spring has almost sprung!

time to "switch out" dry winter skin for fresh, soft-as-a-baby-lamb spring skin!   check it out-  www.tinyurl.com/refreshandrenew

Do-It-Yourself Voodoo!

with valentine's day just around the corner, don't you think it's the perfect time for voodoo?!  


in the spirit of the holiday, the wandering herbalist will be at the "puppy love" show at willow this thursday night, february 11th.  a percentage of all sales made during "puppy love" will be donated to chicago canine rescue, a favorite local shelter.  it's the perfect time to shop from your heart, for your love!   

shop dog boo and i will be there with all the makin's for your own personalized voodoo dog- the perfect valentine gift for yourself or your favorite dog owner!  working on the philosophy of "reverse" voodoo, just push the pin into the blooming heart center and send love- and whatever else you'd like!- to your favorite pooch.  good thoughts make good voodoo!


here's how you will make your own doggy voodoo doll:


choose your dog... all the fabric is re-purposed, usually from shirts purchased at goodwill or the salvation army...

then choose your "voodoo"...  here are a few options i'll have... clockwise, starting from the top left:

calendula- to bless a departed soul (good for someone who recently lost a pet).

rose- for love... lots and lots of love!

comfrey- for safety during travel (perfect for a pooch who is stuck in cargo on a plane).

hawthorne (berries)- gets love flowing (for crabby dogs or dog owners)!

nettles- for adaptability and to be able to flourish where needed and loved (perfect for a foster dog who is moving on to a permanent home).

meadowsweet- for love spells!  fun!  also to cheer the heart.

you can also add a sweet, personalized note...

then we'll add the herbs/note/both, and sew it up...

and there you go...  that voodoo that you do so (sew) well!  

"puppy love" happens at willow on thursday, february 11th from 6 to 9 p.m..  there will be trunk shows featuring local accessory designers, my doggy DIY craft, a silent auction, wine and beer, and all-around fun and frivolity.  *ummm... have you met amy- the owner of willow- yet?  she's nothing but crazy fun!!*  

puppy love at willow

thursday, february 11th

850 north damen  (a block and a half north of chicago, on the west side of damen)

6 to 9 p.m.

come on over!  don't make us beg...!!!

The Real, Desperate Housewives of Orange County

let's face it...  there is NO chance any one of those housewives would ever ask me to create a healing tea blend, but...  i can't help but wonder what i would recommend...


blackberry- to strengthen the physical body AND, metaphysically, maintain healthy personal boundaries... because those husbands can be a handful!  
calendula- to help heal all that plastic surgery...
dandelion leaf- stimulates appetite, improves assimilation- since they really don't eat much (the root is awesome for the liver, but would need to be used in a decoction or overnight infusion)...

rose- to soften and open the heart...
peppermint- to synergize and bring all healing aspects together...

i guess this is my official "housewives blend"!  hmmmm...  i wonder if it will taste good with a shot of tequila...

An Open Letter to Cupid

dear cupid,

i love you.

i love your round, fleshy body that has decidedly consumed ample amounts of chocolate and truffle fries and lobster dipped in drawn butter...

i love that you target all of us with your magical arrows, hoping to dislodge any doubt or hatred or fear...
i love that you probably sleep on a cloud...
i love that you are friends with the sun and the moon...
i love your sense of humor, putting us in the most ridiculous of romantic situations...
i love that you test us, pairing us with friends who don't always treat us well...
i love that you also give us friends who are always amazing...
i love that you chose chocolate and roses as the "standard" valentine's gifts...

i love that you can heal a broken heart...
i love that you remind us to be kind...
i love that you give every animal an "unconditional love arrow" at birth...

i love that red wine is heart-healthy, and i'm sure you had something to do with that...
i love that you have hope...
i love that you give us hope...
i love you for loving us.  allllllll of us.

so, dear cupid, here's to wishing you a very, very happy heart day.

love,
the wandering herbalist

p.s.  i have a short list of people who may require an extra arrow or two.  i'll forward it.

A Perfect Gift- From the Heart, For the Heart

shop dog boo's voodooo dogs help you use GOOD voodoo to send love to your favorite four-legged companion.  just push the pin in the blooming heart to stimulate the heart chakra and your pooch will feel that loving energy!  more deets here:  www.tinyurl.com/doggyvoodoo

a great valentine's day gift for your favorite dog lover... or wanna-be dog lover!  hand-sewn with repurposed fabric and lots of intention by yours truly.  $10/each.  


available in chicago at willow- 850 north damen, or directly through me.  call me at 303.324.7323, or email thewanderingherbalist@gmail.com. 

From Oil to Salve... Magic!

i just finished a fresh batch of paw salve... check out how it's made!  


first the oil must be infused... i used the heat method- since chicago doesn't have a ton of sun right now... ;)
half of the oil i use is comfrey-infused...

and the other half a blend of rose, lavender, chamomile, and calendula...

look at that beautiful green comfrey oil!

i keep the infused oils in a mason jar until i'm ready to cook up some paw salve...

so when i'm ready...  it goes in a pan (a pan i ONLY use for my herbal products!) with some beeswax...

and when the beeswax is melted, it gets poured into a pyrex until it cools enough to add the vitamin e and essential oils... and then poured into the plastic jars.  and POOF!  boo boo goo paw salve is born!

simple is best!  this healing salve is perfect for anyone with paws- pooches, putty tats OR people!  www.tinyurl.com/booboogoofactsheet

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!!!!

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!    

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.  ;)

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...**

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!  

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"...*

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!!!