When I share my profession, I’m often met with a curious pause. People have heard of health coaches, nutritionists, and functional medicine practitioners — but herbalists? Not always. And certainly not the kind who work clinically, with in-depth training, holistic assessment tools, and a commitment to understanding the whole person, not just their symptoms.

But herbalism is one of the oldest wellness traditions in the world. A clinical herbalist brings together ancient plant wisdom and modern physiology, supporting people in deeply individualized ways that many conventional models simply can’t.

If you’ve ever felt overlooked, rushed, or pieced apart in your healthcare journey… herbalism offers something different.

So, What Exactly Is a Clinical Herbalist?

A clinical herbalist is someone trained to work with herbs in a way that supports the whole person — not just a symptom, lab marker, or diagnosis. It blends science with tradition, intuition with physiology, and nature with nourishment.

As a Vitalist herbalist, I view the body as inherently wise and always moving toward balance. My role isn’t to fix you, but to listen, ask the right questions, and help you reconnect with the rhythms and resources your body already knows.

As an herbalist following a Wise Woman approach, I recognize that wellness isn’t linear and healing doesn’t follow a protocol. It’s relational. It’s personal. It’s nourished through story, lifestyle, food, emotions, and environment — not just herbs.

A clinical herbalist:

• studies anatomy, physiology, and how herbs interact with body systems
• understands the energetics of plants and people
• knows how to combine herbs in ways that complement each other
• considers your whole story: past, present, patterns, environment, stressors
• looks at both the physical and emotional layers of wellness
• honors modern research and traditional wisdom
• offers nutritional and lifestyle support through the lens of holism

When we work together, our work goes far beyond picking herbs for a set of symptoms. It’s about understanding you as an ecosystem.

You may think of it like this:

✨ We’re wellness detectives. A clinical herbalist looks at your health history, lifestyle, and unique needs to uncover the root causes of imbalance, rather than just treating symptoms.

🍃 We’re plant matchmakers. We carefully select herbs that align with your body’s specific needs, ensuring they’re safe, effective, and tailored to your goals.

💡 We’re your guides to holistic care. Beyond herbs, we help you explore how nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, and other natural approaches can support your overall well-being.

🌱 We reconnect you with nature. Through herbal support, you’ll rediscover the restorative power of plants and how they can help nurture your body, mind, and spirit.

Think of us as partners on your wellness journey—offering personalized support that empowers you to take control of your health, naturally.

How Herbalists Differ from Health Coaches & Functional Practitioners?

Health coaches and functional medicine practitioners both play meaningful roles in the wellness world, but their approach and training differ from those of a clinical herbalist. Health coaches focus on behavior change, motivation, and habit-building; functional practitioners work more within a biomedical model, using labs and supplement protocols. A clinical herbalist, however, helps you understand the deeper patterns behind your symptoms — the physical, emotional, energetic, and lifestyle roots that shape your overall wellbeing.

While health coaches may help you identify habits you want to shift, and functional practitioners may run labs to pinpoint dysfunction, herbalists look at the entire landscape of your life and body. We explore digestion, sleep, stress patterns, hormonal rhythms, emotional cycles, environmental influences, and constitutional tendencies. Instead of isolating one system, we look at how everything is interconnected. Our goal is to understand what your body is communicating beneath the surface.

One of the clearest distinctions is how we use plants. Clinical herbalists are trained to work with whole herbs — infusions, tinctures, powders, syrups, and blends that preserve the plant’s full spectrum of constituents. Functional practitioners often rely on concentrated supplements, isolated compounds, or higher-dose nutraceuticals. Both have value, but they come from different philosophies. Herbalists value the complexity of whole plants and how they work with the body’s natural rhythms, while functional medicine tends to mirror a more modern medical model: targeted, protocol-driven, and and perhaps supplement-heavy.

The experience also feels different. Functional medicine appointments often prioritize lab data and structured protocols; health coaching sessions often center accountability and habit-building. A clinical herbalist typically spends 90 minutes or more listening deeply to your story — your history, patterns, stressors, and cycles. This slower pace isn’t about gathering more data; it’s about understanding you as a whole ecosystem. From there, we co-create a plan grounded in herbs, nourishment, lifestyle, pleasure, rest, and the Roots of Wellness.

There is beautiful overlap among all three fields, and some of us work within several of these models at once. Many people also choose to work with an herbalist alongside a functional practitioner or coach. But you might choose a clinical herbalist when you want a more earth-centered, whole-person approach; when you resonate with working with whole plants rather than heavy supplement protocols; or when you’re craving support that feels relational, intuitive, and grounded in the body’s own intelligence as well as the intelligence of the Earth and her rhythms. Herbalists don’t replace medical care or functional testing — we offer a different lens. One that may come across as more gentle, more holistic, and more based in your terrain and the terrain in which your wellness grows from.

Why Work With Me Specifically?

My work is rooted in the Vitalist and Wise Woman traditions of herbalism. This means I view your body as intelligent and always moving toward balance, even when symptoms feel confusing or overwhelming. I don’t see illness as something to fight against, but as information — a signal that something in the system is asking for attention, nourishment, or support.

Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, we work with the 8 Roots of Wellness — herbs, nutrition, rest, pleasure, lifestyle rhythms, movement, connection, and meaning. Herbs are powerful allies, but they work best when woven into a broader framework that supports your whole life, not just your biochemistry.

I specialize in herbal support for digestive well-being, immune system balance, and female reproductive and hormonal harmony. These systems are deeply interconnected, and when one is out of balance, the others often follow. My approach is slow, thoughtful, and personalized. It is centered on whole herbs, whole foods, and sustainable shifts that fit into real life and at a healthy pace.

When we work together, my role isn’t to “fix” you. It’s to listen deeply, reflect patterns back to you, and help you orient yourself on your path of wellness. We’ll talk about what may be getting in the way of balance, explore your body’s natural capacity for harmony, and co-create a plan that feels supportive rather than overwhelming.

If you’re ready to dig deep, strengthen your roots, and build resilience from the ground up, I would be honored to walk alongside you. Herbalism isn’t about quick fixes — it’s about relationship, nourishment, and remembering how to listen to the wisdom already living within you.

For more information or to book your support with me, click here.

If you’re feeling called toward a deeper, more rooted approach to wellness—one that honors your whole self and works in partnership with your body—I invite you to explore what herbalism can offer. Whether you’re navigating chronic patterns, seeking greater vitality, or simply curious about herb-based support, working with a clinical herbalist can open a new way of relating to your health. If this approach resonates, I’d love to connect and see if we’re a good fit to work together.

In truth, nourishing ourselves doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s not about perfection, but about presence — small, intentional choices that help us feel more grounded, energized, and connected to what we eat. Within the Roots of Wellness, Nutrition is one of our core foundations — the rich soil that supports every other aspect of vitality. We all eat, every day. So small choices and baby step changes in how we nourish ourselves through food can have a huge impact over time. Vibrant, whole foods help our cells remember what balance feels like and that we are a part of this Earth.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between wanting to eat better and not knowing where to start, this list is for you. I’ve gathered 60 wholesome, antioxidant-rich, protein-balanced meal and snack ideas to make the journey easier. Think of them as gentle invitations — simple swaps and nourishing inspiration that meet you wherever you are on your wellness path. Whether you’re just beginning or simply curious, these ideas are meant to bring nourishment back to the table in a way that feels doable, delicious, and deeply human.

🌅 Breakfasts

Protein-rich + naturally sweet or savory options

1. Pasture-raised eggs cooked in ghee or butter with veggies (spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes) and sauerkraut on the side
2. Breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs, avocado, and fermented salsa on sprouted or cassava tortillas
3. Overnight oats made with whole, organic rolled oats, chia seeds, milk or kefir, cinnamon, berries, and nut butter swirl
4. Greek yogurt parfait with raw honey, hemp seeds, walnuts, and pomegranate
5. Cottage cheese bowl with pineapple or berries, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of olive oil
6. Sourdough toast with avocado, smoked salmon, and microgreens
7. Buckwheat pancakes with pastured butter, maple syrup, and berries
8. Smoothie with kefir, berries, spinach, collagen or hemp protein, and cacao nibs
9. Breakfast sausage patties (pasture-raised) with roasted sweet potatoes and apple slices
10. Rice topped with roasted veggies and an over-easy egg, drizzled with tamari

🥗 Lunches

Easy to pack, colorful, satisfying

1. Turkey or chicken lettuce wraps
2. Quinoa or brown rice bowls with roasted veggies, olive oil drizzle, and a boiled egg or salmon
3. Grass-fed beef or bison burgers on sourdough buns (or lettuce wraps), with baked sweet potato fries
4. Chicken salad made with avocado oil mayo, celery, grapes, and pecans — served with crackers or over greens
5. Tuna or salmon salad nori wraps with cucumber and carrot strips
6. Lentil or black bean soup with bone broth base and herbs
7. Mediterranean hummus plate — olives, veggies, feta, boiled eggs, and pita or crackers
8. Sourdough grilled cheese with tomato soup (made with bone broth base)
9. Burrito bowl — rice, beans, seasoned ground beef, avocado, salsa, shredded cheese
10. Pasta salad with chickpea noodles, olive oil, basil, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and chicken

🍲 Dinners

Comfort food with a healthy twist

1. Slow-cooked beef stew with carrots, potatoes, and herbs
2. Herb-roasted chicken with garlic green beans and wild rice
3. Baked salmon with lemon, dill, and roasted broccoli
4. Spaghetti with grass-fed meat sauce over zucchini noodles or sourdough pasta
5. Shepherd’s pie with mashed sweet potato topping
6. Grass-fed meatballs with roasted vegetables and tomato sauce
7. Tacos with grass-fed beef, cabbage slaw, avocado crema
8. Coconut curry with chicken or tofu, colorful veggies, and jasmine rice
9. BBQ pulled pork with fermented coleslaw and baked sweet potatoes
10. Frittata or crustless quiche loaded with greens, onions, and cheese

🥙 Snacks & Mini Meals

Quick fuel that balances antioxidants, fat, and protein

1. Apple slices with nut butter and cinnamon
2. Homemade trail mix — almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, and dried cherries
3. Cheese cubes with grapes or berries
4. Hard-boiled eggs with sea salt and paprika
5. Sourdough crackers with hummus or guacamole
6. Yogurt cups with fruit and hemp seeds
7. Smoothie pops (frozen smoothie blends) for hot days
8. Beef jerky or salmon jerky (clean ingredients only)
9. Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate with almonds
10. Edamame with sea salt and olive oil drizzle

🍰 Treats & Desserts (still nutrient-rich)

For whole-food sweetness and antioxidant love

1. Dark chocolate dipped strawberries
2. Frozen banana “nice cream” with cacao powder and nut butter
3. Baked apples stuffed with oats, cinnamon, and walnuts
4. Oatmeal cookies made with coconut sugar and butter
5. Chia pudding with matcha or cacao, and topped with raspberries
6. Yogurt bark with berries and drizzle of honey
7. Energy bites — oats, nut butter, flaxseed, honey, mini chocolate chips
8. Almond flour brownies with reishi mushroom powder mixed in
9. Fruit crisps made with almond meal and grass-fed butter topping
10. Peanut butter, banana, milk, and flaxseed smoothie

🧃 Drinks & Sippers

Hydration that nourishes

1. Herbal iced teas — hibiscus, nettle, or lemon balm with honey and citrus
2. Homemade electrolyte lemonade with sea salt and raw honey
3. Milk or water kefir
4. Coconut water with a pinch of sea salt
5. Cacao tonic with warm milk, cinnamon, and a little maple
6. Matcha latte (Use coupon code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off your order)
7. Bone broth mugs with herbs and lemon
8. Sparkling water with a splash of pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, or elderberry syrup
9. Hibiscus and rosehips tea, on ice, with a splash of lime juice and honey
10. Warm water, splash of apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, raw honey, and a few drops of vanilla

From the pesticides sprayed on our food to the plastics that wrap it, from cleaning products to cosmetics, fragrances to furniture, we are surrounded by compounds that didn’t exist for most of human history. The average person today carries traces of hundreds of synthetic chemicals in their body — many of which have never been fully studied for long-term safety or the way they interact with each other inside our systems.

This post isn’t meant to inspire fear. In fact, fear is the very emotion that makes us freeze and feel powerless. Awareness, on the other hand, is where empowerment begins. It is with clear knowledge that we can begin to make helpful change.

The Subtle Ways Chemicals Touch Our Everyday Lives

It’s easy to think of “toxins” as something distant or dramatic, like factory smoke or contaminated water. But the truth is that many exposures come from the most ordinary places.

• In our homes: Synthetic fragrances, cleaning sprays, and air fresheners often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and phthalates that can irritate the lungs, disrupt hormones, or burden the liver’s detoxification pathways.
• In our kitchens: Nonstick cookware, plastic containers, and pesticide residues can leach compounds that mimic or interfere with hormones, especially estrogen and thyroid hormones.
• In our self-care routines: Shampoos, lotions, and cosmetics can carry preservatives like parabens and formaldehyde-releasing agents, as well as synthetic dyes and “fragrance” blends — an unregulated category that can contain dozens of undisclosed ingredients (although it seems like change is coming in this area).
• In the air and water: Pollution, microplastics, and runoff from industrial and agricultural sources find their way into what we drink, breathe, and bathe in.

Each of these exposures may seem small on its own. However, their cumulative effect — what scientists sometimes call the “body burden” — can quietly influence how our systems function over time.

How Wartime Chemistry Changed Our Soil — and Our Health

The Industrial Revolution brought about extraordinary discoveries that transformed society — from transportation and communication to medicine and manufacturing. But alongside these advances came a profound shift in our relationship with chemistry and the environment. Factories began producing synthetic compounds on a massive scale, using coal and later petroleum as raw materials. What started as innovation for progress also introduced a wave of chemical byproducts and pollutants that the natural world — and our bodies — had never encountered before.

During World War I, this relationship deepened even further. Two German chemists, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, developed a process to pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into ammonia — a breakthrough that could be used both for agriculture and for warfare. The Haber–Bosch process made it possible to create explosives on an industrial scale when natural nitrate sources were cut off during the war.

When the fighting ended, factories that had produced ammonia for bombs suddenly had enormous surpluses of nitrogen-based chemicals. Rather than shutting down production, manufacturers redirected them toward agriculture. They discovered that these same compounds could make crops grow faster and bigger — and thus, industrial fertilizers were born.

What began as a wartime innovation quickly became the foundation of modern industrial agriculture. Yet, over time, this shift came with unintended consequences: soil depletion, chemical runoff, loss of biodiversity, and the normalization of chemical dependency in farming — effects we’re still reckoning with today.

The Chemical Landscape We Live In

Today, more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals are in circulation — many of them never fully tested for their long-term effects on human or environmental health. These substances appear in everyday items we’ve come to rely on for convenience: plastics, preservatives, cleaning agents, flame retardants, and countless others.

In the United States, oversight of these compounds is limited, and many chemicals that have been banned or restricted in other countries continue to be used here. They enter our air, water, soil, and homes, often without full-scale safety review before reaching the public.

These exposures don’t just affect our immediate well-being; many chemicals are persistent, meaning they can remain in the body or environment for years. Some can even influence how our genes are expressed — a process known as epigenetic change, where chemical signals turn genes “on” or “off” without altering the DNA sequence itself. These changes can sometimes be passed down to future generations, creating subtle ripples in health and resilience over time.

A Few Common Culprits

Here are a few of the most widespread environmental chemicals and their known or suspected impacts:

• Glyphosate: A widely used herbicide found in many conventional foods. It has been shown to affect soil microbes, gut flora, and the body’s ability to detoxify efficiently.
• Paraquat: A highly toxic herbicide linked to oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage; it’s banned in many countries but still used in parts of the U.S. Recent research is showing potential links between this chemical and Parkinson’s Disease.
• Rodenticides: Designed to disrupt vital systems in pests, these poisons often harm wildlife and can contaminate soil and water. Chronic, low-level exposure of anticoagulant rodenticides can subtly affect liver enzymes and clotting function. Neurotoxic rodenticides disrupt the mitochondria in brain and nerve cells, preventing them from producing enough energy (ATP).
• TCE and PCE (Trichloroethylene and Perchloroethylene): Common industrial solvents used in dry cleaning and degreasing that can linger in groundwater and indoor air, affecting liver and nervous system function.
• BPA (Bisphenol A): Found in plastics, food can linings, and receipts; known as an endocrine disruptor that can interfere with hormone balance.
• Heavy Metals (Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Aluminum): Naturally occurring but concentrated by industry; can accumulate in tissues and disrupt nervous system, immune, and mitochondrial function.

While most people aren’t handling these chemicals directly, environmental contamination is more common than many realize. These compounds can leach into soil and groundwater, or persist in the foods we eat.

What I See in My Herbal Practice

In my work as an herbalist, I meet many people whose bodies are whispering (or shouting) that they’re overwhelmed. They describe fatigue that doesn’t resolve with rest, skin that reacts to everything, migraines, hormonal irregularities, or digestive issues that seem to have no clear cause. In fact, I, myself, have experienced so many of these symptoms of body burden.

Of course, each person’s story is unique. But I often find that the liver, lymphatic system, and gut are carrying more than their share of the load. These are the organs that work tirelessly to filter, neutralize, and eliminate the byproducts of modern living. When they’re stressed, the whole body feels it.

For the body, the challenge lies in detoxifying chemicals that are designed to be potent and persistent. They place stress on the liver, kidneys, and mitochondria — the same systems already burdened by other everyday chemicals.

The good news? Our bodies are astonishingly wise. Given the right nourishment, support, and elimination of the offenders, they know how to restore balance.

Gentle Ways to Lighten the Load

I always emphasize gentle when it comes to detoxification. The goal isn’t to force or purge — it’s to support the pathways that already exist. Changing things too fast and hard can lead to overwhelming your system and may potentially do more damage. Here are some of the most foundational ways I’ve found to lighten your load and help your body restore balance:

1. Choose cleaner basics.
Start small. Swap out one household cleaner, body product, or kitchen item at a time for natural or fragrance-free alternatives. Open windows for fresh air instead of relying on synthetic air fresheners. Gradual changes reduce exposure and help your body recover without overwhelming it. Consider glass, stainless steel, and uncoated cookware to minimize plastic contact.

2. Support your liver and lymph.
The liver and lymphatic system are your body’s primary detox pathways. Herbs like dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), burdock root (Arctium lappa), and cleavers (Galium aparine) gently encourage the flow of bile and lymph, helping to move toxins out of the system. Bitter herbs like artichoke leaf or gentian support digestion, ease liver workload, and encourage nutrient assimilation. Warm baths, dry brushing, and gentle massage can further stimulate lymphatic flow.

3. Strengthen your gut barrier.
Since the gut is one of the main ways toxins enter the body, maintaining its integrity is essential. Herbs and foods like marshmallow root, calendula, chamomile, and slippery elm soothe and strengthen the digestive lining. Supporting gut microbial balance is equally important:

• Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha provide beneficial bacteria.
• Fiber-rich foods — beans, okra, prickly pear, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, oats, chia, psyllium husk, hollyhock, and marshmallow root — feed gut microbes, promote regular elimination, and help bind toxins for removal.

4. Include antioxidant-rich foods and herbs.
Antioxidants help counteract oxidative stress caused by environmental toxins. Foods and herbs like grapes, beets, Japanese knotweed, lemon balm, rosemary, mint, and rose hips support cellular health and reduce free radical damage, protecting the liver, nervous system, and mitochondria.

5. Move your body and sweat.
Exercise and gentle sweating help mobilize stored toxins through the skin and lymphatic system. Movement doesn’t need to be intense: yoga, walking, dancing, or sauna sessions all encourage circulation, oxygenation, and natural drainage. Sweating supports not only toxin elimination but also mood, energy, and metabolic function.

6. Rest and nourish.
Sleep is when the body does its deepest repair and detoxification work. Herbs such as tulsi (holy basil), lemon balm, and milky oats can calm the nervous system and support restorative rest. Adequate rest also allows your liver and gut to regenerate and manage daily exposures more effectively. Pair rest with nutrient-rich meals and gentle hydration to support energy and resilience.

7. Drink plenty of clean water.
Hydration is essential for kidney function and toxin elimination. A good water filter that removes chlorine, fluoride, and heavy metals can make a meaningful difference. Water also supports circulation, lymph flow, digestion, and cellular metabolism. Aim for steady intake throughout the day, and consider herbal teas like nettle or dandelion for added mineral support.

Shifting the Mindset

When people start learning about chemical exposures, they sometimes feel anxious or overwhelmed. It feels there’s too much to change. I always remind them: this isn’t about purity. It’s about participation.

We can’t live outside of the modern world, but we can learn to live more consciously within it. Each mindful swap, each herbal infusion, each moment of choosing nature over synthetic convenience sends a message — both to our bodies and to the broader systems that shape our world. And that’s where empowerment lies.

When you begin to feel the difference — the clearer energy, the steadier mood, the deeper connection to what you put in and on your body — those small steps stop feeling like sacrifice. They start to feel like freedom and support.

The Role of Herbalism in a Modern World

I say this so frequently: herbalism is not just about plants; it’s about relationship. Relationship with the Earth, with our bodies, and with the rhythms that sustain life. Plants remind us that resilience doesn’t come from doing more, but from living in harmony with the cycles of nature.

When we choose herbs to support detoxification, it’s never just about “removing toxins.” It’s about helping the body remember how to breathe, flow, and respond…just as the natural world does.

The roots, leaves, and flowers we work with are living teachers of balance. Nettle strengthens and replenishes. Tulsi teaches adaptability. Rose opens the heart while reminding us to protect what’s sacred. Milk thistle shields and restores the liver — our great internal filter.

Through these relationships, we begin to rebuild a kind of internal ecology — one that mirrors the outer ecology we’re all a part of.

A More Conscious Future

The truth is, change doesn’t only happen through regulation or innovation — it begins at the individual and community level. Every time someone chooses to refill a glass jar instead of buying plastic, make herbal tea instead of reaching for caffeine or sugar, or question what’s in their lotion or laundry soap, they’re helping to shift culture in a quieter but powerful way.

At the same time, we must recognize that real, lasting change requires systemic action: stronger chemical regulations, safer manufacturing practices, and corporate accountability. Individuals can make a difference, but the burden should never fall entirely on personal choices. Policies, industry standards, and collective advocacy are essential to reduce chemical exposures on a population-wide scale.

We may not be able to control every exposure, but we can tend the terrain within us. We can choose what we invite into our homes, what we put on our skin, what we breathe in, and what we support with our dollars.

As we do that — little by little — we lighten not only our own load, but the planet’s too. Because ultimately, herbalism and low-tox living are about the same thing: returning to right relationship with the world around us.

And that begins, always, with awareness, curiosity, and care.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only and is meant to inspire awareness and thoughtful choices. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, diet, or herbal practices.

🌱 Are you interested in more personalized care? Find our more about how you can work with me one to one, here.

References:

Synthetic Chemicals & Environmental Health

• Chemical Exposures, Health, and Environmental Justice
  Johnston J. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2020.
  PMC
• Health Effects Linked with Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 2024.
  ATSDR
• Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on the Nervous System
  Costas-Ferreira C. Frontiers in Toxicology, 2022.
  PMC
• Health Risks of Glyphosate Herbicide
  WebMD, 2024.
  WebMD
• Paraquat Poisoning: Symptoms & Treatment
  Cleveland Clinic, 2024.
  Cleveland Clinic
• Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review protocol according to the OHAT approach for hazard identification
  Syst Rev. 2017 May 15;6(1):98. doi: 10.1186/s13643-017-0491-x. PMID: 28506248; PMCID: PMC5433017.
  PubMed
• Human Health Effects of Tetrachloroethylene
  Guyton KZ. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2014.
  PMC
• What is BPA? Should I be worried about it?
  Mayo Clinic, 2025.
  Mayo Clinic
• Heavy Metals: Toxicity and Human Health Effects
  Jomova K. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2025.
  PubMed
• EPA Proposes Major Changes to Chemical Risk Evaluations
  JD Supra, 2025.
  PubMed

Rodenticides & Human Health

• Rodenticide Toxicity
  StatPearls, 2024.
  ATSDR
• What Happens if a Human Eats Rat Poison?
  Verywell Health, 2007.
  Verywell Health
• Rodenticide Poisoning
  PubMed Central, 2024.
  PubMed

Systemic Change & Chemical Regulation

• Updates to New Chemicals Regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2024.
  EPA
• Toxic Chemical Regulations Weakened Despite White House Focus on Health Risks
  Environmental Health News, 2024.
  WebMD
• Addressing Systemic Problems with Exposure Assessments
  PubMed Central, 2024.
  motleyrice.com

Stress, processed foods, and environmental toxins can all play a role too. In the modern-day reality that many people today experience imbalances in digestion and gut health, and it’s easy to see why we may not be absorbing all the nourishment from the foods we eat.

The good news is that there are simple, time-tested ways to get more out of the foods you’re already eating. Before reaching for supplements, you can “stretch the dollar” by combining foods in ways that naturally enhance nutrient availability and absorption. In my own journey with gut and nutrient absorption challenges, I learned that pairing foods thoughtfully isn’t just a trick—it’s a way to honor the food we grow, cook, and share. Let’s take a look at some of the things we can do to improve our intake of vital nutrients!

“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Food as Daily Nourishment

Yes, food can be seen as medicine—in the sense that wholesome food nourishes, restores, and supports us. But if we think of medicine only as something we turn to when we’re unwell, then food is far more than that. Food is daily care, a steady source of vitality for body, mind, and spirit with every bite. And when we make thoughtful choices about how we prepare and pair our meals, we amplify the natural gifts already woven into them.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates

Why Food Combining Works

Nutrients don’t exist in isolation—they often work best in synergy. Certain vitamins and minerals are absorbed more efficiently when paired together, while others can be inhibited if eaten at the wrong time. And the really cool thing is, food is made this way in nature and our ancestor’s recipes were packed with the wisdom of food combining for ultimate nutrition! For instance:

• Fat-soluble vitamins need fat – Vitamins A, D, E, and K are absorbed best alongside healthy fats. For example, drizzle olive oil over roasted carrots or greens to help your body use their beta-carotene more fully.
• Iron loves vitamin C – Plant-based (non-heme) iron is absorbed much better when paired with vitamin C. Think black beans with a squeeze of lime, or lentils cooked with tomatoes.
• Calcium and magnesium work as partners – Dark leafy greens, seeds, and legumes contain both, but adding nuts or seeds to your greens boosts the synergy.
• Avoiding competition – Some minerals compete for absorption, such as zinc and copper, or calcium and iron. Spacing these out through the day can help.

“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of nourishment, or the slowest form of imbalance.” — paraphrased from Ann Wigmore

Punchy Food Combos

Fat Soluble Vitamins Need Fat

• Sweet potatoes roasted with olive oil – Beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) made more available with healthy fats.
• Kale salad with avocado – Vitamins K and E in greens supported by avocado’s natural fats.
• Eggs cooked with spinach in butter – Vitamins A, D, and K paired with fat for better uptake.
• Carrot soup with coconut milk – Vitamin A precursors from carrots enhanced by creamy coconut fat.
• Tomatoes with mozzarella and olive oil – Lycopene (related to vitamin A) more absorbable with olive oil.
• Salmon with wilted chard drizzled in olive oil – Vitamin D in salmon plus vitamins A/K in greens boosted with fat.

Iron + vitamin C

• Lentils with Tomatoes & Fresh Herbs – Plant-based iron from lentils paired with vitamin C in tomatoes and parsley.
• Chickpeas with Red Bell Pepper – A simple hummus topped with diced red peppers gives a big boost in absorption.
• Kale with Oranges – A winter salad where citrus enhances iron from dark leafy greens.
• Pumpkin Seeds with Kiwi – A fun snack pairing that balances mineral-rich seeds with the vitamin C zing of kiwi.
• Quinoa with Broccoli & Lemon – A nourishing bowl with iron from quinoa and vitamin C from lemon juice and broccoli.

Calcium and Magnesium Synergy

• Dark leafy greens with sesame seeds – Kale or bok choy topped with sesame seeds (think tahini dressing).
• Almonds with figs – Magnesium-rich nuts with calcium-rich dried fruit for a balanced snack.
• Black beans with pumpkin seeds – A mineral-rich pairing that covers both nutrients.
• Oats with chia seeds – A breakfast bowl offering steady calcium and magnesium support.
• Quinoa with steamed broccoli – Quinoa’s magnesium alongside broccoli’s calcium.
• Yogurt with sunflower seeds – A creamy base with a mineral-boosting crunch.

Other Food-Combining Categories You Might Include

• Protein + Vitamin C
  • Helps with collagen formation (think chicken with lemon, or fish with a citrus glaze).
• Turmeric + Black Pepper
  • Piperine in black pepper increases absorption of curcumin in turmeric.
• Carotenoids + Healthy Fats
  • Beyond carrots, this applies to tomatoes (lycopene), red peppers, and leafy greens with fats like olive oil or avocado.
• Herbs & Spices + Meals
  • Many spices (like rosemary, oregano, and cinnamon) have compounds that support digestion and help the body use nutrients more efficiently.
• Fermented Foods + Meals
  • Sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt with meals can support gut microbes, indirectly helping with nutrient uptake.
• Vitamin D + Calcium
  • Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium (e.g., salmon with leafy greens, or eggs with broccoli).

Tips: When Nutrients Compete

Not all nutrients play nicely together—sometimes they compete for absorption. A few things to keep in mind:

• Calcium and iron – High amounts of calcium (like from dairy) can interfere with iron absorption. It may help to enjoy them at different meals.
• Zinc and copper – Large amounts of zinc can lower copper uptake (usually more of an issue with supplements than food).
• Iron and tannins – Compounds in coffee and tea can reduce iron absorption, so it’s best to enjoy them between meals rather than with an iron-rich dish.
• Fiber and minerals – Very high-fiber meals can sometimes bind minerals like zinc and magnesium. A varied diet usually balances this out.

Nourishment doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By paying attention to how foods interact, we can invite more vitality into each meal. Pairing wisely, tending to soil and gut health, and maybe even planting a few heirloom seeds are all ways to reclaim deeper nourishment from the food on our plates.

“Eating is an agricultural act.” — Wendell Berry

Resources and Further Reading

Food Synergy: An Operational Concept for Understanding Nutrient Interactions
This study explores how certain food combinations can enhance nutrient absorption, providing a scientific basis for food synergy. PMC

Iron Absorption: Factors, Limitations, and Improvement Methods
This paper discusses various factors affecting iron absorption and methods to enhance it, including dietary considerations. American Chemical Society Publications

Food Synergy
Salisbury University discusses the concept of food synergy and how combining certain foods can enhance nutrient absorption. Salisbury University

The Secret Power of Food Pairing
Dr. Mark Hyman explores the science behind food pairings and their impact on health. Mark Hyman, MD

What To Know About Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Cleveland Clinic provides an overview of fat-soluble vitamins and their absorption, highlighting the role of dietary fat. Cleveland Clinic

3 Vitamins and Minerals You Should Be Pairing Up for Better Absorption
EatingWell discusses recent findings on how pairing certain vitamins and minerals can enhance their absorption. EatingWell

Ayurvedic Food Combining: The Science of Synergy for Digestive Wellness – A guide to how thoughtful food pairings in Ayurveda can support digestion and nutrient absorption. samsaraveda.com

Soil Nutrient Depletion: Harming Your Health?
Dr. Kelly McCann discusses how industrial agriculture practices, such as monocropping and excessive fertilizer use, have led to significant nutrient depletion in soils, affecting the nutritional quality of our food. Dr. Kelly McCann, MD

Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious?
Scientific American highlights studies indicating that fruits and vegetables grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than today’s varieties, primarily due to soil depletion. Scientific American

That frustration eventually led me to an acupuncturist who was also an herbalist. And in just two weeks, she helped me more than years of appointments ever had. Why? Because she had the time and the presence to really listen. She wasn’t rushing to fix or diagnose. Instead, she tuned in and helped me understand what my body needed to regain balance. It wasn’t about quick fixes or masking symptoms—it was about gently realigning the parts of me that had gone off-kilter.

Now, I’m not saying this path is right for everyone. Some people do find modern medicine incredibly helpful—and that’s a good thing. Western medicine is often life-saving in acute situations, and it absolutely has its place. But for so many of us, that path turns into a long road of frustration. We only start seeking alternatives when we feel out of options—when things are bad and the answers have dried up.

But what I want you to know is this: there’s so much power in working before things fall apart—before the body starts throwing up red flags. That’s where herbal care really shines. A proactive, balanced approach is kind of our sweet spot. You don’t have to wait until everything unravels. Staying well in the first place? That’s the real medicine.

The Herbalist’s Approach: Rooted in Relationship

• We don’t just treat symptoms—we look for patterns, root causes, and connections.
• Our work is relational: to the person, the body, the land, and the plants.
• Herbs don’t force the body into submission—they nudge, support, and remind.

One of the things I love most about herbalism is how gentle it can be—and how powerful that gentleness really is when it’s consistent and intentional. Herbs don’t need to knock the body over the head to be effective. In fact, some of the best medicine we have is slow, steady, and nourishing.

Take adaptogens, for example. These are herbs that help the body adapt to stress—whether that stress is emotional, physical, environmental, or all of the above (because let’s be honest, it’s often all of the above). Adaptogens like ashwagandha, tulsi, ginseng, or eleuthero don’t override the body’s stress response. They support it. They help build resilience in the nervous and endocrine systems over time, so your body isn’t constantly living on the edge of burnout.

Then there are nourishing herbal infusions—the kind of deep, mineral-rich teas that feed the body at a cellular level. I’m talking about herbs like nettle, oatstraw, red clover, and linden. These aren’t “take it once and feel a jolt” kinds of herbs. These are slow and steady caretakers. You sip them daily or a few times a week, and over time, you start to notice things: more energy, deeper sleep, fewer anxious spirals, more groundedness. You’re not just treating symptoms—you’re rebuilding your foundation.

These kinds of herbs don’t just help when something goes wrong (although they do that as well). They help keep things from going wrong in the first place. They nourish, buffer, and strengthen the systems we rely on most—especially the nervous system, adrenals, digestion, and immune function. They don’t override your body; they walk beside it.

So imagine if, instead of waiting until we were on the brink, we started building these supportive practices into our lives now. Not as a reaction, but as a rhythm. Not because we’re broken, but because we want to stay well. Herbalists can help guide you through this process.

Prevention Isn’t Passive

Prevention isn’t about waiting. It’s active, intentional care. It’s not about waiting around for something to go wrong—it’s about actively tending to the body so it stays resilient. When we nourish ourselves consistently and support balance with herbs, food, rest, and rhythm, we build a stronger foundation. So when life does throw stress our way (and it will), the body is less likely to get knocked completely off course.

In contrast, the Western medical model often doesn’t step in until something has already tipped into dysfunction. Your labs can be just barely in the “normal” range, and yet you feel exhausted, anxious, inflamed, or off—but until you’re out of range and in a diagnosable disease state, there’s often little they can do. Herbalism asks a different question: What if we started caring for the body before it reached that tipping point? What if wellness wasn’t just the absence of disease, but a state of real vitality?

Herbalists Are Community Allies

So where do herbalists fit into the bigger picture of health and community care? We’re not just waiting on the sidelines for someone to get sick—we’re showing up in all kinds of spaces, offering support in ways that feel personal, accessible, and rooted in relationship. We can be at the clinics, markets, online spaces, or even kitchen table conversations. Here are just a few ways herbalists can make a difference:

• Before illness ever shows up, herbalists can help guide and support you through:
  • seasonal transitions and immune support
  • stress management and sleep care
  • nervous system nourishment
  • hormone balance and cycle support
  • incorporating herbs into daily routines
  • holistic care for family and loved ones
  • personalized, one-on-one consultations tailored to your needs
  • etc.
• During illness, herbalists can:
  • walk alongside conventional care, offering complementary support
  • help ease symptoms naturally, such as with digestive or respiratory support
  • offer herbal remedies to support the immune system and promote recovery
  • guide you through emotional or mental stress during illness
  • provide alternatives when appropriate, especially for chronic conditions or when conventional options aren’t working
• After illness, herbalists can support you in:
  • rebuilding strength and vitality
  • nourishing depleted systems (like digestion, adrenals, or immunity)
  • restoring balance to the nervous system
  • gently supporting emotional and spiritual recovery
  • helping you reconnect with your body and sense of self

This is a reminder to not wait until you’re desperate. Reach out when you feel the nudge, the whisper, the curiosity. Your body doesn’t have to scream to deserve support. 💚

With ever-growing blessings,
Kimberly

Listening to your body’s wisdom:
In a world that trains us to look outward for answers, one of the most radical things we can do is listen inward. My work isn’t about fixing or diagnosing; it’s about remembering. I support you in listening to your body, learning its signals, and reclaiming your inner authority. Herbs don’t override your body’s wisdom—they collaborate with it.

Honoring Lived Experience:
Your lived experience, your story, your ancestry, your daily rhythms—these matter more than a textbook protocol. My job is not to impose a solution but to co-create a path forward that honors you as the expert of your own body. Healing is not one-size-fits-all. It’s personal, relational, and cyclical.

Doses as Conversations
Some people need five drops. Some need five dropperfuls. And some need no tincture at all that day—just rest, tears, or a walk barefoot in the garden. The “right dose” is not about numbers alone. It’s about the conversation your body is having with the plant. Some bodies whisper. Some bodies shout. Some are asking for gentleness; some want a firm nudge. This is why I always ask: How is this feeling in your body? What is it saying now?

Tuning into dosage is part of tuning into yourself. It’s not a test—it’s an invitation.

The Role of the Herbalist
I’m not here to be the boss of your healing. I’m here to walk beside you. I might offer insight, reflection, or a formula that whispers to your nervous system. But even then, I’ll ask: What are you noticing? Your feedback is sacred data. Together, we listen.

Why Ongoing Conversation Matters
This is why I feel so strongly about follow-up appointments. Healing is not linear. It’s a dance, a dialogue. Your needs shift, your body evolves, the seasons change—and so should your support. What worked beautifully last month might feel off this month. Or maybe our initial protocol needs adjustment in the beginning. That’s not failure. That’s wisdom. When we keep the conversation going, we can stay in right relationship with your body and the herbs. We can adjust, listen again, and let the process breathe.

Returning to the Wise Woman Ways
The wise woman tradition reminds us that healing doesn’t always look like curing. It looks like connection. It looks like trust. It looks like remembering that our bodies are not machines to be fixed, but ecosystems to be tended. You are whole—even in your unraveling. Even in discomfort. You are not broken.

Tune In: A Simple Listening Practice

You might want to try this before taking herbs, making a decision, or simply as a way to reconnect:

• Find a quiet moment. You don’t need to be sitting perfectly—just be somewhere you feel safe.
• Close your eyes if it feels good. Let your shoulders drop. Exhale slowly.
• Place a hand on your heart or your belly—wherever your attention is drawn.
• Ask gently: What are you feeling right now? Not what you think you should feel. Just… what is.
• Let the answers arise without judgment. Maybe it’s tiredness. Maybe it’s pressure. Maybe it’s peace.
• Ask: What does my body need right now?
• Listen. Even if the answer is silence. Even if it surprises you.
• When you’re ready, open your eyes. Take one small action to honor what you heard—even if it’s just a deep breath.

Creativity and joy are fundamental to overall wellness. As one of the 8 Roots of Wellness, creativity has been a lifelong outlet for me, bringing joy through life’s ups and downs. Yet, in today’s fast-paced world, creative expression is often overlooked in favor of productivity and logic-driven tasks. However, carving out time for creative endeavors can be transformative and deeply rejuvenating.

Understanding Creativity as a Therapeutic Outlet

Research has shown that engaging in creative activities can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Creativity provides a powerful avenue for self-expression, helping individuals navigate and process emotions in a constructive way. It’s a little like therapy, but with more glitter and fewer co-pays (I’m not suggestion you ditch therapy…there is room for both). People who tap into their artistic side also tend to make healthier choices—eating better, moving more—you know, all the good stuff. While scientific research supports this, many of us intrinsically understand the emotional and mental benefits of creativity.

Unlocking Imagination for Emotional Well-being

Creativity allows us to tap into our imagination, providing an opportunity to explore emotions more deeply. Whether through painting, writing, music, or other creative outlets, these activities help us release pent-up emotions and foster emotional well-being.

Engaging in creative activities can also lower stress hormones. These activities encourage a flow state, shifting the body from the stress-driven sympathetic nervous system to the restorative parasympathetic nervous system. This shift allows the body to rest, repair, and rejuvenate, leading to an overall sense of well-being.

Your Creative Journey

Consider engaging in a creative activity this week. Maybe it’s dusting off that neglected sketchbook or attempting some questionable dance moves in your kitchen. The key is to do it just for fun—no pressure, no judgment. Just see how it makes you feel.

Remember, creativity is a valuable tool on your wellness journey. Nurture it, and watch how it positively transforms your life.

Creativity is for Everyone

Many people believe that creativity is reserved for artists or the naturally gifted. However, creativity is an innate quality within all of us. It’s about finding joy in the process and expressing yourself in ways that feel authentic. Creativity isn’t about being the next Picasso—it’s about making something that brings you joy. It can be messy, experimental, or completely absurd. That’s the fun of it!

A Personal Story: Rediscovering Creative Joy

Let me tell you a little story. I’ve been an artist my whole life, but back in high school, I got all serious about making my art look realistic. Fast-forward a few years, and instead of an art degree, I found myself studying structural engineering (because, you know, “practicality”). Later, I got my Master’s in Landscape Architecture, which involved a lot of precise, technical creativity.

Then, after having my son, I was craving creativity but felt stuck. My art wasn’t “looking good” anymore, and perfectionism was sucking all the joy out of it. That’s when I stumbled into a class with Pam Garrison, who basically gave me permission to break the rules and have fun again. Then I took another class with Kristen Fagan, who taught me how to pour my heart into mandalas. (Check out her other intuitive online art classes here). And just like that, I fell back in love with the process of creating rather than obsessing over the final product.

“Imagine the Possibilities” Art by Kimberly Kling

Starting Small as a Gateway to Creativity

You don’t need to create a masterpiece overnight. Start small—doodle while you’re on the phone, hum a little tune while you cook, rearrange your bookshelf. Tiny acts of creativity ripple out in the best ways.

Just as a pebble creates ripples in a pond, small creative acts can have a profound impact. Consistency is key. Even dedicating five minutes a day to a creative activity can strengthen your creative muscles and shift your mindset.

Observe how these small rituals evolve over time. A brief moment of creativity today can lead to profound personal growth in the future.

Here are some creative activities you may find fun:

• Morning Mindfulness Sketch:
  • Start your day with a brief mindfulness sketch. Take a few minutes to doodle or sketch whatever comes to mind. This can set a positive and creative tone for the day. (I’m a fan of these small top, spiral-bound sketch pads)
• Creative Breaks at Work:
  • Incorporate short creative breaks during your workday. Whether it’s a quick brainstorming session, a doodling break, or writing a few lines of poetry, these breaks can refresh your mind and boost creativity.
• Visualize Your To-Do List:
  • Instead of a traditional to-do list, create a visual representation. Use symbols, colors, or drawings to represent tasks. It adds a creative touch to your organizational routine. (This colored to-do list pad is a helpful addition or get creative with these chunky highlighters)
• Lunchtime Photography Walk:
  • Use your lunch break as an opportunity to explore your surroundings. Take a short walk with your camera or smartphone and capture interesting or beautiful moments.
• Creative Cooking:
  • Experiment with your meals. Try cooking without a recipe, adding your unique twist to familiar dishes, or creating a visually appealing plate. Cooking can be a delightful and artistic experience.
• Mindful Coloring:
  • Keep a coloring book or print out coloring pages. Take a few minutes to color mindfully, focusing on the colors and the act of coloring. It’s a relaxing and creative exercise. (This coloring book is so cute)
• Creative Journaling:
  • Expand your journaling beyond words. Include sketches, collages, or small paintings to express your thoughts and feelings creatively. (These are some of my favorite journals)
• Afternoon Creative Writing:
  • Set aside time in the afternoon for creative writing. It could be short stories, poetry, or even jotting down your reflections on the day. Let your imagination flow.
• Creative Commute:
  • If possible, use your commute time for a creative activity. Listen to an inspiring podcast, create a mental story, or capture photos during your journey.
• Evening Reflection Through Art:
  • Wind down in the evening by reflecting on your day through art. Create a visual representation of your emotions or highlights from the day. (I love this book for fun creative journaling ideas)
• Nature-Inspired Art:
  • Bring nature into your creative pursuits. Collect leaves, flowers, or stones during a walk and create artwork inspired by the natural elements.
• Music Exploration:
  • Discover new music or revisit old favorites. Create playlists for different moods or activities. Music can inspire creativity and enhance your overall mood.

Embrace the Journey

Creativity is a journey, not a destination. Be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, and allow your creativity to unfold naturally. The more you nurture it, the more rewarding it becomes.

What small creative step can you take today? Choose an activity that excites you and explore it without judgment. You might be surprised by the creativity within you.

🐝 Bee well!
~Kimberly

Sources:

Coulton S, Clift S, Skingley A, Rodriguez J. Effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of community singing on mental health-related quality of life of older people: randomised controlled trial Br J Psychiatry. 201520732505 doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.129908 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Reference list]

Fancourt D, Finn S. What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review [Internet]. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2019. PMID: 32091683.

Jones M, Kimberlee R, Deave T, Evans S. The role of community centre-based arts, leisure and social activities in promoting adult well-being and healthy lifestyles Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013105194862 doi: 10.3390/ijerph10051948 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Reference list]

Kaimal G, Gonzaga AML, Schwachter V. Crafting, health and wellbeing: findings from the survey of public participation in the arts and considerations for art therapists Arts Health. 2017918190 doi: 10.1080/17533015.2016.1185447 [CrossRef] [Reference list]

Renton A, Phillips G, Daykin N, Yu G, Taylor K, Petticrew M. Think of your art-eries: arts participation, behavioural cardiovascular risk factors and mental well-being in deprived communities in London Public Health. 2012126suppl 1S5764 doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2012.05.025 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Reference list]

I’m thrilled to continue the topic of nutrition with a little bit about our metabolism and metabolic health. Think of your metabolism as your body’s engine, the process that converts the food you eat into the energy your body needs to function. It has two main jobs: building up the stuff your body needs (anabolism) and breaking down what you eat into usable energy (catabolism). Essentially, your metabolism is the fuel gauge for your daily activities and maintaining basic body functions, even when you’re just chilling.

While you can’t control some factors affecting metabolism, like genes and age, lifestyle choices—including what you eat and how active you are—can keep your engine running smoothly. A well-functioning metabolism helps you manage weight, stay energetic, and promotes overall health. Maintaining our cellular well-being fundamentally relies on how we nourish our bodies.

Signs of a Healthy Metabolism

When your metabolism is strong and healthy, it benefits your entire system in various ways. Here are some easy-to-spot signs of a robust and balanced metabolism:

• Consistent energy
• Regular, daily bowel movements
• Quality sleep
• A robust immune system
• Steady blood sugar levels
• A vibrant libido
• The ability to bounce back quickly from stress and stay regulated
• Strong hair and nails

Signs of an Imbalanced Metabolism

On the flip side, here are some signs that your metabolism might need some adjustments:

• Weight gain, trouble losing weight, or trouble gaining weight
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Trouble sleeping
• Low sex drive
• Frequent illness
• Constipation (infrequent bowel movements)
• Mood swings
  
  

Supporting Your Metabolism: My Journey & Tips

I’ll be honest with you—I spent a big chunk of my early adult years thinking I was eating healthy when, in reality, I was consuming too many processed foods, sugars, and refined carbohydrates that left my body undernourished and my metabolism struggling. I’m still learning the right balance for my body and discovering what works best for me! Eating intuitively and discovering what foods best support you is often an ongoing process. Our needs may change as we age or even from season to season.

With that in mind, here are a few basics that can help support a healthy metabolism:

• Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Choose whole, minimally processed foods rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Balanced Macronutrients: Strive for a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to support energy production and metabolic function.
• Regular Meal Timing: Aim for regular and balanced meals throughout the day to maintain stable blood sugar levels and support a consistent metabolism.
• Emphasize High-Quality Protein: Include sources of high-quality protein, such as pasture-raised meats, fish, dairy, or plant-based proteins, to support muscle health and metabolic function.
• Include Adequate Carbohydrates: There’s no need to fear carbohydrates, although some people do benefit from fasting from them from time to time; when right for you, include a variety of complex carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to provide sustained energy.
• Prioritize Healthy Fats: Include sources of healthy fats like grass-fed butter, ghee, fish oil, lard and tallow, avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to support hormone production and overall metabolic health.
• Mindful Hydration: Stay adequately hydrated with water (with minerals please!) and herbal teas, as proper hydration is essential for metabolic processes and overall well-being.
• Adequate Intake: Make sure you are consuming enough calories for your body to function optimally. Many people, especially women, are not consuming enough calories, which can negatively affect metabolism and hormonal health. (I’ve discovered that I need around 2200 calories a day to best support my metabolism).
• Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Food: Focus on nourishing your body with positive intentions and avoid restrictive or negative approaches to eating. Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Tuning into gratitude for how our food nourishes us and enjoying the bounty of the season are two ways to cultivate a more loving relationship with our food.
• Minimize Stress: Recognize and manage stress through practices such as mindfulness, deep breathing, and engaging in activities that bring joy. High-stress levels can impact metabolism, so finding healthy coping mechanisms is crucial.

Balancing Macronutrients: The Key to Sustained Energy and Vitality

A balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your meals can help you nurture your body with the diverse nutrients it craves for optimal performance. This trio works together, with protein and fat slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream while healthy carbs provide quick fuel. This combo helps ensure more stable blood sugar levels, keeping you off the energy spike-and-crash rollercoaster.

By prioritizing a balanced intake of macronutrients, you’ll be on your way to sustained energy, effective weight management, and strong muscle maintenance.

For a more personalized approach, consider consulting with a registered dietitian or nutritionist. They can provide guidance tailored to your specific health status, lifestyle, and dietary preferences, helping you optimize your macronutrient and overall dietary intake.

I hope these insights help you feel more vibrant and healthy!

🐝 Bee well,
Kimberly

While individualization is key, certain foundational principles can guide our nutritional choices. These include:

• Whole Foods: Emphasizing nutrient-dense, whole foods provides a spectrum of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support vitality. Processed foods contain many detrimental ingredients, so if it has an ingredient label a mile long, it’s probably best skipped. Opt for food that is as close to its source as possible (i.e. an apple and almond butter over an apple snack bar).
• Balanced Macronutrients: Ensuring a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is crucial for sustained energy and hormonal balance.
• Mind-Body Connection: Recognizing the impact of stress on digestion and metabolism emphasizes the importance of practices such as mindfulness, conection, and relaxation.
• Clean Foods: Since many herbicides and pesticides damage the gut, choose organic or naturally grown options whenever possible.
• Seasonal Eating: Embracing locally available, seasonal foods aligns our diet with nature’s cycles and provides a diverse range of nutrients.
• Gut Health: Prioritizing a diet rich in fiber, fermented foods, and probiotics promotes a healthy gut microbiome, influencing overall well-being.
• Remove Food Intolerances and Allergies: While I encourage people to eat a wide variety of healthy foods, there may be instances where certain foods need to be removed either temporarily or permanently.
• Eat Intuitively: Listening to our bodies to help balance food intake and avoid extremes fosters a sustainable and realistic approach to nutrition.

Throughout my own experimentation around what foods and style of eating works for me, I’ve become a big fan of the pro-metabolic approach and ancestral approach to eating, which is NOT a diet. Rather, it is a framework for supporting efficient energy production, hormonal balance, and overall vitality. Rather than promoting restriction, it encourages a nourishing and sustainable way of eating that aligns with the body’s natural processes.

If I had to choose one overarching philosophy it would be to eat in a way that is closest to how your ancestors ate before their diet was modernized. This might look a little different for everyone, depending on where your genetics hail from, but at its core is the basic element of eating whole foods. That’s why I listed that as principle number one in my last email. I can guarantee that if you change nothing else in your diet other than eliminating processed foods, your health will improve.

I can’t stress enough how crucial high-integrity, nutrient-dense foods are for our well-being. Most of our ancestors ate foods like animal fats, wild and pasture-raised meats and fish, eggs from many different animals, organ meats, sourdough bread (made from various grains, not just wheat), organic fruits and veggies, soaked and fermented nuts, seeds, and grains, high-quality dairy (not only from cows), raw honey, herbs, and salt. These powerhouse foods have been a game-changer for me, providing the essential nutrients our bodies crave. Make each bite count – it’s an investment in your health and you’ll find yourself more satiated and energetic.

If you are feeling encouraged to implement more whole foods into your life, I’m here to cheer you on and offer support!

To many of us (myself included earlier in my life journey), the thought of eliminating processed foods feels daunting. How do we make time to cook meals from scratch every day?? However, what I’ve learned over the years is that meals can be kept simple, and batch prepping and cooking in bulk can go a long way!

Another concern many have is that well-sourced whole foods can be more expensive. While that might be true in some instances, I’ve actually found that many of the most nutrient-packed foods are actually some of the most cost-effective. For instance, organ meats are absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals yet are often discarded by butchers. A whole chicken will provide several meals for a small family. Bone broth is filled with nutrition and does not require much cost or active effort. Dry beans and rice are quite low cost but can be easily cooked to provide valuable nutrition.

Nutrient-dense foods may look more expensive, but dollar for dollar you will probably find that they keep you satiated longer than processed foods. In fact, recently I noticed that a bag of Doritos at my local grocery store is the same cost as a large container of organic cottage cheese. Which one of these will provide the most nutrition and keep us satiated longest?  Although health is never guaranteed, these whole foods may even reduce medical expenses in the future by keeping you healthier.

Without delving too deeply today, I’d like to offer a few snack suggestions that are on the easier side to prepare. These practical ideas can seamlessly fit into your routine without overwhelming you. Feel free to screenshot or download this image to save for future reference.

As an added health bonus, you may also choose to eat locally and seasonally, giving yourself the added benefits of very fresh food. Of course, it’s important to not get overwhelmed when you are making changes, so start where you are able and do what fits. Baby steps over time can be just as effective as giant leaps, or even more effective because they create healthy habits.

Wishing you love and chamomile 💛 ,
Kimberly

What was going on? Well, friends…we installed a reverse osmosis water filtration system a couple of years ago because we found higher levels of arsenic in our well water than we were comfortable with. It felt like a great investment in our health (and I still think it was), but little did I know, there was a hidden health danger to this “pure” water.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems are fantastic for filtering water to eliminate nearly everything – pollutants, bacteria, chemicals, minerals….oh, yeah, did I say minerals? For example, RO water removes 92 to 99% of calcium and magnesium. Well, it turns out, that our body runs on minerals! They are the foundation of biological makeup. So, what happens when you remove them from your water?

Reverse osmosis removes a wide range of dissolved salts, minerals, and contaminants from water. As a result, the RO water is relatively “pure” and lacks dissolved ions like calcium, magnesium, and sodium. This makes it more aggressive in attempting to restore its mineral content, and as a result, it may dissolve substances from materials it comes into contact with more readily.

When people rely heavily on RO water for hydration, they might not obtain enough minerals from their drinking water, potentially contributing to mineral deficiencies over time. What’s more, when the body lacks sufficient minerals from drinking water, it may compensate by pulling minerals from bones and tissues, leading to increased mineral excretion in urine. This could potentially contribute to mineral imbalances in the body over time.

Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are crucial for maintaining proper fluid balance, nerve function, muscle contraction, and overall cellular health. Consuming water devoid of these minerals may disrupt electrolyte balance over time, leading to symptoms like muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, and even heart irregularities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns about the long-term consumption of demineralized water. Their reports highlight potential risks, such as:

• Increased urinary excretion of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.
• Disruption of electrolyte balance and acid-base equilibrium.
• Increased risk of certain health conditions if dietary compensation is inadequate.

Water expert, Jen Isabel Friend, also highlights that these minerals are essential for health, as they contribute to hydration, cellular communication, and other bodily functions. RO water, due to its high-pressure filtration process, is thought to lose this natural structure. Jen suggests this may make it less energetically aligned with the body and reduce its vitality. Jen strongly advocates for enhancing RO water with minerals and structural techniques or choosing natural water sources to maximize hydration, vitality, and alignment with the body’s energetic needs.

For these reasons, if we are filtering our water it is important to add these essential minerals back in. I’ll explain how to do this below.

Regardless of the above-mentioned risks, I’m still a big fan of reverse osmosis water because of all of the contaminants we are exposed to through our drinking water day in and day out. Things like heavy metals, chlorine and other disinfectants, hormones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, herbicides, endocrine disruptors, microplastics, and more. Yes, there are other filtration options as well, but most of the filtration systems that are worth considering are going to cost quite a bit more than a Reverse Osmosis system.

By and large, from the reading I have done, I would suggest staying away from cheap carbon filters like Pur and Brita. These filters don’t remove a lot of important contaminants and can actually increase the amount of contaminants if the filters are not changed soon enough. My top choice of water would be high-quality spring water right from the source, but most of us don’t really have that as an option.

So, what’s a person to do?

We need to be adding the minerals back into our water. I’m going to give you a few options, but the one I’ve come to like the most is making my own mixture of electrolytes to add back into my water. All of the options below have helped me tremendously. I noticed some benefits immediately, but after making sure to add minerals back into all of my water over the course of many months I can honestly say that I’m noticing some big shifts.

This is the recipe I’ve been using. I will include links to the ingredients on Amazon. (Just to let you know, these are affiliate links. I make a very small amount of commission from them if you choose to purchase from these links but by no means do I want you to feel pressured to use them).

HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX – NO SUGAR- FOR REGULAR WATER CONSUMPTION

• 4 Parts French Gray Sea Salt (840 mg of sodium per 1/2 tsp) – French Gray Sea Salt also contains trace minerals, which are beneficial to your overall mineral status. If you prefer, you can also choose Celtic Sea Salt or Real Pink Salt.
• 2 Parts potassium chloride (730mg of potassium per 1/4 tsp)
• 1 Part magnesium chloride (60mg of magnesium per 1/8 tsp)

TO MAKE:

• Mix all of these ingredients into a glass jar in the proper ratios, then stir and shake very well to evenly distribute the granules.
• When you are ready to make your water, you can vary the amount of powder you add to your preference but as a general starting point, you can add 1/2 to 1 tsp of the powder to 4 cups (1 Liter) of water (or add more if you need extra electrolytes, say post-workout).

HOMEMADE ELECTROLYTE MIX – SUGAR ADDED – FOR ENHANCED HYDRATION

• Follow the above recipe, but for every amount of salt you use, add an equal amount of sugar. You can substitute regular sugar with coconut sugar or maple sugar for a natural twist, and adjust the sugar to taste.
• To enhance the flavor and health benefits, consider adding a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to your glass when mixing the minerals with water. (Avoid adding these to the jar of stored mineral mix to maintain its shelf life.) Feel free to experiment with the amounts to find the perfect balance that works for you.
• Adding sugar, particularly in the form of glucose, plays a key role in facilitating the absorption of electrolytes, especially sodium, in the intestines. This occurs through a process called sodium-glucose co-transport, which is vital for effective hydration.
• This mechanism is especially beneficial during dehydration caused by conditions such as diarrhea, vomiting, or intense physical exertion, as it allows for rapid electrolyte and fluid replenishment.

PRE-MADE OPTIONS

If you would prefer to buy minerals/electrolytes to add back in rather than make your own, here are a few of my favorites:

• E-Lyte (This is a lower sodium, higher magnesium option, for those who prefer that. It does not contain added flavoring. I like the taste of this one.)
• LMNT (IF you like convenient packets plus tasty flavoring without a bunch of icky fillers, this brand is a great option.)
• Trace Minerals 40,000 Volts (I also really like the taste of this one and it doesn’t contain added flavoring). Trace Minerals also makes convenient dosed packets with flavoring.)

I’d love to hear if you try making your own electrolyte powder, or if you learned something new from this post.

Be Well,
KImberly

In holistic health circles, it’s often said that healing from a condition takes time proportional to how long you’ve been out of balance. I’ve seen this play out many times, including in my own life, though there are always exceptions. Generally speaking, the longer you’ve been dealing with an illness or condition, the longer it may take to heal. Chronic conditions often result from imbalances that develop over long periods, becoming deeply ingrained in the body. This means that we will need time to bring the body back into balance and allow it to repair.

That said, healing doesn’t have to be complicated! A healing protocol can be straightforward and reconnect you to the basics. That’s why I emphasize the 8 Roots of Wellness. Focusing on the fundamentals is a great way to restore balance in the body. From a Vitalist perspective, all dis-ease is linked to some imbalance.

Our bodies possess a strong life-force and an innate desire to heal. Healing becomes possible when we remove barriers and provide the body with any missing components it needs. Uncovering these barriers and blessings (as I like to call them) often involves some trial and error. That’s why it’s important to remember that healing isn’t linear. There will be progress, setbacks, and then progress again.

In my own recent journey with gut infections and inflammation, I experienced a significant healing crisis (also known as a detox reaction, die-off, or Herxheimer reaction) when I first began my protocol. I had to take a step back to slow down and rebalance before continuing. It took some trial and error to find the herbs that worked best for me. There were moments of physical or mental stress that set me back, but I found balance again and moved forward. It’s a natural part of the process.

It took me a lifetime to develop many of these chronic issues, and I’ve been working on rebalancing and repairing my body for years! But I can see progress so I know I’m heading in the right direction. It’s important to not get to discouraged during our healing journey, and keep track of all the progress we have made.

This healing journey is so close to my heart that I actually wrote a poem about it:

The vital life force that is always directed at healing. That healing journey, however, is not always a straight path. Have you ever felt that your healing has been taking too long? I encourage you to give yourself grace and patience as you uncover your path. If you need a little guidance, you may want to find a practitioner that can help you come up with a plan tailored for you. I’m available for consultations and there are many other skilled practitioners out there too.

We Are Complex Beings

We are not just our physical bodies but a multifaceted and complete organism that is also part of a greater organism (the human collective) and a greater one still (the planet) and a greater one still (the solar system) and so on…We are also made up of billions of other organisms!

Did you know that we actually contain about 3 times more bacterial cells than human cells? Wild! We are quite literally more-than-human. All this to say, we do not exist in isolation and everything within and without us plays a role in our well-being. The microbes we are made to play a large role and the environment around us plays a large role too.

What’s more, we are greater than just our physicality. We are also equally mental, spiritual, and emotional. Meaning, we are mind, body, spirit, and soul. Each of these aspects is equally important and it is vital that we give weight to each of these components in our wellness journey.

There is an ancient way of looking at these components of ourselves that also relates us to the world around us. It’s called the Medicine Wheel. Cultures the world over, from the Celts to the indigenous peoples of the Americas have used medicine wheels to help place ourselves in relation to the greater context.

I find it very helpful for myself to orient within this medicine wheel framework. One way we can divide that Medicine wheel that also relates to these pieces of mind, body, spirit, and soul is by using the four elements of air, earth, fire, and water. Many also consider a fifth element in the center, which represents the connection of all of these, the self, and the above and below.

Anyone who has ever studied ancient healing traditions, been to an acupuncturist, seen a chiropractor, or has a general understanding of anatomy probably has at least a basic idea of how our body consists of energetic and physical channels that connect throughout the body.  Organs and organ systems do not exist in isolation. The lungs are connected to the colon, our heart is associated with the small intestine, the liver helps to nourish tendons and joints, and so on…

This all goes to show that we are complex beings on all levels. When one aspect of our self is out of balance, other areas can also be thrown out of balance. If we are anxious and stressed, it can take a physical toll on the body. If the gut is in trouble, it can manifest in the skin. When assessing any health challenge or working to come into better balance, it is imperative that we do not look at anything in isolation but rather assess the body (along with the mind, spirit, and soul) as a whole with many facets.

Does this feel relevant in your own life? I’d love to know below in the comments!

Bee well 🐝💚,

Kimberly

Each element has distinct characteristics which directly relate to aspects within our bodies and the world around us. Because there is no separation of humans and nature, our health is directly correlated to our ability to tune in to the world around us and work in rhythm with the elements and seasons as much as we can. What happens externally affects us internally.  Understanding and working with each element can help us to achieve greater balance and therefor greater health.

The air element is the concept of motion. It occurs when Ether is given movement and direction through vibrational energy. It represents all the forces in nature that have the ability to move things like gravity, wind, propulsion, the tides, etc. Air has characteristics of lightness, dryness, subtlety, coldness, roughness, and dispersiveness. Like any element, it can bring us more in balance or more out of balance depending on our personal state by causing us to become more dry and more cold or increasing movement. This is why understanding the elements and ways to work with them is so valuable to health!

In Ayurveda, Doshas are the three energies that define every person’s makeup and are associated with particular elements. The Vata Dosha corresponds to air and cold. A person that has a lot of Vata energy will tend toward having dry skin and hair, being cold, typically have a light and wiry frame, and perhaps find it difficult to sit still. Vata’s beneficial qualities include creativity, exuberance, mental acuity, transformation, change, positivity, and flexibility. When Vata is in excess it can bring about anxiety and restlessness, an overactive mind, irregularity in moods and bodily functions, extreme cold and dryness, achy dry joints, digestive problems, etc.

Every Dosha can benefit from knowing how the elements affect us and how to help balance their energy. The Vata Dosha will be especially thrown off balance by wind, so those with a strong Vata Dosha will want to pay even closer attention to working with and managing the wind/air element in their life.

The following tips will help you to maintain balance in your body and emotions during windy weather.

• Wear something over your ears when you go outside, like a hat, hood, scarf, earmuffs, or ear warmers. It can also be helpful to wrap a scarf around your neck, mouth, and nose if the weather is cold.
• Be prepared with clothes that block the wind. A windbreaker jacket is great,or a rain jacket can be helpful even if it’s not raining because of its wind blocking properties.
• Earth and Water elements counteract the effects of wind. Taking a salt bath or use a salt scrub in the shower to help you to ground your energy and warm up.

• Practice slow and gentle stretching exercises that get you on the ground, like Yoga.
• Find stability through meditation and stillness. Taking long, deep, gentle breathes through your nose can be very grounding.
• Stay hydrated with plenty of room temperature or warm water, herbal teas, and other warm drinks. Avoid drinks with caffeine, however, since caffeine increases the wind/air element.

• Enjoy a face steam. Check out this blog post for more information on how to do steams.
• Eat warm and moist foods, like soups, stews, curries, casseroles etc. These will be especially helpful when paired with grounding foods like pasture-raised meats and root vegetables.
• Imbibe in warming spices that increase your digestive fire, like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, turmeric, ginger, etc.
• Enjoy a heating pad, one of the microwavable heating pads filled with grains, or a warm water bottle on your skin, especially in any areas you are cold.
• Offer yourself self-massage. Adding in body oils, like sesame oil or my Liquid Gold Oil can be very helpful, especially when dry, popping joints (a sign of excess air element) or achiness is involved.

Like people, herbs also have elements with which they are more closely associated. In this way, we can work with herbs that counteract the air element when we are needing to reduce the effects of wind on our body. Warming, sweet, moistening, calming, and nourishing herbs are particularly suited to balancing excess wind. Here are some herbs that can be helpful to work with:

• Tulsi – Also known as Holy Basil, Tulsi is a gently warming, pungent herb that brings a feeling of solidity and groundedness. Tulsi helps bring about more resilience by quieting the mind, focusing thoughts, and uplifting mood. Tulsi is wonderful taken as an infusion (tea). My Tulsi Chai is an excellent way to warm up and soothe the nerves on windy days!

• Milky Oats – This beautifully restorative herb is actually the seed of the oat plant harvested during the narrow window of time when it is exuding a milky white sap. Milky Oats nourishes and feeds the nervous system. It moistens, provides minerals, and creates deeper resilience when used consistently for longer periods of time. To use, the oat seed should be harvested in the green, milky stage and preserved immediately in a tincture.
• Burdock Root – Burdock produces and long, deep tap root, which is the part of the plant we use for both food and medicine. Burdock has a sweet, earthy taste which indicates it is well suited for Vata types. It is a very grounding herb. The root is excellent for aiding digestion because of its high inulin, a pre-biotic fiber that feeds the microbiome. Burdock is typically taken as a decoction (roots simmered in water for around 20 minutes). My Awaken Herbal Coffee Alternative is another great way to incorporate Burdock and other grounding herbs into your day.
• Cinnamon – This beloved kitchen spice is a warming favorite for adding to all things sweet. Interestingly, it is both astringent and demulcent, which means it can help to coat and soothe irritated membranes at the same time as toning those membranes to better keep moisture in the body. You can add ground cinnamon to foods like oatmeal, soups and stews, or warm beverages.

• Ginger – another beloved kitchen spice, ginger has an affinity for warming the digestive system in a way that can help improve motility and reduce gas and bloating. As a root, it tends to offer grounding properties like burdock and other roots. As an added bonus, it is rich in antioxidants, can help calm inflammation, and has anti-viral properties.
• Catnip – You may not have expected to see this herb here, but Catnip is an excellent herb for quelling excess air that comes in the form of nervous energy or nervous stomach. Catnip is both warming and cooling at the same time. In the digestive system, it can cool irritation, stimulate better digestion, and relieve gas pains. It has nervine and sedative properties which help to ease restlessness and calm the mind. It is wonderful in tea blends or tinctures. You can find Catnip in this beautiful Garden Nymph Tea blend.

I hope these tips help you to stay more balanced, especially when that wind tries to throw you off course! Want to share how these tips helped you, or anything else you would add here? Share in the comments.

Stay joyfully rooted,
Kimberly

Are you ready to amplify your skills as a home healer and enhance your health by aligning to herbal allies and seasonal rhythms? I know so many people are wanting more empowerment over their health and feeling the urge to tune in closer to the plant world and seasonal living. This is exactly why I created my seasonal self-care and wellness empowerment subscription – Plant Magic! Each season (4 times per year) you receive herbal products that I create in large part from the Joyful Roots Ranch herb garden straight to your mailbox. You also receive a beautifully curated mini magazine which includes a depth of information all about the featured herb, seasonal living tips, ritual ideas, recipes, myth and lore, and other magical content (Download an example below). What’s more, you get to be a part of our private Facebook community, which is a huge value in and of itself.

As a peek into the world of Plant Magic, I’d like to offer you a free sample of one of our past Zines which highlighted a beautiful herbal ally, Elecampane. Elecampane is such an amazing, aromatic herb that is mainly used as a warming and strengthening herb for the lungs and digestive system. This Zine contains a plethora of information, but keep in mind that the upcoming Plant Magic zines will include slightly more content and breadth because they will be released once a season instead of every month. You will also receive full value (most likely exceeding the value) in products for each seasonal share. Elecampane is the perfect herb to be sharing right now, as we approach spring and Imbolc, which I also discuss in this zine! Enjoy!

Plants are so much more than a pretty thing to look at, although they do make our world so much more beautiful! Since humans have been around, we have evolved with plants. Our bodily chemistry was literally made to harmonize with the plant world around us. Because of our deep-seeded (like that pun?) connection with them, plants are powerful allies in our quest to maintain and amplify our health and wellness. Are you looking forward to learning more about the plants which grow around us and we can tend to ourselves? Then I hope to have you join me in making some Plant Magic.

Reaching deep into the emotional body, the Rose travels into those thorny places within the memories of the heart where wounds and scars formed from the traumas of the past. This brings healing, forgiveness, resolution and an opening to the heart, giving life to the new bud of hope growing within.

The roses are going wild with the recent monsoon rains and I’m a happy girl! Rose is one of my absolute favorite plants. The beauty of the rose is beyond measure and the fragrance nearly transports you to another dimension! Roses are good medicine, both physically and emotionally. Roses are cooling and tonifying, which makes them wonderful summer allies. They are amazing in cosmetics too. But aside from those two things, I love to add rose petals to all manner of foods. They are packed with nutrients, like Vitamin C, Flavonoids, B Vitamins, and many more vitamins and minerals.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy roses in food is to add them to my smoothies. Recently, I made a smoothie that was so delish I thought I would share it with you here. You can also pour the blended smoothie into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy them as a cool summer treat that way. Enjoy!

Would you like to get more unique recipes and take a deep dive into a new herb each month? Would you like to receive delicious botanical creations to your mailbox each month and have beautiful herbal tools on hand for when you need them? Would you like to enrich your world with a little more plant magic? Check out my monthly offering for Plant Magic at Patreon here

How about you? Have you been feeling a range of emotions like me, and have you allowed yourself to feel those emotions when they arise? Have you cried lately? For much of my life, I looked at crying as weakness and the interesting thing about that is the tears would often come out full-force in the least opportune times (like in the middle of class) because they were so pent up. It also caused a lot of anxiety in my body. We don’t have to stockpile emotions (or toilet paper for that matter). One excellent way to build resilience in your being is to allow yourself to feel the range of emotions without judgment. Let them surface and find non-harmful ways to release them. Crying is one way to do that. Your tears are literally cleansing your body of stuck emotions, like grief. In these times we are also learning how interconnected we really are. As you recognize and release your own grief, sadness, anger, or whatever you are feeling, you are also doing your part to release that for the collective. We can be a part of a collective healing right now.

I’m writing today mainly to share some herbal tips for building resilience in your body, but as we know wellness is more than just throwing herbs at a situation. This is why I wanted to bring up the power of release in addition to herbal suggestions for supporting your immune system and whole body during these “viral” times. I believe that one of our best defenses right now is to help our bodies be more resilient through mind and body to be more prepared if we encounter a virus. I also want to make these solutions as accessible as possible. I’m going to share a few things that I’m doing at home and hope they are helpful to you!

Sinus Steams

Sinus steams are accessible to nearly everyone and you can usually find plants for this right outside your back door or at a local park. Sinus steams are extremely helpful at getting the volatile oils, or essential oils, of plants into your sinuses and respiratory tract. Volatile oils are some of the healing components of plants and are called “volatile” because they are easily released with heat. Since many viruses live in our nasal cavities and throat, the antimicrobial properties of essential oils can be quite an effective preventative. Herbal steams can help keep nasal passageways moisturized, loosen up mucus, and relieve stuffiness.

I suggest using plant material that is most abundant in your area or most easily accessible at your local grocery stores. Typically I will forage in my high-desert backyard for plants like rosemary, thyme, various sages, and creosote bush. If you live in temperate climates, you may likely have access to evergreen trees even in the winter. Cypress, fir, and pines are all wonderful natural antiseptics and expectorants, meaning they kill microbes and help to loosen and thin mucus. Maybe you are also lucky to have Eucalyptus trees growing in your area. You can use the leaves from these too. As with any time you forage, please make sure you are 100% certain you have correctly identified the plant and that it has not been sprayed with chemicals.

You can also typically find aromatic herbs like thyme, rosemary, and basil fresh in the produce department at the grocery store. Orange, lemon, and grapefruit peels are also highly antimicrobial and will help to ease congestion. If those don’t suit your fancy or aren’t available, check the spice aisle. Cinnamon, cloves, sweet marjoram, peppermint, and dried rosemary and thyme are typically available there.

To make a decongesting sinus steam, place your fresh or dried herbs in a heatproof bowl, on your lap or on a table. Have a bath towel handy to put over your head. Carefully pour boiling water over the herbs and then (with caution to prevent burns) slowly place your face over the steam and put the towel over your head like a tent. Breathe in the steam until it is no longer hot or you feel you have had enough.

Herbal Broths

Another favorite immune system supporting remedy in our home is herbal broth. You can use beef or chicken bones, mushrooms, or just use vegetables and herbs to make a stock. Either way, this is a great way to load up on herbs and warm your body too. When experiencing any sort of respiratory infection, it’s best to avoid cold foods and stick with warm, cooked foods and warm drinks.

You can add dried herbs or fresh foraged herbs to your stock or a big pot of water and simmer on low for 6 – 48 hours, depending on what’s in it. For just herbs and veggies, 6 hours is fine. If it includes chicken bones you want to simmer 24 hours and if it includes beef bones you want to simmer 48 hours.

Some wonderful herbs (fungi) to add to about a gallon of water/broth are:

• Astragulus root (a handful or so)
• Nettles (a handful or so)
• Thyme (4 fresh spring or 1 Tablespoon dried)
• Garden Sage (2 fresh sprigs or 2 tablespoons dried)
• Rosemary (2 fresh sprigs or 1 tablespoon dried)
• Parsley (4-6 fresh sprigs or 1 tablespoon dried)
• Lovage (1-2 fresh sprigs or 1 tsp dried)
• Bee Balm (Monarda) (1-2 fresh sprigs or 1-2 tsp dried)
• Shitake, Maitake, and Reishi Mushrooms
• 1 Bay Laurel leaf
• Crushed garlic
• Green onions
• Chopped onions
• Chives
• Ginger
• Black pepper

Teas

In our house, we are pretty much drinking tea all day long right now. I wanted to share a couple of my favorite blends.

As a preventative to illness, my favorite tea has been my Winter Wellness Tea and I’d love to share the recipe with you. This tea is wonderful for drinking daily, prior to showing any signs of illness. If you develop a cough or fever, there are a couple of other blends that can be supportive in those times: a fever blend and a lung support blend.

You can make as much or as little as you like, but I’ll provide you with the ratios. Blend the herbs in a jar so that you can make tea when you like. Once you have your tea blended, use 1-2 tablespoons loose tea for every 2 cups of boiling water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes, then strain.

Measurements are by volume of dried herbs.

I also have my Winter Wellness Tea available in the shop if you don’t want to make it on your own.

If you develop a fever, the vitalist perspective supports the body’s natural process rather than suppressing the fever. So if chills are present, we want to help the body be productive, open the pores of the skin, and enhance sweating. Herbs that help this process are called Diaphoretic herbs. Here is my recipe for Fever Tea.

For the following teas, use the same brewing instructions as the Winter Wellness Tea above.

If you feel congestion or mucus developing, the following tea will help to support your lungs and respiratory tract.

If you don’t have all the herbs I’ve mentioned in the blends, use what you have. I have been enjoying plain old thyme as a single herb tea and I’m finding it very supportive of my lungs. If you can find organic oranges and ginger at your store, the orange peels and ginger make a wonderful tea as well.

Infused Vinegar

Herb-infused vinegars can be very useful as remedies and can also be used in marinades, dressings, and even in cocktails. Apple cider vinegar is a useful remedy in its own right. One well-known remedy that goes well with vinegar is the Four Thieves combination of herbs, written about by British physician John Ayrton Paris in the 1825 edition of Pharmacologia. The legend says that there were four thieves that were robbing the dead bodies during the Plague of Marseilles and when asked how they did not become ill, they described the aromatic vinegar that had spared them.

Many different herbs have been suggested to have been used in the four thieves recipes, but some of the most commonly reported are sage, lavender, rosemary, and thyme. I would also recommend adding in crushed black peppercorns to enhance the bioavailability of the herbs into our bodies.

To make, place 1 tablespoon of each of the dried sage, lavender, rosemary, and thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper in a pint jar. Cover the herbs with room temperature or slightly warmed apple cider vinegar and fill the jar to the top. Cap with a tight-fitting plastic lid. Label and date. Store in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain the vinegar through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth and store the liquid in a glass jar with a plastic lid. Remember to label and date this too!

This is just a sampling of what you can do to support your health, but I hope it brings you some new ideas and more resilience your way. I’m wishing everyone health and empowerment and a positive outlook during these strange times. Sending you all my love!

Let’s chat about some ways to fortify our immune systems and support our bodies in this season of cold.

Rest

This is a time to burrow in, cozy up, and sip on herbal tea all day long. Rest is not an herb, but I would be remiss not to mention this very important medicine! As the Earth draws her energy inward, the creatures burrow down, and the leaves decay into the Earth, we should take notice. These patterns are indications of what we should also be doing in our own lives. The Holiday Bustle may be so tempting, but the most important thing we can do to help our mind body, and spirit this season is to take cues from Mother Nature and rest. Check out my post here to see what happened to me when I didn’t heed my own advice.

Elderberry

How could I not put this herb first on my list? Elder is sometimes called “The Medicine Chest of the Country People” and for good reason. This tree that grows all over the world, has been studied quite a bit for its anti-viral properties. What’s more, the deep rich purple color is a signature of its high anthocyanin content which makes it a potent antioxidant.

The Scottish Ogham indicates Elder as the representational tree from November 25th through December 22nd which is perfectly fitting! Its affinity for opening our body’s channels of elimination and supporting the respiratory tract makes it a perfect ally for this time of year.

Try your hand at making some Elderberry Syrup or an Elderberry Oxymel.

Rosemary

Rosemary is not just for remembrance, even though we can probably use a boost of mental clarity any time of year. One of the reasons I love Rosemary so much in the winter is that it helps to improve circulation, especially to the periphery. Bye Bye, freezing hands and feet (a big problem for me in the winter)! What’s more, its green and silver leaves have such a fantastic aroma completely reminiscent of pine and all things wintery. Because of its carminative actions, it also helps us to better digest our food, a bonus when cold weather slows our digestion just in time for the rich food of the holidays!

There is unclear evidence, yet some sources say not to take rosemary while pregnant. Rosemary should not be taken at the same time as iron supplements.

Check out the Rosemary Tisane recipe in this post for an easy way to use Rosemary.

Cinnamon

The scent of cinnamon just brings about Holiday cheer, doesn’t it!? From apple pies to mulled cider, cinnamon is a staple cooking spice for winter, but it is also a wonderful herb for many people during the cold months. That’s because Cinnamon is a warming tonic.

A cup of cinnamon tea, made by steeping a cinnamon stick in a cup of water for ten minutes, can warm the body, help with digestion, soothe sore joints, and lift the mood.

Cinnamon works so well in both savory and sweet dishes. Check out this delectable Corn and Cinnamon Chowder!

Rose Hips

Rose hips are often overlooked after the showy splendor of the rose flower but make no mistake, the fruit of the rose packs a powerful superfood punch! Rose hips are very high in Vitamin C and are rich in antioxidants. What’s more, the flavonoids in rose hips help to synergize the effect of Vitamin C in our bodies. These nutrients can help boost immunity, lower blood pressure, and improve cardiovascular health.

Rose hip tea has mucilaginous properties that coat and soothe mucus membranes, making this a great tea for sore throats. The high pectin content of rose hips can also help to eliminate unwanted substances (like environmental toxins) from your body by binding to them as they move through your system.

Sage

Salvia officinalis is native to the Mediterranean and has been celebrated for a great deal of time. The word Salvia derives from the Latin salvere “to feel well and healthy, health, heal”, which is quite a testament to the abilities of this herb! What’s more, the hallmark “officinalis” means that this herb was the official herb used in the storerooms of a monastery, giving it claim to its use as a beloved remedy.

Because of its astringent actions, Sage excels at building tissue, moistening, and rebuilding dry skin and connective tissue, relieving arthritis and joint pain associated with cold, damp weather. It is also helpful for soothing sore and inflamed throats and tonsillitis.  It helps to thin and expectorate phlegm from the lungs and dry up a postnasal drip and runny sinuses, making this a wonderful winter ally!

Try this recipe for Sage + Thyme Infused Honey to stock your herbal cabinet!

Ginger

Ah, the scent of ginger just fills my mind with thoughts of the holidays! There’s a good reason why ginger is an ingredient in so many of our beloved holiday foods, like gingerbread cookies! Ginger supports a healthy inflammatory response and has many antimicrobial properties. Plus, the warming action of ginger is great for cold weather.

Drink a cup of ginger tea every day; add ginger to your favorite dishes; or try making a creamy beverage with ginger, like this ginger latte recipe.

Chamomile

Mostly known for its soothing action on the nerves, Chamomile is much more robust and multifaceted than is often recognized! Chamomile is a living paradox, both gentle and powerful at the same time. Our digestion can get sluggish in cold winter, so because chamomile stimulates digestive secretions to better utilize food and normalize our digestive function it’s a great winter ally!

What’s more, sleep is so important during this season of rest. Taken before bed, chamomile can help you to get more shut-eye this winter. For a delicious winter cocktail that may be a treat for winding down or a sore throat soother, check out this Chamomile Hot Toddy.

Thanks for being here and may 2020 bring you many magical blessings!

I’ll tell you what is natural to me and what I’m committed to creating for you at Joyful Roots, but first let’s chat about why it is so important to choose wisely what you put on your skin.

It’s indisputable that the rate of chronic illness has risen drastically in the last 50 years, to the point where it is no longer just impacting adults and elderly, but our youth as well. Many of us are concerned about what we eat, but we should be just as concerned with what we put on our skin. Why? Our skin is porous and our largest organism. A large majority of what we put on our skin eventually enters our body and bloodstream, bypassing our digestive system (which is a natural filter) altogether and often ends up being stored in our organs and fatty tissue. With the incredible amount of synthetic chemicals and fragrances in the bath and beauty product industry these days, it’s no wonder that it’s wreaking havoc on our health!

What’s more, so many of our body products are literally designed to stop our body from performing its natural processes! Think deodorant, sunscreen, mouthwash, and tampons…plug it up and block it off. Did you know that in doing this we are also plugging up our elimination pathways, the very mechanisms our bodies have created to eliminate toxins and waste?

With the clear lack of chemical regulation and drastic oversight within the skincare industry, it’s up to each of us to decide what we want to put on our bodies and read labels. We need to educate ourselves and make a conscious decision to use products that benefit our health. Can skincare be helpful instead of harmful? Oh yes!! Read on.

To me, the term “natural” means that ingredients are derived directly from plants or animals and have not been adulterated beyond a normal process of cold pressing oils, grinding herbs, a little heat now and then, and possibly fermenting (think apple cider vinegar), or distilling (think essential oils). The product should not contain any petroleum products or synthetic chemicals, even during the extraction process. The ingredient should not be processed beyond its recognizable form. The ingredient should be pure. Think, was it something my great-great-grandmother could have acquired or created? Were people 200 years ago able to make this ingredient with their current technology? There are possibly a few exceptions to this, like CO2 extraction methods for essential oils, but those examples are very few and far between.

Here’s the thing, if you want to have truly natural products that are shelf stable and safe, there are only a few ways to accomplish this. If you don’t have one or all of these criteria, then the product is NOT shelf stable and/or NOT SAFE meaning it could contain harmful bacteria, mold, or yeasts.

None of these natural products will last forever, but in my opinion that’s a good thing. Does anything natural last forever? Joyful Roots makes our products as fresh as possible, sometimes coming directly from our garden to your face. The products may not last for years because they aren’t intended to! You can be sure though that they also haven’t sat in a warehouse somewhere for years before they arrive in your hands, and because of that, we don’t need to formulate for long-term storage (read: lots of preservatives and stabilizers).

The first way to be preservative-free is to be waterless. Waterless products can be oil based or non-oil based. Oil based products are things like massage oil, face oils, salves and balms. They do not need preservatives because harmful bacteria will not grow without moisture. Spores may land on the surface but they cannot germinate…water is life. Non-oil based products are things like glycerin extractions, dried powdered herbs and clays, salts, etc. These products require that the mixture stay completely dry to prevent any unwanted microbes from entering. Take our Sea Goddess Mask for instance. You add your own liquid to a small amount of the powder in a separate container for each use, to keep the rest of it dry and safe.

Another option is pH controlled formulas – think Apple Cider Vinegar. High levels of salt and sugar can also help to preserve a product, as can alcohol. This is what we use to prevent microbes from brewing in Mystic Mist, along with a closed spray container that helps to prevent contamination.

Most of Joyful Roots products are waterless and there are many good reasons for this. The first is obvious based on this conversation – we haven’t found a preservative we are comfortable using in our products. Bacteria need water to live, and we don’t want to sell you a product that contains harmful bacteria or harmful chemicals – simple as that.

Water is a cheap ingredient. Sure, it may be necessary for certain products, like sprays and mists, but beyond that it’s really not necessary. Waterless skincare means you are getting more concentrated products and more of the active ingredients that your skin and body love!! It’s definitely more bang for your buck.

Of course, we love playing around with botanicals and formulas to create products that you will adore. There are no hard-fast rules here other than that we are committed to providing you with the purest, most natural, most nourishing products we can, while always being transparent about what is in them and how they are created. That is the Joyful Roots commitment to you!

Soon, nature begins to signal to us that it is a time to let that which no longer serves us to “fall away.” Trees begin to loose their leaves, exposing bare branches. Annuals begin to scatter their seeds and prepare to wither back into the Earth. Fall is a time for coming back to our roots and shedding away that which no longer serves us. We can begin to use the fall energy to move inward and ground into our being.

With the magic of this season in mind, I’ve put together some ideas for harnessing that fall energy in our lives.

Offer a gift of harvest to the earth

Mother Earth gives us so many blessings and we’ve just arrived at the other end of summer, hopefully with an abundance of gifts from our garden. If not your own garden, you certainly have seen abundance from farmer’s markets, grocery stores, or maybe from a friend’s garden, yes? It’s important to show our gratitude for all these gifts and one way we can do that is to make an offering back to the Earth. You can create an alter and make it as fancy or simple as you like, or you can simply set out a bowl of Milk, honey, berries, or other fruits and veggies. Perhaps you may want to light a candle and offer some words of gratitude as well.

Soak Up The Last Summer Sun

Soon the sun will sink lower into the horizon and the cold will be upon us. While you can, this is a wonderful time to catch some extra golden rays. Of course, it’s important to practice sun safety here, but sitting in the sun with as much skin exposed as you can and no sunscreen for a short period of time can give us some much needed Vitamin D. Here is a wonderful compilation of information for more on Sun Safety.

Walk Barefoot On The Earth

Just as the air will be getting colder, so will the Earth. Ground and root your spirit by taking off your shoes and socks and getting some “Earthing” energy by walking with your bare feet on the ground, or even laying on the ground for a while. Gaia is great at helping us to feel more rooted and stable. It’s not just woo woo, but scientifically shown that being in contact with the Earth positively affects our own electromagnetic state and reduces inflammation.

Release Your Stuck Energy To Gaia

As I said earlier, Autumn is the season of letting go. While you are Earthing, you can also energetically send the patterns, beliefs, and thoughts down through your body and into the Earth. Visualize these energies that are no longer serving you as a ball of light and give it to Gaia. Picture it traveling out of your body and down into the core of the Earth so that it can be transmuted. Or alternatively, you can whisper that which you wish to get rid of onto a feather or other biodegradable item and bury in the Earth to be released and transformed.

Create a Root Vegetable Stew

As Autumn is the time to get rooted, it’s also the perfect time to eat the roots of vegetables we have harvested (or purchased from the store too). I’m notoriously bad at following recipes, so when I make stew I usually just take what I have on hand and add it to a big pot of broth, add salt and spices that have a complimentary flavor profile, and let it simmer until cooked.

Some root vegetables for fall stews are: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, fennel, celeriac, turmeric, and rutabaga.

Bring On The Elderberries

Now is a wonderful time to bring elderberries into your life, for added immune support during the cooler months. Rich in antioxidants and biofalvinoids, Elder is adored the world-over.  In our home, elderberry syrup and elderberry oxymels are a staple! We have experienced better resilience when temperatures plummet and sniffles abound!

Plant Garlic

Fall is typically when you plant garlic, depending on where you live. So if you have a space or even a pot, dig around in some soil and plant yourself some garlic for next year. The simple act of putting our hands in the soil can have a huge effect on our well-being.

Delight In Earth Tones

Why not surround yourself in colors of fall? Bring some beautiful oranges, reds, yellows, and browns inside your home. Wear them on your body. Maybe create a craft or art with Earth tones and place it somewhere visible in your home. You could even create an indoor Earth tone alter or table centerpiece.

Celebrate The Harvest Moon

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon is on Friday, September 13th. This is a powerful day because it signifies the celebration of the harvest, the darkening of the days, and at the same time 13 is the number of the Goddess. and divine feminine Feminine energy is that of the Earth, the soil, the womb, the dark, the night, the cold, the body, the moon. Many ancient mystery schools recognized 13 as the number of death and rebirth and the knowledge of life. So we have the energy of the feminine and the power of the harvest moon converging for powerful release and transformation!

Take A Moon Bath

Draw yourself a hot bath and add pink salt, sea salt, and/or epsom salts to help pull toxins from your body and wash away that which no longer serves you. You can add dried flowers or essential oils to the bath for the added pleasure. If you add essential oils, you can first mix them into your salt, with a little carrier oil, and then add to the bathtub. This makes sure the oils are evenly distributed and diluted so that they do not harm your skin. Soak for a while and imagine yourself immersed in the renewing glow of moonlight.

I hope this has given you some ideas to start with for your own self-care for ushering in fall. Do you have other ideas to suggest? I would love to hear them in the comments!

Happy Fall, Ya’ll!!

I strongly believe that the first step to healing the Earth and humankind is to come back into relationship with our planet and reawaken immense gratitude for this place that sustains us.

But, like a friend said recently, we also need to take ACTION. I’m talking action both for the Amazon and action for our Earth as a whole. What can we do as individuals?

One of the easiest things we can do right now is to fund organizations that are working on relief efforts and reforestation. Personally I don’t think it’s going to be high-tech technology that will save us; I think it will be trees.

Plant Trees

Two of my favorite organizations that are planting large numbers of trees are treesisters.org and onetreeplanted.org. Let’s get these organizations funded and re-robe our planet in green! Personally I feel, with so much at stake, it’s the least we can do. In terms of the Amazon, Amazon Watch is another very important organization that works with indigenous communities to stop the destruction and defend their rights and home.

If you have land, you can also plant a tree, or many trees. I think that’s a great initiative because trees are beneficial nearly anywhere, but also there may be more of an impact by funding the organizations that plant large amounts of native trees at once in areas where it counts the most, like the tropics. If you can do both, do both.

Rethink Our Consumption

And… not ignoring the elephant in the room, we should all take a serious look at our consumption and reduce our use of fossil fuel. 

Most of us in developed nations have immense privilege, and we could be doing so much better with our choices. Consuming less would be very beneficial to our planet, but when we do consume, shopping at small and local business will have a great impact. We can do better to recognize and remind ourselves that every choice we make has an impact on someone (human and non-human alike) down the line.

How much of our consumption can we reduce or shift to buy local? Most of the land being cleared in the Amazon is being cleared for Soy, Palm Oil, and Cattle. If we shopped local for the majority of our food, we would greatly reduce the need to deforest the Amazon. If you can reduce your beef consumption that’s wonderful (most of us Americans can greatly reduce our consumption here), and it’s also reasonably easy to find local ranchers or farms in many locals from which to purchase grassfed beef. Some ranchers are even switching to methods of ranching that mimics the natural influence of buffalo on the precious, prairie ecosystem, thereby restoring habitat. We can help encourage this shift by purchasing from them and voting with our dollar.

Amazon Action Day

September 5th is International Day of Action for the Amazon. Let’s participate. Find more info here. 

Demand Corporate Accountability

Call out corporations like WalMart and CostCo, two of the worst offenders when it comes to selling products that contribute to deforestation. 

While you are at it, sign this petition to ask BlackRock to stop funding Amazon deforestation: https://desktopactivisttucson.blogspot.com/2019/08/tell-blackrock-stop-financing.html?spref=fb&m=1

If you have investments or banking with Chase of HSBC, consider divesting with them and explain to them why you do not support their choices. They are some of the largest financiers of deforestation in the Amazon. Also, read this important article for more information.

Carbon Farming

When it comes to climate change, another low tech climate solution that may be out of reach for the average homeowner but is still definitely possible for landowners, farms, businesses and municipalities is to invest in biochar technology. https://biochar-international.org/open-source-biochar-technologies/ “Biochar is produced through pyrolysis or gasification — processes that heat biomass in the absence (or under reduction) of oxygen. The carbon in biochar resists degradation and can hold carbon in soils for hundreds to thousands of years. Biochar and bioenergy co-production can help combat global climate change by displacing fossil fuel use and by sequestering carbon in stable soil carbon pools.”

Of course, this only touches on the surface of a very complex issue involving human rights, politics, privilege, capitalism, patriarchy, and more. I am in no way claiming to be innocent of actions which lead to harm for this planet, and it would be hard to find anyone in the Western world who is absent of responsibility on some level. I am, however, working on continuously doing better in this culture which produces many roadblocks to truly living a no-harm lifestyle. We may not be able to completely rid ourselves of harmful impact in this lifetime, but we can certainly use the resources we do have in ways that better benefit the Earth and commit to changing our actions as much as possible.

I’d love for this to be a dialogue. Do you have action items to add to the list? Please comment with your suggestions.

What is growing around you? Start there. After reading this, take a moment to get offline and outside. Even if you live in the city, there are surely some plants around you, whether they are tended and cared for or just growing through a crack in the sidewalk. Do any of them call your attention? Why not hang out with one for a bit? Look a bit deeper than normal, noticing the shape of it’s leaves or flowers, the variation in colors, the texture of the leaves, and the shape of the stem. Are there any insects attracted to it? Is it moving? What feelings do you get when you are around this plant? Do you notice anything shifting in your body? You may even want to write down what you notice or draw the plant.

The plant you find may or may not be a plant ally, but getting to know any plant a bit better is a great start to opening yourself to plant communication. I’m not talking about hearing the plant speak (although I bet there are people who can do that) but rather noticing the subtle energy shifts you feel in your body while being around the plant…that is it’s own form of communication!

If you feel called to know more after being with that plant for a bit, you may decide you want to identify the type of plant. What is it commonly called by? What is it’s latin name? Do you notice more of this type of plant around? What else can you discover about it?

If you have been able to identify the plant and are 100% sure you have correctly identified it, is it edible or medicinal? (Just a note of safety here, please do not ingest any plant unless you are 100% sure you have correctly identified it and also know that it is safe to ingest). If it’s edible or medicinal, abundant (check out this guide to sustainable wildcrafting), and growing in a uncontaminated/unsprayed area, you may decide you want to make a tea from it. If the plant is not safe to ingest, but is safe to handle, you can also dry some of the plant material to carry around with you in a medicine bag, as a posie (small bouquet), or in your pocket.

Before picking the plant, it’s polite to first ask the plant permission and give an offering. I like to give a sprinkle of water, cornmeal, a piece of my hair, or even sing the plant a song. You may be thinking, realllllly Kim?, but this is something our ancestors did all of the time because they were so much more in touch with the natural world that most of us are today. They saw everything as alive and sentient, and communicating with our non-human relatives was a way of life. When you start to tune in, I have no doubt you will begin to be aware of this as well (if you aren’t already).

Once you have gathered your plant material, dry it in a cool dry place. You can hang it upside-down to dry, place it in a paper bag and shake daily (if you live in a dry climate) to dry, lay it on a drying rack, or put it in a dehydrator at the lowest temperature.

With your dried plant in hand, you can now make a tea! Start with a small amount of the herb and work your way to a stronger infusion if desired and safe to do so…this is where knowing your herb comes in hand. Take 1 tsp of the plant material and place it into a heat proof container or tea pot. Pour boiling water over the herb, let sit 15 minutes, strain, and enjoy!

I find it best to get to know your plant consistently for at least two weeks, drinking the tea daily and noticing the subtle shifts you feel in your body. Journaling during this process is a great way to take notice of any changes in your body or emotional state. How did you feel at the beginning of the two weeks and how do you feel at the end? Write these changes down as well.

How do you feel about this plant after the two weeks? Are you more connected to it now? Do you feel the call to continue working with this plant or are you looking forward to meeting a new one? It can be fun to continue getting to know the herbs growing in your area, but it’s also wonderful to get to know a specific herbal ally for a bit longer. You’ll surely benefit from both!

Here are just a few generally safe and recognizable herbs you may find growing in your area, either wild or cultivated:

• Dandelion
• Peppermint
• Calendula
• Red Clover
• Nettle
• Chickweed
• Oats
• Bee Balm
• Chamomile
• Rose Petal or Rose hips
• Mexican Primrose
• Thyme
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Raspberry Leaf

I’d love to here about your experience in the comments below! Happy herbing, friends!

You cannot green smoothie your way out of chronic stress.

Spring is here is all it’s glorious bounty, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and with spring comes the energy of outward expansion, renewal, and aliveness! Those are all such wonderful things!

All the glorious spring energy can also bring about an increased amount of activity – playdates, barbecues, gardening, festivals, get-togethers, picnics, events, events, events! And that’s not to mention our spring to-do lists! Many of us feel this heightened sense of wanting to clean and organize our homes and our lives, and if you are like me, that’s no simple feat! All of these spring activities can be so enlivening and fun, but they can also create a sense of overwhelm or stress if we are not also taking moments of self-care and keeping healthy boundaries.

The above quote is kind of humorous. Of course, green smoothies are amazing and a wonderful ally for the spring months…but all the green smoothies in the world are not going to help you if you aren’t able to manage your stress levels. Will you make smoothies one more thing on your to-do list or will you drink your green smoothie as an intentional act of self care by pausing to savor it, focus on the tastes while sitting outside and listening to the birds? There’s a big difference!

Each of us has different needs. Some of us need a lot more down time or self-care that others. I am one of those people who needs quite a lot of self-care time to stay grounded and healthy.

If you are saying to yourself, “but I don’t have time for self care,” then you are the person that needs it the most! Why not start with giving yourself 5 minutes of self-care and take it form there? Everyone really can spare 5 minutes and you’ll be happy when you notice the positive impacts.

So without further ado, let’s talk about some other ways that we can bring self-care into our lives that are aligned with the energy of spring. Below, I’m going to discuss movement, skincare, mental decluttering, and some herbal allies for spring!

Get Moving

Spring is the season of aliveness, movement, and expansion. It’s time to get moving and bring that energy and vitality to your body. This is definitely an act of self care! Movement can range from gentle to intense, scripted to unscripted, stand alone or incorporated into daily activities. Can you guess my favorite way to move? Gardening!

Here are some other ideas for bringing in movement as self care.

• Create an upbeat playlist for spring and dance, dance, dance!
• Take a new class like yoga, pilates, tai chi, etc and actually schedule it in your calendar, then commit and do it! Maybe even do it with a friend so you can hold each other accountable.
• Go for bike rides.
• Go for hikes (bonus for forest bathing).
• Jump on a trampoline (jumping moves lymph for even more bodily spring cleaning).
• Make your floor sweeping into a movement ritual by dancing with your broom as you sweep in clockwise circles to remove old energy. Sing a song while you are at it.
• Paint your house, or a room…as you are painting pay attention to your movement. You can incorporate squats and lunges, and reaching up high is pretty decent movement in and of itself!

Declutter Your Mind

Are you ready to bring a little calm and clarity into your life this spring? Spring embodies the energy of re-creation which means it’s an opportunity for us to both recreate our physical space and recreate our mind.

I’m not going to pretend to be an expert in decluttering because I’m definitely not, but there’s a huge benefit to having both a decluttered space and a decluttered brain! It allows room for potential…and spring is ALL ABOUT potential!

So without getting into nitty gritty details of how to declutter you space (you can ask Marie Kondo about that one), let’s think about a simple way to declutter our minds.

My favorite activity for this isn’t really an activity at all. It’s an energy of presence. Now is a great time to bring your mind and body into awareness, which creates an energetic space within. Tune into nature by taking your shoes off and feeling your feet planted on the Earth. Spend at least 5 minutes focusing on the sensory experience.

What do you feel?
What do you Hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What do you see?

Be aware of what’s happening around you and within you. Can’t stop thinking? That’s ok! That is exactly why we do these practices…because it is a practice! If your thinking mind didn’t interrupt, you would have no need for mindfulness practices. Each time you stop to pause and focus on your body and senses, you are creating space from the mental clutter and attuning your body to the energetic pulses of the Earth.

Care for your skin

As we pull out of the dry, dark winter months, our skin is often in need of a little extra loving care. Cracked, rough, scaly skin is fairly common this time of year as we move out of the winter months.

If you just started a spring garden like me, then it may make this dryness even more intense on your hands as the soil sucks moisture from the skin. I love gardener’s salves that are infused with herbal allies which help to protect and heal cracked, chapped, dry hands. In fact, I love salves like that so much that I created one that includes 7 of my favorite skin-loving herbs plus skin softening shea butter, jojoba, and olive oil. Caring for your skin is self-care (I think gardening is too). Give yourself a hand massage while you are at it!

Skin nourishing face oils are such a wonderful way to add suppleness and nourishment to your skin in the spring! What’s more, you can use face oils as a daily ritual, where you bring mindfulness to your body through a sensorial experience (scent & touch). Massaging your face for 5 minutes with face oils calms the nervous system while improving circulation in your skin which enhances elasticity, youthfulness, and glow. Not to mention, the botanicals in facial oils are offering their unique gifts you be absorbed directly through your skin. For instance, Elevate Morning Ritual Oil contains precious Neroli essential oil which stimulates skin cells to regenerate and fights blemishes. If you must care for your skin anyway, why not make into a sensorial pleasure ritual!

I love body oiling as well! One of my favorite oils to use in the spring for body oiling is calendula oil because it is supportive of my spring detox. Calendula gets the lymph system moving and that effect is compounded when you add in the element of massage. The lymph system is one of the most overlooked systems in the body, yet one of the more important! It travels throughout the entire body, helping to eliminate waste and regulate the immune system. The lymph must flow freely for waste to be eliminated instead of building up in the body, so massage and herbs which decongest the lymph are a wonderful combination!

Bring In Plant Allies

All this aliveness of spring brings awareness to our plant allies who put on beautiful displays for the world to see. Beauty is meant to be enjoyed. Stopping to smell the roses, or any flowers in bloom, is a wonderful act of self-care in and of itself. We can receive benefits from our plant allies by just spending time with them, using them on our skin, and delighting in their internal support.

Rosemary – Here in the high desert, Rosemary is one of the first plants to bloom bright bluish purple in the spring. Like the spring sun, Rosemary helps us to shake off the winter heaviness and bring light into the darkness. She is a creature of optimism, hope, and vitality. When those final pangs of cold linger into spring, Rosemary helps us by improving circulation and blood flow to warm us up from the inside.

Dandelion – This cheerful flower, which is unfortunately scorned by so many, is actually quite the spring gift! She brings forth the sun, with her bright yellow blossoms, foretelling of warmer days to come. Dandelions are wonderfully detoxifying, which is right in line with the energy of spring cleaning. Clearing away toxins in the spring helps our body to reset after a cold and sluggish winter. Nature gives us the “medicine” we need, when we need it, so if we pay attention to what’s happening in the natural world around us, we will also tune in to what our bodies need.

Calendula – Another bearer of the sun, calendula communicates her gift through her bright orange flowers. Our bodies appreciate a little tune-up in the spring, just as our cars need occasional tune ups. The filter within our body (liver, kidneys, colon, lymph) can become congested with metabolic waste and so many plants can help us to open up or stimulate those bodily “filters” in order to allow them to work more efficiently. Calendula is one particular plant that is helpful for stimulating the movement of the lymph system, which allows toxins to be more efficiently eliminated.

Nettle – Another wild food that it plentiful during spring in many areas of the United States are Nettles. Nettles are nutritious and delicious, once you learn how to avoid the sting (one way is to pick them with gloves and then boil the leaves for 3-4 minutes or until the greens have wilted)! They are packed with iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, which our bodies tend to appreciate after a long winter. What’s more, Nettles can be wonderfully supportive for our bodies if we experience spring allergies.

Evening Primrose – One species of these beauties are currently in full and audacious bloom in my yard here in the high desert. You can find species of evening primrose all over the country, however (always be 100% sure you have correctly identified any plant you intend to ingest). This gorgeous plant is another ally that can help us the move our lymph and because of its anti-inflammatory actions, it may also help to relieve seasonal allergies!

What other self-care practices can you think of for spring that would allow you to feel an element of renewal and invigoration? I’d love to hear other suggestions via the comments below. And of course, I hope you have an absolutely marvelous spring!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and no state regulatory board licenses herbalists. While I do seek scientific confirmation of the safety and effectiveness of the herbs and remedies I use, please remember that using remedies is a personal decision. You are in charge of your own health. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others.

Elder is a well-loved herb, that has been used for thousands of years and probably longer. The name dates back to the Greco-Roman period, with the latin name Sambucus stemming from the Greek word Sambuca, which referred to an ancient musical instrument – elderberry branches were made into shrill pipes and the wood possibly turned into small harps.

The tree was considered sacred to the Anglo-Saxons, who believed it to be inhabited by the Elder Mother, Hylde Moer, who was the Goddess of vegetation, life, and death. For this reason, it was necessary to ask the Goddess for permission before using the wood and offer chants and prayers. Once Christianity was introduced, the associations with Elder morphed into other stories, one being that the cross on which Christ was crucified was made of Elder. During the Middle Ages people believed that witches and evil spirits could be repulsed by pinning elder leaves around the home.

In 1656, William Coles wrote about Elder that: “There is hardly a disease from the head to the foot but it cures. It is profitable for headache, for Ravings and Wakings, Hypocondriak and Mellancholly, the Falling-Sickness, Catarrhes, Deafness, Faintnesse and Feacours.” And there are many, many more folkloric and medicinal tales about Elder from around the world. It has been an extremely familiar and important tree to many cultures worldwide.

A search for Sambucus in PubMed brings up 1091 results today. It is a well studied plant, with interest in it continuing to grow. In fact, for the past two years it has been hard to find Elderberries in stock online from various herbal suppliers. Today we know, Elderberries contain shikimic acid, an intermediary in the production of Tamiflu, an anti-flu pharmaceutical. Bioflavinoids in the extracts of Elderberry may prevent viruses from entering cells. In the Herb Society of America’s Essential Guide to Elderberry, James A Duke, Ph. D. writes “In the case of elderberry, as evidenced in my research, there are over fifty beneficial chemicals from which the body can select and use if they are needed. Elderberry is one of the most important medicinal species to be featured as an ‘Herb of the year.'”

Elderberry syrup is seriously tasty, but when you do start feeling something coming on, it may not be the most convenient option to take every hour or two (the recommendation when experiencing illness), since it needs to be refrigerated. The great thing is, you can actually use the same blend of herbs from my syrup recipe, or from my DIY kits, to make an Elderberry Oxymel!

What’s any oxymel, you ask? It’s a combination of herbs infused in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and honey. Sweet and sour yumminess. And the great thing is that it’s shelf stable so you can carry it in a dropper bottle and bring it with you when you are at work or out of the house. It’s easy to add a couple droppers full to a small amount of water or squirt it right into your mouth.

And you know what’s really tasty? Adding the oxymel to sparkling water for a sparkling elderberry soda! Or how about adding it as a delicious addition to homemade Salad dressing? There are oh so many possibilities for relishing in some delicious herbs.

So, with all of that in mind, I’ve laid out instructions on how to make your own elderberry oxymel at home! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and no state regulatory board licenses herbalists. While I do seek scientific confirmation of the safety and effectiveness of the herbs and remedies I use, please remember that using remedies is a personal decision. You are in charge of your own health. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others.

In fact, the herbal smoke bundles I create are mostly made from her. I have also infused her magic into olive oil which serves as the base for the Hair Oil found in the shop, made teas and tinctures with her, and enjoyed her for sinus steams. She’s incredibly giving. And I like to offer her my love and care and songs in return.

GET TO KNOW YOUR FRIENDS

In this modern day and age, we so often forget to make friends with the plethora of plants around us. It’s easy to take them for granted, especially when we are so disconnected from the source of our food, medicine, and bodycare products – many of which are made from or contain plants. But I’d love for you to know how good it is for the soul to connect with these beings, if you haven’t already experienced that kind of joy!

I was just listening to a podcast episode of Ancient Wisdom today where Shaman Durek interviews Amy Galper, co-founder of The New York Institute of Aromatic Studies. This episode delighted me because they have a wonderful and in depth conversation about our friend, Rosemary. I’d love to share a bit about what they said, and you can also listen to that episode here.

Amy says, energetically, rosemary is “incredibly clarifying, awakening, and energizing.” It supports the flow of thoughts, creativity, and energetic movement – the flow of Qi. We can see how that parallels circulation and when it’s depleted it balances and regulates. It is also antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of “bad things. You can think of that also energetically which is why Amy uses rosemary in a diffuser to clear or remove thoughts that “gunk up your space” or get rid of something “stuck in your flow.” It’s an expectorant and you can think of that both physically and energetically.

I’m paraphrasing, but she goes on to say: Rosemary is also known for remembrance, specifically in Western Europe. There’s now a lot of new research about its effect on memory and the hippocampus. It helps stimulate memory and “helps us to think clearly amidst confusion or chaos. There’s this idea of following through with thought.”

Amy and Shaman Durek go on to speak about the bridge effect: how everything you do on the physical has an effect on the spiritual and vice versa. As above, so below. As within, so without. Rosemary protects you from negative energies and frequencies by allowing you to be able to detect them. This enhances your clarity and focus. That clarity opens channels of creativity so that you can see things in a clear way inside of yourself. It’s about creating a creative flow and an extra layer of protection through heightened awareness.

Rosemary is resilient. It grows in places where you wouldn’t think plants could grow, rocky and craggy surfaces. It has amazing fragrance from its volatile oils. The trunk and branches have a beautiful shaggy bark and they twist and turn in many directions, resembling it’s strength and resilience. The bright bluish-purple flowers are a signature of its connection to the third-eye chakra, the place where we form a connection to clarity, truth, knowing, and wisdom.

BRINGING HER IN

There are so many ways that I love to bring rosemary into my life, and I will share a few with you now. The first is by using rosemary as smoke medicine. From ancient times, rosemary has been burned to create smoke which also releases its volatile oils into the air. These volatile oils purify and cleanse the air, bringing forth the same aspects that we just spoke about above. As I mentioned before, the smoke medicine bundles that I sell in my shop are made from rosemary and her friends sage and rose, all from our gardens.

Rosemary has also been incredibly helpful to me when my head and sinuses are stuffed up, and for this I love to use her for facial steams. As I pour the boiling water over the dried rosemary, an amazing fragrance is released. I gratefully breath in the volatile oils deep into my sinuses, knowing that their antimicrobial actions will benefit my sinus tissues and also help me to breathe easier. In my shop, I have packages that contain dried rosemary, eucalyptus, and sage, ready to use for your own sinus steams.

Of course, I also use rosemary for cooking, and have blended dried rosemary, oregano, and sage into sea salt for an amazingly delicious seasoning to have on hand! Any day I can incorporate herbs into cooking, is a good day, and having this blend on hand makes it easier to do so. It is so easy to make! All I did was take about 1 tsp of each of the three herbs, ground them in a coffee grinder, and then added them to about 1 cup of sea salt. Did you know that these herbs are carminative too, helping us to better digest our food. Rosemary is also a fantastic addition to tea blends, especially blends to improve mental clarity, focus, digestion, or for cold care.

Are you getting an idea of how much I love rosemary?? If you weren’t all that familiar with her before, I hope that you have found a new level of appreciation for her and I hope that you will get to know her better by bringing her into your life in a variety of ways!

I’d love to hear from you if you have a relationship with rosemary or have tried any of the rosemary treats that I mentioned above. Leave me a comment below to share your love of Rosemary.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and no state regulatory board licenses herbalists. While I do seek scientific confirmation of the safety and effectiveness of the herbs and remedies I use, please remember that using remedies is a personal decision. You are in charge of your own health. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others.

Each season brings its own beauty and challenges. As the seasons change, so do our body’s needs and hence so should our self-care. Learning to care for our bodies in relation to the seasons can be very helpful. Winter is a time for drawing inward, relaxing, reflecting, and learning. When it comes to our bodies, winter, for many of us is mainly about hydration and bringing forth warmth.

Since we all experience winter and I’ve learned a thing or two about how to care for skin during the cold months, I have compiled some information here for you. Read on, my friend.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Staying hydrated is the number one most important goal for winter, and for any time of year for that matter. Hydration is the most important element to maintaining healthy skin and it is also extremely necessary for the rest of your body. Our bodies are made mostly of water, but the dry winter months can cause that water to leave our bodies quicker than we would like. When not properly hydrated we are more prone to headaches, nausea, dry mouth, dry eyes, and dry skin.

Aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. So a 120 Lb. person would aim for 60 oz. of water per day. Adding a pinch of sea salt, real salt, or Himalayan salt will help you absorb more of the water and give you trace minerals.

Another great way to stay hydrated is with herbal teas. I have a cold constitution, so personally I love warming teas like chai, cinnamon, ginger, etc. in the winter. Moistening, mucilaginous herbs like marshmallow root and licorice are also beneficial for winter months because they coat dry mucous membranes.

Soak Up Some Steam

I love using herbal face steams in the winter to take care of my skin. Bonus– face steams can also have a beneficial effect on our sinuses. In most places, the winter air is extremely drying. Steam can help replenish some of our skin’s lost moisture through our pores.

Not only does steam hydrate the skin, it also promotes circulation, it’s cleansing, it can release acne-causing bacteria, it can release trapped sebum, and it’s easy and affordable!

My favorite way to do a face steam is to grab a big heat proof bowl and a towel big enough to cover my head and bowl. I place a small handful of herbs into the bowl, and then pour some boiling water over the herbs. Carefully (don’t want to get burned) put your head over the bowl and put the towel over your head to trap in the steam. Relax as the steam warms your face and take some deep breaths for the added benefit to the sinuses! Raise or lower your head for more or less heat and lift a corner of the towel to cool off if needed. Steaming for 5 to 10 minutes is usually a good amount of time.

A few of my favorite herbs for face steams are:

• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Yarrow
• Sage
• Rose
• Chamomile

I have a packet of dried, organically grown herbs from our homestead available in the shop. These herbs – Rosemary, Eucalyptus, and Sage – are wonderful for sinuses and also wonderful for your skin!

Humidify The Air

If the air in your home is extremely dry, you may benefit from a humidifier. There are many different types, ranging from inexpensive $20 models to hundreds of dollars.

Keep in mind, if you have a humidifier in your home, it is important to clean it often to prevent mold and bacteria from growing on it. For people with mold sensitivities or asthma, a humidifier may not be the right option.

Ditch the Soap

Have you tried oil cleansing? Instead of using a soap based cleanser, you may want to try cleansing your face with oil instead. Does that sound counter-intuitive? Many of us have been taught that oil is bad for our skin and can cause break-outs but that’s not necessarily true. Here’s the deal…

Like dissolves like, so oil dissolves oil. While we typically think of soap as being the way to remove makeup, dirt, and grime, oil actually has the ability to dissolve sebum and oil, thereby replacing dirty oil with beneficial ones. Oil cleansing can actually clear the skin of issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, acne, blackheads, and more, when done correctly! (This is a big topic and I’ll have to write up a new post about the different types of oils and how they affect our skin).

Soap based cleansers actually strip your skin of its beneficial oils and can leave you dry and irritated. What’s more, they can actually disrupt your skin’s microbiome, causing more problems in the long run.

To oil cleanse:

1. With hands over the sink, pour about a quarter size amount of your chosen oil blend into your hand and massage it into your unwashed skin, without wetting your face first. Massage for a minute or two, leaving the oil on your skin for up to 10 minutes.
2. Saturate a clean cloth with very hot water and wring it out. Open it and place it over your face, creating steam against the skin, leaving it on for about a minute until it cools. You can repeat this with the other side of the washcloth and then use another cloth or the corners of that one to remove any remaining oil. The thin layer of oil that remains on the skin is beneficial.
3. After your skin has adjusted to this cleansing method, you may not need any moisturizers, but if you still have dry skin try using a botanical face oil that contains other beneficial properties, face butter, or another moisturizer.

Note: Some people have an adjustment period when they first start oil cleansing where they notice more acne and eruptions surfacing. This can be part of the process where your skin is eliminating unwanted bacteria and dirt from your pores. It usually takes about a week or two for your skin to adjust. It’s best to resist using harsh soaps or facial cleansers during this time.

Enjoy Face Oils

Just as was mentioned about with the oil cleansing method, face oils can be extremely beneficial to winter skin. You may be able to use a face oil alone or add it as an extra layer of protection over a cream or lotion. I love first spraying my face with a hydrosol (rose is my fave) and then applying a face oil to help seal in that moisture.

Face oils do not contain their own moisture, but they do act to retain the water that has already been put into the skin. Face oils also help protect against free radicals, sun, and environmental toxins.

I have formulated three different face oils, all with unique properties. Each of these oils contains skin-nourishing botanicals that go far beyond a plain carrier oil. You may want to try my Elevate Ritual Oil if you need a little pick me up in the morning and love the scent of orange blossoms, or my Unwind Evening Face Oil if you could use a little extra soothing touch before bedtime, or my Harmonize Face Oil if you have sun damaged skin or acne.

Moisturize Frequently

All of the skin moisturizing techniques above are helpful, but if you don’t do them often enough you may still end up with dry skin and it’s easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix it. Prevention is the best medicine!

I like to make moisturizing a part of my daily rituals. I moisturize my skin in the AM as part of my morning ritual, and in the PM as part of my evening ritual. But I also love carrying a small bottle of hydrosol or mist in my purse or backpack to use throughout the day. It feels so good to mist your face and the aroma can be a wonderful sensorial grounding technique.

Pay attention to other parts of your body as well!! My hands are constantly in use and keeping them soft and supple is a challenge. Between washing dishes and digging in the garden, they suffer quite a bit of abuse. My go-to for my hands is Hand Jam, which was actually originally designed for rock-climbers but gardeners, crafters, and anyone who uses their hands a lot or struggles with dry hands will also benefit the same! Hand Jam is also wonderful for dry, cracked feet!

Exfoliate

Dry skin can accumulate on the surface as flakey, dead skin cells which actually block new moisture from being absorbed into your skin. We know that skin cells dehydrate faster during the winter months, and shedding these old skin cells will allow new ones to develop and also allow more moisture back into your skin.

Don’t go crazy here, but exfoliating once or twice a week is a wonderful practice to give yourself more glow and allow moisture to better penetrate into your skin.

I love using powdered cleansers for exfoliating, like my Green Goddess Match Mint Cleanser (which also gives you a fresh feel and is loaded with antioxidants). If your skin is particularly dry, you can even add this powder to your oil in your cleansing routine once a week to prevent it from being overly drying. Or add it to yogurt or honey!

Eat For Healthy Skin

Our food may not be the first thing we think about when it comes to healthy, hydrated skin but our skin needs certain nutrients to maintain health, just like the rest of our body. Healthy foods, including healthy fats, work on a cellular level to keep your skin smooth and supple.

Omega-3 fatty acids are one skin-loving nutrient to look for because they help your skin to retain moisture, strengthen your skin’s barrier and help the body control the inflammatory process. Some of the foods highest in Omega 3’s are seafood (especially tuna, sardines, and salmon), walnuts, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, soybeans, chia seeds, tempeh and flax seed, grass-fed butter, and raspberries.

Nuts and seeds also have high amounts of Vitamin E which helps to protect the skin from oxidative cell damage and external damage from UV rays.

Avocados are also rich in Vitamin E and other antioxidants, but also monounsaturated fats which help keep the skin moist and reduce inflammation.

Beta-carotene-rich foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, and winter squash, contain a great deal of Vitamin A which is one of the most important nutrients for preventing dry skin!

Vegetables that have a high water content and are silica-rich, like cucumbers, celery, grapes, bell peppers, and spinach, will help increase moisture in your skin and improve elasticity.

I hope you stay well, hydrated, and healthy this winter and all year long. Stay tuned for more seasonal wellness tips to come!

I’ve always been sensitive. It was a constant remark while growing up: “you’re too sensitive.” I was sensitive about emotions, but also physical things. My mom often recalls how painful it was to find me shoes. No shoes felt comfortable and the little seam on socks was the worst! I also remember once at my brother’s hearing exam, my mom said I surprised the doctor because I was telling him which audible beeps my brother missed, while sitting outside of the sound booth. I recall being so embarrassed about how I would cry gushing tears at the slightest thing and not be able to stop them from rolling out. My sensitivity often led to overwhelm and anxiety, especially when there was a lot of stimuli in my environment.

When I was younger and even up until recently, many of my family members and close friends would lovingly tease me about being a hypochondriac. Ok, ok, I’ll admit I was a bit obsessed with analyzing my health and perhaps the health of others. I’ll admit that I would go down the Google rabbit-hole, and perhaps thought I was in a dire health situation a time or two.

What I’ve come to realize is that these characteristics were gifts in disguise. I was fearful about why my body was in pain because I felt disempowered. What I was really craving was not a diagnosis, but a solution. I wanted to feel good – who doesn’t!? These anxieties were unhealthy manifestations of what I would later recognize as my passion and life purpose.

You see, at the core of this fear and anxiety was a deep desire to understand the root causes of health-imbalances and disease, in myself and others, so that I could heal and help others do the same. Now that I have allowed myself to follow this passion, the fear around disease has dissolved into empowerment and curiosity around the discovery of health.

That sensitivity that caused shoe shopping to be such a chore is a gift because it gives me a keen awareness of subtle changes to my environment and to my body. This allows me to feel energies, see patterns, and understand how small changes affect the bigger system. When I tune in, I recognize a powerful intuition that helps me to sense when something is out of balance, notice a disconnect in a pattern, or feel the unique energies of plants. I can use my sensitivity and keen awareness of my body as information, feeling how everything that I put into it or expose it to effects me though subtle and dramatic changes in how I feel.

As I’ve risen from the ashes of my own health struggles, both mental and physical, I have found that I can now use my own experience as information and fuel to help others. When I was younger, I wanted to understand health, but I didn’t have any awareness that there was a career path which fits this skill set aside from maybe being a doctor. While I contemplated that career path for a moment, I knew that my soul would not be able to handle the sterile medical environment of hospitals and doctors offices on a daily basis. I didn’t know there was another option, which also incorporated my love of plants and joy of creativity. While healing myself, I discovered herbalism and continue becoming evermore entranced as I continue learning about plants, physiology, and health. It’s a profession that contains everything I love, but even more than that for me, it’s a life I love – one of connectedness, expansion, evolution, and so much joy!

P.S. I’m currently raising some funds to enroll in the Vitalist Herbalist Practitioner Course. If you would like to invest in me becoming a community herbalist while investing in your own personal wellness, check out my shop via the button below!

“All Disease Begins in The Gut.” – Hippocrates

If you are suffering from acid reflux, you are so not alone. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive diseases in the United States, with 10-20% of Americans experiencing it’s painful symptoms weekly.

I’ve struggled with acid reflux at various times in my life. When I was in college I was put on a proton pump inhibitor to help manage it. When I was in my third trimester carrying my little bear, I had such bad acid reflux it eroded my esophagus and I was hoarse for over a year.  When I get migraines one of my first symptoms is acid reflux. I’m not a stranger to how much it sucks.

BUT…I’ve found some amazing help from my herbal allies and I can pretty much count on them when I need them most.

Before I start talking about them, however, I want to take a minute to talk about the root causes behind acid reflux and how the often used allopathic approach can actually make the problem worse. Getting to the root cause of the GERD or acid reflux is really the only long-term solution.

Let’s start with a chat about proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s), which are a type of drug prescribed to treat acid reflux. In 2014, Americans filled more than 170 million prescriptions for acid blockers.

Proton pumps are present in nearly every cell in our bodies, are a transporter of hydrogen ions, and are essential for cellular energy production. PPI’s inhibit these proton pumps and thereby inhibit the production of stomach acid in your body. What’s more, it is likely that PPI’s don’t just affect the stomach, since proton pumps are found throughout the body. Without an efficient proton-pumping system, the body must rely on anaerobic systems for energy production and that can lead to fatigue. Additionally, PPI’s are indicated for use for only 4 to 8 weeks, however, many people end up staying on them for years or even decades.

The thing is, while PPI’s and antacids can be effective at helping to minimize acid reflux, they are really just masking the symptoms of a larger imbalance in the body, and can also lead to some rather serious side effects or further exasperate your problem of acid reflux when you do stop taking them. Why? Stomach Acid is ESSENTIAL for a healthy digestive system and PPI’s and antacids decrease stomach acid.

Acid reflux occurs because the lower esophageal sphincter is not opening and closing properly, causing the stomach acid to travel upwards to places it shouldn’t be. However, contrary to popular beliefs, one of the main reasons that people get acid reflux is because their stomach acid is actually TOO LOW. This means we don’t have enough digestive secretions to properly digest our food which leads to fermentation and gas, and that pressure forces the sphincter open, creating backward movement of stomach acid. It’s the upward traveling of the stomach acid that causes heartburn and acid reflux, not too much stomach acid!

A few other reasons why the sphincter may not be working properly are overeating, poor posture, a weak diaphragm, a Hiatus hernia, H. Pylori, hormonal imbalances, food intolerances, etc. One thing is for certain, however, lowering your stomach acid through use of PPI’s long-term is detrimental to your health and does not fix the root cause of the problem.

The lowered stomach pH from use of PPI’s can cause a host of issues in our bodies. After-all, our bodies are whole systems with organs and functions being interconnected. A few of these problems associated with low stomach acid are:

• Decline in cognitive function. Low levels of amino acids have been linked to depression and other mood disorders. A 2016 study found that people who use PPI’s regularly had a 44 percent increased risk of dementia. Another study found PPI users to have impaired visual memory, attention, executive function, and working and planning function compared to the control group.
• Alterations of gut microbiota leading to increased risk of acquiring pathogens. Lower stomach acid gives unwanted bacteria and other pathogens better opportunity to settle into our digestive tract, which can result in an increased likelihood of UTI’s and other illness. People with low stomach acid have an increased chance of acquiring Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, and community-acquired pneumonia. Our gut flora can also become overrun with candida.
• Leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability). When our stomach acid is low, we do not digest food efficiently and this can cause tiny holes in our digestive tract to form. Food particles , bacteria, and toxins that would normally be filtered into the waste stream, instead move through the intestinal barrier and into the bloodstream. This can trigger an autoimmune reaction and/or chronic inflammation in the body.
• Increased likelihood of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Because of the increase in gastric pH and how the mechanism of action affects the potassium exchange, PPI’s can modify how bioavailable essential vitamins and minerals are in the stomach. Stomach acid is essential for the absorption of many macro- and micronutrients. In some people, this can lead to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, and Magnesium. Some of these deficiencies can have serious health consequences.
• Increased risk of cardiovascular events and potential damage to blood vessels.
• Harm to kidneys.

So what are we to do? Well, the solution may be multifaceted and vary from person to person. You also don’t want to stop taking PPI’s cold turkey. It’s best to wean off them with the help of a qualified practitioner. The main reason that I’m writing this is to let you know that PPI’s can be harmful and that very effective, natural alternatives do exist!

I’ll first tell you what has generally worked for me, and then offer a few other possible supportive measures. As I mentioned before, every individual is different so it is really best to work with a practitioner who can assess your personal constitution and choose herbs best suited for you as an individual.

Here is my personal approach:

Step 1: Calm the irritation and repair the gut.

My favorite herb for this is Marshmallow Root. It’s relatively abundant and creates a beautiful mucilaginous coating that helps to protect the gut lining, also soothing and cooling irritation and inflammation.

The best way to take marshmallow root is as a cold infusion. I make a whole liter mason jar of marshmallow infusion and drink throughout the day. Fill a mason jar with 1 oz, of chopped, dry marshmallow root and cover it with filtered room temperature water. Let this sit for 4 to 8 hours then strain the liquid through a cheesecloth, making sure to squeeze out and include the “slime” in the liquid. Discard the herb and keep the liquid portion. Drink a quart jar throughout the day.

For general gut health, I also love regular use of Calendula, Ginger, Mushrooms (white button mushrooms, shiitake, and reishi are the main ones that I have used), Ghee (not an herb but is helpful), Berries (again not necessarily an herb but a great source of polyphenols).

Step 2: Aid Proper Digestion with digestive bitters and carminatives.

Taking these herbs before a meal can ignite digestive fire and support the production of hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes, and bile. I have several digestive bitters formulas I have made for myself that I take before meals. I find that bitter tinctures are the easiest way to add bitters to my own routine, but you could also eat something bitter, like bitter greens or my new favorite, Schisandra berries, before a meal.

Some herbs included in my various bitter recipes are Dandelion leaves or roots, Motherwort, Lime peel, Grapefruit Peel, Chamomile (a strong cup of chamomile can work wonders…but brew it STRONG). Because my digestion tends to be cold and slow, I tend to enjoy and find helpful the warming effects of carminative herbs like fennel, caraway, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and anise.

There are many other factors to consider including diet, stress, movement patterns, environmental factors, etc. but I won’t get into all of these today because this post could go on forever!

Others herbs to consider, that I do not personally use frequently but are still very well regarded, may be: food grade Aloe Vera gel/juice, Ashwagandha, Licorice Root, Slippery Elm (from a sustainable source only please), Triphala, Gotu Kola, peppermint, yarrow, artichoke leaf, yellow dock root, Angelica Root, Gentian Root. Always do your research or speak to a qualified health professional regarding dosage.

There have also been some promising studies done on the benefits that Melatonin supplements can have on your GI health  – “Researchers compared the effects of 3 mg of melatonin per day to drug treatment with omeprazole (a PPI) for eight weeks. They found symptoms of GERD, like heartburn and pain, to be decreased after four weeks and completely resolved after eight weeks in both groups.”

Here are a few other tips:

• Try smaller, more frequent meals.
  
  
• Maintain good, upright posture.

• Strengthen your diaphragm with gentle exercises. Personally, I love kundalini yoga for this, especially Breath of Fire.

• Remain upright for about 2 hours after meals.

• Chew your food thoroughly.

I hope that this article has empowered you and helped you to understand that it is possible to get to the root of the problem when it comes to GERD and acid reflux. It is possible to feel better!

Although I’m still a work in progress, I’m proof that healing happens! Today my digestive problems are at a minimum, and I can say acid reflux is a rare occurrence for me. It’s amazing how much better my overall health is now that so many of my digestive discomforts are resolved. I hope the same for you!

Note: As I am not a licensed medical professional so please do your own research, and consult with your physician to determine what is right for you. This post does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to treat or diagnose anyone.

This post may contain affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, it doesn’t cost you any extra, but allows us a small commission which helps us to continue posting informative articles for you!

One aspect of self-care that I feel can be very transformative, is the practice of ritual. So what is ritual and how does it differ from routine?

We all have routines. We get up, make breakfast, take a shower, brush our teeth. That’s a series of routines. That’s not all that exciting, though, is it?

What if we could turn our routines into something more powerful? Something that helps us to feel centered and a little more joyful during the day? Something like – a ritual. Rituals are reoccurring activities that we practice , similar to routines, but they are injected with meaning to help us to bring a specific intention forward for our day.

Routines are fairly automatic. We go through the process without putting in too much thought.

Rituals on the other hand, require your engagement. They can add meaning to your day in simple ways. They help you to look at life as a celebration. They bring awareness to your senses and presence to the moment. It’s all about perspective.

So how can we turn our routines into ritual?

Here’s an example. Instead of just taking a shower, what if you focus on the way the water feels while hitting your body? What if you made a ritual of using a lavender salt scrub to cleanse your chest and heart chakra each morning, while asking to be cleansed of the past and to start this day fresh and joyful?

Photo by Drew Farwell on Unsplash

Or, what if instead of just sweeping the floors, you turn your mind toward the motions of your body. Feel how your weight shifts, your muscles move, your arms glide back and forth. You could even recite, “out with the old, in with the new.”  Sweep out the energy that no longer serves you!

What if instead of just washing your face, you used that time to really be present with the feeling of the water washing over your skin? And then when you are done, you use a special ritual oil, packed with a delicious aroma to massage your skin while choosing an intention for the day?” “I now breathe and move into my natural well-being.”

That makes me wonder, how can scent help us form even more powerful rituals?  Think about this. Smell is our most primitive sense. It is intimately linked to our memory because the olfactory bulb (where the brain processes smell) interacts with regions of the brain responsible for emotional memories, as well as sex and motivation.

Photo by Tamarcus Brown 

When you bring a pleasant aroma into your day and combine it with ritual, you have a powerful tool for uplifting your emotions and amplifying your well-being! Scents can trigger your brain to remember a positive affirmation or intention, and they can help you to lock that positive emotion into your memory.

So, if you are enjoying yourself while you are massaging your skin with a luxurious oil, and setting a positive intention for the day, while ALSO enjoying a pleasant aroma…the chances of that action impacting your well-being throughout the day are greater than if you were just washing your face and applying lotion.

Providing a way to incorporate easy rituals that stick and also nourish your body, is of the intentions I have behind creating my products and exactly why customers have fallen so deeply in love with my morning and evening ritual oils!

So what do you think? Do you have rituals which help you to get centered and bring more joy into your day? I’d love to hear about them! And if you are ready to try out the benefit of adding ritual face oils into your routine, my Morning and Evening Ritual Oils are available right here.

WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY?

Elderberries are fairly nondescript-looking berries, but they pack a powerful punch of antioxidants, vitamins A, B6, C, phosphorus, and many amino acids. There have been many scientific studies that point strongly to the effectiveness of Elderberries against viruses, particularly Influenza A and B strains.

According to Steven Buhner in his book Herbal Antivirals, “Elder is a potent COX-2 inhibitor and inducer of quinone reductase. It also tends to act in the body’s production of IL-10 if it is taken during infection, downregulating the levels of other cytokines and necessary, but if taken early in the disease process, it inhibits viral upregulation of IL-10 and increases antiviral cytokine production and activity.” Whew!! Let me translate. That basically means the compounds in Elder have the ability to raise and lower cytokine production in your body so that your cells are better able to communicate during an immune response. It also helps to inhibit the ability of the virus to enter host cells. Pretty cool!

In one study I came across, a randomized trial of 60 patients aged 18-54 suffering from flu symptoms for 48 hours or less received 15 ml (3 teaspoons) of elderberry syrup or a placebo 4x per day for five days. Researchers observed that “Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo”.

Elderberry syrup is not a cure-all and taking it does not guarantee that you will not get sick, but my family has found it to be very beneficial to preventing and lessening the duration and severity of our colds.

WHERE CAN I FIND ELDERBERRIES?

Most of the time, I get my elderberries dried from Mountain Rose Herbs or my local food co-op. Unfortunately, as of 2/17/18 all places that I can find online are still out of elderberries. Hopefully, they get some back in stock soon!

Elderberries do grow in many parts of the world and almost all over the United States, so you may be able to forage or find them in your neighborhood. We are planning on planting several in our yard! However, if you go the you-pick route, always make sure that you are 100% certain you have correctly identified the plant (especially because there are a couple of poisonous “look-a-likes”). If you are new to Elderberries, I recommend finding someone knowledgeable to work with when harvesting them. As always, be respectful of the plant and the area from which you are harvesting. Leave some for others, especially wildlife.

HOW MUCH TO TAKE?

Elderberries are great for when you are starting to feel sick, but they also work as a preventative.

In our home, the adults in the house will often take 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of syrup a day, especially when we are around other sick people. We typically give the kids 1 tsp of syrup per day.

If illness strikes, we will up the frequency of the dose to a full dose every 2 hours. Research has shown that the half-life of the virus-fighting compounds in Elderberry Syrup is 2 hours, so the frequency of dose helps the important compounds to remain in your system while your immune system is tackling the virus.

As I am not a licensed medical professional, I cannot tell you what exact dose will work for you, but the above amount is what has worked for our family.

HOW LONG WILL THE SYRUP LAST IN THE FRIDGE?

The answer to this depends on many factors, but at our house, the syrup typically lasts about 3 months when refrigerated. That is if we actually keep it around that long! It’s rare that we don’t use it all up within a month. And then we make more!

HONEY SUBSTITUTES

You may not have access to honey or may want to give this to a young child (honey should not be given to children under 1), so there are a few alternatives for sweeteners.

Without a sweetener, you just have a strong tea, which won’t last long. The sugar content of the honey actually helps to preserve the syrup slightly, helping it to last quite a bit longer in the fridge. You can substitute the honey for maple syrup, molasses, date syrup, or even sugar.

HERE’S THE VIDEO I PUT TOGETHER FOR ALL YOU VISUAL LEARNERS 

I hope this information helps you to stay healthy and keep your family healthy this season!!

As I am not a licensed medical professional so please do your own research, and consult with your physician to determine what is right for you. This post does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to treat or diagnose anyone.

This post does contain affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, it doesn’t cost you any extra, but allows us a commission which helps us to continue posting informative articles for you!

Theresa’s goal with her podcast is to focus on the good in the world by inspiring, rewiring and educating. She wants to explore the opportunities that the current global, societal, economic, planetary and health challenges have created by interviewing changemakers who are creating ripple effects in their work. By doing this, I believe, she herself is creating many, many ripples. I love it!!

I’m also so incredibly honored to have the privilege of being one of her first guests, alongside a great teacher of mine, Antony Brown of the Ecosa Institue, and a very courageous woman who is crushing cancer, Ruth Phillips! The podcast went live a couple of days ago, so go subscribe and download over at iTunes or visit her website to listen to some goodness for your soul! 

In our conversation, we talk about my emotional and spiritual journey of leaving my job as a Structural Engineer to pursue my passions.  We talk about homesteading in the desert, creativity during motherhood, and the importance of community and Earthly connection. I’d love for you to listen!

The Ascension Kit harnesses the wisdom of plants to ground you in your senses, strengthen your relationship with mother nature, and enhance your existing spiritual practice. Aromatherapy and skincare combine to help you connect more deeply to your own essence by way of self-care rituals.

THE JOYFUL ROOTS PHILOSOPHY:

100% Natural and Pure
Your skin is your largest organ – it deserves to be nourished with healthy, natural, and toxin-free products.

Plants Are Partners
I believe that plants work in partnership with our body and are a gateway to better health. They are wise beings who are necessary for our well-being.

Get Grounded
When we get grounded daily through our senses, we enhance our well-being, connect to our essence, and begin to connect more deeply to the joy and magic around us.

Rituals for Connection
A daily ritual practice can offer us both meaning and connection, which we so often crave in our lives.

THE ASCENSION KIT INCLUDES:

LUXURIOUS, SKIN-NOURISHING, PLANT-BASED MORNING AND EVENING RITUAL OILS

Each of the oils in the Chakra kit were lovely. I noted added benefits after using on day four. I must say it is very hard to pick a favorite. I love the Mystic Mist. The gentle sent and uplifting clearing is immediate. The Unwind helped greatly each night to calm the brain-chatter. I look forward to using your oils personally and with my clients.

~Beth Ferguson

Kimberly’s products are AMAZING. I use them every day and love them SO much! First of all, they all smell wonderful. They help me feel so connected and in tune with my Soul and Mama Earth. And I feel so good knowing her products are all completely natural, as I am very sensitive to additives and chemicals. And her creations feel so soothing on my skin!

 

I highly recommend Kimberly’s products to everyone! They are so infused with love and you can feel it! Kimberly is such a bright light in this world and her products are such a beautiful extension of her essence, her light, and the love that she truly is!

~Cori Klein

I’d Like To Order My Ascension Kit Now!

“When love and desire (represented as Eros) are “wedded” to the soul of mankind (represented as Psyche), the seasons bring forth roses which spread the magical powers of Zeus across the land.” – Roses Magazine on Rose Folklore

Our roses are making a spectacular comeback during these finals days of summer, and more than ever, this year, I’ve been reveling in their pleasure. They smell divine. The look gorgeous. They feel like silk. I can almost hear them whisper to me…“I am the embodiment of the feminine – an aroma of pure pleasure, a silky smooth crown, balanced by thorns which serve to protect the most delicate parts.”

My interpretation is just one of the many ways that roses have been made into folklore and symbolism over the ages. She is the flower of all flowers. Just as they signify innocence and purity and motherhood, they also symbolize death. The paradox of the rose – both messages meaningful to me. You see, ever since the New Moon Eclipse, I’ve been finding myself entangled in a mixture of feelings. It feels like a part of me is dying while a new woman is being born. To those of you who aren’t used to hearing me speak this way, it might sound strange, but recently I’ve been uncovering this mystical side of me that was closed up tight like a bud and waiting to emerge (see what I did there?).

In my life right now, the rose is symbolizing a deeper understanding of what it means to be a woman. You see, I’ve grown up, been employed, moved away from home, made a home of my own, birthed a child, but I don’t think I ever fully embraced womanhood (the reasons of which are a topic for a whole other post.) I understand that I have been a woman, physically, but I didn’t fully understand what it means to be a woman who has stepped in to her own feminine power. And as I learn what that means – to be a woman who embraces her empowered divine feminine nature – I am finding that the roses are my plant ally, blooming all around me and bringing me magic and physicality, at this time of self-discovery. I am so blessed. Could anything be as sweet?

I’m still on the journey, and still discovering what this means, so as I follow this path I will continue to share my insights with you. What I’m feeling now is that I’m being called to step up, play my part in healing this world as a wise woman, find my own power and voice, and start speaking more clearly and passionately about what is in my heart and soul.

This post is a beginning, because it’s taking courage to say: I believe there is more mystery, connection, depth, and meaning in this world than what I’ve been taught to know. I feel things that don’t make sense rationally. I’m gaining clarity and dusting off pieces of myself that I’ve locked away and they are starting to find their way out into the light. I feel the energy of plants and people around me – energy is everywhere and is all things. I believe in angels, God/Divine/Creatrix, and the breath of life that is connected to all of us in this Earth and the Universe. I believe that love is God, pure and simple. I believe in things that can’t yet be explained with science. I feel a Priestess energy inside me, that honors truth and healing, and is called to offer both of those to the world. I am not better than anyone else, and no more gifted, but each of us will be called to shine our light and gifts in this world in our own time and each of us has something beautifully unique to offer.

WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO THE ROSES

I know I’m not alone in feeling major shifts during the eclipse. Many of my woman friends have told me they feel it too. How about you? What meaning, wisdom, or clarity have you gained after the eclipse? If like, me, you are feeling a calling to embrace your divine feminine, then you may also want to surround yourself with roses. I know not everyone has roses growing in their yard, but I’ve thought of some other ways that you can bring the beauty of the rose into your life while you transform.

• Many cities have parks with rose gardens. Spend some time walking among the roses. Focus on all of your senses as you do this and feel the pleasure in your body. Touch the petals to your face. Revel in the sweet aroma while closing your eyes. Notice the details of the petals and the way light falls upon them.
• If you can’t find a local rose garden, or they aren’t in bloom right now, look for cut roses at the store to adorn your home. If possible, look for organically grown roses, which you can also have shipped to your home.  Spend time in the art of observation with your roses through some of the activities mentioned above.  You could even take out a sketchbook and engage your eyes in the act of drawing the rose, which for me, brings me closer to knowing a plant.
• Find a luxurious skincare item that smells like roses. Joyful Roots Vanilla Rose Lip Balm is actually infused with roses from our own garden.
• Drink rose petal tea or enjoy this Summer Cooler Tea with Hibiscus and Rose.
• Invest in rose essential oil or as a less expensive option, get yourself a high quality rose hydrosol.
• Bathe in rose petals.

“The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change: Yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.”
~Paulo Coelho

NEW MAGIC IS EMERGING

Things are changing around here. Change is a constant, that’s for sure, but I’m continuing to hone in on my unique voice, through an exploration of myself. I want to let you know that I’m integrating and shifting. My passions, art and plant medicine are clearly leading me to explore what it means to live a life rooted in joy via a connection to nature and creativity.

That’s why I’m lovingly transforming this website into something that more closely represents me and this exploration and why I’m bursting with excitement over the new offerings that will become available to you! Here’s a little taste of what’s up my sleeve: I’m solidifying my brand style, incorporating more guidance of how to become grounded in your joy through my own explorations, and I will be adding plant based wellness products to my shop!

Thank you, for being on this journey with me. YOU make it richer and more lovely. You mean the world to me!

This series has been an evolution of my art, and a meshing of my illustration and painting, two loves that I’ve been struggling to intertwine for some time. But by golly, I think I’ve done it!

It took a lot of letting go, to find a process that allowed me to think less and use more of my intuition and flow. It’s like meditation in a way and it feels so right. When I paint, I’m pushing my mind to bring forward the emotions and feelings associated with memories and present states of joy: nature, plants, place. It’s both stimulating and soothing, the way I think meditation should be.

Currently, you can find many of the paintings from this series in the Of Land, Sea, and Sky exhibit at ASU’s Ucent Building (411 N Central Ave, Phoenix) in downtown Phoenix and it’s being displayed among works from artists residing all over Arizona.  If you are in the Phoenix area, it’s definitely worth stopping by. The exhibit is on the walls of the first, second, and third floors and open to the public daily from 8 to 5.

There are also high-quality giclee prints and greeting cards of my artwork available in my shop, you know, for all your colorful, inspirational, happy-space needs.

So with that said, I’d love to see you over there! If you haven’t followed me already, here’s a bit of what you are missing.  Come say hi so that we can connect because I would love to see what you are up to as well! There’s still a lot of creativity happening!

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Coffee, glorious coffee. You are my early morning date, my jumpstart ritual. Your rich aroma does not lack boredom, but I have to tell you, I’m excited to gain some extra motivation by sipping you from my rainbow colored Earth Shaker Mover Maker mug early in the day! As my brain starts to buzz, your pretty inspiration is reminding me that today I have the ability to make great things happen by moving, making, and shaking!

To be honest with you, I’m smitten by these colorful mugs so I’m realllly happy I made one for myself! Of course, there are 10 more of them for those of you who also want to start your morning inspired! And if coffee isn’t your thing, I know you will still enjoy your beverage of choice just as much. The handle boasts plenty of room for a comfy grip and with a roomy 15 ounces, your cup will not spilleth over, unless you want it to, of course!

If you haven’t reserved one from my mailing list (hint: sign up), you can order any remaining mugs at my etsy shop. Now go forth and move, make, and shake!

Did you have a chance to check out last month’s letterpress design? It is by far one of my most favorite things I’ve ever created. I’m getting my copy framed to hang in my new studio. Want to know what’s super cool? Tif Smith, who printed the design, had her twin babies this month! That just adds so much to all the goodness! There are still a few left for sale over in the shop too.

Folks, this month has been a bit difficult because of how busy it’s been. Honestly, it’s been so hard to get this project done because of a bunch of things happening in life that have had to take precedence.  I’ve made what I think are some really fun little magnets this month that are hand painted, mixed media, and one-of-a-kind, but I don’t feel like they are ready to sell. I want to refine the product I used for the top gloss coat and maybe the design too. I know people would still enjoy them, but I want them to be better before I actually put them in my shop. Quality is so important to me. There’s still some good news here! I’m going to give five of them away to five people on instagram! The other five, I’m giving to some Earth Shaking Moving and Making friends of mine!

More good news: I’m really fired up about this Earth Shaker Mover Maker motto and I can’t wait to design some other products with this slogan on it. I know so many people who are totally deserving of this title. Are you an #earthshakermovermaker too? It makes me want to keep shaking things up, keep moving, and keep making.

Pop over for the giveaway tomorrow on my Instagram feed and win one for your fridge or magnet board!

I am so incredibly excited about this collaboration with Tif Smith of Stubborn Press that I’ve been about to burst at the seams while waiting to share this with you! Tif is such a talented designer and printer, so I was thrilled when she said she would print my “Everything You Can Imagine Is Real” illustration for me and of course, for you!

What is your imagination dreaming up these days? Pablo Picasso’s quote really strikes a chord with me, because I believe we can create the reality we want through our mindset and actions. It’s like a concise reminder of the Law Of Attraction principle. If you want to be reminded in a beautiful way, that every day you have the opportunity to create your own reality, then this would be the perfect print for your studio or home.

What’s even more awesome is this print is full of tactile texture and uniqueness that is characteristic of letterpress printing, and we chose a rich black ink and gorgeous paper to really make the design pop. The prints will be signed and numbered by me in pencil.

As of right now there are only seven prints left, so if you want one for yourself or a gift, head on over to my Etsy shop to snag it!

Spring is here and so is April’s 10xJOY project! Are you as excited as I am? 😉  I hope that by now you are being drenched in Spring and all of the beauty that comes with it! Spring is my most favorite time of year and so I’m relishing in the flowers, the sunshine, and even the rain.

Here in Arizona, I often dream of the kind of spring showers we used to get back in the Midwest, with big puffy clouds and crisp air. We have quite a few flowers blooming around here, but that feeling of nostalgia for a northern spring is what inspired this month’s project.

Introducing…Umbrella Tea Towels made with my “Kind of Wish I Was Mary Poppins” original pattern printed on Spoonflower’s super gorgeous cotton linen fabric. This month, I have been putting a lot of love into the perfect spring handmade goodie. These would make a unique housewarming or party gift, or maybe you just want to spoil yourself with something that is only 10 of a kind. Today these are available in my shop as a limited edition item. Once they are gone, they are gone-a-roo!

If you haven’t signed up for my mailing list, now I’m offering subscribers the ability to PRE-ORDER any of my 10xJOY items. So, if you want to be updated, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list by entering your info on the form at the right of the blog.

If you’ve been following along, then you know I will be donating 10% of the profits from 10xJOY to Pencils of Promise! What’s exciting is “at this moment, PoP has officially broken ground on its 300th school! To date, [they’ve] built 300 schools across 3 continents in 4 different countries. Each and every one of [their] schools in Ghana, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Laos is fully operational and educates students daily.”

Don’t miss the giveaway today on Instagram! I made a couple of extra tea towels this month so that I could make sure that I’m selling the best ten. I’m keeping one for myself today you have the chance to win the other “project side-kick” (it has small imperfections that are barely noticeable and would still look so dang good in your kitchen). Find the giveaway on my Instagram @joyfulroots.

Thanks so much for being apart of the 10xJOY journey!

Drum roll….March brings you a bushel (well, 10) of apple baby shoes for those sweet little feet!

My little bear is modeling these delicious little soft soled shoes that will keep little feet stylish, warm, and comfy. The shoes are made using an apple fabric that I designed and printed on a 40% recycled eco-canvas and are lined with a super soft red minky fabric. The soles are made of a white utility fabric that has little grippy dots for slip resistance. They are hand sewn by me and really 10 of a kind.

I’m only selling 10 pairs of this shoe design ever, so get your unique little pair in my etsy shop before they are gone. Three sizes are available.

I’m so happy to say that by buying these shoes you will be helping the amazing Pencils of Promise charity who uses 100 percent of online donations to support education programs worldwide. How do you like them apples? 🙂

Here’s more exciting news: I’m hosting an instagram giveaway today (I’m having some technical problems with Instagram so I’m going to postpone the Giveaway to Monday) for a cute matching bow headband, so pop on over and enter to win!

A dear friend of mine let me borrow her adorable daughter to model this headband for me. Isn’t she such a doll?

Credit: I made these shoes from a pattern designed by Weepereas and the cute bear shirt is from Oh Little Rabbit on Etsy.

On Monday, I’m going to do a little photoshoot with a friend’s daughter because on launch day, the 28th, I’m going to have a giveaway on Instagram to kick-start the fun. She’s going to model my giveaway creation and she’s such a cutie. I’m looking forward to having fun with the photos!

I’ve got a favor to ask too. Will you help me spread the word about 10xJOY? I’ve made it easy for you to share by adding this button to the sidebar of your website. Just download the image or copy and paste this code and use it for a widget on your wordpress site.

<a href=”https://www.joyfulroots.com/announcing-the-10-x-joy-project/”><img alt=”10xJOY” src=”https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/10xJOY_button_250x250-01.jpg” width=”250″ height=”250″ align=”aligncenter” /></a>

And here’s an easy tweetable:
Tweet: @JoyfulRoots is cultivating 10 times the joy with her new #10xJOY project! Find out more at http://ctt.ec/9G1eH+

I’m still working on figuring out a charity, but I’ve got two really amazing candidates that I’m so excited about. I hope that this project will at least make a small difference in some lives. Thanks so much for all your support and for helping me get the word out!! If all goes well this year, I will do this again next year, and on a bit larger scale. xo

This year has been all about organization and with that at the forefront of my mind, I’ve started a new monthly project called 10 x Joy. That’s ten times the Joy! My heart is swollen with creative ideas, and I’ve realized that sometimes I have too many floating around to act upon them in a productive way.  Not only is this project going to help me solve this creative dilemma, it will give you access to ten unique and limited edition creations each month, starting in March! That means I’ll be sharing more of my joy  of creation with you!

Here’s the low down. Each month of this year, starting in March, I’m going to create 10 items of something (think baby shoes, notebooks, mini paintings, tea towels, etc). The items will either be handmade by me, or they will be a collaboration between myself and another maker friend. So for the next 10 months, I will release 10 items totaling in 100 items for the rest of the year. These goodies will be sold first come first serve…BUT anyone on my e-mail list will have the first peek at what’s available. After that, they will go for sale in my Etsy shop.  Bonus! At the end of the year, I’m going to donate 10 percent of the profits to a specific charity (to be announced later)! Heck yeah.

Each month’s product will be announced on the 25th of the month to my subscribers and then the items will be made available in my shop on the 28th of each month. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter here to stay posted! Also, I will be offering sneak peeks of my projects on Instagram throughout the month, so come follow along and join the fun.

This project was inspired by the Elise Joy’s Make 29 project which is really brilliant and you should check it out as well.

Would you like to help me spread the word? Here’s a tweetable. Tweet: @JoyfulRoots is cultivating 10 times the joy with her new #10xJOY project! Find out more at http://ctt.ec/9G1eH+

Stay tuned for more updates folks!

This adorable screen print is by Lisa Stubbs. Click The Image To Visit LilSonnySky on Etsy.

Do you listen to podcasts? I’ve never been so interested in Podcasts as I am these days, particularly because it gives my brain something to soak in while I’m playing with the little guy. My favorite way to listen to Podcasts is through the app Stitcher, but sometimes I use iTunes too. I’ve got a few topics that I love, and one of my favorites is shows about the handmade business. Here are a few of my top choices:

• Explore Your Enthusiasm with Tara Swiger
• Elise Gets Crafty
• The Accidental Creative
• While She Naps with Abby Glassenberg
• Crafting Your Biz
• AIM With Kari Chapin
• Bliss Beyond Naptime (I’ve only been able to find this on iTunes)
• The Fresh Rag Show
• Design Matters
• Etsy Conversations Podcast

I’d love to know what some of your favorite podcasts are! Feel free to share in the comments. 🙂

I’ve been trying to think of what type of content would be relevant to this blog. Since I design fabric, I thought, why not find fun fabric DIY projects from around the web that you all could create? So here’s a round-up of some fun DIY tutorials that you might want to use to create something fun over the weekend. I know they are making me antsy to get out my sewing machine and I have some #lumberjackattack fabric sitting around that is just waiting to be used.

This skirt is absolutely too adorable and the tutorial is free! I want one for myself, even though it’s intended for little girls.

I’ve been eyeing this gorgeous infinity sweater by One Girl Circus for a long time now. Oh gosh, I need to put this at the top of my list of things to make!

Photo by One Girl Circus

I would love to learn how to quilt and I think this Chevron Quilt by Monaluna would be such a cool pattern to start with.

I hope you find this round-up of projects fun! Are there any other projects you have been working on lately that we should know about?

MakerMail is a revolutionary co-op service delivering handmade goodness straight from our makers right to your door!

How exciting is that!? I’m thrilled to be a part of this Maker Movement with my “Yeehaw” and “Giddy Up” cards!

Here’s the scoop from the team:

“MakerMail is a subscription-style service that brings to the real world a taste of the Oh My! Handmade Goodness (OMHG) virtual cooperative. Subscriptions come in two flavors: Letter Mail is a collection of pretty paper goods, like prints and notecards. Packages contain handmade three-dimensional objects, wrapped for giving. Each delivery comes straight from its Maker with a handwritten note, to create a precious and singular connection.”

“This revolutionary co-op service brings the OMHG community right to your door quarterly. New Makers and products rotate in each round, introducing you to new tastes, styles, and businesses four times a year.”

“Buy a MakerMail subscription for yourself to support handmade goodness, the creative community, and the OMHG Makers. If you are a creative, MakerMail is a wonderful way to be inspired by the diversity of the handmade community. Or give a MakerMail subscription to those hard-to-buy-for friends and loved ones who enjoy sweet surprises in the mail.”

Sign ups started on October 15th at ohmyhandmade.com/makermail and there are limited quantities so snatch yours up today before they sell out. 🙂 Just in time for gift giving season!

Live Your Truth Print by Brenna Giessen on Etsy

My precious baby boy is asleep. As I’m sure most parents do, I’ve been wondering what he is going to be like when he grows up. What will he be interested in? What will his personality be like? What traits will he inherit from his dad and I? What and who will he grow to love?

It’s clear to me as a mother, that it really doesn’t matter who he becomes – I will love him fiercely no matter what. As he grows, there are many things I want him to know and learn. Yes, that includes his ABC’s and 123’s, but there are so many lessons from life that I hope I can help to teach him along the way. As he sleeps so sweetly, I’ve worked on a list of life lessons I hope that he will grow to understand. I know that he will have to search for the answers to life’s big questions in his own way, but I also hope that I can help guide him by what I have learned…

Celebrate Differences. You come from a long line of strange people, so you will most likely be strange yourself. Embrace those differences…they are beautiful. Children may make fun of you but have confidence in yourself because that mind of yours will serve you well. If you stay true to yourself and be brave in your uniqueness, people will love and admire you.

Trust Your Gut. Your instinct is strong, but you must learn to listen to it. Society will try to tell you what you “should” do. Go your own way instead.

Love Matters Most. More than anything ever, love is the most important force in the Universe. Treat everyone as you would want to be treated, even if they are not nice to you. Love really does conquer all, even if it takes a while.

Dispel Darkness With Light. You can only remove darkness by introducing light. Light is energy just like love. You can only remove hatred by introducing love. In this world, hate has never truly dispelled hate. Not once. Hatred has no existence of it’s own. It is merely the absence of love.

Magic Is Everywhere. Don’t ever lose your sense of wonderment and child-like inquisitiveness. The world is full of magic, you just have to keep an open mind, open heart, and open eyes.

The Universe Will Give You What You Ask For. Call it the Universe. Call it God. Call it Life Spirit. Call It Law Of Attraction. Call it what you want. Ask and it shall be given to you (but you have to know what you want first).

Nature Is Your Friend. Respect It. There is so much beauty on this Earth. Revel in it. Explore it. Soak in as much as you can. Breathe in the fresh air. Watch the birds soar. Smell the flowers. Feel the grass under your feet. Let the waves soak into your skin. And remember to treat each element of nature with respect, love, and reverence so that it is there for your children’s children and their children.

You Can Find Peace In The Present. Learn to be in the present moment instead of thinking about the future or the past. All you really have is right now, so love the moment. Your life will be less stressful the more you can focus on the now. Meditation, stillness, yoga, exercise, prayer, painting, and creating can all help you to be more aligned with the present. Find what works best for you. (This is a hard one, I know).

Take Time For Stillness. In order to think clearly, find your way, and know happiness, it is important to quiet your mind. Breathe in the stillness. Shut off the devices and disconnect regularly. You are going to have access to more technology and information than I could ever fathom, but you won’t be able to make full use of it unless you allow yourself to be free of it at times. Make room in your mind and soul by finding stillness regularly.

Be humble. “The difference is on the inside. It’s the spirit of the individual. Those who profit from adversity possess a spirit of humility and are therefore inclined to make the necessary changes needed to learn from their mistakes, failures, and losses. They stand in stark contrast to prideful people who are unwilling to allow adversity to be their teacher and as a result fail to learn.” Enough said. (John C. Maxwell)

Follow Your Bliss. Life is fleeting and precious. Live your life doing what you love. It’s okay to figure that out as you go and it’s ok to change your mind. Take it from me, if you try to ignore your bliss you will be unhappy and you will find your way back to it eventually anyway.

Get To Really Know People. Be you and allow others to be themselves. Ask people many questions about themselves. Ask your friends about matters of their heart. Be of service. Be loyal. Be a good listener.

Live As Though Everything Is A Miracle. Einstein said it best.  “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” If you live by this philosophy, the world will continue to amaze you and you will have a wonderous life.

You Are Surrounded By Love. I love you more than anything ever. More than myself. More than I could have ever imagined. I’m pretty sure your dad feels the same way. You have so many people that love you – your grandparents, your sister, your aunts and uncles, and I would even say the world. Lucky you!

Find Your Own Truths. I may or may not be right. In fact, rightness is only a figment of the imagination anyway. You can use these ideas as a guidepost and learn from what I have learned, but in the end, you need to find the truths that resonate with you. In your life, you will probably know much more than I have ever known. Life is an incredible journey and I hope you will have a most amazing experience here.

This post is part of the Things Worth Celebrating Community blog tour. A collection of posts by bloggers focusing on everyday moments that deserve to be celebrated.

I’m a dreamer. I’m often caught in my head envisioning beautiful and exciting plans for the future like traveling to Bhutan on a whim or building an elaborate art studio in a giant tree (there aren’t many of those here in Arizona) or holding the most amazing 7th birthday party for my son who isn’t even one yet or decorating our house so wonderfully that it looks like it belongs in Better Homes and Gardens. Or less ambitious perhaps, I dreamed up my goals for this new year – to bring focus to my business and to hustle hustle hustle.

Ahhhh…the best laid plans. Just shortly into the new year reality struck when I was about to pull my hair out because I was not getting “anything” done. For those of you who don’t know, I had a baby in October. Well, the little man requires a lot more time and sleeps a lot less than I had imagined. It took a few good friends to pinch me back into reality and remind me that the only thing I should be focusing on right now is him. The time goes by too fast…and really it does. He’s already going on 5 months now and I’d be heartbroken if I didn’t soak in and celebrate as much of this little guy as I can.

How can you not want to squeeze him?

He loves trying to type just like he sees mama doing. Future blogger.

I could kiss those cheeks every single second and it wouldn’t be enough.

That’s why I’m changing my focus. This year is definitely all about celebrating the family. When I say that, I don’t mean big celebrations with perfectly matching decorations and the coolest favors I can find…what I mean is being ever so present in all the little moments and celebrating each one of them as an experience that fills my heart more and more each time. I don’t want to miss out on that gummy smile first thing in the morning or his angelic face when he falls asleep in my arms; his attempt at holding a conversation or the squishiest baby snuggles ever. I don’t even want to miss out on the crankster who is teething or that little man who is upset that he can’t quite sit up yet but keeps grunting and trying. Or even the drool…yes there is sooooo much drool. And did I mention the softest skin and sweetest baby smell?
.

Those feet! Those arms! Those little hands!

Sweetest of dreams little man.

We are very excited about the Desert Botanical Gardens!

So the house is a total mess, big projects have been put on hold, and it’s likely that I won’t be creating a ton of new art this year. I’m learning to be ok with that.

Good, bad and everywhere in between, I know that each minute is infinitely precious and can never be relived the same again. He is my reminder to soak in each beautiful, original moment without judgement because it’s all so fleeting and incredibly worthy of celebration.

All too often we get caught up in the everyday. We celebrate birthdays, maybe anniversaries, but we don’t focus on all of the other life moments that are absolutely deserving of being celebrated in a special way.

On February 27th, Alison from The Petit Cadeau Blog and Kim from Joyful Roots are focusing our efforts on all of those everyday THINGS WORTH CELEBRATING and we want you to join us for a community blog tour.

Here’s how it works:

(+) Write a blog post with your take on “Things Worth Celebrating”.  You can focus on your personal life, hobbies, parenting, business or anything else you desire, but the focus should be on the simple things in life that we sometimes take for granted.

(+) You can focus on one specific topic (a job promotion, for example) or many things that you currently celebrate, or plan to celebrate this year.

(+) Blog posts can be photos, text, video, or anything in between.

(+) Grab a set of “Things Worth Celebrating” graphics for your blog – available at the end of this post.  Link your graphics to this Things Worth Celebrating page on The Petit Cadeau blog.

(+) Complete your post before February 27 and send the post link to alison@thepetitcadeau.com.

Visit The Petit Cadeau blog on February 27th for the CELEBRATION and a link up of all participating blogs.  Get inspired by the group, and find some new ideas for things worth celebrating in your own world.

We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

xo Alison & Kim

Copy and paste the code below to insert into your own page, or click the image> then save> and link back to http://www.thepetitcadeau.com/p/things-worth-celebrating.html.

Main Blog Image

Sidebar Image

What did you want to see me create more of this year? One message, from my sweet friend Laurel really resonated with me. She said “I want to see you create space this year. Space to hold light, space to expand, space to be. Expansiveness in your art and your life. You’ve grown and are growing so much (oh, these life changes/challenges do push us to grow!)–you need room. 🙂 And I happen to consider the desert an excellent muse for reflections on space and light, expansion and contraction.”

Isn’t that just so perfect and beautiful? I love that amazing mind of hers. I hadn’t really thought about creation in that way, but it’s brilliant and exactly what I need.

Alright, I suppose you want to know who won? I had Rafflecopter pick the winner for me…only I decided to choose two! I guess I’m feeling festive. I’d like to congratulate Jenelle Montilone and Alan Potter for winning their choice of minis! Jenelle’s name was chosen first, so I had her choose first. She decided on the Fox Totem…one of my favorite little creatures. She’s already told me he will be at home on her art wall she is in the process of creating! Now it’s Alan’s turn!

Congratulations winners! I will be shipping your mini’s out very shortly! I hope you enjoy them in your home.

Here’s to hoping you all have a brilliant and creative year! Thanks for being a friend.

This year has flown by at unbelievable speeds and brought the biggest change to my life yet – my new baby boy! 2013 was an incredible yet roller-coaster type of year. Some major amazingness happened including making beautiful new friends, working on fabulous and unexpected projects, growing my business, and having the biggest bundle of joy come into my life. What a year!

With 2014 here, I’m spending the next few days reassessing and pondering how to make this next year fabulous. Since big changes have happened in my life, big changes will also need to take place in my business. Mainly, I’m realizing I will need much more focus in order to get the things done that will help Joyful Roots to thrive in the limited amount of time I now have. I’m not quite sure yet how that will take form, but that’s the goal. FOCUS was my word of the year last year, but I don’t think it really happened. This year however, I’m really going to have to streamline and stick to it. Another word I need to add to that is HUSTLE. I’m really not good at the hustle, but something big has got to happen this year to help my little family and this business make ends meet, so hustle it is.

What are your plans for the new year? Do you have a word (or two) that encompasses what you want to accomplish this year?

Alright, on with the partying…Today I reached 300 followers over at the Joyful Roots Facebook page and that is a huge accomplishment, I think. So because there is so much reason for celebration, I decided to offer 14% off everything in my shop plus have a giveaway!

From now until January 14th everything in my shop will be 14% off with the coupon code PARTY2014. Christmas may be over, but it’s never too late to treat yourself to something fun, handmade, and artsy.

I also want to give one lucky person one of my original mini paintings, so go ahead and enter the giveaway below to get yourself a little mini art treat of your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy 2014!

Life has been crazy (crazy good) with my little man coming into this world. I’m so excited for him to experience his first holiday season, although I doubt he will remember it. Even still, I want to make it so special! I can’t wait to put up the tree (I think that will happen this weekend) and decorate the house. And of course, one of my favorite parts of December is making Christmas cookies and filling the house with all sorts of sweet smells.

I can’t say I’ve had much time for getting into the holiday groove yet, but before he blessed us with his arrival I started collaborating on a fun holiday pattern project with the lovely and oh so ridiculously awesome Sara Does. She had the brilliant idea to work together on creating a very merry gift tag and wrap set. We wanted to make it inspired by nature and rustic prettiness, so I went about coming up with some painterly pattern designs that were hand drawn and then painted in Photoshop.  Sara has four different wrapping paper selections in her shop that are paired up with her lovely hand block printed gift tags.

Get your gift wrap set at Sara Does. {Image  © Sara Does}

Plus, I’ve got the same holiday designs and a few more available printed on fabric in my Spoonflower shop! You could make all sorts of fun holiday projects, like a cute knit scarf maybe?

So what do you have up your sleeves this holiday season?

In Jessika’s words:

In May of this year Tif of Stubborn Press & Co. suggested we team up to create a letterpress calendar for 2014 and we’ve been working together in the OMHG forums ever since. During that time we’ve parented children, birthed a baby (go KIM!), overcome illness and struggle, worked on our businesses/jobs/lives & grown stronger as a community and as entrepreneurs through sharing all these experiences. At the heart of this calendar is the theme of community and each of our diverse submissions represents what that word means to us.

That’s right! It’s another spectacular collaboration and I’m so happy I had the chance to be part of it. You’ve got to see more of the gorgeous artwork and hopefully pick up a calendar for yourself or someone you love. Stop by here to see more sneak peeks and read more about what inspired each design. The design on the left below is mine. 🙂

I write about thoughtful gifting and love to gift handmade and local products.  I believe in simple traditions and experiences that bring people together , so I asked Kim to create a custom illustration for me for a mitten exchange holiday tradition.

Kim created two versions of the graphic – one simple, which I used to create a free printable mitten exchange party invitation available to my newsletter subscribers, and the other painted, which I am currently using in graphics to promote my mitten exchange blog series (November  7 & 14, 2013).

Isn’t her work stunning?  It was so fun to work with Kim – she really understood my vision and we got to know each other through e-mail and Skype calls as we worked our way through the design process together.

Join me on the blog this week for tips and ideas for hosting your own handmade mitten exchange, and next week for gorgeous gift wrap inspiration for wrapping your mittens.

Alison Butler is a part-time creative, a wife, and mother with a passion for thoughtful gifting. She blogs weekly inspiration at www.thepetitcadeau.com and recently launched The Petit Cadeau shop, filled with handmade, hand embroidered celebration countdown calendars and other lovely goods for thoughtful celebrations.

Find Alison At:

Blog & Shop  —  Twitter —  Facebook  —  G+ —  Instagram

Little Graysen Timothy Kling wasn’t in a rush to come into this world, but at 41 weeks +1 day and after 38 hours of labor, he made his grand arrival on October 15th!

I wanted to make his announcement sooner but boy oh boy babies take a lot of time! We are slowly working into more of a schedule and he’s been giving mama a little more time these past couple of days. (Yay, that means I can shower)!

I’m so in love with this little man. He’s the best, with his coos and cuddles. He makes the cutest expressions and I could watch him every second of the day. I’m quite honestly in awe of him.

Baby Gray wanted to wish you a Happy Halloween today. He told me to tell you to indulge a little, but don’t overdo the candy. Oh, and send some candy corn his way. 😉

Hue-ahaulic: Chocolate by kimberly-kling featuring a leather cuff bracelet

Hue-ahaulic: Pumpkin by kimberly-kling featuring home decor

I think it’s high time for some more lovely links!! Oh how I love all the goodness around the web!

Yesterday was National Coffee Day, and while I’m a little late to the game, it’s never too late for coffee (although you may want to make it decaf). Check out these drool worthy drinks on She Makes A Home.

Into sewing? You can get a crazy awesome deal on this pattern bundle of 26 patterns, including a super chic infinity sweater from OneGirlCircus.

Hello sequins and pretty packaging at Omiyage!

Make your own super duper easy exfoliating moisturizer with Sew Beastly.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pie with Gingersnap Crust…need I say more?

Want to learn some art history? I thought this was hilarious.

Mums and Moms for community and creativity.

Business Mojo: Ten Ways Twitter Can Transform Your Business and Your Life!

Are you building a little biz? Here’s a great interview with one woman who did just that…and now she’s helping others do the same.

Hue-ahaulic: Slate by kimberly-kling featuring bird wall art

Oh how I wish I could enter (so many fantastic prizes), but instead I wanted to offer up a chance for you to win one of the limited edition Lumberjack Attack Fat Quarter Bundles! The lumberjack fabric will be part of a pretty killer second place prize, so get on over there an enter. Good luck!!

If you don’t win, there is still one limited edition bundle left in my Etsy shop! It’s the only chance left to get the special teal and lime plaid fabric that looks oh so good coordinated with the others!

If you’ve been following along with the collaboration that Jenelle of TrashN2Tees and I have been working on, you’ll know that we have been eagerly anticipating the day when we can share our creations with you! We’ve been working on this bearded guy and all his evolutions for months now and we are excited to announce that today Lumberjack Attack goodies are available in both of our shops!  (That deserves a SQUEEEEE!!!!)

This lumberjack practices sustainable forestry, friends. TrashN2Tees has created some handsome and Eco-friendly Lumberjack T-shirts made from recycled soda bottles and recycled cotton. Additionally, she’s stocking those adorable DIY Lumberjack Plushies that you’ve been dying to get your hands on! Check out the goodies in her shop. What’s more, a portion of the proceeds from our launch sales at both TrashN2Tees & Joyful Roots will be used to plant trees in the Atlantic Forest, to help protect and restore a natural treasure through PlantABillion.Org.

Looking to make something that coordinates with those tees? You might want to get your hands on some of the Lumberjack Attack Fabric I’m stocking at the Joyful Roots shop. We’ve got Jacks, Oxes, Plaids, and other fantastically foresty prints. Plus, I’m taking special orders if you would like more yardage of a particular print or a different material, like the beautiful organic cotton knit or sateen.

This deserves a celebration and lumberjacks like to party!

Have you seen the fantastic lumberjack party that Jenelle threw for her kiddos and friends? You’ll want to host your own lumberjack party after you see what’s she’s done! To help you out, I’ve created a free lumberjack coloring page. Just click the download button below the image to get one for yourself.

 [ddownload id=5768]

I hope you will join in the fun today for the Lumberjack Attack! You can following the happenings on social media via the tag #lumberjackattack, where we’ll be giving ourselves handsome beards and having a whole lot of fun! Stop on over to Facebook to make yourself into a lumberjack!

Also stop by Oh My! Handmade today to learn a little more about my collaboration with TrashN2Tees and how the wonderful community has supported us!

Meet Mr. Lumberjack…

He’s handsome, he’s rugged, he’s got a fine beard and a sharp ax. He’s stylish too. He’s winning hearts all over the place.

Jenelle and I have put together a whole line of lumberjack clothing, fabric, and even a DIY Cut & Sew Lumberjack kit. Our official product launch will be on September 17th, at which point we will be releasing our full line of lumberjack products! So stay tuned.

Right now, you can get a few limited edition items during our Pre-Sale! For a short time, I’m offering a curated fat quarter bundle of my original fabric in my shop that includes a limited edition teal and lime plaid fabric. It’s a pretty radical color combination that won’t be offered in the bundle after we launch.

The fabric would be perfect for your own creations, like a unique fall/winter quilt, lumberjack hats (Jenelle will be posting tutorial on how to sew a lumberjack hat in the near future), scarves, pants, skirts…whatever you can dream up. I have plans to use it on some cute little purses and pouches.

TrashN2Tees is offering some adorable first run lumberjack tees that are screen-printed and appliqued with fabric that was diverted from our waste stream. Fun fact: Jenelle has already saved 32 tons of clothing/textiles from being thrown away! These tees are hand cut, sustainable, and one-of-a-kind!

Photos and Styling by TrashN2Tees

The fabric and the t-shirts have already debuted in the New York City Time Square Ecofest Fashion Show! But we’ve got other big plans, including a giveaway of this limited edition bundle at The Sewing Loft starting September 22nd because it’s National Sewing Month.

I will also be taking custom orders for yardage of fabric in the Kona Cotton as well as other luxurious fabrics like an organic cotton knit, a richly colored performance knit, micro twill, even cotton silk!

Wanna read a little more about this collaborative project? Check out Jenelle’s blog post – TrashN2Tees: Counting Down The Days

Oxes, axes, and big old beards…more goodness is in the works and I will keep you posted of future lumberjack happenings!

Hue-ahaulic: Peach by kimberly-kling featuring office supplies

You can find the new print here.

I’m offering it in both an 8×10 and 8×12 size, so that you can choose between ease of framing or a more sleek look that comes with the longer vertical ratio. Of course, I take custom orders for other size too. It would make a great canvas print!

I’m loving the coordination possibilities here!

This whole week at The Sewing Loft, they have been hosting a studio spotlight tour showcasing the creative spaces of different designers. Today, they have asked everyone to join in by sharing their spaces in a link party!

I thought it would be fun to give you a little sneak peak into my creative space. It’s not much…my office is in my bedroom. However, while dreaming and drooling over the spaces of other creative professionals, it gives me ideas and inspires me to get to the point where I can have my very own studio some day. For now, at least I’m lucky to have a big bedroom and a nice computer. 🙂

I’m also sorry about the lighting. Our house stays pretty dim, which can be good for energy efficiency in this hot climate, but not so great for pictures.

Take a look into my space…

I spend most of the time here at my desk, where I can see the mountains and big sky.

There’s quite a bit going on in one tiny area. I could use more room!

The lumberjacks are coming to town! Soon to be released, lumberjack fabric!

Some mini paintings are hanging out with me.

My ironing board acts as a cutting and prepping space. You can see some of my fabric bundles getting ready.

Oh yeah, did I mention there are prizes involved? The Sewing Loft and Ellis Lane will be giving away some nice gifts to some random entries of the Studio Spotlight Link Up! I hope you will join in because I would love to to see where you spend  your creative time.

I am a people person. I love meeting new people and finding out their story. When I first started in the world of online business I felt so isolated and alone.

Then I found out that there were so many creatives, like me, also making a living doing what they love and building a life to fit.

Working for yourself can be wonderfully rewarding, but it can become, if you let it, the most stressful and isolating experience.

We need to find other woman in business whose values and beliefs are inline with ours and who we can share the excitement and the hardships of being in business. We all need to find a tribe of supporters.

It is important through finding the right networks, to seek out advice that fits your business and your attitudes.

Creative businesses need creative business solutions.

One of the places you will find education and a community of support is the Artful Business Conference. Designed to provide you with education relative to micro-business, creative types and passion driven entrepreneurs – this event is not your typical business conference.

With a private Facebook group to allow attendees to chat, share and support one another, the element of community is just as valuable as the education itself.

This is a two-day virtual business conference designed to educate and inspire you, giving you the tools to take your business to the next level.

Robyn and Elle host the Artful Business Conference so creatives in business can not only get the answers they need to build their business, but do it within a network of supportive entrepreneurs who can share the journey with us.

Over the two days the event will host 8 incredible speakers from across Australia and around the world, all there to help you grow your business.

Jessika Hepburn from Oh My! Handmade Goodness is going to show attendees how to make and build online communities around your brand. She will start with why community is important, how to start your own and how to cultivate it. On day two we will all hang out twitter while Jessika shows us live how to run a twitter chat.

Karen Gunton runs build a little biz and works with women in business to help them be their true self and shine! She will talk to at the Artful Business Conference about being authentic, bringing your YOU to your business and then get into some practical tips to rock out some amazing DIY visual marketing of your own

Simon Walker, Nicole Fende and Mark Silver all touch on various aspects around money in small business and how to overcome the emotional hurdles and mind-blocks that are often associated with money. From the very practical to the emotions behind it all these guys will get you thinking about cash in a different way.

Jacqui Pryor will be explaining how to protect all your creative and wonderful business ideas. She will talk trademarks and copyright in a way that is easy to understand.

And, Shayne Tilley and Monica McCarthy get into the nitty gritty of how to sell yourself authentically online from video, interviews, email marketing and just online marketing in general.

This event is going to be an amazing source of information and inspiration for you if you are running, or just thinking about, a creative business of your own.

Tickets start at just $99

The event is streamed live online September 3^rd and 4^th (AEST) and participants can join in from anywhere in the world.

If you grab a Gold or Premium Pass you also get 6 months access to all the sessions so you can come back and watch them in your own time.

Download the full program HERE.

Website – http://www.artfulbusinessconference.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheArtfulBusinessConference

Twitter – https://twitter.com/artfulbizcon

Thanks Elle!

Get your tickets and start making connections with other attendees today. If you’d like to buy your tickets through my affiliate link you can do that here. I’m hoping to make it to the conference!

This post is part of the Exploration Party – a celebration of our inner explorers, led by Tara Swiger of Explore You. You can find other tales of adventure from artists, crafters, writers and biz smarties – and share your own story – right here.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I’ve been experimenting with block printing on fabric and that I have some projects up my sleeve. Did I mention that I’m also learning to sew? My lovely friend Jenelle from TrashN2Tees inspired me to start sewing with her camera strap tutorial and let’s just say I’m hooked.

I sewed a couple of the camera straps for our household cameras, and then wanted to move on to something more. So, I found this adorable and free, easy to make mini-tote tutorial on Craftsy! I started with one bag which I intended to block print the fabric and then make the tote. It looked like it was going to be really cool, but unfortunately the ink, which I thought was dry, smudged when I pulled the bag right side out. (Note to self…the oil based inks must dry for a week).

My first attempt begins at block printing then sewing a tote.

That didn’t go as planned, but I decided to make some more totes – 12 to be exact – for my mom’s upcoming 60th birthday party. She’s going to give some homemade lotion and lip balm that we made this weekend to all her friends that are joining her for her birthday bash. I thought this would give me good practice and be a sweet little addition to her gift. Alas, a few bags in, my sewing machine broke. This thing was a trooper though…some 1970’s JCPenny brand machine with all metal parts. It lasted over 30 years! (And I bet it can still be fixed). Dismayed, I thought my sewing days were over for a while, but my mom came to the rescue with an early Christmas present…a new sewing machine!!! {affiliate link} I didn’t know how much easier this new machine would make my life, but oh wow, it sews amazingly and I can actually sew straight lines and not get jammed constantly! I’m in love with it.

Anyway…I’m back in business baby! I’ve got six of the twelve bags done and the other six are getting close (I ran out of fabric for the handles and need to get more). After I get them all sewed up, I plan on block printing them with a stamp I made that says “Still Fabulous.” Cute, huh?

A Finished Mini Tote

Six Finished Mini Totes – Six To Go

Still Fabulous Stamp & Prepped Fabric

Now that I’m feeling more confident in my ability to sew (I’m so happy with the ones I’ve made), my plans are to make some bags and pouches for my shop, using both the fabrics I have designed and hand-stamped fabrics that I create. So keep your eyes open for those!

The exploration never ends! I’m an explorer by nature, how about you? I’d love to hear about some of the projects you have been exploring lately! Share links in the comments 🙂

Hue-ahaulic: Teal by kimberly-kling featuring stud earrings

Can you believe that August is here already? It seems like this summer has gone back at whirlwind speeds and I can’t seem to slow it down. My baby is due in two months! I’m busy nesting…organizing the house, preparing my shop, and trying to open new streams of revenue to make life a little easier once it all changes with baby. Oh, I’ve got things in store, which include fun collaborations, lumberjacks, sewing, block printing, and more!

I’m gearing up to show you things and in the meantime, I’ve got some lovely links for you.

1. Ever wonder how to make a repeat pattern in photoshop? I wrote a tutorial over at Oh My! Handmade that takes you though the process step by step.
2. As part of a collaboration with Jenelle of TrashN2Tees, I sent her some fabric from my fabric shop so that she could create this darling camera strap tutorial. It’s a sewing project even I can do!
3. Print & pattern is looking for geometric patterns for their upcoming book!
4. Caylie writes about success at Better Business, Better Life. What does success mean to you?
5. I’ve been loving the Accidental Creative Podcasts.
6. These felt dolls are so adorable and so are these Sausage Dogs!
7. The Declaration of You Blog Lovin’ Tour ended with a huge hoorah on Saturday. Catch up on all the blog posts from around the web here.

The moment of truth arrived on August first and I set off to my e-mail with trepidation to see if I had been chosen as one of the Top 50 for the Global Talent Search. I scrolled up and down and up and down the finalists, hoping I had missed my submission, but unfortunately it was not there.  That moment stung. It stung for a good long while that day. It’s my dream to have Lilla Rogers be my agent.

After I had a while to process it all, I realized a few things. First, this is just the beginning of my journey and artist career. New doors will open and I have a lot to be excited about right now. All is not lost, and I can still (and will) contact her separately about representation. Second, I learned so, so much during this process. I learned what a professional design brief is like. I learned more about my style. And I learned a new technique. I learned what I am capable of and I’m proud of my design.

I’m over the disappointment hump and I will continue to forge forward, further developing my style and looking for other opportunities. Plus, my recent collaborations and projects are keeping me pretty busy! I know fun things are in store. 🙂

Hue-ahaulic: Magenta by kimberly-kling on Polyvore

Nevertheless, here they are! I love how they turned out and I can’t wait to use them!

I’m also working on  some other Joyful Roots branding tools, like rubber stamps for my Etsy goods and labels for my hand printed fabrics. So much fun to be found.

Do you have a favorite branding tool or unique method of branding for your business? I’d like to hear about it.

Trust.

Oh that’s a hard one. The unknown can be so scary.

I’ve done a lot of work in my life to build trust. In my experience, a lack of trust in The Universe results in anxiety. It’s natural to want to feel in control, but I’ve learned that control is an illusion. Despite my best attempts at controlling my life, things still don’t go as planned. The worry that comes from a lack of trust for the future creates so much tension. It’s hard to remember and believe that everything will ultimately be ok.

Gather and Build Original Mixed media painting by Catina Jane Gray on Etsy

What do I do when I feel like my world is out of control? When that lack of trust starts to build anxiety? Here are a few of my go-to “trust builders:”

• Meditate. Currently, I’m taking a Hypnobabies course which is really just a meditation for pregnancy and birth. I’m finding it very powerful, mostly in that it has helped me to re-frame my ideas about labor and pregnancy through positive affirmations. The quiet time helps to relax me, and the affirmations help to retrain my brain.
• Yoga. I don’t practice this enough anymore, but physical exercise (especially yoga for me) has a hugely positive effect on my mental well-being. It also helps me get my mind off problems for a while by focusing on something else.
• Walks. Being in nature does wonders for anxiety. When I see the magnificence of the natural world around me I’m reminded of how amazingly perfect it all is. It’s incredible how every piece of nature is like a perfect part of a jigsaw puzzle. It also reminds me that I am just one incredibly tiny part of it all. It might be strange that being reminded of the level of my insignificance relieves my trust issues, but it does. It helps me to see that I’m important, yet not so much that I have to worry about taking on the world. The world does not revolve around me – that takes a lot of pressure off.
• Listen to this song. It’s happy and a good mantra.
• Call my mom. She’s the best listener and always has good advice.
• Snuggle. The touch of a loved one can be so incredibly reassuring. It’s good medicine.
• Read this book, or this one. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Eckhart Tolle and A New Earth changed my life. I grew up with a lot of anxiety in my blood. When I went to college, I had a horrible experience with panic attacks to the point where I was actually quite debilitated for a month or so. I did a lot of mental work on myself to try to fix the problem over the course of many years. While most of the panic attacks went away eventually, I still experienced a day-to-day constant level of anxiety that was not particularly fun or healthy. Then, at the end of grad school, I discovered Eckhart Tolle (thanks Oprah) and had a complete paradigm shift while reading his words. I can honestly say that I’ve never had that blanket of anxiety take root again. Sure, I get anxious from time to time, but the lessons of trust I learned in that book reshaped my life and brought me to a much healthier place.
• Work on writing my list of my reassuring truths. I love Oprah’s series, “Things I know For Sure.” I think it’s beneficial to keep a list of these things as a reminder and something to refer to when life is feeling too crazy.

A few of my reassuring truths are:

• Past and present don’t exist. All we have is the now, so be present here.
• Evil is the absence of love.
• The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but rather your thoughts about it (this one is from Eckhart Tolle).
• If you cannot change something you would like to, it is best to accept it instead.
• Worry serves no purpose.
• You are what you believe. Your thoughts have the power to transform your reality, so think positive.
• Trust your instincts. They are strong.
• You must love yourself before you can love someone else fully.
• Follow your passion and others will come along for the joyful ride.
• It is better to give first and then receive, and receive with grace.

What are some of your techniques for reminding yourself to “trust?” What are some of your reassuring truths?

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! I’m thrilled to participate in this tour alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more – and join us! – by clicking here.

Want to see some tid bits of what I’ve been working on?

Mois fishies on tea towels…perfecting the process:

On Saturday, the fabulous ladies from the Oh My! Handmade Community and I had a block printing work party on Google Hangouts. It was a blast! Here’s what I worked on.

And here’s a no sew skirt I made from an old t-shirt, thanks to this easy TrashN2Tees tutorial! (You can also see my baby bump).

Expect to see some new hand stamped goodies in my Etsy shop in the future and I hope you’ll follow me as this journey unfolds.

Do you have a new craft or medium you are learning lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comments and see some pictures too!

Become A Creative Giant by Maaike Bakker

Become A Creative Giant by Maaike Bakker

Become A Creative Giant by Maaike Bakker

These images created by Maaike Bakkar of South Africa are so imaginative and textural. They were created for a Design School called The Open Window. I’m loving the message: Become A Creative Giant because it is a good reminder for me to continue creating and dream big.

Are you a creative giant?

I have to admit, since receiving Jessica and Michelle’s e-mail about celebration, I’ve had that song stuck in my head. And I’m not a particularly big fan of that song (sorry Kool & The Gang). But although the song doesn’t particularly jive with my musical taste, the message does. You see, “there’s a party going on right here – a celebration, to last throughout the years.” The message I take away from that is: celebration isn’t just for special occasions; there are moments everyday and all year long that deserve celebration.

Blogger & life coach, Tom Volkar, explains that there are at least five good reasons we should celebrate more often. Indigenous cultures celebrate all the time with gatherings and rituals. They even celebrate every day occurrences like the rising and setting of the sun, yet it seems that our modern society has forgotten such a valuable tool for additional joy. Somehow, it almost seems like we’ve been trained that celebration is for the selfish and lazy – that it isn’t prudent or humble to celebrate our individual wins. That’s really a drag, you know?

But back to Tom’s article. In particular, I liked his fourth reason to party on: Celebration is positive magnification. What we focus on expands.

Yes, I believe in Law of Attraction and I think that focusing more on the celebratory aspects of the day to day – the small wins – will likely bring more and more positive results. I need to remember not to downplay and slough off the small, positive things that happen each day because they are an important stepping stone toward bigger reasons to celebrate.

Celebrate Your Victories by Dewi Marie

That got me thinking about the things that I could celebrate that I may not have been putting enough of a positive emphasis on and I came up with a list. I’m hoping it will remind me to take a break and count my blessings more often.

Some good reasons to celebrate are:

• Waking up each morning healthy and alive.
• Having a close family and one that is loving and supportive.
• Having a loving and amazing husband.
• The baby growing healthy and strong in my belly.
• Making new connections on and offline.
• Coming up with a new idea.
• Finishing up a project.
• Getting paid.
• Cloudy days with good rain showers (it’s Arizona).
• New art supplies.
• A new journal.
• New books (like The Declaration of You)!
• Amazingly good decaf coffee roasted by my husband.
• Being afforded the ability to pursue my dreams.
• Fresh veggies & fruit from the farmer’s market.
• Being able to have as many freedoms as I have living in the U.S.
• Having a car that runs well and has A/C.
• Having internet access.
• Being able to access so much incredible information whenever I need/want to.
• A great birth center in Tucson with midwives that are in tune with my birth plan.
• Collaborating on projects and fun events.
• Zucchinis growing in my garden.

Do you have your own list of reasons to celebrate? I’d love to hear what they are! Are you good at taking the time to give them the hoopla they deserve?

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! I’m thrilled to participate in this tour alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more – and join us! – by clicking here.

Today I thought a change of pace was in order. For those of you who haven’t been following, I’m currently writing my way around the interwebs on my 21-day Blogging For Growth tour. Most of the posts to date have been around the technical and tactical aspects of blogging. The focus of this post will be creating joy with your blog, and how appropriate to be hosted by the aptly named Joyful Roots.

Joy In Creativity

Blogging gives you, the writer, the opportunity to express your opinions, values, passions and talents. It allows you to create whatever you are driven to share.

Or as Rachael Griffin of Fit Fab Forty says:

‘Blogging makes me joyful because I can blurt out my feelings, my obviously funny side and I don’t know who is reading it and who I may inspire along the way.’

Natalie Birt of Mummy Smiles says:

‘Blogging makes me joyful because it gives me someone to talk to, someone to share the highs and lows with – even if I was the only one who ever read it, it would still make me joyful.’

Blogging doesn’t enforce the formality and ‘stiffness’ of other communication types. You can use slang, emphasize as you wish and allow your natural tone of voice to shine through. Combined with images and/or video, you can create something wonderfully unique and what isn’t joyful about that?

Joy In Relationships

Blogging creates crazy amounts of joy by connecting people who would otherwise never have met.

For example I met our lovely host Kim through blogging. I can’t actually remember how we came across each other’s blogs (Kim may be able to refresh my memory). We were commenting back and forth when I asked Kim if she could redesign my website for a more mature look. From there it blossomed into designing an ebook I co-wrote and three opt-in incentives. All of this despite living on opposite sides of the world.

I met my gorgeous friend and co-author Marissa Roberts from Beautifully Organised via blogging. Both of us had bought tickets to the Digital Parents Conference 2012. Prior to the conference I reached out to fellow attendees via the twitter hashtag so newbies like I would know someone when we got there. Marissa and I got along like a house on fire and ended up writing How To Host A Swingin’ Blog Challenge together.

Just think how many of your friendships wouldn’t have been born if not for the joy of blogging!

Joy In New Opportunities

Don’t ever limit your belief as to the new doors blogging may open for you. People who criticize the joyful opportunities presented by blogging are generally not bloggers themselves. Look to those already experiencing the rewards.

Take the example of Kylie Ofiu. Kylie had been blogging about her intention to be a millionaire by 30 and 1001 ways to make money, when a publisher approached her about writing a book, 365 Ways To Make Money. The draft was completed just six weeks later.

Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income has enjoyed many an opportunity as a result of his blogging. His first blog about the LEED (architecture) exam was to help him study. He eventually created an ebook from the content enabling him to support his family after being made redundant. Since then he has grown Smart Passive Income to a monthly income of $50,000+, spoken at major conferences around the world and been contracted to design and implement the digital promotion strategy for a movie. Not too shabby.

Consider Emma and Elsie from A Beautiful Mess. Both blog full time for A Beautiful Mess, they employ a small team, have published a book and are writing their second book currently. Sponsorships from numerous major retailers and an app later the sisters are celebrating six years of blogging as a business.

The Common Link

What do you notice in the examples above? What is the common link or element?

How about in each example the blogger is coming from a heartfelt, joyful and authentic place? Also, notice how the primary focus wasn’t business or making money but each joyful approach resulted in business income, growth or collaborations.

So a challenge for you! How can you make your blogging experience more joyful? Tell me in the comments then share the joy of this post with your friends!

P.S. A very special thanks to Kimberly for creating the gorgeous tour image. This beautiful woman is my go-to-gal when I need anything amazing design related. Yes, working with Kim brings me a bucket load of joy!

Caylie Price, owner of Better Business Better Life , is currently working her way around the interwebs with her 21 day Blogging For Growth tour. She is also co-author of How To Host A Swingin’ Blog Challenge. Download the first chapter FREE to learn more.

Submissions have begun for the Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search and I am so terribly excited! I know I’ve been promising you an update. I meant to give you one as I went along, but I got so on-a-roll and focused that I sort of forgot about posting it here. Anyway, I submitted my final artwork today, but I still have some peaks for you! I will show you the whole things once the finalists are announced August 1st. Oh, it’s going to be hard to wait so long!

I started the idea for the “playground journal” with some brainstorming and  pencil sketches which I then scanned into the computer. I placed those scans in Illustrator and started the rendering process. It gets pretty fun here. Below is a bit of a progress image…

After A LOT of finessing and a few moments of major self-doubt, I finally had a breakthrough and came up with something I am very proud of. Whether or not I win, the experience was worth every bit of time and effort. I learned a great deal about my style and feel that I’m heading in a better direction with my art + illustration overall. What’s more, the ladies over at the Oh My! Handmade Community Forums were great for pepping me up and offering some very valuable critiques. They helped guide me to a happy place with this illustration and I couldn’t be more grateful!

Here’s a sneak peek at part of the finished work. You’ll have to wait a little while for the rest, but it will be worth it, I hope! I’m dying of anticipation to show you, and to hear the finalists announced!

When you type “hue-ahaualic” into Google, it brings up shoe-ahaulic. While I love shoes I wouldn’t consider myself all that addicted to them. Although, I do have a pair that are full of a bunch of bright colors that I adore. I think it’s more about the colors than the shoes.

This week I’m going to start out the addiction with a lime green palette full of some of my favroite items on Etsy. Hope you enjoy saturating yourself in a little lime!

Maybe you need to learn some new photography skills for your shop, or maybe you’ve selflessly taught a new skill to someone in need. Have you helped a friend, sewed something, conquered a challenge, or built a new website for yourself? You can download and print these badges over at OMHG along with some other very fun badges from other designers.

I’m hoping to earn the teach a skill badge, the help a friend badge, the sew something badge, and the bold and brave badge. I have a lot of goals that are going to require me to be bold and brave!

I’d like to know, what is it that you would like to accomplish this summer? Do any of these badges work for your goals, or is there something else you had in mind?

(OMHG is looking for more badge designs and will also be posting more designs every Friday. Maybe you want to design your own badges, or see if you can earn some new ones?)

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this moment for over a month now. The Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search design brief was sent out today! For those of you who haven’t heard about this, the Global Talent Search is an opportunity to win two years of representation from Lilla Rogers Studio and to also have my work exposed to many manufactures like Midwest, Paperchase and Robert Kaufman Fabrics. It’s huge!

I can’t divulge the design brief, but I can tell you that the challenge is to “create a playground themed journal cover as if Paperchase were your client.”

I’m itching at the seems to get started, and have spent the morning gathering inspiration, brainstorming, and sketching ideas. It would be my biggest dream to be represented by Lilla Rogers so wish me luck and a good flow of creative juices! 

Stay tuned for some sneak peeks of my progress and process along the way and thanks for your support!

Wake up. Check e-mail. Sit on butt. Get realllly hungry. Sit on butt more and respond to e-mails. Get reallllllly hungry and start feeling like ick. Sit a little longer. Just one more e-mail. Decide that you can’t work while feeling like ick, so go get breakfast. A quick one. Come back to the computer. Eat while reading more e-mails. Get to work! Take a shower about noon. Plan to work out later. 6pm rolls around. Family is home, must cook dinner. No time to work out. Your head feels like mush. You are crabby and just want to veg-out. But things need to be done! The laundry is piling up. The sink is dirty. Is it bedtime yet?

Sound familiar at all? Hopefully, you are better at your own self-care than this.

The thing is, I really love my work! I wake up in the morning most days feeling gung-ho and I just can’t wait to jump on that computer to get started. It’s a blessing for sure, but sometimes it makes it even harder to step away and practice a little health and wellness.

Most days, I really have to push myself to take breaks because I get so wrapped up in the fun things I am doing. Even creativity needs some downtime.

They say “a woman’s work is never done” and that’s pretty true. But I also think “an artist’s work is never done.” I’m both. Does that mean I’m screwed? Lol. It’s our creative duty to keep coming up with new ideas and projects, but it’s also what we love to do!

That being said, it is imperative to take breaks or we risk creative burn-out. It’s happened to me more than once, so I’m speaking from experience here. Life after grad school was a prime example, and it took me nearly a year to recover.

Click the image to download this as a desktop wallpaper.

I by no means have this self-care thing down, but I do know a thing or two about what it takes. Putting it into action is another story! In the style of Oprah, here’s what I know for sure:

• I have to take care of myself first in order to best take care of others.
• Giving myself downtime usually leads me to my best ideas.
• When I eat healthy and exercise, I have more energy throughout the day.
• Eating a protein based breakfast, going for a walk with my dog, and taking a shower right away in the morning tends to make me more efficient the rest of the day.
• Having one day a week away from the house and computer is extremely rejuvenating.
• 15 minutes of just sitting outside can do wonders to recharge the mind (plus, that Vitamin D is good stuff).
• Stepping away from the computer to get my hands dirty in a creative activity is immensely fulfilling.
• I need vacations from time to time.
• It is perfectly acceptable to turn the computer off after working hours to be wholeheartedly with family. People and e-mails can wait.
• I don’t have to do things perfectly all the time.
• I can say no to doing things that don’t interest me or will not be good for me.
• I can say Yes! to things that really excite me to my core even if I think others may not approve.

You know? It’s good to see those affirmations written down. I’ll have to come back to these when I feel my self-care slipping.

Now I want to know, what do you do to take care of yourself?  Are you good about practicing self-care, or do you often let it slide until you hit a breaking point? What are the things you know for sure about taking care of yourself?

And to help you remember to take care of yourself, I’ve created a pretty desktop wallpaper for you to download. Just click on the image above.

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! I’m thrilled to participate in this tour alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more – and join us! – by clicking here.

Grooming Day by Victo Ngai

I am completely enamored by Victo Ngai’s worked. There is so much detail, you could really revel in it for hours. Check out more of his amazing work at Behance.