Here’s how to make a pine needle, honey, and brandy elixir – a natural remedy for coughs and sore throats that combines the respiratory benefits of pine with the throat-soothing and antimicrobial properties of honey. Pine trees (Pinus spp.) have long been used in traditional medicine, especially for respiratory conditions and immune support. The needles…
Here’s how to make a quick, easy honey candy with just 3 ingredients and no candy thermometer needed! To make this, you’ll need: salted butter, honey, and your favorite kind of nut, such as pecans, almonds, etc. Many years ago, I bought a used copy of Rodale’s Naturally Delicious Desserts and Snacks by Faye Martin….
These cute little individual scrubs are made with melt and pour soap base and are used to help polish away patches of dry flaky skin. Shea butter softens your skin, while granulated sugar acts as a natural exfoliant for calloused or rough spots. They’re infused with rosemary, which naturally promotes alertness and better circulation, and…
Here’s how to turn stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves into a tincture that may be useful for allergies and inflammation. You can also tincture different parts of nettle, for different effect. For example, the root can be tinctured for prostate problems, while nettle seed tincture may be helpful for kidney problems. Today though, we’re focusing…
Learn how to grow, harvest, and store delicious alpine strawberries, and fill your garden with these small but tasty everbearing treasures! These fragile, fragrant heirloom berries will provide wild-flavored strawberries all summer long, and they’re prolific little things- in our garden, they happily keep on producing right up to the first frost! Alpine Strawberries differ…
Here’s how to make these cute beach-themed melt and pour soaps, featuring natural colorants! The simple round shapes could be left unadorned, or you can make them extra special by topping them with the pretty mini seashell soaps shown. That recipe is on this site too! Seashell Mini Soaps (Melt & Pour Recipe) Oatmeal melt…
These cute mini seashell soaps can be used as guest soaps, or packaged up for gifts or seaside wedding favors, but I especially like them as toppers for the Easy Beach Bars recipe, also found on this site. To make them, you’ll need: melt and pour soap base, mini seashell molds, rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, and…
Here’s a easy henbit salve recipe that I created for my sore knee – it can be used for other aches and pains too! I have a finicky knee from years of unknowingly hyperextending it, plus doing knee lunges incorrectly. Every so often, it flares up as an aching stabby pain. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is…
This homemade magnesium lotion features stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), an herb that fights inflammation, plus cypress essential oil which gently warms and stimulates circulation – making it useful for those with sore muscles, restless legs, leg cramps, or arthritis. Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click on one and make a…
Convenient, condensed, and with a bonus free printable reference sheet, here’s how to grow 14 common garden vegetables, all in one handy place! Beans/Wax Beans Dry beans, fresh shell/shelly (also sometimes spelled as shellie) beans, wax beans, and green beans are all sown in the same conditions, as they are all Phaseolus vulgaris, otherwise known…
Today I’m excited to share a wonderful cold process turmeric face soap recipe with you! It’s straight from the pages of the gorgeous new soap book by Simi Khabra, of Muddy Mint Soap Co. I’ve long been a huge fan of Simi’s beautiful natural soap creations and am so excited about her book! Everything from…
Here’s a cold process soap recipe that combines beeswax and honey! When added in small amounts, beeswax helps harden your soap, makes your bars last longer, and can reduce soda ash. Honey boosts lather and helps soften and moisturize your skin. Together, they’re a winning combination! Related Articles: How to Use Beeswax in Soap Honey…
Here’s how to add beeswax to your homemade cold process soap recipes! Benefits of Beeswax in Soap Beeswax is a great natural additive for your handmade soaps. Not only does it add label appeal, but it: (Note: These benefits are for cold process and hot process. Unfortunately, beeswax doesn’t work so well in melt and…
Learn how to make this easy diagonal design melt and pour soap recipe using natural colorants and essential oils! This soap features a bottom layer of oatmeal soap base to mimic the desert sand and three vivid warm natural colorants that remind me of a beautiful sunrise. The cheerful citrus scent is a combination of…
Here’s how to make and use lavender tincture! You can use fresh or dried lavender flowers for this project. You’ll also need some 80 to 100 proof vodka, and a half pint or small jar with a lid. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a well-loved herb with anti-inflammatory and skin soothing properties. The flowers (and the…
These homemade lavender lotion bars are so helpful for rough hands or dry, cracked skin. They’re easy to throw together and make wonderful gifts too! I usually make lotion bars with equal parts of oil, butter and beeswax measured by volume, but have also included the corresponding weights in grams, for those who prefer to…
This honey and lavender sugar scrub gently exfoliates your skin, leaving it soft, silky and smooth. It’s especially wonderful to use on your feet, elbows and knees. It’s also easy to make! Some links on this site are affiliate links. That means if you click on one and make a purchase, I may earn a…
How to make a multi-purpose homemade salve using: lavender flowers, oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil! Lavender salve is a handy remedy to keep around for: This salve is made in two parts. First you make a lavender infused oil, then you melt it with some beeswax to make the salve. Add a little essential…
How to make a gently calming rose glycerite – a natural remedy for nervousness, flushed/upset feelings, or PMS. It can also be used in natural skin care recipes! I’ve discussed various ways of preserving and using roses, but today, I want to highlight how to capture the physical and emotional benefits of the rose using…
Learn all about using rose kaolin clay for natural skin care, remedies, and soapmaking! Plus, you can grab a free printable Rose Clay “Cheat Sheet” for easy reference. Today, I’m trying out a new idea. My Plant Spotlight Printables (here’s an example Calendula Printable, if you haven’t seen one yet) are super popular, so I…
