Confessions of a Sweet Tooth

I confess, I have a bit of a sweet tooth. More specifically, warm, buttery, sweet, fall apart, right from the oven cookies are my, oh my! For as much as I like sweet tasting things, it stands to reason that I love sweet smelling things.

Have you ever noticed when you go to a bakery, the person behind the counter is usually thin. You ask, "How do you stay so thin working in a bakery?" To which, under their breath they mutter, "Wish I had a dollar for everytime I heard that." Scientific research suggests that prolonged exposure to certain sweet smells may actually curb the appetite. So the benefit of being elbow deep in producing sweet smelling things means fewer inches on my hips.

I can't say this theory is 100% fool proof. Actual results may vary. This past week while trying to talk myself out of a snickerdoodle cookie, I decided to channel my cravings into creating a new product instead. Sadly, the cookie craving didn't subside, but out of that craving came a new product.

Introducing our new Oatmeal Bath Cookie. This little cookie is loaded with good for your skin ingredients like oats, milk, honey, cocoa butter, and more. It's also loaded with the sweet scent of buttery vanilla icing. Each cookie weighs 2 oz., and are sold in a package of 5 for $9.99


More scents coming soon!

"Two For " Days At Honey Grove Botanicals

I hope you are finding time to get outside and enjoy the season change. The first official day of Spring is this Friday, and happily the weather concurs. I took a few moments this morning to observe the little heads of daffodils popping up in my flower beds. It's refreshing to watch nature gently wake from her long winter nap.

It's a given in this economy that producers and sellers of luxury goods are feeling a little more than a pinch. Many folks are forfeiting the purchase of "pamper me" type products in order to save money. Too often the easiest thing to do when faced with a difficult time, is to neglect yourself and the people you care about. Often it is said, when you take care of yourself you are a better care giver. A better you makes a better world. I believe this to be true.

A few weeks ago, I introduced the "Two For Friday" sale. I offered our $9.99 11 oz. soy candle at two for $15. A savings of $5. Customer response was good. I decided to extend that special for the entire weekend. Last weekend, I offered another "Two For" sale. This time offering two products. Again, success. Obviously, I am happy with the results, but more importantly, my customers are happy. Word of mouth advertising is spreading and I'm now getting calls from potential new customers asking if I will consider having another sale. It got me to thinking. Why not make it permanent? It's official. Every Friday and Saturday will be "Two For" days at Honey Grove Botanicals Bath & Candle Boutique. For two days each week, two products will be on sale at a special "two for" price.

I hope this will encourage you to give a little more attention to your greatest asset...you.

Sláinte chugat (Good health to you!)

Barbara

Not Your Average Joe

I did not see it coming. It didn’t happen overnight. It slowly, crept up on me. I have become a coffee snob. Not your run of the mill Starbucks®, Caribou Coffee® or Dunkin’ Donuts® enthusiast. I owe my snobbery to this:

For years, we had a basic six cup coffee maker that suited us, well apparently only me, just fine. Little did I know, my husband quietly desired something more. Five years ago he went in search for a one cup coffee maker. He wanted something on a small scale, that would deliver a “coffee house” cup of coffee. Suspicious, I asked, “What’s this about? What’s wrong with the coffee maker that we have?" He said he wanted a coffee maker that would brew one fresh cup of coffee at a time. He stated that yes, the first cup of coffee from the “six cupper,” was pretty good. By the time we got to the second cup, the coffee took on a funky, overheated, and oxidized taste. This usually resulted in dumping the rest of the coffee and starting a fresh pot.

After much research, he found the coffee maker that would deliver what he wanted. When he told me the price for a new model of this coffee machine, I said, “And this thing only makes ONE cup of coffee at a time?” For this price we could buy 30 very nice six cup coffee makers. This did not deter him. He did a little more homework and decided he would try to find a used model. Somehow, he was going to get his hands on one. To eBay® he went to search for his coffee machine dream. It wasn’t long before he joyously announced that he had found a used coffee machine for half the price of the new model and wanted to buy. He was so excited. I shook my head and said, “Fine.” Sure enough, he became the proud owner of a used Saeco Coffee Machine. He was in coffee aficionado heaven. Trying not to buy into this silly notion that single brews make better coffee and this outrageous purchase, I continued to drink coffee from the “six cupper,” for a good while. With much coaxing from my husband, I finally gave in and allowed him to brew a cup of coffee for me. This was the day that I became a coffee snob. This was the day that I tucked the “six cupper,” into the too high to reach kitchen cabinet and never used it again.

For many years, my favorite fresh ground has been Seattle’s Best, Cinnabon Coffee®. I begin each day with at least a cup of it before I get on to business. It’s comforting, cinnamon taste with a little half and half puts a smile on my face.

As I tell everyone, when I go to the grocery or open my kitchen pantry, I see everything there in a different light. Naturally when I decided to make a nice, exfoliating kitchen soap, I included my favorite Seattle’s Best, Cinnabon Coffee® as the exfoliant. Fresh ground coffee in a bar of soap is great for cutting grease and grime from your hands. It also makes an excellent deodorizer, eliminating kitchen smells, such as fish, onions and garlic. Ground coffee in soap also makes a great exfoliating bar in the bath or shower. Some users have stated that after using coffee in soap, they experienced temporarily tighter skin, leaving it looking younger.

Other coffee lover products in our line, Café Mocha Sugar Scrubs, which include fresh Seattle’s Best, Cinnabon Coffee® grounds. Our Trimasu Bubble Cake, and our Cappuccino Brulee soy candle, scented with Dark Coffee and Crème Brulee fragrances and a light dusting of instant coffee.

A Kiss, Is Just A Kiss

I confess, dark chocolate is my bliss. Okay, more like my kryptonite. It's always been there for me. It's never let me down. It's never broken my heart. It is my guilty pleasure.

As we all know by now, dark chocolate, in moderation is good for us. It is high in antioxidants and it is reported that eating dark chocolate releases serotonin, the feel good chemical, in the brain. In fact, the higher percentage of cacao the better it is for you. My preference is 65% or higher. Many have stated that eating dark chocolate gives them the same euphoric feeling of being in love.

It's also been found that the aroma of dark chocolate can boost neurotransmitters in the brain.

Armed with my love and knowledge of dark chocolate, and knowing antioxidants are great for the skin, how could I help but want to incorporate it into my product line?

I created a dark chocolate soap, made with natural cocoa butter and 75% cocoa powder. We offer a Cookies and Cream scented candle, made with a dark chocolate fragrance. Our second most popular Bubble Cake is Chocolate. We'd be downright negligent if we didn't have a chocolate facial.

I had been mulling some ideas for a few Valentine themed products just for the holiday. Sometimes my best ideas come when I'm not really putting too much thought to it. I usually have dark chocolate at my checkout counter for customers to nibble on while they wait to be checked out. One afternoon, while ringing up a sale, my customer commented on how much she loved chocolate kisses. She said that opening one of those sweet, delectable little treats was half the fun of eating it. Light bulb moment! A great little Valentine product idea was born.

Our Chocolate Fizzy Bath Kiss weighs in at a decadent two full ounces. It's loaded with rich, natural cocoa butter, real dark chocolate and scented with dark chocolate fragrance. Molded in the shape of that sweet little chocolate wonder. All wrapped up in a neat little package of shiny gold foil, just like the real deal. The best part? Zero calories and silky soft skin. These were a great hit for Valentine's Day gifts. Why shouldn't every day feel like Valentine's Day? These little gems now have a permanent place in our product line. These make delightful gifts for bridesmaids and wedding guests, bridal or baby showers, birthdays and more. Custom labeling available. Enjoy!

The Worth of Salt and Idioms

id·i·om (n) - a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use.

My mother was the queen of idioms. Often they were peppered throughout the occasional reprimands I received from her. Okay, many reprimands. Being ever curious and a glutton for punishment, I would manage to sputter out, “what does that mean?” Which, resulted in more reprimanding and more idioms.

My mom has long since passed. I enjoy researching where some of her, and other idioms got their start. What were once nonsensical anecdotes from her, are now appreciated wise words to live by. One such idiom I recall her saying, “Anyone worth their salt will give 110% work each day.”

Phrases.org.uk states, “being worth one’s salt, means to be effective and efficient; deserving of one's pay. According to the website, our word salary derives from the Latin salarium, (sal is the Latin word for salt). There is some debate over the origin of the word salarium, but most scholars accept that it was the money allowed to Roman soldiers for the purchase of salt. Roman soldiers weren't actually paid in salt, as some suggest. They were obliged to buy their own food, weapons etc. and had the cost of these deducted from their wages in advance.”

Now the Ancient Romans clearly understood the benefits of salt, specifically sea salt. Actually, so did the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks. For thousands of years, salts have been used for their healing affects in medicine and therapy. They were used for treating anything from wounds to intestinal problems. Modern day studies have shown salt soaks to have beneficial results in fighting and easing the effects of ailments such as rheumatism, psoriasis, arthritis, and eczema. People were using salt bath therapy years before scientific studies could explain what these diseases even were. The recreational use of bath salts is mainly to provide relief from muscle aches, joint soreness, and stress in combination with aromatherapy.

Magnesium sulphate, commonly known as Epsom salts, are traditionally used to alleviate pains and muscle soreness. Sea salts consist mostly of sodium chloride along with a few other trace elements.

We at Honey Grove Botanicals respect and appreciate the healthful benefits of sea salts and Epsom salts. We have several products that contain them. Our featured product is Therapy Botanica Bath Salts. Our Therapy Botanica Bath Salts are made with coarse sea salt, Epsom Salt, botanicals, pure essential oils and fragrances. Each container comes with an unbleached muslin bag with drawstrings. Simply pour the Therapy Botanica Bath Salts into the muslin bag, cinch the drawstrings and toss it into a warm running bath. The bag keeps the botanicals and salts in, while releasing the benefits of the contents. Therapy Botanica Bath Salts are available in Lavender, Rose & Chamomile, Mood Elevator, Sensual Blend, and Oats Milk & Honey. Our Therapy Botanica Bath salts are truly worth their salt!

Note: Bath salts are intended to replenish our skin’s minerals. A word of caution: Overuse or using a high concentration of bath salts can dry out the skin and can be potentially harmful for those with high blood pressure. We recommend about 1/4 cup in a full bath, once per week. Please check with your physician if you currently have high blood pressure or are at risk of developing it before using any type of bath salts.

Until next time,

Sláinte chugat (Good health to you!)

-Barbara