A Sensually Scented Home
By: Paul Duxbury

There are many ways to scent your home using perfumes and herbs. In today's world, you will find many gadgets on the market that are designed to make your home smell like scented flower fields or warm ocean winds.

The main problem with using modern products like air fresheners and incense is that the fragrance fades quickly. Air fresheners also put chemicals in the air that those with sensitive lungs may find disagreeable.

There are many alternative ways to scent a home where the fragrance lasts for weeks, months or years...that are not only more affordable but that also smell more wonderful.

One method would be to take squares of cloth and make little pillows about 4 inches square stuffed with herbs or nicely scented potpourri. Lavender buds make wonderful smelling sachets, as do dried citrus rinds and dried flowers.

Place these small pillows wherever you would like the scent to linger...in the bathroom, closet or under your sofa.

You can also make nice decorations of plaster of Paris to hang in your closets, by your windows or in your car. To do this, purchase candy moulds, essential oils (or any scented item like perfume or potpourri) and small twine. Mix the scent of your choice into your plaster of Paris, pour into your moulds, then take pieces of twin and tie the ends into a knot to create a loop. Press the knot into your plaster so that the twine will stay in place once the plaster dries.

A nice twist for this method would be to mould your plaster into small oval Tupperware bowls then stack them neatly in baskets throughout your home, These are known as scented rocks and make attractive d?cor.

A nice way to get the scent of roses in your home would be to make rosewater soaked papers, and use these as stuffing inside of your scented pillows instead of dried florals or herbs.

To do this, simmer a cup of rose petals with one cup of water for 3 to 4 hours until the water is strongly scented. If the water evaporates during the simmering, just add a bit more.

Once the concentration is strong, strain the mixture, then place strips of paper in the water and simmer until most of the water is evaporated. Next, lay your paper somewhere to dry, such as laying them on a towel or hanging them from a clothes hanger. Once dry, tear into little pieces and place in your sachets. Although the scent may not be as strong as you would like, once your pillows have been made and sit in place for a time, you will notice a nice, slight rose scent in your home. You simply need to give your home time to warm the papers, which releases the scent.

You may also use these papers in your vacuum cleaner. Place the strips in an envelope and place the envelope in your vacuums bag. As you vacuum your home, you will notice a nice rose scent in the air.