The Tea Bag Compost Pile

good4you tea GIVEAWAY

2012-01-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

happy new year everyone ! it's time for the first giveaway of the year !!! i am excited to offer you guys a chance to win some of my herbal teas . i like to say these teas are the roots of good4you ... this all wouldn't have started without a little help from my friends . i created these herbal wonders 8 years ago, while i was a student at UMass Amherst . it all started when i was romantically hungry ♥♥♥ . i saw a very hot gentleman walking to his dorm with an inspiring bunch of herbs in his arms . it was the end of the semester . i got a chance to talk to him and a year later he made me a remedy tea one night from some herbs and spices in his kitchen cupboard ! this tea later became : them belly full ! thank u brian !

i couldn't believe the simplicity of a home remedy and its effectiveness . i took the same class he took where he got all those herbs from that day . a medicinal herb class ! this class also had an amazing greenhouse filled with herbs from around the world . i spent hours upon hours in there . one day i stumbled upon a realization there was this subtle communication one can have with plants ♥ . i felt each one's energy, as if they were speaking to me through their textures, colors, smells and appearance . as my interest grew i purchased a few herbs from the local herb shop from a town near by . the first herbs i bought were ginger and peppermint . i had been drinking the familiar peppermint tea since i was a few months old ♥ . my mom and grandma would give me a teaspoon when i was that tiny to quell my stomach and nervousness ! i eventually collected more herbs in my dorm till there was a shelf full ! i started walking up and down the dorm halls with an electric tea kettle and herbs at hand . i started blending teas for all my friends to try . i would blend special remedies upon request and some eventually turned into blends i offer today !!

talking blues is a special tea formulated for all the musicians i lived with ! a way i introduced and further tested my teas, was through an open mic i ran for a year called Koffee Haus . it was a special time where these teas were really recognized and loved♥♥♥ . my friend luke inspired this tea and i shared it with all the singers and players during the shows . a peppermint and ginger base with a unique spicy twist helps soothe a throat with licorice goodness ! i have refined the tea blends/recipes over the years, but this tea really stuck to it's originality . thank u luke !

wake up and live is a good4you legend . at the Koffee Haus, it was the most popular tea and it still is to this day ! the fruity tart green tea goodness leaves an amazing healing impression on all of it's drinkers . i love how this blend introduces people to green tea without being so obvious . it is filled with anti-oxidant richness and i love how ashwaganda (ginseng of India that can be grown locally in New England) takes it to another level of awesomeness ♥♥♥ !

simmer down was made in the basement of my dorm : van meter . it was inspired by my friend ♥ grey ♥♥♥. we sat and sipped this tea and felt so amazing ! nettles and oat tops are the nourishing base . so wonderful to fill us up with ♥joy♥ from a stressful day . skullcap leaves are for the nerves . the amazingness of hawthorn berries was inspired by a trip to great cape herbs on cape cod . i over heard the owner stephen talking about how wonderful hawthorn berry wine was for the heart . lavender and roses freshen the tea with flower fairy dust . the ginsengs in this tea bring it to a whole new level of helping build strength in us to live fully !

my friend grey also helped inspired my pure bliss chai . she told me i have to have it if i am going to make tea ! this tea is sooo divine and popular . it is so amazing with milk and honey . i love to put a big pot of water on the stove, bring it to a boil . i then put enough chai in to cover the entire surface of the water in the pot . i cover it, and let it steep for 3 minutes . i then add a ton of soy milk, or any kind of milk desired . i put the pot on low and bring it up to the perfect temp . then comes the glob of honey ! i stir it in and then strain it into cups if it's loose ♥♥♥ ! the green tea and yerba mate blend makes this tea amazing and unique . thank u grey !!

natural mystic is my favorite tea ! a fruity tart peppermint tea . it is so amazing, yet the underdog of the good4you tea stash ! i love the peppermint and hibiscus base . it is a modern and unique twist to the peppermint i grew up on . the schisandra berries in the tea are one of my all time favorite herbs . anise, cinnamon, ginger and licorice give the tea a subtle spicy edge . i formulated this tea for the lungs . marshmallow root and elecampane finish this tea off to offer it's healing powers

and the valentines day tea ! could you be loved to share with someone you love ... a spicy special tea which is so magical i can't say anything more !

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining). you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends february 14th, where three winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a good4you box of tea of your choice ! please check back mid february to see if you're a winner and claim your prize by emailing me at good4youtea at gmail . com . i hope everyone has an amazing year . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youtea @ gmail.com . much ♥♥♥

a complete list of the teas i currently make ::

misty morning a yerba mate and lemon grass blend

wake up and live a green tea and hibiscus blend

talking blues a peppermint and ginger blend

simmer down a nettle and hawthorn blend

them belly full a spicy peppermint blend

could you be loved a jasmine and ginger spice blend

mellow mood a chamomile and lemon balm blend

cheer up a peppermint tea for colds

natural mystic a peppermint and hibiscus blend

satisfy my soul a spicy ginger detox blend

one love tea an anti aging white tea blend

judge not a nourishing nettle blend for the skin

positive vibrations an amazing women's blend

soul rebel an earthy mens blend

pure bliss chai a yerba mate spice blend

dream tea a jasmine lavender blend

rosey chai a special rose chai for women

peak blend for athletes ninjas and yogis

flower friendly a roobios and chamomile blend

sun song a licorice longevity blend

NEW red clover blossom tea

mulling spice mini GIVEAWAY

2011-11-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

the regular mulling spice box now has me mini me !

a little box of mulling spices to give to friends for the holidays ♥

the cutest little creation has come to life to join us in these cooler days ♥

cinnamon allspice orange peel lemon peel nutmeg and clove to spice ciders and wines

these cute creations also come in a pack of five, to share as little holiday favors with family and friends ... ♥♥♥

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like a second entry, please join my twitter . contest ends november 26th, where two winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a new good4you mini mulling spice box ! please check back the last week of november to see if you're a winner and claim your prize by emailing me at good4youtea at gmail . com . much ♥

aromatherapy GIVEAWAY

2011-11-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

i am in love with these new scents i have made ! i created seven different kinds for seven types of heavenly roll on escapes . aromatherapy is a great way to use the fragrance, essential oils and benefits of herbs to help one get through the day . each one is really special and i hope you like them ♥ . first its time to feel dreamy ...

neroli must come from the heavens, and so i give it the quality of air . this creation will help bring one to a state of happiness . it's almost as if you can feel and see the neroli flower blooming when you smell it . use it as a perfume and attract fairies ! i feel it is great for air signs : gemini, aquarius and libra . i also feel it may be great for people that are too grounded and need to get their feet off the ground ... from a state of levitating neroli bliss, let us descend to the snowy mountain peaks to help clear our mind ...

mountain is pure aromatherapy for the sinuses . a pocket size buddy to bring the mountain mist with you . i added peppermint eucalyptus and rosemary essential oil to send cool breezes into our minds . but it's time for a little bit of sunshine . to the meadows we go !

meadow is pure lavender . the essential oil for relaxation . take it with you throughout the day and envision yourself in a meadow if the subway ride is kind of cramped . let your heart be warmed . i feel it is grounding and great for earth signs : taurus, virgo and capricorn . to further your groundedness it's time to head into the deep forest ...

bring in the holidays with the forest . fir needle, birch and clove capture the deep evergreen woods and transform it into earthly peace . this is a great scent for guys too . mysteriously awaken those around you to a rich abundance of deep green leaves and spicy mushroom mountains . don't wander to far off into the woods ... because it's time to journey to the islands ...

i love this little creation ! clary sage brings island visions and sparks a deep clarity ! pisces, cancer, and scorpio will feel at home with the abundance of flowy flowery dreams . i also added lavender and lemongrass to make it one of my favorite unique scents ! surprise those around you with fragrances of an island paradise . lets head off into the sunset !

sun is amazing ! it's a spice clove and ginger scent . great for fire signs :: sagittarius, leo and aries . it has a glowy fire from the clove essential oil . great for burning away those worries, aches and pains . and finally we head to the heart of it all : rose ...

this aromatherapy will bring one back to their center . rose is amazing for filling the heart with joy !

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like a second entry, please join my tumblr . contest ends november 26th, where two winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a new good4you scent of your choice ! please check back the last week of november to see if you're a winner and claim your prize by emailing me at good4youtea at gmail . com . much ♥ feel free to join the newsletter too

herbal scrub GIVEAWAY

2011-10-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

time for another good4you giveaway ! bathing is a time to feel amazing . there have been a few times where i've used an herbal scrub and felt euphoria . so it's time to share the love!

my lavender scrub lets one know what lavender is all about . i love using a little and letting the lavender petals sprinkle all over my body . i feel like i am in lavender rain . this scrub has an organic cane sugar base hugged with jojoba oil . the jojoba is royalty and organic oatmeal creates its court . this scrub is amazing for relaxing after a long day, to brighten one's mood and to help make skin more beautiful . find it here at my etsy shop

for those who love roses, this scrub is all about it . we have crazy amounts of beach rose here on cape cod . i was able to harvest a tiny bit just for these scrubs and a future beach rose water toner i will make later this year . this scrub is a dead sea salt base with rosehips oil as it's companion . i made this scrub to help tone the skin and keep us beautiful . it helps remind me of the summer and how roses help make us smile

peppermint is one of my best friends . combined with dead sea salt and jojoba oil it is super blissful for the feet . to use on your entire body... is getting your self ready to enter a state of peppermint reality . after i used this scrub for the first time, i felt like i was walking through clouds of peppermint ! i think this scrub is also amazing for when you have a cold . it helps awaken those sinuses

i love this scrub . chamomile is an amazing remedy for soothing puffy skin . i made this scrub with eczema related ailments in mind . i combined dead sea salt with tamanu oil and turmeric to help balance out the itchiness and help soothe . i pick chamomile flowers one by one from my garden and added them fresh into this scrub! the salt preserves them and also infuses the entire remedy. oatmeal and vitamin e oil adds the final touch of helping heal booboo'ed skin

this cocoa vanilla bean scrub is a treat . a treat for your skin ! organic brown sugar and cocoa powder have united to bring you into the vanilla jungle . i add a touch of clove and peppermint essential oil to make the scrub pop and leave your skin feeling happy . both the vanilla bean and cocoa were acquired fair trade and organic ! a piece of heaven

Facefood is an amazing green clay seaweed mask i have had available for quite sometime . i recently put it in new packaging that you can see through (i hope you guys like it) . this is amazing for helping clear up the pores . i also love to put it on sensitive skin areas (eczema related) before going into the shower to help protect my skin from the hot water . it leaves those areas so smooth and hydrated . the kelp seaweed helps add nourishment if you leave it on your skin for more then 10 minutes as a mask . it is so fun to paint your face with it ! it is also made with local massachusetts honey for good vibes

Finally! the apricot scrub mask is amazing . i also use to sell this one too, but now it is inner packing, featuring the magic of apricots . i love using this as a mask or a scrub . the local massachusetts honey leaves skin feeling extra smooth, after exfoliating with the apricot kernels . it is excellent at helping clean out those pores and removing the bad stuff with bentonite clay . as a mask, leave on for 10 minutes and then scrub away gently with warm water . i like to use it as a soap alternative in the shower

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like a second entry, please join my facebook fan page . contest ends october 28th, where two winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a new good4you scrub of your choice ! please check back the first week of november to see if you're a winner and claim your prize by emailing me at good4youtea at gmail . com . much ♥ ! jess ps. if you want to know more about the upcoming holiday pre-sale (nov 1st to 15th), please join my newsletter ♥ here is my tumblr too

new lip balms GIVEAWAY

2011-09-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

from the forest, to the garden to the apothecary, my new lip balms in tins have materialized! >i hope you like them!< ♥♥

i love taking walks through the forest! there is no better inspiration than the carpets of wintergreen that greet my feet and the red minty berries i am rewarded with for admiring it's beauty! for some reason, i had to infuse these balms below with a wintergreen leaf. it makes them so unique and fun to carry around a piece of the woods!

sweet fern is one of my best friends. i had to make a lip balm from it. i thought about it for a while, how can i infuse it's goodness into a balm? ah yes, classic oil infusion! i love finding sweet fern growing in abundance and running my fingers through the plant. it's sweet smell is so blissful, and i am so happy i got to learn more about it this year because it let me! plants are funny like that, in due time, they teach you more and more if you're open... i loved adding bits of sweet fern leaf in this balm!

one of my favorite creations i introduced last year is finally back! my garden grown chocolate peppermint lip balm (below is a pic of my garden this summer)! this time in these reusable tins... which i hope you all like. i wanted to get away from the plastic tubes, which are hard to find use for after they are done. it was really awesome inventing the line of lip balms in tubes with the cute fruity artwork! but for now these tins ring with unique forest freshness. the chocolate mint balm is one of my personal favorites, infused with peppermint essential oil, i love to use for more then just my lips... it's also great for cooling muscles and a minty moisturizer!

finally the good4you apothecary spills with inspiration everyday! one of my favorite existences in the world in vanilla bean! i couldn't resist reinventing my vanilla bean lip balm in these cute little tins.

i also love the fir tree so much that i made a fir needle lip balm! this is a super unique balm with organic fir needle essential oil. and finally for now, the last new balm to add to the bunch is clove! these two balms bring the flavor that even men can enjoy! clove balm is stimulating and great for the coming chilly months. fir needle helps remind of the mysteries of the forest and it's aroma infuses one with joy!

to enter the giveaway: please join the blog an leave a comment on this post. if you would like a second entry, please join my facebook fanpage. contest ends september 30th, where three winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a new good4you lip balm of your choice! please check back the first week of october to see if you're a winner and claim your prize by emailing me :: good4youtea @ gmail . com ... THREE winners! yes three winners will be selected! and you get to choose which balm you'd like. much ♥♥♥♥♥♥! ^^* jess

herbal shampoo GIVEAWAY

2011-09-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

hi everyone! i am giving away a bottle of my herbal shampoo! see it in my etsy shop here. i am so excited about this amazing creation, completely natural and leaves your hair and you feeling blissful! to enter the giveaway: please join the blog an leave a comment on this post, with your email address if you can (so i can contact you if you win). if you would like a second entry, please join my facebook fanpage. contest ends september 15th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a good4you herbal shampoo. please check back that week to see if your a winner and claim your prize by emailing me :: good4youtea @ gmail . com ... much ♥♥! ^^* jess

view my herbal shampoo and conditioner here ♥

summer stuff giveaway

2011-06-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

hello everyone... time for another giveaway! this time i am giving away some summer stuff. one end of time bug spray and one butterfly salve to one lucky winner! two amazing herbs make these creations possible: catnip and plantain leaves.

i make a very strong tincture from catnip leaves. i have found in my research that the leaves of catnip, also known as Nepeta cataria, are much stronger than deet. so amazing. i add amazing smelling essential oils, after the the extract is made, to make a remedy that smells good to us but bugs don't like. plantain leaves are used for my bug bite salve. no, not the leaves of a banana. Plantago major, also known as greater plantain, are great leaves for bug bites. you can actually apply the leaf directly to a bite after crushing it a little in your hand. it has a very cooling effect to the little rashes and bites we get from those awesome adventures we take into the forest.

to enter the giveaway: please join the blog an leave a comment on this post, with your email address if you can (so i can contact you if you win). if you would like a second entry, please join my facebook fanpage. contest ends july 15th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a bug spray and bug bite salve. i will notify you by email sometime that week if you win.

purple, pink, green

2011-06-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

my week in photos... 1. today's wild harvest on cape cod: red clover blossoms, yarrow and self heal! i was so excited to find self heal! red clover blossoms are found in my positive vibrations tea 2. began making herbal breads for cupcakes of falmouth on cape cod. 3. the orders i pack keep looking prettier and prettier.... (from the left top) the vibrating colors of matcha tea in the tins, a tin of flowermint tea the ultimate green drink in a jar and a meadow body salve in the tube. 4. spearmint and red clover blossoms i picked for tea. 5. self heal close up 6. on the wild harvest trek today we found pink yarrow flowers! wild yarrow flowers are usually white in my area. happy summer this coming week. ♥

box hunting

2011-06-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

here is a glimpse of my shipping process... i recycle a lot. maybe i should say... i reuse a lot. i recently visited an old house with a friend of mine and dug up some interesting finds. maybe one will be mailed to you! some of these boxes are vintage, the house i went had tons of old stuff stored away... all in very awesome condition. after putting these boxes in the sun all day, they are ready to go... as good as new. recycling is good... but reusing is even better. check out these awesome boxes!

lilac water

2011-05-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

on a sleepy spring day, a few years ago, i ran into the awesome herbalist chris marano. he told me about lilac water. lilacs are in full bloom on cape cod and other parts of new england (maybe in your area too). you can make a delicious flower water with them to drink. simply take a stalk of lilac and add it to water for 12 to 24 hrs (while in the fridge). here a gallon water jar is shown. take them out after their steeping time and drink the water within a couple of days. store in the fridge and strain into cups throughout the day to drink. it is energetically good to uplift the heart and spirit. have a beautiful may day!

one of a kind

2011-05-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

some of the best things in life truly happen by accident. well, on a smaller scale... it happened with a single tube of lip balm. as i was pouring lip balms the other day.... this one magically created itself. herbal art at it's finest! i was shocked. i couldn't believe a tye dye lip balm just manifested! i have only one and it's called cherry tye dye, available here. have a beautiful sunday!

heal all giveaway

2011-05-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

hello everyone! i am giving away two heal all salves. heal all was created during a process of helping a few individuals out with major eczema related issues. personally i noticed it offers some itch relief (up to two hours plus). can possibly help with a variety of skin associated ailments. this formula includes the amazing skin healing properties of tamanu oil and turmeric. all my items take so much time to dream up. when i make an item available, i want to make sure it holds some of the best ingredients that are available to us today and most of all- works. this particular remedy took 8 months of formulating and testing. i have had slight eczema on my arms for ten years (since i was 16), it was finally this year i was able to manage it. the meadow body salve i make also works for me too, although a gentler recipe. heal all is packed with the most medicinal skin healers i could find. i can't really make any claims outside my own personal experience. in case you win, i hope you enjoy it. heal all is also available in my shop. it is one of the items i am super super super proud to make and sell. i hope everyone is having a great may. i hope to post some of my wild harvesting adventures soon... thank you so much for reading and much ♥

to enter the giveaway: please join the blog an leave a comment on this post, with your email address if you can (so i can contact you if you win). if you would like a second entry, please join my facebook fanpage. contest ends may 30th, where 2 winners will be randomly selected out of a hat. i will notify you by email sometime that week :D

facefood giveaway

2011-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

hi everyone! i am giving away two small jars of facefood! this is such a neat little product i make. i really love how simple the ingredient list is most of all: honey, French green clay and kelp (a seaweed). honey feels so good after applying to the skin. it makes my skin feel so soft. i actually like to use my honey masks as soap. i know it kind of sounds weird. honey is actually super cleansing and also a natural preservative- i think you may all know that. so i thought- why not use it as soap? the kelp seaweed and green clay together are an amazing cleansing and nourishing couple. they help pull stuff out of the skin. all in all facefood is an amazing cleansing mask for the face. give your face some food! makes my skin feel like it had a breath of fresh air after using it! speaking of using this product like soap, i took it to the next level by inventing an apricot honey scrub. this recipe was actually artfully inspired. as the idea about it grew, i realized how awesome it is to scrub dirty away- all over the body. you can purchase both items in my etsy shop if you'd like. or enter to win a free facefood by leaving a comment down below. please make sure you join the blog, before leaving a comment to be officially entered. giveaway ends May 6th, 2011. i hope you all are having a happy spring in the northern hemisphere. to all in the southern part... have a great fall! and the equator peeps... you are lucky to have it nice and hot all the time! love and peace... jess.

petal

2011-04-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

calendula flower petals: the base herb of most of my salves. i feel it is the herb for the skin.

*

2011-04-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

a one inch jar with

spearmint

sage and

lavender

2011-04-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

salve-ation healing salve

this is the first salve recipe I invented... it took me 2 years to get the recipe right. calendula flowers carpet the bottom of this jar. I add milky oat tops, wild harvested violets, burdock root and marshmallow root. It is topped off with chamomile flowers. it is infused in olive oil for up to a month in the sun. i really love this combination i made for skin healing. Later in the making of this salve I add shea butter, mango butter, beeswax and lavender essential oil. one excellent herbal creation.

2011-04-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

i create herbal art.

1. spring time inspires me with new color. about five years ago I created a tea, which I gave the name Judge Not. I made this tea to treat skin problems. At the time of formulating it, I made it to be a liver and kidney tonic. It evolved to an incredible formula. I brought it to an herb class with herbalist Chris Marano one day, and it was the one that he liked the most. I feel this amazing spring green energy coming from it. The yellow dock root, burdock root and dandelion roots form an herbal root triad in this tea. All these roots can be found locally where I live. I also added dandelion leaves and nettle leaves for green enrichment. spring time is when you will find all these herbs. I believe nature offers us gifts when we need them.

2. I have been using the meadow body salve since the day i invented it. I originally started making salves because I wanted to a. help skin problems and b. invent some kind of my own lotion. this recipe is very simple and does the job of lotion. it does have an oil base. so i like to use salves before bedtime. meadow body salve is my lotion bar! i really love the meadow i drew for it. Our body is a meadow and we can water it with this salve.

3. kava powder. I took a trip seven years too long ago to Hawaii. There I discovered the secrets of kava. if you like kava, travel where i went . i sell organic Hawaiian kava too. i pack the kava root powder into a mason jar and send along a straining bag with directions. i like how i did it up right.

4. i make 24 tea blends. packaged up original style. they are medicinal blends.

5. tincture

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