We're having a blast crafting summer spa day packages at the shop! After all, who doesn't love to indulge and pamper themselves during the hot summer months? We're updating our closet with cotton and linen textiles and dusting off those sandals that have been sitting on the back shelf for months. It's summer, and I believe these steamy, sultry days inspire us to slow down and revisit the forgotten days. This means bringing back timeless skincare recipes like tallow and herbal tinctures. That's been our philosophy for twenty-seven years here at Bittersweet, but I find myself leaning toward those thoughts even more in a world full of artificial goods and intelligence.
We're dedicating the entire month of July to these wholesome thoughts by celebrating the arrival of fresh herbs and medicinal blooms. Get ready for the golden days!
My editor dropped by this morning, and we're almost off to the publisher. I have some homework to do this weekend with my book, and each step brings us closer to actually holding a published book in my hand! Writing is so temperamental, at least for me. There are days I feel like writing and days I don't. It's not something I can force myself to do. You either feel it or you don't. I've also learned that you can lose inspiration if you don't stop and just do it. I've learned a tremendous number of significant things about myself and the process of editing and publishing during this book-writing journey. I have a great editor! She's one of my favorite people. If you've written before, you know this isn't always the case. I can't imagine having an editor you weren't fond of on a human level.
I've picked peppers and green beans from my raised beds, only to discover that Elle loves to eat fresh, uncooked green beans! I can't resist sharing some with her. I break them in half, and she gobbles them down like they're candy! Who knew?
We're making room for new items at our store, and like every year before, I'm amazed at just how fast summer goes.
I made another batch of tallow soap this morning and scented the bars with pure essential oils of geranium and grapefruit. It feels like the tallow discovery has piqued my interest even more in concocting soap recipes that exceed my expectations for pH, creamy lather, and moisture.
I took a chunk of tallow soap to my dad's on Sunday, and everyone experienced the generous suds while washing their hands. I am in awe!
When you stop and think about how a soap maker of twenty-seven years still gets excited about sap values and pH levels, it's beyond me, but I do!
We've planned a busy week at our shop.
Enjoy the golden days of summer!
