Holiday Excitement ~ Ideas 101

I wanted to share with y'all a few of my holiday ideas for making the season bright. Here are two of my favorites.

Holiday Cocoa

I made this for years with my preschool classes.

You will need a pint size canning jar and lid.
Holiday Fabric
Ribbon

Trace the lid onto the fabric and add 2 inches to the circle.
Ribbon should fit around the outside of the lid to decorate.

Filling:

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup powdered chocolate
1 cup powdered milk
1 bag mini marshmallows

Mix the sugar, chocolate and milk. Add to jar in thirds alternating between the mix and the mini marshmallows. Put on lid, cover with fabric, screw top on and tie with a ribbon.

A great variation on this is to reduce the milk and chocolate by half and add 1 cup instant coffee. This makes a great frothy cappaccino.

On another note, I think it is the right time of year to do those little things to bring cheer to those around you. People in the service industry deal with some of the crabbiest people around. next time you are in the checkout line, be sure to give your warmest of holiday greetings to the person helping you. Don't forget the greeters at the door too, they alwyas appreciate a pleasant smile and kind words.

Holiday Excitement

Holiday special for my blogger buds! Order any two gift sets and get a third of equal or lesser value FREE! This is a limited time offer and expires Dec 15th. So hurry...run and place the order!!!!!!! Quantities are limited. Add note of gift set choice in the notes section of the order. Be sure to specify scent.

Countrygal

Well I must say, I think I am a countrygal to the bone. I love all things country, rustic, natural and organic. It is in my pursuit of this that I have come to a point in my life where these things are all coming together. As jobs change and things happen, it is here that I find God's direction for me. He has reminded me lately that I must remain humble, kind and good to my fellow man, or woman. I read a quote recently that has really struck true-

Be your words both kind and gentle, for tomorrow you may have to eat them.

How true it is. So in the interest of that I will only announce this:

I am now a full time soap maker and I am loving it! As soon as this came about, the orders came pouring in. I am up to my ears in shea butter and essential oils! I am also creating many new products. I have new bath teas that are avaiable now in both Lavender and Vanilla w/Honey. These are amazing, relaxing soothing teas for your bathing pleasure.

One final announcement, for I cannot say more at this time; I have a special sale through December 31.

Bath gift set- 2 bars of soap, a soap dish and a bath spray all for only $12.00. Email me for details!

And don't forget- shipping is always free!

All in a days work

Some fun pictures of the family covering the greenhouse this weekend.

I also snapped a couple shots of this great barn in Minnetrista MN. It is so beautiful this time of year.

Friends Matter

I got so busy with the world that I forgot to post this wondeful award I received from my dear, dear friend Kay of The Rustic Cottage. It's a Nice Matters Award.

Personally, I think friends matter, and she is one of the best. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And I pass it back to you, Kay and to Ms Susan Dahlem, both of whom are the very definition of Nice......and someone I am lucky to call friend.

Computer Crash and all the fun!

As the saying goes... "when it rains, it pours" and that has been my life the last few weeks. First a computer crash and hardware malfunctions galore. Then, a new phone system that seems to be forever to fix. Anyway, I am back online daily and hopefully the phones will be resolved by the end of today. On the up-side of things, you support of my shoppe has been overwhelming. My local customer base has really grown over the last month and I am already getting many holiday orders. I have been very pleased with the overall response to my seasonal scents that I added, though I am almost sold out on the Fall Harvest Scent. I am also hard at work getting new products tested and ready for the holiday season.

A little on my soap parties. The first two parties were a huge success and so much fun. A big thanks to Stephanie and Rose for all their hard work. I hope you ladies enjoy your hostess baskets. I t was such a pleasure meeting you all! Please send me an email and let me know how you liked everything.

Lost Information: If you are looking for a package and it hasn't arrived- please let me know by email as I lost much of my information with the computer crash.

Newsletters: The Fall/Winter Newsletter will be out the second week of October with some great new goodies and also a gift certificate for everyone! The newsletter will be an extra big one with all kinds of articles and ideas for the new season. I am also looking for photos of family gatherings or favorite winter activities. I will be giving out 2 $25.00 gift certificates in the photo entry catagory.

I did an interview for a local news station while I was at a festival in Scandia MN. I will let you know the time it will air and a link to it as soon as I can.

Thanks again for all your wonderful support!

BLESSINGS

BETH

Don't get your hopes up?

Well- I recently heard this from someone and it got me thinking, isn't it our hopes and dreams that we need to keep going in this world. "Wishin and Hopin and Dreamin...." I mean these things are fundamental to our well being. If we stopped hoping where would we be? With all kinds of changes in our daily lives, we need our hopes and dreams to bring us through. The person who dreams it CAN make it happen. I have huge hopes for my future right now and know deep down in my heart that everything I have learned and done in my past has led me here, to this point in time. The right time, the right hope, the right dream. So I will be here wishin and hopin and dreamin til it happens. And yes- I will get my hopes up!!!!!!!!!

Back to School Sale

So here we are, looking into the month of August already, and I don't know about you, but I am far from ready for the beginning of school. So as I look into purchasing all the fun back to school items, I am also getting ready to send my eldest off to college. This is hard not only on me but also on her. She is a home body and is not looking forward to this big move out on her own. There are so many scary new things that she will be facing for the first time in her life. But one thing that I know will help ease her into this new world is the scents and smells of home. Remember how the smell of fresh baked cookies can bring you back. Well I plan on sending a basket chock full of the things she loves, namely soap, lotion, bath spray and laundry soap. Having the smells of home with her everyday will make this big step into the world a tad bit easier.

So with that in mind I have decided to extend a "Back to School" Special to all my loyal customers. During the month of August for every two identical products you buy, I will give you the third one for FREE! And remember, shipping to a single address is always free. So stock up and save big! Here's a hint- keep an extra bar of soap in your linen closet to keep your towels smelling great!

SPECIAL SPECIAL!!!!!

I am having a blog only coffee special. I have an excess of coffee on hand right now so I am goin to do a BOGO special. It's my special Farmhouse Blend and it scrupmtous. Rich yet not overpowering the perfect get up and go way to start your day! Just $6.95 a bag and with the BOGO you get two for the price of one. BUT wait there's more..... (always wanted to say that!) because there ia still free shipping through this week! So get your orders in now. Just put BOGO in the comment line.

And the winner is......

Well ladies, I have been enjoying computer snaffoos all weekend so had to wait until today to get this updated. My apologies to all. I must say the down time gave me a chance to get started on the Harry Potter book.

OK, the winner of the spa kit is.... Deep South Mamma MJF! Email me your info! And Congratulations! Thank you to all that participated. I will be having another drawing very soon!

I Can

When I was young there was nothing I thought I couldn't do. I can be whatever I want. I can learn anything, do anything , be anything. But then as I got older, I was told that I could not do this or that, or was given limitations and expected to live within certain expectations. So as I grew into adulthood, I believed less and less that I had the ability to bring those dreams to fruition. Then I one day I picked up a book at Barnes & Noble. It seemed like an ordinary day, playing taxi for my kids running them from one activity to another. And somewhere in there I found I had some time to spare. So into the bookstore I went and began to stroll up and down the isles. And there it was, a place where the road I was on met with another and I found what would change my life. The book, as many of you have guessed already, is MaryJane Butters "MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook - For the Farmgirl in All of Us ". Who knew what this would do for my life. I then met fellow farmgirls (though at the time I had a small house in the city), found a wonderful old farm and so began my journey.





I learned so much everyday from these wonderful women. I picked up my needle and thread again, started to crochet, learned to make soap and lotion and so much more. Through classes online( the new way of the farmgirl) I can now make dolls, thanks to mizz frannie. I became a women and mother and wife who now believes that I can. I can do all those things. Learn to make jam? I can.

With so many things externally in the world telling me I can't, I now know that I can. I can do anything. To go back to that feeling when I was a child feeling I can do or be or achieve anything is a true revelation. It is a belief I willl instill in my children and all those around me. I will not stomp on their dreams or tell them they can't. I will say "Yes you can" and show them that "yes they can" by doing things myself.

Contest & Giveaway

So I am going to do another Giveaway but this time I was thinking it should have some sort of challenge to it. So here goes everyone. This is the official "Make someone smile" contest. I will tell you the prize first so to have you smiling before I list the rules.

The prize for this will be: A spa kit. Yup- you get Soap, a soap dish, bath salts and a bath spray! Now that I have you smiling shall I give you the rules?????



OK- these are simple and easy and actually there is only one rule. To enter the contest you must do something to make someone smile and then post it in the comment line.



Thats it- its that easy. Sharing a smile or a laugh is a wonderful thing. Listening to my 5 year old giggle, that sound that comes from his toes to the top of his head- that makes me smile. And with that smile comes a blissful feeling that takes over your soul. So I want everyone to share with me this week.



Drawing will be on Friday, July 27!

Soap Parties

Have you ever been to a Tupperware Party or a Home Interiors Party? Well, how about a Soap Party? I would love to come for a visit, if you are in the area, and bring some soap and other products for you and your friends to try. Unlike the other parties, there is no minimum to buy to receive a gift. If you host the party, you get the hostess gift which includes soap, lotion, bath salts and other assorted goodies. And everyone who attends will not only get a special gift just for attending, but I will also offer a special price of half off on every third item they buy. I'll even bring the coffee, tea and some sweet treats for everyine to enjoy!

Live outside my area? Well how about having a soap party by mail? I will send you a brochure and some sample scents. You can either have a party of your own or- bring it to work and let people order there. It's that simple.

Please email me for the details! beth@blissnblossomfarm.com

I look forward to meeting with you!

Festival News

Well what a great day at the Ma's Farm Festival. Though the rain and lightning came to dampen the day, it was a marvelous event. First I had the joy of starting the day with some coffee shared with a wonderful farmgirl friend, Babs of Mugwort Maggies Apothecary. She brought her wonderful mother in law as well and we enjoyed a hot cup of Java before heading over to the Festival.

After arriving and spending some time setting up tents and our wares, we settled in for some good farmgirl chatting. Quickly we had customers stopping and talking about our products. I met many local people as well as those who had traveled from afar for such a worthy cause. I met Sue's family, who were so wonderful and very grateful for our participation in the event.

Though the weather turned rainy and at one point downright dangerous with thunder and lightning all around us, it did pass and the event continued on.

I wanted to tell everyone I met that it was such fun meeting and talking to everyone there. I thank you very much for your patronage and look forward to your continued support.

Musical Friends

I have been so blessed to have met some wonderful, talented musicians. I want to share with you their music. They are from two different genre's one country the other blues/hip hop.









First is a lovely lady that I met one night at a great venue in Dresser WI. I was at the piano bar with my hubby and could hear this beautiful sound coming from the main stage. All I can say is WOW- does this gal have pipes! Introducing............ Jennifer Grimm

She is offering her Christmas cd at a special price :

Special on Christmas Albums for the remainder of July.
Visit http://cdbaby.com/cd/grimm2 and get my Christmas Album for $5.00 a pop! Now through the end of July...

take a listen:

I'll be home for Christmas


MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)

You can see her at:
Mondays @ Escape Ultra Lounge are now 18+!
Still $5.00 cover - Still great $2.00 drink specials for those of age.
Doors open at 9pm - we start shortly thereafter...
http://www.escapeultralounge.com/





Now for the country in me.. ladies check this guy out! He has recorded in Nashville and is making a big spash on the country market. I am lucky to hear him live quite frequently. If you see him playing in your town be sure not to miss him. My good friend..... Bo Billy.
Think deep, sexy and all around wonderful. What a great talent. Take a listen:

"For The Life Of Me" at garageband.com!

You can see him at:
Sunday's & Wednesday's, Players Beach Club,
Forest Lake, MN

And the winner is.........

Day4plus !!!!!!! Please email me your info and I will ship this out right away! Also look for some extra goodies inside. Thanks to everyone for signing up. And for those who inquired- I do have Jam and Sauce for sale. just shoot me an email!!!!!!

Recipe of the Day

I have so much Rhubarb growing in my garden this year. the Rhubarb is an heirloom rhubarb that has been at the farmstead for over a hundred years. The previous owners took some with them when they moved but it has come back now and is wonderful so I picked a bunch last night and am going to make this tonight as a dessert for the family.

Rhubarb Cake

2 cups sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1 TBL cinnamon

1 beaten egg 1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda 1 cup sour milk

2 cups flour 2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

Pre heat oven to 350*

Topping: (I like to make this first so it can sit and blend for a few minutes before using) 1/2 cup diced rhubarb mixed with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 TBL cinnamon. Let sit.

Mix together remaining ingredients like cake batter. Pour into a greased 13x9 cake pan. Spread topping on batter. Bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes.

Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

Happy Friday

Are you having a summer like me where you think it was just Memorial Day and now here we are halfway through July already? My lists for the farm are growing faster than they are getting done and now I am starting to think about school clothes shopping. Ugh!



However I do enjoy Fridays. Dress codes are relaxed, people are in good moods as the weekend approaches. I will not be at the market tomorrow as I have so much to do to get ready for the Ma's Farm Festival. I was excited to hear that my good friend Babs at Mugwort Maggies Apothecary will also be a vendor there. Two farmgirls hanging out all day! So I look forward to a weekend of soap making and creativity.



To me, making soap or sewing an apron, doing some stitch work or baking a loaf of bread is the biggest creative outlet for me. I spent 20 years teaching pre-schoolers, mostly 3-4 year olds and loved it. Cutting pasting, creating that was my favorite. So now as I have my own shop I can again let the creative juices flow.



Its been a joy to see my own daughter with such creative talent. Her artwork in both watercolors and oils has been received quite well. She loves to paint and that was supported by the wonderful teacher she had in high school. With the right encouragement she has blossomed into quite an artist. I am hoping as she goes off to college this fall she continues to learn more in the field of art. Look for some of her pieces to be up for sale on my website soon!



I hope to see many of you at the Ma's Farm Festival on July 22nd where a portion of my sales will be donated to the festival. For those of you who cannot make it, starting tomorrow through the 23rd I am going to give $1.00 from every item sold toward this worthy cause. So now is the time to stock up on your favorites! If you don't see what you are looking for on my website (I am curently adding my newest items) then just shoot me an email and I will make sure you get what you need. Or you can call the customer service line if you have any questions.



Don't forget to sign up for my Giveaway! Monday is the dealine!

Special Giveaway Sign-Up

Ok - so I thought it about time I do my own giveaway. So for every comment left on this blog I will put your name in a hat for my special Gourmet Strawberry Sauce and a few surprise bonuses. Please introduce yourself and tell me your favorite Strawberry dish! Drawing will be held on Monday July 16th.

Here's mine:

Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits from "The Farmgirl Connection Cookbook"
Gourmet Strawberry Sauce
whipping cream

Love it!

Soap Dishes for Fellow Soapers

Interested in some handmade soap dishes? I have some available wholesale to my fellow soapers. Just send me an email beth@blissnblossomfarm.com and I will get you the details! These are pine and my retired father-in-law makes them in his woodshop.

News Release on Ma's Farm Festival

On Sunday July 22nd, 2007, local residents are getting together to benefit two local charities: Grace Place and Turningpoint. A fun-filled day at the rural Osceola farm owned by Corrine Zehm (“Ma”), will offer visitors many activities for families including: a Bake and Book Sale, children’s activities, shopping the arts and crafts vendors, and a fun 5K walk in the morning. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds to free music by the Bog Creek Band, The Radio and Harshman Brothers.

Turningpoint and Grace Place are both safe places for victims of domestic violence and families in crisis. The emcee for the event will be Trish Van Pilsum of KMSP TV. Her career has included many investigative stories of local cases of domestic violence.

All the proceeds for the event will be donated to either Grace Place or Turningpoint; funds the organizations can use to help break the cycle of domestic violence and make a change to better many lives. This is a local problem and we have seen several recent cases end tragically. Join us on Sunday, July 22nd to raise funds and awareness to the changes possible in the cycle of domestic violence.
For more information email jonnaz@pressenter.com or call 715 248 7176.


Grace Place, 203 Church Hill Rd., Somerset, WI 54025, 715-247-4265
Turningpoint, P.O. Box 304 River Falls, WI 54022, 715-425-6751
www.turningpoint-wi.org

Ma's Farm Festival

Welcome to the 1st Annual
Ma’s Farm Festival
Mark your calendars and join us
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Fun with Family and Friends
Doing something to help Break the Pattern of Domestic Violence
Start the day (8 am) with a walk/run, and then spend the day with family and friends.
Music by the Bog Creek Band and other entertainment throughout the day.Shop (9am-5pm) the vendors, the farmer’s market, join in the art projects (11am-2pm) for the kids, participate in the silent auction and raffle full of great gifts and items, have a picnic and help us raise awareness and funds.
Unfortunately, many of us know someone who has or is suffering through domestic violence. Maybe you don’t know what to do. After Sue’s senseless death last summer, we chose to do “something”. We hope to raise funds for safe places and raise awareness to stop domestic violence. This is a local and all too frequent problem. The festival will raise funds that can be used to change people’s lives, make an improvement and hopefully, make their home a safe place. Until we break the chain of domestic violence, too many victims are not safe. Help us raise awareness and funds. In honor of Sue, or maybe someone you know and care for, let’s do “something” to improve lives.

If you’d like to donate extra books, plants or baked goods for the day, please contact Jonna for pick up or drop off times for your donation.
100% of the proceeds of this festival
will be donated to Grace Place or Turningpoint.
Turningpoint has EXCITING NEWS! Turningpoint for Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence
has been selected by the St. Croix Valley Community Foundation to participate in the
Partners for the Future Initiative, a $2 million dollar challenge match.
Every dollar Turningpoint raises through Partners for the Future
through November 2009 will be matched dollar for dollar and
invested in Turningpoint's permanent fund at the Foundation.
Visit www.turningpoint-wi.org or www.scvcf.org for more information.
We are looking for sponsors for the walk/run, Children’s activities and the rental of the sound system and stage.. Does your organization want to assist, play music, give money, water, fruit or volunteer time?
Contact jonnaz@pressenter.com

Location: Ma’s Farm 764 240th St. Osceola WI 54020 3 miles east of Osceola, N of Co Rd M.
Want to volunteer, join as a vendor or make a donation of any kind?
Contact:
Jonna Zehm, Festival Coordinator
P. O. Box 141 Star Prairie, WI 54026-0141
715-248-7176 or 651-303-1711
jonnaz@pressenter.com
In memory of Suzanne Marie Weiland 1966-2006

Website Changes

Over the next few days you will notice big changes on my website. The first was to add this blog. My goal is to make the webstore and farm more user friendly and bring a part of the farm to each of you. I spent 15 years on a farm, with cows and chickens, large gardens and numerous fruit trees. But as old farm houses can do, I got burnt out. Winters with little insulation and chopping wood daily, appliances breaking all the time and just the work it took to keep a place that size running took its toll. So we sold the farm and bought a nice new house in town with neighbors right outside our window and a huge 50 by 50 backyard for the kids to try and play in. Well, as you can see it wasn't for us. Mind you it was a beautiful home but it just wasn't our home. So after much searching, I found this new farm. It happened not long after Labor Day of 2005. I had been sitting at Barnes & Noble reading a great new book by MaryJane Butters MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook - For the Farmgirl in All of Us and thats when it all came together. I took one look at the farm and immediately put an offer on it and I guess the rest is history. So as we become farmers again, I want to share with you what we are doing on the farm.

the first project is our farmhouse makeover. I will take many before, in progress and after pictures. I will show materials purchased, cost and suppliers. I hope it will give you ideas that you can use for your own home makeovers.



Other changes will be new products for both the Bathworks and Farmhouse Kitchen. I will also be adding samples to my shop. These little goodies make wonderful travel packs for short trips as well as giving you the opportunity to try different items and new scents.



Thanks for stopping in and seeing what we are up to. Tomorrow look for a new recipe and a Farmhouse Kitchen Giveaway!

Welcome and hello from the Farm

Spring has come and gone and if you're like me you can't believe how tall the corn is or how much things have grown. Here at the farm we are enjoying tomatoes and asperagus, fresh berries and delectable herbs already.

Last week was official berry picking week at the farm. The neighbor up the road grows some of the best organic berries I have ever tried. the sugar content is so high that i hardly added any sugar to the jams and sauces I made. Normally you will see a sugar content in the 6-7% range. these berries were running anywhere from 11-17% natural fruit sugar. What that means to you is less added sugar in your jam or sauce. Talk about sweet! We pick the berries and can them the same day. They are a s fresh as you can get. I have a limited amount from my stock taht are still available at http://www.blissnblossomfarm.com/ but don't wait too long.

I will be getting several goat kids in the near future and so I am doing a Farmhouse Makeover. I will post the progress here and then the arrival of the new family goats.