Infused vodka

After a recent night out at a local vodka bar, my friends and I were keen to try out making our own infused vodka. 

For my first attempt I used raspberries and apple. 

It's just so easy to chop up some fruit stick it in a jar and cover with some good vodka. From all descriptions I found online you just leave it in the pantry and give it a shake twice a day. Test the flavour every couple of days and if need be, replace the fruit after 7 days to increase the flavour or top up with vodka if the flavour is too strong. 

This first try didn't develop a lot if flavour. But there was an apple after taste. Next time I will crush the berries. 

My second test was using a black current puree. The flavour was great after just 5 days, but it wasn't pure black currents, they were in a syrup so the mix does need to be shaken prior to serving. 

Serve straight or with a mixer with a wedge of lime. 

I'm ready for summer!

I may be linked up at these parties.

Lotion bars

Working in early childhood means washing my hands is something I do all day long, so they get very dry and sore if I don't moisturise them often.

I came across this post (via this post) and bells were ringing... I can do this, and there is no risk of finding liquid lotion squirted through my bag at the end of the day.

I dropped into a local health food store and picked up the ingredients. 

I did substitute the almond oil for avocado oil as nut products are discouraged at my work (and I don't need my hand lotion to be the cause of someone else's allergic/ anaphylactic reaction)

One thing I did forget was to grab some essential oils, I used some dodgy oils I had bought ages ago and they just smell fake. So this batch won't be shared, it's all for me.

Want to make some yourself? Mix equal parts of bees wax pellets, coconut oil and avocado oil (or almond/ jojoba etc) in a double boiler, add any essential oils then pour into moulds of choice and leave to set.

I used a metal mini muffin tin and they popped out fine.

If yours don't set firm enough, just melt them down again and add some extra bees wax pellets.

I wonder if I could mask the fake lime smell if I melted them down again????

Now I keep one of these in my bag and in my desk in little containers and the rest are stored together in sealed container in the fridge (just because the weather is getting warmer here and I'm not sure if that will affect them)

I may be sharing at these parties.