Medicine Show

There have been lots of lovely smelling things brewing in the kitchen lately. I just finished my 200 hour herbal apprenticeship and the evidence of my final project has littered the counters and stove top for the larger part of the last several days. Now the second addition of the "Boss-Mom Botanical Collection" is complete and better than ever! And it will be shipping out to Arizona shortly to the Boss herself and her little bolt of thunder for the both of them to enjoy. Being the inspiration of the line comes with proper benefits, naturally.

Let me backtrack. Desert bound in February, I planned to swaddle and hoped to provide herbally inspired relief f one month to a dear girlfriend of mine who had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma a third of the way through her first pregnancy. I zealously proposed to compile a regiment of herbs to aid in cancer treatment that would not interfere with pregnancy, and herbs to aid in pregnancy that would not interfere with her chemotherapy (yes, folks - she was receiving regular chemotherapy sessions all the way through her pregnancy.) I packed my car full of all of the herbal medicine books I owned, along with all of my medicine making gear, and headed south west.

Long story short, when I got to Tucson, even though she was a good sport about my big intentions, it became quickly clear to me that what my friend needed most was someone to drive her around, watch True Romance and The Ellen Show with, occasionally pick up some McDonald's, and, of course, make lots of fun, luxurious, sweet smelling items to pamper her and her baby. Duh, Carla - this little lion of a lady had been in and out of hospitals, poked and prodded, quite literally sliced open, and pumped full of poisons so toxic that the hospital attendants had to wear space suits just to handle her used bedpan.

So, my project changed to the "Boss-Mom Botanical Gift Set" made once in Tucson, and since amended in Austin, Texas after some helpful feedback from "Boss-Mom" herself on the first batch (the name of the line is inspired by Carlee's desire to be referred to as "Boss" rather than "Mom" by her son, Max).

Here's the finished line, including *amendments and NEW additions!

Rose&Geranium Anti-Bacterial Baby Butt Rub:
Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernel oil, Calendula, Chamomile, Rose petals, Bee's Wax, Geranium EO
*Replaced avocado oil for sweet almond oil and olive oil. Replaced chamomile with St. John's wort. Added rose and tea tree EOs.

Sleepy Boy Herbal Milk Bath:
Hops, lavender, chamomile.
*Added dehydrated organic milk.

Baby Butt Pow(d)er:
Arrowroot powder, baking soda, calendula, slippery elm, yarrow, tea tree EO, lavender EO.
*Added comfrey, replaced lavender EO with rose and orange EOs.

Coconut Chamomile Mama&Baby Oil:
Avocado oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, chamomile, lavender, calendula.
*Chose not to make this again.

Baby Oil:
Jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, lavender EO, chamomile EO.
*Chose not to make again.

Boss Mom Belly Balm:
Coconut oil, lavender flowers, bee's wax, rose and lavender infused distilled water.
*Chose not to make again, but used as an inspiration for Boss Mom Cream.

NEW! Lymphatic Relaxing Bath:
Epsom Salt, red clover, lavender, grapefruit EO, Texas cedar EO, geranium EO.


NEW! Colic Tea: Fennel, catnip, chamomile.


NEW! Courage Oil:
Grape seed oil with EOs of jasmine, cypress, vetiver, rosewood, chamomile, clove, frankinsence, and clove.


NEW! "Let them eat Cake!" Rose-Mint Cream:
Chamomile infused coconut oil, jojoba oil, rose infused distilled water, bee'swax, rose EO, peppermint EO.
(everyone that sampled this at the final class said it smelled like mint ice cream or cake)