Edible Flowers

Here are a list of edible flowers, and this link here gives you an idea of what some of them taste like. Here is another link that is good.

Calendula
Carnations
Clover
Citrus Blossoms
Basil Flowers
Bee Balm
Chamomile
Chive Flowers
Roses
Violets
Snapdragons
Pansy
Nasturtium
Lilacs
Lavender
Hollyhocks
Impatiens
Hibiscus

Herbal Sleep Pillow

Fill a square 6 in cotton square bag with a mixture of-
4 parts- Melilot
3 parts- Orange Blossom
3 parts- Chamomile
3 parts- Lavender
3 parts- Lemon Balm
3 parts-Rose Petals


Comfort Pillow for Babies-

Equal parts-
Chamomile and Hops

Herbal Salve

2 oz dried herb, roughly ground
1/3c. oil
1 oz melted bees wax

Heat the oil till almost too hot to touch, pour over the herb, let set till starts to cool, stir in the melted beeswax. Pour into the desired contatiner. Store in the fridge for up to 1 year.

Good oils for this-
Sweet Almond- keep in mind nut allergies
Avocado
Sunflower
Safflower

Good herbs for salves-

burns- Chickweed, Hyssop, Lavender
bug or bee bites-Calendula, Echinacea. Lavender
cold sores- Hyssop,
sores- Lavender

This is a great site I found with some info on herbs- Annies Remedy

Drawer Sachets

A great mixture for a Women's drawer sachet-

3c. spearmint leaves
3c. rose leaves
1c. cloves
1- oz orris root- for preservation

For men's drawer sachet-

2c. lemon balm
1c. thyme
1c. nutmeg
1-oz orris root

Bath Powder

Use 1/4c. dried herb of your choice
1/2c. baking soda
1/2c. Epsom salts

Process in a food processor until ground into a fine powder, store tightly covered.
Sprinkle a Tablespoon or 2 into a hot bath.

Herbal Bath Bags

You can buy, or make your own, little bags made of muslin. Fill with a mixture of your preferred herbs, store these in a zip baggie or tightly covered container to keep fresh. Toss one into a hot bath for a special treat.

My favorite mixtures-

Lavender, lemon balm, thyme

lavender, eucalyptus

eucalyptus, ginger root

Rose, lavender

Massage Oil

Mix 5 ml of essential oil to 45 ml carrier oil

You can do a mixture of essential oils- eucalyptus, lavender go well together.

Good carrier oils for this are-

Jojoba
Apricot Kernel
Avacoda
Safflower
Sunflower
Sweet Almond- be aware if the person/people have any nut allergies.
Coconut

Here is a site- Kitchen Crafts- that has suggestions for massage oil recipes.

Cold Infused Oils

1- pack a jar tightly with the herb/s, cover with oil. Put the lid on tightly and leave in a sunny spot for 2-3 weeks- dried herbs work best for this.

2- Strain well.

3- Using new herb but the same oil repeat steps 1 and 2.

4- Strain well, and store.

St. Johns Wort and Marigolds are good ones for this.

Hot infused Oils

You would use 250 grams dried herb (twice that fresh)
500 ml oil

1- put herbs in a glass bowl
2- heat oil till warm/ not hot
3- pour over the herb/s
4-let set overnight
5- strain and bottle

Use within 1 month.

1 of my favorite recipes for an herbal cooking oil is-
1c. fresh basil
4 cloves garlic
small handful of peppercorns
small handful of fresh thyme
2c. olive oil

Language of Flowers

I have always liked the idea of different flowers having different meaning, so a long time ago I looked it up to see what I could find, here's my list-

Angelica- Inspiration
Apple- Temptaion
Balm- Sympathy
Sweet Basil- Good Wishes
Bay leaves- unchanging affection
Bay Tree- glory
Belladonna- silence
Betony- surprise
Birch- meekness
Bluebell- Constancy
Borage- bluntness
Buttercup- promises of richness
Carnation- pure love
cedar- strong
Chamomile- energy in adversity
Chervil- sincerity
Chickweed- rendezvous
Clover- happiness
Coltsfoot- justice
Columbine- folly
Crocus- youthful gladness
Daffodil- regret
Daisy- innocence
Dandelion- oracle
Forget-me-not- true love
Foxglove- insincerity
Geranium- comfort
Hawthorn- hope
Heartsease- tender thoughts
Honeysuckle- fidelity
Ivy- wedded love
Jasmine- amiability
Juniper- protection
Lavender- acknowledgment of love
Lilac- fast emotions of love
Lily, white- purity
Calendula- sunny disposition
Mint- virtue
Motherwort- concealed love
Mugwort- happiness
Myrtle- love
Olive- peace
Orange Blossoms- chastity
Pennyroyal- flee
Peppermint- warmth
Rosemary- remembrance
Rose, full bloom- secrecy
Rose, white- purity
Rose, pink- love
Rose, red- passion
Rue- herb of grace
Snowdrop- hope
Strawberry- perfection
Tansy- war
Vervain- enchantment
Violet- faithfulness
Weeping Willow- forsaken
Yarrow- war & healing

There you go, now you can send someone a message with a bouquet of flowers &/or herbs.

Air diffuser mixes

I love my essential oil diffuser, I run it a lot during the winter months- cold season, and in times of sickness at my house. You can buy ready made mixes, mix your own or if you are lucky enough to have an herb store that will mix blends of your choosing. Here are some great blends for your diffuser.

Burnout Reviver- grapefruit, lavender, peppermint, rosemary.
Concentration- lavender, patchouli, peppermint, rosemary.
Immunisupport- lavender, lemon, red thyme, tea tree.
Pick-me-up- clary sage, lavender, lemon.
Sinus Helper- eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint.
Stress Diffuser- clary sage, red cedarwood, orange, ylang ylang.
Headache Soother- lavender, peppermint.
Sweet Dreams- bergamot, geranium, lavender.

Peppermint oil- reduces fatigue and headache.
Eucalyptus oil- Clears stuffy nose & Sinus
Rosemary oil- invigorating, mental stimulant.
Lavender oil- restful, reduce stress, calming.

Children's stomach aches

It is helpful to give them a cup of warm peppermint, yarrow, or chamomile tea. Or to use any of those in a soothing bath.

Headaches

Some helps for headaches are-
Fever few- use as a tea, or in a tea blend. Or can even chew on a fresh leaf.
Rosemary- use in a bath, in soaps, shower gels- stimulates blood flow. Great as a foot bath This Herb is NOT for pregnant women.
Tea made from- valerian, lemon balm, hops, st. johnswort, violet leaf.
Baths infused with- lavender, lemon balm, or valerian.

Menstrual Cramps

Make a Yarrow bath- 2 qts boiling water over a handful of Yarrow herb.
Cover and steep 20 min. Strain and add to bath water.
Very helpful at the begin of menstrual period.

Also a tincture of Yarrow 15 drops 3 times a day in advance of your cycle helps prevent cramping.

Poplar, American

The bark from this tree can be used for-
Dysentery
Fevers
Diarrhea
Urinary tract infections

—Poplar bark makes a great tonic, and has been used in intermittent fever with advantage. An infusion of it is reputed a valuable remedy in reproductive disorders of the nervous and hysterical, impaired digestion, chronic diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, etc. As a diuretic, it has been beneficially used in urinary affections, gonorrhoea, gleet, etc. Both populus and populin have a decided affinity for the genito-urinal tract. It is thought to aid the recuperative powers of the kidney. The Large aspen, P. grandidentata, is said to be the most active and bitter. Dose of the powdered bark, 1 drachm, 2 or 3 times a day; of a saturated tincture of the fresh bark, from a fraction of a drop to 30 drops; of populin, 1 x trituration, 1 grain every 2 or 4 hours.

Poke Root

Can be used for-
antibiotic
eczema
infections
poison ivy rash

Plantain plant

Can be used as a poultice for-
wounds
burns
bug bites
skin inflammations

This is a great plant to know and be able recognize if you are out hiking and need something to relieve bug bites or small campfire burns, you can make a quick poultice from its leaves.

Peony

The root can be used for -
relieving Menstrual cramps
supports pregnancy

The flowers used in baths and lotions.

Nutmeg

Can be used for-
nervous disorders
digestion
nausea

Only use in small amounts as it can be poison if too much is used. Also may cause miscarriage so it is NOT for pregnant women.

Mullein

Can be used for-
Respiratory problems, relaxing expectorant
Earaches
Sedative

Horsetail

Given my fascination with horses since I was very young, I really like the name of this Herb.

It can be used for-
Kidney support
Urinary tract support

Use in a sitz bath for kidney infection.

Use as a wash or compress for skin problems and sores.

Goldenseal

Goldenseal can be used for-
skin disorders
To make a wash use 1t. pondered root per cup of water.
This herb is NOT safe for pregnant women.

Ginger Root

Ginger Root can be used for many things.

Oil or Baths-
Arthritis
Headaches
Spinal Pain

For motion sickness, a tea made with it powdered, or chewing on some dried sugared ginger will help.
I get motion sickness really bad as does one of my children, I always prepare for a trip by getting a small bag of sugared ginger for us to nibble on.

Homemade Cough Syrup

I have never been brave enough to try this, but it must work because I have seen many different versions of it-

Cover 1c. thinly sliced onions with 1/2c. honey. Allow to sit overnight,
add a small amount of pure water.

This is suppose to be very beneficial for colds and sore throats.

Herbs for Kids

There is a brand of tinctures, and other things, that I like that works well for children it's called- Herbs for Kids. I have tried several of them and thought they worked great, their Cherry Bark Formula is wonderful for little ones colds. I always have a bottle of this in my Medicine Box when Cold season rolls around. Here is a link to a site where you can check them out- Herbs for Kids.

Cherry Bark Formula-
Herbal treatment to soothe a raw throat, for coughs- dry/hacking.
It contains-
Cherry Bark- calms the brain's cough impulse
Thyme- specific for calming children's coughs
Mullein Leaves- relaxing expectorant
Peppermint Leaves- opens the bronchial tubes
Oregon Grape Root- antibacterial to fight infection

Treating a cough or cold is hard, there are so many differnt types of cough. So to treat it you need to use the herbs that are specific for each type.

Other things you might try for a child's dry-cough-
Licorice root tea to soothe the throat
Eliminate dairy and soy foods until better
Humidifier
Rest

ElderBerry Tree

Elderberry Tree Blossoms can be used for-
Calming
Fevers
Inflammation

The young stems and leaves make a good healing ointment. The berries are a wonderful source of Vitamin C. And tea made from the blossom is very helpful for those who suffer from hay fever allergies.

Echinacea

Echinacea can be used for-
Blood Purifyer
Immune Booster
Pain killer

Should not be used for longer than a 2 week period. Also be aware that using it can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock may be used for-
a System Cleanser
Constipation


To make a tea using this use 1t. chopped root, cover with 1c. cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Cover & steep for 30 min.

Damiana

Damiana may be used for-
Nerves
Anti-depressant

Cowslip

Cowslip is used for-
Cough
Tenseness
Headaches
Menstrual Dizziness

Cloves

Cloves are another warming Herb they can be used for-
Calming
Tooth Aches, Teething
improving circulation
vomiting, nausea

Clove Oil is a very good one to have on hand in your First Aid Box.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be used for-
Cramps
Abdominal Paisn
Coughing, wheezing
Lower Back Pain


Cinnamon is a warming Herb.
Simmer in a cup of milk with honey for a tasty, healing treat. Both Cinnamon & Honey would be good for a chest cold.

Chickweed

Chickweed can be used for-
Weight Loss
Respiratory Cleanser
Sore Throats

Burdock

Burdock is used for-
Blood purifying
strengthen lungs
Skin problems

Borage

Borage is used for-
Fevers
Calming & Cooling

Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh has been used for-
Relief of Menopause discomfort
Helping relieve childbirth pain

It seems to be easily found in most grocery store in capsule form.

Blackberry Leaves

Can be used as an astringent.

Aloe Vera Plant

The Aloe Vera plant can be used externally to help-
Burns
Skin Inflammation
Insect Bites
diaper rash
heat rash
sunburn

It has also been said that drinking Aloe Vera Juice is beneficial to your health, I need to do some studying on that though.

I have a Little Book

A little black binder to be exact, that is stuffed to the gills with pages and scraps of paper. With ideas I have used or read about or want to try, information on herbs and their usage, aliments and the possible natural ways to heal them. So I decided to start a blog and get all of that information organized so that it's easier for me to find what I want, when I want it.
I have loved the idea of healing oneself naturally since I was a young teen. I remember foraging in the mountains of Montana with my cousin looking for herbs to use for many things. My love for herbs and natural healing has grown so much since then, and my knowledge as well.
Of course there is still SO much to be learned, and I enjoy that as well. So I am looking forward to blogging on what I already have learned and adding new knowledge to it as well.