About

I’ve been practicing traditional gypsy herbal lore my whole life. I was raised with it before I even knew it was gypsy in nature. My mother, a master gardener, still picks things from the yard and shoves it into her mouth or yours—telling you what it is or why if you ask, but otherwise trusting we’re just used to it and believe in her knowledge. My grandfather walked through the woods and would eat whatever, going so far as picking his own mushrooms (I was never that brave), declaring “I only eat the mushrooms I pick” and never buying them in the store. Whether it’s bruising leaves to apply to a bug bite or nibbling on a mint leaf to soothe a tummy pain, I have followed in their footsteps but taken it to the next level with much study, research, and educating myself on the practical applications of herbs in today’s world of pills, drugs, and doctors. I am very careful to check multiple resources to find warnings or interaction concerns.

I don’t just have the knowledge and want to share it with you, I use it. On friends and family, but also—and more importantly, daily—in my own home. During cold and flu season we keep a homemade elderberry and honey syrup on hand for daily dosing against the germs running rampant. Our worrywart has tinctures for his nerves and stress, as well as for his concentration when that stress becomes too much. The teenager requests a nighttime tea for better sleep and less nightmares. And the youngest helps make his bedtime tea to alleviate his growing pains. We trust these herbs. We use these herbs. And on the more metaphysical side of body and soul, I carry a potion, have one hanging in my car, and have two separate putsi bags in my purse (one an intentional putsi such as those available here, the other a true charm bag for my pebbles and treasures—gypsy!).

And for those who may be upset with my use of the word gypsy, please go here.

Below, I address common questions regarding the products, but please, if you have any or feel I left something out, leave a comment and ask.

FAQ

Tincture: What is a dropperful? (aka My dropper won’t get full!)

A “dropperful” is the amount of liquid that goes into the dropper when you fully squeeze and release the bulb. No dropper ever gets truly full, but the amount of liquid is determined by the bulb, not the length or width of the tube. The bottles I use for tinctures have droppers that generally fill 1/3 to 1/2. The standard dropperful, again it does not matter the size of the tube, is 30 drops. 2 dropperfuls (60 drops) equals 1/2 teaspoon, and is equivalent to one cup of tea.

Tincture: Why 1-2 dropperfuls, 2-3 times a day?

2 dropperfuls is a standard dose, based on a 1:5 ratio of herb to liquid, for a 150 pound adult. Each tincture has a suggested dosage based on the ratio (1:2 to 1:5). There are no standards for tinctures, and everyone reacts differently to different herbs, because of this you may want to use the smallest dose suggested and work up from there, especially the first time you try my products. Also, you may find that taking 1 dropperful of tincture—straight, without eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes—is enough, but if mixed into your favorite beverage or water, 2 dropperfuls are needed as it is mixed and enters the body at a different rate.

2-3 times a day is simply a reminder to do everything in moderation and actually varies dependent upon the person and the use. I love homemade mint tea, but too much will have adverse affects. If you’re taking Clarity it’s probably during the work day and one dosage at the beginning of your work day, followed by one after lunch, is probably all you need. If you’re taking Tranquility, you’ll want to space out 3 doses during the day to keep a steady level of calm. But if you’re taking Forty Winks, one dose before bed is really all that’s required. 3 times a day is simply a suggested maximum, because the term “as needed” can be interpreted far too openly and cause someone to take more than necessary. Think of it as a cup of tea, three cups  a day is enough =)

How do I take a tincture dose?

There are several ways to get the beneficial herb juice into your system.
1. You can take the liquid plain, dropping it into your mouth, onto a spoon, etc.
2. You can add it to a beverage of your choice (water, juice, etc.) but keep in mind that will slow the body’s absorption (as will eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes after dosage).
3. And finally, you can choose whether you’re taking it cold or hot. If cold, just take as is or mix into beverage of choice. If heating it—we call this quick-tea—please remember to heat whatever liquid you’re putting it into first and let it cool to drinking temperature before adding the tincture. If you boil the tincture, you will remove some of the beneficial properties.

Where do you get your herbs? Are they homegrown?

Unfortunately, they are not currently homegrown. I lived most of my life in a part of the country covered in snow for 8 months of the year, so I have always relied on suppliers. I have several trusted suppliers, whom have been around for years and are highly reputable, and as I recently found out, also supply my local herb store. As I am purchasing from a supplier rather than gathering from my own garden, I use dried herbs and flowers, rather than fresh.

What alcohol do you use for the tinctures and what’s the potency of the finished product?

I use 80 proof vodka in all my tinctures. That makes 40% alcoholic tinctures, however, that is based on a shot glass size and once you reduce that to the 30-60 drops (tsp) of tincture you’re taking, it’s minimal—about the same as a ripe banana. However, if you are truly against alcohol and still want the medicinal properties of the tincture, you can put your tincture dose in a cup and pour boiling water over it. This can destroy some of the nutrients you are hoping to get from the herb, but the alcohol will be evaporated.

Why use alcohol to extract the herb?

Many of the components of the herbs are not extracted with simply water, which is why a tincture is a stronger concentration than a tea. By using alcohol, I not only extract more of the beneficial nutrients, I also increase the shelf life of the final tincture from one year (using water, cider or glycerin) to forever. If you’re worried about or against the alcoholic nature of the tincture, simply pour boiling water over the dosage in a cup and evaporate the alcohol per dose (rather than the whole bottle at once), thus keeping your shelf life and still using it as a nonalcoholic tincture.

How long will my tincture last?

Made with 80 proof vodka, these tinctures have a shelf life of 5 years to infinity. Kept in a dark, dry place, they really will last forever, as the alcohol preserves. However, if you’re using them on a regular basis, you won’t have to worry about that.

Do you make customized potions or putsi bags?

I have made many specialty potions for specific reasons—from healing heartache to dream bags—for friends and family and am not opposed to working with you for customized products. It never hurts to ask! Please use the contact page for any requests you may have, rather than the comment section here. You never know, I may have to add to the product line based on your request…

Disclaimer

For legal and medical reasons, the FDA and other governing agencies require me to tell you the following. Information and statements provided have not been evaluated by the FDA and are for educational purpose only. These are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please take responsibility and check any and all medications, conditions, allergies, etc. you have against reactions to any given herb, or speak to a doctor before using if you have any serious medical conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are currently taking medication. Keep out of reach of children. Use at own risk.

Did I miss anything? Curious? Have a question? Go ahead and let me know using the form below.