Happy Anniversary

This month marks the first anniversary of launching my business, Lavande de Bois! I'm celebrating by inviting my friends over for a little mojito twist and hors d'oeuvres. Of course, I've never made mojito twist, it sounds good doesn't it? Kind of risky, inviting friends over without a trial on the recipe first. Oh well, isn't that what a business venture is? Putting something out there for people to like or dislike everyday of the week?

The mojito will be my (twisted) variation of the cuban cocktail, Mojito, that has inspired the most recent addition to my product line, Coconut Mojito Handcrafted Soap. It's an awesome combination of spearmint and lime aroma with coconut milk adding luxurious skin softening properties. Swirls of mossy green and creamy vanilla colored soap create visual luxury too (at lease for those of us who like green, can you tell I'm on a major green festish?)

So back to the anniversary celebration, the invitation reads "celebrating one year of soapmaking and the inspirations behind it". I plan to make a toast to my friends for being "inspiration" for me; and to my husband and children for brainstorming with me, encouraging me, and taking part in the adventure. I also want to celebrate the things that have inspired, basically the world around, the cuban cocktail mojito, the colors of my daughters room, the moss on the trees at my favorite campspot, lavender (of course), herbs, aroma, everything! But ultimately it's not the things of the world that provide the inspiration, it's God who created them. Have you ever wondered why God had Adam name all the animals? I think it was our Creator's way of giving Adam a piece of the action, just like he gives us of a piece of the action when we use our creativity.

I so appreciate this gift. And I thank Him for releasing me from the things that have bound me to unleash creativity for me in a new arena. Not just in making soap, but in putting myself, my soaps, my business, out there for the world to see. I've spent a lot of years hunkered down, hiding out. I'm thankful He has pushed me way out of my comfort zone into a new wild adventure that is full of creativity, full of ups and downs (what would a roller coaster be like anyway if you didn't go down?), full of good things.