Past to Present Apothecary

Comfrey & Calendula oil infusion

🌿Ingredients:

¼ cup dried comfrey leaves

¼ cup dried calendula flowers

1 cup carrier oil of choice (I used jojoba for this)

8 oz mason jar

📜☀️Directions for solar infusion:

-Add your herbs to the mason jar.

-Pour in carrier oil of choice- ensure you cover herbs and fill the jar up leaving ¼ in. space between the lid and oil. (You may have to agitate the mixture and add more oil).

-Ensure herbs are completely submerged. Close jar hand tight, and mix lightly.

-Place on a cool shelf outside of direct sunlight. Let soak for 2-4 weeks, and mix daily.

-Once done infusing strain oil and store in a clean amber glass jar or add to salve/lotion/ointment recipe.

📜🔥Directions for heat infusion:

-You will need a double boiler for this. If you don't have one, look up how to create one from a sauce pan and glass bowl.

-Put enough water in the base pan, but not so much that it touches the top pan.

- Add your herbs and oil in the top pan.

-Turn heat on medium-low until you have a slow boil and cover to simmer for 2-3 hrs.

-You will add water if it gets too low.

-Once done remove from heat and allow to cool.

-Strain oil from herbs and store oil in a clean amber glass jar, or go on to use in a salve/lotion/ointment recipe.

✨ ️ Depending on the carrier oil you choose, and the infusion method determines shelf life. These are the main factors that go into proper storage, but other things contribute as well. If you aren't sure, feel free to ask! I go on to use oil infusions in topical salves. This is a fantastic topical salve for dry, itchy, irritated skin. If you are struggling with bug bites, minor burns, sun burns, rashes, minor cuts/scrapes this is the perfect salve to you! Comfrey and calendula together are a powerhouse!

🍃💜Comfrey & Lavender Salve:

A soothing salve that is meant to help heal.

🍃Comfrey- also referred to as bone knit it is a timeless herb used to help mend broken bones, sprains, small cuts/wounds, ease bruising, sunburns and scarring.

💜Lavender- is wonderful to ease inflammation&redness, sooth itching/irritated skin, ease sunburns, and reduce aches in joints and muscles.

⛑️These dried herbs combined with sweet almond oil, lavender essential oils and beeswax create a powerful salve that is good for a wide scope of ailments.

Sunburns
Bug bites
Eczema
Strained muscles
Sprains
Scars
Arthritis
Cuts/scrapes/rashes

⚠️If being used for wound healing- be sure to apply only to closed wounds only. This should not be applied to freshly open wounds of any kind. Wait until there is a scab formed before lightly applying.

Topical use only! Do not ingest

🎥I have posted a video of the creating process for those interested in watching.

Follow for more information ✨️

How is everyone?

Life has gotten us all exhausted, and I know it! The heat, work, the expenses, the world news, whew. Grateful for the moments when life feels still and everything is alright.

I wanted to take a moment and check in, and also thank every single follower for the continued support. It truly means the world to a small business like mine.

We will be releasing some new products in the very near future! I also plan on doing a little giveaway in August, keep your eyes open for that.

Again, thank you all. Cheers to the future! And look at my tomatoes- over 6ft tall!!!

🪔Oil Infusion:

🍃 A fast and easy way to utilize dried herbs is by oil infusion. This practice can be executed two different ways. Hot or Cold infusion, and they mostly depend on tools & time available. Always research the herb/s you are choosing to use as well as the carrier oil. You can use oil infusions as hair oils, body oils, and massage oils. You can also add other ingredients to make salves, balms, ointments, and lotions.

📝One step that can be added but is not required is blending your herbs up a bit in a grinder or blender. You don't need a fine powder, but break down the plant materials well. Transfer to a bowl and add in 1-2 tsp of 80-100 proof vodka or brandy. Mash all up and break up any clumps and let sit for 30 min. Add the herbs to the mason jar and cover with carrier oil of choice.

☀️Cold infusions:
Dried herbs, carrier oil of choice, and a mason jar. Mix together and place in a sunny window or place that gets a lot of light. Shake daily for 2-4 weeks. Cold infusions are good for delicate flowers and herbs. Examples are calendula, chamomile, thyme, and lemon balm.

🔥Heat infusions:
Dried herbs, carrier oil of choice, mason jar, and a double boiler. Mix herbs and oil in a double boiler. (There are various ways of doing this. I will have more detailed information about heat infusions on my subscription page if you would like to follow along.) This process usually takes around 2-3 hours and is great for more spicy herbs. Examples are cayenne, ginger, comfrey, and mullein.

📅The shelf life of your oil infusion depends on the carrier oil you choose. There is a variety of choices, some of the main ones are sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. Although we see many people recommending olive oil we choose not to use it. Mainly because we are looking for the additional benefits of the other carrier oils. If you choose to use this for your personal oil infusions that is perfectly fine. It can be cost effective, and has a long shelf life.

✨ ️ All herbs can be infused via cold infusion or heat infusion. If you don’t have a double boiler that's ok, start with a cold infusion. If you want to have an oil infusion by the end of day, get that stove top turned on. Make sure to grind up any roots so there is more surface area covered.Ensure you did the research, and then create a record of what herb & carrier oil you choose.

🍃For oil infusions it is best to use dried herbs. The oils work better at drawing out the medicinal constituents when herbs are dried and made into smaller pieces. Another reason is because fresh herbs can retain moisture and cause mold and bacteria to grow.

💬If you are unsure of something and need answers, drop us a comment and we will do our best to answer it!

🌶Cayenne Pepper, (Capsicum annuum)

🌎Originating in Central and South America, the cayenne pepper plant is a perennial shrub growing to 18”-24” in height. The peppers, which are the fruit of the shrub, grow to be around 4”-6” in length and turn vibrant red. These hot peppers have been used for thousands of years in culinary dishes and in herbal remedies. Cayenne is now cultivated all around the world.

🌶Cayenne is a known as a catalyst. 📝Definition of catalyst: “A substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate…” Merriam-Webster dictionary
Catalyst herbs are usually aromatic, warming, stimulating, and a little goes a long way.

✨️Key actions of cayenne include:
-Circulatory Stimulant
-Relieves muscle spasms
-Antiseptic (slows or stops growth of microorganisms)
-Increases blood flow
-Anelgesic (pain reliever)
-Staunch bleeding
-Anti-inflammatory

🔑 Key Constituents:
-Capsaicin (up to 1.5%)
-Flavonoids
-Volition oils
-Carotenoids

🩸Helping to stimulate blood flow, Cayenne provides better circulation to the hands, feet, and internal organs. It also helps support cardiovascular health. The antimicrobial properties make it valuable for gut health when experiencing gastroenteritis or dysentery. It also helps relieve gas and colic by stimulating gastric juices.

⛑️For first aid, the powder can be used to stop bleeding. It also serves as a wonderful analgesic, relieving pain associated with arthritis. You can use an infused cayenne oil to help with “cold” rheumatic limbs, bringing circulation to the area and relieving discomfort.

🫙🫖Cayenne can be utilized in tinctures, tea infusions, oil infusions, salves, and ointments. Cayenne is overall safe to use in cooking and herbal remedies, just remember a little goes a long way.

⚠️For some the heat is intense, be mindful your first time using it.

📸 My cayenne pepper plant is going wild with fruit, but none have ripened enough to pick. I will go on to create a salve and seasoning with these peppers.

✨️Make It Monday✨
Household all purpsose cleaner. This is a 2 step recipe-

To start:
1 pint Mason jar
1/2 cup Dried thyme
1-1/2 cup Isopropyl alcohol 91%

Mix these and let sit for a minimum of 1 week up to 4 weeks in a dark cabinet. This will be a very concentrated mixture. Strain out the dried herbs and store in a mason jar.

When making your cleaner you will need

Spray bottle
1 cup of Isopropyl alcohol 91%
2 tbsp thyme extract (thymol) mixture
1 cup of water

I use this mixture on non-porous surfaces. In the kitchen, bathroom, table tops, doors, baseboards and more. A wonderful, all natural cleaning alternative.

Some valuable information about Thyme is below .

️🌿Thyme

🍃A highly aromatic shrub known for its versatility, thyme is a powerhouse herb! A member of the mint family it can be utilized in medicine, culinary dishes, cleaning products and more. This is one to keep on hand both fresh and dried!

🌿There are over 300 species of thyme. The one you buy at the store store is most often Garden thyme or Common thyme. Growing to 16in tall, common thyme has small green leaves and pink flowers. Bees that pollinate these flowers have a distinct flavored honey. 🍯

✨️Key constituents:
-Volatile oils (thymol, carvacrol)
-Phenolic acids
-Flavonoids
-Tannins

✨️Key actions:
-Antioxidant
-Expectorant
-Relieves muscle spasms
-Antiseptic

🗒Thyme is an expectorant and works for coughs, chest congestion, and bronchitis. Its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties make it good for immune support. Externally the antiseptic properties of thymol make it good for cuts/scrapes/bites. It can also be utilized in gargles, mouthwash, and toothpastes for oral health. Helping with sore throats, gum infections and halitosis.

☕️You can use thyme in tinctures, salves, oil infusions, syrups, gargles, tea infusions, culinary dishes, and cleaning products. The list is long!!

⚠️Consult a physician if on prescription blood thinners or hypertension medications.

❓️what are some ways you enjoy using thyme?