You really have to live under a rock not to have seen or heard the essential oil craze happening everywhere. Is it quackery or are they truly pure and natural gifts from God? Since we’re bombarded with gimmicks and someone always trying to sell us something, we’re left feeling like we can never let our guard down. I was surely skeptical, but because my skin has had a love affair with olive oil for several years – seeing benefits that man-made products in NO WAY compare – and because I’m a gardener, particularly loving herbs because of their fragrance — I knew early on that there is definitely something special and lasting about essential oils.

Oh and this…

“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, your name is like purified oil; therefore the maidens love you.” -Song of Solomon 1:3

It’s great to know that God doesn’t only care about the spiritual — He’s the awesome Provider for our physical needs as well.

I love having little bottles of essential oils to diffuse, but there’s something even better about gathering and/or growing what you can — about having a bouquet or wreath of the real deal in your hand — about learning to identify various herbs/plants by sight & smell. This project helps us do just that.

All you need is a wide pine board, roughly 4′ – 6′ in length – finished as you like, some twine and some pushpins.

No herb garden? No problem. Some of my favorite scents are earthy/woodsy smells like pine and cedar. They will definitely be hung on my board at some point. Wildflowers, grasses, the leaves and blooms of trees – all of this & more are fitting for this project. I’ll also dry flowers on it that I’d like to save the seeds of.

Watch how simple it is to create this beautiful & functional project…

This is also something to invite the kids into – let them look for interesting plants to add to the board. What a great reason to go on a nature walk together!

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” -George Washington Carver

If you don’t currently grow herbs, but would like to get started – here are a few examples to get your creativity flowing.

This one bed, roughly 4′ X 8′ has 15 different herbs growing in it. I started with just a few plants, adding little by little over the past 2 years.

This is our “herb island” – one of my first gardening projects when we moved here in 2014. We’ve got a little Japanese Maple and a few flowers mixed in, but you get the idea. It’s getting pretty hot here, so some of the plants are really fading, even so, it’s a buffet for the senses with Bee Balm, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Lavender, Sage, Thyme & Variegated Oregano.

Hit family & friends up for cuttings & divisions — this keeps our own plants healthy. Start small, grow in raised beds (they LOVE it) and share! = )

Growing with ya – in life, faith & art ~ Jamie