Do you know about Chanelle Bergeron of Moon By Moon Apothecary? If not, you seriously should. Chanelle is made up of magic, wisdom and some super serious witchy whimsy. Last winter, I sought Chanelle out for an herbal/energetic consolation when I was dealing with heavy anxiety and digestive issues. Speaking with Chanelle was so uplifting and brought some very needed inspiration back into my life. She calls herself a flower essence devotee, intuitive herbalist, poet, & sound-collage maker, among other things and I for one, am so grateful for each and every one of her offerings. So much so that I've even signed up for Chanelle's Patreon, in which she provides an intuitive oracle card reading each month. Through this, Chanelle has given me sage advice regarding every day matters and I always look forward to hearing what she and the cards have to say. 

Brew yourself a cup of tea, settle in somewhere cozy and take the time to read Chanelle's magical words. You will not be disappointed. 

P.S. Chanelle and I have a special set of flower essences coming out soon! Keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks. 

Spencre xx

Hello! This is one of my very favorite series on the internet right now, so I am really
honored that Spencre asked me to share what is in my bag. I am not entirely sure what
has come over me, but I have been having this renewed love affair with tote bags… it’s
not that I had anything against them, per say, but I guess I was on a tote hiatus until
recently. My favorite is this one that I redesigned for myself. My sister gave me this bag,
I think it was from an art gallery, & I sewed an old linen onto the front that acts like a big
pocket as well. It is like my marsupial tote. Honestly, I am trying to keep my bag really
sparse & uncluttered these days. Maybe because it is so hot out. Other than my quilted
clutch which holds my wallet, phone, bobby pins & usually some item of jewelry, my bag
is fairly empty. I emptied out my bag this past week, & here is what was inside:

1. Yarrow Hydrosol from my dear friend Atlanta of Avant Gardenz
Atlanta’s hydrosols are so so special. I use them all the time, especially as part of my
face-care regimen, but have been carrying them around with me lately because it has
been hot out. Hydrosols are amazing in the heat because they don’t cling to you like
perfumes or essential oils do, plus they are so much less toxic for the body & when we
are hot, our pores open even more, so I really try to be mindful of what I am putting on
myself. Atlanta makes some of the most gorgeous hydrosols I have ever used. I really
love herbal, vegetal smells more-so than floral so I have been carrying her Yarrow
hydrosol around with me everywhere & spritzing myself when I need a dose of
something aromatic & fresh. Plus, Yarrow is so deeply calibrating & reviving in my
experience, so if you are someone who wilts in the heat, I highly recommend this one
for you!

2. Rosebud Salve
My tried & true… I don’t know what it is about this salve (I actually don’t know if it is
technically a salve because as far as I know there is no beeswax in here) but I have
always cherished it, ever since I was little. There has always been something so mystical about it to me, or if not mystical than it totally feels like it is from another time &
place. The tin, the color, the smell… it is very simple, which is perfect for me. As I write
this, I am now realizing how drawn towards tins as containers I am. My mom gets my
sister & I one for Christmas every year & so it has really become one of the only
traditions we still practice as a family: Rosebud Salve & a chocolate orange in our
stockings.

3. Orris root gifted to me from my dear friend Mindy Stock of Sea Song + Root
I think Mindy gave this to me a few years ago when I was living in Savannah, but I am
not entirely sure where she got it from. It looks like a little sliver of bone & it used to
have much more smell in it a few years ago, but still feels potent & special to me.
Recently, I have been carrying it around in the front pouch of my tote bag. It has always
made me feel super grounded & protected, especially in times when I feel like I am
receiving too much information energetically or psychically from people—it seems to
help me keep people in their own lane so to speak. I have also been actively trying to
balance my relationship to work with the rest of my life, with how I am able to show up
as a partner to Minori & in relationship to my friends. Simply reaching for my orris root
has been really helpful in reminding me to put my work down, go home, & be more
playful.

4. Água Viva by Clarice Lispector
Clarice is one of my very favorite writers. A Brazilian-Sagittarius-phenomenologist-
mystic who writes like a diamond being born. It is really hard to categorize or describe
her writing, so I can only recommend that you read it. I feel like she is finally getting all
the recognition she deserves because I see so many people talking about & citing her
work! Pretty much every summer, I find myself reaching for this book in particular… it
moves with the speed & sultriness of this season so it holds my attention much more
than when trying to read something else. I also will often consult Clarice as an oracle of
sorts. With this book in particular, because I have read it a few times before, I will
usually just shuffle the pages, see where I land, & just read that section before heading
out into the world.

5. My special matryoshka doll key-ring from my sister
Lolly gave me this key-ring for my 30th birthday this past October. She has a matching
one in a different color, so they are kind of like our version of a friendship bracelet. I
don’t know where she got it exactly, I think from somewhere near her old apartment in
New York. It’s funny because I really have a hard time finding key-rings that I like, & it is
one of those things you forget you need to make your life more simple. This one is
special because it immediately connects me to my sister & to our Lithuanian heritage
every time I reach for my keys.

6. Moon by Moon business cards!
Okay, so I have been trying to get better at carrying around my business cards because
I spend a lot of time making them & people often will ask me for one, but it is rare that I
actually have one on me. I also always tell my friends to bring their business cards
around with them, but never take my own advice. My resolution this past month was to just toss a few in my bag so that I can hand them out or leave them at cute coffee
shops. Plus, Jean (the two year old I hang out with two days a week) really loves them,
so she definitely reminds me if I need to re-stock my stash.

7. My monthly essence blend:
One of my truly consistent acts of self-care is to make myself an essence blend at the
beginning of every month—something that can help me move through & in alignment
with that month’s energy with grace & support. I use my essence blend in drop doses,
3-5 drops at a time. They almost always contain a tincture but sometimes will just be
essences, either that I have made or from essence practitioners I really love. This one
contains a tincture of Plantain leaves which I gathered in the mountains just outside of
Asheville at the end of May… before making this blend, I had honestly never really
spent time with Plantain or even given it that much thought (which I think deeply speaks
to the medicine this plant is sharing with me, with us!). Needless to say, I have fallen
head over heels for Plantain: the flavor of it, the way it makes me feel, how deeply &
widely it encourages me to inhale, how it reminds me I am allowed to take up as much
space as I need. It also has some essences in it: Olive from Bach, Liard Hot Springs
from Alaskan Essences, & White Cleome from my lovely friend Sarah of Chicory Kin.
I am really, really picky about whose essences I use, but who can dislike Bach? Also the
Olive essence has been coming up for me for about 3 months now, so I am super
feeling this one & I cannot emphasize enough just how helpful it has been for me.
Alaskan Essences has always been a favorite of mine—their environmental essences
especially. Chicory Kin is a wonderful essence maker—her work spoke to me right away
& we have been doing little trades with one another here & there which is the best.
8. Oh also my ticket stub for the shoe repair store here in Raleigh called H & H… I am
so glad that cobblers are still around because I don’t ever want to get rid of my ruby red
boots! I have always had a pair of ruby red shoes, ever since I was little. That deep dark
rich red has always been my favorite color. Plus, I almost always have some kind of
nice pen in my bag — I am really into nice, inky pens or felt-tipped pens. I think this is a
Uni-ball Eco pen. Nothing beats a good pen, wouldn’t you say?
***

Find Chanelle online at moonbymoonapothecary.com and on Instagram @moonbymoonapothecary

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