Deodorant Experiment II

I'm almost out of my Aubrey calendula blossom natural deodorant spritz,  thought I'd attempt to make my own again.  I wasn't thrilled with my first attempt which had a messy, creamy clay base.  

I noticed that Dr. Hauschka's natural deodorant getting rave reviews on various sites and instead of paying $20 + for a small bottle, I thought I'd try to make my own variation....   

lemon balm, sage leaves, sage flowers, German chamomile and lavender from the garden....

Simmered in 1.5 cups water for 14 minutes...

Cooled....

I bottled up the fragrant liquid and tried it....
FAILED.  Why?  I'll try adding some essential oils to this tisane base and see if that works.
Stay tuned for more experiments...

Rose Robe

Mornings are re-energized with this crazy big rose print robe!  The fabric is from Boussac, thick and almost like terry cloth in absorbency, this could totally go to the pool.  Features hot pink bias-taped edges and hems and a front pocket.  Thanks again to Aunt Sue for the 70's robe pattern.

White Jersey

I found this white jersey with tiny black polka dots at Emmaüs and decided to make a dress with it. 
I dug through my stock of vintage patterns and chose the unlikely Butterick pattern 3160 (thanks Aunt Sue!) which is  a pattern for a big-sleeved night-time robe with buttons all the way down the front to the hem.  I simply stopped the buttons at the waist and got this garment.  Madame Sutter showed me some buttons she'd removed from a white blouse  and I was hesitant in using them because they had a contour of gold which can be too classic looking.  But, actually, they weren't at all bad and decided to use all seven of them. The jersey was difficult to work with.

Romper

            

Based on McCall's pattern circa 1994

Garden in May

Chives

German chamomile

German chamomile

Thyme

Snail on dandelion

Sage

Flax

Borage

Dandelion

Iris

Rose

Photos by Daniel.

Arachnid Nature Outing, Strasbourg

  

We had an absolutely amazing morning with a wonderful guide who acquainted us with fascinating spiders in the Rohrschollen Nature Reserve.  Entomology rules!

Asparagus season is upon us.

I've noticed that people here eat with the seasons, letting the farmers dictate what's on their plates, rather than the people demanding the farmers to put on their plates what they capriciously desire.   So when a vegetable or fruit is in season, there's celebration.
When the asparagus emerge, there are signs and stalls along the road, the markets abound with humble farmers selling asparagus exclusively, restaurants boast it on their menus.    We get our fill now.  Any other time of year, it's just not the same having traveled many miles to get to our supermarket.  It's asparagus now or never.
As a native midwesterner, I'm used to green asparagus, but here in Alsace, they pack earth up around the growing shoots to protect them from sunlight and they are unable to produce chlorophyll.  These sun-deprived albinos are very fat and meaty, very tender even at the base of the stem.  We eat them steamed, hot or cold, plain, or with a simple vinaigrette.
Someday I'll have an asparagus plant of my own and will anticipate the stalks coming out of the ground from a rhizome like snakes each spring.

robe à plastron

       

Daniel found this white cotton fabric with varying thicknesses of pale blue stripes digging through a giant bin at Emmaũs.  There are so many crazed ladies after the fabric that one of us stands guard as the other rummages frantically.   I got elbowed in the ribs.

I decided to use the fabric to make this 'robe à plastron' from a book I borrowed at the library called 'La Couture Nature.'  There are light gathers under the dicky shirt front, the officer’s collar has interfacing to keep it rigid, and four buttons have hand stitched buttonholes to enter into. The pattern can easily be shortened to make a nice shirt. Think of all the contrasting fabric possibilities!

Le Cirque, Obernai