Drats, Winter AGAIN!

I only have a few jars left!

Is it just me, or has winter come early this year? I remember when I was a kid on an Iowa farm and it was always, always full and complete winter by Thanksgiving. Sometimes we’d have trouble driving the few miles to or from Gramma’s house. I think we Midwesterners have had it easy the past several decades. Anyway, the view of the garden from my window is already white and the wind is howling. I need to remind myself that Nature is simply renewing Itself.

Last round of Tincture making

The soap kitchen has been lately the scene of many frustrating experiments, mostly involving my attempt to make bath melts. Every night at bath time I am the recipient of my own cockamamie research. My desire to avoid synthetic ingredients such as polysorbates and their ilk as emulsifiers has caused repeated failures. Today I decided to allow one more morning’s worth of trials and have been rewarded with what I believe to be a passable product. Actually dropping the thing into my bath will tell the final tale. I’ll keep you updated and list the ingredients should it turn out fabulous.

Looks good, smells good, but horrible in the bath!

In between failures I’ve created a wonderful product I call “Goddess Bath Tea”. The ingredients are very simple and wholesome and friends who volunteered to test this have given it glowing reviews. Thus, it’s made and packaged and will be up on the website this next week.

Two of the six new Bath Teas

I also messed around with recipes for a super moisturizing body cream and I’m really excited that I seem to have succeeded. It could be a little smoother, so plan to whip the next batch. Here’s a photo. Now I just have to find willing participants to use it and give me reviews. Volunteers?

This will soften even the roughest skin

 Last but not least, I’ve spent many hours felting soap. This will also be up on bechardsbotanicals.com soon. Meanwhile, here are some pics.

Nice little Christmas gifts

 Felted soap delivers just about the most luxurious bath I’ve ever encountered. It’s pampering to the extreme.  

Catnip Jute Stocking for the discerning kitty

Little stocking stuffers!

 Now you know why I haven't had time to blog...