Bittersweet and the little soap company

in review

When I start digging out old photos of past Bittersweet, I can't help but be reminded of the artisan journey. 

There was a day that doesn't feel so very long ago that this soap maker would sit at her sewing machine whipping up an array of items to be sold in her store. Pajama shorts, camisoles, wide leg pants, bowl cozies, linen aprons, and the list goes on and on, and even on. 

The making of these things never came easy for me. It was always trial and error, upon more trial and error. Lots of flops, and lots of tossed in the trash too! To think that I hated sewing in high school and couldn't follow a pattern for nothing still baffles my mind! Those thoughts allowed me to learn a valuable lesson.  One that has stayed with me for most of my adult life. Don't underestimate what you can learn or maybe I should say unlearn. 

I learned how to learn. Think about that for a moment. It's my belief that each person has a unique way of learning new things. Sometimes it takes a while to recognize it and put it into motion, but once you figure it out, it's a lightbulb moment! This learning ability is often absent in school or college but shows up later. This is why a lot of people go to college for one thing and end up doing the complete opposite later in life. 

People always ask me how I learned how to make this or that. This is how I have learned. I jump in all the way, and then slowly learn the ropes as I go along. Never be afraid of trying something new thinking that you could never do it. That's your first learning mistake. Always go into a project thinking, I can do this, and I will! 

My love for making things has always been a vital part of who I am as a human. My life would be dull and unfulfilling it I wasn't able to create with my hands. 

I also hear often, "I could never learn how to do that!" Poppycock! That's your second learning mistake!

There was never a time that I didn't make something just to be making it. Each hand made item was created out of a yearning for something that I felt I needed. Disappointment seemed to be a common occurrence with my purchases. My expectations were usually always never met. Once in a great while I guess, my expectations would be exceeded, but rarely. 

For that reason, Bittersweet was founded!

I can build it better has always been my motto or way of thinking but having said that constructing something to make it better always carries with it learning curves. Well, of course it does!

The skies the limit...

As I ponder over years past creations, I'm also reminded of some soulful stories. 

New Year ♥ - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

nut shell - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

the hand made goods - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

this thing - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

Creating gifts made from cloth... - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

Happy New Year!

Jill xo

 

 

 

Christmas past

Cozy and warm fleece lined slippers and fuzzy pajamas are what I gravitate to once the sun goes down and the cold winter nights begin to be more common than not. My closet shelves are stacked with warm blankets, slippers, and fuzzy pajamas during the winter months. Our 1921 home demands it to stay warm.   

We're winding down our final week open at the shop before taking a long winters nap. Shop life has always been the good life for this soap maker. It's not only surprising, but somewhat of a miracle for a maker's passion to grow and exceed after doing the same thing for twenty-plus years. I always call it my little Christmas miracle, but it surrounds me and wraps me up with gratitude spring, summer, fall and winter so I guess it would just be referred to as a gift. 

This life is not for everyone, but it's certainly for me. 

With Christmas approaching it's nice to focus on a few of those passionate thoughts. 

Yesterday morning before opening the shop I went over my gift lists and checked it twice. I plucked from the holiday soap inventory before selling out and added a few last-minute gifts for people that came to mind. Some of which I've never purchased gifts before but thought of them, so I listened to my little voice and extended my gift list. That is a perk of being a shop owner and maker. You're never lacking in gift items for friends and neighbors. I kind of love that! Think of it as a huge gift closet. 

This past week has been filled with friends stopping by gifts being left, and smiles and joyful stories being shared. I'm required to drop everything and simply meditate on those sweet memory moments while all along cherishing the joyful feelings that fill my soul with amazing Christmas cheer from the humans that walk through those Bittersweet doors!   

  There are many Christmas stories to share. In fact, when I began traveling back in time to read them so many of these stories had been forgotten since 2006 when I first started this blog. For those who maybe haven't been reading that long, I'd love to share some of these soulful stories.  

A Christmas Story... - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

Soulful and oh so sweet... - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

Winter Love Memories... - Bittersweet and the little soap company (typepad.com)

These stories bring back some great memories. Through the month of December and January I'm going to share some of these posts from the past. 

If nothing else so that I can reminisce. 

Merry Christmas!

Jill xo

 

joyful heart

 

 

As we wind down this final full holiday week at the shop my mind focuses on the many blessings that surround me, all of which are centered around a joyful heart.

It's easy to get wrapped up and thrown off a soulful track during the holidays. I've done it many times over the years only to experience that same uneasy feeling that I get when I lose thought of the real reason for the Christmas season. My joyful heart has evolved with each year passing as I would imagine one's does, but I'm gracefully reminded of the joy as I service the customers that walk through my apothecary door. 

For instance, a customer arriving to pick up her basket of seventy bars of Bittersweet, and as I'm explaining to her how heavy the basket was, a gentleman walks around the corner and says, I will carry this out for you! The right time, the right place, nope...  That's not how it works! 

Possibly my joyful heart could be filled with glory from a picture that a customer shared when she came in yesterday. She had been in a week ago and purchased eczema oil. As she shared the picture of a before, her arm was inflamed and irritated and the eczema was running rapid. She pulled up her sleeve and showed me her arm after using the oil for one week. Her arm was almost completely healed! My gratitude explodes when a customer shares a story like this!

To think that some twenty-four, almost twenty-five, years ago a dream of building an apothecary business with a mere one-hundred dollars probably would not have seemed possible if I ever stopped to ponder. However, I never did. Ponder that is. Since that April day back in 1997, I've looked back on it all only to have my heart filled with joy. A type of joy that is surrounded in love, peace, and fulfillment. For this and many other things, I'm forever grateful.  

It's been a whirl wind of emotions this past year all of which dangle here and there, but my sense of joy and peace outshine them, always. For this I'm also grateful. 

There's a phrase in the book that I'm writing that really makes you stop and think. At least it does me. 

Faith is built on trust, and trust is cultivated by faith. 

Faith and trust lean on each other to create the perfect union, and one that can't be easily broken. 

As I stop and reflect upon that thought I'm reminded of just how lovely life can be. 

Peace be with you today and every day. 

Jill xo

Seven Swans a Swimming.

I'm winding down from a very busy Holiday Open House and switching my energy towards tidying up the yard. I have fifteen paper bags of pinecones and needles sitting under the white pines. I would estimate that there are another fifteen bags as the mounds of pine needles seem to go on forever! Talk about a great workout! Bending down grabbing large bundles of pinecones and needles and placing them in those bags. Repeat, repeat, etc. The weather has been warm, and it feels great to be working outside this time of year. Soon the arctic winds will begin to blow, and the snow will fall. Elle is already crawling under the blankets at night. She must know something that I don't. Dogs' intuition... 

Back to the Holiday Soiree... We had a great turnout and I enjoyed when I could, visiting with patrons, friends. It was pretty fast paced. My friend Deb came to help, and we had two checkout counters open. This time of year, one mustn't get in too big of a hurry.  If one does get in a hurry your usually encouraged to slow down. 

The Twelve Days of Christmas Soaps are not lasting long on our store shelves. In fact, I brought in next week's Twelve Days early on Saturday!

The third week of December and to be exact on the sixteenth day of December we will be offering our last four Twelve Days. I realized that our last day open is on the twenty-third, and so we will need to offer it during a full three-day work week at the shop. 

Every holiday seems to fly by so quickly. Even faster when you're burning the midnight oil to keep up with holiday demand. I don't mind that, in fact I'm very much appreciative of the busier each year business. However, having just let that escape my fingers, I'm also very much looking forward to my annual winter break! 

Next week's collection contains peppermint infused soaps, and the other Twelve Days is formulated with Star Anise. I'm always drawn to Star Anise during holidays. It's such an unusual scent. Warm and spicy, but in its own family of warm and spicy. I've also found that the fragrance grows on you. Bittersweet blended a small amount of vanilla with the spice essential oil and it's grounded and darn nice to the nose! If I must say!

We've brought back Lavender Laundry Powder to accompany the Peppermint. Both are two of my favorite scents in the laundry. Lavender with its calming properties, while Peppermint helps to neutralize odors. The Peppermint is great to clean doggy blankets, beds, towels, and really anything else if you're a Peppermint loving girl like me. 

I've also re-introduced two lip balms. Both are extra yummy on the lips this time of year. The Java Mocha should come with a warning label as you will definitely crave a cup of coffee after you rub it on your lips. The best thing about Bittersweet's lip balm is that it heals dry and chapped lips naturally. Some of my formulations contain old school ingredients that frankly can't be beat!

I have this thing for stars this holiday. I've been hanging them everywhere. The tree, the mantle, and anywhere else that is open. This time of the year, the stars are symbolic of that special star, the star of Bethlehem. The reason we celebrate Christmas...

It's hard to believe that our shop is only open seven more days before we close for winter break!

There is a long list of home projects waiting and I'm planning on a makeover of the shop. I know what you're thinking... Jill changes the shop all of the time! I love keeping our store fresh and new. It's part of what I love about managing a retail store. 

Keep smiling.

Jill xo