Bittersweet and the little soap company

Healing and Well Being

 
I believe that one should nourish their mind, body, and spirit. You're probably saying to yourself, well who doesn't want that? It's not difficult to get wrapped up in everyday life to the extent that you sometimes neglect yourself. You take care of others before taking care of yourself. It happens, especially if you're a woman. These feelings are wrapped up in all that Bittersweet believes in. A hot bath, smell good skin essentials, clean pampering products that are honest and pure that's our thing. 

I get asked where we come up with our graphics and photos all of the time.  It's funny as I look back from years past design work it seems like a different person did the designing. My taste changes frequently, and sometimes I'll go back to past designs and perk them up. My computer has numerous files of pictures and graphics that I generate into marketing for Bittersweet. Being a one-woman show does have its perks. When you do it all, you in turn learn it all. Most companies hire out such work, but I have always loved designing promotional advertising for my company. Not only do I save a tremendous amount of money, but I also get great knowledge of how to maneuver in today's marketing world. So much has changed in twenty-five years. The advancements in software and graphic images have expanded in a way that I'd never imagined. It's quite fun to design and curate marketing designs nowadays. I can't imagine hiring someone to do it for me. I'll also add that learning on the ground up has always been an advantage. Even though software and programs advance, they kind of stay the same. So that make's it easier to grasp the way it works. I often wonder how many hours I've spent studying and learning how to do this and that, but the reward is rewarding if that makes sense. 

We're going to have a few classes this summer! The first, and actually you'd probably not call it a class, but rather a tutorial. The first tutorial is going to be about making hydrosols. Talk about rewards, there's nothing more gratifying than making your own hydrosol. Well, that is if you're into such things. I certainly am! You won't believe how easy it is and the liquid gold that you create will put a smile on your face and gratitude in your heart. I'll feel you in on a date, later, and I'll more than likely share the video on this platform.

Changing the subject... Last night I had a dream that my tumbleweed blew away. I was devastated in my dream. Aren't you glad that your dream state isn't your real-life state? Well with the exception of flying dreams and lucid dreams. I've had both, and nothing compares to either. I'll have to share that another time. 

Introducing, Honey Peach Lip Balm. Our latest added to the Lip Balm Lineup, and one that stands out from the lip balm crowd!

Sweet Grass is back! We're not sure for how long, but we're enjoying its amazing scent while it's here.

Sandalwood too!

Did you know that it takes Sandalwood thirty years before you can extract the oil? Not only that the tree only grows in two places!  It cost around two thousand dollars a pound for this reason. Needless to say, if you believe a soap or body product that mass-produced to contain pure sandalwood, you are mistaken. Typically, a small amount of the real deal is added with synthetics to create a sandalwood fragrance. I'll also add that not all Sandalwood fragrances are created equal. This is why they don't often smell the same from company to company. The components to make the oil are always different. 

I hope that you're taking time for yourself. It's important you know!

We're planning a busy day at our shop today. Saturdays are usually a bit crazy, but we love seeing our customers and sharing conversations. 

Try and take in some spring. I always say that I'm going to, but get preoccupied with work. This is a reminder for me to stop and smell the roses.

Jill  

 

 

 

  

 

tumbleweeds

We're getting some warm and rainy spring this week. I fertilized the yard and started cleaning out my flower beds just so I'll have a jump on things. This week is also a busy week of soap manufacturing. What the heck, every week is a busy week of soap manufacturing! I call it the American Dream. That dream is wrapped in blood, sweat, and tears along with smiles and passion. 

I took a drive through my old country stomping grounds last week when it was sunny and warm and drove down country roads that I hadn't been on in years. A train stop forced me to slow down even more, and I embraced the moment only to realize that I need to slow down more often. 

We have the prettiest soap wrapping this spring! I'm always on the search for beautiful paper. After all, we love pretty inside and outside. Not all of our soap is wrapped in special wrapping, but we offer both simple and gift-giving packaging. 

Do you know what that large oval thistle-looking thingy is on our dining room table? I'm proud to tell you that it's a tumbleweed! Ever since I was a small girl and we'd travel to Las Vegas to visit my grandmother Christine I've had a fascination for this blowin' in the wind plant. As we drove through the desert, we'd see them scoot across the desert floor jumping up and then bouncing with the direction of the wind. I know what you're probably thinking, Jill, it's a weed! Not to me. I also remember asking my parents to stop the car so that I could capture one, but they never did. Same thing with wheat. We'd drive in the countryside where the wheat grows tall in the Kansas and Missouri fields. I always wanted to stop and pick some when I was a kid and make bread! You see, I've always been like this! Anyway, back to the tumbleweed. When I ordered it online there was the option of getting a small, medium, or large. I went for the large, not realizing just how large it was in a tumbleweed person.  Now I have this huge tumbleweed sitting on my dining room table because it's sharp and prickly and I don't have room to store it. The whole tumbleweed story gets even better. The tumbleweed inspired me in many ways. I'm going to style the desert dried mound and launch a summer line in which I'm naming, you guessed it, TUMBLEWEED! Always remember that inspiration can come from unexpected places. I'm often inspired by nature. 

Since Bittersweet has been around for twenty-four, almost twenty-five years I've explored a number of skincare recipes and formulations. I began to ponder the ingredient list and oodles of times I'd experiment and try different techniques and explore ingredients. All, of course, were pure and natural, and most of the time I'd read books on the subject, but not necessarily new books but old ones that used timeless ingredients like bee's wax and lanolin. Honestly, skincare has a vast collection of ingredients nowadays, but I have found that some of these days gone by ingredients cannot be beat nor match. Having said all that, I'd like to introduce you to Bittersweets Iconic Recipes. A new line that's coming late summer, early fall. All of the skin essentials that we offer to fall under this clean ingredient criteria today, but we'd like to expand on the notion. We love expanding our horizons! The possibilities are endless and the sky is the limit when it comes to designing a new skincare product. 

Our popular Shampoo Bars are back in stock! Well kind of. I noticed on Saturday that the pile that I put out was almost gone already. I'll try to get some wrapped and back out next week. 

We also released a lovely new soap, Magnolia. It's wrapped in stunning paper and contains notes of magnolia, white flowers, and tuberose. 

We're also planning our May Day Celebration. I've decided to combine both May Day and our Birthday all in one event.  After all, we're coming up on our number twenty-five! In my next post, I'll share some of those early days. It was an exciting time and filled with lots of learning. 

The cookbook...

I can't remember how long ago it was when I published a cookbook. Many years it seems. I rushed through it all and was disappointed in the end. It's a cookbook filled with typos. Not a good thing, a cookbook with typos. However, I use the recipes all of the time, and when I open it up and read that little intro with a picture of my mom, the typos seem to disappear. In other words, I'm grateful for that cookbook, and the memories that it holds. It also is a reminder that when I complete the book that I'm currently writing, to not get in a hurry, and find a good editor! I don't work well under schedules and deadlines. 

Blessings of love, 

Jill  

 

 

freedom

First, let me please say that with the current unsettled climate that surrounds us, I'm leaning towards prayer and hope, and I feel blessed to have the freedom to share both whenever I can. I try not to take anything for granted, and to be thankful for the good and the bad that fill my days as it teaches me to overcome and remain strong in my faith. Just always remember, everyone is going through something, and it's not us to judge. We often do, simply because we are human. We live our lives learning as we go along, and if you're lucky, you realize how short life is, and appreciate all that it brings. I find it superficial to browse through social media pages and pretend that all is well when it's not. It's not a time of worry or fear for me because of my faith, and I'm forever grateful and thankful for both. My life, the way that I operate my business are centered around those thoughts. There is hope, and there is God... Turn that around. 

With that said, I'm digging knee-deep into my work. Having the luxury of melting myself into botanicals and fragrances has and always will be a gift. One spring officially arrives I'll begin to dig and cultivate and nurture. There's something peaceful about gardening or tending to a garden. I can't wait! Those feelings wrap around each new spring, and the anticipation grows by the day.

We received our shipments of garments this week, and I'm blown away by those tangerine trousers! 

I believe our Lip Balm inventory is well stocked and up to date, and that Lavender Honey flavor is the bomb! It's a toss-up between, Orange Vanilla and Lavender Honey. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either. 

Let me say a few great things about Dry Oil. It's amazing! If you're searching for a moisturizer, your search is over. It's a perk that you're able to choose a scent to flavor your liquid gold. We are finding that the notion of scenting your own skin essentials is catching on. We enjoy helping you create a signature blend. It's our thing!

I seldom have time on Saturday for new posts, but I'm all caught up and thought I'd switch it up with a fresh Saturday update. 

The Apothecary shop is flourishing and eager for this fresh new season to arrive. We're excited to celebrate our birthday next month, and even more excited to share year twenty-five! That boggles my mind! So much has happened in twenty-five years. For one thing, I'm older. Hopefully wiser, and kind of stuck in my ways. I don't consider that to be a bad thing.

Peace be with you, always. 

Jill xo 

 

homeward bound

Yes, it's back! Our popular Cilantro and Lime Cleansing Bar is once again hitting the shelves! This invigorating Soap will happily take you into Spring. Added to our soap menu and back again, Charcoal, and Oats & Goats. Both of these soaps fly out our doors. We make every attempt to keep them in stock, but sometimes with the curing period, we have shortages. We suggest that if you are a fan of either stock up while it's available. You have shared some amazing skin stories and how both soaps have helped with different skin issues. This adds a spring in our step, and music to our ears! This is why we do what we do. In addition to those three, we've also added Lemon Up. Clean and fresh-smelling, but mellow. Sometimes it's a challenge to describe scents. The moment you smell it you understand. 

We had a shipment of jackets arrive this week. The Light-colored denim jackets surprised me. I am not a fan of light-colored denim, but I have to make an exception with this jacket because I love it! 

Our shop was buzzing with lots of people and we all chatted about how anxious we are for spring. Even though we really haven't had a bad winter, it seems to drag on. When you live in the midwest, you start to get antsy this time of year with expectations of warmer days. There's that word. I have a love, hate relationship with the word expectation. I am still learning to not set myself up with the notion of high expectations in things. It is a setup. We were just chatting about this at the shop. Our belief and we stand strong at Bittersweet is that whatever cream, serum, soap, or essential that you purchase in our shop won't simply meet your expectations, but exceed them. We say this all of the time and it comes from many years of low expectations with other products that I've purchased. These feelings of disappointment have attached themselves to clothing, home goods, and skincare. This is why it's so important that Bittersweet products stand out from the crowd!

This month at home...

Well, I've dug into the project of clearing and cleaning out closets. Literally, I say, digging into! You should see all of the boots, sneakers, and shoes that I've accumulated over the past several years! It makes a grown woman want to cry! I've always loved shoes and clothing so I guess that explains my excessive amount hanging in my closet and sitting on the shelves. Our home is old. Some of you know what I'm about to say while others if you've never lived in an older home you probably have plenty of closet space. Back in the day, and not too very long ago I must add, homes were built with the anticipation of housing one suit, one pair of dress shoes, and if you were lucky an everyday pair. Maybe a few houses dresses for the lady, but probably only a couple. All this chitter-chatter about living minimal kind of tickles me because I've lived long enough to know that we lived this way before. However, with the convenience of finger shopping, and the extreme number of clothing manufacturers it's the opposite of what was once. I find it kind of sad and even disappointing. One would think that oodles of choices would be great, right? I believe quite the opposite. 

Those same thoughts carry through to my ideas of less is more and we even transfer that notion to our shop by offering one special brand of clothing. The pieces that we carry in our store are well made and timeless. I know from experience that my closet always leans towards timelessness. I find myself grabbing these go-to pieces all of the time. I kind of keep the idea of if I were traveling abroad which pieces would I pack. That is how I design my closet. If I haven't worn something for a while it's out of there! 

We have a brick patio just off our back door. I noticed that some of the bricks were cracked and brittle. I'm slowly digging out the damaged bricks and replacing them with new ones. I took my little car to the home improvement store and picked up fifty or so new bricks. Having an older car also has perks. I treat that little compact car as a truck sometimes. I never worry about filling it up with bricks, mulch, or two-by-fours.  I can't begin to tell you the different things I've transported in my car! 

Once again the home project list is long. We have some upgrades coming. Last fall my dad and I trimmed all of the trees and got rid of dead branches that had fallen. I'm glad we have that project out of the way. There's always something. Again, an old house. I wouldn't trade her in for a new one! Her walls are thick, and sound, and she's got great bones. We've planted every single tree, bush, and flower in our yard, and I've designed the gardens with my favorite plants and herbs. It's a home sweet home. 

Peace be with you. 

Jill