A new July Spotted Box treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=68578&show_panel=true

Let me begin by saying that today was just “one of those days” and thankfully, my June 2009 Spotted Box came to my rescue for the first, but certainly not to be the last, time.

I was so excited when I received my first Spotted Box - I couldn’t wait to try out each and every sample - I like to call them my “tokens of kindness”.  Being as I have my hands presently on the full side with 2 kids and soon to be 3, I was a little skeptical as to when the timing would work out in my favor that I would get to indulge in each sample - from the creams, to the soaps, to the lip balms I just couldn’t wait to dive in.

Back to my day … Here are some quick details to bring you up to speed … 37 weeks pregnant (that would be ME) meets 17 month old in bed this morning with NO DIAPER meets almost 4 year old with RED SHARPIE marker in hand and a very guilty look on her face … needless to say, I have lots of bedding to wash and lots of painting to do in my house. Thanks kids! : )

Back to my story … By the time that naptime rolled around, the sweet smells from my Spotted Box, that patiently awaited me on my counter, was tantalizing my senses and I just KNEW that there was something in my box that would wash my away my worries from the day.

At promptly 7 pm I had the chance to rip back into my box and welcoming me right on top of my “tokens of kindess” was just the lifejacket I needed to rescue me from my day … my dreamy Triple Bath Melt by Sudzy Baby.

I immediately called for a “mommy time out” and like a secret spy in some Mission Impossible movie, I snuck away from my darling angelic children (and Hubby) and transformed my bathroom into my own spalike oasis - low lights, soft music and the best part … my Triple Bath Melt by Sudzy Baby.

The directions were simple enough, just drop the bath melt under running hot water - Soak and Enjoy! “This is easier than making a bottle!” I thought to myself.  As my bathroom began to steam, the sweet scents of my bath melt filled the air and, call it a mommy craving or blame it on my heightened sense of smell while pregnant, but I swear my bath melt smelled like sweet chocolate!  The ingredients on bath melt state “Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Beeswax” … Could 5 all perfectly natural ingredients be the key to my relaxation success?

I dropped the bath melt into the tub and VOILA - I was in heaven! Oh the BLISS!  “Ooohhh! and Aaahhh!” were the first things that came to mind. I closed my eyes and could picture myself in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory as the chocolate river lapped at my feet … okay, back to my bliss. This was great - just amazing - my worries washed away and I have officially regained the energy to listen to my children say “Mommy I want it right now PUH-LEASE” for the 500th time today.

SOOOO … after thoroughly soaking until I looked like a raisin … picture that if you need a REALLY good laugh … 37 week pregnant mama to be shriveled up like a raisin! Okay, maybe that was a bad visual to give everyone … Sorry about that … I just had to find out immediately where I could pick up more of these delectable treats so I headed on over to the Sudzy Baby website www.sudzybaby.com to browse the shop and see what other treasures awaited me.

As I began to browse the shop some of the items that immediately popped out to my specific needs were the Foaming Goats Milk Wipes Solution - just perfect for my baby to be, the Mini/Travel Foamer Bottle which sounds ideal for my diaper bag, the Spray Diaper Rash Lotion - with those other not to be named diaper rash creams “yuck” is what comes to mind, the Diaper Pail Re-Freshener - oh so sweet smells for my diaper genie, and reserved just for ME the NEW Chocolate Vanilla Dream Bar Soap.

THANK YOU Sudzy Baby for restoring my mommy super powers and giving me the will to fight another day with your Triple Bath Melt!  I can’t wait for you to list your melts in your shop so that I can scoop up more for another long day or for that matter, ANY day!

THANK YOU to all of the wonderful WAHM’s who took the time to contribute to the June 2009 Spotted Box - as a consumer I am sincerely impressed with your products and work and look forward to patronizing all of your shops in the future as well as spreading the word of your great products to my family, friends and community.  As a producer, I am excited to join you as a participant in the July 2009 box.

Wishing You Happiness & Smiles!
Elissa Ziccardi

Specializing in Boutique Items for Baby & Children
~ Custom Applique Apparel, Layette Gift Sets & Specialty Items for Infants, Girls, and Boys
~ No Slip Hair Clips, Flower Clips, Beanies, and Headbands for Newborn to Adult

This week’s featurd artisan is Verona Organics and Aromatherapy www.veronaorganics.com

Tell Us About Yourself!
-what do you make - I lovingly and carefully hand make organic bath and body products. All of our ingredients are listed on each product label and include only organic, wild crafted, or unsprayed oils, butters, waxes, and essential oils.
-where do live? - I have lived in Florida for the past 9 years and it’s here that I’ve gotten my Acupuncture education and my Aromatherapy certificate. Prior to moving to Florida I have lived with my husband and four children in Ontario, Canada.
-interesting facts - I am a grandmother to two beautiful grandchildren, a boy and a girl and it is mainly due to them and a concern for their health that I started creating my organic body products. My grandson had a constant diaper rash and a rash on his cheeks while teething that commercial ointments didn’t seem to be able to clear up. After a lot of research and trial and error, I developed an organic, herbally infused bum balm and ouchy stick that have cleared up both irritations. I also love the fact that as a Acupuncture physician I can go that extra step for my patients and offer them not only acupuncture for their ailments but some other wonderful form of aromatherapy tailored specifically for them! It’s a great combination.

What is your favorite item to make?- I love making any of the products using the beautiful unrefined, sweet smelling bees wax that I get from my dad’s bees in rural Ontario. The products themselves are wonderful with the healing and moisturizing properties of the bees wax, not to mention the wonderful aroma, but I also feel like I’m adding that little bit of home (Ontario) to each and every product that it’s in. The products that have bees wax include the skin balms, ointments, ouchy stick, bum balm and lip balms.

What led you to your decision to make Natural Family and/or Eco? - Initially I decided to go organic/natural with my products because of my grandchildren and I didn’t want them to absorb/inhale/ingest any more toxins and pesticides than necessary. I then decided that it wasn’t any more difficult to obtain these wonderfully organic ingredients for my products than it was to purchase the toxin and pesticide full ingredients. So now all of my products are organic and wild crafted and most of all healthy for you. The question is not why did I decide to go natural and organic…..the question is “why not”!

And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to shop Etsy.com or Hyenacart.com for? Before I stated making my own organic body products my favorite thing to shop for on Etsy and Hyenacart were the organic and natural products. Now I love shopping for baby stuff and sometimes jewelery. It’s all great!

Some blog posts about the June box:

http://lovebrandnewdays.blogspot.com/2009/06/9-am-and-90-degrees.html

http://www.thebearbunch.com/2009/06/spotted-box-time-again.html

http://tscrapper.blogspot.com/2009/06/spotted-box-for-june.html

http://2by2boutique.blogspot.com/2009/06/spotted-box-time.html

http://glorybeherbals.blogspot.com/2009/06/june-spotted-box.html

This month’s Best of the Box is Social Butterflies for some lovely flower clippies, also a make a wish necklace where you makea wish when you put it one and when the string wears off your wish comes true.

No more boxes, no more waste!

Check out this treasury for the June Spotted Box:

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=9257057831

Our featured artisan this week is Denise of Summerland Bath & Body summerlandscrubs.etsy.com

Tell Us About Yourself!
I am a mom of 2 beautiful little girls and a Boxer, and married to my great husband of 11 years.  I always liked making up stuff in high school from stuff in the kitchen for my face and hair.  I was on a salt scrub kick one summer, and had many around my bathroom, and I didn’t like any of them.  So, I learned how to make my own, and after 6 months got the recipe just right.  I let a friend try it, and it just evolved from there.  I’m always looking for something new and different to use in my products, so I’m always open to new ideas and customs.
-what do you make
I make thick salt scrubs, goat milk body creams, bath fizzies, and goat milk and coconut milk liquid soaps made from scratch.  I also just recently started making coconut milk body creams, fluffy shaving cream soap, and wakame seaweed face masks.  The scrubs, bath fizzies, coconut milk body creams, and some of the liquid soaps are 100% vegan.  The only products I use preservatives in are the body creams and wakame face mask, and the preservative I use is paraben free and I only need to use about a teaspoon per 48 fluid ounces.  The preservative is the ingredient I use the least of.  I also have some bar soap curing that I hope to be able to stock in late June.
-where do live
Western Wisconsin on the Mississippi
-interesting facts
I went to college for accounting, but I really wanted to be a cosmetologist or esthetician.  Accounting was my parents’ idea because I got straight A’s in it in high school.

What is your favorite item to make?
Probably the hot and cold process soap.  It is the most challenging, but you start out with lye and oils and end up with something completely different-which I feel is amazing.

What led you to your decision to make Natural Family and/or Eco Friendly Products?
I had a lot of problems conceiving my first child, and it turned out that chemicals and drugs were the culprit.  Thanks to a holistic practitioner, I finally got my system straightened out.  So then I was inspired to start using holistic medicines and natural body products-I started using mineral makeup and unrefined body butters.  My oldest daughter also has eczema and that has led me to do a lot more research into natural body care, such as products made with goat milk.

And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to shop Etsy.com or Hyenacart.com for?
I always love to see the unique clothing people make for adults and children-it’s nice to wear something and know no one else has one like it.  But, I also love all the gorgeous jewelry some of the artisians make.

Get this pair of upcycled wool longies from wooldins www.wooldins.etsy.com

Blue wool, size X-Large/Toddler size 3, perfect diaper cover or comfy pants

To enter simply comment on this post ends on June 17th at Midnight EST

Our featured artisan this week is Candlesfavorsandmore www.candlesfavorsnmore.com

What do you make? Candles
Where do live? Sunny California Central Valley
Interesting fact: I am the mother of 4 girls I come from a family of 4 girls..lol.

What is your favorite item to make? Container Candles
With natures gifts in side-flowers & herbs

What led you to your decision to make Natural Family and/or Eco
Friendly Products? I just stop working and wanted to wahm. So I decided to start making what I loved. I had a serious passion for candles. They were on any & every surface of my home..lol..I was getting tired of them being made so cheaply. The smell wouldnt last & they used nasty paraffin.So I started experimenting with the left over wax I had at home. Then found the online community & here we are. Being a WAHM has given me the opporunity to be here for my girls.

And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to shop Etsy.com or Hyenacart.com for?
Yarn….love hand dyed yarn…lol Soap-yummy…