I make a lot of homemade soap. Goat milk soap from scratch using goat milk from my own goats is my favorite but sometimes even I use melt and pour soap bases. The decision on what type of soap base to use depends on what properties I want that soap to have, what I bases I …
We now have listings on both Etsy and Local Harvest. Items are a bit limited right now but we do have plans to add to the list as the season and time permits. Exotic Gardening Farms Etsy Store On Etsy we have gift baskets, rag rugs, goat milk soap, bubble bath, bath fizzies and …
To my amazement when I walked into the greenhouse today I was greeted by the beautiful, fragrant blooms of this lovely Hedychium. Somehow I had missed the flower scrape, possibly because I have been entranced by the green Cananga fruticosa blooms that I have been watching every so closely. I am anxiously awaiting the …
Big companies have specialized equipment to separate the naturally occurring hydrosol from the essential oils they are seeking, but what is a person with a simple still to do?
Making necklaces out of rose petals is a very old fashion idea. Not only are these rose bead necklaces beautiful but the scent is delightful as long as you choose roses that have a strong fragrance to make your beads with. Begin by picking lots of rose petals early in the morning as …
I use cayenne pepper salve to help relieve the pain of sore muscles after a working in the yard. It works great for me, but I am not a doctor so I do not know if it will work equally well for you. This is simply a home recipe I decided to try and liked, …
Lavender is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, antidepressant, sedative, and detoxifier. Tea Tree oil has an antiseptic action thought to be one hundred times more powerful than carbolic acid and non-poisonous to humans. It has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties which make it useful for a wide range of applications. Peppermint is an excellent digestive aid, …
4 tablespoons olive or almond oil 4 tablespoons beeswax 3 teaspoons cocoa butter 2 teaspoon lanolin 1 teaspoon coconut oil 15 drops lavender essential oil Combine the olive or almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and lanolin. Heat this mixture in the top of a double boiler, stirring constantly. When the mixture is melted, remove the …
There are many ways to get natural materials to make dried potpourri. You can collect plant material from your own garden or go for walks in the wild to forage for interesting pods, cones or other materials.
Floral waters, or hydrosols are great for the skin. Hydrosols help tone, rehydrate and rebalance the pH of skin. Fruit or floral waters can be used in a number of ways. The first way is as a face toner or refresher. Simply dab an organic cotton ball with some of the hydrosol and wipe your …
Each herb, seed, bark, root or flower has a certain temperature where the plant begins to release its essential oil. Knowing what that temperature is and the best method of distillation for the plant material you are trying to distill is essential. This takes a bit of research on your part. When bringing a still …
Here is a basic recipe for creating a natural perfume. Natural Perfume Recipes 2 cups distilled water 3 tablespoons vodka – or a tincture that you made with vodka 5 drops of an essential oil or fragrant tincture of your choice 10 drops of an essential oil or fragrant tincture of your choice 10 drops …
The yarn I am spinning in this video is 50% mohair from Leonardo, the angora buck and 50% wool from Johnny, the Leicester Longwool ram. Leonardo is an angora goat and Johnny is a Leicester Longwool sheep. Both animals reside here at Exotic Gardening Farms & Wildlife Habitat. The yarn making process requires shearing the animal, washing the …
If you're like most gardeners you can't wait for the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Throughout the summer months you eagerly slip into your garden every chance you get to see what is blooming or maybe just to savor the scent of the garden. You know fall will arrive way too soon, …
October is a great month for collecting the last of the season's bounty. Pinecones, acorns, seed pods and rose hips seem to be everywhere you look. The ornamental grasses are flowering and the last of the season's flowers are blooming. There are delightfully fragrant herbs to gather and overgrown vines such as grape or …
Learning to make cards seems simple enough, but developing your own style takes time. I spend hours online looking at pretty cards - and just about as much time combing through card making books and magazines - but I am still perfecting the technique. I love the look of vintage cards - especially Victorian era …
There are many recipes for natural hair conditioners but no conditioner alone will make your hair the picture of health. One of the easiest ways to take better care of your hair is to brush it with a natural bristle brush. Brushing your hair helps spread the natural oil so it does not build up, …
I have to tell you, I am a sucker for bargains - and when I saw this Brother KH-860 knitting machine at our local thrift store for just $24.95, I couldn't pass it up even though a dear friend had given me a Singer knitting machine a couple of years ago. Not only did …
One of the major complaints I hear from crafters is how expensive all the new die-cutting machines are - never mind the cost of the dies. When I first saw the Fiskars Fuse Creativity System I fell in love - not with the machine, but with the dies. I had just bought two Cricuts (a …
And so it was - I decided I was going to learn to sew. My first project was a pair of spa booties with removable insoles. They were a bit large when I was finished with them, but honestly they didn't look half bad. My next project was going to be a quilt. …
There are so many different ways to give your papercrafts a marbled look, but I want to tell you about one I used for the first time today and had fantastic results with. Best of all, this technique is fairly inexpensive - all you need is small bottles of acrylic craft paint, a bottle …
Today we are going to learn how to make paper, making your own paper. It's very easy, and it's a great way to use up some of the plant material in your garden because you can dry it and incorporate the flowers, the leaves, some of the herbs into your. And some of the herbs …
I don't know about you, but when I started buying stamps and embossing folders I thought simply putting them into a drawer would be a good way to store them. I was wrong. Teeny tiny stamps got lost at the bottom of the drawer. Some of the stamps stuck together. Sorting through the stamps and …
Today's project was creating candles with custom printed designs. The information I had researched made the technique look easy enough - unfortunately there were two things I failed to realize. First - you must use a white candle - and the second problem was I did not have white tissue paper. Since we have …
I love the look of canvas. A few years ago I found printable canvas but then the store sold out and I have not found it since. Since I had my Mod Podge in the living room tonight, I decided to see what other projects I could complete. I came across information about printing …
Many of you know that two springs ago there was a craft room added to the house. Boxes of craft items, my spinning wheels, floor loom and a host of other craft related items were taken up to the room as soon as the drywall was up. Little did I realize just how much …
Back in August I finally acquired a Janome 8000 embroidery machine - from an estate sale of dear family that I knew. The couple passed away within months of one another. They were so sweet and into embroidery and quilting. I had admired their machines and crafts on numerous occasions when I was at their house. …
Disclaimer: The reviewer has received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions contained in this post are my own and are my honest thoughts based on my own experience with this product. I love creating things - both manually and digitally. I love to learn. I have a lot of varied …
Disclaimer: The Spellbinders brand provided me with a sample of the Spellbinders Celebra’tions Collection in exchange for a produce review. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. I was one of the lucky bloggers chosen to receive a surprise package of goodies from Spellbinders. I anxiously awaited the arrival of my kit so I …
Disclaimer: The Spellbinders brand provided me with a sample of the Spellbinders Celebra'tions Collection in exchange for a produce review. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. I really love the whole line of Spellbinders products. The paper crafting products are high quality and the machines are easy to use. I appreciate that and …
Some of you may remember that I bought a Janome Memory Craft 8000 embroidery machine from an estate sale last August (2013). The machine was one of the first embroidery machines made for the home. This makes it 20 to 25 years old. It works fine - and I got a great deal on it. …
Disclaimer: The reviewer has received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions contained in this post are my own and are my honest thoughts based on my own experience with this product. Working on a craft mat is really nice. It keeps the surface below clean, not to mention makes cleaning …
Disclaimer: The reviewer has received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions contained in this post are my own and are my honest thoughts based on my own experience with this product. Using the highest quality ingredients is important to me - and it doesn't matter if it is a …
Disclaimer: The reviewer has received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions contained in this post are my own and are my honest thoughts based on my own experience with this product. I've been playing around a bit with lighted canvas. I used my Cricut to cut images out …
There are many interesting things you can do with your windows to make them attractive and eco-friendly. A well-designed window treatment not only adds a decorative touch to a room also enhances energy conservation. A green window treatment lets in enough natural light to minimize the use of electric indoor lighting. It also acts as …
"I'm bored" comes out of most kids mouths when it's raining outside. Parents get cabin fever too and let's face it rainy days can be a drag for children and adults alike. Despite the weather outside though, there is fun to be had inside as well if you just use your imagination. Rainy days are the perfect …
Getting a toddler to sit still can be a near-impossible feat. This is because their attention span is so short. They're constantly exploring the world around them. That's a good thing, but sometimes they need some creative downtime. That's where toddler crafts come in. Creating craft items with your toddler is a great way to …
Disclaimer: I received this product for free or at a reduced price in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. I had wanted to try liquid chalk markers for quite some time. When I was offered these UltimateChalksTM Premium Liquid Chalk Markers for review I quickly accepted. When they arrived the …
There's something special about a handmade card and giving one to the bride and groom for their wedding makes it precious. A wedding cake card is something that they can display in their home to remind them of their special day. Plus it is easy to tuck small presents or even money inside the …
My first granddaughter loved ducks and that love of ducks inspired me to create my first quilled project since my school days. I bought a beginning quilling kit since it had everything already in it and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to invest a lot of money in this particular craft since …