Natural Girls Night

My girlfriends invited me over for "Girls Night" last week. We started the night with a natural facial cleanser and natural mask. The cleanser was made fresh from Greek yogurt, honey and grape seed oil. We each cleansed our own skin, 

then put on the facial mask made fresh with avocado and homey. What a great beginning.

Next a little natural fabric dyeing, first up dried hibiscus flower,

we tried using it with vinegar in the water.
 

We laid out wool for scarves. On it we scattered flower and herbs, rolled them up and steamed it.
(pictures next week of the finished scarf)

In another pot we put in onion skins, Windi rolled hers up tightly like a rose,

soaked it then onion skins, then open it up to revel beautiful printed silk.

Some of the wool came out of the onion skin pot with a green shade,

and some came out gold. The silks were beautiful.

After going to the hot tub Windi demonstrated how she made her copper and silver pins.

She works the wire into a pleasing shape,

pounds some pieces flat,

and ends up with beautiful broach. This tree of life is my favorite.

A few days later the fabrics came out of the dyes. Silk and wool from the hibiscus.

Becky was a little excited about her new wool scarf!

The wool from the onion skin pot.

The silk from the onion pot.

I love hydrangea plants, especially the newer variety of lace cap. They root very easily. I have a variety in my window, some from my parents yard, to  lace caps from a neighbor.  (I am cutting off the flower and most of its leaves, it needs all its energy to grow roots).

I found this rue herb at the Farmers Market, the man who sold it to me was from Puerto Rico he said they use the leaves to make a tea for upset stomachs and indigestion. They also soak the leaves in alcohol and rub in on they sore muscles. My friend from Mexico said they also use it as a tea for indigestion.
Then I looked it up in two of my herb books and both said that a lot of people are allergic to the leaves and will break out into a bad rash and the herb should not be eaten. So, I guess I'll just plant it in my flower garden and enjoy the cute leaves.