Summer Newsletter

It's all fun stuff and good news today . . . the summer newsletter. It should be arriving in mailboxes today or tomorrow, but here's a jump start!

Summer News

Our Northwest Spring has been pretty pokey in showing up, with snow in April(!), but I’m already anticipating Summer. I know it’s coming because the trees are slowly unfurling their tiny leaves, more each day, spreading into the lush emerald green canopy full of birds and song which our little corner of the universe is known for. Summers around here are a secret treasure. We don’t let too many folks in on it – the fabulous weather that’s never too hot or too cold, and the dazzling sunny blue skies without a hint of rain. Shedding coats, cloths, briefcases, worries and other heavy things, we slip into casual sandals and head for the beach. Floating on gentle waves, the sea breezes and endless sky filling our senses, we bask in wonder at the infinite pleasures of Summer.

SUMMER SEASONAL SOAPS

In a bow to Summer’s glory, I’ve created some special soaps and bath goodies to reflect the tastes of the moment, dancing in step with this season's abundant magic. These unique soaps or products are available only for the Summer season and are made in limited production. ($4.00 ea or 4 for $15.00)

VERBENA PEPPERCORN: Bright lemony verbena does the two-step with zesty black peppercorns. A lemon and herb melody that ends with a tambourine bang of piquant earthiness. It’s not spicy, not sneezy, just a bit more complex than the standard fare.

CUCUMBER JASMINE: So delicate, so fresh and so lovely. Dewy green cucumber flirts with jasmine blossoms, creating a blend that is both softly pretty and refreshingly cool at the same time. That favorite summer tune will be playing in your head all day . . .”summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”

OTHER SOAP UPDATES

By popular demand, the Spring Seasonal soaps are all still available for a bit longer. The CITRUS MINT & POPPY is so utterly charming and fresh for summer, and fits the bill for those who like a little scrub-a-dub-dub in their tub. I'll carry on with LEMON BLISS,ORANGE BLOSSOM, and ROSES & VIOLETS as well during the summer show season.

I’ve added fresh buttermilk to the OATMEAL, MILK & HONEY recipe, along with pure cactus honey powder. Buttermilk and honey are both revered for their luscious moisturizing and skin softening abilities. Combined with the gentle exfoliation and soothing of the oatmeal bits, this is the queen of complexion soaps, and the perfect fit for folks with sensitive skin.

The CITRUS BASIL SCRUB soap has an all-new formulation with essential oils only. Now 100% natural, it’s filled with scrubby cornmeal, a blend of “bird” seeds, and oils of litsea, bergamot mint and basil. Remarkably similar to the fragrance it’s been in the past, only better!

SUMMER SPRAYS

Summer is the perfect season to indulge in one of the aromatic sprays. Splash yourself and your little summer sun dresses, freshen your rooms, liven up your sheets, spritz the car seats, and squirt the dog. I’ve brought back the much-loved ORANGE GINGER spray, a delightful sweet orange scent with a bit of spicy ginger. And for a touch of the exotic, SANDALWOOD ORANGE is mellow, earthy and woodsy with a bit of citrus. Take one of our lovely sprays with you everywhere this season – LAVENDER LEMONGRASS and FRENCH LAVENDER are perfect warm weather pals too. These are not luxuries, they’re necessities! ($ 6.00 each)

I also have the ever-popular BUGGER OFF spray, an all-natural bug repellent that really works! Essential oils of cedar, bay, orange and eucalyptus mask your human scent and repel all kinds of irritating little critters – mosquitoes, fleas, and gnats. Safe for kids and pets, this spray works best when sprayed on clothing or bedding so the scent lingers longer. It’s clean, woodsy and pleasant to wear, with no strong citronella that keeps the people away too. Bugger Off Spray comes highly recommended and is amazingly effective. ($ 6.00 each)

DEAD SEA SALTS

Big, beautiful jars of bath salts! These rustic, chunky salts come directly from the Dead Sea . Pure, fresh salts with a mineral content that is 7 times greater than other types of sea salts, they work wonders on purifying and detoxifying, improving circulation and moisturizing skin, soaking away stress, and relaxing muscles, aches and pains. These bath salts dissolve in water almost instantly, with a lush, silky feel – no gritty bottoms, and safe for jetted and Jacuzzi tubs. What we know for sure is that when you finally drag yourself out of these glorious bath waters, you are left with unbelievably soft, silky smooth skin that seems brand new. For little foot baths or long evening soaks, these are the best bath salts I’ve ever tried. To capture the essence of summer, there is ISLAND COCONUT, pure luscious coconut with a squeeze of lime. DAY AT THE BEACH is sea spray and salty waves with just a lingering touch of vanilla coconut, like the sunscreen dab on your towel. TROPICAL GARDEN is a grandiflorous bouquet of tuberose, lily, gardenia and jasmine, tied up with bright ribbons of sweet orange and fresh aloe vera – very pretty and very fresh. (16 oz glass bottle - $8.00)

SPRING FLING GIFT SHOP

I will have my own little retail shop for one week at the beginning of May. Group Health has a little jewel of a storefront that I am “renting” for the week before Mother’s Day. It's a tiny little jewel box shop space which belongs to Group Health, on their Central Group Health Campus. They loan it out to folks from time to time, and a percentage of the sales go towards their TLC Guild, which helps with patient's needs, buying them necessary items etc. It’s designed to be a gift boutique, especially focused on Mother’s Day (May 11). I’ll have my full line of products, plus greeting cards, flowers and plants, vases and pots, all kinds of gift ideas for any of your Spring celebrations. It’s located at 108 – 15th Ave E, kitty-corner from the Safeway, and I’ll be open May 5th through 9th, from 9:30am-4:30pm, open to the public and super excited to try a new challenge. See you there!

EMAIL LIST - NEW

A brand new way to receive news and updates, I’m adding the option of an email subscription list. You can receive these seasonal quarterly newsletters in email format only. Or you can choose both mailing lists, receiving more frequent news bits plus discounts, special offers and coupons, through the email list. I’ll be starting from scratch with this list, so nobody is automatically added unless you sign up for it. You can sign up by emailing me directly, or by signing up on the website (under "Mailing Lists"). Save trees and stamps by going all-electronic, or have it all – the paper newsletter plus the special email offers and news. It’s just one more way for me to stay in touch and appreciate my most loyal customers, while offering an option to “go green” at the same time. Now that’s progress.

I get so excited each year to pop up my tent and start another season of street fairs and markets because I get a chance to meet and talk to all of you. For more details on the shop and street fair schedule, including booth locations, check out the calendar section on the website, SoapworksStudio.com.

Kick off your flip flops and relax into summer!