Bittersweet and the little soap company

Spring gardens

 
 
I love my backyard! This spring and summer I vow to spend more time soaking up the sun and taking in the blooms.

I will simply sit and admire the giant zinnias and happily watch as new blooms appear throughout my garden. Like a seasoned orchestra, first the violins then the cello's and bass.

I'll get excited when I see my first hydrangea bloom as I do every late spring.

Different varieties of lavender planted in clay pots will melt my heart.

Colorful butterfly's flicker about and take me back to when I was a little girl.

I'm so very thankful for all that I have.

Enjoy caring and sharing days

Jill 00 

 

Treasured family history

Remember when I mentioned there were several projects in the works at Bittersweet land?

One in particular stands out and feels my heart with content.

For many years my mother told me the story of my great, great, great grandfather, a recruited civil war private who fought at a battle called Blue Mills just right outside of Liberty. She had always said Daniel was ambushed along with four other soldiers and buried on the grounds of Wm. Jewell college.

A tug every now and then and a bit of guilty conscience for never researching where Daniel laid to rest had always left me with the same reoccurring thoughts. Some day I will do further research and find out the details of this story passed down. Needless to say my busy schedule never allowed me to pursue the matter.

Then along came a man by the name of Jay Jackson... Jay sent me an e-mail one day asking if I had a distant relative that fought at Blue Mills. He began to tell me how he was writing a book about the battle and was interested in any information I had.

Unfortunately the only information I held was in memory and the stories my mom had told me.

Timing... Mentioning to my aunt this story she told me her daughter was researching that side of your family. The bits & pieces she had gathered were invaluable when piecing the story together.

Thanks Nancy!

This is an insert that will be in the book.

The story

Nancy had obtained a considerable amount of information. Pictures of Daniels children, pension records, etc. This is a picture of Daniels children.

 
After reviewing the information I believe Daniel is probably buried close to where he was killed and not the campus. Liberty residents at the time would not have thought kindly of a union soldier buried upon their land and in fact if they did place his remains on the campus they most certainly would have waited till the dark of that late September night to quietly slip into town to perfom the burial. 

 I'd like to thank Jay Jackson for his research and transferring the valuable history into a book so that the story does not get lost.

Isn't it wonderful when things go together as though they were meant to be?

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

May Day

 
 

When I took a close look at the calender I quickly realized how fast the merry month of March is passing us by!

This year our May Day celebration falls on the last Saturday in April.

Thinking back on last years May Day event, a smile appears and I giggle.  The little story   insprired me to incorporate the gentle creature into the  new Bittersweet logo design.

In retrospect, I believe the unusual early morning May Day encouter was without a doubt a special gift sent from God. Now, the gift and that day will live on through the new icon.

 
Lately it's been that way you know.

My creative inspiration has come from a simple soulful story like the great aunt Enid one my aunt Glenna recently sent and the priceless picture of her as a young enterprising woman.  I realize more than ever my great aunt was a true entrepreneur in every since of the word and I am honored and inpsired by her pioneering ways.

Those inspiring thoughts bring new life to those I have pondered in the past.     
A handmade piece becomes more special when a touching story clings to it, I believe.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

 

Rounding photo corners

 
There are times when you prefer a photograph to have round corners, right?

Once again you will need a photo editing program to perform the task.

I spent a considerable amount of time searching for a good tutorial on the subject of rounding corners. Finally, I stumbled upon this site!  
Love the name of the blog too.

Have fun!

I went crazy rounding those corners!

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00 
 
 
 
 

Creating Shabby Pictures

I refer to the look as marshmallow. It's soft to the eyes and kind of powdery looking. It reminds me of the final dusting of confectioners sugar on homemade marshmallows. I transferred the shabbiness to the banner. I tend to take new discoveries and run with them for awhile and then change to something else.  

 
How do you achieve such a look you ask?

You're going to love this!

There is a one requirement. You must have some sort of photo editing program. I know there are several free ones available on-line if you don't have a purchased version like photo shop.

 
First, open your photo editing program. Then, open the file or picture you want to marshmallow. Click on enhance, then adjust color. Click on adjust hue saturation, then simply click on the lightness option lighten picture according to your liking.

I'm always looking at different ways to enhance my photos.

Next photo how to... How to round corners on your pics! This is a favorite of mine.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00 

"Garden of Enid"

 

After reading that beautiful letter about my great aunt Enid,  I was not only inspired to create the little linen apron but felt warmly compelled to design something that represents her wonderful gardens she so proudly possessed.

With spring and Easter just around the bend I thought it might be nice to get started on spring planting ideas as well as small tokens of appreciation to gift to friends and loved ones.

In tribute to my lovely great aunt Enid please enjoy this "Garden of Enid" seed pack template. I designed it a bit larger than the usual ones.

My aunt Enid loved lavender and roses. How sweet to place a few lavender seeds in the packet along with the lavender cookie recipe and a couple cookies. Same with rose, a few rose hips and then a couple rose water flavored shortbread cookies.

 
Download Seed packet garden of enid

Reduce to 100% and print on plain paper.

Download Lavender cookies

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Happily,

Jill 00

mémoires d'enfance

 Fragrance has always left a favorable impression on me. Even when I was a young girl happy memories play back while pondering those childhood fragrance thoughts.

Remember scented stationary?

Whenever I saw flowers blooming in the garden, I always had to sniff, still do, especially if the bloom is a rose!

 
I doubt the tiger lilies had much of an aroma, but nevertheless evidence of my childhood passion for fragrance.
How happy I was to catch butterflies on a warm summer day with not a care in the world. Remembering how fascinated I was by the creatures beauty and elegant design.

 My new creations are reminiscent and inspired by those sweet childhood memories.

Easter gifts are always a favorite to create. I'm quite sure my fondness comes from the fact that the tokens are tucked in a basket. I've always fancied anything that is gifted in a basket!

 
Introducing "Petite Trio." Lavender sachets made from handkerchief linen adorned with a fleurette and tied with  French paper ribbon.

Enjoy caring and sharng days.

P.S. TAXES DONE!

Jill 00

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway Winner!

 
CINDI!

Congratulations...

I need a few things from you Cindi.

I will need your name, phone number,shipping and email addresses and your dress size.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

 

Happy faraway thoughts promote warm feelings...

 
The past few days my mind has wondered to faraway places. Pondering thoughts of small soap shops hidden away in the hills of Tuscany. Or possibly a table filled with freshly cut soap similar to the ones I have, but in another part of the world like India or France.

Those thoughts promote warm passionate feelings as I gaze throughout my studio.

  
I have lots of little projects I'm working on some of which are quite interesting. I'll be sharing them with you.

Working on new product shots for web site. I have one word reserved for the task, finicky, click, click.

 
New little sheep logo icon, love! Pure|Clean|Simple

Linen.... On the hunt for a bolt of medium weight linen, natural. The Enid apron and several other linen projects planned for the upcoming spring season.

 
 Tomorrow, Wednesday, the deadline for entering the dress giveaway! I'll be posting the winner on the blog.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

 
 

 

Soulful Inspiration

Last week I received the loveliest letter from my aunt Glenna. The hand written letter told an interesting story about her aunt and my great aunt Enid. The letter detailed the many facets of Enids life.  The letter began with the story of a single young woman living in the 1920's working as a bank teller. Enclosed with the letter a priceless picture of her when she was young. The letter went on to say how Enid taught herself to cook and bake delicious dishes.  Every time she encountered a cooking contest she would eagerly enter.  Most always winning 1st place!

She also became a skilled seamstress. If she was in need of  new curtains or an apron or blouse, she would make them herself. I have some of her hand sewn items. I can see by the evidence of her work carried an elite style.

Her many talents and self taught skills evolved with each growing year of her life. She became an avid gardener and herbalist.

My great aunt Enid was a remarkable woman and I'm inspired by her in many wonderful ways.

Yesterday while on my morning walk I began thinking more about her life accomplishments. My mind pondered thoughts of the letter and the touching photograph.

When I arrived home I took a closer look at the old photo. I looked very close at the apron she was wearing. So simple and sweet I thought, that little apron. That inspired me to create this...

 

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00