Day by Day with Camille

Recently, I have made a few extracts and oil blends. I blended olive oil with lavender salt. Next I made vanilla extract using vanilla beans and light rum. Next I made lemon extract using lemon peel, a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice, and vodka. Blood orange extract was next, using the peel and vodka again. Next was almond extract, which used crushed almond pieces and vodka. Just today I started mint extract using fresh mint leaves and vodka. Time to ripen! 

Last night I made a concoction that Is similar to Florida Water, but with a few original twists. Since I live in North Carolina, I named it Carolina Water. I started with a base of a small amount of vodka, then added water. I used sprigs of fresh rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, and sweet mint (yerba Buena), two twists of lemon rind, as well as a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Finally I added several drops of peppermint, lavender, and sweet orange essential oils. I believe it will be wonderful to spritz on my skin to cool off during these hot summer days, or after a shower. Should make a great air freshener, too. 

Yesterday evening, I made another Prosperity Jar for June! I started with a base of Himalayan pink salt, added some dried red rose petals, a few drops of lavender oil, as well as some sprigs of fresh rosemary and lemon balm. I decided to place it on the nightstand beside my bed so that I could enjoy it's fragrance. 

This morning, I created a prosperity jar for June. I started with pink Himalayan salt, added red rose petals that I dried naturally myself, then added some homemade lavender oil, and several sprigs of fresh rosemary and lemon balm from my herb garden. Delightful fragrance! 

Earlier this afternoon, I made a small quantity of homemade Florida water. I started with a recipe out of a book named "The Scented Room", which is posted above. I did, however, triple the amounts of bergamot, lavender, and clove essential oils that I added. It is wonderful as a body spritzer in warm weather! 

Just this morning, I purchased Muddy Creek Lavender Gardening Salve at the Tuesday Morning Thomasville Farmers Market, and I am glad that I did! It is actually Sweet Orange and Lavender, and it smells wonderful, but it is a light, natural scent. It isn't heavy or greasy, and my hands felt softer and more hydrated the moment that I applied it! 

I just made a Prosperity Jar! It's fun, easy, and smells great! What's not to love?? I took a Mason jar, added dried rose petals that I dried myself, fresh herbs (rosemary, spearmint, sage, lavender, and lemon balm from my herb garden, a wedge of fresh lemon, and peppermint, lavender, and sweet orange essential oils.

It has come to my attention that The Herb Quarterly magazine has apparently ceased production. I realized that the last issue of the magazine that I had received was the Spring 2022 issue, pictured above. I had already paid my subscription thru Spring 2023.  I have sent two emails to the customer service email address printed in that issue, and have received no response, as well as sending an instant message on Facebook Messenger. I have called all three 209 area code phone numbers listed in print in the magazine, and all of them are not in service. Their website also says it is down for maintenance right now, with no indication of when it will be back up. I truly had enjoyed getting the magazine every quarter. It is truly a shame that they didn't feel obligated to tell their subscribers that they were ceasing production. Nor have they offered any refunds for unpublished issues. The least they could have done was be honest. 

I made it myself. I dried rose petals and herbs, added in stick cinnamon, whole cloves, and added a few drops of 3 or 4 essential oils that I have on hand, together with a tiny bit of coarsely ground salt. 

Recently at my local Dollar Tree in Thomasville, NC, I found a product called Herb Rocket. It is herb seeds in a rollup mat. The directions indicate that you just plant them and water them. Several different herbs were available; I chose Italian parsley, because I use a lot of it in cooking. Just planted it in my patio area. Will see how it goes.