Sunday, July 10, 2011

"Live, Swim, Drink" from Little Batch Botanicals

     As a proud member of Let's Talk Bath and Body Etsy team, I have the pleasure of running into lots of wonderful artisans creating wonderfully decadent yummies. One such artisan is Jen from Little Batch Botanicals. Jen makes everything from perfume to soap to scrubs and soy candles. All products in the Little Batch shop are free of phthalates and parabens and are from sustainably harvested ingredients. She even has a wide variety of Vegan perfume oils ready to grace your body!


     See Jen making a batch of hot process soap and subsequently cutting the log into bars!




As I say often, I'm obsessed with quotes. What is a quote that inspires or speaks to you?

Definitely, my favorite quote comes from the Ralph Waldo Emerson. "Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."


I see such beauty in nature and its inherent power to restore itself. My favorite thing to do is sit on my porch, feel the sun on my face, and inhale that wild air while I feed breadcrumbs to the birds, listen to their songs, and watch the groundhogs make a green brunch of the weeds in my garden.


I came across that quote at a very tough time. I'd been through five months of chemotherapy at that point for Stage IV Lymphoma. Even though my most recent scans had come back clean, the treatment had me feeling brutally beaten down. I saw it [the quote] on a gorgeous print by thewheatfield on Etsy, and I thought of it often while I indulged in my favorite pastime on the porch and dreamed of recovery.


I still think of that quote every single day. I do not take anything, including my life, for granted. I don't sweat the small stuff, I try to spread kindness to others, and I am thankful for what I have. In short, I'm just happy to be here.

What would you say is your specialty?

Hmmm.... I'd say that my specialty is keeping people clean and smelling nice. Oh yes, and making banana bread.

How long have you been on Etsy? Do you sell elsewhere?

I opened my Etsy shop mid-February 2010, and I started my own website, Little Batch Botanicals, in July of the same year. I also sell at farmers markets, home parties, and craft shows / fairs.

Out of all the products you create, which one is your favorite?

OK, I have two.  (Tiffany says: Don't we all! I mean, it is seriously hard to pick just one favorite. It's like eating just one potato chip.)


The first is All Natural Mocha Indulgence Decadent Chocolate and Coffee Organic Facial Mask. It's a mouthful, I know. It contains organic cocoa powder and coffee, and it smells like dessert when it's on your face.


The second is Rosemary Mint Olive Oil Soap with White Clay. The scent of rosemary and peppermint together is like no other. This is my go-to shower soap!

5 comments:

  1. Hi Tiffany,
    I could have used the rosemary mint olive oil soap with my recent hive attack!!! I bet that would have helped a bunch!

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  2. Lambs and Ivy Designs- It might have helped. Olive oil is definitely soothing to skin. However, be careful when trying new soaps when you have hives, as sometimes this can trigger them to worsen. I have heard that colloidal oatmeal can really help. Maybe look for simple oatmeal baths next time. So sorry to hear about the hives attack. I hope you're feeling better!

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  3. Tiffany, thank you so much for this great blog post.

    @ lambs... while soap cannot get rid of hives for you, some can help soothe your skin until you can get them cleared up. Peppermint is cooling, so any peppermint soap would provide some relief. Tiffany is correct with the oatmeal as well; a great double-punch would be an oatmeal and honey soap, as honey promotes healing and is a natural antiseptic. Lavender is another ingredient with soothing capabilities.

    Never, never substitute soap or any other topical application for a visit to see a medical professional, though... one time I had terrible hives, and let them go for so long that I almost went anaphylactic. Scary!

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  4. Thank you so much for popping in to add that information! :)

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  5. Lovely interview and inspiring quote! Her facial masks sound divine.

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