What's Workin' Wednesday-Products Not in the Shop

I have many products that have yet to make their way to my Etsy store front. Of those, there are at least 50 soap batches and probably a good 8 to 10 other products waiting for me to find the time to add. I have the products already made, in fact, most have been staples in my inventory for years, but right now they only get sold to the people who know about them and to those who visit with me in person. So today I would like to share a few of these lessor known products with you.

Now this first one is actually already in the Unique Garden Essences store front, but it was recently reformulated and renamed, so here it is. It is a facial/eye serum that I have named "Go Away". Go away is a blend of of vegetable and plant oils, including meadowfoam, sea buckthorn, jojoba and others. Each ingredient, including the proprietary essential oil blend, has been chosen for the properties it will contribute to the blend. A little of this oil in your daily facial care regimen and I believe that you will soon detect a noticeable, healthy difference in your skin tone. These oils are purported to not only rejuvenate the skin, but to regenerate damaged skin cells, and decrease the signs of aging.


This next product is such a fun and kitschy one. I began making them because I enjoyed them myself, but I was basically coerced into continuing to make them and to offer them for sale in the shop by several of my friends and long term clients.  What am I talking about?

The cupcake bath bomb, of course! Look how cute they turn out! The sprinkles are actually tiny jojoba beads. They come in a multitude of colors and really look like the candies used to decorate the edible cupcakes!

I can't tell you how many people  thought they hit the jackpot, at my last craft show, when the afternoon hunger pains set in! Lol

The next product I'd like to introduce to you is one of my favorites. Why? Because I originally made it for a friends' grandson, and later for my own!  It is Baby Bum and Body Balm. This balm is herbal infused greatness that is equally wonderful for chapped, reddened faces as it is for the private area, in between diaper changes. In fact, this balm is perfect for all sensitive skin, even when you aren't a baby! 

And the final product for today's What's Workin' Wednesday is an Air Diffuser.

This cute, 6 oz. diffuser is cut glass. The cork seal has a shrink band to keep it secure in transit. Once home and ready to use, all that you need to do is to remove the cork, place the reeds into the bottle, and find a nice place to set it, where its beauty will add to your decor. The fragrances can be colored or left clear, and the scents are as varied as the minutes of the day. While I usually take a few different fragrances to a show, these can be ordered in just about any scent desired. Packaged nicely, these also make great gifts! 

There are some more products for me to show you, but we will look at those next week. There will be solid perfumes, lotions, body mousse, whipped shea and more to look forward too!  Even a whipped soap, including a shaving soap for Dads, Hubbies and Gals alike! All next What's Workin' Wednesday! 

Before you go  take a look at these recently completed (special ordered) gift sets.  Made in a variety of styles and price ranges, they are always fun to work on and even more fun to watch the recipient open! 

Tripod Thursday- Soap and More

Having been out of town Wednesday, this week I am doing a two in one day! Lol So the What's Up Wednesday subject is also what the Tripod Thursday pictorial is all about. What is that? Well, soaping of course lol. Actually, not to be too boring, I have also begun stocking up on other bath and body items, in preparation for my first Spring show, the Chatfield college Quilt and Craft show. This will be either my fifth or sixth year there, and I truly enjoy this show. The campus is set on a back country road, down a long, tree lined lane, just past a small pond. It is truly a gem, and I would think that anyone attending there would have a difficult time studying or paying attention to a lecture, when out those big windows is such a peaceful and serene view. But as far as places I would love to go to for a craft show, what a peach is all I can say!

Anyway, so far this week I have poured some solid lotion bars into tins, made some bath melts, and, of course I have also made a few new soaps. In between batches of these things, I was also busy listing soap on a relatively new web site, called Artful Vision.  This site is a bit different than the normal shopping and vendor sites, because at this one, the Artisan that you purchase from contributes 20% of each and every sale to a charity. A charity that is chosen (from several) by  the consumer. Each is a large, well known charitable organization, and the interests are varied. So I think that anyone can find something that they would like to contribute to from the choices offered, and it provides an easy way to do just that! I really hope that you all will spread the word about this site, and head there to check it out yourself!

Teaching Tuesday- Shop til ya Drop (holiday series final installment)

Since We are less than one week away from Christmas, yes folks, just four more days!, I am pretending that today is Wednesday instead of Tuesday! Don't worry, we will make Wednesday our Tuesday this week, and still get in an informative post! Since today is the last day that many shops will be shipping for your Christmas gift giving, I want to look at another place where you may find those last minute gifts. This site is actually a relatively new shopping site, with under one hundred vendors. What sets these vendors apart from the millions on other shopping sites, is that they consist of herbalists and naturalists.
The sites' name is Poppy Swap, and their tag line is, "we bring people herbs," which really says it all!  Aside from bath and body products, the shops at Poppy Swap offer herbal remedies, teas (yes, the drinking kind), pet products, foods, art inspired by nature, and many other unique items. Designed to be an on-line herbal market, the site supports herbalists and farmers, as well as promoting organic living. They are also big educational advocates, so be sure to check out the blog, as well as the  community forum. Plan on spending a bit of time clicking your way around, cuz there are many interesting shops, covering a variety of product categories. To make your search a bit easier, the main page has a list of product categories down its left side, so you can just click and go! Of course, if you are looking for a specific shop you can use the search bar or scroll through the shop names, which begin on the main page. Just want to play ennie meenie and try something new? There are a set of [rotating] featured shops on the main page, so be bold and click on one and go!

While Unique Garden Essences does have a Poppy Swap store front, it is not well populated. So, if you would like a product or a gift set, please contact me through this blog, email, or via the Etsy shop, where you can view more of my product line. Today will be the last day that I will accept Christmas orders, and all orders will be sent priority mail with delivery confirmation for the best chance of arriving on time.

Frankley Speaking Friday- Another Shop til ya Drop Installment!

Are you still hunting for that special, unique gift? Well, I have another great Etsy shop that just may solve your difficult to buy for problem! Michigan crafter, Michelle, offers some flair for the home in her shop, Amore Vivo. Among other things, she describes her shop as having unique gifts, gifts for wine lovers, home decor, Italian wine art, and silk floral arrangements. It really is an eclectic variety of decorative home accents, something for most everyone!

Just want to send flowers? Why not send ones that will last forever? Try these silk roses from Amore Vivo .

Or what about these decorative plaques? A bit of whimsy, they say "Live", "Laugh", and "Love" in Italian!

  I really like these sweet hearts. She has others, one even with red roses (if not for Christmas, plan ahead for Valentines day!)

                                                                                                                                                                                                             Or what about this "Love" wall plaque in Christmas red!                            

For more interesting gift ideas, check out the Amore Vivo shop! 

What;s Happening Wednesday-Shop til Ya Drop

We are happily at Wednesday again, another Shop til ya Drop day! And only eleven days until Christmas, which means only ten more shopping days! So are you stuck? Is there that one person that you still cannot find a gift for? Well how about putting together a gift pack so that they can make their own special something? I did this last year for my Grandson's Mother by purchasing her some cute, special paper, acid free glue sticks, and lots of embellishments. Put it all in a nice gift box, add a scrap book, and there you have an unique gift! Of course, you can always include a few pages that you make so that they will get a jump start on their album. They will always remember you starting them off on their new hobby, and when all is said and done, this type of gift keeps on giving for many years to come!

So now that you have the perfect gift in mind, where do you get find special items, just as special as your gift? At the Etsy shop,
Moment in Time, that's where!  You will find all sorts of pretty and unique papers,  embellishments, and fabrics at this Canadian shop. With almost a thousand sales, this shop has been open since 2007, and on my favorite list almost as long!

What;s Happening Wednesday-Shop til Ya Drop

Today's specialty shop for your Christmas shopping pleasure, is the Etsy store, (the) Little Diva. I found this shop several years ago, while shopping for the perfect gift for my niece. The tag line for this shop is "all things pretty for little girls", so what better place to shop for the girls in your life?  You will find a variety of handmade crocheted goodies here, from hats and headbands to gloves and purses. Don't see your favorite color or exactly what you want? Simply fixed, just drop the owner and designer, Jen, a note and ask about a custom order. You can have it your way without ever leaving your house!  This Wisconsin shop has over 100 sales with great reviews. And not only is Jen a school teacher by trade, but she is also the mother of her own two little divas, so she knows what little divas want!

For the baby diva, try this snugglie

Franley Speaking Friday- Another Shop til ya Drop Installment!

In our ongoing quest to provide everyone on our Christmas list with unique, handmade gifts, we are continuing the shop til you drop series. Every Wednesday and Friday until Christmas week check here for some diverse, interesting and unique places to shop! 
Today's shop, Living Glass Art,  is actually one that I found a few years ago. In fact, I have a lovely glass flower made by Anna, the owner and designer. This shop features original stained glass in abstract geometric, nature, wildlife and animal designs. They are made in the Tiffany copper foil method in her Tennessee studio, so another made in the USA gift, from an USA shop! And what a cool shop it is! So very beautiful and quite unique, in other words, everything I look for in a shop! With prices beginning at 25$, I am sure you can find an affordable work of art for someone special on your list. Not only does she have the panels and sun catchers, she also offers gift certificates. So if you aren't sure what to pick, get the gift certificate and let the recipient choose their own! 

What;s Happening Wednesday-Shop til Ya Drop

What's Happening this Wednesday is that I am preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday! Business wise I am creating gift sets in these cute boxes for the Christmas cabin, as well as special orders.

This one matches my new labels, so I am quite excited by them. The large one is very heavy and very large! 

This one was a special purchase so when they are gone, they are gone.

This set is also a special purchase, and may be                               sold as a tower of gifts or individually. 

I am also finishing up some ornaments that are being made for personal gifts, as well as preparing to make a batch of liquid soap this week. Look for ornament pictures on tomorrow's Tripod Thursday post! 


Given that there are only 24 more shopping days until Christmas, I am going to step up my Indie shop postings. So today's shop is a really unique and cool Etsy shop. It is called The Magic Sleigh and you will find the cutest little porcelain dog statues there. Yes, they are handmade and just the sweetest little things you can imagine! But why imagine, go there and look! The owner and Artisan, Pamela, has  the dogs arranged alphabetically, and is currently sporting a whopping 329 statues in her inventory. She lives in Florida, so these are all made in the USA, and at just under twenty bucks,  they won't kill your pocket book either. These will make an excellent gift for all the dog lovers on your list, not to mention the all the hard to buy for's. Lol. She also makes many with angel wings and/or halos, so you can pay tribute to a lost friend as well. All in all, this looks like a wonderful place to shop!             

What's Happening Wednesday-Thanksgiving

This Wednesday, what is happening in my household is most likely the exact same thing that is happening in most households, Thanksgiving preparations. As you prepare your meal, or just prepare to eat if you are like some of us....not mentioning any names, my children, (Lol) I would like to encourage you to use this family time to not only reminisce about what you are thankful for, but to actively seek ways that you can make a difference this year and in years to come. My Mom has always borrowed a saying from her friend, Many hands make light work. Well I say that we are a community of many hands, so if we each pitch in, we can effect big changes with light work. So I challenge you to figure out how you and yours can create change this year, how you can make a difference. What about making and delivering a meal to a shut in once a week, or even once a month? Or maybe sitting down and sharing a half hour of your time just visiting? What about shopping for an elderly neighbor while you do your own grocery shopping? In all the above instances, a mere thirty minutes would make a large difference in someone's life. While Thanksgiving and Christmas are a wondrous time of year, where we often think about giving of ourselves, needs go on all year long. I ask you to consider what you can do all year, this year! 




The other big thing, besides food preparation for Thanksgiving, is of course the black Friday shopping plans. Hard core shoppers, not that I would know about this....but I am ummm, told, yep told (that's my story and I am sticking to it!) that they use this day to map a shopping route and plan the purchases from each store. While I am certainly one for a deal, and believe me, I do know that we need to be savvy with the little money that we have, I am also one for community support. So I am advocating that we all limit our purchases from the chain shops, and make the bulk of our purchases from local handmade businesses, and the small business owners in your town. I truly hope that each of you will consider doing this.  By backing your on line Indie and local merchants, you will be reducing your carbon footprint while boosting local commerce, as well as your country's economy. Seems to me this is a win-win-win. Good for the businesses, great for my pocketbook, and wonderful for the gift recipients! 


Whatever you eat, wherever you eat it, may your Thanksgiving be full of love, and blessed with friends and family. And if you are away from your friends and family, please go to your local community center or church, and share a meal as you make new friends! Food always tastes better when it's shared! 


When you're done shopping on Friday, please come back here and check out some new photographs!

Franley Speaking Friday- Shop til ya Drop!

Here we are at Friday again, and as promised, here is another unique store front to check out for your shopping needs, and maybe even some holiday gift-giving ideas. I found this shop on Etsy about three years ago, when it was brought to my attention during a team meeting on charitable giving. ZaVi Baby
is a gift line of women and children's clothing (hand made, of course), but what drew me there was the chemo caps that Tara, the owner, makes for those in need. These hats are very cute and even reversible! And She only charges shipping, plus the twenty cent listing fee. Unfortunately my intended gift recipient passed right after I placed the order, but Tara agreed to gift it to the next person who needed one.  She was so kind when we spoke, it was immediately apparent to me that the caps, and I am sure her clothes too, are stitched together with lots of love.  So, when you are searching for an unique, quality outfit for your God-child, niece, or  your own child, make your first stop ZaVi Baby. And if you, or someone you know would benefit from a chemo cap, visit ZaVi Baby to check out Tara's little love hugs for your head!

Franley Speaking Friday- Shop til ya Drop!

It's Friday, and that means another installment of the Shopping review. Last week we found Pigatopia, where artist extraordinare, Shannon, recreates your beloved pets and family members on canvas, making a purchase from Pigatopia a truly unique gift.

Today's shop is also found on Etsy, and is also quite unique. Are you sensing a theme here for your holiday shopping? Lol. The Providence Art Glass company features hand blown glass by artists Rebecca Zhukov. You can read more about her here, and just wait until you see see who already owns some of her work!

When I visited Canada a several years ago I came upon what was called a "Witches Ball". It was a beautiful, hand blown orb, Christmas ornament style. But the witches ball doesnt get put away after the holidays, it stays out all year long. I even purchased a special stand for it to hang from. Why am I mentioning my nick knack? Well, there are a lot of these types of balls in the Providence shop, lovely, colorful orbs that are certainly worthy of being left out all year long, she just doesnt call them witches balls! Ornament, orb, ball, witches ball, whatever you call them, check them out for yourself!

Orbs not your deal? Well, dont despair, she has a number of other items to choose from!  There are lotion dispensers, glasses, ring holders, humming bird feeders, vases, vanity sets, sculptures and more! Feel free to contact the Artist through her Etsy link to discuss any special requests you may have. Hand blown glass, a one of a kind, truly unique gift that anyone on your list would be happy to receive!

Franley Speaking Friday- Shop til ya Drop!

As promised, today I am beginning my shop reviews. While most shops will be new to me, this first one was chosen because I have shopped there in the past. And I have to say that I remain glad that I did. It is one of the best purchases I have ever made. A couple of years ago I met a woman on Etsy, through an animal group that we both belong to, Etsy for Animals. Her shop name is Pigatopia, and as you may infer, she likes pigs. In fact, she runs a rescue/shelter for pot bellied pigs, and even has some that stay in her home. But that is not the most unique thing about her shop, that is just a side note that I found fascinating. The owner of Pigatopia, Shannon, is an excellent artist, and her favorite subjects are animals! 
Well, my Mother's favorite children are her Yorkie dogs and they can't exactly purchase a gift on their own. Not to mention, she is extremely difficult to buy presents for. So, I commissioned a portrait of her 3 Yorkies, Misty Morning, Twinkling Twilight and Fiesty. I received a wonderful portrait. It was extremely accurate, and before you ask, NO, not all Yorkies look alike! But each dog represented in the painting certainly looked like the real them! And she even added Kiki (the cat I told you about last week, the one that Mom packed off to my house). While Mom loved the painting always, since Misty has now passed away, she really treasures that painting. While the look on her face when she opened it was worth a million dollars, the fact that it continues to hang and bring her joy, well that is a bonus as far as I am concerned! 


Portraits range in price depending on size and type (material), but begin at a very reasonable $30! Here is a sample of her work, this is her puppy, Charlie. The Charlie portrait is $130.

And here is her Mother's day gift to her own Mother, and this portrait type and size would be $32.00. 


Now, Shannon doesn't just do animals, so if you want a human portrait or even one of an old, favorite car, go and visit Pigatopia on Etsy and get in touch with Shannon. Give a gift that they won't be expecting, a gift that will keep on giving, give a portrait of their favorite classic car or their pet, or even a portrait of you! 

What;s Happening Wednesday-Rant and Shop

Before I get into today's topic, I want comment on something I read today. It was a reference for a "clinical study" that "proves" that a specific brand's essential oil blend prevents the H1`N1 flu. Well I had to go and read that study immediately! What I found was that this particular blend MAY decrease the risk of the influenza virus, not the H1N1 specifically, in canine kidney cells, when used at specific amounts (thousands of parts to one flu cell). While this sounds promising, it was NOT what it was represented to be. When I went to that brand's website I was very disgusted to see some "typical" sales tactics employed. In fact, I was quite infuriated! While I am addressing these topics/points in my upcoming book, I really cannot wait, I feel the need to point out a thing or two right here and now. 

Whenever you see a site that sells "therapeutic grade" and "perfume grade" or any other "grades" of essential oils, RUN away from that site! There is only ONE grade of essential oils! [There is a perfumers quality of scent, but that is not essential oil, it is something different.] If it is an essential oil, then it should be the pure volatile oil of the plant/fruit/shrub/bark/herb, and that can be therapeutic when properly utilized. When a site is selling other "grades", they are adulterating their oil or using adulterated oils, and duping the public. Unless it is adulterated or has been otherwise compromised, essential oils should all be the same. And they should smell similar. However, they are natural products and each harvest will vary slightly, just as oranges from different growing fields, and different harvests will taste slightly different.

While we are at it, there is NO such thing as essential oil of strawberry, essential oil of cucumber or a great number of other so called essential oils. Also, if you can find essential oil of rose (aka rose otto) at 10$ a half ounce, it is FAKE! Some oils are expensive and there is no way around that expense unless you buy an adulterated product. MY best advice to you is to research, and to study or ask someone with more experience and knowledge.  Some essential oils have antiseptic, antiviral, and even antibiotic properties. Therefore, there are some that I have used, and would even recommend for certain minor ailments/conditions. However, I would NEVER recommend an essential oil blend to treat a MERSA infection. In deed, doing so and failing to seek adequate medical attention could be potentially deadly in that situation. But this particular site did just that. I was astonished at their audacity! Please, please never ever replace good, sound, medical attention with unproven claims. And know that just because someone says a study proves that it works, doesnt mean that the study actually proves what they are saying! Many sites bait and switch and confuse and even flat out lie to sell their products. Often mixing in a bit of truth to make it more believable. I do believe in many forms of alternative medicines, but the more serious the ailment, the more likely it is that stronger, more traditional medicines will be needed. Of course the more serious the ailment, the more likely that there will be someone trying to sell you an expensive "cure" too.  Please use common sense, do some research of your own, and only buy from reputable vendors. And most importantly, NEVER, ever, ever sacrifice good, sound, medical attention for an easy, unproven, undocumented, cure all! 

Now that I am climbing down off my soap box, I will get back to today's post! What's happening this Wednesday? Well, I have decided to begin some shop reviews. Christmas is only getting closer every day, and I am WAY behind on my shopping this year. I think this will give me just the excuse I need to explore new sites while allowing me to spend time in unique shops. Hopefully along the way, I'll stumble into one  that excites you! 

This week I will start off by introducing you to a new site instead of a new shop. Poppy Swap   is a new hosting site, a lot like Etsy or Artfire, but also very different. It was opened just a few months ago, but is already growing like a weed. LOL, Little inside joke there, please forgive me. Why? Well, Poppy Swap is actually quite an unique venue. This site only hosts vendors and shops that supply herbal products and herbal remedies. You can find soaps, salves, oils, lotions, and potions, and even raw herbs. [ And yes, of course you will find an Unique Garden Essences store front there, even if I haven't dedicated as much time to it as I should.]  You will find some unique items, from around a hundred unique vendors, even some things that aren't easily found on other sites. So take a few minutes to go and explore this interesting new market place. Then check back here on Friday for the next sweet shopping gem! 

What's Happening Wednesday- To Buy or Not to Buy, a Walley World Experience

Here in Ohio it is still freezing and miserable! Oh how I long for a sunny, warm beach! Knowing this, my wonderful Son (of which I have 2, but this story is related to the eldest) gave me a gift of money and said that he wanted me to get an electric blanket. He had been to a store to purchase one for me, but then thought that I might be able to find a better deal where I live. Later that night he called and suggested that I look on walley*world.com to see if  they had anything on sale. And I did, and they did! I input my size and color desired, and then saw the price. When I clicked on "send to store" I saw a large box with the note "this item is available at your local walley*world store", yippppeee, right?
So I decide to be brave and venture out into the sleet, so that I will able to have the warm blanket on me that night. Then, the next day, making it today, when it was supposed to be cold and nasty, I would be all toasty warm. So I get there, and sure enough, they have several  available, even in the color that I wanted. But then I noticed the sale tag. It priced the blanket at 14$ MORE than I was quoted on line. While I know that the entry page says that on-line prices may vary, the product page gave a specific price and said "it is in stock at your local store". To me, that meant, at that price!
I spent a good ten to fifteen minutes trying to find a sales associate, but evidentially everyone went home early due to weather. Finally I went to the front of the store and, after some hunting, found someone to speak with. I carefully explained the situation and was told that the on-line price was probably given because the next town's walley*world had marked their blankets down further than this stores'. The computer supposedly gave the lowest price, not my stores' price. While that is goofey, it said it was at my store at this price! Oh well, no problem because you price match, right? "Well yea, but not with other walley*worlds, just different stores."

Hmm, so they were telling me that they would not honor their own stores price/sale, but would honor a m*mart price. How odd is that? Let me tell you, it got worse! She proceeded to tell me that I could not speak to the section manager that I needed to speak to, because she left early due to the weather, however, I could either buy it and not open it, then return it if I wasn't satisfied....or I could drive back into town, yet another time, and speak to the manager another day......BUT, she doubted that it would make a difference because that is "just the way it is".

Cold, and now very depressed, I purchased the blanket and headed home. There was no way I was going to leave it in the box, but believe you me, I was fully prepared to return it if necessary. When I returned to the store earlier today, I found the manager that I needed and explained my dilemma to her. She reiterated much of what the worker from the previous night had told me, but she blamed the price difference on the web site versus the store. She suggested that I get on the computer and request a site to store delivery of the blanket.......as we stood in front of about 50 of the blankets in question. So........., let me get this straight. I purchased a blanket for 14$ more than your website said it would be. Now I am supposed to return the one I purchased, and then order a blanket to come here, to this store, where there are at least 50 of said blankets already. Yes! That about covered it!

Why does this seem stupid to only me? Actually, I was told that it was stupid in her eyes as well, but, in the past she had not been allowed to do anything for the customer complaining about this. Now that is stupid! Another stupid thing, the computer at the store, the one set up to order site to store items for customers, views differently than our home computer screens. I thought I was going crazy until a worker stated, "nope it is different, and it doesn't tell you that the price may not be the price in the store either."  She went on to point out to the manager that it was "confusing". With this in mind, the manager said that she would call and ask if she could do something for me or not, but no promises. She said, in fact, that she had called many times and had always been told no. In the end, she informed me that she would refund the difference in price. She said that she told "them" that she would be angry had she been in my position, and besides that, maybe I would spend that 14$ before I left the store.

Whatever their motivation, they made it right with me, but I am left to wonder why this is not the general practice or policy? Why is it set up to be confusing? Why does the manager have to call to take care of an issue that she saw and understood ? Maybe the problem lies in the fact that, from what I was told, walley world dot com is actually a type of sub-contractor for the walley*world (store) corporation, and is in fact, owned by another entity.  While I am not sure of the truth of this statement, it makes me wonder.

If you have had, or ever do have, a similar experience, it was recommended to me that we call 1-800- walley*world (use the real spelling of course) to voice a complaint. Actually I heard this number at least four times, from four different people, before I left the store. They sounded as if they were begging me to call. Why? Because they are tired of the insanity. In simple terms, they don't understand, nor do they like, having to enforce policies that defy logic.

Frankly Speaking Friday- Retail Therapy

TGIF! Yep, it's Friday again, but don't worry, I am not going to go off on another health care rant. This week I am going to tone it back and just tell you what's going on in my world. First and foremost, Sunday will be my youngest Son's 24th birthday, so Happy Birthday Jared!. They grow so very fast. Now he is an old married man and I am the old Grandma! And, as if I wasn't feeling old enough already, I spent a good deal of time on the computer this week, only to wonder when they (considerably) shrunk the print type! Seriously!

Speaking of needing to see the writing, the reason that I was on the computer was to compare prices from my favorite on-line venues. I generally try to make one large order a year for various categories of supplies. This way I save by buying in bulk, cutting the shipping costs, and, at the same time I limit the width of my global footprint. So once a year, in the winter, I try to check the prices for all my current suppliers, while attempting to find a new source or two. Believe it or not, I only began doing this about five or six years ago. Before that, I stuck with the stand up shop that I found years ago. I initially went there for candle making supplies, but when I began making Unique Garden Essences products, I found that they had great essential oils, salts and carrier oils. At that time I lived east of Columbus, Ohio and this is where they were located, so I just drove in. Even after they closed their Columbus shop, I continued to order from their warehouse until they discontinued one of my products. When I had to hunt for a replacement source, I was actually quite fortunate, because I found many, many suppliers that I would never have even seen.  And, although I have yet to find a better supplier of  (certain) oils, I now purchase less than ten percent of my total supplies from them. While this would be soooooo much easier for me if there was one super shop, where all the quality was impeccable and all the prices the lowest, this just hasn't happened yet.

This year's delve into the price/product comparison waters left me knowing that, while I haven't yet found that one super-great, superstore, the four places that I routinely use are very good. Over the years, I have been impressed with the quality of their products and their customer service, so I am quite happy to find that they are still competitive in pricing. I truly wish, however that I could cut one or two out so that i could make that footprint smaller!

Anyway, on this years annual pilgrimage, I found a few new sites that had me flipping through their pages. Earlier this month I mentioned that I was revamping my soap recipes in anticipation of making some cp soap,  after more than a years break. Well, one site I found  has extremely reasonably priced  wood  molds. They also have some great wood tags, as well as displays for all types of bath and body products, not to mention,  they do custom work as well! Ok, so I got excited and added a fifth place buy from instead of cutting down the number, but hey, I did get a really good deal! LOL. If you are a soaper, or if you find yourself in need of wood displays, go and take a look at the Candles and Wood Crafts  website.


I did finally manage to get myself together and place an order with Brambleberry.com. While I wish that I was restrained enough to have only spent the gift certificate that I won,  I wasn't! Lol. I seemed to have found myself "needing" some great sounding fragrance oils and a few other things. I mean, gee, well I can't use my expensive Essential Oils to try out  new soap recipes, can I?  Besides, I did order one product that I could have gotten at another place a bit less expensive, but I put it in with this order to save on that footprint deal! So it made perfect sense to buy a few more extra things. While I think its called "retail therapy",  whatever it's called, I am now waiting on a pretty good sized box from the west coast! Footprint not withstanding, I am soooo excited!!!

With that order placed, still feeling the high of the retail therapy, I went to an old favorite and added a few more goodies. There is something to be said for retail therapy, but I think its more than that. I am really into working the New Years Goals and Plans that I laid out and it feels good to see it coming together. One thing is for sure, I am already finding it difficult to wait on these packages, global footprint not withstanding! After all, I can't be expected to pass up Beet Powder for soap coloring can I ? Lol!

Have yourself a great weekend!

How many Days til When?

With fall officially here, leaves beginning to turn and the outdoor festivals quickly coming to the seasons end, clothing and minds begin to focus on winters arrival, and the Christmas countdown begins. Of course, for some, it began in ernest the day after Christmas past, but for most it will come with the force-feeding of the retail merchants who begin banging the seasons and holidays into our faces a good three months before the impending date. Hence we have come to expect school clothing trends to be shown in June, Halloween in August and Christmas in September. Maybe I exaggerate a tad, but not much I am sure you will agree.

At any rate, in keeping with this "early" trend, I generally have the majority of my Christmas decorations made by now. In fact, in just a few weeks I will have to have boxes made, tagged and packed for delivery to Christmas at the Cabin, which will open for the season for the season during the Fall Festival of the Leaves in Bainbridege, Ohio. This small town lies between Chillicothe, Ohio and Hillsboro, Ohio on route 50, smack dab in the middle of not much, lol. It never ceases to amaze me each year the number of people that actually find this town and its two stop lights to celebrate fall and funnel cakes! But I digress. As the festival start date looms, I am left with the realization that I am further behind than I have ever been. Where did the summer go? It certainly wasn't full of beach days, sun and fun. In fact, I don't think it was warm enough to swim more than a day or two. Such weird weather this year, which could lead to many jumping off conversations, but I'll just ask, if summer wasn't really summer like, what will winter be like? No matter what it's like, I am sure that Christmas will still come on the 25 th of December and that I am behind in my decoration/ornament crafting. Sooooooooo that is what I will be doing for the next few weeks! Wreaths, ornaments, scrapbook pages, sleighs, cross-stitches, look out, here I come!

Recipes to Help You Manage the Summer

Summer is here and for many that means dealing with insects, insect bites, sunburns, and minor cuts and abrasions resulting from being outside a lot, enjoying the weather. So here are a variety of recipes to help you manage the inconveniences of being drawn to nature!

SUNBURN RELIEF

1 cup aloe vera gel 1 cup yogurt (plain) 1 cup vinegar (apple cider)

Mix all of these ingredients together in a jar and keep in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. Use on sunburned skin once an hour for the first three hours after a burn to provide relief. Make sure to keep away from eyes and nostrils.

AFTER SUNBURN OIL

10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops chamomile essential oil (Roman) 2 drops geranium essential oil
2 oz apricot seed oil
2 ounces sweet almond oil

Mix all of the ingredients together and gently rub over sunburned skin. This is also very good to use when you want to replace moisture taken from sun exposure. Try adding one tablespoon of this mixture to your bath, for over all soothing, cooling and healing. This mixture will help to reduce peeling, but if you do peel, keep in mind that your body is ridding itself of damaged layer of skin and healing. This mixture will also help to stop the itching, which is often a sign of healing.



MINOR WOUND WASH

1/4 cup tea- tree tincture* 1 cup witch hazel

Mix together and place in a dark, glass or plastic bottle, one with a spray pump will be quite handy. Store in a cool, dark place and it will keep from eight to twelve months. This is a great recipe to always have handy for those times when you get a scrape or abrasion. As a matter of fact, I always packed this in our camping kit.

Wash minor cuts and abrasions first, then spray or dab this on. It may burn a bit, but better to suffer a tad now than get infected!

* A tincture is alcohol and herbs/flowers combined. The alcohol is used to pull the essential oil from the herb/flower and to suspend it there for later use. While you can make your own tincture with 90 proof vodka, fresh herbs/flowers and a few months of wait time, it is quite a bit simpler to purchase tea-tree tincture in your local health food store. If, however you'd like to give it a go, all you need to do is bruise about six tea-tree leaves and push them into a bottle of 3/4 cup of 90 proof vodka or other low smell, 90 proof alcohol. Shake the bottle vigorously, then place it in a cool, dark place. Once a week shake the bottle for about a minute. After two months, strain the liquid, throwing away the plant material and retaining the liquid. This tincture should remain good for about a year.

RASH RELIEF

This rash relief formula is quite easy. Just add the following ingredients to your favorite unscented, uncolored lotion.

1/2 tsp. chamomile tincture*

1/2 tsp evening primrose oil

4 drops stinging nettle tincture

Mix the tinctures and oil together, the mix with an equal amount of lotion. Rub mixture over the rash, leave on for one hour, then wash off with tepid water. Of course if the rash persists or if you run a temperature with the rash, you should see your physician.

*As noted in the previous recipe, you can purchase tinctures at your local health food store, or you can make your own, whichever you prefer.

MOSQUITO AWAY SPRAY

1/2 cup eucalyptus leaves
1 1/2 cups cedar wood shavings

3 cups rubbing alcohol

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl or jar. Cover and let stand 5 days. Strain the solid ingredients out and save the remaining liquid. Store tightly sealed. To use, pour into a small spray bottle and spray lightly on skin.

BUG BITE RELIEF

Here are three remedies for AFTER you are bitten by insects.

• When bitten by a mosquito or black fly, place one drop of lavender essential oil directly on the bite. But only use this directly on the skin if you know for certain that you do not have a sensitivity to lavender. If you do not know this, add 2 drops to one teaspoon of oil and, after mixing, rub a small amount of oil into your skin, at the inside of your elbow. If it itches or turns red, wash off with soap and water and do not use lavender again in any form. If it doesnt bother you, cover with a band aide and wait 24 hours. Then uncover and check skin. If there is not redness, swelling or irritation, then you are good to use the essential oil. *Know that some people still do not recommend the use of lavender directly on the skin, as sensitivities can build, change, and develop when you least expect them.  
• For multiple bites, take 1 cup of vinegar (apple cider) and mix with 10 drops of essential oil of lavender and 5 drops of essential oil of thyme. Blend well and add to a tub of tepid bath water. Pour mixture into the tub and swish to mix well before putting yourself or your child into the tub. Soak a washcloth or a sponge in the water and then use it to liberally wipe down the body areas affected by bites. Make sure to keep this water away from the eyes.
• Take 1/4 cup sweet oil and mix in 5 drops each of eucalyptus, thyme, chamomile, and oregano essential oils (you may substitute oregano extract if you'd prefer), This bug bite soother recipe will last about 6 months, so you can have a bottle on hand all summer long!

My Spring has Sprung No Matter What the Calandar Says!

IT IS TIME FOR WINTER TO BE OVER!

With the last days of winter bearing down on us here in the eastern USA, my heart and efforts have moved into spring! My spring has sprung so to speak! Traditionally many home-makers use the spring to deep clean their houses and gardeners use it begin indoor plantings while preparing the outdoor areas on the nice, sunny days. Students, children, Mothers, Fathers, and office workers alike tend to begin showing the signs of "spring fever", with their actions becoming more and more rambunctious as the dreary days progress. As an artist I tend to excise my cabin fever by planning for the spring. I search the jewelry makers catalogs looking for new cuts of pretty stones, good deals, and interesting new combinations of stones. I "plan" to buy ones that are pretty, ones that strike my fancy, and ones that I haven't worked with for a while, if ever. I compile a "wish list", even going so far as to write down the item nubers and costs. I never total up until I have spent hours and hours shopping, and until I know that I have listed every possible desire of my heart. Then I move on to cretaing my "wish list" for my Unique Garden line. I spend hours scourering the web, comparing the prices of oils that I must have, while noting the few places that sell the exotic (read expensive here!) oils that I covent. I then make my ultimate wish list of ingredients, again not paying attention to the cost, just listing ALL my wants. No w this part really is an exercise in futility because I know full well that I will not order from a lot of these companies. While I am sure they are good at what they do, I have not delt with them, therefore I will continue to order from the places that I always have. Why mess with a good thing, right? Inevitably I will consider purchasing from some place new, but in the end I always go back to my tried and true. When you are spending so much money you expect and need high quality, so I'd rather pay the extra money to KNOW what I am getting, In the end I think this actually saves me and saves my work. I'd hate to have to spend time, money, and aggravation to return an inferior product. So this is how I have dealt with the last weeks of winter doldrums, and I have to say that I have had an especially great time compiling my lists this year! Not only did I find some interesting jewelry components, but I decided to do something that I usually don't do.........I purchased the majority of my lists! While I did cross off some of the most extravegant wishes, I kept almost all of the items I wished for! I am so jazzed! Now I am awaiting the largest material/ingredient shipment that I have ever made at one time! When they get her it will be like Christmas all over. I have to admit that I am blown away by my own boldness! lol. I convinced myself that it made more sense to make a few large purchases than to make smaller ones over many months. Afterall shipping is very expensive, you know? Lol. The endorphin rush that came as I made my list, and then as I made my purchases, is enough to keep me going through the next few dreary weeks of winter. And, after I get my boxes, I will of course have plenty of jewelry to create and lots of new recipes to whip up in the kitchen. With spring craft shows just around the corner, I think it is safe to assume that I will be able to keep busy and avoid most of the pot holes of spring fever!

More Shopping

Here are this weeks specity shops to check out!

Monday- www.littlediva.etsy.com

Tuesday- www.allaboutyoshi.etsy.com

Wednesday- www.pickleberries.etsy.com

Thursday- www.softpencil.etsy.com

Friday- www.solojewellery.etsy.com

Saturday- www.cropinggal.etsy.com

Sunday- www.fiazco.etsy.com

Shop til ya drop at these great on line stores

Here are this weeks Neat-O marketing shops, please check them out! Since I have been off line (see my previous post) I have missed out on at least two weeks of this marketing exchange, and I am soooo sorry for that! I hope that everyone will understand and forgive me! Since I am still a bit tired from my prolonged illness and it is already Tuesday, I am posting a few days together here. Please check out these shops and support the handmade revolution! (Mon) For vinatge collectables check out www.retroclassics.etsy.com

(Tue) For jewelry, paintings and felted pieces be sure to visit www.5erg.etsy.com

(Wed) For all kinds of crocheted items visit www.flutterbuggcreations.etsy.com

(Thur) For weird, wild and pretty vintage be sure and stop by www.theabomb.etsy.com