Sunkissed Blog Has Moved to My New Website!

My blog has moved!
Please continue to follow along on my sunkissed journey on my new blog here!

sunkissedbotanics.com/blog

Until next time. xoxo

Sunkissed Workshop :: Herbal Facial Steam

I was honored to have been chosen to lead an Herbal Facial Steam workshop at a lovely event in Stockton at Huddle Cowork - hosted by Goodstock Productions! The morning started out with yoga, led by a wonderful teacher, then fresh fruit parfaits and organic juices, a few vendors of natural and healing goods (including my Sunkissed Dream products) and then the workshop! I had a blast sharing and showing all the lovely ladies how easy and rewarding it is to create their own herbal/floral blend for a steam and perform it at home! 

A news team from Good Day Sacramento was there and interviewed me! Here's the video, where I share how to easily perform a facial steam in the comfort of your home ::
Herbal Facial Steam

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Truth :: Plant Medicine

Ever since reading this sentence in The Yoga of Herbs by Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad, I can't get it out of my head! It's so beautiful, full of so much (sometimes forgotten) truth, and also kind of goes hand in hand with my idea of "bottling up sunkissed ingredients" for my natural skin care line- which makes me REALLY happy. 

Amazingly gorgeous herb/flower mandala via The Chestnut School of Herbs

We all know that plants get food & energy from the sun...well that energy is then transferred to us when we "partake" in them- whether it's food, teas, seasonings, oils, face scrubs, lotions, tinctures...the list could go on.
So, plants are really a little love note from the sun, from the stars, from the Creator to us.
A message reminding us of where we've come from, what we should hold onto, and what will keep us healthy and balanced (physically and emotionally). Deep thoughts from me today...=)

Visit my Etsy shop and see what I've been honored to create with the power of plants!

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Yoga :: Mats + Cats

About 6 months ago I made a commitment to try and practice yoga every day. And in the past 6 months, there's only been a few days that I've missed. There's definitely been days where I've only done a short 15 minute practice, but I still got on my mat! I'm pretty proud of myself for staying so consistent- but I have to say it's the yoga that's drawing me back, not necessarily my strong will or determination. 

Now I'm at the point where if I DON'T get my vinyasa or chaturanga or tree pose or forward fold in, my day just doesn't feel quite right.
I have definitely noticed that my mindset is more energized and focused when I start my day with yoga - and I look forward to doing it as soon as I wake up and even when I'm going to bed the night before.
Sometimes I treat myself to a full practice before bed time, intermixing sipping my bedtime tea (more on that in another post!) and doing my stretching and breathing.

Back problems run in my family, and has already crept in on me. One of my goals in building my practice is to restore and strengthen my back so I don't see more problems and pain as I get older (30 is right around the corner for me...ah!).
The biggest thing I've learned (or been reminded of) in these past months that I've really been diving into this beautiful and ancient discipline is to bring what I learn on my mat into my daily life. To stay calm and strong, to keep my head above my heart and to remember to show myself and others love and forgiveness always. 

"A special combination of substances designed to bring about
a specific effect upon the body or mind is [thus] called a yoga."
- The Yoga of Herbs, David Frawley & Vasant Lad

This is an Ayurvedic definition of yoga from an herbal medicine book I'm reading, but I like how it relates to the practice of physical yoga. 

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Since my practice is getting more "serious" I decided to purchase a new yoga mat, my old one wasn't as grippy as I'd like, and I was looking for something a little more eco-friendly.

I found this AMAZING mat by Barefoot Yoga that I am in love with and would recommend to anyone! It is on the thinner side, so if you have bad knees or other sensitive areas, it may not be right for you (or you can just put another thicker mat under it when you're practicing, like I do.) It's called The Original Eco Yoga Mat and it is exlusively sold by Barefoot Yoga Co. The jute and natural fibers are so grippy and feel so "earthy" to practice on. The underside is rubber, so it also grips the floor very well. It is biodegradable and made sustainably- so nothing to feel guilty about at all!

I love this natural color, it reminds me of sand, but they also have some brighter options. 

And my kitty, Tiki, who also enjoys practicing yoga (she just likes to the lay on the mat and get in my way) gives her approval as well.

PS: these super fun pants are from Omgirl and I got them here. Organic cotton, not too thin, and super comfy!

I'd recommend this yoga channel to get started, if you don't already have a favorite or are looking for something new. I hope you can find the same amazing benefits and energy that I have from making this a part of my daily ritual.

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Escapades :: Oregon Roadtrip

My husband and I took a road trip up to the beautiful state of Oregon this past month. We've been planning it for a while now and we're both so stoked to go exploring and adventuring up there.

We packed my Kia Soul full of everything, including his surfboard, and headed out for a week of escapades. 

If you have a chance to visit, I'd highly suggest it. Here's a bunch of photos from the driving, eating, hiking, relaxing and all the little stops along the way.

First stop: Shasta Lake, Mt. Shasta

Yaks on the 5...literally the best burger I've ever had, not to mention their coffee is delicious and they give it to you in a french press!

The home we stayed at the first couple days had visitors on the lawn everyday. Precious deer and wild turkeys! It was fun doing yoga together. 

Outside of the cutest little breakfast place called The Teapot on Wheels, right by the river.

Views from a few of our hikes. These first photos are from Lower Table Rock Trail, the last 30 minutes of the trail you're walking on top of a plateau and you have a 360' view of the mountains and city below. It's unbelievably gorgeous!

Stopped at the tasting room at Del Rio Vineyards. Yuuuummy wine and friendly staff. They do everything on site- it's a great local winery in Gold Hill.

Jacksonville is an old little town with a lot of charm. We got there around 6 on a Sunday night and a lot of the stores were already closed, but we enjoyed walking around and had dinner then coffee and dessert at a great local cafe. 

This day was probably my favorite :: CRATER LAKE. I've been wanting to visit this gorgeous phenomena for some time now, and this bright blue lake is completely everything it's cracked up to be!

View from the top of Garfield Peak, I'd HIGHLY recommend hiking this trail if you're there.

Found the PCT! One day, I'd love to hike at least a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. We saw it from the highway we were on, and pulled over to check it out.

On to Portland...the city of a million cafes and another million local restaurants. Not that that's a bad thing- it just made it harder for us to choose where to eat with all the delicious options and only one day!

Laurelhurst Cafe- get the quinoa salad or the Donald Trump sandwich.

Blue Star Donuts - locally sourced and made from scratch daily. I got the lemon poppyseed- sooooo amazing with a glass of ice cold milk.

On the way back down from Portland we stayed at Lakeshore Inn, right on Lake Oswego. We woke up to gorgeous views of the lake and the amazing houses on it; the hotel was lovely and we found a great deal! I wish we could've stayed there a few more days- there's a heated swimming pool downstairs that is overlooking the lake that I would've loved to swim in!

Had breakfast at Down to Earth Cafe on a rainy morning. (Seeing rain was so great).  It's a small family owned restaurant with organic ingredients and tons of delicious options. Their coffee was great as well. These eggs benedict and potatoes were delicious. With all our heavy meals, I was still trying to keep it balanced (trying is the key word), so I got a smoothie to go with fruits, ginger, greens and seeds. (Pretty sure I gained like 10 lbs on our trip...that's what vacations are for though, right?)

Speaking of packing on the pounds, we also HAD to stop at Tillamook Cheese Factory for some free samples, a tour of the place and a deliciously cheesy grilled cheese sandwich.

So many beautiful little stops on our 15 hour drive back home. It didn't seem like that long (probably because I wasn't driving), and the gorgeous views from the passenger window were keeping me pretty occupied. 

Yes, that's a huge Elk standing on the side of the highway. I thought it was fake at first, then it barely moved its head and my husband and I both yelled "it's real!" So glorious and strong.

Our humble ride. My husband drove the whole time (I swear I offered), such a loving guy- he said he wanted me to be able to enjoy the sights.
I can't wait to travel up there again, maybe next time we'll take a tent or trailer and camp instead, there's campsites about every 10 miles it seemed like! Thank you Oregon, US Interstate 5 and US Route 101 for the beautiful memories.

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Infusions :: Herbal Teas for Health, Happiness & Energy

Herbal teas, or infusions, have wonderful healing powers. I've found a new love for tea since I started my journey to a more self-sustainable and natural lifestyle.
Drinking an infusion of specially selected herbs can be a great remedy for anything from a headache to a cold to menstrual cramps. You can drink them to promote general health and ward off colds and other sickness. Or you can simply make and drink them for their delightful and lovely look and taste. 

Here's 4 different infusions that I made recently for an Open House I hosted for my natural skin care business. Some were more popular than others (as far as taste).
I invite you to try these, or versions of these! I also invite you to research these herbs. I'd look into Mountain Rose Herbs, a well respected company that has in depth information and sells of all of these and A LOT more.
If you are pregnant, breast feeding or have a serious health issue,
be sure to contact your doctor before using any herbs. 

• ROSE (Rosa spp.) + HIBISCUS (Hibiscus sabdariffa) + LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis) - This was a favorite!
  Lifts the spirit and promotes good health and positive energy
• YARROW (Achillea millefoleum) + RASPBERRY LEAF (Rubus idaeus) + GREEN TEA
   Energizes and boosts immunity
• NETTLE LEAF (Urtica dioica) + CALENDULA (Calendula officinalis) + PEPPERMINT (Mentha spp.)
  Helps relieve hay fever, congestion & colds
• LAVENDER (Lavendula spp.) + LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis) + CHAMOMILE (Matriaca chamomilla) + BASIL (Ocimum basilicum)
  Helps relieve headaches and stress

For the above infusions, I prepared them like this:

•  one part each herb (totally about 6-8 tbsp dried herbs, 8-10 for fresh herbs)
• put herbs into a quart size (or larger) glass jar with a tight fitting lid
• fill the jar with boiling water (should completely cover the herbs)
• let sit for 20-30 minutes (the longer they sit, the stronger they will be, and their taste can change dramatically)
• strain herbs into a clean glass container, with a muslin cloth (best so you can squeeze out extra infusion) or a fine mesh strainer
• finally, enjoy a cup hot or iced- with honey, lemon, milk, agave, or all of these!
• You can pour the remaining infusion into a clean container and put in the refrigerator where it will keep for a couple of days

Another way to create a lovely and medicinal tea is to simply use a teapot with a filter in it, fill a reusable tea bag with your chosen herbs, or place the herbs right into the teapot if you like the way the beautiful herbs & flowers look floating around!
I usually use my glass teapot that I got on this page - or this one. 

Fill it with about an ounce of dried herbs (2 oz for fresh) and 12-16 oz water, bring to a gentle boil, let sit for 20 minutes, strain into your teacup, then enjoy!

If you don't have these herbs handy or can't get them at a store near you (check your local health food store), I'd suggest purchasing them here or here.

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HAPPY INFUSING!
Until next time, keep dreaming. xo

Sunkissed Quotes :: John Muir

Beautiful words from John Muir on this Thursday afternoon.
If you ever want to read beautiful things about our beautiful, natural world, get one of his books or look up his quotes on google.
Photo is from my spot on the beach yesterday- my husband and I snuck away for the morning to Santa Cruz. I did yoga on the beach for the first time - it was amazing and I wish I could do yoga on the beach EVERYDAY! 

Have a beautiful and fun Labor Day Weekend, dreamers!
Until next time, xoxo