Don't Sneeze At It

Colds, flu and and even a few "upset tummy" disorders are spread by contact through our hands. Everyone is aware of proper hygiene when we use the bathroom, but germs are left behind on door handles, computer keyboards, and money.

Washing the hands with soap, and making sure to rinse them properly with water makes certain to loosen the bacteria and remove it from your hands. We take hand washing for granted, but there is a proper way to do it if we want to stay clean:

* Wet hands, and lather up with either a liquid hand soap or bar. Vigorously rub your hands together for between fifteen and twenty seconds. Do not be scant.

* Make sure to thoroughly cleanse all parts of the hands, by rubbing the palms, the backs, the wrists, fingers and nails.

* Dry your hands with a clean towel or a disposable one, and turn off the faucet with a towel too.

Antibacterial wipes, and hand sanitizers are also good to use in between hand washing. Use them after handling money, and after using the telephone too. And if you've opened a door while you're out and about, try to avoid touching your face.

Yes, germs are everywhere, and the more you practice keeping your hands and communal surfaces clean, the more of a fighting chance you have of avoiding coming down with something.

This Time With Felting

Last month, I was reminded of a clever craft where people "felt over" handmade soap with material such as wool to give a soft scrubby feel to it. Teresa, a new customer from Indiana, wrote to me and mentioned that she was having a lot of fun felting over her Manor Hall soap bars with merino wool and giving them to friends. She even sent pictures of her work (she calls them "soaps with sweaters"), and very generously offered to send me some as a gift.

Yesterday, the box arrived with four beautifully felted Manor Hall soaps and one sweetly felted flower. I have to say it was a little funny getting my own soaps back from a customer, but these are so gorgeous and soft, and it was so thoughtful and lovely of Teresa to send them. They really are a work of art. Check out the one she did in Manor Hall colors with the little "splash logo" in the center. Cool, or what? Thank you, Teresa.

I love these little works of art and I don't want to use them, because I don't want to spoil them. But it's so tempting, and well, now that I've got pictures, I can hear them calling...

Earth Day Triple Play

It's Earth Day and to celebrate, there's a Two Day Sale going on at the Manor. From now until Friday the 24th at midnight, buy two of anything on the website, and get a third for free. Yes, that's right... buy two of your Manor Hall Earth-friendly favorites, and get another one free.

Simply enter 2 in the quantity box when making your purchase, and we'll throw a third one of the same product in your order box... for free. For every two you buy, we'll give you a third.

Yes, that includes the monthly specials, and the multibuy pages! (excludes sample sizes, mischief makers and accessories page)

Just use coupon code "EARTHDAY" at checkout to claim your triple play. (Sorry, no mixing and matching flavors)

And don't forget... you still get the April order box freebies, and shipping's still only $6.00 to anywhere in the U.S.!

How's that for an Earth Day celebration? Have a great one!

Oatmeal

The use of oatmeal in skin care has a long history dating right back to the ancient Egyptians. The Romans and Greeks recorded how bathing with oats helped with healing skin troubles. The tiny oat has had a long journey through the centuries as a natural skin healer, and in 1989 after years and years of well documented and respected studies, oatmeal was finally recognized by the FDA as a safe and effective over the counter skin protectant.

The high concentration of starches and beta glucan in oats are what give oatmeal the ability to hold onto moisture, and protect the skin. Oatmeal also boasts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, which come from the presence of its different kinds of phenols.

The avenacins found in oatmeal, have potent anti-fungal activity as well as having a soap-like cleansing quality. When finely milled, the tiny oat particles adhere to the skin, smoothing and removing dry skin build up. When introduced to water, the ground oat powder forms a viscous barrier which is important protection from outside irritants. These different moisturizing properties found in oats all contribute toward maintaining the integrity of the skin's barrier, preventing water loss, and alleviating itch.

Among the many sugars, vitamins and minerals to be found in natural oats, is vitamin E, a valuable antioxidant. Oxidative stress is implicated in many skin complaints, and different inflammatory conditions can be helped with the protection offered by antioxidants.

Oatmeal is a natural product, and is helpful with a long list of skin troubles, including: dry skin, prickly heat, hives, sunburn, chickenpox, poison ivy, oak and sumac, insect bites, winter itch, atopic dermatitis, and allergic or irritant contact dermatitis.

Spring Forward

April is underway and the showers have begun. It's newsletter week and there's a sale going on at the Manor. 15% off your order, all week long. Just enter the coupon code SHOWER15 at checkout to receive 15% off your order. (Note: Coupon does not apply to Sample Sizes, and all already discounted items, including Mischief Makers, Monthly Specials and Multibuys.)

This week is the ideal time to try our new Sugar Body Polish and our new Solid Lotion Sticks. Order any of these new products during newsletter sale week and receive a bonus facial freebie in your order box.

And to help your shopping dollar go further during the month of April, all orders will receive $6.00 shipping. Any weight, to anywhere nationally by Priority Mail. No coupon needed, our cart will apply the $6.00 shipping for you.

What a way to celebrate Spring!

Natural Lotion Sticks

New to the Manor, four all new lotion sticks in a handy push-up tube. Each one of them is full of wonderful nourishing ingredients to moisturize and soften your skin. Made with organic oils and spilling with soothing butters, these convenient lotion sticks will make sure you have soft skin all day long, wherever you may be.

The four varieties are Lavender & Vanilla, Chamomile & Lavender, Rose & Ylang and Naturally Fragrance Free. Check them all out here and say hello to softer skin.

Inspired

Manor Hall Soap Company is a member of the Indie Beauty Network. I have mentioned before that Donna Maria Coles Johnson, the founder of IBN, is a source of constant inspiration.

She is. And today, I was the inspiration for one of her posts to other Indie Business members on her Indie Business Blog. Well not me personally, but my Manor Hall Around the World feature, where Manor Hall soaps are photographed in famous (and not so famous) locales around the world. As Donna Maria says:

That's why it's important for you to go beyond the expected to offer the unexpected. And it's not that hard to do.

For example, at Manor Hall Soap Company, CEO Susan Mann not only offers fine handmade soap. She also offers you the Manor Hall "Around the World in 4 Ounces" page, a gallery of photographs of her soap in locations around the world. From Boston to Dublin, you can enjoy a mini-vacation when you click on the photos showing off Susan's well traveled soap.

I am flattered to be featured on Donna Maria's wonderful blog, and honored to be a member of the Indie Beauty Network.

I never really think of myself or my business as an inspiration to others, but it's nice to think that I can be. I know that Donna Maria's network still inspires me daily with the stories she shares about others like me. It feels good to be today's Indie Business Minute. You can listen to the post above by clicking the orange play button and you can see the post here.

Crazy Days of April

Known as the Month of Laughter... the Month of Poetry... and even the Month of Welding, the month of April starts with white-lying to a fool... and ends on a more truthful note. In between, are close on seventy days of celebration of one kind or another. Some celebrated widely, and others celebrated locally.

Feel free to tell lies on the 4th... you can always make up for it on the 30th. The former is "Tell a Lie Day"... while the latter is "National Honesty Day".

Patch things up on the 2nd with "Reconciliation Day", knowing that if all else fails you can really go to town on the 14th with "Ex-Spouse Day". On the 9th, give yourself whatever name you've always wanted, while the very next day being careful to take back all the names you ever gave to your brothers/sisters. Yes... "National Siblings Day" rides hot on the heels of "Name Yourself Day".

"Peanut Butter and Jelly Day" can be celebrated on the 2nd, with Caramel Popcorn Day coming in on the 7th, and Jelly Bean Day happening on the 22nd. Make sure to carry around the mints and parsley on the morning of the 20th though, because the day before on the 19th is "National Garlic Day."

"Big Wind Day" on the 12th... "International Day of Laughter" on the 14th... and "Titanic Remembrance Day" for the 15th. Of course... you might want to Plan Your Own Epitaph on the 6th ..., maybe Walk Around Things on the 7th... and even Look Up At The Sky on the 14th.

All sound a little too crazy for you...? Nah... crazy is happening on the 15th when the world celebrates "Rubber Eraser Day".

April... the Month of Humor. Laughter releases endorphins, the body's feel-good chemical. They say laughter is the best medicine. April is also Stress Awareness Month. So go on then... release some of that stress with a right old laugh. Err... did I mention Cheeseball Day on the 17th...?