how to make an herbal infused oil + january musing

hello hello + i am delighted to share this with all of you.  herbal body oils are one of my favorite things, perfect green blessings.  once you have your method of infusion down, you can experiment with an array of plants.  these oils can be made into salves, soaps, body oils, and more.  lets get started shall we....plant material

wildcrafted or garden grown, the possibilities are endless.  i try new plants every year, some i stick with and some i dont.  i suggest you do the same.  i love rose petals + rosehips, cottonwood buds, lavender, and of course the conifers never disappoint.  make sure you do your research though.  have a clear idea of what plant you are using, know its botanical name, and what part of the plant you wish to harvest.  sit with her a while, and see what she has to say to you.

  

once you have collected the plant material, you can spread it out on the counter, allowing the bugs to vacate.  dont wash your plant material, nature isnt "dirty". you can shake the plant,and discard parts of it that seem less than desirable.  and by discard, i mean return back to the earth. then we are ready to go. if you are going to work with the plants often, its nice for them to have their own set of cutting boards, jars, ect. but if all you have is your kitchen equipment, dont let that stop you.  i like to chop the fresh plant material, and fill the jar 3/4th full. 

choosing the oil + depends on what you are making.  i like olive oil for soaps and salves.  avocado and jojoba are nice for body oiling.  experiment, try a little of both.  then cover with a breathable top.  then you can label, date, and keep out of direct sunlight.  how long you allow your plants to infuse is up to you,  i like at least six weeks, but six months is nice for some things too.  its a slow process, i love this folk method of infusion.  i recently created a youtube video, sharing this process.  check it out.

when you are ready to use your oil, strain through a cheesecloth or linen of sorts.  return the plant material to the earth, bottle, and label.  these make fabulous gifts too.  

i will share a few links to past posts i've written out salvemaking and body oiling.  i really enjoyed creating this post about the sacred art of body oiling and in this post i create a conifer salve 

i love january, everything seems to slow down a bit.  i reflect on the past year, coming up with ways to improve the things that worked, and let go of the things that did not.  i've been working on yoga skirts + experimenting with new fabrics 

i've been trying to sew as much as possible, while still enjoying winter. if my inventory is stocked well, i can devote more time to gathering come spring.  oh the beloved plants, to reunite with them will be divine.  speaking of plants i've been brainstorming about my seasonal offerings, the medicine collective i produce four times a year.  at the equinoxes and solstices. its a box of 6-8 herbal remedies.  all created by me, it could include honeys, vinegars, elixirs, oxymels, tinctures, body oils, salves, homemade soaps, and sometimes a small sewn item.  all themed around the wheel of the year. i am running an early bird special, for a year subscription. its just $225, and that includes the shipping.  you can link to that listing at simplyjosephine.com.  first one will ship out a week or two before the spring equinox.  here is a picture of the winter solstice box.

i've also managed to get in a few skis, although we seem to have a lack of snow this year.  its so nice to soak up winter, and all she has to offer.  i hope you are all doing the same.  you can subscribe at simplyjosephine.com, scroll down to the bottom of the page, there you should be able to enter your email. if you have any questions feel free to comment, i'ld love to connect with you.  have a blessed rest of your winter.  namaste