Soap, please!

Justin has been making cold-pressed soap for nearly two years and we have absolutely fallen in love with it. Before he began this adventure, I never used bar soap. I actually hated it and avoided it at all costs. I would buy those expensive foaming pump soaps that came in a hundred awesome scents. I had my favorite body washes, foaming shaving cream, special conditioners, etc. You get the point! I spent A LOT of money on commercial products to get clean.

 

Now, I use his handmade soap to replace ALL of those other products. He makes a few different types of soaps that we use at our bathroom and kitchen sinks for hand washing (my personal favorite, Apple Cider). I use his Shaving Soap for shaving my legs and underarms. Lastly, I use his custom Shampoo & Body Bar on my hair (yes, my hair!) and my body. With this one special bar, I have literally eliminated the use of five commercial products (seriously, five!).

 

I would never go back to what I used to use. Not only am I saving money and making my life a bit easier, but both my skin and hair are much healthier. On top of that, I am able to avoid hundreds of unwanted chemicals. I am so thankful for my husband... and his soap!

Here are some of the soaps currently listed in The Busy Bee

 

Pure Olive Oil

Shaving

 

 

It's Been A Couple Years

It has been a wonderful, busy couple of years. I'm still not quite sure why I haven't blogged in sooooo long... but I'm back! Justin and I have embarked on a lot of new adventures over the last 2 years, both in our personal lives and in our businesses, and we have braved through difficult and amazing life changing events. Though it hasn't always been easy, and a lot of days are hard, we are so blessed to have this beautiful life that we get to share together.

All of our Etsy shops have been growing and doing very well. We have seen the most growth in our Busy Bee shop. The last two holiday seasons have been greater than we could have ever imagined. I can't wait to see what this winter will bring for us. Up until now, we have both been working at full time jobs and running our shops on nights and weekends. Now that I can work at home full time (yay!), we can do so much more. We are so excited to see what this next chapter has in store for us and our shops!

We are so incredibly blessed to have each other (married last year!) and are hoping to have a little one in the near future (fingers crossed!). We love being able to share our lives with you through our work and handmade items. I don't think we would have ever guessed that life would be this lovely and that we would be able to work from home (and together!). We are so thankful and grateful for this life and our businesses!

Lip Balm

The Busy Bee Store is now open for business. At the moment, it is home to all natural beeswax candles, a variety of lip balms, some great nail and cuticle oil, and a few supplies for making your own products. We will be adding more bath and beauty products in the coming days and weeks.

We have now had 7 sales in the new shop and I am super excited! All of the sales have been for our beeswax bars and beeswax candles.... and we are still waiting on a sale for some of our great lip balm.

Our lip balm is made with all natural ingredients that are wonderful for your lips. Way better than the typical drugstore lip balm full of chemicals and odd ingredients that are hard to even pronounce. 

Here are some of my favorites - take a look!

Each flavor is available as a single tube or as a set of three tubes.

-Grapefruit-
A burst of pink grapefruit

-Peppermint-
The tingling of peppermint

-Evergreen-
A fresh walk in the woods

Which flavor are you most interested in?

 Any suggestions?

Don't forget to check out our selection of beeswax candles 

and check back soon for more great bath and beauty products.

New Adventures

I am very excited to embark on another adventure...
in my craft room! Well, sort of two adventures. 

I have been so very busy this year working on my paper shop (which has been amazing!), leaving little time to work on my jewelry shop. Now that a new year is here, I am ready to get back to making jewelry. I have been spending a lot of time this month buying new supplies and thinking of new ideas preparing to revamp Craft Me Pretty.
A new collection will be available soon! 

Along with these shops, I will be opening another Etsy shop. This time with my other half!

Lately, he has become very interested in beeswax. Because we both love our Etsy shops (he has his own too!), we decided to open a shop together to sell beeswax and beeswax products.
 Our first creation.... Beeswax Lip Balm! 

Our store is not yet up and running, but soon you will be able to find our items at:

The Busy Bee - thebusybeestore.etsy.com

I have had such a wonderful, blessed year. I have had many opportunities to work with children, in and out of the classroom, and the success of my online business has surpassed anything I could have imagined. I am the happiest I have ever been and can't wait for the adventures ahead! 

Wishing you all a happy 2013!

Support the Cause

As most people know, October is breast cancer awareness month. I have created a set of bookmarks to sell in my shop this month, and probably after, for the occasion. The bookmarks are made with brown kraft cardstock, pink ribbons and silver awareness ribbon charms that say the word "hope". I will be donating a portion of each sale of this set to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. 

Take a look, spread the the word,
and help support the cause. 

Hope - Think Pink Awareness Ribbon Bookmarks

Simple And Sweet

As you know from past posts, I love to use quotes on items in my shop. Some of my most recent cards with quotes or sayings are very simple, yet some of my favorites. These lovely cards are available on white or kraft cardstock with black ink. Sometimes something simple is all that needs to be said.

I Love You To The Moon

Let's Be Adventurers

I'd Still Choose You

You Are My Sunshine

Which is your favorite??

Quote Me

Like I mentioned before, everyone loves quotes. People love to say them, share them on social media, and use them in their home as decor. Here are some lovely quotes I have available in 5x7 art prints. The simple black writing on bright white cardstock looks amazing framed on the wall. I even have one of these on the wall in my own kitchen. Can you guess which one??

Drink Tea - Read Books - Be Happy

You Can't Buy Happiness - But You Can Buy Tea

When All Else Fails - Take A Nap

You Are My Sunshine - My Only Sunshine

Keep Me In Your Heart - I'll Stay There Forever

 These lovely prints, as well as others, are available at Pretty Petals Paper Shop.

Take a look and Enjoy!