Waynesburg Farmers Market

We seem to have a great combination of vendors, volunteers, location and enough great weather for a wonderful Market this year. Like all good lessons our new location allows us to live and learn in a convenient location. We are on church street, right beside the court house on Wednesday from 10 am to 2 pm .
The characters that cross our path bring color and joy into our lives. Each person unique in their own right comes with a lesson that expands on our own human needs.

Remember to take the time to dance in the street and
give thanks four the opportunities granted us. The sun
may hide from view but it remains like the warmth
of love shared amongst friends.


Stop by and say hello and visit great vendors in our wonderful new location.

Say yes to Autumn skin care and no to....

No matter how you view the Commercial ads. I find that it shows the insensitive  nature of large manufacturers to the consumer. Just like their products and the ingredients they use. It is never about what is best for the the people at large.. Large Commercial companies have one thing on their minds that is cost effectiveness, how can they make the most amount of money.
With Autumn we care about people, skincare and providing an all natural alternative to commercialized products. Looking for quality skincare look no further.

Ph Toner

There are many all natural ingredients that make great astringents. We can use lemons, yarrow, vinegar and witch hazel. Which one you choose for your base is up to the individual. I have enjoyed making them with apple cider vinegar and Witch Hazel and have also tried with rose hips.

Here is a few recipes that you might enjoy making yourself

1/3 apple cider to 1/3 of distilled water
or tested spring water and 1/3 witch hazel.

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a clean bottle or decorative cosmetics container. Shake well before using. Apply with a clean cotton ball.

Cedar or Pine Toner
2 cups fresh pine needles or cedar
2 cup distilled water
1 cup witch hazel
1.4 cup vinegar

Place the evergreens pine or cedar in a pan with spring water or distilled water. Allow to boil and then set aside to cool . Add with ingredients and stir , pour into clean bottles and cap.

One of my favorite recipes is Yarrow astringent

Yarrow Rose Skin Toner

1 cups fresh Yarrow Flowers
1 cup of distilled or tested spring water
1 cup of freshly made Witch Hazel
2 tbsp. cedar or white vinegar
1/4 cup of strained rose water


Place Yarrow and water in pan and bring to boiling. Cover with tight fitting lid and remove from heat.set aside to cool and strain yarrow flowers. Place in clean bottle and cap. Shake well before using. Apply Toner with cotton balls.




Lithuanian Toner
This recipe was passed down from my grandmother. It can be used in so many ways, toner, astringent, facial splash for men and medicinally to calm and relax and soothe such as in stress headaches.

Essential oils can be used or it can be made from infused herbs to your liking . The recipe is using infusion, essential oils are much stronger and much less would be needed.
Infused herbals

1/4 cup of rose water, made from organic rose petals.
1/4 cup of lavender infused from lavender flowers and needles.
1/4 cup of sweet orange or lemon
1/4 cup rosemary and sage
1/2 of mints, peppermint, spearmint
add to a cup and a half of witch hazel which has been brewed and set aside to cool.

 Rugosa roses are my favorite petals to use. They produce a nice smelling oil that is wonderful for the skin.

Witch Hazel

Autumn's uses Witch Hazel in many of its skin care products. The native Americans were well aware of the wide uses of Witch Hazel from medicinal as well as for its use as an astringent. It was document in the United States Herbal Association listings as early as the late 1800's but as been use much further back in time. Whether as a rub or a antiseptic, foraging for your own Witch hazel and creating a product comes with its own rewards. In doing so we keep alive customs of our forefathers and keep the recipe fresh in our minds.
Identifying Witch Hazel is relatively easy as it blooms from early fall to spring. It's rounded lace shaped leaves make it an easier herb to identify. In the fall the leaves stand out as a golden yellow. The leaves and young branches are best used for their astringent properties.

Choose healthy clean leaves and fresh twigs from the Witch hazel shrub as soon as it has begun to flower. You can either hand chop the twigs or send them through a mulch machine. Depending on how much you would like to make 1 gallon, 2 gallon or larger pot will be needed. Cover the plants with enough water, I use spring water that has been tested but if you have no access to tested spring water you can purchase distilled water. Make sure all of the branches have been covered and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature and cook for a minimum of six hours on low heat, added water as needed to keep the branches covered. Strain the liquid through a cheese cloth and allow to cool. This method of infusion without alcohol has a short shelf life. To extend the shelf life approximately ten ounces of grain alcohol to 24 ounces of witch hazel. Vodka can be used but is a rather expensive way of preserving your tonic.
If you don't have access to natural herbs and would like to try our all natural skin care products, you can call 724-883-3080 or order on line seasonal, so keep checking for the newest products at www.autumnsboutique.com

It is important to identify your witch hazel shrub with visual images. I look to upload some of our own witch hazel soon.


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We have been making a variety of soaps and skin care products. I'll try listing the news ones for 2010 as we work on them.. check back soon.

Homemade Handcrafted Soaps

Each soap maker is unique to their craft and so that allows for the individuality of character to be developed in each bar of soap. Experimenting with the various oils, fragrances and herbs have help to retain the old world craft that was so replaced long ago by commercial companies and their synthetic products. Why replace mother nature in one of the oldest skills known to man?If you have a major company that makes detergents etc, they will tell you first hand about" cost effective" .

When I set out to make a product, I wanted it to be safe for my children as well as the elders in my family, so it was no surprise that we chose to use the herbs we grow, quality oils and the old time methods of producing a product that not only moisturizes but improves the over all look and feel of the skin.

We incorporate our neighbors skils into our products from Tracy's goats milk to the local honey gathered and retained in its natural raw honey state. We offer you a product free of pesticides and herbicides. Plants are hand picked and naturally infused.

To all those who enjoy useing the soaps and skin care products we appreciate that you have given us the opportunity to make a product that we believe is superior in quality.

With Sincere Thanks

Rachel

Autumn's Skin care for the seasons of your life

When I first saw the hills of Greene County Pa, I was charmed by the natural beauty of the hills and streams as they weaved their way creating a majestic view of nature. There were the obvious changes when making a move from the city to a rural lifestyle. There was the lack of transportation, the peace and quiet of the spacious lands and the lack of communication with neighbors. In many ways it was a perfect place to raise children and chickens, dogs and cats, rabbits and whatever else the children dragged in. It was almost like a step back in time, my love for gardening became the focal point of my life. I became knowledgeable on both the wild herbs and plants that naturally grew along the hills and also took joy in seeding my own floral and vegetable gardens. I hadn't realized until recently how big a part of my life it all had become.

Like stepping stones I was growing and the world outside the hollow seem to have an interest in this quaint little world we had become a part of. It was the needs of my own children that had me looking for the best oils , ingredients and herbs to help soothe and heal skin that was damaged from the likes of psoriasis and eczema. Educating through the many books and on hands learning I found that products were not necessary developed with the best interest of the customer. I wanted to do something about that, I didn't want high concentrates of alcohol and preservatives that only benefited the manufacture. I wanted a soothing quality hand and body lotion. This is where Autumn began as she developed Dancing on clouds and Devotion lotion, from their we branched out to bring a greater supply of quality products for all kinds of skin needs. Harvesting the herbs was not only a pleasure to be able to develop an all natural product it was a joy to be able to help creat soft and silky skin in an all natural way.

With all the companies offering all natural products what makes ours different? We use the finest ingredients, we farm our own herbs and we create products unique to us. What makes us different? No sprays, herbicides, pesticides or chemicals of any sort are used on our herbs. From autumns green house to the hills of Greene County we bring you quality skin care. We work with our neighbors to harvest fresh raw honey, goats milk and mother natures miracle plants.