Results for Category: DIY
A DIY Floral Delight Soap Recipe You’ll Love!
The craft of soapmaking is regaining popularity as people become more interested in learning more about traditional skills and homekeeping. While some people approach soapmaking as an artistic outlet, others make soap and shampoo bars in an effort to control the safety of the ingredients in the products they use in their homes, and some…
Two Basic St. John’s Wort Preparations To Keep In Stock
“This is her greatest trick: Bringing light and warmth to your darkness by helping to re-create the electric leap of synapses fi...
How To Make A Clarifying Facial Toner
One of the first steps to achieve clear skin begins on the inside of the body by eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of wate...
Video: Mediterranean Garden Lotion Bars
Like body butters, lotion bars are incredibly quick and easy to make. Not only that, but they are easy to apply to any area of the body by simply smoothing the bar over the skin and allowing your body heat to melt them into the skin. Lotion bars also do not contain any water-based ingredients,…
A DIY Herbal Electuary To Give Your Next Smoothie A Wellness Boost
When I first started working with honey, it was merely a logical leap as a mother who happened to be an herb-grower and a beekeeper. At the time, I was just working with the materials I had available to keep my kids from fighting my herbal preparations. Shortly after crafting my first herbal electuary, it…
Easy DIY Bee Sting Poultice
Let’s face it: as beautiful and amazing as it is to be outdoors in nature with the birds and the bees—sometimes you get stung!...
Urban Herbalism: Herbal Recipes For Life In An Urban Environment
Some of the most courageous herbalists are the ones who choose to live in cities and share their skills with the community-at-larg...
Spiritual Heart Medicine: How To Use Herbs for Emotional Self-Care
Humans are emotional beings, though, in our modern society, we often place importance on the physical body. This focus can lead to ignoring the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, messages from our emotional body. While it may feel easier to put attention on the physical body, tending to emotional self-care is necessary for overall…
DIY Firming Wild Rose Undereye Cream
This recipe for undereye cream is from a book excerpt from The Backyard Herbal Apothecary by Devon Young. My slow evolution into “becoming an herbalist” started with a love of plants and a love of knowledge. My earliest memories are a library of pretty plants and heavenly aroma, diverse textures and pleasing flavors. To say…
A Delicious Tummy Tamer Glycerite for the Whole Family
Like me, you may periodically experience trouble with digestion after a big meal with symptoms including stomach cramps, gas, pain...
How To Use The “Folk Method” To Make Herbal Preparations
When it comes to making herbal preparations, one of the simplest ways to go about it is to use the folk method. The folk method is...
An Herbal Tea Recipe for California Fire Victims
Our hearts go out to all those who’ve been affected in some way by the latest wildfires that have rapidly spread through parts of California recently. Not only are homes damaged or completely gone, but lives have been lost and many people and animals are suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation is…
9 Herbal DIYs for the Holidays
The holidays are a time to gather, join in community, and be with those we care about the most. We come together around the table to share in festive feasts and stories of the past year and plan for the coming year. We celebrate and show our appreciation for our loved ones, often through the…
How To Make & Use Homemade Magnesium Oil To Benefit Your Health
Do you experience insomnia, constipation, leg cramps, or general stress and anxiety more than you’d like? If so, magnesium may b...
How to Create a Simmering Herbal Potpourri
Does your home ever get that stale feeling? Does it smell like a cast iron skillet or a dusty antique store? Let’s be honest —...
4 Fall Herbal Tea Recipes To Cozy Up With
It’s easy for herbalists to rejoice with the turning of fall since cooler weather invites warm tea back into our daily routine. Whether you love to cozy up with a good book and a warm mug of tea, prepare an entire nourishing quart of tea to sip throughout the day, or enjoy a simple cup…
Herbal Tea or Herbal Infusion: What’s the Difference?
It’s finally here: the time of year when there’s not much better than a cozy fire, a snuggly flannel, and a hot cup of herbal tea… or herbal infusion. Fall is the perfect time of year to introduce the healthful practice of enjoying an herbal tea or herbal infusion daily. Not only is this the…
Herbal Beer: An Ancient Drink for Modern Times
It’s funny — I never thought I would write anything positive about beer. My husband homebrews, so it has always been his thing...
How To Make An Oxymel
A classic but often overlooked herbal preparation, oxymels have been used for ages for a variety of respiratory and immune system ...
How to Make A Homemade Flower Essence
I never understood the potency of flower essences until I made one myself — carefully picking each beautiful, delicate flower from the plant, intentionally setting it in spring water, and placing the bowl under the sun in the center of my garden. It was a magical meditation as the golden rays of the sun penetrated…
What Every Herbalist Should Know About Herbal Preparation Shelf Life
Have you ever pulled an older herbal salve out of your bathroom cabinet and wondered if it was still effective? Or perhaps you’ve thought about making a large batch of herbal tea to store in the refrigerator and drink over the course of several days, later second guessing yourself because you weren’t sure how many…
Strawberry Basil Infusion: A Last Taste of Summer
Who says tea always needs to be sipped hot? Infusions, like the one below, are a great way to rejuvenate your body after a hot day...
3 Steps for an Herbal-Infused Pedicure for Beautiful Nails and Soft Feet
Do you live in a warm climate and sport sandals daily or tread often in bare feet? Regardless of the climate you live in or the fr...
How To Make DIY Herbal Culinary Salts
So many recipes instruct you to “add salt and pepper to taste” or “finish with a sprinkle of sea salt.” But what if we could add herbs with every finishing touch? And what if this practice made the flavor of our dishes all the more complex and delightful? Herbal culinary salts are incredibly easy to…
How To Make Vegan Herbal Syrups
Herbal syrups are a common herbal preparation. Not only are they easy to make and tasty to use, but they require minimal ingredients that can be found in most homes. Other than herbs, all that’s needed to make herbal syrups are water and some form of sweetener. Many herbalists prefer to use raw honey to…
DIY Herbal Hair Serum For Silky Soft Hair
There is nothing quite so luxurious as running your hands through silky soft hair. Although you might think you can only achieve t...
5 Ways to Clean with Lemons
I crave the feelings of satisfaction and coziness that comes after giving my home a thorough cleaning. When the carpets look lush,...
How to Make the Perfect Cup of Chai for Your Dosha
Forget bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens—chai is one of my favorite things. For me, a great cup of chai is right up there with puppies, autumn leaves, and twinkling Christmas lights. I don’t know if it’s the perfect blend of sweet, warming spices, the creaminess of the milk, or the happy caffeine buzz…
26 Handmade Valentine’s Day Ideas: Gifts, Recipes, and DIYs to Show Your Love
Valentine’s Day and flowers go together with delightful ease! This combination is no surprise—flowers and other plants have long been embraced for their beauty and symbolism in romantic relationships. At this time of year, many of us look to spread a little love to those around us, and we might even desire to give ourselves…
7 Ways To Use Tulsi Everyday
There is a reason why “holy basil” is another common name for tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). Hindu culture even considers tulsi to be...
