Catnip is a Mighty Mint Indeed

Remember a Wordless Wednesday post only just a few weeks ago where I featured my poor catnip plant that got ravaged by a neighborhood cat?  Not only has the plant survived, but it's thriving!

There is an old saying about this plant:
      "If you set it, the cats will eat it,
       If you sow it, the cats don't know it."

The theory is that they are attracted to the scent of the catnip when it's in a weakened state such as bruised or having been transplanted.  I haven't tried growing it from seed, so I can't speak to that but the neighborhood cat did attempt to destroy the poor plant.  My Jack cat smells it on my hands when I touch it, but he hasn't tried to get to it yet.  I don't know if that's because the plant is now happy or if Jack it just a good boy.  I'm wondering whether I should try putting it into the garden bed when it's finished or if it will again be weakened and, thus, subject to attack.


By the way, catnip tea is a wonderful mild nervine.  It's also valuable in the case of fever as it will produce perspiration and encourage sleep.

Simple Joy Sunday

It's important to notice the things that make us smile, no matter the size or shape.  Here's some of my happiness from this past week.

The majority of this week was spent creating new chain maille, shining it all up, and working on my display for yesterday's Women Riders Event.  The event went really well for me, so much better than what I was anticipating anyway.  I really thought that it was going to be more about just promotion for me, but in addition to giving out some business cards & getting names for the mailing list, I also made a few good sales.  I'm not sure if I would have gotten those two bigger sales if I didn't accept credit cards: I am really in love with the Square app and reader for my phone!  Scott was my wingman, keeping me company (traffic was in spurts), and helping me with set up & tear down.  I am so happy that I made those sales!  Not just because it feels good that someone loves my work enough to purchase it, but also because I can now reinvest that money into my shop to order some more rubber rings (I'm all out!) and oil to make soap (I'm nearly out !).

I sold another one of my Jeep accessories!  I still have a few more ads posted on Craigslist, but this stuff has been a good start & I'm grateful.  Work is going to be slim this summer, so anything helps!

I can tell that 3 Day walkers are starting their training for this year's events: I'm getting even more requests for my sore muscle salve!  After plenty more requests for my soap, too, I'm going to add some limited supplies of both into the shop this week.  The packaging/labeling may not be perfect but it will be available to those that need it.  Why is this a simple joy?  Because I am so terribly flattered that people are requesting my products.

This week, I attended a webinar with Kiva Rose.  She's such a smart, caring herbalist and so generously shared her knowledge.  I really learned a lot from her in that short webinar and continue to be inspired by the plants and our Earth.

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (we can exchange links!).  I'd love to hear!

Wordless Wednesday... on Thursday: Sleep Pillow Contents

I've been so busy getting ready for my event this weekend, that I totally forgot to do this post yesterday!  Oops. Well, speaking of the event... I'm bringing some herbal goodness with me including some Sleep Pillows.  These are the herbs inside them.  Gorgeous, huh?

Simple Joy Sunday

Last week's lack of a Simple Joy Sunday post was due to what I was calling booger brain: allergies have been really bad off and on for the past month.  I was feeling better this week and so was a bit more active and have a few simple joys to share...

With everything that's been going on these last few months, I hadn't really made much time to devote to my mailling.  This past week I made a couple new copper maille bracelets, including coiling & cutting rings.  It made me realize how much I miss working with metal.  And it also reminded me that I need to get my Jump Ringer; I don't know what's taking me so long since I was given money for it as a present last year!  Here's my new Shaggy Loops Copper Confetti Chain Maille Bracelet available in Athena's Armoury on Artfire and Etsy .

In attempting to make herbal candy (didn't work out so well this time for some reason) I spilled 300 degree liquid on my hand.  Very, very not fun.  I made a burn salve for it and wound up with no redness or inflammation with the exception of one blister.  It feels good knowing that I have the ability to treat myself and others.

I started talking to a graphic designer friend about creating a new logo for me so that I can start adding some herbal goodness to the shop.  It was a lot of fun talking about the world I see for Athena's Armoury & Apothecary and I really look forward to seeing what she comes up with!

We'll be getting our fence done within the month (it really needs to be done, so yay!) but that also means that our drainage project & my herb garden will be following shortly behind.  So excited!

I haven't borrowed a book from the library in a very, very long time.  Maybe not since college and then it wasn't for enjoyment but my studies.  I did this week, though, and I can't tell you how happy it made me.  I don't know why.  Maybe it was the smell.  =)  But that also led me to spending a very enjoyable day making my lemongrass chicken soba noodle soup and indulging in reading most of the day.  It was a good day.


Oh!  We have a rain barrel!  Scott was able to finish it up this week (after not being able to find a part locally last week).  Of course, there's not rain in the forecast anytime soon but that's okay.  So excited to have rainwater available to me for the plants to drink!

What were some of your simple joys this week?  Share below or write your own blog post (link back here & I'll do the same for you, just let me know!).  I'd love to hear!

Florida Herb Society: Oh How I've Missed You!

I finally go to go to an Herb Society meeting this month!  I haven't been since October because I keep getting scheduled to work on the night of the meeting.  I've missed seeing everyone & just being at the meeting so much!  The herb of the month is parsley, so there was all kinds of yummy foods at the tasting table & the guest speaker featured it in her healthy cooking with herbs demonstration.

Did you know that parsley is associated with death?  Apparently, the ancient Greeks placed it on corpses to control the smell.  If someone said that a person was in need of parsley, it meant that they were close to death.  Hemlock is very similar looking to Italian or flat leaf parsley and toxic, so the people of the Middles Ages preferred to use curly leaf instead so that they knew what they were eating.  The Romans would use parsley in baths for purification.  The English believed that parsley grows only for the wicked, not the just.  I find herbal folklore fascinating!

If you soak your head in a parsley tea, it will combat head lice.  Parsley is one of the top seven disease fighting herbs.  Parley tea can be used for UTI's: since it's a diuretic, it will tone the linings and purify the infection.  There really are so many more medicinal uses for this very tasty herb!

Personally, I just love using the fresh leaves in cooking (especially soups!).  You can't even come close to comparing it's flavor to dried.  Do you have any favorite parsley recipes or medicinal uses for the plant?

I also picked up a celery plant at the meeting!  One of the women there said that her husband called it a Bloody Mary swizzle stick plant.  I love that.

Herb Society Meeting: Growing from Seed

At last night's Herb Society Meeting, we discussed some resources for growing from seed. I must admit that I haven't had much success growing from seed, but it's still fairly new to me. I tried growing lavender from seed a few years ago and got nothing from it. This past fall, I tried Thai Basil (from some seeds from the Herb Society, in fact) and got some adorable little green sprouts that quickly died. Honestly, I think I may have over watered that one. One of these days, I have to give it a go again. I also have to eventually invest the time, energy, and money to try to plant something in our sandy soil.

I have not tried any of these, but here are a few seed suppliers that they recommended:
Horizon Herbs
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Kitazawa Seed Company

A highly recommended fertilizer (again, I haven't tried it but it sounds amazing):
Ocean Solution

I was also thinking that I need to pick up a field identification book and heard at the meeting last night that the Smithsonian Handbook of Herbs is a really great book for all of it's color photos.

For the workshop portion of the evening, we repotted some herbs that one of our members who has a farm was growing for the group. I repotted & brought home with me (two for $1 was a steal!) a nasturtium, some lettuce, Tulsi (or Holy Basil), and Perilla.

The nasturtium is a lovely edible flower. I'm not sure what it tastes like, but it's colorful and looks so pretty on salads.

I was warned that the growing season for lettuce in Florida is probably just about over, so I'm not sure if these will take but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway.

I'm very excited about the Tulsi and Perilla. Tulsi is a nerve tonic, helps lower fevers, is good for treating respiratory problems, reduces cholesterol, it's an adaptogen, and even helps treat insect bites.

Perilla is good for sinus & allergy problems, colds, congestion, asthama, bronchitis, it helps sweat out a cold, and is anti-bacterial. Plus, it's leaves are green and a really lovely purple.

Here's a little gem that I picked up last night: The plant leaf most attacked (by bugs or whatnot) has the most magic and medicine of the plant.

If you're in the Tampa Bay area, the Green Thumb Festival is going on this weekend in St. Pete. It sounds like an amazing event with every kind of flower imaginable, food vendors, gardening accessories, soil testing, and more. I hope my feet are feeling up to it because I would love to check it out!

The lovely ladies on the board at the Herb Society allowed me to set up my fundraising goodies last night, too. It wasn't a huge success, but I did leave with $15 more to fight breast cancer than I had before the meeting. Every little bit helps.

Don't forget to check out my raffle benefitting the 3 Day!

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: Herbal Candy

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and my human Valentine (Scott) was at work all day while my furry Valentine (Jack) slept much of the day. I spent the majority of the day doing research (aka: obsessing) about doing the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk. I finally decided to get out of my head for a little bit and make some herbal candy. I had seen a recipe for it a couple of weeks ago and then my friend Cat over at The Green Cat blog sent me an e-mail with a link to a recipe on Instructables. It was the second time I saw that particular recipe that week. I figured that the universe was trying to tell me something so I had to try it.

Here is the recipe I used:


Cough Drops - More DIY How To Projects

I picked up some really delicious Ginger Lemon tea by Yogi Tea earlier in the week and thought that it would taste really yummy as candy so I used that instead of selecting my own herbs for this first try.

I also had to pick up a candy thermometer since my regular cooking thermometer doesn't reach the temperatures you need for candy. The instructable recipe made a point of saying to check your thermometer's temperature. I'm grateful I did, because it was off by about 20 degrees! I'm glad I knew to adjust it because it took a really long time to get it to the correct temperature.

One of the reasons why I decided to use this recipe for my first try making herbal candy is because it uses less than half the amount of sugar normally called for in a basic hard candy recipe. Apparently, you can play with what sweeteners you use but I stuck with the original recipe for this first try. I think next time, I'd like to try a combination of white sugar and agave, but I have a feeling that it might make for a chewy candy instead of the hard candy you get with straight sugar.

I didn't have any candy molds but I did have powdered sugar, so I used her recommendation to make molds using that. It was so cool watching the tea/sugar mixture flow into the molds. Seriously.

I stuck it in the fridge and let it set for about half an hour before I sifted the candy out.


I love that they are coated in the powdered sugar (tasty plus it helps keep them from sticking together) and if I do ever get candy molds still plan on using a light sprinkling. They turned out really tasty, but really sweet (but I guess that's simply in the nature of hard candy). I'm really glad that I used this recipe with less sugar!! They're very hard, definitely a sucking candy. It was a lot of fun making them and I'm really looking forward to playing with different herbs. Maybe next time I'll try elderberry & mint...

FL Herb Society Meeting: Herbal Soups & Stews

I didn't get to go to the FL Herb Society Meeting last month with the holiday crazies going on and I almost didn't make it this month either: my boss was trying to schedule a company dinner for after work (after work!) but luckily there were some of us that already had plans. In all honesty, I wasn't sure how interesting the meeting was going to be but I really wanted to go see my fellow herbies anyway!

The meeting was focused on a presentation of herbal soup and stock ideas by Emily Wenzel. Emily (FL Herb Society VP) is a Personal Trainer and Herbal Product creator from Body and Mind Enrichment (BMe). Not only is she a super nice chick and exudes friendliness, but her organic vegetable soup stock was really tasty. She highly encouraged us to be creative and use what we've got.

She prepared an easy stock at the meeting including ginger, carrots, leeks, celery, and garlic. All of these yummy veggies simmered for a few minutes before she added three parts water and one part vermouth. She took her time adding ingredients as she talked to give everything a chance to work it's magic. After a few minutes, she started adding her greens simply by breaking them apart with her fingers instead of chopping with a knife. Some greens that she recommended include collards, bok choy, mustard greens, kale, etc. One of the things that I loved about the way she was preparing things is how organic and earthy she did it. The fact that she used her fingers instead of a knife, she literally massaged her ingredients, she seemed very in tune to her cooking.

She added some rosemary, oregano, and juice from half a lemon. Some root herbs that she encouraged us to include are astragalus and ginger, but they should be removed when you're done cooking (nobody wants to gnaw on a root in their soup!). She also gave us the idea of using a broccoli stalk for flavoring, again removing it. Another option is to cut a piece of fennel very close to the bottom or even a nice long piece of lemongrass: tie them in a loose knot for easy removal. I was sitting toward the back of the room when she was doing her demonstration, but I could smell it even back there and it smelled amazing!

Another basic combination that she suggested was water and sherry with mushrooms, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. That sounds so delicious to me! If you like a thicker soup, she suggested using a small amount (maybe a tablespoon) of sesame oil or coconut oil; or if you have a submersion (or a stick) blender you can also use that to thicken it up.

Soups are good for you (tasty herbal medicine that fuels your soul!). The food is broken down so it's easy to digest and can include so many ingredients in them that are good for you. Here are some ideas:

Astragalus - supports & enhances the immune system
Bay - used to soothe stomach & gas, indigestion, heartburn
Fennel - good for digestion, gas, cramps
Garlic - anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxident
Ginger - calms upset stomach, minimizes colds and allergies, relieves arthritis due to it's anti-inflammatory properties
Lemongrass - good for nervous and digestive problems; anti-spasmodic; relieves headaches; helps acne; insect repellent (fly, flea, mosquito); muscular pain and stress related conditions; anti-depressant; astringent
Marjoram & Oregano - anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory; muscle relaxant; itchy skin. Oregano and wild marjoram include Thymol which helps loosen phlegm in lungs and releives spasms in bronchial passages, preserves food; can even use it in bath water
Rosemary - anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-oxident, brain & hair stimulant, increases circulation, reduces headaches, insect repellant, deoderant, food preserver; can also be used in bath
Sage - Burn to consecrate a ritual space, carry it as protection, use in ritual bath, absorbs negativity and misfortune; anti-oxident, throat, sores & stings, lifts spirits
Thyme - includes Thymol, anti-spasmodic, anti-septic that kills mildew and mold, treats coughs and congestion, mouthwash for sore throats and gums, muscle aches, poor circulation, gas colds, flu


During the hands on portion of the meeting, we each made a little cheesecloth with herbs for a stock to make at home. I included astragalus, bay, oregano, and sage. Here's a trick: keep one end of your string or hemp long so that you can tie it to the side of the pot for easy removal. I usually like to to keep my herbs in the soup so I may add some extra when I use this, but it's definitely a no brainer for herbs that must be removed.

There are refreshments served at every meeting based on the current month's focus herb. Last night the treats were focusing on sage. There was butternut squash soup, one of Emily's veggie herb soups, sage muffins, sage butter, and a salad of watermelon, goat's cheese, and mint. Everything was so delicious and I picked up some of the tea that was served, too.

I even treated myself to some yummy lip balm: I say yummy because it tastes like cinnamon. Its a lovely red color not from artificial dye, but from using alkenet root (it really only gives a hint of color on the lips which is perfect for me for everyday).

I'm glad I went. I had a really nice time.

Goals: I've Gotta Get Out of Here!

I've been thinking a lot about my goals (ie: resolutions) from last year and have been procrastinating blogging about it because it hasn't really been clear to me what my goals for this year should be. I'm going to take it step by step and see if we can't get this figured out.

Starting with 2009's review.
On the personal side, I vowed to take better care of myself and, for the most part, I did. I stopped the trips to vendo-land (I have no idea where that horrible habit came from!) but never did start taking yoga classes. I was on a roll working out probably until mid-summer when I hit a plateau. I didn't develop a sitting meditation practice, but did manage to find moments of Zen.

I did work on purging things that I don't need and getting my work room more organized. The purging is an ongoing process and that's fine. My work room is still not what I want it to be, but there was an improvement made when I invested in shelving for the closet. Sadly, I still haven't figured out the sewing machine I got off of freecycle.

I worked very hard at overcoming the huge problem I have with worrying about things that I have no control over. I'm an expert at being prepared for miscellaneous circumstances (due to my background as a stage manager), but the problem comes when I drive myself crazy with worry. This is something that I have to stay conscious of and will continue to be an ongoing process. It's getting better, though.

So far as Athena's Armoury goes... Well, I must admit that I horribly neglected the Armoury quite a bit this past year. After I finished a major project, I decided to give my badly injured wrist a break. Well, that self imposed break ended around the time things were getting really bad at work and my nerves took precedence over anything else. Needless to say, nearly all of my goals for the Armoury fell by the wayside.

This past summer was pretty brutal with work drama (much is still lingering), but I did manage to bounce back a bit. I don't think the situation will be much improved until there are drastic changes made here (doubtful) or I leave. I'm scared as Hell to think of leaving the only career I ever knew, but if I dread it day after day is it justifiable to stay in a career I love for a job I hate?

And that brings us to 2010!
I don't know how this wasn't dreadfully obvious to me before! The one goal, and it's a big one, that I know I have to work on is getting out of my current work situation. I really think that anything else that I may want to work on would figure itself out if I were happy. Let's face it, I haven't been happy since I started this job four years ago. I made an announcement in September that I thought I figured out what I wanted to do: pursue herbalism and eventually open up a tea and herb shop. I've been doing my usual silliness of getting completely overwhelmed with the enormity of it. I need to get back on track and come up with a plan to create small, easily achievable goals each step of the way. I read the book Craft Inc. and it has a lot of helpful advice. I had a coupon, so I picked up the Craft Inc. Business Planner as a tool to help me get started.

And it begins...

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: Brain Tonic Tincture

Among the many gorgeous, incredibly fresh herbs I received from Mountain Rose Herbs I got the ingredients I needed to make a Brain Tonic Tincture. This tincture is excellent for calming and strengthening the nervous system and increasing memory. You won't wake up overnight feeling like Einstein, but after consistent use (daily for anywhere between one to three months) there will be a subtle but noticeable increase in memory and mental alertness. I figured since I'm studying herbalism, this would be a great introductory tincture for me!

Herbs included in this tincture include: Gota Kola, Gingko Leaf, Peppermint, Sage, and Rosemary. The herbs are being extracted in vodka for six to eight weeks. You can see in the picture above how the herbs settle to the bottom of the jar: a simple shake daily keeps the herbs and vodka mixed.

People say that I must be very patient for making chain maille. Making maille doesn't need patience, but working with herbs does! It takes time for them to work their magic.

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.

Florida Herb Society Meeting

Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the Florida Herb Society for the first time. I was interested to see what the group is about and to also, hopefully, meet other people with some of the same interests I have (I think some people would say: make friends). The meeting was structured a little bit like a union meeting (which kind of cracked me up): the president used a gavel, there was a report from the treasurer, and the secretary read the minutes from the last meeting. There were a lot more people there than I expected: I'd say there were a good 30-40 people there. I say people, but really there were two men and the rest were all more or less senior citizen women with the exception of one of the guest speakers and the VP of the group who were closer to my age. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed that there really wasn't anyone there that I could relate to age-wise, but everyone seemed nice.

They had two guest speakers scheduled: Deserie Valloreo of Herbalwise was scheduled to discuss Herbs for Vibrant Skincare and Kathy Oliver of My Mother's Garden discussed helpful and harmful garden bugs. Deserie provided a great handout and demoed how to make a hydrosol/toner (see the end of this post for instructions). In addition to Kathy's talk, she also had herbs for sale from her organic nursery. I picked up some Texas tarragon and Lemongrass. Texas tarragon is a culinary herb with a lovely, light scent that will be good with poulty, pork, or shellfish. Lemongrass is commonly used in stir fries or Thai food, but it's also great for skincare (as an antiseptic for oily skin) and as a medicinal herb (it removes harmful metals from the body).

I still have A LOT (tons, in fact) to learn, but this meeting (particularly the skincare stuff) taught me that I actually know more than I realize. Despite either knowing much of what was discussed or knowing that I could read it in a book, it was nice to get out and be social even if it wasn't with my peers. Next month they have an herbal vinegar hands on workshop scheduled and even though I pretty much already know how to do this, it could still be fun.

Here's a brief description of the hydrosol/toner demo from Deserie:

Use distilled water combined with your choice of herbs to make an infusion.
Strain your floral water into a spray bottle.
Add 1 or 2 drops of alcohol (preferably vodka since it's pretty much scentless) for every ounce or so of herb water.
Add 3 or 4 drops of your choice of essential oil.
Shake, spray, enjoy!

Snow friggin' White

I spent a fabulous few hours yesterday playing in my herb garden! Originally, my intention was to re-pot a couple of herbs, shower & get dressed, and head out to a craft fair. Instead, I totally lost track of time. My yarrow desperately needed to go into a different pot. I had my thyme and oregano in the same pot for a while so I wanted to give each it's own home. I also wanted to plant the Thai Basil seeds I got the day before at Herb Day: I've never had much luck growing anything from seed, so we'll see how this goes! This past week, I noticed some yellow mushrooms blooming in my ivy and spiky plant (that I still don't know the name of) pot so I really needed to deal with that. That was not fun. I removed the 'shrooms and about an inch of the top layer of soil which was taken over by some horrendous yellow spores and mold. Truly disgusting. I hope I was able to save it! I spent a lot of time, simply pruning my herbs and spending time with them. I know that sounds like a crazy plant person thing to say, but they are alive and have an energy about them.

While I was spending time tending to my herbs, I was also visited by a few critters. Being Florida, there was of course an insane amount of geckos around, but I also saw a different kind of lizard. His back was bumpy, he skin was so pale that it was almost translucent, and he was quite a bit bigger than even a large gecko. I also got to play with two of the most adorable frogs that might be making their home in my herbs. I felt so bad displacing them, but they were in one of the plants that needed to be re-potted. I hope they come back. I even got to see a Blue Jay up close in my neighbor's tree. I felt like Snow friggin' White.

That quality time spent with Mother Nature and my herbs made me think about something I read in my first lesson with Rosemary Gladstar.

Herbs contain chemicals that have no apparent function for the life processes of the plant. However, these very chemicals have a direct and positive influence on the human body.

It's almost as if they are saying "we're good for you, here's proof."

Herb Day Recap

It's a long one, sorry.

Yesterday was Herb Day and I attended the celebration being held at Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies down in St. Pete. At first glance, I was a bit disappointed because of how small the event was, but it was more about quality than quantity really. There was a local folk herbalist with a booth full of organically grown herbs for sale in addition to a vendor with culinary herbs & spices (I got an amazing honey infused with mint from her!) and a few others with creams, salves, teas, and more. There were some herbal foods available: I tried jellyfish salad. It was kind of like octopus in texture, but tasted more like a really salty rubber band. I also got a goodie bag with a few samples of Chinese herbs and some brochures. The Florida Herb Society was there with information on membership (think I might join!) and a sample of dried Thai Basil to collect the seeds for planting.


The best part of the event, though, were the lectures. One of the lectures that I really wanted to attend (Herbs for Anxiety & Stress), I literally arrived as the speaker was thanking everyone for coming and finishing up (there was no lecture schedule posted, so I just showed up when I could). The next lecture description didn't interest me much, but I had already wandered the vendors and had about an hour to kill before the next one that I wanted to hear so I sat in on it. This particular lecture had to do with Traditional Chinese Medicine, digestive fire, and using herbs to balance digestion. The next two lectures were Herb & Drug Interaction and Herbs for Cold & Flu.

One of the points that the speaker made about herb & drug interactions that I found surprising and interesting was that many of the concerns of doctors and pharmacists is based on conjecture. They hear that a particular herb is good for lowering blood sugar, so obviously it can't be used in conjunction with a drug that does the same thing. His point is that they can work together if it is properly regulated. You should never, ever self-medicate with herbs when you are on the following types of pharmaceutical drugs:
-blood thinners
-chemo
-antivirals
-immunosuppressants
Using the wrong herbs with them can be lethal. He also mentioned that some of the research that has been done on herb & drug interactions has been done on animals. Many animals will not eat the herbs in the form that a human would for treatment, so they are instead injected. Injected herbs are absorbed and work differently than they would had they been ingested, so you are still not getting a clear picture of how they would interact with a particular drug.

I was really looking forward to the Herbs for Cold and Flu lecture, but was a bit disappointed because the speaker focused mainly on TCM. Again. Actually, it was an interesting topic and although TCM is probably the most widely used form of herbalism (in addition to Ayurveda), I feel absolutely no connection to it. The very, very little bit I know about the theory I totally get, I guess I just can't relate to it.

The final topic of the day was Becoming an Herbalist and by this point, I was pretty much the only one in the room so the owner of the shop who was also organizer of the event and the speaker on the topic and I just had a short little chat. He explained to me that there are basically four different forms and herbalist can take:
-The Grandma -This herbal tradition typically uses simples and has knowledge that is commonly handed down generation to generation.
-The Wise Woman -Leaders in this area would be Rosemary Gladstar (who's correspondence course I'm working on) and Susan Weed. The Wise Woman formulates herbal teas, tinctures, poultices, etc. and works with her family and community. She grows and cultivates herbs, wild harvests, and seems to have a strong connection to the Earth.
-The Village Herbalist -He considers himself to be in this category. It's much more clinical with much more in depth case studies and will even work with a patient's doctors.
-The Shaman or Medicine Man -This is a reminder of the Native American tradition, among others, where the healer is also a spiritual leader.

His shop, where the event took place, offers herbal training but the basis of it is in TCM. Apparently, he includes information from other traditions, but it's largely Traditional Chinese Medicine. It's unfortunate, really, because I really liked this guy and feel that I could benefit from a more hands on training but I'm not that terribly interested in that area of focus (as I think I mentioned once or twice already). He mentioned Michael Tierra and David Winston's correspondence courses as well as the American Herbalist Guild Conference (which he's trying to get down here in the next year or two) and the Medicines of the Earth Conference. I looked into Micheal Tierra's course and it does look really interesting: it's a study of Eastern and Western herbal traditions, but it's a bit out of my price range right now. The AHG conference sounds like it would be extremely interesting, but totally beyond me at this point. Medicines of the Earth, however, sounds like a lot of fun and it sounds like there would be stuff of interest to all level of herbalist, too.

What did I learn today? I learned that at this point, I feel the most connection to and interest in the Wise Woman tradition. And I also learned that I never need to eat jellyfish again.