A Basket of Good Ideas

by Shoshanna Easling of Shoshanna Gardens.com

January 2005

Spicy Herbal Gift Baskets

Handmade things have always been my specialty. Growing up we lived out in the country and didn’t have much reason to go to town. Birthdays and weddings would come, and I would want to give the very best gift, which would mean I would need to make gifts with what I had on hand. Dried herbs and flowers, material scraps, old bottles, baskets, bags, soap, candles, and whatever else I could find would be put to use to create a gift.

It is amazing what nothings can turn into a basket full of goodies. Do you have a natural flair for making things look good? If so, then you have been blessed with the ability of taking a mite and turning it into beautiful gifts. Herbs and spices in bulk are very inexpensive and can be packaged in a delightful array of ways. Here are a few herb and gift ideas that your children will enjoy helping you make, which can be used to create beautiful and useful gifts.

Good Idea!

I like to give small teapot size servings (6 tablespoons) of premixed herbal teas. I divide my tea blend into small plastic baggies, and then tie the tops with tiny colored ribbons. The labels can be small pieces of paper that have Bible verses, special sayings, or just what the tea is and how to use it.

One of my favorites is Sleep Tight Tea, which is a mixture of Catnip, Chamomile, , Lemon Balm, and Passion Flower.

Another is Rise & Shine Tea. It has a wonderful aroma and a fantastic taste, plus it is soooo healthy. When I was young, I often heard Dad asking Mom to make him some of that "good tasting tea". She combined Ginger, Cloves, Green Tea, and Peppermint, using Cinnamon sticks to stir.

Both of these pre-mixed teas are best brewed in a teapot or percolator rather than just a cup at a time, because it gives the herbs more time to steep. Hot water can be added to the teapot or percolator several times so the tea can be steeped again and again and thereby getting the most out of the herbs.

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From our Mailbox

Just wanted to report that I have proven the amazing results of the magical green Beautiful Hair Treatment for Dark Hair. I've tried it twice. The first time I didn't have eggs in the house, so I added 1/2 avocado instead. I didn't rinse it and shampoo the next day like the instructions read. I stuck my hair in a plastic bonnet and on low heat in an old-fashion hair dryer for 20 minutes (instead of using a warm towel) and shampooed after because I was going out. The 2nd time I used both eggs and the 1/2 avocado again and I again put my hair in a plastic bonnet and stuck my head in the hair dryer with a setting of low heat. This time I didn't rinse it at all, stuck my head in a plastic bonnet and left it on my hair until the next day because I knew I wasn't going to go anywhere. I would advise against this because besides my hair I had to wash my pillow also! I can't really tell the difference in my hair with the 2 different procedures. What I could clearly tell the difference on was my hair using the Beautiful Hair Treatment for Dark Hair and not using it (when I just don't have the time). Everyone praises my hair now. I'll make the time every time now. I don't know that I could live w/o it.

Vilma from Miami, FL.

Did You Know?

The daily consumption of Spirulina can improve and restore your energy levels like few other food sources can. This is partly do to it's high content of riboflavin. Riboflavin helps release energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. So, the more riboflavin you consume, the more energy you'll get out of the foods you eat. Spirulina has more riboflavin than any other food source, making it perfect for those desiring an energy boost without any side-effects.