Bittersweet and the little soap company

Style Me Spring!

We're capturing bits and pieces of Spring at the apothecary shop. I'm making room for our new cookbook that's coming, and a re-style of shop corners. We're slipping in cherry blossoms every chance we get. 

The linen aprons were intended to accompany my cookbook. I believe that they blend well. Do you wear an apron when you cook? In the olden days, a cook would grab her apron before baking or cooking anything. She's have it hanging on a hook in the kitchen. In fact, she would have several aprons hanging on a hook in the kitchen. Back then a home-baked meal was common practice. I'm afraid nowadays, it's not so common.  It will come back! 

I'm emphasizing our home collection. Items that we make that our centered around my home that I believe you'll love too. Turkish towels, essential oil cleaning essentials, incense, beeswax candles along with new coconut oil candles, and my favorite, wool dryer balls! The scented products transfer into your space in a lovely way. They offer a sense of cheer and happiness. 

A couple of new spring soaps were released. Lemon Grass + Orange along with last week's soap, Lavender + Grapefruit. Our spring soaps are here today and gone tomorrow. 

I'm loving what we did with the new Lemon Nail Creme packaging! If you frequent the blog then you know how we're constantly making improvements to our packaging. I can't imagine keeping the same labeling and look that we had twenty-five years ago. Everything evolves in one direction or another. As does life. Don't get going on another philosophical discussion! I'll bore you to death!

The soap wrapping papers that we've selected are blowing us away! We plan and choose our soap packaging papers months before the soaps arrive. I mentioned in my last post how readily available papers are. When Bittersweet was born all those years ago, it was a challenge to find anything. I remember knowing exactly what was needed, but could not find it. The Internet was just born as well. Now you can find anything you want. I guess that's a good thing. I remember giving up trying to locate certain things in the old days only to settle on something which is not our method. So the new world of online shopping did open doors for exploration and discovery. 

I guess we have what some call a Big Game on Sunday! I've grown up surrounded by Chief fans. My family and friends support our hometown team. They're the best! Not only are they talented on the field, but they're also blessed with humbleness and kindness. They are indeed a team and perform like a team. I've always said that if you want to win or be successful you must play like a winning team. Sometimes that method of thinking works and other times it does not. Speaking of politics involved in local government. Pettiness amongst fellow business owners, etc.  If only the walls could talk! I'll leave it at that. I used to go to each and every meeting and was active in our downtown activities. Even launched a few events, but nowadays, I prefer working solo. Every now and then I'll get a wild hair, but the many years that I spent going to meetings and working on projects left me disenchanted. Have you ever been on the PTA?  Sad but true.  

It's warming up, and we're anxious for Spring. We have our May Day celebration right around the spring corner, and we're already working on our June porch sale. Retail moves fast and it's constantly evolving. I love that!

Go Chiefs!

Jill 

 

 

love language

We've started pulling our bright and cheery soap wrap papers. We couldn't be happier with the selections this season. Each of the richly colored papers is unique and stunning. It's safe to say that over the past twenty-five years, I've explored almost all paper manufacturers. They've come as far as Italy and as close as a locally grown artist. Nowadays there are hundreds maybe even thousands of artists that create custom paper and tissue. 

It's hard to not be in love with the latest soaps. This week we released Lavender and Grapefruit, and next week we'll be wrapping Lemon Grass and Orange. Our shipment of spring soap fragrance arrived on Friday, and we're eager to construct a proper spring presentation at our shop. One that will stand out and be shaped differently than most. Our team, I'm working hard visualizing the look that speaks spring. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting close. I always look for inspiration. Not the way you'd probably imagine but in a simple not too serious way. If that makes sense. Early morning walks and trips to my local design stores always help to get me going in the right direction. I don't plan ahead too much but rather ideas come naturally and when you least expect them. 

I've really been into birthstones lately. It's funny, I've always been drawn to certain stones. Lapis, Turquoise, and Topaz are a few of my favorites. When I began researching birthstones I discovered that those were my actual stones. Did you know that you can have more than one? I didn't. I had the necklace custom-made and picked it up on Etsy. There's something about wearing your birthstone or having pieces made from them. They seem to hold much more value. 

We received our shipment of spring hats! We're stocked up on all of your favorite Bittersweet products, and we're super anxious for Spring. 

It's a nice mild day with above-average temperatures. We've been outside picking up sticks and working on some of the outdoor projects that have been set aside for warmer days. 

We had a great day at the shop yesterday. My little world of apothecary and soap making is a blessing, and an even bigger blessing is the people that happen or walk through those shop doors. Feeling incredibly blessed today. 

Jill

 

 

a girl can dream

I have to admit that once we approach the end of January and the beginning of February my mind travels to one thought and one thought only Spring! How about you? Are you with me?

Well, on a good note, the dead of winter inspires me to create fresh new formulations and even facelifts on existing ones. The Spring Soap Menu has been shared. We're going to have some great spring soaps! They start arriving in a couple of weeks. I also move considerably slower in the winter months. Once the weather warms we love to spend time outdoors, and our treehouse porch is one of my favorite spots to hang out.

We are beginning to release our spring home collections. The entire line focuses on natural fibers and timeless items for your home. Cotton and linens are a few of our favorites. 

We had a big football game last night, and I want to say how proud I am of our team the Kansas City Chiefs. They showed dignity and humbleness before and after the win.  They are also a great role model for the NFL and the world. May you never lose that bright light that we all love. 

Today I revisited a favorite product, Lemon Nail Salve. The nourishing salve or balm is healing and packed with pure ingredients that even after one use offer healing results. It's great for fingertips and cuticles and intended for those tiny but important areas. 

Some of my favorites include Dry Oil, Body Spray, Rose Hip Oil, and the new Hair Butter. Oh so good! Like their sister the Lemon Nail Creme, they are quick to work and fast to show results. That's the manifesto yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Designing skincare essentials that make a difference in your life. We believe that we've cracked the skin care code! Our research and constant study of what're the best ingredients. 

The products that I make are inspired by my own needs and wants. If they don't live up to my standards their surely not going to live up to yours. We have a big problem with that! 

I'm still working on the backroom sorting and uncluttering. I made progress last week, but have a long way to go. When you're a soap manufacturer you have tons of paper products and packaging items like ribbon and soap wrap paper. I tend to believe that it's nice to have a designated spot for these items otherwise they get out of hand. 

My work table is filled with jars and bottles of a fresh new products. Lavender Linen Spray got a label makeover along with a few other things. Change is good. 

Jill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

spring ahead ♥

As we move ever so gracefully and slowly toward spring, our thoughts are centered around fresh blooms and warmer days. Our product ideas are in turn reflected in those thoughts. That's one of the reasons I love this time of year. Even though we're into the thick of winter, new ideas are circling like a smoke screen around our heads. Prototypes sit waiting for the final touch and shop styling is gradually touched up with a facelift. The changes are not drastic, but subtle and soft. 

Our Spring 23 collection has been finalized. It's an honor to curate these unique assemblies, and we look forward to sharing them with you!

Saturday was somewhat of a whirlwind! I couldn't believe the number of folks that came to the soap sale. We sold out in fifteen minutes! That speaks volumes for just how significant of a sale it is. At least I believe so. Next year I'll plan on offering more soap, and we will have a limit on the number of bags each person can get. Since it's such an amazing sale, I want everyone to be able to take advantage of it. I won't see many of you for months because you are stocked up on your favorite soap! Thank you for making our soap sale such a success. 

I posted and shared these thoughts on Sunday. 

It's Sunday so it feels appropriate to share an appreciative thought that I had this morning. Someone asked yesterday how far away some of my customers visited from. This morning I re-visited that question and realized that I've had customers from Japan, Australia, France, Italy, and all over the world. Then I thought about the lovely couple that came in yesterday that travels through a few times a year, and they're from Texas. They told me that Bittersweet is always their first stop. They are the nicest couple and they always grab twenty or so bars of soap to get them by until their next visit.

My neighbors down the street do the same, and the stories go on and on, and on in a most lovely way that for the life of me, I would never imagine any of this possible! I'm feeling thankful and even had a few tears run down my cheek this morning as I pondered this.

Those thoughts have carried me through and helped me realize the blessing that Bittersweet truly is. Thank you.

Jumping ahead.

While designs continue to float in my head I'm encouraged to believe that it would be nice to offer some of our products in mini-sizes. So I've started putting together a series of smalls. I've always been drawn to smaller packages of things. I feel like you can get pretty creative with packaging, and sometimes it's nice to have a limited supply of the product. Whether you're trying it for the first time, or simply prefer a smaller size. these new skin essentials are for you!

Okay, I'm in love with the textured joggers! The quality is amazing, pockets, perfect fit, dress them up, or down. I feel like joggers have become a staple in our collections. 

The Turkish towels perk me up too. Again, the quality is the best and the texture and colors are phenomenal!

This week I'm going to be finishing my shop drawer organizing. I'm going through cabinets and drawers so that they function better. My desk drawer was so full that it became a catch-all or junk drawer, and really wasn't functioning to its potential. It feels great to de-clutter and organize these areas. Although it's overwhelming when I first start, it always ends up going pretty quickly and the end result is gratifying. Wish me luck. 

I planted a row of lavender in front of our home a few years ago. It's amazing how even in the midst of winter lavender continues to release its aromatic scent. When I walk towards the door I'm greeted by the sweet fragrance. I'll share the variety and source later. It's a fairly new species that grow in the states. It's called American Lavender. It's hardy in grows tremendously fast. 

While I'm on the subject of plants. 

I shared my sourcing for Sweet Grass. This is a great nursery to order plants. Sweet Grass is easy to grow and thrives in almost any climate. 

The last offering of winter soaps is Green Forest. We also offered a candle in this scent, but we don't stock candles once the weather begins to warm. If you have a preference for woodsy pine scents you'll want to grab a few bars!

 

Jill 

 

 

 

 

Opening Day!

This last picture is a reminder that Spring will be here soon! 

Well, it's officially here, Opening Day at Bittersweet. I'm back from break and eager to get back in the groove of being a shop proprietress. We have a re-stock on some outsourcing items, and my basement is full of new items that I'll be gradually bringing in. The back room definitely looks like storage, but I'm happy to be able to leisurely go through past and present items and prepare for our big June Porch Sale. It's always the first Friday and Saturday of June. What sounds like a ways off will be here before you know it! 

I believe we're stocked up on all of your favorites, and the new essentials that are coming are in full swing ahead. I mentioned a few posts ago how Taste & Eat had been sent to the editor. We're in limbo mode until the proof comes and then we should move pretty fast to get the books in. Exciting! Book number two is almost complete. I keep adding chapters as things pop up in my mind. 

Our shop has had an overhaul. Fresh paint and thorough cleaning along with significant updates and organizing. A few repairs, and there's nothing left but to be excited about our grand reopening and soap sale. I've been working on some new packaging, and for some reason, the scent combination of lemon and ginger is holding tight to my thought process. I always go with the scent urges because they're always spot on. 

I believe you're going to love our fresh picks and thoughtfully curated collections for 23. I really like the current shop design. It has a good flow about it.  

I'm anticipating a soulful arrival into the new year along with amazing new opportunities. They seem to pop up when you least expect them. I've remodeled the foundation of my business and explored all of the new opportunities with eagerness and excitement. The forecast sounds dim for retail, but I refuse to believe that! Don't listen to everything you hear. Typically, it's never accurate. 

I keep a steady eye on sales and statistics, and I don't believe that what works for one will work for another. It's time for small businesses to dig deep and take a good close look into the internal goings on of your business. Stay focused and consistent. You're going to be just fine. If nothing else look, to this time to visualize what you want and move in a positive direction to achieve all of your goals. Re-examine your priorities. Continue to stay grounded and true to your values and heart. Okay, that was your pep talk for the day!

Focus your energy on well-being and it's time to not base your joy on the circumstance, but to appreciate each day as it is presented. Okay, I'll stop, maybe. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

 

don't go with the flow

It's been another productive and busy week at Bittersweet. I have to laugh sometimes and ponder thoughts of break time with a realistic view and know that the mere words aren't what they say that they are! I'm thinking of re-naming it to "work harder than you ever have time". Little did I know, and I never, ever plan too much ahead, thoughts of organizing and clearing and getting ready for a June porch sale in between soap making, painting, writing books, and contemplating new products, etc., etc. would end up chiming in the new year with its array of opportunities. All good, but I'm going to require a break after the so-called break!

So the new year brings to the table a smorgasbord of thoughts. Some are completely out there, while others hit the nail on the head. I'm forecasting slower-than-normal growth this year. An observation that is not hard to recognize when prices reach an all-time high on just about everything that you purchase. I've even noticed a tremendous increase in the pricing of furniture, toiletries, and let's just be honest just about everything. So.

In the weeks to come I'll be implementing some changes to some of our products. These changes are centered around the fragile economy and the increase in prices of almost everything that you purchase nowadays. The changes are a positive solution to accommodate our customers and hopefully take some of the edges off of inflation. Ugh, we hate that word! I'm excited to bring to the table a collection of products that are not only economical but also made with the very best ingredients that money can buy. We're launching this new alternative offering starting with our huge soap sale on January 21. The sale is an opportunity to stock up and receive a tremendous discount on your favorite unwrapped and uneven soaps. We're looking forward to an exciting new year, and we're eager to share our ideas, styles, artisan creations, and books! Books! I can't wait! 

Have I ever told you that the soap that we offer at the soap sale weighs in at over two-hundred pounds? Probably not, maybe so. I compare myself sometimes to a warrior woman. A woman lifts heavy objects that are not suitable for the weaker of hearts. Once again, it's a good thing. The heavy lifting, soap making, and physical activities required to maintain this business would make a young person flutter. I'd imagine hearing things like, I'm not doing that! Passion. It runs deep. The biceps back it up!

I absolutely love soaps that mimic forest scents. The new soap, Cedarwood + Amber falls into that lovely category. It's arriving on Saturday when we re-open the shop. 

Round dish soap, a new hair treatment, coming. I'm still in prototype mode. We ordered some new display pieces and they're taking forever to get here. So some of my projects have been put on hold. Have you experienced this problem? Items take forever to get to their destination. A sign of the times, I'm afraid. 

I'm really into bringing back simpler times. Part of that thinking is wrapped around thoughts of spending less time on social media and more time designing and creating. That's my jam! 

How about you? Don't you feel that social media can sometimes rob you of your joy? The bombardment of overloaded reels and stories makes my head spin. Selfie this, and that, and shots of my hair, fingernails, and anything else deemed necessary to share. Everything is under the sun. Sometime's too much, and other times not enough. I don't feel like it's a demographic thing either. It's popping up to those who recognize it.  Here's to twenty-three and a slower approach to life! Three cheers to that! 

Spring is on my mind. Once February rolls around I begin to dream about green grass and flowers. 

We've been having Sunday dinners at our house. It reminds me of when I was a kid and we'd go to grandma's house for dinner. She would always make fried chicken and potatoes and gravy. Since she owned a restaurant during the depression, and her cooking was amazing. Her granddaughter has fond memories of those Sunday dinners. 

My dad is dropping by tomorrow to help me repair a plant shelf at the shop. I picked up a couple of matching brackets so that we can add more plants! Ha!

Jill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Break time reinvented

 

In between clearing and cleaning at the shop prototypes are being tossed around for Valentine's day. I mentioned how a lot of our future designs are formed around our roots. This means since Bittersweet has been around for so long and we've run the gamut of product design and style with each and every design that is released we have seen all sorts of styles and designs come and go. Most have been tweaked many times while others have been freshly created. Just as clothing styles come and go, and often come back so does most packaging. It may look a little different, but the bones are there. With a new year, those thoughts are centered around the reflection. Most of our favorite past packaging designs show up in some shape or form, and we love that!

We received a small shipment of Turkish towels a few weeks ago, and I absolutely love them. We hand-picked the colors and utility. We have kitchen towels and bed covers. The bed covers may also be used as a draping piece for tables. Love that too!

Somebody was feeling a little under the weather the other day so I decided to not leave her at home so that I could keep an eye on her. In fact, I believe that she dined on several cinnamon rolls that she snatched out of the trash! I felt horrible. You know the feeling, right? That soul-drenching feeling that you have caused harm to your precious pet. I did a lot of praying and kept her close to me for about a day. Then, by the second day, she had a positive turn-around, and things became somewhat normal around here.  Kids and dogs. We worry about them, always. 

 I've cleared off the old farm table to make room for our big soap sale on January 21. The soap sale is a big thing! I did a test run and casually filled my cloth bag and received almost fifty dollars of free soap without any effort. If one is careful and strategically places the bars in the bag one can easily get more bars and more savings. The only downfall and it only affects me is that I won't see your smiling faces for quite a while after you feel your bag as you'll be stocked up for months on our moisture-rich pH-tested soap! The sale is an offering to our customers. Little things. 

Winter nights are made even more cozier by lighting one of my favorite candles in all the world. Not only is Lily the salt of the earth, but the candles that she crafts are above most others. I'm particularly fond of her Aspen Lodge candle. The small tin candle has a great throw of scent! Check her out here.  

So many have asked about the picture. I order most of my prints here. I'm fond of Scottish scenes. We have several of these prints framed in our home. 

What's that saying? There's always room for improvement.  I feel pretty comfortable declaring that I'm a professional improvement monitor! Using the items that you already have by either changing their surroundings or function. Often times I'm impressed when I change an object's function. Most of the time, the alternative idea of its aesthetics thrills me even more than the first. Little things. So I'm making positive improvements to an already popular product, our dish soap. Later on, we'll have a short handle dish brush, and wee ceramic dishes that when I first began searching for an update fell in love with this new packaging. I think that you will too. You'll have the option of purchasing either on its own or with the accessories. I personally love having a little brush and dish for my chunky bar of dish soap to sit on.

I'm hoping to have the cookbook in my hands soon! At least one of them so that I can take an intense look at it to make sure there aren't any typos or mistakes. We're inching our way closer to this. Book writing has a particular process. I feel like it's easy to construct the wording, but it's challenging to assure that the content complements the grammar and punctuation. Not my thing. I'm thankful for editors and publishers!  

I believe you're going to enjoy our shop even more with all the changes that I've made. I've dug in deep and left no corner unturned. The back room was my biggest challenge, and when I first began working on the small room I was definitely overwhelmed, but I rallied and kept working until it was organized. It's a super satisfying feeling to overcome such obstacles and the end rewards you with the satisfaction of knowing you did it! Big things. 

It doesn't seem believable that next Saturday marks the end of our winter break! I guess because I've been so busy, but I'll be glad to be back once I'm back. It's ironic how I never plan to be so busy, but it always without fail turns out to be. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a wrap!

Oh, boy oh boy,  has it been busy around here. So much for break time! This happens every year. I think about a slower pace and some downtime and low and behold the opposite happens. I'm delivering a back-to-our-roots method of advertising. One book is done, and another is almost finished, and then I'll start on numbers 3 and 4. I feel like a big part of this book's writing process is knowing what you want to write about.  The cookbook was sent to the editor today! 

We've received our shipment of outsourcing goods. I am in love with the Turkish towels and bed cover! I've always loved Turkish towels. What's not to love? The quality of the weaving is by far top-notch and the aesthetics are nothing short of perfect. 

I've been working at the shop cleaning, painting, and remodeling. I'm inching my way back to the dreaded back room or a storage area. It's compact and small and not much room is allowed to store hardly anything. When you own a shop you typically have a large number of merchandising items. Most I use depending on the time of year, but I desperately need space to store the items. I love my shop, but it is lacking in storage space. I'll make it work. I dropped by my home goods store and purchased plastic bins so that I can stack and store them. Knowing before I even begin it will be challenging to get it organized. I'm at a point where the merchandising items that I now own are ideal and perfect in every way. I'd be hard-pressed to shop and find anything that compares with the hand-picked items. A few years ago we had a huge porch sale and I sold almost everything at a discounted price. Now that I've picked through and selected the best of the best that opportunity has narrowed. The pieces that we have now are useful and timeless. 

We're having our huge soap sale coming up! If you love Bittersweet soap then you don't want to miss this sale. Talk about bargains! This one wins the bargain prize! We usually have a long line waiting to get in. One year during a snow storm we had the largest line ever. It's no wonder you can easily get your cloth bag filled with up to fifty-sixty dollars of free soap! This year we have a reserve of about two hundred pounds for the sale. 

New books, products, and designs are coming! I've even planned out our Valentine's designs. I think you're going to love the scents and the packaging. 

So you see there's always something going on around here, and usually, I'm tackling three or four projects at once. Don't hold it against me, it's just how I operate. I've had folks tell me that I'm an overachiever. I really wanted to look up that definition. A person who does more than they are expected to do or who is more successful than others: I don't really believe that this is who I am. I simply love to do what I love and live life to the fullest. I definitely do not believe that I'm more successful than others! I've always considered all people to be equal in abilities, and let me proclaim if I can do it anyone can! My goal in writing the books that I'm currently working on our centered around that thinking. I want others to be encouraged to go for it in life!

Jill 

 

 

The New Year

As we approach a new year I can't help but ponder what a great year this one has been!  I'm anticipating exciting new things coming ahead that I never imagined this time last year. Those thoughts are centered around two new books being published and a cluster of new products that are designed around thoughts of less is more. I'm also focusing on simpler times. My brother gifted me an old-fashioned glass lantern for Christmas, and my mind traveled to thoughts of how someone once read their favorite book or family bible by golden lantern light. The lantern represents a nostalgic time when life was slower.  Christmas is a magical time of year and I feel like her arrival is conducted by a craving for a quiet pace and tranquil moments filled with peace and joy. 
We're taking a break from social media until after the new year so that we can heighten those thoughts and take in the beauty that wraps itself around this past year's gratitude and reflection. We're excited to share our new designs, books, and ideas in the upcoming year ahead!

I started clearing out Christmas and cleaning at both the home and shop. I've also removed everything from the shop tables and racks so that we can do a deep winter cleaning. Whenever I style the shop I always clear out everything and start from scratch. But before we begin styling with new products we paint and clean. 

Breaking from social media was a comforting thought. I'm constantly promoting Bittersweet and sometimes it feels good to simply walk away and revisit at another time. Do you feel that sometime? I'm always amazed on how much more I get done, and my spirit is also happier when I don't spend a lot of time on these platforms. I'm rethinking how we market our brand and feel like it's a great time to reflect before the new year arrives. 

I'm also restructuring our apothecary shop and placing a focus on what we do here at Bittersweet. We, I do a lot! The restructuring will be centered around our Scent Bar, Skincare, and Soaps. We're simplifying our designs and tweaking our style some. Every now and then I believe it's good to stop and take a close look at your buiness as an outsider. How do other's see your business? For example, we are a soap manufacturing company. The name is French, Savonerie, and it's translation means "Soap Factory." It best describes who we are here at Bittersweet. I am proud to say that I'm a soap maker and those thoughts have been wrapped around my heart for almost twenty-six years. It's a spectacular moment when you realize what you're doing in life is what your suppose to be. I give the glory to God.  

We're also making room for some three-hunded pounds of soap that we'll be offering during our annual soap sale. The end pieces are tucked away each week and then we release the lot of chunky unwrapped bars at our sale. 

Wishing you a happy new year!

Jill 

 

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