These easy to make gel air fresheners will brighten any room and keep your budget well within the limit. Young and old crafters can help create these practical home decor and/or gift items.
Supplies:
2 Cups of Distilled Water
2 Tablespoons of Salt
Food Coloring
Glass or Plastic Jars/Glasses/Bowls
4 Packages of Plain Gelatin
Spoon
Drops of scented essential oil or fragrance
Eyedropper
Plastic wrap
Ribbon
Instructions:
Heat to a boil one cup of distilled water and two tablespoons of salt in a saucepan adding as much or as little food coloring as you'd like to obtain the desired coloring to match the room where the air freshener is to reside.
A clear gel air freshener will result if no food coloring is added.
Mix the packages of plain gelatin into the remaining cold cup of distilled water.
Upon boiling, remove the distilled/salt mixture from the heat and add the gelatin/water mixture. This will slightly change the coloring so add more food coloring if necessary.
Stir until the gelatin crystals are dissolved.
Add the essential oil or your favorite fragrance to the air freshener container (about 10-30 drops works well).
Add the gelatin mixture to the jars - it will look cloudy but will clear upon cooling.
Allow the containers to "set" at room temperature overnight.
If you need to cool the mixture faster, place in the refrigerator for a few hours but be aware that the scent will permeate the refrigerator.
Cover the containers with plastic wrap and a coordinating ribbon.
Store at room temperature.
To release the scent, remove the plastic wrap.
Should you wish to spice up the air freshener for home décor or gift giving, try one of these ideas:
Before add the gelatin mixture insert one or more the following items into the container:
Fake flowers - really flowers will wilt, loose their color and mold
Dried flowers, herbs or potpourri
Plastic blocks
Small plastic toys
Glass beads/marble or accessories
Metal charms.
Cinnamon sticks
Hard candy
Holiday Ornaments
A card from a deck
Seashells
Sea or stained glass
Fishing lures
Games pieces
Or anything else your imagination can dream up. Be certain the object isn't organic or mold can occur.
If a floating object is the goal, pour some of the gel mixture into the container, add the object and hold in place with fishing wire. Fill the container with remaining gel mixture. You may have to adjust the object now and then, so keep an eye on it as it hardens. Cut the length of fishing wire just below the gel to hide the evidence.
To make these air fresheners seasonal, try eyeball marbles for Halloween; small plastic Easter eggs for Easter, foam hearts for Valentine's day or floating fish to remember a special vacation or welcome summer to the room.
Tie the plastic wrap, colored if you'd like, with cascading curling ribbon if presenting the air freshener as a gift.
These air fresheners will last from two to six months before loosing their scent. Just in time for another batch to welcome a holiday into your home.
