Healing Cottonwood Lotion Bar (a simple recipe)

 Do you curse those sticky little pods

that come into the house

on shoes, pets and pant legs?

They leave a coffee colored smudge on the floor

and seem to attach themselves to every light colored thing.

They are actually good for something.

They are very healing for dry and cracked garden skin.

To use them, gather those sticky pods

in a dark colored jar, 

cover with olive oil,

let 'brew' for 6-8 weeks.

If you agitate the jar every so often, it helps speed the process.

Drain off the oil for use & discard pods.

It's amazing how this oil now smells like spring.

NOTE: anytime you use beeswax, it should not be

in anything you want to reuse in your kitchen or

keep nice (Thrift store bowls or pots are great.

If you end up throwing them away, at least it

wasn't a favorite.)

My recipe and method for making the lotion bars is simple.

It a clean tin can:

2 parts infused cottonwood oil

2 parts coconut oil

1 part beeswax

(If you've been a follower for a while, you might already have guessed

that these are approximate amounts.  This is a great beginner

project because it is so forgiving & doesn't require

absolutely precise measurements.)

I set it on the edge of the wood stove while I was doing other things.

You may also set the tin can in a pan with water over low-med. heat.

Occasionally stir it with a skewer or twig

(or some other disposable thing.)

Once it is completely melted,

pour into a mold

which can be an actual mold or small butter tub

or any flexible container that can handle a little heat. 

You will need to be able to remove it from the container

so you can use the lotion.

Let cool completely.

This is wonderful for summer time dry cracked hands & feet.

I have a couple of friends that I have shared it with for 

St. Valentine's Day (thus the hearts.)

I usually ask if they have an allergy to cottonwood

because I don't know if it would bother them if they did.

I don't have such an allergy so it doesn't bother me.

Disclaimer!

You are responsible for yourself: your thoughts, your

actions, and your decisions.

I am neither a doctor nor health professional of any sort.

Use at your own risk.  This is shared as informational

and is something my family uses.

I am doing this post now since in our area,

the cottonwood pods come about the end of

March and run through mid to late April.

Depending on your climate,

they might be a little earlier or later.

Wouldn't want you to miss them:)

Doesn't it seem peculiar that some of the things

that seem to most irritate us are actually beneficial.

I am continually amazed by the gifts of nature.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches