Making Echinacea Oil at Home

Echinacea is well known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Recommended to reduce symptoms of scratchy or sore throat, lymph node inflammation, stomach cramps, and urinary tract infections, as well as lessen the symptoms and duration at the onset of a cold or the flu.

Taken in a tea up to 6 times per day, or as an oil at one drop every 2-3 hours or so. The oil can also be used for treatment of insect bites, burns, skin ulcers, herpes sores, cold sores, and yeast infections in women.

Seeing how this stuff is good for just about whatever ails you, I used the leaves of the echinacea purpurea (coneflower) that I grew in my garden this year, to make an oil infusion. In this photo the leaves are in a net bag, which makes straining unnecessary.

Elegant Silk Stockings for Herbal Infusion

I wanted a creative yet functional way to share the herbs that I grew in my garden this summer. "How about herbal infusions?" says I. "Good idea," says my other I.

How much do those metal tea balls cost? Probably two or three dollars each. That would have sufficed, but "Noooooo," says I. "Let's make this difficult and call upon several skill sets for this project." 

• Gardening for growing the herbs
• A sewing machine to create "silky stockings" for the herbs. Better than a paper tea bag, right? 
• Crocheting to make the strings

Now if I can just figure out how to package them. Right now they are in plastic zipper bags to keep the herbs fresh.