Happy New Year

Well, it's the last few hours of the year and I'm down to the wire. The month of December has been a very inspiring month for me, to say the least. Much as I would have enjoyed to take our usual break behind the scenes, there has been too much happening.

I'm working tomorrow, and it'll be a joy. I do intend a real early start though, so I can finish by noon. For now, I'm taking a couple of hours family time with what's left of the day.

Thank you for helping to make my year such a blessed one. I wish you all the very best, and a Happy New Year.

Reveal The Real In You

The value of facial exfoliating is often underestimated, and many never consider to include it in their skin care routine.

Old skin cells are shed easily when we are young, but as we age this process slows down, causing dead skin cells to build up on the outer layer of the skin. This is often the cause behind a dull and lifeless complexion.

Exfoliating the face helps to remove the layer of dead skin cells, and as the old is gently buffed away from the outer surface, the new skin cells underneath are exposed revealing a brighter, fresher complexion. This new layer of skin readily accepts moisture, and regular facial exfoliating increases the absorption of your moisturizing skin care routine, which over time can reduce the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles.

Facial exfoliation is only needed once or twice a week. It increases blood circulation, and will bring a glow to your face. It helps with clogged pores, and breakouts, and also helps maintain the balance of excessive oil. It removes toxins, and stimulates skin cell renewal. The benefits of facial exfoliation are many, and it could be the missing link if your skin care routine is lacking in luster.

More Than a Number

We made 25 followers today on the Facebook page. That means we're not a number anymore. Manor Hall Soap on Facebook can now be found easily at:

facebook.com/manorhallsoap

Thank you to everyone who is following. Please remember to invite your friends!

Merry Christmas

Music To Soap By - Slade

I was there for this one. I remember it being released. Course, I was waiting for its release cos this was my fave band during my teenage years. OMG... I played this one so loud my bedroom windows vibrated. I made myself hoarse screaming out the chorus.... and my poor dad made himself hoarse yelling at me from the bottom of the stairs to turn it down!

That Christmas was memorable for me. 1973, the year that saw gifts such as Chopper bicycles and the game of Mastermind on most childrens list in England - including my brother. For me, it was serious wow time, as I took the wrapping off a desperately longed for new record player.

OMG... it played three different speeds. 33, 45, and 78s. It was stereo, and even had two speakers that I could position around the room. And the piece de resistance I discovered by accident... that if I pulled the record stacking arm back, it played the one song on repeat F-O-R-E-V-E-R! One record of my choice, over and over again? It was hook, line and sinker for me right there and then, and I have never lost the love for playing songs like that.

The workshop door is open. The olive oil is in the pans. The music on repeat. Working or no, I am in the festive mood. Sing it loud, now.... "Merry Christmas Everybody!!!"

Slade, 1973 - Merry Christmas Everybody

The Late Great

Today has been great. Tonight was great. The customers were great. The staff were great. The store was great. Boston in the snow was great. Putting up my spotty dotty umbrella was great. It's 11:40pm. It's late. I feel... great.

Follow Me!

Oh, what a great morning it's been. While I've been cutting all the samples for tomorrow night, Jason's been activating the Facebook and Twitter pages. We're still working on the design, but for now, we are live.

You can "follow" and "Like" Manor Hall right from the sidebar to the right, or from the home page. If you're reading the blog from the web site, click here to go to the main blog page.

Now you can stay up to the minute with Manor Hall Soap on Twitter and Facebook. I'm looking forward to talking with you all!

The Big Reveal

Some of your Manor Hall faves can now be found in the Whole Body Department at the Whole Foods Market Symphony Store, on Westland Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts.

I'm also going to be there in person on Monday evening between 5pm and 7pm for their "I'm a Local" event, to meet and greet customers and give away samples. If anyone lives close enough, I'd love to see you there. I couldn't have gotten this far over the last five years without you.

And if you do turn up, please tell me who you are so that I can thank you personally. I'm really looking forward to the night. I can't believe it. The biggest natural supermarket in the world. It's both exciting and frightening all in the one breath. My little Manor Hall in Whole Foods. It's such a dream come true.

My Welsh Bus

We have a saying in our family. It's one of the many I've brought to America with me from England. Although this one is from my many years of living in Wales. "It's like a Welsh bus. You don't see one for days, and then three turn up at once."

The Welsh bus has been a recurring theme over my last two weeks. The end of the year is always hectic. I close the office earlier than most, mainly because I don't want to chance orders that have been placed as Christmas gifts not arriving on time. I also re-open later than most, to allow me to focus on what needs to be done here behind the scenes. I try to run a tight ship, and I'm pretty hard on myself if I see any fraying of the main sail.

This year's two weeks end period has been demanding beyond belief. Looking back now, I can see that's been no bad thing. I don't think there was a single morning where I didn't wake up, and within two hours of the day's start I was Dorothy, and I'd been picked up and dumped down in a completely different day. It seemed like everything I'd waited for throughout the whole year suddenly decided to pay me a visit. Some things, I was like, "OMG, I'd forgotten about that?" Other things, it was like, "Oh... please no. Not now!"

And that brings me to Monday morning, the 13th of December... just five days ago. Though with what I've fit in to this past five days, it feels more like five weeks. The office closed on Sunday, the previous evening and I was looking forward to packing all the order boxes so that I could just sit down for two days and feel the calm. By 10am, the priorities for my two days of calm had all changed. Remember the chain store supermarket order I've been waiting on? That little bus I talked about, ready to leave the depot? Yeah, well, I'm no longer sitting at the bus stop. In fact, I'm on the bus, and it's already trundling down the road.

The order came in on Monday morning, and tonight as I sit here, at 10:30pm, 19 different Manor Hall products have already been delivered. The big reveal will come over the weekend, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, I leave you with a post about where it all started for me and my little Manor Hall.

See you tomorrow...

Night Time Bath Blend

With a blend of the best in salt crystals from around the world, forming an incredible union of soothers, soakers, and softeners, you can lay back and relax while the gentleness of jojoba, sweet almond oil, aloe and honey blanket and coddle your skin. All that's left for you to do is sprinkle... and breathe the day away.

• lavender essential oil: promotes relaxation and restful sleep
• roman chamomile essential oil: provides calm and serenity
• aloe: calming and soothing on the skin
• jojoba oil: hypoallergenic and skin softening

Packaged in an 8 oz PET bale jar, complete with wooden scoop inside.

Night Time Bath Blend is brand new and available now, along with two other aromatherapy bath blends. Come check them out!