DIY // summer-inspired smudge sticks

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.

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. #‎AmexAmbassador #‎bluecasheveryday #‎sponsoredMake these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. ‪#‎AmexAmbassador‬ ‪#‎bluecasheveryday‬ ‪#‎sponsored‬

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

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. ‪#‎AmexAmbassador‬ ‪#‎bluecasheveryday‬ ‪#‎sponsored‬

Start by cutting off the thicker, woody stems of your herbs and trimming your flowers down to size.

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @amex head to jojotastic.com.

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.

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @amex head to jojotastic.com.

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.

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. #‎AmexAmbassador #‎bluecasheveryday #‎sponsoredMake these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. #‎AmexAmbassador #‎bluecasheveryday #‎sponsored

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!

Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. #‎AmexAmbassador #‎bluecasheveryday #‎sponsoredMake these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. ‪#‎AmexAmbassador‬ ‪#‎bluecasheveryday‬ ‪#‎sponsored‬Make these summer-inspired smudge sticks to clear the energy in your home and save a little piece of summer with this fun and easy DIY! For all the steps and more fun projects with @americanexpress head to jojotastic.com. #‎AmexAmbassador #‎bluecasheveryday #‎sponsored

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.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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Please note that I use affiliate links at times here, as well as on my social media accounts. This means that if you click on a link to a product and purchase that product, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. I only feature products that truly inspire me. Any products that have been gifted to Jojotastic for review are noted at the bottom of the post. Sponsored posts are noted as such. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

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2 Comments

  1. 8.28.17
    HDean said:

    weird question, but are those fake plants in the pic?

    • 8.28.17
      joanna said:

      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