Falling For Snow

Tall white pines and beautiful Fall trees. It's 2:30pm in Springfield, MA and the snow is here.

Pretty Me Pumpkin Mask

It's almost the start of the Halloween weekend, and many a good pumpkin will be hollowed out and candled this next few days. But hold on before you trash the goodness you've scooped out, because pumpkin is a wonderful natural ingredient for your skin, and a simple facial treat can be made in minutes with ingredients from your kitchen cupboard.

Pumpkin is naturally soothing on the skin, and is also very moisturizing. Used as an ingredient in facial masks, it acts similarly to a carrier oil, and helps to carry the nutrients from other ingredients deep into the skin. Pumpkin is also rich in vitamins A and C.

Pretty Me Pumpkin Mask

You will need:
3 tablespoons of pumpkin (cooked)
1 tablespoon of honey (gently warmed)
1 teaspoon of cream/milk/or yogurt

How to:
Cook fresh pumpkin in a little water, then mash with a fork. Add the warmed honey and your cream/yogurt, then blend smooth with the back of a spoon. Apply the paste gently to the face, avoiding the eye area. Leave on for about ten minutes. Wipe away with warm damp face cloth.

Notes: Always test for allergies first. Be sure to throw away any unused mask, as it is not preserved.

Lip Smackin' Packin'

Lipskippers lip balms are sporting new labels, and also... boasting two new flavors. Cinnamon Sin, is hot to trot, and Darling Clementine is so holiday citrus.

Now is the time to get that pucker in place. The cooler weather is no friend to your delicate pout. Keep it soft and pretty by sealing the moisture in.

If you're shopping today, you can enjoy 20% off your entire order by using our autumn lovers newsletter promo code. Just type in "AUTUMNLOVER" at checkout, and enjoy the deal. You'll have to be fast though. Offer ends tonight at midnight. Pucker up pretty now, won't you!

Posh Frocks For The Stocks

Just sharing more of the new look with you from the cleansing grains page.

It feels like a dream as a more uniformed look is beginning to place around the stock room. I can't wait to see them make it to the shelves in shops around the country as our drive for more wholesale accounts gets underway.

How convenient would it be to have your Manor Hall faves in stores local to you, hey? I hear you. We're working on it!

Finally The Fall

With the website changeover finally in the last stage of completion, I'm hopeful that today will prove to be a little calmer for techy guy hero, Jason.

The holiday weekend was one of those crazy times where whatever could go wrong, did so. Oh, all was well in the workshop for me... but this hot seat was a different story as one thing after another just wouldn't play ball for the TeamManor techy guru.

So, here we are two days into the working week, and the new seasonal line is now on the website. Yay! Product descriptions are following. Don't ask where five hours of copy work went to. All I will say is that I really must get the hang of creating files and then saving them! :)

Music To Soap By - Bay City Rollers

Summer is well and truly going gone, and the HAD2WAIT orders are following suit.

On loop today with plenty neat footwork from yours truly is this one. Crank up the volume, get ready for the drum beat and enjoy the Columbus Day workshop bye bye party that's taking place here all day long.

Bay City Rollers, 1975 - Bye Bye Baby

Manor Hall Talk On YouTube

Here's Lindsay from blackandblondeone talking about a couple of her Manor Hall faves. She's posted it to her youtube channel. Like wow! Thank you so much, Lindsay!

Holiday Weekend Tears Of Joy

I've just received an email from my mum in the UK. A cancer survivor of 12 years, she's never been able to come out here to visit us because of health insurance issues.

It was huge surgery that she had - whipples surgery. She's over 70 years of age now, and she's just found travel insurance through her cancer society. Flight for April looks certain.

I'm all of a blubber right now. My mum is gonna get to see where I live and what opportunity America has given to me. Wow!

A Whole Foods Market Symphony

Another shipment of Manor Hall is headed to Whole Foods Market Symphony Store on Westland Avenue in Boston. Their Whole Body team is absolutely fantastic to work with.

Check out the Whole Body dept next time you're in the area for our foaming facial cleansers, facial grains, face masks, complexion bars, classic soap bars, liquid handwash and bodywash gels. All natural, and all perfectly Manor Hall at Whole Foods Market!

Family Friday

Here's my little BigGirl, Gayle, when she was four years old. It's one of my fave pics of her. It's past her bedtime at the funfair, and she's tired. She has terrific drive, and always has had. Always knowing where she's going, she has great resolve. With two children under the age of three, she's just started a master's degree this week. I'm feeling pretty proud this Family Friday. You go, Gayle!!!

Onward My Chariot

My chariot is arriving on Tuesday. It will carry me through the ten days that follow as I move into a time of better production, ahead of more growth.

A time when more music will blare out of the workshop. A time when my home will be tidier than the MerryMaids could ever shine on it. A time when my legs will ache from silly dancing. A time when I will feel tired but absolutely fantastic.

Roll on Tuesday the 11th. That's when The Barbara arrives. She is one helluva chariot, and her wheels spin so fast they don't touch the ground!

Hearting Family

Today is a birthday, and yesterday was a birthday too. This was in the mailbox today. Family are so wonderful to have, and it feels good to know that there's a whole generation of little ones to continue the traditions through tomorrow of the things we hold so close today.