Skijoring with the huskies

Here is a picture of the dogs taking a break while skijoring at Hyatt Lake yesterday. Hyatt Lake is located outside of Ashland Oregon in the beautiful Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. It is one of our favorite places to play year round. We love to ski around it in the winter, take the canoe on it, bike around it, swim across it, dog sled, hike and run around it. We are sometimes rewarded with a view of ospreys and eagles soaring high above.

The Three R's

This mama bear visited our campsite in the Sierras after our dogs scared her up the tree. After a few hours she came down and was on her way. We were lucky to see three other bears during our trip and a mother deer nursing her fawn. Camping and being out of cell and computer range for two whole weeks is just what I needed.

Days were spent hiking, biking, swimming, reconnecting with my husband and just plain relaxing. Our tent has a mesh top and we watched the stars in the comfort of our sleeping bags.

I spent a lot of time thinking about my business and the direction I want it to go. I tend to try to do to much and get burned out. I'm an Aries so that may explain it! If someone asks why I don't have a certain scent of soap or lotion, I always need to make it and list it in my store, even tho that person sometimes never comes back to buy it. More often than not it sits in the store a long time before someone does buy it.

This is how I came up with the Three R's. You have always heard of reduce, reuse, recycle, my three R's are relax, reconnect and reinvent. Relax: is something I do not do as often as I should, but on vacation it felt so good to just do nothing. Reconnect: I am painfully aware how short life is and my goal is to reconnect with family, friends, and neighbors regardless of how busy we all are. So friends and family be forewarned, I will be bugging you to get together more! It's really easy to become isolated in our busy lives, but what's life about without, family, friends and neighbors. Reinvent: realizing that "less is more" I have decided to cut back on offering so many different types of products and only focus on the ones that I and my customers love the most. This will free up quite a bit of time so I can relax, reconnect and reinvent my shop and product line.

So if you don't hear from me or see as much in my store online, know that I am living my life to the fullest and enjoying it as much as I can which will make me refreshed and focused so that I can continue to make amazing organic eco friendly products. Also now I can spend more time trying to save the planet for my grandkids. ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!

P.S. Don't worry I will still be making FACE FOOD.

Purchased on Etsy for my Valentine's Day Ambush

I purchased this on Etsy for my Valentine.
Scentual Soundtracks: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6371978 offers decadent
sensual ingredients in her skin care products.
Money is tight so my plan is to ambush my husband and give him a candlelight dinner and his very first spa treatment. More about that in another post.

I choose this Facial Mask because of it's wonderful chocolate scent and it looks just like chocolate! The skin pampering ingredients are: rhassoul clay, powdered coconut, powdered chocolate, ground flaxseed, and jojoba oil. It comes in a beautiful eco-friendly cobalt blue glass jar. All you do is take out a level teaspoon of the mask and put it in a small container. Measure 2-3 tsp. of liquid, I plan to use whipping cream, but the possibilities are endless. Buttermilk, yogurt, olive or jojoba oil, honey, milk, green tea, or water, are all good choices. Add liquid, stir and microwave 10-15 seconds. I don't have a microwave so I just put the mixture in a double boiler over water and simmer gently for a few minutes. Apply to face or body and leave on for 5 to 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water,
then tone and moisturize. It leaves you skin feeling silky soft and clean. I just love it and want to share with my hubby and you!

Check back next week for my full ambush spa plan!

Etsy Treasury

My organic soap is featured in this lovely treasury, check it out here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=37540
You can also view the curators shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5981407
Her work is amazing!

Organic Washcloths by Ecogeneration

These three organic handknit washcloths by ecogeneration http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18809058
are perfect to use with our organic Frankincense Clean and Glow.
Nothing feels better on your skin than organic cotton. Ecogeneration's motto is: reduce, recycle, and reuse.

OCM (oil cleansing method is used in many spas). I first experienced it in a day spa and became hooked! The organic oils can actually unclog pores and is less drying than other cleansers.

Here is how it works, shake well to blend the oils, (I like to apply it in the bath or shower since it is so relaxing and the steam makes it work even better). Apply a small amount to your face and neck in a circular motion, cover your face with a warm wash cloth (organic if possible) and let it revitalize your face for a minute or two. If you have time, apply the warm wash cloth a second or third time, wring out the cloth and remove any remaining oils in a circular motion. Your skin will feel deep-down clean. Follow with a toner or one of our HYDROSOLS.

Clean and Glow comes in a cobalt blue glass bottle and contains herbal infused organic olive oil, organic jojoba oil, organic caster oil, vitamin E, pure essential oil, organic roobios tea extract, and organic black willowbark extract. This formula is rich in powerful antioxidants, and vitamin and mineral rich oils. YOUR SKIN WILL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE!

ECO ETSY

We are now proud members of the fabulous Team Eco Etsy check out their blog here: http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com
And remember "another world is possible".

Article by Kayla Fioravanti owner of Essential Wholesale

The Word is Spreading, Avoid Phthalates!

I’ve been preaching about the negative side effects of fragrance oils and phthalates for some time now. But for many people the message is just hitting home today with the release a study in the February edition of Pediatrics.

The study's lead author, Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a University of Washington pediatrician, has finally brought the issue of the dangers of phthalates to the main stream media. The study as been reported all day on the news networks like the Fox News, ABC, and the Washington Post. Even the critics are talking about the study at the PR Newswire.

Phthalates are used in the cosmetic industry as fixatives to hold fragrances. Most fragrance oils on the market contain phthalates in order to insure that the scent will linger on the skin and clothes longer. We are exposed to phthalates everyday. Phthalates are found in most commercial fragrances that are not 100% pure unadulterated essential oils. Your family is exposed to phthalates in: commercial air fresheners, plug-in air fresheners, laundry and household products, baby products, perfumes, cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, shower gels and much more. In order to avoid phthalates you must avoid adding fragrance oils to your products or purchase phthalate-free fragrances.

Some believe we should wait for more studies to come out to determine the exact extent of the dangers of phthalates. I believe consumers have learned their lesson with waiting for more studies to prove the dangers in the case of cigarettes. Why risk waiting for more studies when the only purpose to use phthalates in cosmetics is as a fixative or adhesive for fragrance? Babies don’t need to smell like their lotion, shampoo, diaper ointment or laundry soap all day long, and neither do we. All companies should demand the removal of phthalates from fragrance chemicals or switch to unadulterated essential oils. Despite significant evidence from many studies, Stephanie Kwisnek, a spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration, said that the FDA "has no compelling evidence that phthalates pose a safety risk when used in cosmetics. Should new data emerge, we will inform the public as well as the industry." (Associated Press)

Consumers have the power to change the cosmetic industry as proven by the public outcry for paraben-free products, which did transform the industry from the outside in. In the coming months I expect that consumers will become more educated on this subject and demand “phthalate free” products. This will not only change the way consumers read baby product labels, but how they look at all cosmetic, personal care and household product labels. With a peek into the mysterious ingredients hidden behind the term “fragrance oils”, consumers will wonder what other ingredients are going undisclosed. Now is the time to transition your product line to be either “fragrance free” or scented with only 100% pure unadulterated essential oils.

At Green Springs Body Works we have always avoided using fragrance oils. They happen to give me a headache and do not smell real to me. Essential oils can actually get rid of a headache. Try lavender, eucalyptus and mint. You can either inhale them or put a few drops in a carrier oil and rub into your temples.

We use only pure therapeutic essential oils to scent our products, scent with herbs, or make unscented products for those who prefer not to have any scent. Check out our website www.greensprings0.etsy.com for our Aromatic Intentions. Great for stress relief!

Green Springs is Featured in ETSY Storque Article

We are featured in the ETSY Storque article "Shop Local Oregon":
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/gift-ideas-shop-local-oregon-with-thisisalliknow-2980/
This article features sellers from the Pacific Northwest, we are pictured under Green Springs Bodyworks. Check it out! Well I better get some z's my eyes are closing and it is way past my bedtime.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I am so thankful for this beautiful sunset, taken right out my front door!
I am thankful for having a loving, healthy, happy family!
I am thankful for having a growing organic business that is my passion!
I am thankful for our wonderful new president! ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE