You can make right now with simple ingredients you've got on hand
The holidays are coming, which means lots of gatherings, parties, and gifts to share with teachers, instructors, care providers and other service providers (we give gifts to our vet and postal office every year). So now that you dried all those herbs this summer, what to do with them? Here are five quick and easy herbal gifts to pull together, using ingredients from your pantry that most people should readily have on hand. If you don’t – they should be easy to find on your next grocery shopping trip.
Herbal sachets and eye pillows: these can be as easy as simple muslin drawstring bags, or if you are a bit of sewer like us – from your lovely fabric stash. Eye pillows should be about 3” wide by 8” long, while sachets can be any size. Sachets can be used in cars (especially good for those with long and stressful commutes), linen closets, tucked into a pillow, or anywhere a bit of herbal fragrance is needed or even in the bath. Bath Sachet – use a muslin, cheesecloth or plain cotton fabric bag or (a rather large infusion); can be reused; tired travelers will find this relaxing and soothing.
Herbs to use: lavender (soothing, relaxing, and slightly floral; it also is a good pest deterrent), mint (cool, refreshing scent; cleansing; help keeps mice away), chamomile (soothing and calming, said to help people fall asleep; a common strewing herb used as a disinfectant and freshener), lemon balm or lemon verbena (retain their fragrance when dried, old saying claims “it makes the heart merry”; stimulating).
Suggested blends:
Soothing Herb Blend for eye pillow – 1½ C rice, 1 part lavender, 1 part mint (heated or chilled a great eye soother)
Sachets – 1 part mint, 1 part lemon balm and 1 part lavender
OR 2 parts lavender, 1 part chamomile, 1 part lemon balm
Bath Bag – 1 part chamomile, 1 part mint, 1 part lemon verbena
Herbal sachets and eye pillows: these can be as easy as simple muslin drawstring bags, or if you are a bit of sewer like us – from your lovely fabric stash. Eye pillows should be about 3” wide by 8” long, while sachets can be any size. Sachets can be used in cars (especially good for those with long and stressful commutes), linen closets, tucked into a pillow, or anywhere a bit of herbal fragrance is needed or even in the bath. Bath Sachet – use a muslin, cheesecloth or plain cotton fabric bag or (a rather large infusion); can be reused; tired travelers will find this relaxing and soothing.
Herbs to use: lavender (soothing, relaxing, and slightly floral; it also is a good pest deterrent), mint (cool, refreshing scent; cleansing; help keeps mice away), chamomile (soothing and calming, said to help people fall asleep; a common strewing herb used as a disinfectant and freshener), lemon balm or lemon verbena (retain their fragrance when dried, old saying claims “it makes the heart merry”; stimulating).
Suggested blends:
Soothing Herb Blend for eye pillow – 1½ C rice, 1 part lavender, 1 part mint (heated or chilled a great eye soother)
Sachets – 1 part mint, 1 part lemon balm and 1 part lavender
OR 2 parts lavender, 1 part chamomile, 1 part lemon balm
Bath Bag – 1 part chamomile, 1 part mint, 1 part lemon verbena
