Ode to the Pirate

We are celebrating pirates these days at the Cottage. I thought I would list some fun facts about our growling patch wearing friends!

My Favorite Pirate

* Pirates often didn't get enough vitamin C while on long voyages which resulted in them getting a disease called "crickets" that caused them to go blind in one eye. This is why pirates often are depicted wearing eye-patches.

* When a pirate said "shiver me timbers" it was actually a request for another pirate to shave an especially difficult to reach portion of his back. While pirates would allow their faces and chests to get hairy, there was a strong superstition against hairy backs. By the way, "shiver" means "shave" and "timbers" means "lower back."

The Gingham Grasshopper

* Blackbeard's peg leg was a medical necessity, he lost his leg to diabetes, but all the other pirates got wooden legs as a fashion choice. Some of the peg legs used by pirates were actually quite gaudy and covered in jewels.

* The combination to Davy Jones' Locker was right 32, left 17, right 26.

MoonDogTreasures


* The golden age of pirates was 1764-1856, but there are still pirates today. Today's pirates are not the colorful figures of the past, just boring pretenders to the throne.

* Although much is made of the fact that pirates used the phrase "arrrrrr", actual pirates actually punctuated their sentences with the letter "q." For instance, "Q, me treasure is over there, matey."

GeorgannaAndCompany

* Gilbert and Sullivan were the two most dangerous pirates to ever live. Born conjoined twins, they were finally blown apart during a vicious sea battle with a British Major General when an errant cannonball struck their shared hip. While together, they were considered to be the King of Pirates. Apart, they were forced to retire to a life in the theater, reenacting their final battle in Penzance for pennies a day.

* While it was perfectly fine to use an enemies skull as a goblet, it was considered rude to use their entire vivisected head as a puppet. Especially if you mocked them by making their own head talk in a high-pitched voice.

LilCubby

* The Jolly Roger flag, with its black background and white skull and crossbones, was designed to be scary. This flag was not used by all pirates, usually it was only flown by those sailing in the Spanish Main.

* Pirates believed that wearing pierced earrings would improve their eyesight.

* Pirates believed that having women on board their ship was bad luck. They also believed that whistling on a ship would cause the weather to turn stormy (as in ‘to whistle up a storm’).

* Pirates would take over island ports and make them a safe haven for pirates.

DogBoneArt

* Almost all pirates stole their ships because they couldn’t buy ships incase they got caught and sent to jail. Once they had taken over a ship they had to convert it for pirate life, this usually meant making more room for sailors to live on board and strengthening the decks to hold the weight of the heavy cannons.

* Ships sailing on their own often sailed close to warships or joined other convoys of ships to protect themselves from pirates. Pirates could only attack one ship at a time, so if the sailors traveled in groups there was less chance of their boat being the one that was attacked.

* Pirate Captain’s would change out of their expensive, flashy clothes if there was a chance they might be captured. This way they could pretend they where only one of the crew, and not somebody important and hopefully escape.

* Although pirates have been around since the 15th century, most pirating happened between 1690 and 1720.

TheDreamyGiraffe

* On the Caribbean island of St Thomas you will find a place called ‘Black Beard’s Castle’. It is believed that this is where the famous pirate spent many hours looking out for approaching ships.

Twisted

We have had a great few weeks. things have really been going well for us. Particularlly tuning up since getting life back to normal after Hurricane Gustave hardships of last month.



I was really busy Friday. I got a ton of boxes out and made a good bit of product made for Saturday market. That afternoon my little man spiked a bit of a fever. Not uncommon for him. He has also been trying to kick a respiatory infection that went around our house. It was the kick I needed to stop what I was doing and rock the little boy that had been sitting on the stool all afternoon next to me to spend time, as I had been busy. It was nice to rock. I was really tired too. I had also been trying to kick this lingering cough. I was guessing I was a little stressed lately as my eye and lip had been twitching on and off all afternoon as well.



In regular form, we spent the remainder of the evening eating dinner, getting kids ready for bed, and back to work, finishing us pouring come more candles and labeling. 12:30am to bed. Wake up time is 4:14am on Saturdays to get ready to go to market. This is typical for Friday/ Saturdays and very common weekdays for Fall / Christmas season for us. Things get busier and as we are a 2 person show, we tend burn at both ends most nights.



Saturday market was Great! We surpassed any other Farmer's Market sales to date. It was even better as I arrived with the least amount of stock than I would normally bring, I ordered a ton of supplies last week and they should be arriving this week. We may be recruiting help! I went home and spent a nice afternoon watching movies snuggled with the kids. I was really tired and must still be stressed as the twitching is getting worst.



Saturday night we attended a wake for a grandmother of a good friend of ours. It was a little stressful as she was upset and I really wanted to be supportive. It reminded me of my our grandmothers passing 4 years ago. I was really ok though. The longer we were there the weider I felt. Cory and I sat outside with a coke. Maybe I needed sugar. I hadn't eaten more than the muffin my sweet market neighbor Mrs Davis had bought and insisted I ate, in her motherly attempt to look after me.



We took our friends to dinner and thought a margarita was in order. We all had a lot going on and perhaps needed a little help to relax.



By the time we got to my in-laws to get the kids, I knew something serious was going on with my body. We got home and as I readied for bed, I was unable to keep the water in my mouth while brushing my teeth as my lip was starting to twist. I had been a paramedic for 13 years. I had been out of the loop for several, but it comes back to you. Treating yourself is different. I knew things like this could happen in a panic attack. I was not having a panic attack. I had eaten, so my blood sugar should be up. Stroke. It was the only thing running through my brain. And there I did crumble and start a full fledged panic attack. My arms and legs were still working. Cory got me calmed down enough to lie in bed and rest quietly. We agreed if things weren't better with a little rest we would go to the ER.



Sunday morning things were worst. I awoke early breaking down as my face is now totally twisted on the right side. I can not move my mouth on the right, I have no brow control so my right eye droops and as I can not fully control the lid my eye is very dry. As you can imagine, I tolally crumbled. After calling mothers, we had decided it may be Bell's Palsy. Not a stroke, but a paralysis of the face.



Going to the ER was bad, and comforting the same. I knew nearly everyone there and they were super nice. Yes, it was Bell's Palsy. It affects the 7th cranial nerve and causes paralysis on one side of the face. There are a lot of statistics, but it looks like over 3-6 months I could recover. Cause factors: lack of sleep, stress, viral infection. Check, check and check. Thank you Laura, Maggie, and Johnny. Without your familar comforting faces, that visit would have gone oh so much worst.



I am really tired. It is a lot of work trying to talk and make muscles work thet simple won't. I am working very hard to control my emotions and not break down. Telling my children was hard. They are little. I explained that mommy had a new smile and a new funny pucker when I kissed, but when I looked at them it was still a smile and when I kissed them it was still a kiss. My daughter didn't want be to smile. She asked me if I could just give her a what she mimicked as a Mona Lisa smile. My son sweetly kissed the twisted side of my face. Don't cry, don't cry, oh it is so hard. I do need to patch my eye and keep it moist so it willl not become damaged. In a effort to lighten the air, we picked up a pirate patch at the pharmacy. I can also make a great "arrrggh" out of the good side of my mouth. The kids do think Mama Pirate is great.



This too will pass...

New York City??

I wrote this several weeks ago to my awesome floow artisans at the LArtisans ETSY street team board. As I am still so super excited I thought is was blog worthy...

September 18

So yesterday as I was making my afternoon pickups from preschool I recieved a call from New York. I muted it. I don't know anyone from NY and if I did, they sure wouldn't want to talk to me over all the squeeling and singing coming from the back seat.

An hour or so later as I was waiting in line at the cleaners I casually decided to go through my messages. Much to my dismay, it was someone from the Health and Beauty Dept at Self Magazine!! OMG I nearly dropped the phone as I listened to the nice message. They had viewed my site and were wanting to Fed Ex one of my scrubs to New York (Time Square *gasp*) for a photoshoot today for their December edition! I love self magazine. I love their promotion of health, wellness, and women's issues. And to know that they just might love me back... I am beside myself.

This is the biggest thing yet to happen for my little biz. I have Never been to New York City myself, but have always wanted to go to Time Square. And to think *in my best southern girl accent* my lil ol' Cottage Garden Therapies Sugar and Honey Scrub made it all the way from South Louisiana to Time Square in New York City this morning!

Mommy and Me Day at the zoo with Ms. B

As my children are a little older I have come to realize the importance of "just me and you days". It hit me the first day we took my oldest to preschool, just a few weeks ago. I thought her little brother would be lost, devistated without his sister. Quite the opposite. After drop off, with a big grin, he mustered up in his 2 y/o little man voice, "Just me and you Momma, just me and you!"

Yesterday we were routine as normal, but instad of heading to preschool after Mother's Day out drop off, my little girl and I headed to the zoo. I told her we were playing hooky (I can't wait to hear the repaet interpretation of that!) and we were spending the day, just me and her together. She was elated!

I signed us up for a zoo encounter class at our local zoo. The theme was nocternal animals (of course!). It was quite an education. We got up close with bats, snakes, spiders, millipedes, an owl and my favorite, the chinchilla.

Have you ever heard of an owl pellet? We learned that owls can't digest the fur and bones of its prey. The cough it up like a fur ball, and you guess it, we got to disect it. It was very interesting and very fun. I do believe it might have been more fun with the other child and his father, but we had a great time being brave and overcoming our girly side!

We did it! Canton was a sell-out!!

We did it! It was a sell out! We are just returning from our Canton Mississippi show (Fall Flea Market and Arts & Crafts Show) and we sold rearly everything we brought, topping our best sales by far. We have always wanted to come home empty handed- this time we did! (this pic was our booth from the Denham Springs Fall Fest 5 days prior- we were too busy to grab a Canton pic- pic to the right is the courtyard Square- we were located in the Courtyard behind the Courthouse)

This our 4th show in Canton (Spring/ Fall) and if you have never been, it is quite an experience! It is held for one day in the historic town of Canton Mississippi. It has been held for 40 years on the second Thursday of May and October. My grandmother who attended faithfully said it is held mid-week so the husbands couldn't attend and the wives would spend more. LOL!

People from all over the region (customers and vendors alike from Oklahoma to Georgia and Louisiana to Tennessee) show for this event, and what a show they make! The art and decor, and handmade items here are amazing. Customers can be seen shopping as early as 5 am armed with flashlights (some afixed to their heads) and rolling carts. Those showing up at noon normally have slim pickings.

We were a little nervous as we arrived. We are in bad economic times. We ourselves had recent tough times in the aftermath of Huuicane Gustave just a month before. Stock was lower than normal as supplies were delayed and there simply wasn't enough time to make as much as we wanted to take. Yet, we loaded up with hope and a smile knowing at least the exposure would be good. We were blown away! The weather was perfect and everyone was so nice! And they literally bought until there were only scraps left. (pic left Canton past)

We have a lot of work ahead of us to restock. Thank you Canton!!

For centuries, people have bathed in the mineral-rich waters of the world to help promote good health and beautiful skin. Ancient records show that people traveled many miles to bathe in salt waters such as the Dead Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and the famous mineral springs around the world. It is the very thing that brought our own grandparents here in search. The mineral-rich, salty waters have been know to help alleviate even the most severe
cases of dry skin disorders. Salt water bathing stimulates circulation, hydrates the skin, increases moisture retention, promotes cellular regeneration, detoxifies the skin, and helps heal dry, scaling, irritated skin. It also helps reduce
inflammation of the muscles and joints, arthritis, relaxes muscles and relieves pain and soreness. Important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, bromide, and calcium are readily absorbed into the skin when we bath in a warm mineral rich bath. These salts blended with essential oils will leave you saying ahhhh!Hand milled with Natural & Organic ingredients including:Dead Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, Epsom Salt, Shea Oil, Essential Oil Blend, Vitamin E
Directions for use: add a spoonful or so into bath or foot soak for skin softening and joint relief

Naturally Scented Essential Oil Soy Candles

Our all-natural soy candle line contains 100% soy, cotton wick, & natural essential oil blend for fragrance. Hand poured in beautiful glowing amber jars, these candles contain NO synthetics. They are lead & zinc FREE, colorant FREE, & FREE of synthetic fragrance!Soy candles last 50% longer than candles made of petroleum-based paraffin, the ingredient found in most candles. They also burn slower and cooler at ~110 degrees (helping to better distribute fragrance), are non-toxic, less likely to trigger allergies, clean up with soap and water, and produce very little soot. These factors tend to make them more animal and child-friendly than traditional candles.
Soy wax is also a favorite of environmentally conscious consumers. Made from American-grown soybeans, it's biodegradable, a renewable resource. When warm, these have also been known to double as an excellent body/ massage butter and manicure/pedicure treatment in a jar (only use as such if flame is extinguished and wax has solidified).
Not overpowering, we like to compare these natural candles to fresh cut flowers vs. heavy perfume room spray. Aromatherapy promotes well being with the use of essential oils that promote a positive emotional & spiritual response..

Exfoliating Moisturizing Honey Sugar Scrub

Dry dull skin? Uncover that rough dull skin; with a fresh show me off glow! Enjoy our all natural exfoliating and moisturizing smooth Sugar Body Scrub. Our ingredient list is simple. We use the finest sugar and oils for gentle exfoliation of old skin, moisturizing and nourishment of new skin with an amazing super soft and supple after feel. Use on hands, elbows, knees and a fabulous facial experience.
Why sugar vs. salt scrub? Glycolic acid, often referred to as alpha-hydroxy acids, is a naturally occurring compound in cane sugar. Alpha hydroxy acids work by stimulating dead cells on the surface of the skin and inside the pores so they can slough off more easily. When applied, it helps to dissolve the outer layer of skin. By decreasing the thickness of dead cells on the surface, a new layer of skin with a smoother texture and more uniform color can be revealed. Along with raw honey, shea, sweet almond & safflower oils we feel this nourishing mixture is superb for the skin!

Honey is the sweet material taken from the nectar of flowers and manufactured by bees. It is high in vitamin C and promotes collagen formation in the skin. It is a natural humectant (drawing in moisture) antibacterial & antimicrobial. Used since Egyptian times for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Honey is full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Has an emollient property, is soothing and humectant. Emollients make the skin feel softer and smoother, reduce rough feeling, cracking and irritation. Honey is cleansing and antibacterial. Bacteria cannot live in honey, which demonstrates its natural preservative properties. a natural anti oxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Our 100% natural scrubs are made from a combination of cane sugar, sweet almond and safflower oils, and raw wild harvested Louisiana honey, botanical essential oils, and vitamin E. Oils are selected for their high quality and ability to nourish, balance, protect, absorb and penetrate easily. They are well suited for eczema, psoriasis and itchy, dry and inflamed skin. These oils are also rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E. Honey is added as a natural cleanser absorbing readily in the skin pulling dirt and bacteria deep from the pores and promotes collagen formation in the skin. Directions for use: Spoon & apply in a circular motion to area dry area of body that needs exfoliating, gently scrub, and rinse. Great for feet, legs before shaving, hands, knees, deep cleanser, or a cozy back scrub!

Smooth and Silky Milk & Honey Lotions

Our lotions contain Goat’s Milk, Honey, Shea, Sunflower Oil, Allantoin, Aloe Vera, Calendula & Vitamin E. This rich lotion absorbs well and is super moisturizing. Shea is well known in helping moisturize while providing a silky protective barrier to all skin types. American Indians were the first to discover the healing properties of Sunflower Oil that is rich in Vitamin E that helps moisturize and regenerate skin. Allantoin is thought to have the ability to help heal wounds, sores and stimulate growth of healthy tissue. It is a skin softener and anti-irritant. Together, with other natural, these ingredients produce a thick, rich lotion that is as pleasing as it is good for your skin. Containing soothing goat’s milk, it is good for sensitive skin old and new alike. The moisture has a non-greasy, silky feel that we have fallen in love with and we are sure you will too!

Soap

Our natural artesian soaps are made from all natural, vegetable, organic and Louisiana, when available, nourishing ingredients. It is cruelty-free soap that you can feel good about using with your family. You will find added goats milk, honey & shea in all of our soaps. Goat’s milk & honey is wonderful for sensitive and mature skin alike. Use it on your face, your feet, or your bum. Our soap has excellent moisturizing quality without a greasy feel. Even though they produce enough amazing suds to use as a shampoo bar, they do not contain foaming agents or petroleum products. It will leave your skin so soft you may not need a moisturizer, Yikes!

Oils are selectively chosen for their quality and ability to protect, heal skin conditions, and provide balanced moisture. Essential oils are used for natural fragrance and the natural botanical benefits they provide. It is aromatic and sure to refresh and uplift the dustiest of bodies & spirits!

The final product is a little wetter than most commercial soaps. That’s just because it is bursting with nutritious oils, moisture drawing humectants & goodness, while still producing a long lasting bar.

Our soaps are wrapped in protective wax tissue paper and carefully boxed, beautifully labeled, and sealed with our beautiful fleur de’lis wax seal of approval.

100% natural consisting of ingredients including: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Glycerin, Goat's Milk, Honey, Sorbitol, Sorbitan Oleate, Soy Protein, Shea Oil, Organic Virgin Coconut Cream Oil, Calendula, Essential Oil Blend, occational Buds, Vitamin E

Directions for use: Get dirty, make suds, get dirty, repeat!

Why we make it...

All of our natural artisan bath & body products are handcrafted in our country kitchen from the very finest ingredients available to us. We use only the best of everything from the oils, scents and to the packaging. Sometimes when others ask why we make our smooth herbal soap it is like trying to explain why we bake cookies from scratch with lots of added goodies instead of buying a package at the grocery store, why we brew our Community coffee instead of drinking instant...
You may be surprised to learn that most commercial soaps you buy are not really soap at all but technically chemical filler, lard (aka tallow or sodium tallowate found in most commercial soaps and bought cheaply as by-product of the beef industry) based detergent often referred to as body bars! Detergent based soap got its start in the industrial era when oils such as olive, sunflower, safflower, and coconut where scarce & detergent vs. oil-based soap could be made and processed though machinery quite cheaply. Detergent commercial soaps can be linked to an array of skin conditions including dry & itchy skin, eczema, & psoriasis. As with all our products, they also do not contain harsh detergent, foaming agents, or petroleum products. The skin is our largest organ, absorbing 60% of what we put on it. What are you putting on your skin?

Essential oils & botanicals are used to naturally scent, for their wonderful aromatherapy effect and the additional naturally occurring beneficial properties they provide. Seasonally you may find our limited run of fragrance items made from very selective, top quality fragrance oils.

All of our soaps are made of natural plant based oils and butter (organic & Louisiana when available) ingredients and retain their natural glycerin (a humectant and natural soap byproduct often removed by commercial soap makers for resell). They are not made with animal fats, nor are they animal tested (just family & friend tested!). Our goat’s milk comes from free-range non-hormone treated goats, and our honey comes from local wild roaming, non-medicated honey bees.

Some of our older Market customers laugh and tell us milk & honey was the beauty regiment Grandma would use & how she "had the skin of Cleopatra", then quickly make their purchase. You are sure to fall in love with the soft, silky spa quality feeling our products will leave your skin just as we have.