Mom always mixed up a huge batch in a wash pan each spring when she and her sister would repaper the entire house.

Paper Paste

1/2 c. flour
2 tbs. vinegar
1 tbs. salt
1 pt. water

Boil 30 minutes and keep in container.
 

Take a cotton* piece of fabric and cut 15 inches long,9 inches wide.Sew the three sides together leaving the top open. Place enough field corn into the form so that it is full when laid flat but not overstuffed.Stitch together the open end.Make another "envelope " with a flap to serve as a cover for the Corn Bag Warmer.

These can also be placed in the freezer for a natural,reusable cold pack.However,I would strongly suggest one to be used only for warming and one to be used only for cold packs.

Place Corn Bag Warmer flat in microwave oven. Heat approximately 3 minutes on high setting. Time will vary with microwave. Cozy Warmer will stay hot for 25 to 30 minutes.You can use this warmer over and over again.

You can use this warmer for that sore neck or shoulder,warm up the bed sheets,place a bowl of rolls on top of it to keep them nice and toasty,good to place on that aching tummy.The list goes on.

You don't sew? Well,I do and will make these bags for you for $12.95 which includes the shipping costs.Just email me with your request.Personal checks accepted but shipment will be delayed until the check clears--5 to 7 days.

*Synthetics will get too hot in the microwave and could possibly burn your skin.
 

You can find the field corn at pet supply stores.No--you can't substitute popcorn because it will pop.

How did the pioneers make wicks for their candles?

Did you ever wonder where the wicks came from when the pioneers made candles?Mullen.Before you start searching around for this herb,be advised you have to locate the seed (good luck) and plant it yourself.Mullen has a very hard stem and is a tall,straight plant.When the herb was fully grown and ripe,the hard outer stems were removed ,exposing the cord-like center.Several thickenesses were twisted together and a weight was placed on the end of this cord for several weeks until it was dried.

Crepe Paper Roses

 1. With a piece of paper, outline two circles beside one another
    using a cup. Connect the two circles by drawing a half square
    shape at the base.

2. Using the color combinations of crepe paper, layer two sheets
    together. Lay the sheets onto the template and cut out pattern.
    Repeat process about 10 times to make one rose.

3. Begin wrapping the paper around the dowel in a diagonal fashion,
   starting at the square base. This will give the edges a soft curl. To       shape the petals, gently stretch the middle of the petal to form a bowl-shaped dome. Repeat process with other crepe paper pieces.

4. Cut a 4" wide strip of crepe paper to the approximate length of
   the rose petal template. Twist the paper lengthwise. Wrap wire
   around the twisted length and then fold in half while continuing to
   twist and wrap with wire to make the core and base stem of the
   rose.

5. Begin wrapping the rose petals around the core, shaping the
   petals gently outward. Secure the petals to the stem with floral
   wire. Repeat process, gradually opening the rose up with each petal piece attached.

6. Finish by securing the silk leaf garland around the base of the
   rose. Secure with floral tape, wrapping until the stem is covered.

METHOD #1

Handful of violets; washed
1 egg white; beaten with 1 tsp. water
confectioners' sugar
1 small paintbrush; such as those used for painting water colors

METHOD #2

handful of violets; washed
gum arabic
superfine sugar
1 small Paintbrush; such as those used for painting watercolors

  Note - primroses, rose petals, and mint leaves can also be treated in
  this manner.  Flowers that are to be eaten should be picked
  carefully.  Avoid flowers that grow on chemically treated lawns, and
  never pick those that grow on the sides of roads because they may be
  contaminated with lead deposits.  Pick the violets, swish them
  through soapy water, then rinse them and remove all stems.

  Method #1 - one at a time, dip the flowers into the beaten egg white
  and gently press them into confectioners' sugar to cover them
  completely.  Brush off any excess sugar.  Dry on a cake rack covered
  with a piece of wire mesh.  Turn the flowers a few times as they are
  drying.  For best results, dry them for at least 8 hr..  Pack them
  between layers of tissue paper in an airtight box.  Will keep several
  weeks.

  Method #2 - dip your paintbrush in the gum arabic and thoroughly coat
  all parts of the flower.  Gently sprinkle fine sugar onto the coated
  flower. Shake off excess sugar and dry as described above.  Pack them
  between layers of tissue paper in an airtight box.  Will keep 6-8
  months.

Sue Woodward-FOODS OF THE HUDSON
 

  Note - gum arabic is sold in some pharmacies or can be obtained from
  pharmaceutical mail order houses.  If necessary, ask your pharmacist
  for help.  It should be diluted with water until it is of the
  consistency of a medium thick glue.

  Author:  Peter G. Rose

Crystallized Violets

1 tbs. powdered gum arabic
1 tbs. rose water
violet blooms
superfine sugar

  NOTE: Both gum arabic and rose water are available from drugstores
  or cake decorating supply stores.

  Dissolve the gum arabic in the rose water and leave until the
  solution becomes a paste.  Using a small brush, paint each violet
  all over with the solution, then dip the flowers in superfine sugar.
  Leave to dry on a wire rack in a warm place.  Store the petals in an
  airtight container and use them on desserts as an edible garnish.

  * Source: The Magic of Herbs, by Jane Newdick

Crystallized Violet Flowers

1 bunch violet flowers
1 egg white
1/2 c.  powdered sugar

  Pick violet flowers in the morning after the dew has dried.  Paint
  them carefully with lightly beaten egg white, using an artist's
  paintbrush and dip in powdered sugar.  Dry in very slow oven until
  crisp; this may take up to 24 hours.

  SOURCE: Southern Herb Growing ; by Hill And Barclay

1 cup cornstarch
2 cups dry milk powder
1/8 teaspoon of almond (or any) fragrance oil
 

Combine ingredients in food processor or blender. Add oil and blend. Add
1/2 cup of mixture to hot bath water or fill a bath bag with it. Climb into the tub and relax.Your skin will feel so soft.I've used this for years.Of course,instead of almond,I love the old timey scent of lemon verbena or lavender.

Easter

There was a time when no one would have ever thought about buying any type of dye.It was unheard of.Woolens,fabrics and yes,Easter eggs were dyed using natural ingredients.I thought you might enjoy these few tips:
 

NATURAL EGG EASTER DYES

                        -----SPRING CHICKEN YELLOW-----
   1      teaspoon      Turmeric
     2/3  cup           -Boiling water
     1/4  teaspoon      Vinegar
                        -----EASTER BUNNY BROWN-----
   1      tablespoon    Instant coffee -- heaping Tbs.
     2/3  cup           -Boiling water
     1/2  teaspoon      Vinegar

  -----SEREN"DIP"ITY-----

 Onion skins-- (golden orange)

 Beets--(reddish purple)

Spinach -- (pale  green)

 Walnut shells -- buff

Grape Juice --  (mauve) &
     1/4  teaspoon      Vinegar

Red cabbage leaves--pink

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could
prevent dye from adhering. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Spring Chicken
Yellow: Add turmeric to boiling water, stir until dissolved. Add
vinegar.

Easter Bunny Brown: Add heaping Tbs. heaping instant
coffee to boiling water, stir to dissolve. Add vinegar.

Seren"dip"ity:
Try boiling eggs with one of the listed ingredients. Add 1/4
tsp. vinegar to water.

I found this recipe at Flora's Recipe Hideout:
 

EASTER EGG WITH NATURAL COLORS

You will need:

Small, flat leaves and flowers
String
Old nylon stockings cut in 4-inch squares
Eggs (uncooked)
 

 1. In separate pans, put the skins of 6 yellow onions (for reddish
 brown dye); the shells of 12 walnuts (light brown); half a small red
 cabbage, cut up (blue); and 6 sliced beets (light brown). Add enough water to cover each ingredient. Pour 2 tablespoons of white
vinegar into each pan, too. Each dye will color 4 or 5 eggs.

2. Center a leaf or flower on a square of stocking. Pull the corners
tightly together around an egg and tie them with string, making sure
the leaf stays flat (Ask someone to lend an extra pair of hands).

Be Careful - the eggs aren't cooked yet!!

3. Bring the water in each pan to a boil. Use a spoon to carefully
lower a wrapped egg all the way into the water (You may need to
hold it down with the spoon.) Turn the heat down to low and simmer
the eggs, uncovered, about 20 minutes. This will cook them as it
colors them.

4. Turn off the heat and take the pans off the stove. Let the eggs and
dyes cool in the pans. Then take out the dye materials (yellow
onions, walnuts, etc..) and leave the eggs in the colored water
overnight in the refrigerator.

5. Take the eggs out of the dye, remove the nylon and leaves, and
pat the eggs dry. Rub on a little salad oil (Don't rub too hard, or the
design will come off). Keep the eggs in the refrigerator until you are
ready to hide them or give them away.

You will need:

Hard boiled eggs
Glass jar pint size or larger
Hot water
Crayon stubs, peeled
Vegetable grater
Spoon
 

1. Grate crayons over a paper towel. Fill a jar with very hot
water(near boiling). Drop pinches of crayon in the water and as the wax begins to melt, drop in egg being careful not to break or spill the
water.
2. Using a spoon, swirl the water around and the wax will make designs on the egg. Carefully remove and place it in an upside down egg carton.

3. Let dry, don't smear. Refill jar with hot water for each egg.

SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
 

 Purple Puma Cookie Co.(I really didn't make up this name.Sorry I don't have the link.)

2  cups flour
1  cup salt
1  cup water

Mix salt and flour. Slowly add water, mixing as you add it. Towards
the end you will have to put dough on a work counter or on a lightly oiled
surface and knead well until dough is smooth. This dough can be
used to make long lasting ornaments and decorations. Bake at
325 ° F for about 1 1/2 hours until dry. After they have completely cooled,you can paint them with acrylic paints and tie ribbons around them. If you want to hang them up make sure that you make holes
to hang them before baking.

For a smooth, white porcelain like dough, mix 1 cup cornstarch
and 2 cups baking soda in a saucepan. Add 1 1/3 cups of cold
water and stir until smooth. Heat slowly stirring constantly
until mixture begins to thicken. Turn mixture out on a plate,
cover and let cool. knead until smooth. Dust bread board with
cornstarch and roll out dough.Add more cornstarch to prevent
sticking. Cut out ornaments(remember to make holes for hanging!)
and place on wire racks to air dry for a few days. After drying
you can paint the ornaments and hang on your tree or use as package
tie on.

You can use cookie cutters for making the decorations. Use the
bigger cutters that don't have small areas for the dough to stick
in and can't get it out.

Use these doughs for making decorations for any holiday as well
as birthdays.

3 cans soft breadstick dough
1 lg. egg, beaten with:
1 tbs. water

------------------ASSORTED RAW VEGETABLES------------------
           Sugar snap peas, red and
           Yellow cherry tomatoes,
           Baby carrots, baby squash,
           Cauliflower and broccoli
           Florets.

  1.  Preheat oven to 350 ° F.  Lightly spray a
  cookie sheet, at least 17"x 14", with non-stick cooking spray.

  2. Tear off a 30"x 18" sheet of heavy duty aluminum
  foil.  Fold in 1/2 to 18"x 15".  Roll diagonally to
  form a hollow cone, about 18" long with a diameter of
  5" at the widest end (Cornucopia opening). Fasten end
  with clear tape.  Stuff cone with crumpled regular
  foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone up then
  down at end.  Spray outside of cone with non-stick
  cooking spray.  Place on cookie sheet.

  3.  Open and unroll first  can of breadstick dough on
  work surface. Separate breadsticks.  Begin by wrapping
  one breadstick around tip of cone. Brush end of next
  breadstick with Glaze and press to attach to end of
  first breadstick.  Continue spiral wrapping cone,
  slightly overlapping dough until there are 3
  breadsticks left.

  4.  Pinch one end of the 3 breadsticks together, then
  braid.  Brush bread around opening of Cornucopia with
  Glaze.  Gently press on braid.  Brush entire
  Cornucopia with Glaze.

  5.  Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven or until bread
  is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much,
  cover them with pieces of foil.)

  6.  Remove from oven and let cool completely on cookie
  sheet on a wire rack.  Carefully remove foil when
  cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support.
  Remove when thawed.)

  7.  Fill Cornucopia with the assorted raw vegetables
  directly on table and let them spill out of opening

  NOTE-- To prevent this center-piece from absorbing
  atmospheric moisture, the baked Cornucopia cone can be
  sprayed with shellac or clear enamel. If treated in
  this manner, the Cornucopia will be inedible but can
  be preserved and re-used.

HOMEMADE SOAP
From Ethyle Todd

10 pounds of grease (5 quarts strained) ; 2 cans Lewis Lye, dissolved in 2 quarts of cold  water (use enamel utensils) ; Let both reach room temperature; 1/2 cup  washing soda,   dissolved in 1 cup hot water; 1/3 cup of Borax; 3/4 cup ammonia
 

Add lye slowly to dissolved grease, stirring with wooden spoon or stick. Then add soda  and borax mixture and ammonia. Stir about 20 minutes). Pour into flat pan or  box lined  with wax paper. Let stand until ready to mark off. NOTE: If mixture begins to  thicken  before the 20 minutes, stop and pour into pan. If it thickens too much it does not pour  readily.

1/4 c boiling water
1 tbs. pulverized herbs (chamomile,lavender, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, or a combination)
5 drops related essential oil
2 c. shredded ivory or Castile soap
plastic wrap
 
 

Pour boiling water over herbs. Add 5 to 6 drops oil. Steep 15 minutes.
Reheat 'til bubbly and pour over soap. Mix well with hands and let stand 15 minutes. Mix again and divide into 3 or 6 parts, rolling each into a ball.
Place on plastic wrap and dry for 3 days.
Sherri Williams

1 c. oatmeal
1 tbs. Herbs
1 drop essential oil
 
 

Mix oatmeal, herbs and oil and fill bath bags with mixture. Oatmeal is used because it is a natural skin softener and cleanser.

STIMULATING BATHS: basil, bay, calendula, citronella, fennel horseradish roots, lavender, lemon verbena, lovage root, marjoram, mint, nettle, pine needles, queen of the meadow, sage, rosemary, savory,thyme, vetiver root.

SOOTHING BATHS: catnip, chamomile, comfy, elder, primrose, hyssop,jasmine, juniper berries, lemon balm, linden flowers, marshmallow root,melilot, mullein, passionflower flowers, roses, slippery elm inner bark, tansy,violet, valerian root, vervain (whole plant).
Sherri Williams

ROSEMARY:This is a wonderful herb.Sprinkle dried rosemary in your bath to soothe aching or tense muscles.lt is also used to make a perfect hair rinse for brunettes or redheads.

Rosemary Water

4 tbs. rosemary flowers
1 nutmeg, grated
2 tbs. cinnamon, grated
1 qt. alcohol spirit (Vodka works well)

Pour liquid over herbs in a clean jar - stand in warm dark place for two
weeks. Strain through cheesecloth or paper coffee strainer. Use as you
would witch hazel, to soothe aches.
 

1  cup  epsom salts
measuring cup
2  jars  with lids
2  bottles  food coloring
8  oz   decorative jar
a few drops of your favorite perfume
1/2  yard  of ribbon -- 1/2" to 1" wide

To make these good smelling bath salts, first measure 1/2 cup of Epsom
salt into each jar with a lid.  Add 15 drops of food color to each jar,
one color per jar and put on the lids.  Shake the jars until the Epsom
salts are dyed evenly.  If you want your colors to be darker, add more
food color and shake again.  Take off the lids and let the salts dry
overnight.  Now, make sure your pretty jar is all clean and dry.  Then
pour the dyed bath salts into the jar, alternating colors (you may want
to get colors that go together well).  Add a couple of drops of perfume
to the bath salts, put on the lid and tie the jar with your pretty
ribbon.
 

ROSE PETAL BEADS
The heat of your body causes the beads to give off the smell of the rose.
l.  In enamel pan place one pound of red rose petals with just enough water to cover.
2.Simmer very slowly for one hour but do not boil.Cover and let stand over night.
3.Repeat these steps three more times.
4.By the fourth day,the petals and water will have become a smooth paste.
5.Take a small amount and roll it between your palms ,forming beads 1/4 inch in diameter.
6.Pierce each ball with a needle for stringing and let the beads dry on newspaper in a warm closet.
7.Thread the beads onto silk thread for your necklace.

These beads are sturdier than you would think,lasting several years and keeping their fragrance. They turn a polished red Sienna color.

1 oz dried rose buds (the white clipped off)
1 lb loaf sugar
rose water
1 lemon
 

Finely pound the dried rose-buds. Wet the sugar in rose water, and boil to a candy height. Put in your powder of roses and the lemon's juice. Mix all well together, put it on a pie plate, and put it into lozenges, or make it into any figure you fancy, such as men, women or birds. If you want ornaments for your dessert, you may gild or color them to your liking.
          John Farley, Principal Cook at London Tavern 1804 The London Art of Cookery (Flower Cookery - by Mary MacNicol)

Crumble dried Sage and Rosemary leaves, mix with melted wax, form into candle (an easy way to do this if you don't have candle molds is to put a votive candle in a bowl, pour warm herb-wax in the bowl a bit at a time,
and let harden) and use to keep bugs away.

 Appalachian Weather Signs    A very interesting site relating to the signs our ancestors in Appalachia used in predicting the weather.