Lavender, Lemon Verbena and Bergamot

Hi guys! Another Monday, huh. Yesterday the flea market was a bit of flop. I got there EARLY! But I had no money, or just a little. There were many dealers, 200?---but their wares were junk. At the very first booth I found a little old box of treasures---thimbles, tiny tin boxes, a carved bone handle, a brass filigree cuff bracelet, cut-steel beaded purses with no frames, miscellaneous old buttons, tarnished tattered junk. But you know...first booth! I didn't want to carry it around all day. And can you imagine, someone bought it before I went back. Who but me wants an old grubby box of junk? How odd. I also missed out on a polychrome transferware tea bowl / slop bowl, unusual because it was French not English [same dealer] and a teeny tiny hand smocked silk infant dress, palest eggshell peach color. The dress was snatched out right from under my eyes. A woman just wanted it so bad and I really didn't need it, so, okay. Fine. (Old silk is so hard to wash, I thought, as she scurried away with my find.)

Mo had an all day playdate, so I used the quiet afternoon time to work on my spring selection of lavender hearts for my etsy shop.

The box of new lavender came last week. You may notice I use two types of lavender. One is floral, one is almost pine-y or crisp. Both are French lavender, from Cape Cod.

I use my giant white bread bowl. It's English ironstone, not American yellow ware.

I add essential oils. This time I used bergamot and lemon verbena as well was lavender oil.

Mix it good with my new big silver spoon,

then cover it for a day or so with its wooden cover [beachcombed find, isn't it great?]

I also ordered two kinds of sea salt, or rock salt, and made bath salts for myself. I mix the sea salt with epsom salts and again I add a drop or two of essential oils. I don't use lavender for bath salts, it's too floral for everyday use; I prefer the more citrus-y verbena and the bergamot.

Bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea, so you can imagine the scent.] Very calming and subtle.

Meanwhile I sort through my collection of tattered but beautiful linens and lace, some quilt fragments too, and the hearts and squares and tubes are sewed and turned.

I like to stuff the sachets and pillows outside so it doesn't make a mess or smell too strong.

 I love when the completed hearts are all gathered in a big bowl or tray

Something pretty for spring-cleaned closets or to tuck in stacks of line-dryed sheets and bath towels. Or---for Mothers Day? I am always so hopeful that they please..

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach