Farm Fresh, comin' right up!

 Farm Fresh blog 

The new Farm Fresh blog is nearly up and running!

I am waiting on amber jars, metal tins, and bags for the different products that still need packaging.

  Salves

I have organic calendula, plantain, and evergreen salves infused and waiting to be mixed and poured.

Organic Lavender Laundry Soap

My laundry soap is mixed and ready to sell

Teas

I have 2 healing teas mixed and am just waiting for the packaging to arrive.

  Rubs and Finishing Salts

  Researching, mixing, tasting, re-working, adjusting...

I want the rubs and finishing salts to be special!

 Soaps

Several new fragrances added...

These are ready to go!

In other news, I am teaching several classes at Maple Valley Farms just down the road a piece.

 Angie asked if I would consider teaching small groups of up to 14 how to make soap, sourdough breads, simple salves, and cultured dairy.

Classes start soon, so if you are in the area, click on the link near the top left of  my blog.

I would LOVE to meet with you!

In Christ alone,

Cindy

PS...and don't forget...

If you have not yet subscribed to Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine...NOW is the time.

It's premiere issue comes out this Sunday, April 1

I promise...you will not be sorry!

"Gourmet" Finishing Salts...

 3 Citrus Sea Salt

I hesitate to call anything that comes out of my kitchen "gourmet".

Just sounds so food snobby.

 Shitake Mushroom, Smoky Paprika, and 3 Citrus Sea Salt blends

But I think I'm gonna have to go with it.

Cause these are pretty terrific.

"Gourmet", even.

3 Citrus Sea Salt

I have been working on these for a couple of weeks, basically just coming up with several flavor combinations.

I am using French Atlantic Coast unrefined sea salt and organic ingredients when possible.

 Did you know unrefined sea salt contains over 80 mineral elements that the body needs? 

We had a combination of the mushroom salt and the paprika salt on some roasted potatoes last night....

Really good!

Today I will be tweaking these, adding more mushrooms to the Shitake Mushroom, grinding the Smoky Paprika a little bit finer.

 And doing some test runs on a few other ideas I have. 

Really, the possibilities are endless.

I think the Shitake Mushroom would be a great finishing salt on creamy pasta or rice.

The Smoky Paprika on some buttery popcorn.

And the 3 Citrus on fish or chicken.

And as I perfect these, they will be available to purchase from my Farm Fresh blog.

What do you think?

Any other ideas?

In Christ alone,

Cindy

As promised....

We have a winner of a years subscription to Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine!

Michelle, of "She Looketh Well" wins the subscription!

Michelle, I will e-mail you privately, and be sure to check your inbox on April 1 for the inaugural edition of the magazine!

And for those that did not win, please consider just buying your own subscription....I know you will not be disappointed!

In Christ alone,

Cindy

Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine Giveaway!

Inaugural Edition April 1, 2012

I am thrilled beyond to be able to offer my readers a chance to win a years subscription to a brand new, online magazine from my dear friend Angela, of Parisienne Farmgirl fame.

I have known Ang since she was about 12 years old.

Her mama Joy (savvy city farmer) is one of my very bestest friends EVER.

We attended Ang and Joel's wedding.

I have been invited to her parties.

We've gone out dining and dancing.

I've eaten at her table.

Laughed together till we cried.

Wandered her gardens.

Hugged her babies.

Admired her love for God and family.

Ang preparing lunch for Joy and I

And now this...

As an advertiser of my Farm Fresh line of bar soaps, laundry soaps, salves, healing teas, and herb flavored sea salts....

I get to be a part of the premier edition of her newest endeavor, 

Parieienne Farmgirl Magazine.

And YOU, my dear friends, get a chance to win a one year subscription!

If YOU are the winner...

Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine will arrive in you e-mail box quarterly, starting with the first issue on April 1, 2012.

This, my friends, is a $24.95 value!

And...if you have already subscribed and you are the winner, Angela will immediately refund your subscription price.

Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine Mission Statement 

There will be recipes, gardening tips,  fashion, DIY projects, farm living, etc.

Ooh...and once the dust settles around here, Ang asked if I would be willing to submit some of my recipes for future editions.

Would I???

Indeed, I would!

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here stating why you would love to be the winner!

That's it! 

I will leave the comments open until...

11:59 PM, March 20th..

the first day of spring!

And, if by chance you are NOT the winner, 

I hope you will consider getting your very own subscription to Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine....

and how exciting to be in on the very first edition!

I can promise you this...

You will not be disappointed!

In Christ alone,

Cindy

 

I get by....

I get by with a little help from my friends....

 

 Jen's gift of love

I have been enveloped in love the past couple of weeks.

Our dear friends Jen and Nate came over on Saturday evening bearing gifts.

I had admired Jen's work of art a few weeks earlier, where she confessed to having made this particular piece from a framed canvas I had given her.

Just a cast-off to me...

Now a precious piece of original art hanging here in my home.

  Peggy's precious work

In the mail this week....a dear blog commenter sent a package of handmade needlework.

How sweet is this pillow?

I love, love, love it.

 Hmmmm....how did Peggy know I have a weakness for cats?

Betty also sent a handmade pincushion....so dang cute!

I think I could learn a thing or two from Peggy!

"Content"

Lora, of Eager Hands blog, saw my blog post from several weeks ago and used her amazing talent to create this beautiful copper necklace just for me.

Her work is amazing, but what shines through even more is her love for the Saviour.

Adendum to this gift:

The necklace came in the mail last week. 

I wore it proudly to church on Sunday.

The pastor, who really does not know us as we have only visited 3 times...

felt led by the Holy Spirit all week long to teach on........

Get this...

"Godliness with contentment is great gain"

"If you want to be content, you must first pass through the land of godliness." Pastor A

Well, shut the front door!

You can best believe I paid very close attention to the message I felt was prepared just for me.

HE always amazes me.

Sophia on the "balance beam"

After taking the clothes off the indoor dryer rack, Sophia jumped up and walked all around it.

I find her in the oddest places.....

Last week she was on the top of the bedroom door.

And she does it all without a net!

The 3 mouseketeers

More often then not, the kitchen table which looks out onto the bird feeders, is where you will find the 3 cats.

Whole wheat banana bread

One of my bestest friends, Deby, heard my cry for bread pans and sent some straight from amazon and into my heart.

This fabulous banana bread was made possible because of Debys's generosity.

There have been other gifts sent my way...

Nothing you can hold in your hands...

They have been  gifts of concern, love, and prayer.

I cherish each and every one.

I am getting by....

with a LOT of help from my friends.

In Christ alone,

Cindy

When the sun refuses to shine...

 Vintage (read: my mama's) clothes rack

Bet you thought this was gonna be a depressing post, what with the title and all!

Not at all!

The sun has not been out for several days, and since there is only the two of us now, laundry is just down to a couple of loads a week, plus a bedding load every other week or so.

I've been using this portable drying rack for several days now, and I am amazed what a good 10 hours on the rack will do!

So...till the sun shines again, I'll be drying indoors the way my mama used to.

 Whistling tea kettle

With the cold season upon us, I have had a craving for some soothing herbal teas.

 Vintage tea pot with felt lined cozy

I have several bags of herbal teas from my winter herbal CSA that I have been using.

Mindfulness is one of my favorites!

 About 2 TBL per cup of simmering water

A blend of lemon balm, linden, spearmint, raspberry leaf, vervain, lavender, chamomile, feverfew, catnip, and wild blueberry.

It even sounds good for you, eh?

 Steep for 5 minutes and strain

Oh, yeah!

Make-up and lipstick

 every.single.day.

Cause I have to look at myself in the mirror!

In Christ alone,

Cindy