You know that spring has sprung when you see the bright yellow blaze of forsythia blossoms across the neighborhood. Forsythia is a shrub that barely gets noticed until spring arrives, and then it’s the star of the show! I was pleasantly surprised and excited to find out that forsythia flowers are edible, especially since I…
Herbalism
Using herbs, flowers, and plants for medicine is something I feel very strongly about, as I believe that the plant world has given us almost everything we need to stay healthy! I’m passionate about teaching others how to make their own herbal remedies and skin care products with homegrown and foraged herbs and flowers.
10 Benefits of Growing Chives
Chives are often one of the first plants to pop up in the springtime and they are a welcome sight after a long and cold winter. I love growing chives for many reasons beyond putting them on a baked potato with sour cream (but that’s an excellent reason to grow them, too!). They are great…
Rose Hip Lip Balm for Soothing Dry Lips
{This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs} Natural lip balms are easier to make than you may think, and they are especially nice when using nourishing herbal ingredients. When your lips are dry and in need of some extra moisturizing, this rose hip lip balm is the perfect thing to have on hand! Rose…
Wild Violet Flower Infused Vinegar
One of the first flowers to emerge in late winter and early spring are wild violets. We get them all over our backyard, so finding them is pretty easy! Since we have so many, I decided that I better do something with them, and making wild violet infused vinegar seemed like the best idea. It’s…
Lemon + Lavender Shortbread Cookies
{This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs} I have a thing for shortbread cookies. I also have a thing for edible flowers. So it makes total sense to combine the two in my mind! Dried lavender is an edible and medicinal flower that I always make sure to have on hand, because I use…
Juniper Spice Beard Balm Recipe: Homemade Natural Beard Care
{This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs} If you or someone you know has an unruly beard, then this post is for you! Last year I made a Rosemary Pine Beard Balm that was hugely popular (and popular in my Etsy shop as well!), so I thought I’d come up with a new and…
Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee with Chicory Root & Cinnamon
{This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs} What if I told you that roasted dandelion root tasted almost exactly like coffee when brewed? Even more so when you add a pinch of roasted chicory root! I’ve heard this time and time again from people or read it on the internet, but I never actually…
Fermented Elderberry Soda with Ginger and Honey (Made with Wild Yeast)
Elderberry season is always an exciting time. I love watching the local elderberry trees come into flower in the summer, then slowly start producing berries as fall approaches. Fall is by far my favorite season, so this is the beginning of wonderful things to come in my mind! Elderberries are amazing for the immune system,…
Kombucha Soap: Natural Face Bar Recipe
Most of us in the fermenting world know all about kombucha, whether we’ve made it ourselves or just purchase it at our local health food store. What I’ve only recently learned is that kombucha is also great for the skin and makes a wonderful soap! It’s also the perfect way to use up any extra…
Wild Rose and Yarrow Soap
Making homemade soap is one of my new favorite skills. I especially love soaps that are made with foraged and wildcrafted ingredients. My friend Jan Berry, blogger at The Nerdy Farm Wife and author of 101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home and the Natural Soapmaking eBook, has a great recipe for…
