New Subscription Box Options

I am excited to share our newest option for those who love our products, enjoy special treatment, and adore clean, healthy, good-smelling skin. Just in time for the holiday season, our soap family now has the option to gift monthly or quarterly soap subscriptions. You may choose a monthly subscription or every three-month subscription and receive six full-sized bars of our beautiful handmade goat's milk soaps with a full-size eight-ounce jar of our rich, decadent moisturizer. Of course, we will include a surprise to make you smile. Who doesn't love a surprise?

Monthly subscribers will receive a variety of soaps and a moisturizer that will change from month to month. Our subscribers will be privy to our new seasonal releases before they make their public debut. A monthly subscription gives the subscriber something to look forward to every month, adds an element of anticipation, and, of course, puts a smile on the receiver's face. A monthly subscription makes a wonderful gift. Subscriptions can be canceled at any time. We would never bully you into a subscription. If you try it and decide you don't like to smell amazing, don't like smiles, and don't like surprises, you can cancel anytime without penalty...insert a smile and a wink. Monthly subscribers also benefit from a 15% discount on each box.

We also offer a quarterly subscription option. Every three months, our quarterly subscribers will receive a beautiful box filled with six full-size, beautifully handmade bar soaps and a full-size, eight-ounce moisturizer. The soaps will vary from quarter to quarter, and you, too, will be privy to our new releases. Quarterly subscribers will benefit from a 10% discount on each subscription box. Again, you may cancel at any time without penalty. Although anyone who doesn't like smelling wonderful, having clean, healthy skin, and smiling kind of seems like a cotton-headed ninny muggins...just my opinion...insert a giggle.

Of course, one can also make a one-time purchase and try it out before one commits to a monthly or quarterly subscription. From a woman who suffered from commitment issues and always needed an exit strategy for all aspects of life, I understand where one may come from with a "test the waters" attitude. Whatever your preference, we've got you covered. Commitment is scary. Being locked into something against your will is not fun. Our goal is always to give you options and brighten your day.

Subscription boxes make an excellent gift option. My dear friend, Jenna, got me The Book of The Month subscription for my birthday last year. I must admit, dear reader, I loved it. I loved looking forward to a new book every month. I enjoyed the surprise element. I was childlike when they gifted me bookmarks and bags. It was like a little birthday surprise every month. Also, it made me remember and appreciate my sweet friend and her friendship. I want our subscription boxes to create that same feeling for you and your loved ones. Now, if you're going to take it to "that" place, your friends will think of you when they are naked. BUT... they will also think of you when their skin is soft, smooth, and healthy. They will appreciate you when they aren't experiencing dry, cracked hands/elbows/feet. They will smile when they think of you and realize they aren't itchy and scratching from overly dry skin. It's a wonderful way to show your friends and family just how wonderful you really are. Let's be transparent; sometimes, they need to be reminded.

The subscription boxes are lovely little creations that The Bibbed Wonder and I collaborated on. Being the nay-saying curmudgeon that he is, he would not permit me to have our wildly talented friend, Ashleigh Bowman, create a fence with trees and goats to border the box. However, he promised me that if our subscription boxes were well received, I could "go crazy" with my design ideas. Fingers crossed, they go well, and I get to design my dream box. Honestly, it's the little things that get me excited these days.

We could not be more thrilled to create this opportunity. We love what we do, and offering new options, exciting products, and new ways to make you smile is what gets me out of bed in the morning. Well, that and my one-hundred-pound canine BFF bouncing and barking to go for a walk. I love surprises, and I love giving gifts. The subscription box option is something I have wanted to offer for quite some time. I hope you, too, are as excited about this as I am. Please leave us feedback in the comments section. Good, bad, or indifferent, I care about and love hearing what you have to say.

On this lovely, sun-filled day, stay safe, be smart, do things that excite you, create goals and, dance funny when you achieve them, and keep washing your hands.

Tuesday Spotlight: The Manly Man, The Woodsman, and Orange, Clove, and Cinnamon

Today’s spotlight is shining on our masculine collection. This week, The Manly Man, The Woodsman, and Orange, Clove, and Cinnamon are at the center of our spotlight. If one were to ask me where my weakness lies in scent creation, I would readily admit it is in creating masculine scents. I feel like I don’t have “the nose” for masculine scents. I like soft, sweet, subtle florals and warm, earthy scents. Fragrances that are strong in musk or heavily perfumed don’t appeal to me. Thus, I struggle. I believe The Manly Man is the best masculine creation in our line of products. It is popular with both genders.

I worked really, really hard when I created The Woodsman, and I love the ylang-ylang base, but sadly, The Woodsman is on the cutting table. We are removing/replacing several of our scents that aren’t as popular as others. I have not found the replacement for The Woodsman yet, but when it’s gone, it’s gone for good. I will keep you posted on new creations because that excites me. If you are a fan of The Woodsman, now is a great time to stock up.

Our spotlight also is shining on Orange, Clove, and Cinnamon. I love this scent. It is warm, citrusy, sweet, and cozy. This time of year is the perfect season for Orange, Clove, and Cinnamon. It reminds me of pomanders and cozy home fires. Orange Clove and Cinnamon is set to be put to bed once our inventory is depleted. However, it will not retire for good. We feel it is an appropriate scent for fall and winter and plan to make it part of our seasonal repertoire.

My New Year’s goal is to create two more masculine scents for our permanent inventory. This will take a lot of work and research and probably me polling our soap family for feedback. When I do something, I like to do it well and correctly. Much to The Bibbed Wonder’s chagrin, I “make a process” out of everything. However, this is how my weird, creative little mind works. It’s a mix of chaos, inspiration, research, and trial and error. My hope is not to disappoint you, dear reader.

So, if you are a masculine scent fan, this week is wonderful for you. All three soaps are on special exclusively on the website. There is no promo code needed to save, and savings are applied at checkout. We are creeping closer and closer to the holiday season. If you are looking for stocking stuffers for hard to buy for men, now is a great time to get a jump start on filling those socks.

On this chilly, sunny day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the savings, and keep washing your hands.

Monday Catch Up

We had a nice, quiet weekend, dear reader. I thought I would take the time today to catch you up on all the various topics of the past week or so. I am pleased to share that our grumpy old man, Chubby, is feeling better. He began a regiment of steroids on Saturday, and fortunately, he is responding well to them. I am no longer giving him the pain medication that made him groggy and dopey. Although he is not one hundred percent quite yet, he is improving, and I hope to continue to see improvements every day. He will return to the vet for a follow-up visit on November 15. Please keep our little crab apple in your thoughts.

The Bibbed Wonder ordered bib overalls from a new company, Roundhouse. I am also pleased to report that these bib overalls have passed all tests and have been deemed acceptable. There are indeed two pockets with snaps on the apron; the hammer loop is on the left, and the knife pocket is on the right. Everything is exactly how it should be. Roundhouse apparently has a designer who is not insane and is in the know with hard-working men. The Bibbed Wonder sings a song he makes up every time he puts on his new bibbies. It goes a little something like this: Roundhouse bibs are smart and swell. The Carhartt company can go to hell. Sigh. He gets an A for rhyming, if not creativity.

I am now officially nine years older than my husband. This will last for approximately two weeks. On October 28th, he will turn forty-three, and the balance of our eight-year age difference will be restored. He also enjoys making up songs about the two weeks I am almost a decade older than him. Sigh. Although I find him humorous on most days, his sheer glee in tormenting me over our age difference gets under my skin after show tune number 103. I would also like to punch him in the throat when he tells total strangers he is sleeping with a woman almost a decade older than him. Sigh. Nothing new on that front.

The girls have once again moved back to the pasture field by the barn. The boys are now across the driveway, and I fear the solar-powered fencer will not be strong enough to separate them from the girls. However, The Bibbed Wonder has ensured that the boys and girls continue to have three sets of electrified fencing between them. If the girls stopped pacing the fence line antagonizing the boys, things would be much more peaceful here. Of course, The Bibbed Wonder calls the girls in heat The Goats of Babylon, jezebels, and harlots. He says Eve's sin is alive and well in our ladies. Sigh. Also, the Jerry Springer jokes continue about the upcoming baby season.

Progress on my children’s book is being made. Aside from tweaking the images, we are close to being done. My hope is to have it available in time for the holiday season. However, I am unsure what to expect from the publisher. Fingers crossed that all goes well and that the turnaround time is quick. As we complete new pages, my idea and vision become a reality. I’m very excited.

I’m also happy to share that our subscription boxes will arrive today. Although they are not exactly what I envision, they are a good start. We have reached a compromise. We agree to see how the idea is received before I ask our talented friend, Ashleigh Bowman, to put in the time and effort to create images of our girls that will outline the box. However, I consider it a win that he even agrees to entertain my idea. Wednesday, I will share all the details regarding the subscription boxes. It’s very exciting.

We continue to prepare for The Ligonier Country Market Holiday Market. It will be held on November 4, from 12-4, at The Watershed Park, where the weekly market is held. I am working to gussy up our display and make it look festive. It’s easy to get into a rut, and with one nay-saying grinch who likes to keep things simple and “not drag a bunch of crap” to the market, I often choose not to go to battle every week. However, it is the holidays, and we should dress up our stand a bit. Part of me wishes we had asked for a double space at the market because we have a variety of holiday products. We will make it work, and it will look festive. Although, I may make Eric wear a Grinch suit…insert a giggle.

That pretty much covers it, dear reader. We are beginning to prepare for winter and the upcoming holidays. The chicken coop and barn must be cleaned and winterized before it gets cold. Everyone is starting to grow a thicker coat. My chickens have ceased laying eggs altogether. All signs that winter and cold weather are right around the corner. We will take advantage of the nice weather and warmer days while they last. Nature lets us know that time is always moving forward. The cycles continue, and there is comfort in the consistency.

Everything and everyone is healing and finding their balance again. Thank God the Roundhouse bib overalls are acceptable. Now, the hobo bibs can begin their journey to their final resting place…in secret and one by one so my bib overall wearing curmudgeon doesn’t fuss. It’s good to see our Chubby buddy moving better and more alert. I must admit, we were all worried for him and afraid this might be the end. My girl is going to be inconsolable when the day finally comes. Sigh. That is a worry for another day. Until then, we will love and care for our boy, making him feel loved and comfortable.

Remember to stay safe, be smart, believe all will be well, be grateful when it does turn out well, and keep washing your hands.