Let Your Inner Spirit Out - It's As Young as You Feel Day

Welcome to As Young As You Feel Day!

Let's face it, there are days when that statement means you're about 112. But there are other days... oh, those wonderful other days.

Those are the days when you're tempted to do a cartwheel. It's the day when you want to pull out that favorite peasant top, or dig out that jean jacket and wear it in public. The days that you want to disco or dance your little heart out. The days your heart and spirit just zoom. Today it that day.

Go do those things that make you feel young! It will make your spirit soar!

From the Earth to Arbor - Help Us Give the Gift of Trees

Spring! Time for flowers and trees and grass and waking up from the chill and darkness of winter. It's the perfect time to celebrate home base.

Monday was Earth Day. Hopefully, we find time to celebrate and take care of this big spinning ball we ride everyday. But Earth Day helps us bring the focus to areas of concern and still needed care.There are events and festivals all week where you can find out about local programs that focus on keeping the environment healthy, healing and strong.


To round out the week - we celebrate National Arbor Day. I love trees. And they must love us. They filter water and the air, provide food and shelter, prevent erosion, and look beautiful. You can find out about the history of Arbor Day (over 100 years of tree planting!) at the National Arbor Day Foundation site. 


We want in on all this celebrating! So, until the end of April, we will donate a tree to the National Arbor Day Foundation for every new Like on Facebook, new email subscriber, and each order we receive. We know we may not be able to replant a whole forest, but hopefully we can help get a nice patch of planted to be there for future nature lovers.

A Very Happy New Year to All!

2010 has been a very busy year for all of us. There have been ups and downs, tears and laughs. The year closes out and let us all

Welcome 2011!

We at Celtic Chairde Creations hope that the New Year brings you many more ups and laughs, friendship and joy,!

The best part of getting a package - The Bubble Wrap!!!!

Let's face it - we all do it. A package arrives in the mail, and we can't help but pop a few of those lovely bubble before we even see what else is in there. Bubble wrap is a simple pleasure for one and all regardless of age or sex. Heck - my cat even likes to pounce on the bubble wrap.

And on January 25th, we have the perfect excuse to play - it's National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day!

It's also the 50th birthday for this innocuous packaging miracle. Bubble wrap started out as a textured wallpaper, but soon found it's way into the perfect packing material and a wonderful stress reliever. For some bubble fun, check out The Bubble Wrap Fun Page.

Happy Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

This Saturday, Eat Your Apples Me Hearties!

This Saturday, September 19th, is one busy day! Celtic Chairde Creations will be greeting m'lords and ladies at the Lakewood Lions Renaissance Fair in Pine Park (more on that tomorrow). It is also International Eat an Apple Day ... AND.... International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

International Eat an Apple Day reminds us of the helpful benefits of apples. As this fruits of eden come into season, why not take some time and go pick some for yourself!

There is nothing quite as refreshing as eating a crisp Red Delicious or Gala straight from the tree. There are many pick-your-own farms around, but our favorite is Terhune's. This Saturday and Sunday is Apple Day on the farm, and it's a great day for the entire family. The next day you can come to the Ren Faire!

And talking like a pirate is perfect at either location! To celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day you can: Watch all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies; watch Captain Blood or The Sea Hawk; call everyone matey; change your Facebook language to Pirate (really, you can do that!); fly the Jolly Roger; answer the phone "Aye matey"; etc.

Any way you look at it, the theme for this weekend is fun! Grab yourself an apple, unleash your inner buccaneer (in a good way) and come to the Lakewood Renaissance Fair, savvy?

September Weekends Continue to Sizzle with Shore Fun

Autumn may be fast approaching, and you can feel that nip of coolness in the air. But there's still plenty to do at the Jersey Shore - and Celtic Chairde Creations will be there!

First up this weekend is the Lavallette Heritage Festival. From 9 am to 5:30 pm, at Philadelphia Avenue and Bay Boulevard, you'll find crafters, artists, food to satisfy any palate, as well as music and games for all ages. Heritage Day celebrate the history of Lavallette with a festive day for all. The rain date is Sunday, September 13th. But...


On Sunday, we'll be at one of our favorite festivals of the year. The Friends of Island Beach State Park have prepared a great day with the 12th Annual Beach Plum Festival. Held in the park at Ocean Beach Bathing Area #1, this always turns out to be a wonderful, beautiful day. You can go on walking tours, pick beach plums, see a wide array of crafters, listen to great music, and learn about this natural wonder and the importance of keeping our estuary in the best possible shape it can be.

Plus, it's right on the beach. Who could ask for more.

We hope you'll join us at one - or both - of this sizzling end of summer celebrations. Mention this post and receive a free lip balm!

Dog gone wonderful - It's National Dog Day!

I love cats. I have a whole passel of them and treasure each and every one. But there's something about my dog - Rudy. We adopted him from the Animal Rescue Force a little over a year ago. He's my constant companion, always looking out for me and I for him. Although he does eat my tomatoes and comfrey, which is down right annoying. You can't stay mad at that face though.

Dogs are still the most popular pet in the US. And it's only fair that they are entitled to their own special day. Find a little time on your busy Wednesday, August 26, and celebrate National Dog Day.


Started in 2004 by Colleen Paige, a pet lifestyle expert, National Dog Day is for celebrating all the dogs in our lives - whether they are family pets, K-9 corp members, companion pets for the disabled, or guardians. Even if you don't have a dog, you can show your appreciation for mans best friend by donating to a local shelter.

Dogs give love, loyalty and (usually) obedience without question, just to be a part of our pack. It's a relationship that is almost as old as mankind itself.

Give a pup a pet and a treat and know that you're a part of something bigger - a day of celebration for all dogs, great and small.

A Very Happy Mothers Day to All!

Just a wish to all the mom's out there - may you have a day to remember fondly for years to come.

And for everyone else - mom's work hard all year. Remember to say Thank You every now and then.

By the way - thank you, Mom. Love you!

Celebrate Beltaine at the Rutgers Farms Market

Joyous Beltaine! Happy May Day!

The ancient Celts basically had two seasons. Winter - the dark cold time - which began on Halloween or Samhain. Summer began on Beltain, or May Day, which began the season of the sun. So I like to look at today as the start of summer!

And what better way to celebrate the beginning of the sun shiny days than some lovely fresh veggies and fruit. My garden is just beginning, but luckily I know a source for great local produce, meats and baked goods - The Rutgers Farmers Market!

Today is the first day of the Rutgers Farm Market, and I've anxiously been awaiting their reopening. It's a delightful shopping experience, with knowledgeable people helping you narrow down your choices. They are open every Friday through the summer, from 1 until 6 pm. You can find them on Ryders Lane in East Brunswick at the entrance to the Rutgers Gardens.

If this open air market is too far for you to travel, find a market near you. Farmers deserve our support, and we deserve the finest in local goods at the peak of their season.

Let the summer begin!

Mark Your Calenders - March is Marvelous

March has always been a special month for me. First - well, my birthday is in March. And my dear old Gram's birthday was in March. March 17th to be exact. Yep, Catherine Bridget Dalton Papp was born on St. Patrick's Day. March also welcomes in the first day of spring. What a great month!

Ah - but March is so much more!

Besides being Irish American Heritage Month, it is also International Mirth Month. What could be more mirthful than a festive St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Laughter is the best medicine, but being optimist can help you achieve better health and prosperity. So celebrate Optimism Month and help yourself become more successful. Seems

perfectly appropriate since March is also International Expect Success Month! If you expect success, and then work like that is the only option, you can be successful!

And what do you need to be successful? Well, it all starts with an idea. And during International Ideas Month, take some time to celebrate the good ideas that make things happen for you and for everyone.

If you like being a little more hands on, then March is for you with National Craft Month. Pick up an old craft project or start a new one. You may have to do some reading, so you'll also be a part of National March Into Literacy Month. Part of the Toys for Tots campaign, this month long celebration promotes the love of reading, especially among children. Reading is a fundamental skill needed for success.

With all this activity in March, you'll probably need a good nights rest. Luckily, it's also National Sleep Awareness Month. But getting to sleep shouldn't be a problem, if you realize it's also National Caffeine Awareness Month.

As you can see, there's a lot to celebrate in March. Whether you're sharing ideas with an eye towards success, or reading a humorous book, investigating Irish Heritage or getting a good nights sleep, March is one marvelous month. And you can always feel safe, because it also happens to be American Red Cross Month. This amazing organization provides first aid and CPR training and aid to those in the midst of disaster. I'm fairly fond of the Red Cross. My grandmother was a volunteer there for years.

Nollag Márta! Happy March!

A Hug and some Hot Tea

Cindy and I are busy planning out the events will be attending this year. In the meantime,I thought I'd share some other key events we should all take part in.

January and February are certainly some bone chilling months. Icy winds and snow bring us all inside for warmth and company. Why not share a pot of nice hot tea? After all, January is National Hot Tea Month. Whether your preference is green, black, Earl, herbal, or fruity, tea provides soothing warmth and friendship. Tea is also healthy and healing.

For me, tea has always been an i-have-a-cold drink, at least until recently. I'm trying to cut back on my soda habit and I've found tea - both hot and cold - to be a tasty and soothing alternative. Our favorite teas are from Ducky Life Tea. A local company, these teas are beautifully crafted to be full of flavor.

Tea is a part of life all over the world. Part of our own history in the US was created over the unfair taxation of this vital drink. There is a wonderful documentary, The Meaning of Tea, that explores the romance, mystery and meaning of this international beverage. You can also find more about reading tea leaves, tea tours and benefits at the Tea Association of the US. And the American Botanical Council has wonderful health information about tea. So grab yourself a cup of your favorite (I'm drinking Ducky Life's Kathi's White Tip with Peach Tea right now - yum!) and celebrate the drink of the planet and the drink of the month - Hot Tea.

And if tea makes you feel so good you just can't contain yourself - on Wednesday, January 21st, you can celebrate National Hugging Day TM. ! Of course, you should always ask first, but hugs are another essential of life.

But don't hug while your drinking the tea, that could be rather messy! Happy Hot Tea Month and National Hug Day!

Happy Thankgiving!

Cindy and I, and our families, wish you a Happy Thanksgiving full of good food, family, friends and memories!

Lá an Altaithe Shona!
Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Count Down to Herb Day - It's Here!

Herb Day is here! Saturday, October 11 is the 3rd annual Herb Day. Herbs are such an intricate part of our lives, it seems appropriate to take a day a celebrate these diverse, interesting and useful plants.

Most of us use dozens of herbs in our everyday lives without even thinking about it. A little basil in the spaghetti sauce, some thyme on a chicken dish, a little mint in your tea are simple things. We at Celtic Chairde use herbs in a myriad of ways - all of our products contain herbal infusions to enhance their purpose, use and fragrance. Many of these herbs grow in my backyard, so I've learned to use the simplest things in new and exciting ways.

You can celebrate Herb Day and enjoy these everyday treasures in new and exciting ways. Here are a few additional ideas to get you started.

1. Make an herb jelly! Mint jelly is probably the most popular, but you can make jelly from rosemary, lemon balm, garlic, geraniums, fennel, violets - any edible herb! The recipe for Rose Geranium jelly is great. If you don't have Rose Geraniums, use the herb of your choice and see what happens!

2. Collect your favorite herbs and use them as a bouquet in your house. Lemon Balm, Pineapple Sage, Mint, Calendula, Feverfew, Lavender, and Basil add fragrant and interesting accents to any corner.

3. Infuse herbs into sugars and vinegars. Any herb you have in abundance can be infused into a vinegar or sugar that will open up exciting new options in cooking. We've told you the secret to sweet success with Herbal Sugars. For herbal vinegars, look here.

4. Learn about a new herb. If you aren't sure what Calendula is, or if you didn't know that oregano can also be used as an antiseptic, try doing a little research and learn something new! The International Herb Association has some wonderful books about past Herbs of the Year. Or just check you local library, book store, agricultural service or garden center!

5. Have a nice cup of tea! What better way to enjoy a crisp autumn day than with an aromatic, enticing, warm herbal tea. It's easy to create your own, or enjoy one of our favorites - Ducky Life teas.

Happy Herb Day everyone!

Have a Little Honey, Honey, it's National Honey Month!

As you may have gathered from our previous post about honey - which you can find here
- we're a little sweet on honey. What's not to love!? Honey is a natural sweet treat that's nourishing for your outside as well as your inside.

In celebration of National Honey Month, here are two honey based recipes to get you venturing into the wonderful world of honey.

For your outside:

Honey Hair Shine
Honey's softening power will keep your hair soft and shiny.

5 cups of warm water
2 teaspoons of light honey
Optional: a squeeze of lemon juice, strawberry, or a few teaspoons of chamomile tea

Stir the honey into the warm water. Add option of your choice. After shampooing, pour the mixture through your hair. Don't rinse, just dry and style as usual. Not only will your hair be soft and shiny, it will smell wonderful, too!

For your inside:

JP's Glazed Carrots
This is a family favorite - particularly my son's. He started making them with his grandmother when he was about 5 (he's now 25).

Carrots:
2 pounds baby carrots
water to cover

Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup pineapple juice
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Optional: just a pinch of hot pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.

Directions

Carrots:
Cook to carrots in the water until just fork tender but still firm. Don't over cook them or they'll be mushy. Drain carrots and return to put.

Glaze:
Set heat to low and add the butter to the carrots, . Add honey, brown sugar, and pineapple juice. Stir until well combined. Turn up the heat to medium when sugar has dissolved. Let simmer in the glaze until the liquid cooks down and thickens (usually about 5 to 7 minutes).

Place into a bowl, toss the option of your choice, if you'd like. The glaze with thicken slightly as it cools. Yum!

For the best in local honey, check out Herbertsville Honey or E&M Gold. They have wonderful information, terrific products, and are great people.

Have a little honey every day and celebrate the sweetness of National Honey Month.

Next stop - Jersey Fresh Food and Wine Festival

We are VERY excited to be participating in our first Garden State Wine Growers Association wine festival. Won't you join us at:

JERSEY FRESH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
FEATURES HUNREDS OF WINES,WINE EXPERT SEMINARS AND GOURMET RESTAURANT FARE
August 9 & 10, 2008 (Noon to 5:00 p.m.)
at Hopewell Valley Vineyards
Pennington, New Jersey

We've heard such marvelous things about these festivals, and what could be better than spending a day sampling wines, shopping and enjoy a beautiful vineyard on a lovely summer day?

Now, I'm not a wine drinker. Oh, I'll have a well watered down glass of sangria once in a blue moon, and some champagne on New Years. But, in general, I really don't drink - well anything. Cindy, on the other hand, is very knowledgeable about wines. We both enjoy cooking - and adding wine to different dishes makes for a wonderfully unique flavors and depth. So we thought - why not mix pleasure with pleasure. We love getting

to see all of our customers and talking about our products, and we love learning about wines and food and all the wonderful products and farms available in New Jersey. This one event pulls all of that together.

There will be executive chefs giving cooking demonstration, professors and farm experts talking about organic farming and how to be a wine expert, samples and so much more. Plus there will be an amazing array of culinary treats and samplings. Me - I can't wait to try gelatto from The Bent Spoon. Ever since I read about them in edibleJersey, I've been dying to try some of their interesting creative confections.

How does all this food and wine go together with amazing skin care products? Can't you picture settling in for a nice warm bath with our Soft Skin Soak or Lavender Champagne Bath Vinegar, and sipping some fine wine to help relax away the day? Or enjoying a deeply softening Honey Pumpkin Face mask with a glass of sangria and maybe some Bent Spoon sherbet? Sound like a match to me!

Hope to see you Hopewell Valley Vineyard in Pennington, NJ on Saturday and Sunday. Check the Garden State Wine Growers Association website for all the details.

Fáilte Lughnasa - Celtic Festival of the Harvest

Welcome to August! Summer begins to wind down and the fruits of our gardening labors are ready for picking. In Ireland and the Celtic nations of old, this was a great festival time - the end of summer growing, the start of the harvest.

As with most Celtic festivals of old, there was a lot of celebrating going on. Lughnasa was a day to honor Lugh, a Tuatha De Dannan king who is often referred to as an ancient god of light. There is some wonderful information about the Irish and Scottish celebrations of Lughnasa - both ancient and modern - at the All Saints Parish website.

This is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the fruits of your labors and cherish the

warmth of summer. I'll spend Lughnasa baking some bread, making yummy tomatoe sandwiches, and visiting our local farmers markets.

With the harvest comes lots of work - putting up fruits and herbs into jams and jellies, drying herbs, making herb vinegars and tinctures, freezing fruits and veggies. After the dog days of July, August begins the flurry of activity that leads to the cool of Autumn.

So Happy Lughnasa everyone! Let the celebrations begin.

We're Back at Allaire - and you should be too!

It's time to return to the Historic Village of Allaire for the Annual Summer Crafters Market.

If you couldn't join us in the spring, you'll definitely want to join us on Saturday. The weather promises to be absolutely lovely, and what better place to enjoy a great day.

Allaire is a beautiful, historic village in a pastoral park setting. The village was once an active manufacturing community, making bog iron for the Howell Works Company. Volunteers and docents demonstrate how people lived their lives back in the early to mid 1800's. And on Saturday, it's market day! Over 100 crafters will be selling their wares and

demonstrating their skills. What a perfect opportunity to learn a little history - and get a some great gift!

Celtic Chairde Creations is delighted to be at Allaire again. We just love it there. Our booth will be over by the blacksmith shop, so come by and say hello. Mention THE COMHRA and get $2.00 off a purchase of our new Sugar Scrubs!

Annual Spring Crafter's' Market • Saturday May 10 (Rain Date May 11, 2007) 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. • $2/Adult Under 12/Free • 4265 Atlantic Ave Wall Township, NJ 07727-3715

The Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night

June has some fabulous days coming up for us. For those in school - vacations are about to start. And Thursday is World Sauntering Day. Yes, a whole day that says walk slowly, observe your surroundings, take a gentle stroll and smell the roses.

Or maybe smell the strawberries. After all, it is strawberry season - and a strawberry moon is rising. The full moon is on June 18th and Native Americans tribes of the New England and Great Lakes area called it the Strawberry moon because the succulent berries are in season.

But that's not all this week has to offer -

right at the time of the full moon we have it - the official start of the summer season. June 20 is the Summer Solstice. Day is at it's fullest and longest. I always like to try to see both sunrise and sunset on this magical day. Plus we'll have the joy of an almost full moon, so if the clouds stay away. It will be a bright day all around.

The Unofficial Kick Off to Summer

Here's hoping everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! It was a very busy weekend here, and we're happy to see the unofficial start of summer arrive.

So here's to bright days, warm nights, and a summer for all to remember.

Practice Your Tree Hugging....

it's almost Arbor Day!

The environment is very much at the top of many people's minds these days. Just a few days ago we celebrated the 40th Earth Day! People are now watching the amount of waste they create and the amount of fuel that they use with an eye towards keeping our planet healthy and strong.

But before Earth Day, there was Arbor Day. It's a day to celebrate one of natures greatest gifts - trees! This celebration dates back over 100 years. It started in

Nebraska, when J. Sterling Morton and his family moved there from Detroit. They missed their trees, and Morton, through his job as a newspaper editor, started a movement that has changed the landscape of the state.

I love trees. My home is only on a small quarter of an acre, but I have 8 trees on it (and several very large bushes!). I can't imagine a home without a tree to provide shade in the summer, or leaves to play in and compost in the fall. It almost hurts when I drive by construction sites where they've torn up dozens of mature trees just to plant some dinky shrubs around a field of concrete.

Trees are so important to the environment. They provide wood for building, paper, etc. Trees also act as windbreaks, which help lower heating costs. They also provide shade, which helps reduce air conditioning costs. They increase home value, provide homes to birds and wild life, and it said that they help reduce stress by providing a peaceful scene.

Planting trees is important to help fight global warming. Not only do they help prevent soil erosion, they purify the air and water. By taking in CO2 and giving off oxygen, trees play an important role in protecting our planet.

To find out more about Arbor Day, it's history, and the amazing resource that trees are, go to The Arbor Day Foundation website. So, take some time to hug a tree on Arbor Day - or better still, plant one! And let me know which tree is your favorite.