Conscious by Chloé

Chloé Lepeltier - Conscious By Chloé

Bonjour & Welcome! Conscious by Chloé is a Sustainable Lifestyle Blog focusing on Zero Waste, Slow Living, and Ethical Fashion.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wands DIY

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    I usually make a point of having the windows open at least 1/2 hr a day (winter included) to renew the air at home, especially since Octave and I both work from the same home office.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    Also, as you may know, Oregon has been plagued with wildfires, the air quality levels here in Portland hit a pretty low level a couple weeks ago, meaning that, for health reasons (it was literally raining ash), we had to keep the windows shut for a couple days.

    I got a little insane, as we have no A/C and the temperatures were still summery, and looked for ways to make our environment better.

    I used the tiny air humidifier Octave gave me as a present a year ago.

    I would turn on the floor fan from time to time to make the hot air generated by both our computers circulate.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    And then, I turned to scents.

    • I made a scented spray - Water + 10 drops of essentiels oils in a sprayer.

    • I brought water to a boil after adding a couple drops of essential oils.

    • I burnt some palo santo. I like to make a ritual out of it after each cleaning session or right before guests arrive.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    But last week, our friends at Tendue gave us A LOT of sage. Octave used some to cook and I decided to finally try to make smudge wands as these can sometimes be pretty pricy.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    SAGE + ROSEMARY SMUDGE WAND DIY

    Smudge wands are the perfect way to make your house feel homey and fresh. Make a ritual by burning them for a specific event, or for no reason at all. Really, it's up to you!

    Active time: 5 min
    Total time: 3 weeks

    Supplies

    • Sage
    • Rosemary
    • 100% coton thread (you want a natural fiber, since you're going to burn it)

    Tools

    • Scissors

    Instructions

    1. Separate the sage and rosemary into tiny bundles.
    2. Tie a knot at the base with your thread.
    3. Roll the thread tightly up and down the bundle.
    4. Tie a final knot.
    5. Hang upside down in a cool dark space until it is completely dried out (2-3 weeks).
    6. Light your wand until it begins to smoke. Blow on it if a flame appears.
    7. Wave the smoke around your house. You might need to light your wand a couple times during the ritual.

    Notes

    Great times to have a sage smudging ritual include: when moving into a new place, before guests arrive, after an illness, before meditating. You can add various scents to your bundle. Some people like to add rose petals, or even tiny rose buds. The options are endless.

    Sage + Rosemary Smudge Wand DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    What are your secrets and rituals for a fresh smelling home?

    Solar Eclipse Wall Hanging DIY

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    As some you may know, next Monday, the "Event of the Century" will pass through Oregon.

    By then, I should be road tripping in the Washington State wilderness, mainly because the timing's right for both Octave and I to take a break, and also because we're not fans of big crowds.

    But still, the solar eclipse frenzy got ahold of us.

    Our neighbors already gave us extra sunglasses (we should sell them on the black market!), our friends took days off to drive to the coast, and "eclipse observation campsites" keep popping up on our Hipcamp radar.

    I've also been meaning to work with clay for a little while and had actually gathered supplies before leaving for Florida.

    You'll see where I'm going with this...

    So, as I had a slow Monday after a week-end at work, I finally dove into it.

    I had no design in mind, but still had a slight memory of the moon phases wall-hangings that were all the rage last year.

    Now you see where I'm going...

    What if I made a solar eclipse wall hanging?!

    The project took me less than an hour (with a couple breaks for clay baking and paint drying) and I'm very happy with the result (considering my lack of patience and drawing skills).

    SOLAR ECLIPSE WALL HANGING DIY

    This is a quick and satisfying DIY to commemorate the August 2017 solar eclipse or any other non-cosmic event.

    Active time: 1 hr
    Total time: 2 hrs

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    Supplies

    Tools

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    Instructions

    • Knead you clay until it is soft and smooth.

    • Roll it out. I hear that certain rollers have depth rings, which would be super convenient. I eye-balled it, so some pieces are thicker than others, but I'm totally fine with it. Consider working directly in your baking tray, so your pieces won't get wobbly when you transfer them from your working area to the baking tray.

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    • Cut into the desired shapes. I used a food plating mold, but cookie-cutter will do the trick, or you can also freehand-cut your shapes with an x-acto knife if you're feeling confident.

    • Preheat your oven following the packaging instructions.

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    • Use a toothpick to pierce holes in your pieces. Make them wide enough so your needle and thread will pass though them.

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    • Bake the pieces following the packaging instructions.

    • Let the pieces cool down.

    • Soften the edges with your sandpaper (optional).

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    • Use your brushes and paint to decorate your pieces (I used some paint that the owners left in our garage to paint my pieces white before adding the gold accents).

    • Let the paint dry.

    • Use your thread and needle to string your pieces together, knotting them along the way to have the spacing you aimed for.

    • Tie a loop at the top to hang your new creation.

    Now you have your own solar eclipse at home!

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    Notes

    You can order your supplies online, get them at your local craft store. I love SCRAP in Portland. It's a nonprofit creative reuse center where you can buy inexpensive (and donated) art and craft materials!

    Oregon Solar Eclipse Clay Wall Hanging DIY

    Photographs by Octave Zangs for Conscious by Chloé.

    I hope you'll have a wonderful week. And don't hesitate to tag me in your creations so I can admire them!

    A Personalized Bath Ritual Kit DIY

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    Last month, a friend of mine celebrated her 30th birthday.

    Finding the perfect gift for someone is not always easy, especially when you're on a budget.

    I had noticed that she really, really loved taking baths (I mean, who wouldn't when you have such a beautiful tub?!), so I decided to make her a personalized bath ritual kit.

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    I had seen one of these kits at a local shop, but their price range was a little to high for me. So instead, I just purchased the candle, sage and crystal there and made my own bath salts, body scrub and ritual card.

    I reused the box and tissue paper of my latest online purchase, took out my favorite washi tape, calligraphy ink & nibs, and voilà!

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    I had so much fun that afternoon! I kept asking Octave to come over and look at how cute everything was. I'm such an annoying studiomate!

    To me, putting time and effort in making a personalized gift means so much more important than buying the most expensive gift.

    I was happy to support a local shop, a local candle maker (whom I met at a flea market a couple days later) and craft a personalized gift for someone I care for.

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    Now if you'd like to make your own bath ritual kit, here are my bath salts and body scrub DIYs.

    And if you also want to make your own candle, here's a link to my soy candle DIY.

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    BATH SALTS

    Taking a hot bath after a long work day is a great way to relax, breathe and take some time for yourself. Light a candle, put on some music, lock the door, and enjoy!

    Active time: 2 min
    Total time: 2 min

    Supplies

    • 2 cups epsom salts
    • 1/2 cup baking soda
    • 1/4 cup finely ground pink Himalayan salt
    • 40 drops of your favorite essential oils

    Tools

    Instructions

    1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
    2. Fill the jars and close them tightly.

    Notes

    My favorite essential oils for bath salts are citrusy but I've also been using a lot of mint lately to fight a nasty cold and breathe better.

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    BODY SCRUB

    A little body scrub goes a long way. Get rid of dead cells, hydrate your skin and get out of the bath all smooth and invigorated!

    Active time: 2 min
    Total time: 2 min

    Supplies

    • 1 tablespoon room temperature coconut oil
    • 2 tablespoons finely ground pink Himalayan salt
    • 3-4 drops essential oils

    Tools

    Instructions

    1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a fork.
    2. Fill the jars and close them tightly.

    Notes

    Rose essential oil seems to be a favorite for body scrubs. You can mix a bigger batch ahead of time if you, for example, are making party favors for guests. Just multiply the volumes by the number of guests. Or just prepare your mixture and use it on the spot with this recipe.

    Bath Ritual Kit DIY by Conscious by Chloé

    Photographs by Octave Zangs for Conscious by Chloé.

    Natural Grout Cleaner

    Natural Grout Cleaner by Conscious by Chloé

    Grout Cleaner

    Supplies

    • 1/4 cup baking soda
    • 1/4 cup borax
    • 2 tablespoons powdered oxygen bleach
    • Hot water

    Tools

    Instructions

    1. In a small bowl, mix the borax, baking soda and oxygen bleach.
    2. Add just enough hot water to make a thick paste and stir to combine.
    3. Once the hot water is added, use the cleaner immediately.
    4. Spread the paste over dirty, moldy or mildewy grout.
    5. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
    6. Scrub gently with a toothbrush.
    7. Rinse.

    Notes

    Acidic cleaners can damage grout, so a safer mixture like this one is preferable to clean dirty, moldy or mildewy grout.

    This recipe was inspired by Erica Strauss' in The Hands-On Home. And here's the complete Natural Cleaning Products Guide.