DIY Life

The quiet stirrings of the water with every slight movement, the all-over soothing warmth, the big wet water hug. Can you tell I enjoy a good bath (as does my son in the picture!)?

Baths can be therapeutic as well as relaxing, and have been for years. Herbs and essential oils can intensify the healing properties of a bath.

Third Age has some great tips on how to create your own amazing bathing experience. They suggest dry brushing before a bath to stimulate blood flow to help release toxins more efficiently.

Some other tips they mention:

Winter is not my favorite time of the year, as I have a metal rod attached to my backbone. Now that the cold weather is here,my husband has to hear me complain on a daily basis about my aching, tired and sore back muscles.

Sore muscles are no fun to deal with, but Tipnut tells us how to make microwave heating pads that will soothe all of our aches and pains. You can sew two pieces of cloth together and fill with rice, corn, flax seed, or barley. In addition, you can add different scents and spices, such as lavender, rose petals, ginger, nutmeg, or mint to help ease your aching, sore, and tired muscles. You can use a sock, or even a plastic zipper bag if you are in a pinch and need comfort now.

Experiment with the scents and fillers that work well for you and your aches and pains. Making homemade microwave heating pads is nicer than buying them, though, as you get to choose the filler, fabric and scents that you need. If you're so inclined, you can make them as Christmas gifts too, and give them to the pain sufferers in your life.

Heat therapy bags sooth sore muscles leaving. They are the perfect way to end a stressful day. They also make great Christmas gifts. The store bought ones are pretty bland in design and don't typically have essential oils or other special touches. Sew, Mama, Sew has a fabulous tutorial on making your own rice heat therapy bags. Here's what you'll need to make your own bag:

• Fabric scraps
• 1/4 yard of linen
• 1/4 yard of muslin
• 2lbs short or medium grain rice
• Essential oil of choice
• 4" long of 3/4" wide Velcro

Kristin's tutorial will show you how to turn those materials into a fashionable heat bag. I haven't used a heat bag with essential oils but I imagine the aromatherapy would be an added luxury in this soothing bag. She also talks about making a freezer bag. Calling it the "Boo-Boo bag", it's great for little ones when they hurt themselves. You could choose bright kid's fabric and make healing fun. Another project is the eye therapy bag. It refreshes tired eyes with flax seed. The bags have removable and washable covers which is really handy. She's thought of everything in this thorough tutorial and the super cute bags will make great stocking stuffers!