Red tent ritual kit & a giveaway!

Moontime, period, time of the month, Aunt Flo.  Whatever you call it, we all endure the monthly gift we are given.   I don't know about you, but mine is tumultuous at best.   Cramps, mood swings, and zero energy are just par for the course around here.  As I have gotten older, and been on and off fertility drugs for the past few years it has only gotten worse for me.  I am a huge proponent of a holistic lifestyle, but when my moontime rolls around my bottle of ibuprofen and I become best friends.   I really do not like putting anything non-natural into my body, but for a long time that was just the way it is.    I know this subject is still pretty taboo, and most women are really afraid to talk about it.  Even though mine is tough every month, I really do believe it is something we can all bond over.  When we open up and talk about it, it leads us to a better understanding not only of ourselves, but women as a whole.   We should be able to open up and share what works for ourselves, and how you listen to your body each month.   I have been looking for different ways to honor my body when my moontime is here, and have really been trying to be patient with my body and listen to what it needs during that time.  Self care is a huge part of that for me.  This past month I received a Red Tent Ritual Kit from Lindsay of Whole Body Alchemy.  If you have read some of my past posts you know how much I love Lindsay and her gorgeous offerings she has.  She truly makes magic, and each offering she has is full of love and intention.  This kit is no exception.  It is filled with beauty, and some beautiful ways to honor yourself and your body.

This is what you receive in the Red Tent Ritual Kit.  A 2 oz. tin of handcrafted tea, a kit on how to craft your own moon bag, and also a copy of Moondaughter's  moontime e-book, which includes worksheets and rituals.   Isn't it all beautiful?  I received mine just in time for my moontime.  When the time felt right, I sat down and brewed myself a cup of tea, and used Lindsay's guidelines to make my moon bag.

More about the tea in Lindsay's words:

This blend was inspired by a dream a dear friend had about me creating a feminine infusion for our monthly moon. 

Lovingly prepared using gemstone infusion of Moonstone, Carnelian,  Unikite and  sacred mantra.

Moonstone is gentle and soothing and encourages you to "go with the flow".  Carnelian is associated with the root and sacral chakras - it stabilizes energy and is known to revitalize the blood. Unikite is a gentle yet powerful stone that brings about connection and aids in female reproductive health. 

::Earthy and floral with a mildly spicy and fruity finish::

Organic botanical blend of: Red Raspberry leaf, Saw Palmetto Berries, Hibiscus, Shatavari, Vitex berries, Red rose petals and buds & Ginger root a little ,magic and a lot of love

I made mine with a little honey and it was warm and comforting.  I sat down in a quiet spot to make my moon bag.  So many beautiful offerings are included to craft yours, a beautiful hand painted stone, cedar leaves, feathers, seashells, little stones.  I added a few things of my own that felt right for me.   My moonstone pendant, snowy quartz (for tiredness),  chrysocolla (for cramps).  

I also included a little love note to myself, I put each piece in and filled the bag with healing and love.  I sealed it up, and I slept with it under my pillow or carried it with me when I was out of the house.  It brought me comfort having it near.  Now when each moontime rolls around, I am going to open it and add or remove things that feel right to me at the time.  

I also set aside a few minutes each day to work through Moondaughter's e-book.  It includes a load of tips, recipes, and wisdom to help you look at your body in a new light and truly celebrate the goddess we all have within us.  I loved sitting down and working through it each day.  

Now here comes a special treat for you.  Lindsay has lovingly and generously offered up one of her Red Tent Ritual Kit's to one of you!  All you have to do is leave a comment below, telling me how you would use this kit to honor yourself.   I will pick a winner next Monday the 8th!

To learn more about Lindsay and her offerings, please visit her site Whole Body Alchemy.  There is a lot of magic there to explore....

How to: Make your own elderberry-honey syrup

Today I thought I would share a recipe that is part of our daily health routine.  Elderberry syrup has literally changed our lives.  I first learned of elderberry syrup a couple of years ago, when it was recommended to me to use as a homeopathic treatment for a flu/cold I was battling.  I took some store bought syrup and it helped tremendously, even though it was pretty pricey.  Fast forward a bit, and I started reading more and more about the benefits of elderberries and not only them being used during sickness, but also to prevent illness.   

Here is some info from Herbwisdom about the benefits of elderberries: 

Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, hence the medicinal benefits of elderberries are being investigated and rediscovered. Elderberry is used for its antioxidant activity, to lower cholesterol, to improve vision, to boost the immune system, to improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsilitis. Bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell. People with the flu who took elderberry juice reported less severe symptoms and felt better much faster than those who did not. Elderberry juice was used to treat a flu epidemic in Panama in 1951.

I can truly attest to the benefits of these little magic berries.  My husband and I  have been taking small doses of the syrup everyday for the past 7 months and this is the first cold and flu season that neither of us have gotten sick.  As most of you know I run a daycare out of my house, and getting sick usually just comes with working with small kids.  But not this year, not even the sniffles.  

So, since the syrup can run upwards of $20-25 dollars for a 4-6 oz bottle in the store, I thought I would share our recipe to make your own for much, much less.   This recipe makes 32 oz.  You can easily half it to make a smaller batch if you want.  Here is what you will need to make your own syrup.

~4 cups water

~1 cup of dried elderberries*

~2 cinnamon sticks

~fresh ginger (about a 2 inch piece, peeled)

~2 tsp. whole cloves

~2 cups honey (if you can get your hands on local, raw honey, that is best)

~A large glass bottle or jar 

~small strainer/sieve

~medium saucepan

~funnel

*Elderberries can be found in bulk at most health food stores or on Amazon or Mountain Rose Herbs. 

Once you have all your supplies gathered, you are going to grab your saucepan and put it on medium heat.  Add water, elderberries, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon sticks.  Give it all a good stir, and bring to a gentle boil.   Once it starts to boil, give it another good stir and reduce heat to simmer.  Cover with lid and let simmer for 20-25 minutes

While the mixture is simmering, take your bottle or jar and add your 2 cups of honey to it.  I use a funnel since my bottle has a small top.  

After about 20 minutes check the elderberry mixture.  It should be reduced to about half the original liquid.  Give it another good stir and remove from burner. Remove large solids (cinnamon, ginger) Toss in trash or compost.

For the next step you are going to need you sieve or strainer and funnel.  Put strainer in funnel and add the warm elderberry juice to your bottle of honey.  Make sure to use a spoon to squeeze all the yummy juice out of your elderberries.  Discard or compost solids.

Once all the juice is added, it will look like this:

Give it a really good shaking to mix the honey with the juice, and VOILA!  Your own elderberry syrup for a fraction of the price.  Make sure you refrigerate your mixture, and it will last for up to six months in the refrigerator. 

The daily dose for adults is 1-2 tsp. daily and 1/2 tsp for kiddos. Remember herbs are medicine and should be treated as such.   I haven't read any info that elderberries interact with any other medicines, but if you are on medication, you might want to ask your doctor or naturopath to make sure.

Enjoy!!

How to: Make your own healing salve

Hello!  I hope you all had the beautifulest of weekends and a happy mamas day.   Ours here was a good one, made better by so much thoughtfulness from family and friends.  Mother's Day is a hard one for me.  Even though I was blessed by having one of the most wonderful mothers in the world, our own struggle with infertility has felt emotionally overwhelming at times.  This year my family and friends made me feel special and so loved, and made me forget the hurt that this day triggers.  It was wonderful.  

Well, now onto this post.  I have been making my own salve for a few months now and I love it.  It all started with the need to find something to soothe my severe eczema flare ups, especially on my hands.  This salve does the trick for me and I use it continuously throughout the day.  I just replaced my everyday hand lotion with this and it has worked wonders.  I also use it on my other flare up spots and it helps tremendously.  My husband has even started using it, and loves it.  This salve is also really great for cuts, scrapes, rashes, and cold sores.  Here is what you will need to make your own salve. 

~2 cups sweet almond oil (or any cold pressed oil of your choosing)

~1/2 cup of both comfrey and calendula flowers

~2 ounces of beeswax (bars or granules work)

~essential oils of your choice (I use a combo of lavender, sandalwood, ylang ylang, chamomile, and geranium)

 ~large glass measuring cup

~double boiler or a makeshift one

~large saucepan

~cheesecloth and a rubberband

~jars or containers of your choice (I use small 4oz. glass jars)

Step 1~Take your herbs and your oil and mix them together in a sealed glass jar.  Give them a good shake and let them sit.  I let mine infuse for up to two weeks.  Just make sure they are in a cool, dark place and give them a good shake everyday.  This lets the goodness of the herbs soak into the oil.

Step 2~ After your herbs have soaked, you are going to want to strain your oil.  I use a large glass measuring cup covered with cheesecloth and a rubber band.   I let them sit for 15-20 minutes to make sure all the herby oil has drained down.  Now you can remove the solids, I always give them a good squeeze.  You want all the yummy oil you can get. 

Step 3~ Take your saucepan and double boiler and bring some water to a boil.  After it boils I turn it down a bit.  Take your double boiler, and place on top.  I bought my makeshift double boiler off of Amazon for $4 versus a real double boiler running around $30.  

Step 4~Dump your strained oil and your beeswax into your double boiler.  You are going to want to mix and give it a good stir.  Mix every couple minutes until everything is nice and melted together.  I use beeswax granules since they melt faster.  If you are using bars of beeswax I would chop them up or grate them a bit first. 

Step 5~Once everything is nice and melted together, I dump everything back into my large glass measuring cup.  This is the step where you are going to add your essential oils.  I use about 10 drops of each, but customize it to how you like it.  You are going to want to do this step fairly fast, since everything will start to solidify pretty quickly.  

Step 6~Once you have mixed everything thoroughly you are ready to pour into your jars or containers.



Step 7~After pouring your jars, let cool for 20-30 minutes before putting on lids.  This recipe fills around 6 4oz. jars.  The consistency of this recipe is completely up to you.  The way I make it, you can spread easily out of the container.  You can mess with the beeswax amounts and add more if you want it more solid or less if you want it softer.  Remember, if it doesn't come out the first time like you want it, you can always dump everything back into your double boiler and melt back down and adjust measurements.

Enjoy!  

*Most common herbs and oils can be found in bulk at your local health food store.  If you can't find any, my favorite online resources are Bulk Apothecary and Mountain Rose Herbs.

Apothecary circle giveaway

I know I have talked a little bit about the Apothecary Circle here, and how life changing it has been for me to be a part of it.  Well, here is your chance to win a seat in our circle.   The Apothecary Circle founder Laura Emily is hosting a giveaway on her blog, and you have many chances to enter.  It is a $99 dollar value, and trust me it is an amazing group to be a part of.  Kindred, kind souls, who are supportive and so open to living a holistic lifestyle.  Good luck to you all! Go enter here.

Daily amulets

 First off, Happy Beltane, May Day, or just May 1st to you all!  Whichever it is for you, I hope it is a good one.  We here look like we are in for an early dose of summer, and by Friday it is supposed to be 95 degrees.  So not ready for that much heat!   

Anyway, last night a friend asked me what all the bracelets around my wrist were, and as I was telling her about each one it got me thinking about amulets.  An amulet is defined as:  

-an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.

I definitely view the pieces I wear on a daily basis as my amulets or talismans.  They bring me a sense of comfort and each has its own special meaning to me.  To be honest, I feel pretty naked without them.  

These are what I wear around my neck everyday.  Awaken is my 2013 word of intention and reminds me of all I want to be awakened to this year.  My star and moon charm is a constant reminder of the deep relationship I feel to the moon and night sky. 

These are the bracelets I wear everyday.  With the exception of the bangle, I never take any of them off.    

The moon one is inscribed with our wedding date, and this what the phase of the moon looked like on the night we were married.  

The green aventurine and tigers eye bracelets are from the wonderful Ginger of East 80.  Ginger is so knowledgeable and has so many beautiful offerings. Tigers eye is said to be a highly protective stone, helps distinguish ones needs from the needs of others, dispels fear, and brings good luck.

Green aventurine is associated with the heart chakra, promotes empathy for others as well as ourselves.  Helpful in healing the heart.  Not to mention, it is one of my favorite stones.

The bee bangle is special to me because I view bees as my totem animal.  Over the past few years I have had so many cool experiences with bees and have grown to be very protective of them.  I am in the process of trying to get our own hive started, so we can have these beautiful pollinators in our own backyard. 

        
The Om symbol bracelet is one of my oldest ones and I have been wearing it for close to three years now.  It is a gentle reminder for me to seek calm and remember to breathe through the craziness.

How do you feel about tailsmans/amulets?  Do you wear daily ones that have special meanings for you?

                            

The gift of self care

The idea of self care is a pretty new one for me.  I am pretty good at treating myself to little things here and there, or if I really want or love something. But the idea of doing something for my body to keep it in balance is new to me.  I have always thought taking time for myself to do things that felt frivolous  made me selfish.  I am trying to get over that and starting to realize that if my mind, body, and soul are not in sync and at peace, then I am not only not good to myself, but I am not 100% for those around me as well.   For the past couple months I have been noticing a lot of the women who's blogs I read and love have been treating themselves to a tea consultation from the beautiful Lindsay of Whole Body Alchemy.  As a tea lover I was so intrigued by her offering, so I decided a couple of weeks ago to treat myself to one.  Let me tell you that this was one of the best decisions ever.  Lindsay uses a Ayurvedic based intake form with questions to make an herbal tea blend to match your dosha, and make a blend that keeps your specific dosha balanced.  I answered the questions as honestly as possible, and the next day she sent me my results back via email, and let me tell you it was spot on.  I don't want to get to specific, as each persons is different and tailor made for your own body.   A couple of days later, the most beautiful package arrived at my door.  Let me tell you this package was filled with so much love and intention, even before I made my first cup of tea I could feel the warm, love filled energy that surrounded all the offerings inside.   The most beautiful box of tea,  a lovely bundle of fresh herbs, a hand painted rock with my key word "embrace", and the most wonderful smelling soap sample from her Fat Virgin Soapworks shop.  Each package also comes with a beautiful tea ritual.  

This is such a personal package packed with healing energy, if you are thinking about treating yourself to something special I cannot say enough good things about this entire experience.  Lindsay is a true weaver of healing and magic.  Check out Whole Body Alchemy here, and check out all the wonderful offerings she has. 

Do you practice self care, what does it look like for you?

The best kind of weekend

This past weekend was one of those ones that leaves you with a smile on your face, and feeling very grateful for so many things.  It was a full one, but it was all so wonderful and full of adventure and beauty.  It all kicked off Friday night with one of my best girls birthday celebrations.  We gathered at her new place for some birthday fun.   It has got to be a good sign when this is the sunset that kicks off your weekend:

For her birthday Juli had arranged for one of her friends to do henna for all of us girls.  Let me tell you I LOVE me some henna, and her friend was so talented.  So many beautiful designs, and she did them all freehand.  

Aren't they beautiful?  Below is the end result, all of us together.  It was a great night of good food, music, and laughter.  

Happy birthday to my soul sister!  I hope your 33rd year is filled with all the love and happiness in the world, I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving. 

Later in the weekend, my husband and I decided last minute to head up the mountains to explore.  Juli decided to join us too.  We intended to go to Julian and walk around a bit, but then we saw the turnoff to go to Palomar Mountain, and in about two seconds we decided to go for it.  Also, Juli had never been even though she grew up here in San Diego!  It was on her birthday list of 34 things to do before she turns 34 so we checked that one off for her, and even on her actual birthday. 

    

We headed up the mountain and with about 15 minutes to spare before they closed we got to go into Palomar Observatory.   Palomar Observatory is an active research facility operated by the California Institute of Technology, and it houses the famous 200 inch Hale Telescope.  It is a pretty amazing place. We got to go inside and had time to walk around the grounds.

Pretty little pollinator outside the Observatory.

We then headed into Palomar State Park and wandered around on a few trails before it got dark.  I am glad we ended up there on such a beautiful day.  The weather was so nice, (hello tank tops and sandals!). 

Doane Pond with lady luna in the background. 

We were lucky enough to be graced by these beauties.  

Us with the birthday girl.

Dear San Diego, I love you big time.

It was the perfect end to a beautiful weekend.  I even managed to finish getting the garden planted on Saturday (thanks Juli for your help)  We now have tomatoes, kale, two kinds of squash, corn, and beans planted.  

You know, it is weekends like this that leave my heart feeling so full, and it definitely left me feeling refreshed even though there wasn't much rest that went on.   I hope you all had a beautiful weekend, let's rock the crap out of the rest of this week!!

Flower power

This year one of my goals was to discover and visit places in San Diego that either I have never been to or haven't visited since I was very young.  I take for granted what a special place this city is, and I don't want to to do that anymore.  I want to take full advantage of the gifts Southern California offers.  This weekend a group of us decided to visit the Carlsbad Flower Fields.  I have not been there since I was a teenager, and I am so happy we went.   In the words of the Flower Fields:

For over sixty years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of North San Diego County into one of the most spectacular and coordinated displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world. The nearly fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that make up The Flower Fields^® at Carlsbad Ranch, in Carlsbad, California, are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks each year - from early March through early May - literally bringing the famous fields back to life. This annual burst of color, which has become part of the area's local heritage, is also one of nature's official ways of announcing the arrival of spring here in Southern California.

Or in my own words, straight up MAGICAL.  

Let me tell you that these pictures do not do this place justice.  The fields are the most vibrant colors and full of so much beauty.  We went on this awesome tractor ride around the whole sixty acres, it was an fantastic tour with lots of history shared. 

I have a soft spot for ranunculus flowers, and to see this many in every shade imaginable was truly awe inspiring.  

Yellow will always hold the number one spot for me though.  This truly went on for as far as the eye could see.  It took all my strength to not jump right and there and go for a frolic.

The sweetest little fairy garden, complete with the story behind fairies and where to find them.

The hubs with me and our nephew.  Seriously are we not the luckiest auntie and uncle ever?  The cute factor alone is enough to melt my heart, not to mention he is such a sweet little boy with such a beautiful spirit. 

If you are ever in the San Diego area and are looking for something unique and fun to do, I could not recommend this place enough.  It was such a fun day spent with so many people we love.  I could not ask for anything more. 

A Soothing soak

Happy hump day to you!  I wanted to share a recipe for bath salts I made last week that turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself.  Over the past 5 years I have suffered from eczema.  Especially on my hands and I also get "hot spots" on my legs.  I would say mine is moderate, but it is painful none the less.   I notice it more of course in the winter, and when the days go from cold to hot or vice versa really quickly.  I wanted to make something that would soothe my skin, but also smelled good.   This mixture definitely did the trick.  I think it would work great for sensitive skin, or if you just want a relaxing soak.

                                        

I don't really measure when I make something new (helpful right?) but I think you could take these ingredients and mix in what you feel is right for you.  So these are really just roundabout measurements.

2-21/2 cups epsom salt

2 cups organic oats

handful of lavender, chamomile, and calendula flowers.

chamomile oil

sweet orange oil

lavender oil
Rosehip seed oil

I took the lavender, chamomile, and calendula and put them in my mini food processor and gave them a quick chop.  I like to leave mine a little on the  thicker, but I think next time I would even grind them a little more.   Dump in a large bowl and add all ingredients.   Mix well and then add essential oils.  I used about 10 drops of each oil.

This made quite a bit, I filled a 20 oz mason jar full, and also gave some to friends to try out.  I would say it made about 25-30 oz total.   I want to open an herbal shop in the future, and I like to use my friends as guinea pigs.  (Thanks Juli-I love you!)

I add about 2-4 oz to the bath depending on how strong I want it.  Just remember any time you are bathing with epsom salts, you want to drink a lot of water before and after your bath.  Those salts suck a lot of toxins out and if you are not careful can dehydrate you.  Also, don't soak for longer than 20 minutes.  Let me know if any of you gorgeous ladies out there try this, I would love to hear what you think.  

Retreat into her pages

This week has felt off, overwhelming.  To much going on, and dealing with unseen circumstances that have left me feeling stressed and empty.  Whenever I feel this way, I tend to retreat into the pages of Mary Oliver poems.  Last night I filled the bath up extra hot and took her in there with me.  Her words speak to all the places in my soul, and I always feel myself breathe easier and I feel more grounded after spending sometime with them.  I thought I would share one of my favorites with you. 

Photo taken by me on our road trip last summer

Sleeping in the Forest

I thought the earth remembered me,
she took me back so tenderly,
arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds.
I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
among the branches of the perfect trees.
All night I heard the small kingdoms
breathing around me, the insects,
and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.

Pieces of earth

I have always loved stones and rocks, any kind of little piece of nature.  When I was a kid my mom said I had little collections everywhere, and my pockets always had something collected in them from the day.  Things have not changed much since then and I still collect pieces when we are out exploring, especially if it is somewhere we have never been before.  I find it comforting to keep little pieces of nature around me, and have them tucked into little corners of our house.  When I joined the Apothecary Circle last year I never expected to learn so much about stones, crystals, and the properties they possess.   I have learned so much, and find it so interesting that the stones that I have always gravitated towards turn out to have properties that are important to me.  I love how this community has taught me and continues to teach me about so many different things.  So, now I have even started an even larger stone collection of my own, and will continue to add new ones that I am drawn to.  One of my favorites has always been Citrine, and I found a gorgeous chunk of it on our weekend adventure last week. 

Through my friend Ginger's blog East 80 I have learned so many things about stones and crystals.  She is a geology student and has started a series on her blog called the crystal guide series.  I seriously recommend hopping over there are checking out some of her guides to different stones.  According to her blog citrines metaphysical properties are:

-Develops clear lines of thought, essentially clearing the fog in your mind. Helpful with communication especially in debates or arguments.

-Will not hold negative energy.  Needs no cleansing. 

-"Can help to dispense with the fundamental level of fear"

-Shines light on hope and brings lightness to heavy situations. Use if you are in need of a good laugh.

-JOYFUL STONE, releases anger as well as fear.

-Like jade, citrine is associated with wealth.  Keep a stone in your piggy bank, or wherever you keep your money. 

Looks like I need to make sure to keep a piece of citrine close at all times, and I am definitely going to add a small piece inside my wallet.  What are some of you favorite stones or crystals?

Make sure to check out Gingers blog East 80 to learn more from an expert and also check out her beautiful Etsy shop here.

Also the Apothecary Circle is open for Spring registration right now until the Spring Equinox.  Feel free to use the coupon code on the right side of my blog for 15% off.  I cannot recommend this course enough, it is a life changer.

Lady Luna

Because sometimes you need a slice of natures beauty to remind you of its abundance and your place in the world. I have always felt a deep connection with the moon, and have always felt drawn to her beauty and splendor. Even as a kid, I loved to go outside and sit and just watch. It brings me calm, and grounds me in the best way. I know she is always there, and it is like having a good friend that you can always count on to show up. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do, and she brings you a sense of peace and calm like she always does for me.
Full Moon Silhouettes from Mark Gee on Vimeo.