Supporting Small Businesses that make Safe Cosmetics

Hello folks:

Thank you for stopping by. I learned something today I feel I must share with you. Apparently there is a bill out before our House of Congress. If passed, this bill, by its very requirements, will stamp out small manufacturers/businesses of handmade personal and natural cosmetics, like myself and thousands of others.

It seems, once again, Big Brother is trying to stamp out the little guy. I'm 54...I've seen this a quadrillion times. Corporations are feeling the loss of sales due to hundreds to thousands of small business owners/manufacturers who are doing better by the day. Why are they doing better and better? Because they are making safe and better cosmetics than the corporations - and more and more customers are realizing that.

Because I have seen this so many times is not saying we shouldn't act. In fact, we have to act. One day, the little guy is not going to take it anymore, and there will be no more Big Brother. But, for now, we have to fight this their way.

Among other things, this bill will call for 1. labeling to match the big corps that will include all trace elements so that a product that includes Olive Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Lavender essential oil would take up the space of an 8 1/2 x 11 paper...thus

Ingredients: Olive Oil (Tri-Glycerides of Palmitic, Di-Glycerides of Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic, Arachidic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Squalene, Beta Carotene, Campesterol, Methylenecholesterol, Stigmasterol, Sitosterol, Fucosterol, 28-Isofucosterol, Stigmadienol, Brassicasterol, 7-Cholestenol,Ergostadienol, Avenasterol, Triterpene Alcohols, Tirucallol, Taraxerol, Dammaradienol Beta-Amyrin Germanicol, Butyrospermol, Parkeol, Cycloartenol, Tirucalladienol, 24-Methlene 24-Dihydroparkeol, 24-Methlenecycloartanol, Cyclobranol, 4-Methyl Sterols, Esters of Tyrosol, Esters of Hydroxytyrosol, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Carotenoids, Oleuropein) Cocoa Butter (Tri and Diglycerides of Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Lead, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Isoleic Acid, Beta Carotene, p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid, Vanillic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Syringic Acid, Phenylehtylamine, Theophylline, Aliphatic Esters, Aromatic Carbonyls, Caffeine, Theobromine, Diketopiperazines and Alkylpryazines), Lavender Essential Oil ( Cineole Octanol, Octanone, Alpha Bisabolol, Alpha Cadinol, Alpha Humelene, Alpha Phellandrene, Apha Pinene, Alpha Terpinene, Alpha Terpineol, Alpha Terpinyl Acetate, Alpha Thujene, Alpha Thujone, Beta Bisabolol, Beta Pinene, Beta Thujone, Borneol, Bornyl Acetate, Camphene Camphor, Cineolealpha Terpineol, Carvone, Caryophyllene, Carophyllene Oxide, CIS Alpha Terpineol, CIS Alpha Bisabolene, CIS Carveol, CIA Linalol Epoxide, CIS Ocimene, Citronellal, Citronellol, Coumarine, Cuminaldehyde, Eugenol, Furfural, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Geranyl Butyrate, Hexanol, Hexyl Tiglate, Isoborneol, Lavandulol, Lavandulyl Acetate, Limonene, Linanlol, Linalyl Acetate, Methyl Heptenone, Myrcene, Nerol, Neryl Acetate, Oleanolic Acid, P Cymene, Rosemarinic Acid, Sabinen, Terpinenol, Terpinolene, Trans Carveol, Trans Epoxy Linalyl Acetate, Trans Linanol Epoxide, Trans Ocimene, Ursolic Acid)

Now, I don't know about you, but my customers appreciate the fact that they can read my labels. This would take that right out the window. The Corps know this.

2. will also require a reporting to the FDA for things like...any hiring of personnel, when we change suppliers, who are distributors are, and all our recipes with no guarantee of confidentiality. What?!? Isn't this business rape? I won't be able to make product anymore, I will be inundated in paperwork. The Corps know this, also.

3. This bill is based on the concept that cosmetics are killing us. Are cosmetics killing us? And, if they are, wouldn't it be the big Corps who are responsible. The natural soap makers of today are relatively new to the cosmetic scene. But, we are getting the rap. And, what about diet, lack of exercise, stress, poor doctors, etc., to blame for bad health?

The link to the title of this blog takes you to a site developed just to fight this bill. You can just click on it, or copy and paste to the address bar. At this site, you can sign a petition against the bill, you can read the bill verbatim, and you can see those who have signed - some with their names and some anonymously.

Any and every signature is appreciated. I think the next step is to contact my own representative. Thank you for reading - kathleen

Whatcha' Doin'?

Hi again.

This is not a post as much as it is a "newsletter" this time around. I've been gone so long, I must catch you up on the goings on of the last 2 months.

Since I wrote last, I've had another birth day celebration. This year I worked the Kingsport Farmer's market, since it was a Saturday. It was a really nice day. Friend of mine from the market took me out for a celebratory lunch. I had a pomegranate margarita. The old-fashioned margaritas are still my favorite.!!

I took a trip to south Georgia by way of Waycross with my son to spend a weekend with my never-have-met-before niece, Pam and her family. I met my half sister and half brother that night. Then, the next day, we all went to the family reunion I had never before been to on my mother's side of the family. I remet cousins I had met when I was 7 years of age. We connected first on Facebook in January and set the reunion up from that moment. It was an awesome culmination of combined energies on behalf of the cousins. There are pics of this reunion all over the internet - it was an emotional repast for everyone.

And, most recently, I was invited to participate in a local TV show likened to a Regis & Kelly show, called Daytime Tricities on CBS (local Channel 11 out of Johnson City, TN) at 10 am. It was a live show and a lot of fun. Morgan King, the host, invited me, but he was on vacation when I did the show. Amy, his cohostess, was very charming. She flew through her paces with the show with grace and humor. It was fun interacting with her and her guest co-host, Bob. I have a video tape of the show, but I need to find out how to turn it into a DVD and upload it to youtube, so that I may share that 4 minute spot with you.

In the meantime, I take walks (even in this oven-like heat), I've put reading off for awhile as I feel I'm working two jobs - peddling and online venues, and I'm formulating ideas for more product. I hope to be back to posting a bit more regularly - and I apologize for my lack therein. I do have a week long fair coming up in late August where I demonstrate my product. This has become a traditional show - my 4th year. And, even though I do not re-enact soap making of yesteryear, I do show them how I make old fashioned soap the modern way. :)

As always, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your interest. -kathleen

FREE SHIPPING SALE

Hi you all.

Just a short note to let you know I'm having a sale this weekend.

I'm offering Free Shipping for domestic orders totalling $10.00 0r more. I'm offering Reduced Shipping for same minimum on International orders.

I hope you come and check my shop out. And, I hope you find something you feel you simply must have.

Thanks again,

Kathleen

ps. just click on the title of this post, and it will take you to my Etsy shop. Thanks!!!

The Exchange Place Spring Garden Fair

Hi again. This last weekend found me doing a "historically themed" craft show. Many of these types of shows desire vendors that demonstrate and/or sell heritage or traditional crafts.

Several of the old buildings have been restored and kept in great shape due to these few annual shows they hold a year. Their pamphlet says the site hosts "the hub of an early 19th century plantation...with saddlebag style log house and its dependencies-kitchen, smokehouse, schoolroom, springhouse, blacksmith shop, slave cabin, granary cowbarn and gaines store which stocked supplies for valley farm families."

This is across the street from where I am set up. There are several crafters on boths sides of the old brick street. :) Most crafters have been doing this "show" for years. We are set up at the Roseland visitor center that once was, I think, the Kitchen in the 1850's. It has a long open front porch and a long back closed in porch. This is Charles Williams of Primitive Rug Hooking. He sits outdoors on the porch enjoying the view of the hubbub, while his wife,

Nancy sits inside with Jeri Jones of http://www.etsy.com/shop/jeridiehard and also where you would have found me the last two days. :)

Again, I thank you for your time. :)kathleen

Happy Earth Day!!! (A walk in early spring)

Hi.

Enjoy!!!! I sure did!

kathleen♥

Living History Day-A-Fair

Hi you all!

I set up Saturday at an event that is unusual from my main stream craft shows. It was at a Farm called Still Hollow. They hosted "Living History Day-A-Fair", and it was a really fun and educational show for me.

The 1860's Living History and Dance Society sponsored the event. This group formed in the summer of 2009 by a group that home schools their children. The children have a sewing class where they learned to make their 1860's dresses, pantaloons, and bonnets. The boys make the dress boys wore then, too. They learn the etiquette and dancing of that era, as well, and offer demonstrations or instructions on civil war dancing, etiquette, and dress of that time period.

Still Hollow Farm is located a few miles outside of Greeneville, Tennessee. Their farm is available for weddings, birthdays, and tours, as well as farming 180 acres yearly. The original farm was established in 1857 with 560 acres and grew to well over one thousand acres.

It was a wonderful show. We learned Saturday about how the men, women, and children wore their hair back in the 1860's, and what kind of bonnets, hats, and hairnets were standard in that society. We have some storytelling time. The Civil War Dance demonstration was awesome. The live music that was performed using instruments of that day and songs popular then was just a hoot, because we all know these songs and we allowed to sing along.

Then, there was an 1860's fashion show, baseball demonstration, and Ladies Tea in the afternoon.

I enjoyed all this and some sales, too.

I learned that all the people (men and women) wore gloves to keep from touching each other in public, as well as hygienic motives. I learned that hair was slicked back and not allowed to escape the "hair do" of the day....again, men and women. I learned that bonnets were worn straight on the head, no tilting for fashion's sake; they were worn to keep the sun out of their faces. A tanned face, hands or any part of the body showed someone who was not well off; one who had to work for a living. (Even those who did strove to keep the sun off their skin.)

I had a good time, and I look forward to more of the same. I haven't done a lot of shows in the last couple of years, but this year, I'm doing more. The shows I'm choosing, however, are of a different nature than those I normally do. My next show is in a couple of weeks at a place called "The Exchange Place" in Kingsport, Tennessee. This place was known for a "meeting" place that was the crossroads for going many different places. People would bring their wares to trade, and many would stop there on their way west or south. It is a place where many vendors dress that part, too.

I will write about that one when I do it. For now, enjoy the pictures of the show I did Saturday.

Thanks for your interest, Kathleen

Farmer's Market 2010

Hi Folks:

Yesterday, Kingsport Farmer's market gathered to begin another year...for them, their 33rd year...for me, my 5th year. The organization has been through many changes in their 33 years. In my 5 years, we have been relocated twice, now setting up in the same location for the second year. Apparently, this location is our permanent home, but this organization has heard that before.

And, I'm not going to get political about it at this time. I come to show you a new set up I'm trying out. New products are consistently being made for my business, and I've run out of room to show it all at a show or market set up. The oils, butters, and salves table was beginning to overflow last year, and over the winter, I made several new butters.

So, I set up my booth in more of a display manner. My gift table was overflowing for the reason of Easter being the next day. Still sold little of those. My V tables in the background shows more what I'm talking about.

I still do not bring all my stock. But, I give them my business card with my Etsy shop address on it for a more complete view of my inventory.

My reason is that when a table is overcrowded, it is hard to see what is on it. For me, this is the case. So, I thought about this last year, and I am giving it a go this year. One day cannot tell me very much; but I was much more relaxed with my product and its display.

I'm not completely happy with the gift table, though. Yes, I can eliminate the overcrowding, but it seemed the "aisles" between the tables is a bit tight.

What do you all think? I am open to all relevant suggestions. :)

Thanks, Kathleen