raganella

raganella {hearts} owl & thistle

Liz — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:23:53 +0000

I love the way people connect in this city. You never know who you’re going to meet and where it will lead. A fewmonths ago I found myself on Franklin Ave in Crown Heights. I noticed this sweet little shop called Owl & Thistle and felt compelled to check it out. Upon entering, I knew this was a place after my own heart, with its totally sweet selection of locally sourced goods. I struck up a conversation with the lovely proprietor, Keri, and eventually mentioned my li’l line of products. Not thinking much of it, I went on my merry way. Then just recently I got an email from Keri. She wanted to try out some of the goods. One thing led to another and…

I’m very happy to announce that Raganella’s Botanical Solutions are now available at the Owl & Thistle General Store in Crown Heights! You can find the extremely luscious favorite Sweet Orange & Vanilla Face & Body Cream and our super soothing Sunflower, Comfrey & Lavender Facial Scrub, along with an amazingly curated selection of Brooklyn-made favorites, like McClure’s Pickles (& chips!), Brewklyn Grind Coffee, and Granola Lab Granola, plus a whole lot of great stuff that’s not edible like clothing, jewelry, toys, and stationery.

Owl & Thistle General Store
720 Franklin Ave
Brooklyn NY 11238

STORE HOURS
Wednesday & Thursday:
12:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Friday & Saturday:
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Sunday:
11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

DIRECTIONS:

Franklin Ave. stop on the
2, 3, 4, 5, or C trains or the
Shuttle.

stop internet censorship from becoming a reality

Liz — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:05:59 +0000

Tomorrow you won’t be able to peruse my website. I’m fading to black in protest against the SOPA and PIPA bills being brought to the Senate on January 24. Many popular websites will be blacking out their sites to let it be known that censorship will not stand.

Learn more about SOPA & PIPA and how you can speak out against them.

come get some lovin’ at the v-day vegan shop-up

Liz — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:16:18 +0000

The number one New Year’s resolution I’ve heard from the people in my circle is this: more self-care. In my book, self-care = self-love. So whether you’ve got someone to shower with oodles of kisses or not this V-day, come on out and treat yourself right with veggie vittles, soaps, teas, and all sorts of lovely plant-based goodies. It’s the Valentine’s edition of the Vegan Shop-up!

Sunday, February 12
noon to 6pm
Pine Box Rock Shop
Grattan St
Bushwick, BK
(off the Morgan Ave L)

I’ll be there with a new love-centered tea blend and love balm, plus all the other amazing teas and extracts and goodies from Raganella’s Botanical Solutions.

Where else can you shop while sipping on a delicious bloody mary?

don’t miss these workshops

Liz — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:40:14 +0000

I’m often asked how I got started doing what I do. It’s not always a short answer. When I trace my path back in time, it leads me to several amazing people and ideas. And they’re not all so obviously related to crafting body care products. Here are some of the people I’ve learned from and continue to learn from, the ideas that inspire me, and the practices I aspire to deeply know. I hope that you’ll take the opportunity to get to know them, too.

Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) course with Andrew Faust
Starting February 18, 2012.

I’m always excited to introduce folks to the ways of permaculture, especially the way Andrew teaches it. You’ll see the world in a whole new light and learn to define things differently, too – from the corporate oligarchy we are governed by to what “sustainability” really means. Andrew just has a different way of putting things, as you’ll see from the two video links below. A message from Andrew Faust & co., below…

Thinking about joining us but want to know more about our course? You can always visit our website, but to immediately get to the heart of what we’re about watch this video and listen to Andrew Faust talk about the beauty that is permaculture and what you will learn in our PDC. Share it with your friends!

Watch: Learning to Live Well with the Earth

Here is another video of Andrew talking at Occupy Wall Street that has been making it’s way around the internet.

Watch: Occupy the Economy

Our entire teaching team is passionate about teaching Permaculture and sharing the tools for positive solutions. From Bill Young the biodiversity specialist who reforested Fresh Kills to Lisa DePiano cooperative business pioneer creating revenue and relationships between bicycle compost pick-up, CSA’s and restaurants, you will learn dynamic ways to create opportunity and abundance wherever you are.

Our Urban Permaculture focus will feature two excellent field trips: one to the extensive green roof laboratory on Randall’s Island with Dwaine Lee of the Horticultural Society and another visiting the community garden’s of the Lower East Side that have been retrofitted to harvest rainwater and reclaim brownfields with Lars Chellberg and Paula Hewit Amram.

Know that we are constantly striving to make each PDC better than the last by continuing to educate ourselves and stay relevant in this dynamic world. Andrew is a true scholar and brings to each student his solid experience from a life of active learning: from deep nature to concrete jungle, from classic tomes to the newest books and theories on evolution.

Speaking of tomes and books, Andrew has a tumblr blog where he is, amongst other things, writing reviews for the many books he reads that contribute to the material he teaches in our course.

We hope you can join us!

Here’s to our new bright year!
May we all realize our connections and live with a whole heart.

Beekeeping & Urban Homesteading with Meg Paska

Meg is the best! From bees to bunnies, you’ll learn all the basics of urban homesteading from this super smart lady with lotsa heart.

Online Urban Beekeeping 101- 1/22 (3 sessions):
Learn the ins-and-outs of beekeeping from a city-dweller’s perspective. From honeybee anatomy and behavior to pests and diseases to honey harvesting, we’ll cover a full season of beekeeping from Spring through Winter so that you can feel confident starting your first beehive this year!

Growing Edible Mushrooms at Home- 2/12:
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to turn waste into delicious, meaty mushrooms. We’ll make mushroom logs from tree cuttings, grow oyster mushrooms in espresso grounds and discuss stem butt cultivation with salvaged burlap sacks! Students will take home a mushroom log of their own!

Backyard Homesteading Bootcamp- 4/7 (all day):
In this day long workshop, you’ll learn how to turn your small space into a functioning homestead. Learn gardening, composting, chicken and rabbit basics, beekeeping basics, diy home and body care,* homebrewing and food preservation. (*I’ll be leading this part!)

Workshops with Leda Meredith

One of the biggest catalysts for my journey toward a plant-focused lifestyle was one of Leda’s foraging tours in Prospect Park. Get a full list of Leda’s workshops here; below are some of her personal favorites.

Fermentation Workshop in Park Slope, BK

Saturday 11 February 2012 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Did you know that fermented cabbage has more vitamin C than plain old raw cabbage? That you can ferment root vegetables into tasty beers? Here’s how to turn the ho-hum local storage crops of winter into super-healthy, safe, easy to make fermented foods. We’ll cover fermented veggies like sauerkraut, basic alcohol fermentation, and yogurt – making.

Space is VERY limited (as in at my apt.), so please reserve a spot soon if you’re interested.

Herbs, Herb Gardens, & Herbalism @NYBG

4 Wednesdays January 18 – February 8 2012 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Study the history of herbalism and herb garden design. Take an in-depth look at some of the most historically important herbs, their uses, and cultivation requirements. Ancient as well as contemporary uses of individual herbs are discussed. A visit to the LuEsther T. Mertz Library to view centuries-old herbals completes the class.

Ehtnobotany of Our Native Flora @NYBG

2 Fridays, 27 January & 3 February 2012 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

From spicebush to wild ginger, sassafras to trillium, our region is rich in culinary and medicinal plants largely neglected in contemporary use. Learn the historical use of these plants by native Americans, the Shakers, and other settlers. Plant identification and uses as well as sustainable harvesting techniques will be covered. Dress for the weather.

The Art of Herbal Medicine Making with Robin Rose Bennett

This class is amazingly fun. You’ll get hands-on experience making your very own herbal medicine with plants growing in our bioregion. Robin is so lovely, and has a wealth of herbal healing knowledge.

There is nothing as empowering as making your own medicines. Crafting your own herbal preparations will save you lots of money, and you will feel healthier and happier than ever before. In this class we will work with fresh (and some dried) herbs, making several types of tinctures (with and without alcohol), liniments, oils, infusions, vinegars, syrups, salves, decoctions, poultices, compresses, fomentations, and more! Robin Rose will share some of her favorite recipes and most effective remedies. Herbs are magical, but preparing and using them doesn’t have to be mystifying. Come enjoy a fun, enriching experience, and then do try this at home!

Note: A $15 materials fee is payable to the teacher at the first session.

A WEEKLY COURSE
(6 sessions) Thursdays, April 5–May 17, 8–10pm
No class on April 12.
12WHN28T For CEUs click here
Members: $200 / Nonmembers: $215

love the earth, recycle your tree

Liz — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:15:13 +0000

I love this planet, don’t you? We have everything we need right here. Water to keep us hydrated, cleansed, and renewed. Food to energize our bodies. Plants to inspire us and encourage our natural healing abilities… and so much more. So how can we bow down and show our deepest respect to this life-giving mother of a planet? Take only what we need and give back what we are finished benefitting from.

I thoroughly enjoy having a Yuletide (or Christmas, if you prefer) tree during the winter holidays. It brings me joy to smell the fresh resinous scent of evergreen, to cover the tree in shiny heirloom ornaments, to light up our home in the darkness. We drive to a tree farm in New Jersey that does not spray chemicals on their trees. We carefully choose our tree and thank it for providing us with festive feelings. My sweetheart cuts it and we bring it home. The boughs we trim from the tree go into oil for healing salves, in vinegar (for vitamin C), and in alcohol for a stimulating tincture. When the holidays are over and the tree has lost its luster, we carefully pack away the decorations. Then we bring it to the community garden and have it mulched. Our tree will return to the soil. It will slowly break down, providing organic matter, slowly percolating water to roots, modulating the ground temperature for trees and perennial shrubs. Our tree will not be sent to a landfill in a plastic bag. It is not trash.

If you have a tree that you’ve finished celebrating, please recycle it. This weekend, January 7 & 8, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation is holding its annual Mulchfest. Bring your tree to a participating park or garden and return it to the earth. Thank you!

(Alternatively, NYC Department of Sanitation says they’ll recycle your tree – just make sure it is completely naked when you put it on the curb. Collection will be up until January 14.)

PS. Please, do not do this with your tree:

happy new year! (and 2012 intentions)

Liz — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:54:23 +0000

{let’s show some love for 2012!}

It’s kinda funny, I’m still coming to terms with the fact that it’s now 2012. 2011 is over. And though a part of my brain is feeling whirled by this realization, the rest of me is ready for this new beginning. I’ve reflected on the happenings of the last year and now it’s time for visioning.

Many people poo-poo the idea of making resolutions, and have come up with cute euphemisms that carry similar meaning. I’ve been using the word “intentions” (which according to the thesaurus, is a direct synonym of “resolution”). Perhaps there is more of a bullishness with resolving rather than intending. Resolve is definite; intent is potential and flexible. Breaking resolutions can leave a feeling of guilt or failure. Missing an intention is more forgiving, as intentions aim at a goal – they aren’t set in stone.

Whatever you like to call it, setting goals just feels natural during the darker, inward-reflecting days of winter. So here are some of the directional shifts I’d like to take in 2012.

1. approach the unknown with curiosity.

A subtle twist on the phrase in the image above (via improvised life via imaginary foundation). “The unknown” is vast territory. Precisely what can make it feel so scary. And this fear of the unknown, or rather, the reaction to the fear, can be detrimental. The fear reaction creates mental blocks, physical and emotional pain, and renders opportunities unrecognizable. Instead of feeling all angsty or speculative about emerging situations, I plan on observing with a loving, curious, beginner’s mind as events unfold. I want to dance with the unknown.

“You know that you know nothing. Find out that knowledge. That is liberation.” ~ Ramana Maharshi

2. more self-care
Mainly, this is about listening to my body. This can be as simple as: Am I tired? Sleep. (This is the perfect time of year to abide by this bodily request!) Am I thirsty? Drink water. Or it can be a bit more nuanced: Am I anxious? Sit in meditation or drink a lavender infusion. Listen to soothing music. Breathe.

Other self-care rituals I will incorporate:

Monthly – massage, a visit to the Russian baths

Weekly – Pilates, Yoga, African Dance, Belly Dance

Daily – meditation, foot massage (with my peppy-mint foot cream!), herbal infusions, skin brushing, drawing, writing, Tai Chi

3. simplify, and keep it simple

It seems the self-improvement genre is awash in “decluttering” guides and “101 ways to simplify your life.” But how do you declutter and keep it that way? I’ve found it fairly easy to find new homes for things that take up space or collect dust. What I want to do is keep new stuff from finding its way into our home. This is a biggie that I want to keep track of this year. The one difficulty in this for me is that I make products. There are always shipments of ingredients and packaging arriving at our doorstep. Always boxes to unpack and recycle. And lots of stuff to store. I aim to be more efficient with the management of this stuff, too.

4. more face time, less facebook

I hate to admit it, but I love facebook. It’s a fun way to interact with friends, share ideas or what I’m up to, perhaps be a little voyeuristic. But it’s become my landing page, in a compulsive-habitual way that I don’t feel good about. I’ve gone on digital detoxes before, but I always come back to facebook – with a vengeance. My goal here is to make more time to see my friends’ actual faces, to be in their living-breathing presence, rather than sit all day at the computer staring at their avatars. Friends, please hold me to this one!

These are just some of the ways I’d like to make my year more meaningful. What do you have planned for 2012?

more last minute giving

Liz — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:09:47 +0000

Based on friends’ suggestions and some last minute requests from orgs I support, here are a few more choice picks for year-end donations. You’ve got just under 12 hours left to give! (Unless you live in another time zone, of course.)

Ample Harvest

This org was brought to my attention by the founder of AgainBags (who also happens to be my cousin). According to Ample Harvest, “an estimated 100 billion pounds of food, enough to totally eliminate hunger, is thrown away annually in the United States.” But it doesn’t have to be this way. Ample Harvest helps distribute the abundance of home gardeners with extra produce, linking them with food pantries so that families across the country can have access to fresh, healthful food.

Brooklyn Greenway Intitiave (BGI)

Wouldn’t it be nice if more city folk felt safe enough to ride their bikes everywhere? In a borough where the public transit system does not connect many neighborhoods, BGI aims to create a waterfront bike path that will do just that. They’ve already made great strides in providing 4 miles of bike lanes in Red Hook and Williamsburg. You can help them realize the other 10 miles.

Center for Environmental Health (CEH)

BPA and lead in children’s toys, pesticides in food, water & soil, indoor air pollutants – these are just some of the issues that CEH tackles through outreach, policy action, and public education.

Center for Biological Diversity

We are facing the Sixth Great Extinction, and unlike past great extinctions, this one is human driven. The Center for Biological Diversity is set on protecting the species most at risk by safe-guarding habitat and the vital resources we all depend on – clean air, water, and soil.

ioby

What is the positive flipside of NIMBYism? In Our BackYards (ioby). This awesome org kicks community projects in the NY metro area into high gear, linking people who want to better their neighborhood with the means to do so. Want to turn an empty lot into a thriving garden? How about teaching your community about the benefits of composting? With ioby, it’s possible.

Trees NY

Did you know there is a program in NYC that teaches everyday folks how to prune and care for street trees? A couple of years ago, I participated in this program to become a Citizen Pruner, thanks to Trees NY. Life is tough for street trees, and this org also helps to protect them from damage, like being girdled by overprotective tree guards.

last minute giving

Liz — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:31:21 +0000

Got a few extra bucks to spare? Feeling generous? Want to write off some donations for tax purposes? Whatever your reason for year-end giving, here are some of my favorite groups who could use some support…

High School for Public Service Youth Farm (c/o BK Farmyards and Green Guerillas)

I can’t think of a better way to invest in the future than this. Providing high school kids with hands-on education, like skills to grow produce for market. Empowering, creative, productive – one activity that includes so many lessons (math, marketing, planning, nutrition, etc).

Just Food

Everyone deserves healthful, nourishing food and Just Food works to ensure that New Yorkers get just that. Through outreach, education, and community supported agriculture, this awesome org helps to ensure that everyone has access to local, fresh, affordable produce.

Food & Water Watch

The government sure isn’t protecting our food and water from contaminants, industrialization, homogenization (quite the opposite in fact). Food & Water Watch fights for food and water rights, like putting a stop to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. And from now until Saturday, they’re matching every donation, dollar for dollar.

Riverkeeper

The Hudson River sure has cleared up since the Clean Water Act was put into effect. Unfortunately, it is still not being enforced, as the river continues to be polluted by storm run-off, combined-sewer-overflow (CSO), and residual industrial contaminants. Riverkeeperregularly tests and reports on the quality of the Hudson River, as well as supports policies to keep our watershed clean and safe.

YES! Magazine

This here is one of my most favorite publications. Looking for inspiration? A shift from the normal “bad” news that circulates on TV and in newspapers? Ad-free, corporate-interest-free feel-good stories? YES! is your friend. Show them some love!

iLoveMountains

Mountains serve as a vital source of fresh water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and so much more. So why are we letting big corporations completely level these life-giving places for dirty-burning coal? iLoveMountains aims to put an end to this disgusting community- and ecology-killing practice.

crafted at the canal – my last holiday fair of the year!

Liz — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:28:34 +0000

Wow, I’m still recovering from yesterday’s super successful Holiday Market at PS321 in Park Slope. It was an amazingly well-put-together fair and the crowds were enthusiastic about all of the great offerings from crafters (like me). What I love about fairs like the PS321 Holiday Market are the people I get to meet and introduce to Raganella’s Botanical Solutions. And speaking of great people I like to meet…

So I’ve got one more fair this year, and I’m really excited about it. It’s being put on by Build It Green! (BIG!) NYC and Sustainable NYC, at the new BIG! location on 9th Street near the Gowanus (a perfect location for them IMHO; scroll to the bottom for more info). What I’m most psyched about is the people – the trash crafters and upcyclers – I’ll be in the company of that day. Here are just a few of the amazing artists & designers who will be there selling their goods:

Christian Rathbone (fine rugs)

Second Souls (sculpture)

Bespoke Glass Tiles

Wilder Alison (fabric art)

Recycle-a-Bicycle

Rebutton Studios

and so many more. I’ll have my teas, herbal extracts, and body care goods for sale, as well as some special holiday deals. Come on out and get some one-of-a-kind gifts for your loves, and yourself!

Crafted at the Canal
A Holiday Reuse Craft Fair
Saturday & Sunday (I’ll be there on Saturday)
December 17 & 18
10am to 5pm
Build it Green! NYC (new location)
69 9th St, BK

get your {fashion} fixx

Liz — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:23:49 +0000

I just had to take a little break from making toothpaste and body scrubs for this weekend’s holiday fair to tell you about this amazingly fun experience I had last night. As you may know, in addition to my love of herbs and natural body care, I love to remake things. Well, last night I got to play around with some tired old and moth-eaten clothes, remaking them into some fabulously fun frankensteined fashion (oh wow, who loves alliteration?).

Down in DUMBO there’s this hidden little gem of a place known as Metamorfixx, home and studio of Petra Hanson, fashion designer, artist, musician, and now teacher. She gave me and 2 other friends lessons on how to take our worn out duds and make lovely new ones using various techniques. Two of my favorites were the sew-free t-shirt knot and on the opposite end of the spectrum, the super industrial Merrow serger.

Petra shows us this cute tank dress she made using the knot technique.

I took a t-shirt Livi got from a stoop sale and an old moth-eaten sweater to make this get-up I call Björkenstein.

I found out about Metamorfixx from my dearest friend Livi (Olivia Cleans Green), after she went to an Evolver reskilling event where Petra demonstrated her fabric “fixxing” skills.

Livi doesn’t usually where trousers, but she loved the look of this tuxedo pants jumpsuit. She fixxed it by cutting off the legs and inserting triangle-shaped fabric where the old inseams were. In the back, for added flare, Livi used some blue satin from a formal dress she’s had in her closet for many moons.

So how can you get your fashion fixx? Get in touch with Petra. She’s now teaching small workshops like the one I attended last night. You bring the clothing and she supplies the notions and know-how. It’s *sew* much fun! (Yeah, I know I’m a dork).