Monday, November 2, 2009

Starting Again!

After taking a few months off from this blog, it is resurrected! I am starting several new projects around my farm and with my business, so I decided to journal my progress along the way. Perhaps a few readers will learn from my experience as well.



One project is a vegetable garden. I began yesterday--yes it's odd to be starting a garden in November, but I don't want to have to till the ground in the spring, so I am putting stuff on top of the grass and, voila, by spring, I will have a wonderful place to plant those veggies. Here's the formula:



6-8 sheets of newspapers then 2-3 inches of straw and manure, then 7-8" of fallen leaves, topped off with 2-3 inches of manure.



Good thing I have manure-producers right here on the farm!



I've completed a 4 foot x 12 foot plot so far--I want to triple that space in the next week or so. Hope the weather holds!

Friday, March 27, 2009

We Are Moving!

SoapWerks closed its doors at our current location on March 20th. We have joined with May & Co., just across the street from our old location.

May & Co. has a beautiful shop and I am happy to be there!

So, stop in to visit us at 107 Main Street in Midway. Our hours are Tues-Sat., 11-5. Or you can find our products on the web at: http://soapwerks.etsy.com

Happy Spring!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Essential Oil of the Month--Cinnamon

Cinnamon essential oil smells so good! It is a wonderful fragrance for the winter months. From an aromatherapy perspective, cinnamon helps introspection and reflection.

I recommend using cinnamon to scent the home environment rather than on your skin. It is a powerful oil and many people have reactions to it on their skin. It can be used in a highly diluted form, if desired, but keep away from mucous membranes and eyes.

I used cinnamon oil in SoapWerks' soy wax candles and potpourri. Visitors to your home will think you've been baking! Cinnamon blends well with clove, pine, lavender, and patchouli essential oils.

Here's a recipe for a simmering potpourri. This is excellent to simmer on top of a wood stove:

1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup whole allspice
1/4 cup broken cinnamon pieces
1/4 cup dried orange peel
1/4 dried peppermint leaves
10 drops cinnamon essential oil

Mix all ingredients together in a simmering pot, fill with water, and simmer. This may be used several times and freshened with more cinnamon oil.