Making Scented Oil

• Making scented oil is simple. It's a matter of combining your favorite scent with a carrier, and is most effective when your scent is already in a liquid form. Most drugstores and all health food stores stock a wide variety of essential oils, ranging from plants and herbs (rose, lavender, ylang-ylang, etc,) to fruits and flavors (lemon, vanilla, sage, etc.). Food extracts also work well.
  
  The oil or extract must be added to a carrier liquid. Most people use a simple unscented cooking oil like canola. Start with 4 ounces of oil in a small container with a lid, and then add a few drops of the scent. Cover the container and shake it to mix.
  
  Other carriers include Dipropyleneole Glycol (DPG), which is often used for fragrances. DPG is a water- and oil-soluble agent that is scentless. It is available in two grades, industrial and fragrance, and can be found in many cosmetic products, including shaving cream and shampoo. DPG is safe to handle, although you should not drink it. Few stores carry it, but it is easy to purchase online. See the Resource section for a supplier.
  
  

Diffusing Scented Oil

• The simplest way to use your fireplace to diffuse scented oil is to attach an iron hook at the top of the fireplace's inside cavity from which you can hang a cast iron pot or kettle. Fill the pot with water, and drip several drops of scented oil on the top of the water's surface. Then hang the pot on the hook. As the water heats up, the scent will diffuse into the room. Use an oven mitt to remove the pot when refilling it.
  
  Another way to diffuse scented oil in fireplaces is to purchase a small metal diffuser box which is made for this very purpose. Pour one-half ounce scented oil in the box and place it in the fireplace, but not directly in any flames. The heat from the fire will warm the metal, which in turn will heat the oil. Hot oil then diffuses the scent into the room. Make sure the fire is out and the box has cooled before refilling.
  
  

Scented Wood

• There are a couple of ways to scent the wood directly. Pour the scented oil directly onto the surface of the wood. This will give you a quick burst of diffused scent, but it will not last long because the oil quickly burns up in the fire.
  
  A better, longer-lasting way to scent the wood is to drill a couple of one-quarter inch holes, 3 to 4 inches deep, into the logs. Pour a small amount of scented oil into each hole. You should have 45 to 60 minutes of diffused oil scent pervading the room before the whole log eventually burns up.