Welcome to It's My Nature's online email newsletter. Our goal is to provide you with interesting, useful information about herbs and aromatherapy. We will share ways to relieve the stress of daily life and bring a little natural comfort into your life and the lives of those you love.

Spring has arrived and not a moment too soon for most of us! Longer hours of daylight and warmer temperatures are finally in sight. It's time to start planning your garden if you are going to plant one this year. Check out the article in this newsletter about starting an herb garden. It has lots of helpful tips. And of course, there is an article giving you more ideas to reduce your stress levels. Our spritzers are now available in a new 8 oz size for the same price as the 6 oz size. Stock up and save!

Our website is continually being updated so please remember to BOOKMARK it and visit often. http://itsmynature.net
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Monthly Tip: Citrus Candles - Hollowed-out lemons become fragrant yellow cups for candles. Using a serrated knife and small ice-cream scoop, remove pulp from lemon halfs. Wash and dry lemon shells, then insert a votive candle into each one. (try and find a citrus scentedyellow candle or use a vanilla colored candle). Pour rock salt around candles to add sparkle.
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Starting an Herb Garden

If you have never planted an herb garden, plant one this year! Even the smallest patch of herbs is fun, interesting, soothing, and entertaining to grow. Not to mention useful for so many projects including cooking, crafting, making fragrances and healing.

Although the majority of familiar herbs need a sunny, well drained spot, there are some herbs that can be grown in shade or part shade. There is a great number of good herb books that give detailed information on the cultural requirements of each herb.

It is important to prepare the soil well before starting an herb garden. Remove sod and all weeds. If the soil has been a lawn or a field, cover it with a piece of black plastic for at least a week after tilling. The heat under the plastic will cause the weed seeds and roots to sprout, but the darkness and hot temperatures will also kill them. A week or so of this should act as a natural herbicide. Some folks like to retill and cover a second time to be sure that all the weed seeds die.

A generous sprinkling of lime is usually the next step. Although most southern Jersey soils need lime each spring, you may want to call your county extension agent to find out about a soil test if you have your doubts. We always lime and fertilize each spring, using 5-10-5 on all of our gardens, lawns, trees, and shrubs. This is a basic fertilizer low in nitrogen, allowing for good root, fruit, and bloom development.

Once the soil has been prepared you are ready to plant. First make a list of the herbs that you like to cook with, want to dry for crafts and decorations, and any others that you may want to grow. Make a drawing of the garden and place the plants where you would like them. Remember to check the size of a tag, or look up the cultural directions and descriptions in a book. Keep perrenials where they can remain and grow for years and fill in with annuals.

I would suggest the following herbs for a first garden. Several varieties of thyme look great near the edge of the garden, often creeping into paths. The variegated lemon is a must, as is the orange balsam. All bloom during the summer with a beautiful display of mauve or pink flowers. Another low plant, that is a flea repellent, is a member of the mint family, penney royal. This will grow in shade or sun.

Some medium plants that are good for cooking are chives, oregano, lovage, sage, and French tarragon. All are perrenials so they will need a permanent spot. A great favorite is parsley, which sometimes lasts two years before reseeding. Parsley is a biennial. Sow as much of this as you like, as there never seems to be enough. It is so pretty that it also makes a good border for the whole herb garden. Mix it with the colorful, annual nasturtuim, with its edible blooms for a real show stopper.

Some favorite annuals such as chervil, corriander, summer savory, and basil can be planted by seed wherever there is room.
No herb garden would be complete without several lavender plants. This colorful, fragrant plant comes up for years and years and blooms on all summer. Lavender bloooms can be dried or used fresh in arrangements, made into sachets, or hung in closets to chase off moths. It is so fragrant in baths or as a room freshener. An old fashioned plant, this is surely the queen of the herb garden and one that deserves a spot of honor.

Lorraine Kiefer is the owner of Triple Oaks Nursery and has been a garden writer since 1972. Reach her at tripleoaks@aol.com

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Recipes

Lavender Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lavender flowers, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, creak butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lavender, and mix well. May add more lavender for a stronger flavor, if desired. Combine flour and baking powder and add to lavender mixture, stirring until well blended. Drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Yields: 4 dozen.

Aromatherapy Lip Gloss
1 tsp. aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. petroleum jelly
2 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Mix together in glass bowl and heat on high in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour into small container with lid. Let cool & set.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 - 1/2 cup almond oil
1/2 tsp of vitamin E
45 drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix almond oil, vitamin E and essential
oil together in a glass bowl. Add the brown sugar
and mix in well. Divvy up into jars and have a
great time using it!

We would like to thank Kitchen Crafts n' More for these great recipes. Visit the website at: http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net
Sign up to receive great recipes in your email.
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Ease The Stress
Plan, Prioritize, Play - 10 Strategic Ways to be Time Rich and Stress Free
This article is brought to you by Inspirit.

By BZ Riger-Hull, Certified Success Coach

1. Retrain your self-talk, to remove selfish from your vocabulary and replace it with self-care. In order for you to take care of the people you love you need to take care of yourself first. Friends, family, loved ones look to you as a model, make sure to model self-care, taking time to play, relax, and read. This is especially important for parents; this will give your children the confidence to have the same healthy behaviors.

2. Give yourself time for delays and unexpected events. When mapping out your day add an extra hour cushion to your schedule. This extra time will keep you stress free and running on time if some of your appointments are delayed, or if you run into someone you haven't seen in a while, so you can enjoy a spontaneous conversation without the guilt of running behind schedule.

3. Balance out your commitments. A great way to cut down on a hectic schedule is to balance out all new activities by removing an old activity. Don't add anything new, work, classes, volunteer activities, etc unless you first remove something from your schedule to balance it out. This will help you to let go of projects and time wasters that no longer serve you.

4. No is not a bad word, in fact, it's not only a complete sentence it's a great stress reducing word. There is no need to justify or explain when you say no to someone's request. Just give them a friendly smile thank them for including you and tell them you can't do it this time. If you are having trouble getting used to saying no right away, tell the person you need some time to think about it, then call them later and decline to be involved this time.

5. Maximize your commute and errands. If you have errands to run for business or home combine them to one trip. Make doctor's appointments for yourself or your family members back to back and see if you can get appointments first thing in the morning before the doctor is running behind. Order you business supplies online to save time, most business supply websites can store your most frequently ordered purchases in a file so all you have to do is select the item you want and have it delivered with just one click.

6. Improve your home environment one room at a time. Even if you have the budget for a complete makeover, remodeling and redecorating can be very time consuming and stressful projects. Try working on just one room at a time. Pick a few rooms in your house that you enjoy the most and spend most of your time in when your home. Select your favorite and create an environment that is pleasing to the eye and gives you comfort and positive energy. This will give you a haven in your home and the encouragement to tackle another room when you're ready.

7. Being spontaneous is a very exhilarating feeling that gives you a real sense of freedom. Make sure to leave time in your life every week to be spontaneous. Cutting things out of your life that are time zappers and stressful will also give you the energy to be spontaneous. Keep at least two weekends a month free from scheduled activities. Then you can decide to take a short trip, have a date with your partner, a special family event, or kick your feet up and do absolutely nothing and feel wonderful about it.

8. Highlight those time wasters. Instead of just making up another long to do list so you can beat your self up about all the things you didn't and couldn't possible have accomplished in one day. Make a realistic to do list. Put the things that are most important to YOU on the top, then next to each item list the amount of time you think it will take to get it done. This will help you get your important things done and show you where your time wasters are.

9. Under promise and over deliver. This is very useful in business and in your life. By selecting reasonable deadlines you avoid the stress of crunch time, use your time effectively and you will be able to finish ahead of schedule giving you satisfaction for a job well done and turned in early.

10. Define what life and work without stress would look like to you. Describe what your ideal schedule is, what leisure activities you want to do and who you want to spend time with. By creating a detailed image of what a stress free schedule looks like, you can begin to take the steps necessary to clearing out the stress.

~~~ Resource Box ©BZ Riger-Hull. Author of The Soul of Success http://www.in-spiros.com subscribe to free newsletter. Certified Success Coach, "4 Agreements" Facilitator & Tele-Course leader, we help you Communicate Powerfully, Strategically Attract Success, & increase your Financial Well-Being.

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New Arrivals

Larger Size Room & Body Spritzers - Consider our spritzers super sized!
Still the same great Aromatherapy Blends. Whether you want to kill airborne bacteria or uplift the atmosphere of any room, these therapeutic spritzers are effective and an easy way to bring Aromatherapy into your life. Choose Lavender Mist, Simply Serene or Warm Bliss for their calming effects. We have Peppermint & Lavender or Cool Mint and Eucalyptus, and they both are refreshing and uplifting not to mention purifying to the air. Sold in Cobalt Blue Glass Bottles that are Beautiful and easy to recycle or re-use. Don't forget our mini- spritzers. Great for the car, at work or when travelling.
8 oz Spritzer - $10.50 Online special $8.95
2 oz Mini-Spritzer - $6.50 Online special $5.50
http://itsmynature.net/html/Spritzer.html

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Other Monthly Specials

Aromatherapy Powders - Herbs and essential oils in a cornstarch base.
Choose from Calendula, Lavender or Tea Tree powders. They are all natural, healing and deodorizing. Prevent chaping and soothe skin irritations naturally. Tea Tree is effective against athlete's foot.
4 oz - $8.95 Online special $7.50
http://itsmynature.net/html/Powders.html

Dried Lavender - For All Your Aromatherapy & Craft Recipes and Ideas.
Dried Lavender flowers stripped from the stem. Highly fragrant and great for tea and bath recipes plus so much more. Choose from Small zipbag size or by the pound.
2 cup size: $6.25 ea - Online Special $5.25
1 lb size $16.50 ea - Online Special $13.95
http://itsmynature.net/html/Herbs.html

Arnica Boswella Cream - All Natural Pain Relief.
A soothing cream for arthritis, sprains, sore muscles, joints and back conditions. Contains: Olive Oil extracts of Arnica, Goldenrod, & St. John's Wort Flowers, Boswella Gum, Queen of the Meadow Root, Birch, Camphor, Ginger & Rosemary Essential Oils, Black Cohosh Flower Essence & Copper Gem Essence.
1 oz. $10.50 Online Special $8.95

Oregon Mist Synergy Blend
A Fresh and Woodsy Blend of Geranium, Sandalwood & Tea Tree.
Great for killing bacteria and viruses. Also used for bronchitis, sore throat, cuts, burns and acne. Beneficial for depression, PMS, stress and nervous tension.
This blend stimulates the immune system and is excellent for use during meditation. Dilute with a carrier oil when using on the skin.

Save on Oregon Mist - Available in These Easy to Use Aromatherapy Products
2 oz. Mini-Spritzers - Online Sale $5.50
8 oz. Room & Body Spritzers - Online Sale $8.95

2 oz. Massage Oils - Online Sale $8.95
4 oz. Massage Oils - Online Sale $16.25

1/8 oz Vial of the Pure Essential Oil Blend - Online Sale $4.95
1 oz Bottle of the Pure Essential Oil Blend - Online Sale $15.25

For More Information On the Oregon Mist Product Line Visit:
http://itsmynature.net/html/OregonMist.html
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Ordering Information
Phone orders -Call Toll Free 1-888-445-5051 PST
Or order online on our secure shopping website: http://www.itsmynature.net
Orders are processed and shipped quickly from Oregon via US Mail & UPS Ground.
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Copyright 2005, It's My Nature