This Little Piggy

My life with Gerry is never boring. We seem to have a routine. He comes up with a new idea, I fret and sputter with some objections. He patiently helps me to see his way. We do whatever it is and I end up thinking it's the greatest idea ever. This happened when he wanted to add softball practice to our schedule. It also happened when he thought we should join Tae Kwon Do. And when he thought we should get chickens

Well, it's happening again. This time it's piggies. Gerry thinks we should raise two pigs and supply ourselves with some homegrown pork. At first I was mortified. I'm no farm girl and I don't want to have a "pet" that we then serve for dinner. At least that was my first reaction. After a visit to the Earthwise Farm & Forest, though, I can see the beauty in offering these pigs a really wonderful life and then appreciating the gift of their meat. I think that's how I feel, anyway. I'll have to keep you all posted on this latest adventure. If nothing else, Gerry knows how to keep it *fresh*!

And the Beat Goes On

As much as I love being on Facebook, I have missed blogging! We've been wicked busy! Here are some pics to catch up. Of course, Max is doing very well and the mountains are still beautiful!

Peter competed in the Vermont Jr. Iron Chef competition
We had another fantastic Easter Brunch at the Langham in Boston
The girls grew and stayed cute and the boys (and my friend Ramsey) all earned their 1st Dan Black Belts in March.

Twin Birch continues to grow. I am opening a store/studio next week which will give people a chance to come in and shop, see soapmaking and even take classes to learn how to make fantastic natural skin care products. I can't wait to share pictures & stories from this new adventure!

Time in Monet's Garden

I love the Impressionists. I especially love Monet and all of the wonderful colors found in his work. Here is my soap inspired by Monet's Garden. It smells divine~sweet, floral & summery. Grab one on Etsy or Artfire!

Prayers for Max

Those of you who've been sweet enough to read One Bubble at a Time for awhile, have met Max.
He's our 3 1/2 year old yellow lab. He weighs in at about 120 and he is a handful! I haven't gone to see Marley & Me, because I'm pretty sure I live it. Read here, here, or here for more Max stories.Some odd behavior from Max prompted me to call the vet this morning. By 1 pm I was frantically driving him to an emergency appt. after my sweet friend Ramsey & I carried him up the stairs using a blanket as a hammock under his chest. Max had been carrying his head very low for 36 hours. I thought it was a flare up of an ear infection he's been treated for. Then he couldn't straighten his paw to walk and began to stumble around.

The Vet, Dr. Bob *(who I love) thinks he was having a stroke. He's at the Hospital having had a large dose of antibiotics & steroids to try to reduce the swelling causing the problems. He perked up a little as I was leaving and I'm praying that he'll be ok. Even though he drives me a little crazy, I love that big dog to bits. So, if you have a moment to say a little something for Max, we would all appreciate it! I'll keep you posted on his condition!

Etsy Front Page Surprise

Happy New Year everyone!! I was so happy and surprised to get some Etsy convos congratulating me for making the front page on New Years Eve! Thanks to Elizabeth from Gassner Custom Soaps for her cute post about it! They featured my Champagne Chic Bath Bomb. FUN!!

I actually was celebrating with friends and never saw the "live shot". Fortunately, Elizabeth posted a picture.

Hopefully next time, I'll actually see it!!

How Do You Feel About Fall?

Well, it's here. There are leaves in the driveway, the air is cooler and the Tunbridge Fair has come and gone (check back for that post~as long as you have a strong stomach!) It's Autumn in Vermont. For me, fall is bitter~sweet. I LOVE the upcoming holidays and all of the tradition that comes our way. I will miss the care~free days of summer. *sigh*

So, how about you? How do you feel about this time of year? What are your favorite things about it? Recipes? Family Traditions? Treasures to pull out from the closet? Let me know! Let's make it a giveaway! I'll use Teresa's method to pick a winner on Sept. 21st. You'll win 2 bars of Twin Birch Artisan Soap... Perfect Pumpkin and Cranberry Cheer.

Happy Fall! :)

All's Fun In Love

This is hard to believe... I've been married for 18 years. It's not that it's been hard at all. In fact, it has been such a wonderful ride of fun and adventure, with a sprinkle of profound sadness and pulling through a few dark moments, that time has just flown! We have the same crazy, hectic life as a lot of you. Four kids, a ridiculously large dog, 10 hens, house, Gerry's law practice, my soap~gig... sometimes I just laugh. (ok, sometimes I cry, too!) Mostly, I laugh. Click here to see Gerry in a death~defying moment at a water park in Lincoln, NH! (We call the ride "The Toilet Bowl!"

Anyway, I'm still crazy for Gerry and all of the wonderful things that he is. One of his best talents (and he has many), he gives amazing massages. Really good. That's what inspired my latest gift idea on Etsy. Because being in love is fun.

It's the perfect gift for newlyweds, an anniversary, and of course... Christmas & Hanukkah. Oh! Don't forget New Year's Eve! Click here to take a peek! ;)

Time in Monet's Garden

This was such a fun batch of soap to make. It's full of softening olive oil, coconut oil & palm kernel oil. It's a nice hard bar that's full of lather! I went way out on the swirly limb and used three colors to mimic Monet's Water Garden. Swirling was a treat! I had one of those soaper's adrenaline rushes while I was pulling it all together. The fragrance is Brambleberry's Sweet Pea, which was great in the batch. Six weeks later, it's still sharing it's yummy scent. It's sweet, fresh & a tiny bit musky. I love it.

Of course, it's available on Etsy! ;)

Sweet Birch Shea & Shimmer Scrub

I've found my favorite product. I've been using it everyday this Summer and I can officially say that I am in LOVE!!! My Sweet Birch Shea & Shimmer Scrub is an offspring of Sweet Birch Shower Butter which you can read about here. These products are members of the Sweet Birch family, which is a line of scrubs featuring the uber~gentle exfoliating properties of sugar. Sweet Birch Lip Scrub & Face Polish are coming soon.

The thing about Shea & Shimmer Scrub that has me so amped up is that it has solved my biggest problem in life... DRY SKIN!!! I lean towards scaly on the dryness measuring system. If I don't slather on lotion after a shower, my skin is visibly parched. You know, scratch-your-name-into-it kind of dry. My friends, those days are over for me!

Here's the rundown~Organic Shea Butter, sweet almond oil, vegetable glycerin, pure cane sugar, the finest, yummiest fragrance oils or essential oils around and (drumroll) a pinch of shimmer dust. The scrub goes on like buttah and rinses off to leave you SOOOOO SOFT. The pinch of shimmer is just enough to show that you have inner sparkle & beauty. It's wonderful for date~night! Right now, it's available in Island Girl, Energy & Grapefruit Lily. More fragrances are showing up every day!

The difference from our Shower Butter is that there is no soap in this product. So, you can choose a soapy, bubbly lathery good time or super~softening moisturizing, won't-need-any-lotion-after-this scrub! Either way, you win!~ PS. I've been scrubbing away for 8 weeks and haven't had one break-out. No promises that you won't, but it hasn't been an issue for me!

Buy the Sweet Birch Shea & Shimmer Scrub here and the Sweet Birch Shower Butter here.

A Soap? A Moisturizer? Both!

I am a scrub junkie from way back. I used to buy all those scrubs that you'd find in the mall or at department stores. No more. Once I started making soap, I fell in love with making scrubs as well. I love the concept of getting clean and soft in the shower. It's my thing.

So here's the first of two of my fav. scrub products. It's called Sweet Birch Shower Butter and it's really yummy. It's a whipped cleanser loaded with pure cane sugar, sweet almond oil & glycerin. Just imagine being in the shower and scrubbing with a soothing, smoothing, creamy butter. You'll rinse off clean and dry off soft. It's so fun!

Click on my Etsy site to read more. It's currently available in Ginger Lime, Summer Green & Pamplemousse.

I can't believe that I am working on Autumn/Winter products already, but I am. Let me know what your favorite seasonal fragrances are. I love to hear what you are craving!

Red Belt Success!

Last night the Randolph Blue Wave TKD clan traveled up to the Burlington Blue Wave Dojang for a great night of testing. Once a student has reached 3rd Gup (Blue Belt with Red Stripe), they must test outside of their home dojang. Gerry was notified last week that he would be testing in Burlington for his RED belt. This is a huge deal because earning your Red Belt leaves you only 2 tests away from BLACK BELT! It also means testing in front of a formidable panel of Black BeltsTesting is really hard physically and pretty intense emotionally. Here's a quick vid. of Gerry's Board Breaking and Sparring segments. You can see that he kicked Master White and Miss Essig when he tried to break. It looked painful. Gerry apologized after the testing. He did an amazing job during his testing! He was very focused and looked great!!

I get the sense that being a Red Belt is kind of like pledging for a fraternity. Master White was telling the dojang last night that lots and lots of people quit TKD as Red Belts and that students have to stay focused and determined to make it all the way. They often have to drop and do push-ups for whatever reason a Black Belt comes up with. They also fetch the Black Belts their coffee, serve ice cream to 350 people at Summer Camp and do other types of scrub work.

I can't wait for the day that my three boys test for their Black Belt. Although Austen and Peter weren't quite ready for this testing, they are working really hard to earn the right to test before the Fall. Gerry has said that his goal is to test with the boys for Black Belt. Big congrats to Sonja and Mike who also earned their Red Belts and Ramsey who earned her Red Stripe! Huge congratulations to Gerry for his outstanding job!! We are all so proud of you!!!

Meanwhile, I will test (with Ella?) for my yellow stripe on Tues 7.29. I'm nervous, but I totally love the personal challenge that TKD is making me face. TKD couldn't possibly be any further out of my comfort zone and I am totally into it.

Too Much Soaping Lately?

Remember "Castaway", the movie starring Tom Hanks and a volleyball? He named the ball Wilson (it was a Wilson volleyball), and made it/him his friend. I think I have my very own Wilson. Is that... wrong?

I was having a hard time coming up with a name for a new fragrance formulation. I'm a girl who can head into space pretty quickly, so that's where I went to try to solve my problem. When I came back into focus (literally and figuratively), I spied this little soap ball that had been tossed aside about a month ago. It was part of a batch of Kumquat soap. The batch was nice, but a little too soft so I made a few soap spheres with it. I had also topped the batch with calendula petals, which ended up on top.

Still without a name for my new fragrance, I found myself decorating my soap ball and turning him into Bubba. This is a sure sign that I need more fresh air in my days!

This Little Piggy

I am so happy it's summer!! We are in the middle of a beautiful week up here in the Green Mountains! I've been barefoot or wearing flip flops for weeks and I've fallen in love again with my Tingle foot care products! With menthol, calendula & eucalyptus, our pedicure line provides the perfect pampering experience for our summertime feet! This is a gift kit I did for the crafty club that I've been teaching. It includes Fabulous Foot Soak, Fabulous Foot Scrub & Fabulous Foot Lotion, along with a slice of loofah to do the hard work! Wouldn't it be perfect for bridesmaids or future MIL's? And really, we all deserve to enjoy life's simple pleasures ~ like clean, shiny feet! A full size pedi kit is available here on etsy.

Hope your piggies are enjoying summer, too!

Since When is Washing Your Hands Fun?

I took some great shots of Trisha's soap this am. The problem is that I can't seem to download them from the camera. Never fear, Gerry will be home soon to save the day. Tomorrow should be a full blown Suds to Love~fest.

Meanwhile, I need to take a moment to share the joy of Foaming Hand Wash. What? You think that's lame and boring? No! Let me tell you about the joy to be had from the simple "task" of washing your hands!

I am a huge hand washer. In my previous life I worked in Food Service (aren't you glad I washed my hands??). For the past 12 years I've been a mom. We all know what kind of things end up on a mom's hands... not so good! So, it's always been one of those things that I've done 20-25 times a day. In fact, when we built our house, the contractors made fun of me because we installed 8 sinks in the house. You can say OCD if you want~it might be a little true. ;)

I used to use lots of Bath & Body Works hand wash. I was addicted to the different fragrances. However, they dried the life out of my hands. Fast forward 6 or 7 years and I've discovered the joy of making Foaming Hand soap in my favorite fragrances. I love the silky feel and the awesome foam! They Vitamin E & Aloe keep my hands from turning dry & yucky. Plus, it's so great to take five minutes to enjoy the amazing fragrances and pretty view out my window! I swear, just a few moments of pleasure in a hectic day are really a gift. Try it... you'll see what I mean!

My favorite summer fragrances are; Blackberry Sage, Vacation, Tuscan Summer & (of course) Pamplemousse. Oh, and don't forget the DragonSlayer or Pink Princess for your kiddos! Let's work together to keep their little mitts clean! Available at Etsy, the best deal is 4/$20 !

Wait Til You See...

...the amazing soaps that Trisha from Suds to Love sent my way! I'm not sure how I got so lucky!!
(maybe turning 41 had something to do with it!) I'm off to take some pix and give these bars all of the attention they deserve! Here's a teaser... Champagne Energy, Strawberries & Creme, Black Pepper Lime, Sweet Lemon... ooh baby! This is going to be a GREAT day!

14 Days Till the Give Away Drawing!!

As I enjoy my last few days of 40, I'm looking forward to drawing the names for the One Bubble PAMPLEMOUSSE GIFT SET GIVE AWAY!! Here is the link to the original post! Leave your comment there and you'll be IN the drawing!

Thanks to all of you for sending your Best Girlfriends over!! It's been so fun to read all of the comments and check out new blogs!! Happy June, everyone! xoxo Heather

Our Peeps

This year we decided to order 10 hens to raise for eggs. We hope they are all hens. They've been by a Chicken Sexer, so there's a high probability that they are girls. Fingers crossed. Chickens are a big thing in our town. I never realized how many people have a few chickens in their yard for eggs or (gulp) meat. We run into friends and neighbors at the store on order day and then 4 weeks later when the little chicks arrive. Gerry and the kids picked out the breeds (?) that we have. I know some... Rhode Island Reds, Bantams, Anacondas (no, that's a snake, but it's something like that.) Comets. Anyway, my need to nurture has kicked in and I am their primary caregiver. Four of the ten are about a week older, so we were nervous about flock integration. It's been smooth. They currently reside in a wood box in our upstairs laundry room with a heat lamp that keeps it about 85 degrees around them. (Don't tell Peter, but I put an old pair of his boxers in there for the chicks to cuddle on.)

Hopefully, in a few weeks they will be able to share the coop with Little Guy, our sweet white hen and the only remaining member of the Kindergarten flock. Unfortunately, Connor The Angry Rooster was killed by a fox about three weeks ago. As afraid as I was of that chicken, I was really sad when he died. I'm pretty sure that he was defending Little Guy when the fox got him. *sniff* Anyway, if things go well, she'll have ten little hens to care for and spend time with. Cross your fingers for us! I'm a bit too city for the whole thing!

In other chick news, I was headed outside to take some pics for etsy this afternoon. I looked up at the little Robin's nest, that's built on our light under the porch, to see if the mama Robin was up there and I saw 2 little Robin Chick beaks poking out over the lip of the nest. How very cute they are waiting for a worm or two!

Birch Bonding

Sherrie Graham is a sweet, talented soapmaker from Nova Scotia, Canada. She and I discovered each other because we both named our businesses around beautiful birch trees. Sherrie owns
Birch Bark Soap and has a great blog named~yup! Birch Bark Soap! She is a master at using simplicity to highlight the purity of her product!

I feel so lucky because I've been using some of that purely delightful product for the past week! Sherrie sweetly sent down an Oatmeal, Milk & Honey bar and an Exfoliating Gardener's Bar.
Sherrie does both CP & HP soapmaking. I think these are CP, but check the comments because Sherrie may correct me! :) They are WONDERFUL soaps!

It's been a real joy to try these babies out! I've been using the Oatmeal bar in the shower for the past few days. It has a great lather, smooth as silk glide and the fragrance is sweet & soothing! I love it! I'm not much of a gardener, but I always seem to have dirt on my hands this time of year. Sherrie's Gardeners Bar uses cornmeal as the exfoliant and it works brilliantly. That coupled with the calming scent of Almond & Honey makes it a real winner!

If I were you, I'd click on over to Sherrie's Etsy shop and do some shopping! You'll be so happy you did because her soaps are a real treat!! Thanks, Sherrie~ and lots of Birch Bubble Love to you!

Swirly Girl

Back in April, I was lucky enough to attend a seminar taught by Lori Nova. She is one of the soaper rock stars that I'd learned about when I was doing my bubble research. Lori is out in California and she owns The Nova Studio, where she teaches the craft of soapmaking and other bath & body techniques. She is knowledgeable, nice & super sweet!

Her seminar was fantastic. She took all of us in the room (about 75 for the 2nd seminar) through the step-by-step process of creating CP soap. From oil temps to colorants & fragrance options all the way to the actual swirl, she was thorough and clear. She also answered a lot of questions. It was a great class! BTW, isn't her apron darling?

Armed with the packet that Lori handed out and a picture in my mind's eye, I decided to give it a go. I chose to go very basic with a Lavender bar. Have you all tried BB's Lavender de Provence? It's soo yummy. I've never been a Lavender lover, but this is just perfect. Anyway, here's a look at my first batch. Although I would use a darker color next time, I'm so psyched about the actual swirl. I wish I'd taken a picture of my novice batch from last winter. ick.

My Love You Lavender Swirl will be available on Etsy by June 20th. ;)

Share Some Pamplemousse With Your BFF!

Yay! Time for another giveaway!!! With all of the love I've been getting about the Pamplemousse (see here & here!) I think it's the perfect fragrance for a One Bubble Giveaway! Pamplemousse is a yummy, revitalizing blend of tart, sweet pink grapefruit & a tiny hint of floral! You'll love it! Promise!

Spring is here, the grass is green... time to pamper yourself and your favorite girlfriend with some yummy, skin-loving products from Twin Birch Bath & Body! If you are the lucky winner, you'll receive an 8 oz tub of Birch Bliss Shower Butter, a 10 oz Pure Soy Candle, handcrafted Artisan Soap & a fun 3 pack of Birch Bliss Bath Bombs which are infused with softening unrefined Shea Butter! Each bomb weighs about 5 oz and offers lots of fizz & fragrance! Our Shower Butter is delish! Complete with a little sugar & sparkle, you'll be clean, soft & dazzling! And make sure you set the mood by lighting our beautiful soy candle! You'll have no choice but to make time to care for your skin & spirit!! I promise to package it beautifully! After all, we all deserve a fabulous gift!

Here's the plan: email a link of this post to your favorite girlfriends and have them leave a comment with your name in it! Then, you leave a comment as well... say whatever you feel like saying... and you'll be entered! Next month is my birthday month! I'll be 41 on 6/22. Soooo,
I'll pick the winners with some of those numbers in mind... :) I'll pick a pair of friends on the 15th!! I'll take care of everything after that! So fun!

Can't wait to see who wins!