Lavender Bath Salts...how to make your own...

Aromatic bath salts are such sweet luxury, and there is nothing better than a nice, therapeutic soak after a chilly end-of-winter day in the garden. If you are lucky enough to have herbs that lend themselves to aromatherapy uses, then bath salts are an awesome way to bring the outdoors inside as you await springs arrival. Lavender happens to be my favorite, but anything that pleases your senses will work!

You will need small, airtight containers for your finished salts, a box of epsom salts from the store, dried and coarsely refined herbs, and, for an extra punch of scent, some essential oil if you like. Citrus makes a great addition, and can be achieved by drying and chopping orange or lemon peels.

I can't make my own oils, so I purchase them from reputable distillers (Medicine Crow/Floracopia are wonderful dealers and very ethical in their work). The process is simple:

pour some salts into a bowl, lightly sprinkle oil on them and mix...just a few drops will do! Mix in your dried herbs and package up in air tight containers. WaLa: perfect gifts from the garden and easy enough to do with the kiddos.

My favorite mixes:

Pure lavender

Citrus mixed with mint

Citrus mixed with rose petals

Lavender with rosemary

Pure Rosemary

Rosemary and orange

Read More

Hand crafted gift wrap from ordinary kitchen schtuff

The challenge:
You have gifts to wrap and really don't want to run to the store one more time. The kids are home from school and are dying for a project so they can contribute to the holiday festivities. You want your gifts to have a 'wow' factor, but you don't want to spend a fortune decorating them...
Hypothesis:
Everything you need to create beautifully wrapped presents is right inside your kitchen, dear!

Gather:
-a few potatoes
-a paring knife
-a plate
-craft paint
-twine
-paper bags
From your garden:
-pretty trimmings of evergreens, dried herbs, pine cones, seed heads
You might also toss in:
-candy canes
-tree ornaments
Method:
Cut a potato in half and blot it well. Let the kids draw a simple shape on the cut surface using a sharp pencil or marker. Using the paring knife, cut along the edges of the design and remove the excess, creating a potato stamp – stick to simple shapes for the best results: starts, trees, or bells work well.
Pour some craft paint onto a plate and use your cut potato to stamp a pattern on an opened and flattened brown paper bag.
Once the paint has dried, you have a wonderful handcrafted gift wrap! Tie it up with natural brown twine for a simple, old fashioned look, and add ornaments, pine cones, candy, or bunches of fresh or dried herbs as adornment.

Read More

Hand made holiday wreaths from the garden

A great way to share the tradition of creating fragrant, evergreen arrangements from your winter garden is to shape fresh greens into a tidy holiday rings. Luckily, North Texas is home to many plants that make perfect wreath materials, and you may be surprised by how many of them can be gathered at your doorstep.

Nothing could be more simple:
Purchase:
1) A wreath form from your local craft shop. Either foam (for full, easy green arrangements) or wire (for more advanced, airy and lighter projects.)
2) Floral wire. Green or silver are both available, and a medium/thin gauge is appropriate for evergreen trimmings.
3) Ribbon or twine for hanging, if desired.
Gather:
- pruning shears
- bucket with an inch of water for gathering greens and trimmings
Suggested Plant Materials:
- any aromatic evergreen: Christmas tree trimmings, cedar, juniper
- evergreen herbs: rosemary, santolina, lavender
- plants with berries: nandina, holly, juniper- broad, glossy leaves: magnolia, hawthornMethod:
Start with one handful of greens and hold the stems flat against the wreath frame with one hand, while beginning to wind the wire around and around the bottom 2-3 inches of the greens to secure them tightly with the other hand. Leave the wire on the spool and use it like a bobbin and a means to pull and tighten the arrangement.
Lay another handful of greens over the wrapped up/ wired ends of your first handful. Be sure it overlaps the initial bundle enough to hide the wired ends. Secure it in the same manner as the first, as shown. Continue all the way around the wreath form, being careful to tuck your wiring under the lose tips of your first greens when you make a full circle.
Use extra greens, stems with berries, or smaller silvery herbs to tuck in and fill any areas of your wreath that seem sparse.
For an added holiday touch, wire (or hot glue) a few pine cones, pecans, or dried flower heads in a cluster.

Read More

Tour De Floors...

By popular demand, here they are! A quicky tour of the floors in the bath and laundry spaces at the Homestead... In true Bohemian spirit, mosaic floors are kind on the earth (all natural AND recycled goods), artsy yet elegant, VERY inexpensive and will last for generations. Above: Hall bath, leaf design made of beige and slate colored tiles with glass marble accentsAbove: A Lizard guards the Laundry, same beige and slate tiles with glass accents
Above: Muffin scales the edge of the tub in the master bath...this time beige tile is paired with black granite (secured from a broken shipment at a tile store for free!) and glass marbles...
Above, a close up of a spiral in the master room...

We are about to do a mosaic insert for our entry, and because so many have requested instructions, I will put together a video. The process truly is quite simple. Rock On Bohemiana!!!
xo

Read More