Lovely Lavender Bath Recipe

Lovely Lavender - Enjoy this fabulous bath treat recipe!

We love lavender! Come and get yours at Lovely Manors.


Lavender is a both a beautiful and aromatic plant, and a great addition to any garden. Plant in a sunny spot and enjoy.


Lavender oil has many uses. For example, it was used to dress war wounds during the 1st world war medical antiseptics were in short supply. Today it is used to induce sleep, ease stress and relieve depression. It is also used as a tea, to make compresses for dressing wounds and to apply to the forehead to relieve congestion on sinuses, headaches, hangovers, tiredness, tension and exhaustion.


Harvest your lavender flowers, and dry by hanging upside down in an airy space. Once dried, you can use the flowers to create this sumptuous bath recipe.


This recipe contains lavender as a relaxant, as well as oatmeal and baking soda, which are soothing to dry, sensitive skin. With its healing properties, this is an ideal bath for calming bad sunburn or insect bites or just relaxing at the end of a busy day. Packaged inside a pretty jar or bottle it also makes a wonderful gift from the garden.


• 1 cup dried Lavender flowers (any species works)
• 2 cups whole oatmeal
• 1⁄2 cup baking soda


1. Place ingredients inside a food processor or blender. Grind until you have a smooth, fine powder. The powder should have the consistency of whole grain flour.


2. Pour into a dry, clean container. To use: Pour 1/2 cup into your bath as you fill the tub.


Makes approx. 28 ounces.

Jewelry Class Series - Spring/Summer

Jewelry Class Series - Spring/Summer

Get creative and join one of our fabulous Jewelry Classes here at Lovely Manors! Spend a relaxed day in the light and spacious gallery upstairs, learning how to make beautiful and unique jewelry under the guidance of experienced teacher, Dina Alexander.


Numbers are limited in each class so you get the most out of your day...so book early to avoid disappointment! Click on the class titles to go to our facebook page events section.


Saturday May 26^th -  PMC (Fine Silver) and Resin

9am-5pm.   

In this class you will learn how to make basic fine silver bezel cups to be able to add photographs, pictures, memorabilia, ephemera, found objects (such as shells, etc.) or something you would like to preserve under a protective resin to create one of a kind pieces of jewelry. 

We will start with a simple layer-type bezel and add a meaningful word, and then move on to a slightly more difficult bezel cup.  We will talk about layering designs to create a collage, or you can make it simple by adding a single design.

Note: Resin takes several hours to set and up to 72 hours to completely dry, so depending on the progress of the class, students may have to pick up their pieces the following day.

Levels: Intermediate. Some experience working with PMC is required.

Cost: $75.00. Tools and clay can be purchased at Lovely Manors if required. Let us know when
you book if you need PMC+ or tools for the class. Includes lunch.

What do I need to bring?  PMC+ 18 grams, rolling tool, texture plates and rubber stamps, Teflon,
round forms (for bezels), circle and other shape templates, sheet protector, playing cards (for clay
thickness), cutting tool (pins, tissue blades, playing cards, exacto knife, etc.), brushes (oil/water
and dusting). Small pictures (faces no larger than ½ inch), found objects, stamps, dictionary words and any texture you may want to use. The instructor will have limited items to choose from.


Sunday May 27th – PMC Ring

9am-5pm

Our fabulous jewelry class series with award winning PMC artist, Dina Alexander, continues with a great class, suitable for all levels of experience.

Make a stunning fine silver ring to treasure! Learn how to use PMC clay, design, make, finish and patina a unique piece of jewelry to be proud of.

The class is held in our gallery, so enjoy working in this airy, bright room and let your creative side loose!

Levels: All Levels – No previous experience required.

Cost : $130. Includes all tools and materials needed for the class.

 What do I need to bring?  Just your creativity! We provide everything you need, including lunch!


Saturday June 9th - Beaded & Wire Wrapped Necklace or Bracelet

10am-4pm

In this one day class you will learn how to wrap beads in wire and connect them to each other and use chain to create a sweet, fun and one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. You will learn wire wrapping, how to attach connections and findings. Time permitting and for a minimal additional fee, you can stamp and add personalized metal tags to give it an individual look. We will instruct on how to drill and stamp the metal. We will be using brass wire and chain to get you started so you can take those skills and apply them later to sterling silver wire and chain – if you’d prefer to use silver let us know – we can get them for you! The cost of silver PMC, wire and chain depend on market value).

Levels: All levels – No previous experience required.

Cost: $90. Includes all tools and materials needed for the class.

What do I need to bring? Just your creativity! We provide everything you need, including lunch.
Students can bring in antique buttons, coins or any other findings to add (all will be assessed to
see how they can be incorporated into your piece).

General Information

·         Classes are held in a log cabin, which is a great fun and inspiring environment to learn in, but it can be difficult to regulate the temperature inside, so we recommend that you wear comfortable layered clothing.

·         A deposit of $50 is required to secure a space in the class. Cancellation Policy: If you cancel at least 3 days prior to the class, a coupon for the amount paid (deposit or full amount) minus $10 will be given. A cancellation without 3 days notice can’t be refunded.

·         Food and drink is not permitted in the classroom. We don’t want to risk any spills in the work area! A comfortable room is provided if you need to take a break.

·         Latecomers: Please allow yourself plenty of time to get to class. Late arrivals make it difficult for all.

·         Lunch is included for all classes unless otherwise stated. Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements/allergies.

·         The class is held upstairs, so if may be difficult to access if you are of limited mobility.

·         Class sizes are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

Art in the Attic, the gallery upstairs at Lovely Manors

We're getting arty here at Lovely Manors! We have a great, light and sunny space upstairs (we call it our attic - it's the kind of attic you'd find some lovely treasure rather than the dark and cobwebby kind) so we decided to fill it with fabulous local art.

Each show runs for 8 weeks, with different artists or themes each time. It's been an interesting journey....running a gallery is time consuming and complicated! We've made a few mistakes along the way, but we're getting there!

At the moment we have a photography exhibit, with five local artists, each with their own unique style. Liz Brasser, Joyce Marino, Teresa Griffith, PattiCarol Smith and, last but not least, Tom Bowman have put on a fantastic show for us - with photographs from here in Maryland, to the Northern Lights in Alaska and even the canals of Amsterdam. This show ends on Sunday 27th May so come and see it!

Quite a few customers have come to the gallery and remarked what  a stunning makeover our attic has undergone. The space is light, full of character and just great for showing art! We're very happy with how it has turned out.

The next show opens on Saturday June 2nd, with the title 'Maryland in the Mirror'.  We have been lucky to secure artists David Sutphen, of Butler Originals (see a sneak peek of one of his paintings below, click on the photo to go to the Butler Originals Facebook page).

Also scheduled to show is renowned artist and teacher, Jill Dodson.

We are looking forward to hosting these fantastic artists, whose work reflects what we love most about Maryland.

Join us for the opening party on Saturday June 2nd, 7-10pm, with live music in the garden from live band Steam Theory. It's going to be a great night!

Binchotan Charcoal is here! A great new natural wellness product.

Binchotan Charcoal for Wellness.

Binchotan charcoal is a fabulous natural product with many uses and a growing following. It is believed to absorb chemicals in tap water, improve blood circulation when placed in a hot bath, neutralize negative ions in the home and improve the quality of soil in the garden.

We stock Binchotan charcoal, toothbrushes, face puffs and body scrub towels.

100% natural, Kishu Binchotan is known as the best quality charcoal for purifying water (it is made in the Kishu region of Japan). Binchotan charcoal is activated through an extremely high burning temperature and rapid cooling process. It absorbs chlorine and other chemicals from drinking water while releasing natural minerals into it. Binchotan has an alkaline effect (pH Level 8 -8.5), it softens and improves the overall taste of water.

Wet use: Prior to first use, rinse Binchotan with water, scrub lightly, and boil for ten minutes. Since the charcoal has been prewashed, do not ignite it. Once cleaned, the charcoal is ready to use in a pitcher of water, your bath, or for cooking rice. After the first use, repeat this cleansing process weekly or, alternatively, leave the charcoal in direct sun for several hours. With wet usage, Binchotan will last approximately three months.

Dry use: Every two weeks, brush Binchotan lightly and leave it in direct sunlight for several hours. It can be used all over your home, and with dry usage will last for around three years.

Great Uses for Binchotan

1. To purify drinking water, add 1/4 pound of Binchotan to a pitcher of tap water. The charcoal will help release ions to increase the water's pH, release natural minerals, and absorb chemicals.

2. For a purifying bath, add approximately one pound of Binchotan to hot bathwater. Infrared rays emitted by the charcoal will help enhance blood circulation and keep the body warm and relaxed long after the bath.

3. Keep dry Binchotan by electrical appliances like the television, microwave, computer, or mobile phone, to help block harmful electromagnetic waves.

4. To keep closets, drawers, and refrigerators fresh from odor, dampness, and mold, a stick of dry Binchotan can be kept inside to absorb bacteria and unpleasant scents.

6. Once your Binchotan has reached the end of its indoor use, improve soil health by recycling it in the garden. Mix broken pieces of charcoal into new soil, or apply it over a garden bed to improve the movement of air and water through the soil. This transformation will help increase microbial activity, alkalize the soil, and reinforce trace elements; creating an optimal environment for healthy plants

One of the products in the range we are excited about is the Binchotan Facial Puff, which is made from the roots of pure vegetable fiber called Konjac (an edible plant) and the micro-fine powder of Binchotan charcoal. This 100% natural sponge gently exfoliates, cleanses, moisturizes, and effectively balances your skin’s pH level. Simply soak it in water for a few minutes and it is ready to use. The extra fine texture is ideal for even the most sensitive skin & baby skin.

So far, we have tried and tested both the facial scrub and the Binchotan toothbrush, which we LOVE! The black bristles are really different….they are blended with Binchotan, which helps fight plaque and neutralize pH, freshening breath. The charcoal also helps prevent bacteria growing on your brush when you're not using it. Try it!

Christmas is coming...

...and we've been so busy 'Holidifying' the store that we haven't had time to tell you all about it on our Blog!

They say that time flies when you're having fun (is it December already? It was October last time we looked!), and we've certainly been enjoying decorating the cabin, turning it into a little winter holiday wonderland.

The transition from Fall decor to Christmas is a hectic one. If you've been in the store (we sure hope so!), then you'll know how many nooks and crannies there are...all filled with something wonderful. Sometimes we discover (or rediscover) something which has been hidden behind another item, just waiting for the perfect new home. It takes some time to get everything looking festive, especially as we are open every day. We have to clamber, climb, drill, drape, hammer and hang, around our lovely customers, who don't seem to mind a bit! We're thankful for your patience.

Last month we were also busy clearing the Attic (our upstairs shopping area) as we are hosting 'Art in the Attic'. A group of artists from Towson, Studio Thursday Painters, are showing and selling their beautiful artwork until Christmas....stop by and have a look, and sign their guest book - the work is all limited edition or original...if you like an artist, you could even get a piece commissioned. The space looks great, and it's surprising how large the room is....it was always so full it was hard to imagine it empty.  We had to stop imagining and get cleaning, and this was the result...

Art in the Attic with Studio Thursday Painters here at Lovely Manors

We are hoping to have other artists show their work in the Attic through the Spring.

Since the gallery opening we have been in full-time Christmas mode. The Christmas Trees were delivered the weekend after Thanksgiving, and the staff were charged with naming each tree. We like to name the trees to give the kids something fun to look at when choosing. Coming up with 150 fun names is NOT as easy as it sounds (last year we resorted to looking at a baby names website). This year we racked our brains and drew from popular sources....Harry Potter, The Hunger Games books, our own names (very creative!!), our pets names, our friends names. Oh, my head hurts just thinking about it again! We were very proud of our names, until the kids came along...

Kids, they just have a way with words don't they?! They pull no punches when it comes to saying what they think. One of our imaginatively names trees, Pattie (we though it was a great name; actually, any name will do when you're on number 125, 126, 127 etc), was purchased by a customer. The child who had chosen the tree told us she was renaming it 'Moose', because "Pattie is NOT a tree name, it's a HAMBURGER name". I suppose she had a point....! It certainly put a smile on our faces!

Now is the time of frantic wreath making...the greenhouse is a hub of activity, and our walkie talkies are getting a lot of use (yes, we've finally learned how to use them). The only drawback is that we seem to be operating on the same frequency as some other business (maybe a school, we're not sure, we're monitoring their correspondence in case of a terrorist threat!). We frequently hear 'I'm sending Micheal down to use the bathroom', or 'Janice needs milk'; which, unless they're using a pretty lame code, is probably not any form of espionage. We like to entertain ourselves by suggesting it might be something 'cloak and dagger'.

The best moment of the week so far has to be two of our beloved staff members attempting to 'bag' a pretty large and unwieldy Christmas Tree. We put all our trees through a netting machine (machine might be too fancy a word; it's all manual and brute force based...) to make it easier for the customers to transport them. Staff member #1 one was on one side of the bagging table pushing the tree into the machine; staff member #2 was on the other side of the table, pulling the tree into the net. The tree was not co-operating, so staff member #2 was lying flat on her back HAULING the tree through. It really looked more like a difficult birthing than a tree wrapping. Perhaps I should have stepped in to help rather than taking notes for our blog?! It was rather a comic scene! Anyway, we're all getting a good workout, those trees are HEAVY!

So, the Cabin is ready, the Garden is ready, we have wreaths galore, swags and more...we hope you're ready too!

Happy Holidays!

Fall Garlic - Planting, Growing, Harvesting and best of all, Eating!

Garlic, we LOVE it! It has so many benefits, from flavoring your meals to improving your health; it's a firm favorite with the staff here at Lovely Manors. Now is the time to plant your Fall garlic (ok, maybe we're a little late, but you still have time to get your crop going before winter sets in).
In this area (Maryland, Pennsylvania), the usual custom is to plant before Columbus Day (Oct 10), but opinion varies on this matter, and some say to plant right after the first frost. So, clear away that snow (snow? Isn't it still October?!), prepare your beds and get planting!

First, you need to get some good quality garlic to plant. Garlic cloves act as individual seeds, with each clove producing a bulb. We recommend getting large cloves from your local farmers market, or from us here in the store!

There are two main varieties of garlic - hardneck and softneck. Most of the garlic sold in supermarkets is of the softneck variety, as it tend to be easier to store, and the cloves are smaller than the hardneck variety.

Here in the garden at Lovely Manors, we have just planted our preferred type, the hardneck. We like the large bulbs, but we especially like the beautiful garlic scapes that grow in the Spring and Summer.

Garlic scapes are the flower stalks that the garlic produces as it matures. The scapes grow straight then start to curve and curl, creating an interesting visual effect in your garden. Don't let them go too far though...when the garlic is producing a flower, its energy is focused on the flower rather than the bulb, leading to smaller bulb development (and less garlic for you!). Cut the scape off as low as possible to the center of the plant. Some people save the scapes and use them as decoration, or even to flavor food (it has a more delicate taste than garlic proper).

Once you have your cloves ready, you need to make sure the bed you intend to plant them in is ready too! Garlic mixes well with other plants, and prefers a sunny spot, with soil that is not too damp and is rich in organic matter. We plant ours in raised beds, and they do really well. Plant each clove upright (the same way up they would be in a bulb....pointed end up), about 3" deep and 6" apart. You can spread a layer of straw over the planted area if you like, which will help insulate the soil.

Then all you have to do is wait...add a little water, and wait some more...(water if there's a dry spell, otherwise let Mother Nature take care of it. Water as the weather heats up and the ground dries out before harvest.) Keep an eye out for the first green shoots which should appear in early Spring.

Garlic is generally hardy, but is susceptible to some diseases such as rot. Good drainage helps to prevent this problem.

Fall planted garlic is ready to harvest around June/July, when around 50% of the green leaves have turned brown. Use a fork to ease the bulbs out of the ground, or just pull them up if the ground is soft enough.

Once you have harvested your garlic, you will need to dry it so it can be stored and used as and when you need it. Hang your harvest in a warm, dry place for three weeks until they dry out. Once they have cured, you should store them unbroken in a cool dark place.

We love to roast garlic....here's a quick and easy way to do it:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut about ½ inch off the top of the head of garlic. Peel off any loose skin.

Place garlic in a small ovenproof dish, cut side up and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for around 1 hour, until the cut side is lightly browned and cloves are soft.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before squeezing the paste from the cloves.

Try roasted garlic mashed into potatoes or spread on crusty bread, drizzled with olive oil. Yum!

Halloween and The Owls!

A visit from the owls!

Phoenix Wildlife Center will be bringing owls to Lovely Manors on Friday Oct 28th. Lucky us!

Halloween is really going to be a hoot for us here at Lovely Manors. We already have a great range of decor in the store (plus candy corn, which is frighteningly addictive!), and we've just confirmed that Phoenix Wildlife Center, which is located just down the road from us here in Jacksonville, will be bringing some of their rescued owls is to meet us on Friday October 28th, from 5-6.30pm.

Owls are very popular, and rightly so, they're amazing creatures. We have many owl-related gifts here in the store. In fact, as I type I am wearing a beautiful owl necklace, one of the great selection of handmade jewelry made right here in the USA. We also have stone owls, owl dishes, owl vases and more.

One of the owl statues we have here in store. Take yours home for $24.99!

Owls have had signifcance over the centuries - both as an omen of all things death, an indicator of bad weather to come, or of a change in the weather, and more recently as a symbol of wisdom.

Among early English folk cures, alcoholism was treated with an owl egg. The imbiber was prescribed raw eggs, and a child given this treatment was thought to gain lifetime protection against drunkenness. Owls' eggs, cooked until they turned into ashes, were also used as a potion to improve eyesight, and owl broth was given to children suffering from whooping-cough. Lets not forget their abilities to deliver mail to Harry Potter and his friends!

We're just looking forward to seeing them close up!

Phoenix Wildlife Center is just down the street from us here. We met the owners by chance after Hurricane Irene had washed away large tracts of their garden. Water was sneaking into the animals houses, so we remedied the problem with a delivery of topsoil!

The guys at the Center rescue a wide range of wild animals; some who can be released, and some which have to stay in Phoenix because, for whatever reason, they are not well equipped enough to go back into the wild.  They really do a great job!

Don't miss the owls, and a chance to talk to the guys from Phoenix Wildlife Center.