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In this day and age there are so many crafts to choose from, we love canvas art, or you only need to look at a few abstract paintings to realise this. Yet, herbs too, are ever increasingly sold in our supermarkets, garden centres etc.

I for myself love the unique aromas that newly picked, scented flowers along with herbs provide. It is too quite possible that if you have a garden, you may already have some of the items that I am going to be writing about.

Consequently, you will soon be aware that these can be used for all sorts of things, including health issues! To begin with let’s run through a few ideas! As an example, my grandmother made little bags which contained herbs used for putting in her wardrobe, actually on her wardrobe door. The reason being, she thought that this would keep away the moths.

So, how did she make these up? As soon as she had finished a small bag, she would stuff it including lavender, sage, thyme, mint, caraway seeds with one or two cloves. Subsequently she would use up a bit of fine ribbon, tape or twine, to consequently wrap it encircling the neck of the bag once, then go round once more and knot it. Then, with the two strings, she would make a loop to hang it by.

This really is the same idea as using lavender bags between your sheets and pillowcases in your storage cupboards, or in drawers, to keep them sweet-smelling.

Herbs are often used on the verge of a cold, when it is beneficial if you have a bag under your pillow. Ideal for this scenario would be a bag filled with camomile, mint, dry lemon peel and some eucalyptus leaves. Obviously you can change the bags with assorted contents. As for my preference, I somewhat like a mix of lavender, rosemary and a little of the dry lemon peel.

However, if you would prefer a more spicy aroma, you would need to contain some cinnamon, caraway along with coriander to your bag. A rather lovely idea perhaps, is to put herbs actually in your pillows or scatter cushions, so that you can recognize the value of their fragrances when you are exhausted. They can give you a boost, or, alternatively they might send you to sleep!

Which herbs and flowers are good for drying? My answer to this would have to be mint, oregano, eucalyptus, thyme, lavender, bay leaves and rosemary. I would include some leaves too to add a bit more bulk, or at times maybe scented geraniums.

What with reference to drying the herbs, what is the best method to go about it? Actually, you require a rack of some type to do this. An oven rack would carry out the job quite well. You could, I believe, put a small piece of hessian over the framework. Now just place the flowers, leaves, stalks etc. all on the frame. Otherwise I have seen people bind herbs in bunches like lavender and suspend them wrong way up. I have seen my grandmother perform this many a time!

When you have completed this, you need to have them anywhere where the air can reach them. Not just that, you need to be able to turn them over every couple of days. When they are, in point of fact, dry, you can store them in a basket until you intend to make use of them.

If and when you put together bags for the herbs, stitch the bag so that you leave one part open to pack it. Put in your herbs, so therefore you can stitch this section up, or else what you can do, is to collect it up in your hand and include a pretty coloured trimming to it with a bow.

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