It's the small things...

I love small things. I mean little things...tiny things. There's just something about an itty bitty that makes me smile.

Here are a couple of my favorite little things.

Here are are a few more....

Check out this Wee Chunky Book from Wee Bindery on Etsy. 

It is smaller than a deck of cards and is too cute.

Handmade Leather Journal

On a scale of 0-10 on the adorable scale, these little guys rank 20! 

They are hand crocheted in Vietnam...makes my fingers hurt just to think about it! 

Not going to Vietnam any time soon? Visit Su Ami on Etsy instead!

Tiniest Sock Money

Micro Snail

Ok...now I'm not really into little dogs, but come on. 

Tell me this is not the cutest thing you've ever seen.

Time for a shameless plug!  How about these adorable Toddler Purses by 

Christine & Company?  

I've been working on them to add to a new boutique.  They are small - yet the perfect size for a little girl to carry all the important stuff.  What do you think?

Zebra Print - Hot Pink Polka Dots

Heather Bailey - Nicey Jane Lindy Leaf Pink

Amy Butler - Morning Glory

And last, but not least, these fun jewelry pieces by 

Tiny Hands Jewelry are modeled after my favorite yummy treats. 

And...are you ready? They are scented!

Scented Birthday Cupcake Necklace

Scented Maple Syrup and Butter on Waffle Earrings

So, just remember, it's all about the small things.... 

Christine

www.christine-company.com

Ask the Expert - Bath Salts Tutorial

Today is Day 1 of our Ask the Expert Series.  Please welcome Stephanie Sharer of Alchemy Lifestyle and Wellness.  Stephanie will be providing a bath salts tutorial for us today.  I know Stephanie would welcome any questions you may have, please ask away in the comments section below.

Simple Bath Salts Tutorial

Difficulty:  EASY | Time:  20-30 minutes | Yield:  16 oz.

Nothing says 'relaxation' quite like a soothing soak in a warm tub.  Adding a therapeutic bath salt mixture just puts the icing on the cake.  Bath salts are a great way to help detoxify the body, drain the lymphatic system and improve circulation and overall well being.  They are also a great way to reduce stress and experience the benefits of aromatherapy.

For this recipe, you will need:

1 cup Epsom Salt

1 cup Dead Sea Salt

1/2 cup Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Jojoba Oil

Colorant of choice (optional, can be purchased from soap making section of craft store)

1 tsp essential oil or fragrance oil of choice**

Most of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store or health food store.  Food coloring makes a great colorant substitution for those who don't have micas, iron oxides or lab colors on hand.

**For a true aramotherapy experience, be sure to use ONLY essential oils.  "Fragrance" oils may smell nice, but they are synthetically made.  Only true essential oils have therapeutic benefits.

STEP 1

Pour Epsom, Dead Sea salts and Baking Soda into a large mixing bowl.  

Mix together to break up any clumps.

 STEP 2

Drizzle 1/2 tsp jojoba oil and 1 tsp Essential Oil blend over salt mixture and blend thoroughly.

 STEP 3

Add desired amount of  color and blend well.  (You can have some fun here by 

splitting your mixture first and coloring half of it to create a neat layered effect!)

 STEP 4

Package and label your salts.  They are ready to use!

 Recommended usage:  Simply scoop about 4 TBS into warm bath water.  Soak for 15-20 minutes and pat dry.  The addition of the Jojoba oil will keep your skin from drying out.

Now you know how to make an awesome luxurious bath treat that is great for personal use or for gift giving!

Below are a few of my favorite essential oil blends for the bath.

Calming Blend

3 drops Lavender

2 drops Jasmine

2 drops Palmarosa

1 drop Geranium

Detoxifying Blend

3 drops Grapefruit

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Sweet Fennel

2 drops Rosemary

2 drops Cypress

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Lemon

1 drop Juniper Berry

Earthly Delight Blend

2 drops Bergamot

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Rose

1 drop Patchouli

1 drop Vetiver

Feel free to adjust the number of drops to suit your recipe and preference.  I have listed them all in "single" dose proportions.  For the above recipes, you would need the equivalent of 100 drops to scent your batch.

CAUTION:  Essential Oils contain therapeutic constituents that may not be appropriate for all users.  Please do your research before making your choices of which oils to use.

There are so many great resources available both in print and on the internet for how to make natural bath products and aromatherapy blends in the comfort of your kitchen.  Check out a few of my favorites.

Aromaweb - www.aromaweb.com  (fantastic info about all aspects of aromatherapy including essential oil safety and blend ideas.)

NAHA - www.naha.org (for general aromatherapy resources, courses, aromatherapist directory)

Amazon.com - www.amazon.com (for books on aromatherapy and product making)

Stephanie Sharer is the owner of Alchemy Lifestyle & Wellness - a holistic personal care business.  She is a mom of one, a wife, a daughter and a holistic practitioner with professional accreditation with the NAHA (National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy) and the AIA (Alliance of International Aromatherapists as well as being a member of The Artisan Group.  She has studied and practiced clinical aromatherapy and natural skin care for more than 13 years and has put her passion for both to use on her Etsy shop site:  www.alchemylifestyle.etsy.com

Thanks so much Stephanie for this fantastic tutorial.  I can't wait to try it myself.  Stay tuned for our next Expert - Party themes with Shannon of Sweet Stella's.

Christine
www.christine-company.com

Assistance for Nikki Cutro

I learned some awful news this afternoon.  Nikki Cutro, managing parter of The Artisan Group lost her home in a devastating fire. She is being treated at a New Jersey hospital for smoke inhalation.  All but one of her pets were lost in the fire.  You can read about it HERE.

I cannot imagine the fear and sense of loss she must feel.

I have never met Nikki personally, but she is a vital part of The Artisan Group, a juried group of artists that I am proud to be a member of.  Our members raised over $2000 for Nikki in a little over an hour and I know that there is more to come.

Please consider donating to help Nikki get back on her feet when she is released from the hospital.  Every dollar will make such a huge difference to help her purchase the basic necessities that she will need to start her life from scratch.  If you would like to donate, please visit:  Assistance for Nikki Cutro

If you cannot donate, please say a prayer, add her to your prayer list at church, send healing thoughts her way or just take a moment to consider what it would be like to lose everything you own. 

Christine & Company will be donating a portion of all sales during the month of February to Nikki's assistance fund.  Stay tuned for more details.

Christine
www.christine-company.com

Ask the Expert

Hello Friends, long time no see.  It's been a crazy few months here at Christine & Company.  Lots of exciting things happening.  I wanted to take a moment and let you know about a new feature here on "the blog".  Starting in February, I will be featuring expert guest bloggers who will be providing a tutorial on a variety of topics!  Some of the scheduled features are:

Making your own bath salts by Stephanie of 

Alchemy Lifestyle and Wellness

Image by:  winnond

Party Planning for All Ages by Shannon of

Sweet Stella's

*image by:  Master isolated images

~AND~

DIY Oil Based Perfume by Amanda of

Esscentual Alchemy

Some other features will focus on capturing great photos of your kids or pets, fantastic recipes, stress management and more! 

I hope you'll check back often to learn some fantastic new tips.  Let me know what kinds of topics YOU would be interested in learning more about in the comment section below - and if you would like to be my next "expert", email me at christineandcompany.shop@gmail.com

Christine
www.christine-company.com 

*image by:   http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1962
*image by:   http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1970

Have you done your Valentine's Day Shopping???

No?!? Well then...start right here. What a surprise to wake up to an email this morning from Betty of Craftsyble to inform me that Christine & Company's Retro Floral Clutch Purse (along with many other beautiful items from talented artisans) had been chosen for the Valentine's Day Gift Guide featured on her site!

Retro Floral Clutch Purse - $18

So, if you are still trying to decide what to buy for someone special on Valentine's Day, I'd recommend taking a look at this beautiful guide.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

The Artisan Group - Holiday Gift Guide

The Artisan Group, an exclusive juried community of talented artisans, collectively provides a lovely sampling of handcrafted products to celebrities and members of the press at major award show luxury Gift Lounges leading up to The Academy Awards*, The Golden Globes*, and The Primetime Emmys*. Most celebrities even pose for a professional photo with our artisan's products!


Recently, I was invited to join this talented group of folks.  I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing group, and although I am not able to participate in the events this year, the knowledge and support from the members has been worth it!

Valerie and Nikki of The Artisan Group have created a Holiday Gift Guide on Pinterest.  There is sure to be something for everyone and if your goal is to Gift Handmade...then this is the place to start your Holiday Gift Giving search.

I hope you enjoy browsing the Gift Guide and ...get ready to start pinning! I hope you find something you can't live without!

The Artisan Group's Holiday Gift Guide - 2011

Exciting News! Hilary Duff to receive a Christine & Company original!

Thanks to The Artisan Group, a close knit community of talented artisans, Christine and Company, as well as 34 other super-talented members of The Artisan Group, will be filling a gift bag for the lovely Hilary Duff.  Hilary, 24 and her husband Tony Comrie are expecting their first child, a boy, in March.

Photo by David Shankbone

To say I'm excited is quite an understatement.  It's every artisan's dream to have their products end up in the hands of a celebrity.  C&C will be including a fun appliqued diaper clutch completely made by hand. 

Does this mean I'll get lots of orders from Hilary and her friends?  Who knows?  But, it never hurts to dream....

Stay tuned for pictures of Hilary's new diaper clutch!

Christine
www.christineandcompany.etsy.com