Spring has sprung around my house! Two of my favorite plants to work with – dandelions and violets – are everywhere. By infusing them in pure honey we can enjoy the health benefits that each one offers. Today, I want to show you how I use these lovely weeds to make a Spring Tonic Honey…
I originally made this lovely homemade lavender face cream for my mom for Mother’s Day and she loved it! Since that time, I’ve made a few more versions of it that I wanted to share with you today! My mom loves lilacs, so I use those flowers, plus fresh violet blossoms to infuse the water…
This whipped moisturizer is super easy to make! It requires just two ingredients: dried dandelion flowers and coconut oil, but has so many uses. Coconut oil, reputed to have many health benefits when used both internally and externally, is readily available in most areas. I live in small town USA and found two types to…
Dandelions & magnesium oil combine in this powerful dandelion magnesium lotion that helps relieve leg cramps, back aches, growing pains, restless leg syndrome, & nerve pain. I’m so excited to share this dandelion magnesium lotion recipe with you today! I first created it for a print book, but it was an instant hit with everyone who…
Learn how to make this pretty violet flower infused vinegar, along with 5 creative ways to use it! Violet Vinegar Recipe & How to Use It To make Violet Infused Vinegar, you just need some fresh violet flowers and vinegar. I like the pretty color to show through, plus I like using vinegar for culinary…
These natural clay cleansing bars are made with nourishing butters, oils, clay, and oatmeal, and are best suited for normal to dry skin. I started working on this clay cleansing bar recipe a while back, and after quite a few experiments fine-tuning the amount of oils, butters, and clay, I finally settled on a ratio…
Learn how to make an effective, non-greasy, and natural cold care chest rub cream featuring essential oils and menthol. It’s peak cold and flu season around here, and I’ve been sharing jars of this natural vapor rub cream with loved ones. I originally created the recipe especially for my Handmade Lotions & Creams Course, but…
Learn to make a homemade laundry soap and stain sticks using just three ingredients. Also included is my easy recipe for laundry detergent! Unlike my other natural soap recipes, this one is intended for laundry purposes only. It has no extra oils or fats in it, making it better suited for cleaning tough stains on…
This tricolored soap was dreamed up by newsletter reader Patricia who wanted to make her friends a cute soap for Valentine’s Day. She requested a soap with three layers – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, and wanted it to smell like strawberries and chocolate. While my version doesn’t smell like strawberries since I have family members…
This nourishing whipped body butter recipe is perfect for softening and soothing dry hands and body! It features a trio of herbal flowers: dandelion, sunflower, and calendula, that help repair and condition chapped skin. Today I’m excited to share a recipe that was inspired by my friend Colleen’s brand new book, Healing Herbal Infusions. If…
These relaxing DIY lavender bath bombs get their pretty natural color from purple Brazilian clay and delightful scent from pure lavender essential oil. The shea (or mango) butter helps to hold the bath bomb together, without the need for a lot of added witch hazel. If shea or mango butter isn’t available, a mixture of…
These natural homemade dog shampoo bars feature neem oil, which is especially helpful at repelling fleas and treating a variety of skin complaints. Since neem has a fairly strong aroma, I also included some lavender essential oil to help mellow the scent and to add a calming note to bath times. After washing your dog…
Have a dog with bad breath? Try this DIY doggie breath freshener treat recipe, made with all natural ingredients that are good for your pup! We love to spoil our pets, but our little dachshund’s tummy can’t handle most commercial dog treats. And, let’s face it. “Dog breath” didn’t become a commonly used insult for…
Supercharge your Epsom salt bath with this natural detox bath recipe featuring charcoal infused sea salt, baking soda, and bentonite clay. A natural detox bath is an amazing way to cleanse your skin and refreshen your body. While there are many different recipes that you can follow, this is my favorite one – adapted from…
Jewelweed is an excellent natural remedy for poison ivy, poison oak, bug bites, and general itchy skin conditions. If you’re fortunate to have any growing around you, be sure to harvest some now to preserve for year ’round use! Lately there’s been an increase in reader interest and questions about jewelweed, so today I’m sharing…
Learn how to adjust for and add lanolin to soap recipes, plus guidelines for using it. Kimberly asked a great question the other day, about how to include lanolin in a soap recipe she’d recently made. She also wanted to try including it in my Dandelion Scrub Bar recipe, but wasn’t sure what changes to…
Lavender flowers are only around for a short time, but there are plenty of uses for lavender leaves! Learn how to harvest, dry & use them in DIY projects. First though, you may wonder – what are the health benefits of lavender leaves? While the leaves haven’t been studied as specifically or extensively as the…
This easy DIY sinus and headache balm is an all-natural remedy that helps relieve stuffy noses, allergies, and headaches. I created this balm recipe specifically for a relative with chronic sinus problems that kept them from sleeping well for years. She reported that it helped immensely and she even regained some lost smell after using…
We all have soapmaking fails. This ultimate troubleshooting guide breaks down the reasons and solutions for 30+ common cold process soap problems. On a daily basis I receive emails from readers about problems and questions encountered while making soap. (Currently, I have 70+ of those emails in the queue to answer!) A few months ago…
Elderberries and apple cider vinegar combine with honey, butter, and vanilla to make these delicious antiviral elderberry vinegar honey caramels. We’ve made elderberry syrup and elderberry tincture, now it’s time for elderberry vinegar! I’ll also show you how to turn that vinegar into a delicious honey caramel treat with an antiviral boost. Step 1: Make the…
