More baking!

More baking!  Can you tell I'm pregnant?    :)

On one of the warm days we went for a walk and the children picked dandelions.  When we got home we decided to use 'em up.  So we made dandelion cookies (found the recipe in a free download from Herb Fairies - we do not use their program).  And they turned out alright.  They were super flat and needed something special.  Maybe cardamom next time.  Or fresh vanilla paste?  Worth experimenting for sure.

Sweet Sleep Soap

This most recent swap is called the Sleepytime Swap.  I haven't done one in a while, but this sounded fun.  My creation is soap!

A blend of coconut oil (which is my new obsession), lye, a hint of shea butter, lavender flowers, chamomile flowers, organic oats, and honey.  It's to die for!  The lather is thick and creamy and doesn't leave your skin dry.  I'll never buy store-bought soap again.

Here's the little bundles all ready to go.  And since I wanted to include something extra, I wood-burned some stars to go with it.  One star says "Dream" and the other "Rest".

Potions

So far this week I've made up a batch of elderberry syrup (for our colds) and black walnut tincture (for future cleanses).  The black walnuts came from our yard.  I'm feeling really blessed that I have this space to urban homestead!

Notes on these two "potions":  Elderberry syrup with brandy is perfect for before bed.  Soothes the throat and coughs AND helps you sleep.  It was like a miracle drug! 

Black walnuts are being dropped from the trees by the squirrels (potential ick), so I washed them and dried them for a bit in the oven on warm.  Wait 6 weeks for the tincture to be ready.