Making shampoo with herbs, getting back into card making and dusting off my camera

Hello,

Hope everyone who reads this is doing really really well and is healthy and happy.

I just felt inspired to write today, as we’re about to come out of week five of social distancing and week four of lockdown in the U.K. I feel so so lucky to be safe at home, whilst many risk their lives at work looking after the very ill in hospitals, the only thing I have to worry about is how to keep busy which is the easiest job of all really.

I think there’s so many things you could do each day, that you don’t even think about and so many of us probably have these items just sitting around waiting to be used. In the first two weeks I decided to read up on medicinal herbs and how they can be used in beauty purposes.

Balms, cleansers, shampoos, oils and scrubs can all be made naturally with base oils, essential oils, honey, and flowers. I’ve really come to appreciate the healing properties of rose, marigold, chamomile, lemon balm and rosemary especially - I recommend Rosemary Gladstar’s books for anyone interested in medicinal herbs and their properties.

However, after decanting the last of my rose bath salts, and screwing the lid on my beeswax and coconut oil lip balm - Thank you so much to my lovely neighbour for giving me some beeswax - I felt a little lost as to what my next project would be.

It’s always said that what you’re looking for is right under your nose, and in this case it has been! I brought a second hand professional camera about three years ago, whilst needing to use one for my Media Studies A Level. All the cameras were on loan and I decided to sell my second hand guitar that I just couldn’t get to grips with, for a beautiful camera. It takes such amazing photos so effortlessly, I’m so confused as to why I hadn’t dug it out sooner ( other than at Christmas ). My plan is to take one beautiful picture a day of something that’s made me smile, as a way of practising gratitude for the small things. I think it’s so nice to be able to look back on this period knowing I used it to be creative or to spread a little joy in some way.

Another way I realised I could do this was to dig out my old craft box and make cards to send to friends and family at this time. I haven’t made cards in about seven years and I’m so glad my mum thought that one day having the craft supplies at hand would come in handy. There’s something so relaxing about just focusing on colours, patterns and textures for half an hour. The gluing and the arranging is so therapeutic and I’m SO SO glad I’ve got something to keep busy with. I also think it’s so nice to receive an unexpected card in the post, especially when we can’t see each other.

I’d be really interested to know what you have been up to in the strange period, if you read this and know me please drop a message! I’m always here for a chat and I love being inspired by everyone else’s creative outlets.

I hope whoever reads this is safe and well,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read,

Write soon!

Molly xxx

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