Happy Mother's Day

Earth mother, Grandmother, chosen mother and more; mothers come in many different forms to enhance our lives with their loving guidance and wisdom. Mother's day is a chance to pay respect to the women in our lives who nurture and support us. From gift bags to aromatherapy spritzers and gorgeous tea blends, here at Rebecca's we have many options to celebrate all the Mothers in your life!

As we transition from the brisk spring days of May to the warmth of the summer sun, we have many wonderful classes to help prepare for an active and healthy summer including Tincture making, Summer Skin Care, Making Herbal First Aid Kits, Herb Walks and many more. Sign up now to reserve your space!

Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook for updates throughout the month.

New Products & Promotions

Rose Oil

This blend is simply a celebration of the love, beauty, and decadence of Rose. Our new favorite bath and body oil is a heartwarming combination of Rose Otto, Rose Absolute and Rosehip seed essential oils lovingly blended into Jojoba and Comfrey leaf and root infused olive oils. Rebecca says that it makes her smell like an incredible honey. Soak in the bliss as you embrace your inner Rose.

Seasonal Summer Products

As we prepare for the warmer summer months ahead, we have begun to stock many of our favorite seasonal summer products.

Soothing Burn Spray

This blend is cooling, soothing and healing for all types of burns. Apply liberally to affected areas. The Soothing Burn Spray consists of Aloe Vera juice and Lavender essential oil.

Bug Away Spray

This blend of essential oils has been formulated to help keep irritating bugs away. For optimal effect apply generously and often and for maximum pest control use with the No Bug Oil.

No Bug Oil

This all natural bug repellent is a wonderful remedy for pesky critters. Simply apply No Bug Oil onto your skin and/or hair. This blend of herbal infused sesame oil and essential oils will help keep you bug free all day long. For optimal effect, apply generously and often and for maximum pest control use with Bug Away Spray.

Bug Bite Salve

A great addition to any first aid kit, our Bug Bite Salve was formulated to soothe and speed healing of insect bites and stings.

New Mini Beeswax taper candles

We are very excited to carry 100% Beeswax mini taper candles. These candles are handmade and naturally aromatic. The wicks are made of 100% cotton and are primed with pure beeswax. For ritual or pure enjoyment, these candles are sure to please.

Local Wildflower Cards

Just in time for the beautiful Colorado wildflower bloom, we have a new selection of wildflower cards photographed by local artist Tom de Sundro. Rose, Peony, California poppy and Tulips grace the pages of these cards. Blank inside, they are perfect for any occasion!

Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech

This modern medicine making book is a favorite amongst herbalists and medicine makers alike. The fully revised and updated third edition covers over 100 different herbs with an excellent overview of how to make medicinal tinctures, vinegars, teas, syrups, salves, baths, poultices and more. Making Plant Medicine offers a deep understanding of medicinal preparations that is accessible to the novice and advanced herb lovers alike.

Staff Picks

Adri's Pick

Ginger infused Castor Oil
The Ginger infused castor oil is a spicy and dispersing oil that has traditionally been used for relieving menstrual cramps, sore muscles, and those painful body aches which require a little extra warmth. I love to use it as a castor oil pack application where you saturate a piece of wool or flannel with castor oil and apply it to the affected area with or without heat (hot water bottles work great for this).

Classes

Below is our class schedule, for full class descriptions please check our website at: http://www.rebeccasherbs.com/classes/. Your space in the class is reserved once payment is received. Payment for classes is made by cash or check payable to the instructor. Please be aware that classes fill up quickly, so sign up early. Pre-registration is required.

Tincture Making

Wednesday: May 14th, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor, Liz Philbrick, certified clinical herbalist & nutritionist
Cost: $35.00
Tinctures demystified! Tinctures are made with alcohol and water to extract the medicinal properties of herbs. They are a wonderful and convenient way of taking herbal medicine.

Homemade Summer Skin Care

Thursday May 22nd, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructor: Faith Goguen Rodgers,certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Join Faith Rodgers in a fun DIY class where you will learn to make various skin care products to protect and soothe your skin in the summertime including herbal sunscreen, deodorant, bug repellent and more!

Spring Herb Walk

Sunday, May 25th, 10:00-12:00pm
Instructors: Tzuria Malpica, certified clinical herbalist and Amber Brisson, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $30.00
Come explore the fresh sprouting plants of spring with two local herbalists on an informative and fun herb walk!

Making Herbal First Aid Kits

Thursday, May 29th, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructors: Kate Briggs, certified clinical herbalist and Amy Timmons, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Be prepared for your favorite outdoor activities with a personalized and homemade herbal first aid kit.

Hydrosols and Floral Waters

Monday, June 9th, 2014, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor, Adriana Sugrue, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Hydrosols, also known as floral waters, are steam distillations that contain the whole essence of a plant. A wonderful addition to homemade body care products, culinary recipes, skin care, and a great way to reap the benefits of a plentiful herb garden.

Creating Sacred Space through Scent

Monday, June 23rd, 2014, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor, Adriana Sugrue, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $25.00
From the mystical powers of resins, to the antiseptic and energy shifting potential of sage we will delve into the world of scent through resins, grasses, barks, and much more. Learn how to create a sacred space and ritual for you, your home, and your surroundings.

Herb of the Month

Each month one of our staff members picks an herb that they are drawn to, and shares some experiences, thoughts, medicinal uses and a bit of traditional lore about their selected plant. As each plant is unique, each Herbalist and point of view is unique. We hope you enjoy this tradition!

Herb of the Month — May
Kate Briggs, Certified Herbalist

Common Name
California Poppy

Latin Name
Eschscholzia californica

Family
Papaveraceae

Parts used
Whole plant, root-flowering tops

Medicinal Properties
California poppy has a distinct cup-shaped flower of four golden petals delicately held by fringed grey-green leaves. Loved as a garden ornamental and one of the first to blossom in spring, California Poppy can be found growing wild across the western states into Canada and on the east coast. Look for it on low elevation hillsides that receive moisture in the spring.

California is known as the "Golden State" thanks to these little beauties. In exchange, the state made California poppy it's state flower. The first Spaniards to arrive in California noticed local Native American Nations using the herb as a sedative for children. They also crushed the entire plant into a compress as a topical vulnerary and used the root for various pains. The medicinal applications of California poppy today are largely true to its original uses by Native Americans.

Unlike other members of the family, California poppy is non-addictive, very safe, and gentle enough for children. Think of California poppy first and foremost as an excellent nervine that is cooling to an otherwise hot and wired system. The cooling effect relaxes heat and can help to counter hyper and often agitated nervous system states.

Herbalists have traditionally used California poppy to help calm anxiety and to relieve both mental and physical tension. I have found that it has the remarkable ability to make you forget or lose interest in what you're stressed about. California poppy functions as a relaxing sedative too, it is conventionally used for insomnia related to nervous system imbalances like repetitive thoughts or a lack of calm.

Like its family members, California poppy can be used for pain both topically and internally. Specifically it can be used for pain that gets in the way of sleep or nerve associated pain like sciatica and shingles. It has also been used in formulas for toothaches, teething in children, menstrual cramping with sharp pains, and intestinal spasm.

California poppy is also connected to the heart — the nervous heart in particular — due to its complex array of alkaloids that are hypotensive in nature. It has been used to gently relax blood vessels and breathes a sense of serenity into the heart. This effect harmonizes restlessness that settles in around the heart such as nervous palpitations or hypertension resulting from anxiety and stress.

Preparations & Applications
The tincture of the whole fresh plant in flower is used internally and topically as a pain-relieving liniment. Dried whole plant material is used in an infusion. Steep 2-3 teaspoons per cup of water for 15 minutes. Take note that California poppy tastes bitter.

Recipes
Rosemary Gladstar's Soothing Poppy Blend
1 part California poppy
1 part Chamomile
1 part Milky Oat tops
1/2 part Marshmallow

Enjoy as often as needed to soothe the cares of the day

Sources
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra
Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West by Michael Moore
The Energetics of Western Herbs by Peter Holmes
Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar