Drying Herbs for Health and Well-being

Las year I posted about my experiences drying and using herbs and flowers for health and well-being, have a look here.
This year I'm drying herbs again, using the Transition Sherwood Community Food Garden shed and herbs.

Some of the herbs are foraged, some are from my back garden, some- from my Transition plot, some- from the Shared Herb plot.
 So far this year I have stored (in glass jars of course): elderflower, thyme, Greek oregano, marjoram and lavender. I'm going to share the herbs and my knowledge how to use them with the garden group and during a community event in the autumn.

Part of one of the Transition Circles, The Shared Herb Plot is on the right

Reflection on Workshop: Inspired by Sustainability

Check out the post on the Transition Sherwood website  about the activities at Sherwood Community Centre and the Transition Garden during the first day of Sherwood Art Week including my workshop Inspired by Sustainability

The kids wandered in the garden and then drew on the donated CD's (full with data not needed any more) and transformed them into beautiful decorations to take home. You could really see where did they get their inspiration from. The flowering chives, daisies, sage  were very popular.
Not just the CD's, the ribbons and elastic are reclaimed as well.
At the end we created signs for some of the shared areas re-using more CD's : compost and herb plot. Will do some more with the garden members and volunteers soon.

My Art in Shop for Sherwood Art Week 2013

Here are some photo's from my Art display at Ania Polish Restaurant, 558 Mansfield Road. I'm taking them down at the end of the week.
In my work I'm exploring several topics:  environment, health and wellbeing, community and creativity and how they connect with each other. 
Thank you Ania and staff for being so friendly and hospitable.

Memories of walks. Looking out

Memories of walks. Looking in

So many reflections from the layers of glass...
Also the view changes depending on the time and the weather.
I have used found bottles, painted them and hanged them from the frame with crochetted chains. Reclaimed wooden frame and beads. The dry wild flowers are gathered on my strolls in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
More nature memories inside the restaurant.
The first bottle was inspired by a summer walk through the wheat fields at Welbeck Estate, Nottinghamshire.
 The second bottle is just play with colours and patterns.
The tea light holders remind me of so many local foraging walks, making and drinking delicious cordials and elderflower champane.



http://www.crafty-glass.co.uk/

   

Bottles: A Walk at Welbeck Estate; Colours and Patterns

Elderflowers, Berries and Seeds