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Merry & Bright

on December 24, 2013

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herbal tinctures + what they are + how to make them + dosage

hello hello + happy winter to all. navigating through the tincture world can be a little confusing at times, that is the reason for this post. first off lets start with.... what the heck is a tincture anyway? tinctures are alcohol based herbal preparations. in other words i use alcohol to extract the active constituents of the plants. resulting in a high concentration of plant medicine in a little bottle. the gathering process... most of the plant material used in simply josephine herbals, is wildcrafted by me and/or some of my people that i have recruited . some plants are organically grown in my garden, and a select few are ordered from mountain rose herbs . i absolutely LOVE the wildcrafting process, honestly being in nature is the true medicine, in my mind. i tincture my fresh plant material the same day that it is harvested, to ensure a quality product. its respectful to myself, you, and the plants. when its harvested, its pr

magical conifer balm

where to begin with this one, its pretty much montana in a jar. if you have ever spent.....even a day in montana you know its a pretty special place. this balm smells like a hike in the alpine glory, pure mountain love. it all starts with a blend of infused oils, never essential oil. pure tree magic, captured in oil. to infuse the oils, i chop fresh plant material, place it in a jar and cover with olive oil. i place it on a shelf, for a month or two. longer if that can happen, but sometimes the show must go on. it must me stirred often especially in the first two weeks of being in the oil. the conifer balm is an infusion of sub alpine fir, spruce, and pine. cedar would be a nice addition if it growns near you. use what is available to you. strain the oil, and you are ready to make a salve. 1 1/2 cup infused oil 1 oz beeswax this is generally the oil/beeswax ration. feel free to experiment though, thats how we figure out what we like. melt the

winter gathering + juniper medicine + smudge stick making

its beginning to look a lot like christmas.......wow we are full on in winter wonderland. its absolutely beautiful outside, pure magic. i have been wanting to make smudge sticks for a while now, but the usual sagebrush doesn't grow nearby. then i came across an inspiring article about all kinds of different plants and herbs to use in smudge making. in the past i have yelled out while on a road trip.....stop the car there is sage. gathered a bunch and made the sticks when i got home, but why not just use what is available to you. juniper is everywhere in our little corner of montana. but any of these plants and herbs will work thyme, lavender, yarrow, pine, mullien, rosemary, lemon balm, mint, bee balm, or catnip. traditionally white sage, sweetgrass, cedar, or sagebrush are used. smudging has native roots, used in ceremony, to cleanse, purify, and heal. people and places. so a good time to smudge would be right before you move into a new place, or after a major