Category Archives: Herbs and Flowers

5 Things to Make with Hollyhocks

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two shampoo bars on wooden soap dish with pink hollyhock flowers and green hollyhock leaves

Learn 5 ways to use hollyhocks – a lovely old-fashioned garden flower that’s completely edible and non-toxic! Many people don’t realize that the common garden flower, Hollyhock, is completely edible – root, leaves and blossoms – and useful for more than just its charming looks. Hollyhock is a direct relation to Marshmallow and can sometimes be used as a milder substitute for that herb; the primary exception being that Hollyhocks have woodier and tougher roots, … Continue reading →

Rose Infused Witch Hazel

 
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jar of rose infused witch hazel on a wooden pallet with fresh rose petals and leaves

Soothing roses and anti-inflammatory witch hazel combine in this beautiful rose infused witch hazel – perfect to use as a facial toner, for bug bites, acne, sunburn, varicose veins & more! My roses are in full bloom this week and I’ve been busily preserving them in all sorts of ways! I first made this lovely rose infused witch hazel a few years ago for my Things to Make with Roses ebook, then decided to include … Continue reading →

Spring Tonic Honey {with dandelions & violets}

 
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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 that’s helpful for allergies, sore throats & more! We’re going to need three ingredients: raw honey (local if at all … Continue reading →

Lavender Face Cream with Lilacs & Violets {3 recipes!}

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Lavender Face Cream with Beeswax

I originally made this lovely homemade lavender face cream for my mom for Mother’s Day and she loved it!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 portion of the cream. Unfortunately, lilacs are one of those flowers, along with gardenias, whose scent is unable to be … Continue reading →

Five Uses for Violet Vinegar

 
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jar of violet flower vinegar outdoors with fresh violets

Learn how to make this pretty violet flower infused vinegar, along with 5 creative ways to use it! Violet Vinegar Recipe To make Violet Infused Vinegar, you just need some fresh violets and vinegar. I like the pretty color to show through, plus I like using vinegar for culinary uses, so I use white wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is another excellent choice. Go out and pick some fresh violets from unsprayed areas. Don’t pick … Continue reading →

Homemade Doggie Breath Freshener Treats

 
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natural dog treats for fresh breath with fresh mint and parsley beside a blue stoneware bowl

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 no good reason. She was in need of a treat to satisfy her snacking urges and a bit of breath … Continue reading →

Preserving & Using Jewelweed

 
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Jar of fresh jewelweed infusing in apple cider vinegar.

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 I took a quick video clip of how I make “jewelweed juice” to share here on my site. In addition, you’ll also learn … Continue reading →

6+ Uses for Lavender Leaves

 
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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 flowers, “Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) flowers, leaves and oil contain linaloyl acetate, linalool, perillyl alcohol, 1,8 cineole (eucalyptol), and at least … Continue reading →