user friendly website.

To the left, you have the videos available in this series, there are 11 (counting the Welcome message).  Topics covered include, dosing, prevention, sore throats, coughs, congestion and fevers.

In the top right corner, you will find links to information about Rosalee, submitting questions, course bonuses, tech support, as well as where you can get herbs (a 10% discount from Mountain Rose Herbs is even made available to participants).

As you scroll to the bottom of the screen, you will find links to the recipes, downloadable audio, slides and transcripts.

The course videos are clear and concise.  Rosalee has a voice that is knowledgeable, down to Earth, easy to listen and very well spoken.  She not only takes the time to clear up common myths/fears related to not only herbs and conditions but she makes herbalism personable.

I appreciate the fact that the herbs in the course are easily accessible, safe and easy to use.  It could have been very easy to use complex, harder to find herbs for this series and she chose not to go that route which makes this perfect for someone who is just starting out.  Even as someone who has been using herbs for a while, I found this course informative.  I also appreciate the fact that throughout the series, she offers many other sources of information.

Let's talk about the bonuses because who doesn't like getting more than what they paid for!?!?!?

• 22 beautiful and detailed herbal monographs
• The Ultimate Elderberry E-book
• Herbal Remedies for Children E-book
• The Key to Winter Wellness Chart
• 50 Herbal Recipes

We've covered all of the positive....so, time for the negatives, right?  Well, the only negative I have to offer you is that this is NOT available year 'round!  With that said, it will be available until November 15, 2014 for $50.00 off.

Whether you are new to herbs or you've been dabbling in them for a while now, I truly believe that you will find the information in this course valuable.

I hope you check it out!  If you do, let me know what you think in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Our Top Ten Favorite Board Games

If you follow me on Facebook, you've probably notice the occasional mention of various board games we've purchased.  Over the past year, we have become huge card/board game junkies.  We play regularly as a family and even meet up with friends for weekly game nights.

I was recently asked to compile a list of our favorite games so instead of just offering my opinion, I asked Eric and the kids to give me a list of their top ten favorite games.  

Here are our overall favorites in no particular order (Below, I will list everyone's favorites individually incase you want to check them out too.)

Ticket to Ride is a great family game.  The basic goal of the game is to get enough train cards to complete the various routes you are given before someone else runs out of trains.  Of course, this can be hampered by others who are either trying to complete their routes or are just trying to make sure you don't win.  It's pretty fast paced and suitable for the whole family.  Scoring is very easy.  Days of Wonder has come out with expansions for the game as well as variations that take place in different parts of the world.  

Small World was one of the first "non-traditional" board games we purchased and the jumping off point of our obsession.  In Small World, each player is a different mythical race and we are all battling to conquer the land.  This is another great family game.  Once you figure out the special feature of each race, the rules are pretty straight forward.  The races and their abilities are change with every game allowing for loads of replay value.  Days of Wonder has also come out with various expansions and variations on this game.

I love this game!  Betrayal at House on the Hill is like a horror movie in board game form.  This game starts out as a cooperative game where each player is maneuvering through an abandoned house gathering items and experiencing horrifying events.  As the game progresses it is reveled that one of you is a traitor who lead you here to aid some evil being in completing their dark and demented plan.  I do not think you can play two games that are exactly the same.  As you maneuver through the house you are actually picking a different floor plan every game and once the traitor is revealed there are 50 haunt scenarios to play through.

I do not think there is a week that goes by where the kids do not pull out King of Tokyo.  This is a very kid and family friendly game that is fast paced and easy to learn.  Choose to be one of six giant monsters battling for the rights to be named the King of Tokyo.  Iello Games has created an expansion pack for the game and a variation on it that is based in New York.

Bubble Talk is nothing short of hilarious and even borderline inappropriate when you have the right (or wrong) people playing with you.  The premise of the game is simple enough -- each player takes turns choosing a picture and their opponents have to caption it.  The person with the best caption get the picture and the first player to have five pictures wins.  There are loads of pictures and captions offering lots of replay value.

Tsuro of the Seas is gorgeous game where the players are seafarers trying to maneuver an ocean full of water dragons.  If you can avoid the dragons and other ships while NOT falling off the edge of the world, you are the kid of the high seas.  Another great family game that teaches strategy and the art of thinking ahead.  This game also has a lot of replay value as the dragons are constantly taking the place of the tiles you place to move and when your tiles intersect with those of another player, your path through the sea changes.  Tsuro of the Seas is the second in a series.  The original is Tsuro.  I have not played Tsuro yet but from what I have seen, play through is similar and the artwork is equally beautiful.

    Castle Panic is a cooperative game where the players work               together to protect their castle from the onslaught of 49                     monsters, some with special powers.  This is another quick play       game that is fun for everyone!

Forbidden Island is another great cooperative game that is appropriate for all ages.  The goal is to collect all of the islands ancient artifacts and get off the island before it sinks into the ocean, never to be seen again!  Game play is pretty straight forward.  The island layout is different every game and just when you think it has become too easy, you can increase the rate at which the island sinks.  Gamewright, creators of Forbidden Island have come up with a follow up game, Forbidden Desert that offers similar game play but (in my opinion) offers more of a challenge.

Pandemic - Now here is a game that will frustrate you to no end and leave you coming back for more.  This is a game of beat the clock....or rather beat the spread of disease.  Players work together to try to cure and eradicate 4 different diseases as they spread across the globe.  It may sound easy but just as you think you have a handle on things, BAM...there's another epidemic.  We have lost this game more than we've won it and it is still a favorite.  There are also expansions available as well as a brand new dice game for a quick, 30 min, play.

Letters from Whitechapel is another gloriously frustrating game.  As one player (Jack the Ripper) moves around the Whitechapel District of London over four knights killing five women the other players work together to track and hopefully catch Jack.  If you play this.....bring your deduction skills to the table because trust me, you will need them!  Also, huge bonus for history buffs, the dates of the murders, the names of the victims and the officers who worked the case are historically accurate.

My personal favorites - Ticket to Ride, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Pandemic, Small World, Shadows Over Camelot, Munchkin Quest, Suspend, Letters from Whitechapel, Bubble Talk and Forbidden Desert.

Eric's personal favorites - Letters from Whitechapel, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Ticket to Ride, Mouse Trap, Small World, Risk, Chess, Forbidden Island, Pandemic....no, I didn't count wrong...Eric couldn't think of a number 10 favorite game.

Bryce's personal favorites - Munchkin Quest, Betrayal at House on the Hill, King of Tokyo, Small World, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Tsuro of the Seas, Resistance, Castle Panic and Forbidden Island

Noah's personal favorites - King of Tokyo, Small World, UNO, Jenga, Tsuro of the Seas, Monopoly Deal, Bubble Talk, Resistance, Castle Panic and Suspend.

Abbie's personal favorites- UNO, Risk, Phase 10, Ticket to Ride, Story Cubes, HedBanz, Tsuro of the Seas, King of Tokyo, Castle Panic and Bubble Talk.

Before you ask, I know many of these games cannot be found at your local bog box store but no worries!  Check your are for local game/hobby shops.  Many even offer rooms where you can pre-play games to see if they are something you want to invest in and there is the added bonus of supporting your local community.  However, if there are not game/hobby stores in your area all of these games can be purchased online either through Amazon, the publisher or other board game retailers.

If you do not have a hobby/game shop that lets you preview games or you would rather check them out at home before venturing out, check out the Table Top series with Will Wheaton on Geek & Sundry.

What is your family's favorite game?  Share in the comments below!

*Product Review* GreenAir SpaVapor Pro

GreenAir has once again been gracious enough to send me a diffuser to review!  This time we are going to take a look at their SpaVapor Pro.

 

 

Product Information - 

• Base is available in three colors -- White, Blue and Pink
• Six hour run time with auto-shut off -- It should be noted that run times can vary slightly based on the amount of minerals in your water.  
• Holds 200ml (6.7628 fl. oz.) of water
• Rotating LED lights (Purple, Blue, Red, Green or Natural Light)
• Setting options - Rotating Lights, Solid Color, No color, Off
• Coverage - 400 square feet
• Requires as few as 5 drops of essential oil
• 360 Degree Nozzle

Like the AromaMister, the SpaVapor Pro requires no special tools for assembly and comes in three pieces.....the base, the lid and the AC adapter.

Plug in the adapter, add tap water and essential oils, place lid on and press the button.

Notice the fill line.  If you fill past it, the SpaVapor will not work properly.

 

 

Pros - 

• Covers more square footage.
• Good quality product at a reasonable price.
• Easy to use
• Easy to clean
• The lid!!  I was so excited to see that this lid fits securely to the base.  Not only does it fit securely but it requires a little bit of effort to get it off the base.  Trust me, when you have three kids and several animals this matters!  :-)
• Bonus LED color!  While this probably seems silly, none of the descriptions for the SpaVapor Pro mention a red LED so imagine my surprise when mine turned red.  
• Quiet
• Lightweight 

Cons - 

• 360 degree nozzle - While I think it is great that you can direct where your diffusing goes, I find the nozzle difficult to turn.  I would NOT recommend trying to turn it while it is on the base....especially if said was has water in it....you may end up wearing it!  I also really, REALLY wish that it turned mechanically but I realize the increased cost involved with that type of addition.
• Lack of interval options - As I said with the AromaMister, I wish there was other time settings available as I prefer not to run a diffuser more than 60 minutes at a time as is recommended by many aromatherapist.  However, that doesn't stop me from using it.  I just make an effort to remember to turn it off regularly.  I know that GreenAir recently came out with a brand new diffuser that offers more settings, maybe I will be lucky enough to get my hands on some.  ;-)  If I do, you will be the FIRST to know.

Conclusion - 

Another great product from GreenAir.  I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a diffuser that covers a larger living space and ESPECIALLY if you have children or animals.

Interested in GreenAir?  Find them here:

GreenAir Online - http://newgreenair.com/index.html

GreenAir Blog - http://newgreenair.com/blog.html
Find GreenAir on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/newgreenair