101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home: A Nerdy Farm Wife's All-Natural DIY Projects Using Commonly Found Herbs, Flowers & Other Plants

I've been following The Nerdy Farm Wife blog for just a couple months now, as I stumbled upon it looking for DIY natural lip balm recipes. I was so excited to preorder Jan Berry's first print book. It did not disappoint. The photography is beautiful and really gives you a sense for what you will be creating yourself. So many little details... Even when you open the front flap, the paper is green (hello GOING GREEN haha I loved it).On most of the recipe pages, there is plenty of room should you desire to make notes as your making this recipe. I like that because I tend to make notes, especially if it's a recipe I make more than once. Every few recipes, on the pages there are circle/oval shapes that are yellow. In here, she has "tip" or "variation" which I thought was a nice touch. It shows that the author had a forethought to know where someone might naturally have a question and/or need an alternative for that particular recipe. Anyway...that's just my thought LOLRegarding the availability of certain herbs/flowers/etc...logic tells most people that of course not everything is readily available to all people everywhere. Partly due to the fact that there are varying geographical climates (maybe economical climate as well?) Naturally someone who lives in a desert type climate, might not be able to grow something that is typically grown in a more wet environment. But thanks to the Internet, you can buy the stuff anytime LOL I've noticed on Jan's blog, she has affiliate links to various websites that she recommends purchasing some of these items from. It doesn't cost us any extra money, but when we click the link,,,they throw her a bone for the recommendation. So, why not?! I'd personally rather purchase from a website that someone who's "been there done that" says is great not only for product, but customer service. If she makes money off her recommendation (affiliate links)...good for her! It will help further her work and we might have another book from it down the road LOLAbout the binding...no, it's not coming apart. When you open the front cover, you'll notice at the spine there is a gap that makes it seems as it's become unglued. Not so...that is meant so the book lays flat (it's not a three ring binding after all...) I mean, heck...even on the outside back cover there is a little graphic that says " premium binding...stays open...hands free". Of course the author meant for this. When you have a recipe book on the table or whatever and you are working, nothing is more annoying then having your pages close on you because the book you are reading from doesn't lay flat.The book was just released and I barely had it delivered...so I have not made any of the recipes therein. I have, however, made some of here recipes listed on her blog. And the recipes in this book seem equally as clear and concise. I already have my eyes on about two or three that I'll be starting shortly. I can't wait!Way to go Jan Berry! Congratulations on your new book. I am a new fan and can't wait to see what you put out in the future!

I love this book! If your into DIY natural products at home this book is for you. Most recipes require only a few ingredients,ingredients easy to find at vendors who sell oils and herbs like Mountain Rose Herbs, and most you can pick right from your yard like dandelion and sunflowers. I know a lot of these recipes are effective because over the years I myself made very similar versions and had great results. I never wrote them down, so I am pleased to have Jan's book as a reference now. The pictures are stunning, the recipes easy to read and uncomplicated. I love that she gives a customizable recipe for the lotions, balms and salves so that you have a basic recipe to follow. There is even a section to making natural soaps and basic instructions- and unlike Anne-Marie Faiola who wrote Pure Soapmaking ( a joke about natural by the way)- Jan Berry"s recipes ARE Natural and effective. (This girl is all about Natural). By far Jan is the Soap Queen of natural soaps and I have had way better success using Jan's natural soap recipes. There is no hidden agenda in this book either- she's not selling her company like the other Queen- Jan is a very knowledgeable in her field and loves to share her passion. She is bright, respectful and very helpful in her field. Her FB page is one of the best groups- informational supportive and full of great insight. I love that she included a small pet section and I am eager to try the dry shampoo on my short haired terrier when the snow stops blowing. There is a section for homecare and some great natural recipes. You can always double up her recipes to make larger batches. The beginning of the book explains about oils, butters and other additives, and even recommends tools you may need. Most of it we have or can purchase at second hand stores. Containers may be your biggest need, but health food stores like Wholefoods carry various containers in their health and beauty section now. This is the perfect book for the purist or naturalist who is just getting into the field of herbalism, and I enjoyed the book from cover to cover. I highly recommend it as a reference book for your apothecary.