Oh, E. O., It's Wednesday (Sage Essential Oil)

Happy Wednesday! Today we are going to learn about Sage essential oil. Apparently, this one little plant can do pretty much anything!

Sage essential oil is antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, & antibacterial. What exactly does that mean? It means that Sage is your go to for everything that you need to treat on your skin! It will get rid of fungus and bacteria while lessening swelling and refreshing your skin! Amazing, and with such a great scent! You go, Sage!

Here are some Black Willow Soaps products with Sage Essential Oils:

Soothing Earth Bath Salts

Soothing Earth scented Avocado Cucumber Soap

Non-Toxic Deodorant Spray

Ingredients:
Sea Salt
3 drops Clary Sage Essential Oil
2 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Purification Essential Oil
Distilled Water
Spray Bottle

Directions:
Drop a pinch of sea salt into the bottle. Add essential oils. Fill the bottle with water. Shake & Spray!

Add it Again, Monday (Poppy Seeds)

Hello again! Welcome back to Add it Again, Monday. Unfortunately, today's post is on a Tuesday (sorry). Today we are looking at poppy seeds! We all know that they taste great on bagels and in lemon poppy seed muffins, but what do those little black beaded seeds really do for you?

Poppy seeds are packed full of your daily dose of iodine, manganese, zinc, magnesium & copper. They help to quench thirst, reduce fever, reduce inflammation, aid constipation & tummy aches. I never knew that about poppy seeds, did you?

For skin care purposes, poppy seeds are an excellent moisturizer and exfoliator. I add them in my soaps for that extra scrub! They also treat eczema and dandruff!

Here are some Black Willow Soaps products that contain poppy seeds:

Christmas Tree scented Olive Oil Soap

Sea Breeze scented Olive Oil Soap

Reindeer Poo scented Avocado Cucumber Soap

Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Scrub Recipe

Ingredients:
4.5 oz granulated sugar
1 oz shea butter
1/2 oz jojoba oil
1/4 oz apricot kernel oil
1/2 ml lemongrass essential oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions
Melt your shea butter in a glass Pyrex measuring cup. Add jojoba oil and apricot kernel oil. Mix together. Add lemongrass essential oil and blend. (add coloring if you desire). In a separate glass bowl, combine sugar and poppy seeds. Pour the oil mixture onto the sugar mixture and stir together with a fork. Place into your favorite glass container and get ready to scrub!

Oh, E. O., It's Wednesday! (Tea Tree Essential Oil)

Last week my stepdaughter, Ally, and I were racking our brains trying to come up with some new and exciting essential oil soaps to add to this blog! We were plucking bottles of essential oils from my drawer and smelling them. We both turned our noses up at first smell of tea tree oil. How horrible on its own! I then started digging through my fragrance oil drawers for something to add to the tea tree oil to balance out the fragrance. Eureka! A perfectly blended essential oil soap (that has not yet been added to my Etsy shop, but I am going to share it with you today anyway).

                                         

So, stinky (by itself) tea tree oil was named by sailors back in the 18th century who believed it to smell like nutmeg. I'm not sure if my senses are screwed up, or if the olfactory glands were not as developed back then as they are today, but I don't smell the nutmeg. Anywho, it comes from a tea tree plant and is used for a huge laundry list of ailments. Essential oils are amazing that way. Tea tree oil can be used for acne, fungal infections, lice, scabies, athlete's foot, ringworm and is a natural antiseptic for burns, insect bites, stings, boils, cold sores, and much more. Another wonder oil to add to your first aid essential oil pack, right?

Drum roll, please. Here is the soap that we have all been waiting for:

Tea Tree & Tobacco scented Mango Butter Soap

Remember how I said that tea tree oil was good for acne? Well, here is a DIY recipe for Tea Tree Oil Toner that will help clear that up!

Tea Tree Oil Toner

Ingredients:

Spray Bottle

Distilled Water

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

Directions

Fill the spray bottle 3/4 full with distilled water. Add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil for every 25ml of water. Add 5 drops of lavender essential oil for every 25ml of water. Shake and spray onto skin (spot test first). Shake before each use. (for an extra punch, you can add a few drops of Witch Hazel - that acne wont stand a chance).

**Caution** Tea tree oil can cause dryness of skin. Lavender essential oil should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or attempting to become pregnant.

What do you use to get rid of that pesky acne? (P.S. I would really like to know!)

Add It Again, Monday (Kaolin Clay)

Over the years I have learned that I absolutely LOVE adding clays to my bath and beauty products. One of my go to clays is Kaolin Clay.

Kaolin Clay is used in a lot of bath and beauty products today, especially in facial masks. It improves blood circulation, evens out oily skin, eliminates toxins from your body, mineralizes dry skin, and is 100% chemical free. Who wouldn't want all of that happening??

For a basic clay mask, you can mix kaolin clay with a carrier oil and a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil for scent. Mix it all together and spread it on your face (spot test first to check for allergic reactions). Leave it on for 5 - 10 minutes and then rinse off. Your skin will thank you!

Here are some Black Willow Soaps products that use kaolin clay:

Soothing Earth Herbal Facial Mask

Hunter Shea Butter Soap

What is your favorite cosmetic clay?

Oh, E. O., It's Wednesday (Eucalyptus Essential Oil)

Oh, it's Wednesday again! I hope that your week has not been too taxing. This week we are going to talk about one of my long time favorite essential oils. When I was growing up, my friend's mother had a bunch of eucalyptus throughout her home and I always loved the smell of her house.

Eucalyptus oil is a natural anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, antiseptic, & has antibacterial properties. This makes it a great oil for use in home remedies (a lot of home remedies). First, its germicidal properties make it perfect for cleansing wounds. The decongestant nature is what makes Vick's Vapor Rub and other eucalyptus/menthol products so helpful in clearing out a stuffed chest or nose.

For those out there who have muscle pains or arthritis, eucalyptus can be used to loosen those sore muscles. It can also be used to treat lice, control blood sugar levels, reduce fevers, and can even go so far as to relieve the symptoms of tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Eucalyptus can also be used to wake you up mentally. On those days were your head feels completely clouded, take a sniff of eucalyptus oil and your brain will get right back on track (something to keep in your office desk drawer for such occasions).

For my purposes, eucalyptus oil is great for skin care and soap. It's antiseptic and antibacterial properties make it a powerful agent for clearing up skin conditions. Additionally, it is great in soaps because of the deodorant properties as well as the vapor that can rise from the soap in a hot shower to help clear out your congestion. I knew I liked this plant.

Here are some Black Willow Soaps products that have eucalyptus essential oil in them:

Soothing Earth Avocado Cucumber Soap

Patchouli, Eucalyptus, & Sandalwood Olive Oil Soap

Soothing Earth Herbal Clay Facial Mask

Sinus Bath Soak

Ingredients:

1 cup Epsom salts

1/2 cup baking soda

5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

10 drops Eucaluptus Essential Oil

Food Coloring (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until you would like to use them.

What does Eucalyptus remind you of?

Add It Again, Monday (Orange Peel)

I'm getting kind of a late start today, so I apologize. My stepdaughter flew in from Florida this past weekend and we were out having family time. But, I am here now, and ready to tell you about the benefits of orange peel (yes, the stuff that you usually throw away).

Believe it or not, the rind of an orange has many health benefits when consumed. Antioxidants found the in the peel can lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels. For those of you who are looking for more fiber in your diet, the peel of an orange in high in fiber (fiber = weight loss). Additionally, it can reduce bad breath and has anti-inflammatory properties that when consumed can reduce swelling in your limbs, etc. If peel is seeped in hot water and used as a tea, it can help cure bronchitis. Also, for you partiers out there, orange peel makes a great hangover cure (boil in hot water for 20 minutes, add salt, and drink). Sounds delicious!

For bath and body purposes, I put orange peel in my soaps. It makes for a great exfoliant that is not harsh enough to tear your pores. Here are some soaps from the Black Willow Soap shop that contain orange peel:

Monkey Farts Olive Oil Soap

Jamaican Me Crazy Shea Butter Soap

For those of you who are in it for the DIY recipe, here it is.

Natural Orange Peel Toothpaste

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Glycerin or 1 1/2 Tablespoons Peroxide
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Orange Peel

Directions:
Blend it all up in a blender (or Magic Bullet) and store if not using.

Oh, E. O., It's Wednesday! (Lemongrass Essential Oil)

Introducing another new series on the Black Willow Soap blog: Oh, E. O., It's Wednesday. A blog dedicated to the benefits of essential oils. Today, I am going to talk about Lemongrass essential oil. While it is kind of an acquired fragrance for some, it is clean, light and can really wake you up in the morning (if you know what I mean).

Lemongrass not only has amazing benefits for your skin, but can also be used for other health issues, to ward of pests, and to purify your living space. First, let's go through the health benefits of lemongrass. When used correctly, lemongrass can help treat bladder infections, respiratory infections, digestive issues, torn ligaments, carpal tunnel, cataracts, cholesterol problems, hyperthyroidism, menstrual cramps, headaches, and gout. Other blogs have claimed that it can also remove warts, reduce the effects of shingles, and treat MRSA. Talk about a versatile oil!

In addition to getting rid of your warts, lemongrass oil can also be used to keep mosquitos and other biting insects away. While Citronella has been "chosen" as the catch all for warding of pesky mosquitos, lemongrass is the better choice. Citronella should not be used indoors. Lemongrass can be used wherever. Citronella will upset your dogs (they hate the smell of Citronella). Lemongrass does not seem to bother your canine companions.

Now for the skin benefits. In addition to all of the awesome things listed above, lemongrass can be used to treat bruises and varicose veins. Additionally, it can be used as a stress reliever, muscle relaxer and antioxidant. For skin, it can reduce inflammation, curb hair loss, reduce scalp problems, kill bacteria, detoxify the skin, reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles...and bonus, it can boost your sex drive. Use caution when putting this oil on your skin as it can burn if not diluted with a carrier oil.

Finally, if you want a clean, light lemon fragrance in your home or workspace, lemongrass can be used in a diffuser or in a spray to purify the air in your home or office. Careful using it in your office, though. Some people are intolerant to this oil (just like lavender).

Below, I have a great Black Willow Soap product that uses lemongrass essential oil as well as a DIY recipe for lemongrass bath salts (Note: this is a basic bath salt recipe and does not contain any of the natural additives used in Black Willow Soap's bath salts).

Lemongrass Foaming Facial Cleanser Scrub

Lemongrass Bath Salt Recipe

Items Needed:

2 cups of Epsom salt

10 drops of Lemongrass Essential Oil

Place Epsom salt in a medium sized bowl (one that you will not be using to prepare food in ever again). Add 10 drops of Lemongrass Essential Oil and stir with a wooden spoon (again, one that you will not prepare food with again). Place in an air tight container (like a mason jar) until use, or use right away.

*You can add food coloring or soap colorant to color your bath salts, if you are so inclined.

Sunday, Sunday

On this fine Sunday, my goal was to complete at least 1 wash cloth and 1 set of face scrubbies for each variety of cotton yarn I have on hand. Happily, I am working on my last wash cloth now! Yay!

 

Next up, is doing the same for my new eco-friendly, washable 100% cotton loofahs that I started on last night. As soon as I finished my first one, my hubby tried to claim it for his own, even though it is predominantly purple. Silly hubby!

Of course, I would be farther along had I not taken a multiple hour break to have lunch and go shopping with my mom. No regrets!

What amazing things did you accomplish today?

Remember to visit www.etsy.com/shop/blackwillowsoaps and use coupon code FIRST10 for 10% off your purchase!

Happy New Year!

The new year has come and gone. I hope that you are well on your way to getting those New Year's resolutions up and going. Though I did not vow to have an absolute New Year's resolution this year, I do have some goals. The first goal was to list our house for sale after the New Year. My husband and I listed it on January 6th. The second goal was to sell the house so that we can relocate from Florida to Indiana where I can explore doing Black Willow Soaps full time. We accepted an offer on our home on January 8th...so that goal is a work in progress. In the meantime, I have been brainstorming to try and come up with some awesome new products to add to the Black Willow Soaps etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/blackwillowsoaps. So far, I have been working my little fingers to the bone trying to get some new and exciting colors out there for my crochet washcloths and facial scrubbies. I would love for you to see them, so stop by!

What was your New Year's resolution this year?

How Do You Prepare for the Holidays?

Hello friends,

I wanted to pop in and say hi before the holidays start up. I know that I have already been busy with holiday preparations; putting up decorations, scouring my house for guests, and wrapping last minute Christmas gifts. What do you do to prepare for the holidays?

I have also been working on some pretty awesome new products for Black Willow Soaps. I just listed a new soap for men, inspired by my oldest nephew, Hunter. I created a signature scent for all of my sister's children last year for Christmas and decided to use Hunter's in my shop. The fragrance is very manly with hints of Sea Breeze, Dragon's Blood, and Cedarwood. The soap itself reminds me of the woods. I packed it with sage infused kaolin clay to give it a rustic, woodsy look. And the smell...well, it just makes you melt. Check it out at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/486977860/hunter-shea-butter-soap?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Also, for all of you handmade washcloth lovers out there. I have been working my little fingers off trying to add some new colors. I just finished lilac and jute (which is a natural color). I am currently working on Cornflower, which is a pretty periwinkle blue color. Keep a look out at the shop because I will be trying to post a new product daily!

What color washcloth goes well with your bathroom?

Cyber Monday is Here!

Some new and exciting things are bubbling at Black Willow Soaps!

We have added face scrubbies to our amazing products. They are available in a variety of colors to match current washcloths.







We have added bath gift sets! There are currently two gift sets, Monkey Farts & Christmas Tree. However, we will be adding more gift sets soon. Keep checking in to see our new stock!






Cyber Monday is Here! For today only, Black Willow Soaps has a Cyber Monday Special! Use coupon code CYBERMONDAY for 20% any purchase over $20! Now is the time to get those last minute Christmas gifts out of the way!

Valentine's Day Sale at Black Willow Soaps

Valentine's Day is Fast Approaching!

Whether you love it, loathe it, or are just apathetic about it, Valentine’s Day comes once a year and just happens to be next week. While some couples, like my husband and me, don’t do anything special and try to forget that the day is a holiday at all, other couples go all out to get the love of their life an unforgettable gift or a memorable evening. In light of this, I thought it would be fun to look at the history of Valentine’s Day.

The History of Valentine's Day

 

While the holiday is named after Saint Valentine as far back as 270 BC, no one really knows why it is associated with him or how it became the day of love that it now is. The holiday as it is celebrated now is derived from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalis, which was a festival of fertility, originally celebrated on the fifteenth of February. However, Christians believed the festival to be Pagan in nature and decided to celebrate on the 14^th of February. Pope Gelasius dedicated this new Christian feast holiday to Saint Valentine. However, there are three known St. Valentine’s in history, of which little history is known. It is known that all three St. Valentines were martyred on February 14^th in different years.

Learn More About Valentine's Day

Of course, there is much more to be told about the history of this romantic holiday. If you would like to read more about it, please visit http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm

Valentine's Day Sale

In honor of this chocolate favoring holiday, Black Willow Soaps is having a sale! Stop into www.blackwillowsoaps.etsy.com and use coupon code VALENTINE to get 15% off our homemade, decadent fudge and gift it to your special someone!

Upcoming Events!

Hello BWS Fans!

Black Willow Soaps has been working in the auctions a lot lately so, we created a weekly auction email newsletter that you can receive in your inbox that runs down all of the BWS auctions from Tophatter & Outbid. If you want to subscribe, join at http://eepurl.com/zRkxT

We also have a monthly newsletter that gives you exclusive coupon codes, insights on upcoming giveaways, events, and products! You can sign up for that newsletter at http://eepurl.com/nJPZr

Our next Monthly Newsletter will launch on May 29th! This is one that you don't want to miss. It offers exclusive coupon codes to newsletter subscribers and some great insight on the products that we are coming out with in June! Don't want to miss that!

Right now, we are involved in a multi-vendor auction by LightShineDesigns until May 31st! Go on over to https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.476058392463736.1073741834.227068944029350&type=3 and get your bid on!

June 1st starts the multi-vendor auction by Wild Tangent. We will give you the link as soon as it begins!

Also, come and see us this Sunday, May 26 at 2pm EST on Tophatter for our Partner auction. You can set a reminder for yourself at http://tophatter.com/auctions/22615?type=partner

Owner, Natalee Wright, will be available in the lobby at 1pm EST to chat with you all about whatever you wish to chat about! Don't miss out, there are a lot of great deals! Jewelry and Herbal Sachets start out at just $1 with free shipping! You cant beat that!

NEW Spring Soap Line

Introducing BWS Spring Soap Line

 

This weekend Black Willow Soaps will be launching new soap products for our Spring 2013 line! The first launched today! Don't forget that ALL bath and beauty items are on sale through the end of the month, including these amazing new soaps! Don't miss out!

 

Vanilla Peach Swirl Avocado Cucumber Soap with Apricot Seeds

Fiery Frangipani Olive Oil Soap with Blueberry Seeds

French Vanilla Lilac Olive Oil Soap with French Vanilla Shea Butter Frosting

Painted Lilly Avocado Cucumber Soap

Rose Bliss Avocado Cucumber Soap with Rose Petals

Sweet Pea Shea Butter Soap with Poppy Seeds



30 Day Bead Challenge Day 6

Create Jewelry using a New Metal

 

Black Willow Designs Entry: Rose Gold Wire Wrapped Fluorite Ring

 

There aren't many metals that I haven't used. So, I decided to use the newly popular rose gold. I have only used it once before.

 

 

Did you try anything new today?



30 Day Bead Challenge Day 3

Create Jewelry for a Friend

 

I chose to use three tones of green to make a gorgeous St. Patrick's Day themed bracelet. This bracelet will be a free gift to the next customer to purchase from Black Willow Designs or Black Willow Soaps (even through Tophatter)!

 

Here is my three tone green bracelet:

 

 

Want to know how to make this bracelet? Give me a comment and I will tell you how!

 

What do you like to wear for St. Patrick's Day?

 

Did you make any jewelry today?



Merry Christmas Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be Thankful Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Halloween Sale & Giveaway!

We are officially entering the "holiday" season! Some people are upbeat and excited. Others, not so much. I, for one, am excited to bring a Halloween Sale & Giveaway to my amazing customers and fans!

 

Starting October 1st, sign-ups for the giveaway will be available on the BWS Blog. The giveaway will last the entire month, giving everyone plenty of time to  enter! There will be two awesome winners who will receive a bar of Pumpkin Spice Avocado Cucumber Soap in a handpainted wooden Jack O Lantern Soap Box (pictures to come). The winners will be picked on October 31st and contacted! What fun!

 

The Halloween Sale starts on October 21st! All Halloween items will be 15% off! You can't beat that right before the holiday!

 

So, stay tuned for the upcoming Halloween fun!

Upgrading Body Spray

I am happy to announce that Black Willow Soaps will soon be offering body spray in four different sizes! Yay! Instead of only being able to get our handmade body spray in a three ounce spray bottle, you will now be able to get in one ounce, three ounce, four ounce, and eight ounce spray bottles! How awesome is that!? All sizes are available for customization. If you have a fragrance in mind, let me know...and I will create it for you!

 

 

 

I am working on getting some great new scents for the Christmas season...I am thinking...Reindeer Poo to go along with the ever popular Monkey Farts. I am not sure what it smells like yet, but I will be on the hunt for some great new fragrances!