WE'VE MOVED!

OH SNAP!!!!  We are no longer here!  We can now be found on the website. www.mawmawkelli.com    The old blogs are on there for you to search, the pictures and some of the formatting didn't make the change over.  Hey I know how to talk to plants and trees and raise wildlife but not the best at technology. But we are working this diligently.

http://www.mawmawkelli.com/index.php/blog/

SQUIRREL!!! Where?

How I Became a Squirrel Herbalist

Ok, hang on before you call the law just read further….  When I was at my first herb conference many years ago, I wasn't very thrilled to be there.  I knew Robin was going to e there but she hadn’t arrived yet and I wasn’t fitting in AT ALL. To be honest I found that most of the people at this particular conference weren't even herbalist.  Many of them wouldn’t know Dandelion if it came up and hit them across the head most of them knew herbs in the form of capsules from the health store ONLY!  These people were other occupations (RNs, MD, DC, NP, etc.) that chose to go to this conference to get continuing education.  STOP!  I don’t have any problem with whatever occupation they were, but when I told people that I was an herbalist all I got was snotty looks, snide comments and even more questions that at this time I didn’t even know what meant or how to answer.  So, since I was (and still am) a wildlife rehabber, I decided to start having a little fun with it.  When people asked me what I did I told them I was a squirrel herbalist.  The look on their faces was priceless!   I know I am so mean. I start having so much fun with this and a lot of people would stop me and ask further and so then I would tell them more about what I did as a traditional herbalist and then I would talk about wildlife rehab and my love for nature.  So if you ever hear anybody say that they know the squirrel herbalist that would be yours truly!

<3 kelli="" maw-maw="" span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 

(next year I am going to be the Possum Herbalist) lol

I take PRIDE in my work!

Well, you know me... 

And so you know that I take great pride in my work AND that I am environmentally conscious and use only ethical sources of Essential Oils and carrier oils (organic). 

So when my suppliers of Essential Oils raised their prices I thought what in the world am I going to do?   So I thought long and hard about this .....    I mean you and I know raising prices doesn't set well with most people. But I realized and said to myself,  crap Kelli -- I don't sell to most people.  I sell to people who are like me to who CARE about ethical practices, ethical sourcing and who like me buy from companies who promote ethical usage.  

It takes a long time to handcraft and design my original Botanical Perfumes  and a portion of all of my products goes to support causes I believe in.  Not to mention that they are not TOXIC like the junk you get in stores so they are better for your health, I knew that you would understand why I had to raise my prices a bit. 

So here's my deal for you.  You can order them now at the current price before 20 March and if you use coupon code freeship3 you will get free shipping too!

Click Here  to buy now!  -----> http://www.mawmawkelli.com/#!perfumes-and-essences/c1yl4

Tree Essence

Tree Essence

Many years ago I started experimenting and making flower essences. I had already been working with trees in the context of Tree Medicine the bark, flower etc. I was actually turned on to the more advanced form of Tree Medicine my dear Green sister Robin McGee. I literally dove headfirst and have spent years focusing on trees and their benefits and my connection to them. So when I began exploring the flower essences this of course was just an natural extension of my relationship with the trees. I have been using and practicing with flower essence for MUCH longer. My love for the ‘The Tall Standing Ones,’ as Robin says runs deep and I am honored to work with them.

So little by little I would explore the trees in my area and work with each one of them in the context of flower essences. As I approached each tree, I always sought permission and work ethically (I do that in ALL aspects of my herbalism of course). I never looked up what each were good for I always connected with the Tree and connected with the Creator to help me see what I believed the Tree was trying to tell me. I also was given information in dream time (yes I am Cherokee-lol) and so I used what that came to me as the foundation for the Tree essence. And that's still how I do it to this day.

So here are some of the trees that I have worked with and the information that I have received from each of these Trees. I will try make each tree as brief as possible so that this doesn't become a huge information write up!

Dogwood. So I have a beautiful beautiful story that goes along with how I made the Dogwood flower essence and I will make a video on that to share it in the future. Dogwood is wonderful about bringing out the inner child in people. So this could be someone who is an old soul in a young body or this could be anyone who feel crickety on the outside or anybody that has aches and pains and wants to feel young again. That is what I feel like Dogwood does best! Bridges that older body (or hurting body) with the inner child that lives within you (or wants to live within you again).

Tulip Poplar. OK so this is one of my favorite trees! Anybody who knows me certainly knows how I feel about this tree. The flower essence is very, very versatile I find that is wonderful to help people who might have self-esteem issues or who may need confidence in a particular area. Tulip poplar is a general all around ‘i have your six’ types of flower essence. I've also used it in conjunction with Elecampane for grief issues.

Magnolia. Another wonderful beautiful tree that of course is related to the Tulip Poplar. Magnolia flower essence is great for people who get emotions stuck in a particular part of the body. So this person may get a stiff neck (when they should just spoke their truth) or they get their stiff in the lower back and hold anger or stress there. So this flower essence shines anywhere where their having trouble processing emotions and those emotions get stuck in the body. One lady calls it the Drama Queen cure.

Black cherry is a great tree from my experience in bringing out the creativity in people. Now in this case the the Tree specifically said to me ‘at the appropriate time.’ So the way I understood that means that when you are working on a creative work this flower essence will help you to know where to release it and when the timing is right. If you are shy about it, then I would combine Tulip Poplar with this essence to help you move forward.

Pine. This is a wonderful tree. When you feel like your whole world is just kind of falling apart and you just honestly don't know what to do or where to turn, Pine is a great essence. So I think about it like this, you can’t see the forest for the trees, then Pine is a good general essence to reach for.

Sycamore. I feel like Sycamore is really really good when the outer part of your body doesn't match the inside (think of Sycamore bark). Sycamore is really good about helping you feel more comfortable in your skin and really feeling like you are being true to yourself. I see this as a great essence to Tweens and early teenagers. Or anyone struggling to bring out who they know they are on the inside. It can bring up old issues you thought were dealt with (but just buried) and really process those. I know other people find Sycamore is really really good to help with their energy levels.

Serviceberry. I love Serviceberry essence, It is really good to help bring focus either to an issue or help you to focus more in general (like scatterbrained people like me) People who are having focus issues or maybe just need clarity on something in particular Serviceberry is great for that. I use Serviceberry and Hoya before journeying to help me focus on what I am wanting to work on in that journey session.

Red Maple. Red Maple really helps you to pull in and connect with the earth. When I was working with the Red Maple I actually saw the vision of the of the box turtle pulling into his shell. Like he was pulling in and connecting with Earth and waiting for whatever the issue was to pass so that he could come back out. So anytime I want to connect with and bring into my center I use Red Maple. It is great about balancing chakras (all of them not just the root chakra) I also find this is really really good tree essence for animals that are high strung or high stress. I do wildlife rehabilitation and I use Red Maple essence on the outside of the bunnies or baby possum’s cages (or a hawk or owl that is stressed). I put a blanket over a section of the cage or enclosure and drop a few drops on the cloth.

I hope you enjoy Trees as much as I do, and if you did enjoy this post share it with your friends and click below to see my Tree Essence.

http://www.mawmawkelli.com/#!product-page/cd4f/44531808-963c-fc64-f44c-06172b1815fd

Is Botanical Perfume Right for You?

FAQ about Maw-Maw Kelli’s Botanical Perfume

What are Botanical Perfumes? Botanical Perfumes are liquid natural perfumes in a base of organic jojoba oil along with blended essential oils to create a signature scent.  They are wonderful because they adjust to each person’s chemistry.  

Is Botanical Perfume  right for me? That depends!!  If love high quality ingredients and are tired of putting chemical junk  on your body then YES botanical perfume is for you!

Are they expensive?  Not at all.  All of my perfumes are handmade in small batches with quality ingredients with REAL essential oils (high quality ones that are ethically sourced) along with and organic jojoba oil .  My daughter and I create all of our perfume blends and recipes. We do our own formulation and don’t copy or try and steal other people’s work (even though people have tried to with ours).  Some of our blends actually take MONTHS to develop and perfect! 

How long do they last?  That depends on how often you use them I just ran out of one bottle of my favorite scents (EarthKeeper)  and I had it about two years. YES it lasted that long and smell the same as it did when I first made it.  Some people use them faster of course; it’s all up to you.

Can I reapply during the day?  Absolutely.   There’s no reason you can't apply more when you like!

What are people saying?  I have gotten many wonderful testimonials on my perfume.  Here are just a few of them:

‘Midnight Rose is my favorite and I could NEVER wear perfume before. I am so glad I found this product.’   J.H.

‘Please never lose the recipe to Vanilla Cappuccino, I can’t live without it.  Lol’  M.G.

‘I can never find perfumes that work with my body chemistry, I am in love with this, thank you!’  T.W.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea!  Like what you hear?  Click below to see our choices buy today!   Think a friend may be interested? No worries send them this blog too!  

http://www.mawmawkelli.com/#!perfumes-and-essences/c1yl4 

Easy DIY All Purpose Cleaner

Easy Essential Oil Cleaner

Supplies: 

1 Cup of White Vinegar

1 Cup of Vodka

Orange, Lemon or Tangerine Essential Oil 

In a spray bottle add 1 Cup of Vodka and about 10-15 drops of your Essential oil. I use closer to 10 there is not need to make it very strong.    Then add in your White Vinegar and shake well.  Yep, its that easy.  (Tip make sure to keep your citrus oils in the fridge so help them last longer). 

Uses:  I use this for countertop spray and glass as well, I have not used 'standard' household cleaners is about 20 years.   Homemade cleaners are healthier for you and your family.  You may add water if you want to make it stretch further but I don't.  

If you have cats or sensitive individuals be mindful and do not spray around them please.  

Please note I have another recipe that uses orange (or lemon) peel instead of EO's you can find that here:

http://mawmawkelli.blogspot.com/2013/06/easy-scented-cleaner.html

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Essential Oil Safety E-Course

Essential Oil Safety E-Course

So many people have asked me, 'Please do a e-course, webinar or something so I can take your Essential Oil Safety Class'. Most of you that know me know me, know that technology is not my strongest feature.  However with a little help from Kristin my assistant, we did it.  We created an Essential Oil Safety E-course.  Now that I have her we will be doing more E-courses as well to fill your needs that you have communicated to me. 

So if you have been invited to a home party on Essential Oils,  go through this E-course first to make sure that the information you are getting is safe and valid. 

https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9QyM

Out With the Old In with the New

Decluttering

Out with the Old In with the New

The blog I'm going to write about today doesn't really have a whole lot to do with herbalism per se but it can be a tool in changing your health. It's something that I've been doing for the past few weeks in the physical form in the past two years  (or so) in a relationship form.

So what does that mean? Well what I mean by in the physical form is going room-to-room, cabinet-to-cabinet, drawer-to- drawer and actually physically decluttering! So I am getting rid of old stuff and stuff that doesn’t serve me anymore. Everyone has that junk drawer and the stuff in there that you’ve had for years you don’t ever touch it (hell you are afraid to put your hand in there) you don’t ever use it,  you don’t even need to have that crap in there anymore.  Am I right? Well unfortunately for me I have more than one junk drawer and I have some cabinets as well.

For the past few years, I have been decluttering (little by little) non-physical things.  So I have been examining relationships, things I am doing in my life that no longer serve me, or that in my case as someone with a Familial Nervous System Disorder actually harming me.   Now this can actually be harder to do than getting rid of old clothes or crap in a drawer, but for me it was either do this or never get completely better. Even with holistic practices, herbs and whatnot I still was hitting a wall that I could not get over to regain my full health (ANS disorder). I even broke down and saw MD (they admitted they couldn't help either) so,  had no choice but to go to a deeper level in my care and examine more possibilities.  I am a 'save the world' type of person that tries to do it all, but I was not helping myself.  And you must take care of yourself before you can take care of others (self care 101). 

So ... Folks will go through and do decluttering for many different reasons. Maybe they're looking to energetically free up some space and feel lighter. Maybe they are looking for more abundance in certain parts of their life so they feel like they have to get rid of the old to the new can come in. Or maybe they have too much stress and want less to focus on to relax them.  People do it for many different reasons, probably many that I don't even know of. 

In my case I started doing this for strictly and purely for health reasons I could see that so many people were pulling me in so many different directions and I honestly was being compromised, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  So I had to start saying NO to people and had to start allowing friendships and activities that no longer served me to fade into the background.

I'm still going room to room and decluttering I'm still working on that and I'm still writing down places in my life where I can say ‘this is not healthy for me’ or ‘I need to move on from this relationship or this activity’ Now, it's a slow process but I can tell you that if you venture out into this world of decluttering, in the long run it will serve you so well. So well in fact, that you will wish you had done it earlier.  Start with something that doesn’t ‘freak you out’ like the junk drawer; you don’t have to start with relationships and activities like I did.  BUT it is going to bring things to your life that you never thought of. You will likely (after the uncomfortableness of the doing it passes)  feel emotionally and physically  better, honestly you will wish you did it earlier.   Hope this helps someone today!

So after I wrote this Blog, I looked up some similar articles and Here they are hope they help!

http://luckybitch.com/declutter/

http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-happiness-wellbeing/radun12.shtml

This one is a good one: 

http://www.doctornerdlove.com/2014/07/dump-toxic-friends/

http://sarahprout.com/declutter-your-life-for-abundance

I have found this resource VERY useful as well so I am sharing it too! 

https://goo.gl/FKk5us

But It’s in the Bible and they are Natural!

©Maw-Maw Kelli, Herbalist

(Originally Written for Learning Tangent Homeschool Magazine April 2015 Issue) 

Did you get invited to an essential oil party?  Did they say, “it’s in the Bible,” or “it’s all natural?” Or maybe they said, this brand is the only ‘Therapeutic Grade’ of essential oils that you should use?  Ok, I love house parties as much as the next person, but when your health is concerned, these are NOT the place to go for scientific, safe, or accurate holistic health information -did you hear me? Should I say it again?  They will use emotionalism (and lots of it), and may throw out some terms to make you think THEIR way (and they will convince their way only) is solid science (most of it I have been witness to is NOT, not even close). 

Were you told that essential oils are in the Bible and are all-natural?  Maybe they used some fancy words like esters, hydrocarbons or aldehydes, and they said that doctors in France use them like this or such and such method.  You don’t really know what some of those terms means but the person sounded like they did so what’s the harm, right? Are you willing to bet your liver or your child’s liver (or worse) on it?

But you say, oh wait I had chemistry class, so I know. Great maybe you had chemistry then go check the facts!!  But maybe you didn’t or maybe it was years ago and you forgot some of it – It’s ok – I am going to make this real simple for you (and for me too). Before you read any further I want you to know I do NOT affiliate with any essential Oil company nor do I get any kick back or benefits from anyone for writing this article.  This is simply about you and your family’s safety. Nothing more!

I think we all know by now that the term natural is thrown ubiquitously and really doesn’t mean crap!!!  Tyson, need I say more?  So here’s the skinny on essentials oils and some of the safety protocols you may NOT hear promoted by these home parties, social media, or in Internet memes.  So let’s get into it.

Would you sit down and drink gallons of concentration peppermint tea at once?  Of course not, that’s a lot of peppermint, isn’t it?  Essential oils are CONCENTRATED distillation of a large amount of plant material (a lot of plants have to go in for that tiny bottle you bought).  What does that mean? Think moonshine! Hang on you ain’t Appalachian? You don’t know moonshine? Well sugar, let me learn you; a heated still is full of fermented ‘corn mash’ and as that heats up and then cooled back down, what comes out is ‘White Lightening’  (thanks to George Jones for that) or a highly concentrated version of the low amount alcohol ferment that you started with.  So that gives you an idea of the concentration of essential oils. So we need to think about them in this concentrated manner and then we can better understand the safety protocols and why they are so important.

So let’s talk a brief history. Oh come on you know you love history, and we learn from it. So here’s a short introduction. Distillation was invented (in the context we know now) around 1000 AD by a Persian Polymath named Avicenna. That means that essential oils were NOT back in Biblical times. They did use extracted oils, incense and other methods of aromatherapy, but not essential Oils in the context that we know today. So if you heard the claim that essential oils were in the Bible that’s not entirely accurate, and in fact extremely misleading.

SAFETY! (Hopefully that’s why you are reading). I do wildlife rehabilitation and education programs, and like I say at programs ‘not everything you see on TV or on social media is true.’ This is the same for essential oil claims. People are trying to sell you something so the more YOU use, the more money THEY make. Good marketing ploy isn’t it? But good marketing and good herbalism are two entirely different things. So here are a few things that should get you started. I will some reputable resources for you at this end of this (just in case you don’t believe me, nor should you)!

DILUTE: that means dilute the oil. About 6 drops of essential oil (again depends on which one this could be LESS) to about 1 ounce of carrier oil would be appropriate for an adult in most cases (at least half the amount of the essential oil dose for a younger kid and just avoid all together with children under 2) NEVER ever use ANY oil NEAT –without dilution (no matter how ‘pure’ –which is another pseudoscience term they use) Its just not A. necessary nor, B. safe.

INGESTING: Just Pass. Just go the opposite of what Nike says. Just DON’T do it. I have the valid information to support this but is long and terribly complicated so just pass. If you want lemon water, buy a damn lemon. Are you willing to bet your liver, your child’s liver (or worse) on the pseudo-scientific information they presented? You may be doing that. I once witnessed a lady via a essential oil list on yahoo kill her dog because… “I love my oils…” she said.  That won’t bring her dog back to life for not seeking appropriate vet care. “I love my oils…” is emotionalism and it NOT a scientifically valid argument for ingesting or force ingestion on anyone.  Two of the major company’s that promote this come from a marketing standpoint and not a safety standpoint.

TOXICITY: Not all are safe for children, elderly, gestation, lactation nor pet application, to name a few. Many are unsafe for babies, children under 6, under 12, etc. In most cases they are extremely toxic to cats and other small mammals. Sadly, sales people don’t always have the extensive amount of training to communicate to you what oil is safe for what age (and at what dilution rate). I recently saw a Meme for clove essential oil on baby’s gums. CLEARLY a HIGHLY DANGEROUS suggested use since it is not approved for young children! (even IF that particular oil was safe-and it wasn’t- the dilution rate was WAY off as well, making it completely unsafe advice). I have a personal rule. If the person cannot vocalize to you permission to receive the use of essential oils application, you do not have permission to use them.  It’s that simple. 

None of these things I talked about are a complete list of proper essential oil safety, and I can say I am not the most advanced aromatherapist in the world certainly. HOWEVER I have had extensive training as defined by the NAHA as professional member (and I have met those requirements).  So if you are local and need an educated source, I am trained and reputable!! 

One last thing...... There is just way too much out there to write about. BUT my hope to you after reading this, is that before you use anything you will go research it from a reputable highly trained person, and that you will NOT blindly follow any salespeople. I know for a fact that in a few years they probably won’t be selling it anymore anyway, they will be on to the next big craze, which is Alkaline Water Machines… Yes I went there, they are a scam too!

About me:

B.A. Liberal Arts (heavy science focus) and M.A.Ed. I am a Community Herbalist/Educator,  Certified Teacher, Naturalist, State and Federally Permitted Wildlife Rehabber, Reiki Master and Teacher, and avid student of Mother Earth. 

www.mawmawkelli.com

Reputable Texts and Websites For Reference and Learning (in no particular order)

Websites:

NAHA: https://www.naha.org/

Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy  http://www.atlanticinstitute.com/

Mountain Rose Herbs: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/essential-oils-warning

Floracopeia: http://www.floracopeia.com/education/how-to-use-essential-oils-effectively/

Ingesting oils: http://empoweredsustenance.com/ingesting-essential-oils/

Books and Authors I like:

Essential Oil Safety  by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs

The Aromatherapy Practitioner Reference Manual by Sylla Sheppard-Hanger

The Chemistry of Essential Oils by David G Williams

I love any books by Shirley Price, Jeanne Rose, Mindy Green, Robert Tisserand, or Colleen Dodt, Demetria Clark (to name a few folks). Sorry if I left anyone out.