Bittersweet and the little soap company

days

The new shop tables and shelves are beginning to fill nicely. Some of you know how I am when it comes to shop clutter. Fluffy lambs wool powder puffs, Easter sacs, Spring soaps, Aprons, Widle Leg Pants, Lavender, Larkspur and a variety of other dried flowers adorn the new shop. 

I'm afraid the web shop has been neglected lately from the new shop goings on. I'm hoping to list some of the new soaps and other new hand-made Bittersweets soon at our web shop. From now until then, if you see something drop me an email and I can always send you an PP invoice. I may not get the Rabbit Sacs listed and I have a limited number of the bags. Patchouli soap is now listed at the Internet shop! As usual it's going quick! I made a double number of bars hoping to accommodate orders.  Some of the soap travels upstairs to our bathroom! I love Patchouli! Some of my customers requested Patchouli Dry Oil.  I  whipped up a special order for them and I have a few bottles left, but they're at the shop. Luckily for me the shop is a short jaunt up and over the hill.

  The new Lilac savon is popular at the shop. I noticed yesterday we only had TWO BARS LEFT! I'm taking wrapping stuff with me today and more lilac savon. I imagine the new spring soap won't last long. 

My posts have been short lately. When I get on top of things I'll be posting from the shop instead of home. Maybe Julie and Aggieal's Attic can get in on some blog action.

Enjoy caring and sharing soon to be SPRING days.

Jill 00 

 

 

 

assembly required

I thought you might enjoy seeing a gallery of current Bittersweet creations. 

I'm passionate about the grain sack lavender sachets. The treasured cloth is becoming more and more difficult to find. That's some from my stash! While laying in bed the other night grain sack and lavender thoughts began running through my head. H'm isn't it suppose to be "sugar plums?" I prefer grain sack and lavender visions anyway. 

I have made some changes with the final prototype. Cream colored twill tape is used to tie the handmade bag, then the tag is attached with classic red and white twine. 

Lip Balm... A new one. Vanilla Mint. Not an over powering mint. Soft and kind of creamy, dreamy.... With a rich vanilla bean backdrop. Oh so nice. Oh so wonderful. Oh so sweet. A delightful treat! (hint, hint) stocking's... Santa always drops by the studio to pick up several pecks. He uses the lip balm to keep his lips soft and moist. 

Noël heureux, Happy Christmas soap sacks. They hold a bar of Bittersweets moisture rich holiday savon. Oh so nice. Oh so wonderful. Oh so sweet. A delightful treat! The little muslin is layered in vintage trims. 

That's an update on the new Bittersweets, Christmas 2012. 

Holiday shoppers are getting a jump on their lists this season. Christmas Soap is diminishing from the shelves. Oh no!

Enjoy caring and sharing holidays. 

Packing and shipping your Christmas orders today. You have no idea how happy it makes me to know my creations are included on your Christmas list. From Australia to Ireland and back around this great planet earth! Bittersweet is honored to be a part of your holiday wish list. 

Enjoy caring and sharing holidays.

Warmly,

Jill 00

 

 

 

oopsy daisy and baby's breath

Did you happen to notice the missing oopsy b? I guess once again I've probably got too much going on. That's my story and I'm sticking with it!

Don't you love baby's breath? I remember as a kid my mom had a large dried bouquet sitting in a gathering basket in her dining room. When I got older and had my own home I grew some in a garden and dried it myself. It's truly one of the easiest flowers to dry. Right up there with straw flowers and hydrangeas.

Last year I purchased a hanging basket with established pink baby's breath. I've grown the pink variety also. It seems to be a bit more temper-mental than the white. If you add a touch of lime to the plants soil it will flourish. 

This coming spring I believe I'll plant some flowers for drying. 

Here are a few of my favorites.

Statice

Straw Flowers

Baby's Breath

Lavender

Hydrangeas

Artemsia

Roses

I really would like to make a few of these. 

I'm also wanting to create hostess gift seed packets filled with the gathered dried flower heads I picked last fall. You may remember a few posts ago at Calico Petals, "flowers as seeds."

I like the idea of a cloth pouch to hold the seeds and I envision butterfly images somewhere in the packaging.

 I like this idee. 

Here's a link to the clever idea blog. 

Although my plate is full as usual, simple joy comes from it all. 

Enjoy creative caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

 

 

Christmas Cocoa

The assembly line of cocoa mix takes center stage on our dining room table. I poured some of the rich mixture in a mug of hot water yesterday to test it. So GOOD! That dark dutch cocoa makes it rich and chocolaty. In case you're new to Bittersweet I've posted the recipe on a past post below along with the labels and marshmallow receipt. I have not made the marshmallows yet, a bit early, but on my homemade treat gift menu. I will put those in cello bags.

I was looking for a fairly good size round tray or plate to house the Scottish shortbread, toffee, cinnamon breads and cookies to give to neighbors and friends. While I was wondering around the craft store picking up some doilies I noticed some scalloped cake platforms. They are made from thick cardboard, round and have little scalloped edges. Although not a traditional Christmas tray, I really like them over the decorated picture ones and they will be perfect tray for the baked goods. I'll wrap each with cello and tie a  big silver bow at the top with a few sprigs of fresh evergreen.

 The next couple of weeks is filled with hustle and bustle. I'm trying to keep Bittersweet studio well stocked and making sure the soap wrack is filled.

The holiday soap assortment is getting smaller and I would imagine just as in years past, the table will soon by empty.

Making every attempt to keep up with supply and demand on everything else. Fresh Face Creme, Dry Oil and Lip Balms made and Peppermint Laundry Powder a popular gift item this season.

Enjoy caring and sharing holidays.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two holiday hugs are better than none)

 

 

Tweet

a taste for handmade Christmas

Beginning to remove the handmade gifts from the home assembly line and wrapping up the few finishing touches.

The backdrop is a patchwork potholder. I always enjoy making the hot pads to give as gifts. Quite possibly, those feelings of enjoyment come because I know the recipient will be using them to handle hot dishes or a cookie tray from the oven. All you foodies in blog land know how I feel! I'm using cottage style fabrics lined in cabbage roses with shades of pink and cream. Natural batting inside. Which brings me to my next topic...

I'm really liking the texture, color and durability of a batting called "Warm & Natural." So much, that I'm considering making some warm cotton winter scarfs from the cotton cloth. I was considering making the scarfs from wool, but really don't like the feel of wool around my neck. I love wool socks and gloves, but am not fond of wool resting around my neck, itchy! Not to mention the practical side of me ponders laundering thoughts of having to send a scarf to the cleaners.

That's where the cotton batting idea came. I'm going to trim the cotton scarves with some pretty calico. I'll share the finished product with you when I get it finished.

I added some red to the vinegar labels.

The chutney packaging mixes well with the pink and red, I think.

Enjoy a caring and sharing holiday.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than none)

 

Handmade Holiday Continues...

A few years ago I made patchwork pot holders to give as Christmas gifts. They seemed to be a well received gift. Yesterday, I thought about adding some to my existing list of handmade gift items.

 Whenever I begin pondering thoughts of handmade gifts to make for friends and family one word comes to mind. Practicality. A pair of warm fuzzy crocheted slippers, hats, gloves, or scarfs would certainly fit the category of practical useful gifts.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest
The practical handmade gift list has no ending, the list goes on and on....

A handmade quilt  

Monogrammed hand stamped stationary and an assortment of pretty lined envelopes

A calico coin purse

Baked goods of any shape or form

Tea towels, aprons, pot holders, coasters

Bookmarks

Photo courtesy of Pinerest

A personal recipe journal with some of your favorite recipes.

 Homemade jams, jellies and my favorite, chutney, yummy!

A treasured photograph of both you and the recipient matted in a handmade frame. You can purchase paper ma-che frames and then paint them and add pretty embellishments.

A laundry list of home keeping handmade gifts too...

Homemade laundry soaps

Dryer Sachets

Sachets

Linen Spray

Calico lined hangers, toss in some fresh lavender inside the fabric

Clothes Pin Bags

A fabric flower made from wool or taffeta. Add a vintage brooch to the flower.

Picture courtesy of Pinterest

The handmade gifts are even more special if you make them with items you already have.

For instance, small remnants of fabric can be transformed into flower pins, coasters or fabric covered buttons. A collection of handmade bows and ribbons too!

Soothing Heat Pillows

Market Bags

I like mixing burlap with calico

Don't forget mother nature gifts.

A basket filled with hanging pine cones scented with your favorite essential oils. I like balsam fir. Attach ribbon to stem of pine cone so that you can hang them on a Christmas tree or dangle them on garland.

I hung pine cones plucked from the fallen white pines in our back yard on our tree this year and absolutely love them! A basket filled with ready to hang cones to be used for next seasons tree would make a lovely gift. Providing you have extra ribbon or twine around, the cost is absolutely nothing! If you don't have white pines in your yard simply take a ride in the country and before you can say Jiminy Cricket you'll discover at least one or two white pines,  I'm sure.

A large bouquet of naturally dried flowers. This winter bouquet was picked from the outskirts of town. You may remember my post about how my mom used to pick winter bouquets and the sweetness associated with those fond memories.

I could continue typing holiday gift idees all day long! Quite simply because there are so many practical beautiful soulful enriched thoughts that come to mind. In fact so many that my mind simply can't keep up!

I hope you'll find one or two of these idees appealing. I've tried to list the idees with different levels of design knowledge from super quick and easy to the more intricate and fit for the more seasoned craft er. Remember, make things that make you feel good when you make them! Those are the ones that best suit you and after time you'll perfect them. More often than not, no one starts to make a new something and it turns out perfect. At least my experience has not led me to believe that. Accept those trials and move on. Don't dwell on them.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

 

CC and the holidays...

I broke away from packing orders yesterday afternoon and canned six jars of the yummy holiday chutney.

For the past couple of years now I've made the spicy, sweet condiment to give to friends and family for Christmas. A couple of times some of my friends and family have asked, "what is it or how do I use it?" Personally, I believe Christmas just ain't Christmas without a jar of homemade chutney waiting to be opened! But hang on, I'm getting ahead of myself as usual.

First things first...

chutney
[CHUHT-nee]
From the East Indian word chatni , this spicy condiment contains fruit, vinegar, sugar and spices. It can range in texture from chunky to smooth and in degrees of spiciness from mild to hot. Chutney is a delicious accompaniment to curried dishes. The sweeter chutneys also make interesting bread spreads and are delicious served with cheese.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Thank you Sharon.

This year rather than explain to the new friends and neighbors that receive a jar of chutney I decided to place a label on each one with directions, a made fresh date, and an expiration date. The obvious, no brainer choice of shrugs,  Ticking... tick, tick, tickeroo! Feeling silly this morning... I'm in love with red and white ticking this season! I'm putting it everywhere! Well, not everywhere. It mixes quite nicely with just about everything so it's showing up frequently around the Bittersweet home. Check out the last post!

There's still time to make chutney! I have no doubt that once you make chutney you will be hooked. Nothing difficult about making homemade chutney, honest. It's a bit time consuming, but well worth the time involved.

I always have some left over after pouring into the six jars. Guess what happens to it? Lennis came home right after I had made it, and guess what happened then. He's lucky I left him some! Kidding of course, because I remember to care and share...

Packing your holiday orders today. Mixing up fresh Lavender Linen Spray and making Wild Strawberry Lip Balms.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

Scottish Shortbread

 
No. 2 homemade on the handmade Christmas gift list. Shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate.

During a conversation with my Aunt Vivian last Christmas she told me how she was preparing Scottish shortbread to give to friends at Christmas. I really like the idea of one cookie gift rather than 5 or 6 that I usually bake. 

Offering one special cookie allows more time to make the other list of handmade things and include a nice variety to fill baskets.

While on a recent jaunt to the craft store I spotted baskets priced under a dollar! They were quite nice in size and what I think will be perfect to hold the other gourmet goods.

Shortbread recipes tend to be pretty much the same. Years ago I used to make shortbread and place the dough in large square molds with pretty embossed designs. After baking and cooling I would turn the mold upside down and the decorative shortbread could be cut in squares and dusted with powder sugar. Although simple and easy, the presentation was elegant and deserving of even the most fastidious in cookie couture.

I think I'll dig out those molds when I make the shortbread!

I found this shortbread recipe from Ina.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/shortbread-cookies-recipe/index.html

I liked the dipped in chocolate recipe. Who doesn't like chocolate and shortbread together? Seriously!

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)