The world can be a tough place, but it doesn't have to be a stinky one. Stash and carry your favorite fragrances anywhere with handcrafted aromatherapy diffusers.
For this project, you will need just a few simple things: air dry clay, a knife, a needle with a large eye, cord, a toothpick, and essential oil(s).
You may wish to use other small items to make impressions in the clay. If you don't plan to use all your clay at once, you might also want a plastic container or bag that seals so that your clay will remain moist and pliable.
After you open your clay, soften it with your hands and then take an amount about the size of a golf ball. Make it into a sort of rough cup, into which you will put 8 - 10 drops of essential oil(s). Then, pinch the top of the clay closed around the oil pool, and roll it into a ball. When you are rolling the clay into a ball, take your time so that the oil(s) will be distributed evenly within the clay.
Once you have finished rolling the ball, lay it on your surface and flatten it with your hands. If your essential oil bottle is cylindrical, you can use it as a rolling pin to get a smooth surface.
Once you've rolled your clay into a flat shape about as thick as a smart phone, use the knife to cut it into any straight-edged shape you like. Trim and push the unused clay to the side for later use. If you want something round, you can use the open end of a glass or jar in the size you like. A favorite cookie cutter, that would work as well.
Gently slide the blade of the knife under the edge of the clay to lift it from your work surface. You want to do this before you embellish it because otherwise there is a chance that your design work will be damaged if the wet clay doesn't lift off smoothly.
After you've shaped and trimmed your clay, you can either leave it plain, or embellish it by gently pressing small objects into its surface. You can use a toothpick to create the lines shown in the image below.
Then use your toothpick to create a hole near the edge of your diffuser.
Use your knife to gently lift and uphold the area near the hole from the work surface. Thread the needle with the cord, and then use it to pull the cord partway through the hole.
Hold one end of the cord while you pull the rest of it through the hole, and then tie both ends into a square knot near the edge of the clay. Leave at least 2" on each end so you can use them to attach your diffuser to other things.
Once you've tied your knot, gently finish removing the clay from your surface. You can put it back, but just make sure you don't have it pressed down. Let it rest and dry out for 48-72 hours, and it will be ready for you to use.
That's it. You're done. If you have leftover clay, you can use it to make jewelry, other things, or just more diffusers in other shapes, like these shown below.
If you enjoyed working with clay, you can get some great ideas for other projects at Creativebug. It's completely free with your Alachua County Library District library card. Learn more about aromatherapy, some excellent titles are:
The family guide to aromatherapy: a safe approach to essential oils for the holistic home
Essential oils : all-natural remedies and recipes for your mind, body, and home
Also, if you are interested in more than just making things smell nice, did you know that you can get a master's degree in aromatherapy from at least two accredited universities? They are the American College of Healthcare Sciences and the Maharishi International University, accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), respectively.
Also, there are at least two professional associations for aromatherapists. One is the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) and the other is the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IPFA). So you can have fun learning about and playing with essential oil, or you can have fun learning about and earning a living with essential oils. Either way, have fun and keep learning.