No elderberry syrup in your house? The best day to make it is yesterday: you want it on hand for sniffles, sneezes, and the almost inevitable immune fatigue that comes in colder weather. This little kitchen witch loves elder for its many offerings (wood, flowers, berries)…
Free recipe time! I’m sharing my recipe for my all-time favorite lotion bars with my most popular essential oil combinations. Choose from a simple lavender scent or sweet, floral fragrance… or go with our savvy traveler’s secret weapon: a lotion bar perfect for the airplane and airport with its antimicrobial,…
It’s the holidays. Time to start handmaking ALL the things, y’all. This recipe is pure indulgence–and the perfect treat for an early morning shower for the mocha or latté lover in your life. This Vanilla Mocha Coffee & Sugar Scrub smells soooooo yummy: coffee, sugar, vanilla-infused…
Sister moon, so bright and high Casting shadows here and nigh Swallowed swift in shadow burning Red with blood and boiling yearning. Fear of change and angst resurface Struggling blind to grasp my purpose Thrashing forth and back by years Standing still in age old fears. Mystic quiet…
There’s LOTS to love in the world of aromatherapy and herbalism. While I always have “favorites”, I find myself turning to new essential oils at different times depending upon both my mood and my clients’ needs, new books turn up that capture my attention and “old”…
Meet Virgo… Intelligent, observant, independent, and precise, Virgos are one of the bigger thinkers of the zodiac — they love to analyze details and get into the nitty-gritty of things with much of the action focused on their thought processes as opposed to physical action.…
Can I be completely honest with you? The last two years have been doozies. I mean pick-you-up-and-throw-you-down fire walks. In the first year I lost my job at a place that held my heart and my core relationships. I went from being surrounded by people…
As specific holidays approach, I get an increasing number of emails from readers asking for articles, recipes, spells, and advice relevant to the upcoming holiday: aphrodisiacs before Valentine’s Day, oils and herbs for gratitude before Thanksgiving, and so on. This year, I noticed for the first time…
Abundant and varied evergreens are among my favorite things about our new home–our property is dotted with both individual trees and thick stands of various pines and firs. My single favorite trees may be the two White Firs (Abies concolor) that grow here; their silver-green needles on…
Most of us recognize the fresh, citrus note of Lemon: we find it used in foods (from seafood dishes to teas) and products (from bathroom scrubs to wood polish). Lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil offers a broad range of therapeutic and energetic properties that support…
More often than not, when we think of Chamomile, we think of the herbal Chamomile tea used to encourage sleep. But Chamomile bears many additional therapeutic properties–and lends itself to more varied applications. Aromatherapy offers us two unique Chamomile essential oils: German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and…
Tub truffles for everyone! Hurray! These don’t just smell divine and nourish/soften skin: they also help insulate you against the cold by coating your skin with delicious cocoa butter and sweet almond oil! Stay cozy! xoxo Kristina Tub Truffles – Melting Aromatherapy “Candy” for the Bath What…
Siberian Fir (Abies siberica) is a particularly powerful essential oil from the evergreen family. While it bears the hallmark “pine-y” scent of its family, that is not the aroma that anchors it. Instead, it offers a unique woodiness and richness in its aroma. It is among…
Since January of 2013, I have lost several significant family members, human and animal alike. As Halloween 2013 approached, my thoughts turned to our altar and a means of honoring and celebrating all of them. Pagan lore holds the October 31st holiday we know as…
