Version 2

I decided to try out my idea of using a spray pump to add the liquid ingredients. This time I mixed up 300g bicarb and 150g citric, again splitting this mix into two so I had two set of colour and fragrance to play with.

I tried a new mix for OH, still focusing on muscle aches but using different essential oils. I have also started using 1ml syringes as the droppers on the oils were getting on my wick (pardon the pun!). So v2 of Russ's mix was 0.1ml ylang ylang, 0.2ml eucalyptus, 0.3ml lavender, 0.2ml tea tree and 0.4ml juniper. I measured this into an atomiser I'd forgotten I had. I then added 1.25 mls of grapeseed oil, 0.7ml green dye and 0.8ml blue dye. I then sprayed this over the dry mix, stirring as I went. There was still minor clumping, but a definite improvement. I then sprinkled over a few calendula petals and a few cone flower petals, then made two medium balls. ~ picture to follow, when they've dried out.

My second mix for my friend (remember how too much water made them expand and go out of shape?) was 0.4ml bergamot, 0.2ml lavender, 0.1ml tea tree and 0.5ml jasmine. Again, I put this in the atomiser, with 1.25ml grapeseed oil, 1.25ml red dye and 0.4ml blue dye. This colour mix made a lovely rich purple in the bottle, which became a pretty lilac when added to the mix. With this I made one ball, with glitter hearts in the middle and rose petals on top, a bunny with glitter hearts in the middle, and 2 heart shapes in the ice cube mould. As I'm typing this, it has just occured to me to keep a mini heart of each mix I make, as a kind of record. ~ again pic to follow.

p.s. OH has just used one of his v1s. The scent was lovely once it was in the water (I wasn't keen on it as an oil), there were too many petals, and there wasn't enough colour.

ETA: Quelle catastrophe!! These ones got stuck in the moulds :( so no 'pics to follow'. I don't know if there was anything wrong with the mixture, or if I just left them in too long. They weren't swollen or distorted, so I think probably the latter. Feeling very dispondent - it's such a faff and they STILL don't work out! :(