Everyday Uses of Essential Oils

Custom Wall Mounted Essential Oil Holder with original leaf design engraved on front

04/29/2026 | canvas22creations

Custom hand carved Essential Oil Holder for doTerra oils — Canvas22Creations Hand carved Essential Oil Holder for the Wall

My family has been using essential oils for years. My husband prefers to diffuse them while I usually use them topically or in recipes. Essential oils have saved me from a cortisone shot in my hip, numbing elbow pain and countless sore throats.

If you’re interested in purchasing DoTerra essential oils use this link for up to 25% discount off retail prices: https://referral.doterra.me/2152480

Melaleuca (Tea Tree):

When my daughter was younger and lice was a thing, we used to add Tea Tree to her hair gel every morning before school to keep the lice away. It does dry the hair, but it also kept the lice out of the house.
My son used to suffer from bad ear infections so to soothe him, we would put a dab of Tea Tree and Lavender behind his ears (not inside the ear canal!).
Now that my daughter is in her teen ears, the unfortunate pimple creeps up, so we tab a little tea tree oil on the unwanted pimple. This has really helped her – she even has her own bottle in her room.

Rosemary:

My tendonitis has gotten worse over the years, especially now from all the pickleball I play. A little Rosemary on the elbow really helps ease the pain – along with Lemongrass. When I use essential oils like this, I usually them to a lotion so I can spread it evenly.

Onguard (Doterra Brand):

This stuff is great!

When we have a sore throat, we add 2-3 drops of Onguard and Lemon to a spoonful of honey and take it like cough syrup. This shouldn’t be done too many times a day – we keep it to 2x a day. This is very soothing.
We pop a few Onguard beadlets whenever we start to feel like we are coming down with something.
Doterra makes an Onguard cleaning concentrate which I put in a spray bottle along with water. I usually add some Lemon and Peppermint to the cleaning spray. This cleaning spray lasts and is great for cleaning grease off the stovetop.

Frankincense (This is a pricy oil):

I had bursitis on my hip – I was doing some weird ballet exercises at the time and working muscles I probably shouldn’t have been working so aggressively. The Dr told me that I needed to get a cortisone shot in the hip. This sounded awful to me, so I did a little research. Frankincense and Rosemary soothed the pain, and I was able to get through the bursitis without any needles.

Cooking with Essential Oils:

You can’t cook with every essential oil so do your research, but below are a few I use in my kitchen. You usually don’t need too many drops – one drop can add a lot of flavor to a dish. I prefer not to actually cook the oils but use it more at the end like a garnish. Lemon is great in tuna salad or green salad – you really only need one drop. I’ve found when using essential oils in broths or in recipes with long cooking times, it’s best when added at the end of the cooking time – it really makes the dish pop with that flavor.

Lemon
- drinking water
- marinades
- tuna salad
- pancake batter
- cake batter
- green salad
- chicken
- seafood
Oregano
- marinades
- soup
- chicken
- use sometimes in my bagel chip recipe
Orange
- drinking water
- cake batter
Grapefruit
- drinking water
Thyme and Rosemary
- marinades
- chicken
Peppermint
- I don’t LOVE the taste of peppermint, but I have put it in chocolate for Christmas treats
- peppermint and lemon along with local honey are supposed to be great for allergies

It’s important that the essential oil is pure, especially when using them internally. There are a lot of essential oil companies, so do your research. I prefer DoTerra oils for topical or internal use. They harvest their oils from regions of the world where the plant is flourishing and when the plant is at its peak. They take great care when processing their oils and I find DoTerra to be of high quality. When diffusing oils, I ask my husband to use the cheaper brands because he uses many drops in the diffuser and DoTerra is not cheap!

I’ve made and sold essential oil holders that can be hung on the wall or placed on a tabletop. These holders make it easier to organize the oils room by room. If you’re interested in a custom essential oil holder, please reach out to me.

Clear Pantry Storage

Stackable clear plastic drawer organizers used for pantry snack storage inside a cabinet

04/29/202604/29/2026 | canvas22creations

Our pantry was a mess. The kids’ school snacks were all different shapes and sizes scattered all over the shelves. The cabinet itself isn’t huge, so I needed something that could but also pulled out like a drawer. It also had to be sturdy – my kids are rough.

The setup I needed cost about $100, but it was worth it. These clear storage drawers have rubber on the bottom, so they stay put when you pull the drawer. Each drawer also comes with a divider so it’s easy to adjust for different snacks. I leave the divider flat on the bottom of the drawer when i need more space, and slide it in when I want to separate snacks.

This system was a win in our house!

Click here for the Amazon Link

Concrete Easter Eggs

Handmade concrete eggs with a natural textured finish, displayed outdoors in a garden setting

04/09/202004/29/2026 | canvas22creations

It was the week before Easter 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, when my kids asked if we were going to decorate eggs. We were quarantined in NYC due to COVID and didn’t have many eggs to spare, so I had to get creative. Luckily, I had some fast-setting concrete in the shed and a few balloons in the cabinet and just like that, a new idea was born. (This works just as well with Plaster of Paris, too.)

What you need:

Quick set cement
Balloons
Stick for Mixing
Bucket
Funnel
Somewhere to hang filled balloons

Mix the quick-set concrete with water in a bucket until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency—not too thick and not too watery. It should be easy to stir and pour through a funnel.

Insert the funnel into the balloon and carefully pour in the concrete. Fill the balloon to your desired size, then tie it off and hang it to set.

To help speed up the drying process, I gently poked a tiny hole near the top of the balloon with a pin. Mine took a little over an hour to fully harden.

Once the concrete is completely set, cut the top of the balloon and peel it away to reveal your concrete egg.

If the tops come out a bit too pointy (like mine did), you can sand them down. Tying the balloon more evenly before it sets can help avoid this step, but if you do need to sand, be sure to wear a mask and gloves.

Once fully dry, apply a few coats of gesso or primer to create a smooth white surface.

Now they’re ready – perfect for the kids to decorate. Problem solved.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

Homemade oatmeal cookies on a plate with oats and rustic kitchen setting

01/25/201904/29/2026 | canvas22creations

3 cups oats
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick of softened butter
3/4 cup sugar (or other sweeteners)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded coconut
1-1/2 cups shredding carrots

Combine all dry ingredients: Oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

Whip the softened butter and add sugar. Once fully combined, add the egg.

Add dry to the wet ingredients and mix until completely combined. Then add milk, coconut and carrots.

Spoon cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 mins depending on oven.

Pea and Oatmeal Muffins

09/10/201804/29/2026 | canvas22creations

When my son was small, he refused to eat any vegetables (he still does) – except carrots. There were only so many carrots a child should eat before they turn orange, so I created this recipe to introduce a different vegetable. To our surprise he loved them.

2 cups pea puree
- steam or boil peas and add about 1/2 cup of water (directions below)
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use pure vanilla extract)
1 cup oats
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 310 degrees.

Cook the peas for about 5 minutes then shock them in ice cold water and drain. Place the peas in a food processor or blender with about 1/2 cup water.

Set peas aside and start mixing the dry ingredient: Oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a separate bowl, whip the softened butter and start adding the wet ingredients: Eggs, vanilla extract, maple syrup and peas.

Once the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Fill a greased muffin tin approx. 3/4 the way up and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

We start to check on anything baking as soon as we start smelling it. Stick a knife in the middle of the muffin and if comes out clean, its done.

Enjoy!

How to Make Homemade Play-dough (Playdoh)

Child playing with homemade playdough at a table, shaping and molding dough with hands

11/14/201704/28/2026 | canvas22creations

Making playdoh was daunting at first, but I bit the bullet and found it was pretty easy to do with the kids. My daughter helped every step of the way and even took the video.

This recipe makes approximately 4 “play doh” containers worth.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt (fine not coarse)
4 teaspoons Cream of Tarter
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
food coloring

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl – Flour, Salt and Cream of Tarter. Then in a saucepan, add water, oil and food coloring. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the saucepan, mixing as you pour. Cook over low to medium heat until a solid ball forms (3-5 minutes). Remove the play dough from the saucepan and let it cool. Do not undercook because it will be sticky and do not overcook because it will crumble.

Be sure to store the playdoh in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Toddler boy playing with homemade play doh — Toddler playing with homemade playdoh

Bagel Chip Recipe

Homemade bagel chips baked until crispy and golden, served in a bowl

10/31/201704/29/2026 | canvas22creations

Homemade bagel chips baked until golden and crispy, served in a bowl — Crispy homemade bagel chips – an easy way to turn leftover bagels into a simple snack

6 bagels
1/2 cup oil
spices below depending on sweet or savory
bread knife or serrated knife

Savory Bagels:

1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary or thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Sweet Bagels

2 tsps sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

The secret to this recipe is not cutting the bagels too thick and making sure all the pieces are cut evenly – which is why i suggest using a bread or serrated knife.

Cover the sliced bagels in the oil and then add the spices whether its savory or sweet. Once the bagel pieces are evenly coated, place then in one layer onto a baking sheet. It takes about 10 minutes depending on your oven, but sometimes it goes a little faster expected so don’t wander away from the oven for too long.

Enjoy!

Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe

Healthy mac and cheese made with squash, creamy sauce, and pasta in a bow

10/27/201704/29/2026 | canvas22creations

This was one of my daughters’ favorite dishes as a little kid (and a favorite for my cousin too). They had no idea there was squash in it – the squash is so mild it blends in well. You can add as much or as little squash as you want – this is the amount I was able to get away with without her noticing the vegetable.

2 cups dry pasta (shells or elbow)
1-1/2 cup roasted squash (butternut or acorn squash work well)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk (or milk subtitute)
8 oz cheese (combination of cheddar and gouda is delicious)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Poke a few holes in the squash and roast in the oven on a baking sheet until soft (about 45 minutes to one hour)

Cook pasta according to directions on the box – add a little salt and mix every so often so they don’t stick together.

In a saucepan, melt butter then slowly whisk in flour. Keep whisking over low heat for about 2 minutes. When the flour and butter are smooth, slowly whisk in the milk. Continue to cook and whisk for about another minute. Make sure there are no clumps (you can add some of the pasta water in to make the mixture smooth if needed) then add the cheese. When the cheese is completely melted and combined, add in the cooked pasta. Add salt and paper to taste.

Enjoy!

How to Mold Crayons

Colorful molded crayons in different shapes made from melted crayons, displayed on a table

10/24/201704/28/2026 | canvas22creations

Molded crayons are an easy, fun craft to do with the kids. You can mold crayons into any shape using a tin cupcake or cookie pan. I’ve tried using silicone baking pans, but this method didn’t work very well. The kids can participate every step of the way which makes it an easy craft to do with them. These crayons are wonderful class gifts for Holidays and birthdays.

Items needed:

Crayons (Crayola melts and writes the best)
Tin cookie or cupcake pan

First, take the paper off all the crayons and place the crayons into your pan. Be sure to put enough crayons in the mold so they are not too thin (2-3 crayons in each mold). I use a razor blade to cut the paper which makes it easier to remove, but when the kids help, they enjoy ripping into the paper.