Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Wandering Through Kansas and Nebraska...



here we go, yo!  just under eleven hours of driving and here we are in lincoln, nebraska!  had a little
"huh?" moment in eastern colorado that slowed us down a bit, but... onward and upward!  a bed hasn't felt this necessary in quite a while...  sweeeeeeeet dreams!  next post will be from chicagoland!!!!


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Do That Voodoo That You Do SO Well!



one of my favorite things to make are my doggy voodoo dogs.  they were inspired by the final project i created for the first herb training i did with tonja- a first aid kit for a broken heart.  the kit had various herbal remedies- hawthorne tincture, rose tea, healing foot bath, etc....-  but the "star" of the kit was my "reverse" voodoo doll.  it's "reverse", because instead of inflicting pain, you send love.  with each push of the pin (into the blooming heart), you send love to the person you're thinking about.  love not pain!  yeah! 




when i got boo last january, my whole life began to revolve around dogs (clearly...!) and when i did my second herb training at moondance, i decided to do a doggy first aid kit.  hence the creation of doggy voodoo dolls.  they are perfect for a dog owner who travels a lot, someone whose dog is ill, or just anyone who is in love with their pooch.  the dolls are made with repurposed fabric and sewn by hand.  by me.  with lots of love and intention.  :)  




so the next time someone tells you to "stick it", maybe it will have a whooooooole new meaning.  


happy holidays!    

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

If Lady Gaga Were an Herb...






... i think she'd be dandelion!  right?  right!  come on, we all know that dandelion is a very, VERY misunderstood  herb.  uniquely beautiful, golden, and FIERY, dandelion seems to be eeeeverrrywhere, yet the uninformed are always trying to get rid of it!  try as they may, dandelion never goes away, it just comes back bigger, better and more fabulous every time.  i mean, think about it...


dandelion grows through concrete!  concrete!  can't keep that beauty down....


dandelion adapts itself to grow lower than the lawnmower!  "oh, just try to cut me...  ha!"


bottom line, dandelion will surface and bloom, and always be able to express itself.  strong, determined and adaptable, i think we can all learn something from dandelion.  don't you?!  the wandering herbalist is going to tap into those qualities for the move from denver to chicago!  hell yeah!  so how can you connect with dandelion?  eat the leaves!  or... since it's winter... drink an infusion or a cup of tea.  the leaf is a great tonic for the kidneys, the root is amazing for the liver.


do an experiment with me-drink dandelion leaf infusions every day for two weeks, and let's see if our attitudes are altered.  strength, adaptability, determination!  and "poker face", of course.  ;)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Wandering Boo

faithful companion and inspiration for doggy products...   moondance shop dog for the past year...  budding celebrity...  my little boo.  *sigh*





Traveling Tools of the Trade

mason jars, pyrex measuring cups, measuring spoons, chopsticks, spatulas, strainer, cheescloth, stainless steel pot, french press, electric kettle...  herbs!  beeswax, oils, essential oils...  curing tinctures and infusions... the list never ends...  can't wait to make some chicago-based product!!



Life is Full of Delightful Little Surprises...




the wandering herbalist finally wandered to boulder (i.e. mecca) last weekend.  i have many fond memories of boulder, as i did my yoga teacher training with the incomparable ashtanga master, richard freeman.  basically, the only time i go to boulder is to do yoga or meditate!  this time, though, i was visiting a friend, and it was all about restaurants, bars and theater.  a different type of meditation, i guess... life is all about balance, right?!


my host, bud carson, is a friend who is also a wanderer (and sometimes san francisco cab driver) and he's staying in boulder for an undetermined amount of time.  he's renting a place in a cute little neighborhood that butts up to the hills, but is still a three-minute drive to the pearl street mall.  oh, the benefits of living in a tiny town!  anyway, my pal is very aware of my herbal life, and couldn't wait to show me the contents of the medicine cabinet in his apartment.  wha'?  huh?  he sublets from a guy, so i have to say that my initial reaction was "why do you want to show me his 'old spice'?  why do i care?"... and THEN... he opened the cabinet door... and... (*cue angels singing from the universe*)  wowwww!!!








tinctures and flower remedies and essential oils, OH MY! cayenne!  clove bud!  and yarrow? yarrow?  who knows about yarrow?!  in essential oil form, it's great as an anti-inflammatory (and more), but it's amazing metaphysically to support dreams and visions.  LOVE IT!  i have to say, though, that the best part was that he had my favorite eo of all time- rose geranium.  aaaahhhhh.  home sweet home.  ;)  fortunately, i had the pleasure of meeting the owner of all these treasures, and as it turned out, he had studied to be an herbalist.  duh!  of course! he actually went to the same school as tonja, the owner of moondance.  again... of course!  he even studied with susun weed, my hero!  *sigh*  oh, boulder...  how i sometimes love ya'...  


**check out my wandering friend's book at www.myfarecity.com.  it's a very entertaining- and pretty saucy- read...**


Thursday, December 10, 2009

We Pause for Paws!


the first official product the wandering herbalist created was "boo boo goo", a healing, herb-infused salve for dogs, cats, AND humans!  named after my beloved dog, boo, this salve is nourishing to the skin and is highly effective for healing any skin irritations.  what makes it different from most other products on the market?  i infuse the oils with healing herbs- comfrey, calendula, rose, lavender and chamomile.  infusing pulls out the therapeutic elements, thereby highly increasing the effectiveness.  it doesn't just smell and feel good, it HEALS!  check out the fact sheet...


available in denver at moondance botanicals, earthlings, and sixth avenue pet source.  and from the wandering herbalist anytime!  just email me- thewanderingherbalist@gmail.com.


chicago plans keep brewing...  updates a-followin'.  ahoy!  

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

exfoliate and steam and a fresh mask... OH MY!

the first offering on the traveling herbalist's CHICAGO menu is the fresh, fabulous face party! it all starts the last week of december! get your glow on just in time for new year's eve!

using fresh, hand-crafted moondance botanicals (www.moondancebotanicals.com) products- we will:

1. exfoliate (with honey-almond, or cleansing grains- made with powdered oats, white clay and poppy seeds)
2. cleanse (with lavender silk, a luscious non-soap cleanser)
3. herbal steam (choose from soothing rose/calendula or tonifying lavender/fennel)
4. fresh masks! (seasonal! but always includes chocolate-rose... yummMmm...)
5. product product product! spritzers, serum, moisturizer and eye cream. *big sigh*

i will come to your home or office, anywhere in the city of chicago. $25/person, five-person minimum. enjoy a 20% discount on any moondance product ordered the day of your spa party! your fresh skin care will be boxed up and shipped out the same week. who needs the sun in the dark chicago winter... we'll all soon be glowing!

*would you like me to set up wine and food for your spa party? i WILL! i have lots of cool friends who do and sell cool stuff! we'll "tawk"...*

Friday, November 27, 2009

chicago arrival!


our arrival date has been determined! we (me, my dog, boo and my bff, matt) leave denver on monday, december 28th, so should be in chicago no later than tuesday afternoon! let's do facials!


menu of mobile services to come! see you in the windy city!!!