Thanks for all the good feedback. DH also likes the door curtain. I have enough duvets to make the matching curtains (it was a very random purchase) but all the carefully chosen plans for decoration in the study and living room that I have would go flying out of the window. On the other hand, they are really just thought experiments. I am considering my options.
Back on 3rd January I made the diffusers. There is some nice scent coming from them, but it has faded a great deal. I still get occasional flashes of the bergamot drifting past, but I am not sure that they are worth it.
The big question comes down to this - do I want to waste the fifty diffuser reeds left over (60 for £2.49) or do I want to spend another £10 on cheap vodka which will probably make several more? I have the essential oils in. I was thinking that I could use small bottles that have held sauce instead of the Merlyn bottles. Or I could try some of the flute type glasses, as a narrow opening is supposed to be important. I have one or two in the back of the cupboard, and I have a trip to some charity shops planned. I may be able to pick up a narrow necked bud vase, or a brandy glass. I shall keep my eyes open.
I would put some of the tumbled chip gemstones in, top up with the scented mixture and insert the diffuers. The chip type gemstones would be, in this thought experiment, from a necklace from a charity shop. You can find them loose on eBay as well.
It comes down to, do I want to spend more money on something that isn't working brilliantly? Once I have made the initial outlay of stones and clear glass containers, I think that the £10 of vodka and occasional £1.60 or so of essential oil will last a long time and I do like the scent, but it is a scent that you brush past, rather than scenting the whole room. I could just throw out the reeds that I have left over, but that goes against the grain with me.
I think I shall see what I find in the charity shops next week. If I can get what I want for less than £5 then I may consider it. I will update if anything happens.
Do you have to use vodka in the diffuser? Can't you use rubbing alcohol (isopropyl; you might call it surgical spirit in England), instead? Seems to me, I recall the recipe you posted mentioning something about rubbing alcohol. We can buy a bottle of the stuff here in our dollar stores (similar to your pound stores, I suppose), for, well, $1 for a 16 fl. oz (473mL) bottle. That might work out cheaper than the vodka.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, you have the makings for 5 diffuser kits to give as gifts to friends or family over the year! Each kit will contain 10 reeds, a bottle of essential oil, and an empty container to be used as the diffuser. Print out a label with the instructions, and all the person receiving will have to do is provide the alcohol of his/her choice to use in it!
And, should you want to make additional diffusers after you have given away your purchased reeds, I read that one can use any type of twigs, etc. If you have any lavender stems from your garden, they might make great reeds since they come pre-scented, so to speak.
But then, that's me - always looking to save a dollar! Bless is just one of my names; Frugal is another (although, some might just say cheap!) :D
Don't forget that your nose quickly becomes accustomed to the smell of any scent in your house, which is why you stop noticing the diffuser. (That's why Glade markets a plug in with several scents which go in turn).
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could make another flavoured diffuser, and rotate them weekly? Just stopper-up the one that you aren't using.
Just a thought
oh my, those diffusers are giving you too many headaches and causing you to spend more money. Just cut your losses, give them to charity shop and buy an air freshener !
ReplyDelete