Pictures Of The Shop

looking from the front right to the back door

looking from near the back door to the front (the front door is very dark in this picture. Just under the lit exit sign)

Brad, my husband, and I did all the work except we hired a plumber to install a hot water heater and to run hot water lines for our lab sink. We put in the floor, built cabinets painted, cut moulding, put up shelves.....etc. When I say "we", I really mean Brad. I was really there as the handy assistant who humped my butt off and worked and sweat alongside the master pro. Trust me, I worked like heck. He worked harder.

These two are only half done...

front half (shop)

back half (formulary)

So this is complete:

you could see the formulary in the back (bakery concept, sort of)

Now, these pictures were taken after the first day of retail, so our shelves are looking pretty bare. I will have to post more when the place is packed again with soaps and goodies and when I am not sick anymore.

(sniffle)

These don't feel like they show everything. I'll try to get it all in the next time, but you get the vibe...

Flowers From An Angel

I received these gorgeous long stemmed roses from an organic flower shop in Miami. The person who sent them to me was Teresa of Life, Homesteading and Everything!!!! What an unbelievable generous sweet thing to do!

I did a little bitching and felt sorry for myself the other day on this blog and I certainly didn't want anyone to feel sorry for me. I was just airing my pathetic laundry.

Thank you, Teresa. It really touched me.

I'd Love Your Input Contest

I have two locations for signs at our new shop. The one on the building will have our logo Product Body on it, but we are on a very busy street where traffic moves between 40-55 mph and we want people to notice what we sell, perhaps, more so than who we are. It is two sided and we thought we should say two different things, one on each side. I would love your suggestions, if you have any. Let's make it a contest!

Some ideas we have:

Bath Treats
Bath Shop
Bath + Body


Anyone who comes up with one that is actually used (that isn't listed above) will receive a Product package from us once the sign goes up. Thank you!!

Contest ends when the right sign words are realized.

I'm Done Bitching. Now I'm Addicted To Caramel Macchiatos

...with whipped cream and caramel squirty designs on top. This picture is of a hot one and I've been getting mine iced because I live in Florida and it's like 65-70 here right now.

I usually have two cups of cappuccinos (I make them with an espresso machine). That's it. Strong, sure, but no other caffeine during the day. I'm not a big soda drinker. Well, now that I am "on" for longer in the day. Up at 6:00 am with kids and then to the shop, formulate, formulate, be a shop owner and do stuff, stay open until 7:30 pm (at least until Christmas Eve, I have been having a late afternoon caffeine hit due to my mid afternoon needs.)

My dear hubby brings me one due to my afternoon crash after my late lunch habit that has snuck into my life. I know, bad Joanna! I have even been skipping breakfast because hunger just isnt there until I am weak with exhaustion at 2pm. (me=dummy).

My new addiction isn't so bad. It's not like I'm on crack or pcp or some stupid drug that's going to hurt my children. There are many best parts about this addiction. :) I can admit to it openly. It is legal. I can do it in public AND it tastes SO GOOD, especially the whipped cream drizzled in caramel.

If you don't like coffee you are just not going to understand this, and that's okay, because I probably can't get a handle on flourless bread and meatless meatloaf made with sugarless sugar cookies.

he he. Sorry. That was rude. I like health food, just not bird food, or meatless hot dogs. I tried to feed those to my daughter when she was little and she wouldn't eat them. I know why. It was because I had the biggest craving for water dogs in NYC while I was pregnant with my first. Almost every day, I had to stop at a disgusting hot dog stand on the streets of New York and get a hot dog from the murky waters and have them build that water logged link with hot mustard and pile it with dripping saurkraut. I went to heaven EVERY time I took that first bite. Nina? She wiggled with excitement - so while I ate, my stomach did the Watusi.

If you want to know, my craving during my second pregnancy was much different.

Oreos.

Wahooo! And Can I Bitch For A Sec?

My eyes are blurring. I think I must be tired. He he. The sun is setting and I feel happy standing in my shop achy and exhausted. In fact, the exhaustion feels really good even though it's exhausting. I had two customers today. People I knew, but it was good, because I got to do the the minor details around the place that I hadn't gotten to yesterday when it didn't feel ready. Things just work out the way they need to sometimes and this is one of those times.

Sadly, my friends have all disappeared from my life and I am sort of feeling sorry for myself. This is one of the biggest things in my life (except in the past when it was my wedding day and when I had my babies .) This is my third child and for weeks, my friends have completely vanished. Maybe they were giving me space and didn't want to get in my way...? I even asked one of them to come on over because I missed her and I'd love her to see the shop (she lives a mile away and has a working car). No show. What gives? I will tell you: If my friend opened a shop, I would be the first customer and bring a box of doughnut holes for opening day or a cup of coffee or get fancy and get a bottle of champagne or El Patron and limes. I've got the sea salt covered. Work perks, y'know. ;)


It's not all bad.
ps: I have gotten more support from my husband, mother and my children than I ever could have expected and it brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it.

Ahhhh No. December 19th

The carrot I have dangled is a pain in the butt, isn't it?

Sorry.

I just don't want to open half cocked. I am still going to open with the place not FULLY done. I plan on having photos of my soaps and whipped butters blown up and other cool art on the walls. They are just not ready yet. And neither is the actual product.

So it is what it is.

OK. Friday. Ready or not. This time, there is no postponing. We are open on Friday.

Opening A Little Later...

...than expected. We will hopefully be up and ready for customers on Wednesday or Thursday of this week! Monday was a target date but we were optimistic. Building furniture takes much longer than one thinks.

SO, Opening definitely on December 18th!

A New Home For Us?

Formulary and retail home of Product

Have you heard the news? Product has moved the formulary and is opening a small retail store! Holy COW, we are nervous. I have never had a shop before, or juggled so many things at one time. My head is spinning and I am filled with more emotions that I even knew existed.

Yahoo!

Our new address is:

PRODUCT
633 Alternate A1A
Jupiter, Florida 33477

So if you need to send anything to us or want to stop by (after the 15th), please do. This is now the official Product Body address.

More pictures to come...

Only A Few Left!

These candles were a hit. They smell up a room nicely and I have put them on sale on my Product Labworks Etsy shop. 16 oz soy wax candle colored with safflower herbs that I steeped myself (can you believe it?).

They are now only $12.00. Looks like a cheesy picture I downloaded from Getty Images, but I really took that on my lanai. Hope you all are enjoy December so far.