A New Year is Coming !

With only a few more days in the year, it is a time when we as women (I can only speak for women!) reflect back on the past 12 months, our relationships, our accomplishments, and in some cases, our regrets. Most of us have already considered what goals to strive for in the new year....

This year, unlike many of yours, has been filled with so many changes. My hope is to really reflect on all of those aspects of the year that I want to be sure to carry forward and those things I wish to leave behind. I plan to be very conscious over the next few days and give all of this some "consideration". These ladies pictured here are the four generations of my life path - and one other very important woman. My Mother, my Daughter, my Daughter in Love (Law) and my Granddaughter. (oh, and me!) That gorgeous woman on the left deserves more of my time over the next year... And that is where my thoughts begin.....

I hope you all have had the best year possible. I would love to hear from you. Would love to hear what your plans are for the new year...and not - lose 10 pounds, dont eat fries, be nicer to people...but what those things mean to you.... I would love to hear how you are feeling about those things and why those things deserve your attention...

I'll be back in a bit.... Processing in writing will be good :)

stop and start and stop and start and stop and start and stop.....

The last blog date is May 3rd and since that day, the days have been filled with LIFE!!! Beginning the second week of May, my last child, but only daughter attended her senior prom. She looked glorious! Truly a remarkable young woman. At the end of May, I hosted a baby shower for my daughter in law. My neice and her husband came into town for the weekend and stayed with me. It was a simple, hilarious barbeque with everyone being relaxed and just visiting. The only thing that made it not PERFECT was that my grillmaster, and partner in crime (aka boyfriend) was installing fittings in his Mother's house in Maine - in preparation for her return from a rehab center after breaking her hip the month before.

Jump into June and we began with Graduation. This was yet another significant milestone and a proud, bittersweet moment. Katie got accepted to James Madison University and so we spent more time doing the whole moving/planning thing.

The celebrations were abruptly overshadowed by one insurance claim after another to bring the total for the month of June to 4..... Yes I said 4. First a mechanical breakdown for my car. Picture I am driving a rental...and two days after having it, my daughter calls me in tears. She has been in an accident. Thank the LORD she was ok and was able to make it to dance rehearsals (where she was going) and actually DANCE!! As we concluded her 14 year dancing career on the stage with her dance school, we headed to the beach....with two rental cars.

My 19 year old son joined us for the weekend and on his way home Sunday, he was involved in an accident. Good fortune was ours again as he was not hurt. (yes, we have RACKED up some damage!) but we were not done yet!!!

I was riding home from the beach directly to work. Left at 4 am and drove safely to the exit that I take and a sheet of metal was launched into the air by the car in front of me and struck my rental. Oh yeah, we are having really big fun.
The last weekend of June was now time to really let loose as I turned 50. With some grouping of our kids, we trekked out to Assateague and had a magnificent weekend ~ And it ended with our friends taking us by boat to Seacrets....for grown up time.

We had a wonderful 4th of July on the beach...

my honey and I by the fire looking out at the ocean !!!----------------->>

But what came after the 4th of July was yet another milestone...lets count

them, daughter/prom, daughter (last child) graduated/turned 50, so there

we were....4 hours away and one week away from the "planned" date....attending orientation and my phone rings at 1 am. Phones dont ring at my age at 1 am without a REASON! My son called to tell me that they were on their way to the hospital and so my daughter and I spent the next 4 hours in the hotel room (she drifted, I paced)...until I got my first picture of Aubrey. She is a lovely grandaughter and everything a mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, you name it, could wish for.

And so, I have stopped and started my blog so many many times ~ But what I knew was right for me was to experience the time, rather than blog. And that we are doing.

In 8 days, I pack the car up ~ and deliver my youngest child, into the hands of this wonderful college, and pray that the same dignity she has led her life with thusfar, will follow her to college.

I sure hope you all are having a great summer. I tried to shorten it up...there is more...but c'mon! Doesn't this make you tired just to read the abbreviated version?

Some days the soap energy just flows right through me!

There are days that the soap energy just flows through me like electricity. I mentioned Under The Tuscan Sun, and it sure is wonderful. It is really, really delicate and romantic smelling. What I may not have told you about was the Raspberry Biscotti. OH MY STARS! It smells just like....RASPBERRY BISCOTTI!!! It is so good... well...I could not wait a full month to try it and yesterday I took a sliver in the shower. WOW OH WOW. It has lather that is just to die for and the smell is just perfect.


Today, I created three more batches. Two are repeats of big sellers. Rosemilk Clay and Luna Latte. These have been around for years.....but my new one is Cinnamon Dulce. It's scent is light, but creamy, warm, and rich. The ingredients for this bar are TOP SECRET! but I will say that the butters and oils smelled great before I ever added the scents. All three soaps today were milk soaps which will make some nice, creamy bars....

Another rainy, successful, simply soapy day :)

Under The Tuscan Sun

Under The Tuscan Sun really had been bubbling up since I saw the movie years ago. The scenery, the courage she had, and just the images I created in my mind when I watched the movie left me wanting to create something that honored that beauty. About a month ago, I received a new scent in the mail that seemed to fit. It is a complex, but light scent. Not floral, not fruity, nice... Crisp orange and olive leaf infused with a green grass accord and fresh ozone. A hint of lily and muguet intermingles with a base of musk, sandalwood, and oakmoss for a warm, long-lasting finish. anyway....here it is...in all its splendor!

The Secret!

Over the past few weeks, the Celestial Embrace wheels have been turning out a whole new look, a few new products, and a whole lotta positive energy !

My new collaboration mate, Suz, is now awaiting the shipment of her sales gear and she is teaming with enthusiasm. We have had more than a few moments of synchronicity that have given me goosebumps long distance, but mostly we have had a collaboration of spirits that have manifested in gorgeous new labels and a great look for the products I have made for 11 years that always looked rather homemade. Now, I wanted them to grow up if you will and I believe they have.

With this 'growing up' in mind, I turned to my native heritage by searching Italian, Tuscan, Romantic, but Celestial ideas...and I found Suz! If you see her work, you discover her artistic roots in the architecture of the Roman Catholic Church but her creativity reaches the heavens when she creates !

So, this weekend was all about re-labeling, making up sample kits, and preparing a sales kit - all in the name of reaching California by Wednesday. And, it happened. At the end of the evening, last night, it was three perfectly packaged boxes, ready to go. Now it is up to the mail gods to deliver it safely!

This week, I am going to bask in the sense of completeness. It was a huge emotional rush and now it is time to get in to the heart of creating again. In running my hands over the new labels, I had surges of ideas for new scents and this is good because we have an idea for a whole new product line. That part is a secret for now...but for now "The Secret" is to remain focused on creating the life I want to live. I have known for about 11 years that my "purpose" is to help people understand and experience happier skin through the use of skin care products that improve the quality of their life either from the scents they love or the feeling they get using my products.

Please help me think positive thoughts for Suz as she treks along the West Coast, and hope for a great future in our collaborating!

Have a wonderful day :)

lori

Wild Wild West

So, this trip was different than my previous trips out west. It was really about introducing my kids to the land of Arizona and all its grand'ness'. Geoff and I had been there before but we had not gone with the kids. They climbed Cathedral Rock. I went as far as I could without interfering with their exploring. At some point, it was too much to watch them and not panic so I stopped and let them go the rest of the way on their own. :) And, guess what? They LOVED IT!

If you have been to the Grand Canyon - then you know the vastness and the whole magesticness of it all. It is more spectacular than words are able to describe. We climbed a few "rocks" while there and we explored along the way. A coyote walked right in front of us, running up the mountain out of sight. We saw hummingbirds galore and no trip there is complete without seeing a snake. I just don't know why boys need to get so close to snakes....

The last thing I want to mention is Jerome. Jerome is "a ghost town" that was once a thriving copper mining town. We stayed in the most magical place called "The Surgeon's House". It once belonged to the Chief Surgeon of Jerome's Hospital but today, it is owned by Andrea Prince. Andrea has created a place that feeds the soul. Beginning with the great "bones" of this house, she has washed it in a soft color palette that is whimsical and soothing. Everywhere you look there is art. At first glance, it draws you in and no nook or cranny exists without something creative tucked in. For example, a powder room so tiny, not all may fit. There is no spot for a sink yet this does not stop one from washing their hands for on the tank lid, a dentist type bowl receives the incoming water before it fills the tank and you wash your hands with that water. No wasted water!!! And in the Maids Quarter's, where my daughter slept, the entire bathroom is a shower! It must be seen to truly be appreciated and if you care to visit her site, its www.surgeonshouse.com.

Saving the most ---ummm----unique for last ~ I snapped this photo of a woman driving past us in traffic. She had her two dogs in the car and WHO KNEW that dogs would wear goggles????

So, we had fun. It was a busy week and it flew by. As always, there was much I wanted to do but did not get time. I will go back. There is nothing quite like sitting on those Red Rocks, hearing only the sound of the wind....

Spring Break ???

So, not sure I would classify this as an Easter "Break" but it was a break from routine! In a day or two once I have caught up on sleep and developed some photos, I will take the time to capture a few marvelous highlights of our "pilgrammage" to the West. Viva Las Vegas, Sedona, The Grand Canyon, Montezuma's Well,V Bar V, and Jerome, Arizona. It was a whirlwind of a week and now I am back in the proverbial "soap saddle" ready to go!

I look forward to posting more on this!