Happy New Year, Toast to New Goals and Possibilities

I truly cannot believe another year has flown by! I would never have thought my mother was telling the truth when she said the days fly past you the older you get.

I must say we have had an interesting and challenging year, both personally and professionally. I am always grateful for my family, friends, and positive attitude. I make it a priority to spend time with my husband and son weekly (it can be hard coordinating schedules with a teenager), I make sure to call my grandmother at least once a week most weeks more often than that. I take time to rest at home as well as plan short weekend trips and long family vacations. My parents always took us with them on vacation and I have learned from their example that spending time with my son will build strong bonds that will help him later in life as well as give me a sense of peace.

I have been delighted to have my son helping me in my soap shop this year. It is hard to tear him away from his online Xbox games etc, but once he gets into the shop and I let him listen to any radio station he chooses, he has a good time making candles and soaps. He has always been kind of a scientist, so he really enjoys the creative part of making new products and testing new essential oil blends with me.

I had several goals this year, however, many of them were redesigned, I guess you could say. I am planning for a new set of goals for 2010 and am hoping to be more organized in my shop, in my keeping of receipts (monthly), and in our workshop/farmers' market/craft fair schedules.

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Some of my 2010 Goals
Participate in more Craft Fairs in North and South Jersey
Hire part time help for monthly product labeling
Create Two New Product Lines (Organic Baby is one)
Reorganize Website and Product Photos/Descriptions
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I have many other business goals. I have a wonderful business coach and we work together regularly helping each other with our own product and packaging ideas. This helps me create better products for you and your families.

I am looking forward to a bigger and better year for Chamomile Cottage and hope you will continue to walk beside us through our journey. Always feel comfortable sharing your ideas and thoughts with us, please. We want to be a better company for you and welcome all feedback, both positive and negative.

We appreciate you choosing our products for yourself, your family, friends, and co-workers.

THANK YOU!!

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY, SAFE, PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Class Success and FUN in Ohio

Coming to you from Ohio! Here are some photos of my time in Ohio with Amy Mattingly at Mikamy Meadows. We had a great time working together at the Farmers' Markets Friday and Saturday. Click the above link to find a Farmers' Market near you.

There were many extra hours involved in preparing for teaching this class together. We both had our own class materials - so we had to merge some of them to best represent our own unique ways of teaching and creating soaps. What a fun time I had, though!

Amy's customers are wonderful. We had a great time! Amy and I answered some very specific and complicated questions - these class participants were really into learning the ways of making an all-natural soap the old-fashioned way. We talked about where lye comes from, the first discovery of "soap" and the complex and necessary steps to take to be safe while making soap. If you have always wanted to learn soapmaking, this is a good time to start. Take a local class on soapmaking from a qualified and insured business owner and by the October/November/December you will have some lovely handmade, natural creations to give as gifts to friends, family, hosts, teachers, etc.

Here are the three batches of soap we made in class that day.

We have already begun making plans for our next joint venture. We work so well together. We have similar visions for our businesses' growth, natural body care beliefs, respect for the earth, supporting local businesses, etc. We are even planning to write a few books together, so keep you eye out for us on the bookshelf!

Amy is pictured here with one of her beautiful red hens. Amy will begin selling farm fresh eggs at the market, too.

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND FARMS

BUY LOCAL

So much summer, such wonderful East Coast weather

Summer in New Jersey started with such lovely weather, light breezes, cooler than usual temperatures, little to no humidity. I enjoyed so many lovely evenings sitting on my deck reading, having dinner, and chatting with my husband. We chased the dogs around the yard, played fetch, did some gardening, etc.



Humidity has set in the last few weeks, but I find it bearable since the beginning of summer was so mild. I wont complain about the soaring temperatures or lack of breezes. Best to look at the positives. The heat and sun is good for our crops. New Jersey is famous for Tomatoes and Corn. We have local farmers growing sweet, juicy peaches, pumpkins, cucumbers, herbs, and so much more. Many of the crops need the heat to ripen, so I am thankful we finally have the temperatures to help the tomatoes get big, red, ripe, and ready to eat!



Check out my VERY popular fresh Tomato Basil Bruschetta Recipe
I get so many requests for this dish during the summer when tomatoes are at their peak of flavor. I run out to our local Farmers' Market to buy fresh herbs and veggies for this recipe. No wonder people crave the fresh flavors of this amazing blend! Click the above link to find a local Farmers' Market near you. Supporting local small businesses and family-owned farms strengthens your community.







Donna's Tomato Basil Bruschetta Recipe
10 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped well
2 small shallots, finely chopped
20-30 basil leaves, chopped into small pieces
2 tlbsp lemon juice
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix well and let stand in refrigerator for at least two hours. Serve with sliced french baguette or crackers. Great as an afternoon snack or appetizer before a meal.






NEW CLASS SCHEDULES
I have updated our website to include all Fall 2009 Winter 2010 Dates for upcoming classes. Stay tuned, however, I plan to add a new class for Handmade Holiday Gifts to be scheduled in November/December 2009.



Speaking of classes, I will be flying to Ohio this week to co-teach a cold-process soapmaking class with fellow soapmaker and close friend, Amy Mattingly of Mikamy Meadows. Amy lives on a 20 acre farm where she grows flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Amy teaches classes in her workshop on many things. If you are near Columbus Ohio, check out her website. She can be found three days a week at local Farmers' Markets selling not only her home-grown plants and veggies, but she also makes many lovely body care products such as lotions, whipped Shea butter, soaps, and herbal bath teas.



I am already looking to the 2009 Holiday Season, thinking, planning, creating new products for you; special natural holiday scents, rich creams to soothe dry skin, our newest addition to our product lines, Hand-Poured Soy Candles with cotton wicks, burns at least 50 hours. They burn cleaner, they are better for our environment and your family, no black smoke from the lead-filled wicks of many commercial candles. We will also be carrying Tart Melts that you can use in offices or rooms where an open flame may not be possible.



Looking forward to meeting new people, creating new fall and holiday products, and learning more and more each day about so many things.



Talk to you soon!



Donna Pixton-Hacker
Owner

Soapmakers' Conference Update

Whew! I had a wonderful time at the Handcrafted Soapmakers' Guild annual conference in Palm Springs CA in May. The resort was stunningly landscaped, the mountain views were breathtaking, and the people I met were amazing! I am already looking forward to next year's conference in Denver Colorado!

I did take my husband and son with my on the trip, we even took one of our little doggies on the plane (spoiled little dog ;o). My father was with us as well and we all had a great time hanging out (when I wasn't working on the Conference Crew). My son and husband got to see the true beauty of the West Coast as we drove up Highway 1 along the beautiful blue ocean. The herbal scent of the huge Eucalyptus trees by the ocean brought back so many childhood memories of our camping days at the ocean and the earthy, musty aroma of the big redwood trees in Big Sur made me feel comforted and relaxed.

We are back in New Jersey now and have been very busy making new products, working on our new labels and packaging, and spending time working in the yard while the weather is still somewhat mild.

I have been searching everywhere for a handmade re-useable bag to hold our Spa Products and am thrilled to announced we FOUND someone locally who makes these cute bags using re-purposed Placemats! They are too adorable. We have many colors and patterns. This is also a great bag to keep your Chamomile Cottage Spa Products in and organized for your special "YOU" time. This one is a lovely blue color with a pretty ribbon sewn right into the fabric. You can order this with our handmade Lavender Soap Bar, 8oz Super Sugar Scrub, 8oz Light & Lovely Lotion, our new 2oz hand-poured Aromatherapy Soy Candles with cotton wick, .33oz tube of Luscious Lip Balm, and a 2oz Jar of Bodacious Body Butter for an At Home Spa experience you DESERVE! Give yourself a TIME OUT and enjoy our Spa Gift Set order yours today!

Here are a few photos of the Conference, one is courtesy of Stephanie Craig-Phelps of Honey Bee Soaps in Vermont. She took a picture of me standing with Erin Brockovich! What an inspirational Keynote Speaker she was! I was very moved by her speech and loved meeting her in person.

Here are few from our drive up the California Coast. Such beauty!

I'm so happy we took that trip together. Sharing the natural beauty of our earth with my son and husband while we enjoyed each others' company meant a lot to me. Family comes first in my life and I'm grateful for the family I have.



As summer progresses, I hope to see more of my customers at Craft Fairs, Farmers' Markets and other events. As a person and a business, I strive to support local small businesses whenever possible. Many of the herbs and fruit/vegetable juices used in our soaps and other body care products come from local organic farmers. Just as the new handbags for our Spa Gift Sets are made right here, locally, less than 4 miles from my soap shop!



You might want to make an adventure of your weekend or week night in some areas to check out the local Farmers' Markets. We buy fresh bread, herbs, vegetables, and this awesome Salsa from a local farmer's wife. Never know what you might find there!



Tell me what your favorite thing is to buy at the Farmers' Market or why you don't go to your local Farmers' Market. If you don't know how to find a local farmers' market, let me know. I'm happy to help!



Until next time......

SPRINGing Into Action

We are proud to announce our participation in "Mothers Matter", a Mothers' Day Gift Basket Project where gift baskets are filled with women's health and beauty care products and are distributed to special and needy women for Mother’s Day to celebrate this day with the message that “Mothers Matter”.

We have been diligently making soap, lotion, sugar scrub, lip balm, and more for this special event and the gift baskets they will be delivering to mothers in May. We are so thrilled for the opportunity to participate in an event like this that honors MOTHERS.

This event will have a grand kick-off on Saturday, March 28, 2009. If you are in the S. Jersey, Philadelphia PA area, I hope you decide to go out and support this foundation and its mission.

This event is part of the Lauren Rose Albert Foundation
http://www.laurenslegacy.org/mothers_matter.shtml a New Jersey non-profit organization whose mission is to help women and their children through education, emotional and economic support. Chamomile Cottage Bath, Spa, & Body Care will be donating many of our handmade natural bath and beauty products to their foundation for the gift baskets as well as volunteering our time to help put the gift baskets together.

We strongly believe in supporting local businesses, non-profit organizations, and women's initiatives. Our commitment to these events and others solidifies our drive to help others.

We hope you are taking action in your communities, too. Find something you are passionate about and volunteer your time, make blankets or quilts for homeless and women's shelters. Donate books and your time to the libraries in under privledged areas and teach children to read. There are so many opportunties to help your neighbors, we shouldn't pass up the chance to give of ourselves to someone who needs it.

Family Business

We are so grateful to have a family-owned business that allows us the freedom to take care of our family, manage our lives, and be completely creative in the healthy body care products we create and sell. We are grateful to not have a large corporate structure to battle with over sustainable packaging, reusing containers, recycling items, and purchasing materials from companies that also value sustainability and practice eco-friendly business models.



We are always working toward being more eco-friendly. We seek out companies whose products emulate our eco-friendly practices and are in keeping with our values.



We get to make all the decisions based on our needs, research, and values. That is a GREAT feeling.



One of our goals for 2009 is to move toward Organic butters, oils, and essential oils. We currently support local Organic Farmers in the S. Jersey area by purchasing their herbs, vegetables, and fruit to create some of our unique, food-inspired soaps, our rich, creamy lotions, and our skin-nourishing bath soaks. We hope to offer a full-line of certified Organic Spa Products for you. If you want or need Organic Bath, Spa, & Body care Products for your family, please email your wishes/desires to us TODAY so we can start planning our product lines to accommodate YOU. Everything we do is for you and what you need or desire for your body care products. We want our products to be everything you need them to be and the only way we can give you what you want is if you TELL US!



One of the most fun parts about running this business is being able to create new products using the best natural ingredients to soothe and rejuvenate the skin, body, soul, and psyche.



This month we are featuring Chamomile Cottage's thick, rich, creamy, nourishing Bodacious Body Butter. Until now, we have only offered our Bodacious Body Butter as part of our Gift Sets. Starting March 20, 2009 - anyone can purchase our exclusive Bodacious Body Butter individually.



We will be offering our Bodacious Body Butter in the following Custom, All-Natural Scents and sizes: 2oz jar for $5.50, 4oz jar for $10.00, and 8oz jar for $18.00

Scent Choices and descriptions:

Splash! - a refreshing combination of Citrus, Lemongrass, and Mint Essential Oils

Lavender - pure Bulgarian Lavender Essential Oil

Vanilla - all-natural Vanilla Oleorsin Oil (no artificial fragrance added)

Peppermint Twist - a cooling combination of Mint Essential Oils

Lively Lemongrass - a sweet, citrusy blend of Lemongrass and Lavender Essential Oils

Unscented - all natural, no scent, no one will know how you got your skin so soft, it will be our little secret


Let us know what you want/need/desire in a natural body care product. We like a good challenge!