About me

Beekeeper and aromatherapist. I write about bees and smelly stuff. My blog shares the art of aromatherapy and the secrets of the bees.

‘Skip to the end’

I trained as an aromatherapist with Neal’s Yard Remedies in 2005, studying over 70 essential oils and essential oil chemistry, as well as completing 60 case studies. After graduation, I practised aromatherapy massage for one year at the graduate clinic in Covent Garden, London, and took further professional courses on aromatherapy for skin care – a particular interest of mine. I also really love to make perfumes, beautiful facial oils and lovely bath blends!

My lifelong passion for nature and wildlife – and a happy coincidence – led me to become a beekeeper in 2010. I will be taking the British Beekeepers Association basic assessment this summer – my first step towards becoming a Master Beekeeper! I have a wonderful hive partner with whom I share my hives – the lovely Emily Heath at Adventures in Beeland.

‘It’s a bit more complex than that’

As a commissioning editor for the weekly magazine, Enhancing your mind body spirit, I wrote over 100 articles on aromatherapy, herbalism, massage, yoga, nutrition, healthy living, animal healing, and world healing traditions, plus a fair few on folklore, spells and magic, fortune telling, and urban legends.

A feature I wrote on a Persian poem and artwork commissioned from Jim Pilston

As assistant editor on The Official Star Trek Fact Files, which was one of the most successful partwork magazines of the 1990s, I wrote many more articles on, um, Star Trek, learned a bit of Klingon and was reliably informed that ‘quite a lot actually does happen in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’.

Yep, I watched every episode of ST:TOS – twice – to write ‘Kirk’s crew’!

These days I have a proper grown-up job working as an editor for the Royal College of Physicians, where I sometimes get called ‘Pippa’ or ‘that girl who does Commentary’, and get a free lunch every day. I commission, write, edit and design, manage projects, and get to work with a really brilliant bunch of people. I highly recommend the public tours of our Medicinal Garden by Henry Oakeley, the garden fellow.

Denys Lasdun’s Royal College of Physicians – a curious place, why not visit?

‘Thanks for coming, it’s been really useful‘

I am also interested in web design and am learning photography on my new SLR, which is sadly, not pink. I enjoy watching movies – particularly sci fi and action (I’m not your usual girl) – and collect random movie quotes which occasionally pop-up in a post.

DISCLAIMER

This blog is an expression of opinions only and not intended to be professional advice. The statements and products with regard to aromatherapy on this site are not meant to treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with all healthcare treatments, please seek advice from a qualified health practitioner before use.


49 thoughts on “About me”

  5. Hi Emma,
    Thanks for visiting my blog on calming autism! I truly believe that aromatherapy can help our children on the spectrum. Enjoy the bees, their numbers are dropping here in the US.

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    • There have been some studies in primary schools in the UK about using aromatherapy, which found the aromas enhanced a creative learning environment by stimulating different parts of the brain. Studies on sense and smell are really interesting, there is still so much to unlock and learn. Your blog is fascinating.

      The bees appreciate the good wishes – They need all the friends they can get these days! :)

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  6. Hi Emma

    What a wonderful blog! An interesting combination but it makes perfectly sense that bees and aromatherapy should be joined :)

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    • Thank you! Bees and flowers are mutually dependent on each other, I imagine there would be fewer essential oils for aromatherapy without bees! I love the picture of lavender on your blog, the friendliest of herbs!

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  8. Thank you for visiting my blog. And by the by, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is my favorite movie. And I love the Inigo Montoya quote. That’s a great movie too.

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  9. Hi, I’m watching Spirit of the Beehive a gorgeous Spanish film from 1972.(You’ve probably seen it). I’m showing it to my students next week. If you’ve not seen it I highly recommend, it does have bees in it, although not exclusively.

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  11. Pingback: “Sunshine” Award « My Magnificent Mess

  12. Hi Emma – Just wanted you to know I nominated you for the Sunshine Award. Please read my post about it. I hope you accept and pass it on. Thank you for being a ray of sunshine to me

    Best, Donna

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    • Donna – thank you! That is so lovely of you. I feel honoured to be nominated for the Sunshine Award and shall be posting the nomination on blog wall soon, along with a page of my own nominations! It is great to share our experiences as bloggers and I’m looking forward to reading more on your blog too! x

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  15. My lavender got a very late start this year – the leaves are just starting to sprout and unfurl. I have a huge clump of it though and it will be wonderful come late June and July. My thyme and oregano are exploding everywhere and my chives are doing well. The rosemary didn’t make the winter, but I expected that. My roses are growing inches every day. Now that we’ve had some rain I expect to see even more growth. My siberian irises are doing fantastic too! I’m glad to read that your bees are doing well. That was a scare you had. Best wishes to Queen Myrrh! (great name btw) Talk to you soon Best, D.

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  19. Pingback: Dandelion Award : Miss Apis Mellifera « The Liberated Way

    • Thanks, Donna! What a great idea. Hit a busy period at work the past two weeks but it’s all over this Friday so back to blogging at the weekend – and enjoying the great British summer, of course ;) Love your questions, will do mine over Sunday morning coffee xx

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      • Sounds lovely Wish I could jet over and have my coffee with you! When do the Olympics start? And is it crazy in London yet?

    • Hi Piers, wow, I am amazed that you have visited my blog – thank you very much! I heard that you were a beekeeper at Ealing association and visited our apiary for a while. Many of the beekeepers there have really enjoyed your book – you have captured our obsession perfectly! ;) I hope you’ll write another and maybe pop into the apiary for tea and cake again some day! Many thanks, Emma

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  23. Bonjour, Emma! Hi from Toulouse, France and thanx for liking my post about the “horny” Andorran horses… :-) I like honey, too, especially the lavender one which is considered to be one of the most refined ones… :-) I did pick it up mine yesterday and I’ve put some pix on our blog… I do hope to find some spare time to visit your awesome blog… Friendly greetings from the European capital of space & aviation, have a great day! :-)

    Reply ↓

  26. Hi Emma – what a fabulous combination for your lovely blog. I often name images of bees & flowers as ‘aromatic helpers’. Best of luck. I look forward to discovering more about our aromatic helping friends, thanks ~ Ellen

    Reply ↓

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