H is for.....

Oh my goodness everyone I am struggling! I am beginning to wish I had chosen to opt for a different theme and I am already sweating at the thought of Q and U! There is only one essential oil for H, that is Hyssop and I have never used it as you have to be careful with it as it is a potent oil although it has lovely properties. The words from Psalm 51:7says 'Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean' and may well relate to the herbs cleansing effect and why it was used in treatment of the plague, leprosy and chest ailments. It also is a good tonic to the body when in a weakened position and an aid to digestion and in chest infections as it helps to release sticky mucus and could give some relief from rheumatism and arthritis. In Nicholas Culpepper's famous herbal he has a whole list of wonderful uses and I quote:

'The hot vapours of the decoctation, taken by a funel in at the ears, easeth the inflammations and singing noise of them'  - as I suffer from tinnitus I must admit that sounds tempting!

But how to do the tag! Well, I thought I would try and bring in the medieval element and try for a piece of manuscript.

I have not egg tempura or gold leaf and so it has not turned out as I wanted, I nearly didn't post it, but here it is warts and all. I drew a monk holding some Hyssop which has slender green leaves and purple/blue flowers. I have tried to have him sitting under an ornate H that I painted with luminus gold coloured paint and used my inktense pencils for the rest of the colouring. The base of the tag is some gothic writing that I washed over with off-white acrylic paint and I found a piece of ornate scrolly stuff (technical name!) for the corner. I would like to say here that Janes beautiful caligraphy is more of what I wanted to go for but lack her skills! Thank you for all your comments on last week, I loved all your G's, such variety! Off to enjoy your H's now. x