Another Featured Seller: Orchard Farm Soap

Today, I spent a wonderful morning with my Mother and Daughter at Artfest, an amazing art and crafts show in Spokane’s Browne’s Addition Area.  Artfest happens every year, and is always filled with amazing artisans, great live music and tons of delicious food.  My mother and I have been going for longer than I can remember, and Angie has been attending since I use to have to push her in a stroller.

 

Anyway, today at Artfest I had the pleasure to meet, in person, my fellow Etsian and Inland Northwest team-mate, Kate Jaeckel from Orchard Farm Soap.  Kate makes some of the most amazing cold process soaps I have ever had the pleasure to get my dirty little hands on!  She also makes lotion bars, salves, lip balms, teas, perfumes and candles… and much, much more.  And the best thing is that all of her products are made from scratch with fair trade, organic oils, and botanicals grown on her very own farm.

As I spoke with Kate and her wonderful assistant (I’m assuming it was her husband, but never actually asked), I checked out her wonderful products and fell in love with her soaps.  As I ohh’d and ahh’d at all of the products, my daughter Angie told me that I should really buy something from her, being that she was my team-mate and all… like she really had to twist my arm.  Angie knows that I am a total soap and lip balm junkie.  It’s my crack.

 

I love chai tea, so as soon as I saw the Rooibos Chai Soap, I snagged myself a bar.  It smells so wonderful… I can’t wait to use it.

I also let Angie pick out a soap.  Even though she makes her own soap, she always loves and is inspired by other soap makers.  She is always fascinated by cold process soaps, especially all natural and organic cold process soap – which she hopes to learn how to make some day.  She loves patchouli, so she was immediately drawn to the Patchouli Orange Soap Bar.

After she took a shower tonight, the most amazing aroma filled the upstairs….  it was heavenly!!  She loved the soap and said that it not only smelt great, it lathered wonderfully.

 

A big thanks to the lovely Kate (and to her wonderful assistant) for the soap.  It is always a pleasure to meet fellow team-mate!!

Happy 40th Birthday Earth Day!

I have never claimed to live a completely eco-friendly life.  I, like many others, often do or use what is “convenient” instead of what is “earth friendly”.  However, I try to make up for the “not-so-great” behaviors with twice as many “great” behaviors. 

I recycle A LOT.  Which is not always easy living here in Spokane.  Our city recycling is pretty limited.  I long for the day that Spokane (like other cities) has the huge bins for recycling and the small little containers for garbage.  I even recycle at work, even though my work does not participate in my eco-enthusiasm.

I make a lot of things from what people would consider “trash” as well… old t-shirts, bottle caps, magazines, lost buttons, forgotten jewelry… pretty much anything that inspires creativity in me.  Just another way I recycle…

I pick up litter – sometimes in an organized group, other times on my own when it crosses my path.

I use re-usable grocery and shopping bags.

I have efficient appliances in my home.

I drive a fuel-efficient car. 

I use a lot of natural products and eat a lot of organic and natural food.  I even grow some of my own veggies in the summer.  I love going to farmers markets and local grocers (but I could do it more).

I pretty much do the things that come easy to me.  Now, I just have to work on some of the things that don’t come so easy…

In honor of the 40th year of celebrating Earth Day, I have decided to try to slowly cut out some of the bad behaviors that I partake in my day-to-day life.  Here is my Earth Day resolutions…

1) Unless I am having a party, I will no longer use paper plates or plastic utensils. (I’m ashamed of this, but I use them almost daily because I hate doing dishes…)

2) I will consider riding my bike to places when a car is not necessary.  Good for the environment… good for me.

3) I will install a clothes line for drying in the summer.

4) (Boy, I hope my husband is not reading this….) I will TRY and minimize the amount of new clothing that I purchase for myself and my family.  When I can, I will re-vamp existing items in my closet.  I will consider buying used.  And when I “have” to buy something new, I will try to buy brands that participate in good environmental practices.

5) I will open a window or put on a sweater, instead of turning on the AC or up the heat.

6) I will cut down on (maybe cut out) red meat.  Not just for health reasons, but the impact that the meat industry has on greenhouse gas emissions. 

7) I will invest in re-usable lunch baggies for me and my family.

8) Lastly, overall, I will consume less, share more and live more simply.

Also, I will start featuring a “eco-friendly” artisan/crafter/company on my blog each week.  Please check back next week when I will put together a selection of recycled and repurposed items from members of my Eastern Washington Etsy Team.