ROSETTE EXFOLIATING GLOVE

Since my Wise Woman Exfoliating Glove has become a popular item lately, I decided to knit another glove with a fancier pattern. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be a pretty item (and useful too!).

I knit this Rosette Exfoliating Glove upon request (just like I do for the Wise Woman Glove) with the fiber of your choice: Himalayan wild nettle or Himalayan hemp (see details & health benefits under the listing).

Why Grains May Not Be Necessary for a Nourishing Diet

I agree with this post, grains are fillers.
I have noticed many times that I get hungry 1-2 hours after eating grains and have woken up in the middle of the night to have a snack because grains not only trigger hunger but hypoglycemia as well.
That's why I stay away from grains. I have no more than 1 serving a day and it's usually for breakfast.
I've also noticed that grains make me gain weight & body fat and they tend irritate my liver (since carbs convert to sugar).
I believe that grains are responsible (as well as gluten and oxalates) for the demineralization of my teeth, I have eaten so many whole grains/carbs throughout my life that weren't properly prepared.
Anyway, I surely feel much better without them...

http://www.nourishingdays.com/?p=2093

Spice Road EcoBeads

Here they are, as promised!

My Ecobeads are all handmade, one by one, which gives them that rustic look. They have a wonderful natural spicy scent which comes from the ingredients I use in their making (I never add fragrance oils, perfumes oils or essential oils).

My Ecobeads always contain several of the following ingredients (which may vary according to "recipe"):

-Organic/ethically wildcrafted/pesticide free herbs, spices, leaves, stems, roots, barks, flowers and/or seeds

-Organic flour, gums and/or resins (used as binder)

-Floral waters/hydrosols (food or cosmetic grade), organic tea/herbal infusions, wine and/or spring water

-Homemade scented/herbal tinctures.

My Ecobeads are all natural, hypo-allergenic, eco-friendly and biodegradable ;).

Gluten Sensitivity

Just because you don’t have celiac disease, doesn’t mean you are free of problems with gluten

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/20983/

Petite Jupe Féerique / Little Flower Fairy Skirt

Today I was in the mood for sewing, which I haven't done for some time now. I have lots of fabrics waiting to be taken care of, some of them dating back to collections I designed a few years ago.

Anyway, I decided to pick that fairy-like printed cotton fabric that a bought a few months ago at my local fabric shop. I only got 1 yard since I didn't have a project in mind when I purchased it...It's incredible what you can do with only 1 yard!

I decided to sew a simple knee high skirt. I've always been told when I was still a student at the fashion school that you need to choose simple shapes for fancy/printed fabrics but you can make fancier shapes with more plain fabrics...So I followed the advice.

And here's my skirt:
And a zoom on the fabric:The light wasn't good enough to capture the colors/details properly and the picture doesn't do my pretty little skirt justice, so I'll describe the print the best I can. It's a floral/leafy pattern printed in an ink/watercolor-like manner in Fall colors (shades of purple, olive green, rust, brown...) and the background of the fabric has an almond green color.

Alchemille's August Newsletter

Dear Friends,

I hope this newsletter finds you well and that you had a wonderful summertime.

Here the Lady of the Fall is already making her presence known and has inspired me to start listing autumnal goodies ;).

This month, Madame Alchemille recommends:

~Thé du Matin~

This blend is one of my favorites and my husband really likes it too ;).
Thé du Matin (Morning Tea in french) is a 100% organic blend of green tea, rosemary, orange peel, rosehips, cinnamon and cloves.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=36753&section_id=5096792

~Dryad Cream (NEW)~

This cream is inspired by the Dryads, which are tree nymphs/female tree spirits in the Greek Mythology.
It's handmade with:
-Organic sweet almond oil
-Plum kernel oil
-Wildcrafted mango butter
-Unrefined beeswax
-Organic aloe vera gel
-Vitamin E (a natural antioxidant & preservative)
This non-greasy cream can be used both on face & body and has a wonderful natural almondy scent with vanilla & caramel undertones.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=36753&section_id=5101995

~Vitamin C Tea (NEW)~

Vitamin C tea is a delicious blend of herbs naturally rich in vitamin C (as well as minerals).
Vitamin C is known to be a powerful antioxidant, to strengthen the immune system and the body's ability to ward off infections, to improve circulation and the absorption of iron.

My Vitamin C tea is a 100% organic blend of hibiscus, rosehips, dandelion leaves and strawberry leaves.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=36753&section_id=5054725

~Four Season Skin Elixir~

My Four Season Skin Elixir is a silky and moisturizing oil that leaves the skin smooth but not greasy.
This oil can be used from head to toe as: facial oil, body oil, (pre)conditioning hair oil, treatment for dry hands and/or feet...Even as massage oil.
Four Season Skin Elixir is a blend of organic sunflower oil, plum kernel oil, organic sweet almond oil, shea nut oil and vitamin E.
I recommend this oil for normal to dry and mature skin types.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=36753&section_id=5101995

For more details, see individual listings.

>>>COMING SOON<<<

I expect to be listing my Spice Road Ecobeads in a few days from now.

They are handmade with a rustic look and made of herbs, resins & spices...

And other wonderful handmade, healing and always natural goodies ;)!

You probably noticed that my unusual silence lately for many reasons...One of which being that my computer broke and I had to get a new one! But you know me and the mad artist that I am always has new ideas and projects.

Lately, after watching an outdoor play, I have come to realize that I miss art (or should I say arts)!

I was born an artist, my world filled with princesses, fairies and other imaginary creatures that I used to draw or play with in my adventures... and art is what I studied as a teenager in France.

It is important to me to cultivate my inner world and keep my imagination alive.

This will result in creations that I will be able to share with you ;).

I will need to start drawing, painting, writing, sewing, knitting, doing calligraphy...etc again and might be a little rusty at first but I'm sure it'll come back to me...You never forget what you've learned!

Expect to see art dolls made of fabrics, illustrations, cards, poetry or shorts stories (in french and/or english) in a near future.

I want Alchemille's Garden to be a place where everybody feels good, at ease, whole and happy...And no matter how serious we may be, we're all children at heart!

Brightest Blessings,

Alchemille

Vitamin C Tea

Vitamin C tea is a delicious blend of herbs naturally rich in vitamin C (as well as minerals).

Vitamin C is known to be a powerful antioxidant, to strengthen the immune system and the body's ability to ward off infections, to improve circulation and the absorption of iron.

My Vitamin C tea is a 100% organic blend of hibiscus, rosehips, dandelion leaves and strawberry leaves.

Baby loaf pans

If like myself, you follow Elana's Pantry and bake her nut flour based breads, you know that a special baking pan may be required since Elana's loaves are about half the size of a regular loaf of bread.

I chose to stay away from aluminium and non-stick/Teflon pans for health reasons:

• Aluminium is linked to Alzheimer's Disease and Breast Cancer (aluminium is an ingredient commonly found in commercial deodorants)
• If you cook with non-stick/Teflon cookware, you can be sure that Teflon particles will be found in your bloodstream and...they don't go away! (From personal experience, non-stick pans don't clean better/more easily than cast iron pans...It's an urban legend).

So when it comes to baking, I prefer using glass, clay and ceramic pans.

Here are some items you might consider for your baking needs:

• Luminarc has a 6.5"x4" baby loaf pan with lid (an item not available everywhere)
• "Bake N Store" from Anchor Hocking (I've been using this pan for a while and am very satisfied about it. I usually add 5-10 extra minutes to the recommended baking time.)
• Emerson Creek Pottery offers small ceramic loaf pans that are non-toxic & lead free
• Ebay also has some good deals for new or used pans. I searched for "mini loaf pan" and found quite a few from 3" to 6" long pans. Prices vary and you can bid on some items.

Happy baking ;).

Recommended Cookbooks

A long due post, but like we say in french "better late than never!" (Mieux vaut tard que jamais).
The following is a list of my favorite gluten-free, grain-free, paleo-friendly, SCD/GAPS cookbooks. Some of them also contain dairy-free, egg-free and/or sugar free recipes as well.
Note that there are lots of gluten free cookbooks out there, not all of them are good or healthy.
I consider that replacing gluten grains/flours with starches and gums is like switching from one evil to another. Starches and gums are no good and certainly won't help you heal your gut/body.
When cooking gluten free, the best approach is to be open minded and to think outside the box.
If you're thinking about recreating your favorite donut recipe, then yes you'll need lots of gums & starches to obtain a similar yet passable result since it will feel and taste more like a sponge than a donut!
I hope this list will help you find your way through a new, healthy & healing way of cooking. Remember that recipes can always be adapted to suit your needs, even if they might require a little fine tuning.

Here are some of my favorites:

• "Gluten-free gourmet desserts and baked goods" by Valérie Cupillard (translated from the french)
• "Cooking with coconut flour" by Bruce Fife
• "Breaking the vicious cycle"by Elaine Gottschall
• "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride
• "Grain-free gourmet" by Jodi Lager & Jenny Lass
• "Everyday grain-free gourmet" by Jodi Lager & Jenny Lass
• "Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet" by Raman Prasad
• "Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis, Crohn's and IBS" by Sandra Ramacher
• "Eat well, feel well" by Kendall Conrad
• "The gluten-free almond flour cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam
• "The Spunky Coconut Cookbook" ~gluten free, casein free, sugar free~ by Kelly Brozyna
• "The IBS low-starch diet" by Carol Sinclair
• "Recipes for IBS" by Ashley Koff
• "Cooking to heal little tummies" by Jenna Roberts & Natalie Hagood
• "Lucy's Specific Carbohydrate Diet Cookbook" by Lucy Rosset
• "SCD with taste & tradition" by Rochel Weiss
• "Pesach - Anything's Possible!" ~Over 350 non-gebrochts, gluten-free & wheat-free recipes" by Tamar Ansh
• "The Bee Well Cookbook" ~Nourishing foods for sensitive people~ by Katie Whitmarsh
• "The wheat-free cook" ~Gluten-free recipes for everyone~ by Jacqueline Mallorca
• "Mother Necessity gluten free/casein free recipes) by Cristin Fergus
• "Gluten-free cookery" by Peter Thomson
• "The art of baking with rice flour" by Muriel L. Richter & Debe Nagy-Nero

French books:

• "Sans gluten naturellement" de Valérie Cupillard
• "Sans lait et sans oeufs" de Valérie Cupillard
• "Desserts et pains sans gluten" de Valérie Cupillard
• "Recettes gourmandes pour personnes sensibles" d' Eva Claire Pasquier
• "Recettes gourmandes pour une vie meilleure" ~sans lait, sans gluten, sans oeufs~ d'Eva Claire Pasquier
• "L'Atelier Bio" (contain some gluten free recipes, other recipes can be adapted)

Other interesting & inspirational books (not all gluten free but recipes can be adapted):

• "The Self Healing Cookbook" by Kristine Turner
• "Allergy Alert Cookbook" by Rosita Blanka Filipek
• "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon
• "Full Moon Feast" by Jessica Prentice
• "The Feel Good Food Guide" by Deborah Page Johnson
• "Laurel's Kitchen Caring" ~Recipes for everyday home caregiving~ by Laurel Robertson
• "Fabulous & Flourless" ~150 wheatless and dairy-free desserts~ by Mary Wachtel Mauksch
• "Vegetable desserts" ~Beyond carrot cake and pumpkin pie~ by Elisabeth Schafer & Jeannette L. Miller
• "Desserts with a difference" ~Carrot cake, fennel tart and other surprising & delicious vegetable desserts~ by Sally & Martin Stone
• "Cucina Ebraica" by Joyce Goldstein
• "Coconut Cuisine" by Jan London
• "The Birket Mills Buckwheat Cookbook"
• "Real food - what to eat and why" by Nina Planck
• "Primal Body - Primal Mind" by Nora T. Gedgaudas
• "Trick and Treat" ~How 'healthy eating' is making us ill~ by Bary Groves
• "Eat fat, lose fat" by Mary Enig & Sally Fallon
• "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Weston A. Price
• "Nightshade free, pain free!" by Michael Fowler
• "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Katz
• "Delia Smith's Frugal Food"
• "The nutrient-dense eating plan" by Douglas L. Margel
• "Ani's Raw Food Desserts" by Ani Phyo
• "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" by Ani Phyo
• "Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook" by Steve Meyerowitz
• "L'Alimentation ou la 3e Medecine" du Dr Jean Seignalet
• "La Cuisine des Petits Chemins" d'Annie Pavlowitch
• "Petit Précis de Cuisine Elfique" de Laurence & Yannig Germain
  

There are 2-3 other books that I might consider adding to this list. I'll update it later...

Hope this helps ;).