Homemade lip balm

Admit it: your lips are so dry you hesitate before smiling because you're afraid they'll crack. Wouldn't your friends and family be impressed if they got homemade lip balm for a gift this time of year?

Here's the basic recipe we use for the lip balm we sell at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice:

20% beeswax
25% coconut oil
15% cocoa butter
40% liquid oil (we use cosmetic grade sweet almond)
A few drops of Vitamin E
A few drops of flavoring/scented oil (we use food safe essential oils)

Candace Minster, who gathers interested volunteers when making the lip balm White Violet Center sells, says we melt everything carefully in a double boiler, or a mug placed into an old saucepan, under low heat. Then use a glass dropper to get the liquid into a tube or pot. Use this recipe whether it's a small batch just for you or if it's a large batch to share.

We get all ingredients from Herbs & Heirlooms in Terre Haute (on 4th Street, just off of Hulman Street). They have online ordering. Sweet!

Join us this Sunday

There are plenty of reasons to spend the day at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods this Sunday and experience the spirit of Christmas. We’ll have our Christmas open house from 1 to 3 p.m. in the center.

Enjoy weaving, spinning and needle felting demonstrations and delicious homemade treats. Handmade items such as alpaca scarves, hats, gloves, socks, ornaments, pins and teddy bears are available for purchase. An alpaca afghan ($300 value) and a teddy bear will be raffled on Dec. 12. Tickets may be purchased at the open house for $2 each or six for $10.

Please ask us about alpaca and bee hive adoption opportunities as Christmas gifts. And, the two youngest alpacas will make an appearance at the open house.

Christmas concert
At 3 p.m. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Chorale and Madrigals will offer their Christmas Concert in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Brunch and Gift Shop
Sunday Brunch also is available in O’Shaughnessy Dining Room from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. And just steps from O’Shaughnessy will be the “Light Up for Christmas” sale in The Gift Shop at Providence Center. Pull a Christmas bulb from the bag to see what percentage is taken off your purchase. Sunday’s Gift Shop hours are 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Advent
Some may be interested in Advent Vespers at 4:30 p.m. in St. Joseph Chapel in Owens Hall. The vesper service is the evening prayer of the Church. It is an opportunity to pray the psalms in song in an ecumenical spirit and to reflect on the Advent season’s scripture readings.

And don’t forget the Eucharistic Liturgy for the Second Sunday of Advent will be offered at 11 a.m. in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.