Keep a piece of autumn with you the whole year through. I spent the afternoon gathering beautiful late-blooming flowers to bundle and dry. Sage, lavender, and purple coneflower. The flowers and leaves will come in handy over the cold months & I like to harvest them a little early just to embrace the spirit of fall. I brushed off some of my antique glass bottles and vials– snapped off a sprig of lavender and some bamboo leaves and decorated my home with touches of autumn. The scent alone is reason enough to keep fresh herbs all around, but they add a certain earthy vibrance to a lonesome windowsill, or on your nightstand. Here’s what you will need to make your summer keepsakes:
- A small length of any kind of sting, or twine. about a foot per bundle.
- Harvested herbs & flowers
- A Long, thin leaf (Like Bamboo)
- A paper bag
To get started, Choose your herbs:
Some of your options are.
A.) Sage: this herb has long been burned to purify and cleanse a space. It has been used since the Victorian era to fragrance the home.
B.) Chamomile: an herb of purification and protection, and can be used in the bedroom to bring about restful sleep and meditation. Chamomile is known as a lucky flower.
C.) Hyssop: this herb can be used to rid a house of negativity, and is utilized in a variety of recipes.
D.) Lavender: an herb known to about bring calmness and peace. It can also be made into a floral tea, that is wonderful with honey.
I started with some Russian sage that grows wild in my backyard.
Pluck off the dead or blossom-less strands. an optional step at this point is to remove the leaves from the stocks, which I like to do so that I have a small stash of Russian sage leaf for the winter. Sage is a great herb for smudging and cleansing your house, which I like to do every-so-often.
Take the leaves that you have gathered and wrap them tightly around the base of your bundle.
Secure the leaf-wrap with your length of string and tie it up tightly.
This is my twist on the traditional course of drying herbs. I secure my bundle above a paper bag to catch any fallen blossoms. If you have a workbench or desk (any space with little-to no draft will work) Hang your herbs using the traditional method, or my paper bag method.
Make the most of the wonderful season, and indulge in days filled with crafting, cooking, and in the case curing!