Man in the Moon Herbs

The Spring Fox Hospital Auxiliary Craft Fair is this weekend Saturday April 4th from 9-5 and Sunday April 5th from 9-3. It's at the Foxcare Center on Rt 7 just outside of Oneonta,NY. There will be many new crafters, raffles, and door prizes. I will have many new products and scents! Hope to see you there! -Gail-

Have you ever bought a candle and ended up disappointed because it only melted in the middle of the jar? Why is all that wax clinging to the sides of the jar and not melting? "It must be a crappy candle" you think to yourself. Well, it could be your burning technique! While burning a jar candle seems quite straight forward, light a match, put it to the wick and you're done, there is a simple trick to getting the most out of any jar candle. Wax has a "memory." This memory is formed the very first time you burn the candle and can not be changed. So, if you light that fragrant creation, let it burn for just a little while and snuff it out when only a small puddle of wax has formed you will never get it to melt out to the sides of the jar! The next time you light your candle, you will notice the wax puddle won't extend past the diameter of the original wax puddle- disappointing! The trick to getting the most life out of any candle is to be sure the first time yo...

Herbs de Provence is a classic blend of herbs that includes lavender. It's my go-to seasoning for many dishes. My husband has to watch his salt intake so I use other seasonings, especially this blend, with a rather heavy hand to boost flavor without the sodium. The end product is actually tastier and has more complexity than when I used to use salt. The proportions can be changed to suit your own taste and if you don't care for a particular herb's flavor, just leave it out! Herbs de Provence 3 tablespoons of basil 3 tablespoons of rosemary 3 tablespoons of parsley 2 tablespoons of lavender 1 teaspoon of sage 1 tablespoon of marjoram Mix all herbs and store in an airtight container. Crush slightly between your fingers before adding to your dish. This will release all the beautiful flavors. This blend is good on chicken and fish. Shake with equal parts of balsalmic vinegar and olive oil for a simple salad dressing or marinade. Add a pinch to canned soup to give more flavor....

I was very excited to find my Laurel Burch jungle print catnip cushion on the front page of Indie Spotting! There's a link on the the side bar if you would like to see it.

Lavender is one of the most useful herbs I know. It can be used in cosmetics, for first aide, to help change your mood, for cooking, for cleaning and just because it smells good! Today I'll show you how useful a bottle of simple lavender essential oil is and follow up in the upcoming week with recipes and formulas you can make to incorporate this wonderful herb into your daily life. AVOID LAVENDER DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY OR IF YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS EXTREMELY LOW. Be sure to purchase pure essential oil and not fragrance oil. The fragrance oils are synthetic and don't have the same properties as the real thing. 1.ZAP A ZIT- a drop of lavender essential oil on a pimple will dry it up in no time! Lavender is anti bacterial. 2.MINOR BURNS- apply ice cold compresses for 10 minutes, then immediately apply a couple of drops of lavender essential oil to the affected area. Seek medical attention for serious burns! 3.MINOR SCRAPES-bathe the area with 2 cups of warm water...

I couldn't resist this sweet fabric when I saw it! It has "Spring" written all over it,from the tulips to the bumble bees to the blue birds. I'm not sure what it will become yet. Most of the time I just buy the fabrics them let them whisper their wishes to me. I'll let you know what this one whispers! Gail

Why don't you just go jump in a lake! No, really! That's what over two hundred people in my little community did on a very cold Saturday in February. It was the 14th Annual Polar Bear Jump at Goodyear Lake in upstate New York. The ripples aren't just from the belly flops. This bone chilling, heart warming event began quite modestly with 11 jumpers who wanted to do something to help a sick little girl. Brenda and Jamie Waters had been to a Polar Bear jump on the St Lawrence the year before and thought, why can't we do that here? Ripple #1! Everyone had a great time at the first event and word spread. Every year since then, it has gotten larger and they are now helping out more and more families. The spirit is still very hometown, and all the money raised still goes to help others out. Young and old and even entire families get involved. Others in the community have seen the good that can be done when we all come together and have been inspired to start raising funds for ...

When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kindness. - author unknown

This is a simple project that kids (old and young) love to do! The bath bags can be used in the shower or tub and they make great gifts . You will need the following ingredients: lavender buds oatmeal muslin bags Start by coarsely grinding about 2 cups of oatmeal in a blender or food processor. Don't make it too fine. (See picture) Add about 1/4 cup of the oatmeal to each muslin bag. Then put in 2-3 tablespoons of lavender buds for fragrance and relaxation. Tie a secure knot close to the bag then tie the ends of the strings together so your bath bag can be hung from a faucet as the tub is filling. You can also use these in the shower as you would a washcloth. To give as a gift, package in a ziplock bag and label with the instructions for using. To order the materials for this project visit my shop at lavendermim .com . You'll find muslin bags ,lavender and kits including the ziplock bags in the RAW MATERIALS AND OILS section.

This recipe was given to me by a friend many years ago. The flavor of the lavender is just right, not overwhelming. Eating these cookies is like bringing all the essence of lavender to your entire being! Use real ingredients for the best results. Margarine just doesn't cut it here! 1/2 cup softened butter 1 cup of sugar 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups of flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder 1 tablespoon of finely chopped lavender flowers (make sure they are pesticide free!) Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (kind of an odd concept for fat and sugar, don't you think?) Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients. Drop by 1/2 teaspoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F for 8- 10 minutes. Cool slightly on pan before removing to rack to finish cooling.

Check out these fantastic faeries from dzfantasy! She has a great inner life and a generous spirit. Etsy Buy Handmade ManInTheMoonHerbs

Hi! My name is Gail and I'm totally new to blogging, in case you couldn't tell! My plan is to make this blog a source for information on all things herbal. I go by the broad definition of herb. An herb is a useful plant. It can be used as food, medicine, to alter your mood ( as in aromatherapy), or to please the eye and soul. Look for my first post on lavender by the end of the week. It is one of the most versatile herbs I know!

Etsy Buy Handmade ManInTheMoonHerbs