As a maker, I loved making beaded jewelry! Time does not allow me to dabble in beads nowadays. I do miss it! These were called Alice Bracelets. I named them after my mom. She passed away soon after Bittersweet was born.
I have always loved dried flowers and that admiration and love inspired Bittersweet to create everlasting bouquets.
Our past designs are fun to look at.
Mounds of artisan soap share the shelves at our apothecary. On my days off, I make soaps and inventory for our shop.
Tour bus visiting our store. We are a destination spot in Liberty! The shop gets pretty crowded when the big bus visits!
Debra & Judy. Long-time customers and friends. Judy brings me flowers and herbs that she grows in her garden. This daisy-looking flower is feverfew.
Brown Eye Susan's are one of my favorite flowers. We have it growing in our gardens
My old radio show. I gave it a great run! Loved it, and learned how to engineer. This means the whole package. The engineering and lining up the guests was my favorite thing about the show.
We had a photo shoot before our Fashion Show. Presenting a fashion show is a lot of work, but so worth it!
Four generations of soap makers. I'd never imagined all those years ago that I'd even be a soap maker of shop owner. Just goes to show you how things happen to happen.
I wasn't planning on sharing so much, but once I started searching through pictures the desire to share came upon me. As I ponder the many years of being a soap maker and shop proprietress I can't help but also have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. That same gratitude is also wrapped in hard work, determination, ingenuity, and perseverance. The last word is one of my favorite words simply because we are gifted with the ability to persevere through good times and hard times. I've worn more than several hats over the years. It seems that those hats were all different. Not one matched the other, but each hat has graced me with joy and gratitude. It also feels like my journey takes me to places that I'd never imagine or least expect. All of which has taken me from my comfort zone and allowed me to spread my wings. If you were to tell me that I'd been writing books a few years ago, I'd probably tell you that's a crazy thought, and I'd also tell you that I really don't have the time to take on something like that. Going outside your comfort zone at any age is a great thing! Take it from me.
I was watching an old HGTV video that I did some twenty-plus years ago and it really hit home with just how fast time travels! I was also reminded of how nothing stays the same. We're in a constant movement of change daily. Days turn into months, then years, and then, well...
The fall bug has hit me! I'm finding myself surrounded by all things fall, and I can hardly wait for the leaves to begin their colorful transformation. I love gathering a few bundles of fresh oak leaves and letting them dry naturally. If you can hold out until they do their magical costume change, even better.
Since Bittersweet loves to explore new things we've dabbled in the world of affiliate programs for a while. The only thing stopping me from setting things up was time. The other day I decided to set up an Amazon Store and share some of my favorite finds for both the shop and home. It was kind of a drawn-out process of learning the ropes, but after a few breaks in between setting it up, it came together. I was also kind of proud of myself for figuring it all out. It gave me a sense of satisfaction and reassured me that I still have some IT knowledge tucked in the back of my brain.
If you click on the picture it will take you to our new Amazon Store. I make a small kickback if you purchase any of my recommendations. We'll see how it goes. You can easily invest a lot of time into an affiliate program so it needs to be productive.
So often as a shop owner and manufacturer, I'm searching for certain items and specialty pieces for both my shop and home. We just had a kitchen remodel and as I went along things came to me. Those thoughts centered around gadgets and items that would make my life a bit easier. I'm also a firm believer in budget shopping. I love nice things, but sometimes those nice things can be purchased at a fraction of the cost. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule, but for the most part, I'm a practical shopper. One of my favorite phrases while I'm kicking my heels three times is "If you don't use it, lose it." My days of maximum style have been reduced to a minimum. I can't say that I miss collections or trinkets. In fact, I'm a much happier person without all that clitter-clatter.
Bittersweet has hosted and been a part of some exciting endeavors. I cherish each and welcome new ones.
Jill
