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It's My Nature's Aromatherapy & Herbal Comforts
Newsletter - August, 2005 Issue
http://itsmynature.net
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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.
We hope you are having a fabulous summer! Take time to enjoy friends and loved ones as often as possible during the nice summer weather. This is the season we wait for all year! We're having our annual sale on all herbal supplies this month! Stock up now and save big on all bottles, jars, muslin bags, morter and pestles and much more! All the things you need to make your own crafts or special gifts to give to others. Our complete line of natural and therapeutic salves are on sale this month as well. Safe and gentle for all family members. Enjoy your summer!
Our website is continually being updated so please remember to BOOKMARK it and visit often. http://itsmynature.net
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Monthly Tip: A few drops of Lavender in a watering can will encourage healthy growth in house plants.
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Simple Herbal Craft Ideas
Welcoming Fragrance
Welcome guests to your home with fragrance. A welcoming fragrance can set your guests at ease and create a friendly atmosphere. Loosely fill small cotton drawstring bags with potpourri and place the bags around your home where your guests are sure to enjoy the fragrance.
- Sew the bags into throw pillows where they will release their fragrance when your guests lean against them.
- Sew them into the hems of curtains in rooms where the windows are left open.
- Use them in sachets in drawers and closets of your guest room.
It's My Nature has two very fragrant potpourri blends that would work wonderfully with these tips. Choose from Floral Bouquet or Country Kitchen. http://itsmynature.net/html/Potpourri.html
Or you can make your own potpourri blends as well.
Pressing Flowers
Pressing flowers has been a popular pastime for hundreds of years. How wonderful it is to open an old family album or book of verse and find between its pages a small spray of flowers saved with loving care throughout the years.
A flower press generally consists of 2 pieces of wood, cardboard, and absorbent paper. Lay out your botanicals, top with absorbent paper and cardboard. This completes one layer. One can do 8 to 10 layers in a press. Top with the second piece of wood.
Store-bought presses will have wing nuts in each corner of the wooden boards for tightening the press. In the following days, check the press and re-tighten as needed. If you are handy and have a drill, you could make your own press, or simply use two wooden scrap boards up to a foot long, cut cardboard and construction paper of the same size. Use two belts to tighten your press, and re-tighten as necessary.
You could simply use old books - phone books work great. Skip several pages between botanicals. For added absorption, sandwich plant material in between pieces of facial tissue. Top with additional books for more bulky botanicals.
The phone book is also a great place to store the pressed material - one can take advantage of the alphabetical order and store the plants accordingly - such as "B" for blue blossoms, or whatever scientific method you prefer!
Generally, leave the plants in the press for 2 weeks, check, and if necessary keep a little longer.
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Herb & Infused Oil of the Month- Calendula
Latin name Calendula officinalis
Calendula is often confused with its counterpart, the Tagetes. Calendula has a nickname of the "pot marigold", and this helps to determine the difference between the two. In Latin, the word Calendula means, " First day of the month", it was given this name because it has an extremely long flowering season.
Calendula can grow up to 28 inches tall. It has paddle shaped leaves with golden orange flowers. The leaves are added to salads and the flowers are used as a garnish for many dishes.
Originally, Calendula grew in the Mediterranean, but now is available throughout the world. It can be found along roadsides, in open fields, and in many of the most beautiful flower gardens around the world.
Calendula contains an essential oil in the flower heads and leaves that have an antibiotic effect. The oil an be used internally and externally. There are many methods of administration. It can be made into tea, which can be used for wound dressings and as a gargle antiseptic. Calendula's oil are used in ointments, as well.
To use Calendula as a tea: Pour one cup of boiling water over one to two teaspoons of dried calendula petals. Steep for ten minutes, then strain. By drinking two to three cups daily there will be a great improvement in blood circulation.
To help in the healing of skin wounds: Soak a compress in Calendula Tea, and apply to the wound for 30 minutes twice daily. Calendula can also be used to treat sore throats. Gargle with warm tea several times a day. This will help relieve the inflammation caused from the common cold.
The culinary use of Calendula dates back to ancient Rome. The use of saffron (the powdered stigmas of the exotic saffron flower) was a sign of wealth and power. The common people couldn't afford to buy saffron, and they discovered that powdered calendula petals were an excellent substitute.
The petals can be dried and kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place for use out of season. To dry flowers, place them on a piece of canvas or cheesecloth stretched over a screen in a warm, dry, shady place. Do not let the flowers touch one another. Once the flowers are completely dried, pick the petals off by hand and put them in a container and seal it tightly. Before adding dried petals to a recipe, pulverize them.
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Recipes
Calendula Rice
4 cups water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups long-grain rice
In a medium saucepan bring water to a boil. Add salt, onion, bouillon cubes, calendula petals and rice. Stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 18 minutes.
Delightful Herb Tea Blend
1/4 cup dried orange, pineapple or apple mint
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
2 tablespoons dried lemon balm
1 tablespoon dried calendula petals
3 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers
Combine the dried herbs together and store in an airtight container. Use 1 tsp. for a cup of tea.
Calendula Facial Cleanser
4 tablespoons almond oil
2 tablespoons dried calendula flowers
A few drops of rose water (optional)
Warm the oil in a bowl placed over a pan of hot water. Stir in the dried flowers and heat gently for about 30 minutes (over the pan). Remove the bowl and allow the oil to cool. Stir in the flower water at this point. Use as a cleanser on your face and neck.
Skin Soothing Bath Tea
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried calendula blossoms
2 tablespoon dried chamomile blooms
1 quart boiling water
Add the herbs to the boiling water and steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain the infusion and add to your bathwater.
Calendula Oil
A wonderful body or massage oil based on an infusion of Calendula. Calendula, or pot marigold, is loved for its healing and soothing qualities. It is important to use cold-pressed oil because it hasn't been solvent-processed or had its nature altered by the application of heat.
Calendula flowers
Organic olive oil (cold-pressed)
Clean glass jar
Collect enough flower heads to almost fill your jar. Place on clean paper towels and allow them to rest for about 30 minutes. Add your flowers to the jar and cover with oil. Cap tightly and keep covered in a warm place for a week. Strain thoroughly and store oil in a clean glass jar or bottle.
Calendula Butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, 1/2 cup calendula petals. Blend ingredients together in a small bowl. Use right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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Ease The Stress
Strategies for Eliminating and Managing Stress
- By Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.
To combat modern day stressors, you need to realize that things are going to go the way they are going to go, so you may as well just relax. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to practice extreme self-care which means putting your own needs first. We have had it backwards for far too long, taking care of yourself first is not selfish, it is essential. Invest in yourself in all areas of your life, to include: personal services, massage therapy, body workers, counselors/coaches.
Develop daily rituals that keep you feeling good. You must take care of yourself first or you will be no good to anyone else. Self-care is simply loving and honoring yourself. Loving yourself is giving to yourself. Giving to yourself allows you to share with others more fully. Being more fully present means you naturally develop less of an attachment to what goes on around you, and can instead be more relaxed and at peace.
Releasing the need to control yourself, other people, and/or situations, will greatly reduce the amount of stress you experience in your life. Also helpful is relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating your body, mind and spirit.
Relax Your Body
Your body is your temple, and can easily get run down by stress, strain, and struggle, take care of it with regular relaxing activities.
Get good sleep
Swedish massage, hot stone massage
Foot or hand paraffin
Body treatments: aromatherapy body wraps, body scrubs, etc
Reflexology
Rigorous and regular exercise
Healthy sex
Refresh Your Mind
Your mind is your guide, it can easily get distracted and off course, so take care of it with regular refreshing activities.
Take long walks
Spend time in nature
Read inspirational messages
Learn new things
Talk with a good friend
Take care of your pet
Therapy or personal coaching on a regular basis
Rejuvenate Your Spirit
Your spirit is your connection with Source, and can easily be forgotten in the busyness of life, so take care of it with regular rejuvenating activities.
Meditate
Pray
Sing, dance, express yourself
Consciously slow down
Be fully present
Know and live by your values and beliefs
Surround yourself with supportive, loving, and accepting people
Stress-Free Activities
Connect with nature, it restores homeostasis to your system.
Make a list of your favorite things. Read it when you feel down.
Rely on friends and animals, they are great sources of support.
Create a pleasure drawer. Stock your drawer with personal momentos or simple indulgences--- favorite scents, textures, and tastes to create your own multi-sensory stress-relief treatments.
Be colorful. Color stimulates your eyes and your brain. When used properly, color can make you feel happy and energized. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow increase heart rate and circulation. Cool colors, such as blue or lavender act like sedatives.
Deep breathe. Taking deep breaths will soothe your nerves, it sends oxygen to your brain and refreshes your mind. Inhale through your nose and count to eight. Fill your belly not your chest with air. Exhale through your mouth to the count of 10-16. Repeat five times until you feel calmer.
Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Find humor in the situation.
Imagine. Use visualization and guided imagery to take your mind off the situation.
And when you find yourself in a really challenging situation, remember the serenity prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
***This article was adapted from Michelle's Living a Balanced Life Workbook: How to Eliminate Stress, Enhance Your Energy, and Enjoy Life. Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series: She can be reached at coach@getsmartseries.com Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com
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Monthly Specials - We have a lot of great products on sale this month! All supplies including empty bottles, mortars, muslin bags and tea infusers are on sale. And the entire line of healing salves and balms is marked down too. And of course this month's featured herb, Calendula is on sale. Try it in the dried form or an infused oil.
To View These And All Sale Items In One Location, Visit Our
Online Specials Page http://itsmynature.net/html/SalePage.html
or click on their individual links below.
It's Our Aromatherapy & Herbal Supply Sale
Now is the time to stock up on all your herbal supplies. Make your own custom creations. Great for gift making and giving.
Sale Includes:
Cobalt & Amber Bottles - Great for making your own blends.
Save on any bottle or jar in stock. Choose from 1/8 oz vials to 8 oz bottles with cap or spritzer nozzle. All amber gel jars are also on sale.
Sale Prices from .95 cents to $3.50 each.
http://itsmynature.net/html/Supplies.html
Drawstring Muslin Bags - Perfect for potpourri, sachets, herbs in the bath, dryer, closet and drawers.
3x5" .50 cents Sale Price .40 cents.
4x6 .75 cents Sale Price .60 cents.
http://itsmynature.net/html/Supplies.html
Mortars & Pestles - Beautiful Cobalt or White Ceramic with 3 sizes to choose from. Save on any size and style.
Sale Prices from $8.40 to $13.50 each. http://itsmynature.net/html/Supplies.html
Tea and Bath Accessories - Choose from mesh balls, infuser spoons and other tea infusers.
Several sizes available. All 15% off.
Sale Prices from $2.25 to $8.50 each.
http://itsmynature.net/html/Supplies.html
This Month's Featured Herb
Dried Calendula
For All Your Aromatherapy & Craft Recipes and Ideas.
Choose from whole Calendula or Calendula Petals. Use for tea, bath and potpourri 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 $9.95 ea - Online Special $8.45 http://itsmynature.net/html/Herbs.html
Calendula Infused Oil - Excellent for Soothing Skin Irritations.
A soothing and effective oil for rashes, wounds and infant care. Contains: Olive Oil Extracts of certified Organic Calendula Flowers.
4 oz $12.95 Online Special $10.95
http://itsmynature.net/html/InfusedOils.html
Healing Salves & Balms - All Natural and Therapeutic.
Made with Pure Olive Oil, Beeswax and organic flowers.
We have a complete line of salves to choose from. Safe and gentle for all family members. Choose from our basic first aide salve, a salve to soothe arthritis, sprains, sore muscles, joints and back conditions or our antifungal salve perfect for persistent skin rashes. Including eczema, psoriasis, herpes, boils, ringworm and other difficult skin conditions.
We also have salves for colds & flu, baby balm for delicate skin and Wild Yam Salve to help women balance hormones.
Click here for our complete line of skin salves
Sale Prices from $8.50 to $12.75 each.
http://itsmynature.net/html/Salves.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.
Visa /Mastercard /American Express / Discover / Debit Cards / Paypal accepted.
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Copyright 2005, It's My Nature
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Spritzers, Computer Wrist Rest, Lavender Bags & Sachets,
New Potpourri Simmers | Catnip Pillows & Gift Sets
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It's My Nature
P.O. Box 3106
Florence, OR 97439
(888) 997-5057
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