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

WINNERS!!!

This is to announce the winners in my Double Valentine's Give Away:

1. Sarah Buckingham of Finding Charm on Etsy won the Valentine's Day Gift Basket with all the goodies shown below.

2. Pamela Yarbrough of Waycross, Georgia won the Foot Care Gift Basket with all the goodies shown below.

Congratulations, Ladies.

And, thank you to all the players of both drawings. I sure do appreciate your playing with me. I will do this again, soon. Mother's Day? ♥

-k

Valentine's and Roses

Hi you.

I did a lot of reading this morning, and I now realize that Valentine's Day is a modern holiday. It has no basis in history other than a couple of "Saint" Valentines were executed on February 14th. It is associated with love notes in the 1400's...but farther back than that, no connection between the executed Valentine's and the romance we associate with Valentine's today.

On the other hand, it sure is celebrated by a lot of people in a lot of countries in many different ways...from friends to sweethearts to marriage. I particularly found the story of Japanese women giving men chocolate on February 14 and men giving chocolate in return a month later to those who gave them chocolate. Pretty cool. But, this tradition (we are so commercial) was developed by a chocolate business. :) ->Information found in the same link above.

The bottom line is, however, we are going to celebrate this holiday regardless of "tradition" or "history" or even "connections with romance and the 3 Valentine martyrs", because it is a holiday of Love, Friendship, Good feelings toward Others, etc. in our world and time today.

And, it is at the time of year we need a upbeat holiday to brighten the bleakness of the near-end of winter and not yet foreseeable beginnings of spring. It is bright with reds and pinks and whites with bows and ribbons and lace. It smells good with the roses and carnations and all flowers and taste delicious with confections and candy and chocolate.

I began something new with my business last Fall. I fell into seasonal products. It was not planned, but it sure did seem as if the path was paved. My new winter products gained the business much attention through treasuries, sales, and others' feedback. A natural step seems to pause at Valentine's Day ♥, before we make our way to spring scents. (Yes, the fragrances are ordered and on their way - soaps to be made next week.)

So, Sweet Creek Herbs has a new section in the shop called Valentines and Roses. It was fun photo shooting for these pictures. But, I hope to do better next time. Please help yourself and stop by this section to see the colors of pink and red and white. :) Thanks!!!

Valentine's Day GiveAway

Hi you all.

I finally have everything ready for a huge giveaway I'm doing now through February 9. This is a double Giveaway, and anyone can enter both of them.

The first giveaway is for a Feet Care Basket. The way to enter for this giveaway is straightforward - just place an order with my Etsy shop. That is all you have to do, and of course, you may do so as many times as you would like. Each order (note: order may be one to many items) placed from now until February 9 gets one entry into the

Feet Care Basket Giveaway. Items gifted are as

pictured here:

Valued at $35.05

The second giveaway is a Valentine's Day Gift Basket with some new products just for Valentine's Day. The entries for this giveaway does not require an order, but does require some other things...if you care to enter...

1. I would like you to follow this blog. :)

2. I would like you to follow me on Twitter at SweetCreekHerbs: http://twitter.com/sweetcreekherbs

3. I would like you to fan me at my SweetCreekHerbs Facebook Fan page at this address:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Creek-Herbal-Soaps/198044329046

4. I would like you to twitter once about this giveaway

and last,

5. I would like for you to comment on one of the giveaway products on my fan page. And, let me know when you have completed the last step - I will check and enter you in the giveaway.

The basket and products for this giveaway are in the following picture, and the value of this basket is $41.65. The items include: Rose Pink clay face soap, Rose petals bath salts, sample rose geranium sea salt soap, sample lavender rose bath soap, Rose damascena absolute in jojoba perfume, Chocolate Cherry Body Butter, Whipped Shea with Bulgarian Rose, Chocolate Cherry lip balm, and a sampler of Winter Butter with Jasmine and coffee butter.

Thank you, and good luck to everyone!!! :)

ps. February 9 is the last day to enter. The random drawing will be held that night. Packages will be in the mail the very next day, priority mail flat rate envelope to get to most of you before Valentine's Day. ♥

Which Flavor Lip Balms to Make???

Hi.

I'm making lip balms today. The two I made for this winter are killer recipes. They are smooth and glide on so easily and smell awesome. I made Chocolate Mint Lip Balm and Orange Wax Lip Balm, and they have been very popular. Yay!

Now, I would like to make some more. I have this awesome vanilla flavor oil I'd like to mix with some peppermint oil for another new one. But, I'm sitting on some fun flavor oils, too. They include:

Vanilla Hazelnut

Orange Sorbet

Honey

Peach

French Vanilla

Bubble Gum

Pina Colada

Chai Tea

Pineapple & tangerine

Vanilla (yummy)

I don't use sweetners in my lips balms. Although edible, not a really good thing to do...so, I make them aromatic but not sweet. In fact, flavor oil do not taste - they only smell. So, it wouldn't do us any good to eat it anyway.

I also have several essential oils that may be mixed with the vanilla or such, like the one I'm making with vanilla and peppermint. That is fun, too.

If you would like to have some input into this dilemma, I would love to have it. If not, I'll come up with something, and hopefully, it will be good. Ha ha ha ha

Thanks, Kathleen

ps. Oh, yeah. I'm loving the new natural oval tubes I'm now using. Once I got used to it, I like it better than the round. I notice Avon is using a new oval tube, too. Lol

Whipped Winter Butter in new Etsy Treasury

I have just learned how to screen shoot a web page, save it to "paint" software, and post it to my blog. I am so lucky in that this is the 5th treasury in less than a month that has cradled one of my products. My whipped Winter Butter has been in three, the large size is in this one.

The curator, shaprink, makes her own blank books and stationery which make unique gifts and functional art. She would love to have your visit.

Thank you for visiting my post. I appreciate your celebrating with me. :)

Kathleen of Sweet Creek Herbal Soaps