Hello and Merry Christmas!! Its been a whirlwind year so we thought we would do a quick round up of what's been happening at Two Blooms.
Legendary Shampoo Bar
Take a look at our beautiful Sand & Silver pieces.
Stay tuned for new products in 2023. Can you guess what we are launching?
We will be back to posting consistently on here (well, thats the plan:) but we wish you a very merry Christmas and good things for 2023.
After weeks of not being able to find sanitizing wipes at stores I took matters into our own hands and told Caron I was going to create my own. The plus side was we had all the ingredients to create our own at home. Now that I’ve made this version I’ll never go back to store bought again.
The first dilemma was figuring out what container to use to hold the wipes. In the end I ended up using a plastic container that was tall enough to hold half a roll of paper towels. For this version we used Bounty paper towels because that is the what we had on hand but I’m sure other brands would work just fine.
This recipe takes about 10 minutes and can be switched up to include different essential oils.
Get your paper towel roll and cut it in half with a sharp knife. Make sure the height will work for your container. The container I used was narrower then the roll so I used a partly used paper towel roll.
Take the half paper towel roll and put it inside your container
In a separate glass jar combine the water, alcohol, liquid soap & optional witch hazel
Stir everything together and then add in your essential oil combination.
Slowly pour the mixture over the paper towel roll inside the container. I made sure to soak the entire roll with the solution.
After a few minutes take out the cardboard tube inside of the paper towel roll
I found there was too much mixture inside so I poured out excess liquid and put it in a mason jar with lid to use in the future.
Also kept the other half of the paper towel roll nearby to replace when this one is finished.
It’s easy peasy to make and your counters will be sparkling clean with great smelling wipes.
Recently I discovered a new product by We Love Eyes and today I’ll be talking about the Eyelid Scrub Kit.
A few weeks ago I was overdue for an eye exam and when I met with my optometrist I asked her to recommend a product for blepharitis. It’s a condition that causes inflammation in the eyelids. In my case my eyes get red, itchy and at the base of my eyelash on the bottom part of my lid (sometimes I get it on top too) I get these flaky bits. It often feels like something is in my eyes almost like sand. My optometrist recommended We Love Eyes so I was curious to try it out.
This product duo is safe for your eyes and includes tea tree oil to keep your eyes sparkling clean. It was created by Dr. Tanya Gill and is great for those with dry eyes and blepharitis. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, gluten free, paraben-free & sulfate-free.
First I used the tea tree eyelid & eyelash cleansing oil. It comes with a glass dropper and I used a Q-tip and applied 2 drops to one side and gently glided it along the base of my eyelash with my eyes closed. Then I opened my eyes and applied the Q-tip along the base of the lower lash line as I tend to get flaky areas there. Then use the other end of your Q-tip and apply more drops for your other eye.
It felt soothing after I applied it to each eye.
For the second stop I applied one pump of the tea tree eyelid & eyelash foaming cleanser to a washcloth and used this to gently sweep across my eyelid with my eyes closed. Be careful not to open your eyes. Then wet a washcloth and rinse off. Repeat with the other eye and you’re good to go. The cleanser also works well removing make up.
After about 5 uses I’m really enjoying this product. My eyes feel so much better and happy after using it. HIGHLY recommend this product.
When ordering the The Eyelid Scrub Kit online you can choose to add the adorable love cloth zipper bag to your order. It’s a great storage option.
If you try this product leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
Michelle
]]>What makes a good lip balm? In my opinion, I prefer plant based, so our lip balms are all essential oil based - we often get asked for various flavours that don't exist in natural form, .All of our lip balms use pure essential oils ( that we source ourselves to make sure they are the highest quality we can find) and are 100% plant-based.
There are few things that really irritate me. Buying a lip balm and smoothing it on your lips only to feel grittiness - do you know what I mean? There is no reason for that silliness (unless of course you are wanting an exfoliating lip massage.)
We're really happy to have been approved by PETA as cruelty free beauty, we do have a lip balm with beeswax in it which is the only item that isn't vegan. Probably when we finish up the Rose lip balm we'll switch it over to vegan. We also don't use any nut oils in our lip balm and as I explained to the nice lady at the fair, yes we know how wonderful almond oil is, but too many of our clients have nut allergies.
We offer choice and experience and our organic lip balms currently come in 2 scents (we will be adding to the line soon). We have Surf's Up Mint (with a lovely cooling mint blend), & Tofino Morning Chai (a beautiful chai blend that reminds one of sipping a Chai latte and staring at the ocean). Watch this space to hear about a previous favourite returning with a new twist.
And packaging. People buy products with their eyes first, so we’ve always used tubes, different shapes and colours, but we stick with the tubes as we like to be able to roll up our lip balm and apply it to our lips. Again, its preference – what do you prefer for lip balm, tube or pot?
]]>Nowadays, who has time for a bath? Quick shower, scrub down, in and out and on with the day. Really? We don’t have time to take a bath? That’s sad (and I am preaching to the choir here). What if we allowed ourselves time each week for a long, luxurious soak in a tub. Add a little bathing salts to the water and reap the benefits that help improve circulation, reduce tenderness and a balm for sore muscles, arthritis and tension.
So my research has taken me to the study of bathing through the ages. The Romans were known to have 3,000 people bathing simultaneously including huge food feasts, theatre and a little massage thrown in for good measure. The feasts, theatre and massage sound good to me, until I think about the 2,999 other people in the tub with me. In the words of Jimmy Fallon, ‘ewwwww’.
The Egyptians bathed for purification before daily prayers, the Japanese bathed to cleanse the mind while the Greeks took cold showers to fortify their spirit.
Did you know that salts can help the body detoxify by opening pores and cleansing away dirt and toxins? Soothing skin that is ravaged by the wind and the elements. Add a little essential oil and we’ve got bliss. We go a step further by using salt from the Vancouver island Salt Co that hand harvests gourmet sea salt from the cold, clear water of Vancouver Island. Then we add in our essential oil blends with organic botanicals that we grow on our farm (ok its just our backyard, but farm sounds so much more impressive:). Then package these delicacies up for your bathing pleasure. All you need is a scoop into your warm bath and immediately your senses will be filled with calm and serenity. You’ll imagine you’re on the West Coast storm watching in a cabin, with a roaring fire in the fireplace while you lounge in your drawn bath of heaven. Afterwards, the masseuse will come by to massage your muscles and just as they finish, the chef will arrive with a banquet laid out before the fire. The giant tv will have your favorite show on and you’ll cozy up on the couch and eat.
See? Don’t you wish you took a bath more often? Just imagine where it will take you and when you use our bathing salts, we can’t guarantee the cabin, the masseuse or even the chef but we can promise bliss and serenity with just a scoop.
]]>Not sure where my fascination with chai began but it's all around me these days. Years ago we started making soap & lip balm & candle called Tofino Morning Chai and last year we added on a coconut wax version of this heavenly blend. Thinking back I've always loved cinnamon spice so that's probably where the fascination took root. Then a few years ago I started loving ginger and there is even these divine tasting ginger candies I discovered at a home show and I've been hooked on them ever since. Beyond just the taste of chai though there is emotional reaction to it. When smelling or drinking it I feel cozy, warm and comfortable. The spicy aroma lulls me into another space and the cares of the world seem to drift away.
Today I'm sharing a Chai Latte recipe.
You can make your own Chai spice using this recipe:
If your really short on time or don't feel like making the mix you can just use either loose leaf chai tea or you can purchase a chai tea powder blend at a health food store. If you are using the ground or loose leaf chai you can use a full coffee scoop and add 2 bags of tea to a small 2 cup teapot. Then I just heat almond milk on the stove and add to my tea when it's steeped.
Lately I've been making this drink quite regularly as it's been quite chilly in Victoria this year. If you try it pop in and let me know what you think of it.
]]>Hello blog, it’s been awhile and I’ve missed you so I decided to come back and write again.
The New Year came in and I barely noticed it. My sister and I always say it slows down but in honesty it really doesn’t. The only difference is we aren’t doing live shows during the first few months of the new year. As I mentioned in an earlier post we’ve embarked on a healthier lifestyle making fitness and eating well a part of our routine.
In March Caron and I had chance to go to Toronto for a week and attended an Etsy conference so we decided to make it a holiday of sorts. We are originally from Toronto and I hadn’t been back in a long time so for me it was like visiting home again as I grew up and went to school there and have so many memories. I was anxious about our flight as the last time we flew to Kona Hawaii the turbulence was really bad and it was terrifying so I haven’t flown since. The trip to Toronto was pretty smooth and I was able to watch the new Star Wars movie The Force Awakens (ps I've only see the first Stars Wars and I was able to catch on pretty quick) on the way there. I love the simplicity of the clothing Daisy Ridley wears and it reminded me of the simplicity in skincare and how fewer ingredients can make a big impact.
When we got to Toronto friends picked us up at the airport and it was cold so I was glad I had on my winter coat but didn’t bring boots.
During our week there I got to meet up with my best friend that I’ve known for years. We went to a great restaurant called SOCO Kitchen and Bar and I had a delightful quinoa/kale dish. The scent were savoury and herbaceous and got me thinking of essential oils and how they impact our senses. The second time we met up she took us to IQ Food Co a hip place where we had a raw chocolate smoothie and a noodle box. The atmosphere was very cool with lots of urban folks popping in for a bite to eat. Everywhere I go I tend to think about why a place attracts customers. Being able to see dishes being prepared in front of us made us feel involved in the experience. Afterwards she took photos of us near her work at Queens Quay.
We covered as much ground as we could in the city while we were there including visiting my favourite childhood Italian bakery called Sanremo’s Bakery and it tasted better then I remembered. Notes of coconut, vanilla and spicy scents of pizza and pepperoni filled the air and I was reminded why I love scents to so much even now as they were a part of my every day life as a child. I visited my old school, home and library and it was a reminder of the rich life I’ve led and the cultures I’ve been exposed to and I realized how far I’ve come from those earlier years. I now have my own business and two degrees and I’ve had the privilege of travelling to places like Guyana, the Philippines, Europe and some states in the USA (Arizona, New York, Oregon to name a few). Now I’m living on the other side of Canada in the west coast.
The Etsy conference was lively and went by like a whirlwind. I met some lovely new friends and learned new skills along the way. The food was amazing and we went for dinner at The Wickson Social which was out of this world. What made this night so special was the the buffet style of food that was laid out for us and also the low lit lights. There was also this chill out and relax from the every day pressures of life.
There was slush ice and snow everywhere with an unexpected cold wave. It was freezing cold during our time there and it snowed with slush and ice everywhere. It was a delicate balance navigating but I took it all in stride and instead focused on the things I loved about the city I was born in. I loved seeing all these places with new eyes after so many years away. I was reminded of the scents that surrounded me as a child, the warm almost cinnamon scent of sugar cookies, the scent of hot chocolate chip cookies and the about cups of tea I would drink with their warm almost vanilla like aroma. Some of these scents are infused in our products like our Tofino Morning chai soaps and candles.
As we knew the transit system we liked the option of jumping off and on as our whim dictated. I kept thinking of the one product I wish I'd had brought with me and I was dying for our wild crafted shea butter but not just any butter we'd made before. This one was going to be infused with our wild crafted cottonwood that we picked over a year ago and have been infusing ever since. The smell is sweet but sort of warm and with a faint smoky scent. It's very hard to describe but so addictive.
In this new year most of us make resolutions. We either make them and don’t keep them or make them and keep them. This year Caron and I wanted to make a resolution we would stick with and we decided to focus on clean eating and exercising because our lifestyle was slowing us down and we weren’t living fully. It’s been a huge shift for both of us. In the past, we made most of our meals from scratch and always ate healthy, but our downfall was portion size and snacks ie. cookies, chocolate, salty treats etc. Our rewards for a job well done was always desserts.
Speaking for myself I’ve wanted to get back into shape and clean up my diet for a while now but as a business owner there were always other needs to be met. That resolve just kept being put on the back burner, and it was easy to do because I justified that I simply didn’t have time.
Starting January 3rd Caron and I embarked on a health quest. We followed a 28 day challenge complete with exercises for each day and a meal plan, we found in a health magazine. Prior to this day I had started eating healthier and cutting out snacks about 6 days before. There was no focus on portion control and I exercised maybe 2-3 times during that initial prep week. The day before we went out to buy groceries and plan out our week. Day 1, I was gung-ho and ready to go. Early on into week one and two I realized how out of shape I was compared to the exercises that the magazine suggested. I’m guilty of being a perfectionist by nature, so of course I thought I could do everything perfectly (side note I’ve been in great shape and much more toned, in the past). You forget how lazy you’ve become and how complacent your body has been. The second day of the challenge fell on my birthday and instead of saying “no way I cant eat anything”, I ordered a half portion of a wonderful breakfast at a great local restaurant (The Village in Estevan for those local folks in Victoria, who may be reading this). Then had two divine slicesof chocolate cake for dinner and walked for exercise.
All this to say the past 29 days have been grueling, uncomfortable and a huge mental psychological shift for both of us. We are continuing on for at least another 4 weeks and hope to keep going after that.
Do I suddenly have more time, this time around? No not at all but I’ve had to shift some priorities around and focus on committing to this goal I’ve set before me. My body is getting stronger, I’m feeling better and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.
How did we cope? These products were our essentials: lip balms for long brisk walks, candles and sea salt soaks for soothing baths, face moisturizer and toner for recovery time. So grateful for sisters that motivate you and awesome coaching tips from Michelle Maynard. If your really curious about my personal fitness Instagram you can check it out @westcoastwilderness on Instagram.
What are you most proud of at this moment or this month?
]]>Two Blooms had an amazing rest over the holidays but deep down I knew my blog was waiting. As hard as it was to not keep writing, Caron & I both needed the break and time away for our minds to wander and dream. I hope everyone reading this post had a great time during Christmas and New Years.
Setting boundaries? What are they and why is it important? This is what I’ve been mulling over lately. When you reach the end of the year you look back on what you did and how effective it was or if anything needed to be changed.
Are you a mother or father and feel like you are juggling too many things? Are you a student and you’re going to school and working a part-time or full time job and trying to have a life? (yup I’ve been there and it’s not pretty) Maybe you’re older and retired and everyone assumes you have nothing to do so you feel you have to say yes to everything. Or you work for yourself and no one understands why you are busy when you work from home? (I can so relate to that one).
According to Wikipedia Setting boundaries can be described this way. “It is the practice of openly communicating and asserting personal values as way to preserve and protect against having them compromised or violated. “
If we don’t have boundaries we feel frustrated and end up doing too much and get resentful because either we can’t say no, we feel guilty about saying no because we feel roped into something, or we are just one of these people who wants to make others happy.
Having boundaries allows you to be more effective at what you do. Psychologically you aren’t hampered by the emotional baggage that comes from constantly saying yes. You live a happier life.
So looking back on last year are there things you could have said no too that would have given you more free time to do the things that were more important? As you’re reading this, set a goal to have more boundaries in your life and say yes to those things that you really want to do. If saying no is difficult, start small every week and if you feel stuck when someone asks you to do something say “let me thing about that” or “let me check my schedule and get back to you.” Then every week mark out your calendar and look at free spots during your week and decide if this thing you are saying yes to is something you really want to do.
]]>I hate to admit it but I’ve gotten caught up in the busyness of the season. My sister and I are entrepreneurs after all and it’s very hard to take a breather and slow down. We’ve written about this topic before here, here, here, and here but every time we go through it, it seems to feel different.
This week-end we are doing a very merry Etsy Pop Up Market (my sister is the Victoria Etsy lead). Today is the first day and we are here for 2 more days right in the core of downtown. We are at 547 Johnson Street Dec 18th-20th. The hours are Saturday 11-6pm and Sunday 11-5pm. If you are local pop by and say hi, we’d love to see you.
This time of year there is always something pulling at us or begging for our attention. It’s like that all year long but leading up to Christmas it’s especially busy with last minute orders, wholesale accounts, managing 3 online stores and doing local markets 6 months a year. This 3 day week-end is our last venue and we are longing for a day of rest. My sister and I joke that a vacation for us is a day at Costco which is a mere 25 minutes away. It’s really not a joke because that often is a real treat and holiday for us. So yes we’ve been caught up in the back backing stress leading up the holidays. There is always one more order to fill or one more errand to run and while we are extremely grateful we are longing to slow down just a little bit to recharge and renew our minds.
Tonight while walking to get a cup of tea I marveled in the beauty of the Christmas lights in the city. For a few moments I let myself get caught up in that moment and a smile crept across my heart and I felt happy to be right where I was and in a city I’ve grown to love.
My advice for this crazy season is to enjoy every moment and appreciate those around you and the beauty that is everywhere. In fact the other day I walked outside and saw a tiny little daisy coming up from the grass.
It was delicate and pretty and I thought to myself this is a Christmas miracle. It may sound trite but at that moment I found that little flower so pretty amidst the cold and dampness of the season.
Grateful,
Michelle
]]>In this ‘instant’ society of North America, we tend to want everything now and do not like to wait. Some things though can only truly be savoured if we only taste them once a year.
‘Impossible” you say, “why wait? Bake them now”! But that is the secret to ‘Italian Crostoli’ they taste best when eaten only at Christmas.
My great grandparents brought their Crostoli recipe from Italy. Europe seems to have many versions of Crostoli pastries, each with a different name. In the U.S. they are called ‘Angel Wings’. My great aunts called them ‘Nothings’ because they melted in your mouth and you had to have another one.
My grandmother used to bake them just before Christmas and I could hardly wait. I would sit on the kitchen chair quietly watching for the stage where she dropped them in hot oil and I knew she would give me the first one as soon as she sprinkled them with icing sugar.
In our household our baking of Cristoli takes on the air of a t.v. show starting with all the ingredients laid out ready to assemble. It is a team effort with one person measuring, the other getting the oil hot for frying and another sifting the icing sugar.
Of course ‘Rosemary Clooney’ singing “Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano” in the background is a must, after all this is Italian pastry. Follow along, get out your favorite Italian song, tie on your apron and join the once a year Crostoli bake.
Ingredients (makes 2 dozen)
Beat eggs and sugar and vanilla with electric beater until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients with lemon zest into the mixture by hand until dough becomes a ball. Turn dough out on board and knead adding extra flour as needed until it is no longer sticky. Let rest in plastic zip lock bag for one hour.
Separate dough into four sections. Roll out on wooden floured board with a rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 5 inch x 1/8 inch strip with pizza wheel. Make a lengthwise slit about 1 inch long in center of each strip. Pull one end twisted through the slit. Keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap.
Drop 3 or 4 at a time into hot vegetable oil in large saucepan a depth of 4 inches. Turn once until just starting to brown. They will continue to brown slightly after removal from oil. Drain on paper towels and gently sprinkle with icing sugar. Keep in air tight container. Hide them somewhere until Christmas.
What is your favourite Christmas recipe?
]]>The perfect small bag just couldn’t be found, I didn’t want a plastic one that would eventually crinkle and crack. Nor did it make sense to buy one factory made that everyone else had. And my phone is old and clunky so the slim ones I did find were too small. And there had to be room for my keys, which again tend to be rather big and clunky. But the bag couldn’t be too big either, hanging out like a big diaper advertising clunky phones and bunchy keys.
The search was on but I couldn’t find what I wanted. So I made my own finding a canvas that was sturdy but not stiff and the lining couldn’t just be anything common, nope had to be vintage. Personalize it with a pattern on the front and it was good to go. But then whenever I pulled mine out someone would say “oh I want one of those”, so the madness began and I started sewing them up by the dozens.
On a recent business trip to Toronto I stumbled upon a store selling beautiful zippers, so I bought 50 of them in every different colour and size ranging from 2” – 10” and brought them home. No two purses are ever alike because the zippers are all different sizes and colours make these for a delightful gift for yourself or anyone else on your list. Imagine filling one of these purses with our lip balms for the perfect Secret Santa gift? Or fill one up with chocolates and who wouldn’t love that? Someone bought a purse today and said she was going to fill it with tea bags and take it with her when she travelled. Someone else bought a purse to start collecting money to treat herself to special coffees.
What could you use your purse for? What would you fill it with? And the price? $18 or $23 w/ a lip balm – win/win for both you the gift giver and the receiver.
We all like donuts don’t we? I do, the sweet sugary taste, the billowy goodness you enjoy after your first bite. It’s comforting even though you know it’s not the best for you. We all crave that sense of comfort and that immediate taste bud fix.
Recently a friend asked me why her favourite piece of clothing was so special. She was trying to understand why a certain article of clothing holds special meaning. I thought about for a minute and said: “well it brings you comfort, it makes you feel secure and it becomes that go to piece of clothing you wear over and over again.” Typically it’s well worn because you wear it over and over again and are continually washing it to keep it clean. My friends favourite article of clothing was a soft green angora sweater and it keeps her warm in her house. Mine is a blue pull over Polartec sweater that is baggy and is also very warm. It’s not the most glamorous piece of clothing but it holds significance because it’s been through a lot with me and has travelled life’s journey with me.
I titled this piece “what donut do you wear?” because a favourite piece of clothing reminds me of donuts. Donuts and my sweater give me that same comfort although one is comfort through food and the other is comfort through clothes.
In high school I remember loving Doc Martens. I had this favourite pair that were a black oxford style. You had to literally bang them with hammer when you bought them because they were tough and you wanted that worn in feeling right away. I no longer have those shoes but I did buy a pair of black mary jane Doc Marten shoes about 5 years and they instantly reminded me of the pair I had in high school all those years ago.
So the question for you is tell me what donut you wear? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
]]>You may remember the first post I did about running here. So we go to the first class and we figure it will be pretty laid back. I wear a sweat shirt, jogging pants and a black puffy coat. I don’t look amazing but I figure we will do some light exercising. We step inside and head to the counter to ask where to go. The man motions us to sit next to some girls waiting to go inside. This was my first clue that I should run out of there. The two girls next to use were thin and looked very much in shape. A few minutes later we see the teacher and she is slim as well. The class begins and every one in there looks fit and in shape. It was like high school all over again. We were the odd people and that felt uncomfortable.
The teacher asks if anyone hasn’t run before? Yup just Caron and I put up our hands gingerly. We get the run down on the stance, posture etc. Then we do a bunch of exercises and these were not easy at all. I was exhausted after 10 minutes. Then the teacher says okay we are heading out for 20 minutes. The first group would be 1 minute walking then 2 minutes of running. We were in the very back and were the only ones at the end doing 1 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking. Caron and I were in shock. There was a woman assigned to use the stragglers. We panted and could barely catch our breath during this time period. My chest was pounding and I said to the lady shadowing us there is something wrong with your title “Sofa to 5K”. Where are the couch potatoes I asked? She said something about there were some out of shape people in the class but I didn’t see them at any time. She sweetly told us to wear a light breathable top and then a shell over top. I guess she saw my mammoth coat and hoodie.
The clue should have been when the lady told us we would be so sore the next day and how we should take a bath in salts. I think the frustrating part was being in a class that wasn’t for newbie runners.
Have you ever run for exercise?
]]>It’s a month until Christmas and as a maker, life is chaos. Between fulfilling wholesale orders, selling at weekend craft markets (who signed us up for these markets anyways? Oh wait a minute, that could have been me :) and replenishing stock I find myself working alone in the studio with only the radio for company. (Little Blooms is typically on the other side of the studio in another office). Sometimes I even dance to a peppy song.
So naturally I am hearing Adele’s epic voice on a consistent basis. And when I am procrastinating researching on Facebook, I do watch the Jimmy Fallon interviews with her. So I feel like Adele and I are becoming fast friends (although she may not realize this AT ALL.) Packing up this luscious face kit today I thought to myself “hey, Adele has beautiful skin, if she was my BFF I would definitely send this to her”. What’s not to love? Its got all the essentials to get you through the holiday frenzy, late nights and perhaps imbibing in the festive cheer of your choosing.
Our organic face rehab with charcoal & dead sea mud to pull the impurities from your skin, followed up by a refreshing toner of either Neroli or Rose, follow this with a delicate application of our organic rose geranium face nourish and save the Azulene for night time skating or evenings après ski. Instead of a fragrance that can irritate, I spray a light mist of the toner on my hair before heading out the door for a subtle scent.
This is a limited edition kit, we’re only releasing a small number of these treasures for $75.00 CAD dollars (plus shipping). And if you’re a friend of Adele’s, let us know and I’d be happy to send her a kit from her new BFF.
]]>Remember that song by the Go-Go’s? "Vacation all I ever wanted.." are you humming along to it yet?
Since we are entrepreneurs we sing it as ‘STAYCATION all I ever wanted”. Customers laugh when we say that we consider a trip to Costco a vacay. We drive out, eat our way through the store with samples at every corner, try on clothes, wade through electronics and then so full we fill our shopping cart and drive home still humming.
This year, we’re thinking about a 48 hour staycation. While fellow vendors at our farmers market are already on their Mexican holidays or New York City adventures, we’re plotting the stay in your own city holiday. This way, we can work around orders getting mailed out and still feel like we’ve gotten away from it all.
In fact today we were perusing online looking at various hotels a mere 5 hours away. We live on an island, so 10 minutes down the road can look very different from where you live. We watched videos of various rooms and suites, aerial shots of the hotel from the sky and absolutely swooned when we saw the ocean from a 5 hour away vantage point.
It's an idea but it may easily not work out. So what to do in the meantime while you watch other people’s Instagram accounts of concierge valets and croissants delivered warm from the bakery. We’ve discovered the joy in finding a coffee shop we haven’t been to before, finding the comfiest chairs and sitting down with a large latte. Sometimes we’ll each bring notebooks or we’ll load up on magazines we’ve picked up at the library and bring them with us. We while away the time sipping lattes, people watching, reading magazines and jotting down ideas. It is amazing the power of 120 minutes away from your job.
Luxury vacations are wonderful and they have their place but sometimes we’ve discovered that 24 hour getaways are equally as relaxing. You change your scenery and suddenly ideas wake up and you’re looking forward to heading home and working again. Get creative, tell me what you would do with a staycation?
]]>Caron (the other bloom of Two Blooms) has posted about our running adventure here and here and now it’s my turn to describe the events that led up to me joining this torturous class. Yup Caron saw a sign driving by several times that said ‘Sofa to 5 K’ and for some reason it was calling her. The only time I’ve run is in high school and college and it was never something I loved. I did it more because it was required for gym credits. In college I toyed with it because we had a track close by and the odd time here and there I would run for exercise. Years ago I tried the beginner’s running method where you walk for 5 minutes and running 1 minute or something like that. I tried it several times but never really stuck with it. Deep down though I’ve always wondered if I could run some sort of marathon. I’m in city that is known for this as there are several marathons year found because we have the ideal climate.
A few years ago I remember going to Washington for a crab festival and on the way to the ferry there was a marathon happening. We were early so we stood and watched people passing the finished line. There were all ages and some brought tears to my eyes. It was that moment that I secretly wondered if I could ever muster up the ability to do a marathon. There never really is a question if I can physically do it because with determination and patience I think most of us can accomplish anything if we really put our minds to it.
So Caron calls and asks about the course and its full. I hear her on the phone and I breathe a secret sign of relief. I’m out of shape. Yes I walk a lot but I’m not used to running at all. So Caron goes on the wait list. Finally we get a call and one spot is open. I’m still relieved and tell Caron she can go the class alone and teach me the ropes. She says to the lady we are waiting for another spot. You guessed it we get a second call saying I’m in. While the lady puts Caron on hold she is yelling to me asking if I want to do it and I’m debating back and forth and finally yell yes but hesitantly. To be continued in another post.
Has anything happened recently that you've dreaded? You dread it because you know it's good for you and you don't want to do it or maybe it's a obligation of sorts.
]]>Nothing has prevented me from this challenge. As I was harping on my sister to post this blog that I'd written 2 hours earlier the power went out. Just as we were about to head out the door to head to a nearby wifi coffee shop the power came back on.
Thank you.
On behalf of the academy I’d like to thank you all for your support over these last 30 days :). I’d like to thank Donna Maria for coming up with this brainchild of blogging for 30 days. During our busiest time of year, she made it sound so exciting, so alluring that I literally threw caution to the wind and jumped in with both feet so excited to be a part of this challenge. You are a good leader Donna Maria and I am proud to be a part of your online family.
To my sweet sister (aka Little Bloom) who dutifully helped me with the blog every single day when I would manage to do something to crash the screen. Or the days I would wail and moan and explain to her why we simply could not continue on with the blog. She never complained, she’d ply me with tea and cookies and help me with ideas and suggestions. She knew she couldn’t write for me, but her job was to walk alongside and encourage when she could and at other times stay far away from me while I plunked on the keyboard :).
And most importantly to this amazing community of makers that took the time to send comments and answer questions. To those of you that took the time to click ‘like’ you will never know how on some days it was a lifesaver to continue.
I learned that I love to write and express myself, it is my favorite way to communicate. The mere discipline of putting my bum in my seat every day had the crossover effect of bringing discipline to other areas of my life. Because I had to write every single day it meant that I had to be organized in other areas of my life. Suddenly the desk that was piled sky high with papers could not be tolerated another day so I organized it. No time for exercise? Not true, there was always a pocket of time that could be found.
So thank you, I am a better person because of these 30 days, I feel like I’ve opened a door to a creative side of me that I didn’t have time to explore. #grateful
PS. To leave a comment there a box below the star rating that says start the discussion.
]]>I longingly read a magazine article that recalled the author going to their childhood home for Christmas and tucking their young family into the beds that they slept in as children.
“Does that still exist in this transient society” I thought? What about the friend who told me she returned to visit her childhood home and found a highway there instead. Upon inquiring with the neighbours, she found out her childhood home had been bulldozed down to make room for progress.
What about military families who may have had their young families in a far off country that would be too far away to return for a visit?
My mother brought us back to her family home that was now owned by someone else. Standing on the sidewalk, staring up at the building she started to cry as she recalled her parents now long gone. The owners of the house saw her tears and kindly opened their front door for her to see the entrance once again. We didn’t see her bedroom nor would she be able tuck us into her childhood bed.
Do some family homes bring back painful memories that no one wants to return to?
How many of us can return to our family homes to show our families our childhood bed? Would you want to?
We all know that home is where the heart is. If we are unable to return to our childhood home, perhaps we can make new memories? Is that even possible? In our house, food is the memory. We will sit around in the afternoons enjoying tea and the conversation will quickly revolve around food. Today we started talking about these Italian cookies my grandmother made, we called them ‘Clara’s Bows’. A pencil width pretzel shaped cookie that was fried, drizzled with honey and dusted with powdered sugar. Then my aunt’s Italian desserts that she made with ricotta cheese and chopped up mint, they weren’t my favorite but she’d always put powdered sugar on top and we’d eat them up with her big, brown betty tea pot in the middle of the table.
Blessed are the story tellers, for they can pass down stories and traditions that will linger long afterwards, even when there isn’t a house to visit.
]]>Your new breakfast friend.
Here’s one of the many joys of having a younger sister, she pushes your envelope sometimes and sometimes she brings ideas into the mix that you would never have considered.
Little Bloom is also known to find new things and then gets someone else to do it, for example one year she discovered a beautiful rose bush that she just had to have. We dutifully travelled to another island to buy this rare bush, she then helped to plant it in the ground and then never really looked at the thing again. I was the one watering it, picking off the mites and then when the thing was in full bloom she would bask in the beauty.
Much the same with this recipe, Little Bloom found it, said she would make it and then the kale wilts in the fridge until someone else makes the recipe. Although after we tried this, we haven’t stopped thanking her for finding it.
Poached Egg with Kale, Ryle, Tahihi and Yogurt from San Francisco’s Bar Tartine.
You can roast the garlic, we used it raw. Add 1 cup sunflower, garam masala, pepper, lemon juice, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp salt, pulse on high speed, scrape sides until tahini is slightly thinner than peanut butter. Add 1 TB water if too thick.
Heat 2 TB of oil and toss kale leaves in, add 2 TB water and sauté, add bread. Get yogurt ready, add honey and salt, stir and set aside, Poach your eggs. To assemble, spread tahini in a large circle on four plates and spoon yogurt on top. Distribute kale over yogurt and top with poached egg. Garnish with remaining seeds and a drizzle of oil and season with pepper.
SO GOOD.
]]>There are few things that really irritate me. Buying a lip balm and smoothing it on your lips only to feel grittiness - do you know what I mean? There is no reason for that silliness (unless of course you are wanting an exfoliating lip massage.)
What makes a good lip balm? In my opinion, I prefer plant based, so our lip balms are all essential oil - we often get asked for various flavours that don't exist in natural form, .All of our lip balms use pure essential oils that we source ourselves to make sure they are the highest quality we can find.
We're really happy to have been approved by PETA as cruelty free beauty, we do have a lip balm with beeswax in it which is the only item that isn't vegan. Probably when we finish up the Rose lip balm we'll switch it over to vegan. We also don't use any nut oils in our lip balm and as I explained to the nice lady at the fair, yes we know how wonderful almond oil is, but too many of our clients have nut allergies.
We offer choice and experience and our organic lip balms come in 7 scents. We have Green Tea (a lovely citrus blend that smells like Matcha Tea), On the Coast (an unscented lip balm and perfect for those with really dry sensitive lips), Surf's Up Mint (with a lovely cooling mint blend), Fusion (a lovely Lavender/Lemongrass melody), Roses in Bloom (with Rose Otto oil and local beeswax, this is our glossiest balm), Tofino Morning Chai (a beautiful chai blend that reminds one of sipping a Chai latte and staring at the ocean), and Vanilla Earl Grey (a lovely Vanilla and Bergamot blend that is perfect for Earl Grey afficionados.
And packaging. People buy products with their eyes first, so we’ve always used tubes, different shapes and colours, but we stick with the tubes. We’re seeing lots of lip balm in pots but I personally don’t like putting my fingers in a pot of lip balm. Again, its preference – what do you prefer for lip balm, tube or pot?
This has been a power week. We’ve gotten two runs in, long walks and sugar consumption has been low. Yesterday I was up at 6am working away and went until 11:30 at night. Lists were made, plans were set and the Christmas market was a mere two days away and I was on fire with productivity.
Woke up this morning and it has all gone terribly wrong. I am sick, flu or cold or some horrible virus has invaded my body. My energy level is lower than a dust mite and yet the list sits on my desk, begging to be done. Set up is tonight at 7pm and I doubt I’ll be up much longer, I can do one small chore and then I have to lay down for a nap.
WHO PLANNED THIS? Not I, not me Miss Type A+, this was not in the schedule. I MUST get another run in today, I MUST get all packed up and I MUST invent the cure for cancer as well. But I can’t, I don’t want to and worst of all, I don’t care. The Little Bloom is running around trying to get it all in and I'm watching her, flipping through Facebook is all I have the energy for. Now what?
Here’s my plan for the day: look at my list and pick out the essentials. Slow way down in my head and just breathe. Drink lots of water and hot tea and make time to sit and read a magazine. Dress warmly and go out for a 20 minute walk, if I feel like little bursts of running I will, the goal is to get out the door. Make a list of what brings me joy, in fact I am writing it down this minute and have lavender essential oil in my little diffuser. Feeling better already, we can do this people, we are in this together. And this 30 day blog challenge has made me realize that we are not alone, so thank you friends, I’ll be bringing you along with me this weekend. Hugs.
]]>Iris Apfel is an inspiring, eccentric fashion legend and if you haven’t heard of her, find an online video – she’s inspiring. Reading her quote this morning touched on something that I’ve been pondering. Simply that for me, I no longer want to do what everyone else is doing.
Prowling through craft fairs lately has me seeing things in a different light and I tend to fall into the category of ‘lets do what everyone else is doing’. Not copying their style, but trying to think the way they do. By nature, I am a ‘colouring outside of the lines’ kind of person, but I thought in business (and in my case the organic apothecary business) that I had to do what everyone else was doing.
Recently I met with friends and asked for advice and the answers frustrated me, they were all the nice and polite answers, which is fine – but at this time in my career, I need someone to say ‘think outside of the box’. And I realize that person is me. I need to give myself permission to swim upstream, go against the grain and most importantly – the permission to fail.
The hardest part of the running group we joined, was that everyone else was in the lead pack of runners. The group quickly formed and they all took off and stayed together, way far ahead. At first it was a short distance and then I could only see the reflective stripes way in the distance. And I hated being left behind but I couldn’t move fast enough to join them.
There is joy and beauty in not being with the ‘in crowd’, there is something to be gleaned by doing things differently and if you fail, fail proudly. So this weekend we have a two day artisan show and I am going to step out of my comfort zone and do a few things differently. Same old, same old just isn’t going to work for me anymore and like Iris, I don’t want to think like everyone else.
]]>Two days later and I’ve recovered from the horrors of running. I keep replaying the night over and over again, the sheer terror I felt when the nice running teacher “D” said “now run”. I didn’t take time to enjoy any of it, I couldn’t’ catch my breath after the first minute of running and the two minutes of walking didn’t help. It was panic that started to get to me.
But there was one interval on the way back that stands out. Besides the wet toes, the demented headlamp digging into my head, I remember “D” quietly but with authority saying “control your breath, dig your heel into the ground and let it pull you forward”. And for a few seconds I could do that, I’d plant my heel and make it drag my body along and I slowed down the desperate gulps for air. It lasted for a minute and then I went back to panicking and telling myself I couldn’t possibly do this.
The entire 20 minutes, “D” talked to me. Told me her story, about her wonderful husband and children, how she had started back up running. I was desperate to stop but I didn’t want to interrupt her, I wanted to hear more. And because I couldn’t talk, I was forced to listen. And “D” managed to fill every fear filled moment with her story and it saved me from rolling into a ball and hiding.
The next day I got up at 7am and walked the 30 minutes to a meeting, walked back and started to feel a tiny bit of energy. “D” said we should try and get 2 more runs in this week and in about a half an hour, Little Bloom and I will go for a run.
And I will stop talking myself out of it and I will slow down when I need to and I will listen, Because sometimes the wisdom we so desperately need comes in the quietest of whispers and if we are so busy talking in our heads, we’re going to miss it.
Best part of today's run? It's still light out and I have no need for the demented headlamp.
We arrived at the rec centre last night pretty excited to get started. The first clue was seeing the long, tall, stick thin girls standing nearby. All wearing reflective running tights, matching running jackets, trendy caps on their perfectly coiffed pony tails and laughing.
The itsy bitsy instructor arrives and welcomes us into the space. Its too late to run out screaming. I keeping saying to the little bloom “where are the people that have sat on their couch too long?” but she shushed me and we began the class.
20 minutes in and we’ve stretched every muscle imaginable, I am breathless but ok. Then Itsy Bitsy announces, “ok everyone, lets head out for a run”. Huh? What? All the runners assemble at the front and off they go like a shot, “we’ll do a 2-1 tonight, run for 2 minutes, walk for 1”. Everyone slips on their headlights and run off like a pack of gazelles. The headlamp I grabbed had a defect I discovered, so only one side of the straps connected. While fumbling out the door I stepped on one of the elite runners, apologizing profusely to her she simply gave me a sympathetic nod. So I grabbed the elastic cord and tied it in a big knot and slammed it on my head, looking in the reflection before I headed out and I realized I looked just like Gary Busey.
Undaunted I got out the door, with my deranged headlamp and can only see the rest of the team from a distance. A second instructor emerges and says “I am the designate end of the pack runner, I’ll be with you”. She flips out her phone, hits the button and says ‘now run for TWO MINUTES”. Still in shock that it is pitch black outside and the demented headlight barely casts a light I start running to catch up to the elite runners. As I am running the sweet instructor beside me says “is this your first time running?” “CAN YOU TELL?” I breathlessly snort out.
She laughs and Little Bloom barely misses smashing into a gigantic black boulder jutting out of nowhere. Its been raining so there are big puddles, the leaves are almost off the trees and they make sweet little skating rinks if you happen to step on one. I cannot see the puddles and end up plopping right into the middle of them. Sweet instructor beside me keeps up a running dialog, I can’t even answer her. I try and see what street we’re running on because if anyone I know lives there, I want to slip into their garage and wait out this run from hell.
Ten minutes one direction, Little Bloom is slightly ahead of me and the elite pack are so far ahead I can only see their reflective stripes. Then we turn around and run back, my body is in shock and I can only process the command run or walk. Miraculously we get back to the rec centre, I am looking for a stretcher and oxygen, all the other runners have been back for so long they’re had drinks of water and are checking their phone for messages. We straggle in and finish up with 20 minutes of squats and planks. To be continued.
Driving back and forth I could see the sign out of the corner of my eyes, but I didn’t bother to look at it. Every day there it was and I’d smile driving just a little bit faster to get away from it.
Then, stopped at a corner waiting for the light to change I forgot to avert my eyes and I started to read. “Couch to 5km in 6 weeks”. HA! I thought to myself, this is the busiest time of year for production/shows, there is absolutely no possible way I could do that. (Notice I am not telling you that my fluffy frame would hate me forever :)
But it kept coming back to me. I honestly kept hoping that the sign changer would hurry up and find something new to taunt me with, but it is still there. So I called last week to ask about the class and OH HAPPY DAY, they were full. No problem I assured the nice lady on the phone, I’d look into it next year (when pigs fly I might as well said). So when she said “well, I’ve got your name here, so I’ll put you on the wait list, but its pretty full as well”. Oh sure, no problem, that would be great. Exercise nightmare averted, lets make some popcorn to celebrate that near miss – WOOOHOOOOOO.
Then one night, the phone rang. It was HER, the terribly lady from the rec centre. She cheerfully explained there had been cancellations and she’d love to sign me up. In shock I agreed and hung up the phone. Every time I look at the calendar I can hear the music from Jaws sounding its impending doom to Monday night. And what did she tell me just before she ended the chirpy phone call (I bet she was eating celery sticks while she chatted to me). BRING A HEADLAMP BECAUSE YOU’LL BE RUNNING AT NIGHT.
Seriously? I don’t run. I may walk quickly if chased by a bear, but I haven’t run since 1979. This could all go terribly wrong. So if you don’t hear from me tomorrow know that my headlamp probably fell off, I swerved into a tree or a ravine and I am consoling my tomfoolery attempts with my boyfriends Ben and Jerry while Mr. Fudgebrownie whispers sweet nothings to me. Peace out.
]]>This afternoon found me at yet another winter craft market, I am always trying to be on trend and wanted to see what other crafters were up to (notice I am purposely using the word ‘crafter’ since that’s what was advertised). Not a lot of new or different but I did find some exceptional artisans scattered throughout the venue.
What’s the difference? I’ve participated in farmer's markets for over a dozen years, before that I was in craft markets. This year I had the honour of being the Etsy City Lead and produced an Etsy Made in Canada Market with 65 artisans.
Lets look at the definitions and see if that helps:
Crafter: skill in doing or making something, as in the arts, proficiency.
Artisan: A person that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods.
How would your designate yourself? Artisan? Crafter? As usual, I am seeing a LOT of bath and body vendors at these events. Prices range all over the place, todays were the lowest price points I’ve seen for soap, lotion, sprays etc all hand made presumably.
What makes any of them stand out? Hard to say, display and first impressions of course. A personal preference is to have price tags, I don’t really like having to say over and over and over again ‘how much is this’? If there is any hesitation, I always wonder if the next person asking will get a different answer.
The last few markets I’ve visited, no one stands out. They’re all saying the same thing “all natural, no chemicals, I make this for my children with rashy skin”. Please hear me, I am not putting any of these people down, but rather I am seeing myself in a whole new light. What makes me different? How do I stand out so when you want to make a purchase, why would you shop with me?
Your turn? What makes you stand out from the crowd? Yes, I know you are unique and there is only one of you, but how do you make a difference in this over crowded market of crafters/artisans?
]]>Have you heard? It’s pie season. Last week in church the pastor started talking about how much he loved pie, then he started naming the flavours and honestly, I got so sidetracked on pies I don’t remember the sermon.
A friend came to visit last week and we stopped at my favorite restaurant right by the airport. As soon as we got out of the car we saw the sign celebrating PIE WEEK. And they had a bunch of samples to try before you even got in the restaurant.
Then my favorite grocery store declared that its “Pie Week”, so of course I had to go over and look at what they had. GIANORMOUS pecan pies were only $3.99 each, are you kidding me? Pecans (side note here, do you say "pea-cans or pe-cons") were liberally sprinkled all over the top. An older couple stood by the pie display debating pumpkin or pecan and I wanted to yell "forget the pumpkin, snap up those pecan pies". Instead I bought two (one is for the freezer of course) and headed home.
And don’t get me started on the sandwich I had for lunch today. On the newscast this week, favorite anchor guy introduces a story about his new favourite sandwich. One of the news staff is so enamoured with this sandwich that they actually named a sandwich after him. They make this into an entire news story. We see the sandwich being made, them eating it, everyone smiling and chewing away. So naturally, I’ve been obsessing over the sandwich. So today, while running around town visiting craft markets, buying labels etc I figure out that I am in the vicinity of the sandwich store. I drive up and the parking lot is filled with police cars, fire trucks and ambulances, nobody looks concerned so I walk in. Now this will tell you why I am still single – there is a line up of very good looking policemen, firemen and paramedics. Everyone is dressed in their uniform and I did look and think ‘wow, this could be a casting call everyone is so good looking’. But do I initiate any kind of flirtatious conversation? NO!! I AM OBSESSED WITH MY SANDWICH and make no eye contact with anyone else except the sandwich fixins. The guys are all laughing, making jokes, getting their sandwiches but I am fixated on the menu.
That’s right, I could be home right now getting ready for a date with one of the stud muffins I saw in the line up today, but no, instead I am sitting here typing this blog dreaming of the next time I can go and get another sandwich.
]]>Pretty sure we were raised with an attitude to give back. If you had two cookies, you always shared one (and the most important rule was if one cookie/candy/donut was left in the bag, you ALWAYS left it for the next person). So naturally, when we started our company we immediately started donating 10% from every sale to a local work in the city.
Then we began to look for opportunities where we could share, a young girl opened a house for parents to stay at when their children needed hospital care, so we sent over boxes of soap for that house. A group of breast cancer survivors were dragon boat racing one summer and needed funds so we designated money from lip balm sales to help them out. Some times you get a thank you note and most often you don’t hear back, but it doesn’t matter – we’re the ones who get a thrill out of being able to help.
So when I heard about Baskets of Love – Down Syndrome, I knew we had to help. This sweet mother on the mainland had decided to make gift baskets that she could gift to new parents of children with Down syndrome. So we made salve for her to include in the first round of baskets. When the call came out that she needed hats and baby blankets we jumped in. Now I’ve only corresponded with her online but when she posts pictures of her sweet son, I melt.
Hats and blankets were sewn up and I mailed them to her, but I wanted to be able to share the joy with you so we started with the idea of every time a hat is purchased (that I sew up, fully lined and screen printed with my new found skill :) we’ll donate a hat to Baskets of Love.
Giving back isn’t an option for us, we are blessed in so many ways and we wanted to find a way to not only pay it forward, but include as many people as we can. So if you’re looking for a way to help a small, family owned business AND be a part of welcoming babies with Down syndrome to the world, click here and we'll get those hats sewn up.
]]>Remember the post about walking vs. driving? So today was day 2 of walking for a delivery, 27 long agonizing minutes there with NO BREAK FOR CARROT CAKE I might add and 29 minutes walking back.
Yes the beauty was lovely, tall grasses filling the fields, all browning edges throwing themselves together like a deranged quilt. The leaves are bright red and just about ¾ of the way off the trees, cars are covered in bright red crinkled up maple leaves. When you walk on the sides of the streets you can be 6 inches in leaves and they crunch when you walk. Although at this age I worry about spiders laying in wait and happy to pounce on your legs, or tics, I forgot about tics. Ok, enough of the leaf walking.
But the point is (and you knew there had to be a point to this didn’t you:)), I made the time to take care of myself today by walking. I didn’t want to, I didn’t have time and I didn’t want to. But sitting here an hour later I am happy to have made the effort. So what if we took the time to love ourselves a little more? Like when you’re ready to fly in a plane and the airline lady says “in the case of emergency, put the face mask on YOURSELF first, before you help someone else”. What if we took care of ourselves first before we took care of everyone? Anne Lamott is a great writer to follow if you don’t already. She always talks about rubbing lemon lotion onto her jiggly thighs and practicing self-love. Here is our plug, try our Organic Lemon Grove Lotion.
Which means when the jellyroll appeared at breaktime today, I may have enjoyed a rather JUMBO slice because I was really loving myself. But to be fair, I did walk 56 minutes very briskly!!
I took this picture of these locks on a business trip I took by myself in January. It felt like 85 below zero and I wanted to stand and just stare at these locks, I wanted to try every single one of them and see if they were really locked but frostbit was threatening. On that trip I took such good care of myself, I ate well, went to bed early and wore make up and lotion then when I came back home it all went downhill. How about we agree to try one thing to love ourselves better, I’ve already signed up for something on Monday night you’ll be hearing about. Tell me what your one thing will be.