February, Roses and DIY Ideas

Roses, roses, roses! Whenever I can, I'll save old roses. Letting them dry on the stem (sometimes actually hung upside down in dark place, more often left in an empty jar/vase until they're completely dry), or gathering falling petals, pinching the whole head off a tired limp rose, or even pressing them! Especially with petals, I'll add them to a basket of dried roses; first laying them out in an empty flat air basket so they can dry, later putting them together with the rest of my collection.

Musky, sweet, nostalgic...I love the scent of old roses! As delightful as fresh roses smell, somehow the fragrance enhances as they dry and age - at least my nose thinks so! 


Have you ever saved your bouquets? I've been saving mine since I was a girl. Sometimes I've bought them (from Bulk Herb Store or Mountain Rose Herbs), so I could be sure to have a good clean and organic source for something edible or in my homemade remedies.


Here are some ways I've used roses:

Herbal Rose Remedies

Soothing Rose Hand Cream
Stimulating/Soothing Rose Lip Balm
Soothing Flower Bug-Bite Salve

Other Dried Rose Uses

Homemade Winter Potpourri - my favorite use for home-dried roses!
3 Ways to Have Fun With Herbal Dye!
4 More Ways: How to Make Good Use of those Leftover Rose Petals
Over a Dozen ways for using - instead of discarding- old rose petals: Roses 


For those special petals, if you happen to see (or have!) any roses that could be saved for a second use...

 What is your favorite way to use roses?

 This post is shared with: The Art of Home-Making Mondays 

If you love me...

This post isn't an herby post...but it is what's on my heart for the day.

On My Heart for the Day

When I wrote about giving gifts as thanks to someone who's sacrificed for you, I had this on my mind. When I think about sharing my life with younger ladies, and encouraging them with what is most important in life, this is on my mind. When I think about many aspects of life and how I want to approach them, this comes up. ...

Happy Hair Tea: How-To @ BHS

   

Photo by: Lauren @ BHS

Today I'm sharing a recipe from Shaaron Lavy. This simple herbal tea with a good base of alfalfa and nettles is Shaaron's daily drink for "happy hair."

Herbs in Happy Hair Tea

• Red Clover Herb
• Dandelion leaf
• Burdock Root
  
• Gingko
• Nettle Leaf
• Alfalfa
• Optional: if you want caffeine in your tea, you can add...

NOTE: As you may have read in our Herbal A-Z on Alfalfa, because of alfalfa [and red clover's] estrogenic effects on the body, this tea is not recommended for pregnant women. Also avoid using while taking blood thinning agents.

"You can also use this tea -well, almost all of those herbs are good for blood-cleansing, as well as helpful to liver and kidneys, and gingko is good for your brain. Green tea is full of anti-oxidants - so hey, you'll look younger! It has all your vitamins, so this is a good daily vita-mix. Or you can make it as a tincture; either way works great!" -Shaaron

Click here to read all the details; get the neat recipe card, instructions, and info on why each herb is included!



P. S. One last thing before you leave! I'm making on mini natural hair-care series for later in the year; If you'd be so kind, share something here on A Gypsy Herbal - we'd love to have your input and would like to include some of your ideas that month!  :]

How do you care for your hair? We're working on little natural hair series, so share your ideas below! (We'd love to be able to include some of your experience & wisdom!)

 

This post is shared on: Wellness Wednesday, The Art of Home-Making Monday 

Forgotten Winter's Flower: Violets

This was posted a year ago today...what a different winter we were having!

Seems winter is forgotten around here. The sun streams warm, the flies buzz, and even the fruit trees are budding.

Even still, the violets didn't forget to bloom!!

How do you enjoy wonderful winter violets?

New Page is here: Herbs!

 Hi y'all! As I'm finishing the work on my kitchenette (and surrounding studio),  I hope you'll bear with me with a few less posts over the next month-ish. I've been making plans for the blog later in the year, so there's a lot coming up - Lord willing!

 I did get the Herb Page up though, so you can browse through the alphabetical index, get a hint as to which new post are coming up, look for your favorite herbs, or maybe find a new one! I'd appreciate your input, so please click that Herb button ^ up on the bar at the top (or click here), and leave me a comment about which herbs you'd like to see added, how you use one of those herbs, or just your thoughts! Thanks! :]

Warm & Spicy Winter: Potpourri Round-up!

Part 3 in the Warm & Spicy Winter 2014-2015 series.  

Do the holidays end a little too soon for you? I know I start to miss the festive atmosphere just about as soon as everyone starts talking New Year's, taking down the lights, and packs up the  decorations. I miss the lights, the treats, the music. I miss the scents too! If you'd like to linger over some of the scents with which we began the season, then start clicking - we have a collection of Wintertime Potpourris links just for you. 

NOTE: As suggested in part 1, store boughten scented candles don't fit in with A Gypsy Herbal's natural and homemade herbal focus. So to, here; often commercially made potpourri is heavily laden with chemical additives. We're going for natural, healthy options within this Warm & Spicy Winter series.  We'll focus on natural homemade versions of warm winter-time herbal potpourri. Take this post from Our Heritage of Health for example: Natural DIY Air Freshener Ideas for the Holidays