be unique

The Target red bulls eye, the Pepsi swirl, the Nike swoosh, all are examples of logos that don't need a name to be recognized.  It's the same for any business.  You need to have something that identifies your company and what makes it unique.
There are  thousands of natural beauty companies out there.  How could we make Vintage Cottage Beauty a little different?  Our first goal was to produce the highest quality products we could make at the most reasonable prices.  We've worked hard on that.  For every new product we come up with there are dozens of failures and tweaks along the way.
Something else we have done from the very start is offer customizing of colors, scents and wrappings to our customers.  Wedding shower in hot pink, we'll do it.  Customize bags for your party, we can do that too.
In the picture below you see our logo flower.  This is a little piece, that when you see  it, we hope you automatically think of Vintage Cottage.  I cut the flowers on the Cricut and put them together with hot glue and a vintage button.  We put them on gift tags, favor bags and in this case on a small bag that contains a sample of each of our products.  The flower is printed on our brochure and will be put on any of our paper products.
Never let a product leave your hands without your contact information.  Make it one of a kind and special to just your company.  Offer unusual services that the big guys can't do.  Play an important part in your community.  Be ready to talk about your business when anyone asks what you're doing these days.  All of these things will make your business uniquely you.

plate mirror

I found these pretty milk glass plates out junking one day, I think they were 5 for $3.00.  I wanted to do something different with them than just use them as plates.  So I turned them into mirrors.
You'll need a plate of your choice.
5-6" mirror from the dollar store
E6000 glue

Clean the plate and mirror.  glue the mirror to the plate.  You could add another smaller plate between the first plate and the mirror if you wanted.  I think I'll hang mine from wide satin ribbon.  they should last until the next time one of my grand daughters comes to visit.  total cost $1.65.  Remember a plate doesn't always have to be just a plate.

party favors

When I went to my friends party last week i forgot to mention this fun little treat she had for everyone.  Inside was a lip balm soap and lotion samples from our company.  It could have been anything from a picture frame a candle or a cookie, it's the thought that counts.  So look around and see what you can give away as "your lovely parting gift" for your next gathering.  Wrap it up in a pretty bag with a bow and your guests will be completely blown away by your cleverness.

natural cleaner

The queen of clean I am not. My mother is and I didn't inherit those genes. I do however like for things to be moderately clean and since I've never found a way to keep the kitties off the counters I want something that will attack germs.  Did I mention I want it to be natural too.  This stuff really works.
Fill a 20oz squirt bottle 1/2 full of vinegar, or you can use 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 rubbing alcohol.  You can reclycle a bottle or buy one at the dollar store.  Fill the bottle the rest of the way with water.  Add a couple of drops of liquid dish soap and food coloring.  Add 20 drops of tea tree oil, lemon oil or lavender oil.  They are all antibacterial.  The color is just a safety thing so nobody thinks it's just water and spray's you favorite plants with it(this can happen, I know).
Shake it up spray and wipe.  Were talking about less than .25 for a whole bottle of natural cleaner vs $3-4.

pasta primavera

Spring has sprung and that's the theme of all my posts this week.  I've been off from school for the week for spring break and the weather has been fabulous.  Time for spring cleaning, yard work and summer time foods like this pasta primavera.
Poach or grill 4 chicken breasts or take the meat off a roast chicken.
Cook 1# of fetuchini according to package directions and set aside.
In a large pot saute 1 large chopped onion and red pepper in 2T butter add 2-3 cloves chopped garlic.  Add 1/2# of finely chopped carrots and asparagus if you like it.  I couldn't find any fresh at the store so I left it out.
Add 2C of your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables.  I used peas and corn.  Add in 2C chicken stock or use the water you poached the chicken in.  Simmer everything until the vegies are tender.  Make a roux of 3T corn starch and cold water and mix into the pot.  Add 1C milk.  Simmer everything until it's slightly thickened, watch close it can burn easily at this point. Add in freshly grated Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.  I like cheese so there's about a cup in this.  Quickly put the pasta back in the hot water just to reheat.  Put into bowls.  Serve topped with additional cheese and chopped fresh parsley. YUMMY!!!

vcb friday

I had my first professional facial this week and I loved it.  This one was a gift, and I'm sure I'll go back.  But between professional visits I'll try this at home weekly. You'll need a heavy pot of boiling water, towel, wash cloths, cleanser, exfoliate, mask and moisturizer.  Start you water boiling and gather all your supplies.  Put the towel over your head and shoulders, pull your hair back and stand over the steam for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to get too close to the steam and get burned.  Next clean your face with a gentle cleanser, like our fabulous face cleanser, and rinse with lukewarm water.  Follow with an exfoliate or scrub, such as our Satin Skin Sugar Scrub rinse and pat dry.  Apply a good moisturizer, yeah we have that too, and massage well in to your skin.  Your face will feel so great you'll want to do the same process all over your body.


Best beauty tip for all time:  use sun screen of SPF30 daily, religiously.  Skin cancer is on the rise in America and the sun is the fastest cause of aging  out there.



That wedge in the center is the 5 counties.



I had the opportunity to go to a girl fried party this weekend and had a great time.  I took my youngest grand daughter 6, and she stuffed herself with strawberries and cheese.The hostess was my close friend Kathy, who invited us all out to her farm house on a beautiful spring afternoon.  She fed us tons of yummy cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies and wine.  It was a great time of women connecting with women.  No matter how we are different we are all basically the same.  My favorite cheese was called five counties and was layers of different Cheddars with crackers it was fabulous.  K says she got it from Sams.

The food was simple but fabulous, the only thing K made was the baked Brie. The atmosphere was very laid back and the entertainment was the stories we told.  Entertaining does not have to be fancy or complicated the most important part is to relax and enjoy your guests.  Feed them well and they won't remember if your house was perfect or not.



Hostess Kathy setting the scene.



Don't just think you should get together with your friends, make a real plan.  Life can change in an instant and you will always regret what you didn't do.

chocolate monkey bread

I saw something similar on the Internet and switched it around to make it mine.  I do that a lot with recipes.  As long as you have the basic chemistry right you can make almost any changes you'd like.

24 frozen bread dough rolls, thawed
1C chocolate chips semi sweet or milk your choice
1/2C chocolate mix powder like Nestles
1/2C butter melted
1/2C brown sugar mixed into butter
3/4C toffee chips optional or use more chocolate chips
1C chopped nuts also optional but why wouldn't you?

Grease a bundt pan or 2 bread pans
press each roll flat with your hands and fill up with chips then fold over the edges to seal.
Roll in chocolate milk mix and lay in pan when you have used half the rolls pour on half the butter/sugar mix and toffee chips.  Repeat with the rest of the dough balls, butter and chips.  anything left when you have the balls done throw on top.  cover and let rise according to the package.  About 2-3 hours depending on how warm your room is.  Bake according to package directions 375 about 30-35 minutes.  If the bread is getting to brown cover with foil the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
Cool and remove from pan.  Stand back if there's anyone else in the house, they will have been drooling and will knock you down to get to this.

married furniture

Married furniture is the name given to a piece that is made from two or more different pieces of furniture put together to make one.  In this case it is a bookcase from my hallway that is being replaced with a larger cabinet put together with a farm table from the sun room.  This is just outside my kitchen door and will be the perfect landing spot for keys, mail and hopefully not too much junk.  This project was EASY, we just placed the bookcase on top of the table and decorated!  Try your things in a new way.  You might just love what you come up with.

Of course the rest of the sun room is in the "it gets worse before it get better" stage of spring cleaning.

great news

If you're a regular reader you have probably heard this, since I've been shouting it from the roof tops, but just in case.  One of my craft projects is going to be published in a national magazine.  You can read about the project here at tote bag February 2, 2011.  I sent this off to Sommerset Life, an art magazine that  I love.  This is the first time I've ever sent anything to a publication.   I thought the bag was cute and it followed the guide lines of using flour sack towels as the base for a project.
I was totally shocked when I got an email from them asking for permission to publish the bag along with an article that I have to write about what inspired me, how it was made and how will I use it.  I've got the rough draft done and sent off to an English teacher friend of mine for tweaking.  If nothing else ever comes of it it's a huge boost to my ego and an incentive to get off my buns and create more without letting self doubt or fear hold me back.  What's holding you back from doing what you love.?After the magazine comes out in July, believe me you will see it here.

vcb

Welcome to beautiful Friday.  this the first of what I hope are many entries dedicated to living a more beautiful life, finding your passion and growing a business.
Vintage Cottage Beauty was started as reaction to the high prices and chemical filled products that are on the market today.  When KC and i started we made our first experiments for friends and family.  It wasn't until nearly a year later that we decided to try making these recipes into a business.  WHEW!! what a steep learning curve we've had.
The best starting a business tip I can give you is study, research, ask questions, and mostly pray.  Most new businesses fail in the first 5 years because they didn't do the homework you have got to do.
Decide how much risk you are willing to take.  Can you afford to loose all the money and time you invest if things don't work out?
Tell everyone you know you're starting a business.  Have cards, samples and paperwork with you all the time.  This does not mean make a pain in the tush of yourself.
Check out local resources.  On of the best decisions we made was checking in with the local university's small business solutions center.  I can't praise this group enough.  We've barely scratched the surface and they've already saved several hundred dollars just on our brochures alone.  they worked with us on the design and text and put everything together for the cost of set-up and printing.  We think they did a great job.
Another great source is the local Score group.  these are mostly retired professionals who have already been there and done that.  they can steer you in the right direction.
Do your research the Internet is full of business advice.  Take what works for you and file the rest away in your brain.  Do not pay anyone money for this advice, at least at the beginning point.
There is a lot more to come about business and beauty, so come back every Friday for VCB days.

Some pics of the brochure.  As soon as the resident conputer guy gets arund to doing the work, you'll be able to see the bruchure and our new(still under construction0 web site.

faux mercuty glass

I love the look of mercury glass.  The antique things or even the new are very expensive.  I saw this in a magazine and thought I'd give it a try.  Pick up some clear glass at thrift shops or rummage sales.  Try to get things that have lots of texture and interest.  Wash everthing with soap and water and dry.  Spray the inside of the glass lightly with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water, drain but don't dry.  Go outside and spray 2-3 light coats of silver mirror finish paint on the inside.  Let dry.  That's it, easy as can be.  Of course if you want to put flowers or food in any of the pieces you will have to use a glass or bowl as a liner.



before



after

free find

My family knows I'm a real hard core junker and rarely throw anything away without asking me first.  I'm so glad they do.

DIL Barb decided to change her curtains in the living room and office.  There's nothing wrong with them, just not her style which is very neutral and modern.  So here we have yards of decorator fabric and trim in great shape that could have gone into the landfill or a garage sale.  Of course I grabbed them up.  I'm thinking pillows, table runner, tote bag and a bunch of other things.  The trim could go on any of those ideas.  I think the back side is even prettier than the front.  I'll let you know what I decide to do with them later.  What would you do?  Just another example of keeping your eyes and mind open to using things in a different way.

pretty bottles

These blue bottles are from a new brand of beer.  Sons and AH drank the beer, I just grabbed the bottles out of the trash, washed them and removed the labels.  I'm thinking they'll be great to bottle limoncello when I get it done.  Did you know you can make this yummy liquor with oranges and limes also?  I'll definitely try the orange.  You could also use a bottle cutter and make the bottoms into glasses.  Be sure to look at everything before you toss it into the trash.  Making it into something useful is good for your wallet and the earth.

Spring time decor

When the sun starts shinning and the temps go up, I'm ready to change my decor to a springier look.  I got started this week.  First I took all the dark or red accessories off the shelves and tables.  I gave the shelves a good wipe down to get off the dust bunnies.  Then I drug out all the green and aqua glass and the silver accents to replace the dark colors and started arranging.  Odd numbers usually look best, I just try to make things look balanced.  Of course I didn't get too far before I got a call to come and work the rest of the week.  to be continued.....




shelves pre change  I'll leave the dishes and fabric covered foam core at the top.  Precious antique dishes and crazy kitties don't miz.



Wall before redo.  It's time for things to change.  I move all my furniture two times a year.  It gets everything clean and gives the house a fresh new look without spending any money.

Announcement

As my loyal readers know I write this blog Monday-Thursday.  Starting next week Friday will be added.  This day will be dedicated to Vintage Cottage Beauty and living a healthier beautiful life.  It will contain business news, tips on starting and running a business and recipes for natural beauty products you can make yourself. 
I hope you'll check it out and contribute your own recipes and ideas.

Here's a sample:
Make your own dusting powder to help you keep dry with the hot sweaty days of summer coming up.
Mix together 1C of cornstarch and arrowroot powder(this can be found with the baking products at most large grocery stores or health food stores) 1/2C baking soda.  Add essential oils for scent if you desire.  Shake and let it mellow together for a couple of weeks.  I put mine in a sugar shaker(an empty Parmesan cheese container would work great) or use a puff to apply to all those saggy parts, like under your breasts, that that are extra sweaty.

corn chowder

Corn chowder is another one of those soup recipes that we love when the weather is cold and yucky.
Here's what you need:
1# bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 onion chopped
2# potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
1 15oz can each of corn and creamed corn
2T butter
3C each chicken broth and low fat milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley and grated cheddar cheese (optional)
Cook the bacon first and set aside I always lay my bacon on the broiler pan and bake 400 for 20 minutes or so.  The baking time depends on how thick your bacon is so start watching close after 15 min.
Saute the onion in the butter until translucent, Add the potatoes and cook about 5 min.
Add the cans of corn juice and all and the chicken stock.  I was out so i used chicken bouillon.
Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Add the milk and seasoning and heat until hot.
Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon, cheese and parsley.
You could also add frozen broccoli or peas when you add the milk for more vegie power.

easy candle stick

Another simple glass project.  Glue a tall thin vase to a candle stick with E6000 glue.  Let it dry and add a candle.  Very easy but with each different vase and candle holder you use you will get a completely different look.  you could change it up even more by using different bottles, bowls, glasses or plates.  You could spray paint them all one color to coordinate.  I can see a collection of these clustered together as a centerpiece.  Instead of the candle, fill with water and float a flower for a whole different look.



Crafting doesn't get any easier than this.




Callie always sits in the sink if I'm in the kitchen.  She told me she hadn't been in the blog lately and it was about time she was.



Business expo

Business partner KC and i decided a couple of months age to put together a showcase for home-based businesses in our area.  How hard could it be?  Well let's just day it was another steep learning curve for both of us.
1  Acess the need for what you want ot do.  Set a date and time.
2 Find a venue, hope it's free or cheap.
3 Put out as many feelers as you can for vendors.
4 Start marketing.  Press releaases, email, facebook, fliers.  Anything you can think of.
5 Invite anyone you know.  Send out emails to customers, family and friends.
6 Pray for good weather.
7 Prepare for the event.  Set up the building.  Make sure the basics are in place.  Food, drinks, heat, air conditioning and bathrooms are essential.
8 Work harder than this old body cares to do.
9 Enjoy.
10 Clean up and follow up.  Sleep for 11 hours straight.

Our vendors were great, the crowd not so much.  Everything you do helps you learn something new.  I know my bones resent standing for most of 7 hours.  I did really enjoy meeting new people and showing  our products.  How do we increase our crowd?  If you've got great ideas let me know.  KC and I both believe that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and that by joining together we all can be helped.  The local university has a great program for helping small businesses and most of it is free.  The local chamber, newspaper and economic development group seem to focus much more on bringing big business to the area than helping the little guys.  Is there a group out there that small and home-based businesses can join together in?
Will we do it again?  Ask again in a month.  Our vendors must have been happy, many of them asked to be notified if we do decide to do it again.
A huge thank you for all you vendors that participated.

junking finds

trays,  cute vase and great old looking hanging box.  I think I'll use it to hold files.

bowels, seam tape, tiny stool and a big bag of bottle stoppers.

Here are some treasures from my last junking ventures.  Grand total was $12 all at thrift stores that benefit churches or charities.