Bittersweet and the little soap company: May Day at Bittersweet

May Say...

Our Spring has been filled with sunshine, ukeleles, lilacs and lots of green! This has been the best Spring in history! Like my dad would say, "we're having a good old fashioned spring." We haven't had one in so many years that I've forgotten how long it's really been. Thank you Spring for arriving on cue and staying in perfect form.

We just had our May Day celebration at the apothecary shop. Each May Day varies in many ways, but one thing that remains true is the folks that come out to join Bittersweet in celebrating May Day. Thank you to this trio for braving the spring winds. Your blend of music can't help but put a smile and a skip in our jumps. A special thanks to everyone that helped in our celebration too!

I took advantage of the lilac season by shooting some product shots outdoors this past week. There's really no comparison to outdoor shoots over indoor ones. At least in my opinion. Our shop porch offers the best of both worlds. The porch is kind of famous! It's been captured time again in photo shoots of all shapes and sizes. Photographers recognize a good thing.

Grandma Lucy's Dish Soap...

I love it!

We're up to nine varieties of lip balm! I do see a ten in the lip balm future. Soon, I hope. Blueberry is a new Spring flavor.

A new travel tin filled with small slices of soap. Something I thought would fit in for summer.

Our bathroom remodel experienced major progress today, courtesy of Lennis. If it were left to the soap maker, we're looking at many moons before you'd see any progress. Thank you, Mr. Lennis for your dedication and motivation. I can't wait to start shopping for floor tile and a new toilet. Never in my wildest soap maker dreams would I have thought such excitement would exude from the thought of toilet shopping!

I went on a planting safari. The local greenhouse is such a tempting place for a girl who loves plants! Then we had a cold spell last night. I had to dig out sheets and blankets to cover them all. We brought in our Boston ferns only to realize we also brought in a birds nest to boot. The nest has one little egg. I'll keep it there and water around the nest. Spring...

We're making strawberry shortcake with mounds of fresh whipped cream!

A busy week ahead at the shop and anticipation for the arrival of new items to stock the apothecary shelves. Always exciting to get new things in.

A new soap this week. Lavender Patchouli will arrive towards the week's end. I'm not sure why but I've never made this soap blend before? They happily blend nicely and throw off a delightful herbal perfume.

Mounds of Internet boxes are ready to be shipped and the Merry Month of May Soap Chronology has been decided. We're developing some functional routines that are lessening this soap maker's chores.

Happy May!

Keep the faith.

Jill

Posted at 05:28 PM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: apothecary blog, artisan blog, bittersweet soap, hand made blog, liberty missouri, shop blog, shopping in downtown liberty, soap maker, soap maker's blog

May Day!

We're celebrating May Day a few days early, starting tomorrow and on Saturday since the shop is closed on the first day of May, Tuesday.

Tomorrow and Saturday are special days overfilled with love and sweet flower memories from when my mom would gather early spring flowers from her garden and assemble a paper cone from construction paper and then hang a pipe hanger to hang the posie on front doors. Lucky recipients would be surprised and overjoyed with the simple floral spring basket, aka, May Day Basket.

These sweet and simple thoughts will fill the next few days with spring memories that live on and on. I enjoy sharing these happy reflections with friends of Bittersweet.

You can read past posts about our May Day event by simply typing the words May Day in the search box. This year marks twenty-one years of hosting this event!

Happy May Day!

Jill

Keep the faith.

Posted at 09:53 PM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: historic liberty Missouri, liberty mo, may day, may day celebration, soap maker's blog

sugar pie

It seems, especially nowadays, that a good old fashioned celebration would help set a more happier atmosphere. All the chatter about bombs lately really worries me, and I'm sure other's feel the same.

Bittersweets May Day Celebration is the perfect getaway from talks of war and bombs. In fact, we'll be chatting about flowers, and gifts, and Mother's day, and flowers again, and the weather. The conversation will be similar to those of days gone by. All is well at this Modern Day Apothecary. Especially on May Day.

This day is reserved for sweet childhood memories. One's that stay forever in your heart and soul.

When I was a kid, and on May Day. Which by the way, if you don't know what day May Day is on. It arrives on the glorious first day of May. Appropriate, don't you think? This day marks many, many happy memories from making simple May Day Baskets with my mom. Alice, my mom, was a creative and resourceful, soft spoken, polite, and beautiful human. Honestly, without a doubt, the best mom a girl could ever have!

Back then, I was influenced by my moms creative mind, and still am today. Isn't that a beautiful thing?

Alice would salvage tin cans after dinner and we'd wash and dry the cans to use as flower vases.

On May Day we'd gather fresh flowers from my moms garden. Lilac, Spirea, Wild Wood Violets, Pussy Willow, and the most Beautiful Red Tulips I'd ever seen! I remember sometimes, we'd assemble construction paper cones rather than tin cans, but most significant in those memories were that mom never purchased anything to make the May Day Baskets. That stuck with me, still does.

It's a most rewarding feeling to build something by using only what you have on hand.

It feels like yesterday, as we jaunted though the garden picking those fresh flowers. Happiness and joy filled my childhood heart knowing we were preparing a beautiful hand made gift for a friend.

Every year at the Apothecary Shop we celebrate this happy memory day.

I make May Day Baskets for my customers, and reserve an entire day for baking yummy confections that will also be shared with my wonderful customers.

My mom isn't here anymore, but memories of her amazing spirit will stay in my heart forever and ever.

May Day represents those happy memories and now I'm sharing them with other's.

Several years ago, after hosting a May Day Celebration at the shop, I found this hanging on my front door.

Somebody knew how special this day was to me. I never knew whom left the May Day Basket.

Yes, typically you hang the basket on the door incognito so that the recipient never knows who left the basket. That in its self is such a glorious gesture. Because there's no recognition of the gift, other than someone out there cares and shares, and takes the time to say I love you.

This picture is from a few May Days ago. It's funny, how I recognize the May Day by what was served. I also served this yummy Grape Salad .

This May Day I've constructed little paper gift bags. I'm in awe about how these are constructed. Simple folds, and a brad are all that is needed to create the pouch. Inside, a variety of tokens.

Have I urged you to Celebrate May Day? I hope so!

We'll be celebrating a little early since the shop is closed on Monday, the first of May.

We've also spread the event over a two day rather than one day. Simply because it gets congested and hard to handle in one day.

Happy May Day!

Jill

Posted at 08:39 AM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: bittersweet may day, bittersweet soap, celebrate May day, May day, soap blog, soap maker's blog

Madeliene May Day

Happy May Day! I'm a bit late to proclaim those wishes to you. We had a Madeliene May Day at the apothecary shop. Have you ever made or nibbled on a Madeliene? It's a spongy, cake like butter cookie, that's not too sweet. Madelienes and May Day seem to compliment one another.

Thank you to all that attended the annual May Day Celebration. I had a record attendance on Saturday! I'm constantly pinching myself, because I feel super blessed not just on this special day, but each and every day.

Sweet May Day memories surround my gratitude. Childhood memories wrapped in wild wood violets and old fashioned flowers like spirea and mock orange. We have both bushes in our yard, so those memories appear as soon as they begin to bloom. Mock Orange has an amazing perfume that magically swirls through the fresh spring air along with the scent of fresh cut grass and moist earth. We've had perfect spring rains.

My mom would create the most amazing May Day baskets. She never purchased anything that I recall, but used items on hand and constructed paper cones and salvaged her tin cans for the special day.

My friend Jules and I chatted about May day on our radio show. I had always heard that the May Day thing to do was to hang the basket on the door, and then run and hide so that the recipient wouldn't know who left the basket.

I told her that we did not run. Most of our basket were simply presented to elderly folks, and we usually waited until they greeted us, and then presented the basket.

To this day, I can remember the smiles and happy faces after receiving the colorful bouquets.

I also remember the joy of picking and cutting the flowers knowing they were to be used for such a caring and sharing gift.

Isn't it always love that stands out most?

I'm wishing you a merry, merry, month of May!

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Jill 00

Posted at 04:46 PM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: may day, soap blog, soap maker's blog

share some love...

We're back from the huge outdoor market. It's hard to tell, because I wanted to duplicate the picture we took last year, but this is a recent capture and there is no strange fog. However, if you blow the picture up and gaze into the window on the right. Tell me if you see a face. A big face! A big mans face! The mystery grows. In fact, our friend Rita snapped 12 or so photo's.

May day....

I wish to explain what May day translates or means to me.

Firstly, no thoughts of past political May days or going further, Pagan rituals. For me, May day represents a simple kind compassionate caring and sharing day. As a child when May 1st arrived my sweet, soft spoken mom would construct paper cones and fill them with fresh flowers. Then she would ask me, her daughter, to help gather the flower baskets and place them in the car. We would travel around town and hang some sunshine flower baskets on neighbors, friends and elderly folks doors. Sometime's we would sit from afar and wait for the recipient to open the door! A may day basket will brighten and let someone know you care. Someone cares. The subject of may day is dear to my heart and I have many loving words to describe how I feel about this day.

Today is May Day! I wish you a happy day filled with smiles and good things. The shop will be celebrating may day.

Enjoy a caring and sharing May day.

With all good wishes,

Jill 00

Posted at 07:26 AM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

the merry little month of may

The day this picture was taken was very much like today with sunny skies and warm temperatures.

We're headed off, over the hills and through the woods to the annual outdoor vintage market. I'm taking my camera! May day kicks off tomorrow at 10 a.m. It's almost too much spring excitement! Feels like Christmas, maybe better. Lovely, aromatic spring. Thinking you are my favorite of the seasons.

I'll be baking this afternoon. The May day celebration revolves around the confections.

Yesterday a girl dropped by the shop and asked me what May day was? She lived in Australia. I was more than eager to explain. I think she liked the concept of being thoughtful and considerate and caring and sharing. For me, that's what May day reflects.

The huge shop porch is the perfect downtown perch. Chirp, chirp.

Hope to see you and Happy May Day!

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

With all good wishes,

Jill 00

Posted at 07:03 AM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: May Day

swish~

Oh how we're moving in super speed at the shops! The week of our May day celebration and my list of things to do remains extra long. I'm planning the menu. Last week I pondered finger food thoughts of simply offering a couple of confections. This week the menu has transformed into a seven course meal! Well, I might be exaggerating a tad bit. However, it has grown. I've never been one to limit the array of finger foods for a party.

Stuffed Strawberries

Lemon Tarts

Rose Sugar Cookies

Savory Bites

Gooey Butter Cake

Fresh Lemonade

The stuffed strawberries are to die for! I'll share the receipts after the event.

The forty May day baskets are made and ready to hand out to guests. It's been a standing joke at the shop concerning the baskets. My shop is stuffed to capacity right now and I have little space to keep the baskets until the event. I placed them in an old metal egg basket on an empty stool out in the open. Customers were going crazy over the hand made baskets. I had to find a hiding place for the baskets!

I shared a tutorial on how to make the baskets. You can type may day basket in the search box located on the right side bar if you're interested in making some. There's still time!

Clap, Clap, Clap...

So very pleased as pudding with the new French Basket wrappings. Do you like it?

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

With all good wishes,

Jill 00

Posted at 07:02 AM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: may day baskets

weekend wonderful

We had the best May Day at the shop! When I got home on Thursday someone had left a May Day basket on my door filled with red buds and lilacs. Needless to say the kind thoughtful gesture added even more joy to the day.

I'm on un-wind, relax mode after the busy week and Julie and I are traveling north to our favorite outdoor vintage market this weekend.

Lennis brought home a batch of morel mushrooms and I can smell the lilacs from the kitchen window as I type.

Thank you to all that attended the May event. It means a great deal to me that you take time from your busy spring schedules to attend.

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Jill 00

Posted at 07:25 PM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Bittersweet May Day, May Day, Morel Mushrooms

Wild Plum Thoughts

Those simple cotton frocks and the wild plum blossoms falling like rain, love, love, in love with spring!

Tomorrow I'll be baking all day for the May Day event. In case you haven't seen or received an invite here's the details of the special event. It's going to a little cool on Thursday but knowing the calender says May 1 helps to set the May Day mood.

I'm going to be having giveaways all three days! The hostess gifts will be spread out over three days, but I encourage you to come early if you can to get one! You really must try the chocolate raspberry cake and the petite pimento and cheese sandwiches, oh, and the grape salad. So easy to make and is a great spring fruit salad dish. Click here for the receipt.

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Jill 00

Posted at 02:39 PM in May Day at Bittersweet | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: historic Liberty shopping, Soap shop on water street

swirly good

The week of May Day! I anticipate this one day all year, I do. If I wasn't a shop girl I'd more than likely head to the hills and pick some wild plum bouquets. What I mean to say is if the busy life of being a shop girl allowed me to have time to head to the hills and pick wild plum bouquets! It' does not. The milk weed seeds arrived on Saturday. I put together the little hostess packets of seeds to give to customers beginning May 1, May Day. Baking a variety of confections. Especially excited about this cake and mostly because of its beauty.