Baby It's Hot Outside! So Spritz it Away!

Ah, the joys of summer. Sunshine, gardening, picnics, beach days - all wonderful parts of the season of the sun.

And then there's the humidity and the oppressive heat. Oh yes, it's a New Jersey summer. But there are a few ways to help you freshen up and beat the heat with a few easy herbs.

Summer Fresh Spritz

What you'll need:

Chickweed is considered by many to be a common weed. But it's really a cooling dynamo that's readily available in most yards. Naturally, you want to make sure you collect any chickweed from an area that is not sprayed or treated in any way.

Mints also provide a wonderful cooling effect, both in fragrance and skin care. Spearmint or Peppermint work the best, but any variety that provides that minty freshness will do.

Rose petals. Yes, those silky little petals are wonderfully refreshing and toning for your skin. Again - select fragrant blossoms that haven't been treated in any way.

Gather a big hand full of each of these herbs and rinse well.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the herbs. Cover and let sit until completely cool.

Strain out the herbs, press to get every bit of goodness out of them. Put the tea into a spray bottle and you have a terrifically cooling and skin soothing spritz to use when ever you're feeling over heated. Be careful using it around your eyes - mint could sting a bit. I like to put it in the fridge to get it extra cool and help it keep longer.

You could also take some and put it in a glass, add some honey and ice, and have an interesting refreshing tea. Although an herb fan and game to try more anything - I prefer the spritz.

Do you have any tips for keeping it cool? Feel free to share!

New Location, New Name, but Same Great Gifts

We've been lucky to find a great partner with Laura and The Beachwood Boutique. Our products have been at the store since it first opened. But things change. Oh, we're still with Laura - but they've moved!

The new name is We've Got Your Gift. You can find them at 45 East Route 37 in Toms River, between Main Street and Hooper Ave. Stop by and wish them luck - and pick up a few Celtic Chairde goodies while you're there!

Rain, Rain Go Away! We have Festivals this weekend and Want to Play!

Keep your fingers crossed that the rain stays away this weekend - at least during the day. Celtic Chairde Creations has a busy weekend and we want to get out and meet everyone.

Saturday, July 25 is the Christmas in July Craft Show at the Emlen Physick Estate. From 10 to 4 we'll be on these lovely grounds with dozens of other crafters, getting in the holiday spirit!

On Sunday, July 26, we're in Lavallette at the Heritage Committee's Arts and Crafts Show. This is a great festival with over 100 craft vendors. We'll be there from 9:30 to 4:30, and it's always a great time. Get there early! See, for the past few years it's rained on this festival at about 2 - 2:30. We're looking to buck the trend this year, but the forecast isn't being cooperative.

So keep your fingers crossed for good weather and come and visit us at these great Jersey Shore spots.

Season of the Garden Pests! Phooey!

I love my garden. And this time of year, especially with the cooperative rain, it really starts to look lush. The Calendula is full and bright, the fennel is high and fluffy, the roses are still blooming, even as hips start to form on the rugosas, the chamomile is spreading it's cheer... you get the pictures. Many of you gardeners know, just as you look out and smile at the wonder, they appear. The pests - little buggies of all sorts including the evil Japanese Beetle.

Maybe not evil, but destructive for sure. Many of the herbs that get infused into our products come from my yard. I use no pesticides, but when I see these treacherous little herbivores, I'm tempted to head straight for the most lethal thing I can find.

I don't though. Through the years, I've discovered a few tricks that can help eradicated, or at least minimize the damage done by Japanese Beetles and some other garden bugs.


The most success I've had is with almost as simple as soap and water.

You'll need:
a bucket
a gallon sprayer
2 tablespoons of liquid dish detergent
2 tablespoons of neem oil
Optional - 4 tablespoons of neem powder * see optional steps below.

This is a two step process. Fill the bucket about 2/3 of the way with water and fill the sprayer to the line indicated with water. Into each container add 1 tablespoon of the liquid detergent and 1 tablespoon of the neem oil.

When you find any Japanese beetles, pick them off and toss them into the bucket or knock them into the bucket. Although I prefer the "knock them in" method, it can be tricky because the little buggers might fly off. You can also use the sprayer to spray them into the bucket. This helps coat the plants with a light protective coating while knocking the pests into the prepared water.

Don't do this in the heat of the day or it might cause the plants to overheat. It's best to do it early in the day or on an overcast day. I've found that if I do this every couple of days for about two weeks, I protect the plants for the rest of the season. The bad part is that you may hurt some beneficial bugs at the same time. Sadly, I'd rather save my rose plants.

Now, if I can only figure out how to protect my yard from the blasted gopher.

* The option format, to add a little extra punch, is to make a strong tea with the 4 tablespoons of neem powder in about 2 gallons of water. Let the tea steep until completely cooled. Then strain and use the tea in the bucket or sprayer.

Summer at Allaire - Here we come!

It's time once again for the Summer Crafters Market in the Historic Village of Allaire at Allaire State Park. We love going to Allaire. It's such a beautiful venue - a meandering path under the towering trees, surrounded by history and nature. What's not to love!

The event starts at 10 am on Saturday, July 11, and goes until 4 pm. The rain date is the following Saturday, the 18th, should it be needed.

Over 100 crafters will be there presenting a wide array of hand made products. We'll have our wonderful body products, including the sumptuous sugar scrubs, sun burn spray, lotion bars, gardeners salve and more!

We hope we'll see you there! Mention this post - and we'll even give you an extra treat. Happy summer everyone!