Echinacea Take 2

So, I've finally gotten off my butt and started the Echinacea again. My first batch something went wrong and got this white stuff all at the bottom. I had contacted my adviser and she sent me another packet to retry making the tincture. After much procrastinating, I've gotten it started. I had to add some more liquid after the first day as it absorbed some of it, not much just maybe a tablespoon or two.

I don't know what this is supposed to look like as its soaking in the alcohol/water mixture. It already looks murky to me, and I am worried it's going to do the same thing all over again. I can only hope it does what it's supposed to, and that in about another week I'll have an Echinacea tincture.

Tincture Pictures

Here are some of the pictures from the tincture making process. My thanks to my lovely photographer who turned nose up at the earthy smell of the herbs, but stuck through it and took photos for me anyway.

Below is the tincture mixes before draining and straining, above are the draining and straining process.



I have a lot more work to do, a lot more to learn. I feel like I've overwhelmed myself with the fear of not being able to learn what I need to learn. The fear of making mistakes. I've avoid my lessons like a plague out of pure fear.

The cards said I would do well in my learning, and be successful with what I've learned when I have my own shop. I know that things aren't set in stone. But the only thing that is preventing what the cards revealed is myself and my fears. On that note, I need a good kick in the ass to knock those fears right outta me and set me back on track.

Class update...

So, I was waiting for my darling daughter to upload and send me the pictures she took of my tincture straining process...and I was waiting and waiting...wait for it *cue blonde moment* I took them on my camera not hers...hence the reason she wasn't sending them to me. DOH!

Hopefully my camera batteries will hold out to upload them. And then I can post them as long as they came out clear. My camera is kinda crappy compared to my little darling's.

I've been hesitating to continue with my lessons. I've been extremely scared that I won't do well. There's so much to learn and I sometimes feel I won't be able to retain it all. I've been letting fear rob me of my dreams and that's unacceptable.

So I will try to put that all that fear aside and give my classes my all.

Comment problem fixed on the blogs

So apparently, my other blogs had issues with comments. It took me a bit but I finally figured out the problem. For some reason I have to select pop out comment box for people to post a comment. *Sigh!* Anyway, it's fixed now...so it should be all fine once again.

Tinctures

Well, my tinctures are done. All I have to do is strain them, which I will do either later today or tomorrow. I'm trying to figure out the best way to take photos of them.

Sadly though, my Echinacea one failed. It has a white sort of substance in it that settles to the bottom. I've been in touch with my facilitator and she is going to send me another batch of Echinacea so I can redo the tincture. That to me is AWESOME!

I truly don't know what happened. It was completely covered with the alcohol and water. I shook it everyday. It was in a dark place, well as dark a spot as I could have in my room, no direct light at all. The only thing I can assume is it may have been the temperature of my room, but I'm not sure since the other two weren't affected.

Anyway soon as I figure out basically lighting for some pictures, I'll put them up.

Tinctures almost done.

So, a couple more days and my tinctures should be done. I'm excited and nervous.
I'm not sure what all they are supposed to look like.

The Skullcap looks to have a deep mossy green color. The Echinachea has an orangy brown color, but looks a bit murky. The cramp bark looks brown, kind of reminds me of mud. I think the one I am most worried about is the Echinachea, I don't know why. Maybe it's the murky look to the liquid. I can strain them all on Friday.

Tincture process has begun

Finally, my tinctures have been started. I've been afraid to make them honestly. I kept thinking that what if I add too much alcohol or not enough. What about the water, what if I add too much of it or what kind should I use? I mean our tap water 99% of the time smells like bleach. Should I use it but boil it or should I used bottled or distilled? So I posed my water question to my facilitator and based on her response, I chose to get some bottled water. But....I was still very much afraid of messing it up.

Well, today I decided to just take the plunge and do it. It's not going to get done by itself and no one can or will do it for me. So I sat down today and began the process. I add the water and alcohol, closed the lids and shook the jars a little. I will have to shake them everyday for the next two weeks.

I am making 3 tinctures: Echinacea, Cramp bark, and Skullcap. The Skullcap reminded me a little of the smell of dried parsley. The echinacea reminded me of a very old drug store I used to go to as a kid. And the cramp bark smell well like wood and made me sneeze.

So in two weeks I'll have my tinctures. I hope :D