Herbal Treasures

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Monthly Tip: To rejuvenate and fluff up feather pillows, place them

one at a time in the dryer on a warm setting for 10 minutes with two

clean tennis balls. For a pleasant scent, sprinkle three drops of an

essential oil, like orange or rose onto a cotton ball, tie it into a

handkerchief, and add it to the dryer along with the pillows.

 

Herbal Treasures

 

There are many unique gifts you can create from the bounty of your

herb garden....or, create gifts just to indulge your own lover of

herbs. Certain herbs have specific associations. Rosemary, for

instance, has special significance at Christmas. It is said that the

Virgin Mary spread her blue cloak on a Rosemary bush when the Holy

Family stopped to rest on their flight from Bethlehem and that since

then, some Rosemary blooms with a blue flower in her honor.

 

Following are some ideas for making some herbal treasures:

 

If you're looking forward to using the bounty of your herb garden to

create craft items, be sure to plant enough Bay. Bay leaves are

indispensable in making wreaths and other dried arrangements. These

herbs retain a green color, and withstand handling and arranging

without crumbling.

 

If you'd don't have a Eucalyptus tree...get one. These wonderful,

pungent leaves are a staple in wreaths and garlands. There are many

varieties of Eucalyptus, but look for the leaves shaped like knife

blades and the beautiful 'spiral' or 'silver-dollar' varieties in

particular. They look wonderful combined with your favorite dried

flowers.

 

Additional favorites for crafts are Lavender, which retains its

wonderful fragrance even when dried, and such other aromatics as

beautiful dusty-green Sage and Rosemary, with its pine-needlelike

leaves.

 

Nature's Treasures

In addition to collecting dried herbs and flowers from your own

garden, plan a picnic and harvest day with friends in the nearest

meadow or woods. Every Autumn we go up into the Black Hills where

there is a treasure trove of beautiful grasses, bits of bark, berries,

pinecones, seed pods, thistles, dried mosses and lichens, wildflowers,

evergreen fronds, vines and graceful branches. Many of these materials

are available at craft shops, but purchasing them is not nearly as

much fun as gathering them on your own. Remember to ask all the

appropriate permissions and harvest responsibly. Never dig up native

plants or break off branches of living trees. There are plenty of

items that can be gathered without causing harm to any living things.

 

Crafting With Your Treasures

Cover hollow wreath frames of wire, twigs, or dried vines with

sphagnum or sheet moss that has been soaked to reconstitute it. (Wear

gloves when handling the moss, as it can cause skin irritations.) Once

the moss is formed around the wreath, cover it with plastic or

florist's tape to keep it damp and in place.

 

Straw wreath forms are easy to work with and are great for dry

arrangements. Bind your chosen items to the form with nylon fishing

line, or you can use the florist's pins.

 

You may want to create a wreath or garland of fresh materials and then

let the completed item dry, rather than constructing the adornment

with the more delicate dried materials from the start.

 

Create a living wreath by planting your favorite herb seedlings around

a wire wreath form covered with soaked sphagnum moss. Root the

seedlings in the moss and attach them with transparent fishing line,

then pack another layer of moss over the roots. The moss needs to be

sprayed daily to keep the herbs growing. This 'fairy ring' is a lovely

and useful addition to a kitchen garden.

 

For the upcoming winter holidays, add sprigs of your favorite fresh or

dried aromatic herbs to pine wreaths and garlands to add texture and

color and mingle the scents. For a fabulous red and green holiday

wreath, combine dried Sage and Eucalyptus leaves, Rosemary and

Tarragon sprigs, Holly or bittersweet Berries, and dried Red Chilies.

Finish it off with a gold or red bow!

 

Create a classic herb wreath with Bay, Chili Peppers, Mint, Oregano,

Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme. Hang this one in the kitchen so that you

can enjoy the aroma, and if you like, pick off pieces to use when

you're cooking. Be sure you wire the pieces on rather than using glue.

 

About the author: Karen is an avid gardener and crafter. She and her

husband have a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, plus 'Fairy Gardens' where

the children can learn about different herbs and hear Karen read a

story about the Garden Fairies and Flowers.

 

--

Diana Gonzalez

 

 

 

 

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is

carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a

life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

-Unknown