Hello natural beauties how are you? I was walking home the other evening and stumbled across a gorgeous new florist called Florapolis. Attached to the old garage at the top of Regent St, Redfern, you could be mistaken that you were in Europe, somewhere in the countryside, admiring delightful flowers, plants and good vibes.
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Carlos has created a space that not only is supercool, but that elevates flowers to their rightful place in an urban environment. From recycled old mattress frames that make a potting shed, to old ladders and boxes it really captured me as I walked by.
A stunning posie in an old glass, wrapped with leaves
All the posies were out the front, with a special shed/office at the back for the tall flowers which included roses a plenty.It was evening so my little movie is a bit dark but you’ll get the drift.
Recycling is the key word here as Florapolis has used found objects like old pots, discarded furniture and pretty much anything you can think of that has a great look and no doubt a great story.
And this is the little posy I bought for my friend Sheila who lives in a nursing home.If you live in Sydney it’s worth a visit.
Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.
Hello natural beauties how are you? I’ve been a bit slack with my posts but I am caring for my elderly parents and that takes up a lot of time. I was happy to escape to Paradise Botanical Garden last week to get some fresh air and help the garden. My job was cutting the lavender and it was a joyous, and cold morning. Avoiding the bees was my biggest challenge.
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The garden on the Central Coast just north of Sydney will be having an open weekend with local businesses selling their wares, from refreshments to aromatherapy. Come and visiton the first weekend of August 2020.
Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.
Hello natural beauties how are you? I’ve been looking for some fragrant inspiration during isolation and quiet time. I came across some lovely poetry about flowers and picked some special poems about roses, just for you. There is something so special about old fashioned, heavenly scented roses in a garden, and that is exactly what I picture when I read these poems. I hope you enjoy them.
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More beautiful roses from my recent trip to New Zealand
The Rose Family
by Robert Frost
The rose is a rose, And was always a rose. But the theory now goes That the apple’s a rose, And the pear is, and so’s The plum, I suppose. The dear only know What will next prove a rose. You, of course, are a rose– But were always a rose.
The Social Climber is pretty in pink
Nobody knows this little Rose
by Emily Dickinson
It might a pilgrim be Did I not take it from the ways And lift it up to thee. Only a Bee will miss it — Only a Butterfly, Hastening from far journey — On its breast to lie — Only a Bird will wonder — Only a Breeze will sigh — Ah Little Rose — how easy For such as thee to die!
A different rose, in the same park, about 2 years ago
A Red, Red Rose
by Robert Burns
O my Luve’s like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve’s like the melodie That’s sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry:
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only Luve, And fare thee weel awhile! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho’ it ware ten thousand mile.
bliss with roses
One Perfect Rose
by Dorothy Parker
A single flow’r he sent me, since we met. All tenderly his messenger he chose; Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet— One perfect rose.
I knew the language of the floweret; “My fragile leaves, ” it said, “his heart enclose.” Love long has taken for his amulet One perfect rose.
Why is it no one ever sent me yet One perfect limousine, do you suppose? Ah no, it’s always just my luck to get One perfect rose.
Do you love roses too?
Persian Love cupcakes with rose water from That Vegan Lady
Hello natural beauties how are you? I’ve written about dry brushing before (dry brushing basicsand dry brushing for your face)when I discovered some fabulous natural, vegan brushes from Bodecare – one for my face and one for my body. It took me ages to get into it and then after a couple of house moves they disappeared! I was very excited to run into Rebecca from Bodecare at the Sydney Mind Body Spirit Festivallast month (before we all got sent inside by Mother Nature).Read on for some simple healthy techniques to make your skin look amazing!
Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here:
A selection of brushes at the Mind Body Spirit Festival
About Rebecca and Bodecare
Rebecca Gaspert, the owner of Bodecare, has been in the beauty industry for decades. She is a makeup artist and qualified Beauty Therapist who has owned 2 award-winning salons, and that is how her dry brushing journey commenced. Many of her clients had skin problems from dry skin to acne which started her on a trajectory that is now Bodecare. Rebecca started dry brushing in 2003 and has never looked back.
The beautiful Rebecca
What are the benefits of dry brushing?
According to Rebecca, dry brushing:
can improve venous blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, aid in the release of toxins, exfoliatedead skin and reduce ingrown hairs. It can also:
* Reduce skin conditions such as Psoriasis, Keratosis Pilaris, Eczema and other dry skin conditions.
* Reduce cellulite
* Relief of arthritis
* Increase circulation of scalp
* Reduce stress
* Remove bumpy skin
Use this code at checkout for a 10% discount:SUZANNE10
My fave Bodcare brush is the one with the detachable handlecalled the TAMPICO FSC BODY BRUSH
6 Tips from Rebeccato Kick Start Your Body Brushing
1. Always use a plant bristle skin brush. Try the tampico body brush with a removable handle for flexibility.
2. Perform on dry skin only as this will provide the best stimulation and exfoliation.
3. Generally stroke upward in one motion. Except for fingers and toes, you can brush back-and-forth between them.
4. Ensure you use the jute brush for gentle face exfoliation. Don’t ever use your body brush. When brushing, use upside-down U-shape brush strokes, pressure on the upward stroke and lightly on the way down.
5. Always use a good quality organic body cream and face moisturiser after your shower, to ensure your skin is kept hydrated and supple.
6. Always clean your brush after use. If you do not clean or allow your body brush to dry completely, you are susceptible to spreading bacteria back on your skin when dry body brushing. Simply use a tea tree hydrosol on the bristles after every use of your brush.
Festivus is here again and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve created some recipes to stand alongside the key parts to this wonderful day. What is Festivus you may ask? It’s the holiday that crushes Hanukkah and Christmas, allows a coming together of like minds, and gives a day of fun for those who are not religious. Celebrated by George Costanza’s father, Frank, (from the comedy show Seinfeld), let’s embrace this fabulous celebration!
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To be more precise it’s the family of the writer of this episode who created Festivus:
Festivus was conceived by editor and author Daniel O’Keefe and was celebrated by his family as early as 1966. In the original O’Keefe tradition, the holiday would take place in response to family tension, “any time from December to May”.] The phrase, “a Festivus for the rest of us”, also derived from an O’Keefe family event, the death of Daniel O’Keefe’s mother. Wikipedia
The Festivus Pole
The Festivus Pole replaces the Christmas tree and stands unadorned:
“Frank Costanza cites its “very high strength-to-weight ratio” as appealing. During Festivus, the pole is displayed unadorned. According to Frank, “I find tinsel distracting.”
Wikipedia
I love the simplicity of the Festivus pole and I’m hoping it can inspire you to simplify this Christmas Here are a couple of blends for yourself, to help to feel less stressed and more streamlined.
Method: Nourishing Body Oil Blend
For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. It’s always best to patch test first before you apply all over.
***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.
The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in
“Spruce it Up”
Lemongrass 2 drops
Black Spruce 3 drops
Peru Balsam 2 drops
“Nothing Can Freak Me Out”
Bergamot 5 drops
Geranium 2 drops
Vetiver 1 drop
The Airing of Grievances pic via festivusweb.com
Ah yes the Airing of Grievances, straight after the Festivus dinner, seems a good way to finish off the year and start the new year afresh. Here are a couple of blends for your space to support this difficult yet necessary part of Festivus.
Method: Scent Your Space
In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil
“Flow”
Mandarin 12 drops
Ylang Ylang 6 drops
Clove 4 drops
Frankincense 3 drops
“The Past is the Past”
Orange 10 drops
Palmarosa 8 drops
Lavender 4 drops
Patchouli 3 drops
Feats of Strength! pic via festivusweb.com
The Feats of Strength championship finalises the Festivus celebrations. As depicted above, when the head of the household is pinned to the ground, the day concludes. here are a couple of blends to help you find inner strength this holiday time.
Method: Pure Pulse Point Perfume
In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!
“Bon Courage”
Lavender 1 drop
Cedarwood Atlas 1 drop
Nutmeg 1 drop
“Peace and Stuff”
Melissa 1 drop
Australian Sandalwood 1 drop
Carrot heart 1 drop
clove oranges – tedious to make and then they went mouldly within a week due to the humidity in Sydney
Whatever you’re doing this Christmas season, whether you celebrate or not, I hope you are able to reflect on the good things life can bring – even if they are very small.
How will you be celebrating and which oils are calling to you?
Hello natural beauties living in this crazy world! Are you having a cold Christmas or a super hot one like me? I love summer in Australia and I always feel so much better with the warmth and sun on my skin, but due to climate change our country is on fire! Lets hope we can move towards a new society where we put our earth first.
Wherever you are, here are 10 essential oil recipes for your diffuser, for a hot, or a cold Chrissy.
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Hello natural beauties I hope you’re all well and happy. I’ve only just recently made a few essential oil inhalers and I quite like them. I’ve given some away and have others stashed in various bags. They are great for a quick burst of essential oil healing magic.
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When you get your inhalers, which you can buy from many sources including ebay, it will usually come in a few parts: the outer cover, the inhaler (which sits inside the cover), a cotton wad on which you drop your essential oilsand the screw lid to keep the cotton inside your inhaler.
I tried using 20 drops of oil but found that it was too strong, so dropped it to 15. You can re-use the cotton wad if you are topping up with the same essential oils. I think you could probably make your own inserts when you run out too.
The cotton insert
Ensure you have a clean workspace, and then just drop the essential oils onto the cotton insert.I usually place a towel down when I’m working.
MMM delicious look at the beautiful green bergamot!
Hello natural beauties I hope you’re all well and happy. I had a fabulous weekend on the Gold Coast in Australia at the Aromatica Australia 2019 conference. Here’s my little movie so you get an idea of how energetic it was.
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I barely had time to do any filming as I needed to shop (of course), chat and eat. The day’s agendas were jam packed, so stay tuned next time I’ll tell you about each presenter and their talk.
Please forgive all my “fantastics” and “amazings”.I was feeling inspiredand excited and tired and busy.
There is a bright future for aromatherapy and essential oils but we must look at sustainability and absolutely be more aware of where our money goes. Plant medicine and nutrition will always connect us to the earth. We must look after our planet.
Hello natural beauties I hope you’re all well and happy. Spring has sprung in Australia and there’s no better way to appreciate the weather than with a bush walk, talking to the flowers, hugging the trees, listening to the cockatoos and kookaburras overhead and breathing the wild bush air.
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The Kuringai WIldflower garden in St Ives, a northern suburb of Sydney, boasts a few walking tracks, lots of protected bush, a fern garden, a playground with a tame swamp wallaby and a very beautiful lace monitor (big lizard) in its midst. It borders Kuringai National Parkand the lovely Kuringai creek. We walked the Mueller track which takes about 1.45 mins and listened to whipbirds, admired angophras and delighted in the bright wild flower colours.
Acacia (wattle) in the Kuringai Wildflower Garden
Last week i wrote about Japanese Forest bathing, well this is Australian bush bathing at its best.Here’s a little snippet of what we experienced.Being in the bush helps me relax and expand my awareness, and appreciate life in the simple and bold colours and scents of nature.
Grevillea …I loved the bright orange flashes of fungi
The visitors centre has a display of “what’s flowering now”and sells some natives in pots too.
I loved this little soft pink flower that seemed to be everywhere
Enjoying nature in the the lovely weather is a true gift.
Hello natural beauties! Following on from the last post about Sal Battaglia’s AROMATREE book, I’d like to share 2 other lovely experiences from that day in Sydney: Shinrin-yoku (Japanese forest bathing) and the very powerful yakusugi oil.
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Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, was created in Japan in the 1980’s as a way to invite people into the beautiful forests to simply experience the serenity, power and positive energy they provide. This was spearheaded by the director of the Japanese Forestry Agency to help people destress. He had himself been inspired by 17th century haiku poets, and the notion was to simply commune with nature. Not walking or running, not listening to a podcast, just being in the beauty of nature.
In this little guidebook we are invited to dip our hands and fingers in a stream, feel the trunk of an ancient tree, smell the fragrances of the forest and use all our senses to drink in the delights ofnature.
The benefits include, reduced muscle tension and stress in general, improved cognitive function and help with anxiety and other emotional disorders. I walk in the Australian bush all the time and I know it makes me happyas I get a kick from the beautiful eucalyptus oil and smells of the bush.The phytoncides (including essential oils) from trees and shrubs give us the immense connection to the divine while having our entire physical and emotional senses enlivened.
Of course I bought the little collection of Japanese oils and have bathed with them many times. Not only that, I also received a free gift …
And now to the very interesting and extremely limited edition of Yakusugi essential oil which would have already sold out by now.When I realised this oil was in short supply I did buy it and then opened it straight away. I said to the lady sitting next to me that I thought it had a moist fungal-like scent to it. Since then I also get a slight hint of Palo Santo.
Sal describes the scent:“a delicate, woody note with a sweet-resiny woody undertone”, and recommends the oil could be used as an enhancement to spirituality, and a stress reliever. The oil is high in sesquiterpenes but has had little research into its qualities. So if you get a chance to experience the oil, just enjoy!
This oil is also called Japanese cedar, and hails from the island of Yakushima. The oil is steam distilled from ancient fallen trees (deadwood) from Cryptomeria japonica, by a local producer. If you’re interested in this oil I’d sign up to the Perfect Potion email list in the exciting event that Sal is able to buy more of this precious oil.
I feel very fortunate to have this subtle yet powerful oil in my collection.
suzannerbanks 