You're late - A wizard is never late...

Summer summer summer. For some strange reason, I feel like this summer is just flying by. My birthday is less than a month away (groan), and I feel like it just past. Fourth of July came and went (the pic above was taken at my Aunt's house, as well as the few to follow, on the 4th). Time feels like it's escaping me...that I don't have enough time to do all the things I want to...in my work life, social and personal...and especially when it comes to my shop. Incase any of you were wondering why nothing really new has been posted lately, I've been working "behind the scenes" - or so to speak, getting book keeping and shipping stuff in order. I'm trying to build up a quick and efficient way to get all the things I want done in a timely fashion. Before I peel into that, here are a few more flower pics I took. 

Pretty in pink <3

A country blur. My fav so far. 

I had recently reorganized an area in my room for shipping and inventory. As I always say, "It's an organized mess." That goes for my desk at work, and hell, even my life in general ;) I was packaging orders today, getting all that out of the way before I head up to Crandon on Thursday night. I have come up with a few fun ideas for my shop that isn't bath and beauty related. I've been trying to create accessories from old shirts from the thrift store. I'm testing out a few ideas. Not quite sure if anything will come of it, but it's got my mind running with new things to try! I received an awesome camera from my grandmother that she bought my grandpa before my mom was born (50+ years people)!! I bought black and white film that I cannot wait to try out. I'm hoping to take it up north this weekend and get some great shots of nature. I haven't worked with a film camera in yearrrrrs. So I'm very excited! 

This is my little shipping station! It's half of my dresser. I got the neat white stand from my brother. I have all my labels in folders and shipping stuff organized in there, business cards and old bags on the bottom, tape on the side and some other things. It's nice to have everything in one spot now instead of it sprawled on my bed. I actually really enjoy packaging orders for some reason. I'm an organization freaktoid, so that's probably why. Sorry if this post didn't have much meaning, just kind of talking out of my ears today and making sure everything is in order before I leave this weekend. I won't be closing my shop, all orders ordered from Thursday until Sunday will be shipped out on Monday. I will renew any sold balms from my phone up north (pending reception). Tomorrow is the last day for the buy one get one free deal on lip balm and 1 oz tin of salve. 

<3

Inspiration...

I've been thinking a whole lot about inspiration lately. I've been thinking about all the things that make my creative mind go wild and where I got my inspiration from. What inspires me? Let's see......first and formost, nature. Yeup, that's a given to pretty much anyone who does what I do. How could you not be inspired by no one other than mother nature herself? When I was a little kid, I was alllllllways outdoors with my best friends...riding our bikes, playing in the sand, swimming, playing Barbies, digging for worms, playing antartica, playing famine (we created some crazy stories). You name it, it was done OUTSIDE. I loved just laying in the grass and staring at the clouds trying to figure out what shape that particular cloud resembled. I just loved feeling the warm summer air kiss my youthful skin. Not much has changed.

Last year was the first time I ever went to Crandon, WI and I SWEAR, my life had changed from the time my foot touched the ground after getting out of the car. I really can't explain it, or how it happened, or WHY it happened...it just did. I had recently lost my father to cancer, so a lot of my happiness that I once knew was stripped from me leaving nothing behind. It was hard, I lost a lot of friendships and even a love because of it, but somehow, nature got me through, as crazy and nutso as that sounds. I seen color that day in Crandon. I seen butterflies and dragonflies and Bald Eagles and fish and beavers and deer, just EVERYTHING wildlife has to offer. It was facinating. I was in awe the whole time. It's not like I've never seen any of these animals before, cause hello, I live in WI...But it was the first time I *opened* my eyes when I seen them and it just shed a whole new perspective. It was wonderful. My love for nature continued on from there...

I decided to create Autumn Balm Botanicals after my life slowly began to change. I always wanted to make what I'm making now since I was a kid, but I always deemed it as impossible. Why, I'm not sure. But I always had a crazy imagination, but most times, my imagination never played out to reality. I decided to look up how to make my own at home goodies, and thought, "wow, this is easy". Okay, it's not that easy, but easy enough. I reasearched and researched until my eyelids practically fell off. And then it just snowballed from there...

When I was little, I tried making my own potions. I was *slightly* into witchcraft and wizardry (before Harry Potter, just fyi ;). I had this special green vase that I would brew/infuse my potion into. I had this mysterious box filled with all my goodies. My potion would turn into a blood red/magenta color once it was fully brewed. Haha, I didn't really do anything with it, but it was fun to mess around with. I'm not sure what inspired me to do that at that time, but I think doing that certainly held some inspirational meaning to what I'm doing now.

Another weird thing I did as a child was try to hatch a chicken egg from the eggs you get at the supermarket. Bah, no matter how many times someone told me I couldn't do that with those eggs, I still tried and tried. I had this kids encyclopedia that I would always reference regarding this. I would look up how to incubate an egg to get it to hatch if you didn't have the mother hen. Oh boy, I was a far off child...I took this to school during a talent thing and all the kids where facinated. Haha, I remember them thinking how cool it was (I bet the teacher thought I was nuts). I actually had a kid come up to me after that and said he hatched an egg, haha. I was bummed that mine never hatched. That's still something I'd love to do though...just on a farm this time. ;) 

I loved anything related to ghosts and hauntings (still do!!!). My house was haunted as a child, plus we lived directly across the street from a cemetery, so that aided my obsession...

There is just so much stuff that inspires me, I literally could go on for days talking about it. It's just neat to sit back and remember stuff about your childhood and see it sewn in to your life that you have today. It's pretty cool if you really think about it! Take a moment and sit back and think of what inspires you. What makes you, YOU.

I think the best part about starting Autumn Balm Botanicals is that I can reach my inspirations to other people. Masses of people even. I think that's great. I can help someone in someway (thanks to the Earth of course) with what I create. Yeah, I'm not the first person to create something for your body, and I'm sure as hell not the last. But it's a great thing to even be doing it in the first place. It's heart warming and fun and very much exciting to be able to help people on a different level. I hope you all look further into what I make and don't just see it as a lip balm or a salve, but a healing treatment for your body & soul. It's there to connect you with the things surrounding you. It's much much more than what you think. It's handmade with love and care. That my friends, is an awesome thing <3

The picture above is a photo of the farm my father grew up on as a child. Him and his 8 siblings...

No More Skeet Skeet!

Finally it's up and ready for sale!!! My wonderful Bug Repellant!! I had used this yesterday over the 4th of July and it worked wonderfully. I literally have zero bug bites (that's a first for me actually). Normally every year I get eaten alive during the fireworks, but this year, I was left alone. I was in shock. This stuff is truly a summer staple! It repels all kinds of bugs...skeeters, ticks, fleas, hodags, bears, lions...you name it ;) I can't wait to use this when I go up north next weekend. I have been using "Off - Deep Woods", but all that Deet was getting to me and it certainly wasn't working as well as they claimed. The catnip tincture in this spray is many many times more effective than deet. I know I'd rather spray something natural on me than something poisonous! This is a 3 oz bottle for $5.00. Much cheaper than the harmful sprays at the store. :)

Happy Day of Independence!

Happy 4th everyone. I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful day with the one's you love! I had gone up to Eagle River, WI Saturday night and came back home yesterday afternoon. It was a gorgeous drive up to the Northwoods. I seen a couple Bald Eagles on Catfish Lake. It was awesome. Gotta love the sun and a great breeze on a boat in the summer. <3 Today I formulated my bug spray, No More Skeet Skeet. I'll be trying it out over at my aunt's house to see how well my formula turned out. If all goes well, you should be seeing that up for sale sometime this coming week :) What's great about this particular spray is that it lacks Deet, which isn't the best for your body (ahem, poison)! I have used a few popular insect repelling essential oils, along with a catnip tincture which bugs hate (cats on the other hand, watch out, they love it)! It smells fun to us, which is awesome, but the bugs are gonna say seeee ya! I can't wait to get this out in my shop! The photo above I took yesterday of an old barn of a church. For some reason, I got a dark vibe every time we passed this barn, so on our way out of town, we had to get a pic of it before we headed back to Milwaukee. Spooky eh??

Summa Tymeeee

Hey all! It's finally getting gorgeous here in Wisconsin (about time, you all know what I'm talking about, well, the one's that live here anyway). Our Spring and Summer started off quite slowly but now it's getting into high gear hitting the high 90's to the low 100's tomorrow, and staying back in the high 80's for the rest of the coming week. Personally, I'll take 70 and sunny, but I've been pretty excited actually for some HOT weather. I know my plants have been wanting this heat for some time. I'm hoping they get a burst of growth during the sun and hot heat. It's also coming up on the 4th of July. It has to be in my top 3 favorite holidays of all time. Nothing better than grilling out with your family by the pool, picking flowers in the country, and drinking a long island ;) Then closing the great day by watching fireworks with the one's you love. NOTHING is better than that! I've got a busy busy weekend ahead. I'm going up to Eagle River for a day this weekend, which I'm quite excited for (hoping to get some great pics), and trying to spend as much time with my wonderful friends and family as possible. And maybe creating some new goodies for my shop. Speaking of my shop...I have created a coupon code good starting today 6.30.11 going thru the 4th of July! It's for 15% off my entire shop! Awesomeness! Can't go wrong with that, can ya? So make sure you pick up some goodies this weekend! Make sure to enter code "HAPPY4TH" upon checkout at my Etsy shop ONLY. I hope you all have a safe & happy 4th of July. Make sure to spend it with the one's you hold closest to your heart. I know I will... <3

Wakey Wakey!

Who really blogs at 3:37 in the am? This girl! Here I am WIDE awake pondering things and letting my creative juices flow for my shop. I just don't know where to begin or what to start creating. Sunday's are usually my big "time to make something new, so hop to it" day. I try to make a new scent or a new product of something to sell in my shop. I think we have done pretty darn nifty since our official opening on Etsy. I'm glad to make over 20 sales in about a month's time.

I've been thinking a lot about plants lately and their purpose. I find it incredibly fascinating that one plant, grown from a seed & then bloom to a beautiful plant, could hold such powerful properties. How it could heal something as simple as a cut or a scrap or something so large as depression. I find that mind boggling really. How is that possible, and how was it proven to actually cure those things? How did someone think to say "Hey, look at this plant, lets try it and see what it does"! Call me weird, but I just think it's awesome and just so...crazy (in a good way). I'm one of those people who tends to over think things (can't ya tell, hehe) and look much farther to find a deeper meaning (tends to get me in trouble a lot of the time actually...). I just am blown away at each purpose and each plant. Most people are so closed minded to the wonderful world that's surrounding them. That all things on the planet (natural things of course) have a specific purpose and are there to help us. That you could step outside your door and find a dandillion which can cure a wide range of things...and yet, most people kill them, instead of harvesting them for their awesomely amazing healing properties. I'm sad to say that I was one of those close minded people...until something sparked in my brain that told me that these plants, these natural ingredients and all the things around me are here for a reason. To help us, to cure. It seriously makes me feel so much better inside to utilize these gifts. Man, I sound like a crazy person here, but it's true. If you don't  know much about herbs, I HIGHLY suggest you research them. Just look into it, you will be simply amazed. I promise you that much. You may not believe it, but all this stuff has been used for centuries. It's on our planet for a reason. It's so much better than the chemicals you're stuffing in your body or applying to your skin or hair. Natural is the way to go. It's not a fad, it's a way of life.

I guess enough ranting about that stuff. There are a few things that will be coming up in the near near future. I have a Bug Spray (I think I mentioned something in a post or two back), cuticle oil (hoping to make this today actually), a beauty salve, and some other goodies as well. I'm actually in the works of doing a Wisconsin Balm line for my shop. It's pretty cool (if you're a Wisconsinite). It should be out sometime this week I'm sure. So yeah, I have a lot of work ahead of me. Man, sometimes it kills to have a full time job (I'm not complaining though), just so pressed for time.

Before I conclude, the pic above is my all purpose Cocoa Salve in a 1 oz tin. This baby is AH MAZ ING. I can't tell you that enough! It's gorgeous and works on soooo many things, I simply lost count on all the neat things it works on. My favorite is my nails. I apply this every time I wash my hands (my hands dry out really quickly), and then apply lotion afterwards. My nails have never been this good or healthy. It's something worth checking out. I have a .25 oz sample up for purchase as well, incase you are skeptical or don't want that much. Well, I think I'm gonna head off to bed, long day and I think if I don't stop now, this blog post will be as long as my house :p

~ Rachel