ABOUT LAVENDER

2012-01-22T20:35:00.002-07:00

Sat: It’s 2012 and this morning kicked off the 4thyear of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado (LAWC). Several board members had fulfilled their termsand were given appreciation for their work. And newly-elected members have made the generous commitment to continue LAWC’s successful momentum.

Some new members attended today’s meeting. It’s so encouraging to see more and more people interested in planting lavender in their yards and fields. Some members have only a few plants, some have hundreds and some are growing thousands.

One of the things I like is the sharing of knowledge that takes place. I’ve learned so much by hearing and seeing what others are doing. It’s important to me because though I am only a residential grower (75 plants), it’s a significant investment of my (and Con’s) time, money and labor.

Though different in scale, the variables affecting crops are the same: water, soil, temperature, weeds, wind, harvesting, cleaning, distilling, costs, promotion and on and on. Thanks to LAWC, we all have access to a great deal of help in the information and experiences of others, as well as the knowledge and field research of our “mentor,” Dr. Curtis Swift of the CSU Extension office. It’s an exciting time for me to be a part – albeit a very small part – of a movement to create an industry that will benefit the economy of our beautiful Western Slope communities.

So get on board! Join up at www.coloradolavender.org ! You won’t regret it! HooYah!

(oops, got carried away there – we have a Navy Seal in the family & it’s just so fun to say – HooYah

(Go ahead, try it. There, see, isn’t it fun)?

Christmas

2011-12-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to you and thanks to God for Jesus' birth. Here are photos of my Christmas decorations. The photos are terrible, but the trees are quite beautiful. Although the tree gets put up and taken down, the lights on the artificial palm and the huge tabletop arrangement stay and get used throughout the year. I also put a small white tree on either side of the front door, one has gold ornaments and the other has birds. I can't get a good photo because the light from the windows puts the trees in too much shadow. If I remember I'll try to photo them at night.

My friend, Yvonne, puts up over 400 pieces (snow babies, Hallmarks, etc) throughout her house and several trees. It's breathtaking but all I can think of it how long it must take to put it all away. She just takes her time and enjoys it. Ellen has a huge array of old-fashioned Byerly (sp?) dolls that she spreads around her house and it is fabulous to see. I set out my four nativity sets, put a candle centerpiece on the table, and call it good!

December has been a great month. It began with the Annual Lavender Association Christmas Fair. It so nice to see and talk with the other members. Marianne was interested in the lavender-filled Cozy Coasters that I had pictured on this blog. Unfortunately, I had none to show. She was interested in coasters that had sheer material on one side so that the lavender buds would be visible (like the PillowCase Liners -- fabric on one side and organza on the other.) But in experimenting with organza for the coasters, it quickly became obvious that the fabric is too slippery to use. I could picture setting a cup of hot coffee on the coaster and see it slide off the table -- not good. I can't think of any fabric that would have a bit of "grab" to it and still be able to see through it.

I had a great show at a friend's home plus several custom orders. And now I'm done for the year. This is my "do nothing" week which means there's nothing that I "have" to do. So I read, sleep in, eat junk, putz around in my slippers, surf the web and just be a general slug. Love it. Happy New Year.

Lavender filled Products Price List as of 12 01 11

2011-12-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

If this works the way I hope it does, this will be page 2 of Product Descriptions and Prices.
12x12" Pillowcase Liners. Beautiful fabric on one side and 12 organza pockets on the other side hold fragrant lavender buds. Slide the liner between pillow and pillowcase for a relaxed, aromatic sleep. $13

Buckwheat Hull Napping Pillows 10"x14" have removable liners filled with fragrant lavender and buckwheat hulls. The hulls allow air flow so pillow stays cool and fragrant. Can be heated. Washable covers. $18

Slightly smaller Travel Pillows are perfect to tuck under neck when traveling in car or airplane. Filled with lavender buds and fiberfill. Sized 10x12. $16

Hanging Sachets for closets or drawers. Great for putting with stored clothing to keeps moths away. Variety from $2 to $10.

Sexy little camisoles 4x6" filled with lavender buds are fun "girlfriend" gifts. And little girls love the brightly decorated lavender filled "skirt purses." Bottom of purse is sewn closed and filled with lavender. Zippered pouch for carrying items. Size 6"x 6" not including purse strap. $8 to $10

Don't use chemical dryer sheets when you can have sweet smelling laundry by tossing a lavender-filled Dryer Bag in your dryer. The 4x6" bags last through many loads of wash. Set of 3 bags $7.50

Description and Price List for my Lavender-Filled Products

2011-12-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

This is the busiest time of year for me, particularly this year since I have been sewing many custom orders. I so enjoy creating beautiful and sweet smelling things for people. The people who buy from me love lavender just as I do. Of course, many purchases this time of year are for Christmas gifts. I have put an advertisement in our local newspaper (special classified section "Handmade for the Holidays) to refer anyone who is interested to look up my blog and check out the products, descriptions and prices. Email me at rosemarylitz@yahoo.com or call me at 970.314.7613 is you see something that you would like to buy or for more information. Merry Christmas!
4x6 drawer sachet set of 2 filled with lavender buds $7.50 per set. Put in dresser drawers to gently scent clothing with lavender.

Luxurious Neck Wraps measure 32x8" and Eye Pillows are 5" x 14." All have removable muslin liners. Liners are filled with fragrant lavender flowers for aroma and flaxseed to hold the heat when microwaved. Liners can be heated or chilled. Covers are a variety of washable fabrics including fleece, crushed velvet, satin, cotton and flannel. Neck Wraps are $22 each. Eye Pillows are $13 each.

More Items on Next Page

I'm Soooooooo Disorganized!

2011-12-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

4x6" drawer pillow set

I can't find anything these days without moving something. When did I become so disorganized? All About Lavender is doing well with many custom orders in process for Christmas gifts. It is so nice to be able to make lavender things for people. I love meeting and talking with people and seeing them happy with their purchase. And the sewing is fun - I learn new things all the time. You know what is the hardest part of sewing for me? Threading the needle in the machine. I change thread often in the course of a day and have to use one of those little threader thingys. It is an extremely useful item but I still have to aim and hit the needle opening. I know there are new sewing machines out there with "automatic" threaders -- they keep calling to me. So I think, well maybe I'll look into one of those machines. But then I see that there are machines that cut the threads for you ... boy would that save buying thread at $3.49 a spool (buy local) not to mention the inconvenience of clipping threads with the scissors (now where did I put them)? And the threads sticking to my fingers and dropping in my lap. And don't wear cordouroy pants while sewing -- every piece of lint is to be found snuggled in welts giving me that "don't you ever wash those pants look." But I digress.

When Con comes home I'll ask him to take down the 2 folding tables that are still in the living room from last week's Salon. The bedroom/office has an open space in the middle but everything that I unpacked from the LAWC Christmas Fair sits in stacks around the room waiting to be put away. One corner of the kitchen table still has the bowl of pins and price tags and other little stuff awaiting attention. There is not a piece of wood to be found in the dining room (where I sew) because everything is covered with fabric and items for my projects. Well I am worn out just typing about it, so I think I'll warm up my lavender neck wrap, pour a cup of coffee, sit down and read the newspaper. Ha, ha, ha 12/7/11

2011-11-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

I've been working on some new items for the Lavender Sachet Salon to be held at my house on Tuesday, Nov 29th. It's a drop-in, open house where people can browse and buy items. Everything I sew is filled with sweet, fragrant lavender.
Customers are great at suggesting new items. That's where the idea for coffee cozy pads came from. Putting a hot cup on the pad releases a scent of lavender. Another customer came up with the idea for bookmarks. I've been using one at my bedside for years now but it didn't occur to me to make them for others until she suggested it. The photo doesn't do them justice. I used a beautiful white brocade for some. And a cream colored satin for the others.
I'm excited about Tuesday's event ... it's fun to see the folks that come. Refreshments and time to chat -- real nice. 11/27/11

Lavender Sachet Salon at Angie's-Fun!

2011-11-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

I had a great time last night. Angie graciously offered her home for me to display and sell my recent lavender-filled products. She invited her friends and we served refreshments. I had baked cookies and brought some hot chocolate. She made coffee and snacks and, as usual did a fantastic job. Her kitchen table looked so nice, loaded with goodies. I had told her that she didn't need to make anything special, but she did anyway. Like me, Ang loves to have friends over to her house - for any reason - and she always wants them to feel comfortable and have a good time. I was able to see some of her old friends that I know and to meet some new ones. Everyone seemed to have a good time, chatting, laughing , browsing and buying (women are so good at multi-tasking).

Some people who were unable to attend last night want to see my products. Since I am unable to get new photos onto a separate page, I'll put them here in the body of this text. Contact Angie or me (970-314-7613) if you see something you like. I will be having a Lavender Sachet Salon at my house on Tuesday, Nov 29. Drop in anytime between 4 and 7 pm. For more info, contact me. (See Photos Below)

All NeckWraps are 30 to 32" long and 8 to 9" wide: $18 & $22. Eye Pillows are 4 to 6" wide and 11 to 15" long at $13. All Neck and Eye Pillows have removable liners that can be microwaved or chilled. And covers can be hand washed separately. The same goes for the large Back Neck Wraps which are 14" long from neck to cover shoulder blades. Pillow Case Liners ($12 & $13) are satin or suede on one side and have 12 or 16 organza pockets filled with lavender buds. Slip one between the pillow and the case for aromatic sleep. Buckwheat hull and Comfy Pillows are usually 8x10" & 10x12" priced from $16 to $18. Assorted drawer and closet hangers and Christmas hangers run from $1.00 to $5.00. Bookmarks are $2.
Of course, everything is filled with sweet, fragrant lavender buds -- otherwise, what's the point? Enjoy.

1 of a kind fleece and satin neck wraps 32x8" (Liners not shown in photo)

Flannel and Fleece

Asian motif. Blue brocade has flannel on one side.

Front view of soft flannel BackNeckWrap. Extra long back 10" from neck to cover shoulder blades.

This is the sued side of a BackNeckWrap (sold) with a multi-colored front. Neck down back is 14" long

Pale blue crushed velvet and brown satin. Peach satin with flowered cotton.

Warm and soft, this pale yellow neck wrap is 32x9. Buckwheat pillow is sold.caption

Variety of eye pillows - removable liners to heat or chill. Washable covers.

Peach satin eye pillows. One has soft knit on the other side. Braided one has cotton side, braid trim.

Cotton flowered eye pillow. Cream colored satin and soft yellow fleece.

Eye Pillow of brown suede and pale yellow satin. Brown leaf brocade is rich and luxurious.

CreamWhite satin eye pillow. Other side is thick, soft, warm yellow fleece.

Soft warm flannel one side and pale blue crushed velvet on other side. 4x15"

Green flannel and pink flowered flannel eye pillows

This is the other side of the creamwhite one above.

Lavender & Buckwheat Hull pillow 8x10". Removable liner, cotton cover.

3pak Comfy Pillows. Lavender buds and fiberfill 8x10",6x6",2x4". Spot wash damp sponge only.

Comfy pillow, lavender and fiberfill, 10x8x3"

Cute demin, skirt purses, zipper compartment. Bottom sewn to hold lavender inside.

Christmas items filled with lavender. Red bags $4, sox $2.50, plaid $1.00

Assorted lavender filled hangers for closets or doorknobs or drawers. $2 to $4

Gorgeous white brocade fiberfill Comfy Pillow 10x12

PillowCase Liners variety of fabrics. On bottom, see opened one showing pockets of lavender.

Insert liner into pillowcase. On top for strong aroma, underneath pillow for less aroma.

2011-11-02T10:10:00.000-06:00

I'm excited about the upcoming holiday fairs. I'll be showing my

wares at several show around town. The sewing is fun but I got a

little behind this year because I had more harvesting, cleaning, etc

that I expected. Take a look at the "Eye/Neck" Page for more. 11/3/11

Friday Night Sales Event - Fun

2011-10-24T13:24:00.000-06:00

The photos at right are of some of the neck wraps that I sold Friday at an art show event for the local Counseling and Education Center. A portion of sales went to CEC, an agency that is valuable to our community. I took 2 photo's of my "booth" which was a 6' table covered with a cloth. I try to arrange items so that the table looks attractive and so people can touch the products. It may look good to me but when I look at the photos, it looks pretty sloppy. I'll have to get some help in that area.

So many people appreciate the beautiful fabrics that I use. If you can see the photos here, one neck wrap is made of a pale green crushed velvet with the other side a rich gold satin with a brown swirl pattern to it. It is beautiful. Another is an Asian print of branches on a cream colored brocade background. And a pale blue crushed velvet on one side has a deep brown satin fabric on the other. With the cold weather around the corner I thought people would like flannel so I made some neck wraps in a flowered flannel. They all had matching eye pillows but I sell them separately because some people want only one or the other, not both.

I enjoy showing my wares but what was really fun for me was to see many people that I haven't seen in years. Some of us go back 20 years or more when I first came to GJ and worked for the National Council on Alcoholism. At that time I was very involved in the "non-profit" community and so got to know many wonderful people. Many of us are now retired from that line of work and it was nice to have a little time to chat with friends and acquaintances. As I am now in the "wisdom years" as one gal put it, the value of relationships is so evident -- it is really all that matters. 10/24/11

Lavender Coming Out My Ears!

2011-10-02T21:03:00.000-06:00

Fall blooms have popped up which means I am STILL harvesting, drying and cleaning lavender. On Saturday, went to Angie's and harvested a lot from the plants there --- I think this is the end!!! Of course, I thought the same last month and was surprised at how much more bloomed in Sept. I may have enough left over after completing my sewing for the year to sell some lavender buds by the pound. The demand for buds has been greater than the supply for the last few years. But word has spread that lavender is a great plant to grow in this area, so more and more people are doing it. . At the July Festival I talked with several people who have planted fields and/or are gathering information in order to do so in the spring.

The weather is still warm here in the city so I haven't prepared my plants for winter yet. It's not a difficult task. Because of al l the huge old trees in the neighborhood, we have lots of leaves that begin falling in Sept. So I brush them away from the base of the plants so that they won't hold moisture when the snow comes. Then I replenish the base of the plants with crushed gravel or small rocks if they need it. The rock helps hold warmth at the roots. That's all there is to it. I don't have weeds at my house, but the plants over at Angie's do have weeks pop up. I didn't pull many on Saturday when I was there because there were too many crickets around and so I just cut the lavender and left. But when it gets cold I'll go over and pull the weeds and add some rocks to the base of the plants.

I made some more beautiful lavender-filled neck wraps. I'll post some photos next time.

Bookmarks as Thank You Gifts

2011-09-12T21:35:00.000-06:00

Lavender-filled Bookmarks

I made some lavender filled bookmarks and took them over to Community Hospital as a little thank you for the nurses and aides that were so wonderful when I was there last week. So simple - 6" x 1.5" cotton with a little pellon lining to stiffen a bit. Top with a ribbon and fill with lavender -- smells so good.

Where Have I Been? Glad You Ask!

2011-09-07T09:53:00.000-06:00

I am chagrined to admit that when someone mentions that they’ve had surgery, it really doesn’t register in my brain to any greater degree than mentioning that they had a bad headache or sprained ankle.

However, when it is little ole moi’ who’s had the surgery .... holy moly batman ... what a different story that is! The whole world revolves around ME and every little beat, burp, barf and bm is of great interest not only to me, but to those miserably happy, blue-gloved youngsters who enter my hospital room every time I nod off to sleep (there’s a monitor in the drip tube that alerts the nurses station anytime a patient drifts toward sleep -- really).

After a year of brief but painful episodes, 2 prior non-productive ER visits, and cold sweating my way through last Sunday’s 10 am service (do you get a point added for going to church but deducted if it’s not the right one?), I headed to the ER.. Came home Friday minus the gall bladder and feel great now. I couldn’t help but think, though, while undergoing CAT, ultrasound, MRI, camera-down-the-throat procedure, several visits each by specialist, surgeon, anesth----, and my regular doc, plus a variety of drips, drugs and dressings ... that I could have just called my sisters-in-law (nurses) and they could have diagnosed me over the phone!!!

This Blog is supposed to be about LAVENDER so I want you to know that my plants are still sending up some beautiful spikes and I still have some dried bundles to be processed. After the great festival in July, many of us Lavendeers had a severe case of burnout. Thus, neglecting my writing for the last month.

But I just know you wanted to hear about my surgery, and far be it from me to disappoint you. So that's the story. But wait! There’s more! If you’ll send me a self-addressed, stamped envelope I’ll mail you (free of charge) the complete and unabridged version which, I’m sure, you will find riveting and heart rending ... but with a happy ending!

PS: What pervert came up with the disgusting idea of giving the patient an 8x10 glossy of their diseased gall bladder in their discharge packet!!! YUK!.

1st Annual Colorado Lavender Festival - a raving success!

2011-07-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

The 1st Annual Colorado Lavender Festival was a great success!!! The hard work came together beautifully. We had great weather, crowds of happy people, good music and about 40 vendor booths full of lavender products, hand-made jewelry, and so much more. The feedback I heard from people who attended the seminars said they were excellent and very informative. Sounds like the most fun was enjoyed by the tour bus group that visited several lavender farms in the area. The tour included lunch and a wine & cheese reception at a local winery at the end of the tour. It had sold out early. The cookbooks sold out also. They were smartly done in small notebooks with tabs and the first year recipes. Each year a new batch of recipes will be available to add to the cookbook. Author, Lida Lafferty put a tremendous amount of time , effort and love into the project and she can be proud of what she has accomplished.

I sold a lot of my neck wraps, eye pillows, buckwheat pillows, pillowcase liners and sachets. Angie, Con and Elly helped in the booth which made it possible for me to talk with people. It was fun to see people that I hadn't seen in some time, including my high school friend, JoAnn, who lives in Palisade.

Customers are great at making recommendations for items they would like to see and I have a few new ideas to pursue. Overall it was a fun and profitable adventure. 7/20/11

Spike It with Lavender! author, Lida and boxes of

cookbooks to be collated by Lida, Rob, Kathy, Linda

and other volunteers.

Also ... made some new eye pillows

2011-06-24T20:26:00.000-06:00

Click on the Neck/Eye tab and take a look at the beautiful eye pillows that I made for a customer that owns a yoga studio. She gives them to her clients. The picture doesn't do them justice ... the material is a burgundy satin poly on one side and green velvet panne on the other ... makes a beautiful combination. 6/25/11

Gearing up for the 1st Annual Colorado Lavender Festival

2011-06-24T20:22:00.000-06:00

The Three Lavendeers

Yesterday Brenn, Barb and I took Lavender Festival window posters to the GJ downtown businesses that are participating in the "Go Purple" Scavenger Hunt. Details are on the LAWC website. Brenn's super organizing skills made the task easy and fun. It took a couple of hours but we worked the morning when it was still cool (thanks Brenn). We then reviewed over lemonade at the Rockslide. People are so excited about the festival !!! July 15, 16, 17. See the LAWC website at http://www.coloradolavender.org/

Lavender Bundles 6 15 11

2011-06-21T13:16:00.000-06:00

Banded 71 bundles last week.

I've been harvesting some of the lavender bushes that have bloomed this month. Still have some in my yard that are not ready yet. There is a big difference between those planted in my yard and those at Angie's yard. At her house they are planted in "red mountain soil" which is sandy -- the water drains away quickly. They also benefit from more direct sun. A couple of factors may contribute to the slower growth in my yard: clay soil although amended with gravel and stuff to help drain water away; some of the plants get mottled sun rather than full, direct, all-day sun; some have been transplanted from one spot to another which probably slows growth (I often change my mind-poor things); a couple plants came from shoots off of the main plant and seem to be smaller than the mother plant. Regardless, they are all producing beautiful, fragrant lavender. Je suis heureax! (watched Poirot last night).

Just before the haircuts

Grandmoms and Granddaughters

2011-05-24T17:40:00.000-06:00

5"x5" Blue, Pink, Green, Black Sparkley Sachets

A friend, Sue, has a couple of little grand daughters and she had bought them each the cutest little lavender filled dress sachets at one of my Salon's last year. I couldn't help but think of her when I finished "blinging" these little skirts ..... are they just tooooooo cute! The lavender buds are in a pouch under the skirt and it smells so sweet. At a sale event last week 2 little girls just cooed over them and "just loooooovvvvvved" each one before they made their choice -- one bought green and one pink. (Actually it happened to be their grandmother who paid for them). There is just something about 10 year old girls and their excitement that is so fun .... and something in grandmothers that fosters that excitement -- wonderful reciprocity, eh? So Sue, this photo is for you.

2 New Products for Lavender Salon June 1st

2011-05-24T16:35:00.000-06:00

Lavender filled dryer bags (artist in residence -guess who)

Add caption

After several attempts, I finally got the "formula" down pat. A big THANK YOU to all of my faithful "guinea pigs" who tested out my primitive samples and gave me feedback for improvement. Like many of us, I don't like using the store-bought dryer sheets because of the chemicals in them. These home made dryer bags give a light lavender aroma to the dried clothes. Each one lasts me from 7 to 10 loads. Even though they seem to stop transferring aroma to the clothes, they can still be used as drawer sachets -- just squeeze them occasionally to refresh the aroma. I'll have them for sale at next week's Lavender Salon and will ask buyers to give me feedback on how long the aroma lasts for them. I'll keep testing because the aroma may last longer with loads of cottons vs towels or vice versa.

The other new items for the Salon are drawer liners filled with lavender. A 15"x22" liner in the bottom of the drawer can take the place of the 4x4" drawer pillows or sachets. See the cute fabrics ... there will also be some other patterns for the "more sedate" amongst us! 5/24/11

15x22" lavender filled cotton drawer liners

Spring Lavender Sachet Salon June 1st

2011-05-23T16:02:00.000-06:00

Happy Springtime! A little late this year, but at last it’s time to store our cold weather clothing. You are invited to my Lavender Sachet Salon – a drop-in open house - on Wed. June 1st. Anytime between 4 & 7:00 pm., drop in to browse/buy my latest lavender-filled products at your leisure.

I’ve designed some new sachets that lay flat between your stored sweaters and scarves. Also new are lavender-filled “Dryer Bags’ for an alternative to chemical-laden dryer sheets. Another new item is an array of “Travel Pillows” filled with buckwheat & lavender - great for naps on the sofa, in the car or plane. “The buckwheat pillows are great when recovering from injuries because they fit well tucked under a knee, elbow, chin and conform to the body parts for gentle support.” (Angie used in PT recovering from broken collarbone). There are new eye pillows and neck wraps of luxurious fabrics, whimsical drawer liners and much more. Photos at http://aboutlavender.blogspot.com.

I’m on the lookout for someone to bake lavender cookies for you to taste along with lavender lemonade and tea. Since I don’t do RSVP, I never know how many will drop in but you’re sure to run into someone you know. It’s fun. Hope to see you on June 1st. Rosemary 5/23/11

Added Some Photos

2011-05-16T12:29:00.000-06:00

You'll have to go to http://www.aboutlavender.blogspot.com/ to see some new photos that I put on the blogsite. I added a few eye pillow and neck wrap photos under the "Tabs" at the top of the page. I also have started making some "Travel Pillows" (under the Comfy-Travel Pillow Tab), sized 10x14". Same removable covers and muslin liners filled with lavender buds and buckwheat hulls. They are great to tuck behind your head when napping in the car or on an airplane. Just the right size that they don't take up much space ... but fit the neck nicely. Also some new under the "Liners, Sachet" Tab.

Sleep or Lack Thereof

2011-05-16T10:33:00.000-06:00

If you are at all like me there are times when sleep just doesn't want to come. Sometimes worry causes it but sometimes there is no evident reason. I used to get up, warm up a cup of milk, watch a little tv and eventually fall back to sleep in the recliner. A friend of mine has to have the room completely black -- no LED clock or night light. The author of Beauty Sleep (clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD) suggests that if light still gets in to wear an eye mask to bed. I recommended that she take it one step further and wear a lavender-filled eye mask to bed. She likes it because it not only blocks light, but it emits the calming aroma of lavender throughout the night. The combination works for her.

16 pockets filled with lavender buds

My involvement in lavender has led me to read a great deal about its effects on the central nervous system. I have experimented with different ways of using it for a variety of conditions including headache, depression, anxiety and sleep. What I find works for me is my lavender-filled pillowcase liner. I normally slip it into the pillowcase underneath the pillow. But if I'm not falling asleep, I move it to the top side of my pillow (still within the pillowcase.) That way a stronger aroma envelopes me and sends me off to sleep.

How do you handle your lack of sleep? 5/16/11

Frustrated - Computer Gremlin Again

2011-05-11T22:08:00.000-06:00

Can't seem to get my blog to do what I want so I'll try again tomorrow. I was trying to put some new photos on the EYE/NECK tab. I should never mess around with photos at night .... it drives me crazy ..... 5/11

Typical freaky spring in GJ

2011-04-26T19:30:00.000-06:00

Channel 5 News guys just knocked at the door and asked if they could photo the flowers in the front yard. On tonight's news they are going to remind people that the temp will drop below freezing so they may want to cover the veggies and flowers. The reporter wanted a photo to go with the news.

He commented about how beautiful the flowers are and it reminded me that I take for granted the beauty that surrounds me. At any time of the year I can look around the front or back yard and see beautiful plants. Through the toughest winters I can see the bright green color of the evergreens, the pale yellow tall grasses waving in the wind, the blue fescue scattered around -- if only I take the time to look and appreciate.  It goes without saying that the other seasons display abundunt color everywhere. My favorite, of course, is the herd of lavendeers that keep multiplying and growing bigger.

We were so blessed to be able to buy this house back in October, 1996. The previous owner had built it in 1960 and took loving care of it. It has been featured in at least 4 times in local news articles.  You know it's still a small town when the news people knock on your door to ask if they can take pictures. One year a reporter was driving around looking for ideas. She asked if she could take some snow scene photos outside. I invited her inside and she asked if she could take some inside photos too. I had just finished setting the table with my Christmas dishes and decorations and so she did a great feature article -- it was fun.

Another winter I saw my neighbor in the middle of the street with her camera ... didn't think much of it at the time. Then we received a Christmas card from her and inside was a beautiful photo of our house with the trees covered in icy crystals. She said she enjoys looking across the street at our house. I feel the same way about a neighbor house that can be seen when sitting at our kitchen table. They painted their front door a bright shade of red and it's like a little gift that I get to look at each day.

So even though we had a high of only 50 degrees today and it's been rainy all week, the sun will be out this weekend. It's a pretty typical GJ spring ... April teases with warm weather and we get outside and prune the lavender -- but NOT the roses. It is so hard to wait until Mother's Day to do the roses but it's best to wait. Then it snows in the mountains, rains down here, freezes at night -- but the roses are safe.           4/26/11

Spring Cuttings

2011-04-19T15:59:00.000-06:00

I've been asked how to take cuttings from a lavender plant
to start a new one. There are some good instructions on the web.
It's pretty easy. Cut a piece 3 to 5 inches from a healthy branch
being sure to get some of the bark from the branch. Place the
cutting into potting soil in a new pot or a used one rinsed out with a little bleach to kill any fungus. Position the cuttings about an inch into the
soil with some leaves showing. Use rooting powder if you like but
it's not necessary. Put in a sunny place and keep it moist while it
is taking root. Cut some air holes in a clear plastic bag and loosely
cover the pot (loosely so air can circulate). Don't let the plant dry
out, but if it looks too moist, remove the plastic for a while. Here is CO it is very dry so will need watering every day. But in MI may not dry out as fast - so keep an eye on it. When it has put out several new shoots it can be transplanted to the garden. It will also grow nicely if you just leave it in the pot. 4/19/11

Pruning Time

2011-04-19T15:38:00.000-06:00

The shabby plants in the backyard got their haircuts -- tall grasses cut down, coreopsis trimmed way back, fescues just needed trims. The KarlForrester reed grasses have beautiful silvery plumes that I keep and put in a tall basket on the patio -- they last for years.
Some of the smaller lavenders got trimmed but the big ones still need attention. The 16 Royal Velvet lavenders on the east side of the house look good but the weeds are encroaching all around the patch of ground. I'll have to put down cloth and stone pavers to keep them at bay. There is a lot of landscape work to be done on that side of the house.
This time of year is so nice here - mornings are cool which is the best time of the day to prune. The dogwood tree has dropped its flowers but the redbud trees are in bloom. We have two in the yard and they make me smile whenever I look at them. The most beautiful shade of purple/lavender -- then the leaves will appears and be green for the summer.

Heading out to do a training at the church for youth workers. "Safeguarding God's Children" is a 4 hour program that teaches about child sex abuse and how to prevent it and what to do if we suspect it. The videos are excellent training films -- wish everyone could see them. A great "wake-up" call for people. 4/17/11

Heading to Sin City

2011-04-09T22:35:00.000-06:00

Once or twice a year some of the family meets in Las Vegas and spends a few days talking, eating and gambling --- in that order. I don't think any of us are big spenders on the slots machines ... except .. hmm ... maybe Loraine spends more than I think she does. You know how those quiet types are .... come to think of it, she does win a lot. I'm a nickel machine poker player and last time we were there I won $150 ... first time I ever won more than I spent.

Last Saturday I added compost to the lavender plants at Angie's house. The soil that they are planted in is a sandy soil which is great because it drains nicely. But it's necessary to add nutrients. Ang & Ron had a pickup bed full of soil and compost which Ron gingerly shoveled into a wheelbarrow for me. (Both he and Ang have painful shoulders - she just had surgery and he willl have it this month - but there they are out digging and shoveling). Since I keep gravel up around the plants' "necks," it had to be pulled away, then compost dug in around the plant base, and the gravel pushed back. So the li'l darlings have been fed for the year now and will just need water and sunshine. This will be their 2nd year blooming and I think it will be beautiful. Last year I tried to keep them trimmed so they wouldn't bloom. That way the energy goes to building strong roots. They did bloom some anyway. This year some of the plants look real healthy and big enough to put on a great purple display in June and throughout Sept, maybe even Oct.

The Birds Are Busy Nesting

2011-03-24T22:09:00.000-06:00

Mr. and Mrs. Finch have been using the Christmas wreath from our door to feather their nest. (Looks like he's giving her instructions in the top photo). The nest is a basket with artificial plants hanging in the carport. It is at least 15 years old. They used it when we lived in the Ridges and they continued to use it when we moved here 12 years ago. The contents are now packed like cement, so Con bought another one to hang up this weekend. Hope they'll adjust to a new home. (Looks like the silent treatment below. The body language is somehow familiar, eh)?

I love watching the birds. In the second or third year of growing lavender in the backyard, the birds took notice of it. Although we kept the bird feeders full, some renegade decided to taste the lavender and liked it. At first I thought it was so cute --- O look, honey, they're tasting the lavender! One day I came home and finches were all over the plants picking away at the buds. They would eat the flowers leaving the empty buds. If it kept up I would have had no flowers for the year. So I made a scarecrow -- and they just laughed -- after all, this is their yard. So then I put plastic trash bags on top of a couple of plants but they just moved to the lower branches and ate. Next, I wrapped each plant in a white trash bag and secured it to the ground. (You can imagine how lovely that looked). As the days heated up, I uncovered them and recovered them in the afternoons. It was a real pain in the neck and the birds were no longer my friends. This went on for nearly a week. Then I uncovered a few plants at a time and the birds were no longer interested. So the covers came off all of the plants and life went on as usual. The plants bloomed beautifully that year, the birds were never again interested in them, and we are all friends again.

I've not heard of anyone else having an experience like that. What would have happened if it was a whole field or acres of lavenders -- how would they be stopped from ruining a crop? If you know of an experience like it, let me know. 3/24/11

A Little Lavender Cabin

2011-03-17T14:32:00.000-06:00

A friend sent me some photos. I love this one.

It's perfect except enlarge the windows, add a garage and circle driveway, a covered porch around three sides, two additional bedrooms, a sunporch and large patio outback and it's perfect!!!

Of course I'd also need one of these and, yep, three of those

OMG IS IT, LIKE, SPRING OR WHAT?

2011-03-16T15:10:00.000-06:00

Saturday was a magnificent day. Crocus are blooming and everyone is outdoors. Con caught spring fever and started building a floor for the storage shed. Alan came over to fix some cracks in the ceiling and while waiting for the mud to dry he build a bookcase in the driveway. I found a good spot on the patio to do a little sewing outside. Our internal clocks go off at the first sign of spring and we just have to get outside with the birds and build, clean, or plant something.

The lavenders look very healthy and I can't wait to start cleaning up the leaves and junk that has settled over the winter. I did give them all some water because the soil seemed dry even though we've had recent rain. I haven't mastered the "screwdriver" method of testing the moisture in the soil. You know, push the screwdriver down 5 inches or so and see what sticks to it. Nothing ever sticks to mine even when the soil is damp. So I end up using the old fashioned "finger" method - perhaps it should now be called a "digital" method, ha!. I won't trim the plants yet because we can still get some cold and snowy weather here.

Wish me luck because I'm sewing my first zafu meditation cushion. A friend mentioned that she uses one in her yoga work and so I thought I would try my hand at one. I'm starting with a crescent pillow and should have it finished tomorrow. I'll have her use it to test out its construction and make sure the seams hold well. The buckwheat hulls used for filler will be mixed with lavender buds for a beautiful aroma. Then I'll try making a zafu cushion and test it out before I make some to sell. 3 16 11

Namiste

This N That on Friday March 11th - Remember to spring forward Sat.night.

2011-03-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

The emails are flying back and forth and all around the members of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado (LAWC). We are all pretty excited about the 1st Annual Lavender Festival in July and everyone is busy doing their part to make it a fantastic experience. Email correspondence is a mixed blessing. On one hand it is a great time saver. It is nice not have meetings to attend to accomplish things. On the other hand, it is easy to miscommunicate when 6 committee members are trying to reach consensus. I've had 14 or more emails running a conversation on one small topic. Nonetheless, we worker bees get the job done.

I think the temp reached 65 degrees today so I was outside checking out what needs to be done in the garden. The lavenders look healthy though some of the leaves are dry. Digging my finger down a few inches into the soil assured me that they are still moist. The soil in my yard is clay which does not drain well. That problem was corrected by amending the soil to get good drainage. Still it needs to be checked often to be sure that it drains well. The plants over at Angie's house are in "Glade Park" soil which has a lot of sand in it (that can drain too fast) so it was also amended to help hold the moisture in. It is so enjoyable to play around in the garden on a beautiful day like today. We are so blessed here in Grand Junction with great weather all year round.

After getting my taxes done, I'm back to sewing like a crazy woman. Need lots of eye pillows, and neck wraps and pillowcase liners to take with me to Swedish Hospital in Denver where I'll have a booth for 2 days. I hope it is successful because I really like the idea of being inside an air conditioned room with food and drink and bathrooms nearby --much better than an outside booth in 90 degree heat and portapottys across the field.

Namiste (I'm back taking tai chi classes again). Namiste is so much more pleasant that "catch you guys later if you don't get hit by a bus before then" (Detroit talk).

Thanks for Your Prayers for Angie's Surgery

2011-02-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

My mind has been on neck and shoulder pain this week because my daughter had surgery to repair a broken clavicle. The surgery went well and, as expected, she is in quite a bit of pain. I am helping with some required physical therapy several times a day for the next 2 weeks. She has a favorite small pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. I'll add some lavender buds so that she can inhale the relaxing aroma. Thanks to each of you who remembered her in prayer. God is so good.

Her neck and shoulder pain made me think of a study I had read about. Lavender oil was added to accupressure treatments to see if pain was reduced in people with mild neck pain. This was not about people with specific pain. It sounds more like mild stress-type pain. with lavender oil over a 3 week period. One month after the end of treatment, compared to the control group, the manual acupressure group had 23% reduced pain intensity, 23% reduced neck stiffness, 39% reduced stress level, improved neck flexion, neck lateral flexion, and neck extension. However, improvements in functional disability level were found in both the manual acupressure group and the control group. I interpret that to mean that the acupressure caused improvement and the lavender oil increased the improvement. The study concluded, "CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that eight sessions of acupressure with aromatic lavender oil were an effective method for short-term neck pain relief." 2/13/11Complement Therapy Clinical Practice 2006 Feb;1 Epub 2005 Nov 8. An experimental study on the effectiveness of acupressure with aromatic lavender essential oil for sub-acute, non-specific neck pain in Hong Kong. Yip YB, Tse SH. School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, PR China. hsvyip@inet.polyu.edu.hk

The abstract was titled, "To assess the efficacy of acupressure using an aromatic essential oil (lavender) as an add-on treatment for pain relief and enhancing physical functional activities among adults with sub-acute non-specific neck pain." The study took place during a course of 8 sessions of manual acupressure

A Picture of Beauty (to me)

2011-02-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

Guess what's under that lovely snow? Yep - lavender plants -16 of them. Poking their little arms up through the snow. These Royal Velvets were planted last fall and they look very healthy. In my prior posting here I was bemoaning the fact that we didn't have enough snow and I was going to have to hand water the plants at Angie's house. I thought that her outside water tap was turned off and I'd have to carry buckets of water from inside the house. But, hooray, it was only a frozen hose. The tap is open. So on Sunday I bought a hose. Of course, Monday it snowed like crazy. So I won't have to water now. And Angie has a brand new hose! 2/9/11

Snow - Lavender Loves It, Diane Hates It.

2011-01-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law, Diane, had just emailed me that she is sick and tired of the miserable snow & cold in Michigan. Now I hear that a huge snowstorm is heading her way. ISo I'm sure she is grinding their teeth to hear me say ithat I'm happy to see it snowing here right now. I love it. Easy for me to say because we only get a little bit. Most people picture Colorado winters full of snow and cold. True, except for some places on the Western Slope like Grand Junction. We have a desert-like climate and terrain which means little moisture, although we do get cold. So when it rains or snows here, there isn't much complaining to be heard. GJ isits in a valley so it seems to get even less moisture than the towns around it. Because of the dry climate, the lavender, particularly those planted in the fall, need some moisture. It's recommended that we water once every 4 to 6 weeks if there is no rain or snow. On Saturday it was 50 ish degrees and sunny so Con and I watered the plants around our yard.

The reason I'm glad to see some snow today is that it will save me a trip to Angie's yard (where 35 lavender plants live). Since her hose is unhooked for the winter, I would have to water by way of the old-fashioned bucket method. (Let's hear it ... aaaaawwwww). The snow will save me the trip, yaaaaa! Oops, just looked out the window and the snowing has stopped. Well, that was short and sweet. Hopefully it will start again. I think GJ is a training center for apprentice weather forecasters because their accuracy rate is about 20%. Those that get good, go on to some major city. The others stay here for a long, long time.

I am sorry that Diane and the family are getting such awful weather, but they are welcome to come and visit me anytime they want -- the extra bedroom is always ready.

L.A.W.C. Meeting was Fun and Informative.

2011-01-25T13:02:00.003-07:00

Con Litz Curtis Swift

It was great to have a full house at the general membership meeting on Saturday morning. Several people were there for the first time, some from as far away as Crawford. I was very happy to see a new friend, Doris, whom I met at my December Lavender Salon at Yvonne's house in Delta. She was interested in growing lavender so I invited her to a LAWC meeting. She brought her neighbor, Linda, who is already growing crops other than lavender. It's nice that they'll be able to work together. I recommended a book to Doris, "Wildwater Walking Club" by Claire Cook. It's a fun story of 3 neighbors (one grows and sells lavender) who started daily walks and talks --as women tend to do.

One of the best things about newcomers is their questions and comments. We all learn something new in the discussions. There is a variety of growers in the group -- from small residential growers (like me) to growers with a couple of thousand lavender plants as well as vineyards and others crops. So we have a great deal of knowledge to share.

Curt Swift, CSU area extension agent, is matching people who want to grow lavender with people who would like to see their vacant land put to good use. We are so fortunate to have him here because he is so willing to help growers by sharing his vast knowledge and expertise. You can't help but learn something every time he speaks. (Check out
swiftsgardeningblog.blogspot.com/  )
      We were informed of USDA grants but the guidelines are pretty restrictive. Request have been made to adjust the guidelines to allow more people access to the funds.  There was a great "show and tell" by Howdy Martsoff who brought his newly created lavender distiller. He explained how he made it and how it works -- very impressive. He is selling them for $2999 and is refining a separation apparatus that he'll price once it's ready for market.
       Of course, we are excited about the upcoming July festival in Palisade and seeking sponsors at all levels and seeking vendors. More info at http://www.coloradolavender.org/.                                  1/24/11

PaulaBockman, VP Kathy Kimbraugh, President

You in the red shirt- pay attention!

Paula Milsapps and Judy Millsap-LAWCSecretary

End of meeting photos

The Gnome in the Printer

2011-01-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

He's back! That nasty little guy that lives in my computer snuck over to my printer 2 days ago and has had a great time driving me nuts. It's happened before. But each time I have a problem with the printer it's a different issue. In fact I don't think the printer knows what's going on because it will give me several different error message in the course of a day.

You'd think I'd know by now, but I couldn't help myself --- I click on "help." Silly girl. I have never, never, never,never,never got any help from "help." Why do I think it would be different now. The definition of insane, according to some who know, is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. That would be me!

Between Con and I we spent 2 days trying everything we could think of to appease the printer gods. New ink cartridge, old ink cartridge, align, realign, test, unplug, replug, internet help, printer off, printer on, computer off, computer on, swear, curse, eat a bag of cookies, threaten to buy a new one, and on and on.

Well, guess what. This morning I turned on the computer and the printer started, grrr! That's the good news. The bad news is that during the 2 days of screwing around trying to fix it, we had tried to print at least 20 times, none of which worked. Forgetting to clear the print queue, I now have 20 copies, "high quality print" no less, of wastepaper. I was so surprised that it started printing that I sat staring at it for while. I dismissed the idea of trying to cancel the print jobs because I didn't dare wake up the nasty gnome who obviously is now done with my printer and has moved elsewhere in my computer. It's only a matter of time before he shows up again. In the meantime, I've got some printing to do, quickly.

But first, I'm taking 5 minutes with my lavender eye pillow. Lavender aroma summons relaxation and a sense of well-being, which I really need right now. I've probably described it before, but olfactory nerves are activated by the aroma which gives me a physical reaction of pleasure and muscle relaxation. Just inhaling the fragrance provides a moment of pleasure anytime, anywhere. It may be hard to control air and noise pollution (and the gnome in the computer), but with my handy lavender sachet nearby, I can control the aroma that surrounds me. 1/19/11

The Clock is Ticking ...

2011-01-16T20:35:00.002-07:00

Rosemary, Diana, Sam, Barb, Paula

It is getting so exciting as each day draws us closer to the 1st Annual Colorado Lavender Festival --- July 16 and 17, 2011.

As you can see the Vendor Committee members have had their morning coffees and are ready to finalize the vendor application form. It is now posted on the LAWC website. So anyone who is interested in having a food or craft booth on Saturday the 16th must have the application to the committee by March 15th. http://www.coloradolavender.org/.

The farm tours will take place the next day, Sunday, the 17th. A special treat for the vendors is that they can change their "vendor" hat for their "festival-goer" hat and join the bus tour of the beautiful lavender farms in the area. Vendors usually can't enjoy the festival in full because they are busy selling their wares and then closing up on the final day. But this time they'll be able to actually enjoy the second day of the Festival if they like. I am really looking forward to the Sunday farm tour. Not only will I see that most beautiful of sights -- lavender growing in the fields -- but also will have time to leisurely chat with other vendors. That will be nice.

The Vendor Committee is only one of many committees that are doing their part to make this Festival a memorable event. It takes so many committed individuals (no wait - that happens after the event) ... dedicated people to put on a superb event of this size and scope. I'm so happy to be a part of the Lavender Association because I am working along side some extremely talented and experienced people including those at the CSU Extension Office.

Be sure to put the dates on your calender. And visit the website at http://www.coloradolavender.org/. Don't forget to check out Curt Swift's blog at http://swiftsgardeningblog.blogspot.com/ because it is full of useful articles about the wonderful world of gardening. It's just about this time of year -- when the temps are freezing, the snow is piling up and the trees are bare -- that you can life your spirits by taking a few minutes to think about your gardening plans for the upcoming spring. 1/16/11

Icicles and Panna Cotta

2011-01-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

It's been cold here. This icicle has been here for a week. The day after I took this photo, it disappeared. I suspect the mailman didn't want to be impaled so took matters into his own hands.
It's been below zero at night and I just hope the lavender plants are all snug in their beds. Won't know until spring/summer so no point worrying about it now. At least they do get lots of sunshine even though it's cold. One thing I love about this kind of cold is that it means fewer bugs next summer. I know, I know ... some bugs are "good" bugs .... but those of you who know me know that the only good bug is a DEAD bug.

I must confess I tried to make lavender panna cotta and it was .... awful! I knew when I was making it that it wasn't going to turn out, but I still believe that miracles sometimes happen in the kitchen, so I kept at it. Several clues that I should have heeded: 1. Had no cream in the house - only skim milk - and it was too cold to run down to the store just for cream (whiny). 2. I used some evap milk thinking it would be thicker than skim milk and maybe work. When it came out of the can in clumps, I should have paid attention rather than just whisk them away. Later I looked at the date on the can and it was Nov 2009 - duh! 3. Despite the fact that every cook who uses culinary lavender cautions to "use sparingly," I couldn't help but put in the measured amount of 1 tsp and then just a dash or two more. The dash was overwhelming.

After pouring into ramekins and chilling for 4 hours, I had created a thin, milky, lumpy, bitter, geletanous mass. Even Con wouldn't eat it and he loves just about everything I fix. So I'll have to try again.
As the old proverb goes ... no miracles for the lazy. (Actually I just made that up). 1/10/11

Do Freezing Temperatures hurt Lavender?

2011-01-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Brrrr! Here in Grand Junction, we've had some unusually cold weather this week. Below freezing for days at a time doesn't happen too often. Fortunately, we've had some snow on the ground before the temp dropped to 9 below so the plants have some insulation keeping the roots as warm as possible. I didn't add more mulch this fall because last year I added some rock and sand as mulch. But last winter we didn't have the cold. The older plants should do fine. But it will be interesting to see how the newer ones fare. Remember I planted 16 Royal Velvet's in the fall and although they grew nicely and look secure in their setting, I'm anxious to see if they make it through this cold. The plants at Angie's house should be ok because I added a couple of bags of gravel to the planters in October or November. The snow cover will melt and provide moisture this month, so I won't need to water them until next month depending upon the snowfall - if any.

My plants are all in the ground and in permanent planters -- not in pots. Anyone who grows in pots should have had them covered or in the garage last month.

I was going to call my friend, Ellen, in Longmont today and wish her a HNY but remember that the last time I talked with her she reminded me that she is still waiting for the lavender panne cotta recipe that I promised. So I'm postponing the call and will make the dessert tomorrow so I can report to her ---- and to you all!

HNY to all you Lavendeers!

2010-12-31T17:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished closing the books on All About Lavender for the year. Even sent off my local and state sales taxes. There is still much more to do that is more cumbersome -- like inventory -- but that's for another day. We've had some good snow so the plants will be watered at least for the next month or so. I have had a great year with my sewing and Salons. I've always enjoyed entertaining and the Salons are just like having friends over to visit. We have a good time. My sewing has improved quite a bit. I want to get really, really good at making beautiful throw pillows so I may seek out some help for that.
It's new year's eve and all is well. Con has been over in Denver visiting kids and grandkids and plans to come home tomorrow -- hope the roads are clear. You never know until you get to the tunnel or Vail pass what the weather will be. It can be ok and then half hour later they may close the road. But, of course, we have nothing like the snow problems they are having back east.
In a little while I'll start my wild and crazy NYEve celebration .... starting with a hot oil hair treatment, then finishing up the egg nog, and reading the final chapters of Fannie Flagg's "Daisy Fay Harper." Do I know how to party? or what? O, and I better finish off the ice cream that's left in the freezer ... Con wants to lose a few pounds, so no sense leaving temptation in his way - I'm real nice like that.

Blessings

Sewing is done for the year.

2010-12-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

This peach satin pillow was my last sewing item for the year. A man wanted it for his mom who has back problems and thought that a buckwheat hull pillow may help her comfort level. The Japanese have used buc in their pillows for centuries so there must be something to it. I plan to make one for myself to test it out. This one is peach satin on one side and cotton in a pattern on the other side - then trimmed with ivory. One end is open (can be tied closed with a hidden ribbon) so the muslin liner can be removed. Along with the buc there are several cups of lavender buds. The picture doesn't do it justice, it's a very pretty color. I must admit that I had trouble sewing the trim at first. I did a practice run on another piece and though I could do it on this one. But only three corners were good, I just couldn't get the fourth corner to look right. I finally gave up and took the trim off the top and bottom and left it on the sides. So I'll be practicing when I get time because I'd like to get really good at making beautiful pillows.

I got quite frustrated as I hurried to get my final custom orders done by the deadline and Con heard me muttering to myself. I wondered aloud if there was a saint who helped sewers -- like St. Christopher for travelers and St. Anthony to find things. Con looked it up and came back with the answer -- St. Anne! My niece's name. So St. Anne has become my new best friend. *****************

This picture is of a Snow White fleece neck wrap. I had found a remnant with enough material to make two. When I went to the party in Delta at my friends home, I took them along with others to sell. One of the ladies was recovering from cancer surgery and was encouraged to rest on the sofa. After heating the liner in the microwave for 1 minute, I put it into the fleece cover and wrapped it around her neck. She loved the warmth and the aroma and fell asleep in a few minutes. It was rewarding to see my product so useful to someone. Have a Happy New Year. Rosemary 12/28/10

2010-12-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!
     I'm heading out to Delta to a friend's home for a women's get-together. We have been friends for 25 years -- it is so hard to believe it. Other than cutting her waist-long, blond hair, she doesn't look any different. Some people just don't age well.
     She invited me to set up a table to show my lavender items. I have been sewing like crazy to get ahead of the game because sales are good. Yesterday the door bell rang and there was a young woman who was handing out business cards for an insurance agent. So I took the card and then gave her one of mine in return - fair is fair, right?
     When I answered the door I was pinning a neck wrap and it was still in my hand. When she read my card and looked at the furry neck wrap in my hand ... yep ... out it came. "Do you like lavender? O, I love lavender. This is a neck wrap I am making from fake fur with satin cuffs (similar one in photo below).  Very cool.  It's washable. You remove the inner liner and put in the microwave" ... yada yada yada. When she reached over and felt the material, I invited her in.  My living and dining room were still set up from my Tuesday Salon -- how convenient. She bought a neck wrap for a Christmas present for her mom. She was happy, I was happy. I went back to my sewing.

HobbyLobby had just enough remnant to make these two cute neck wraps -- little girls would love them. More on kids and lavender later.   FORGET THE PHOTO --- IT MAKES ME SO MAD Just won't download .... me or the computer?????   I hate this thing sometimes. There, I feel better now.   Later.

2 New Neck Wraps finished for a friend

2010-12-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished these two large neck wraps made of washable fake fur. They are beautiful. When you see them, the first thing you want to do is wrap them around your neck -- naturally. They are large - 9" wide and 32" long because I want them to wrap around not just the neck, but also the top of the shoulders where a lot of tension sits. Inside is the muslin liner made with 16 pockets of lavender, flax, and buckwheat hulls. The lavender is for the fragrant aroma, the flax hold the heat, the buc gives softness and flexibility. When the buc rubs against the lavender, it releases the aroma.

Lavender really does induce relaxation and my friend's story reinforces that fact. These are custom ordered because she bought 2 of them from me last month at a house party. Her kids and hubby all fight for them ... so she ordered one for everyone. Smart woman!
Peace in the household!

Last of the Season "Lavender Sachet Salon"

2010-12-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

I’m inviting you, friend, once again to my home
with a happy day greeting and a pretty bad poem.

It’s the last of this year’s Salon events

lavender-filled items for the ladies and gents.

Eye pillows, neck wraps to heat up and feel

stiffness melt away as your tired muscles heal.

Let lavender sooth your tension away

with a soft “Comfy Pillow” at the end of the day.

A “Pillow Case Liner” in your pillow to sleep
gives a long, restful night without all the sheep.

A Yardley Soap Gift Box stashed in a drawer

when the neighbor with cookies shows up at your door.

Stockings and mitts made by sweet Christmas elves
and prices reduced to move them off of my shelves.

Bring a friend next Tuesday between 4 and 6:30
you can browse everything without pressure or worry.

I look forward to seeing you before this year’s end
Peace and Christmas blessings I wish you, my friend.

Rosemary Litz All About Lavender

aboutlavender@yahoo.com 970-241-8450 http://aboutlavender.blogspot.com

TUESDAY, 12/14/10 ANYTIME FROM

4-6:30 My home, 500 Walnut Avenue

Janet Provence will also be here showing her latest, beautiful Miche Handbags

Saturday was so fun!!!

2010-12-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Christmas Faire on Saturday was great fun. I sold a lot of items, particularly the new neck wraps and eye pillows. People seem to buy them as gifts for others at this time of year. They do make a great surprise gift for the females in your life. Attendance was very good. All of the vendors appeared to be making sales. This year there were a few non-lavender crafts and they seemed quite popular. Lots of people came and it is so fun to see people I have seen in a while. talk with old friends. My sweetie husband, Con, worked hard putting up my booth and helping pack up when it was over. He's such a great guy. We've both made so many new friends through our membership in the Lavender Association and he enjoyed chatting with many of them at the Faire.

Barbara is having fun!!!

Smiling Beauties are having fun.

"The Boys" are having fun!

Diane & hubby are having fun.

SOME ARE HAVING FUN AND MAKING $$$ ... Always a good thing!!!

New Warming Neck Wraps

2010-11-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

The "Girls" are modeling 2 new lavender-filled Neck Wraps today. Golden brocade swirl on one side and soft crushed velvet panne on the other -- cool and warm. The silky leopard neck wrap has warm embossed suede on the reverse side. The covers are washable and the lavender-filled muslin liners can be removed to put in the microwave for heat or the freezer for chill. They are large sized -- 8" x 32" to give full comfort to the neck, upper back and shoulder areas. Click on the "Photos" tab above to see more new items.

The 2nd Annual Lavender Association ChristmasFaire is this Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. I'll have my Lavender Sachet Salon booth and look forward to seeing you there. There will be so many interesting lavender related and handcrafted items for you to see ... including a distiller that shows how oil is extracted from plants. Look for the silent auction table where you can bid on some beautiful locally produced items and check out the bake sale table too.

You can find more info on the Christmas Faire at Curtis Swift's blog http://swiftsgardeningblog.blogspot.com/ 11/29/10

2010-11-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Analli and Christi for inviting me to their home craft fair on Friday evening and Saturday. Not only did I meet some interesting women who were also selling their crafts, but I met some great customers. People are so fun to chat with at events like this one. For one thing, the home setting is a relaxed was to browse and buy. Second, there is no pressure to "sell" so it's a matter of just enjoying talking with people. As it turned out I did sell many neck wraps and eye pillows. Got some good ideas on other products that people could use - like palm supports for keyboarders. I learned how to make a lightbox so that I can take better photos of my work. And met a woman who is going to help me improve my blog. Some people are just so nice.
I intended to post the names and companies of some of the craft people I met, but their business cards are in my notebook, which is in the closet, which I am too tired to pull out tonight. So I'll do it next time.
It's Thanksgiving Eve and all is well. I have so much to be thankful for ... nite nite.

2010-11-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

1st year

What a great time at the Lavender Sachet Salon on Wednesday afternoon. It's so good to chat with others who are interested in lavender. Many people are surprised to know that I grow the lavender myself in my yard. My friends, Susan and Judy, helped greet guests, show them around, and wrap up their purchases. The kitchen was set up with refreshments and some people lingered and chatted over a cup of tea. Sales went well and I got a few tips about other lavender-filled items that customer would like to see.

Several "Master Gardeners" stopped by. Although I have no desire to be a MG myself, I always enjoy talking with those who love gardening so much that they continuously try to learn more. You can find info on the program at http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/Lavender_Project.shtml. While you are there, click on The Lavender Project. Kathy's fact sheet is an excellent and comprehensive resource for beginning lavendeers (how do you like that - I just coined a new word)! Also look at Swift's Gardening Blog http://swiftsgardeningblog.blogspot.com.

Many people have told me that they have a plant or two in their yards that gets ignored because they don't really know how to make it into a showpiece. So it's nice to be able to have some great resources here. I always encourage people to go to the Lavender Association website (www.coloradolavender.org).

I'm onto another sewing frenzy since I sold most of my eye pillows and neck wraps already this month. I want to get a lot done because family is coming from Longmont on Wednesday for Thanksgiving and then more family will get together on Sunday.

Thanksgiving has always been a nice holiday for me. I have happy childhood memories of my dad fixing the turkey and us kids tearing the bread apart for the stuffing and then lots of family and friends sitting down to dinner, and the kids complaining that they had to sit at the card table. These days, Con and I enjoy creating a memorable meal for others. The Thanksgiving Day meal lends itself to several courses, savoring the aroma and tastes, with lots of talk and laughter and love. We have so much to thank God for. I wish you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Last Rose of Summer

2010-11-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

11/9/10 Yellow Roses

I went to Angie's house Tuesday to put some pea gravel on the lavender plants ... so they can snuggle in for the winter. They look really healthy so I think they'll make it through the winter just fine. That is, if the cat stays out of the planter beds. Ang is going to put another litter box outside and see if the cat gets the message. If not, it may be bye-bye kitty cat. I've sprinkled cayenne pepper around the beds but I'm not over there enough to know if it makes a difference. So far so good.

As I was leaving, I clipped the rest of her roses. A few were buds that probably wouldn't have had time to open with the temps dropping lower each night. The rest were already open and a few turning brown at the edges. I put them in a glass of water on the counter and the buds bloomed. They'll probably last a few more days and then rose season is over for the year. I think yellow roses are the prettiest. They, like lavender, lift my spirit.

LAVENDER SACHET SALON is Wednesday, Nov 17th at my house. Please stop in between 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm and browse. I have some Christmas items and am making more each day. It will be great to see you so come on over. Email me if you need directions aboutlavender@yahoo.com 11/13/10

Fun at the Fair

2010-11-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

Poor Grizelda -- I sold the neck
wrap right off her back!
Her eye pillow too!

I really enjoyed spending Saturday at the Senior Center Christmas Fair -- just as I did last year. The people who organize it are so nice and accommodating. It's nice to see some of the same vendors again. It's easy to see how craft fair vendors become a little community of friends over time. Some people noticed that I have a larger line of products this year. My friend, Janet, was there with a bigger variety of beautiful Miche bags. Part of the fun is talking with the customers and seeing some friends who drop by. Sales were good. I find it so interesting that items that are very popular at one sale are barely noticed at another sale. Some things that sold well at one place, didn't sell at all at another place. I had to say goodbye to two of my favorite eye pillow/neck warmer sets. The brown fake fur fuzzies were snatched up right away. So I plan to make a few more of them before the next event. And speaking of the next event, it will be a Lavender Sachet Salon at my home on Wed., Nov. 17th. Drop in any time between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. to see new lavender filled products.
If you can't make one of the Salon events, just call me and we can work out a time for you.

Finally ... Last Lavender of 2010

2010-11-01T12:26:00.001-06:00

Royal Purple last of the season 10/31/10

This is the last of the lavender that will be cut. It's over for this year. This is Royal Purple and what a beautiful plant it is. Very deep purple and plump buds. I went outside Saturday to be sure all of the plants looked healthy before the weather turns cold and noticed a few lavender stragglers. There are still some trying to bloom -- don't they know it's time to quit? The flowers in the photos are from the 16 plugs that we planted on the east side of the house in August - less than 90 days ago!!! I laugh to think that people were doubtful that lavender would grow here in Grand Junction.

I'll hang these flowers to dry out and then clean them to put in sachets or pillows. The aroma is outstanding. There are a few dried bundles in my closet that are ready to be taken down and cleaned today.

It's been a wonderful lavender year for me. There were enough flowers to fill all of my sewing projects this year and I still have some Christmas sachets to make for a couple of craft fairs in Nov & Dec. I've been so blessed to find this work at this stage of my life. God is so good to me. Best of all, I'm having fun.
PS: See my Lavender Sachet Salon sales schedule on the right side of this blog.
I am posting new photos to the PHOTO pages. Take a look. (11/1/10)

Vendors Wanted for L.A.W.C. Christmas Fair

2010-10-29T11:20:00.000-06:00

If you want to sell crafts as the upcoming Christmas Fair that the Lavender Association of Western Colorado is hosting on December 4th, go to http://www.coloradolavender.org/ and sign up.

Sold My Favorite Comfy Pillow at Saturday's Lavender Sachet Salon

2010-10-29T11:13:00.000-06:00

Pale Blue Panne Comfy Pillow

     You know how you can get attached to things that you put a lot of effort into? Well, this pale blue Comfy Pillow is my favorite. Such a soft yet luxurious feel to it. Panne is a lightweight, brushed velvet with a shimmery appearance. Soft and very pretty as a pillow covering, it has dark blue cord trim. Sized 10"x14" makes it a great "nap" pillow. Alas, I had to part with it.
     The good news is that I sold it with a matching eye pillow to someone who is giving it to a friend as a Christmas gift. I know the friend will just love it.
     In my stock I have an eye pillow, neck wrap from the same material but trimmed with white lace. I will make another Comfy Pillow and trim it with matching lace.
     I have reserved two vendor tables for a Lavender Sachet Salon on Saturday, Nov. 6th at the Grand Junction Senior Recreation Center. That is my deadline.  Guess I better get sewing!!!               10/29/10

Lavender and Grapes are Pairing Up

2010-10-24T17:51:00.001-06:00

     Some of the Lavender Associaton members said they are still harvesting lavender -- this is pretty late in the year for it to still be growing.
     On Saturday we went to Harold Fenster's beautiful home on 10 or so acres north of Grand Junction. He has 2 acres in grapes, this is their 3rd year. Last year he planted lavender underneath the grapevines and around the perimeter. He planted several different kinds to see how they would grow -- Folgate, Provence, Grosso and another. We walked through the vineyard and the lavenders were growing nicely and many still in bloom. He is one of the people interested in combining the use of their land. The primary interest is grapes and wine, but a secondary crop that will offset the cost of the vineyard is lavender which produces valuable oil.
     The CSU Extension Agent is supporting and promoting the ideas to grape growers.   There are some obstacles to be overcome, but they can be handled.
     It's exciting to see the spreading interest in lavender production. And our first annual lavender festival scheduled for July 15, 16 2011 will "put us on the map." We hope to draw from the surrounding states and further. Many people make lavender festivals their vacation destinations so we plan to offer the Grand Valley as a great place to visit.
     You don't have to be a member or have a lot of land to attend the LAWC meetings. Just look up the website and come to the events. http://www.coloradolavender.org/.    10/24/10

Lavender Harvest is Done for the Year

2010-10-21T21:30:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that these plants are still blooming. I finally cut my last batch yesterday - not a lot - but some really big blooms on long stalks. There are still a few that are ready to bud but they'll just have to wait til next year to get my attention. I still have some bundles hanging in my closet to dry and then will still have to screen 'em & clean 'em. Then I'm done for the year. Of course I will always have the task of picking out the little pieces of leaves and brush that didn't get caught in the screening process. But it's good TV watching work. Now that the NBA season is upon us, I can do hand work and still listen to the games.

It has rained all evening and is supposed to rain all week. Out here, rain is good, so we don't complain. What I do complain about is if it stays cloudy a few days in a row ... I like my sunshine!

The catalog of lavender products is still in the making. I'm so slow at it. Bought some CD's from Office Depot to move photos and perhaps crop and clean them up a bit. After talking to a guy there for 20 minutes about which ones are the best to use, I bought DVD-r and they don't work. When I looked closely at the little door on the CPU, it says "CD writer." So won't take DVD. Returned them. So I'm using Picasa and writing descriptions and printing out the pages myself. Uses a lot of color ink but it will get the job done. They pages so far look pretty good. Not real professional but I need to mail a catalog to someone ASAP and this will have to do.

The plaid sachet pouches and zebra stripe pounches filled with lavender didn't sell last year. So I cut them up and made 2x4" Christmas ornaments with gold ribbons ... very nice. A visitor mentioned she wanted to buy a few as soon as she saw them.

This Friday there is a 3 hour meeting of the Lavender Festival Committee to continue working toward a successful Festival next July. There is a lot of work involved, as with any major project. But we have a lot of talented and exprerienced members involved so the work will get done. Our Pres is a dynamo and sets the pace for the rest of us. The next day, Saturday 10/23/10 is the monthly meeting of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado (LAWC). Don't need to be a member to attend. It will be held at a member's home out on H road from 1-3 pm. He has planted lavender in with his grapes in the vineyard and it will be interesting to see how they have fared since last year's visit. An agent from the CSU Extension office will be there to talk about it. Please come if you are curious -- you are always welcome. Email me for the directions... aboutlavender@yahoo.com 10/21/10

YOU ARE INVITED TO A LAVENDER SACHET SALON

2010-10-10T17:59:00.003-06:00

A Lavender Sachet Salon is a “drop-in” open-house event. This is my invitation to you to browse my hand sewn products filled with lavender from my yard. On display you'll find eye pillows, warming neck wraps, drawer & closet sachets, comfy pillows, drawer liners and more, all filled with lavender. Come and bring a friend to any or all of the events listed below. It is fun and there is no pressure to buy. Enjoy some light refreshments, lots of chatting and laughing, and perhaps run into an old friend or two.

SCHEDULE - Lavender Sachet Salons, Oct., Nov., Dec.

Tue. Oct 26   4:00-6:30pm  Fruita, at Zelinda Brown's home, 763 S. Mesa Ave*
Sat. Nov   6 10:00-4:00pm  Grand Jct.SeniorRecCenter, 550 Ouray behind Library
Wed Nov 17   4:00-6:30pm   Grand Jct. Rosemary Litz' home, 500 Walnut**
Sat. Date to be announced.    Delta, Yvonne Rowland's home, 796 1525 Road
Sat. Dec   4   10:00-4:00pm Orchard Mesa, County Fairgrounds, Hwy 50 Sagebrush Rm
Tue. Dec 14   4:00-6:30pm   Grand Jct. Rosemary Litz' home, 500 Walnut Ave.

If you are unable to attend any of these, let me know and we'll arrange a way to get together.

Driving Directions:

* To Zelinda's: I-70 to Fruita Exit 19. Go through roundabout & onto frontage road. This puts you on south side of I-70, heading east. Turn right at US Bank sign, go exactly ½ mile - house is on the right.

** To my house (Rosemary): From downtown GJ, go north on 5th street until it ends at Walnut (house is in front of you). From Patterson, turn south on 7th St., go 3 blocks to Walnut (Tope School is on the left), turn right. Go 2 blocks. House is on right side on the curve.

For more information, call me at 970-241-8450 or email aboutlavender@yahoo.com

WHEW! PHOTO PAGES UPDATED

2010-10-10T17:46:00.000-06:00

Wouldn't you think that by now computer features would be use-friendly? O sure, we're led to believe posting photos and text is just as easy as 1 2 3 ... but no, it is not! It's more like 647K divided by the square root of infinity times pi (is there such a thing)? Putting photos on these pages was a challenge but I want you to be able to see the products that I make. So please browse through them. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing anything or if you have a special request for a custom made item. Post a comment or send me an email if you would like a price list. aboutlavender@yahoo.com

With the holidays around the corner, lavender filled items make thoughtful gifts for friends and family. When people are "hard to buy for" or already have everything they need or want, a little gift of lavender is guaranteed to bring a smile.

Today is 10/10/10 ... how cool.

WHERE IS SEPTEMBER 31?

2010-10-01T10:48:00.000-06:00

I just won't admit that it is October already. So I'm adding another day to September for this year.  Over time I have become more of a summer person and just hate to see the season leave. As a kid growing up in MI, I was a winter person, loved going over to the frozen pond behind the grocery store and ice skate after school. Sleds and toboggans were fun too. That was then, this is now!
I did another cutting from the lavender plants yesterday, some beautiful large buds. I'm a little surprised they are still blooming, but then we got a late start this year. So I have plenty of good fresh lavender to fill my sachets, eye and neck wraps and pillows. It just smells so good.

My dear, sweet friend, Zelinda, will host a "Lavender Sachet Salon" at her home in Fruita on Tuesday, October 26 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. I'll have many new lavender products for you to browse and buy. (Address later).

I'll have a vendor table at the Senior Center in Grand Junction on November 6th. It's a small fair, one where you find the most creative, useful items that you don't find in stores. I had fun last year. So stop bye if you can.    On Saturday, Dec. 4th (10 am to 4 pm) I'll have a booth at the Lavender Association Craft Fair at the Fairgrounds on Orchard Mesa. It is a lavender-oriented fair with lots of great products, mostly hand made here in the area. I'll post the entire schedule this week including addresses.

Email me if you would like to host a "Lavender Sachet Salon" for your friends or neighbors - it can be a small gathering. I bring the refreshments and we have a fun time.

Posted New Photos

2010-09-29T17:17:00.000-06:00

I posted some of my products on the PHOTOS pages. Take a look and see what you think. The camera battery died so I still have a few more to post later. Rosemary 9/29/10

Booth at Keystone Resort Conference

2010-09-19T19:37:00.001-06:00

I spent Thurs. & Fri. at Keystone as a vendor at an annual conference for Hospital Auxilary Vols. It was fun. And I sold some of my products. One lady bought a neck wrap on Thursday and came to the booth the next morning to tell us how wonderful it was. She warmed it in the microwave and it relaxed her tense neck and she had a wonderful night's sleep. It is so nice to hear feedback from happy customers.

Lavender-filled sachet pillows 5"x5" Doggies

The drive was great, the mountains so beautiful,

and some of the aspen had turned their golden color. What a joy to live in Colorado.

I thought the women at the conference would be thinking about Christmas gifts already, but my mentioning that lavender products make such wonderful Christmas gifts, there wasn't much response. Too early, I guess. Although many people did buy items for someone else. One man bought 2 eye pillows for his wife -- how nice.

Dates are about set for the Lavender Sachet Salons in October, November and December. I'll post the dates this week. 9/19/10

Lifting My Spirits with Lavender

2010-09-09T08:11:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a dull, overcast day. It started out with rain and drizzled now and then throughout the day until mid-afternoon when the sun peeked out for a while. On days like this I feel dull and solemn. But now I have a way to improve my mood instantly - yep, lavender. Since I'm sewing for a sale coming up next week I have lavender buds all over the place. So I turned to my projects and the aroma lifted my spirits. It works so well for me -- perhaps you'll enjoy it too. Create a bowl of potpouri for each room in your house. It doesn't have to be large, but keep it where you'll see it each time you walk by. Then get in the habit of stopping for a quick inhale. You've heard of "stop and smell the roses." Even better is "stop and smell the lavender." 9/9/10

To make pure lavender potpourri, crush lavender flowers (buds) into a bowl. Add orris root (1 tbls per cup of lavender) as a preservative. Add a few drops of essential lavender oil and mix well. If you prefer, you can add other herbs and flowers like rosemary, rose petals, cinnamon sticks, etc. Store in a closed container for several weeks to let the fragrance permeate the mixture. P.S. Find many great recipes on the internet.

Lavender Sachet Salon upcoming schedule

2010-09-01T22:02:00.000-06:00

There days many people are buying Christmas gifts early And they are looking for things that are unique and useful to the recipient. So I am setting up the schedule for my Lavender Sachet Salons for you to visit and browse my lavender filled products. Two special friends have each generously agreed to hold a LSS at their home - one in Fruita and one in Delta. Of course, I will host one at my home here in Grand Junction. We are working out the dates and I'll post them just as soon as they are confirmed. Probably late October, early November and early December.

A Lavender Sachet Salon is an open house event that usually runs 2 to 2 1/2 hours. People are encouraged to bring a friend and drop in and take a look at all of the lavender products that I have for sale. It is a way to browse without pressure to buy. There are refreshments and lots of chatting -- and often a surprise when you unexpectedly run into someone you know. It's great fun. Big thank you hug to Zelinda and Yvonne.

Great New Article in The Business Times

2010-08-27T11:25:00.001-06:00

A wonderful article about All About Lavender was published in this month's Grand Valley Business Times. It was so well written and gave some details about my home-based business. There is a photo of a basket of small lavender drawer pillows and closet hangers. But I have many more items in my product line such as, eye pillows, warm neck wraps, dream pillows, decorator pillows, tub liners, backpack/saddle bag liners and purse poppers. Also shoe stuffers. There are some photos of them further down on this blog and I will get more of them into the "Photos" section so you can see the quality and the prices.

I sell via home parties and as a vendor at selected fairs. And also show in my home. So if you would like to stop by and see the beautiful items, just call me first on any day to be sure I'm here and to get directions. I'm easy to find in Grand Junction, CO. 970.241-8450. Email aboutlavender@yahoo.com

The Empty Corner of the Yard

2010-08-17T19:14:00.000-06:00

Do you have a part of the yard that needs something to perk it up?
I had coffee today with a friend who has a big section of her yard that has nothing growing. She doesn't want vegetables or flowers. She is thinking about planting -- you guessed it -- lavender. Gee, what a great idea!!!
The work that has to be done is at the beginning. Prep the soil, set up drip lines for water, put down weed barrier if needed. Since she wants it to be organic, I suggested that she get in contact with some local organic growers and the CSU Extension Office to get the necessary information. It is my understanding that there are a lot of regulations that must be followed to the letter to receive the organic designation.

Planting can begin this fall. I did a fall planting last year and it turned out well. The young plants handled the winter just fine and bloomed in the spring. They were trimmed right away so that the energy would go into the roots until next year.

So in addition to being hardy plants, they require minimum water once established. Their mounding shape and nice color are pleasant to see in the yard during the winter.

My friend couldn't pick a better plant to fill the yard ... just wait until she sees those purple rows of waving lavender and smells the heavenly fragrance -- she'll be so glad she chose lovely lavender.

Stripping the Bundled Lavs

2010-08-14T00:12:00.000-06:00

Camped up at Turkey Flats last Sat & Sun. Rode Alan's ATV - what a blast. Got sunburned a bit.

I put all of the dried bundles into bags and took them with me. Then as we sat around talking I stripped the buds from the stems and picked out the junk. Next job is to screen and strain the buds. Today Con worked on stripping some bundles ... everything smells so good.

Just Cut

2010-08-14T00:07:00.000-06:00

Lavender Association

2010-08-13T23:42:00.000-06:00

Do you know about the Lavender Association of Western Colorado? In 2009, a group of local "lavender lovers" planted a demonstration garden at the CSU Extension Office to see what types of lavender would grow here. These visionaries saw the potential for lavender to become a viable "cash crop" for growers and the affiliated industries that would develop. Thus, the birth of the L.A.W.C. http://www.coloradolavender.org/.

Around that same time, I had decided that the lavender plants in my yard should be put to use. The purple flowers are beautiful and watching them sway in the breeze is a vision of glory to me. And the aroma is heavenly. Lavender's calming effect on my central nervous system and the mood-lifting quality of the aroma convinced me to produce spa products. By sewing sachets and filling them with my fresh lavender, others could benefit too. Thus, the birth of "All About Lavender."

In my next post, I'll share some of the background and uses of the age-old herb that are still valid today.

Taste Test Today

2010-08-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

A neighbor visited me today and I served 2 iced drinks. I infused a cold mason jar of lemonade with a teabag of lavender buds. He also tasted my regular lavender iced tea with a little spoonful of brown sugar. Both glasses were topped with lemon slices and looked yummy. He drank a little of both and could taste the lavender in both -- "refreshing," he said.
But anything poured over ice in a chilled glass with a twist of lemon on a hot day is going to be refreshing .... now isn't it? He's the type of person who will compliment the hostess if she's serving kerosene ... so I don't really know if he would order another.
It was fun to experiment. And it really was refreshing.

2010-08-09T20:49:00.000-06:00

Drawer pillows and closet hangers lavender filled

Bundle from 1st harvest 6/29/10

2010-08-09T20:03:00.000-06:00

Tons of New Fabric

2010-07-29T21:22:00.011-06:00

       JoAnn's Fabric store is closing here in GrJct and the store if full of great discounts. I absolutely HATE to shop and yet there I was amidst the throng. My "what I really need list" was a life-saver because when there are 40, 60 and 70% sale signs everywhere, it is very distracting.
       Being ready to take my sewing up to the next level, I'll be using brocades and satins for the eye pillows and neck wraps. I purchased a lot of beautiful fabric at 70% off. Wow! There is enough fabric on some of the bolts to make eye pillow, neck wrap, small pillow (10x14) and lap throw (24x30"). That will make a very nice "set." Drawer sachets and hanging sachets could be made to match also. Arranging it all in a pretty basket with a bow should make a very nice product.
       I made my first lap throw with some curly fake fur on one side and a patterned knit on the other side. Haven't yet decided how to fill it with lavender or how much to use. It is too big to just fill up even if I make pockets. Perhaps sewing alternate 2" wide rows would work.  Only one way to find out-just do it! Next project is a "set" using the deep blue Asian pattern satin. So pretty and, can you believe, washable! 7/29/10

Lavender is Harvested

2010-07-28T22:50:00.000-06:00

A couple of bundles ready to hang

Most of the lavender is harvested now. Even the new Royal Velvet's that were planted in May have bloomed. The Hidcotes planted last fall have bloomed nicely. I still have to go to Angie's and harvest the Hidcote that I planted at her house (30) from last fall.

The 3 planter boxes that Alan made last year in Angie's backyard are working very well. The plants are thriving in the Glade Park soil and amendments. Con hooked up a drip system last month so now each plant has it's own water regularly.

Summer Iced Tea

2010-07-21T22:55:00.001-06:00

See the DRINKS and EATS tab for my new-found, yummy iced tea recipe. At long last, found the Secret Ingredient.

The Process -- Start to Finish

2010-07-19T01:39:00.001-06:00

Lavender peeking through the snow, then looking healthy and happy. Blooming and ready to harvest. Cut & bundle, hang it to dry. Strip, clean and screen. Start sewing and fill with lavender buds -- sachets, eye & neck aromatherapy pillows, decorator pillows, drawer pillows and closet hangers to keep unwelcome critters out of your stored clothes and closets. Ready to sell.

Eye Pillows, Neck Pillows, Drawer and Closet Sachets

2010-07-17T11:33:00.000-06:00

These are photos of some of the items I sell. Sew and filled with lavender. Eye and neck pillows are lined so the covers can be removed for washing.

I'm sewing like crazy because I want plenty of items to sell at the upcoming events. Jo-Ann's Fabrics Store is closing here in Grand Junction, so I found so very, very good bargains on fabric and trim. 7/27/10

Photo of some Lavs in backyard July, 2010

2010-07-17T11:30:00.000-06:00

Backyard lavender July 2010

Fall Salon

2010-07-16T08:58:00.002-06:00

I know that I use those rubbermaid tubs to put my summer clothes in and stick up in the attic. I bet I'm not the only one that uses them. They get that plastic smell. A thin liner of lavender to put in would be nice. Real thin & spread out. Like the bike bag liners but wider & thin so you can put in the tubs (could use old pillow cases). Just a thought.
Your plants in the back yard are looking good!

Harvest & Bundle

2010-07-15T13:58:00.000-06:00

I started cutting a couple of weeks ago from the 20 backyard plants. Rubber banded them and hung in my closet to dry out. So it is time to lay them out on the big table and strip the buds from the stems. I need a new strainer to screen the junk from the buds and Con will make one this weekend. Then lavender gets strained and sifted over and over until it is real clean and ready to be used.

Sewing Projects - all are filled with lavender.

2010-07-12T21:35:00.005-06:00

May Sachet Salon .... it was great!

2010-07-09T11:20:00.000-06:00

Many people came to the Lavender Salon on May 27th and had refreshments while looking at the many sachets, eye and neck pillows and other items filled with lavender. Of course, the aroma was wonderful. The snacks were good too. People came and went throughout the 2 1/2 hours and it was great to meet new people and catch up with some old friends. Plans are in the making for a Fall Salon. I'll keep you posted.

Isn't this wreath beautiful? Susan wants to try making one ... a "later" project!!!

2010-05-20T09:44:00.002-06:00

2010-05-19T18:48:00.003-06:00

A friend came up with the idea today of hosting a Lavender Sachet Salon. It is an invitation to friends and acquaintences to an open house that will feature my lavender-filled sachets and other products. The purpose is to encourage women to use lavender as a moth repellent when storing winter clothes. It is not only a great repellent but also leaves a pleasant fragrance. Moth balls are not only harmful but smell terrible.
So you are invited to the Lavender Sachet Salon on Thursday, May 27th anytime between 4 and 8 pm.

changed the time to 4 to 6:30 pm