Visit My New Store and Blog at AquarianBath.com

This is a quick blog post to let you know that I have a brand new online store at http://aquarianbath.com. There are a lot of cool features at the store including an integrated blog, a pick up option for Daytona Beach locals, and an affiliate program. My next step will be to transfer RSS and email subscribers from this blog to the new blog (fingers crossed to figure out that next step). If you have subscribed to this blog by google connect and would like to keep up to date, you can visit the new blog and subscribe by RSS.

Custom Party Favor Soaps for Weddings and Parties

It's wedding season, and I'm excited to show of this batch of mini soaps that I just delivered last week for a bridal shower. I made 40 of these soaps for a garden-themed bridal shower. They were castile bars colored sage green with French Green Clay and scented with Lavender and Spearmint Essential oil. What a treat. The bars were also stamped with Dragonflies also, one of my favorite insects.



I even had a few bars left because of the way that my mold is shaped. So the bride got a surprise large bar, and I have a few in my Etsy shop also.



If you would like a special batch of soaps for your upcoming event I would be happy to work with you. I need a one month lead time to prepare and cure the soaps when working with in stock materials. For specialty scents or custom stamps, I need an additional 2-3 weeks.

If you want to go all out, how about matching lip balms too? These Sweet Orange lip balms are the result of a 50 batch for another event earlier this month. I made them for a Women's Conference in South Florida and added "Handmade in Florida" by request. I can certainly customize labels with Bride and Groom names and dates as well. You can find more of these lip balms and other flavors at my etsy shop.



This blog post is a part of our monthly Unique Women in Business Blog hop. The theme is Wedding Bells. Be sure to check out the other posts from the talented ladies below.

Rita Wetzel http://RitasCreativeNest.com
Judy Woodley http://WellspringCreations.blogspot.com
Ann Rinkenberger http://harvestmoonbyhand.blogspot.com
Nancy Pace http://NancysWildWireJewelry.blogspot.com
Trudy Miller http://MommaGoddessTreasures.blogspot.com
Linda Stranger http://capecoddreamer.blogspot.com
Wendy Kelly http://blog.vintageday.com
Miriam http://goldcrestbags.blogspot.com/

10 Tricks for Growing Basil Indoors

Basil is a marvellous herb, and one which can easily be grown both outdoors and indoors. Basil is a well-known herb, known for its fragrant and tasty leaves which can be used for raw salad, or cooked with tomatoes to make tomato and basil sauce. There are, of course many other uses for the herb, classed as an essential by culinary experts worldwide. To grow basil indoors one should become familiar with these 10 tricks which will have anyone on their way to growing indoor basil within no time.

First ensure that its soil has adequate drainage at the base of the pot. This will allow the roots to develop properly and the plant will benefit from it as the excess water will be able to exit into a dish or saucer.

Second, know the pH level of your soil. Basil grows best in soil which is between 6 and 7.5 on the pH scale.

Place a few seeds in each pot. Sow them thinly, and the plants will have the right amount of space to germinate properly. This should happen around a week after sowing.

Once the plants have grown two proper leaves, you should remove the two weaker plants and leave the strongest in the pot.

Monitor the pH level of your soil every 4-6 weeks, and change it if needed using half-strength organic fertilizer. You should add a small amount of fertilizer every month or so to give the basil the nutrients it needs.

Make sure that the plant pots get enough light from the sun (about 6-8 hours a day). This can easily be achieved by placing the pots on a window sill where the sun will provide the basil with the energy it needs to grow and mature.

Water your basil at the base of the plant – do not shower the leaves and stems.

Water about once a week for the best effects.

Remove any flowers as they appear, as this will keep the basil’s flavour, and promote its growth even further.

The beauty of basil is that it can be grown all year round. Lastly, do not harvest a complete plant, but to take a few leaves off of each, starting from the top of the plants. That way further basil can be harvested as and when needed.

This guest was provided by Danny Ashton who talks about Growing Basil at his blog.

Coming of Age Gift Ideas and Remedies for Young Women

This blog post is part of my Unique Women in Business Networking group's monthly blog hop. Our theme this month is Celebrating Womanhood. I'm really curious to read what the other ladies in the group have to say on this topic. You can find links to their blogs at the end of this post.

Celebrating womanhood to me is about celebrating the coming of age for pre-teen and teenage girls. Many traditional cultures have rituals or ceremonies for girls at coming of age. However you choose to honor a young woman at this stage her her life, you may wish to offer something practical for the physical and emotional changes she may be experiencing.

Warm heat can help to relax the uterus to prevent cramping pain. These flax and lavender wraps are great for relieving cramps when heated in the microwave.



No microwave? This warming pain relief balm is also great for reducing pain from cramping. Both of these are all natural pain relief methods that may help avert a cycle of Ibuproferin, Advil or Motrin use which can be hard on the Liver.

Another natural remedy I like for emotional issues around menstruation is Leonurus cardiaca AKA Motherwort. Motherwort is exceptionally helpful for balancing emotional issues in women such as anxiety or irritability, whether related to PMS or menopause. It also helps smooth the menstrual flow for uterine cramping. For heavy bleeding or pregnancy this herb should be avoided. This is a picture of one of my Motherwort plants from this winter season. It likes the Central Florida Winter Weather. I have been making Motherwort tincture with these plants and will have it available in the Extracts Section of my Etsy shop later this month. You can leave a comment below if you would like to be updated when my Motherwort tincture is ready.

Rita Wetzel http://RitasCreativeNest.com
Audrey Fetterhoff http://AudreyGardenLady.blogspot.com
Linda Stranger http://capecodjewel.blogspot.com
Judy Woodley http://WellspringCreations.blogspot.com
Janet Bocciardi http://www.honeyfromthebee.com
Ann Rinkenberger http://harvestmoonbyhand.blogspot.com
Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri http://ElephunksTrunk.blogspot.com
Wendy Kelly http://blog.vintageday.com
Karen Terry http://jmjcreations.blogspot.com

Find me at Access to Organic's Earth Day Celebration and Seed Swap this Saturday in Daytona Beach

This Saturday from 12 to 4:30 Access to Organics will be hosting an Earth Day Celebration with Workshops, Vendors, a Seed Swap and Free Seedling with purchase while supplies last. I hope you will join us if you are able. I'll be bringing my Musk Melon, Luffa, Dotted Horsemint, Brocolli, Candlebush and Amaranth seeds to swap. I will also bring body products including a limited amount of soaps, probably just the salt soaps and the Easter Soaps in order to protect my inventory from the heat. If there are other soaps or shampoo bars that you would like to pick up from me on Saturday, please send me an email at aquarianbath @ gmail.com and I will have them ready for you during the event.

April 23 Earth Day Celebration and Seed Swap. Noon to 4:30. Free Tree

seedling with purchase while they last,

Demonstrations, Seed Swap, special deals. Come have Fun!

Phone: 386.236.9447 Fax: 386.236.9717

347 Mason Ave.

Daytona Beach, FL 32117