Wrap It Up With Eco Style

Instead of purchasing conventional gift wraps, consider eco-friendly, green, and alternative wraps this year!

• newspapers 
• magazine pages
• old sheet music 
• children's artwork
• last year's gift bags
• brown paper grocery bags
• salvaged wraps, ribbons and bows 
• reusable fabrics (dish towels, table cloths, etc)
• vintage fabrics (handkerchiefs, pillowcases, etc)
• biodegradable raffia and dried botanical adornments

If you do buy new gift wrap, make sure it has a significant amount of recycled post consumer waste content.

POWERWASH TO THE PEOPLE!

A Human Christmas Tree

Just think...you can lather up for the holidays and turn yourself into a human Christmas tree if you want with our wildly aromatic cedarwood soap.  Tis the Season!  fa la la la la  ♫ ♫

Get FREE SHIPPING When You "Shop Small" Nov. 24!

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a special day dedicated to supporting small businesses nationwide. Welcome to Small Business Saturday Nov. 24, 2012!  

Spend at least $20 at a wild soap bar (online only on this day only), and get free shipping anywhere in the continental U.S.  Use coupon code SHOPSMALL (all caps) to send family and friends our fragrant organic bar soaps, castile liquid soaps, organic balms & oils, and unique handmade gifts.

Help restore our economy this holiday season. Do your part. Support small family owned businesses like ours.

SHOP SMALL!

NOTE:  To insure arrival a little closer to the holidays, all SHOPSMALL orders will begin shipping on Dec. 3 in the order they were received (should only take a few days).  Thank  you.

swish™ (soap + a wish)

Remember those worry stones? They were all the rage back in the seventies. Rubbing them between your thumb and index finger would supposedly lessen your worries.  And who couldn't use a dose of that?! Well I've come up with something even better. A super soapy gift idea that focuses on the positive rather than the negative. This could be the new rage!

Introducing swish™...soap + a wish!  The beautiful black stones inside are permanently etched with a positive message. They make terrific little gifts for just about anybody and they'll be available throughout the holiday season. When the soap is gone, the recipient has an inspirational keepsake to remind them of you. With 12 uplifting words to choose from, you're sure to find the perfect wish to cheer up your friends and family. Swish™!

Barking Up the Right Trees

Have you ever looked at tree trunks? I mean really studied them? The outer layer of bark, or rhytidome, is composed mostly of dead cells, but it exhibits some of the most interesting textures and intricate patterns that nature has to offer. A quick tour around our property turned up these beauties. I think I'll try some bark rubbings with the grandkids next. Enjoy!

Sacred Oak Soap du Jour

Traditionally, Native Americans went to the Sacred Oak in times of trouble to pray, and the mighty oak tree has been held in high regards by many different cultures throughout the ages. Our property here in Texas supports several species of oaks, and it was the strange looking oak galls I found (shown above) that inspired me to make an oak soap.

I learned that oak galls are rich in tannic acid which has strong anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties, as well as gallic acid which is a potent anti-oxidant and natural whitener. Perfect properties for a bar of natural soap, don't you think?

In addition to the oak gall extract above (which also gives the soap its dark brown color), our Sacred Oak Soap contains oakmoss essential oil extracted from a bushy lichen that grows on oaks. Valued in perfumery for its heavy oriental fragrance, oakmoss acts as a fixative to deepen and anchor a scent blend.

I don't have time to make much soap anymore. But when I get the uncontrollable urge to play soapmaker, I whip up a batch of "soap du jour"...limited edition soaps made in super small micro batches that usually don't hang around too long.

I've got a bar of Sacred Oak Soap in my shower right now and I must say, it smells DIVINE! Have you hugged your oak tree today?

Forest Driftwood Earrings

I call it forest driftwood... interesting little twigs from fallen trees that I've collected on my walks through our 20 wooded acres here in central Texas.  Each piece of wood is washed and dried, wrapped with upcycled baling wire, then sprayed with a clear matte sealant before adding the recycled glass drops and ear wires.  You can find them for sale on Etsy, but the real joy lies not in the sale, but in the quiet time spent walking, reflecting, gathering, and crafting.

Prickly Pear Cactus Anti-Aging Treatments

I always thought a fresh Prickly Pear Cactus Mask would be the prefect product for our local farmers market, but so far I haven't found the time to develop it.  Who knows, maybe someday I still will.  My mask, of course, will have additional ingredients, but I'm going to give you the simplified home version here.  After all, prickly pears grow just about everywhere and they're chock full of skin-loving anti-oxidants and phyto-nutrients.  Learn more about why I Heart Cactus so much in an earlier blog post, then get ready to get slimed!

First, wash your face first with our original Prickly Pear Cactus Soap. This will prepare it to receive the full benefits of the cactus gel.  Next, pluck a small young cactus pad from the wild (use tongs!), burn the spines off over an open flame (or use a spineless variety), and scrub it with a vegetable brush under cold running water.  Carefully slice the pad open, scrape it lightly with a spoon to release the inner gel on the surface, and then massage the pad directly onto your face and neck.  Try it on the inside of your elbow first if you have very sensitive skin or if you think you might have a reaction, but most people do perfectly fine with it. 

No need to wash it off either.  Your skin will feel firm and refreshed.  After letting the mask sink in for a while, follow up with our Prickly Pear Nourishing Facial Oil.  Perform this anti-aging ritual at bedtime and your skin will be glowing and dewy soft in the morning! 

Try our Prickly Pear Body Balm on rough knees, elbows, and heels (or anywhere you want baby soft skin) and for sparkling clean, germ free hands, nothing can beat our Prickly Pear Castile Liquid Soap.  

When it comes to prickly pear cactus for superior natural skin care, we've got ya covered.

Snow On The Prarie in September

In Texas?  I WISH!!!

Snow on the Prarie

Euphorbia bicolor

Cleaning's A Snap!

We've been using reusable, economical terry towels to clean up our soap production area for many years but the volume of towels required prevents us from getting too fancy. Recently I ran across this nifty (and decorative) solution for home use...reusable snapping towels. What a great idea!

Handmade by a mother of three in Denver who states on her Etsy site that her "towels are made from a 100% cotton print and backed with a lush and thirsty 100% cotton terry cloth (just like a wash cloth)." And you get to choose your own fabric. For an organic version, check out these cool hemp unpaper towels. 

You can rinse and reuse either of these eco-friendly towels for many different jobs, but when they need a thorough cleaning, just throw them in the washer. It's a snap!

A Wild Soap Boss

Did you ever feel like you're living in a reality show?  When you're working with family members, the drama gets pretty deep sometimes!  We had an explosive episode on Wednesday.

Jory was making a custom soap recipe for a new client for the first time....one that I had formulated of course.  I'd told him I needed to check the color before he poured, so he blended it up and called me in.

Well, this soap looked nothing like I had envisioned (a beautiful teal green).  Time to push the panic button.  We'd have to double the colorant.  There weren't a whole lot of options.  So Jory stirred it in, insisting the whole while it was never going to be the color I wanted due to the chickweed powder.

Chickweed Schmickweed!!!  I'd just doubled the colorant!  I stared at it a good long while but it was still a dull olive green.  If I triple the colorant, it's gotta come around.  The soap was getting thicker by the minute, so I quickly blended up some more colorant and plopped it in.

I'm furiously whipping it with a whisk, he's stick blending the thing like crazy, I'm shouting "Get that stick blender outta here!" (all of this frantic action IN the mold by the way), soap is slopping everywhere, and that's when he snapped.  The stick blender went flying across the floor accompanied by an angry "This is NOT how I do things!!!"  He then told me to clean up the mess, to which I hotly retorted "No way buddy, I'm not the one who made that mess on the floor!"  I stomped out of the production room as my blood began to boil.

Never mind that I was the one who had failed to formulate the recipe properly...and...ahem...it wasn't the first time either.

And so it goes...and so it goes...and so it goes...and so it goes...

We screamed.  We shouted.  We cooled down.  We laughed.   All in a day in the life of a wild soap boss!  (cut to commercial)

p.s.  The soap DID eventually turn a beautiful teal green and all was well in Soapyland.  The end.

It Aint Cheap Being Green!

Let's face it, we could save a ton of money if we'd just stop caring so darn much about the environment!  There's the biodegradable cornstarch packing peanuts (substantially more than styrofoam peanuts, but our dog loves to eat 'em!)...

the 100% recycled cellulose padding (twice as much as bubble wrap, but admittedly, not nearly as much fun)....

the 100% certified organic base oils (way more than conventionally grown oils...no GMO's allowed)...

the premium glass packaging (far more expensive than the cheapo plastic stuff, but glass is inert & infinitely recyclable too)...

the fragrant, plant based pure essential oils (easily 2-4 times more pricey than synthetic fragrance oils!).

And don't forget the 50 mile round trips to the not so nearby recycling center! ('cause we don't have the luxury of curbside pickup out here in the sticks).

These are just some of the eco friendly business practices we put into action every single day here at A Wild Soap Bar because we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem!

How to Make Insecticidal Soap

Got a little too much wildlife in your garden? A homemade insecticidal soap spray should ward off the invaders.  It damages insect's cell membranes and is pretty effective against a wide range of pests. The best time to spray is during the early morning or late evening when plants are not in direct sunlight.  Saturate both the top and underside of leaves, re-applying as necessary, allowing several days between applications. The soap helps the concoction stick to the leaves (and to the insects themselves).  


In case you're wondering, this is Jory's garden where he spends time when he's not making soap or building decks (his second job).  Now here's the recipe:


Insecticidal Soap Spray Concentrate
2 C. water
6 hot peppers
12 garlic cloves
1 TBS. castile liquid soap (we recommend our Sunflower)
10 drops lemon, orange, cinnamon, vetiver, or eucalyptus essential oils

Chop water, garlic, and peppers in a blender and let stand overnight. Strain the liquid removing all solid particles. (Whatever you do, don't get the stuff in your eyes or on sensitive areas!)  Pour the strained liquid into a plastic bottle and add soap.  Store in the refrigerator (or just a cool dark place for several weeks) until needed.  Add 2 TBS concentrate per quart of water to a pump sprayer or spray bottle.

Did I mention that your garden will smell wonderful?

  

Independence & Grandchildren...

what are your most precious blessings?

Got Problem Skin?

We can help!  Besides our amazing black willow bark soap for acne and naturally medicated pine tar neem oil soap, there are many other natural (and cheap) home remedies that can help clear your skin.

Aloe Vera - Apply the fresh gel to problem areas as needed.

Apple Cider Vinegar (raw, unfiltered) - Ingest 2 TBS. per day & also use to make our daily clear skin toner.  (Be sure to get the raw, unpasteurized version from the health food store.)

Calcium Bentonite Clay -  Mix with water or herb tea to form a paste and apply to face weekly.  Let dry, then rinse well.  Follow up with a light coating of moisturizing jojoba oil (below).

Lemon Juice (fresh squeezed) - Add 1 TBS. to the clear skin toner recipe above or dab on zits as needed.

Honey - Apply once a week all over your face and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing.  It kills bacteria!

Jojoba Oil - A great moisturizer for all skin types but especially oily skin, that helps to balance sebum production.  Mix in a couple of drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil for extra healing power.

Oatmeal - Grind to a powder, mix with water to form a paste, apply gently in circular motions all over your face and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing. 

Sea Salt -  Add 2 cups to a warm bath and soak for at least 15 minutes or take a swim in the ocean.  Great for body acne.

Sunshine - Bask your problem areas in the morning or late afternoon sunlight (no sunscreen) for 10-15 minutes for a healthy dose of vitamin D.

Yogurt (plain) - Apply as a facial mask and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing.  Very soothing.

Coupled with a healthy natural foods diet, sufficient water intake, daily exercise, and plenty of rest, these natural acne treatments will have your skin looking great in no time.

The Memorial Day Flood

Jory had gone home early. I was tidying up the soap shop when I heard a loud thump coming from the storage area where I saw a river of yellow palm oil gushing towards me! The bottom pail of a 3 pail stack had collapsed under the weight causing the 2 on top to topple to the ground. We'd done it this way before so I wasn't sure why they didn't hold up this time. All I knew was this was gonna take a VERY LONG TIME to clean up...not to mention the 20 gallons of organic oil we'd just wasted. This shows only part of the disaster area. An ooey gooey mess.

Sobbing profusely, I ran over to get my husband who brought over 2 flat nosed shovels and we began scooping the mess up as best we could. As you can imagine, 20 gallons of oil on a concrete floor was mighty slippery. It's a wonder we didn't break our necks. In his infinite wisdom, he reminded me to look at the bright side. It wasn't toxic and our dog (who was eagerly lapping it up) would probably never be constipated again.

After scooping up most of it, we dumped 8 bags of kitty litter on the remaining oil slick to absorb what was left overnight.  Of course we didn't have 8 bags of kitty litter lying around (we don't even own a cat) so we had to make a 28 mile round trip to the grocery store too.

An hour or so with a broom and a vacuum should finish the job up this morning. Then I'll move everything back into the storage area, some of it a little worse for the wear.

We'll look back on this and laugh some day. And when we talk about the Memorial Day flood, we won't necessarily be referring to the major disaster that hit Austin in 1981 either! Heck, this might even become a Facebook milestone.

Who Is The True Patriot?

"It is dissent from government policies that defines the true patriot and champion of liberty." - Ron Paul

The Circle of Life

It was a pretty cruel day. Our 8 lb. rat terrier managed to catch a baby rabbit and proceeded to gobble it up while the poor mama rabbit watched sadly from a distance. As a mother, it broke my heart, but as a dog owner, I felt kinda proud of her accomplishment. So I pondered the necessity of the "circle of life" for a while and moved on. (LOVE that movie....one of my all time favorites!)

Then later I came across this crucified preying mantis firmly impaled on a nearby cactus pad. How bizarre! I wondered how it had happened and how long the poor thing had to suffer...and why? After all, I didn't see much in it for the cactus. Do you?

"There's more to be seen than can ever be seen."  Another day in a year in the wild.

The View

I love the view from my office right now where the horsemint and coreopsis are in full bloom. It's always alive with bees and butterflies and birds. When I need a break, rest and relaxation are just a glance away. How's the view where you work?

Horsemint (Monarda punctata)

 

Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

Got Itchy Skin?

Feel like clawing your hide off sometimes? You can probably chalk it up to using cheap "evil corporate soap". The stuff that's full of synthetic fragrances and other undesirables (like sodium laurel sulfate, EDTA, triclosan...the list goes on and on) that can cause allergic reactions, dryness and itching. Most of it isn't even real soap! 

That's where we come in. 

A Wild Soap Bar soaps are made with natural and organic ingredients that are kind to skin. They're super-fatted too meaning they contain some extra oils that have NOT been turned into soap that are deposited on your skin leaving it soft and moisturized. Our organic soaps are also full of moisturizing glycerin, a natural by-product of cold process soapmaking. We leave that in to pamper your skin.

All of the good stuff. None of the bad. That's A Wild Soap Bar!

Meet the Makers Video

So how do you like our new video? It's a family affair!

 

Cleaning for Curb Appeal

I hate to clean.  Is anybody with me here?  It eats into my precious free time, it's physically exhausting, and it never ever seems to go away.  BUT..I do love a clean house! So I try to make it as painless as possible.

Instead of letting housework build up into a crisis situation, I've found that regular maintenance is a better solution.  Armed with some of our multi-purpose natural castile liquid soap, a few pure essential oils, a little baking soda, vinegar, and salt, you can put some major hurt on dirt and grime.  PDQ. 

Is my house spotless?  Hardly.  But I try to give it what my husband calls "curb appeal" (he does lawn maintenance.)   De-cluttering goes a long way toward achieving that.  In an hour or less a day, you can hit the high spots and keep it reasonably clean...even if the top of the refrigerator isn't always spic and span.

For starters, here's 20 Eco Friendly Ways to Spring Clean Your Home but I suggest you don't wait for spring next year.  Tackle a little each day.  Focus on specific tasks.  Clean during the commercials.  Do one more little thing before going to bed.

Keep it looking good from the curb, and you'll feel better about your surroundings...and your life in general.

whoosh!

How can you walk by a sow thistle without huffin' and puffin' and sending it all airborne?  Whoosh!  And off it goes.  Of course this just helps to spread the quote unquote "noxious weed" (because that fluffy little puff ball is full of seeds), but since I learned it actually has medicinal value (heck it's even edible!), I don't feel quite so guilty.

Go ahead now.  Relive your childhood.  Whoosh it up!

Air Out Your Life!

 Aaahhh.  Can you feel it?  Spring is here!

Time to bask in the sunshine.  Sniff the fresh air.  Feel the soft breeze.  Even tweet with the birds!  There's no time like now to reconnect with nature.  

Open up your windows and air out your life!

Freshness Guaranteed?

Are you one of those people that hoards skin care creams, lotions, and cosmetics? Did you know that the longer you keep that stuff, the less active it becomes and some products can even contain mold and other nasties? Most expired products will smell off or have other visible signs of degradation such as separation or color changes, but some may look perfectly fine on the surface. Don't be fooled.

Experts say to toss most cosmetics and body care products after 6 months. And because many of today's products are synthetic and preservative free, extra care should be taken. Natural and organic products are superior in so many ways, but by their very nature, they can't last forever. Always look for a use by date and toss the item out when that time comes around. You might lose a couple of bucks, but would you rather have a raging eye infection? Didn't think so.

You can find the use by date on the bottom of all of our body balms.  Just remember it's there and abide by it. You'll probably use our organic soaps up before they go bad, but if they ever smell like rancid oil or develop dark spots...ditch em. That's right mom, don't leave that beautiful basket of soaps sitting on the back of your toilet forever...they'll eventually go bad!

I don't use many cosmetics anymore, but I recently found a mascara tube at her house that I swear was from high school. Talk about ancient! (Note To Self:  Help mom clean out bathroom closet on next visit.)

So tell me, what's the oldest cosmetic or personal care product you've uncovered in your stash?

A Spring Break Lesson

Some kids spend their spring break at the beach.  Some spend it goofing around on the internet.  Still others vegetate in front of the TV all day.  But some, like our soon-to-be 13 year old granddaughter Aubrey, spend it learning valuable new skills. 

Pulling soap orders.  Packing those orders.  Shipping 'em out.  It's amazing what a 13 year old can do!  And with half our A Wild Soap Bar staff on spring break this week, her help is certainly appreciated.

But it's not all work and no play over here either.  We headed out to the local fishing hole after work yesterday where Aubrey landed 8 whoppers like this one!  

We've always taught our children (and now our grandchildren) that work comes before play.

What lessons are your kids or grandkids learning during their spring break?
 

It's Irrelevant

When you focus on the positive,

everything else becomes irrelevant.  

Bad hair day?  Irrelevant.  

Missed deadline?  Irrelevant.  

Nasty head cold?  Irrelevant!

Focus on what brings joy to your life...

and declare everything else irrelevant.

Be. In. Control.

The Ubiquitous Mesquite

And you actually thought mesquite trees were only good for Mesquite Bean Soap?  ;o)  How about mesquite bean beer, mesquite bean eye wash, mesquite thorn straight pins, or mesquite gum glue?  Find out more about The Ubiquitous Mesquite. 

Ranchers and gardeners despise it. Chefs and artisans adore it.  I guess one man's trash tree is another man's treasure.

Blinded By The Light

 Every year about this time....the soap shop turns greenhouse! I arrive before the crack of dawn most days, but lately I'm blinded by the light in here. Jory's high powered grow light that is. Now we've got warm and happy little seedlings poking their heads up each and every day.  There's tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, and bell peppers so far.

How does your garden grow?

This Old House

You may remember that we moved into a travel trailer last year in anticipation of tearing down our little owner built log cabin. Yeah, it's cute (sometimes.....on a good day), but it has some serious issues and after 30 years of faithful service it's time for a change.

So I'm happy to say that we're finally doin it! Or should I say my husband is. He began dismantling the boys bedroom last weekend. He hopes to have the whole house demolished in a couple of months. Can you imagine, tearing something down that you built with your own blood sweat and tears? The place where you raised your children? Worked toward your dreams? It must be very hard for him, to say the least. But he's a trooper.

It's incredibly exciting to me...but extremely terrifying at the same time. There's no going back now though! We plan to rebuild on the very same spot (with a little help from our friends of course). Nothing big, nothing fancy. Just modern and cool. You didn't think we'd go through all this for something that wasn't cool did you? Nevertheless, it'll be a huge undertaking for us. Can you imagine the hours? The frustrations? The construction costs?!!  We can, cause we've been through it before. It's strictly cash again this time too cause that's how we roll.

Sure, it's scary, but I have faith that it will turn out perfectly and purposefully. This old house will be born again.

To everything, there is a season.