Sunday was a busy day for me.  Monday, my mother was scheduled for her three week treatment and my Aunt Gloria, who has been there from the beginning of mom’s journey, usually brings food and snacks for everyone.  This Monday I wanted to do something nice for her to let her know how much I appreciate her and her support.

She has been asking me for the past year when I would get the business up and going again because she needed her favorite, Patchouli Night scented lotion.  I wanted to surprise her with a bag of goodies, including new breakfast recipes I made, and her favorite body products.

The Creator Makes Herself Creative By Creating

So, Sunday I woke up with the intention of preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for Monday’s appointment, and for my aunt to enjoy when she got home.  I found a few new recipes I liked, so I thought I would start there.  I also wanted to make shower gel for her.  I knew it wasn’t the lotion she craved, but I rationalized that the scent of the shower gel will soothe her until I get the rest of the ingredients needed to make the lotion.

I went about clearing off my work table and got everything set up to make the shower gel.  While putting things away, I discovered 4 unscented bottles of lotion I made a few months ago.  My brain went to work and I decided to try to incorporate the scent into the bottled batch.

I was able to get the lotion scented and poured, but wondered if it would set up correctly.  I was happy to find out, even if it took most of the day, that it did what it was supposed to do.  Yay!

Love The Way That Feels

I turned on the iPod and went to work.  It felt so good to be back in my creative mode.  For me, the process of creating is what makes the outside world go away.  It makes gray skies blue, and more importantly, it makes my soul sing.  I had to pause when I realized how much I missed making products that means something to the people who use them.  How much I loved to create products because I knew that someone was jonesing for them.  Requesting them.  It felt good to know what I was doing made a difference, even if it’s a minute one, in the flow of someone’s day.

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together

It took all day, but I got all the meals cooked, the shower gel and the lotion made, and her goody bag packed.  When we arrived at the hospital, I hugged her and handed her the bag containing the body products.  Because I went on all week about the surprise dishes I would bring, she naturally thought it was breakfast.  I stood back with a huge smile on my face while she looked in the bag, smiling and expecting this new oatmeal I told her about.  Then she took a closer look and quickly looked up at me.  “What’s this?”  She sniffed the bag and then sat down looking up at me confused.  “Is this what I think it is?”  She reached in the bag and pulled out a bottle of the shower gel.  If we were outside I’m sure she would have screeched at the top of her lungs.  She undid the cap and inhaled deeply.  “Oh yes!  I missed this scent sooo much!  Thank you niece! <scream again> Thank you Jesus for giving her this blend!”

Needless to say, when she realized there was more, and the more was four bottles of lotion, she was in full out happy dance mode.  She looked at her dry hands and happily put lotion on them.  “I knew I didn’t put on lotion for a reason this morning.”  She gave me another huge hug and said how happy she was that I was back.  Being caught up in the creative process and seeing her reaction made me feel the same.

Goody Bag

Once we found our space for the morning, I sat down and unpacked her reusable grocery tote goody bag.  Here’s what I had inside (I hope to have recipes up soon for some).

• bowl of no cooking oatmeal
• breakfast pinwheels
• bowl of Zucchini & Vegetable Pot
• bowl of Slow Cooker Cheese Pizza
• Carrot Cake Clif Bar
• Berries GoMega Odwalla Bar! (my favorite)
• bag of ingredients to make a popcorn snack I adapted
• various 100 calorie snacks
• a folder filled with healthy recipes
• fresh apple carrot juice
• bottle of Crystal Light Raspberry Ice
• 2 16 oz. bottles of Patchouli Nights shower gel
• 4 6 oz. bottles of Patchouli Nights body lotion

It was good to see her face light up with each surprise I pulled out.  When we parted ways at 8th & Market later that morning, she smelled her hands again.  “Mmm, I didn’t even have to reapply when I washed my hands.  They still feel and smell good.” 

I would say my plan was successful.

What’s your creative process like?  Share them in the comments below.

Photo by James Clark

As the owner of a handmade aromatherapy products business, I make natural products all the time.  The problem is, I normally make products to sell and always put things for me on the back burner.  Of sure, in the beginning I was my best guinea pig and items were usually created from a needed I, or a family member had.

This year I decided to take a break from the business after 10+ years of creating in one area or another.  This year I’m going to have fun experimenting with different ingredients, crafts, projects, etc.  This year is going to be my fun year because I get to go back to what I love to do most.  Create!

Last week I washed my hair and knew I was going to palm roll it since I had fizzy roots.  Before I did, I prepared a light weight loc butter to help moisturize and set my hair.  The base was soy butter.  I know that soy is a great skin and hair moisturizer, but I also know that it’s a lot lighter than shea butter (which I love).  Remember, the purpose for this butter was for moisture and to take the place of using a loc gel.

I made the blend, added essential oils and washed my hair.  I was happy to see that the "goop" was light, loose and really felt good on my dry hair.  I put it all over my head before I started the palm rolling and it took about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish.

True to form, I didn’t add anything else to my hair this week and yesterday I notice that my hair was still soft to the touch…yeaaa.  I normally have to add an oil blend I made to my hair everyday or every other day, so it doesn’t get that brittle feeling.

So far so good with this new concoction.  What are some ways you keep your locs moisturized?