I love to share projects that we can enjoy ourselves and make extra to share with friends!!
Sometimes it's a batch of digestive herbs in a helpful after dinner tea blend, an uplifting 'bathing' formula to soothe and support our nervous system, or a special herby rub for the next bbq!
Herb-infused gifts can be created for specific needs and are always appreciated!! We don't need to wait for Mother's Day to give our moms a gift and we sure can gift our besties and our beloveds and our daughters, too.. any time of the year. I thought it would be fun to pull together some of my long-time favourite girlie gifties .. and here we are ~~
Make some of these for delightful last minute holiday gifts!
HERBAL BATHING
1. Herbal Salt Sea Scrub.
It's easy to make and looks so pretty in a jar with or without a little wooden scoop attached!
Just click over to this post to get the full directions and lots of ideas!
bath salt with rose petals
2. Herbal Tub Tea is the BEST! We can make up a jar of herbs to brew and add to the bath and customize the mixture for different results. This post shares ideas and a complete tutorial on just how to make this come together. Make a soothing and relaxing bath experience or an invigorating somewhat stimulating bath time ~ it's really up to the herbs you bring together. I've shared my own best choices, based on experience but also have chosen herbs that are easy to find to make these herb-infused gifts!
3. Herbal Bathing Salts 0r Bath Crystals are another easy DIY project that produce a lovely package for gifting and are always appreciated. This post gives you all the info you need. The recipe is quick to make. You can package in a glass jar or use a 'kraft' bag with pretty label. The contents will make their day!
4. and then there's the "Detox Bathing" package ~ filled with a "ready to use" mixture that I tend to use in spring and fall. Ideal for the busy gal who needs a good soak in the tub and has had too much going on.. Ok.. Let's make a big batch of any of these herbal bathing ideas and share with all the women in our lives!! Here's the 'detox bathing' post.
SO enlivening and a wonderful SPRING ritual -
5. Make this fabulous Rosemary Hair Rinse. From the post 'herbal vinegar in the boudoir', learn how to infuse rosemary in vinegar and transform the infusion into a stimulating hair rinse for brunettes. Don't worry ~blonde friends, there's a rinse for you too! In fact, here's another post about herbal rinses for hair care using some other plant friends.
Culinary Gift Goodies
6. Rosemary has many attributes and I enjoy this special plant ally in so many ways. Why not make an herbal 'finishing salt' with Rosemary (or other herbs!?). Maybe a Citrus Salt sounds good to you?
These herbal salts are appreciated by cooks and foodies too. They are easy to make -- just need to be prepared in advance so get busy with this one!
7. While on the subject of herb-infused gifts, in the culinary arena, why not infuse some herbal vinegars to enhance your meals and those of your girlfriends? Another easy project that just needs a little advance planning. This very popular post teaches you how to make and offers LOTS of ideas for which herbs to use. We can
use these as a tasty condiment, as a part of a vinaigrette, add them to soups, stews, stir-fries, or 'kick' up our cooked/steamed greens and add digestive power to these as well as other foods.
Brave? Toss it back as a ‘shooter’ in the morning before food (*alka lizer*)
DIY HEALING VINEGARS
8. Make a special pesto or herbal paste ~ makes a healthy tasty present and you can customize it to make it the perfect gift! Pesto is easy to make and so is my 'herb paste'(basically leave out the cheese + nuts) and both are SO good with 101 different menu ideas. They can be a last minute appetizer with crackers and/or a cheese tray, or a quick pasta dish in minutes is jazzed up with a dollop of this green goodness! Who would NOT appreciate a little herb-infused loveliness for an upcoming meal or picnic?
This post shares my infatuation with making glorious green herb paste, and here's one with Pesto 101 template that helps you to experiment with different herbs, nuts etc.
9. I always seem to be infusing something! Here's another family fave recipe that is SO good. Why not make up a few of these babies and share with your girlfriends? Fennel infused Olives ~ which make a tasty addition to any appetizer or 'antipasti' platter. Read all about how to make in this post.
Bonus! The olives are delightful and then there's the olive oil that's now a wonderful ingredient for an authentic Italian vinaigrette!
10. Well you just know that I don't go far without talking about herbal teas and one doesn't go far on Studio Botanica without finding an enthusiastic post with ideas for helping us with one thing or another with herbal tea blends. Herbs 'solo' or in blends, are a wonderful way to help ourselves feel better. We can customize a blend to be quite specific to what a family member or dear friend may need.
Trouble sleeping? Painful menses? Anxiety? Deep sadness? Trouble sleeping? (yes.. that's a common one!) Maybe it's been a long winter. Maybe there is a lot of illness surrounding us.. Maybe we just need a pick-me-up. A well blended herbal mixture can make all the difference and become a welcome and much appreciated member of this herb-infused gifts post. So.. here's a very recent post that explains all about herbal infusions and decoctions.
There are many recipes here at SB and an effective search bar which will, with a 'click', take you to the perfect herbal blend.
Here are a couple of favourites:
Herbal Teas to help digestion
Teas for better Sleeps
This group of 10 ideas for Herb-Infused Gifts and gift-giving are a smattering (don't you love that word?) of some of the posts here on StudioBotanica.. May some of them speak to you ~ May one of them pop out and become a quick n' easy project that brings light and loveliness to your life -- and to your mom, if you are lucky enough to have one in your life -- and something sweet and special for one or more of the women in your world.
Pin this one + make some of these goodies for your mom, a dear friend, or for yourself! YOU deserve it!
I share these with all the hope and good green wishes in my heart.
Here's to finding balance and sharing it with the women in our lives!
Carol xo
Carol L
I LOVE making my own gifts! Since I have three women to gift to, this works great! (unfortunately, I also have a 21 year old and an 8 year old grandson to gift to, and I am an only child who only had daughters! So some nice infused gifts for men would be great!
Thank you
Carol Little
Great Carol, try the prosnut butter recipe -- maybe not for the 8 yr old, though..
Why not make him some of those zoom balls but check out the recipe under Astragalus... for a calming version!
LMK if you can't find it.
CHIHYU
These are so fun to make. I can't wait to try each of them!
Renee D Kohley
Oh the calendula bathing salts sound simply amazing! Thanks for the great ideas!
Susannah
Such great suggestions for homemade gifts! Can't wait to try some of these!
Carol Little
Thanks Susannah. Hope you try some!!
Katie Mae @ Nourishing Simplicity
What a great list! I plan on making my mom an herbal salt scrub as well, I love the addition of the rose petals.
Tatiana
I am a mom of two very active toddlers... I am in need of all this beautiful gift ideas for my mothers day. Especially detox bathing package!
Carol Little
Hope you find the time to make -- it is easy and quick. Thanks Tatiana!
Christina
What creative and thoughtful gift ideas! I love the citrus salt!
Yvonne
I love the ways fresh herbs smell and can imagine what wonderful gifts these would be to both give and receive.
ChihYu
This is so much fun and totally fabulous too !
Megan Stevens
These are all such loving, lovely gifts. I had forgotten Mother's Day is coming up! Thanks for these inspirations, Carol!
Carol Little
I know.. Time flies .. as always, and more so in our busy lives as time 'goes by'.. ox
Vanessa
These ideas are awesome and so luxurious! As a mom, I know I'd be happy with any of them.
Carol Little
I love them all.. and try to find the time to make as gifts for my friends! Hope you make for yourself too!!
yang
So many great ideas! If I have to pick one, I love the fennel infused olives the most!
Tessa Simpson
These are all things I would personally LOVE to receive, so I'd say that's a great round up!!
Carol Little
Me too Tessa! I love all of these goodies and SO enjoy making them for my girlfriends and for me too!!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravingss
My mom is obsessed with bath salts and uses them all the time. I know she'd love it if I made these for her! Cute ideas!
Carol Little
Thanks Karen! I hope you do make them for her -- and that she finds delight in your gift!
Joni Gomes
Great ideas! I'm particularly interested n the herb paste.
Carol Little
Joni ~~ DO make some herb pastes.. Addictive Healthy FUN!!
Carrie
Love all these ideas especially the citrus salts, those would make such a cute gift!
Carol Little
Thanks Carrie! I hope you make them and gift them to someone special!
Lindsey Dietz
Wow! I'd be delighted to receive ANY of these! Those herb-infused salts look especially nice!
Carol Little
Thanks Lindsey! Wish we lived closer to each other.. I could pop over with these on the weekend~
linda spiker
Beautiful gifts! I am sure any mom (me included) would love to receive these!
Carol Little
Thanks Linda! Hope you will make one just for you!!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
Those herbal teas, and a nice detox bath and the herb-infused baths all sound so lovely! I would happily enjoy any of those!
Carol Little
Thank you Em!! Me too. Hoping you can squeeze in one of these projects and treat yourself!
Raia Todd
Fun list! I'm sure my mom would love some of them. ;)
Carol Little
Well..lol.. In all of your spare time Raia-- get busy! (some of these are very quick to put together!)
Jean
Such great gift ideas! I especially love the vinegars.
Carol Little
Thanks Jean! Hoping you get a chance to make yourself a healing vinegar!! SO many recipes on StudioBotanica to pick from.