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
