Make Your Own Herbal Tea

Making your own tea requires practice, however over a period of time you will learn how to use the plants and flowers in your garden to make delicious and refreshing herbal teas. You can buy the loose teas from any store however if you really want to DIY, here are a few tips!

​

1. Purchase the seed or plant that you would like to use as your tea and let it grow.  Plants such as lemon balm, mint, roses and other herbs are perennials so they will come back every year.

2. Once the plant has grown snip off the leaves and place in a brown paper bag, do not use plastic because it will not dry properly.  You can also do the hanging methods and place a tie around the herb and let it air dry.  Or you can speed up the process with a microwave to dry out the leaves, but some of the nutritional value will be lost.  With the brown bag it takes about 2 weeks to dry.  *Do not use any chemicals on the plants.

3. Once the herb has dried, use a grinder to grind up the leaves.  Make sure you have a grinder that has several settings because you do not want the tea leaves to be too fine. 

4. After grinding the tea leaves, you can either purchase a loose leaf tea diffuser, a metal ball diffuser or tea bags to place the tea in. 

5. Please the tea leaves in the hot water and let sit for about ten minutes to let the flavors absorb into the water.

6. Enjoy!

​

See below a list of fresh herbs you can grow to use for tea:

​

Fresh Mints - Peppermint, Spearmint, and other variations

Lemon Balm

Lavender

Chamomile 

Ginger​

Thyme

Basil

Lemon Grass

Jasmine

Rosemary

Sage​

Avocado Honey Mask

Try this fun ten (10) minute facial mask to restore moisture back in your skin after a long dry and skin bruising winter and summer.  It has a wonderful texture and the smell is rejuvenating. The next time you pick up an avocado think about the rich oils that will restore and shield your face from harsh weather. 

​

Ingredients:

• 1 small ripe avocado - peel and mix the avocado until it is mushy in texture. Make sure it is not brown, but still green. Remember to avoid selecting an avocado that brown and too ripe.

• Add 2 tablespoons of organic Manukua Honey.   If you are vegan substitute the honey for crushed brown sugar this will have an invigorating and exfoliating effect on the skin.

• Add 1 teaspoon of organic Jojoba Oil or Castor Oil. 

​

Directions: 

Mix the honey and jojoba oil into the avocado stir until it becomes consistent

Let sit for 5 minutes for all the nutrients to absorb.

Place the mask on the face for about ten minute. 

Use your hands to rotate the mask over dry spots on the face. 

Wash with warm water.

Notice how the skin feels soft and supple. 

Manuka Honey- contains high levels of amino acids, copper, magnesium, calcium, potassium,zinc, iron, B vitamins, and a number of antioxidants, as well as higher levels of methylglyoxal than other forms of honey.

​

Enjoy the rich texture of the mask, simply discard after use.

How to Make a DIY Reed Diffuser

Essential oils can be found in nearly any store you purchase products in.  They promise clarity, focus and healing of certain ailments.  Adding essential oils to a diffuser can make your place smell like heaven relieving stress after a long day.  Try one of the recipe below or make your own.  

​

8oz Diffuser

​

1. Purchase glass bottle and reed sticks from a craft store. Use your best judgement to determine how large the  container should be.  For example a 4oz, 8oz, 10oz. or larger can be used.

2. You can use a base oil or  distilled water, do not use tap water  because there are often hidden elements in the water.  Base oils can be Almond Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Safflower OIl.  I like the safflower oil because it has a neutral smell.

3. Purchase an essential oil to your taste and preferences. Great aromatic scents are Sweet Orange, Basil, Clary Sage, Lavender and Peppermint to name a few.

4. For an 8oz diffuser, add  9-15 drops or pure essential oil put in the reeds and place it in a safe area place.

​

Enjoy the rich aroma

​