Herbal Salves are coming soon!

I finally started the infused oils and by next week I will have some salve blends ready to post here. These are just the recipes I've gleaned online from trusted sources, and will use for my own family. I will gladly share when I make large batches, but please, please know that I am NOT a medical professional, I am just a momma searching out the very best alternative, natural health care I can find for my family. I have not sought out verification for the efficacy of any herbal treatment thru the FDA or other source. I base my information on countless generations of mothers who have successfully treated their own with historically proven remedies. I make no claims whatsoever to their effectiveness in any family other than my own, nor do I diagnose or treat anyone outside my own family. Nothing shared on my blog, or thru any external link, is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or ailment. 

Please be cautious with any alternative remedy, and consult your physician for a clear diagnosis before selecting any treatment method.


While there will be more salves and tinctures to come, here is what I've put up so far:

Note: salve base is made of sweet almond oil

Gently Baby Blend
Perfect for delicate baby skin or those with skin sensitivities. This gentle herbal blend will ease the symptoms of, and aid in healing a variety of skin conditions from diaper rash to other skin rash and irritations. Crafted from dried rose petals, lavender flowers, rosemary, and yarrow flowers, it is gently enough for most everyone.

Deep Muscle Rub Blend
This salve penetrates the skin, soothes and helps to heal damaged muscles, while reducing inflammation. You can use this rub as needed throughout the day to ease those aching muscles. Crafted with St. John's Wort, arnica flowers, lobelia lef, comfrey leaf, peppermint leaf, and cayenne.
Note: Arnica should never be used on areas of broken, cut skin as it is not intended for internal use.
Note: Be aware that cayenne has a distinct warming property and care should be taken to wash hands thoroughly after applying to avoid eye contact.

Arthritis Comfort Blend
Perfect balm for easing the discomfort of arthritic joints. This salve is made with the healing properties of ginger root, echinacea root, St. John's Wort, boswellia serrata, and cayenne. 
Note: Be aware that cayenne has a distinct warming property and care should be taken to wash hands thoroughly after applying to avoid eye contact.  

Some notes on the herbs used...

Ginger Root: Ginger can be used to benefit anyone: men, women (including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing), children and animals. Ginger, the spice used in cooking, is also used in the bathtub to promote perspiration to relieve congestion and fevers; and to help relax and relieve tired, achy muscles after over exercising: 3-4 tablespoons per full bathtub in tepid, no hot water. The volatile oils are also stimulants that produce effects on the circulatory system, including diaphoretic action and vasomotor stimulus. The folk use of ginger in rheumatism remedies apparently has some basis as ginger is hypocholesterolemic, both to serum cholesterol and cholesterol stored in the liver. This makes ginger a blood purifier in folk terms. This may also help rid the body of other toxins that contribute to the inflammatory diseases.

Echinacea Root: Echinacea is often put in combinations with other herbs. It is an excellent infection fighter and is used as a powerful natural antibiotic. Echinacea is a contact healer. It can be used for a variety of inflammatory conditions externally.

St John's Wort: Externally it is a valuable healing and anti-inflammatory remedy. In an ointment it will speed the healing of wounds and bruises, varicose veins, and mild burns.

Cayenne:  Cayenne or capsicum, one of the most important herbs, is a wonderful healer. References to it have even been found on plaques in the Egyptian tombs. It is an herb many herbalists would choose if they could only have one herb. It is found in many combinations with other herbs because it acts as a catalyst. In the circulatory system, it helps the arteries, veins and capillaries regain the elasticity of youth by feeding the cell structure. It helps equalize circulation by regulating the flow of blood from the head to the feet. Cayenne strengthens the pulse by increasing the power, not the frequency. Improves entire circulatory system; feeds the cell structures of arteries, veins, and capillaries so they will regain elasticity. Tired, painful muscles, stiffened joints, poor circulation, and relaxation of any part are common conditions in the elderly that can be improved by capsicum (cayenne).

Boswellia serrata: Also known as Indian Frankincense, the boswellia family of trees have been used for healing for over 2,000 years in India and ancient Egypt.

Ancient healers used this herb to treat conditions like rheumatism, diabetes, fevers, cardiovascular disorders and asthma. It was also consumed in the belief that it would increase longevity. A more modern use of boswellia is for treating inflammation. The boswellic acid that comes from the tree’s resin and sap acts as a 5-LOX (5-lipoxygenase) inhibitor and is used to treat rheumatoid and osteo arthritis, asthma, menstrual cramps and inflammatory bowel disease. Besides being good for treating inflammation, boswellic acid also promotes faster wound healing as it possesses antibiotic and antiseptic properties.

Lavender Flowers: Lavender has a wonderfully relaxing effect on the mind and body and makes a good remedy for anxiety, nervousness, and physical symptoms caused by stress such as tension headaches, migraine, palpitations, and insomnia. It also has a stimulating edge to it, acting as a tonic to the nervous system and restoring vitality to people suffering from nervous exhaustion

Yarrow Flowers:  Contains aromatic compounds that shrink inflamed tissues and promote sweating. It also contains bitter compounds that relieve smooth muscle spasms, reduce blood pressure and stop bleeding.

Lobelia Leaf: One of the most potent single herbs, a powerful relaxant. The relaxing effects of lobelia can be felt all over the whole body; they work very quickly and have a good influence of the body. Encourages the flow of oxygenized blood.

Comfrey Leaf:  Comfrey is high in calcium and vitamin C. It has a strong history of being used as an external application by itself or in poultices for the mending of wounds and broken bones. It is a contact healer, relieving pain and immediately helping to grow new flesh and bone. One of the main therapeutic substances in comfrey is allantoin, an anti-inflammatory that perks up the immune system, speeds wound healing, and encourages new skin and cell growth. It's a time-honored treatment for healing sores, bruises, and even broken bones. The tannins in comfrey are astringent, and the rosmarinic acid might contribute some anti-inflammatory assistance.

Peppermint Leaf:  The popularity of peppermint is based on its volatile oil, which contains an abundance of menthol, a time-honored and clinically proven aid to digestion. Menthol is also a mild antispasmodic which makes it useful for relieving menstrual cramps and nausea. It is also a mild vasodilator, creating a warm or flushed feeling by stimulating circulation.

Herbal information taken from The Bulk Herb Store website, an excellent resource for home herbalist supplies and information.

Those Crazy Wraps...

Have you heard of those Crazy Wraps? Of course you have. The ItWorks Ultimate Body Applicators are everywhere you are online...Facebook, websites, blogs, Twitter, Instagram...everywhere.
Have you tried them? Crazy aren't they?

Crazy easy to apply. 
*Just pick the area you want to wrap...thighs, buttocks, forearms, neck/chin, belly, etc. Wash with hot water (no soap) and pat dry thoroughly.
*Apply the herbal-saturated wrap film lotion-side down, smooth out any wrinkles, cover with an outer wrap to hold it in place...plastic wrap, ACE bandage, Fab Wrap from ItWorks,  etc. What you use doesn't make a difference, you are simply helping to keep the Wrap in place.
*Wear it for at least 45 minutes (recommended for your first use to check for any skin sensitivities). With your 2nd wrap and after, you may leave it on for several hours, up to 8 total.
*Drink water while you're wearing the Wrap. Recommended is 2 16oz glasses of water your first 45 minutes. Ideally, you are already drinking half your weight in ounces of water daily (example: 200# weight=100 ounces of water, or approx. 6 or so water bottles). Your body needs water to operate, with a Wrap, water is an added force behind its success. For the next 72 hours, while the Wrap effects are most active, keep drinking. This is vital to the level of success you will find with your Wraps, and it's just plain good for your body.
*After your time is up, remove the Wrap and rub in the remaining herbals solution. Don't be lazy here, that herbal solution is like GOLD for your body. Massage it in, especially over those areas of cellulite and puff. Bodies absorb lotions at different rates, so keep working at it and massage every bit of the residual lotion in.

Added Notes:
Do not exercise while wearing your Wrap. You want to absorb the herbal solution, not sweat it off!
Do not shower immediately after Wrapping. Allow the solution to soak in.
Try not to Wrap during your monthly cycle. The hormonal imbalance won't do you any favors and you won't be encouraged by the lack of results.
For the days following your Wrap, do not smoke or drink alcohol (not a good habit to begin with, but why try to get healthy, open your pores, and look your best if you're going to load up on toxins?) Avoid sugars, fatty foods, watch your salt intake, etc. You have heard all this before I'm sure. They are plain and simple common sense advice nuggets.
Wrap only one main area at a time...which means thighs are good, buttocks are good, arms are good, belly is good...just not any two areas at the same time. The Wraps effects continue on for 72 hours, 3 days. Do not wrap until after this time.

Remember, a treatment consists of 4 Wrap applications, not just a single one, though many say they results from just one are very encouraging!

If you're interested in trying That Crazy Wrap Thing, I'd love to work with you. Aside from the Wraps, there are many other great products available. I use Fat Fighters, Thermofit, the exfoliating peel, and Greens Chews, as well as the wraps. There are many products, and as a Loyal Customer, you'll get a great discount! I'd love to help you get your vision of a 'healthier you' back on track!

You can PM me here (all comments are moderated, so if you don't want it published, just let me know)

email me at handsnheartsfarm@yahoo.com

Visit me on my Facebook page (send a PM there and I'll gladly add you to the Friends list, or chat privately

Adding to the stash...

Over the weekend I started putting some other items together, taking a break from all the baby sewing I've been working on lately. No, no grand-baby photos to share here yet...soon, soon. Just a few short weeks left and the young man will make his appearance! Probably a good thing seeing as I have several projects to get finished up for not only him, but the 'business' as well. I'm sure once he arrives, I will be a bit side-tracked from making salves, key rings, and embroidered gifts LOL

Among the items I toyed with putting together were some crocheted key rings. We have some cute flip flop key rings and some handy lip balm cozies. I also tried out a couple ideas for headbands that seem to work up well. My girls are enjoying them :-)
I did up a few of each to sort of 'test' the waters for sale before making too many.
What do you think...anyone in the market for a cute flip flop to hold their keys?

Flip Flop key ring...  $4.00
Lip balm cozy with key ring...  $3.00
Headbands, various widths, sized child thru adult...   plain $4.00  with flower $6.00

Yes, I will work on getting much better photos of the sale items up. I'm just filling in the gaps for now :-)

Baby Burps...

Between the ones made for my soon-to-arrive first grandchild, to an order for a friend in town, we have been up to our chins in burp cloth ideas. Here are some of what we worked up recently...

The base for these particular ones were pre-fold cloth diapers in colors, and some coordinating pre-made receiving blankets. I have a selection of white pre-folds and am stocking up on some pretty flannels to keep on hand for the burps, the newborn bibs, receiving blankets, and pull-on pants.

These burps are $12 each, embroidered...or a set of 4 for $40

Embroidered Key Keepers

Here's me hoping embroidered key keepers are a seller :-)
I will do a few in just plain, but most will be embroidered. Just drop me a line with your color choice and what you'd like embroidered on it and I will see what I can do for you.
Names, dates, short phrase, etc. Great for Graduation, Mother's Day, Father's Day and more!

A great gift idea

And yes, I will definitely work on collecting BETTER photos, but for now, I'm just trying to get a few posted.

Welcome!!

The general game plan here will be to share items we are currently crafting. We are planning a variety of items, ranging from sunbonnets, baby bibs, custom burp cloths, and tea cozies, to ready-made and custom order machine embroidery gifts, such as key fobs and lanyards, tea towel sets, hanging towels and more. We will have an assortment of crocheted dish cloths/body cloth sets, crocheted and quilted coverlets, essential oils, and medicinal herbal salves. 

For those who are local, we will be sharing fresh baked goods on select days as well, such as cookies by the dozen and in bars, loaf breads, quick breads, and brownies.

I will work on getting photos posted as we build up stock and craft orders, and get a price listing shared soon. If you are interested in something we make, have a custom embroidery request, or have any questions, just drop me a line and I will get you an answer soon! 


Deanna
handsnheartsfarm@yahoo.com