Time for Adventure!!!

Hello Everyone!

Hope this blog finds you well and enjoying the rains of northern California if you are in this area!  I am loving the rain, the hail, the little bit of thunder and lightening!

Blogging is great, but I wish I would blog more!  It is a great way to keep in touch and express who we are.  So me, what have I been up to this past month…well, mostly preparing for our trip to Africa!  Tom and I are headed out shortly and I have been making all of the last minute preparations….which seem endless when you live the life of Debbie!  From having Jacob taking care of the worm farm, Granny selling the eggs, sending out those "I'm out of the office" emails, and training Jacob and Granny to run the business while I am gone!  Whew!

So what will we do in Africa?  Our plan is to go over and assist Nate and Julie with numerous tasks. Some planned activities for Tom will be planting trees and handy-man projects, but the main goal for Tom will to be in finalizing plans and helping with the construction of the new Creche school.
He will also be running electricity and water down to the school property.  Debbie will be assisting with house visits and Friday Outreach as well as preparing meals for the team. She will also assist Julie in setting up the new Creche School.

How can you help?  You can stock up on soaps, lip balms and all the other goodies you will find at The Essential Olive!  All proceeds from the month of April will go towards helping Julie & Nate with their Creche Program and also to Tom and myself's trip over there!  

So put on your shopping shoes and head towards www.theessentialolive.com.  Or if you live in Redding area and want to stop by the house, feel free!

Olive You....for Valentines Day

It's almost February.....and welcome to my blog.  I hope that this new year of 2014 has started off fantastic and brings with it health, happiness and that you find the simple things in life that bring you true peace and joy.  There is nothing better than having a pure peace within you so that as you on this journey of life, you are stable and can ride the waves in a forward motion.  

I am at home today and have my list of "to dos".  I love my lists.  I love organization.  I love time and so wish I could multiply myself to develop my entrepreneur skills and have time to create, learn and do it all.  The website Pinterst has created in a me too many "want to dos".  So much fun and so much creativity to explore....does anyone else have this problem? 

I just popped out from its mold a batch of Lemon & Clove with Poppyseed for exfoliation and a batch of Ocean Rain for a fresh & clean scent.  These are some of my best sellers and I needed to stock up after Christmas.  Today I am making Patchoulli and Sandlewood Vanilla.  Oh, I love these smells and the benefits of essential oils are so healthy of us.   Patchouli is used for an anti depressant that can help people get over the feeling of being depressed and fills them with new hopes.   Patchouli also promotes growth by helping to generate the production of new body cells such as skin cells to keep the body looking vibrant and young.  Patchouli also generates red blood cells as well.  Sandlewood, another favorite, is used as an anti spasmodic which is a relaxant and sedative in nature.  Sandlewood relaxes nerves, muscles and blood vessels so that it ends spasms or contractions. This is helpful when treating coughs, cramps and aches, etc.  Lastly, Sandlewood can be used as a memory booster.  I know for myself over the years, too many things need to be stored in my mind and I cannot seem to remember them all.  Sandlewood improves memory and induces concentration to keep the brain relaxed.  It also saves us from undue stress and anxiety.  

And with Valentines Day coming up, Olive You or better known as (I love you) is celebrating your Valentine and how beautiful she is with their Valentine's Day Gift Set.  This set includes a Sea Salt Scrub, an Organic Soap, a Massage Oil and a Lip Balm.  Check out the website in the store under Valentines Day at  www.theessentialolive.com.
                                            

Christmas is coming....

Christmas will be shortly upon us again and each year it is my goal to be prepared and to be able to bless my friends and family with a little something that they will enjoy.  This year I found what I wanted to get each of them at a craft fair.  I think each of them will love it in an individual way.  Yes, they are all getting the same thing in a sense....but in a variety of ways we will say.  My choice allows me the freedom of not having to answer the question of "what should I get them?" and not just getting them anything for the sake of it.  It also solves the last minute shopping problem and busy stores.  Doesn't that sound nice?  Well let the Essential Olive help you this year.  Shop the website at www.TheEssentialOlive.com or come and visit me at local craft fair.  (See the schedule on the past post.)  You can, like me, get them all the same thing in a different sort of way.  For instance, you can get them a bar of sweet smelling Coconut Organic Soap or a bar of Relaxation for the gals....who wouldn't love that?  The guys will enjoy a masque line scent of Autumn Afternoon or Jacob.  I recently made a Fishermens Body Butter too.  It is made with Anise Oil which removes the human scent so our men can catch more fish.  Thinking about stocking stuffers....   well then think no more and pick up some Lip Balms, Sea Salt Scrubs and Body Sprays.  O.K., now check the list below and make sure you got everyone.    

Christmas List.....
Mom
Dad
Grandma
Grandpa
Best Friends
Neighbors
School Teachers
Boss/Manager/Supervisor
Husband
Wife
Daughters
Sons
Daughter-in-Laws
Son-In-Laws
Aunts
Uncles
Sister-In-Laws
Brother-In-Laws
Mother-In-Law
Father-In-Law
Cousins
Extra-Curricular Activity Teachers
Coaches

Done!  Great, now your Christmas list should look a little bit fuller now.  Now wasn't that easy?  

Blessings, Debbie

P.S.  I always have specials at the craft fairs....so see you at the Simpson Craft Fair and the Bethel Craft Fair to get special discounts.  

LIVING IN THE FALL

Are we not so blessed to be able to enjoy life and live as we do?  It has been absolutely beautiful here in Redding California and our family is well.  I have been busy with craft fairs and making lots of soap and other sundries for Christmas sales.  Tom just got back from Alturas on his hunting trip with his brother-in-law that shot a 4-point buck.  He was able to bring some of the venison home and so tonight we cut up and wrapped the meat.  Our freezer is overflowing with abundance this year not only with venison, but pork and chicken that we raised as well as some grass-fed beef that we purchased.  On top of that I have lots of frozen vegetables from my garden and frozen fruit that my mother-in-law picked, froze and brought down to us.  Yes, we are enjoying the most delicious meals and desserts.  If you pop in around dinner time, we will be sure to set an extra table setting for you too.  The kids are well.  Jess continues to work at the dentist office and enjoys it. Nate is in his first year of college and Jacob is at U-Prep. Soccer season has quickly ended once again and well here we are....beautiful October.  I love this time of year.  The weather is perfect, the leaves are turning colors of brilliant red, a creamy yellow and a tangy orange.  Walking through the leaves and listening to them crackle under my feet bring fond memories of growing up in Michigan where fall is truly amazing with color and crisp air.  

Autumn time brings Organic Apple Jack Soap....an all-time fall favorite of The Essential Olive.  It carries the scent of the fresh Apple Pie and Apple Crisp.  Yum...who says no to that!  Well shower with Apple Jack and let it take you there.  Ahhhhh.  Are you there?  Yes?  Great!  Now mark your calendars for November 17th and join me at the Simpson University Craft Fair and grab your bar of Apple Jack.

Don't forget to check out the website for other great Soaps, Lip Balms, Body Butters and Sea Salt Scrubs!

Well I have enjoyed this time with you and I hope you have too.  Take today and really live, really enjoy life, really treasure and be thankful for the things that you do have.  Be positive and focus on what God has done.  Life can be hard, but we are more than conquerers.  

Till next time......

Enjoy, Debbie

Living with Debbie & The Essential Olive!

Hey Everyone,

I hope you are well and had a great summer.  We did and of course it went by way too fast.  We had a great time though visiting family in Michigan, a wedding and going to Drummond Island.  Lovely.  We had a few great camping trips too to put in the memory book of 2012 as well.

So I have been busy canning/freezing tomatoes, beets, corn, green beans and other yummy veggies from the garden so that we can enjoy organic homegrown food during the winter.  Now this makes me feel good.  This is why I chose not to work more than 2 days a week at my job, so that I can raise my own food, make my meals from scratch, and create my own personal products.  Love it!

So I just recently made 2 new items.  The first is the new Bite ME Not Body Butter which you will read about below.  The second which is not quite done yet, but will be at all of the Shows that I have coming up....and that is Massage Oil.  My husband recently got very interested in massaging...now what wife would say no to a massage?  So, being the smart wife that I am, I ordered the essential oils for a sensual and a relaxing massage as well as the carrier oils that would be best for the skin.  (We will talk about the benefits of these oils in another blog.)  So we made some, tested it out and loved it.  The sensual massage oil has ylang, ylang, patchouli and sandalwood vanilla in it.  Oh, it is nice and it will be a perfect Christmas gift for anyone!  Like I said, who turns down a massage?

You will have to stop by at some of my shows to check out the new scents in soaps that I have too.  So ta ta for now.  Have a super day and until next time......

Debbie

P.S.  Enjoy the photo.  Outside of our cabin....the sunset on Lake Huron, Michigan.

Taken just above Jess Valley, Alturas, California.  Our hike with some of our family!

Bite ME Not.....

It's all new...Bite Me Not.  Just created for your camping experience and just in time for Labor Day Weekend.  So, Bite Me Not is The Essential Olive's newest Body Butter made with Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Apricot Kernel Oil, Macadamia Nut OIl, Jojoba OIl and Aloe Butter.  And to keep those nasty bugs away from you we put in some Citronella, Cedarwood and Lemongrass.  It smells yummy as it moisturizes your skin and keeps you free from swatting misquotes so you can enjoy the outdoors with friends and family!