Bittersweet and the little soap company

spring up, slide down

Julie had this darling little vintage dress hanging in her shop. I could not resist hanging it in mine! Isn't it sweet? The dress is dainty and flirty in a one of a kind vintage way. 

This past week has flown by! Now day lights savings time has kicked in it's going even faster! It always takes me a month or so to get used to the time change. Falling back seems easier than falling forward.  I'm working on addressing the grand opening post cards and bringing in some new items at the shop. 

Our friends Dee and Hank dropped by on Saturday. It was a joy to visit with them. I shot this picture of Dee and Julie.

I also shot this picture of Julies parents, Richard and Patty. 

I think the world of Richard and Patty. They're the best of the best.  

The shop was filled with friends and family on Saturday. One of my favorite perks of owning a shop is the popping in of friends and family. 

I'm catching up at home. Laundry duty seems to be a continuous job at our house. Especially since I'm such a clean freak. 

Julie said that Tom had told her the shop will be cleaner than it's ever been with Jill there!

Busy week ahead... Manufacturing kicks in again! 

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

 

a hand-made shop

Popping in to say, Julie and I are having a blast since we partnered our shops. There isn't a day we don't laugh and have fun. I joked yesterday on face-book and said. You know how they say laughter is the best medicine? Julie and I are over medicated! I've been leaving early so that I can come home and walk Elle. It's so shop nice to not be tied down. Both Julie and I will appreciate that the most. We both commented yesterday about how we should have done this a long time ago. However, we both know the timing wasn't right. I wasn't pondering thoughts of a downtown shop again until after those dreams! Those crazy dreams! Always follow your instincts and intuition. They are a gift from God, I believe. 

Look-ie who loves to sit by the fireplace. 

Aggie cat! I guess I've passed the kitty test... With the aid of the cozy warm fireplace...

Over the hill and through the woods to Water street I go...

Enjoy caring and sharing March days. 

Warmly,

Jill 00

 

 

shop talk

Today will be my first week day spent at the new shop. It will also be the first day that I haven't lugged in a ton of stuff. I'm only taking my lunch, laptop, and a basket of soap wrapping accessories. I believe all the packaging goodies have a new home. I'm mildly obsessed with packaging, bags, papers, ribbons, etc. It's always been a thing with me. The packaging passion dates back to when I was a young girl. At the Bittersweet shop there's a special bag, box for each and every product that I make. See, I warned you! Tissue paper is included in the paper love list. 

Yesterday, I dug through the stash of packaging material that had been taken out of the studio table. The large table has always been used as a check-out table. The table has lots of drawers and shelves for storing all the paper goods! Just think about sixteen years of retail and wholesale packaging material stuffed here and there. Mind boggling! A little overwhelming and beginning to believe this obsession needs to be toned down. 

My favorite tissue. Waxed paper. You know the kind that wraps the bouquet of flowers from the fleur shop. There are so many choices of tissue to choose from. I always seem to go back to simple plain white tissue each and every time. Although, I love the waxed white tissue. Perfect for wrapping soap bars, I believe. 

This week I'll be taking in some of the new SPRING soaps. Champ de fleurs and Lavender & Pink Grapefruit is on the traveling soap box list. I'm fond of both flavors. It would be difficult to choose a favorite. 

I ordered another credit card reader. I also updated the software. I'm troubleshooting attempting to find the problem with that tiny cc reading devise. If not successful, I will need to switch to another cc processor. I have a feeling the software update might have fixed things. Just a feeling. We shall see. 

More snow last night!

I'm really yearning for spring! 

Enjoy caring and sharing soon to be spring days. 

Jill 00

 

Saturdays

Saturdays

Behind the scenes...

I thought you might enjoy some behind the scenes of the Bittersweet studio. The past few days I've been working on the flooring. Ripping up old black & white flooring and cleaning and painting, switching out some hardware. Sprucing up the place a bit!

I painted the little dresser that I purchased from my friend Dana white and switched the knobs with my favorite wood ones. I love em just the way they are, natural.

I painted the concrete floor with enamel floor paint and then topped it with a satin varnish. I can't tell you how many times I've painted flooring. I'm not sure what I want down in this high traffic area. I'm thinking ceramic tile, but have not made up my mind entirely. The clean shiny floor will due just fine for now until I decide.

I don't know that I've ever taken a picture of my cash register! This is where I ring up my Saturday customers.

When I fulfil orders, this is where I grab it from. Bittersweet merchandise fills the studio. I'm noticing there's a shortage of several things!

This is the apothecary room! The small room houses my handmade pinnies, heat pillows,  unwrapped soap and skin care products.

I took several more pictures but I'll wait and share later.

I also have a finished prototype made of the May Day Potpourri. The smell good old fashioned room freshener will accompany the new May Day Parfume! I will be listing both on the web site in the weeks to come. If you can't wait, drop me an email and I'll send you pricing, and a Pay Pal invoice.

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Warmly,

Jill 00

sweets

The new spring line of Bittersweet is coming along nicely.

Gearing up for a busy studio day tomorrow. Fresh everything lines the apothecary shelves.

What we need is lots of soap! Remember that phrase? I used to read that book to Patrick when he as little. Sheep in a Jeep. That phrase has become a favorite over the years and fits to a tee.

I'm still pondering soap box thoughts...

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

Lavender Boutique

I spent the evening in the boutique,studio sprucing up a bit and adding the new Bittersweets. Fresh bundles of lavender surrounded me as I worked.

A small re-do with the lavender dryer sachets. I wasn't happy with the font. Then when I went to place the old font back it had vanished! No biggy a quick download off the Internet of the Fifth Avenue font and we're back in business.

Did you know you could get fonts from the Internet? That seems to be a good font resource site.  I've always had this thing for pretty fonts. I have a large font library. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect font to use in clients design work. It's nice to have several to choose from. Funny, most I can name by seeing them. When I watch commercials or movie titles, credits,  I am most interested in the type of font they chose.   The topic of fonts... I could go on and on how important they are with your work! I've been using Fifth Avenue font for many years.  It's the font I chose to have put on our woven labels.  That's a great company to work with if you're in the need for labels for your handmade items. I've been using them for years. Tell Eric I sent you if you order! Very nice man...

 

Low evening light as I shot this picture of the lavender boutique.

As I was organizing and adding the new items I began to realize just how many lavender Bittersweets there were!

I love that!

Bittersweet Boutique awakens from it's winter somme. It opens again on Saturday. This week will be crazy busy! The soap wrack is almost completely empty and the New Bittersweet prototypes await the production of many more duplicates. This time of year our home resembles a factory. Little work piles here and there.

Guess what? I need to make more Marula Smoothie! It's on my to-do list first thing this morning.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)  

Bittersweets

These little sacs filled with soap batons make a unique gift. The bag contains a variety of our most popular soaps cut into a French frie stick. The assortment of sticks comes packaged in a small muslin bag. We will  be happy to wrap your gift and include a gift card if you include those instructions with your order. Thanks... Soap Batons

It's a once a year EXTRAVAGANZA!Our signature holiday soaps available in a trio of flavors. New this season, Myrrh and Frankincense! Our unique recipe of pure olive oil insures a  rich savon. They come wrapped in festive packaging and are infused with the scents of the season. I really wish we had scratch and sniff available! If you're on the fence about which holiday soap to pick. We recommend Cranberry Spice. It has a soft light scent. "Fresh cranberry dances with a delicious mix of citrus and spice. Top notes of cranberry and zesty orange. A wonderful mix of rose, jasmine, lilac, carnation and cinnamon complete the fragrance."

Velvet Spice: "A zesty combination of fragrant sweet apple and zesty orange peel. Top notes of fresh ozone, muguet, crisp apple and orange. Mid notes of jasmine, classic carnation, rose, cinnamon, clove and peach. Soft powder notes at the base of the fragrance."

Myrrh & Frankincense: You will enjoy this potent well bodied blend of frankincense olibanum and myrrh. Our inspiration to make this soap came from the story of baby Jesus and the offerings brought before Joseph and Mary when the child was born. Makes us warm and toasty feeling just thinking about it!

Holiday Soap

Our lavender linen spray contains REAL essential oil. It's concentrated just like all Bittersweets homekeeping and skin care products. It too, makes an affordable luxury gift!

Lavender Linen Spray

While I'm on the subject of herbal home-keeping I must include Bittersweets natural aromatic laundry soaps. Yes, you guessed it! Once again we incorporate REAL essential oil into the manufacturing of this wonderful essential. It also contains our soap! Available in Fresh Peppermint or Soothing Lavender.

Laundry Powder

Well I tried not to include this, but simply couldn't resist. A toss of one of these into the dryer turns dull boring laundry day into pure bliss day! That's how we feel anyway. If you're combining both our Lavender Laundry Powder with the dryer sachets when laundering beddings then expect a peaceful soothing good nights sleep. The fragrant herb has been known to help relax and calm.

Dryer Sachet

If a customer ask, which Bittersweet will help my dry skin the answer to their question is a no brain er, Dry Oil! Available in several flavors and a must have skin moisturizer during dry winter months.

Dry Oil 

Second on our skin care recommendation list is our top selling Sugar Baby Scrub. Again, pure essential oil's of Fresh lemon and Rosemary infuse the gentle exfoliate with their invigorating scent. I use it everyday on my face! Love it! Oh, it taste good too!

Sugar Baby Scrub

Lastly... Don't forget the stockings!

Customers have told us our lip balms are by far the best they've ever had! Available in several scents. Contains lanolin and vitamin E. Not only moisturizes, but also heals dry chapped lips.

Lip Balm

One more little thingy...

Have you tried Bittersweet products? If so, please drop us a comment and tell us which one is your favorite or why you prefer using it over other manufacturers.  

We appreciate your input.

Merry Christmas!

Warmly,

Jill McDowell, Bittersweet Soap Co.

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Spend a Saturday at the studio...

 
 
Freshly made face creme available at the studio.