I have a total crush on the wooden bead kindergarten teacher necklace trend. I’m not even sure if that is what it is really called. I just know that some of favorite elementary school teachers wore wood bead necklaces. I remember I wanted to dress just like them and sculpt bat caves into my hair. ha!
Apparently, that admiration hasn’t worn off 27 years later…except for maybe the bat cave thing. 😉
Today, I’ve partnered with Aura Cacia to create a wood necklace with an olfactory twist.
Simply add 5-10 drops of essentials oils to the felt ball bead or the unfinished wood beads, and you have a cute, personal essential oils diffuser on the go!
It lasts for a few hours depending on how much oil you use. For my daughter’s first day of preschool, I knew she was excited and a little nervous, so I put a few drops of lavender on her necklace to help calm her. I will sometimes do the same with mine when I have a stressful afternoon ahead, or I’ll use peppermint when I need a little energy.
There are lots of great brands of essential oils to choose from. Even before collaborating with Aura Cacia, I had personally been using their oils for years. I love that a.) the oils are good quality and b.) that they are easy to access. You can pick them at your local grocery store!
If you’re an essentials oils newbie, their Essential Oil Discovery Kit gives you a set of basic oils and a guide on how to use them.
To make the necklace you’ll need…
MATERIALS
- Leather cording*
- Scissors (with sharp tip)
- Felt ball(s)*
- Unfinished wood beads*
- Aura Cacia Essentail Oils Starter Kit
*Materials sources: I found the leather cording at Michaels. I ordered some Felt Balls from Pick Your Plum a while back but you can find them on Amazon, Etsy, etc. The round unfinished wood beads are from Michaels as well. The geometric wood beads are from this Etsy seller.
TUTORIAL
1.Using sharp tip scissors, puncture a small hole through the felt ball.
2. Thread all the beads onto the leather cording. Cut the leather cording to desired length (has to at least fit over your head).
3.Tie the necklace ends closed with a square knot and trim excess cording.
You’re done!
Add your favorite blend of essential oils.
The oils may darken the wooden beads a little bit, but as it evaporates, it becomes less and less noticeable. I also try to smooth the oil out over the bead as if I’m conditioning the wood, so that it looks uniform. You may also decide to only add it to the felted wool bead, which doesn’t show the oils.
But really after a bit of time, you don’t see it. I applied oils to these beads about an hour prior to the picture:
In the last year or so, I’ve also started using mist diffusers and I love them! I often plug one in with peppermint or lemon when the kids get home from school. I also like to use rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender to set a more comforting and soothing tone.
Aura Cacia sent me a couple of diffusers to try out. Their Aromatherapy Ultra Sonic Mist Diffuser has a nice, pleasing aesthetic that blends in easily with decor, which is a must for me, and it disburses the oils at an impressive rate. My favorite diffuser however, is the Aromatherapy Mist USB Diffuser. There is no water involved, which makes it less nerve wracking to have near say…your laptop ;). Just put the oils in a bottle with a wick and diffuse away. The reach of the oils is limited compared to the mist diffuser, but it does its job and is another great way to bring the oils with you on the go.
For more diffuser recipes, tips, and ideas, check out Aura Cacia’s site!
I click through to those felt beads every time Pick Your Plum lists them, but I haven’t bought any yet! This is a great idea though… synthetic perfumes make me sneezy, so I tend to use essential oils instead, and this looks like a really good way to do that!
Yes! I love this as a perfume replacement too. It’s so much more beneficial!
Hello Delia!
I found you blog recently and I am amazed by a number of great DIY ideas here! By far I found about four I am definitely going to try, the wood and felt bead necklace will be the first one. Can I share the effect with you when it’s done?
Greetings,
Marta
Thank you Marta! Of course. I would love to see your finished necklace!
It took me some time but here it is: my beads necklace -> http://www.lilmissboho.com/2017/01/diy-wood-felt-necklace.html. Thanks for inspiration once again.
All the best,
Marta
Delia these photos are so gorgeous! The ones with Nat are so sweet :). I’ve been wanting to get a diffuser, I need to look into these!
Thank you Abby! You are so kind. Diffusers are really my favorite way to use oils. I have another one that changes colors and my kids love to just sit there and watch it. ha!! Simple pleasures.
Hi Delia, I learned about your blog from Christine. I love these diffuser necklaces! I’d like to make some for my daughter and granddaughter – can you tell me what size beads/felft balls you used?
Thank you!
Hi Candy! Sure! The felt balls and wood beads are about 3/4 inch – 1 inch. I got the round beads and leather cording at Michaels. The geometric beads are from an Etsy seller that I linked to in the post. The felt balls are from Pick Your Plum but you can get them from Etsy too. I hope that helps!
I love this DIY! It’s so cute and looks modern AND natural. 🙂 (Do you mind if I ask where that perfect dress is from? THANK YOU! :))
Thanks Carla! I actually got it at a booth at Pinners Conference. I think it’s Wren and Ivory. It’s so comfy and they have a bunch of colors. I hope that helps!
Whoo-hoo, what a great new find thanks to you! Thank you so much!!
Oh wow! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Andrea! 🙂
Love this Delia! Brilliant!
Thanks Kate!
I never would have thought to add essential oils like this for on the go. Your pictures are so beautiful, as always. Thanks for the new ideas!
Thank you Stefanie! <3
Amazing! I found your post by clicking through Aura Cacia.
Will now add you to my favorites 🙂
Thank you Josette! So happy to have you here. <3