Make Your Own Gin with Dried Herbs + Elderflower Gin Cocktail Recipe

We live in a time when being a foodie is a celebration. As the more middle-class cousins to gourmets and gastronomes, we foodies have the same discriminating palates and passion for flavor, experimentation, and a mix of food cultures to help us build our skills and develop our cooking hobbies. Were also very good at cooking on a budget. In the world of mixologists—a particular breed of foodie—making gin is the perfect representation of this. Its crazy-easy, doesnt take long, and you end up with excellent alcohol without breaking the bank.

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Posted by Heidi

How to Make Vegan Wax Melts + Stress Support Essential Oil Blend

Since I started sharing recipes for my aroma melts, people have asked me for a beeswax-free version. I was initially reluctant because the vegan wax alternatives can be a bit finicky, and I have always had great luck with beeswax. I finally decided to accept the challenge and took a retreat to my creative space to formulate a vegan wax melt recipe. After a few dozen rounds of trial and error, I discovered that carnauba wax is my preferred beeswax alternative. It has no aroma and is a much harder wax, so I don’t have to use as much of it as I would in a typical wax melt.

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Posted by Jessicka

Fire Zodiac Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils



Over the past few months, I have been working on an elemental perfume series. I first tapped deep into the soil to find inspiration for an Earth Goddess blend. From there, I dove into the sea to create a whimsical Mermaid Blend made with “juicy” ylang ylang and brisk bay laurel. Then I soared amongst the clouds to create a blend with “go-with-the-flow” vibes that was crafted with ravensara and coriander. The last stop on this aromatic journeywas to be fire, and I had been waiting patiently for inspiration to strike me. Boy did it ever! My community was hit with a bad ice storm that resulted in hundreds of fallen trees and dangerous conditions. I was stuck at home without electricity or internet for several days and was fully reliant on my wood-burning stove for heat, cooking, and entertainment. During this time, I became deeply reacquainted with fire. 

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Posted by Jessicka

2023 DIY Gift Guide + Free Herb-Inspired Gift Tag Template

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Each year, when I make my holiday gift list, I aim to meet a set of criteria. Offerings that are thoughtful, personal, and useful are amongst the most important to me. I have generally found that homemade gifts are more appreciated than things I can find in mass quantities at any big box store. Small-batch DIY gifts also allow customization, making them personalized for your beloved recipient. It can also help to keep waste out of landfills.

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Posted by Jessicka

Homemade Hot Cocoa Lip Balm Recipe

If you’ve been perusing the Mountain Rose Herbs blog for awhile, you’ll know that you can expect a new lip balm recipe from me this time of year. It’s my annual tradition as we approach the holidays to create a fun new lip balm recipe to add to my DIY gift list, and I of course share it with my Mountain Rose Herbs “fam.” It’s one of my favorite traditions and my friends and family are always excited to see what blend I come up with to celebrate the year. This holiday season, my household is all about hot cocoa, so I was inspired to craft a hot chocolate recipe with “marshmallows.”

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Posted by Jessicka

Holiday Scents: 3 Essential Oil Blends for the Winter Season

The winter holidays are such a feast for the senses: not just our tastebuds, but also our eyes, ears, and olfactory system. This time of year, our public spaces are full of bright lights, festive music, and perfumed everything. Unfortunately, those expensive store-bought candles, diffuser oils, and room sprays are often made with synthetic ingredients that aren’t a healthy choice, no matter how much they promise to imbue us with the spirit of evergreen forests, candy canes, and homemade pumpkin pie. Diffusing natural essential oils—at home, at work, or in your car—is a wonderful alternative to scent your space with seasonal aromas. We love these three time-tested, holiday-inspired, DIY essential oil blends!

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Posted by Heidi

Warming Lotion Bars for Autumn & Winter


We all love a temperate and cozy home, but turning the heater on or lighting up the wood stove can be drying to our skin. Enter lotion bars! These delightful little skin-supporters add moisture and act as an emollient to protect the skin from the seasonal drying that happens this time of year.

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Posted by Jessicka

Pinwheel Cookies with Herbal Powders (4 Ways)

Pinwheel cookies (also called spiral cookies) have been a holiday tradition for decades. Often made with vanilla and chocolate or red and green food color, they show up on cookie plates throughout the season. I like traditions like this… and I also like to see how far I can push those traditional recipes to accommodate more flavors and spices.

This classic “icebox” cookie recipe (modern world translation: refrigerator cookie) is essentially the same one my great grandmother—and thousands of other people—used to make in the 1930s and it’s remained a standard ever since. It’s a dough you can easily change into a variety of different cookies with small additions like spices, nuts, dried fruit, crushed candies, etc. And it’s also an accommodating dough for rolling and cutting. These two qualities make it an ideal choice for delicious pinwheel cookies infused with herbal powders!

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Posted by Heidi

Herbal Simmer Pots + Stovetop Potpourri Recipes



This time of year, scent is an important part of my home. Seasonal aromas make autumn feel more alive and more celebrated. It makes coming home all the more enjoyable and brings added seasonal awareness to the two teens in my household. To achieve this, many of us DIY folks craft up our favorite diffuser blends, wax melts, and DIY candle recipes. While I like to make all of those things, I have recently added simmer pots to my repertoire. I have really enjoyed this new avenue of bringing fresh and fragrant smells to my home, so I thought I would share some of my family’s favorite combinations.

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Posted by Jessicka

DIY Foaming Hand Soap: Fall Scent    

   

I’m a sucker for seasonal scents. As soon as fall arrives, I begin making homemade wax melts, diffuser blends, roll-on perfumes, and natural skincare recipes to match the seasonal shift. I was recently inspired by my dear colleague Heidi’s autumn spice lotion recipe and I thought a foaming hand soap would make a great compliment.

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Posted by Jessicka

Wind Element Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils: Head in the Clouds Blend



Welcome to part three of my Elemental Perfume Blend series. What started as a journey to create fun DIY party favors for my upcoming wedding has turned into a rabbit hole of perfume recipe development. So far, I have shared an Earth Goddess perfume, an Aquatic Mermaid perfume, and now this wind-themed blend for my air sign friends.

With just three essential oils, this blend is made of top and middle notes to keep it as light as air.

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Posted by Jessicka

WELCOME

We offer one of the most thorough selections of certified organic herbs, spices, and botanical products and are commited to responsible sourcing.

Make Your Own Gin with Dried Herbs + Elderflower Gin Cocktail Recipe

Did you know you can easily make your own delicious gin? No still required! All it takes is a good neutral spirit and high-quality herbs.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

March 27, 2024

How to Make Vegan Wax Melts + Stress Support Essential Oil Blend

We now have a bee-free alternative to our classic wax melt recipe! Try this vegan version made with organic carnauba wax.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

March 22, 2024

Fire Zodiac Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils

Fire is about warmth, strength, creativity, and transformation. This essential oil perfume blend celebrates the strength and passion of zodiac fire signs.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

January 25, 2024

2023 DIY Gift Guide + Free Herb-Inspired Gift Tag Template

Find DIY gift inspiration with this 2022 DIY gift guide, complete with a FREE gift tag template. Choose from over 50 homemade gift ideas for foodies, herbalists, essential oil lovers, and natural product enthusiasts.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

December 9, 2023

Homemade Hot Cocoa Lip Balm Recipe

Looking for a fun and hydrating lip balm recipe to make for DIY gifts? This adorable hot cocoa lip balm with marshmallows is sure to delight!
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

December 6, 2023

Holiday Scents: 3 Essential Oil Blends for the Winter Season

Diffusing essential oils is a wonderful, natural way to freshen your home. Celebrate the aromas of the season with these 3 holiday-inspired DIY oil blends!
WRITTEN BY Heidi

December 1, 2023

Warming Lotion Bars for Autumn & Winter

Harness the power of skin-loving emollients with these seasonal lotion bars! They are easy to craft and make exceptional gifts.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

November 16, 2023

Pinwheel Cookies with Herbal Powders (4 Ways)

Pinwheel cookies are a beloved holiday favorite. Did you know you can color and flavor them with organic herbal powders?
WRITTEN BY Heidi

November 3, 2023

Herbal Simmer Pots + Stovetop Potpourri Recipes

Learn how to use simmer pots for natural household fragrance, read about their pros and cons, and find two recipes to get you started.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

November 2, 2023

DIY Foaming Hand Soap: Fall Scent    

Making a homemade foaming hand soap is easier than you might think! Try this simple recipe for a seasonal upgrade to your next hand wash.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

October 4, 2023

Wind Element Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils: Head in the Clouds Blend

This light and airy perfume blend harnesses the weightlessness of air. Made with just three essential oils, this easy DIY perfume is great for everyday use and makes an exceptional gift!
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

August 28, 2023