Nerdy Fairy Blog
Seaweed & Blossom Bath Salt Soak Inspired by Sea of Charms
This immersive DIY seaweed bath salt is inspired by the beautiful and whimsical ocean world of the Crescent Islands from the Spellshop world. If you are longing for a visit to the seaside, I invite you to craft this bath for yourself and enjoy a long soak, giving yourself the best of bookish self-care.
Anise Hyssop Peach Crisp (Garden Spells Recipe)
We meet Claire Waverly who is an incredible cook that deftly weaves herbs into her dishes. With unusual combinations like chicken chamomile soup and nasturtium mayo smeared on tea cakes, her food is herb-infused and delicious. And so, peaches with anise hyssop-infused honey all tucked up in a summertime bookish recipe for peach crisp might just be something she would have on the menu!
Fairy Cheeses & Wish Flowers: 4 Magical Summer Herbs for Kids
Enjoy this post with a child or with the child within!
Summer is in full swing. The days are hot and long, beckoning forth lovely little plants everywhere! It is the perfect time for an adventure, to go searching for happy, lovely child-friendly herbs that commonly grow this time of year. Often referred to as weeds, these plants are powerful herbal allies, nutritious, and tasty! Take a walk and see if you can find them in your neighborhood.
Hobbit-Inspired Lemon Balm Cheesecake Recipe for Second Breakfast
A favorite friend in my own little hobbit garden during the warm days of summer is lemon balm. It seems like I can never get enough of the uplifting vibrantly green, lemony leaves!
Topped with delicious berries and pretty flowers, enjoy this lemon balm cheesecake recipe as a delightful dessert or even a quick, tasty second breakfast fit for a hobbit who is ready to get back out in the garden with the flowers.
Lilac Infused Honey: Folklore, Benefits, and Practical Magic
Historically lilacs were used to protect against evil and negativity. People planted them around their homes to provide safety and welcome calm. And if you have read the book Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, this all might make you ponder a bit. Lilacs do indeed take up a prominent role in the book (but not the movie!).
Read on for discussion about lilacs in Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman and instructions for making lilac infused honey as well as information about the benefits of lilacs in herbalism.
Orange Blossom Black Tea Recipe: A Cup Inspired by The Mudpuddle
Ever dreamed of tea at The Mudpuddle? Of sipping a cup of tea with Minerva? This Orange Blossom Black Tea recipe is a soothing, aromatic blend of citrus, lavender, and vanilla. A relaxing, floral brew for magical mornings and bookish respite. It is perfect for fans of The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic by Ciara Blume.
Magical Botany: Evergreen Academy Review & Lavender Pillow Spray DIY
What would it be like to be a student at a college for magical botanists? Go and see for yourself in Evergreen Academy by Heather Schneider! This lovely cozy fantasy follows Briar Rose as she navigates her first year at the secret Evergreen Academy. The book is filled with delightful botany, beautiful plants, and plenty of helpful herbs, including lavender!
The Magic of Hydrosols: A Beginner’s Guide to Aromatic Waters & Their Benefits
Herbs are replete with enchanting scents, be it the beautiful scent of a rose or the lemony green smell of just crushed lemon balm. Like essential oils, hydrosols are a way for us to capture these lovely aromas and other amazing properties of many herbs to use and enjoy. The fragrant flowers and plants of high summer are wonderful for making your very own hydrosols at home.
Lavender Vanilla Bath Salts inspired by A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons
There is a special magic that happens when lavender and vanilla meet. Have you ever encountered it? This duo is one of my favorite herbal combinations! And so, I was delighted when reading A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons by J. Penner, to find that the protagonist, Doli, loves vanilla while her Grammy loves lavender. Their relationship is so sweet. It was very heart-touching to read.
The Apothecary Pantry: Making Floral-Infused Honey for Cozy Reading Days
Making little jars of honey infused with flowers all full of aroma and, perhaps, a bit of kindness, is a way to embrace those miracles and be part of the beauty of the moment. It is a way of grounding and enjoying life. Pair floral-infused honey drizzled over a bit of cake or sweetening a cup of tea with your favorite blossom-filled cozy fantasy for an immersive reading experience. Find a suggested reading list too!
Rose Name Meaning: Herbal Lore & Floral Symbolism in Fiction
A well loved name, Rose and its variations have been used in stories for centuries. Often considered the epitome of femininity, the name is inspired by the flower of the same name. The rose, of course, is synonymous with romance and endless love, used in the modern day to profess deeply romantic feelings.
Enchanted Greenhouse: Honeyed Rose Hot Cocoa Recipe for A Cozy Mug
Coziness ensues as Terlu and Yarrow find themselves working alongside one another in an effort to save the greenhouse. All this concentration takes sustenance. What could be better than hot cocoa during a research session on a cold winter day?
This recipe brings rosy goodness from the greenhouses together with the honey and a bit of ashwagandha for extra centering support. It is rich in herbs that support the nervous system too.
Simplest Aromatic Humidifier For a Cozy Home
Here is one of my favorite ways to add moisture to the air in my home while also helping to cleanse the air. It is crazy, silly simple and I set this up any time the air just feels too dry, when it is really cold outside, or when someone in my family seems on the edge of getting sick.
Elderberry Quest: Brew Magical Syrups And Teas for a Cozy Winter
While raising my little family, I often turned to our favorite herb for support during the winter season—the venerable elderberry, which was always kept close at hand. You may have encountered this herb in your reading as it is often mentioned as part of forest landscapes and even in relation to magic and fae. Yet this little black berry is well-used and beloved among herbalists. Happily, it is simple to craft into tasty teas and syrups that can be enjoyed during the winter months to help ease colds and flu.
Find recipes for your own crafting elderberry quest!
4 Warming Cinnamon Body Care Recipes
Wonderfully warming and delightfully scented, cinnamon makes a lovely addition to body care products during cold winter months. This piece takes a deep dive into four body care options that bring cinnamon right into self-care moments.
Doctor Who Tea Recipe: The 10th Doctor's Regeneration Blend
What do you do when your best friend suddenly has a new body and is sickly? Bring him home to Mum of course!
This is exactly what time-traveling Rose Tyler did in Dr. Who: Christmas Invasion (Season 2, Episode 1) when the Doctor’s regeneration process didn’t go smoothly. The earth is under attack and the only one who can save everyone? Well, he is ill in bed with a satsuma in his pocket.
This tea-loving nerdy Dr. Who fan had to make a tea to honor this first Christmas episode of the revival.
Cozy Magic: Make Jez's Cardamom Orange Spritzer from Adenashire (Unofficial Recipe)
The Adenashire series is just about as cozy as it gets! And the third book, A Fellowship of Games & Fables by J. Penner does not disappoint with its sweet Yuletide theme. The story follows a grumpy fennex named Jez who is a fierce friend in need of frequent naps.
As always, there are plenty of tasty baked goods in this installment of the Adenashire series including delicious options with Jez’s favorite flavors: orange and cardamom. With her keen sense of smell, it is no wonder that Jez turns to these delightful flavors with their uplifting aromas!
Find a recipe to soothe your own grumpy inner fennex below!
Easy Lavender Syrup: An Unofficial Fairy Wine Recipe
What could be better than a glass of “fairy wine” to raise in celebration? In the cozy book The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, a sparkly fairy wine is created by potion-making witch Mika to celebrate with the children of Nowhere house. While her recipe has magical ingredients beyond the scope of this herbalist, below is an unofficial, delicious take on Mika’s drink.