March is certainly coming in like a lion across most of the US. We are
confident that Springtime will be coming, and so offer a newsletter full of
springtime sales and new beginnings.

This newsletter contains:

  • New and Back in Stock Essential oils
  • Spring “Esters” Sale — Oils high in esters are the most relaxing, and we
    are all suffering from winter’s stress.
  • Rites of Spring Sale
  • 20 on the 20th
  • Formulas Shared
  • Client Feedback
  • Snippets from the Past
  • Aromatic Quote of the Month

  • New and Back in Stock:

    New from France, a lovely ethically farmed Clary Sage, quite different in aroma and effect from our high sclareol USA grown, a beautiful ethically farmed
    Roman Chamomile oil, an amazing organic
    Belgian Angelica Root, Melissa from the United
    Kingdom (this year’s French crop failed due to too much rain, thank goodness
    for our British producer!) Just in time for spring, more Egyptian
    Violet Leaf
    Absolute
    , the soft green scent of spring. We also were able to get a large
    shipment of our
    Egyptian Geranium Oil. (Egyptian oils have been very difficult to source for the last year or more, so we are delighted to be able to restock to meet your projected needs.) From our Canadian distiller, more Scotch Pine and Balsam Fir oils. (Did you know that the pine and fir oils are wonderful in a diffuser for coughs and congestion, and safer for wee ones than the Eucalyptus family?) From Madagascar… Katafray (we had not planned on restocking this rare oil, but you asked for it) and Cinnamon Leaf.
    Finally, we were able to find a small amount of Organic Red Mandarine. Supplies on this are very limited. (It is becoming more and more difficult to stock organic coldpressed citrus oils!)


    Spring Relaxers:

    Oils high in esters are normally anti-spasmodic, calming and relaxing. Some
    are also anti-fungal. Roman Chamomile (anthemis nobilis) contains many esters
    not found in any other oil and is the classic and traditional anti-spasmodic
    oil. Most esters are very fragrant, with sweet, fruity aromas. Most
    are known for their gentleness. Emotionally, they can help us adapt to stress in
    our lives. (We aren’t stressed by this unseasonably long winter, not us!)
    This month save 10% on 15 ml sizes of all the oils listed below:

    Some of our favorite oils that are high in esters:

    Anthemis Nobilis… we have two, our
    English Chamomile
    and our new French Roman Chamomile. Other
    favorites: our new French Clary Sage, higher in linalyl acetate and other esters
    than our USA grown specimen,
    Organic Bergamot (high in Linalyl Acetate),
    the unique USA Artemisia ludoviciana type latiloba CT Esters, commonly known as
    Owyhee, and our
    lighthearted Bergamot Mint.


    Rites of Spring Sale:

    Summon Springtime by saving 10% on the oils that most remind us of spring time: our new
    Violet Leaf Absolute,
    Galbanum, with the rich aroma of the air in a greenhouse, and Nepalese
    Rhododendron.

    Also, we are contemplating closing out our
    Spring Sunshine Synergy. If you love it, stock up now. Save FIFTY PERCENT over regular pricing. SOLD OUT!


    Save 20% on the 20th:

    To celebrate our 20th year online each month we are offering a savings of 20% on certain categories of products. This month, on the 20th, the sale categories will be retail sized (15 ml and smaller) Essential Oils E-F
    and G-H. Simply use the discount code “anniversary” and you will see your discounted price reflected online. Thank you for continuing to let us do what we love!


    FORMULAS Shared:

    We have for the time being, at least, discontinued our “Carnation Memories” fragrance blend. There are a
    lot of “carnation” formulas floating around, none of which seemed to be quite
    right to us. We designed our own several years ago. If you would like to
    try to copy ours, the formula was:

    Carnation Memories

    YlangYlang Complete, 10 parts
    Clove Bud, 2 parts
    Sweet Basil, 4 parts
    Linden Blossom CO2, 5 parts
    Vanilla CO2, 2 parts
    Cinnamon Leaf, 2 parts

    The parts may be drops, mls, grams, your choice. You will undoubtedly want to tweak it because slight
    differences in raw materials can make a large difference in the result. Most Carnation formulas call for Black Pepper oil. We have never found it appropriate for our blend. ENJOY!

    SPRING CLEANING:

    Glass and Mirror Cleaner
    1 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
    1/2 cup water
    9 drops citrus essential oil (lemon, lime or sweet orange) optional

    Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend. Spray on.
    Wipe off and polish with a clean cotton rag.

    Note: If you have used commercial window cleaners over the years there
    will be a build-up of wax on your windows. Vinegar alone won’t remove
    this residue. So, the first time you use the Glass & Mirror Cleaner you
    will have to wash the window or mirror first with a few drops of liquid
    dish
    detergent on a damp sponge. Wipe dry and then use the Glass & Mirror
    Cleaner. From this point on you will only need the Glass & Mirror
    Cleaner for your windows!

    Basic Soft Scrubber
    Use this on the bath tub, sinks, Formica countertops and in the shower
    stall. Great for pots and pans. An excellent hand cleaner. (The
    workshop instructor does a lot of gardening and has those “brown cracks”
    in her fingers from gardening. She said that this scrubber
    removed those brown cracks in her skin.) Many, many uses — use your imagination!

    1/2 cup baking soda
    enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
    5–10 drops essential oil such as rose, sweet orange, or lavender

    Place the baking soda in a small container with a tight fitting lid.
    (If you are into recycling try using yogurt cups for containers.) Slowly
    pour in the liquid soap, stirring until the consistency reaches that of
    frosting. Add a few drops of essential oil. Scoop the creamy mixture
    onto a sponge, wash the surface and rinse. Close lid tightly to prevent scrubber from
    drying out. I made one with sweet orange oil for my kitchen and another
    with lavender e.o. for my bathroom. I keep one in each room to use when
    an impromptu moment occurs when I want to clean (and you do want to
    clean more when you use the products because they make your house smell soooooo
    good!).

    Note: If you are trying to become chemical free in your life, try to
    use a vegetable oil-based liquid soap or detergent. It removes stains
    and cuts grease. Both soaps and detergents are surfactants. This
    basically means it is a washing compound that mixes with grease and
    water. Soaps and detergents are not the same thing. Soaps are made of materials found in
    nature. Detergents are synthetic. Soap is better for your health and
    the environment than detergents. Use a detergent that is made with
    renewable, biodegradable materials instead of petroleum based
    ingredients, and with natural essential oil fragrance — no dies or optical brightners. Look
    in your supermarket for soaps/detergents such as “Sun & Earth” dish
    washing liquid and detergent which is made with vegetable and coconut oil
    and orange oil.


    Counter Cleaner and Kitchen Freshener
    2 cups club soda
    1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
    10 drops essential oil (I used lemon e.o.—it smells so clean!)

    Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend (careful — you
    are using club soda here and it likes to “fizz” on you!). Spray on.
    Wipe off. Shake the bottle each time before using.


    Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleanser
    Not only does this preparation clean but the essential oils disinfect and provide a natural fragrance.

    1 teaspoon antiseptic essential oil (sweet orange or lavender are nice)
    1 teaspoon washing soda
    2 teaspoons borax
    1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
    2 cups hot water (to dissolve the soda and borax)

    Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to dissolve and blend
    the minerals. You can spray this cleaner onto a surface then leave it
    for 15 minutes before wiping it off, to give the essential oils
    antiseptic qualities time to work. (Makes 2 cups.)

    Variation: Peppermint Cleanser. Substitute 1 teaspoon peppermint
    essential oil. This repels flies and ants in the warm months and it
    smells great.


    Tea Tree Oil Mold and Mildew Remover
    Nothing works to eradicate mold and mildew as well as this spray.

    2 teaspoons tea tree oil
    2 cups water

    Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake to blend and spray on
    problem areas. Do not rinse. The strong odor will dissipate in a day
    or so. Makes 2 cups.

    This is also a good deodorizer. If the medicinal smell is too strong
    for you, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the solution.


    Herbal Scouring Powders
    Use a shaker bottle like the kind parmesan cheese comes in.

    1 cup baking soda
    1/4 cup dried rose petals, crushed
    1/8 cup dried rosemary leaves, crushed

    Pour baking soda into shaker bottle. Using mortar and pestle,
    grind the herbs. Add to the baking soda and shake well to blend.
    Lightly sprinkle onto a surface, scour with a damp sponge, and rinse thoroughly.

    Alternative: Simple Scouring Powder. Add several drops of your
    favorite essential oil to 1 cup of baking soda. Or, simply use baking soda by itself.

    Air Freshener for Your Car
    Purchase our
    Little Clay Pots
    (about 1 1/2 inch tall). Knot a ribbon and draw it
    through the hole in the bottom of the pot making a “bell.” Put a few
    drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend on the clay pot and hang from
    your mirror or some other place in your car. Smells great! Quick!
    Easy! Inexpensive! And, you can make it smell any way you want to!


    Client Feedback:

    Colleen Vickers shared this in January:

    “Ladies, thank you so much for including samples in my order!! Hubby had a knee
    replacement 7 weeks ago. As soon as the last suture came out he started using
    the rose hip heli blend after he did massage work on the area. The results have
    been phenomonal!!! This knee looks as good as the other knee that he has surgery
    on 5 yrs ago. He has also used the trauma oil and it seemed to help the
    bruising!! His pt’s are amazed at the results!!! Thanks for the great products!!
    We love Nature’s Gift!!!”

    Peripheral Neuropathy:

    Lori Jones wrote: “Marge, I have to tell you while getting my order together,
    realized I had a neglected bottle of geranium in a sampler, too floral for my
    liking. So did some further research, finding scientific abstract on use for
    Peripheral Neuropathy. Intractable pain the 2 days before, so made up 10% in
    hemp carrier. Decided to start low, though did see much higher in studies.
    Amazing relief in very short time. Can’t wait to try in the Tamanu (Calophyllum
    inophyllum), and blend with something so I don’t smell like the little old lady
    with blue hair and tiny dog and sometime walker! lol Just wanted to thank you
    for stirring me in that direction and excited for my order. Lori”

    This is exciting news because the research studies that we have seen used
    extremely high dilutions of Geranium, even neat. Seeing results with a
    relatively low dilution is a gift!

    Sleepless in Seattle:

    Christine wrote:

    Hi Marge, I ordered your English
    Chamomile in January and have also raved about it in the FB Reviews
    group. It really has changed our lives! As I mentioned in that
    group, my 8-year-old son has ADHD and has a difficult time settling
    at night to fall asleep. We’ve tried many things over the years,
    including melatonin, which I really do not like giving him, since
    it’s a hormone. Absolutely nothing has worked as effectively and
    consistently as diffusing your English Chamomile. Instead of taking
    2 hours or more to fall asleep each night, with him in and out of
    bed, calling us to come in, complaning he can’t sleep, he is out
    within 30 minutes EVERY night. Even my husband is thoroughly
    impressed. And now that he gets enough sleep each night, he’s
    also able to focus and control his behavior much better during the
    day. It really has improved our quality of life in dramatic ways.
    I wanted to let you know all of this and I’m also curious to know if
    you have a GCMS for this particular oil? I know it’s often the
    combination of chemical constituents that contribute to the
    therapeutic effects of an oil, but I’d be interested in trying to
    see what is in this one that makes it so particularly effective for
    him. I want to be able to replicate this effect far into the future!

    Thank you so much for all you do. Your dedication, time, and honesty
    are all greatly appreciated.


    Snippets from the Past:

    From a newsletter in the year 2000…an emailed conversation:

    To: [email protected]
    From: Marge Clark <[email protected]>
    Subject: Re:
    At 01:03 PM 5/3/00 -0700, you wrote:

    Hi,

    I’m trying to find the medicinal value of snake oil, rattlesnake oil in particular. I make many rattle snake products,
    http://www.longohn.com
    and would like to know how to use the oil medicinally. Also, if you’re interested in purchasing some, let me know.

    Thanks, Long John

    Dear Long John…

    I don’t think I’m really interested in purchasing any snake oil at this
    point…. After all, I do buy for resale, and really don’t think I want
    to be known as a snake oil salesman.

    My partner, on the other hand, wants to know how much it is per ounce.

    And to the best of my knowledge, it has no medicinal value.

    (And, yes, www.longjohn.com is still
    online. Don’t know if he is offering snake oil or not.)


    Quote of the Month:

    “March is a month of considerable frustration — it is so near spring and yet
    across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and
    changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away.”
    — Thalassa Cruso

    “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
    — Hal Borland

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