msjudy's homemade soaps...from the Reed Family Ranch
....cleaning up this planet, one bar of soap at a time!
Volume 2, Issue 1
January 2, 2006
Email MsJudy

Latest Trend in Home Fragrance …. Scent Diffuser Reeds

“Keep home fragrance simple, elegant and effective” that’s my motto. I have been looking for a clean alternative to candles, potpourri & stick incense without the mess, fire hazards and short fragrance life. This method is “flame-free” using absolutely no form of heat so they are safe in home, classrooms, offices & nursing homes. Reed diffusers are wonderful for they emanate NO soot or film onto your furniture, walls and ceiling the way candles do. When I was recently in Fredericksburg with Oljim, my husband. He purchased diffuser reeds for me. What a sweetheart! I placed my diffuser reeds in a lovely apothecary bottle that looks beautiful and added my own essential oils. To my pleasure it scented my rooms with ease. Each morning I get up & turn my reeds upside down so new scent fills the air. How wonderful is that!

Since these are so new on the market, I’ll try to give you as much information as possible about this product idea. The diffuser reeds are 12 to 12.5 inches long. They can pull up a fragrance to the tips in about 24 hours for a passive scent system. I recommend 15 reeds per glass bottle for a large room, however for a bath or bedroom you may require fewer. Rattan reeds are the premium type of reed and work far superior to bamboo for they are very porous and are excellent for diffusion. They are straight cut for a beautiful display. The reeds I have are rattan and not bamboo.

You may use any type of apothecary bottle however, I have found a lovely clear glass apothecary style bottle. If you desire to paint the outside surface I recommend craft paints intended for glass available at a local craft store. Then you can make the glass any color or design! For Valentines Day, I will offer these bottles with red hearts on a clear background with a red bow.

Another trick is to use DPG, or dipropylene glycol, to slow the evaporation of the fragrance oil used in the bottle. DPG can also be used to "cut" an expensive fragrance to make these diffuser bottles more cost effective. DPG mixed with your fragrance oil will slow the evaporation of the fragrance so the scent lasts longer. Straight fragrance oil may last only a month or two (depending on how much is added to the bottle) but DPG can slow the rate of evaporation so your scent may last up to 4 months or more.

I will mix DPG and your choice of essential oil or fragrance oil & give you a 1 fl oz amber glass bottle. This small amount will get you started. You may then add the mixture to your diffuser bottle when you get home. This will give you 1 fl oz of scent mixture when you set the reeds inside. I recommend starting with 6 reeds & adjusting to obtain your desired level of fragrance. Fan reeds so they don’t touch. Allow the sticks to set initially overnight. Once you see how wonderfully this works, you can try new scents. I’ve had lots of fun with scents from lemon to patchouli. Note: if you have been using an Almond scent in your diffuser bottle and now want Strawberry the reeds should be replaced. Similar fragrances do not need replacement of the reeds when changing scents.

Warning: This product is for decorative use only not food safe. Always wash your hands after handling. Keep out of the reach of children & pets. Caution fragrance oil can stain. Keep away from open flame.

You can purchase these sets or just the reeds from a lot of different places but if you would like to purchase from me here is the information.

Ship customers: due to glass breakage only 15 reeds are shipped. You supply your own glass & fragrance. Cost is $6.50 for 15 reeds & instruction sheet plus tax & shipping.

Local customers: Complete pkg available of 15 reeds, jar & fragrance mixture for $18.00 plus tax. Email me with your order or give me a call at 903-872-6836.

MsJudy’s New Orleans inspired Feature Soaps:

This past summer OlJim & I headed for New Orleans in our Winnebago motorhome. We were in Beaumont at an RV park when the hurricanes began coming into the gulf. Well, you don’t have to tell people in motorhomes or campers when to change plans and head north. So the remainder of our trip was spent in lovely East Texas . However, I really missed that New Orleans experience & wish I could bring that mystique to all my friends that remember the old French Quarter & New Orleans before the hurricane. We certainly wish our Louisiana friends the best on the rebuild of that lovely city.

I have created two new soaps. The first is Tea Olive, which is reminiscent of Southern Louisiana . Osmanthus is a flowering tree found in this area. Osmantuus however is also called Tea Olive or Sweet Olive. It has a delightful mix of citrus and herbaceous scents. This creates a delight for the senses in a fun, flirting New Orleans way. The scented flowers from this tree smell like apricots, jasmine, tangerine with a hint of green moss to anchor this fabulous mixture.

The second soap is Vetivert. Vetivert is another herb that is very popular in this region. You often find people purchasing vetivert fans. In fact I have one in my bedroom from an earlier trip to New Orleans years ago. Vetivert is an amazing fragrance of lime and lemon followed by tree moss, musk, and marine nuances. Hints of sandalwood round out this earthy masculine scent. It may also be spelled vetyver.

NEW! Celebration Sample Boxes

On our website, you will find soap sampler boxes. We already offer five sampler boxes to choose from: Including Down Home, On The Water, The Outdoors, Herbs and Flowers, and Fruits and Nuts. These boxes are all selected for you and decorated with colorful fabric. However, I'm introducing a new box, in which you choose your soaps. Choose any six soaps, and I add fabric to your box and wrap your soaps in the same fabric. Celebrate an anniversary, birthday, graduation, or any special occasion with a sampler. You can find more information on our website. Here's how to order.

Warmest regards,
MsJudy