Springtime in Michigan

Yesser reedee dee! That is white stuff on the ground in mid-April. Hope the Easter Bunny has a snowsuit and gloves, cuz he/she is gonna need them! Only in Michigan. Expecting about 2 inches today. This just isn't right!

HELLOOOO, Winter! Good-by Sun!

We went from this lovely view from our room in Chile .....

to 12 inches of the white stuff!
You can see why we didn't want to return from our trip.

The only white stuff I would like to see right now is the snow capped Andes. This is a picture I took on our plane ride from Santiago to Mendoza. We flew directly over the Andes Mountains. It was pretty awesome. It's much nicer to fly over the white stuff as opposed to driving in it.


Needless to say, I'm not sure who will be working today. The roads are still unplowed and treacherous. Everything is cancelled, including the University. You know it's bad when a major University closes its doors. Please be patient with us for the next two days. We are working the best we can under these winter conditions and UPS pickups in our area could be delayed.

Pay It Forward: Working With Your Community

On Wednesday evening my local Bunco group hosted a fundraiser for our community Angel Tree. The money helps needy families within our community to have a Christmas. With Michigan's poor economy and major job losses within the automotive industry, families are losing homes and barely able to feed or clothe their families much less purchase gifts for beneath the tree.

These are not individuals who are lazy, don't want to work, or are trying to "milk" the systems. The needy in our community have held affluent, well paying jobs, perhaps farmed the soil, worked at automotive assembly plants, or at small businesses within our community. Bottom line: They have lost their jobs and many are facing foreclosure. For the first time in their hard-working life, they are feeling hopeless.

For those of us still fortunate to be employed there is an obligation owed to those that have happened upon hard times. It's a time to rally and pull together as a community to help those in need. As Christmas approaches, there is no greater time to do just that. It's a time to pay it forward. A time to share with others the blessings that we have to offer.

I hope that each of you take a moment to consider how you might help someone within your community who is suffering hardship. Something as simple as a gift card for gas, prepaying a child's school lunches, purchasing an extra gift to donate to your community "Angel Tree", or even a donating time to a shelter. Pay it forward. It's a principle of life and it works every time. "You reap what you sow." My Dad was a pastor and taught me that principle early in life. "Give and it shall be given back to you." I've never been disappointed.

Happy Labor Day Soaping Friends!!

Whether you're taking a break from soaping, or finally have a day to do those fun soaping projects, I hope you ENJOY THE DAY!

I'm sitting in my home office writing this post and there is a distinct smell of Fall in the air. My husband is out back burning tree branches and the smokey smell reminds me of burning leaves evoking many childhood memories. Especially memories of my Dad. It's nearly two years since his passing and September is a month that stirs up memories. I'm not sure why Fall evokes such vivid mental pictures from my past. Maybe, it's the sound of high school football, the kids returning to school, hearing the marching band practice from the nearby campus, the turning of the leaves, the crisp smell of an Autumn morning, the excitement of carving pumpkins, cutting corn stalks, or raking leaves..... it's a mystery.

Fall will always be one of my favorite seasons and Autumn in Michigan is what helps me bear the miserable, cold Winters. Labor Day marks the last hurrah of Summer for us Michiganders. My husband spent the weekend working on an outdoor fire pit. I can't wait to use it and neither can our grand kids. They are fired up (no pun intended) about camping out in the backyard, roasting marshmallows and telling camp stories. We should get plenty of use out of the fire pit through this Autumn season.


Normal business hours will resume tomorrow. If you've placed an order over the weekend, bear in mind that we are going to be slightly behind due to the extended holiday weekend.

Personal Rambings: Hellooo Friday, I Can't Wait

I'm off to Hawk Island and the zoo this Friday. It's a "grandkids" outing before they head to Northern Michigan for their annual Lake Michigan / Pentwater stay with the "other grandparents". They'll be gone for two weeks and I will be so lonesome I could cry. So, Friday we're scheduling a day of fun (even their Mommie is coming along!)

Hawk Island has a splash park, beach, boat rentals, trails and a gigantic playground to die for. I'm crossing my fingers for great weather. The zoo is just down the road and has plenty of great exhibits that the kids will love.

So, if you try to phone on Friday, just know, I'll be out of the office having some fun. Lord knows I need a break after this week. Everytime I look at my desk, I sigh deeply. I still have two articles to write tonight and it's already 8 pm. Geez, is there no rest for the weary? Heck yes, it's going to be this Friday. Hope you all find time this week for some fun time.

Arriving to Work on a Snowmobile?

With the winter storm blast we received late last night and early morning it left few options for getting to work on time (if at all!). Some employees opted to arrive by snowmobile.

Please be patient with us as we process orders and unbury ourselves from this latest Winter blast. We have limited staff due to peak snowfall and everyone is working double duty. This puts us a day behind. We're doing our best to work around Mother Nature; ultimately, she's in charge.

Annual Chilli Cook-Off on the Lake

Saturday was the annual chilli cook-off on our lake. The air was crisp and cold and the sky was a beautiful blue. The wind was a little biting at times, but tasting the 30 plus hot (and sometimes very spicy) chilli took the edge off the cold. Picture above is myself (center) and two of my long time employees.

I think the best part of the day was having my grandson on the ice with us. He had a blast sliding on the ice with all the other kids.

Here I am with my honey-man. I don't often get a whole day with him. It was fun to chat with neighbors, friends, and family. I will admit that walking back to our car was a little scary. There were some thin spots on the ice where the current was running rapid. Falling through the ice in single digit temps is my worst nightmare. It was a great day! The downside, I am sick today. Sore throat and achey, flu like symptoms. I'm going to kick back next to a blazing fire and watch the SuperBowl game.

Hang Onto Your Big Girl Soaping Panties: It's Spring in Michigan!

So what's the big excitement about Spring buds emerging from a Michigan Winter's thaw. Well, it's quite astounding when you consider the below photo was taken 4 days ago. I love you Mother Nature, you never cease to amaze me. 8 inches of snow followed by the glorious eruption of Spring crocus & tulip bulbs 3 days later.

Are we Celebrating Christmas or Easter?

It was predicted, but no one wanted to believe it. Snow in April, and not just a few flurries. How about 8-inches and still coming down. Craazzee! This is a sign just outside my front door. It reads, "To The Bunny Trail." We'll have to get the snow blower out of storage first so we can blaze the trail. Finding the eggs might be difficult under these conditions.

And to think I just took all my Spring/Summer clothes out of storage. What was I thinking? I should have been bringing down all the Christmas stuff from the attic.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Everyone's aware of the ecomonic woes facing our country. And, no one knows better than the suburban communities where I live. Forbes magazine just announced the Top Ten Worst Cities. My surburban community happens to be positioned midway between #6 (Flint, MI~pictured above) and #7 (Detroit, MI~pictured below).

The economic conditions and recent press on these two cities is so bad that when my husband and I travel and are asked, Where do you live?, we reply, "The North Pole." I'm not joking! I am saddened that these once thriving cities are on national display for government corruption & scandals, auto plant shutdowns, lay-offs, homelessness, foreclosures, and the list goes on.


I may not live in these cities, but I have friends and family that do. And, many of our surburbia neighbors commute to these cities for work, or at least they did before being laid off or let go from their jobs. From six-figure design engineers to hourly line workers, everyone is facing hardship.


Why do I share this news with you? To thank each and every one of my loyal customer for your continued business. I know that many of you are facing financial uncertainies and economic hardships. I want you to know that I value your business and appreciate that you have selected GoPlanetEarth.com as a supplier. We truly want to see your soaping business and soaping projects succeed.


In 2009, GoPlanetEarth will be showcasing many new resources to help you grow your business. Including FREE instructionals, tutorials, and special preferred customer discounts. If you haven't already signed up for our newsletter, you should. This will ensure you recieve notification of special discount offers. You can do this from the main page of our web site.

Here is a special Blog 8% discount valid through 2/15/2009 when placing an order with GoPlanetEarth.com. You must enter the following code during checkout to receive the discount:


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Skin Nurturing Sushi Soap Roll

My husband is vegan and a big fan of sushi. Recently, he brought home sushi from our favorite Asian deli. Hmmmm.... I started thinking about how I could make sushi soap. The above photo shows the end result.

I used ground Adzuki beans (found in Asian food stores/health food stores), ground oats, and sea salt as exfoliants. Soy protein powder was also added to the mix along with Ginger Lime fragrance oil. I rolled the soap in Nori seaweed which is found in most Asian food stores or the ethnic section of grocery stores.

These soaps display nicely in the clear acetate soap boxes sold at GoPlanetEarth.com. You can shrink wrap the finished soaps or heat seal inside one of our new Eco Bags (bio-degradable cellulose bags that are Earth-friendly!). Position the finished soaps atop a bed of green paper shred or use with Bento grass.

View Instructional:

A Winter Serenade

I was in awe of my Creator as I witnessed the beauty of our most recent Michigan snow storm. It was barely a week ago that we rode out another winter storm and then.... WHAM, another blast of blistery blizzard conditions. Oh how I long for my upcoming trip to Mexico.

Here is the pictorial of this last winter blast that hit our area. I must admit, it was wonderous. These photos were taken from the front and back decks of my home. Hope you enjoy.