Herbal Tincture Tutorial

I've made this herbal tincture for a couple of years now. It began when I took a course online from a holistic college and then read all the books I could find on herbal remedies. We mainly use herbs and homeopathics at home, most of which I have bought, but I plan on making more homemade herbal remedies in the future. For now... here is a little tutorial on how to make an herbal tincture.

A tincture is basically herbs, fresh or dried, that have been steeped over time in alcohol, distilled water and/or glycerine. The herbs are strained out and you are left with a concentrated herbal remedy that you can take by itself or mixed into juice or water. In this case, I made a sleep tincture that I can give the boys if they are having a hard time sleeping. It calms them down and relaxes them enough to fall asleep and usually stay asleep. I buy these herbs pre-mixed but you can make a tincture with any combination of herbs or a single herb as well. Tincturing single herbs is usually recommended in the beginning so you can see if that particular herb is helpful and does what you need it too (sleep, healing, etc...). For this batch, I'm using chamomile, lemon balm, passion flower, oatstraw, catnip, and hops. I'm also making a single herbal tincture made with echinacea root.

_____________________

Start with a wide mouth quart-size glass jar (any size glass jar will work) and fill it about a 1/3 to 1/2 full with dried herbs and about 3/4 full with fresh herbs.

I use a mixture of food grade vegetable glycerine and alcohol. I use cheap vodka (100 proof) because it pulls the herbal properties out more efficiently but if you want a nonalcoholic tincture, vegetable glycerine and distilled water is fine. Vegetable glycerine is very sweet so I use about 50/50 between the two.

I fill it about 2/3 of the way, alternating between alcohol (or distilled water) and glycerine.

Then I stir it gently to make sure all the herbs are mixed in.

Add a little more leaving a 1/2 inch to 1 inch room at the top to allow breathing room. Put a clean lid on and make sure it's tight with no leakage.

When it's all prepared, always label the jars right away with the name of the tincture, the date it was tinctured on, and what was used. Then store them in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. I use my basement or garage. Shake the jars occasionally to keep it well mixed. If you find that there are herbs exposed at the top of the jar over time, just add more liquid to make sure they are covered.

_____________________

...4 to 6 weeks later.... it's time to prepare the tincture! You'll need a container to strain the liquid into, cheesecloth, and sterilized jars (fresh out of dishwasher will do) to store the prepared tincture.

Slowly pour the jars contents onto the cheesecloth to strain the liquid out. I usually let it sit for a little bit and let it drain.

Then, very carefully (especially if you use a rubber band to secure the cheesecloth and that rubber band chooses to fly off taking the herbs with it!) and squeeze the rest of the liquid out by hand.

Strain the liquid one more time. It's very important to strain the tincture a second time to ensure there are no leftover herbs. Even very small amounts of herb can change the ratio in the tincture over time. So I put more cheesecloth over the mouth of my clean jar and that usually catches the last few pieces if there are any.

You can keep the finished tincture in a jar. I have little brown bottles with droppers that I bought from a supply store online. They aren't very expensive and I would recommend them if you plan on making herbal tinctures at all. They are so handy when giving the tinctures to a little one.

Lastly, I make sure to label the jar/bottle with the name and date.

Most tinctures made with alcohol will last indefinitely and the others will easily last a couple of years. Just make sure to store them in a cool, dark place because both the heat and light can make them less effective.

_____________________

One thing to remember is that this isn't the same as canning so the jars don't need to be vacuumed sealed. But the lids need to be on as tight as you can get them, making sure there is no leaking. If at any time you are unsure about your finished herbal tincture then it's best to just throw it out and start over. Last year I had left two jars of herbs for about 6 months before I remembered them. I strained them but noticed the smell was just slightly off. I figured it was better to be safe so I just tossed the whole thing. If you find that you don't need the tincture for awhile then my advice would be to strain it after the 6 weeks anyway and store the tincture itself (which like I mentioned above will last many years) until you do need it.

Both the boys love herbal tinctures. They take them straight without any juice or water, even ones I think are strong. If you aren't used to them though... then adding them to a drink will work just as well.

If you are new to herbs... then here's a couple of good books I really like.

The ABC Herbal (my favorite)
The How To Herb Book
The Herbal Home Remedy Book

and for homeopathy:

Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants

Disclaimer: I am a mama not a doctor... please see a doctor if you are ill and have questions.

Fabric for Haiti... and me

"All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle."

-Ellen Birdseye Wheaton 1851

I've been filling my evenings crocheting row after row, focused only on finishing my blanket. It helps that our 'no new spending' stops me from rushing out and starting new projects that I'm just aching to try. Then one little phone call from my Grandma who says she wants to donate some fabric and I immediately volunteer to go to the fabric store with her. Our church is planning a medical trip to Haiti and they're asking for fabric to take with them. One of our life resolutions is to always have some money aside for people in need. Well how could I pass up a need to send fabric to Haiti? So off we went. I told myself that I was only getting fabric for Haiti... two different fabrics, 3 to 4 yards each. See? I'm not sure what type of clothing they will be used for and for whom, but I'm sure they will find the perfect home.

I did, however, allow myself to deviate just a little. It started with the plan of just looking for color ideas but then I picked up one bolt of fabric and then another and soon I realized that I would have to start on that new project I've been thinking about this past month. I saw an idea for a "Happy Birthday" banner and knew I just had to make it for our family birthday celebrations. I wanted something that could be hung up on the wall for each birthday. Something the boys could look forward to when it was their birthday ... something that could be passed down to their kids if they wanted. And well, since we have a certain birthday coming up for a certain soon-to-be 4 year old I figured now was the perfect time to get the fabric and start it. It's the collection of fabric in the first picture... the one with the little boy and the polka dots in red and those greenish blues.... It took us a while to pick them all out but I love how sweetly they come together.

And this morning, even though I should be finishing up the towels in the laundry, I'm moving them aside to wash the new fabrics. And my plans to start on our taxes early this year (meaning tonight!) may just have to take a step back for a few nights. I can't help it really... it's just calling to be cut and sewn. At least I can say it all started with a good deed... some people in Haiti will be happy we made a trip to the fabric store last night.

A year in pictures

I'm not ashamed to admit it... really, I'm not. The truth is, I don't like to scrapbook. I've done it before... I've gone to workshops, bought supplies, even completed a couple of albums and enjoyed looking at the finished product. I love craftiness, I love looking at pictures of my boys, and the idea of making something unique and special to look at year after year seems like it it's a win-win situation (not to mention that my mom loves scrapbooking and does an absolutely beautiful job). I've urged myself just to get in and do it and maybe my feelings would change. But they don't and my pictures are still sitting in computer files begging to be printed and put in an album. I constantly put them out of my mind so I don't feel guilty that my kids don't have any album to physically hold on to and look at.

This year I decided to let my shame go and just accept it. I simply want to print out pictures and stick them in albums... maybe add a short explanation, maybe not... definitely the date and place... but not much more. Then I ran across this idea recently and fell in love. It's called Project 365 (they are selling a kit if you want everything in one fell swoop) and all you do is take one picture a day of anything and everything you want, print them out once a week or once a month, and then put them in an album with (or without) a short explanation. What you end up with is your entire year in an album, without too much fuss, and you've captured details of your life, things you may never think of capturing otherwise.

It reminded me of a little conversation my sister, niece, and I had with Alicia Paulson at her book signing about capturing memories. That a picture of a mug or that little corner in your home that holds your library books can be just as powerful of reminder of your life as pictures of your family are. We usually all take pictures of the people around us, but not nearly enough of the things around us. I started a new computer folder called 365 for 2009 and I'm adding one picture a day. I'm so excited to see the things that will end up there. Forgotten things that I hope will thrill me in 30 years when I look back and remember. Here's a couple examples so far:

My boys, always. I know they will be in many.

A collection of our hats, scarves, and mittens sitting by the front door.

A common sight in Jeremy's office where he works from home 2 days a week.

I saw this idea from Aimee at Living, Learning and Loving Simply. Here's a great list of ideas if you need some. I'll post pictures every so often, or mayble I'll post my picture everyday along the sidebar.... hmmm... I'll think about that one...

Just a side note.... there is a lot of info on it, especially on the creator's site, Becky, if you feel like browsing around. I'm not going to buy the kit or 'scrapbook' in any of the traditional sense. Mine will be very simple, mostly pictures and writing, no fancy papers or pens. Otherwise, I will be right back to where I started! So feel free to do this any way you want, it's all up to you how easy or hard you want to make it.

Life resolutions

Last year I could hardly come up with one new thing that I wanted to be resolute about. I was never big on making bold statements, even to myself, of what I wanted to accomplish, or undo, as the new year unfolded. But this year.... this year my head is spinning with ideas. Maybe it's that I'm into my second year of my 30's and I'm really happy about it. I've heard that the 30's can be that way... suddenly you realize who you are and how good that feels. Or maybe it's just that I'm not as tired as I was last year with a 7 month old waking often at night and an almost 3 year old who needed just as much attention during the day. Either way... I'm hopeful for 2009 and all the new things to learn.

I've been feeling this strong need to pull back, get back to basics, and to demonstrate that on both an emotional and physical level. I was looking around on a few blogs and Linda's post on her word for the year struck me. I never thought about putting an actual word to it but when I thought about what I was feeling, the word "quiet" came to mind. And it fits so perfectly with what's in my heart. To be quiet and appreciate all we have and who we are.

I think our nation's recession is doing that for a lot of people. You can't spend the money you don't have and for those who haven't lost a job or been directly effected financially by this past year, they are saving. We decided that for us it's a state of being, that we are very content with what we have and that the constant drive for bigger and better that is marketed to us everywhere we look, is not what we want to teach the boys. However, saving money is. I fully believe it works on a spiritual level too... being happy with the things you have makes you appreciate most things in life on a deeper level.

In the end, we are hoping to finally take care of that lingering car loan and to rid our house of all the extras that are still hanging on. What a better time to sort and clean out and get rid of when nothing new is coming into the house to take it's place?

Beyond that... I have renewed plans for my worm compost bin that never took off due to lack of red wigglers (seriously... every place I tried was "currently out of stock"). I'm really hoping to get a recycling system going and get to one garbage can a month like Karli successfully did. And to organize my basement laundry area and to hopefully utilize an indoor drying rack for the winter and rainy days.

We are planning a big garden this year and I'm hoping to start the plants indoors in this next month. I want to finish my crocheted blanket that I've been slowly working on but that has taken a back seat to my new found love of knitting. And I desperately need to organize our enormous 'digital pictures' folder on the computer holding somewhere in the range of 3000 pictures, and then, only then will I even begin to think about printing some out to put in an album.

And as always, being present and aware, taking in all that my day holds with Ian, Sawyer, and Jeremy.

Out and about with my neck scarf

"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive -- it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"

- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

_____________________

I decided in November that it was time to pick up knitting again. My crochet projects were going well but I wanted to try my hand at knitting again. This time it just clicked... and I'm loving the rhythm of it. I finished this neck scarf earlier in December from the wool yarn my sister gave me for my birthday. It's just so perfectly warm and snug. I knitted a second one, in green, just this past week. I first saw the scarf here with a link to the original pattern.

5 months gluten and dairy free

First of all... our Christmas was so good. Our morning began with baby Jesus finally making his appearance in the manger safe and sound. Then there was lots of unwrapping, coffee, a short drive to grandparents' house, more unwrapping, lots of food, laughing, more food, short drive home, and finally falling into bed happy and full. All I know is... Christmas is so much better with kids.

Now our other news...we have successfully reached 5 months with no gluten and no dairy! It has not been easy but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be either. I only briefly mentioned it before so I thought I'd elaborate a little more on it now.

Sometime in the last few years I realized I had spent my adult life so far avoiding breads, especially breads with sugar. For years I never connected it until I began to pay attention and realized how miserable I felt afterward, not to mention how quickly I could gain weight (and did) by eating one measly little cinnamon roll. Once I made the connection, I tried just avoiding simple carbs but never with much success because, really, I loved them so.

Around this time, we had Ian. He was a good baby, very healthy and happy. But somewhere around 9 months old we got a lot of comments on how little he was. When I look back I can see just how tiny he was but it's so hard to see at the time. I finally pinpointed his slow growth that began at 6 months old (coinciding with him eating solids/cereal for the first time). He went from the 50th percentile to not even on the chart in a few short months. He managed to squeak by his one year birthday at 18 lbs even... keeping him under the percentile chart where he stayed until his 2nd birthday when he made it to 5th percentile. I chalked it up to just being him and that he would hit a growth spurt sometime. His pediatrician thought he saw signs of an allergy but after certain half-hearted elimination diets we didn't see many changes so we just left it alone.

Finally this last summer I decided I was done trying to figure it out on my own and paid for testing for both of us. I had been wondering if it was a gluten intolerance with me for quite some time and wanted to know for sure. So Ian and I were tested for both gluten and casein allergies. A couple of weeks later I got the results and it showed yes and yes on all accounts. We both had gluten and casein intolerances. At first I was upset. I knew it meant a lot of work but then I felt relieved once I started reading about the symptoms. I realized that so much of what I had gone through in the past and what Ian was currently experiencing all came down to the fact that eating this food was bad for us.

The short of it is I have never felt better in my life. My digestion and my health have improved greatly, I no longer feel sick after eating, and it's changing my thyroid and hormone levels to where they should be and haven't been in many years.

The bigger news is Ian. He went from chronic diarrhea 3 to 4 times a day (insane first time parents thought it was normal since that's how it's always been for him) to normal and only once a day. And he's growing! I measured him on his birthday last February, and in 6 months, from February to August he only grew 1/2" in height. We began the gluten-free/casein-free diet in August and within 1 month he had grown a full inch! He's now grown 2 full inches in 4 short months and he's still growing, officially reaching the 50th percentile for his height. He looks healthier and hardier than ever before. It's been nothing short of amazing to see.

About 6 weeks into it, we let him have a couple bites of ice cream to see how he would react. He had diarrhea for 4 straight days. We knew then that we couldn't budge at all and we haven't. And my family has completely stepped up to the challenge and makes sure we have food we can eat at all family gatherings. It's a huge relief for us because making sure we always have snacks on hand isn't the easiest thing to do. Ian has responded really well too and always asks us first if he can eat a certain food. He knows to ask if it has gluten or dairy in it and doesn't argue if we tell him it does... he puts it down and finds something else to eat.

In people with gluten intolerances or celiac disease, gluten damages the villi in the small intestine causing malabsorption making it very hard to properly absorb nutrients. For years, the "classic" symptoms were weight loss, poor digestion, and failure to thrive in infants and children. But they are finding the symptoms can vary greatly, just like in Ian and myself. It is completely treatable with a gluten-free diet and the intestines will heal over time as long as gluten is no longer eaten.

In case you don't know... gluten is a protein found in flours like wheat, rye, and barley. It's basically the glue that holds breads together giving bread that light fluffiness. So this means all wheat breads, crackers, pasta, cereals, pastries, etc.... are out. But it's not just bread products it's in, it's in the majority of processed foods, soy sauces, and certain spices and rubs (especially in restaurants) and is even found in certain shampoos, skin creams, and makeup. Lipstick is the biggest offender because of the close proximity to the mouth. Here's a list of gluten containing foods and ingredients. It means a lot of label reading for our whole family. The other important factor is cross-contamination. Even 0.1 gram of gluten can cause intestinal damage (average person eats 10 to 40 grams of gluten a day) so that means you can't use the same toaster as regular gluten bread, even double dipping with a knife into peanut butter can leave crumbs which can cross-contaminate. There have been several times at a restaurant where the server has forgotten and brought my salad with croutons or the toast with my breakfast and I've had to ask them to make it all over again from scratch, not just to toss the croutons out. It's not easy for me but I'm getting better at it.

Going without gluten has been a fairly easy transition considering. But adding to it that we can't have dairy (casein) and it's been a good challenge for all of us. Unlike lactose (milk sugar), casein is found in the fat of all dairy products which means no milk, cheese, butter, or any products that might contain milk. Although again we have to check labels because even soy milk cheese, a nondairy product, still contains casein.

For now, Sawyer eats gluten and dairy free too. Gluten intolerance tends to run in families and it's easier for me to make one meal for all of us. Thankfully Jeremy doesn't mind at all. He eats like we do at home but enjoys regular pizza and other things when he's out. Overall, we've adjusted well. It helps that we are feeling better and have seen such an improvement in Ian. Also, more and more people are becoming aware of food allergies so the grocery stores carry a good selection of gluten and dairy free products (although not always the same product unfortunately). And we've found a few restaurants that have separate gluten-free menus so it's nice to have a choice when we decide to eat out.

I'm finding that there are so many foods out there that are delicious when they aren't smothered in cheese or eaten with a hunk of bread that fills you up fast. And we still have our favorites... just a bit modified. See?

French toast: Tapioca bread dipped in vanilla hemp milk, eggs, and cinnamon with real maple syrup. It's delicious and actually better than the gluten and dairy version we made before.

I'm so happy we've made it this far. I can see challenges in the future, like traveling, or when the boys get a little older and have to choose for themselves, but we'll tackle those days when they come.

All is merry...

...and she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

The angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry, merry Christmas...

Staying in

We are frozen inside today. After a big snowfall yesterday, the freezing rain came during the night and we woke up to solid ice covering every surface. We can't even see out of our east facing windows from the layer of ice covering them. So we are inside, the fireplace turned on (oh how I wish I could say... "a warm fire burning and lots of wood waiting"... but no, we flip a switch. No complaints though, gas fireplaces provide good heat they're just not as romantic.) So let's see, the fireplace is on, blankets are laying haphazardly across the living room floor and we are warm with a winter wonderland outside. Jeremy is watching football and I'm still reading one of my favorite books, taking it slow since the holidays have taken most of my free time. Things are good in our little frozen tundra.

The boys went out and made a little snowman a couple of days ago.... a baby carrot worked perfectly for his nose.

They are keeping busy. Sawyer is playing cowboy with his wooden duck-on-a-stick as his horse.

And Ian is building towers for his Star Wars figures to stand on. "EPO" is missing an arm and Han Solo's fingers have been chewed off but they are well loved.

________________________

And for fun... some of the unique and fun things discovered on Etsy by pouncing:

Ramen noodle coin purses
Apple jackets and her tea bag cozies are so sweet.
A wooden piggy bank
Seriously cute pattern for crocheted baby shoes
Star Wars cufflinks
Unique neck scarf
Possum necklace
Mini magnets- perfect for pictures on the fridge
And a pair of handmade mugs that I couldn't resist buying.

Favorite things...

Reading by the fire

Going to a book signing and meeting an author who was so wonderful and friendly and whose book projects I can't wait to start.

Ian walking out of his room in the morning wearing his book bag as an apron and telling me he was going to make me breakfast.

My mug cozy by Deb that I love, love , and love.

The $2.00 hand carved manger scene from Goodwill... currently awaiting the birth of Jesus.
And Mary and Joseph who are making their way to Bethlehem via our window sill
The anticipation of snow

...the getting to play in it...

...and the not enjoying it.

And my new camera, complete with a steep learning curve. Thank goodness for a nephew who is willing to answer all my questions.

Northwest snow

After much waiting and anticipation for the snow, we were not disappointed. Ian was so eager to go outside that he dressed himself declaring he was ready to make a snow angel. We added a few more layers just in case and let him loose.

We're supposed to have another snow storm on Wednesday... I think Ian will be very, very happy.


And so it appears even chickens love the snow. Every time we look outside Guinevere is walking around pecking through the snow to the ground. She has a nice cozy nest in the coop away from the wind, complete with fresh straw and a heat lamp, but it seems she prefers the rugged outdoors. Just don't go getting frostbite on that little comb of yours....

Baby blue

In between sending bundles of Christmas packages off in the mail, cooking dinners, washing laundry, and reading books to little ones... I realized someone hit 19 months yesterday. A sweet and beautiful soul full of spunk and spirit.



There's a rumor it's supposed to snow this weekend. We really hope it does...

Peace

We got our Christmas tree earlier this week while it was sunny and cold out. We bundled up and went to a local lot with beautiful already-cut trees. We didn't feel like trudging in the mud this year to cut our own so we were happy to support a locally owned business and ended up with a beautiful noble fir (my favorite). By the end of the evening there was leftover popcorn scattered across the floor, traces of hot cocoa in mugs, and tired boys staring at the decorated tree not wanting to go to bed.


I mentioned in my last post about the Advent Conspiracy. We are really trying to approach gift giving differently this year. In both sides of our families we usually only buy for the kids so there isn't much pressure or stress to buy for lots of different ages and personalities. Still, we want each gift to be thoughtful and creative. Out of our nine nieces and nephews, I'm making or partially making 6 of the gifts. I had grander ideas 2 months ago but realized I was being a little too optimistic about what I could get done. But I'm really happy with what we've ended up with and hope the kids will be too.

Since we aren't obligated to buy for the adults, it actually opens up a ton of ideas for relational giving. Relational gifts are gifts that involve your time, something that will bring you closer to the person. The ideas are endless.

*Bring coffee and some muffins and spend a morning with a loved one
*Knit/Crochet a scarf
*Give popcorn and a movie to spend an evening with a friend
*Set aside art time with a child, bring the supplies and draw together
*Give your favorite recipes in a little collection tied with ribbon
*Offer to build a garden together in the spring
*Give baking lessons to the kids in your life
*Offer to babysit
*Take an elderly family member/friend out for an evening or just spend time with them
*Offer to go grocery shopping for a family
*Make a set of cards as a gift
*Bake some bread or cookies for a friend
*Make jam
*Make a memory book for a friend full of photos
*A mixed cd of your favorite music

For more ideas see Rethinking Christmas. And for a great idea on Christmas Day... bring a gift and use it that day.

Today starts the second week of Advent. The candle we'll light tonight is for peace.

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

-Isaiah 9:6

Welcome December!

So many of my favorite things come around in December. The tree, the colors, the lights, the knitted stockings, the cold weather, the candles... love them all. But mostly I love that they all represent a tradition... something that the boys can look forward to every year.

We are in our 3rd year of celebrating Advent. The season began on Sunday, the beginning of the celebration of Jesus' birth. Our Advent wreath is up and the first candle is lit. Although we grew up in Christian homes, we are new to Advent. Since it was deemed a liturgical observation, our non-denominational churches didn't recognize it.

I'm still learning... but Advent is a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus' birth, which we observe as Christmas Day. The Advent wreath is a circle which reminds us of God and His eternal love and mercy which has no beginning and no end. The green of the wreath represents hope and the eternal life we have in Him. The 4 candles represent, in order of lighting: hope, peace, love, and joy. And lastly, the 5th candle lit on Christmas morning, represents Christ's birth, that He is the light of the world.

I have found some good info online. My sister posted several great links on her blog... I liked this one.

As an addition to this, our church is a part of the Advent Conspiracy. It's a concept, an idea, that instead of buying gift after gift for our loved ones, we give something handmade or give our time or anything that gives more of ourselves to make the gift more meaningful. And the money that we would spend on just another store gift, we give away. Here's a great video explaining it in more detail. There is so much poverty around the world, I love using Christmas as a way to help those in need.

________________________

A couple of little reindeer thanks to a package from Grandpa and Grandma in New York. They were checking each other out at first and then when big brother got something in his eye, Sawyer had to copy. Welcome December, welcome!