Bittersweet and the little soap company

New Week-New Ideas and Gingerbread

I feel like this week has been action-packed. In fact, I don't only feel it, I know that it was! In a festive kind of way too. First, our SBS toppled our attendance of last year and I'm pleased as holiday pudding that it was. I know that I sound like a broken record, ha, do they still say that? This woman works hard for the money, so hard for the money so you sure better treat her right! All joking aside, it's true. I don't say this in an arrogant type of way, but I'd challenge a twenty-year-old to keep up with this sixty-plus-year-old any day. I feel blessed to be healthy and in good shape and have the ability to work so hard. I've also learned that if I don't get something done, it's okay because a well-rested soap maker and shop manager excel under those conditions.  

You may not know but Bittersweet has enjoyed remarkable exposure on national television, showcasing our soap-making craft and even gifting our bars at prestigious events like the Emmy's and American Music Awards. However, the most impactful advertising has always been through word of mouth. Your support means the world to us, and by sharing your favorite discoveries with family and friends, you're helping us grow our small business. It doesn't cost a thing to share the love!

It's hard for me to believe that the shop is only open twelve more days before I close for a long winter's nap. Honestly, this time of year flies by at warp speed! 

I've always preferred handmade gifts over store-bought ones. There's a soulful echo of satisfaction that wraps itself around any handmade gift. Be that a baked good or a handcrafted bar of soap.

We're updating our hours on a weekly basis. We've adjusted and made a number of changes this holiday. One of those things is a weekly evaluation of our hours. Since I'm the maker of most of our inventory in our store if I don't have time to make it, it does not arrive on our store shelves. It makes sense to keep a steady eye on our shop hours. This method would not work for everyone, but it works for us. It's a great feeling when you figure out what works for your business and what doesn't. Go with it! Trust your instincts, always. 

Usually after the first of the New Year, I start working on packaging upgrades, but this year I've started early. It helps to get a jump on new packaging. At least, this is something I've discovered over the past twenty-six years of being a soap maker and apothecary shop owner. 

I made gingerbread cake last night. It's so easy to make, and so good to eat! I love it. The recipe is in my cookbook, and I wanted to share it with you if you don't have a cookbook. 

I love our home this time of year. The scents of orange pomanders and the aroma of fresh gingerbread baking in the oven along with twinkling lights and warm blankets for snuggling up to a book. Little things. 

A few years ago I stopped drinking coffee. The caffeine didn't agree with me and it just wasn't worth it to indulge anymore. A friend turned me on to the chicory and dandelion herbal blend and I have to tell you it's pretty darn good. In fact, I love it! I put a little fresh cream in mine and it's hard to distinguish this blend from coffee from a bean. In the olden days chicory was the only coffee available. It wasn't until the big ships started importing it to the colonies that it was available. 

"Coffee - the favorite drink of the civilized world." - Thomas Jefferson

I have always admired Thomas Jefferson. His work with botanical exploration and all of the other hobbies that he was interested in fascinates me today. 

You can order the chicory coffee on my Amazon store. 

If you click on the Amazon Holiday picture it will take you to my current holiday trends that I'm incorporating into both my home and shop. 

The little bird card was given to me by a dear friend, Deborah, many years ago at Christmas. I'm reminded of her kindness every time I see that card. She is an amazing artist and an amazing friend!

Busy week ahead. I took a couple hundred more holiday soaps to the shop after I got them wrapped. We're up to twelve different scents of holiday soap. We've sold out of many, but I'm keeping the midnight oil burning by bringing in a couple of new ones each week. Since we're only open twelve more days it will be interesting to see if my predictions are accurate. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

 

 

 

Is that snow I smell?

We had a great Thanksgiving! The turkey breast that I soaked in brine tasted amazing! I made sourdough bread yesterday. I added yeast because I wasn't sure that my starter was quite ready. That's a good recipe! If you're impatient like me, try this recipe.  Then I made a homemade pie crust with the discard of the sourdough. I used my fresh pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie. Whenever baking pumpkins start showing up I nab a few and roast them. Then I dig out the meat and freeze it. If you've never made a pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin try it. You won't believe the enhancement of taste that the fresh pumpkin brings to the table. You can also add pumpkin to stews and soups. You won't even know it's there, but it adds to the flavor as well. 

On the last post or maybe it was the one before I shared the little crock that I picked up to store my sourdough starter in the fridge. I'm getting close to putting it in the crock and in the fridge. 

This week's hours were posted and I'm gearing up for a non-stop weekend. We're hoping here at Bittersweet to beat all SBS attendance records on Saturday. 

The Peppermint soap is stacked and a yummy new holiday soap accompanies it at the shop. We already sold out of inventory on our website. Winter Wonderland is packed with lovely notes, and I believe it's one of my new favorites!  If you want to order online and pick it up at the store here's a link. We can't offer shipping on this collection because of its popularity. I list the new holiday soaps as soon as they get wrapped. We're up to our last two of the collection, but don't fret, I've doubled manufacturing this year so we should have plenty to go around. 

I gathered my manuscript from my dining room table after reading it. I'll go back to another reading before sending it back to the editor, and then it's off on a happy trail to the publisher! Fingers crossed, I'm hoping to have it available by Christmas. I've learned to not rush things though so time will tell. The most important thing right now is that the book is fine-tuned and meets my expectations. It's good to set the bar high. 

The signs of Christmas are starting to appear! The air holds a crisp chill, and I sense snow on the horizon. At Bittersweet, we're gearing up for a bustling weekend, anticipating enthusiastic shoppers eager to infuse their holidays with the charm of handmade delights.

Crafting a small business requires resilience and unwavering determination. It's a journey of highs and lows, where some weeks flourish while others pose challenges. Your support is the backbone of our existence! As the holiday season arrives, I urge you to embrace shopping small and championing local businesses. We're here, eager to assist, and prepared to extend a warm welcome as we roll out the red carpet for you.

Happy Holidays! 

Jill 

 

 

 

spreading good cheer

In the warmth of homes, hearts resonate, Thanksgiving's embrace, a sacred date, Grateful souls gather, blessings poured, A feast of thanks to the divine Lord.

For every morsel, for every smile, For moments cherished, stretching miles, In humble gratitude, our voices raise, Thanking God for His endless grace.

The bounty on tables, the laughter's cheer, Reminds us of blessings far and near, Each breath, each beat, a gift so grand, Crafted by God's gentle hand.

In thankful hearts, His love resides, Guiding us through life's changing tides, Thanksgiving's spirit, a sacred nod, To the Almighty, our eternal God.

Jill 

 

During this season, the pace can become incredibly hectic, prompting me to consciously pause and ease into a slower rhythm at times. Yesterday I was pondering thoughts of gratitude and just how blessed I am to work at what I love, and to do it for twenty-six years. It's definitely been a soul-searching journey that has had surprises both good and bad, but I would not change a thing. In fact, the lessons that I've learned along the way have aided me into being a better business person and human. Don't you love it when that happens? 

The editor of my second book dropped by last week and we went over my book. There are a lot of colored markers and red pen markings on her copy. I started comparing notes, and have read and adjusted sixty-five pages. I'm also thankful for Dawn my editor. She's a great one! Not only is she a great editor, but she's a wonderful person too. A few months ago she brought her entire family, minus her husband into the shop. She also has a lovely family.  I'm hoping to have a few extra moments to continue the edit of my book and fingers crossed, double fingers crossed, it might just be available by Christmas! Writing comes easy to me, but the editing part is challenging. I know though that when I hold that book in my hand I'm going to shed a few tears. The book is wrapped in faith and love all 283 pages! Might need to cut a few pages. I thought that might be challenging as everything that I wrote in this book seemed significant to the book, but I've already snapped a few paragraphs that I felt were not relevant. They will fit better in the next book that I'm working on. So often folks ask me how I have time to write books, make soap, run a business, and so on. I'm pretty organized, but have not always been. I've developed a system over the years. Also, when you do what you love each step seems closer to the prize. Picking and choosing the things that you love to do should come naturally. You can learn along the way how to cultivate your time. It's a process. When something starts to feel mundane I tend to move away and do something that makes me happy. Life is short and you're the pilot. I'm a firm believer that one should live a life surrounded by the things you love to do. That old cliche, if I can do it, so can you is true!

So, the sourdough started playing with my mind! Ha! I've been feeding the starter for over a week each day. I had no idea that it was so finicky and fastidious! I'm not giving up because every time I feed it, I can't help but envision a slice of warm bread smothered in butter dripping with honey! I did some research and found that it usually takes a starter a couple of weeks to get ripe. Maybe it will be ready by Thanksgiving. That would be great!

I'm making lasagna soup tonight for dinner. Have you ever made it? I'm adding both ground beef and sausage. A half pound each. I feel like bringing both to the table will add more flavor. I'm also adding a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. They also carry a lot of flavor. Let me know if you make it. 

Speaking of cooking. When I get to the shop, I'm going to assemble some kitchen gift packages. A Taste & Eat Cookbook and Wooden Spoon wrapped in a linen towel. I can already envision the wooden spoon sticking out of the gift packaging. 

I'm so happy that I put Christmas up early! Last night I hooked up timers and enjoyed the twinkle of all of the lights. I replaced old batteries with new ones in fairy lights and turned them all on. The prelude to Christmas Eve when my family comes and we open presents. Patrick makes his famous brisket, and I make an assortment of appetizers, and this dessert taken from my cookbook that everyone loves. 

I've been thinking about my grandma's a lot lately. Both grandmas guided me in significant ways and brought such joy to my life. They were uniquely different in personalities, but the same in spreading their love. A grandmother's love is a precious gift that can be opened at any time, shared, coveted, and cherished. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sixty something

There's a stark contrast in our designs at the shop with each season. I love that! When I dig out summer pictures of the shop they're accompanied with fresh flowers from my gardens and floral-infused soaps wrapped in summer shades and designs. After all, who wants to be stuck with the same old, same old? Even my home changes as my style becomes more refined and fine-tuned. I'm drawn to the finer things in life, linen, cotton, everlasting flowers, natural elements, and textures that really stand out in styling both my home and shop. It doesn't take much either, and I'm a huge fan of foraging! For example, I'm putting together some red and white packaging for the holidays and I took a little stroll through my backyard to get some natural clippings of pine, snowberry, boxwood, sage, lavender, white pine cones, and rosehips. All of these are compliments of nature and all of the time invested in planting and cultivating these wonderful herbs, trees, and plants share their bounty even as the days turn to winter. Gotta love it! At least I sure do! Speaking of our red and white holiday packaging, I absolutely love it! I've always been partial to the combo colors this time of year. So, I'm sharing my admiration for the two sentimental hues with you as we present our holiday packaging. 

I've been breaking cinnamon and sniffing star anise, orange slices, and allspice as I construct bags of stovetop potpourri. The scents of the season shine bright. I've noticed that I'm starting to go back in time with some of my favorite Christmas loves, that really never stopped grabbing my attention. 

My Amazon Store is brimming with holiday magic. I just picked up a new tree skirt to replace the one that was getting worn out. It's a knit cable type. Who doesn't love knit cable? Click on the Amazon picture for the link. 

I'm thrilled to be bringing in our collection of Holiday Soaps early and share a surplus of Holiday Goodness. It makes me happy to gaze around the store and see these special soaps accumulate. However, they sure go fast. In fact, I've already pulled the first two holiday soaps from our web store because our inventory is low. 

One of those used-to-do things that I decided needed to be revisited was making sourdough bread and growing a starter. Have you ever made a sourdough starter? It's not hard, but it is time-consuming. You must feed the starter each day with flour and water. I ordered it here.  

I love sourdough bread! In fact, I don't eat very much bread unless it's sourdough. It's actually good for you too. Plus, and plus = good! I also picked up one of the crocks for storing the starter. I had never started a starter before and didn't realize how long it takes before your starter gets ripe so that you can make bread with it. It's going to be rewarding once my starter is ready to make bread. I would estimate a couple of weeks. The longer you feed your starter, the better the bread. Good things come to those who wait! I think baking homemade bread is one of life's rewards, and even better sharing your loaves with friends and family. I'll be sharing my progress and pictures. The wonderful world of sourdough bread crafting!

This morning I was thinking about something that I've never really thought about before. I was pondering the idea of how when I was in my forties I never imagined what I'd look like in my sixties. Just as I have never imagined how I'll look in my eighties in my sixties. Can you relate? I look at my dad, and he's almost ninety and he looks amazing. His skin is soft and young. Honestly, it should be because he has a daughter who makes soap and skincare and gifts him constant supplies.  I'm also varied in thinking about the sun and other skincare products. My dad was frequently in the sun playing golf and working outside during the summer months. I was at the pool every summer day layered with baby oil. Sunscreen, what's that? Remember? When it comes to effective skincare essentials I'm a firm believer that less is more. It's really the notion of using the best ingredients that nature provides. Old-school ingredients like lanolin, vitamin E, and cocoa butter. When I launched my skincare company back in the day I knew deep in my heart that these ingredients that withstood the test of time would also change the way skincare was viewed. At least in my eyes. Then the chemicals started to come in both our food and cosmetics. Honestly, I have a hard time understanding why. Saying it straight out. There's a reason that so many folks suffer from ailments and cancers. It's a full-time job combatting the chemicals and the over eighty percent processed foods that line our supermarket shelves. Think about that for just one moment. Does it make sense to you? A toddler would recognize that something is wrong! I did not intend to get lost in this subject, but it's dear to my heart and I'm not shy about spreading the word. After all, I manage an Apothecary! I'll step down for now. 

I'm headed out and to the shop. I made fresh jars of Marula this morning, and I'm going to run out quickly and forage a few more branches and twigs so that I can craft a few more gift boxes and bags. 

Remain faithful in your faith. 

The second book is getting closer. My Beautiful Faith will be here soon. I visited with my editor this week. Wow, it's a lot of work to write a book! Patience is a virtue for sure. I know when that book gets published and printed and I'm holding it in my hands I'm going to cry like a baby!

Jill 

 

 

 

nest best

I put up the tree and hung the outdoor lights and it feels warm and cozy and very much holidayish around here. It's always fun to style the shop for the holidays, but it's equally as pleasing to style our home. Even though I consider my aesthetics simple, there's something about the coziness of twinkling lights and aromatic spice scents flowing through the home. I found a recipe that I want to try. It's a brine for a turkey breast and then you make a homemade cranberry sauce to spoon on top. I searched several recipes that were similar, but this one stood out. 

We celebrated the arrival of our holiday soaps this weekend and had so much fun visiting and chatting with everyone. This is the first year that we've hosted this event, and I believe we're creating some new traditions. It feels really good to have an accumulation of hard work and handmade forged items in bulk at the shop. After all, I started making this unique holiday collection in July, so it feels right in all directions to offer it early. 

Our Lip Balm Line-up continues to grow and expand. I feel like an assortment of ten is a great variety. You'll love the tinted!

We have stovetop potpourri brewing on the stove and the essence of the holidays fills the air. I dug out my beeswax candles and candle holders. I love the fresh clean scent of pure beeswax. There's really nothing that compares. 

I've updated my Amazon Store with some of my favorite new holiday finds. The bells and velvet ribbon are two of my favorites. 

It's the little things that bring joy. No matter how you spend your holidays the peace of living a life loved is always a joyful reward. It really is the little things that account for the big moments, and I'm thankful for all of those tiny memories that years later turn into big ones. 

Warm Wishes, 

Jill  

 

 

 

 

November Forever

 

As the holiday season approaches, I find myself reflecting on past celebrations, recognizing that it's the small moments that weave the tapestry of the larger ones. Behind the scenes, I've been hard at work, getting our shop ready for the enchanting Christmas season.

Our handmade soaps have been crafted with care, and intended to elevate your gift-giving experience with an abundance of love. We are thrilled to extend an early invitation to you for a sneak peek of our Holiday Soaps and soulful collections this year. Join us in celebrating the magic of the season!

This year, we're delighted to introduce a range of distinctive soaps. Some come wrapped in our time-honored traditional papers, while others embrace a minimalist aesthetic that shines brightly. Regardless of their outward appearance, rest assured that once you add water to any of them, our lather buster will work its magic, leaving your skin softened and moisturized.

I'm excited to share that I'll be baking my Grandma Lola's Hermit Cookies for our two-day premiere. If you've already acquired a copy of my cookbook, you'll find the recipe included. However, if you haven't, I'd be delighted to share it with you.

A word of caution: the enchanting scent of aromatic cookie spices will waft through your home, and your little ones may find it nearly impossible to resist the allure before these delectable treats even make it out of the oven!

Join us at Bittersweet this Thursday and Friday as we provide an exclusive preview of our meticulously handcrafted holiday collection. To make the occasion even more special, I'll be baking my grandma Lola's famous Hermits, and we'll be serving our festive punch as well. Let's celebrate the onset of the season with these heartfelt, handmade gifts.

Warm Wishes, 

Jill