Bittersweet and the little soap company

baby it's cold outside!

If you want my opinion, and I'm sure that you do, there are very few things in life that are as easy to the eye as piles of hand made, hand wrapped soap! I'm a tad bit bias, of course. 

Oh, my Arctic Goodness! It is brutally cold! That sentence deserves more than one exclamation mark!! The wind feels as though it cuts right through you and the temperatures are Siberian worthy. 

We have our little gas heater running full throttle, and extra blankets have been robbed from the linen closet. This soap maker will be eager for spring to arrive, even though it's a long way off, I'm dreaming about it while the frozen tundra surrounds me. 

I can't wait for warm sunny days, Thyme, Basil and Lavender to be blooming!

Meanwhile back at the soap shop...

More Felted Wool Soap and a number of other winters inspired goodies.  What started as a novelty thought has turned into a really cool concept. Artisan Soap wrapped in wool and by wrapping the moisture rich soap in wool one is treated with a gentle exfoliating bar that lingers twice as long as an unwrapped one. It builds a bubble bar lather and the wool shrug may be used over and over. Yeah, I'm impressed with the concept of Wool Wrapped Soap!

I can't believe the difference in the flow of the shop space since we opened it up. A total transformation that offers an even flow of balance from one room to the other. 

We're having a huge clothing sale at the shop! Some super great deals to be had and just in time for ♥ day. 

I ventured out and braved the freezing temperatures to stock up on good for me food. I have been eating poorly. Lots of sugar, and carbs, and I'm feeling the heaviness of a few extra pounds. 

Sweet potatoes, Avacado's, eggs, dates, coconut sugar, oats, and quinoa were on the shopping list. Those food items are considered a staple as we can mix and match and create some wholesome blends. I'll be taking a break from carbs and sugar for a while. The last time I abolished the sugar and carbs I got so skinny that people were asking me if I was okay. It seemed to be a challenge to convince them it was because I'd eliminated the two so-called ingredients and starchy foods from my diet. I felt like a million bucks after clean eating for a few months. It takes a considerable number of months to start shedding pounds. But once the pounds begin to drop, they just keep dropping. It's an interesting thing, I believe. 

Anyway, fish and veggies on the menu for tonight, and for my chocolate addiction, dates and nuts dribbled with dark chocolate. A special treat during the day, night, and in between. 

I'm stopping to make Lavender Sticks. Nothing better than the scent of lavender floating through the laboratory. 

 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

The Natural Collection

In the twenty-one years of Bittersweets life, packaging has come and gone and magically appeared more than I can recollect.   It's the neutral tones that usually make a return show. Introducing, The Natural Collection by Bittersweet Apothecary. We'll continue the motif into early Spring. 

The Natural Collection is carried forward in a New line of Artisan Papers and Packaging that we're offering at our shop. 

During our break, we installed new flooring and opened up a closed area of the shop. The openness offers a more even flow and extends the opportunity to expand with more Bittersweet items. 

Our Soap manufacturing is running full speed ahead. We're whipping up amazing new Spring Soaps, and introducing wonderful new products as we glide into Bittersweet Spring 2019. 

So much time, planning, and work go into creating new products to line our Modern Apothecary Shop. We're bold with our originality and strive to bring our customers one of a kind items that they simply will not find anywhere else. We love introducing our customers to new creations!

Spring 2019 is not an exception to those thoughts. We have some surprises and a few of your long-time favorites that will continue to shine. 

Our Once A Year Soap Sale was short lived. We sold out in two days! It's such a great deal! In fact, when I did the math I said out loud, WOW! It will return next year after our Winter Break. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

homebody

The New Year has put forth a slower stride and mellow moods. Look at little Miss Elle all wrapped up in freshly extracted warm blankets from the clothes dryer! It has been satisfying to be a homebody the past few weeks. 

I'm also pondering new projects and production is ahead of schedule. Which translates to happy face...

I'm introducing a New Tinted Lip Balm and A Spot-On Moisturizer when we re-open and celebrate our Winter Grand Arrival on Saturday. The weatherman is calling for snow on Saturday. One of my favorite things in the world is to be at my shop when it's snowing. Since expanding the shop I'm offering a new Paperie section and there's a loot of interesting tags and paperie, packaging, etc.

I've also been noodling around with ideas of a cocoa butter bath melt. We have a surplus of cocoa butter! It's considered an old school ingredient, but frankly, it's hard to beat moisturizer! I love the buttery chocolate aroma! When you add essential oils to the butter it takes on a most delightful fragrance. Most delightful!

We have our little essential oils and diffuser department brimming with peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, and other Bittersweet Blends. When I was helping to lay the new shop flooring the diffuser was snorting out cinnamon, clove, lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. We call the yummy compound, Cleanse.

Our Once A Year Soap Sale begins on Snowy Saturday and in addition, we've slashed prices on a large array of clothing, booties, and scarves. If you're new to Bittersweet and have never experienced our Soap Sale, you're in for a winter surprise! I'm clearing out to make room for spring! It's a retail thing, preparing for a season months before it appears!

I've put an order in for some of these and we'll share our favorite Homemade Hot Cocoa recipe with you on Saturday if you brave the snowy tundra. Drive safely and I can't wait to be back at the apothecary shop!

Keep the faith.

Jill  

 

 

grazing and calm...

I've been grazing while relishing in the quiet and calmness of a winter pause. 

We've been whipping up new recipes and nibbling along the way. Some of the recipes were over the top, while other ones were simply mediocre. A pile of keepers, and a pile of losers in the recycle bin.

 Cream Puffs

 

I'm packing in a number of projects during my break. It always works out this way! 

Mr. Carpenter (aka Lennis), installed new flooring in the back area of the apothecary shop and then we opened up the room so that it flows evenly with the rest of the shop. It took me a while to figure out the layout because the room is oddly shaped, but after looking at it over and over and sleeping on it, it came to me. I'm one of those people that wake up in the middle of the night with answers to my questions! There's a metaphor between sleep time and break time. I can see and feel similarities between the two. Mainly, creative similarities. I'm definitely a left-brainer!  

Have you looked at our website? Not one bar of soap listed! I'm hoping to resolve that good problem soon...In fact, we've got the revolving soap door thing going on. New soaps ready, while other's soon will be. 

Our annual "Fill Your Bag" soap sale begins on January 12, our grand re-opening. We sell out fast! Hint, hint...

Along with a soap sale, I'm having a Winter Clearance on clothing and accessories. Time to clear the old to make room for the new!

New packaging ideas are in place and my excitement continues to grow as we approach number twenty-two years in business on April 15, 2019!

I strive to make pretty things, but sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill