Sweet Almond Oil Infused with Calendula

The calendula comes from the garden.  I have a special area that I cultivate the calendula and just about now I am reaping the benefits.  They are in full bloom and will give me a substantial yield until September.  By then I will have enough calendula petals to infuse in sweet almond oil which, in turn, will go into the body butter, the hand cream and some of the soaps.

I air dry the calendula (marigold) on a daily basis in a big cardboard box in my soap room and as it dries I take it out and store in a jar.  Then in September I fill up a few jars with sweet almond oil and the calendula petals (about half and half) and I leave these jars on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks.  And it's that simple.  

I love going out every day to my garden to harvest.  And among the things I harvest are the calendula flower heads.  By doing so, by dead heading the plants, I ensure that more will grow.  It's a win win situation.