Growing and Crafting with Herbs

Fragrant Herbs

Growing herbs is easy and fun.

Here are some tips for growing and simple ways to use or

preserve your homegrown herbs.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a shrub with fragrant evergreen needle like leaves and will bloom blue flowers along the stems.

Rosemary is best planted in the spring and likes to grow in a sunny spot. A well draining sandy or loamy soil is best. Rosemary is drought tolerant when established.

There are a quite of different ways to use Rosemary. Such as making potpourri, a wreath, add to a floral spray, drink in tea, cooking and more.

*Tip* Make a brush with fresh Rosemary sprigs by tying the ends. Use to add sauce to meat while barbequing. You'll not only brushing on your sauce/marinade but adding Rosemary flavor also.

Lemon Verbena

Lemon Verbena is a flowering shrub with sprawling branches. Lemon Verbena prefers warm weather. Plant your Lemon Verbena in the spring in fertile soil. 

The fragrant slender leaves can be used in a variety of ways. The strong lemony scent bodes well in herbal sachets, bath bombs, soaps and cooking.

Bay Tree

The Bay Tree has large, pointed oval leaves that are deep, glossy green. Plants prefer partial shade but will tolerate full sun. The Bay prefers average garden soil.

Having pliable branches Bays are perfect for making wreaths, swags, even crowns. 

*TIP* Bay trees are easily propagated. Bay Tree propagation begins by taking cuttings, do this in summer when the wood is green and pliable. Take three or so cuttings at least 6'' long. You want the cutting to be firm but the wood should be easy to bend. Strip off all leaves from each cutting except the top two or three. Dip stems in rooting hormone and place in small pots. within a couple of months you should have rooted cuttings. Give them an easy tug, if you feel resistance you have roots!

Sage

Grow sage in the mild weather of spring or fall in well draining soil with lots of sunlight. 

Easily repel mosquitoes by tossing a few sage branches into your outdoor fire. They make excellent smudge bundles, wreaths, herbal sachets, place down the center of your dining table for a fragrant centerpiece base, soaps, decorate candles and more.

*TIP* Herbs are easy to grow. Most like full to partial sun, Semi-moist soil (meaning they can dry out between watering's), and they like to be trimmed. Trimming not only makes them more compact, but gives you trimmings to cook with.

Mint

Mint plants grow quickly and should be planted in the spring in a damp, moist area with well-draining soil. Mint likes a spot that's in either full sun or part shade. Its small white or purple summer blooming flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Mint makes for very fresh and stimulating bath teas, herbal swags, candles, and soaps. dried and crumbled on your carpet, then vacuumed up yields a fresh scented room.

*TIP* Mint loves to spread! Before you know it you will have a good patch of mint. To keep it in bounds, plant in a container to contain roots. Be sure to pinch off any flower buds you see. If you let them flower, seeds will form which is another way they sprout and spread easily.

Growing herbs gives you such a variety of ways to use in home décor and crafts.

Should you not be lucky enough to have an herb garden,

I do have several varieties in my Etsy Shop.

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Plain Jane Table to Bright and Beautiful

All the projects I had planned on doing this Summer were delayed by the above three!

Our house had become so quiet, losing 2 of our cats ages 20 and 22, one last December and the other this March. Then very unexpectedly, losing our American Staffordshire, 9, just a month later.

 

Not sure what I was thinking rescuing 3 puppies! I usually rescue around a year old.

All 3 within a month's time! A little black and white Terrier mix, a brindle unknown (vet won't even hazard a guess!) and a Corgi.

What a handful. I have more baby gates up now than I ever did with any of my kids! 

Anyway I digress, my oldest son had bought new furniture, the old was being sent to the dumps ~ but not before I got a look!!  Grabbed a recliner, the table above, a large bench and a personal refrigerator.  All but the refrigerator need some love, ie projects.

I started with the table in the above photo.

 It was all white with crayon and marker accents ;)

I had taken before photos but I changed carriers, buying a new phone and there go my photos  GRRR  Completely forgot I hadn't retrieved them.

I tightened all the wobbly joints to make it solid again.

I painted the legs with Hello Hobby Chalk Paint in aqua.

I've never used Unicorn Spit and really wanted to try it.

Figured the top of this rescued piece would be perfect.

I taped newspaper all the way around the edges to protect the Chalk Paint.

 I used Zia Teal, Purple Hill Majesty and White Ning Unicorn Spit.

Not sure what I was doing, I squirted some on and used my fingers to swirl it around. 

Wasn't too crazy about the swirls, so I "played" a bit and ended up making lines then blended the colors so they weren't so definite. I had a bowl of water nearby to dip my fingers in when needed to help move and blend the colors.

once it was dry I painted the edges with black craft paint.

The whole time I worked on this table I kept feeling like I was being watched.

Finally figured out who had their eyes on me ~~

I'm sure they thought they were going to be fed.

Once everything was thoroughly dry, I put 3 coats of  Marine Spar Varnish over the Unicorn Spit.  I wanted it to be protected well, my younger son would be using it.

I used a sponge brush to apply the Varnish, I wanted to be able to toss it when I was done. 

I found that the sponge would make bubbles in the Varnish.

Once the whole top was covered in Varnish, I found if I went over it with the side of the sponge brush it didn't leave any bubbles.

I then applied a clear Wax over the Chalk Paint.

 It was fun using the Unicorn Spit.

I really like the way it turned out.

The next project will be reupholstering the bench,

but that probably won't be until next Spring.

These puppies keep me hopping!

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Pope Francis Paper Dolls

Enlarge, print, assemble, play!

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Composting Equals Surprises

Another lazy gardener tip!

 I have no room for a compost pile nor the energy to tend to it.

So this is my little hack.

I collect all fruit and vegetable peels along with trimmings, eggs shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit or veggies past their prime, etc.  They are added to a bowl I keep on my counter (I'm sure you could find something much prettier).

When I get a chance I bury them around my gardens.

Just dig a hole 

Add trimmings from the bowl

Cover with dirt and tamp down.

The trimmings will decompose adding nutrients to your garden as well as feed your worms.

NOW come the SURPRISES!

You just never know what will pop up when composting this way.

This year I have these awesome volunteer plants!

Onions

Cantaloupe that is taking over

Full of blooms

With Cantaloupes almost ready to pick

This Cherry Tomato made it through 2 Winter so far!

And it's producing for the 3rd year!

I don't know how that is possible 

but I have watched it very closely and it is the same plant.

So not only are you making your gardens healthier, reducing your waste, and feeding the worms, but you just may get some volunteer plants along the way.

More garden posts here

Dishcloths to Crochet ~ Patterns

Enlarge and print out

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Sweet Strawberry

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Cute Cosmos

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Organic Orange

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Eliminator 1 Gallon Multipurpose Pump Sprayer ~ Review

The Eliminator 1 Gallon Multipurpose Pump Sprayer is a great size multipurpose sprayer! Assembly is very easy and quick with the clear instructions. The wand/hose screws into the canister. The pump handle locks into place for easy carrying. Filling the container with your choice of liquid is easy with the no spill funnel top. With a few pumps for pressure, it is ready to go. The 1 gallon size is easily carried even when full. The trigger has a lock for continuous spraying, so your hand needn't be pressing on the sprayer at all times. The nozzle/wand can spray into places that are hard to reach. 

The Eliminator Pump Sprayer has an adjustable nozzle which comes in very handy when area spraying adjustment is needed. The hose is very strong, and all the components are heavy duty. My favorite feature is the pressure release valve. 

Much easier than unscrewing the pump lid to release built up pressure as in models I've had in the past. 

You can find the Eliminator 1 Gallon Multipurpose Pump Sprayer at a garden center or hardware store near you, or online.  

 

 I may have received one or more of the products mentioned above for free or a discounted price. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.