Wordless Wednesday

Well...almost...but cannot quite go completely wordless, can we?

Today was paperwork day. Said I would have it done by noon. I pushed away from the desk at 11:58 A.M. . Yes! Like a school kid dismissed for the summer. I did my good deed, then I was released with a fresh mind to do the work I really love...make soap. Such a blessing.

Brewed in the shop today, Lily of the Valley goat milk soap. The fragrance this batch smells a lot closer to the real thing. I think we are going to like it, ladies (and gents)! Blended in bentonite clay for a touch of light green color and added silkiness.

Stopped and looked at the flower beds on the way back to the house. I have been weeding this bed like crazy. Something keeps eating the tops off of the zinnias. I do not think they will bloom this year, but the marigolds are pretty. This one is my favorite (sorry for the blur).

Wordless Wednesday...almost...nearly made it. :)

Vintage Finds and Handcrafted Soap

As I moved into my adult years I discovered my passion for vintage, primitive and antique furniture and other collectables. Show me something very old and I generally go ga-ga over it. When I bought this house I was looking for an older home with rooms that still held some of their old-time charm. I got it, alright, along with the problems that come with it. This old house = money pit, but I love the house and there could be worse things than a work in progress, correct? I am very happy. And very glad this old house is a part of my life.

Some of you already know my passion for soap began at a young age, around 8 years old, when I bought a "ball" of very primitive soap. I will tell that story again some day. I bought all kinds of soap throughout my childhood. Soap was an inexpensive thing to spend money on, thankfully! In my adult years I still bought different soap here and there, but mainly the Yardley variety that could be purchased at the neighborhood drug store. But then...I found it!

It was about 15 years ago when I was shopping in my favorite small Indiana town. I walked into the herb shop. I was admiring the scent of sage, eucalyptus, and other dried herbs, and I saw it. I saw the vintage butcher block table (very similar to the one pictured above) with handcrafted soap stacked on top. And for all of those years (since my high school days) I had no idea what the fragrance was called, but that bar of soap had it. I read the index card next to the soap, patchouli. Patchouli! The bars were not cut in a straight fashion, definitely hand cut, definitely handmade, yellow to tan in color, and smelled devine. The bars were not wrapped. A stack of brown paper bags was provided. I think you could buy 5 bars, get the 6th free. Oh yes, I bagged up 6 bars! My heart was thumping...this was exactly what I had been looking for, and I had just realized it. This was THE soap!

To this day I do not know who made that soap. I know it was good. It was wonderful on my skin. I did not leave it in the bathroom for my kids to use (bad me)! Besides that, as I said a few days ago, patchouli is a love or hate essential oil. I returned to the shop 3 or 4 times a year to make my soap purchase. There was also a soap shop down the path. They sold every kind of soap imaginable. Boxed soap, soap made somewhere else, many looked mass-made, interesting to me...but it definitely did not resemble the rustic handmade soap that I had learned to love. I never spent a dime on soap in that shop.

That is when I decided to make my own soap. That is when I started reading and learning. To this day, I am still on the natural path. I love boxing my soaps in brown Kraft boxes, stamped with my Annie's Goat Hill logo. I love the simple labels. If I could sell you soap over the internet off of an old worn primitive butcher block table, I would.

We all have our own styles, and I appreciate each and every one...but this was the beginnings to mine. I can see it and smell it. And I am crazy about it!

How about you, special passions or talents that you discovered, sparked through something simple, simple as handcrafted soap sold on a worn vintage table?

Product Monday - New Lotion Size

As announced in the June newsletter, some of my goat milk lotion fragrances are now available in 16 oz. bottles, with a handy pump top. Lavender and unscented are the first in stock, with more to be added in the upcoming weeks. And, if you want a scent in particular that you do not see on the site, you can always drop me an email, I will be more than happy to try to help ( anniesgoathill@gmail.com).

I have been testing the larger (than normal 8 oz.) bottle out myself. I love it! Having a bottle with a pump leaves me hands free after stepping out of the bath or shower, which is leaving me less likely to skip the moisturizing step this mature skinned woman needs. Oops, yep, I said it, mature skin. :)

I am having a beautiful Monday here. Got up with the chickens, before sunlight hit, made lotion before 7:00 A.M. . Crazy goat lady I am! Accomplished a lot, and now I am being treated with a beautiful day with work behind me. Hope you enjoy the day too!

New Product-Peppermint and Pumice

I am focusing and catching up with odds and ends on the website, on the blog, and in the shop today! It feels super to make progress!

As announced in the June newsletter, the new product has arrived, Peppermint and Pumice:

Most of us deal with rough spots on our feet. Calluses and rough spots can be less than pretty, but can also make us uncomfortable in our shoes as well.

One of the best pampering remedies I have found for the problem is to soak my feet, or even take a long bath, and then use a pumice stone to gently slough off the rough spots.

Followed up immediately with an application of cooling and soothing peppermint goat milk lotion.

Next, a pair of white cotton socks goes on the feet, and then...relax!

This is one special treatment, especially when shutting down at the end of the day. Your feet will love you for it, and the next day you reap the benefits. Soft feet!

Peppermint and Pumice is available in the goat milk soap store under gift sets and/or lotion. The product is packaged in a cellophane bag, raffia tied.

Just What Is It About Goat Milk Soap?

I have often wondered, just what is it about the goat milk soap that seems to help my skin, and per many customers, seems to help their skin (and their family members) as well?

I no longer suffer from acne, those types of break outs ended in my late 30's. What I do suffer from, however, is dry skin, and itchy bumpy skin especially in the winter months. I get the sandpaper skin effect behind the arms and the legs during the coldest of months.

I had a wonderful email conversation with an allergist/dermatologist out of Pennsylvania last week. She asked me several really good questions. I answered her as well as I could. I told her that I do not know if the benefits from goat milk products (that she is hearing about and observing from her patients) came from the soap itself (no added chemicals), or if the sensitive skin help came from the milk itself, or if the benefits came from the fact that it is pure soap (look on your store bought soap wrappers, most cannot legally describe themselves as soap)! The physician agreed, she did not know either, but she thought it was a combination of all of the above. She said many of her patients had come to her with improved skin, improved after using goat milk products, and that she was wondering why all of the benefits herself. So, I decided to do a bit of snooping around. I am a teach me type of person.

So, I began my Google search looking for studies on goat milk soap and goat milk products. I looked for results from actual studies. I did not find any. But what I did find satisfied by interest.

Here we go:


From the American Academy of Dermatology I began looking at their various online brochures. One in particular drew my interest. For dry skin it was recommended to use a mild soap, okay, we probably learned that in first grade. But, next (and I copy):


For severely dry skin, a moisturizer that contains urea or lactic acid may be helpful. Both ingredients help the skin hold water. These ingredients are so effective that over-the-counter and prescription moisturizers contain them. The one drawback is that these ingredients can be irritating if you have eczema or cracked skin.

Goat milk...high in lactic acid. There you go, bingo!

I continued to read on, do a bit of self-diagnosis, see the photo above, and I found other photos looking very familiar. My winter skin condition is called keratosis pilaris. It consists of tiny bumps, sometimes itchy, harmless, but bothersome...the treatment (to diminish the appearance and itching of the rash) also included creams and lotions that contain lactic acid. The condition never completely goes away it just looks better after treatment. Yes, I agree, I can attest to it diminishing!


I cannot rightfully say my products can cure your skin problems, I am not licensed to sell my products as a drug or medication. And I try so very hard to not sound like an irritating infomercial for goat milk soap, but my customers with sensitive and allergic skin are very happy campers, and so am I. Why? I believe it is a combination of things (as stated above) mild soap, no added preservatives, stabilizers or chemicals (other than those that contain fragrance and/or non-natural colorants), and the lactic acid (which works with the skin's PH balance).



Interesting...and I loved sharing it with you!

Ocean Breeze Comedy Scene

Today I was making great progress in the soap room. I made a batch of lotion for a new product set (to be announced) and I prepared another batch of lilac lotion for a potential customer who owns a lovely shop in Michigan.

I knew I needed to make a batch of Ocean Breeze goat milk soap. It is a must to keep 2 or 3 large batches on the curing racks at all times. And I have to agree with you all, it is good soap. It smells good. It lathers up softly, silky, and it leaves the skin feeling smooth, conditioned. I am not left with a dry skin feeling at all after bathing with Ocean Breeze.

So, today I prepared all of the ingredients, weighed, melted, etc..., and then I headed to the house for lunch.

20 minutes later I arrived back in the shop. I lined the large mold for the soap batch. Mixed the soap ingredients and immediately realized the batch seemed too small. My thought initially was, "Did I make a 1/2 batch?" I make smaller batches when I am testing a new recipe or fragrance. I thought through today's steps, all of them, and determined that I had measured out the full amounts of all ingredients.

As I questioned myself, the batch appeared to be going into trace (thickening) quicker than normal. "Think, Mary, think!" I told myself, as calmly as possible. You can start giggling here, by the way

As some of you are aware, Ocean Breeze also contains chips of white unscented goat milk soap (reminds me of a gently rolling ocean, white sand, sea foam).

I headed to the mold with the batch of very thick soap. Lined the mold with the chips, poured the soap. Well...there was NO pouring to it. I was having to lift it out by the large spoon full. As I pushed the last bits of white goat milk soap into the globs of soap, and saw that the mold was only 1/2 full, I suspected the culprit.

I had only added 1/2 of the oils!

What to do? What to do?

I knew I had a bad batch of soap either way I went, so I emptied the contents of the mold back into the soaping pot. And, yes, most definitely found the missing oils, right where I had left them. Again, could have already ruined the batch, so what the hay...might as well try it.

I began stirring all of that missing oil into the nearly solid mass of what should have been Ocean Breeze soap. To my surprise, it looked like lumpy pea soup with white chunks added. Ha ha ha. Lovely? Oh yeah, you betcha'.

My old arms got the work out. There was no electric gadget to whip through that mess. Stir and stir and stir. I had a vision of my restaurant quality stainless steel slotted spoon bending in half. Tee hee. Okay...stirred, and I finally figured it was time to try it again.

As I lifted the pot to carry it to the make table behind me I caught the corner of a container full of large utensils. Each and every knife, pail opener, you name it, fell handle first into the pot. So, each and every utensil was adorned with a nice thick blob of Ocean Breeze goat milk soap. I put the utensils on ignore status. I laid them on newspaper.

I poured the soap. It looked really peculiar. A little peculiar?

And the rest of the story is...the soap appears to be going through its normal process now. I think I saved it. I try to make Ocean Breeze a wavy type of soap. I want it to be irregular, but hmmm...not quite THAT irregular!

And the utensils...upon my return, I had to use a paring knife to clean the soap off of each and every handle.

I need a nap!

Normal Ocean Breeze...(today's batch above):

Organization is Working

How is everyone? I am fine, great, happy...even though I still cannot arrange the photos within my blog again today...I am being tested!

I worked today...yes...I know, it is Sunday. The husband went to visit his tutor for assistance with an exam that he is re-taking this week and I decided to catch up a bit more in the soap shop while he was out.

I love the photo of the new Yuzu fragranced goat milk soap. I think my phone took a good shot of it. I took a new mug shot for the lotions. I'll work on it again. Gone are the kraft labels. As much as I would have liked to make them work they simply had no stickability (I made that word up, it might exist though). Uh huh.

Lotions are my focus this week. Even though I leave the lotions on the website, they never show a back order, I can tell you, especially this week. I was sold out! Very few bottles remained. But I like 'em fresh, so that is how they go out whenever I cannot replinish the entire supply. But...my goal is to have the supply completely refreshed by Wednesday, all 10 scents.

I have been doing some cleaning and organizing as well. See the planner on the desk? It is working! The corner in the photos is my shop "office" so to speak. I have a real office in the house, where I am sitting now. I am considering moving my old PC into the shop so I can hook up an unused printer for labels. But...I am sort of (hmmm) out of room. The husband has suggested that I begin using a part of his wood shop for storage. He says he is going to have to build a new building. Nooo...nooo....and noooo.

Since I took you for a visit into the shop today. I thought I would show you what I was listening to as well. The CD is called Church In The Wildwood, Volume II. I think it was put together specifically for the Cracker Barrel stores. There are no vocals, the instruments are: hammered dulcimer, autoharp, guitar, fiddle and mandelin. Beautiful! Peaceful. I listen to many different kinds of music. If you knew what I was playing in my truck this week you would think I was reverting back to the early 70's. So I will leave that up to your imagination.

Is anyone else having problems with posting photos, specifically when you post more than one, does Blogger still allow you to move the photos within the post? Starting yesterday I have not been able to. It looks rather dorky to me to post 3 or 4 photos in a row with no verbiage. But that is what I will do until I get the problem resolved.

The First Day of Summer - Tomorrow

Having Blogger problems. So, I decided (just for today) to leave the photos where they are and leave the writing where it is at! I am NOT going to fight it today.

I am not one that likes to complain about weather, nor do I like to make it a point of conversation everywhere that I go. I know it is hot for many of us, but somehow I just had to share. Photo taken in my truck on my way back up to the house from the evening feeding (20 minutes ago).

This is Ohio, pretty much north, and tomorrow is the first day of summer, so what gives with 93 degrees?

I love summer, dearly, dearly love it. I love heat. I do not like cold. I appreciate heat. Can I say that again so I will convince myself? I love heat.

We do not have central air. We cool the back of the house (where we lounge and where we sleep) with a large window unit. The front of the house (including the kitchen, this office, and 3 other rooms are not cooled). I have a ceiling fan in here with me. Ha. At night I love to hear the frogs and I love the fresh air. Seldom do I want the windows shut.

But...

Yesterday I changed the ink in one of the printers. The page kept smearing afterwards. I began to think I had a bad ink cartridge. Hmmm...guess what the problem was? Humidity. The paper was bunching up. Uh huh...good clean crisp white paper taken right out of the ream. Crisp? NOT!!

I am summer gal, though. Give me 6 months of summer. I will take it. Just tell me the animals and world will not suffer from such a drastic change first.

Okay...next pic. Remember the tiny little rose plants I bought for 2.99 each? One is going to bloom! I have had beautiful roses in the past, not at this property. By the looks of this bud and the growth that I am seeing in all of the plants, I think I found a good spot for a rose display.

I did not put out a large garden this year. I need to rethink my kidding season timing next year because I need to work freezing and canning into my schedule. I miss those tasks. They give me peace a joy. As I sprinkled plant food amongst the beds today I saw 6 new green tomatoes. I need a big garden again. Did I ever tell you who taught me how to can? My husband. When we first married he converted a small "barn" in our yard, with loft to a summer kitchen for me. It was complete with a propane range, a small wall A/C unit, a table to work with, and storage for the canned goods. Nobody taught him how to can, he taught me out of memory from watching his mother when he was a child. Amazing.

I worked in the soap room for a while today. It is heated, cooled, very well insulated (put together better than this old house). And I am heading back out there for a bit later. Moved soaps down from the curing rack. Adding them to the website at some point this weekend. And Now I need to fill the empty curing rack spots with new soap! I sold all of my lotion this week. Lotion is something that I make without a lot of hassle, but that does not mean a thing. I need to eat, sleep, dream about lotion for one full day. Fill the warehouse as one of my good friends tell me. Then he turns right around and says in the next breath, "You need to rest." When I ask him about his contradiction, he giggles and says, "Well, you know me." Thank you!

Have any of you updated to Windows Explorer 8? And if the answer is yes, are you having any problems? It sure is messing with my use of Blogger! Sometimes I cannot leave comments. Sometimes I cannot see photos. And right now I cannot move photos within a non-published post. Arghhhh...computers, love them, don't love them, cannot live without them! And all the same...I am praying for patience. Loads of patience.

Stay cool...and hope you are enjoying your weekend, filled with many blessings!

Website Payment Problems...Head Still On Straight?

Just what is the goat lady up to today? The rolling head, still on straight? Has she lost her mind completely? Nah! Just almost.

Actually, I began the day by cutting the large batch of lemongrass poppyseed goat milk soap I made yesterday. It looked so pretty I picked up my phone and clicked a pic before the soap bars headed to the curing rack.

Afterwards, I made two large batches of goat milk soap. The first unscented. Seems rather popular these days. The second batch is lavender rosemary. Purposely, quite a bit lighter on the rosemary end of the soap this batch. Rosemary is a wonderful essential oil. I love the scent, but it also has such good skin care properties, such as antiseptic and assistant to dandruff and scaly skin. But it sure can wake up the old nose!

Then the day broke loose. The head starting spinning, rolling along (as I told Alix of Casa Hice) in an email.

If you experienced payment problems today, if the website did not accept your payment, or if you ever do experience problems, please carefully note what occurred and give me a call, or shoot me an email. As we all know, one tiny problem can mean one big problem is brewing. Luckily all of the customer payment issues were told to be unrelated, but my doubting mind (because I want perfection) still wonders...but life rolls on (and right now it feels like my head is off rolling somewhere).

I had a great conversation with a good customer from California today. Yesterday her husband asked, "Do we have any more of THAT soap?" The phone call was rather on the desperate end. The payment was not being accepted and the husband wanted more of THAT soap. People that call me get what they get, they get me, I am never going to try to be anyone else. If I break out in laughter, please laugh along with me. This is one short life, and I intend upon making it all that it can be. We got the order resolved, and Mr. CA is going to have some of THAT soap to shave with. By the way, THAT soap is Moroccan Dreams, and Sandalwood Blend, as well as Patchouli Blend. Mr. CA shaves with THAT soap. So do I (my legs love it).

Have a beautiful evening, day, morning, whenever you read this...and if you find my head anywhere...treat it nicely. I need it folks!

Cinnamon Rose Goat Milk Soap

The past several weeks have been busy times in the shop with the filling of orders and keeping the inventory of soap and lotion stocked. You would think I would get sick of soap, but no, I still love to marvel at the soaps before I box them up and send them out. I even love to look at the lotions, and there isn't anything colorful about them. Silly goat woman I am!

I am limping along temporarily with the camera on my phone this week. I wanted to get a good photo of this soap, but it blurred to a point. This is the cinnamon rose soap that I told you about. It also contains rhassoul clay, which is rich in minerals and helps to tone the skin. Rhassoul clay removes surface oil effectively, yet it assists with reducing flakiness and dryness from both the skin and the scalp. Honestly, I thought I would not like the scent when the customer requested it, but I love it! It will most likely be a keeper. It is not overpowering! I have not ran off with an end piece yet to test in the bath, soap is always "people" tested for quality on my farm, but from the looks of it, and based on the oils and clay used, I think I am going to love it. It looks nice, almost creamy-like, smooth, and smells terrific. It will hit the website within a couple of weeks (to be announced here).

And, last but not least, I had to take a photo of my helping friends tonight. A goat is geared towards food. They always think they are hungry, it is what drives them! You can separate a bale of hay, divide it up, and the herd always shifts towards the last morsel you placed in the feeder. Go figure. Hey kids...the hay is the same from beginning to end! Thankfully this bale was still tied. The kids knocked the wheel barrow over as soon as I snapped the photo...the munchkins!!

Up With The Roosters

Yes, the title and photo says it all. The day came to life very early this morning! I can just hear him crowing, the bossy fellow.

The husband is heading in one direction this morning for business and I am heading to the shop to work on filling orders and rebuilding the lotion stock.

Yesterday I took large boxes full of Annie's Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps gift sets to the retail location that displays my products. Once I returned to my shop I cut the rosemary shampoo bars from the freshly made loaf, the initial shampoo bars (made here). More on that product in the near future. I will discuss shampoo bars and what rinses can/should be used to maintain the proper hair PH.

The Brown Bag Special will continue through 6/30/09. At that time I am going to archive the sale. It was fun while it lasted! Many of the 3.5 ounce (average) bars are dwindling in number, but there is a nice supply still available for the Brown Bag Special. I absolutely love the newer chunkier bars (average 4.5 ounces)! The Brown Bag special, for those of you new here, includes 5 bars of goat milk soap (the same quality soap as the 4.5 ounce bars) for 15.00, plus a 5.00 flat rate shipping fee (special rate only for shipping within continental U.S.). These are assorted soaps, packaged in a brown bag (no individually boxed soap)...just right to get through the remainder of this slow economy! If you wish to place an order, the instructions and buy here button are located at the bottom of the goat milk soap store page on my website.

By the way...you know how honest I am...no rooster here...but I imagined up a strong image of the colorful proud guy crowing away a bit ago!

Have a fun Friday!!!!

Busy In The Goat Milk Soap Shop

I am a busy lady this week.

A retail location where I sell some of my products needed a replenishment of gift sets. I have been putting various sets together that include lotion, soap and bath salt/fizzies. The store carries handcrafted furniture and primitive candles/tarts, handmade purses, and beautiful homespun items for the kitchen and bath. My gift crates (made from reclaimed wood) and simple packaging fit right in. It puts a smile on my face!

I am working on a wholesale project as well, and keeping up with customer orders.

I have also been successful with keeping the curing racks full. No gaps. Pull one batch down, move those soaps straight to the website, put a brand new batch right in its place (ready in 4 weeks).

It has been busy, but I am enjoying the blessings in my life! I hope you are doing the same!

Mr. Yellow Tom Is A Helper Too

I am the sole Annie's Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps business person. I manage the goats (my husband helps with purchasing the hay and occasional goat treatments) and I operate the business end of everything. My hats include management, shipping, producing of product, accounting, finance, marketing and customer service. I love my hats...love, love, love them!

My closest friends ask me, "What are you going to do when you can no longer handle this on your own?" They see the growth, so do I. I do not know what the answer is. They are aware that I am aware. But, for now, it will be left to prayer. Leaving something to prayer does not mean that I do not think about it. My best thinking times are not done while sitting down and staring at blank space. I could be on the lawn mower, in the shower, or even feeding the goats in the barn. I do not worry about these questions, I just ponder from time to time. Making life's decisions, those that are not needing immediate attention, means (to me) to sit back and allow the random thoughts to roll through. It is like putting everything in a mixing tumbler. Let it roll gently, not violently, let everything big and little sift out. The answers will come.

I am way off track from my original topic here, but that is okay, and it all fits together! I like for people to know me for who I am, that is important.




As I was thinking about things in the barn this morning, preparing the milk machine for the girls, I saw yellow ears pop up out of the bucket that I toss used baling string into. Mr. Tom, the yellow cat from the last litter on the farm, had been napping in the bucket. The crazy fellow!



Mr. Yellow Tom was pretty much abused by his older brother, whom is fondly called My Boy on the farm. My Boy is a gentle cat that drank a lot of goat's milk as he was up and coming. I can rub his belly, play with him like a house cat. And when I find the teeth and nails getting over zealous, he listens to me when I say "that is enough." I find him following me around like a lost puppy. And I tell him, "Stay out of the road, I need you around for a while."


My Boy beat up on Mr. Yellow Tom when he was about 2 weeks ol. Mr. Yellow Tom would screech, the claws would fly, and I always said, "He (yellow) isn't going to make it." Well, those two are buddies, they were playing after all. And Mr. Yellow Tom ended up being pretty mean. You could not pick him up without a lot of human arm and leg damage.


Two weeks ago something changed. I found Mr. Yellow Tom rubbing against my legs in the milk room, "Meow, meow, meow." I decided to pick him up. Hmmm...what was that, purring? He now lives in the milk room 90% of the day. He is a fantastic mouser. He has a purpose, and he works for me, even though he does know it! He can sleep with the baling string any time that he likes. He earns it. And I do not need to pay a penny to the state for worker's comp...hmmm...he is quite the deal!



We have 6 brand new kittens now. Two yellow striped, two black and grey, and two black. The black kittens are mean. I am trying to make a Mr. Yellow Tom out of them, not sure I will be successful. But...each day they get a bowl of warm goat's milk. They could be well on their way towards earning their own Mr. Yellow Tom Awards!

A Beautiful Start To The Week

I love Sunday's.

As a child I insisted on Sunday School (SS), even if the rest of the family were going for donuts. Our building was seperated by miles from the "adult" church on the Army base. I loved SS, and even Vacation Bible School. Each and every Sunday I am reminded of those days. Carefree and filled with a warm beginning to the week!

I finally changed my calendar to June this morning. What a fantastic photo taken by Lynn M. Stone. I have seen several pieces of her goat photography. This one is simply beautiful. LOVE the colors!

The photo was difficult to take. Why? Notice the dark ring around the edges? Twice this week I dropped my camera on my shop floor, which is concrete. The zoom lense no longer focuses in and out as it should. So, temporarily, I will take close up photos of soap (the photo taken on in Introspection post below was one of them) with the broken camera, and distance photos with my old digital camera.

Anyhow...I did fill every single curing rack in the shop this week. I do not have a lot of racks. I probably need more. At one point during this past week I decided that just setting the goal of making more soap was not going to work, I needed to see measurable results. I did.

This week I am focusing on upping the production of goat milk lotion, creating shampoo bars (especially rosemary for Lynnanne). Non-business related, I need to get caught up on the lawn and weeding before the weather pattern brings the rain and storms in later this week.

But today, God's command for a day of rest, that is exactly what I am going to do. I am going to relax, visit with friends this afternoon, come back home and relax again.

Please, enjoy your Sunday!

A Bit of Introspection, Thoughts to Share

I love to read. I do not spend a lot of money on books, but the library I do very much love!

I am not much of a television watcher. I can barely tell you one show from another except for those that my husband frequents (and then I probably would not remember the actors names, nor the name of the show). I do not sit long. I am more of a person that likes to stay busy, and I have never really thought about it until now!

Based on one of the books that I am reading, I took the Clifton StrengthsFinder test to identify my signature themes. At first, after a 30 minute test, I looked at my themes and thought, "how lame." No...wrong...none of us are lame. We are all designed to meet a purpose in life. I strongly believe God made us the way that we are for reasons. We are to grow in our natural born abilities!

My strengths are (in this order): Learner, Achiever, Empathy, Responsibility, and Focus.

Hmmm...I thought about the Learner and could not figure out how that could be good. Oh yes it can! How do I know about making soap? I began collecting it and became interested in it when I was 8 years old. I taught myself to make soap. I read a lot of books and did a lot of studying. I never witnessed a video or a single person making soap. Self taught. I also taught myself to raise a herd of goats. Again, tons of reading and studying. Then I thought about the job that I retired from, taught myself the ins and outs of government student loan rules and regulations. I took that 4" thick manual home a lot. And I loved trying to interpret it. I ended up teaching others, leading classes (even though I was a very shy person). It fit like a glove. Is that such a bad thing? Probably not. So...the moral of my story is, do not beat yourself up for what you are good at. Make it better!

We all have natural talents and we tend to not see them. We go from day to day and forget that we are special. No, I do not like to wag my tail. I am a private type of person, but I am passionate about talking with people.

Achiever...not a bad thing either. That explains why I feel I must accomplish something each day. I must do something that is worth my time. I can relax and rest, but I also must do at least one constructive thing. On the days when it feels like everything goes wrong, it is quite the battle for me. Then I stop and remember, I am human, and I laugh. Again, I feel there is a reason for everything. Perhaps a goofed up day is a signal that we need to rest!

Empathy...this does not mean that we know everything about everyone, it is a gift of instinct. I can easily sense what people are feeling, what they might need, or even what kind of day they are having. This is probably why I can easily talk to strangers, or chit chat on the dime. I do not try to be a mother hen, I just seem to easily understand.

Responsibility and Focus...again something that makes me tick. I have to have something to do that has meaning, and I love to focus in on something difficult until the job is done, and the job is done right. I catch myself planning out the steps...just how do I get to the end result?

I am not here today to talk about myself, I am here today to remind my friends that we all have special gifts. Perhaps we are not good at being a sales person (cold calls), or perhaps we are not an extrovert that needs a crowd around us, or perhaps we are not good at speaking in front of a crowd, but we all have special gifts and talents that we can focus on, appreciate, and grow in. We can brush up on our weaknesses a tad. But do not focus on what you cannot do, focus on the natural good in you, and run with it.

I go into my soap shop and I think about everything that I can accomplish. What can I create? Where have I gone in life (and I never focus on the negative past), and where do I want to go? That is what we are designed to do...do what we do best. I love hearing that others are happy with what I sell to them. It isn't all about the money, it is more about them finding a product that they really are satisfied with.

Introspect? Perhaps...but more that I wanted to share with you! I feel inspired.

Progress In The Goat Milk Soap Shop

I have been telling everyone about my goals this week.

One of my soap related goals was to remove soaps from the curing rack, transfer them to holding boxes. Accomplished today, except for a few stragglers that ended up in bags in a display cabinet. Hmmm...need to make some room...somewhere...oh, where...but somewhere.... .

The next goal was to fill the curing rack with new soaps by the end of the day, Saturday. I am getting there...but I have a LONG way to go! The bottom shelf is only 1/2 full. The top shelf (you cannot see it) holds boxes of empty lotion bottles, cream jars, and lids. Those boxes will be removed by Saturday. And soap will be in their place.

Progress today...removed 5 batches, replaced with some new soaps to cure.

For those of you that have commented on some of my soaps, Cherries and Berries goat milk soaps are back on the curing rack, as well as full-sized Orange Mint, along with some other "favorites." Just 3 or 4 weeks and the soaps will be back on the website. The signal told me, "We want more."

Ocean Breeze has sold out, except for the bars that are on hold. You can see the new Ocean Breeze bars in the middle of the curing rack. A little more green than blue this time, but still, reminds me of white beaches and a beautiful clear ocean. Refreshing!

Take care...and I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit today in the goat milk soap shop. Perhaps I can create a version of Internet Smell A Vision?

Fruit Salad and Goat Milk Soap

I throw in a strange title now and then...but then, what does fruit salad and goat milk soap have in common?

Perhaps color? Green, orange, yellow, peach, grape (violet), pink? Could be, very well could be.

Perhaps scent? Mango, peach, citrus...and perhaps a few other lovely fruits.

Okay, so far there are similarities...so let me tell you the real story. I headed to the soap shop today, knowing my goal was to make one large batch of soap. I looked through my essential oils, no, nothing appealed to me. Looked through my fragrance oils, no, nothing appealed to me.

Then the creative juices flowed, or were they fruit juices? If it involves me, it might be fruity...but wait...we are talking soap, not a tired old brain function. :)

I have a lot of small amounts of fragrances left in bottles. Enough to scent a couple of batches of lotion, but not enough to scent soap.

Then it hit me, just like a Hawaiin punch, summer fruit salad! The pen and ink came out, plans were made (I always record beforehand so it makes it to my spreadsheets later) and then the mixing began. Let me tell you, if it had been fruit salad, it would have been devoured.

Don't ask, because I am not sure what I am going to call it. I hope it continues to look and smell as it does today. If it does, someone may want to put it out of reach of the youngsters. They will love it...and perhaps the oldsters will too. I don't know any of those, do you?

Have a good evening! I am tired and heading to a hot bath with a bar of soap that I am testing. New recipe. So far soap #1 does not pass the test, a little soft. But it does really condition the skin. Soft with no lotion needed. It may just become a "speciality" soap...just for extra skin care purposes.

Blogging

The original pledge to myself was to never miss a day of blogging. Hmmm...I have broken my own pledge. 10 lashes with a wet noodle...not!

I remember reading a soaper friend's blog one day. She had not blogged for a week, and then she wrote (to the effect of), "My mother said to get busy making soap. She wants to see soap progress, not blog progress." Sorry for dropping the soaper's name, I have a number of wonderful soaper friends and the quote sticks in my mind, but not the name that goes with it!

Recently I have made great efforts to build the soap and lotion stock up. It is a must! As my best friend said to me, "You need to fill that warehouse!" Yes, sir!

Fill...fill...and fill...but I do miss writing.

All good things in their own time...patience.

A Beautiful "Me" Day

I love many things in life. I love my husband, my friends, my family, and my animals. If you notice, I did not mention any material things. There are other things that I love too, but they pale in comparison.

But sometimes, despite the need that we have for people, we also have a need to be alone. Today was one of those days.

Upon mutual agreement in our household, today I did what I love most, and the dear husband did what he loves most. I went to the soap shop, and he gave himself a good rest.

The curing racks are not so bare recently. I have been a hard working lady! I made a double batch of lavender peppermint goat milk soap today (not shown). Making the small single batches is no longer adequate. I love making soap in smaller batches. I feel like I have more control over the quality. So, instead of making larger batches, I still make smaller ones, just several at once.

I also received my new bottle and jar labels this week. I will be phasing out the kraft label look on the bottles. I love the kraft brown paper look, it fits into the scheme of everything (basics from the farm), however, they sure do not stick well. And as you know, WE NEED STICK! So, I have moved on to clear labels (below, and I apologize for the blur). Why are cameras stubborn just when you don't need for them to be? :)

Goat Milk Soap Making In The Shop Today

Power outages are definitely challenges to any of us, and it is truly a challenge to me on the farm.

Yesterday evening the power went out right before I brought the girls into the barn. I waited 20 minutes and then...I hand milked the 9 girls. Needless to say, my carpel tunnel syndrome is doing double duty today. But I am surviving. I really do enjoy milking, and wish I could do it by hand each and every day.

I was determined to make oodles of goat milk soap today, and I got the job done (a little later). Right before I started the 3rd batch the power went out again. So, the husband and I headed to town to get a much needed garden rake and a few flowers. I always get the red, purple and white petunias for the front porch.

I was able to resume soap making later in the afternoon.

I made a soap today that smells wonderful, grassy, with a touch of juniper berry. I love it. So far, so good!

I am running behind again...scooting down to the barn. Oh, by the way, we ran into the power truck down the road on our return home, my husband had to tease them, "Are we going to lose power tomorrow too?" Nope...the switch has been repaired.

Have a good evening!