Updating the Page

So, updating the page today; wasn't really sure what to focus on but somehow it all comes together. Tuesdays are usually my "office" days, that way I can focus on other things without feeling overwhelmed or like I have to do "office" stuff every day. When you are the creator, owner, manager, etc...of your own business, you wear many hats. What I've learned is that you can't wear every day, otherwise your rate of burnout increases and then what you've started you become disenchanted with and there it goes-out the window, in the trash, second swirl going down the bowl....picture it...go ahead....really.
I've added two new blog pages that I'm following, bringing my total to three so far. It's interesting to see the amount of people who are tuning into blogging but it seems that where it's at to get out there and shout to the public, "I'm Here!" Social networking is becoming quite the outlet for people to stay in touch but I still believe in the good ol' fashion face to face conversation; I believe that's why I love the Farmer's Markets so much to be able to market my products and keep in touch with the people who purchase from my business. Yes, I've thought of eBay, ETSY, and ARTFIRE as cyber stores to continue to reach out to consumers; AF is on my list of "Things to Do" for an online store outlet, so I will post as soon as I get that up and running. Stay tuned; Rome wasn't built in a day but boy, did it ever come down faster than it went up!
So, check out my friends' blog pages, enjoy the fish, know that I live by my newly tagged mission statement, and if questions about the consulting option for products, contact me by email: vtgwmail4mg@yahoo.com and remember this-if you can't eat it, don't put it on your body!
~Momma G

Creative Every Day Project-Jan 2010

Creative Endeavors by Hand-My Hands

So, as I'm undertaking my newest adventure with Creative Every Day and monthly subjects the creator has posted-please visit her page by clicking onto the link I've provided under blogs I'm following-or is it favorites? You'll find it, I'm sure. January's subject is focused on the body, and I've been brainstorming how to focus on what exactly to post. I realize, over and over again, that creativity doesn't have to be about how artistic you are or are not; many endeavors are creative-look around. My mind keeps wandering in the direction of hands, and to think of the many wonderful things we create with our hands.

One of the things I've loved to do for as long as I can remember that I've held a needle and thread in hand or learned how to operate a sewing machine, sewing has been one of my foremost creative outlets. Sewing my own clothes over the years has waxed and waned, and now I'm finding that little clothes are becoming a source of fun and frustration these days. Tristan, pictured to the left, is my little model and growing very fast. I thought starting with pj's would be great but working with stretch knit-material found in most t-shirts unless 100% cotton-is not my first love. All the same, after three times of taking out the collar and putting it back on, it all came together; two more sets wait to be put together.

Knitting, crocheting, any type of needle work, fiber work of various types; outlets I can get lost in and have done so many times. I love working with my hands, love knowing that what I can picture in my mind I can convey to my hands to finish the work. So, here's to being creative-everyday. Enjoy and stay tuned to what more can roll off the wagon!

~Momma G

Green Man Cakes, Season 2

Back in the swing of listings, along with a new project of creativity for 2010. Looking forward to sharing with everyone and the mantra for today is, "BUY LOCAL."

Green Man Cakes, Season 2 (Summer)

I love playing with the colors of the season. Pictured today is what I call season 2 of this eye-catching bar of soap. Each season, I formulate three different bars, each a different color. When I originally started making this line of soap, I only made a dozen of each, so three dozen bars were available for three months. Needless to say, when it came to my second open air market season, continuing to do so didn't keep people interested in my product, so I decided that during the three months of that particular season, I would produce up to three dozen of each soap, resulting in nine dozen bars total. That doesn't include the small leaf shaped sample size soaps, which I've only created a dozen total of each soap; so each soap would have one dozen sample sizes. I continue the statement of seasonal; what is available that season is what I have. I don't create the other seasons until they each get here; otherwise, would it really be considered seasonal? Whew! Onward.....

From left to right on the large bars: Elder, Willow, and Hazel. Ok, you're probably asking why I've named each soap after a tree in this line. If you look closely at the bars on the left and middle, you will see a maple shaped leaf with a face in the center. I found this mold on one of the sites that I order supplies from-most soap mold trays-and fell in love with it. I tossed around the name of the soap for at least a year before having a conversation with one of the shoppers I met at one of the markets who bought my soap. "It looks like the Green Man." I nodded in agreement, as I know my Celtic mythology, folklore, etc...The Green Man is considered a Nature spirit, according to the Celts. It fit perfectly, so labels were drafted and finalized within a six month period of time. I have a wholesale source who is interested in this line of soap but preferring packaging so as not to damage the soap should it be dropped or fall off the shelf in the store. I researched many companies online for a recycled paper box, found two which I've trialed, and now have an offer from a small company in Shelburne, VT (wow, right down the road!) to make boxes that will be printed with my label info so I don't have to produce more paper waste. I love this idea. Fingers crossed, this will come into fruition for the summer markets. Now, to give you the important ingredients of each soap you see here today; stay tuned with this line, as I will be posting season 3 (Fall) next week. Season 4 (Winter) is curing in the basement for this weekend's Winter Farmer's Market in Shelburne, VT.

Elder

-Shea Butter, Lavender & Patchouli essential oil blend, crushed rose petals & lavender flowers, and Beet Root Powder for coloring (is a cool burgundy color when first poured, turning a brown as it cures).

Willow

-Shea Butter, Cedarwood essential oil, and Spirilina powder for color.

Hazel

-Shea Butter, Sage & Lemon essential oil blend, and Yarrow flowers for color.

Ahhh......feels good to be able to sit and write. Snow is falling as I write this passage, my little one will not nap again today, dinner is cooking, and life is good. Why stress? Just go with the flow.

~Momma G

New Year, New Changes

Hey Gang!
Here we are, on the verge of a new year. With a few changes, all positive, to the wagon's production schedule, I will be embarking on a new venture into soap making: cold processing by way of using wood ash. I will be starting this new process within the following weeks and new soap will be available as of the beginning of Feb-curing is very important and several weeks can be involved for soap to set up for nice, firm bars. What soap, along with soy candles and body butters & scrubs, is in stock at this time is what is available for purchase. I will be at the Shelburne Winter Farmer's Market, located @ the town hall gym on RT. #7 in Shelburne, VT, once a month until April. May will be a time of rest, recoup for new product, and preparation for the new open air markets for the summer season of 2010. I will also be releasing more news as of March, for additional changes, events, etc to occur for the wagon for 2010. Stay tuned and spread the word "BUY LOCAL!!!!"
~Momma G
PS-
The next Shelburne date is Jan 9th, 10 AM-2 PM.

Deva Bars-Heaven in the Hand

Yummm....! I still remember the first time I made this soap-yes, it has chocolate in it! My first bars were composed of chocolate, shea butter, and chopped hazelnuts-with a scent almost good enough to eat. Pictured to the right is the large Chocolate/Hazelnut bar, roughly 6 oz. when freshly done, shrinking down to about 5 oz. when "sweating" or curing is complete.

The bars I currently have available are the following:

~Chocolate/Hazelnut (lg. bar and sm. [3.5-4 oz.])

~Chocolate/Mint (lg. bar and sm.)

~Milk N' Honey (lg. and sm.) [created in mind for those with choco/nut allergies]

The ingredients for each bar are the following: (pictured in left hand basket in lt. pic)

~Chocolate/Hazelnut

-Shea Butter, unsweetened baking cocoa, Almond oil, a massage oil blend of essential oils-Lavender & Orange, and chopped hazelnuts.

~Chocolate/Mint

-Shea Butter, unsweetened baking cocoa, Almond oil, Peppermint essential oil, crushed Chocolate Mint leaves-grown in my garden last year!

~Milk N' Honey

-Honey Glycerin (made with VT raw honey), a massage oil blend of essential oils-Patchouli, Lavender, & Orange, Goat's Milk (locally and humanely obtained), Poppy Seeds.

As you can see from posted pics, this soap is a 3 dimensional shaped bar; one side is shaped for massage-notice the "bumps" (it also has the oil blends for skin softening results) and the convex side-opposite is what I've set up for an exfoliant. Future devas are in the recipe drafting process, so stay tuned for the news flash for the complete line of Deva Bars by The Vermont Gypsy Wagon!

~Blessings,

Momma G

Signature Soap, Where it All Began....

So, here we are-back to the beginning but from a different perspective. Website headaches out of the way, passing the word on to come here for the latest news, etc...constantly thinking. Here's a blip on the soap that started my journey as a natural ingredients bath & body product creatress...

Q T Cakes

"The Scentsible Choice For Baby Soft Skin"

Wanting a safe product to use for my child's skin came at the time of wanting to feed him organic/natural/local foods. Yes, there are many, many all natural, organic skin care products out on the market today but who can pronounce all the scientific, periodic table 26 letter contained words? I wanted to know what I was really putting on my baby's skin; after all, if you can't eat it, DON'T PUT IT ON YOUR SKIN!!! Research, research, research; I was accquainted with that element due to receiving my undergraduate degree a year earlier-approximately a year or a little more between the time I received my degree and when my son was born. After months of looking, comparing labels, talking to friends who also make soap, I decided to try my hand at soap making. And this is what I got.....

Goat's Milk, Calendula Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, and Chamomile flwrs-the occasional sprinkle of Lavender flwrs makes for an interesting texture to the soap, along with some second looks, and definitely numerous pick ups and smells. I have used soap mold trays to create bars, have done large container pours for hand cut bars-more rough, natural looking results, and I've also made loaf pours to start my "$ an oz." program; this was kicked off this past summer @ the Farmer's Markets I attended in Shelburne, Burlington's south end, and Winooski. Retail has mainly been on the Vermont front exclusively but I'm reaching out to friends and fans of VTGW to make my products available to a larger audience.

Currently, Q T Cakes (my son's first and last name initials reversed) is available in 4 oz., 2.5 oz., and a 1.5 oz. I like to call my "Try it, you'll like it" bar. I produce my bars to include Chamomile & Lavender flwrs but if allergies to daisies or lavender are an issue, please special order so that I can customize to fit your needs.

Changes for Vermont Gypsy Wagon

There are changes being made for VTGW, of which one major decision was reached just recently. The website for the Wagon is being shut down, due in part to several reasons. Therefore, we ask that all consumers of the Wagon send any requests, questions, suggestions, etc...to the following email address www.vtgwmail4mg@yahoo.com or come here to keep in touch with all the latest developments. All products will be posted here or on FaceBook, of which we have a page there, too.

From the Editor's Desk