Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be filled with laughter and love,
good food and good company.


And may you have a very
Happy Thanksgiving.

Get into the holiday spirit by rummaging through Granny's Attic

It's time to get your jolly on at the

30th Anniversary Granny's Attic
Saturday, November 20 9 am to 4 pm
Always the Saturday before Thanksgiving
Thompson Middle School
1001 Middletown-Lincroft Road
Middletown, NJ

This is probably one of the best craft fairs we have ever been to - let alone worked at! We're very excited to be a part of this enormously successful and popular holiday tradition. We'll be in the same space as last year - 135D, which is in a classroom off of the court yard.

It will be like a treasure hunt - come and find us!

Vendors come from all over the tri-state area and only the best are selected for a spot at Granny's Attic. People come from hours away to get that one-of-a-kind item that can't be found at any retail shop. This year, they are bringing back the tradition that started it all by having a few antique vendors selling their original and treasured items.

It you can't come and shop at Granny's Attic, we still have two other events coming up this season. Check here or on our website. And you can always order online! Look for special gift baskets coming soon!

Skin Care Switch Up

Autumn has arrived in its full, beautiful and chilly glory. The trees are in various states of their color show. Some have even lost their leaves already. The crisp air has us turning up the heat inside and bundling up to get cozy.

But let's face it, as beautiful as it is, and however glad we may be to stop sweating after a very hot New Jersey summer, all these temperature changes are wreaking havoc on our skin. So, just as we change out our shorts, flip flops and tee's for long pants, boots and sweaters, it's time to change up our skin care routine a little.

There are certain staples to your skin care routine just as there are to your year round wardrobe. That perfect fitting pair of jeans works no matter what the season. To keep your skin in the best condition possible - staying well hydrated is important year round. Good hydration helps to remove toxins from your body and keep things nice and properly moist from the inside out.

Even if we're diligent with applying sunscreen, our skin can get damaged during the summer. As the days grow shorter, it's more important to exfoliate and remove those dead skin cells. This removes the yuck (OK, that's not a technical term but it does describe it well) and allows new skin cells to show and glow. Our Honey Pumpkin Face Mask is a gentle exfoliant and toner for your face. Sugar Scrubs works beautifully on the rest of your body while leaving a light moisturizing oil to provide protection from harsher temperatures.

Hands take a real beating in cold weather. Keeping them protected with a good wax based moisturizer. Our Lotion Bars are excellent for providing that protection while soothing dryness and itchiness that can occur in the fall.

Another part of our skin that seems to suffer through the cold months is our lips. Keep them moisturized and protected to prevent cracking and dryness. Our Sweetest Kisses lip balm provides that barrier to the elements and adds the softening sweetness of honey. Should you catch a cold or just have a bout of really dried, cracked lips, Tingles will really help. They'll protect and provide essential oils known for their healing benefits. And it will make your lips tingle.

In the fall and winter, I also change my face moisturizer. Before I go to bed, I use a little Jazzy Lavender Body Butter on my face, especially on those laugh line around the eyes and the nasolabial folds (there's a technical term - those are the lines that go from your nostrils to the corners of your mouth). It gives a little extra softening and extra protection from the dry air.

I always like the seasonal switch up, for my skin care and my clothes. A rediscovered favorite sweater and that pair of jeans and a great skin care routine. That's a great Autumn.

The Holly Jolly Holiday Season kicks off Saturday with the Jolly Mouse Craft Fair

I'm sure you're thinking the same thing - how did the holiday's get here so quickly!? Yet here it is, that time of year when the air continues to get crisper and cooler, the days get shorter, and plans begin for holiday get togethers and gift giving.

To get you in the spirit, stop by
The 26th Annual Jolly Mouse Craft Show
Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, 10 am to 4 pm
Lloyd Road School, Aberdeen
All proceeds benefit the H.A.M. (Hazlet, Aberdeen, Matawan, Therapeutic Recreation Program)


This is a great fair with a very friendly atmosphere. The coordinating group works hard to assure that all of the products presented are handmade. So you know you'll be getting some unique gifts for your friends, family - and of course yourself.

Our booth is located in the gym. We'll have our full line of skin care products and more - and maybe even a few surprises! If you can't make this holiday craft fair for some reason, just check out our upcoming schedule to the right - or you can stop by our WEBSITE to place your order.

More on that later!

The Pumpkin Aftermath

My archenemies, the evil squirrels, can now munch happily on the carved pumpkin carcasses lying around my front yard. I only managed to carve 8 of them, but I was pleased with the results. The squirrels can pick for another day, and then the pumpkin parts left over will be taken to a back neglected garden and dumped. They'll rise from the dead, I'm sure. Either by nourishing the soil for next season when I try to revive the garden - or a surprise pumpkin or two may appear from the wreckage.

I did have several pumpkin in a few varieties that were uncarved and will find life in a number of ways.

The cheese pumpkins, the beige ones that look like - well, a wheel of cheese, will be roasted and used in pies and cakes and pumpkin butter. They have a lovely, sweet pumpkin flavor and process to a smooth and creamy consistency.

The little grey one in the picture is a Jarrahdale. It's supposed to be a very sweet, stringless pumpkin. Hmmmmm, I'm thinking Pumpkin cheesecake for this little baby.

The white pumpkins seemed to be everywhere this year. I'm not sure if these are Lumina's or Cotton Candy's, but they will be roasted up for some edible goodness. I might trying cutting these into chunks and tossing them into stews or roasted along with the potatoes.

My orange pumpkins will serve in a number of ways. Some will be made into our Honey Pumpkin Face Mask. Some will be dried and ground for some new skin care product experiments ( ;-) ). And some will be roasted and mashed and added to the food of my multitudes of cats and my dog, Rudy. Pumpkin is a great digestive regulator for cats and dogs. Plus they think it's yummy!

I'll also be saving some of the seeds from this collection to roast - and to plant for next year. In fact, looking at this list of things to do with all these pumpkins, I may have to look for a few more.