Congratulations to My Little Chickadee

We have a winner!  Congratulations to Ellie Jacobson of My Little Chickadee.  Ellie has won the Vinyl Banner Giveaway that I hosted this month from Large Format Posters.  Hope you love your new banner and lots of luck at your upcoming craft shows.

Librivox Free Audio Book Selections

One if the things I miss with having a new baby is having time to read. Especially while I was pregnant and resting post partum I read a lot of good books.  My new solution to getting my literature fix is Librivox.  All the books are read by volunteers and are in the public domain. I'm currently in chapter 31 of Jane Eyre. I like having it on in the background when I'm nursing or doing housework or working online. You can check it out Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë here:

Here are some others good choices from the books that I read while I was pregnant or recovering.  Some of these I will be "reading" again on Librivox. Three of a kind Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, and The Awakening are all related to each other in following the life of married woman and their extra marital romances, and well I won't spoil the endings for you. ;).

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 1877


Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 1857
 

The Awakening by Kate Chopin 1899


First Love by Ivan Turgeniv 1860


Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 1847


I couldn't find The Songs of Distant Earth 1986 by Arthur C. Clark which I also read and enjoyed after Tessa was born, but I did find Childhood's End, which I think I will check out next on Librivox:


Let me know if you find something good in the Librivox audio archive that you think I should 'read' next.

Arts on Stage at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach

Look for me next month at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach during the Arts on Stage event. I will be there with my bath and body products and jewelry as well. Hope to see you there.

Free Seeds With Purchase: New Section in my Etsy Shop

Be sure to check out the new section in my Etsy shop for free seeds with purchase.  Right now I have Seminole pumpkin, Arugala, and Luffa seeds listed.  There will be more to come as I take pictures of plants and gather more seeds.  Hope you find something you like.

 Update as of July 28th: Now also Amaranth and Black eyed peas

Holy Basil Collection

I've been growing Vana Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, for a number of years now here in Daytona Beach.  It self-sows in the garden and it very well adapted.  I thought I had lost it this year after the hard freezes, but even after the first new basils came up and froze to death, there were more to follow later on that survived.  The new leaves are very tender and have an anise like flavor.  I love to pick them an eat them fresh.  When I have excess I make Holy Basil honey or Tincture with it.  Vana Tulsi is also known as wild Holy Basil, or the species Ocimum gratissimum.

I'm really excited to have the other varies of Holy Basil growing, above is Ocimum sanctum also known as Rama Tulsi.  And below is the purple variety of Ocimum sactum known as Krishna Tulsi.  I haven't really even tasted these new babies yet.  I just want to collect the seed from them so that I will have better adapted plants for the next generation.  These two sets of mother plants do no grow as vigorously as my Vana Tulsi, which is probably around 4th generation at this point if not older. 

Are you growing Holy Basil? What type? Do you have a favorite? I would love to know. Please leave your comments.

Countdown to Loofa Soap

My second generation of loofa gourds are nearly ready. I planted a small section at the Fair Share garden at the end of a red okra raised bed. Pretty soon they will reach their full length and start darkening up. When they turn brownish black they are ready to come down and be cleaned out. I think this year I will make a Key Lime loofa soap. Last year I made a Mandarin loofa soap and it sold out fast.

I still have lots and lots of loofa seeds.  I am happy to give them away free with purchase from Aquarian Bath, just ask in the comment section at check out. 



This loofa got hung up in the vine and started growing wacky. I untangled it a couple of weeks ago.

Here is one of the flowers close up. You need male and female flowers to make loofa gourds. You can see a couple pesky little fire ants on the flower if you look closely.

Leave a comment and let me know if you would like to be notified when loofa soaps are back in stock.

Free Vinyl Banner from Large Format Posters

Do you need a Banner for your next craft show?  I'm giving away a 24x36 Vinyl Banner with Grommets from Large Format Posters this month.  This contest is open to to US residents; 18 years old and above.

Large Format Posters offers cheap vinyl banners and large format posters.

To enter to win, please leave me a comment about how you will use the banner.   Do you have a fun show coming up?  I would love to hear about.  Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win.


For extra entries you can do the following and please leave a comment to let me know:
~Tweet about this contest including @aquarianbath in your post
~Share this contest on Facebook
~Share this contest on your Blog
~Visit and follow my new blog at Delicate Adornments
~Join the Delicate Adornments or Aquarian Bath Facebook page.



I will choose a winner randomly on July 29th.  Good luck!

Garage Sale fundraiser for Fair Share at the Lions Club Saturday July 17th

Can you dig it? 

Fair Share Fundraiser Garage Sale

Come and shop!

July 17th 8- 1

345 White Street

Daytona Beach

Help us raise funds so we can keep paying our water bill.

Happy 4th of July Weekend Sale

Independence Day weekend is coming up here in the US.  In our family the 4th of July is also known as 'Daddy's birthday.'  And so yet a second generation is growing up thinking that fireworks are lit off for the occasion of Scott's birthday.  :)

This year to celebrate, I am offering free gifts with purchase to spice up your summer.   This offer is available throughout the weekend:
Friday July 2nd - Monday July 5th.

• Receive a free Bay Rum Lip Balm with your purchase of $15 or more at AquarianBath.  

or

• Receive your choice of a free Mandarin Spice Soap or Pumpkin Poppy Seed Soap with your purchase of $25 or more at AquarianBath.  Leave a comment at check out with your choice.

Here are some of my favorites for summer time:

There are many Organic Flax Neck Wraps in my shop.   Store them in the freezer and take them out to use when you are hot and need to cool down fast.  I recently reduced my shipping fee by half on this item, because I found a great new way to package them safely in flat rate priority envelopes.

I like extra cleansing soaps for summer due to the hot and humid environment here in Central Florida.  Two great choices are my Black Charcoal Clarifying Soap and my Seaweed Sensation Salt Soap.  Both of these soaps are also great choices as facial bars for combination or oily skin types.

My Lavender Sesame Sunburn Salve has Lavender essential oil and menthol to cool, soothe and speed healing for Sunburns:

Hope you enjoy your weekend. Do you have anything fun planned?