Paper Palooza: Paper Weight

Ever wonder what cardstock weights mean? Paper weight doesn’t refer to the individual sheets of cut paper or even the package of paper. Paper weight is determined by how much a ream of uncut paper weighs. A ream is 500 sheets of paper, and it is weighed before being cut down to smaller sizes. A ream of 17” x 22” paper would usually be cut down to 8.5” x 11” sheets. 

Higher weights are thicker sheets of paper or cardstock. I can put 65 lb and 80 lb cardstock through my inkjet printer, which is very handy. If you are looking for a good weight for mats for your cards, go with 60/65 lb. I like to use 80 lb for the perfect card base. It will easily handle glue and embellishments, plus your finished card will stand up for display. It’s also easy to score and fold 80 lb cardstock.

My absolute favourite cardstock is Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb Coverstock (Smooth Finish; Solar White). I started using it after a search for the perfect cardstock for colouring with my Copic markers. I soon discovered that it was also the perfect card base. It comes in 8.5” x 11” size. This easily cuts in half to make two 4.25” x 5.5” cards, which will fit into an A2 envelope. Neenah is definitely worth considering as you make your way through the world of paper weights. 

•Paper Palooza is a series of posts for those who Rest•Relax•Restore by playing with paper. Whether you are into cardmaking, scrapbooking, origami or creating your own handmade journals, Paper Palooza is for you. It's the journey.

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Early Literacy #1: It's Never Too Early

 

Early literacy is important and it's never too early. Did you know that newborns come into the world ready to process language? 

In the first 3 years of a baby’s life, they become more aware of the language we use. Each time we read, talk, and sing with them, we help build their understanding of language. 

Reading aloud helps infants and toddlers learn how text works and helps to increase their language and literacy skills as they grow. 

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project promotes early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading because #readingisFUNdamental. 

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project purchases books for young children. When you buy a product that generates funds for The Cupola Corner Literacy Project you are helping to promote early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading. 

Reference: RaisingReaders.org

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Rose Petal Shower Tea

 

As much as I enjoy sitting in a hot tub under the stars, I'm really more of a shower person. 

I love the idea of soaking in a tub with lovely scented rose petals. I thought that maybe I could come up with a similar experience for the shower.

Tub teas are a blend of ingredients that soften and scent the water in which you bathe. The shower tea that I have created will give you a fragrant, uplifting experience with all of the skin benefits of rose petals.

Rose petals are widely used in skincare products. They help to soothe and nourish the skin. A rose petal shower can easily become part of your self care routine. 

The ingredients used in the Rose Petal Shower Tea are safe for your skin. If you have any concerns, try scrubbing just one area first and wait to see if you have any adverse reactions.

•Rose petal shower bags have just three ingredients: 6 parts dried rose petals, 1 part colloidal oatmeal and 1 part grated bar soap (unscented) 

•Mix the dried rose petals and colloidal oatmeal. You can store this part in a glass jar. Keep the grated bar soap in a separate container.

•Fill your soap saver bag with a heaping 1/3 cup (or 7 tablespoons) of the dry shower tea mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of grated bar soap to the bag. 

•In the shower, rub the soap bag between your palms to mix and activate the contents. You are now ready to enjoy an invigorating aromatherapy experience. Add more water to the soap bag, as needed.

After you have showered, empty the bag, rinse it out and then hang to dry. You can reuse your bag, but your shower tea is for one time use only. 

If you don't grow your own roses, you can purchase dried rose petals. For my Rose Petal Shower Tea I used packets of unscented Aveeno oatmeal. One packet is about 1/3 cup which you will mix with approximately 2 cups of dried rose petals. I use a castile bar soap for my Rose Petal Shower Tea and it works quite nicely.

There are lots of different types of soap saver bags. The sisal variety will give you a refreshing exfoliating shower experience. Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get soap saver bags that can be laundered.

Rose Petal Shower Tea is a wonderful treat for the senses and it makes a great handmade gift. Enjoy your rose petal shower!

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Journaling #3: Managing Blood Pressure

 

So, don’t ditch your blood pressure medication, but did you know that studies have shown that journaling can help to lower your blood pressure. You don’t even have to do it every day to see the effects. Plus, you don’t need an app or an online tool. All you need is a pencil or pen and a piece of paper. 

If you are interested in journaling to help reduce your blood pressure, do some research or consult a therapist for suggestions.

• Cupola Corner sells a curated selection of handmade and handbound journals.

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Midsummer Month: A Celebration of June

 

I have decided that June is my favourite month of the year.

What's not to love?

June is part spring and part summer. The days are long and warm. The nights are mostly cool and comfortable. No need for a furnace or an air conditioner.

Midsummer takes place in June. It is celebrated around the world and has been for thousands of years. Traditionally, it falls on or near the summer solstice. 

Bonfires are a common way to celebrate Midsummer. Everything from running naked through the streets to throwing wreaths of flowers into rivers, lakes and streams are part of the festivities worldwide.

In Canada, National Indigenous People's Day is celebrated at Midsummer. June 21st has been designated as a day to recognize and celebrate the culture and heritage of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.

I've never celebrated Midsummer, but now that June is my favourite month I'm thinking that I should celebrate this special time of the year.

My celebration would definitely involve strawberries and rhubarb...sounds like pie will be on the menu. Can't do a bonfire in my backyard, but a floral candle ring wreath would give a nod to two traditional Midsummer traditions. I could round out my celebration with some indigenous music. It sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate my most wonderful time of the year!

June is drawing to a close. I'd better get busy!

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Journaling #2: Cognitive Function

Research involving brain scans has shown that journaling can improve cognitive function. Cognitive function encompasses a number of complex tasks, including learning, thinking, reasoning, memory, problem solving, decision making and attention. That’s a lot of brain work! 

Other research also indicates that writing in a journal can even improve these skills in seniors. So, it turns out that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Journaling is like a workout for your gray matter and just like in sports, the more you practise, the stronger you will get. So, grab a pen and start writing! 

• Cupola Corner sells a curated selection of handmade and handbound journals.

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Simply the rose...

 It's June and that means things are really starting to happen in the garden, especially with the roses.

I've got a lovely collection of climbing roses growing on trellises and the rosebuds are prolific. The first bloom has already appeared and I'm guessing there will be hundreds again this year.

The roses from my garden are used in my Lavender & Rose Potpourri and my Rose Petal Eye Pillows. Such a lovely way to Relax, Refresh & Restore.

Last summer I introduced limited edition Rose Petal Hand Dyed Silk Scarves to my shop. Talk about luxury! Hand dyeing with rose petals is a multi step process from garden to scarf. It takes 36 roses and several days to create a single scarf and every scarf is unique. 

My original watercolour rose print bookmarks are also created using the roses from my garden. These beautiful bookmarks were created using a printmaking technique that involves hand printing different parts of a real rose. These bookmarks support The Cupola Corner Literacy Project, helping young children learn to love reading.

All of these lovely rose inspired creations allow you to enjoy the beauty of the rose year round. Now that's something to celebrate!

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Journaling #1: Managing Anxiety

Studies have shown that writing in a journal has lots of benefits for our mental health. Writing about thoughts and feelings can be a useful tool for managing anxiety. Getting your worries onto paper can help to break the worry cycle by giving you the opportunity to examine your concerns for what they really are. If you are interested in journaling to help reduce anxiety, do some research or consult a therapist for suggestions.

 
*This is the first in a series of posts about the benefits of journaling. These posts first appeared in Cupola Corner's social media. You can use the search box to find other posts about journaling or you can click on the Journaling link in the side bar under Labels/Categories. Cupola Corner sells a curated selection of handmade and handbound journals that are perfect for recording your thoughts, reflections and goals. These journals would also work well as themed journals, such as, vacation, gardening, poetry, quotes, pets, favourite coffees or teas, books that you have read or as a gratitude journal. You could also use them for list making, for reminder notes, as a passowrd keeper or as a sketchbook. 

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How to Air Dry Roses

There are lots of different opinions about the best way to dry roses. I prefer air drying. There are several different ways to air dry. I think what it really comes down to is what you are planning to do with the roses once they are dried.

If you are creating something that needs whole roses, like a wreath, you will want to dry your roses hanging upside down from a line. This will ensure that the blossoms don’t dry drooped over.

Your drying line should be somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of humidity. It should be out of the sunlight to prevent fading, preferably someplace dark. There should be some air circulation. I dry my whole roses in the basement. I have lines strung between the rafters and there is a dehumidifier down there to help with the humidity.

Pick roses that are almost, but not quite fully open. Your roses should be dry. Mid-morning is usually a good time for picking. Cut the stems about 6” or 7” long. Strip the leaves if you wish. Use an elastic to join two stems at the ends and then hang the pair over a line.

Your roses should be dry in about two to three weeks.

Many rose projects just require rose petals. Choose dry, just opened blossoms. Again, mid-morning is a good time for harvesting. Cut a rose from the bush with a pair of pruners. Hold the base of the flower or the stem right up next to the flower and gently twist off the petals. Spread the petals out on a piece of paper or a drying screen. Try to keep the petals from touching each other. Leave them to dry in a dark room with low humidity and good air circulation. Rose petals will air dry in a few days to a week.

I used to use an old window screen to dry rose petals in my basement. I propped up the corners of the screen with cans to ensure circulation. Several years ago, I switched to air drying rose petals with a food dehydrator (Salton) and I’ve never looked back. Rose petals in a dehydrator will dry within a day. Perfect when you have a lot to dry and not a lot of room for laying the petals out. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the individual petals touching each other. Just fill the trays and let the dehydrator do its work.

I also use my dehydrator to preserve rosebuds. I use rosebuds to add some texture and visual interest to my potpourri. I pick rosebuds that are showing colour but have not yet opened. They take a bit longer than petals to dry but will still dry within a day in the dehydrator.

My favourite colour of rose is pink; however, I don’t have pink rose bushes in my potpourri garden. Over the years I have found that red roses dry truest to colour. Pink or white roses often dry with brownish edges, which just doesn’t have the visual appeal of a nicely dried red rose.

Store your dried roses, rose petals and rosebuds in airtight containers in a cool, dark place with low humidity. Whole flowers can be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper if you wish. I generally don’t store whole flowers for long. I either display them in a vase or use them for a project.

I keep rose petals and rosebuds in clean, dry glass jars that have a rubber seal. I put a pickling salt sachet in with the rosebuds. Rose petals keep for a very long time. Depending on the conditions in your home, dried rose petals can last up to four years!

Drying roses is a great way to preserve the beautiful blossoms that grow in your garden. Dried roses on stems are lovely in a vase and look great all winter. Your dried roses, rose petals and rosebuds can be used in a wide range of projects, including potpourri, eye pillows, wreaths, clay face masks, bath salts and rose water. Air drying roses is a simple, cost-effective way to enjoy your rose garden all year long. Give it a try!

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