Bittersweet and the little soap company

White Christmas

The frosty arrival of winter has arrived with all her bells and whistles. We're also entering the final day that our store is open for this year! It doesn't seem possible, and where did the time go?

I made shortbread cookies and shared them with family and neighbors and the festivities of Christmas are beginning to take shape. The recipe will be included in Taste & Eat which will be arriving in a few short months. Yippee!  

Winter break starts tomorrow and my family is coming over for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow. Something I always look forward to each year. Little things. I'll be setting the table and making bread pudding. Yummy!

Enjoy the spirit of Christmas and the joyous reason for the season. A child is born and his name is Immanuel. Glory to God. 

Merry Christmas!

Jill 

 

A fresh new day

It's a fresh new day! A huge thank-you to everyone that shopped in our small shop yesterday. The truth is we can make it, but if nobody shows up to purchase it, we would not be here so thank you for supporting us and loving our products. We are truly grateful. I have to be honest and tell you that I get annoyed with small shops that feel like they are obligated to lower prices and discounts during both black Friday and shop small day. We don't offer any discounts or as some call, deals, however, our pricing is lower than any of our competitors and our competitors do not offer quality ingredients. At least most do not. I can't honestly speak for all. A personal pet peeve and I guess that I feel this way is because I'm aware of just how much work goes into making the products that line our shelves. I'm not telling you this for any particular reason other than it's true. 

The Twelve Days of Christmas Soap is flying high! We will be up to numbers five and six next week. I'm always in awe of just how quickly the holidays come and go.  I think about the time invested in wrapping thousands of bars of soap, and how quickly it disappears. Again, thankful. 

We're hosting our Holiday Open House on Friday and Saturday. I always look forward to this event simply because it offers a more laid-back vibe at our shop than the past two days. Our customers are the salt of the earth, and we love visiting with them this time of year. When I looked at the calendar and saw that we're only open for eleven more days it shocked me. How does this happen? I realize that some families are struggling this year. The cost of living is high and some families are struggling to make ends meet. This makes me sad, and I think about it often. What is supposed to be a happy time, turns into a sad time for some. What can we do to make it better? I'm so happy that you asked that! Donate to the Salvation Army or any organization that helps the less fortunate.  I've always felt like the Salvation Army was a reputable and honest company. Their beginnings are humble, and I see often how they come to people's aid when they're down. 

Winter break is also fast approaching, and this soap maker already knows what she's going to be doing. I'll have my head buried in book writing. The finishing chapters are already being tossed around. I've come to realize that writing is a gift that keeps on giving. Not in a materialistic way but rather in a soulful heartwarming way. I believe that's the attraction. At least it is for me. Always remember, if you are thinking of writing a book that there will always be critics, but there will also be folks that love your stories. Even the not-so-great books that I've read have brought something to my table, so always read a book with an open mind with those thoughts tucked in the back of your mind. 

Seasons Greetings!

Jill 

 

 

 

 

Giving Thanks

 

Sending Thanksgiving well wishes to everyone. We're having a low-key and laid-back Thanksgiving. In fact, those are the kind of Thanksgivings that I treasure. Gone are the days of running around hurrying to go here and there. I don't miss those days one bit. The holidays are stressful for some, and designing a holiday that fits your family is a good thing for everyone involved. 

There's a whole lot of soap wrapping going on around here. Yours truly is the top-dog soap wrapper. I've hired people to help wrap soap in the past, but this year I was able to get a jump ahead on things so I'm wrapping thousands of bars. You may not know this about me, but I can wrap one-hundred bars in an hour! I'm up to number ten, and the rest is history!

Tomorrow the house will be filled with food smells over soap. I'm preparing a pumpkin pie and homemade rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner. I always use the hands-down favorite pumpkin pie recipe that I've used for years. I'll put the recipe in the upcoming Taste & Eat Cookbook too. 

I've been entering my favorite recipes, and it's almost finished! We have an early twenty-three release on Taste & Eat, Season Everything With Love. 

I've managed to sneak in one of your favorite soaps. Nag Champa is back. Hurry, please hurry it won't be on the shelves for very long

I also brought back the Body Butter Lotion Bar. I'm pondering only offering certain products at specific times. Think of these skincare essentials as winter treats. 

I'm in love with the French Knot hats! 

I feel like we have a great selection to choose from. In fact, I put another order in. Consider these well-made winter caps as an heirloom. They are timeless and classic. I think my personal stash of these hats consists of several. I love, love them. If you're wishing to WOW someone these hats fit the bill. 

The lovely, ever so lovely, Mint Chocolate Chip, or as the picture shows Chocolate Chip Mint. I guess my logic is built on the fact that the luscious lip balm scent is more chocolate than mint. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We'll be running full speed ahead on Friday and Saturday, and the ball starts to drop from there. I put together the holiday hours and to my wondering eyes should appear that Bittersweet is only open for a few more days! It happens every year, but I always get caught off guard. 

Lastly, we scout the world for our soap wrapping paper! This holiday we're rolling out what we believe to be the prettiest ever!

Giving thanks. 

Jill 

 

 

 

 

forest green

This past week has been filled with hours of reviewing apothecary recipes and configuring. Favorite Bittersweets are once again available, but just for a short time. A new Body Butter Sugar Scrub is divine! I pondered several scent options but happily chose Orange Vanilla. Not only does it smell yummy it also provides ultra-healing to dry winter skin. The new hair treatment is getting a final review, and our popular Twelve Days of Christmas Soap lands on Thursday! From now until December 23, this girl is going to be burning the midnight oil. Let's see, Bittersweet is open seventeen more days before our winter's nap. 

I was planning a get-a-way and flying out on Christmas, but have decided against it. I'm not sure why, but I'm trusting my instincts. 

The shop is being adorned with new shipments of holiday dream boats. Meaning, the items that we outsource match the quality of the items that we make. This season's offerings have topped all of the seasons before! You're going to love what we're bringing in!

Another stash of winter candles glow, and those baby's bottom soft facial brushes are on the way once again! Fresh bundles of preserved cedar arrive today. We won't be re-stocking the greenery. This is our second order of the season. The preserved bundle of holiday joy lasts forever as does the fresh cedar scent. I have some in my home that I've had stored in bags for almost ten years.

Butterscotch Lip Balm is back! Tomorrow I'll be crafting a hundred or so gift crates and they'll be stashed with some of that lip balm. 

The Buffalo check pajamas with our soft faux rabbit slippers. Hello Winter!

Those new leather earrings! They won't last!

Fuzzy and warm winter hats should be arriving any day from our favorite little maker. 

Those boots! I can't reorder they're already sold out! We have two sevens, and one eight, and that's it. 

I'm stuck on forest green this holiday! The dark green velvet ribbon that we received last week is stunning!

Typing out recipes for Taste & Eat. Aunt Vivian's Pinto Beans. A great winter meal accompanied by home-baked cornbread hot out of the oven. Put more garlic in the beans. 

I made hot chocolate last night. The warm milk helped me to sleep like a baby. 

We also have orders for fuzzy scarves and warm fleece jackets. A few holiday sweaters and a fancy holiday dress with sparkles. 

We're honored to bring to you our fastidious artisan curations. Each one is hand-chosen with an eye toward detail and originality. 

Behind hat number one, is a delightful smorgasbord of artisan-crafted essentials that are soulfully constructed and made with love. Winter must-haves that put a smile on your face for many years to come. 

Seasons Greetings!

Jill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Swans a Swimming.

I'm winding down from a very busy Holiday Open House and switching my energy towards tidying up the yard. I have fifteen paper bags of pinecones and needles sitting under the white pines. I would estimate that there are another fifteen bags as the mounds of pine needles seem to go on forever! Talk about a great workout! Bending down grabbing large bundles of pinecones and needles and placing them in those bags. Repeat, repeat, etc. The weather has been warm, and it feels great to be working outside this time of year. Soon the arctic winds will begin to blow, and the snow will fall. Elle is already crawling under the blankets at night. She must know something that I don't. Dogs' intuition... 

Back to the Holiday Soiree... We had a great turnout and I enjoyed when I could, visiting with patrons, friends. It was pretty fast paced. My friend Deb came to help, and we had two checkout counters open. This time of year, one mustn't get in too big of a hurry.  If one does get in a hurry your usually encouraged to slow down. 

The Twelve Days of Christmas Soaps are not lasting long on our store shelves. In fact, I brought in next week's Twelve Days early on Saturday!

The third week of December and to be exact on the sixteenth day of December we will be offering our last four Twelve Days. I realized that our last day open is on the twenty-third, and so we will need to offer it during a full three-day work week at the shop. 

Every holiday seems to fly by so quickly. Even faster when you're burning the midnight oil to keep up with holiday demand. I don't mind that, in fact I'm very much appreciative of the busier each year business. However, having just let that escape my fingers, I'm also very much looking forward to my annual winter break! 

Next week's collection contains peppermint infused soaps, and the other Twelve Days is formulated with Star Anise. I'm always drawn to Star Anise during holidays. It's such an unusual scent. Warm and spicy, but in its own family of warm and spicy. I've also found that the fragrance grows on you. Bittersweet blended a small amount of vanilla with the spice essential oil and it's grounded and darn nice to the nose! If I must say!

We've brought back Lavender Laundry Powder to accompany the Peppermint. Both are two of my favorite scents in the laundry. Lavender with its calming properties, while Peppermint helps to neutralize odors. The Peppermint is great to clean doggy blankets, beds, towels, and really anything else if you're a Peppermint loving girl like me. 

I've also re-introduced two lip balms. Both are extra yummy on the lips this time of year. The Java Mocha should come with a warning label as you will definitely crave a cup of coffee after you rub it on your lips. The best thing about Bittersweet's lip balm is that it heals dry and chapped lips naturally. Some of my formulations contain old school ingredients that frankly can't be beat!

I have this thing for stars this holiday. I've been hanging them everywhere. The tree, the mantle, and anywhere else that is open. This time of the year, the stars are symbolic of that special star, the star of Bethlehem. The reason we celebrate Christmas...

It's hard to believe that our shop is only open seven more days before we close for winter break!

There is a long list of home projects waiting and I'm planning on a makeover of the shop. I know what you're thinking... Jill changes the shop all of the time! I love keeping our store fresh and new. It's part of what I love about managing a retail store. 

Keep smiling.

Jill xo

 

 

the days of golden...

 

The holidays are upon us! The turkey is thawing and the sweet potatoes will soon be cooked and embellished. We're craving pumpkin pie with mounds of fresh cream at our house! By the way, here's a little pumpkin pie recipe that I've used for years that is simple but amazing!

I've mentioned many times how the pace picks up this time of year for Bittersweet. I'll be burning the midnight oil for many nights to come. The shop is open twelve more days with our Thursday - Saturday hours! That just doesn't seem possible! 

Small Business Saturday will pick up the pace as holiday shoppers carefully choose their favorite Bittersweets to share with family and friends. Before that, Black Friday, which I hate that name! Can we name it something else! How about, Small business Friday! The two days have a lot in common, and honestly, Small Business deserves more than one day!

The Twelve Days of Christmas Soaps started arriving last week! We released no. one and two, and just like that they disappeared as quickly as they came! This weeks release, no three, and four are two of my favorites. Imagine notes of Cranberry and Chocolate, and then Sweet Orange, Cinnamon, Clove and Vanilla. Honestly, the scents are perfect and wrapped in cheerful wrappings. They won't be around for very long!

I brought back a product from a few years back. Shower Spray is one of the most requested, and when the requests pile up, I bring it back!

We've also welcomed the return of the Felted Wool Soap. We're limited on this unique essential. It's a process to felt and wrap the soaps. 

Peppermint Foot Crème, Sari Gift Bags, Soap Dish embellished with a aromatic bar of seasonal delight! That's are jam!

The Soap + Lip Balm Crates = Happiness & Joy, Soft Skin and Healed Lips.

Headache Sticks are flying, and I hope that you don't need it, but they work!

The other day I was pondering about how Bittersweets creativity is always in motion. Both behind the scenes and at our store. So much time goes into managing a design. I sometimes feel as though it's my child as I nurture and cultivate the prototypes. Kind of crazy sounding, but it's true! 

Less is more...

I've found myself disliking decked out Christmas trees! I'm not sure how it came about, but my feelings are strong. For years I'd fill every inch of the tree with ornaments and tinsel. Now, the tree, lights, and a star on top. Perfect! Maybe a few presents under the tree, and Christmas twenty-one might have started a new tradition of less is more. It feels good!

No matter how you celebrate the holidays let it be perfect to you. 

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!

xo Jill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Star of Bethlehem

 

On Dec. 21, the winter solstice, two planets will appear nearly aligned, resulting in an event so uncommon it's befitting of the saying.

At one time, astronomers may have felt it so closely resembled a Christmas miracle — or, perhaps, the star of Bethlehem — that they named the spectacle the “Christmas Star.”

This year, in the midst of all the obstacles and hurdles, we will be blessed with what I consider the best Christmas present imaginable. 

On December 21st, which just happens to be my birthday I'll gaze up upon the first night of winter's sky and to the west, I shall see the beautiful star of Bethlehem. 

Not only does this star represent hope, love, and joy it also feels as though God is telling us it's going to be okay. There is light after the darkness.  

A friend told me about this app so I downloaded it so that I can spot the star if it's cloudy or snowy The app is free and you will be amazed as you explore the star universe. 

To think that some eight-hundred years ago my great-grandfathers looked towards the Scottish sky as the bright little star beamed down upon them. 

The winter solstice has always felt to be a special day and now it will feel beyond any other!

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

 

 

all is calm, all is bright...

After the rush of holiday shoppers on Saturday, I turned over the open sign, dimmed the lights and turned up the Christmas music, and simply sat and reflected as I assembled bundles of Holiday Soap and other assortments of Bittersweets so that my store is equipped for another week. Those reflected thoughts filled my soul with an abundance of joy and gratefulness. My little apothecary store with its humble beginnings has blossomed and thrived and transformed itself into a beautiful blessing. Thank you, God! 

Our inventory is vanishing within minutes! As soon as it gets wrapped and assembled no matter what it may be, it's snatched up! 

While I make every attempt to take one day at a time, I also need to plan ahead so that my store is well stocked. We're open six more days before Christmas! I must admit the hustle of the holidays and the early dawn making of our inventory has me yearning for a break. Did I say yearn? Yep, that's an appropriately descriptive word! 

I haven't even had a chance to look at the calendar and plan our winter break. I'm thinking about breaking for most of January. We have a huge soap sale at the store after I return from break and customers wipe out the final inventory of the year within minutes! In between and while on a so-called break I'm working behind the scenes making final touches on Spring lines and packaging, marketing, and other behind the scene work. 

Before that though, it's full speed ahead!

We've brought back three of our seasonal Lip Balms, and I'm getting ready to add a new Pomegranate to the lineup! Our Lip Balm collection consists of ten amazing flavors and glides on and adds a layer of healing protection. The key to a great stand-out lip balm is the quality of ingredients and the ratio of certain ones. I can't give out my secrets! Ratios are key and offer up the difference between mediocre and Superb!  

Keep the faith.

Jill 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful People

It's a holiday tradition to capture our Small Business Saturday. Quite honestly, I had no idea what the day was going to be like considering the current climate. To my surprise, the day was nothing short of perfect! The attendees were in small groups as we followed the guidelines and there were only a couple of times, maybe three, that folks were required to wait on the porch. It was a sunshine day with mild temperatures and we broke our Small Business records! It doesn't get any better than that! I'm still in awe! The warm and fuzzy feelings of community support for small business in my little town shines like the brightest star! I was not able to capture everyone as it was pretty busy, but I want you to know how appreciative that I am of your continued patronage for the past nine months. Think about that for a moment, nine months! It seems surreal and unreal. 

I'm so very proud of my customers for keeping their chins up and rallying through the not so good times. 

The holidays feel very different this year, don't they? 

The many, many things I've learned along the way. All good in the end, hopefully, the end is close, but in between the uncertainty and wishy-washy feelings that came and went like night and day have diminished. I guess I've been conditioned. I would imagine humans are built to endure certain things and come out a better person after the trials and tribulations. At least we would hope to strive for this outcome. 

The good the bad and the ugly have presented themselves during this pandemic, but I'm happy to declare that the good trumped them all!

One after one learning experience that I believe has shaped me into a better human. All of which I'm appreciative of. 

Right before Thanksgiving, a customer dropped by the store. I happened to ask them what they were thankful for. They replied that they were thankful for the clean air that they breathe and the clean water that they drink. That evening I thought about their thankful thoughts and allowed me to reflect. My friend's words had a dramatic impact on my thoughts. Don't you love it when that happens?

I've started to write that book! The book thoughts have been roaming around re-appearing every now and then, more often than not, and quite frankly I'm determined to launch the process. 

It's so funny, I actually have considered writing several books all of which are completely different in their journey. I must narrow it down to just one for the moment. Even one can be overwhelming. 

Our store is open some eleven more days before Christmas! Talk about feeling unreal, that does!

 Joy To The World and Cheery and Bright have been our themes for this season. 

Photo credits from Pinterest.

Lennis had reserved some cedar branches from a tree that we lost last year. He surprised me with a collection of twig stars like the one in this picture. I love them! 

I've added a few new Lip Balms to the menu. Butterscotch, Cinnamon, and Mint Chocolate Chip join the line-up. 

I've brought back Beard Balm for the holidays! It's a new and improved formulation. I did a bit of research to learn that eucalyptus encourages hair growth. That's a new addition and I've switched out argan oil with marula oil. The marula offers supreme healing effects. 

A couple of weeks ago while Elle and I were on our morning walk she stopped to graze and I looked down and spotted a four-leaf clover! I snatched it up! About three days later she stopped in the same place and I looked down and spotted another four-leaf clover! The following week, ditto, and I plucked my third four-leaf clover!

I don't recall ever finding even one four-leaf clover let alone three in a week! Oh, what a lucky girl she was!

Little things... Don't forget that they still exist!

The next three weeks are an exciting time at Bittersweet. I'll be burning the midnight oil making every attempt to keep our inventory fresh and healthy. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

 

Red Fingernails

It's the little things, right? How about painting your nails with holiday red! 

While it's fast and furious at my store, and the holiday frenzy is circling around my head like a smoke circle, I'm thankful, calm, and joyful. 

A dose of a healthy attitude along with positive vibes and a sprig of faith fills my heart with song. 

My customers have been happy and joyful too. We're sharing our joys while appreciating each new day.

The logs flicker and the aroma of cinnamon, clove, and sweet orange are ever-present. The pinecone garland shines and the mood is festive, regardless of the dim climate that surrounds us this holiday season. 

I believe our store is open some fourteen more days before Christmas! Our holiday soaps are here and then gone! Shoppers are making their list and checking it twice and scurrying to get their holiday shopping finished. 

Thanksgiving will be intimate and quiet. 

Small Business Saturday will be unpredictable. 

Life rolls along, regardless of what's surrounds you?

I'm feeling thankful and blessed and most appreciative of my home, family, and the gentle quietness of my store as I turn over the closed sign and turn out the lights. I take a deep breath to take in the cinnamon and cloves and whisper, thank you, God. 

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving.

Keep the faith.

Jill xo