Black Friday/Cyber Monday - What are you doing?

It's probably poor marketing, but I'm going to do it anyway.  I'm going to complain about American consumerism and Black Friday, which is enough, but is now moving into Thanksgiving Thursday.

We need hospitals on Thanksgiving.  We need police and fire fighters.  One could make a case for drug stores and even supermarkets for at least part of the day.  We do not need department stores, and I am appalled at how many more are open on Thanksgiving each year.  This date was set aside for US citizens to stop their daily activities, gather together with loved ones, and to be thankful, not to go shopping.  I fear, however, that Thanksgiving Day will become just another Black Friday, the thanks part, all but forgotten.  

I understand the importance of Black Friday and selling and buying.  My son has a computer biz and I have my biz, both of which depend on sales.  I've worked in retail for a few years now, and that brings even more understanding of profit and marketing, so I am not ignorant, but I have to say that the feeding frenzy in stores seems to show off the worst in us, and I am not proud of that part of being an American.  

We all know that this is the season for buying, and there are few of us whose spending does not increase from pre-Thanksgiving until the after-Christmas sales.  It's part of our culture, but let us not forget to be kind to others, love one another, see the big picture, and  be good to ourselves and our families down the road.

Let's put reason back into the season! 

What are your thoughts?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cinnamon Apple Soap

Pumpkin 'n Spice Soap

Now that I've put everyone off, LOL, here are my offerings for Black Friday - Cyber Monday specials.  Order from now until Monday at midnight, only, to get these specials.

Order $10 - $25 in product and get one product ($6/under) of your choice, free!

Order $26 - $50 in product and get two products ($6/under) of your choice, free!

Or:

Order a gift set from $35 and up and get the set upgrade, free!  No charge for container and packaging.

Order $70 and up get free shipping!

*All offers are before shipping.  Specials cannot be combined.
**In addition, each order will receive an extra full size product, regardless of the order size

Just think:  shop in comfort and have your gifts delivered.  Easier on you, and handmade, too!
 New 8 oz. lotion!  Winter is coming, and so is the need to moisturize your skin.  Do it with our larger size lotion.  Scents include:  Love My Lavender, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Spun Sugar, Gingered Orange, and  Honey Good (with honey)!


Soap scents include: Lavender*, Gingered Orange, Lilac Breeze, Groovy Patchouli*, Black Raspberries & Vanilla, Rice Flower, Mint Medley*, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Fresh Clean Herbs, Spun Sugar, Daybreak* (spearmint & eucalyptus), Oatmeal, Milk & Honey in scented or no scent added, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Midnight Merlot, Peppermint Breeze*, Cucumber Mint*, Biergarten,  Honey Good, and Rice Flower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not on my site:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: Natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00;  8 oz.  $11 -  In any scent listed above. (see special above)
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7; 8 oz., $12
Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, Lavender, and any other scent I sell. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Thanksgiving thoughts 2

So, I never got to this yesterday.  I'll have to double up.  It's not that I don't have a lot to be thankful for, after all.  :-)

My daughter has just come back home from college for Thanksgiving, so I thank God for allowing her safe travels and for our relationship.

I also thank God for our abundance.  It is hard for me to fathom, but it has been said that the poorest person in America is wealthier than most people in third world countries.  It boggles my mind to think that as we work harder and push to get ahead because we "need the money,"  we are already wealthy.  I'll bet everyone who reads this post has a roof overhead, warmth, clothing, enough food, and. . . toilet paper!  Yes, toilet paper. 

My daughter, Amy, spent several weeks some years ago on an island in the Philippines.  When she returned home, she tried to describe life there, and one thing that came up was how many people had no toilet paper.  Well, I don't know about you, but I consider that a necessity, not a luxury!  Yet, it illustrates how rich we are; what what is basic to us, is not really essential if million of people throughout the world are doing without it.

In this vein, I am thankful that I can have the business that I do.  I live in a country that allows me to make soap and cosmetics and sell it, and my result will be a direct result of what I put into it.  I also have access to some of the most marvelous ingredients to make it.  Few products are unavailable to me in the USA, where some of my friends in other countries find it very expensive or difficult to make and sell their product. What's more, I am assured of the quality safety of what I get, so I am confident that my customers are also safe.  Now, that's something to be thankful for!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  SALE!

New 8 oz. lotion!  Winter is coming, and so is the need to moisturize your skin.  Do it with our larger size lotion.  Scents include:  Love My Lavender, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Spun Sugar, Gingered Orange, and Honey Good (with honey)!

November is the traditional month for giving thanks.  I would like to thank my customers by offering 20% off of any sale $40 and up (before tax or shipping).  Not to be combined with any other specials.  This is your chance to pick and choose what you would like to save money on!

Soap scents include: Lavender*, Gingered Orange, Lilac Breeze, Groovy Patchouli*, Black Raspberries & Vanilla, Rice Flower, Mint Medley*, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Fresh Clean Herbs, Spun Sugar, Daybreak* (spearmint & eucalyptus), Oatmeal, Milk & Honey in scented or no scent added, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Midnight Merlot, Peppermint Breeze*, Cucumber Mint*, Biergarten,  Honey Good, and Rice Flower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not on my site:

*Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea.
*Liquid shower gel: Natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00;  8 oz.  $11 -  In any scent listed above. (see special above)
*Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7; 8 oz., $12 *Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, Lavender, and any other scent I sell. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Thankfulness: Day 2

Today, my son, Ethan, my daughter, Megan, and I went to Syracuse to visit my freshman-in-college daughter, Emily.  We traveled back and forth safely, had a good visit to an exotic pet store, to CiCi's Pizza, and then to Five Below.  I returned home to a rested and happy hubby.

In one day alone, I thought of so many things I am thankful to my Lord for.  I already mentioned love, but I have to reiterate that I love my family!  We had a good time together and that's a wonderful thing.

But here's the rest of the list:

A car to travel in and safety in travel

The comfortable, safe apartment my daughter is living in, with a nice roommate.

The amazing array of life of the animal kingdom, from anemone to zebra!

Bargains

Warm clothes

A husband and two dogs to come home to and who are happy to see me.

Computers

As soon as I publish this, I'm sure I will remember other things that I wished I would have shared, but if it inspires you to be thankful for what we consider ordinary things, then it's enough.

What would you like to add?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Again, my November 20% off special applies, and I will be posting a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale.  Just scroll down for November.

Thanksgiving thoughts

I'm consumed right now with planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner, work, and business, not to mention my family coming in early December.  So consumed, in fact, that I'm forgetting why we're celebrating to begin with!  Whoa.  Take a step back and breathe.

Recall the story of Thanksgiving in the US.  The pilgrims had suffered in Europe for their beliefs.  They'd been run around with no real home and no real rights; so, when the opportunity came for them to go to the new land, a place they could call their own and live as they saw fit, they took it.

The journey across the Atlantic was miserable.  In truth, they traveled at a difficult time of year, just before winter.  Many were terribly sick and the conditions on the ship were ghastly.  Once they arrived in Plymouth, it was already cold.  Nothing was growing and nothing could be started.  They had no shelter and had to quickly build basic places to live out of what they could find close by, and forage for any food they could, besides the meager rations they had brought with them.  The winter was brutal, and many died.  By spring, a great many of their number had in fact, died.  

How did any of them survive?  Because of the kindness of the natives.  They brought food and taught the people how and what to grow, as well as teaching about their native medicines.  The settlers realized this and were so grateful to the natives and to God for allowing them to survive that they held a huge celebration, using the very foods that saved their lives and by celebrating with the very people who assisted them in their time of need.  They celebrated for three days.  

Jesus brought help to the settlers in their most dire time of need, both in taking them to Plymouth and in the help of the native Americans who knew the land, and they were careful to give Him thanks for his provision.

I dare say that none of us have lived through the horrific experiences that the Pilgrims and company did.  We have not known real persecution, sickness, hardship, or poverty as they did.  We are so blessed.

I hope to list something I am thankful for each day until Thanksgiving.  Yes, I am still busy, but too busy to thank God?  I don't think so.  Join me, if you like, listing something you are thankful for.

Saturday, November 20:  I am thankful for love--the love of my family, my friends, and mostly my God, whose love is unfathomable.  He loves you and me with a perfect love.

I wish I had a fitting image to post here because, as they say, "a picture says a thousand words."  Alas, I have no appropriate photos and can't think of any copyright free pictures to post.  If you have any ideas, please let me know!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you came to the blog to check out products and sales, please scroll down to my previous post for the November sale.  And yes, I am planning something for Black Friday.  :-)

November Fun

What kinds of things do you do in November?  At our home, we're preparing for the quickly approaching winter.  The leaves are off the trees and in the yard.  We attempt to capture any dry days for mowing the leaves, which we either toss in the composting or leave on the lawn to compost themselves.

I've planted all the plants I bought, which I am happy about, but neglected to get in those I wanted to overwinter.  I had a nice geranium, some begonias, stevia, and more.  If there's anything left tomorrow, I'll get it in, but if I don't, well, that's the way it goes.

We went to the Rochester Public Market yesterday and bought a bushel of apples and a large bunch of bananas.  Guess what I'll be doing this week.  Yes indeed, applesauce and banana bread!

What are you doing with your November?

Rosemary & harvest goodies from the Agricultural Fair at Genesee Country Museum

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Below is a photo of my new 8 oz. lotion.  I am offering it in the following scents:   Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Gingered Orange, Love My Lavender, Honey Good, and Spun Sugar.  At $12, it's a great deal!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                               
                                                           SALE!

New 8 oz. lotion!  Winter is coming, and so is the need to moisturize your skin.  Do it with our larger size lotion.  Scents include:  Love My Lavender, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Spun Sugar, Gingered Orange, and Honey Good (with honey)!

November is the traditional month for giving thanks.  I would like to thank my customers by offering 20% off of any sale $40 and up (before tax or shipping).  Not to be combined with any other specials.  This is your chance to pick and choose what you would like to save money on!

Soap scents include: Lavender*, Gingered Orange, Lilac Breeze, Groovy Patchouli*, Black Raspberries & Vanilla, Rice Flower, Mint Medley*, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Fresh Clean Herbs, Spun Sugar, Daybreak* (spearmint & eucalyptus), Oatmeal, Milk & Honey in scented or no scent added, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Midnight Merlot, Peppermint Breeze*, Cucumber Mint*, Biergarten,  Honey Good, and Rice Flower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not on my site:

*Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea.
*Liquid shower gel: Natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00;  8 oz.  $11 -  In any scent listed above. (see special above)
*Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7; 8 oz., $12 *Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, Lavender, and any other scent I sell. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Let's Talk - Pumpkin Butter

Recently, I discovered pumpkin butter.  I tasted some, and immediately thought, "I'll bet I can find a recipe online, and make it myself!"  I was right.

I bought a pie pumpkin and got googling, unprepared for the variety of recipes I'd find.  Through all of my research, I learned a few things about pumpkin butter.  It can be prepared in many different ways, using many different spices and sweeteners.  I'll share what I learned, so you don't have to spend time googling.

Although you can start out with canned pumpkin, fresh pumpkin is best, so get one while the getting is good.  Find yourself a good-sized pumpkin.  Considering the work involved, you'd might as well get some quantity for your efforts.  In fact, if you want, get two pumpkins, or even three!  I ended up with 4 1/2 cups of pumpkin from my gourd.

Prepare your pumpkin.  This involves some method of getting your pumpkin peeled and in small enough pieces to cook down.  I put mine in the microwave for about five minutes so that I could cut it in half.  Then, I scooped out the seeds and goop in the middle and roasted the pumpkin for about an hour, at 325 degrees.  Yours may take more or less time; but to test it, just poke it with a fork, and once it's soft, it's done.  Next, I scooped the pumpkin out of the shell (very easy) and glopped it into the crockpot.

I happened to want heat that cold morning, so the oven method sounded appealing.  You may want to do something different.  You can cut it up and peel the skin and then put it into your cooking utensil.  You may also cut the pumpkin into quarters or smaller, and cook it on the stove in a little water.

Back to what I did.  Once my pumpkin was in the crockpot, I added:

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (1/4 t. would be better, I think)

Again, you may adjust the spices according to your tastes.  I think cardamom would have been a marvelous addition, but I didn't think of it at the time.  I would have added ground cloves, but I didn't have any, hence the allspice.  (Note to self:  put cloves on the list before Thanksgiving!)

Add sweetener, if desired.  You may add up to 1 1/4 c. of white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.  I put it a measly tablespoon of honey.  My family would prefer more, so I'll be doing that.  The sweetener really does bring out the flavors.

Add liquid.  You can add water, apple juice, or apple cider.  I added a little water, then went to the store and bought apple juice concentrate.  I used probably 1/4 cup and added water.  The amount you use will depend upon the consistency of the butter.  In the end, you want it very spreadable, but thick enough not to be runny.  The trick is to add a little and keep adding until you get the desired consistency.

Cook on low to finish cooking the pumpkin.  The amount of time will vary according to how cooked the pumpkin was and how much you're making.  Keep an eye on it, though, stirring every hour so it doesn't burn.

The final step is to puree' the blend so you're not eating stringy stuff.  I used a stick blender right in the crockpot, which is the easiest way to do it, using the least amount of equipment.  If you don't have a stick blender, try a mixer or a blender.  You might have to add more liquid if using a blender.

Voila!  You have yummy, nutritious pumpkin butter!

Variations:  Add apple.  Yum.

Cook on the stove, or throw the whole mess into the oven (once the pumpkin is scooped and peeled,of course.  You could even make it in the microwave, I imagine.  Just put a loose lid on it.

Here's my point on pumpkin butter.  There are so many variations in pumpkins and in tastes that printing just one recipe would be a disservice, to my way of thinking.  Once you try it, you'll see that it's not one of those foods that has to be prepared just so.  There are also variations in the taste and size of pumpkins that the result would never be the same twice, so no need to bother measuring carefully--and you won't hear me saying that often!

Let's talk for a quick second about canning.  If you look, you'll find instructions for canning pumpkin butter.  At one time, the USDA did condone canning pumpkin.  This is no longer true.  It's been found that the pH of pumpkin varies too greatly for reliable canning, so do not can your pumpkin butter.  It will keep for up to a month in your fridge (although I have my doubts), or you can freeze it.  I am storing mine in small containers so we can use it quickly enough that I don't have to worry about its keeping.

Love pumpkin?  Now, you can get soap made with pumpkin!  Limited quantities available.  Get it while it's available, just $5/bar.  Add it to my October special, Honey Good soap, also at $5/bar.  Just email me that you read the pumpkin butter blog.

See the previous blog entry for more information.

http://www.SoapAndGarden.com

It's Been So Long!

Every word of the title was capitalized to emphasize just how shocked I am at how long I went without writing my blog.  Yikes!  

Writing is one of my favorite activities, so to go this long without, well, it's like fasting.  I'm glad to be back.  :-)  I have a pumpkin in the oven, roasting for pumpkin butter, and I'm ready to go.

So much has happened--getting daughter Emily off to college, going out of town to take care of our grandsons while our daughter Beckie and her husband, Matt, move to a new (nice) home, canning, September perennial planting, a wonderful women's herbal workshop in Binghamton, and furiously collecting data and writing the "Raves for Faves" article for the Saponifier, among other things, have kept me busy.  I can't say I've been sitting idle!  

I think I'll catch up in short bursts rather than a long, droning essay, and I'll begin by cluing you in on some great information about polyphenols by my buddy and fellow soap and bath and body maker, Cindy Jones.  Poly what?  Don't give up yet, it's not too technical.  You'll enjoy the short article, and be glad you got the information.

Without further ado, http://www.facebook.com/notes/cindy-jones/phytochemicals-what-are-they/439386781570
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October Special!

New, Honey Good Soap - Made with honey and goats milk and honey scent.  You'll love how it feels!  Just $5/bar for the month of October.

Other soap scents include: Lavender*, Gingered Orange, Lilac Breeze, Groovy Patchouli*, Black Raspberries & Vanilla, Rice Flower, Mint Medley*, Sultry Sandalwood Vanilla, Fresh Clean Herbs, Spun Sugar, Daybreak* (spearmint & eucalyptus), Oatmeal, Milk & Honey in scented or no scent added, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Midnight Merlot, Peppermint Breeze*, Cucumber Mint*, Biergarten, and Rice Flower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not on my site:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00. In any scent listed above. (see special above)
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, and Lavender. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz. (see special above)

Honey Good Soap