Warrior Salve & Foot Soak Combo for Tired, Aching Muscles and Feet

Back in 2010, when I trained over 500 miles and walked 60 miles in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure, I started developing what would eventually become my first herbal products for sore muscles.  The first and most popular to date has been my sore muscle salve but a really great complement to it is my foot soak.

I had a really great team captain for the 3 Day who taught us well to stretch and stretch often.  I have to thank her for that because after walking 60 miles in 3 days, I was a little sore after the fact but I was not in pain and I think that it largely has to do with the stretching.  I did something else immediately after the walk that I believe contributed to my quick recovery: I took a nice, long, hot herbal bath (and then followed it up with my sore muscle salve!).

My foot soak was formulated based on that herbal bath concoction.  It includes Epsom salts, baking soda, mugwort, sage, rosemary, and lavender.  These natural ingredients are anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, pain relieving, skin softening, detoxifying, and aromatic.  Lavender is a wonderfully relaxing herb.  Mugwort is used to invigorate tired feet (and was once used by Roman soldiers to relieve aching feet on their long marches).  Sage helps relieve joint pain and is strengthening.  Rosemary helps increase circulation.  Baking soda softens the skin.  Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate which, absorbed through the skin, not only increases magnesium levels in the body but also acts as a sedative for the nervous system, reduces swelling, and relaxes muscles.  It also draws toxins from the body and is a natural exfoliant.  A really great way to massage your feet in the foot soak is by adding smooth river rocks or marbles to the basin!

Whether you're a seasoned athlete, training for an event, or just sore from over doing it over the weekend, my Warrior Salve and Foot Soak are fantastic, all natural ways of caring for your aching self!

My Warrior Salve and Foot Soak also come as a set and makes a really great gift for the Pink Warrior in your life.

30 Days of Creativity - Day 10 Herbal Concoction: Ginger Syrup

I haven't featured one of my herbal concoctions here in a while...

I love ginger.  Not only is it delicious, but it's also an amazingly beneficial herb.  Ginger is antibacterial, an antiviral, a circulatory stimulate, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, antiemetic, antifungal, anti-clotting, carminative, antiarthritic, analgesic and antitussive.  Ginger is active against several food-borne pathogens, including E. coli, salmonella and shigella.  It helps us feel warm when we're chilled and will help prevent colds and flu.  It helps with coughs, is an expectorant, and helps with respiratory infections.  Ginger relieves pain, stimulates immune activity, reduces inflammation and stimulates sweating (which is how it helps with fever).  It's been known to help topically with burns as well as arthritis relief.  Internally,  it destroys parasites, stimulates white blood cells, aids digestions, helps with gas, and more.  I personally love to use ginger to prevent motion sickness.


All of the amazing attributes of ginger aside, I simply love the taste and wanted to make my own ginger ale.  A while ago, I used a recipe from Aquarian Bath and loved it.  I decided to try something a little different this time. I have a soda maker from Sodastream, which is really just a system of getting carbonated water, and use it all the time.  You can buy syrups for it that taste like commercially sold sodas, are less expensive, and have lower calories.  My brainstorm was to make my own syrup!


I decocted a cup of chopped ginger root in two cups of water and let it sit overnight.  

In the past, I've used sugar to make my syrups but I thought I'd give honey a go this time to increase the medicinal benefits of the syrup.  After straining the ginger decoction and returning it to the pot, I added a cup of honey and simmered for 5 minutes.  

I let it cool and then put it in an air tight bottle and stored it in the fridge.  

1-2 tablespoon of syrup per cup should be all you need; garnish with mint sprigs and/or lemon.  By the way, if you don't have a soda machine, just use club soda or seltzer.  Enjoy!

30 Days of Creativity - Day 9 In the Kitchen with Trinity Roots Rice

I had intended to make Trinity Roots Rice with yesterday's creativity, but couldn't due to lack of ingredients.  One trip to the grocery store today and I was ready to give it a try.  The thing that I like about the recipe for this is that it's very basic, so there's room for creativity.

The Trinity Roots in this dish are garlic, onions, and ginger.  Three of my favorites because they're so super tasty and so very good for you.  The recipe calls for basmati rice, but it's a little pricey so I stuck with the brown rice that I had on hand.  I used the ghee that I made yesterday; all of it actually.  The recipe calls for tomato plus 4-5 cups of assorted vegetables: I chose bok choi, carrots, and zucchini.  Here it is just starting to simmer.  It smelled so good!

My impression is that this is supposed to be a main course, but I couldn't do that to my Midwest, meat and potatoes honey so we're having it alongside some pork loins marinated in a sesame ginger sauce.

There was a ton of liquid in there, so I kept cooking it even though the rice and vegetables were already done.  Sadly, I think I overcooked it.  But, that's how we learn, right?

UPDATE: Yes, it was kind of mushy from being overcooked, but it actually did still taste pretty good.

Nature Deficit Disorder & Wildcraft! Boardgame

I just heard about an amazing deal from LearningHerbs.com that I had to share with you...

Today more than ever we (adults and children alike) seem to lack a connection with nature.  As a society, we spend more time in front of a computer, on a cell phone, playing video games, and watching TV than we do taking hikes, spending a day at the beach, gardening, or just playing outside.  Something that I have learned in my own experience working with herbs is that it's one thing to read about and learn some facts about plants; it's something else entirely to work with them, get to know them, and build relationships with them.  Our own health, all the way up to our food supply depends on a deep human connection with nature.

John Gallagher and his wife Kimberly of  LearningHerbs.com designed a board game called Wildcraft! for children with the intent to help kids connect with the natural world.  The game is designed for kids to learn, develop an interest in plants, and be inspired to become actively involved in nature itself.  Wildcraft! teaches 25 important edible and medicinal plants and their uses in mostly first aid situations. (Wildcrafting is the harvesting of wild plants.)  It also teaches team work, for you will rely on each other’s knowledge of plants.

They are offering this game for 50% off with TONS of free extras included (but this offer won't last long: it ends June 9, 2011 at midnight).

For $19.99 LearningHerbs.com is offering:
*  Nearly 50% off the Wildcraft game 
*  Kids and Herbs 7 hour multi-media webinar series 
*  Dandelion Activity eBook 
*  Herbal Medicine Chest Chart (located in game) 
*  Herbal Remedies for Cold & Flu Season eBook 
*  Herbal Roots Zine Kids Activity eMagazine 
*  a great mp3 on h1n1 and natural remedies 
*  Interview with Aviva Romm, MD on herbs & kids (mp3) 
*  Elderberry syrup making video 
*  How to Make Herbal Lozenges Video 
*  How to Make a Chamomile Steam video 
* "Mentoring Kids and Nature Connection" mp3 with Jon Young 


The value of the game plus all of the bonuses is $195 but they are offering it for only $19.99.  I don't have any kids and I'm even considering getting it.  This is a really great deal.  


They even have a 200% satisfaction guarantee: if you're not fully satisfied with the game, they will refund your money and you get to keep the game.  (Apparently, out of 10,000 copies sold, only one person took them up on that offer.)

Anyway, my love of herbs and nature compelled me to share this offer with you because it sounds really great.  Even if you're not into the game, LearningHerbs.com has a lot to offer including free e-course, so definitely check them out.


Green blessings!

30 Days of Creativity - Day 1: Sugar Scrub Recipe

I'm very excited to be taking part in the 30 Days of Creativity challenge and had a bunch of ideas of what I could to do for my first day.  But then, one of my 3 Day Tweeps (3 Day walkers on Twitter) asked me for an exfoliating sugar scrub recipe.  Decision made!  This is for you @fatgirlwalkin!

Making a sugar scrub is a super fun, easy project to pamper yourself.  I think between gathering ingredients, making it, taking pictures, and cleaning up, it took me all of about 15-20 minutes.  If you don't take pictures or hand wash your dishes, it will take less than half that amount of time.  It can be as simple as combining sugar and oil together for a quick, basic scrub.  I got a little more creative (part of the point of the 30 Days of Creativity, after all)...

Let's gather our ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

I just used regular white sugar because it's what I had, but you can also use brown, raw, or cane sugar or any combination for different scents/consistencies.

13 tsp olive oil

Okay, that really is an approximate amount.  I've seen recipes calling for 10 tsp and some calling for a 1:1 ratio with the sugar.  I usually start with around 10 tsp (to a cup of sugar) and then eye ball it from there.  I don't like having too oily of a scrub, so I usually just make sure everything is moist plus some.  Also, you can use pretty much any oil or combination of oils you like; I just really love olive oil & it's medicinal qualities.

3-4 tblspn Epsom Salts

Again, that's an approximation.  Epsom salts are amazing for you (it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, it is emollient, a wonderful exfoliator, and more) and they add texture to the plain white sugar.

3 bags of green tea

Just rip open the bags and empty the contents.  I drink green tea all the time and use green tea infusions in many concoctions.  The antioxidants in green tea and it's anti-inflammatory properties are both excellent for the skin.

2 tblspn honey

Honey has many wonderful qualities but the #1 reason for using it in this recipe is that it's a natural humectant which means that it seals moisture into your skin.  

Vitamin E

Totally optional, but I like to include it because it's good for your skin in addition to being a natural preservative.  You can empty the contents from a couple of capsules or use a dropper full.

Essential Oil

I used lemon because I love the refreshing scent and it also has preservative properties.  Other popular options include orange, vanilla, lavender, ylang ylang, etc.

*This is not an exact science and it's meant to be fun, so use your own judgement with measurements and ingredients!*

Some simple instructions:

• First step is to combine all of your dry ingredients.

• Mix in your olive oil next.  Followed by the honey, then the Vitamin E and essential oil.

• Last, store in an air tight container.  Try to keep moisture out including during use.  *Please be careful if you decide to store your sugar scrub in a glass jar as your hands WILL be slippery when you use it!*

For gift giving: you can add a pretty label to it or even put a seashell in it to use as a scoop.  I've given away a few of these and everyone raves how soft their skin is after use.  This one, however, is going in my shower.

Enjoy!

Announcing Athena's Armoury & Apothecary

I'm very excited to announce that I've started incorporating the Apothecary into the Armoury!

This has been a long time in coming.  I've been fascinated with the medicinal use of herbs for as long as I can remember.  In historical stories (whether it be books or movies), I've always been intrigued by the knowledge of the apothecary and the seeming magic of the village wise woman.  Although I've always had an interest, I started studying the herbs in earnest nearly two years ago when I was doing a lot of soul searching to get out of my horrible job.  Lots of reading and researching ensued in addition to concocting, growing, and just getting to know the plants.  As any herbalist will tell you, we never stop learning but I do feel like I'm at a place where I can start sharing what I know about herbs.  After all, herbalism is the people's medicine.

In the future, I hope to share with you simple ways of incorporating herbs in your every day life; not just as remedies but also as nourishment.  I will share some plant profiles with you as well as recipes and projects that you can do with them.  I'll continue to share with you what I learn about growing herbs as we continue the raised garden bed project.  But also, I want to hear from you.  Herbalism is the people's medicine and we should be able to share our knowledge in this community.

The shop is only in the beginning stages of herbal goodness right now.  So far, there are a few different kinds of soap listed in my Artfire and Etsy shops.  I've been testing different recipes on myself and others for months now and have had my testers asking me to start listing it.  Once I get through the remainder of this stock, you will start to see a more unified size of soap, but this is what we have to start.

Coming soon, you will see salves including my sore muscle salve (with a new name!), sleep pillows, bulk herbs, incense, herb beads, and much more.

To celebrate the Apothecary, you'll see a new banner in my shops and the beginnings of a makeover here on the blog.  Also, once there are a few more items in the shops, I'll be hosting a giveaway of herbal products.  You don't want to miss this, so if you're not a follower yet, now's the time (Google Friend Connect and e-mail subscriptions are both available on the right side bar).

I'm so excited about this herbal journey that I'm on and look forward to sharing it with you!

Friday Finds - Herbalism Tools

I must admit, my brain has been on a bit of a hiatus lately in regard to my herbalism studies. But this past week, Scott came down with a case of laryngitis and then a cough with chest congestion so he had me busily preparing throat soothing teas, an herbal throat coat spray, and a cough syrup with an expectorant for the congestion. Here are some tools that you might find in an herbal apothecary...

Mortar & Pestle by Wood Recycler

Two Vintage Aqua Ball Mason Jars by South Rose Window

Hand Carved Cherry Scoop by Canadian Wood Crafts

50 Organic Cotton Muslin Bags by Kozy Prery

Herb Society Meeting: Herbal Dyes

I was so excited for last night's Herb Society meeting because the workshop was supposed to focus on soap making. I tried making soap. Twice. It didn't go so well, so I really was really hoping to get it straight last night. Sadly, though, there was a bit of confusion and the two ladies that were running the thing both thought that the other was in charge of soap making. They both focused on herbal dyes instead. Oh, well. At least it was still something interesting.


Some interesting things about herbal dyes:
-You can use the leaves, petals, stems, bark, or even roots to make dye.

-The color of the various plant parts used for dye, isn't necessarily the color the dye will be. For example, St. John's Wort has yellow flowers but the plant will actually create a beautiful, brilliant red dye.

-Textiles in order from easiest to hardest to dye:
1. wool
2. cotton
3. linen
4. silk

-Dye color can change according to when you harvest the plants. Season to season, it will vary.

-Herbal dye is made entirely with herbal extractions and without using any sort of chemicals. The process, therefore, does not pollute the environment through contamination of water resources. Or any other way, for that matter.


Off the topic of herbal dyes...
One of the women I was talking to last night said that she only uses baking soda and rain water to wash her hair and apple cider vinegar and rain water to rinse. I already use an infused vinegar rinse, so of course I'm now intrigued to try the baking soda to wash! I've read that the baking soda amounts people use vary from using a thick paste to diluting it in a spray bottle, so I guess I'm going to have to experiment with what will work for me. I've also read that the baking soda solution should focus on the scalp, whereas the vinegar rinse should focus on the length of your hair. Apparently, people who have success with this method do not need to wash their hair every day. That is my main concern. I work out regularly and, therefore, sweat. Will I really be able to get away with not washing my hair daily? I'm still researching this, so if anyone has any experience please share in the comments! Thanks!

EDIT: I found Babyslime's blog post to have a lot of good information about going "no 'poo."

Herbal Concoction: Lavender Honey

I love lavender. I love honey. Not only does lavender calm nerves, ease depression, and lift your spirits but it also smells and tastes amazing. When I found the video to make Lavender Honey through Mountain Rose Herb's YouTube channel, I knew I had to try it. I wanted to embed the video for you to watch it here, but it's not cooperating. Simply click on this link to be brought to the video directly on YouTube.

Herbal Concoction: Fire Cider

Fire cider is great to have on hand when you have sinus colds and congestion, but it certainly isn't for the faint of heart. The herbs used in the recipe are warming and stimulate the immune system. You can take a tablespoon straight, add to herbal tea, or even use it in soups and other cooking creations.

There are many different variations to the recipe attributed to many herbalists, but many people seem to associate the original recipe with Rosemary Gladstar. Since most of the herbs used are antibacterial and stimulate the circulatory system, some people use it as a tonic and drink small amounts daily in the fall and winter. Others use it at the first sign of a cold. Some folks let it steep for two weeks, others two to three months. This is the first time I'm making it, so I'm going to try steeping it for two months (seems like a good average) and see how it goes. I used traditional ingredients including: ginger, horseradish, garlic, onion and cayenne in a base of apple cider vinegar.

Basic Recipe
1/4-1/2 cup horseradish root, grated
1/8-1/4 cup garlic, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup ginger, grated
1/2-1 whole fresh cayenne pepper OR 1 tsp dried cayenne powder
apple cider vinegar, preferably organic
honey, to taste

Place herbs in jar. Pour vinegar and cover herbs by one to two inches. Seal jar tightly and let steep desired amount of time (as I mentioned, I'm trying two months). Strain herbs and pour the filtered vinegar into a glass jar. Add honey to taste, if you'd like to sweeten it. Fire Cider may be kept unrefrigerated since vinegar is a natural preservative.

To Use
If you'd like to use it as a tonic, 1-2 tablespoons per day would work. Take 1-2 tablespoons at the first sign of a cold or upper respiratory infection and continue throughout the day (every 2 to 3 hours) until the symptoms subside. Drink it straight or dilute it in a bit or water or even tomato juice.

It can also be used as a base for salad dressings, a seasoning in soups, or even to flavor steamed veggies.

Externally, rub it directly on the skin or use as a compress for sore muscles or to aid in peripheral (hands and feet) circulation. You can also soak a clean cloth in it to be placed on a congested chest.

Some Beneficial Properties of the Herbs
Ginger aids in stomach issues including nausea and vomiting and sluggish digestion. It also stimulates circulation. Ginger is useful for all types of congestion in the body.

Horseradish has antibacterial properties and is of benefit in respiratory tract and urinary tract infections. It is also often used as a digestive agent. Horseradish is a good diuretic that promotes perspiration. It is also an expectorant and mildly antibiotic.

Garlic is an amazing antimicrobial and antibacterial making it useful in treating bladder and kidney infections, yeast infections, strep throats, and ear infections. It supports healthy immune function and opens the pores of the skin to lower a fever. It also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and has an overall beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

Cayenne is an intense circulatory stimulant, promotes the movement of mucous from the body, and is an anti-inflammatory.

In addition to just being tasty, onions are also antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and high in anti-oxidents.

**Please consult with an herbalist or your doctor before using Fire Cider if you are taking any medication with blood thinning properties.**

Herbal Concoction: Miracle Grains Facial Cleanser

The herbs for my Queen of Hungary's Water will be done extracting this week, so I thought I would make a cleanser to use with it. I've been buying handmade facial soaps for a long time, but I wanted to try something different. Enter Rosemary Gladstar's recipe for Miracle Grains. Cleansing grains are a mild, nourishing soap replacement that is suitable for all skin types. One of the things that I love so much about it is that it's completely biodegradable: it won't hurt the environment or leach toxic chemical into the water as some commercial cleansers do.

There are many variations that can be made to this basic formula; it practically begs for creativity. I decided that for my first batch, I would only use the basic formula to get a feel for it and then play with it after I see how my skin responds to it.

2 cups white clay
1 cup finely ground oats
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
1/8 cup finely ground lavender
1/8 cup poppy seeds or finely ground blue corn (optional)
1/8 cup finely ground roses

1. Combine all the ingredients. Store the grains next to the sink in a glass container or in spice jars with shaker tops. (I prefer the glass container with a well sealing lid to keep the moisture out.)

2. To use, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cleansing grains with water. Stir into a paste and gently massage on the face. Rinse off with warm water.

Here's a tip: if you're going to be making a lot of your own homemade cosmetics, invest in a coffee grinder. I bought a cheapie one at Target for $15 and that's what I used to grind up the grains and herbs in this recipe. Just keep in mind, however, that you do want to leave some grit to them which is what serves as the cleansing "grains." *Don't use your regular everyday coffee grinder for this unless you want your herbal products to smell like coffee beans and your coffee to taste like roses and lavender.*

As soon as I made it, I realized that the glass jar that I picked up at Goodwill over the weekend would be the perfect container. And the shell that I found on the beach that I knew would make a perfect scoop actually measures a teaspoon. The whole project came together so beautifully!

Needless to say, I had to try it immediately. My skin has never felt so soft! My Queen of Hungary's water isn't ready yet, so I just used some witch hazel as my toner. It truly was a miraculous result, these miracle grains! I love how my slightly troublesome skin glowed after using it. These light grains gently cleanse, distribute excess oil, remove dead cells, and improve circulation.

I haven't tried it yet, but they can also be made moist for ease of use as well as the benefits of the additional ingredients.

1. Combine the dry Miracle Grains with enough honey and rose water (or plain distilled water) to form a paste.
2. Gently massage onto the face. Rinse off with warm water.

The honey serves as a natural preservative for the grains and also adds moisture. Rose water has light astringent properties. Only mix enough moist grains for a week or two to prevent spoilage, however. If the grains do spoil, it's because the ratio of honey to distilled water was off. The distilled water should simply give the mixture a smoother consistency; you don't need much.

This blog post is a part of the December blog party on the topic of Herbal Aesthetics hosted by Aquarian Bath. I love this topic and I'm really looking forward to reading all of the entries.

FL Herb Society Meeting: Herbal Vinegars

As of last night, I'm officially a member of the FL Herb Society. Really nice group of ladies, a topic I enjoy, and an excuse to get out and do something. Okay, I'm in. =)

At last night's meeting, we had an herbal vinegar hands on workshop. Beautiful bottles filled with fragrant herbs and some good quality vinegar equal a really pretty, easy to make project that will last throughout the year. Herbal vinegars are a simple way to add flavor to salads, soups, stews, marinades, beverages, and even desserts without added calories, fat, sugar, or salt.


We were told to bring some herbs and bottles, but it turns out that they supplied an enormous amount of gorgeous, fresh herbs and some complimentary bottles (someone had a lot of those little wine bottles laying around!). There were a lot of amazing suggestions for herb & fruit combinations. I made two vinegars while I was there and another when I got home. Since I love Italian food, I made an Italian inspired vinegar while I was there (basil & garlic). I also used one of the suggested combinations of cranberry & rosemary because it just sounds amazing and looks so beautiful in the bottle. Since I had collected a bunch of my own herbs, I made one more vinegar when I got home with basil, rosemary, oregano, and garlic. I used red wine vinegar for all three.

A good rule of thumb is one cup of fresh herbs to flavor one quart of vinegar. Use a good quality vinegar between 6-8% acidity. Clean your herbs and pat dry. There are many recipes that call for heating your vinegar, but it's not necessary. Heating it will infuse it quicker, but the results of the slightly longer wait are supposedly more than worth it (it's my first try, so I don't know yet). Loosely fill your bottle with your herbs of choice and then fill with vinegar. Cap (you should probably use a cork or wax paper with a rubber band since the vinegar's acid will eat away metal) and store in a cool, dark, dry place for 4-6 weeks. When you are satisfied with the flavor, strain through white paper towels or coffee filters until the paper is clean (it may take several tries). Add some fresh herbs to a clean, sterile bottle, fill with the filtered vinegar, seal & label.

Fruit vinegars are made a bit differently. Combine all your ingredients (fruit and vinegar alike) in the top of a non-aluminum double boiler. Simmer, uncovered, approximately 10 minutes. Place in a large glass jar and store 3 weeks. Strain, pressing the fruit to get the juice out. Filter. Add a few berries, fruit, and herbs to your sterilized bottle and fill with your filtered vinegar. Seal and label.

Flavored vinegars will keep up to 18 months or longer if stored in proper containers in a cool, dark place. Some fruit sugars are likely to caramelize after a while and turn slightly brown. It's not attractive but it isn't harmful either. Use fruit vinegars within 3 months to avoid this. Vinegar is a natural preservative, so refrigeration is not necessary.

Cleanliness is essential. Be sure to wash all utensils, bottles, and equipment in hot, soapy water and then rinse in hot water. Always use non-reactive materials such as glass, plastic, or stainless steel.

If you are making some herbal or fruit vinegars for gifts this holiday season, dip your cork into hot wax, add a label, and write a recipe for its use on a small hang tag to tie around the neck of the bottle.

Of course, herbal vinegars can be used medicinally as well as culinary. Herbal vinegars are nutrient dense containing large amounts of calcium, the nutrients from the individual herbs used, and the healing properties of vinegar.

Herbal Concoction: The Queen of Hungary's Water

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. What many people don't think about is that what they spray and slather on their skin is, in fact, absorbed into their bodies. For this reason, I really started reading the labels of my personal care and body products a few years back. There were ingredients in there that I couldn't pronounce and that the European Union's version of the FDA won't allow into products due to their many harmful effects. I started to not only buy handmade, but also all natural and organic products as much as possible. In the past year or so, as I started to make my own household cleaning products, I also started to make some of my own personal care products (deodorant powder, lip balm) as well. I'm taking it a step further with my herbalism studies now.


I recently made a batch of The Queen of Hungary's Water. It has as many uses as it has variations, but my primary intent for this batch is to be used as an astringent (or toner). Astringents are used to remove excess oil, dirt, and cleanser from the skin. They tone the skin and help prepare it for moisturizing. While astringents are especially appropriate for oily skin, all types of skin can benefit from their pore-tightening effects.

Legend has it that Gypsies formulated The Queen of Hungary's Water and touted it as a cure-all using it as a hair rinse, mouthwash, headache remedy, aftershave, footbath, and I'm sure more. Another legend states that Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary originated this as a perfume to either preserve her youth or catch a husband, depending on which version you read.

This is one of the world's finest cosmetic formulas. It combines gentle common herbs in a masterful way, it's easy to make, and it's a versatile formula that serves many purposes. Not only can it be used as an astringent, but it can also be used as a rinse for dark hair; or as an ingredient in deodorants, herbal baths, lotions. The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is a variation of The Queen of Hungary's Water and can be used as a disinfectant.

Here is the formula I used from Rosemary Gladstar.

6 parts lemon balm
4 parts chamomile
4 parts roses
3 parts calendula
3 parts comfrey leaf
1 part lemon peel
1 part rosemary
1 part sage
vinegar to cover (apple cider or wine vinegar)
rose water or witch hazel extract
essential oil of lavender or rose (optional)

1. Place the herbs in a widemouthed jar. Fill the jar with enough vinegar that it rises an inch or two above the herb mixture. Cover tightly and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 to 3 weeks.

2. Strain out the herbs. To each cup of herbal vinegar, add 2/3 to 1 cup of rose water or witch hazel. Add a drop or two of essential oil, if desired. Rebottle. This product does not need to be refrigerated and will keep indefinitely.


After the photo above was taken, I added more vinegar for it to rise the full inch or two above the herbs (the jar was full). You can see in this picture all of the beautiful colors of the herbs. Well, it's been infusing for a little more than a week and you can actually see the vinegar taking on the properties of those herbs. The vinegar is turning a gorgeous deep rose. I'm going to let it work it's magic for the full three weeks. I can't wait to try it.

Herbal Concoction: Nerve Tonic

I've been feeling the stress of work creeping back into my heart and soul lately. Admittedly, nothing in particular has happened it's just the life sucking ability that place has over me when I let it (which is more often than I care to admit). I received my herbs last week and hadn't done anything with them yet. As a little pick me up, I decided that needed to change. On my way home from work yesterday, I picked up some supplies that I need to start playing and experimenting this week. I still need to get some mason jars and jars to put final products in as well as some tincture bottles, but I think I have enough stuff to at least get started.

My first lesson with Rosemary Gladstar focuses on the Nervous System and since work is stressing me out, I thought an appropriate concoction would be to brew my first Nerve Tonic Infusion. The herbs in it provide nutrients that help strengthen and support the nervous system. Unlike allopathic medicine which usually works fairly quickly (by deadening nerve response), natural therapies take time and consistency is key. When used over an extended period of time, nerve tonics can rebuild the nerve connections and create a lasting flow of energy. In essence, herbal nervine therapy increases our ability to cope with the stress of daily life. Just what I need.


The Nerve Tonic that I decided to make includes lemon balm, chamomile, oats, chrysanthemum flowers, rose petals, and lavender flowers. I must admit, I was was in awe of how incredibly beautiful the herbs looked all mixed together. They have a sweet, floral smell. Steeping time can vary for an infusion anywhere between ten minutes and an hour. Since this is a medicinal infusion, I tried 30 minutes. It's a very soothing flavor that I think I enjoy without the need to add stevia (yes, it's an herb) to sweeten it. Next time I try it, I may let it steep for a bit longer to see how it effects the herbs and changes the flavor. Since this formula needs to be taken over time, it's actually easier to make it in batches instead of a cup at a time. I'm going to play with steeping time first and then make a day's worth at a time.

Most natural therapies for nervous system disorders are based on nutrition, herbs, exercise, and a reevaluation of lifestyle. I already do eat fairly healthy and drinking this fortifying tea will only benefit me. Unfortunately, working out has fallen by the wayside lately and that needs to change. I've also let myself get complacent about things that I love doing: namely being in nature and making my maille. It's hard to care about anything after having your life force sucked out of you for eight hours at a time, but again: that needs to change. On a side note: I've been having problems sleeping lately. I don't know if this tonic did it or just my feelings of happiness (or exhaustion?) when I went to bed, but I slept very well last night. Happy.

Update on the Career Front

After spending the last couple of months searching want ads and coming up with nothing unless you're a nurse, in finance, a web page designer, or want to work in a convenience store... I started thinking about things that have simply drawn my interest. The one thing that has stuck with me since I started doing all of this soul searching is herbalism. I've always been into alternative medicine, am a huge proponent of yoga & meditation, am the recycling nazi in the house, I only use the all natural cleaning products that I make, and even make many of my own personal care products. I adore teas and am fascinated by the healing properties of herbs.

My little container herb garden. That's Jack peeking out the window.

The whole herbalism thing is something that I had been tossing around with Scott for a little while and I'm not sure he knew what to make of it until we went to visit Saint Augustine recently. We visited Old City Remedies which is housed in the Nation's Oldest Drugstore. They have an absolutely amazing assortment of teas and herbs and I was simply in heaven in there. Scott looked at me and said "You can do something like this." I was shocked, astounded, excited, and wishing I could have it right that second. And then my doubtful brain kicked in and I thought about how small businesses typically don't make any money the first couple years they're around. After thinking about it (let's face it: obsessing about it) for a couple of weeks, I finally decided to start reading my Small Business for Dummies book and I ordered Lesson One of Rosemary Gladstar's The Science and Art of Herbalism.

This is the first idea that I've loved since I started going crazy about all of this stuff recently, so I figured that I should go with my gut and give it a shot. I must admit, though, that it's incredibly intimidating to switch career paths to something completely different than anything I have ever done. It also feels like a tremendous risk to go into business for myself especially when we are so concerned about paying our bills. It is going to take training (herbalism & small biz training), research, and a lot of dedication but it's an area I feel strongly about, I would get to create daily in addition to the day to day business aspects, and get to be my own boss. I hope I don't hate it when I get there and I hope I don't get lazy in the process of trying to get there. It also didn't escape me that this isn't something that I can dive into and that I will be stuck at my sucky job for probably another year or so while all of this comes together. Here's to hoping that I can hold it together that long!

Friday Finds - Herbal Inspiration

I've always been fascinated by herbs and all of their uses whether it be medicinal, spiritual, or culinary. My recent success in growing them in the Florida heat has been very encouraging. For this Friday Finds blog post, I'd like to share my love of nature and these amazing plants, with some items inspired by or created with herbs.

Rosemary Necklace by Hightower Botanicals

Custom Wellness Collection Including Vitex Tincture & Nutritive Tea by Flying Bird Botanicals

The Herbalist - 1/12 Scale Diorama by Vintage Arts

Set of 3 Fragrant Homegrown Handmade Lavender Wands by Bittersweet Design Studio