DIY: Modern Scented Pouch

I don't know about you but I love having a bit of a spring clean when the new year begins.  It always feels like a fresh start... plus after grabbing a few bargains in the January sales it's time to clear a bit of space in my wardrobe to make room for all the newness!

Reading Marie Kondo's book about tidying is a great way to set your mind to de-clutter mode.  After clearing out some of my most unused drawers, I noticed some of them were smelling a little musty and it got me thinking that maybe some kind of homemade air freshener could be useful.  I decided to make these cute little scented pouches which can be dotted around your home; whether in a drawer or on display, they are a contemporary take on your granny's old school lavender pillows.

What you will need;

Small cotton drawstring bag

Acrylic paint and brush

Scrap paper

Washi/masking tape and stencils (depending on your design)

Rice

Essential oils

Mixing bowl and spoon

How to Make;

I decided to make a couple of versions - one with an organic free-hand design, and the other with a geometric pattern using pre-cut stencils and tape.

Start by selecting your colour palette.  I am quite into warm earthy colours at the moment so selected a few pinks, and terracotta shades for the geometric design, and dark green and warm coral for the free-hand design.

Fill your cotton drawstring bag with some flat scrap paper so that when you paint your design it doesn't bleed all the way through.

For the geometric pattern I used washi/masking tape to create the triangles and lines, and circle stencils using adhesive vinyl which I have cut out on my Cricut cutting machine.  

If you don't have a cutting machine then you could draw around a circular object and carefully hand cut it to create your stencil.  It won't matter too much if it is not perfectly round as the bag will be slightly distorted once it is filled with rice.

For the free-hand design I just used two wide paint brushes to create overlapping brushstrokes on the bag.

Make sure you leave the paint to dry in between colours so that you don't accidentally smudge them!

Once completely dry, fill the bag with dry rice to measure out how much you will need.  Pour the rice back into a bowl and add a few drops of essential oil to your desired fragrance.  For the geometric pouch I opted for a refreshing citrus scent of Mandarin, Bergamot and Grapefruit. For the brushstrokes pouch I wanted more of a musky scent so combined Cedarwood and Ylang Ylang.

You only need around 10 drops of oil in total (so if combining fragrances adjust the ratio accordingly).  Depending on the size of your bag and how much rice you are using you may need more or less, but you don't want to overdo it as your rice will become too oily and may soak into the bag (or worse, your clothes).  Aim to start with a couple of drops and increase the amount you need slowly.

Mix together and let it sit for a while so the rice absorbs some of the oil.  Carefully spoon the rice back into the bag and firmly close the drawstring.  You can hang the bags in your wardrobe, place inside drawers or even keep out on display next to your bed or desk. They add a refreshing fragrance to your room and also look rather stylish. Such a super simple DIY which could also make a perfect homemade gift for friends or for Mother's Day!

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