Happy Thanksgiving!

Warren, Vermont - October 2007. Taken by Michelle Gilbert. Click image for enlarged view.

Goodness, it’s been so long since I had time to post a blog entry! I have so many new things to share with you – some great small businesses to feature and some absolutely beautiful new holiday soaps – all of which will be forthcoming in the next week or so.

But for now, I simply want to wish all of my friends, family, wonderful customers, and visitors to this blog a blessed, happy Thanksgiving full of peace and abundance.   May you enjoy the time you spend with those who are dear to you.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and I know I’ll be spending much of my day feeling very appreciative of the new people and successes that have come into my life this year.   It’s been a time of intense change for me, a year that started out one way, presented me with some challenges and losses, and then ended up taking me in a new and happy direction.  If you’re reading this blog, you are a part of that new direction, so I am grateful for you too!

Check back in a few days for some great new posts just in time for the holiday shopping season.  I’ve got a lot of cool things lined up!

Be well!

- Michelle

P.S.  Since I was asked   The photo was indeed taken by me, your intrepid soapmaker and wannabe photographer.  I spent some time ambling around (and falling in love with) Vermont in 2007 during my yoga therapy training.   I love to take photos of nature, and I was immensely inspired by my time in Vermont.  This scenery and the fresh air were very much the inspiration for my Gratitude soap.

It’s pumpkin pie season!

Pumpkin Pie soap, a Holiday 2008 Sarva Limited Edition.

It’s coming up on that time of year! Family, great food, gift giving, special memories…

Up and coming are some Sarva holiday goodies to help you celebrate, and Pumpkin Pie soap is one of them!   It’s available NOW and in limited quantity, so hurry!

The locals who have seen this soap are snapping it right up.  It’s even cuter in person than in the photo – yes, it really does have a fluted pie crust!  And yes, this is real cold-processed soap, not melt and pour!

Soaps such as this are true works of art.  The crust was painstakingly hand-pieced into the mold, as was the “whipped cream” topping.

There’s real pumpkin in this soap, which gives it such a lovely color. It’s scented with an all-natural essential oil blend that mimics your favorite autumn dessert, but without being cloying or synthetic. Just a touch of honey in the soap’s “crust” provides the right amount of sweetness, and, of course, it’s topped with soapy whipped cream… calorie free… the best kind!

It’s also a pleasure to use with a great lather, and pumpkin is rich in antioxidants and exfoliating enzymes.   Speaking strictly personally, my skin always seems much less moody/breakout prone when I use pumpkin products.

Finally, a holiday treat that won’t augment the waistline!  Go ahead and indulge!

Get it now! Pumpkin Pie soap, a Sarva 2008 Limited Edition.
A generous 5+ ounces at $7.95.
Limited quantity available!

VOTE!

Clearly, this is not a political blog… regardless, I’m going to remind you to vote today.

I have no interest in telling you whom to vote for, what issues to support, and so on.  I’m only going to tell you that, as an American, it is your right… and, I believe, your obligation.  Even if you must wait in line for hours.  Even if it is inconvenient.  ESPECIALLY if it is inconvenient!  Because this is our one chance to make the change we so sorely need. The entire world is counting on us… and watching us.

If the weather is crappy, don’t let it deter you!  If the lines are long, don’t let it deter you! “Too busy?”  Too bad!!!  VOTE!

And…

• if someone telephones and tells you that a college student is not permitted to vote at their campus and must return home in order to vote, IT IS A LIE.
• if someone tells you that you will be arrested for outstanding offenses (traffic tickets, for example) if you show up at your polling location, IT IS A LIE.
• if someone tells you that, due to extreme voter turnout, all registered Democrats (Republicans, Independents, etc.) must vote on Wednesday, November 5, IT IS A LIE.
• if someone tells you that only photo identification is valid proof of the right to vote, IT IS A LIE.

In short, you have the right to vote.  Today.  Tuesday, November 4.  No matter who you are.

If you experience problems or see suspicious activity, CNN has set up a hotline:  Call 1-877-GOCNN-08 to register your complaint.  Alternatively, vote411.org has a hotline too: 1-866-MYVOTE-1.   Write these numbers down and take them with you, or program them into your mobile phone.  Don’t hesitate to stand up for your rights!

Make the choice that, in your heart of hearts, you know to be the best one for the future of our country AND the world.  Don’t choose based on spite, fear, or any other negative sentiment.  Vote with positivity, empowerment, and a clear mind and spirit.

Thank you.