I'm a fan of http://www.keeperofthehome.org. Its great source for whole foods and whole living information. As the dry season approaches my kids skin withers and dries up, competing with an alligator for "scaly skin."  Especially my daughter. Last winter we tried a few "on the shelf" lotions at our local bog-box store. It worked well enough, but they aren't budget friendly, especially with two kids plus ourselves slathering it on.

from start to finish
last jar almost empty...use it alot!

growing in my garden
watered by automatic sprinklers

olive oil is my carrier oil

infusion dates listed on top and written on my calendar

For complete information on the healing benefits of Calendula, how to grow the flower, and/or make Calendula Oil, lotion, or salve, visit: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/06/homemade-calendula-oil.html.

Here is a section describing the Cold Infusion Method:

JUNE 29, 2012

Homemade Calendula Oil

Written by Mindy, Contributing Writer 

Calendula is such an easy and fun flower to grow.  Besides being beautiful to look at, it offers a wealth of beneficial healing properties for your skin.  It is an herb that will definitely earn it's spot in your garden!

Homemade Calendula Oil

What you will need:

• dried calendula petals
• carrier oil (olive oil, almond oil, or sunflower oil are all great choices)
• a clean, glass jar with a lid

How to infuse the oil:

There are two different methods to infuse your oil with the healing properties of calendula. We'll look at the two different methods below and talk about the pros and cons to each method.

1. Cold Infusion Method

This is usually the preferred method, because it protects the delicate calendula from being damaged by heat.

Steps for the cold infusion method are as follows:

• Put your desired amount of dried calendula petals in your clean, dry glass jar.
• Fill the jar with your carrier oil of choice to cover the petals by one inch.
• Put in a sunny place to infuse for 4 weeks.
• Drain the petals from the oil and store your oil in a container with a lid for up to one year.

That's it! Very simple and straightforward. The only downside to this method is that it takes 4 weeks to get your finished oil.