Few things are quite so lovely as waking up at 4:30 am to cramps and a hearty HELLO from your period. Yes ladies, I went there, sorry dudes.

So what do I do? Well, I usually down some alieve, grab the rice heating pad and make sure I have some Halo Top Ice Cream on hand (4 carbs/serving is a low carbers DREAM! and oh so delicious)

If you’ve never had it, Halo Top is the BOMB for those of us that are doing low carb but can’t quite give up the ice cream. I’m currently rocking the vanilla bean. SO GOOD.

But anyhoo, on to the rice heating pad thing. See, like any quintessential single lady, I happen to have a cat who can sometimes be an awesome if unreliable heating pad. Unreliable in that she either lays on a difficult spot, doesn’t want to cuddle at all, decides she hates me, or makes biscuits at the site of a particularly bad cramp. no, cats do not make great heating pads at all. So I’ve had to resort to more traditional means and make my own.

I adore my heating pad. Not only is it great for cramps, but its also perfect for pre-warming the foot of your bed on a cold night (Just like in Downton Abbey!), back pain, and well, pretty much anything. My favorite thing about it is the essential oil aromatherapy that helps relax me!

Homemade Rice Heating Pad

What you need:
2 lb Long Grain White Rice
1 Fat Quarter
20 drops essential oil (I use vanilla and lavender)

This works best with a Sewing Machine, but you can also hand stitch if you HAVE to. Just make sure to use teeny tiny stitches.

Start by prepping your rice. I know that sounds weird. Don’t worry. In a large bowl mix your white rice and essential oils. I also added in some dried lavender that I got at our local farmers market. If you don’t have it, no biggie. You can also use herbal tea if you don’t have essential oil. Just open up the sachets and mix in. You’ll need about 4-6 of those. Let it rest while you’re getting your stitch on.

Okay so for my non-sewing friends… this is super easy.

Lay out your fat quarter and fold in half lengthwise. Cut about 3-4 inches off the end.

With the fabric inside out, sew about a 5/8 inch seam along the bottom and side of the fabric leaving the top open.

Turn right side out and fill with your rice. There should be a lot of space up at the top. This is good, you want your rice to spread out.

Okay, this is where it gets a bit tricky. Ready? Fold the edges of the open end inward and pin together.

Sew a straight seam across your folded in edges, pulling the pins out as you go. If you’re hand stitching, use a loop stitch to close up.

And voila! Your own heating pad!

Pop these suckers in the microwave for about 3 minutes and you’re all set for at least an hour of sweet sweet warmth. These also make wonderful gifts for your girl friends, Mother’s Day and hostesses.