Holiday Gift Baskets: Oh what fun....!

"Oh what fun it is to play with making potions all day...."


One of my favorite things about facilitating hands-on classes is that I inevitably take away new inspiration. I know the joy of creating potions and seeing the alchemy happen, but to witness others revel in it too, reminds me why I love to share these secrets with others. It is a delightful experience to see others squeal in excitement as the blender burps and voila we have lotion! We all had a wonderful time at the Making Holiday Gift Baskets class this last weekend. The elves were busy arranging gift boxes which were colorfully decorated then filled with goodies of lotions, lip balms, and bath salts. I will definitely be making this an yearly tradition. Can't wait to do it again! Thanks to all who attended and made the day such a special success!

Fresh Burdock Root is in!!!

Autumn is barely holding on to its last whispers of color, and with the rain today many trees are now bare. It is a perfect time to harvest roots - before the frost and when the plant's energy has moved down into the earth.

We are excited for the fall harvesting and shipment of fresh Burdock, which we have just finished making into an herbal extract!

Burdock (Articum lappa) is in the Asteraceae family and is a biennial plant that reaches up to 6-7 feet high. In its first year, the plant grows heart shaped leaves that form a basal rosette, the second year it flowers into globular, rose-colored thistle flowers with hooked bracts. With a common name like Beggar's button, it is easy to image how these seed heads were used like actual buttons securing woolen wraps together in the cold countryside. Actually, the burrs are so effective at binding together that they inspired the creation of Velcro!

These medicinal roots grow straight and deep into the ground, sometimes reaching nearly three feet down.

A clearing tonic herb, the roots as well as the seeds are most popularly used therapeutically. Burdock is notably beneficial to the skin, is classified as an alterative and diurectic, and is purifying to the blood. Also high in antioxidants and a stimulating bitter, Burdock gets the gastric juices moving to aid digestion and assists to clear up catabolic buildup. With large amounts of inulin and mucilage in the roots, its soothing effect also helps the gastrointestinal system and mucus membranes. In Asian grocery stories, you can find fresh Burdock root under the name "Gobo" – it makes a wonderful addition to salads or chopped up and sautéed in a stir-fry (as you would carrots). You can also dry the roots and store them for decoctions later (1 tbsp per cup) or extract them with organic alcohol for an excellent home-remedy herbal extraction.

Burdock is available in our online store at Bella Botanica: Burdock.

Holiday Gift Baskets

Making Holiday Gift Baskets
Bella Botanica's Events Update

Saturday, December 3rd from 12pm-5pm.
Eugene, OR
Cost $55 + materials

Days are getting darker now and amazingly the holidays are around the corner. For those of you who want to give a more personal touch to your gift giving, join me for an afternoon of Making Holiday Gift baskets. We will dive into making
luxurious lotions, stellar salt scrubs, and kissable lip balms for our family, friends, and just maybe ourselves. Everyone will come home with gifts to share and the basic knowledge of how to make these skin care creations at home.

For more info visit Bella Botanica Classes.

Class space is limited so please email to reserve your spot immediately.

Warmly,
Liisa Korpela

Fresh Valerian Root is in!

Fresh Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) roots have arrived from Pacific Botanicals Farm in Grants Pass, OR. Valerian, in the Valerianacae family, is a perennial plant that reaches 4-5 feet tall with pinnate, toothed leaves growing in clumps of 7-10 pairs each with white to pink tubular cluster flowers. The roots and rhizomes are harvested after they are 3 years old or more. These beautiful milky white roots with their distinct floral or "stinky" aroma (well to some it is stinky, I find the odd smell attractive) saturate the apothecary with its presence. We took these fresh roots, chopped them up, and then made them into an herbal extract with organic sugar cane alcohol and purified water. In a few months, we will press this extract and then it's ready for use. Valerian is a slightly warming herb with a powerful sedative and antispasmodic effect. This works wonders for calming one’s insomnia, sleeplessness, exhaustion, irritability, muscular tension, and cramps. Please note that this extract can cause drowsiness, so it is best to not mix with sedatives or antidepressants. To use in tea put 2 teaspoons of dried root in a cup of water and steep for 10-15 minutes or longer. Because of its potent volatile oils, you do not make your regular decoction for roots that are simmered, but simply steep this one. For the herbal extract, take 10-60 drops 1-4 times a day. As always consult your health care practitioner before starting to take dietary supplements.

(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drub Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)

RootsTalk 2011

RootsTalk
A "Celebration of Plants, People and the Planet"
Natural Skin Care; Beauty from the Earth
The Spirit of Herbalism
September 22-25th, 2011
Salem, OR

I am honored to be invited to the first annual RootsTalk festival, "a unique celebration of plants, people and planet" sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs as a benefit for Casadia Wildlands.You can find me teaching on Friday, Natural Skin Care: Beauty from the Earth and Saturday an HerbWalk on The Spirit of Herbalism. Bella Botanica will also have a booth there sharing our Fall 2011 product line. We look forward to connecting with those that can attend. Hope to see you there!

To find out more go to www.rootstalkfest.com

Herbal Spotlight: Elecamapane

Herbal Spotlight
Elecampane

One of my, hands down favorite herbs to grow in the garden is Elecampane (Inula helenium). This plant is part of the Asteraceae "Sunflower" family, a stoic character, reaching up to 6 feet tall with large leaves and bright yellow inflorescence. Elecampane can not help but exude a presence of confidence and groundedness to those who stand near it. This reliable teacher supports us to release the things that no longer serve us and fosters the visions of what needs to grow from deep within ourselves. As a way to get things moving, Elecampagne is a useful expectorant for the lungs during the coming winter crud's where the phlegm is stuck and the coughing is persistent. (Read on about Elecampane)
Photo by Erin McIntosh

Purchase from Bella Botanica Fresh Elecampane Roots from Oregon

Holiday Gift Making and Herbal Preparations

Holiday Gift Making &
Herbal Preparations Series
Evening Lecture Series

If you are looking for an opportunity to learn about making Holiday Gifts and herbal medicine for your home use. This series of evening lectures will educate participants on herbal preparations and offer hands on gift making in time for the holiday season. In this four parts series of Herbal Preparations, we will cover the basics from how to make Herbal Infusions and Decoctions, Herbal Tinctures, Herbal Oils and Salves and lastly Herbal Syrups and Lozenges. The dates have yet to be confirmed but please email the office to reserve your spot.

For more info visit Bella Botanica Classes.