Witch "Crafts"

               Headache Pillow warm or cold

               Lavender, the flower heads, dried
               Euculytus.
               Rice
               Stretchy velvet(crushed velvet)

               Ok these kinds of things are hard for me.  I go with my
               gut.  So I would use about 3 parts lavender to 1 part
               Euculyptus.  the rice I use about a cup to two cups
               depending on how big I am making it for.  You can make it
               longer to be wrapped around the kneck or just about a foot
               long to be placed on the forhead.
               All you do is make a tube rectangle on the sewing maching,
               leaving room for it to be opened.  Mix the herbs together
               with the rice and pour into the tube.  Sew top on.  I
               usually add a silver loop, or tie the ends with the ribbon. 
                You can zap this in the
               microwave for about 100 on defrost(med) or keep it in the
               freezer. Just mush it around to get the natural scents to
               come out.  I would zap for the kneck and cool for the head.
               You do not even need to do any of this. Just mushing it
               around and placing on the head will help with the scents...
               simple aromatherapy!

using 100% cotton flannel cut a rectangle 15 to 18"
               long
               by 7 to 8" wide.  Stitch two sides (one long, one short), reinforcing
               the
               stitches and finishing the seam w/a zig-zag.  I fill the bag with white
               rice only; if you wanted to *any* of a variety of aromatic herbs could
               be
               added to the rice (bay leaves, lavender buds, eucalyptus leaves, etc.)
               --
               they just have to be completely *dry.* You might also want to experiment
               with some other forms of grain for the filling.  Oh - DON'T fill the bag
               completely!!  It should have at least four or five inches unfilled at
               the
               top.  Use an inch or so of this material to fold down and stitch the bag
               closed; the rest is to allow the filling material to shift around so
               that
               the bag can be comfortably molded to the body.  Depending on your
               microwave
               and the size of the bag, 3 to 4 minutes on high is usually plenty.  Hope
               this helps!

               
Rice Bag Heating Pads

               birdseed could be substituted for rice and dried herbs or essential oils
               added if desired.
Take a 10" square piece of cotton material (cotton only!), fold it in
               half
               (right sides together), and sew one short end and up the long side.  Use
               a
               scant 1/2" seam allowance.  Turn rightside out.  This makes a little
               sack
               to which you add 12 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) uncooked long grain white
               rice. NO CONVERTED, BROWN OR "MINUTE" RICE.  Now turn in the seam
               allowance
               on the remaining open end and finish with sewing across it, locking your
               stitches so the rice can't get out.

               Take another cotton square cut a little bigger, say 10 1/2" x 11 1/2".
               This is going to be the little pillowcase to put the rice bag in.  I
               used a
               plaid cotton flannel.  Sew up this piece like you did the sack only
               finish
               off the open end like on a pillowcase on your bed.  This will be what
               can
               get washed if it gets soiled.  DON'T WASH THE RICE BAG!!

               Now put your rice bag in the microwave oven, set on HIGH and time for 1
               1/2
               to 2 minutes.  You be the judge at how hot you want it to be and this is
               why it all needs to be cotton.

               
No Sew Herbal Heating Pad 

               Use a tube sock turned inside out so the terry cloth part is on the
               outside, fill with uncooked rice and herbs of your choice, then tie a
               knot
               in the sock toward the end.

Corn Pillows

               Heat me up for 3 on high (or whatever time)
               To aches and pains say goodbye
               Keep me cold, did you know I freeze?
               Bumps and swellings are a breeze.

               You will need:
               Two pieces of material ( I use 12 inches long by 6 inches wide)
               Corn that does not pop. This can be bought at a feed store.  Its the
               kind of
               corn to feed animals.  I'm not sure of the exact name. Its wide and
               flat.
               Ribbon or lace for the edge of the pillow.

               Sew three sides of the material with the insides facing each other.  On
               the
               fourth side, leave enough room to insert the corn.  Turn the pillow
               right
               side out, fill with corn, then finish sewing.  Sew ribbon or lace around
               the
               edges to make it pretty or you can just leave it plain if you want to. 
               now
               you have a corn pillow.  Here's the fun part.  Put this pillow in the
               microwave for about three minutes or until it gets the warmth you want. 
               Get
               it just warm enough you can pic it up and it doesn't burn you.  Use it
               like a
               heating pad.  You can put it on the small of your back if your back
               aches or
               at the back of your neck or wherever you want.  It will retain the heat
               for
               several hours. When hot, it smells like popcorn.
 
 

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