What a year.................................as we bring 2020 to a close there are new wonderful things on the horizon (our new adventure, RedFrontDoorStore.com will launch 2021). This year it was hard trying not to wish away the days, trying to savor each moment I with my family and dog pack. I never want to wish away moments, even when they are frustrating and unknown.
The original plan for this year was a very small collection of Christmas, holiday and winter soaps. However, as I worked, I found much comfort in creation. The first day began in August (remember soap has to cure a minimum of 4-8 weeks, so we start with the end date in mind) and it rained. It rained! Of all the days for rain to come, it was my first day starting on the holiday line. I turned on Christmas music, drank tea and worked. And worked....it was fun, familiar and joyful....and so I worked. And worked.
The small line began to grow....beyond the planned six or so batches. Ten came and went. I blew a dozen out of the water and at that point I stopped counting or trying to limit anything - I just created. My heart swelled as I was inspired, as I remembered, as I looked forward and imagined. I turned on music, drank coffee and savored the experience.
Some of these holiday batches are created with tears of joy, tears of frustration... some have been created with memories of childhood and days gone by. Some have been made with hopes and dreams ... as we look at holidays and winter ahead I hope you will feel the joy poured into these bars. The love and hope that's contained within them.
Only handmade can infuse these things into the final product. Yes that's it - our holiday line is infused with love, joy, hope, memories and imagination. May every bar bring you comfort, peace, serenity - the feeling of being cared for. I do what I do because I care about your skin. I care about your well being. It's important to me that you KNOW you are loved, you are cared about and valued. You are not a number. You are a person, with a story, with memories and imagination and hopes.
May this years line up let you know, in your heart, that you are loved. So loved. Savor a hot shower, a cold night, savor each day and each moment. No matter how hard some of them have been this year, I continue on with hopes that folks step up to support the suffering small businesses. Support the places fearful of closing their doors, closing down their dreams. Mom & pop shops have put their livelihood on the line to open and make dreams come true. Spend wisely this year, choose handmade small business over quantity. Give with heart and give with thoughtfulness. Maybe that means giving gifts to fewer folks, instead of giving just to give. Rather, seek out the handmade card. The handmade packaging. The handmade gem inside the box. Give from the heart, give with purpose and intent. The power to make a difference is in your hands.
Our favorite soap of the season is Chimney. Every winter mom made this fragrance...I looked forward to it all year. Home is New Mexico, and yes mom is a soap maker, thus I grew up making soap. It's as familiar as baking cookies. New Mexico in the winter has the most incredible smells...fireplaces are lit. Smoke rising from chimneys, the native plants and cold desert floor create the most memorable unique smell, the smell of home. That's the smell of Christmas. The smell of what was, what could be and what I love. From my family to yours.
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