Though the last few months have seemed rather uneventful, I’ve actually been very busy making things… I’ve crocheted several blankets, hats, and scarves; I’ve mixed up herbal tinctures, bitters, and elixirs with interesting new-to-me flavor combinations; I’ve made up several batches of honey-fermented cranberries (using this recipe); and I’ve harvested, bundled, and dried various herbs from the garden.
Looking back, I started making homemade holiday gifts out of necessity… our family finances were tight and I felt rather crafty so, for many years, I would make rather than buy most of our holiday gifts. Over time I started to really enjoy experimenting with new crochet techniques or new flavors and recipes, sharing the best of my personal creations with friends and family and hoping that they liked using them as much as I did making them.
This year, I finally have the abundant herb garden that I’ve always longed for, which has allowed me to make so many lovely and delicious herbal goodies that I simply must share with friends. Extra time at home (thanks, covid-19) has allowed me the opportunity to reorganize my herb storage and indulge in buying an excess of yarn, both of which gave me new ideas and projects to work on.
So this week I spent a lot of time bottling, boxing, and wrapping up special gifts… some to ship off and some to be hand-delivered, since we won’t be doing any large holiday gatherings this year. As I packaged up what I needed, I realized there are a few extras that I could offer up for purchase (on the off chance that someone else might like to enjoy them). You can take a look below and if anything strikes your fancy, give me a holler. But keep in mind that I only have 2-3 of most of these available.
Respiratory Tea Blend (loose leaf)
Special blend of herbs designed to open nasal passages while healing and supporting the respiratory system. Made of certified organic, responsible grown and harvested herbs and blended with love. Contains elder flower, orange peel, peppermint, licorice root, marshmallow root, and thyme. Steep 1 heaping teaspoon Respiratory herbal tea blend per 1 cup hot water.
$12 for 1 oz. by weight (makes approximately 12-16 cups of tea)
Fresh Lemon Balm Tincture
Aromatic & cooling, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is relaxing/soothing to the nervous & digestive systems as well as supportive to the immune system. Avoid if you have a history of hypothyroidism. Made with fresh lemon balm leaves in 120 proof alcohol. Take ½-1 dropper as needed, up to 4 times daily.
$18 for 1 oz. bottle
Damiana Elixir
Warming & aromatic, damiana increases circulation while relaxing the nervous system. Not for use during pregnancy. Made with damiana, orange peel, vodka, honey, and vanilla extract. Take by the teaspoon/dropper as often as desired.
$32 for 2 oz. bottle
Lavender Tulsi Massage Oil
Aromatic and relaxing, this oil is perfect for massaging into sore muscles or stiff neck/shoulders to relieve tension, move stagnant energy, and soothe overworked nerves. Those with low blood pressure should avoid using in excess. Made with grapeseed and apricot oils infused with lavender blossoms and tulsi leaves/flowers, and lavender essential oil.
$18 for 1 oz. bottle
Fresh Tulsi Tincture
Aromatic and slightly warming, tulsi or holy basil (Ocimum sp) is an adaptogen that moves stagnant energy and soothes overworked nerves. Made with fresh tulsi leaves and flowers in 120 proof alcohol. Take ½-1 dropper as needed, up to 3 times daily.
$18 for 1 oz. bottle
Herbal Smudge Sticks
Made with homegrown herbs from my garden. See this blog post for more info on how to use them for smoke cleansing. Available in a few options (or reach out for a custom blend):
- culinary sage
- yarrow
- rosemary and sage
- sage and lavender
- sage and rosemary
$5 per bundle
Again, I only have a few of each item available, so if there’s something you’d like to try, contact me ASAP. If you’re not local, I can ship items for a small fee.