everything lavender

I love my lavender! Each year, I plant another because I can never have too much. I dry it, and it lasts for a year around the house. I've got French lavender and English lavender. I put it by my bedside table, I cook with it, I make sachets, and use the seeds to make simple syrup.

Here are a few DIY links form around the web, you can try with your lavender. Lavender bread, this looks so good, though I haven't tried it yet.  Lavender simple syrup, you can use this in summer cocktails (one of my fav's is a lavender mojito). Lavender sachets, put them in your delicates drawer.

And for those who want to purchase anything (and everything) lavender. 

Check out Local Harvest here. And don't miss this lovely Etsy shop, Prince Snow Farm. I adore her stuff! 

homemade herbal tea

I am a big coffee drinker, but when I am sitting at the computer editing, I try to limit it to two cups before ten in the morning, otherwise I would sit and drink coffee all day-yikes. I also suffer from insomnia on occasion, so I've switched over to iced tea for the summer and can go through a pitcher in a day. BUT all the caffeine from the black tea isn't good either. I decided to make use of all the herbs I have in my garden, and did a little research on making use of the chamomile I have that grows like a weed (and that's ok by me). For a how-to you can check it out here. I added, mint, and lemon balm to one batch, and it was really good. Did you know you can also use fresh herbs right in your bath water? Chamomile and lavender are both supposed to relax you. Mint is energizing, you can also use lemon balm in foot baths. Who knew? There is a lot this up-rooted city girl didn't know.

What I love most, is it is equally good served cold with a sprig of lemon balm or mint for garnish. Also I don't feel like I am crawling out of skin by lunch time.

P.S- I realize not everyone has the ability to grow herbs on their own, though they do well in pots in a sunny window, you can also find them all at a local organic market, or Whole Foods. Have a relaxing Saturday! I'm excited for my cousins wedding this afternoon-it's an outdoor wedding and a BEAUTIFUL day! xo-kate