How does your garden grow?

I think I got my green thumb from my Father. From the time I can remember we've always had plants in our apartment in New Jersey growing up. I would help to transplant them when they out grew their pots. When we moved to Florida and we had a proper back yard my Dad would save and plant dates, coconuts, he even tried to plant pistachios ( those did not grow well). I joined in and planted Sun flowers, Amaryllis and Paper whites. Now that I am back to apartment living, I still enjoy getting my hands dirty so to speak. My current "garden" contains a Pineapple plant, Celery and Turmeric.

This is my second Pineapple plant and it is most definitely ready to transplant it to the ground, it has grown tremendously since all the Summer rains. Pineapple is the easiest to grow, just cut the top off of a fresh pineapple and you have a new plant. I saw a tip on local television if you peel away the bottom leaves close to the base about 1-1/12 inches up you will start to see the roots of the plant. All you have to do is just plant it in a pot or in your garden, before you know it you will have a Pineapple plant.

Next on my list is Celery, again it's easy to grow, just cut the base of the celery bulb and place in a small dish with water, soon enough you will start to see yellow-green shoots coming from the center. I then moved the bulb to a pot of soil about 2 weeks after it "caught". As soon as I transplanted it in to the earth,the yellow-green shoots turned a gorgeous deep green. This picture is about 2 weeks after it was in the dirt, best part is it has that bright Celery scent already. 

My newest go at growing something is Turmeric root. I've talked about all the benefits to Turmeric in a previous post. This is more than just a natural food colorant, Turmeric is one of the greatest super foods we have. Turmeric like the Pineapple grows from itself. The roots start to produce sprouts and roots which once planted in the soil become a plant, you can then harvest the roots after the leafy tops start to turn yellow and have all new Turmeric roots to use and even plant more. 

 

I'm excited to see how my Turmeric plant grows and getting the chance to use my own homegrown Turmeric in my soaps! These plants for the most part are low maintenance and for me, fun to watch grow and develop.I'll keep you posted on my "harvest" ...lol

Getting Show Ready

There is always an excitement for me when participating in shows, and some anxiety as well. I'm always afraid no one will like my soap or I didn't make enough or that my selection is not great enough.... there are always questions and what if's that float through my mind until the day of and my table is set and the folks start to browse, ask questions and shop. The interactions with my customers are so gratifying to me, that moment when they "get it", cause let's face it sometimes a bar of soap is not just a bar of soap. Because I use water bottles as the molds for most of them, people become very intrigued once they hear the story, if you have not heard it... here we go... Ready?

"I use the bottom of water bottle as the mold, then recycle the plastic once the are done. So, it's a green company as well. I'm giving the water bottles one more used before they are sent off to be recycled, it's my small effort to help the environment."

It is a wonderful feeling to know that I'm making some sort of contribution to helping preserve our environment. Also, in keeping with the Eco-Friendly theme, I'm using wrappers and labels that are Eco-Friendly or from a sustainable source. I know my customers appreciate this, as well as a good quality soap.

Getting show ready is always a challenge, but through the years I have it some what down to a science... or at least less boxes. I used to stay up all night making soap, labeling, boxing, packing and truth be told praying that my efforts pay off. As with any buying cycle, sometimes there is a pay-off, sometime not, but the most invaluable aspect is the knowledge that I gain with each show. For example, the show I just participated in... I ran out of change twice, I ran out of bags, and I sold out of 4-5 products. Those were a couple of firsts for me, but next time I know to bring change, bags, and oh dear.. make more soap... lol.
I have to laugh, it was such a great experience and it taught me about this particular show. Bottom line you can prepare as much as you like but you are never as prepared as should be. So, if you are a crafter thinking about participating in your first show or a seasoned vendor remember to have fun with it. Go out there, engage each customer, don't be put off by folks who are "just looking". Tell your story and talk about your inspiration. People will feel your passion and want to support your cause.
Good Luck!

The Next Big Thing..... Turmeric

Growing up with parents from the West Indies there are certain things that are second nature, for instance Curry, I've eaten Curry all my life. Whether it was chicken, beef, goat... Curry was a staple in our home, also a staple were seasonings like Cumin, Geera, Tandoori, Cardamon and Turmeric. These are not new or mysterious to me, but in the mainstream, they are definitely exotic. Ironically, as I was getting ready to write this post there was an ad pop up about Turmeric and its benefits to ease joint pain.

What is Turmeric? *Turmeric is a plant. You probably know turmeric as the main spice in curry. It has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor or color curry powders, mustards, butters, and cheeses. But the root of turmeric is also used widely to make medicine.


There are a mulitude of benefits Turmeric provides to not only our joints, but to our overall health.
*Here are the benefits of Turmeric in our body:

• Eases joint pain
• Heartburn
• Stomach issues
• Jaundice and liver problems
• Loss of appetite
• Gallbladder issues

Turmeric can be ingested in food or as a tea, you can even mix a bit in your detox water for added benefits. I especially love to use Turmeric in rice an peas, it gives the rice a beautiful yellow color and add great flavor to an ordinary dish.

**The topical (on the skin) benefits of Turmeric are:

• It has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce skin inflammation, pigmentation and blemishes.
• It has antibacterial properties, which help reduce acne, especially when used with other natural ingredients.
• It has anti-aging properties, which help prevent and improve dry skin and wrinkles, thus slowing the process of aging to help your skin look younger.

I use a combination of Turmeric powder and Eucalyptus Mint Essential Oil blend in my WBS Herbals soap. I have used a bar for 2 weeks now and I have noticed some scars on my arm have began to lighten...Yay! The great thing about Turmeric powder is it creates a very fine exfoliant in the soap and the blending of the Eucalyptus Mint make for a soothing scent.

Check out the links below for more information on this amazing, soon to be the new super food and learn more bout how it can benefit your overall health. Also grab a bar of my WBS Herbals Turmeric soap...

Source: *http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-662-TURMERIC.aspx?activeIngredientId=662&activeIngredientName=TURMERIC

**http://www.med-health.net/Turmeric-Powder-For-Skin.html 

All the world is a learning experience

You've heard the phrase " you're never too old to go back to school". This is very true, for me however, I'm not going back to the classroom. I love to learn new techniques, especially in soap and body care.I have experimented before with lotions and body sprays to help expand my business, I am still working out the best bases to use so it is an on going learning process in which I find is one of my favorite parts about my business. Which brings me to the point and also a hint of what is to come from my company. My Hubs whom is very supportive in my business venture came to me recently with complaint/idea. He likes to use shower gel over bar soap, his most recent gel soap purchase contain Menthol, which by no real stretch of the imagination, leave a "tingling" sensation on the skin. The issue was, he didn't know the gel had menthol in it, so needless to say what was supposed to be a relaxing shower after a hard day's work, turned in to a "that ish burns, what the hell did I buy" aftermath... lol.

After the tingle subsided he came to me and asked if I could make him a shower gel that he could use. This sent my head into a spin... What would I create? What additives should I try? What scent should I create? Thus the research started and I have come up with a gel I think he will like and that would be beneficial to his skin. First, I'm starting with an organic base that is all plant derived and does not contain SLS (Sodium lauryl sulfate) which is known to be very harmful to our health. Second, I am adding activated charcoal for it detoxifying properties and jojoba granules as an exfoliate. Lastly, and most tricky is a blend of essential oils that will help neutralize odor, aid in skin cleansing, refresh the body and if blended well leave a wonderful scent.I feel like a bit of a mad scientist mixing and testing the combinations of Clove oil, Lavender Essential Oil and Rosemary Essential Oil. Working on a ratio of 3:2:1 ( 3 parts light top note fragrance, 2 parts mid note scents and 1 part bottom note) Most fragrances are built this way and it all depends on how the oils absorb in the skin the faster top note to the slower bottom notes. I think I came up with a great combination, though the Hubs thinks it smells like Christmas because on the Clove...lol.

I'm sure you are asking why this combination.. here are the benefits of these essential oils:
Clove Essential Oil - Though it is a numbing agent when applied to skin, the aroma therapeutic qualities of this oil also make it a stimulant, helping with fatigue, depression and potentially as an aphrodisiac. Clove Oil smells like the spice and it is a wonderful blending oil. Clove has long been used in connection with respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis (breathed in over a steam bath).

Rosemary Essential Oil - Rosemary is high in camphor and is traditionally used in decongestant blends and muscle pain relief blends (think 'Vicks Vapor Rub'). This distinctive smelling essential oil is considered stimulating in nature and is often found in energizing blends. Warnings: Do not use if pregnant, have high blood pressure or a history of seizures


Lavender Essential - Lavender is used for restlessness, insomnia, nervousness, and depression. Some people use lavender for painful conditions including migraine headaches, toothaches, sprains, nerve pain, sores, and joint pain. It is also used for acne and cancer, and to promote menstruation.



I will keep you posted on my new concoction...

*Source - Clove Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil

Time in a bottle.... or fragrance really.

Summer is around the corner and I know for some of my friends and family the warmer whether cannot come soon enough. Not to rub it in but here in sunny South Florida it seems to always be some variation of summer. Nothing reminds me more of this season than the scent of suntan lotion. The fragrance of coconut, zingy mandarin orange and sweet pineapple sends my senses a drift to a white sandy beach and a cool cocktail. It's amazing how the power of a fragrance can take you to a place or time, just like a song on the radio, I can remember events in my life from the scents that I wore or used at the time.

For me, smell of suntan lotion reminds me of when I would spend all day at the beach during summer time. I used to wear Aqua de Gio from Armani during a trip to Canada for my Grandmother's 80th Birthday. The scent of Sunflowers from Victoria Secrets takes me to a trip to Disney with my best friend. Also, VS  Very Sexy reminds me of when my husband and I were first dating.

Scents can be very powerful in the way they can help invoke certain memories or be apart of new ones. I try to keep that in mind when selecting fragrances for my Water Bottle Soaps. I like to keep a variety of scents from the warm and comfy like Oatmeal, milk and honey to the fresh like Cool Citrus Basil to the floral like French Lime Blossom. I love when customers tell me "this is my favorite" or "your soaps smell so good, I can't decide which one I like best". Let's face it who wants a stinky soap anyway. One of the great features I love about my soaps is that the fragrance last, not only from the beginning to the very end of the soap but for years..... yes years! I still have some of my first test batches (circa 2008) and they smell just as good as the day they were poured. Best part is they leave your skin with a gentle kiss of fragrance.

I'd love to hear what your favorite fragrance is and what memory it reminds you of....

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way.

Its that time of year to celebrate birth and rebirth as Mother Nature awakens from her long (for those up north extremely long) slumber. It's time for blossoms to bloom, birds to twitter (not on the internet) and new life to begin. Easter has never really been my favorite holiday... it's a great holiday don't get me wrong, full of colors, poofy dresses with hats to match, going to Church for almost a whole week, if you are Catholic and chocolate (you knew I would sneak that in). As a child my most favorite Easter basket goodie was a fresh new box of Crayola crayons. I can still smell the fresh wax rainbow as I opened the box, not the 8 pack, no, no my friends, Easter called for the 64 pack and in those days it had a sharpener in the back of the box.
Sigh, that is one of my favorite scents, right next to new car smell and the fragrance of new money.

The bigger meaning that the crayons held was my parents support in my creativity. It's so very important that we nurture children's creativity and empower them to imagine. Imagination is the key to many of man's greatest accomplishments. To take the ordinary and make it extraordinary, it can be as profound as changing the way we communicate and follow the lives of friends and loved ones to as simple a taking an everyday object, such as a water bottle and using one more time before being recycled. It's all apart of the creative mind, seeing beyond the eye of the beholder. Creativity is not just limited to crafty projects, it can come in many forms for instance in medicine. The leaps and bounds in prosthetics are apart of having a creative mind. In a nutshell, the Easter season always super charges my creativity and the birth of new ideas. For those who celebrate, I wish you a Happy Easter Season!

2 was better than 3!

My son turned 3 in January, watching him grow and change has been so rewarding. Gone are the days of him crawling, babbling and me trying to figure out what he needs or wants. Now he tells me he's hungry, or thirsty, or wants to potty. He also lets me know in a very distinct way that he is displeased... My beautiful boy started to have all out screaming tantrums. At first they were minor sessions of him yelling "that's mine!" or "I want!" lately they he's been shrieking like a banshee, big crocodile tear, red faced melt downs that cause me major anxiety and embarrassment. The first aforementioned red faced-banshee incident happened in the middle of Publix (our local grocery store) it was a typical day nothing out of the ordinary. As we passed by the bakery with all the delicious goods the colorful frosted cupcake caught Darin's eye. Then the "I want's" started, the "Gimme's" followed. As I calmly explained that we do not need cupcakes because we have at home, the "It's Mine" and the crocodile tears started. Progressing in to the flailing of arms and legs as we moved on through the store. The further away we moved the louder and more upset he became until he hit a high pitched note that would make Mariah Carey green with envy. My heart stopped, I turned white as a ghost and felt the eyes of every customer on me and my possessed child. Mortified I grabbed him out of the cart bucking and screaming like a wild bronco and fled the store, sans dinner for the night.

I've read a few Mommy blogs of women who have dealt with their children's tantrums, some positively, other.. well. In one of them, she expressed how in an instant she hated her child. In the fraction of a millisecond when her child was in full Chernobyl melt down she hated him. When reading this post I thought how horrible, how could you ever for a split second hate this miracle you created. Until... it happened to me!

In the second Darin's went from 0 to over the top extreme melt down, I felt it... I hate my child. As soon as the thought entered my head, I felt guilty. Oh no... I'm a horrible Mother, I just felt it for a brief instant. How, how can this be, in one fraction of a second my thought process I would go to me hating my precious baby boy. On top of feeling humiliated, I felt angry, both at Darin and myself... more myself. By the time we arrived at home, Darin finally calmed down in the form of a nap, and I ... I was left to quietly ponder the array of emotions the past 20 minutes barraged me with and if I should have just bought the cupcakes.

It really does take a village to help raise a child and thankfully my Father was there with some pretty good advise. "Talk to him" he said, you stay calm and talk to him, he's too young to understand but if your calm he will slowly regain composure, then he will tell you what he wants..... Really, that works? So, in the throws of the next catastrophic melt down I tried it. I took a great deal of patience, and a cool baby wipe to the face but I was able to calm Darin down to a point and he was able to use his "big boy words" and tell me what he wanted. It does not mean he always gets what he wants but in expressing his desires and me taking the time to listen it makes a difference in his reactions and the tantrums do not last as long. This technique has been working so far, and the key is to control the situation. Darin is an overall easy child but like every child he does not always know how to express himself. As for me "hating" him... that is a guilt I carried for a little while but when he says to me "Mommy lets dance" or tell me a knock knock joke and we laugh hysterically I know I could never really hate my child because he fills my heart with so much love some days it feels like it will explode.