Make Great Gifts Any Time of Year

Bath Salt Bonanza

When the time for teacher gifts rolled around again, my daughter and I decided to try our hands at bath salts. And I’m so glad we did. For less than $2 per gift, we were able to create thoughtful tokens of appreciation that provide relaxation benefits for the recipients.

Bath salts make great gifts for hostesses, babysitters and friends. If you get started during warmer months, you can make the most of local harvests, take your time and enjoy the process. If you are making bath salts during the colder months, you can order your organic materials online.

There is no doubt in my mind that once you try making bath salts at home, you’ll become hooked. No matter what time of year you make bath salts, you will enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are all stocked up on gifts.

This recipe provides enough bath salts for 12 pint-size canning jars with some leftover to keep for your family.

Gather from local shops or order online:

• 8-pounds Epsom salts
• One tube sea salt (26.5 oz)
• 2.2 pounds dark pink Himalayan salt
• One 16-ounce box baking soda
• Organic ingredients with a strong scent such as roses, lavender, etc.
• Several drops of pure essential oil to complement organic ingredient
• Cotton muslin bags or 8-inch squares of cheesecloth
• 12 yards sheer ribbon (see if you can match your organic ingredient)
• 12 labels to complement bath salt colors
• Marker(s) to address labels

Harvest rose petals or lavender buds early in the morning while the temperature is still cool. You will need enough to spread out in a single layer over two large cookie sheets. The more organic ingredients you include, the stronger the scent of your salts and the prettier the appearance, so gather more than you think you’ll need.

Spread clean petals or buds out in one layer on the cookie sheets and leave them in the oven overnight. Make sure no one turns on the oven in the meantime.

The next day, combine the three salts and the baking soda in a large container. In a large roasting pan, cooking pot, or any large non-leaching metal container (we used disposable roasting pans), begin with a layer of the salt mixture and alternate with a layer of organic material. Don’t layer the organic material too thickly as you want the salt mixture to absorb the oils from the petals or buds. Once finished, cover the container with a double layer of paper towels and then tin foil. Put the container away in a cool, dry place, and forget about it for a couple of weeks.

Assemble your canning jars with caps off. Open your salt mixture up and smell. There should be a relatively strong scent of your organic material. If the scent is not as strong as you would like, try mashing the mixture with a potato masher and see if this brings out a stronger fragrance. If the scent is still not as strong as you prefer, add several drops of essential oil and stir the mixture until the aroma becomes clear and clean.

Scoop your bath salts into the jars, shaking each jar several times to help the salts settle. Overfill each jar slightly and shake it before you knock the leftover back off. Cap your jars and put whatever salts are leftover in a sealable glass container of your own. There will be between a pint and quart left for you to enjoy.

If you aren’t sure of your recipients, put your ribbon, labels, and muslin bags/cheesecloth aside for a later date. When you are ready to package the bath salts, address your labels. Cut ribbon to arm-length and poke a hole through the end of a label with a single-hole punch. Tie a bow snugly below the mouth of the jar so the pretty side of the label faces out and the muslin bag/cheesecloth is tucked up under the ribbon.

Store your salts in a cool, dry place until the gift-giving season rolls around. And smile, because when the next gift-giving occasion arises, you will be ready!

Tips for saving money on homemade bath salts:

• Check your local discount stores for materials first. I found Epsom salts, baking soda, and ribbon for a total of $5.
• For supplies, you need to order online, place the orders at least a week before you plan to start.
• Purchase your canning jars in a pack of for the best price. Watch for sales during the canning season.
• Etsy.com has a wide range of beautiful yet inexpensive labels you can print on your own printer onto matte photo paper. Once you’ve purchased the label template, you can use it as many times as you like.
• Skip the food coloring. White salts are a nice contrast to the pink salt and organic materials.
• If you like a country-look for your gifts, you can cut up small squares of fabric and screw them under the tops of your lids.