I found these fun glasses at a thrift store recently and decided that with a little bit of shine, they would make perfect little flower vases. I just can’t resist fresh cut flowers at the farmer’s market so I’m always in need of a vase or two.
The glasses already had a great etched pattern on them so I just added bits of gold trim and a gold-leafed “G”. The whole process was a lot easier than you might think.
In the comments of a recent post, one of my readers mentioned the mint that was exploding out of her garden. It reminded me of this post and what fun it was!
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may be a bit parital since my birthday is in November but Citrine has always been one of my favorite minerals. The golden color always catches my eye and I just want to touch it! Citrine is a mineral that is known for its cleansing and balancing properties. Wear this crystal when you are seeking personal balance, confidence and clarity.
November Birthstone: Topaz November Birth-mineral: Citrine
Thread the post through the bead and use the pliers to bend a small hook into the base of the post that will hold the bead on it. Now thread one of the earring hooks onto the post and to finish the earring, bend the post in half and tuck it into the bead.
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Let me know if you give these a try and I’d love to see pictures!
I have studied herbalism for many years and enjoy using the knowledge that I have gained to create both simple and complex herbal remedies, delicious teas, tisanes and brews, and to make natural skin and hair care products. I get to share a lot of this knowledge in my weekly column on hellogiggles.com as The 21st Century Herbalist. Once a week I like to repost the column here, just in case you missed it!
Original publish date: September 27, 2012
or those of us in the northern hemisphere, Autumn is officially here! Bring on the pumpkin flavored lattes, bagels, cream cheese, muffins and any other food we can flavor with delicious pumpkin and spice flavors! Mmmm…I love it all. Along with all of those yummy foods it’s also pumpkin season for your skin. Yup, pumpkin for your skin. It is so moisturizing and packed with nutrients that help bring out the subtle glow of your skin.
Next time you’re in the grocery store or at the farmer’s market pick up a pie pumpkin and give this great body whip treatment a try. It’s a great way to pamper yourself after a long week of studying, working or before a big date. Later, as winter weather sets in and your skin starts to get a little dry, use this recipe to rehydrate your skin and even your hair.
This recipe is part of this month’s celebration of the multi-generational traditions of women. It is a classic recipe that goes back generations and uses simple, natural ingredients to soothe and moisturize your skin.
Ingredients:
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I have studied herbalism for many years and enjoy using the knowledge that I have gained to create both simple and complex herbal remedies, delicious teas, tisanes and brews, and to make natural skin and hair care products. I get to share a lot of this knowledge in my weekly column on hellogiggles.com as The 21st Century Herbalist. Once a week I like to repost the column here, just in case you missed it!
Original publish date: July 05, 2012
DIY Hair Care Month begins! Years ago I was told the slathering mayonnaise on your hair will make it soft and shiny. I had to try it and it worked. Of course, I couldn’t just leave it at that. I had to improve it! I had to make my own. I’ve lost track of how many versions I’ve created but below you’ll find my favorite Herbal Mayonnaise Hair Mask recipe. For those of you that would like to keep it simple, I’ve also included the “Super-Basic” and “Basic” Mayonnaise Hair Mask recipe. All three recipes follow the same “Use” instructions below.
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Super-Basic Mayonnaise Hair Mask
– 1 c. of all-natural, full-fat mayonnaise
Basic Mayonnaise Hair Mask*
– 1 large (or 2 small) egg yolk(s) at room temperature
– 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
– 5-6 tbsp. base oil of your choice (select one or a combination): olive oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed or coconut oil
Follow mixing instructions below.
*This recipe is based on the best benefit for your hair; it is not the tastiest mayonnaise for eating…though you could.
Herbal Mayonnaise Hair Mask
Optional:
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On a recent trip to my local nursery I found these unique varieties of mint! I planted them in a terra cotta bowl and labeled them with copper plant markers, to keep track of the different varieties. As I was planting and rustling the leaves of the mint, it smelled wonderful in the air and my hands smelled so fresh.
The chocolate mint has a strong sent of mint with just a hint of chocolate and it is delicious sprinkled over some freshly chopped strawberries. The apple mint is a little more subtle and tastes delicious in a glass of ice water. Crush a few leaves between your fingers and drop them in the water, then swirl it around a bit. It makes a great summer afternoon treat. The sweet mint is wonderful dropped into a glass of strong black sun tea.
I just love the way it looks when different varieties of the same herb or flower are all planted together. Have you ever done that? What are your favorite plant mixes?
It’s week 2 of DIY Skin Care Month and today I’m talking cleansing. It’s the first step in any good skincare regime (cleanse, tone, moisturize). At first it can sound so basic — my face is dirty, I will wash it — but it gets a little more complicated than that. What if you also need to remove makeup? What if you have acne, or dry skin or oily skin or just went for a run and there’s sweat pouring down your face?? Synthetics, chemicals, naturals, organics…whew, it can get exhausting. How do you sort through it all and come up with a solution that meets your skin’s needs? You ask The 21st Century Herbalist on HelloGiggles, of course!
Before we get to the specific cleansing tips and the recipe that I have for you, let’s start with the basics. These are tried and true methods for cleansing the skin and getting the greatest benefit with the least amount of damage, regardless of skin type.
1. I said it last week and I’ll say it again…hydrate. Any dermatologist, doctor or grandmother will tell you, water is the key to a healthy complexion. In order for skin to remain healthy and resilient, it needs to be properly hydrated from the inside out, so make
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So we all want healthy, glowing, blemish-free, perfectly hydrated skin, right? But how to get it? Stores are filled with countless products and it can be difficult to figure out exactly what products you need, what order you’re supposed to use them in and how often you should be using them. This month, we’re sorting through it all and starting from scratch. Starting with step 1 and building on it until we end up with a complete skin care routine for your face, customized for your skin type. I’ll even include DIY recipes made with simple, all-natural ingredients, many of which are the basis for most of the skin care products on the market today.
Before we get started on DIY Skin Care Month, you’ll need to define your specific skin type because your skin care routine is a lot like
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It’s the last week of One Ingredient…One Great Fix Month and as promised in last week’s post about milk, this week is all about honey! I don’t know who it was that first thought to smear this sticky, golden goo all over themselves, but I’m sure glad they did. Honey is incredibly beneficial to your skin and easy to use. You’ll want to make sure you’re using raw honey because the high heat used during the pasteurization process can destroy some of the naturally occurring compounds that make honey so great for your skin.
Honey as a Cleanser
Honey is a gentle, all-natural cleanser that won’t dry out your skin like soaps can. To use it, keep a bottle of honey in the shower
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Milk and honey are two ingredients that just seem to go together naturally. Since biblical times there have been references to the “land of milk and honey”. John Lennon and Yoko had an album called Milk and Honey and Margaret Atwood named one of the stores in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale “Milk and Honey”. (Aside: If Hunger Games has you itching for another dystopia story, this is a good one.) So milk and honey have solidified their place in culture, but why? Why are they so great? There are a lot of reasons, and in this week’s installment of One Ingredient…One Great Fix Month, I’ll share some of the reasons that milk is so great for your skin…it’s not just for cereal anymore! Then next week, we’ll explore the loveliness that is ooey, gooey honey.
Milks Derived From Animals
There are, of course, different types of milk (skim, 2%, whole) from different sources (cow, goat, sheep), but they all contain some
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