DIY Geranium Essence for lotions: Day, Night skin and face cream, and sore muscle lotion.

I had just too much fun playing... and saving $

DIY Geranium Essence Master Mix recipe , Day and Eve creams, and Sore muscle lotion recipes below. 

I was making various lotions; trying different mixtures and I wanted to add Geranium as the main ingredient. I made eleven new jars of products; all at a reduction of the cost! I was spending $25-$35 a jar, so I'm counting the savings, not to mention the absence of chemicals!

                    ..................................................................................................................................The far right stack's top two are sore muscle creams, the bottom one is a simpler version of a calming Shea Butter mixture. The Middle pile is my new Evening cream; every night, before bed I lather it on my face, neck and decollete area. The stack on the far left is face cream. Each day, as I head out, I make sure to rub this wonderful stuff onto my face, neck and decollete area. My skin thanks me the rest of the day! Since I have activities that may get me dirty (painting, gardening, and sweating in general) I also add it throughout the day too. For makeup, I simply add a bit of color to it, making it into a tinted moisturizer! Currently, I now have three Day Creams, three Night Creams, and two sore muscle creams in my refrigerator, while I keep four out for my daily use: One Daytime, One nitetime, One sore muscle lotion, and one Shea Soothe.Besides Geranium's wonderful effect on mood, as well as being a natural repellent to insects, it is great for skin and hair care! Not only is it good for oily and combination skin, but it tones and tightens mature skin tissue as well! It can help treat injured skin, healing facial wounds, as it will help regenerate healthy cells, not to mention the damage of the sun (I'm on the lake a lot). Geranium offers soothing, calming effect to skin as well as mood! Lol, a win, win. 

I have tried using my "master mix," a recycled spaghetti sauce jar full of Geranium Essence on my hair. I simply made a hair mask by applying it straight out of the finished jar onto my hair, finger-combing it through. I additionally made a mudd mask for my entire body's skin by simply rubbing it all over me. --Sorry, I didn't take a picture. Lol, I didn't think you all would want to see that!-- After waiting for 15 minutes in the bathroom, I simply stepped into the shower to shower it all off. My hair was fuller and younger looking (how I'd describe it). A hair commercial would say it was, "vibrant with a healthy glow." ;-) 

Something like this, my hair isn't this long, nor am I that gorgeous! Tee hee...

Geranium Essence Master Mix Recipe: 

I didn’t have any geranium oil and I wanted to do something different, that included more of nature's natural bountiful gifts, so I made some. I grow primarily red and white geraniums, which needed pruning, so I took the cut flowers, 

all the scraps (stems and leaves) and made a geranium mixture loaded with geranium’s goodness for    ~my various DIY recipes! 

Once they were slow simmered in solid coconut oil, over low heat for an entire day. (*Note: Cook with a lid to aid in the steaming; additionally, the leaves and flowers were washed by putting into a strainer within a bowl of water to soak and rinse well. Then I did not dry the material, so the water also helped in the steaming process.)  I put the mixture into my powerful juicer, which separated the steamed oil, coconut oil and juices from the dry scrap material (that went out to the compost). 

The next step was picking out skin nourishing ingredients that improve the appearance of skin. The ingredient list needed to include restorative and rejuvenating properties to the skin, anti-aging benefits that reduce the appearance of imperfections, like the reduction of wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars; an anti-inflammatory, skin soothing softness, a glowing, youthful complexion, while hydrating, creating a moisture holding barrier, while promoting circulation and aiding in a healthy cellular function. 

Note: Not all the ingredients listed are needed to make a great lotion! The list are the items, based on their results, I have used, loved and am ready to recommend. 

Day Face

Cream and Night Face Cream:

Pick one or two carrier oils, five Essential oils, two seed or vitamin oils, one tea, and one more addition of something new, which you haven't tried yet! Fresh ingredients like real geranium's and oatmeal will need refrigeration (although, I use one jar at a time, keeping it in my air-conditioned home bathroom and it seems to last around two weeks; I can't say past that because I use it up). Also note, using distilled water in any recipe will extend it's shelf life. 

Ingredients:

• Lavender Essential Oil
• Frankincense Essential Oil
• MyrrhEssential Oil
• Geranium Essence (the above recipe) or Essential Oil
• Cypress Essential Oil
• Cedarwood Essential Oil
• Amurense Bark extract
• Melaleuca Essential Oil
• Hordeum distichon (Barley) Extract
• Immortelle  https://www.mydoterra.com/ShoppingCart/index.cfm?FuseAction=CategoryShop&CategoryID=970
• Rose-water
• Rosehip Seed Oil
• Carrot Seed essential oil
• Meadowfoam Seed Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Vitamin C Powder
• Cucumber Gel
• Oatmeal (I grind up finely in a food processor to get "colloidal oatmeal")
• Chamomile
• Shea Butter
• Aloe Vera Gel
• Honey
• Green Tea
• Bentonite Clay
• Rosemary Antioxidant CO2 Extract
• Evening Primrose Oil
• Beeswax Pastilles
• Beeswax
• Sandalwood essential oil (I'm only recommending this oil that is farmed in the U.S., as it  is near extinction in it's native land.  Hawaiian is a good choice). https://www.mydoterra.com/ShoppingCart/index.cfm?FuseAction=CategoryShop&CategoryID=875

Carrier oils: 

• Apricot Kernel Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Coconut Oil (organic solid and/or fractionated). 
• Almond Oil
• Argan Oil
• Macadamia Nut Oil
• Vegetable Glycerine  Although, due to Palm oil production destroying our rain forests. If you want to try it, just make sure it is made from coconut oil and not palm ;-). 

Recipe that I did:

1/2 Cup each of Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, 

1 Cup of whipped Shea Butter, 

1/4 Cup Aloe Vera, 

1 Cup Geranium Essence, 

2 Tbl's Rosemary Extract, 

1/3 Cup Vitamin E and C oil, 

14 drops of each: lavender, frankincense, myrrh, Immortelle, 

6 drops of melaleuca, 

3 capsules of Green Tea (or loose green tea, strained) in the Day Face Cream, 

2 bags or loose Chamomile Tea or 3 drops of chamomile essential oil, in the Night Face Cream 

3 capsules of Evening Primrose oil in the Night Face Cream.  

Mix with a hand mixer the base creams: like Shea Butter and /or carrier oils like solid coconut oil to whip them into a creamy lotion first.  

Then add in your homemade Geranium Essence; see my master mix of Essence? I simply keep it in the refrigerator, until I need it:

 (No worries if you're not wanting to make the essence, you can use geranium essential oil too. I just wanted to try something that contained more of  "nature's gifts." 

To the Evening cream I added evening Primrose capsules, opening them to let their oil out and chamomile tea. Chamomile comes in an essential oil, but I didn't have any, so I improvised: I cooked a small amount of almond oil in a measuring cup to boil, added loose tea (two tea bag equivalence, just tear them open), then I strained the oily mixture; catching the loose tea in the strainer. Note in the next picture: the green chamomile mixture is in top picture, while the orange powder on the bottom of the picture is the green tea. 

To the Day cream I added 3 Green Tea capsules, opening them to release their powders from a capsule (I used Pharmanex, but you can make green tea like I did with the Chamomile). Link:  https://www.nuskin.com/content/nuskin/en_US/products/shop/px_categories/cell_protection/01003529.html

Whip with your hand mixer. I like to use a portable one: 

Upon request, I'm adding the Shea Soothe recipe: 

Using a hand mixer, whip 1/2 Cup Shea Butter. 

Add 1 Tbl of Vitamin E, 1 Tbl aloe vera, and 7 drops each of 

lavender, frankincense, and myrrh. Simply stir it in. 

I keep this on hand because it is calming for a quick-fix for most skin irritations. 

Sore Muscle Remedy, or Deep Blue Alternative

I was on a roll with my lotion making, so I also made two sore muscle jars by adding Deep Blue, Eucalyptus, and Aroma Touch to a base lotion of whipped Shea Butter. Now, every night before bed I message my feet, knees, wrists, hands, and anything else that is sore from the Long Day...

Recipe: 

In a bowl, whip 1/2 Cup Shea Butter with a hand mixer. Add 7 drops each of Deep Blue and Eucalyptus, Add 4 drops of aroma Touch. Stir to mix well. 
Fill 2 recycled clean or new jars with Shea Butter mixture. Use as needed on sore, tired 
muscles. Ahh... 

Winter Garden Time! Today I began the change from summer to a winter garden.

I have been planning my winter garden. The seasonal change is upon us and I am changing out the old garden for a new winter friendly one.

This is our asparagus plants, with basil near them. I let them go to seed so that the roots get feed for next years' crop. They are 4 year old mature plants now. Next year should be a great production season for them. They will stay in the ground over the winter to rebloom into asparagus shoots for cutting in the spring. Yum.

Yummy!!! So worth the work to grow these babies. They are expensive in the grocery store. If you can be patient with them the first three years. The first year I did not cut any of these shoots, letting them grow to feed the roots. The second and third year I took some, but stopped midway in the season. This last year we ate alot more of the green goodness.

Now this coming year, I will feel free to take these shoots until the end of the season. Because it is all about the root system and mature plants have well developed roots.

Planting Seeds for fall and winter garden in Aug. or Sept.

Today, I was sowing seed for a new winter crop. The kale that you see here will regrow, but I like to plant fresh seed too. The darker dirt is where the new seeds are. A tall basil can be seen too.

Just look on the seed packets to see how long they need to germinate. The crop needs to be harvestable before the first frost.

Today I was baking squash seeds that I added salt, pepper and olive oil to for eating. And I started drying out some of them to plant next spring. Delicata squash is my favorite squash, we make alot of it this time of year. Here are the seeds from one of the extra yummy squashes that we ate:

I just lay them out to dry:

Once they are dry, place them in a bag or jar of rice and store for up to two years. These will not be in the winter crop because they need up to 110 days to mature into squash.

A winter harvest of onions and various greens.

Herbs that grow well in winter:

Rosemary is one plant that is in the evergreen family. It will survive the winter and it will provide you with the tasty herb thoughout the cold season.

Sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary will last the entire winter. Clipping them will just encourage new growth. This one just sits in an above the ground container next to my deck.

Ornamental:

I like to add colorful ornamental peppers to my fall arrangements. I read that they are edible, but that they are almost to hot to eat. I have never attempted it... I just love their color. They will not survive a winter, but are great for the fall.

This white cabbage adds to the cabbage display that is only safe from deer (a large problem for me) if I spray it with deer off. It is safe from the cold winter months. Cabbages and the evergreen family are winter friendly plants.

Purple ornamental Cabbage adds alot of color to a drab winter.

Plants like my lime tree, I drag into the house for the winter:

Oriental vegetables are very cold resistant. They are very hardy. Pak Choi is one of my favorite.

Yummy!

This year I had a problem with bugs eating my produce; you can see how they eat the leaves in the above pic. At the end of this blog, --I will discuss tips on getting rid of those pesky insects.

See the basil at the top... I have it growing everywhere, but it will not survive outside in the cold winter. I will have to grow it inside. Rapini or Broccoil Raab grows well in the winter.
Raini or Broccoli Raab is a tasty green treat thoughout the winter, so is brussel sprouts. This year, I am not doing a brussel sprout crop. But, they do just as well as cabbage in a winter garden.

Yummy...

Spinach! Another staple for us.

Winter Spinach bed.

Winter Spinach sits next to the green onions. Both do very well in a cold climate garden.

Kale!

Kale is my favorite green leafy vegetable. It is a hardy one that will be as cold hardy as your Mustard Greens.

Kale

This is how the onions and kale look after surviving a full winter. Last year I had so much left over that I had to harvest my crop before planting my spring garden.
I like to grow Swiss Chard because it is my second favorite green leafy vegetable.

There are a few plants that can be fun. I plant purple potatoes, easter egg colored radishes and the many colored Swiss Chard.

This is the yellow Swiss Chard.

 I grow the green variety, but I also grow the different colors to have fun with it!

This is the rainbow variety of Swiss Chard.

Then there are the really colorful, five color variety of Swiss Chard! --Kinda resembles the red rubbard from my childhood.

This is a section of my Swiss Chard that the deer got to.

Root Vegetables:

Here you can see Golden Beets, Red Beets and Red Spring Onions. I have learned that I prefer the red beets over the golden, so I will most likely not grow the yellow variety anymore. However, for salads they make a nice colorful dish.

Beets are a great winter crop. You can grow all colors.

Carotts, beets and radishes are root vegetables that are considered winter crops. They grow underground, so it kinda just makes since.

Carrots just pulled up after a long winter, that were extra before washing them.

They are a great winter crop item.

Collards:

I love Collard Greens! Not only are they delish, but they are winter hardy plants too.

You can let the leaves get large, or cut them small:

Then there are the more colorful varieties:

Red Mustard Greens are very hardy. In the colder season's there are fewer plants blooming with color. These edible tasty greens are pretty and ornamental to look at.

Mustard Greens in the summer look like this. They are really hardy and are fine through colder seasons.

This is what the mustard greens look like if they are not cut. If cut, they just grow new growth. They are very forgiving.

Arugula!

Arugula is a must have lettuce for me. I love this peppery lettuce for sandwiches!

Sometimes I simply put arugula on individual plates; then place whatever meat I cooked (fish, chicken, etc) on top of the leaves. They become wilted and the drippings off the meat make a dressing. Eating this peppery green with the meat provides another layer of flavor. ;-)

Note the marigolds. I do not plant them every year because I think they are pretty. Why plant marigolds on the edge of edible plants?

Why do I plant marigolds in my vegetable garden?
Marigolds are easy to grow and they help keep the away aphids. “The relationship between plants and insects is known as ‘companion planting.’ it’s by far the safest, natural way to garden organically.” My mom has been sharing with me the tips of Indiana farmers since I was a kid.
 My mother and the Farmers Almanac have provided tricks for gardeners to outsmart their pesky unwelcomed bug occupants.

Plants That Naturally Repel Insects:
Ø Peppermint repels ants, white cabbage moths, aphids, and flea beetles.
Ø Garlic discourages aphids, fleas, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.
Ø Perennial Chives repel aphids and spider mites.
      Chives are often planted among roses to keep aphids away and to resist the disease, Blackspot.
Ø Basil drives away flies and mosquitoes.

I place basil thoughout the yard and gardens. This is the tomato patch that the deer ate most of. You can see one canalope left.

Ø Borage deters that monster of vegetable garden insects, the tomato hornworm.

This is what the hornworms did to one of my tomato plants. They eat every green leaf until you kill or relocate them.

Ø Rosemanry and Sage repel cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
Ø Annual Marigolds can be used anywhere to deter Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, thrips, tomato hornworms, and whiteflies. They are also known to repel harmful root knot nematodes (soil dwelling microscopic white worms) that attack tomatoes, potatoes, roses, and strawberries. The root of the Marigold produces a chemical that kills nematodes as they enter the soil. If a whole area is infested, at the end of the season, turn the Marigolds under so the roots will decay in the soil. You can safely plant there again the following spring.
Ø Nasturtium is another annual, in this case a trailing vine, that keeps away Potato bugs, squash bugs, and whiteflies.
Ø The perennial, Artemisia or Wormwood deters slugs that are so devastating to foliage.
Ø Radishes can be planted to discourage cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and stink bugs.

Attracting Good Insects To Your Garden:

Plant certain vegetables, herbs, or flowers in your garden to attract predatory insects that will feed on the harmful, undesirable ones.
Perennial Yarrow…attracts ladybugs that consume masses of aphids. The preying mantis is my favorite bug because not only are they just really cool looking, but they eat their weight in the bugs that consume your garden! I have purchased eggs of both ladybugs and preying mantis to begin my year more bug free.

The lacewing that feeds on aphids, mealy bugs, mites, and scale needs lots of pollen from flowers and evergreens for shelter. This is why I surround my vegetable garden area with boxwoods. They also give the garden a more pleasant look to it. Sometimes vegetables are not as pretty, so I try to make them appealing to the eye. Wasps and bees are also beneficial to the garden. When you create a natural balance in your garden you’ll discover how much better everything grows and you won’t need to worry about damaging the environment.

Ideal Planting Companions For Vegetables:

• Beans-like celery and cucumbers but dislike onions and fennel. 
• Beets are compatible with bush beans, lettuce, onions, kohlrabi and most members of the cabbage family. Keep pole beans and mustard away from them.
• Cabbage, celery, dill, onions, and potatoes are good companion plants. Dislikes include strawberries, tomatoes, and pole beans.
• Carrots, lettuce, radish, onions, and tomatoes are friends. Dill isn’t, so plant it at the other end of the garden.

There are so many different kinds of lettuce to choose from. I regrow, reseed all year long. It does well in a cold weather garden too.

• Corn prefers to be near pumpkins, peas, beans, cucumbers, and potatoes. Keep tomatoes away.
• Cucumbers like sweet corn, peas, radishes, beans, and sunflowers. Dislikes include aromatic herbs and potatoes.

Our cucumber patch is done for the year.

• Lettuce grows especially well with onions. They are also compatible with strawberries, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers.

I just planted more lettuce seeds; salads are a staple for me, so I keep the cycle of growing going on this green leafy stuff.

• Onions can be planted near lettuce, beeroot, strawberries, and tomatoes but keep well away from peas and beans.
• Peas, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, turnips, radishes, beans, potatoes, and aromatic herbs are good companions. Keep peas away from onions, garlic, leek, and shallots.
• Radish grows well with beetroot, carrots, spinach, parsnip, cucumbers, and beans. Avoid planting near cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or turnips.
• Squash can be planted with cucumbers and corn.
• Tomatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley are good companion plants. Basil improves growth and flavour. Keep cabbage and cauliflower away from them. It is nearing the end of tomato plant season. See parsley and basil growing on the sides.