Syrendell: February 2015

Friday, February 27, 2015

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Making Calendula Healing Salve

Calendula grows effortlessly in our front and backyards. They pop open their first buds in February and last through the beginning of November where we live in Northern California. Sunny yellow and cheery orange blooms are beautiful, fragrant, and most of all, healing.

Wilson has been reading the Herb Fairies program this year which ties in beautifully with our Grade 5 Waldorf homeschooling Botany blocks. He is currently reading about the healing properties of calendula, just as the first flowers of the year are arriving! Calendula is wonderful for scrapes, burns, thrush, dry skin, and other skin issues. We decided to make a healing salve with the flowers.

Step 1: Pick calendula flowers that are in full bloom.

Step 2: Separate the petals, rinse, and let dry.

Step 3: Steep petals in organic olive oil or other base oil of your choice for at least a few days.

Step 4: Melt an equal amount of organic beeswax with your calendula petal/olive oil mixture in a crock pot for 2-3 hours.

Step 5: Carefully and quickly strain the warm mixture through cheesecloth, add a few drops of organic lavender essential oil, and gently stir.

Step 6: Quickly scoop salve into tins or other sealed containers. Cool in the refrigerator.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Making a Birthday Crown

Linden loves crowns, so we made her one for her birthday and one for play.

We started with plant-dyed wool felt, roving and embroidery thread from Mama Judes.

Drawing a fairy-like, curved-pointed design with chalk, we created the look for the base piece.

Embroidery thread was used to hold together butterflies and the crown bases and also as embellishment.

Our Syrendell plant-dyed silk ribbons were seen onto the ends of the crown base to tie in a bow at the back of the head. Using ribbons allows the crown size to be adjustable.