Catching Up and Asking for Help!

This is just going to be a short blog to catch you up on what is going on here at Pigeon Creek Soaps. The 2010 Farmer's Market season will be over soon with our last dates being Oct. 22-23.  I have to admit that this has been the longest and most difficult season that I have ever worked. Plus the most costly due to losing 2 tent canopies. Part of the reason it was so difficult was due to the extreme heat and partly because I have been going to 2 markets this year instead of just our regular Downtown Evansville Farmer's Market.

To be honest, some of the difficulty may be just due to age creeping up on me. Honestly it was much easier to lift and carry heavy tubs of soap 20 years ago.  I hadn't thought much about gettin older until yesterday.  My birthday is coming up on the 12th of October and my husband was cracking jokes about my being an "old" woman this month.  Normally, age has never been a problem but I realized that I am going to be 60 this year and it hasn't been that many years ago when I though that 60 was ancient.

This ancient soapmaker has a couple of weeks more of the Farmer's Market and then the plan is to buckle down and concentrate on my new Artfire shop, writing for the blog, working on promoting the Artfire shop and working on my not so secret passion of refinishing furniture and a variety of small crafts.

I have started playing around with small sewing and painting projects in honor of the season. I started them for my own family's use since Halloween has been our family's most favorite holiday to decorate.  My daughter Seanna, who has William's Syndrome, is 31 this year and still loves dressing up for Halloween parties and trick or treating.

Here is where I would like to ask for your help. Do you have any suggestion for what you would like to see in this blog?  Would you like to be a guest writer for the blog or do you know someone who might be interested?  The topic does not have to be on soapmaking or toiletries.  If you have noticed the original name of the blog and business was A Scentsible World, so anything that makes sense in the world around us is an appropriate topic. Tutorials would also be great. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested please email me at bjrussell@insightbb.com  Be patient please. My computer is down so I am having to share with my husband until he gets my computer fixed or I get a new one. (Fingers crossed)

Also, before I forget I wanted to let you know that I took up Artfire on their offer on their Pro Account and I am in the process of making Artfire as my main sales venue. Please check it out at http://www.pigeoncreeksoaps.artfire.com/

Great Giveaway on Another Blog!

I found this fantastic blog with a wonderful giveaway that you should check out. I have to apologize for not writing more lately but between 2 Farmer's Markets, early Fall festivals and craft shows and my on line shops I have been swamped. I promise I will catch up and have some goodies for you in the next few weeks.

In the mean time, check out this great blog with her fantastic crafts. Also, she is running this giveaway for a week starting from Sept. 19 so go check it out soon! Here is the address

http://laurathoughts81.blogspot.com/2010/09/its-giveaway_19.html

How to Beat the Heat!

As the temperature rises and the risk for heat stroke increases, people should be aware of how their bodies are handling the heat. Many of us vendors of handmade items depend on the money we make at Farmer’s Markets and craft shows throughout the summer months. Minimizing the stress of heat on your body by staying hydrated will help keep you healthy throughout the summer.

Heat-related injuries can range from a relatively minor problem like heat cramps to a more serious condition like heat stroke, which can be fatal, so we need to pay close attention to ourselves as well as our neighbors.


Tips to stave off the sizzling summer temps!

 • Slow down! Strenuous activities should be reduced or eliminated, or rescheduled to a cool time of day. Try going early and giving yourself extra time to set up. Take your time and if you possibly can, leave before the extreme heat of the day. I have found here locally that most of my customers come early during the hottest days of summer, especially at the markets with little or no shade. I have found no major decrease in my earnings if I leave at 1 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. I have even handed out notes that I put with my customers purchases that explain that during times of extreme heat & humidity that my hours will be different that normal. I also have handed out coupons with 10 to 15 % off to ease the inconvenience as well as giving my home phone number and telling them to call me and we can arrange a pickup at their convenience.
• Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic fluids. Your body needs water to keep you cool and functioning. Drink plenty of fluids even if you are not thirsty. Caffeine drinks should be minimized. Water and sports drinks are better for you.

• Don’t take salt tablets unless prescribed by a physician.
• Dress for summer! Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing in single layers. Light colored clothing helps reflect the heat and sunlight and helps you maintain normal body temperature.
• Stay out of the sun! If you don’t have a tent to cover you and your products bring an umbrella. Always wear a sunblock (SPF 15 or greater) even on cloudy or hazy days.
• Please keep an eye on your neighbors. Older people and children are more susceptible to heat injury and often do not recognize it in themselves.
• Get a small "Playmate" type cooler, and fill it with ice and water. Take a small towel (an older, thin dish towel is great) and soak it in the icy water in the bottom of the cooler. When you need to cool off, take out the towel, wring it out a little, and drape it either over your head or across your neck and shoulders. If you have a large enough towel and it is especially hot you can fold it over and wrap up some ice, letting is slowly melt and cool you off. At the extreme heat and humidity that many parts of the country are experiencing it is more important to keep cooler than being “well dressed”. Heat stroke or heat exhaustion can be deadly.

• Recognize the signs of dehydration, heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Thirst, dry skin, fatigue, lightheadedness, confusion and dry mouth and mucous membranes are symptoms of dehydration. In cases of mild dehydration, simple rehydration is recommended by drinking fluids. Many sports drinks on the market effectively restore body fluids, electrolytes, and salt balance. More serious cases of dehydration should be treated as a medical emergency and a trip to the hospital will be necessary.

• Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness and is a life- threatening emergency. Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following: an extremely high body temperature; red, hot and dry skin(no sweating; rapid strong pulse; headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion; unconsciousness.
• What should I do if I see someone with any of the warning signs of heat stroke?

If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:
• Get the victim to a shady area.
• Cool the victim rapidly, using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
• Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
• Do not give the victim alcohol to drink.
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

WHY USE A MUD MASK OR THE DO IT YOURSELF FACIAL

We often forget about giving our skin the TLC that it so richly needs and deserves. We need to suppliment our daily skin care routine with a weekly mud mask facial. A mud mask is often the only way to remove the dirt and debris embedded deep in our skin layers. Our skin cells are constantly being replaced while dead cells accumulate and slow down our epidermal (outer layer of skin) function. The regular use of a mud mask removes those dead cells and stimulates the circulation of blood in your face. It can bring oxygen and other essential nutrients to the skin. Using a mud mask once a week to hydrate and tone your skin is the best way to help encourage healthy skin.

HOW TO USE A FACIAL MASK

First cleanse your face completely and rinse well with warm water. If you have oily skin you can use our All Natural Exfoliating Dead Sea Salts prior to using a mask.

For a real treat you can apply some honey, (preferably organic) under your eyes and dip some cotton balls into your favorite (cooled) herbal tea to place on your eyelids while you are relaxing during your treatment.

Apply the mask thinly to your face with very gentle strokes, moving your fingers away from the center of your face except under your eyes. For the eye area, gently stroke from the outer cheekbones inward towards your nose. Once the mask is thoroughly spread over your face, massage lightly into the skin. “For those of you who are like me and can not afford the sybaritic pleasure of a facial massage done by a professional, I always put a comfortable chair in our bathroom. Here is where I lie back into the chair with my eyes closed and covered with cotton balls dipped into a cool herbal tea and gently and slowly stroke my mask covered skin. If you are stressed out, worn out or just plain tired-This is the cure.” If you have a partner, talk them into a mutual facial. This can be a great experience. You just have to be careful and not completely spoil your partner!

After applying the mask lie down in a peaceful, comfortable place or relax in a warm bath for 15 to 20 minutes. To enhance the serenity and add to the experience dip cotton balls into cooled chamomile or your favorite herbal tea and cover your eyelids.

To remove the mask spread a warm washcloth on your face to soften the mask and then the mask will more easily wash off. Follow by dipping the washcloth in cool water and apply to your face. This will help close the pores of your skin and while refreshing you.

We recommend you use our Dead Sea Mud Mask with Moor Mud & Rhassoul Clay.

This mask is great for all skin types from dry to oily to acne prone. It evens out skin tones, soothes and calms your skin while it firms and improves elasticity.

This unique, natural and effective mask is formulated with Dead Sea Mud, Moor Mud, Rhassoul Clay and Coconut Oil which has been infused with skin loving herbs. This natural mask boosts cell renewal and revitalizes your skin while it tightens your pores. As the mask begins to dry the rhassoul clay gently pulls out toxins and impurities known to clog pores and cause visible signs of aging. The Moor Mud which contains almost no clay and consists mainly of organic remains of flowers, plants, herbs and grasses. Its mysterious ability to heal, nourish and detoxify has been observed by people for millennia and has been used scientifically in European Spas for well over a century. It is used not only to beautify, but also to heal. It has anti-aging, natural antibiotics, biochemical and anti-inflammatory actions.

The small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through the skin, giving it a soft, smooth texture. Easily absorbed into the skin the coconut oil which has been infused with Gotu Kola, Comfrey and chamomile carries the beneficial herbs into the skin. Gotu Kola strengthens the skin, increases the concentration of antioxidants in wounds, and restores inflamed tissues by increasing blood supply to connective tissue. It enhances the synthesis of collagen that results in the thickening of the skin which we know is necessary to combat wrinkles created from thinning skin. The comfrey has an ancient reputation as a wound-healer. The comfrey is loaded with the healing agents mucilage and allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells while the chamomile reduces inflammation, irritation, skin redness and it promotes granulation and skin cell regeneration.

For acne prone skin we recommend that you begin your facial treatment by cleansing your skin with our Moor Mud Bar. You can find the Moor Mud Bar here  here  You can add some of our All Natural Exfoliating Dead Sea Salts to the suds that you create with the Moor Mud Bar and gently exfoliate your skin to brighten, refresh and help firm your skin while removing oil and bacteria known to clog pores and dull your skin. Then follow up with our Dead Sea Mud Mask with Moor Mud and Rhassoul Clay
For dry or maturing skin follow up your mud mask with a quality facial moisturizer.

Someone Else Likes our Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse!

Wow! Even though this has been a terrible month for many of Etsy's wonderful crafter's and artist's, including me, because of Google's tweeks to their algorithms I am still a happy camper. One of my products was mentioned again on the Truth in Aging blog by another of my fantastic customers!

She was responding to the article “Junko- Old Hair and New Hair”. Laura wrote 2 responses to Junko mentioning my Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse and my newest product "Packaged Herbs for Creating Your Own Herbal Vinegar Rinse or Hot Oil Treatment".

You can find the article and Laura's responses to it here:  http://truthinaging.com/hair/junko-old-hair-and-new-hair

If you get a chance you should check out the Truth in Aging Blog at http://truthinaging.com/   It is full of interesting information.

You Can Make Your Own Hair Care Products!

I finally have received and packaged up all the herbs necessary to create your own Herbal Vinegar Rinse or Herbal Hot Oil Treatment that is specifically targeted for your hair.

It is easy to create your own special blend of Herbal Vinegar Rinse and Herbal Conditioning Hot Oil Treatment All you will need is Apple Cider Vinegar from the grocery for your rinse. For your Herbal Conditioning Hot Oil you can use Olive Oil from your local grocer. If you want a lighter oil you can infuse your herbs into Apricot Kernal Oil or grapeseed oil if you want an even lighter oil. Usually you can find these oils in your local health food store. The only other thing you will need is a quart canning jar or a jar with a lid that has a rubber seal.

Each package of herbs has been carefully chosen for you. Now you can make your own Herbal Vinegar Rinse or Herbal Conditioning Hot Oil Treatment and save money. These packages include enough herbs to make 1 ½ gallons of Herbal Vinegar Rinse and/or Herbal Conditioning Hot Oil Treatment for less than the cost of 2-8 oz. bottles of already prepared Herbal Vinegar Rinse. You could also use the same blend of herbs to create a weekly conditioning hot oil treatment. Each order contains a brochure with the complete instructions on how to make your own Herbal Vinegar Rinse and Herbal Conditioning Hot Oil Treatment. Choose from these herbal packets:

Blonde Hair- contains chamomile, calendula, horsetail/shavegrass, nettles, lavender, lemon balm, comfrey, mullein and marshmallow root.

Brunette Hair- Rosemary, Sage, lavender, nettles, horsetail/shavegrass, Lemon Balm, peppermint, marshmallow root, calendula

Red Hair- nettles, horsetail/shavegrass, rose, hibiscus, lemon balm, peppermint, comfrey, plantain, ginger, sage & rosemary

Dandruff Blend-peppermint, arnica, cloves, juniper, lemongrass, nettles, horsetail/shavegrass, rosemary, comfrey, plantain, orange, licorice root, ginger, Dead Sea Salt and Tea Tree Essential Oil and Rosemary Essential Oil


You can order yours here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/46430563/packaged-herbs-for-creating-your-own

My Stolen Weeds

Some people, if they knew the truth about me, would probably try to have me committed to the nearest mental institution. Several years ago we moved from our huge 2 story Victorian home with its substantial yard. I had devoted years of work to my garden with all the perennial beds, herb garden, rose bed and my “natural” lawn with its treasure chest of common weeds that provided me with a bounty of herbal delights. My husband was responsible for the mowing and I took care of all other gardening which to me was not work but a joyful pastime. But as we got older and he became more disabled, the huge house with the large utility bills and upkeep and yard with its demands became too difficult to maintain and we decided we needed to downsize. We sold the house and moved into a lovely triplex with a beautiful lawn surrounding us on 3 sides and a tiny but manageable private backyard.


Like idiots we ended up moving in the middle of the snowiest February recorded in the past 50 years. After a couple of months to settle in I decided that I was pleased with the change. But then Spring arrived and I realized that I was going to make a major change in my life. I was no longer going to be able to step out my back door with my bucket in hand and stroll through my yard and pick the major portion of the herbs necessary to make many of my products. The dandelion, chickweed, boneset, red clover, milk thistle, stinging nettles, shepherd’s purse, coltsfoot, burdock, eyebright- had all been eradicated from our yard because someone’s idea of a lawn is a perfectly maintained green expanse of Ky. Bluegrass, not marred, nor broken by weeds. This was a disaster!

As that first Spring and Summer passed I would enviously look at some of the neighbor’s yards so blessedly full of the unruly drifts of puffy dandelions, noxious spreading chickweed and the spikes of plantain that reach up over the grass to let you know it is time to mow. Finally I knew what I had to do. I had to plant weeds! I would cagily take my dog out for walks in the evening as the light was fading and “borrow” the puffy seedpods of the neighbors dandelions and break off the seed producing spikes from their mature common plantain. Thankfully I don’t think anyone ever saw me while out on these hunting trips and no one ever asked me what I was doing. It would be difficult to explain. But this is my third summer in our triplex and I am happy to announce that I have a glorious yard full of carefully stolen weeds.