Clematis

Clematis from a rainy day.

Pansy

I recently purchased a new camera and have been having a blast getting to know it.

This is my first trip into the SLR photography.

Recently we had a baby shower and these pretty girls were given as gifts to the guests. I kept the ones from the flat that looked sad and plunked them in an available pot. They seem pretty happy now.

That lone fella is one that managed to reseed himself from last year. He's living in a crack in the pavement.

Newest Soap

This is one of the newest soap to arrive at Patti's Potions. We call it Lavender Love.

This is one of our most complex soaps. It contains our best blend of natural oils, topped with Goat Milk. We've used a blend of Essential Oils to create this lovely fragrance that is very unisex. It includes Lavender 40/42, patchouli, tea tree, & some rose geranium to smooth it all out.

This is one that I would recommend for frequent hand washing, which is especially important today with the reports of swine flu.

How to do this? While lathering up, simply hum or sing a small little song such as Happy Birthday. If you have children, teach them a simple nursery rhyme song like Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Make hand washing fun and wash frequently, especially before eating and after using the rest room. Using handmade soaps insure that your skin won't dry out.

Week 10 of the Herb Blog Contest

Torchsong Studio will be hosting the 10th and final week of our blog contest.

Maryanne is offering something a little different to close out the contest.

A lead free pewter garden pin with a little glass ladybug charm in the middle and garden tools on either side.

Just comment on this, or any of the other blogs participating for a chance to win one of ten pins to be given away. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A CONTACT email.

Remember all of the blogs below are participating, so visit all of them and post to increase your chances of winning.

The Essential Herbal magazine subscription
Garden Chick - fairy cookie kit
SunRose Aromatics - facial exfoliant and liquid soap
Herbs from the Labyrinth - tea sampler
Patti's Potions - lip balms
PrairieLand Herbs - healing wand
Aquarian Bath - lip balm and soap
The Rosemary House - Bertha Reppert's "Twelve Month Herbal"
Nature's Gift - purse-sized inhalers & inhalation blend
Torchsong Studio Our final contest - check back on May 8 for the list of winners!

Thanks everyone for participating and for playing!

Week NINE blog contest

At Nature's Gift we have been pleased and excited about hosting this week's contest. The hard part has been trying to decide what to offer as the prize!

We chose Deluxe Personal Inhalers from our new shipment, filled with the winner's choice of several healing synergies.

We'll ship one of these pretty purse-sized inhalers filled with your choice of our SineEase Synergy, for easing sinus pain and congestion, Happy Morning Synergy, recommended for easing the nausea of morning sickness, but also helpful for motion sickness, etc., or our research based depression fighter "Citrus Smile."

To be entered in the contest, respond to this post, here, and at all the blogs listed below.

To make the contest even more exciting, ONE lucky entrant, drawn from one of the listed blogs, will receive a signed copy of Marge's Book "Essential Oils and Aromatics".

You may check these links for some of the reviews, from the Journal of the Northeast Herbal Association, or from The Massage Therapy Journal.

Remember all of the blogs below are participating, so visit all of them and post to increase your chances of winning.
Aquarian Bath
The Essential Herbal
Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti's Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
SunRose Aromatics
Garden Chick

Good luck, and thank you!

It's contest Time -- Week 8

Bertha Reppert (1919-1999) was the founder of The Rosemary House and our mum. She was a Renaissance woman ahead of her time when she opened a herb and spice shop in a conservative East coast town in 1968. Convinced that once everyone learned about herbs they would love these plants as much as she did, she became an avid educator about the secrets of herbs. Lecturing, writing and always promoting herbs, Bertha Reppert became a mentor to many. This weeks prize is a copy of her last herbal and one of our very favorites. 

Bertha Reppert's TwelveMonth Herbal features 365 herbal essays one for each day of the year. Written like she is speaking to a friend this book is fun, informative and easy to read. Many folks have told us they reread the book every year and make their own daily notes in the margins. Be sure to leave a comment to this post and at the other participating herbal blogs (see the links below) for your chance to win this clever book (an $18.00 value) filled with herbal lore, recipes and crafts (priceless). 

Sisters Susanna, the herbalist, and Nancy, the culinary artist, continue to share their Mother's love of all things herbal at The Rosemary House, the herb and spice gift shop, and at Sweet Remembrances tea room.

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over, post a comment on these blogs for additional chances to win this weeks giveaway AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

Nature's Gift 
Torchsong Studio 
The Essential Herbal 
Garden Chick 
SunRose Aromatics 
Herbs from the Labyrinth 
Patti’s Potions

PrairieLand Herbs

Aquarian Bath

The Rosemary House (where a list of winners will be posted on the 24th)

Check back we have a couple more weeks of give-aways!

Strawberry WontonTarts

I just have to share this recipe with you.
I made it for Easter & it received rave reviews.

24 won ton wrappers \
6 Tbs. melted butter / spread butter on wrappers & place in mini muffin tin

2/3 c brown sugar\
4 tsp. cinnamon / Mix together & place in bottom of wrappers & bake @ 350 degrees 8 minutes.
Allow to cool completely

8 oz. cream cheese \
4 tsp. orange juice or Triple Sec /beat until fluffy & light
4 Tbs. honey /

Place 1 T. of cream cheese mixture in each won ton wrapper top with a fresh strawberry. You may slice the berry in quarters & fan out to make it more elegant. Or you may choose to top these individual tarts with some cherry or blueberry pie filling.