How about some Sunny Cranberry Orange muffins to warm you up!

So yesterday was an event filled day! After months with only a few spits of snow, we got over 12" in ONE DAY! Since we live in the Mountain Valley, we are sure to get snow when it blows through. It started out with huge flakes yesterday morning and then continued all day & night!

Look at the snow overhang outside of the kitchen window!

So it inspired me to fix something warm in the oven....Nothing like the warm smell of muffins baking in the oven to start the morning off right. I have made my family's new favorite...Organic Cranberry Orange Muffins!


It is lightly sweet with loads of sweet mandarin oranges & sweet cranberries. It is 90% organic as I couldn't find organic mandarin oranges & organic cranberries, but anyway still just as good:)
Here is my recipe if you want to make some up for yourself, Snow or not:)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and get out a large mixing bowl.
You will need the following:
2 cups Organic All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Organic Orange Juice (pulp -or- pulp free/I used pulp free)
1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil, but you can use any other oil alternately)
1 Organic Free-Range egg
1/3 cup Organic Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar
3 tsp. Aluminum Free Baking Powder ( I used Rumford's)
1/2 tsp. sea salt (I used fine ground)
1/2 tsp. Organic Cinnamon
1-(10oz.)jar or can of Mandarin Oranges;drained

1 1/3 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen;I finished off my frozen pkg)

Now just dump all the ingredients in the mixing bowl EXCEPT for the Mandarins and cranberries. Don't worry about mixing dry & wet etc. It should look like this

Then mix by hand with a wooden spoon. This makes a difference as the wood doesn't cause a reaction with the acid of the orange juice as some metals can. Anyway, it is more old-fashioned and fun! Also, don't worry about mixing all of the lumps out, just a good incorporation will work.<

Now fold in the cranberries & mandarin oranges.

It should look like this!

This will make 12 regular muffins, or 6 jumbo muffins. I have used my cast iron jumbo muffin tin here. Cast iron helps them have a light crispy crust with a fluffy inside!

I also use an ice-cream scoop to put the batter in the wells. It is easier to do than scrape off a spoon with my finger, and it is easier to portion evenly.

Then before putting them in the oven, I sprinkled them with my own cinnamon sugar sprinkle. Of course this step is optional, but gives it a nice crispy top!

Bake 15-20 minutes until toothpick tested comes clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to cool the rest of the way.

As soon as they are ready from the pan, I cut it open and take a warm bite! MMMMMMMMM yummy!!



Now that I am warmed up from the muffins it is time to go to work!
I will be filling all of my new orders to get them out to my customers! And preparing for some new listings of items. Yesterday I listed my newest item, Organic After Tattoo Balm. Inspired by my husband who is a 10 yr. licensed tattoo artist, it helps to keep your tattoos moisturized and helps the new ones heal. Check it out here at my Etsy shop!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68732258/organic-after-tattoo-balm-made-with

So enjoy your day and let me know if you try the Cranberry Orange Muffin recipe and how it turns out for you:)

Sunny, wishing Spring would come NOW!

I love the sunny days in Winter! I get to get at least a few rays of sun:) Perfect for taking awesome product pictures for the website and my Etsy shop! I noticed the bluejays are pilfering through the compost looking for bread scraps, and a little brown bird is hanging out on the grapewive outside the bathroom window! I think the birds are ready too! I have started compiling my ingredients for the new Spring soaps. I will still be making the new batches of the Oatmeal Honey & Clay Tea Tree, but have come up with a new one to celebrate Spring! I will call it Spring Blossom!

It will include Fresh Lemon Balm herb infused with Essential oils of Ylang Ylang with a hint of citrus! I am excited to see how it turns out:) A little zing with a floral undertone. I only have 2 bars left of my Cinnamon Roll soap! It will be a Limited Holiday Edition now. It will be available every late Summer/Early Fall. Goodbye to spicy warm, hello to floral citrusy cool!!

Being a Work-at-home Mom is hard but worth it!

Ever since I decided to be a Stay-at-Home Mom, back in 2007 when I made a conscience decision to start my own business, I new it was going to be a challenge, but I saw its worth so I was up for it!

Aria is 10 months now and my business has been steadily picking up since that day. I strive to provide Organic Bath, Beauty & Home items that we not only use here at home, but that others can enjoy with their family as well. It seems unreal to me that I get the option to raise my daughter at home. I say option, but really, I didn't see any other way. My husband and I have cut back tremendously on our extra spending, I am still making everything from scratch that we eat like I have before, but less driving & commuting helps save A LOT! Also not purchasing anything new by keeping the items we do have in good working order by taking good care of them! Cutting back from the household spending is the #1 way to start your way to saving or working the dream job you have always wanted.
Changing your outlook on life has something to do with it too:) Looking back at how your Grandparents lived through the depression is a good example of "being thankful for what you have" and "making the most of everything" could be incorporated into life today. For example, I still have the same 20" TV I got as a gift when I was 17 and the same stereo (the only stereo!) I got for my birthday when I was 12!

I am 31 now going on 32 and it still works like a charm! I have moved many, many, times with it, and it still plays a single CD at once, and even has a double tape deck for when I want to drag out my old tapes from my childhood and listen to them:)
I do have a cell phone, don't get me wrong, but I do choose the hardiest phone I can buy when I am forced to buy a new one! Not usually by choice but because my has broken from old age! My last phone I had for 3 1/2 years! It was a top of the line at that time, but I wasn't going to spend money on a new one if I didn't have to. My current one is going on its 3rd year of life and still going strong:) And my reply to Verizon is, "No thanks, I like my phone just fine. I don't need an upgrade until this one breaks!"
So, as I embark on another day of being a Stay-at-home-Mom, I remember what a wonderful life my daughter is getting with me being able to stay at home with her and teach her the ways of life living on less with a smile!

Now presenting my NEW Wrinkle Away Face Cream!!

This luxuriously rich Organic Face Cream is made of Organic Oils of Apricot, Jojoba, Essential Carrott Seed plus Local Organic Beeswax that contains the sought after ingredient Bee Propolis. Organic Almond oil helps to retain skins' elasticity and suppleness. Organic Jojoba Oil helps promote skin healing and acts as a natural moisture barrier. Carrott seed essential oil contains antioxidants to repair damage done by free radicals. Bee propolis is a natural anti-inflammatory.
When gently applied at bedtime all over face and neck, these proprietary ingredients reduce fine lines and wrinkles and help to eliminate puffiness. Remember to apply in upward outward strokes to help prevent tugging at your skin. It is also effective at reducing fine lines around the lips. Less is more with this face cream, a little will do the trick.

This pairs well with my very popular Wrinkle Away Eye Cream! Made from mostly the same ingredients, but in a concentrated form made especially for around the eyes and mouth!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/60269016/organic-wrinkle-away-eye-cream-made-with

Check out what my customers are saying about this new product:

Just wanted to say how much I love the face cream you made me, even my boyfriend likes the smell!
ladiehawke----6 February 2011

You will recieve 1- 2oz. recycleable glass jar with a recycleable safe plastic lid.

Check out my Etsy shop where it is currently featured! It will be added to the website soon:)