Last week we kicked off my new partnership with American Express where I shared my essentials for new homeowners. One of my suggestions included using smudge sticks to add fragrance to your environment, making it feel more like home. It’s sort of amazing how something as simple as a pleasant smell can totally transform a space, don’t you think? So today we’ve teamed up with American Express again to share our seasonal summer take on smudge sticks with garden fresh sage, lavender, and blackberries — all inspired by this fun and fast DIY Buzzfeed video for your home. I love how impactful the glass bottles are when filled with twinkly lights! It’s the perfect inspiration for your next epic gathering at your home.
The best part about being an American Express Blue Cash Everyday member is that I can scoop up all the supplies I need for projects like this and earn 1% cash back… something I’m definitely saving up to keep making things more settled in my new home! Learn more of the benefits here. To make your own smudge sticks, here’s what you’ll need:
Materials
- natural twine
- white sage
- flowers of choice — we used white sage, lavender, wild blackberries, dusty miller and lisianthus
Tools
Start by cutting off the thicker, woody stems of your herbs and trimming your flowers down to size.
Next, stack or arrange your foliage into an evenly distributed bundle. Make sure that you lay some of your flowers underneath so that when you wrap it they go all the way around.
Now it’s time to tie it up! Cut a 3-foot long piece of string and find the center, lay your bundle over the middle of the string, and tie tightly. Next, take one of the sides of string and start to wind around the smudge stick, rotating the bundle of flowers and herbs as you go. This can get a little tricky, so don’t be afraid to undo it and start again.
Repeat with the other half of string, going in the opposite direction so that it crosses neatly over what you’ve already wound. Remember that as they try the greenery will shrink a little, so tie it tighter than you think you need to.
Once you’re happy with the string, wrap both sides around the top of the stick and secure with a knot. Trim the excess string and cut off any overhanging stems at the bottom of your smudge. We suggest lighting the sticks with a lit candle and spreading the aromatic smoke throughout the room, focusing on the corners. Here’s to bringing in the good vibes!
Photography by Meghan Klein, styling by Jojotastic, assisted by Gwen McKenzie.
This post is sponsored by American Express. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.
Leave a comment and let us know what you think of this smudge stick tutorial! And if you make a batch, be sure to post a photo and tag @jojotastic on Instagram so we can see.
weird question, but are those fake plants in the pic?
Not a weird question at all! They were actually real. When developing and sharing DIY projects and recipes, we always use real materials to ensure that the results are easily duplicated for readers like you.
Thanks!
Joanna