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Wife, mother, quilter, historian and yes Virginia....SOAP-MAKER extrordinaire!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Lavender


I stumbled across this photo taken last summer after my "first" harvest of lavender. I am able to harvest twice during the summer and the scent is incomparable---the bees love it too!

I now have over 15 good size lavender plants resting comfortably under a deep blanket of snow just off the garage behind a very stark white picket fence.

I am able to use my very own home-grown fresh and dried lavender for my summer soap shows and also in my lavender soap. There is nothing quite like lavender--Timeless!

Redwork


Stayed indoors most of the weekend---getting a few of my hand stitched redwork flour sack dishtowels ready for the summer season.

They are so cheerful looking!


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Ultimate Valentines Day Song

At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last the skies above are blue
And my heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I can speak to
A dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
You smiled, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
And you are mine at last


Thank you Etta Jones...

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Hand quilted vintage double wedding ring...


Finally finished this little gem!

I hand-stitched this vintage circa 1930 double wedding ring lap quilt that rests comfortably in the shop...ain't she sweet?


Tulips in January...


Thank you Kathy....they are lovely!


Embroidery-Quilting and more Quilting




Now I've done it....three projects at once---not at all like me. I like to finish what I start, but I can't seem to concentrate! Must be spring fever!





Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Spring Soap Shows 2010


Well, on this frigid Great North Woods evening I find myself knee deep in oils, herbs, and Essential oils and am ready to begin producing our wonderful handcrafted soap for another summer season. We have our favorites and this year we will try a few new scents to tantalize you!

I want take this time to thank all of our repeat customers and welcome our new customers.

Just drop by the shop at 800 14th Avenue Menominee, MI or give me a call at 906.863.6847
Oh....we also have an etsy site: www.lemonverbensoap@etsy.com

We are keeping the same price as we have always had for our lovely soap $4.00 a bar or $10.00 for 3 bars!

See you at the house or at our scheduled shows. We will know in a couple of weeks which ones we have been accepted to attend and will post the schedule on the blog....

By the Bay Soap Company
Melody and Bruce Neece

Saturday, January 23, 2010

CABIN FEVER?


Thoughts of spring....

Busy today scheduling our summer soap shows dreaming of warm bay breezes and the scent of lilacs...

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Tibbits



Here are a few snaps I found that"eerily" resemble dear Tibbits...

The one on the right is very much like her even down to that annoyed expression she bears!



Monday, January 18, 2010

LOOM



My table loom...I did find a stand that it is now sitting on, but I still have no idea who made it and what type of weaving can be done on it. I have looked it over carefully and cant find a manufacturers label. I would love to be able to weave on it but need some simple instructions or a good book explaining how to weave...Any ideas?

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Can it really be Christmas?


Can it really be Christmas once again?

All of us here at By the Bay Handcrafted Soap want to say "Thank you" for another wonderful season!

We are looking forward to our summer shows and hope to see you there!

God Bless You.



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

HAND EMBROIDERED FLOUR SACK DISHTOWELS


for a lovely addition to your country kitchen check out my etsy site for all hand embroidered red work flour sack dishtowels...very sweet!

www.andsewitgoes.etsy.com


ETSY SITE!!!

The Holidays are just around the corner...treat yourself or the one you love with our luscious natural handcrafted soap!!

http://www.lemonverbenasoap.etsy.com/

Thank you!

Upcoming Holiday Show

Don't miss this one!

Menominee High School Forensics Holiday Show
Saturday, December 5th!

See you at the show....


By the Bay Soap

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Picture Preview

Picture Preview

Pleasant Hill LA....

Retirement home????

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Bonifas Art Show Escanaba, MI




We had a wonderful show on Saturday November 7th at the Bonifas Art Center in Escanaba, Mi.

The wide variety of artists was truly inspiring!

Thank you Bonifas for a wonderful "Indian Summer" day in Escanaba! We really enjoyed spending time with you and look forward to next years show!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Boulder Junction FLEA-MARKET!!!

my solid perfumes in my vintage pill boxes...
lavender cooling mist with vintage buttons...
My very first attempt and success at felting soap...
Just some odds and ends ....

What a pretty table....





Bruce and I woke up at 3:00 this morning for the long drive to Boulder Junction where we did our 1st really big flea market. Over 10,000 people were supposed to be attending and we had to be there at 7:00 to claim our spot, a 12 X 12 foot area with an enormous pine tree smack in the middle . Coinciding with the flea market there happened to be aWalleye Tournament, going on, a juried craft fair (waiting list of 5-years!) and an antique car show. WHEW! The weather held and it didn't rain, but we expected a better turnaround than what we did get. Oh well....there will always be another craft or art fair to look forward to in just a couple of weeks.
We set up and had possibly one of the poorest showings of all of our shows. We exclusively do shows which are juried art fests, etc. So this was a real challenge. I did happen to find some adorable things like the little girl I have listed. Ain't she sweet?? The artists name is Kathryn Petersen from Rubicon Wisconsin. Such talent!! And her creations just make you want to laugh they are so dear!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

BLUE RIBBON!



Thank you Lakeland County and the quaint little town of Arbor Vitae. We had a blast...see you next year!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

My very own Art for All......





Since I wasn't invited "this" year to our local Art for All in Menominee, I decided to have my own!

It was very successful and I walked away with a substantial amount of profit for the afternoon.
Now why didn't I think of this before??

Thursday, June 18, 2009

PlainSong

"PlainSong"
~any simple and unadorned melody or air~

I finally did it! My solid perfume is ready to go!
The scent is enchanting with notes of citrus, rose with just a smidge of sapmoss and other essential oils. My perfume expertly crafted with only natural vegetable oils; coconut oil, pure virgin olive oil and bees wax.
It glides gently on pulse points.... and can be kept in your purse or pocket without fear of breaking. How convenient is that??
Each perfume pill box is snuggled inside a plain muslin bag, placed in a handmade sea beach blue box and then beautifully labled.
Price for each is $30.00 which includes shipping.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Czeslaw Milosz


Slow River...

There has not been for a long time a spring as beautiful as this one; the grass, just before mowing, is thick and wet with dew. At night bird cries come up from the edge of the marsh, a crimson shoal lies in the east till the morning hours. In such a season , every voice becomes for us a shout of triumph.

Friday, March 6, 2009

SUN...GLORIOUS SUN!


False spring?? Opened windows and doors and breathed in the cool freshness of a March morning....

Thursday, March 5, 2009


The pebble--- by Zbigniew Herbert
The pebble
is a perfect creature
equal to itself
mindful of its limits
filled exactly
with pebbly meaning
with a scent which does not remind one of anything
does not frighten anything away does not arouse desire
its ardour and coldness
are just and full of dignity
I feel a hevy remorse
when I hold it in my hand
and its noble body
is permeated by false warmth

-Pebbles cannot be tamed
to the end they will look at us
with a calm and very clear eye

Friday, February 13, 2009

Emily Dickinson

Ample make this bed.
Make this bed with awe;
In it wait till judgment break
Excellent and fair.
Be its mattress straight,
Be its pillow round;
Let no sunrise---yellow noise
Interrupt this ground.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

TURKEY WORK!










Just finished these over the weekend.
I love turkey work!
You can find these adorable covers for sale at my shop...

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Summer Soap


Bayberry, Lavender and Oatmeal Milk & Honey....
Busy making soap today.
It's hard to believe that in a few short months we will travel the "circuit" of art shows and festivals.

Friday, January 30, 2009

BY THE BAY SOAP COMPANY




This is my front parlor where I keep a display of my soap, lip balm, salve, salts, dream pillows and sachets.
We do a lot of soap "shows" juried and unjuried during the summer and boy are we looking forward to it this year!!


Thursday, January 29, 2009

Mr. McGregor's Garden Shed










After visiting the botanical gardens in Green Bay a couple of years ago and after taking many pictures of the children's garden and Mr. McGregor's Shed...my husband and I built our own little garden shed with three raised beds where I grow herbs; chamomile, rosemary, woolly thyme, to name a few and wildflowers. I use many of the herbs in our handcrafted soap! We also have a Wisteria Arbor and after 3-years she is finally producing big purple flowers!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Looking for a sunset bird in winter-Frost

The west was getting out of gold, the breath of air had died of cold,when shoeing home across the white, I thought I saw a bird alight. In summer when I passed the place I had to stop and lift my face; a bird with an angelic gift was singing in it sweet and swift. No bird was singing in it now. A single leaf was on a bough, And that was all there was to see in going twice around the tree. From my advantage on a hill I judged that such a crystal chill was only adding frost to snow as gilt to gold that wouldn't show. A brush had left a crooked stroke of what was either cloud or smoke from north to south across the blue; a piercing little star was through.