{So}Sartina Peppermint Lip Bliss Balm and my as-good-as Burt's Bees Recipe

{So}Sartina Peppermint Lip Bliss Balm

True confession time: I have an addiction to Burt's Bees lip balm. Who doesn't, right? It's minty goodness soothes the chappest of dry Minnesota lips. And dry Minnesota lips are, unfortunately, easy to come by around here.

Last year I ran across a recipe for a Burt's Bees copycat lip balm on Pinterest, and I was soon ordering lip balm tubes on Amazon and gathering the ingredients to make my own lip bliss. That first recipe was ok, but it disappointed in texture and stay-ability. Other recipes included many more ingredients which was not cost effective to me. I wanted a simple, natural recipe.

After a little playing around with ingredients and amounts, I am finally satisfied! My {So}Peppermint Lip Bliss Balm (available for sale in my Etsy shop) has the perfect amount of spicy, tingly mint and great weather protection stay-ability.

{So}Sartina Peppermint Lip Bliss Balm and my as-good-as Burt's Bees Recipe:

2 oz. beeswax
3 oz. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. pure lanolin
1 tsp. vitamin E oil
25-35 drops of peppermint oil

25 empty lip balm tubes

1. Melt beeswax in saucepan on low.
2. Add coconut oil, lanolin, vitamin E oil and melt.
3. Add peppermint. 
4. Carefully fill tubes. Reheat as necessary to keep mixture liquid.
5. Cool.
6. Cap.
7. Enjoy!

{So}Sartina: Around Town

This week was an exciting one for my little home-sewn business, but I must admit to a few nerves as well! Sharing one's heart as I have been for the past few Mondays can feel vulnerable and humbling, and sharing one's art is no different.

Will they like it? Will it sell? It is good enough? Am I good enough? 


I did my best to ignore the little nagging voices inside, packed up a tote of bags and made my way to my hometown last Friday morning. There's a lovely little clothing shop in town that I adore, and the owner asked me to consign some of my bags there!
 
Designing bags, choosing fabrics, and sewing is definitely a job I treasure. Often though, I doubt my own artistic intuition and second guess my design style. But, as The Stash owner unpacked my items, she complimented the very bag I was most insecure about! Learning to face my fears and value my talents and artistic instincts is a process, but with each encouraging word, I begin to believe I can do this!


See that mess of bags hanging on the door? Those are my label!

 
If you live in the area, and haven't been to The Stash, you need to check it out! They have great on-trend items and very reasonable prices too! Follow their FB page so you don't miss their store-wide 50% off sales. I took advantage of their deals recently and those items have become my favorites!

In addition to The Stash carrying my bags, my favorite coffee shop now sells my cloth monkey! The Mocha Monkey just couldn't refuse such an adorable mascot! Don't you think he looks a bit like their monkey lid stickers?

I love my hometown! To see an inside view of both establishments, and why Waconia is becoming a destination town, check out this video appropriately titled, Why we love Waconia:  

(Don't let the cover image scare you off. This is a beautifully done video! The Stash and Mocha Monkey can be seen  at :35 - 1:00)

{So}Sartina Preview - x2

Fabric piles on my sewing table and floor, begging to be cut and matched and stitched... 

These are now listed on my Etsy shop, {So}Sartina, and I have a few more lovely fabrics (a rich brown that I adore is one) to add in the next couple days. Yesterday was spent tagging and organizing products with my sister for a Christmas boutique where we will be sending much of our stuff for the holiday season. If you've been eying something in the shop, buy now!

Also...

it seems I took only a few pictures of Gifts and Gab, what with the snow and only two friends who lived blocks away coming to see Carrie and I. We did, however, have a lovely, albeit quiet day, chatting, snacking, working, browsing. It wasn't what we'd planned and worked for, but what's a girl to do when God sends an early snowstorm? Drive slow and hope for the best! That's what.

The snow lingers even now, but that's OK. The early Christmas season of mixed up Thanksgiving pumpkins and mistletoe is well suited to a white, chilly world.

My mocha just tastes better when I'm wearing a warm sweater in my drafty kitchen with windows framing fields of white.


Sponsors/ Affiliates: The DaySpring Online Store provides inspirational Christian cards, gifts, home decor and more! Products I love and a ministry to women I admire.

Wordless Wednesday: {So}Sartina Preview

Sponsors/ Affiliates: The DaySpring Online Store provides inspirational Christian cards, gifts, home decor and more! Products I love and a ministry to women I admire.

The {So}Sartina winner is:

Good morning!

I had a fabulous birthday full of yummy food, friends, family and presents. Thank you for all your birthday wishes! I am one lucky girl.

The winner of the $35.00 shopping credit for my twin sister's and my shop {So}Sartina in celebration of our 35th birthday  goes to:


Karissa!

This was a randomly generated winner, but how appropriate the winner is! She made me a cake yesterday and brought it to the class we usually provide childcare for on Sunday nights ~ but we didn't go last night since we were having a birthday dinner at my parents house! Thank you Karissa for your thoughtfulness. I'm sorry I didn't get to eat any of your cake!


Sponsors/ Affiliates: Shop the DaySpring Online Store

Sweet Lovin' {Birthday} Sisters & Giveaway

We sat, couples facing each other in a pizza parlor booth. Twin across from twin and our hubbies likewise. After pizza and a shared chicken Caesar wrap, dessert arrived and with it our competitive habits. It's defend your quarter pie, no holds barred, do not slowly savor or turn your back, or we will eat your share for sure!

You steal a bit of mine and I'll dig out a huge spoonful of yours, no apology but a huge grin. This is dessert after all, and we are of Norwegian blood. The kind that serve no less than three options for dessert. We will not be shorted our fair share, but we won't be concerned in the least about yours.

While we stuff our faces, scarfing the chocolate chip cookie dough pie mounded with vanilla ice cream, husbands joke, exchange dessert protection stories of their wives.

We sheepishly giggle. We cannot deny the truth of our sugar craving behavior.

Robb and Thad commiserate.
"She does that too?"
"You have no idea!"
"Oh, I think I do!"

In this we are the same. We are twins after all.

And at our husbands' complaints we can barely contain our laughter as our spoons battle over the last bite.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

 
Today is our birthday. Yep. We turn 35 today! And since no one could come to yesterday's Gifts & Gab because of the horrendous amount of snow that decided to come for my longstanding wish to have a white birthday, and I didn't get to give anything away,

SURPRISE!  

I'm giving away a $35.00 shopping credit to {So}Sartina today! 
But hurry! Comments will close tonight!

To enter, leave a comment with your email address and your favorite birthday treat. Because we like sweets!

P.S. Just this week as we celebrated grandma's 91st birthday at the local Chinese buffet, a delicate cake sat on my plate, and she did it. Yes she did. My twin sister took the first bite of my dessert. A huge corner of a tiny mocha creme cake.

See? I am so not exaggerating this dessert dilemma!

Happy Birthday favorite sister! Love you! 
{We shared a womb, so I guess sharing a little dessert isn't a big deal! Here's a fork. Dig in.}

Gifts and Gab - Join us!

Gifts and Gab 

A bloggers' holiday get together featuring friends, shopping, 

and space for working on holiday projects!

November 13^th, 2010 
9am - 4pm
The Mill House
Norwood Young America, MN

Take a scenic drive 45 miles west of Minneapolis, and gather in a old feed Mill turned spacious 12,000 square foot antique, home furnishings, and gift store.   

 

Nestled in rural Norwood Young America, The Mill House is a fabulous find filled with gently used furniture, accessories, clothing, jewelry, pottery, baby gifts, books, a flower shop and coffee house.

 

We will have a  private room for lunch and mingling, and table space for any project you wish to work on offline. Bring knitting, needlework, scrapbooking, or just your smiling face! Cozy up next to a fireplace and the warmth of new and old, online and real life friends. Browse and chat and munch.

We will have coffee, tea, & muffins for the early birds. A light lunch will be served, or you can purchase something at the Mill House Cafe. You are welcome to bring treats to share.

We will be sending out invitations via Evite on October 13th, so let us know if you would like to be sent one! We have some fun surprises planned and would love to spend the day with you! Space is limited, so let us know as soon as you can!


Contact either of us. You'll find us here:


Kristina of A Joy Walk    
@ktinajoy 
ktinajoy@gmail.com 


Carrie of 4 the Love of Family   
@4MamaBear
4theloveoffamily@gmail.com

Follow this event's news on twitter under hashtag #GiftsandGab

Thank you to our sponsors:

{So}Sartina - Limited Edition Bags and Accessories. All kinds of beautiful.
Counselor Realty of Norwood Young America 952-467-4663

 We are looking forward to seeing you!

Kristina and Carrie

A Little Etsy Store

I bribed you the other day to help me pick out an Etsy name for my new shop I'm opening, and you. all. I had so much fun looking at your ideas! I happened to be at the beach with my kids, my sister, her SIL, and a friend I grew up with, and as the tweets and emails came in to my phone, I would share with them. It was so much fun!

The group favorite that day was my aunt's suggestion: Twin {Bag}uettes. We got quiet the giggle from that one!

Another favorite was {Two}Hand Bags from Hyacynth. (who, by the way, gifted me with a Cherry On Top Award last week. Thank you friend!!)

Other name ideas:

Just a Pair of Old Bags (my Aunt, again!)
The Bag Ladies
Just Bag It!
Double Stitches
Sew Twins
Twice as Nice Sewing Shop
Twin Stitches
Sew Crafty
Bobbin M's
Double Stitch Creations
Twin Threads
In the Bag
It's In the Bag

Twin Stitch
Turn-up Twins
The Final Touch
Final Touches
That's Sew Twin!
The Twin Factor
Twin Trim
Stitchin'Sisters


Thanks for all your contributions to this process!

As I thought about it, I didn't want to use the word Twin, nor Bag. I might branch out to making things other than bags. You never know. I didn't want to limit myself. I knew it would be difficult to find something new and unique, but you helped me get my brain in gear.

I started thinking about my merging my sister's and my names. You know. Like Bragelina. Or whatever it was. I originally thought that idea was really dorky, but I googled a few combos just to see if anything already existed with those names. And if they were taken on Etsy.

Sarina: taken
Krisara: taken

and then I googled  

Sartina.

Can you believe it means "Seamstress" in Italian! Crazy!

I checked Etsy, and though there is no shop by that name, there was a user. But she had only purchased 9 things, and the last time was in 2008. Things were looking up!

I played around some more.

{2}Sartina : Nah.
Sartine (the plural) Nope, sounds like Sardine!
{Two}Sartina : Not my favorite
{Sew}Sartina: getting better, but for some reason I just am not sure about it.

{So}Sartina

That's it! And I love it. And my mom loves it. And my husband loves it. And Niki loves it. So if you don't love it, that's OK. It's enough that they do! :)

I should really wait until my shop is open to share it with you, but I can't help myself. I never was patient. Nor picky about others seeing things less than perfect or unfinished. Sooooo.







DuhDaDaDummmmmm........................................

I have a banner, but alas, no bags!

You can follow {So}Sartina on Etsy and Twitter and keep apprised on when my store will officially open!

I've sewn 6 bags, and so far, my girls have claimed two, one is mine, and one is a gift for my sister. I'd better stop giving them away if I plan to have this project up and running anytime soon!

Thanks again, everyone, for your ideas!