Hope Blooms Botanicals

10/20/2026

Join me tonight as we begin a three-part series on Herbal Energetics!

If you’re new to herbalism, this series is for you! We’ll break down herbal energetics into simple, practical lessons to help you better understand medicinal herbs and how to use them wisely.

Tonight at 7 PM Eastern!

10/19/2026

Herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free, with a few exceptions, such as yaupon. And technically, they’re not even called teas! True tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, while herbal teas are actually called tisanes.

09/28/2026

A little change is happening here!

Hope Blooms Botanicals on Facebook is becoming The Hometown Herbalist.

Hope Blooms Botanicals isn’t going anywhere. It’s still our little herb shop here in Gilbert, SC, and you can still find the shop at HopeBloomsBotanicals.com.

I’ve had this page for a long time, and over the years I’ve shared a little bit of everything here—what’s happening in the shop, herbs I’m growing and using, things I’m teaching, and plenty of reels along the way.

But over the last year, I’ve gotten much clearer about what I want this space to be.

The Hometown Herbalist
An Herbalist in Every Community

I believe God is raising up herbalists in communities around the world—equipping them to care for themselves, their families, and their communities with the gifts He has given us.

I want this page to be a place where you can grow your herbal knowledge and confidence so you can better serve your family and your community.

You’ll still see me growing herbs, making things, sharing what I’m learning and doing, and probably plenty of the same kinds of reels you’ve already been seeing. There’s just a clearer purpose behind it now.

So, same page. Same me. A new name and a clearer direction.

09/17/2026

This was one of those things nobody told me when I started my herbal business.

I knew the herbs and how they had traditionally been used. What I didn’t understand was that once I became the person SELLING those products, the way I talked about them mattered legally.

I can’t say that my herbal extracts treat anxiety, heal ulcers, cure insomnia, prevent infection, or treat someone’s high blood pressure. Those are disease claims—and herbal products aren’t approved drugs.

So what CAN we say?

We can use what’s called a structure/function claim. Instead of claiming that a product treats a disease, we talk about how it supports the normal structure or function of the body.

So rather than “treats anxiety,” we might say “supports a healthy nervous system” or “promotes relaxation.” Instead of “treats constipation,” we might talk about supporting normal bowel regularity.

But simply avoiding words like “treat,” “heal,” and “cure” isn’t enough. Even the word “supports” doesn’t automatically make a claim okay. The overall message you’re making about your product matters too.

And please don’t make the mistake I did and assume that because another herbal business is saying something, it must be legal. That’s not necessarily true.

Even adding a disclaimer doesn’t make a disease claim okay.

This is something I really wish I had understood sooner.

So don’t get mad at me for being the bearer of the news. 😂 I’m just telling you some of the things nobody told me when I started.

09/15/2026

Passionflower has held a special place in my apothecary for a long time.

After walking through seven years of insomnia and anxiety, I became very familiar with herbs traditionally used to support the nervous system—and passionflower became one of my favorites.

Passionflower is traditionally considered a relaxing nervine and has a long history of use for nervous tension, restlessness, and supporting restful sleep. But I don’t think of passionflower as only a nighttime herb. It isn’t necessarily sedating, and it can also be a lovely herb for nervous system support during the day when you’re feeling tense, wound up, or having a hard time settling.

It’s also a wonderfully simple herb to use. The dried aerial parts can be brewed as a tea, or passionflower can be prepared as a tincture—which is usually how I prefer to use it.

It’s an herb I came to appreciate through some very difficult years, and one I still keep close at hand today.

09/09/2026

I’m not going to pretend that it wasn’t grueling, or be super spiritual and say I would do it all again if it meant helping others. I would say I would have loved another way to learn all that I have.

But despite seven years of insomnia, while raising and homeschooling five children—He, my Lord Jesus, sustained me.

I even learned to have joy despite the exhaustion. I definitely learned to smile and love my family even when I didn’t feel like it. That dying to self is the very thing my Lord did for me.

My love for herbs began before the suffering, but I learned about them so intimately through it.

My body was wrecked from years of being destroyed from antibiotics and undiagnosed Lyme disease and He led me back to health and wholeness through His power and His creation.

That’s why I do what I do.

09/08/2026