Hand-crafted natural-based self-care products for your Body, Home & Loved ones

IN BLOOM

We are in the peak of spring & what a beauty it is! I love seeing the flowers in bloom, the trees blossom & the dormant plants coming back to life. However, I haven't had much luck with my seedlings this year. I try to grow my own plants from seed because I have this terrible addiction to buying seeds online.

My seeds germinated enthusiastically, but then they damped out. I had a conversation with Lisa at Wayward Nursery on Whitikahu Road in Gordonton & she mentioned that the seed mix I am using might be too strong. If you are facing the same issue, consider mixing some potting mix with your seed mix medium. This may resolve the issue.

I must say, Lisa's plants are super affordable & robust. She truly has a green thumb! If you're local to Hamilton, make an effort to visit her; she is open most weekends.

Be sure to check out her Facebook page.

This weekend is Labour weekend, Millie & I will be heading to Whangamata for our first Big Little Markets in Williamsom Park on Sunday - I'll have some new products with me. If you're up that way head on down to the market.

I hate to say it, but it's that time of year when realise that Christmas is near, it really sneaks up quickly, doesn’t it? I swear it gets faster every year! Balsamic Moon has an offering for all of you with small businesses who want to show appreciation to your employees, suppliers, or clients this holiday season. Balsamic Moon can provide custom gift packs that would make lovely tokens to help show you're appreciation. Please get in touch & I can send you more information to consider. 

INTRODUCING BALSAMIC MOONS'

GARDENERS' HELPER KIT

This kit is for the green-thumbed & outdoor working folk. It has your hardworking hands in mind & makes clean-up a bit easier when you are done.

This Kit offers...

Ugly Soap - makes a great nail brush that is geared up with dirt-fighting essential oils.

Kawakawa & Manuka Salve - to keep all those gardening war wounds clean - it also makes a great hand moisturiser to stop your hands from drying out.

Amish Black Drawing Salve - sometimes gardening war wounds leaves thorns & so on in your skin. It's best to apply this before bed - covering it with a bandage. This should help draw out debris from the skin.

Marigold Seeds - harvested from my garden in Morrinsville. A great companion plant for the vege patch.

All packaged in a floral print drawstring bag - upcycled from an old duvet cover. This is the Balsamic Moon way.

UGLY SOAP

Ugly Soap has come about from my last two years of failed crops of growing Luffa Sponge. This vine enjoys a hot summer - but the last two summers my vines have been taken out by tropical storms! All I have is small ugly pieces of Luffa, so I decided there's hope for them yet.

Think of this Ugly piece of soap as a pre-soaped scrubber. This soap-soaked luffa sponge enriched with germ-fighting essential oils would make the perfect nail scrub brush. Intended for cleaning hands. Great for the laundry sink, Kitchen or Bathroom. 

This little ugly beast comes wrapped in a mini beeswax wrap  - it's all about minimum waste here folks.

LUSH BODY BUTTER

I have found that being outside exposed to more sun is drying out my skin, so I've started using Lush Body Butter after showering. It's super nourishing & keeps my skin moisturised for the whole day! It's also not as heavy as the Kokum Body Butter I normally use in Winter.

Balsamic Moons' Lush Body Butter is Shea Butter based & infused with Magnesium. A small dose of Magnesium is said to improve the appearance of skin. This body butter also uses Sandalwood & Geranium essential oils, which promotes elasticity of the skin & has anti-inflammatory properties for minor skin irritations. Better yet, Balsamic Moons' Butters' do not use synthetic-based alcohols - it uses a cabbage-based thickener instead!

DIWALI

Diwali lands on the same night as Halloween this year. Because I am Indian I like to honour a quiet tradition that my Mum does. When it's dark we light Diya at the front door, Diya are Oil Lamps made from clay, you can get these at your local Indian Foods shops.

To use a Diya you pour oil into the clay vessel & make a wick by rolling out a cotton ball (they sell wicks at the Indian shops these days too). We light Diya to remember those who have passed & to acknowledge the essence of Diwali,

which is the triumph of good over evil.

These days Diwali is a massive celebration, but back in the 80s & early 90s when I was young, the Indian population was small & where my Mother grew up was isolated.

So these small gestures are what I cherish & will continue with my little one.

MOON PHASE

Waning Gibbous coming into the Last Quarter

23rd October 2024

A Waning Gibbous Moon phase is a time to look inward & re-evaluate your goals. It’s a time to give thanks for what you have already achieved during this lunar cycle. This is the time to release negativity & old habits that bind you. Let go of all that no longer serves you.

This is a good time to rest & spend time with cherished ones, support those in need, be creative & practise mindfulness.

LUNAR GARDENING

The Waning Moon phase is a good time to plant all below-ground bearing vegetables until the New Moon - this time is also called the Dark of the Moon as the moon gets darker. So, I guess it makes sense to plant those underground vegetables. These include: Potatoes, Carrots, Radishes, Turnips, Beets, Onions, Florance Fennel & Parsnips.

During the Last Quarter there is both decreased light & decreased gravitational pull. Avoid seed sowing until the New Moon. It’s a good time to prune, transplant & harvest.

THIS SUNDAY

THE BIG LITTLE MARKETS

WILLIMSON PARK, WHANGAMATA

9 AM - 2 PM

BALSAMIC MOON IS NOW ACCEPTING

AFTERPAY FOR ONLINE ORDERS

Balsamic Moon aims to offer practical & preventive remedies for

mild bodily ailments by utilizing the healing properties of

botanicals & essential oils.

Balsamic Moon creates all of its products by hand in small batches

using natural-based ingredients

- staying away from synthetic chemical-based ingredients.