Wednesday, September 25, 2013

"Ways of Her Household" ~ A Modern Day Herbal ~ Free Printable


"The kitchen is a country in which there are always discoveries to be made.”
~ La Reyniére

If the concept of creating your own "herbal" excites you as much as it does me, then I would love to share our printable with you! There are so many ways that one can organize an herbal.  I have included many "subject tabs". You can print out what you think would apply to your household. This is basically a "shell" as you would be responsible for filling it with recipes/instructions that pertain to your home. We will be sharing some printable recipe packets for each topic in the future. We will also be doing a one-month link up series to help you fill your herbal (details are shared below).

For more information on "What is an Herbal?", visit here.


List of recommended supplies:
  • Optional: Sheet Protectors (I put my recipes in these so they can be wiped off when dirty.)
  • Our Free Printable which includes a cover page insert (shown in first photo), spine label insert (shown above), subject pages which you may want to tab (as shown below) and a back cover page insert (shown in last photo).

Suggested Use:

Print off your herbal (located at the bottom of this post), place the subject pages inside plastic page protectors (optional), tab the subject pages for easier access (adhesive tabs are nice for this), place all your recipes inside plastic page protectors and insert them behind the appropriate subject tab. Place all content inside a sturdy binder (I found mine at Goodwill for $1.00). 

Here are some ideas of what to include in your herbal per "subject tab":


Recipes for soap-making, lotions, lip balms, bath salts, body scrubsnatural bug sprays, creams, bath oils, body washes, shampoos, etc… 


Recipes for canning, drying, freezing and fermenting foods… This might be a good place to store instructions on how to make cultured dairy products, kombucha, kvass...


How to make potpourri, room sprays, candles, herbal wreaths, how to dry herbs, herbal sachets, pressed flower decorations, etc...


Recipes for all purpose cleaner, window cleaners, cleansersfurniture polish, carpet deodorizer, etc… 

Note: You will find our convenient printable recipe packet for household cleaners here.


Recipes for clothes detergent, alternative bleach recipes, fabric softeners, natural stain removers, linen sprays, etc…

Options: Print out a Stain Removal ChartTen Tips for a Perfect WashMartha Stewart's Stain Basics Chart or our Wash Day Prayer and add them behind your "Laundry Room" section. 


"Healing by herbs has always been popular both with the classic nations of old, and with the British islanders of more recent times. Two hundred and sixty years before the date of Hippocrates (460 B.C.) the prophet Isaiah bade King Hezekiah, when sick unto death, "take a lump of Figs, and lay it on the boil; and straightway the King recovered." 
~ Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by William T. Fernie, M.D. (1897)
Information for making your own cough syrupscough medicinecold fighting medicine, ointments, tinctures, poultices, chest rubs, first aid sprays, fever inducers, herbal tea remedies, etc…

Options: Frugally Sustainable offers a free "Herbal First Aid Kit" printable that I included in my herbal.


Do you want to be authentic?

An herbal of old would include sketched pictures of medicinal plants. It would detail its many uses along with its characteristics such as aroma, texture or habitat so that you can easily identify them.

Option: You may want to consider using this section to inspire you to document your backyard plants and give you incentive to study what useful herbs and flowers you have in your area. To make it easier, you can print out the proper botanical pictures (instead of sketching), paste your photos onto paper and handwrite your findings. This would help you to conveniently identify your herbs for future use, for future need. An index of knowledge pertaining to your local plants would be very wise to have! You may want to make this into a home education project (this is our plan).


This might seem like a duplicate page because of the "Food Preservation" section. However, I thought that this would make a nice area to include other useful information such as homemade mix recipes (pancake, muffins, cake mixes, cornbread, etc…), making your own extracts (such as vanilla or lemon), making your own apple cider scrap vinegar, creating your own condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard), custom tea blends, how to render tallow from beef, etc…

Options: Include our "Essential Pantry List" printable in this section. I have also added a chart inside ours on "Soaking Grains".


And alas, the final section which will include those odd items that don't really belong anywhere else… 

For frugal medicinal, bath/body, pantry, housecleaning recipes, etc., visit here.

I have also included a subject tab on "Aromatherapy" due to my recent rebirth in essential oils but wasn't able to include it in the pictures because of the last minute addition.  This section can showcase the medicinal properties of each essential oil or anything else of that nature.

Matching Label to Further Customize Your Herbal

We also included a blank page which you can fill in to fit any additional needs you may have. Perhaps you would like to add a "Dairy" section because you own a cow and would like to document cheese making, kefir, yogurt recipes, etc… Or some of you may want to create a "Farm Animal" section where you place tips on how to care for certain animals, etc… We are sharing the blank label above to further customize your herbal.


Finally, the back cover insert page is designed to give you more inspiration while adding some decoration to your herbal.

Do you feel the vision? Are you ready to make your own herbal? Do you want to link yourself back to the chain of resourceful women who acquired invaluable knowledge (such as how to survive without a Walmart)?!... I thought so!

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersThe Homesteader HopWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou Friday, and Shabbilicious Friday. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

45 comments:

  1. Hello Jes, You have gone to so much trouble with this. Thank you so very much. I have just started a binder for all the information I am gathering and your printables will make it look so nice with everything in its own labelled section. I must tell you that this is my favourite blog. I am learning so much. I'll be watching out for the link-up series. Thank you again.
    Blessings Gail.

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    1. Thank you for your 1 Thessalonians 5:11 encouragement!

      "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing…"

      And have fun preparing your herbal :)

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  2. Dear, wonderful JES, I love this herbal! I usually keep my things in a journal, but it can be difficult at times trying to find what I'm looking for - this is a perfect remedy for keeping it organized. Thank you for being a sweet inspiration.

    Have a beautiful day! Hugs and blessings.

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  3. I have been wanting to write one of these herbals for years. Maybe the link up parties is just what I need to motivate me to start. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Great, then I hope you join in the link up!

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  4. These are so beautiful! Thank you so much for all of your hard work that you are willing to share! Though I do not blog, I am super excited for the link ups coming!
    Rebecca

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    1. Thank you Rebecca! You are welcome to join in the link ups via the comment section if you have anything to share :)

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  5. JES, You are answer to prayer.Thank you for all your hard work and inspiration. I never learn the art of homemaking from mother, so it has been a long journey.You have really been a blessing. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you for blessing me with this kind comment today!!!

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  6. I love your site, and am very intrigued by this idea! I haven't heard of an herbal before. Would it be ok to share your site on my blog?

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    1. Absolutely :) And please join us as we continue this series!

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  7. What a joy this blog post is! I am so intrigued by your printables. Your blog is so lovely. I am so glad that I found this post on Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways!

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    1. Nice to "meet" you :) There is a listing of printables on the top headline tabs of this blog… Happy organizing!

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  8. Thank you for sharing - I can't wait to put one together with my oldest DD. Are you on FB? We shared this with our FB readers at homesteadlady.com. Would love to follow you, if you're there.

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    1. So glad you are going to join in :) I hope you submit some of your recipes to our link up as well. Thank you for sharing with your readers as we are not on Facebook. You can follow this blog via email by subscribing on the side-bar in order to stay tuned on the link up dates :) Thanks for your interest in this project, Tessa!

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  9. Wow. This is a wonderful source of information! Thanks so much! Linda at Crafts a la mode

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  10. I am soooo excited for this herbal! I just downloaded it and I can't wait to color it and put it in a binder. It's like a processes and procedures document for the homestead. I love it...and I love your site too!

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    1. Oh, thank you! I am glad you can use it, that makes me happy :) I love your idea of coloring it too, that sounds fun!

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  11. Coming to this site is like that moment of quiet at the end of the day that truly only a homemaker can understand.....Ahhhhhhh.....Thank you so much for this absolutely beautiful site and for all the goodness you bring into my life. I feel terrible telling you to keep up the good WORK....but please do....we need YOU! God bless you and your family.

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    1. Thank you for leaving words of encouragement. It is very much appreciated! Especially this week :)

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  12. I love your blog! It is organized, beautiful and such a blessing! Thank you for all the time you have put into this blog! I have been stumbling with my herbal collection in terms of organization as well as a myriad of other things. I look forward to utilizing your resources here to help organize and bless my home! Thank you again!

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    1. Thank you Michelle for your sweet encouragement! It excites me that there are others out there who have the same interests in the art of homemaking ;)

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  13. Good afternoon!

    I love your blog so much! :) Do you find this a good idea to print these pages and keep a binder of homemaking tips, even though I am far from becoming a wive or mother (14 years old!) and keep it in my hopechest for future use, Lord willing? I could also use it now to help my parents' house run more efficiently!

    Thank you, Jesus bless you!
    -Noémie

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    1. Absolutely! My daughter is a bit younger and she has been preparing an Herbal along with the recipe book printable that we shared on this blog too. I think it is a great idea! You will be that much ahead and such a blessing to your family now too :) Nice to meet you Noemie!

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  14. OH JES! Thank you SO much for linking this in your comment on my blog--I love it! Wow. I will definitely be using many of your ideas and printables, they are fabulous!

    Thanks again!
    ~Kristi@The Mind to Homestead

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  15. I just found your blog via Facebook, and really like what I see here and the freebies that you offer here are wonderful.
    I too am a wife and the one and only for almost 43 years a few more than you. I don't have children but we do live on a 21 acre farm and I am a SAHW, always have been.
    Hubby is retired and we are enjoying our life together and just watching the wild life in and around our home.
    I love what you are doing here, this is by far the best blog I have read.
    Good information and lots of stuff to learn and enjoy, while learning.
    Thanks for having me here, and I will come back often to read your blog.

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    1. Thanks for sharing here today! I am happy to hear from someone who has been with her husband 43 years. That is wonderful! Sounds like you both are on a second honeymoon right now! A 21 acre farm and with my hubby sounds like a heavenly retirement :) Please come back and visit anytime. I would love to hear from you!

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  16. I feel like I just found a treasure chest!! How I missed knowing about an "herbal" before, I just don't know. Thank you for sharing your love of them with us! I will be able to incorporate this into several projects I'm working on. Thank you!

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    1. This would be right up your alley with your love of herbs! :) I am glad you found it!!!

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  17. So glad to find this blog post....I was just thinking the other day that I needed to organize all my herbal/essential oil/crystal information! The task felt so daunting until I found this information..thanks for sharing.

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    1. So glad it will be a help to you Alice! Thank you for taking the time to share here :)

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  18. Thanks. I downloaded it and can't wait to start it.

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  19. Bless you and Thank you for these printables. I am enjoying getting my home in order.
    Kim

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    1. So glad this is useful and helpful to you! Happy homemaking :)

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  20. Dearest Jes, I am so glad you shared this wonderful post with Roses of Inspiration :) Have a lovely afternoon! Hugs!

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  21. Thank you for the time and effort that you put into this for all of our They are so lovely and delicate and we'll just make a beautifubeautifulk. I can't wait to print it up and get started. In time I would like to make a duplicate notebook for each of my granddaughters

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    1. It is a fun project! I hope you enjoy it! :) And I think it would be a great gift to pass down to the next generation!

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  22. I just found your page today! We are learning to can, be self sufficient, more independent, learning herbal uses, how to make tinctures, and how and where to be more frugal. I love your site and I have learned so much. Thank you for sharing so much, supplying the free printable, and your knowledge. Have a blessed day

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    1. Glad you found us! Sounds like we have a lot in common and will get along grandly! :)

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  23. So many things are the same with me as with you. Thoughts, family, spiritual, and the desire to use the old traditions for my family. Thank you for putting all this into a well thought out plan and sharing it, too.

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    1. You are welcome! It is nice to meet you! And thank you for taking the time to comment so kindly! ❤️

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