Bittersweet and the little soap company

Pulling it together

I feel like it's been a blur of a weekend! Friday as we were starting the porch sale our entire checkout system crashed! It took me a while to get it resolved. We finally got one machine working but our main register was out and we couldn't get any cash out of our drawer. Finally, after a couple of hours, I closed the shop and Debbie watched over the sale and I managed to fix the problem on my pc at home. Never in the world of Bittersweet has anything like this ever happened. As I was driving home it hit me how trivial it was, however, I'd also fixed the issue, so my mood had a lot to do with fixing it. Let me please announce how phenomenal our guests were on Friday during our crash! You guys were above amazing! Thank you for being you! Shit happens! I'm learning as I get older how everything that comes my way especially when it's something bad shouldn't influence my character or mood. It's not easy, and undoubtedly bad things will continue to happen, so I might as well make plans to mold my emotions around those unfortunate events in a way that doesn't ruin my day or make me wish that I'd done things differently. I don't like regrets. If not for your healthy and positive dispositions, I might not look at Friday's mishap with such a positive outlook. Thanks again!   Without a doubt, my customers are the salt of the earth! I am and will forever be thankful for each one of you that has ever walked through those Bittersweet doors!

The busy summer season is almost here! A lot of times retail shops see a decline in business during the summer months we are at our busiest. In July we start our holiday soap manufacturing, and in between, we're working on new collections and styling our store. I'm getting ready to dig heavy into styling our shop. We're expanding our Scent Your Own, and launching a few new lines as well. I feel like our store gets stale if we don't make upgrades and nicks and tucks every now and then. We don't have a huge space but it takes a considerable amount of work to maintain, clean, and style it in a way that stands out and emphasizes our uniqueness. 

At the shop, I gravitate towards neutral styling and prefer the look over any other. A few black pieces for grounding. Black is used in decorating as a grounding color. You should always have at least one black piece in a room. At least this is what I was taught years ago.  Nowadays you see a lot of black in decorating. I'm a fan of black and white too. If you're not sure what colors you'd like to have in your home simply open your closet door and see which color you have more of. This is the color you should have in your home. This method is a never-fail method and it's easy to choose wall colors and furniture colors by using this closet method. I have tons of white. In fact, I have a small bedroom transformed into a closet in our 1921 home, and most of the garments if not all are white. Yes, my closet is also filled with white, and I have quite a bit of black. 

Years ago we styled our store with jars filled with dried botanicals and I've never really grown tired of the old-fashioned way of styling. We're going to bring back some of that and incorporate the idea into our store once again simply because we've always loved it. 

Our apothecary cabinets are filled with curing soaps. Years ago I purchased old glass door apothecary cabinets to use for curing racks. Since Bittersweet has to cure for four to six weeks you need a designated spot to store all of those soap bars. The cabinets have always worked perfectly. One of the cabinets was in an old hotel. At least that's what the guy told me when I purchased it all those years ago. Our old wooden rack that houses wrapped bars at the shop came from a boarding house. It was used for mail. Back in the day, there were boarding houses in every town and city. Usually, a huge old house welcomed a stranger to stay for as long as they needed. You'd have a bedroom and when it was time for dinner you'd head to the kitchen to dining with other guests that were currently staying in the home. You would share a bathroom, and your mail was left in something that looks like the piece that sits in our shop. I remember my great aunt Enid talking about how she had borders in her home to make extra money. She was a single woman and lived in a beautiful old home with a huge wrap-around porch very close to Volker Park in Kansas City. 

A guest commented about our Jack in the Beanstalk Fiddle Leaf the other day. I think it's time for their annual trim as they are touching the ceiling at the shop. After we get a handle on all of our projects and styling we'll propagate a few for the taking.  It takes around four to six weeks before they start to root. We like for the starters to have good strong roots before we share them. That way all you have to do is to stick it in dirt and watch it grow. 

Blessings.

Jill 

 

  

 

 

 

refined summer favorites...

 

If you're like me you have summer pieces and products that you really, really love.  

Customers are always asking me, where did you get this and that, and I'm happy to share some of my favorite summer essentials. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find quality essentials that are tried and true to their name. That's one of the reasons I created Bittersweet Apothecary some twenty-four years ago. The purchases that I made seemed to most always let me down. I would try something, only to be disappointed and dissatisfied. When this happens you generally never purchase the item again. However, there's the opposite when you discover something that you love and continue to purchase and use it.  

A lot of my favorite things can be found at Bittersweet. Anytime that I discover something new that wows me, I try and share it with my customers. 

I'm super particular with perfumes and hair products. I sometimes feel like I could easily be one of those secret shoppers or test shoppers by the many purchases that I've made over the years. When I find something that I love, I stick with it. That's because the product or items stands up to its claims. It's also rare to find products that live up to their promises. That's one thing that Bittersweet has always taken great pride in. We will absolutely never invent or introduce a product or item that doesn't wow us first!

Enjoy looking at a few of our summer favorites...

We will have more to come.

Jill xo

 

 

 

 

 

raspberry tea

We are having a sizzling hot summer! When I went out to check the mail this afternoon barefoot my feet were on fire from the hot concrete. Elle went outside with me and I noticed she was as ready as I was to come inside. I love summer until this happens! I don't even remember what summer last year was like. Do you feel that way too? 

We've been hydrating with raspberry tea. I travel from shop home, home to shop when it's this hot. It takes the fun out of being outdoors. Can you tell that I'm not a fan of triple digit temps? On a personal note, I don't sweat! Never have, and probably never will so all of heat that I take in, stays in unless I can manage to find a super cool place to cool off. I've often wondered why I've never sweat, but sometimes it's perfectly fine to just except things for the way that they are. That being said, I do believe that since I was born a preemie that had something to do with my sweat glands not forming properly. Getting off of this subject...

The hydrangea have been plucked from the bushes and they're now happily sitting in a couple of large round baskets. One at the shop, and one at home. I'm going to add the dried blooms into some boho bouquets for fall. I love the pale and cream colored blooms, and they look amazing mixed with wood flowers and other dried flowers. We will be offering the bouquets at the shop soon. 

 

The Cotton Kantha Scarves are handmade by women artisans in West Bengal, India using 100% cotton up-cycled saris. Each piece is unique and is made from two saris that are stitched together using the traditional “kantha” embroidery technique. Featuring handmade tassels with vibrant prints and colors on each side, these handmade kantha scarves are works of art and showcase the rich textile crafts of eastern India. I absolutely love these colorful scarves! They look amazing now blended with summer white, and they will look equally amazing mixed with autumn pieces. 

If you're local and able to visit our store you're going to love our collections!

My lavender was flooded with bees this past week. I couldn't believe all of the lavender bees. Can you imagine how yummy their honey is? I love lavender honey! 

Persian Pear is in the house! This popular soap always returns in early September. The next season is filled with scents that will wow you! At least they do me. We've ordered a few new scents to keep our menu fresh and there's a few new one's that blow me away! 

Meanwhile we're still wrapping up our summer soap manufacturing. We introduced several new summer soaps in the past couple of weeks. 

Rich blues, and violets seem to capture my attention lately. It is still summer...

One of the new soaps, Honey Vanilla is addictively attractive to my nose. 

My buddy Darren dropped by this week to visit. We hadn't seen each other for at least a year. We used to be radio show friends. We both hosted shows at the same studio or station. I had my show for three years, and he had his much longer. Radio is so much fun! I really miss it. Maybe someday I'll pick it back up. No time for radio shows now! I'm too busy managing Bittersweet and making all that soap! Life seasons come and they go, and they change. They never stay the same. That's a good thing. 

I'm impressed with the scent blends that customers are creating! Our Scent Your Own Department has been busy! We love that! We'll be adding some new fall flavors to our menu. If you haven't had a chance to create your own scent we think you will love it when you do!

Jill xo

 

 

 

Eureka, Chapter Two

 

Having grown up in small town America was a blessing that was overlooked when I was a kid. But now that I'm an adult I realize just how lucky I was! We were an outdoor family so we spent lots of time outside. Summers were spent at the pool or lake and the in between time was spent climbing trees, riding bikes, and turtle races! Patrick found an empty turtle shell while hiking in the woods when he was a young boy and brought it home. I have the shell sitting at the shop. Every now and then someone will comment on the shell, and even sometimes asked if I killed the turtle to get the shell. For heavens sake, NO! The shell is one of my treasured possessions. On Saturday a young family visited Bittersweet and noticed the shell. They asked my about it, and I explained how Patrick found it in the Missouri woods and brought it home. I also mentioned how when I was a kid we used to have turtle races. I don't recall my turtle ever winning, but the memory lives on... It's surprising to me how most children don't know what a turtle race is or the idea of having a cricket as a pet. I never had a cricket as a pet, but I had a pet quail. The neighbor kids and I  were playing down the street one day and came upon a covey of baby quails. We each took home a baby quail. I would set him down under the street light and he would catch bugs like crazy. Then I'd put him back in his box and he'd climb inside the feather duster and go to sleep. 

I would imagine growing up in Eureka was very much like growing up where I did. The overall population of the town is small, but the nature that surrounds you is huge! 

During our trip to the Natural State we stayed in Tree House Cottages. We were high above the Paw Paw trees and the Arkansas Pines didn't look so tall while you were high above the ground. 

The Catholic church sits across from the Crescent Hotel or behind it. The little church is tucked away and centered around the curvy road. I've always thought it was a beautiful place. 

One of the reasons I love Eureka is that they have lovely landscapes. Everywhere you go there's flowers, flowers, everywhere. 

I've always loved walking by the Palace Bath House

The rosemary and eucalyptus are usually bellowing out the front door as you walk by. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't smell it on this trip, but it was twenty-years ago when I last visited and things change. You used to get a whiff of the herbal blend as soon as you walked around the corner. 

Back to work...

All good things must come to an end...

We really enjoyed our trip to Eureka Springs Arkansas. If you've never been I think you would love it!

Back to managing this little corner of the world. One that I feel blessed to be a part of, and inspiration flows from my getaway. I made rosemary eucalyptus soap with crushed peppermint and pumice. It smells amazing and reminds me of the times I walked by the bath house. 

We're already getting our fall lines in. If we don't start ordering now they will sell out and we won't be able to order from our favorite clothing brands. There's a pile of new fall items gathering and it won't be long before I'll start introducing them at the shop. 

The changing of the seasons is always an exciting time at the store, and one that I look forward to. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill xo

 

Eureka, Chapter One

We happily loaded our car and headed south to the Natural State over the Fourth. My mom loved it here! So much that when she packed her car to visit one day she ended up staying! Eureka Springs has always been one of my favorite vacation retreats. My great aunt Enid used to visit here every year as she loved it too. What's not to love about Eureka? The mere name sums it up. Eureka, we have found it!  I can imagine the Indians that discovered this area were in awe over the winding streams, tall pines, and natural springs.  

One of my favorite places on earth is just outside town on highway 62. This place has always been enchanting to me. The last time I visited was around twenty years ago, and it was a botanical garden back then. No matter what they decide to call it, the spring and the surrounding prairie are sacred ground, and this land and that spring share an intense energy that I have never been able to explain! Cast aside the trail of tears and the suffering that the Cherokee people were forced to endure as they walked across this once dense loblolly pine forest. 

Before the Cherokee walked through the native Osage lived and worked this land. The land is filled with rich history that has been tucked away for safe keeping. At least that's what I've always thought. The overhang rock is nothing short of amazing! I can't explain my feelings when I visit. A melancholy mood blended with tranquility and peace always overtakes me especially when I stand under the cliff.  Some things just can't be explained, and maybe they're not suppose to be. 

Out trip was packed with memories, and it seemed that we took in a lot in a short period of time that we were here. So much that I'm going to stretch the Eureka posts out so that I don't get overwhelmed and share messy memories. 

We ate at our favorite restaurant. If you've never been to this place I would encourage you to plan a dinner here too. 

Not only is the food good, but it's somewhat mysteriously interesting on how they seat you. The whole ritual could easily be seen on an episode of Seinfeld!   The restaurant seating is based on first come, first served, but there is no one to monitor who arrives first. We had a family practically run through the door when they opened at four. We arrived at 3:15 if that tells you anything. So I'm guessing some folks are hungrier than others! I know that I get a bit testy when I'm hungry, don't you? The method of seating I feel is a great marketing technique. If the food wasn't good it would never work. They don't have to worry about that! We actually ate here on Saturday, and returned on Sunday! Our waiters name was Alan and he will go down as one of the most gracious waiters to date! Sometimes an experience comes together as a great memory when everyone is on the same page. I love that! I've always called it teamwork, and it didn't take me long to notice how all of the waiters were on the same team working together in both functionality and personality to make sure that your visit was filled with a positive outcome, both in feel good waiters and tasty Italian food. 

We visited a few shops along the way. How can you not when you're in Eureka! I brought home a jar of this.  

Have you ever had Elderberry Jam? Once again, if you haven't, you should. I love the medicinal properties that surround this plant. We have it growing wild in Missouri. One day while traveling home through the ally, I spotted an elderberry growing in the grassy area between the road! The plant is used to make jams, wines, tinctures, and an assortment of things. It's what I call a keep me well plant!

The echinacea is blooming like crazy! Another medicinal plant that is native to this area. When I was visiting Eureka I saw several varieties. One that was a bright orange, and I'm placing this color on my wish list of plants for next season. 

Lennis noticed that the mosquitos were attacking him on our trip. I used to make a bug spray years ago but had pulled it. I'm going to work on a new formulation for bug bites and a preventive bug spray. While we were watching the firework show in Eureka I could smell the scent of lemongrass, basil, and peppermint. The wind would blow the aromatic herbal blend my way and it smelled amazing. Both Lennis, and whoever was wearing the natural bug repellant inspired me to create this product again. I love it when this happens!

We sat on the bank of the Crescent Hotel and watched an amazing fire work show! I'm not a fan of the Crescent Hotel. It's a cool place architecturally, but I pick up on some sad vibes there. Every time I walk the grounds I feel sad. These feelings are unexplainable, but nevertheless they are feelings. 

  Eureka, chapter two, coming up!

Keep the faith.

Jill xo

 

 

 

 

 

été

It would be hard for me to imagine a world without flowers or fragrance! The beautiful blooms that I've been cutting to bring indoors remind me of just how much beauty both bring into the world, and have had such a positive impact. 

We recently updated our Scent Your Own Department with what we believe to be a bit more functional and user friendly area. We incorporate all of these scents into the body essentials that we make. 

My bee balm is blooming! This little flower carries a lot of punch! It is an unusual looking flower, at least I've always thought that, and the bees and hummingbirds love gathering nectar from its blooms. If you sit close by a Bee Balm plant I can promise you it wont' be long before you see bumblebee or hummingbirds appear. Lavender in bloom is also a bee and hummingbird magnet. 

I just picked off one of these on my zinnia plant. These beetles are the most destructive bug to date! The start out as grubs in your yard and then transform into flower killers. I pluck them off and put them in soapy water, but if you have them really bad you'll need to spray. We use this natural product that seems to work well. I love the smell of cedar! We also use cedar chips in our landscaping designs for the same reason. I've noticed since growing lavender and throwing down the cedar chips we've had less beetles. It's really best to get them before they hatch and while they're still in the ground. One of my pet peeves is those hanging plastic beetle traps. Not only can you smell the strong synthetic odor, but they are the ugliest thing I've ever laid eyes on. Aesthetics in the garden.

The little downtown quilt shop hosted a quilt walk this weekend. Bittersweet participated by showcasing our Prairie Quilts. I made several of these quilts a few years ago. In fact. I made each in a day! Don't hold it against me! I'm just one of those people that likes to see the ending almost as quickly as the start. One of the quilts is tied and the other I quilted on my sewing machine. I had never quilted on my machine before, but I watched a few videos and thought that it seemed to be easy enough. So I did it. I also made the binding that goes around the quilts. Same thing, I watched a few quilters demonstrate the methods, and next thing I knew, the quilt was complete. Most quilters don't quilt their own quilts. I personally feel that if you don't you're missing out on the gratification of making the quilt from start to finish. The quilt that is tied was fun too. I'm not sure which method attracts me more. I usually piece quarter rounds and small squares together, nothing fancy, hence the name, "Prairie Quilt."

 I love wood beads incorporated into jewelry. When making the Alice Bracelets I usually choose wood beads over glass or bone. The natural elements of wood have always been attractive to me. What can I say? Have you ever seen paper beads? They're pretty cool too! The oval bead in the Alice Bracelet picture is a paper bead. 

I certainly don't have time to make them so I purchase them at a bead supplier, but if you had some extra time on your hands I believe making them would be kind of like quilting your own quilt!

It feels so great to have wide open spaces at the store! When I walk through the back room it feels, well wide open, and I love it!

Car Spice, That's Nice! A customer suggested that I make these a few years ago, and I thought that they would be slow to go, but once again I was wrong! I can't seem to make them fast enough! Bittersweet offers complimentary scent refills once the scent begins to die. Little things...

Those candy colored sweet peas, hydrangea and lavender bouquets make my heart skip a beat!

We restructured our denim department. I get oodles of questions about that large drawer piece. Lennis built it for me a few years ago. I showed him a picture of something similar and next thing I knew it was sitting in our basement ready to be used at the shop! The cart below that picture was also built by Lennis. Again, I showed him a picture and he built it! Both pieces have little wheels so that I can move them around easy. If you're a shop owner you know how important it is to be able to move things around because we do it all the time. 

Lastly, that plumped up Sea Blue Hydrangea Bloom looks as though it's been on plant hormones!

Keep the faith.

Jill xo

 

 

mix and match...

Whew! What a wild week this has been! Wildly busy and fast moving, and exciting while being among  friends and genuinely good humans. While browsing Pinterest I happened upon the Gratitude Scavenger Hunt List and thought it to be a perfect summary and rhymed with our recent Porch Sale. Folks were sharing pictures of their bargains and finds and telling me they were gifting some of the items that they purchased with friends. That makes me feel good, and it's lovely to know that the items I once treasured are going to new homes that will be loved once again!

I think we're in for a long hot summer. We're experiencing some really hot and dry days and I've been watering my flowers almost every day because I know that once it starts getting hot they will not last long. It's always a good flower garden summer when I have hydrangea blooms. We're going to have a bounty crop! I've been babying them and giving them lots of drinks, because I want to enjoy them for as long as possible. Don't forget to smash the stem of a hydrangea if you cut it for an arrangement. It won't last through the day if you don't. I usually take a case knife and gently smash the bottom of the stem and then place it in a vase filled with fresh water. If you do this, the bloom will last over a week! Something I learned first hand many years ago. This summer I'm going to pick as many as I can for bouquets, and then I'll leave a few behind for drying. There's also a trick to drying hydrangea, but it's a super easy trick. The key to having a perfect dried hydrangea is the time that you cut it. You must wait until after it blooms and becomes heavy and the petals turn green. That's when you pick it for drying. Then simply place it in a vase or jar and leave it alone. It's usually dried to perfection within a week or so. Another little tip that I've learned along the way. 

Since it's getting hot I've been craving fruity cold drinks. I have one of these that we use to blend cold concoctions. It's handy, quick and not bulky to store, and it makes the best smoothies! I picked up Peach Juice and made Peachy Coconut Smoothies that were well received after coming in from the hot Missouri sun. The simpler the better, and if you blend juice with coconut milk and a few ice cubes = refreshing summer goodness! You can add a few drops of vanilla syrup if you like it sweet. The kind that you blend in coffee drinks. For some reason I always crave Peach this time of year!

My friend Judy always brings me bouquets from her garden. I'm especially fond of feverfew, and it's delicate mini daisy like petals. The herb has several medicinal properties, but I simply love it for how it looks!

We have been making Picture Ledges. Have you seen them before? They're kind of nifty, easy to make, and a great way to showcase pictures. They also require minimal materials to construct. Some people stain or paint them, but I prefer raw wood. I love the look of raw wood!

If that old trunk could talk it would tell you that's traveled to and thro over the years. It is a treasured piece that I inherited from my mom. We've always had it in our dining room, and I use it for storage. I love old trunks! What was once a necessity for travelers is still very much a valued piece in our home. I kind of like knowing it was probably once on a ship or train, or maybe even traveled to the wild west on a wagon wheel. They are just cool! My mom always had her trunks refurbished and lined with pretty wall paper. I love that too!

I am loving our new wicker blinds! The trick to achieving a clean look is to hang the blind inside the frame and only cover the window. One of the reasons I like this method of window covering it not only because they add texture, they are also easy to maneuver. My taste has changed over the years, but I've always loved wicker blinds and baskets. Both are inexpensive and add great design to a space. 

In the weeks to come I'll be cutting fresh herbs and putting together Palo Santo Bundles. The herbal posies can then be burned and used to cleanse the air. Palo Santo is an amazing tree! It's kind of like cedar, but is much more aromatic especially if you burn it. I would say it smells very much like incense. 

Soap making has still been fast and furious the past few weeks. There's not a week go by that I'm not making soap. What we need is lots of soap! There used to be a children's book that I read to Patrick and it had that phrase in it. We would always laugh when we read it! It's funny how you remember certain story's that you read to your kids. I still remember books that my mom read to me as a kid. There was one about picking hazelnuts that I loved. I've tried to find the book but have never located it. Then there's the Tasha Tudor books that I was memorized with. 

We introduced a new Smoothie a few weeks ago, and I'm always eager to keep the apothecary shop fresh by adding new soaps, and skincare. Summertime is one of my favorite seasons for creating new blends as most of my herbs are blooming and we can make hydrosols and take in all of its glory one herb at a time!

I'm getting ready to upgrade our shop. We'll be adding exciting new items and our summer collections are by far the best we've ever shared to date. 

I'm moving more towards completing home projects too. Summer is a great time to paint and spruce up things on the Homefront. 

Lastly, thank you for attending the porch sale. It's a joy to cleanse my backroom and an even bigger joy knowing you're going to bring life to so many treasured pieces. 

Jill xo

 

 

 

 

 

among friends...

We did it! Our Porch Sale kicked off on Thursday and we sold out by late Saturday afternoon! Honestly, the unique items, garment sale rack, and fill your bag with soap is such an amazing sale I would think it safe to say that it's a SALE OF A LIFETIME! I've marked the merchandise unbelievably low, and when you fill your bag with the chunky salvaged end pieces of Bittersweet you're spending more less than half of what you spend on soap in our Apothecary Store! Why?

I believe that it's healthy for the soul to share some bargain love! 

We have been having a blast sharing stories and visiting with customers! I'm looking forward to round two next week!

If you pop over to our IG page you can catch up on this week. Here's a link. 

We will rap up our sale this Saturday and I'll be giving our store a summer makeover once our sale is over. I'm kind of in a makeover state of mind lately. I've almost finished home projects at least for now, and I can't begin to tell you how amazing it feels to cleanse both my home and shop space! I feel twenty pounds lighter! It's been a long time coming. I will say. 

I've decided to host a Porch Sale each year. We change the store so often and bring in new pieces that if you postpone it any longer it gets out of hand. Case in point, six day sale! Nevertheless, I'm so thrilled to share our gently used merchandise pieces with you! It's a joy to know that these items are finding new homes and that you will love each piece just as much as I once did. 

My taste has changed so much! In fact, it feels like it tosses and turns about every six months. I don't believe that I'd feel like this if I weren't a shop owner. I'm really drawn to more modern pieces and natural finishes, at least now. Plants, lots of plants. I feel as though I'm regressing back to my younger days. I had eighty-seven plants thriving in my first apartment! 

I'm going to launch several new Bittersweet lines for summer so that's exciting! One of those lines will be called, Fresh As A Daisy. Think cottons and linens and natural fibers, along with sea sponges, and chenille. 

I'm thankful for my energy and strong body! Hosting a sale always includes heavy lifting, lots of walking, and being very much mobile. 

Here's to a new week, and an exciting Porch Sale! Cheers to you!

In between Porch Sales and Soap Making I've snuck in some genealogy work. I've ordered several history books detailing areas that my ancestors lived. They came from Scotland to the colony's in 1700 something. I've hit a dead end, and it's been frustrating to not locate anything before this date. I have found that some of the genealogy websites are wonky. Most of the information that other's find cannot be backed up with legitimate sources, and unless I have firm evidence it's he said, she said, and I 'm not a fan of this type of research. Since they traveled from Scotland, Ireland, I really need to travel to these areas for this type of information. I had a Scotland trip planned about the same time the you know what hit, so I've postponed the long journey for later in time. I'm very much looking forward to this trip, but I also feel that I need to be loaded with more research before I get on that plane.

Anticipation...

By the way, that's one of my favorite words!

Meanwhile, Soap Production never stops and this girl always has coals in the fire!

On Friday I was setting up the sale items on the porch and the Fed Ex guy pulled up across the street. When he was coming out I asked him if I could interest him in a lamp. He moseyed over, and asked me if my name was Jill! He had a mask on so it was hard to see his face and I felt at the disadvantage. He said that he was from the same small town as I was from. We had a great chat, and I told him that I remembered his brother. In fact, he looked very much like his older brother. The story is sad because his brother was killed in a car accident in the early seventies. I remember the accident like yesterday. He was a great human, I could tell. I'm sure I'll see him often now. 

Little things...

Keep the faith. 

Jill xo 

 

 

kitchen sink

I've been slowly plucking out small organization project ideas to place in and around our home. When I saw this picture on Pinterest, it was love at first sight. The area under our kitchen sink has always been nomads land. This picture feeds me with kitchen sink inspiration. This is where I spotted it. I love it when folks share their sources! 

From home organization to fresh flowers. It's so much fun to have fresh flowers delivered to the shop every week! This weeks flower was Purple Iris. Aren't they stunning?

Summer Meals...

Spaghetti aglio, olio & spring greens

Yummy! Here's the link to the recipe. I've been binging Jamie Oliver! His simple five-ingredient recipes make for the perfect summer dinners. 

We had angel food cake sprinkled with fresh peaches and whipped cream. Yummy, too!

The shop is blooming!

 

We're thinking about cutting the cable cord. I ordered Fire Sticks for our televisions, and have been gradually easing into a change in the way that we watch television. I get frustrated with our cable because it always seems that there's nothing worthwhile to watch. With a stick. you have access to movies galore! We also have Netflix. I'm still in research mode when finding a channel provider. It seems these companies are not all created equal. If you're thinking of switching, I'd recommend writing down the channels you watch and then search for the provider that offers those channels. Each one is totally different. Just something I'm learning as I go along. This fall and winter it will be lovely to have access to a large library of movies, especially ones that you can handpick. The entire cable industry is changing daily and the sky is the limit when searching for a provider. No more monopolies! Always a great thing for the consumer. 

 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

summer down

We finally finished our mini bathroom remodel! I don't know if you remember or not, but I refinished the dresser last summer in anticipation of the new bathroom. The wooden dresser houses our bath towels and sundries. I'm really happy with the end results on this piece. I did not stain the wood and only rubbed tung oil to protect the wood in a natural way. I applied three to four coats because I wanted it to be protected from the moisture that is in the bathroom. 

We added new flooring and subway tile around the sink and tub. A shiny new toilet that I love, which by the way, in my wildest dreams I'd not imagine getting excited about a toilet, but I am!

The entire project was under one-thousand dollars because we did all the work. We're also going to have both our sink and tub refinished. Right now we're happy with the new space. 

I'm working on other home projects. I just finished a complete furniture makeover in our living room. 

Window cleaning, painting, and summer clearing in steady sequence. 

I'm taking a little summer down from the shop during the holiday week. Won't be back until Friday. 

It feels good to catch up on home. 

My gardens are slow to produce this summer because of all the spring rain we received. 

The purple coneflower garden is starting to share their blooms. I also have whites but they haven't started to bloom yet. 

Friday I got up early before there were any people and captured our beautiful downtown. 

The feverfew is blooming as well. 

I could take flower pictures all day!

Those pictures should be missing Japanese beetles! They're back. I plucked eight of the destructive bugs off of my zinnia leaves! I also have been researching how to get rid of them.  + this natural bug removal method.  I had never heard of Milky Spore and it seems that the process is ongoing for about two years in preventing the pesky beetles from invading our gardens. 

Wishing you a Happy Summer Holiday!

Once again, July 4th has snuck up on me. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill