I got props!

A few days ago my friend Wende was blogging about smelly props, and I had no idea what the heck she was talking about when I saw those words on twitter, but I just couldn't help but click that link and look.

Wende always has beautiful photos in her shop, and on her blog.  I've been following here quietly for years but we've only recently connected truly.  I just love this girl, you will too.  Her Etsy shop Mireio has that beautiful airyness that I love, full of beautiful things, and things that smell beautiful too.

Speaking of smelly props, I was having fun with the light today and finally finding the time to re-do some of my photos... Today I did the Basil Lime, and had fun playing with props I don't normally use, in this case, the limes.

{ Basil Lime . shea butter soap }

I've been using the same sort of background in my pictures for years, but I've been wanting to add a few new details to my photos lately, to give my shop more of a vibe.  In the last year or so I've been really working on that.  The brand.  It's a scary word, what does it all mean?  Having a brand.  But I've found it to be a really key tool in helping my business grow.  Since my shop is online, I think it's important to try and visually create the feeling I would want someone to get if they walked into my shop down on the street.  What would it look like, what kinds of things would decorate the space, how would it feel?  It is an ever changing growing process of course, but I am kind of having fun playing with it right now... adding accents.

What have you been up to lately?  So much has happened in the month of May I don't even know where to begin or end, except that I've been blessed and busy and have felt sorrow and loss and joy and acceptance.

How about you, how are you this fine day?  :)

hello, you.

You know that thing about telling the universe what it is you want from life, and then being open to receiving it?  Well, this is happening to me... right about Now.  It's been 5 years, five whole years since I jumped in feet first, jumped into being a maker, a crafter, a home business entrepreneur, yet I never had a plan.  The plan was always to succeed at making my own way, living a simple life, and having a flexible schedule.  The plan was never to 'get rich'.  The plan was never to create an enterprise... I've even always been flexible about 'what I do' to reach this lifestyle goal... But considering I never had a real plan, you could say the plan itself, seems to be unfolding as it should.

These days I am up to my elbows in favor soap orders, and I am sitting here wondering why I am just now getting around to this branch of things.  One of those moments when you say to yourself, I wish I had done this years ago!  But perhaps I wasn't ready yet, wasn't there... the time wasn't right, I was still growing, still wandering with my thoughts and my intentions.

For a long time, I was caught up on sales goals.  Financial goals that I wanted to meet, in order to feel like I was succeeding at what I was doing.  I'm trying to make a living here, right?  Well.  Once I set that intention aside, and starting looking at what I would do with life, if I were financially able... things started falling into place.  Now my dreams are more like plans.  Now my goals are more like to-do's... But I just had to walk away from one thing.  How much is it going to cost?  How much money do I need to make, to do that?

It takes a while to learn that if you just set your intentions on the right things, and believe in them, and take action on them... that those thoughts will turn into things.  I still have a long ways to go, but I know now that this is a journey.  There is no beginning, no end... just what's happening right now.  Learning to live in the moment, and know that all else will fall into place as it should, when it should.

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately, but I've got work to do! 
How are things going for you lately?
Hope to catch up soon.

Lots of love.  ♥  Janell

Happy Earth Day!!

Hey all!
This weekend the husby and I are taking a much needed mini vacation
to the beautiful Columbia River, just to catch some fresh air,
visit family and get a little relaxing time in...

While we're gone though, I'm having an Earth Day Sale!! Stop by my shop and stock up on your favorite goodies, now through Tuesday April, 24th, and Save 20% using Coupon Code EarthDay2012.

I've got a couple new soaps in the shop,
Ginger Lime and Lemon Ginger & Honey...  Both are earthy and fresh and make great gifts for the gardener or your favorite chef!

And, if you haven't noticed, I decided to change things up a bit, and now have new soap packaging!  I hope you love it as much as I do... it's clean and simple and really just gives things a fresh new look...  It's been unseasonably rainy and gray here for quite some time, so I hope to get some of my pictures updated soon...

In the mean time, I'm excited to finally be seeing signs of spring in my yard...

You could say I've been impatiently waiting for the tulips to come up this year, since I just put most of the bulbs in last year...

The red ones are my absolute favorite.

Last but not least, I picked up this cute galvanized box out thrift shopping a while back, and had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I just had to have it because you know I love stars right?... Finally, I've decided it's the new home for my gardening tools...

Hope you have a wonderful weekend
everyone, and Happy Earth Day to you too!!

♥ Janell