How to Infuse Herbs in Oil using a crock pot

Totally inspired by David Fisher on this one, thank you David!  I routinely go to David's site because he knows everything.

How to infuse your lovely natural oil with herbs, crock-pot method.

I wanted olive oil infused with fresh rosemary but am too impatient to do the solar infused method of putting the oil in a mason jar, adding the rosemary ( or herb of choice ) and waiting the weeks necessary for the miracle to happen. Impatience has always been my down fall. Ask my husband.  

I had heard about the stove top method, that intrigued me, but when I read about the crock-pot method I knew I had found my nirvana.

Here's How:

You will need a crock-pot, use one that is reliable in its temperature and one that you are familiar with. Why?   

Because you do not want a crock-pot that will overheat and cook your oil rather than infuse it.

I put in 2 cups of olive oil and two handfuls of rosemary,  how strong you want your infusion determines how much herb you put in. I wanted mine strong.

I then stirred the oil and rosemary.  ( Don't rinse your rosemary and throw it in the pot wet. )

You want to heat your oil slowly.  David suggests keeping the oil temp between 120 - 130 F

I got out my thermometer and kept an eye on it. It did go up to 140 F at one point, I turned off the crock for a bit. All was fine.

Let your oil simmer for an hour or so,  then let it cool down.  Heat it up again, let cool again.  If your crock-pot is steady in it's temp and will not overheat you can set it and let it heat for a few hours now.

When done, allow oils to cool.

Strain oil through a cheese cloth, a clean kitchen towel or nylon stocking. Squeeze all the oil out of the herbs.

You now have a lovely herbal infused oil.  Use your oil as you normally would in your bath and body products.  Mine is intended for soap.

This method worked great.

Method #  2
Another way I've seen herbal infusions in the crock-pot is to simply put herbs into a small mason jar, fill jar with your oil, put lid on, place jar in bottom of crock-pot. Then fill crock pot with water half way up the mason jar.  Crock-pot set to low.  Allow to heat for several hours.  Strain your herbs, and enjoy
your herbal infusion.

Enjoy.....Anna

Gentle Facial Soap bar with Rosemary, Lavender and Bentonite clay

I've been working on an all natural facial soap bar for my teens. 

I don't like commercial soap with it's fillers, and harsh chemicals and absence of natural glycerin. 

My family needs a good gentle cleansing, moisturizing soap that will not dry out

 or irritate their already irritated skin.

Rosemary Lavender Facial Bar

First I followed David Fisher's advice on how to infuse rosemary in olive oil right in your crock pot.

It worked like a charm.

Fresh Arizona grown rosemary 

,

Rosemary infusing in my crock pot                                                                                  

Olive oil infused with rosemary, lovely green coloring                                                                                    

Additives to this soap:

Rosemary is a natural astringent and antioxidant.  It is an effective cleanser and detoxifier.

Olive oil naturally has high levels of antioxidants including vitamins A and E. Helps to renew and repair skin damage from free radicals. Naturally hypoallergenic. Nourishes and moisturizes skin.

Bentonite Clay is a powerful skin restorative formed from volcanic activity, in other words volcanic ash, and full of minerals necessary for healthy skin. It is known as a healing clay. Great for detoxing skin, good for oily skin but does not dry it out. Good for all skin types as well.  Makes a really creamy bar of soap. Smooth.

Lavender essential oil is such a soothing, gentle essential oil that packs a punch. Meaning,  it is highly effective. It will help clear the redness in the skin and as an antibacterial will act as a preventive to acne.

And it smells awesome! Blended with this infused rosemary it is a really lovely scent.

I also added castor oil to this recipe as it is a natural humectant and increases lather, creamy too.

Coconut oil for its super cleansing properties and lends hardness to the bar, antibacterial and antioxidant properties as well. A natural moisturizer. When absorbed into your skin, your skin becomes softer, smoother. Soothing to dry, irritated red skin. I love coconut oil.

Great latherer as you can see.  Creamy, smooth bar.  Scent is pleasing, not overpowering as some lavenders can be.   Leaves your skin with a cool feeling.  Very nice.

Enjoy......Anna 

Handmade Paper with Roses

I love to make handmade paper using botanicals, expecially roses.  

This lovely yellow rose is from my Lady Banks rose bush that grows in my front yard in Arizona, USA

It blooms one time a year, in April for several weeks. 

It's blooms in clusters and is absolutely stunning to behold when in full bloom.

I wanted to prolong it's beauty, so I made paper from it's blooms.

You can see the small rose petals embedded in this paper.

Making your own handmade paper consists of recycling paper by making it into a pulp, adding botanicals, or spices, or bits of fabric, of your choice, or leaving it plain.  There's room for alot of expression here ! 

I added a dab of liquid starch to this batch so that you could write on it or put it through an injet

printer and the ink would not feather.  

Enjoy.......... Anna