Man in the Moon Herbs

Make your own scented drawer liners using potpourri and your favorite essential oil. You will need new wallpaper that doesn't have a shiny surface and isn't pre pasted. In this case, cheaper wall paper is better! ~ Cut to fit your drawers ~Put a few drops of essential oil that coordinates with your potpourri on a cotton ball and rub on the underside of the paper. ~Sprinkle the wall paper with the potpourri. Lay one sheet on top of another sprinkling with potpourri as you go. Continue until all your drawer liners are done then roll them up and seal in a plastic bag for 6 weeks. ~Brush all the potpourri away before lining your drawers. ~Use the left over potpourri to make little sachets.

Seeing as the roses are so prolific this year, I thought I would share the directions for making beads out of the petals! Years ago, rosaries were made out of these fragrant little nuggets and necklaces of rose beads were often given to brides to wear on their wedding day. Legend has it that the fragrance will last a hundred years! I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I know the first beads I made over 10 years ago still smell wonderful! Start by collecting a grocery bag full of fragrant rose petals. Rugosas are perfect for this project, but any fragrant rose will do. Petals that have fallen to the ground are fine also. Just make sure they are clean and dry. Mid morning is a good time to gather. Next, grind the petals until fine using a food proc essor that you never want to use for anything else. (Your processor is going to get stained black) Place your petals in a cast iron pan and cover with a lid. Each day for the next 14 days, regrind the petals in the food processor. They ...

The rosa rugosa in my garden are in their full glory now! The vibrant deep pink petals are covering the bushes with all their beauty and rich fragrance. The bees are quite happy to nestle themselves deep within the petals to gather all the golden pollen for their honey and are jealous of my desire to get close to take a deef sniff. (Luckily, there is plenty of plantain growing near by!) While roses are beautiful to look at and smell, they are also very useful. You can use the scented petals in salads, jams, vinegars and syrups. The fruit of the plant, the rose hips, are rich in vitamin C and make an excellent tea. Powdered rose petals can be used in facials, bath salts and scrubs, body powders and soap. Rosewater's soothing properties make the follow ing toner a good choice for dry or sensitive skin. Rosewater Toner Simply blend 3/4 cup of rosewater with 6 drops of glycerin and 2/3 cup of witch hazel in a bottle. Shake well before using. Food grade rosewater also makes a soothing m...