Man in the Moon Herbs

Little pillows filled with fragrant, sleep inducing herbs have been used for hundreds of years to help encourage a restful nights sleep. It's easy to make your own and they make a thoughtful gift. One of my Farmers Market friends had the wonderful idea of making the project at her little girl's sleepover! The girls mixed the herbs and filled the little pillows Lisa had stitched up ahead of time. As the children sewed the fourth end of their pillow closed, the herbs worked their magic, everyone got a good sleep and the guests had a pretty favor to take home! SLEEP MIX Start by adding 1/4 teaspoon each of bergamot and lavender essential oils to a fixative such as oak moss or cellulose fiber chips. Shake well and let set in a glass container with a tight fitting lid for at least two days. This allows the fixative to fully absorb the essential oils so their scent will last longer. Next, mix your dried herbs. I usually use 2 cups of rose petals, 2 cups of lavender, one cup of chamom...

Spice filled mug mats and trivets make a thoughtful, fragrant gift. While they are not hard to make it does take a little time if you age your mix properly. The secret to long lasting fragrance in any potpourri type mix is sufficient aging. You can vary the spices and oils in this recipe to suit your own nose. Mug Mat Mix 1 cup of allspice 1 cup of cinnamon chips 1/2 cup of cloves 1 cup of dried orange peel 1/4 cup of star anise 1/4 cup of dried rosemary 1 cup of oak moss or cellulose fiber chips 1/2 teaspoon of orange essential oil 1/4 teaspoon each of clove and cinnamon essential oils Mix the first 6 ingredients and put into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Make sure it is large enough to allow for future mixing by shaking. Place your oak moss or cellulose fixative in a small jar with a lid and add your oils. Shake well and let sit for several days until the oils are fully absorbed. Add to your spice mix, put the cover back on and shake gently to mix. Let age for at least 4 weeks, s...

The tradition of milk baths goes back to the time of Cleopatra. This bath is soothing, softening and makes a thoughtful gift. Package in a pretty jar with a muslin bag and directions for use. LAVENDER ROSE MILK BATH 1 cup of powdered milk 1/2 cup of powdered goat milk 1/2 cup of ground lavender 1/4 cup of rose petal powder 1 cup of finely ground oatmeal Thoroughly mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container. To use, place 1/4- 1/3 cup in a muslin bag and hang from the faucet as the tub is filling. You can find the lavender and muslin bags at lavendermim.com

Lavender wands are pretty way to preserve your lavender flowers. They make thoughtful little gifts and it is a most pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon! This is an easy project that is fun to do with children. Start with an odd number of stems of lavender. I usually use 11 or 13 to make a nice full wand. Pick the lavender on a dry day when the buds are nice and fat but haven't begun to open yet. The only other material is a piece of ribbon about 30 inches long. Begin by bunching the lavender together so that the base of each flower head is more or less even with the others. Tie the end of your ribbon at the bottom of the bunch and knot. Hold the lavender upside down and gently bend the stems over the ribbon to cover the lavender flowers. Weave the ribbon through the stems by going over and under alternating stems. Adjust the stems as you go to create full coverage of the flower heads. Pull the ribbon firmly but gently as you work your way down the stems. Continue to weave the ...