Start planning Now!

Valentines Day is just around the corner- I know this is hard to believe but it is!  I am starting up a sub-division of Old Wives Pails...Young Wives at Heart.  I am going to make massage oils and aroma therapy oils.  I am making up baskets and will be posting them at the end of this week.  If you want something specific e-mail me at info@oldwivespails.com or call (330) 701-2373.  We can even bill you and send it gift wrapped to someone else!  ~Old Wives Pails

Getting back to work

The wood burner has been fixed and is up and running again with no problem and I am feeling well. The house is back to as normal as it ever was.

I found a surfactant to add to my laundry soap that is natural.  It will keep the dirt from settling back on the clothes when they are in the washing machine.  My laundry soap worked well to begin with but wait till you try it now!I have started on my shampoos and I should be able to start selling them in a month or two. I have the 'normal' hair done but I am still working on the one for dry hair and oily hair.  I am going to add a goat milk bar soap to the line as well.  I didn't realize how popular this was until everyone started asking me if I carry goat milk soap.  I may add a buttermilk soap if time permits. 

I have already started talking to friends about the garden for this summer and what we are going to grow.  I am going to grow a plant that is a natural way to repel mosquitoes and I will be adding this product to my already up and running line of bug repellents.  We have even been talking about the Farmer's Markets that we are planning to attend.  I know that it is only January, however, I believe that this is the only thing that might get us through the dark and dreary winter and looking forward to spring.

~Old Wives Pails

This is an Old Wives Pails Public Saftey Announcement

Let me start off with-everyone is fine.  Now, let me tell you about yesterday.  We have a wood stove insert in our fireplace and we use it for about 85% of our heating needs.  There was a lot of ash in it yesterday morning and instead of starting up another fire I decided to clean out the ashes and soot and then start with a brand new fire.  I started this project about 8:30 am.

Every time I opened the door to the wood burner it would pull smoke and ash into the living room.  It wouldn't vent properly and I am somewhat suborn about doing things myself.  I decided to get it working and have a fire by the time the first of the kids got off the bus around 2:15-plenty of time, right?

Wrong!  I kept messing with the wood burner, opening the door-adding wood-taking out wood- letting smoke into the living room every time.  I must have passed out from the smoke because the next thing I remember is the Carbon Monoxide detector beeping at me.  Let me tell you it is VERY loud.  I did somehow manage to take the batteries out of it and called the non-emergency number for the police in our area.  I told them that it was reading 224.

This is where is gets a little foggy...I remember being told to go out on the front porch.  I remember being woke up by someone and them putting me in an ambulance.  I don't remember the trip to the emergency room.   I don't remember calling my husband to come to the hospital. I had to have oxygen and they took blood to make sure I was going to be alright.  They let me go home about 2:30.

What I am told is that when the emergency people got to the house I was passed out on the front porch. I also didn't know that there were about 15 people that showed up at the house; police, fire and EMS. They took me to the hospital.  The Carbon Monoxide detector doesn't go off until it reaches 400 and then you only have minutes to live so it couldn't have only been 224.  I burnt the carpet in front of the fireplace trying to get the wood out of the wood burner and there was so much ash on the mantel that it looked as though there had been a fire-but there wasn't it was just from the smoke and me opening the door. 

The only thing that probably saved me was the Carbon Monoxide detector that I thought was dumb and a waste of money when we moved into our home.  I believe I  complained that it was ugly and stood out like a sore thumb so I put it at the opposite end of the living room behind some stuff so that no one could see it.

I never in a million years ever expected to have this happen.  So please, buy one, get one from your local fire station.  It is so worth it and it did the job it was suppose to-it woke me up.   Mine is now sitting on the table next to the wood burner and is out for everyone to see.

-Old Wives Pails

It's official!

I am an unfeeling jerk. I know this sounds harsh and shocking. In my defense - no one told me, I think. I knew my brother-in-law had surgery so he could breathe better. I know my husband told me he was going to use this as an opportunity to quit smoking. No one told me that it worked! I guess it never occurred to me to ask either. I am so sorry!

How did I find out you ask? Let me tell you. My husband and I don't smoke and we don't let anyone smoke in the house. Well, during our Christmas Day party about half the people smoke and half don't. So when the one half went out to smoke and I was walking through the house and noticed brother-in-law was still INSIDE I said to him 'everyone else is outside having a cigarette, why aren't you?' I could have cut the air with a chainsaw. He looked at me and blinked and I stood there blinking and then he says that he hasn't smoked since his surgery. UGH! No one had to tell me that I was a jerk-I knew right then and there. I tell him congratulations and run into another room and try to wedge myself between the couch and the wall so no one can find me.

A while later I am found and told that he hadn't had such a bad craving for a cigarette up until today-way to go you big jerk. I feel awful and think what can I possibly do to fix this? Hmmm, my candles! I have one that I call Santa's Pipe. It has tobacco, cherry and vanilla and smells like a pipe. I gave it to him as a peace offering and told him that he can sniff this when he gets a craving. Well, today is the 3rd of January and it is still working. He said that is has helped his mental addiction and when he smells the candle his brain thinks he is smoking a pipe.

I am not sure if this is only him or if it would work for others. So, if anyone orders from me if you would also like to receive a free 2 ounce Santa's Pipe Sample I will send it along with your order and as always free local pick up for anyone who wants to stop by.
-Old Wives Pails

Happy New Year!

We survived the holiday and are back to making soap and candles. The last batch of liquid castile soap is incredible. I am making a quadruple batch now and can't wait to start creating! I will be able to use it as a base for liquid hand soap, dish detergent, liquid laundry soap, and shampoo!!!

I have found the perfect bottles for shampoo and have bought a few dozen. I am still looking for bottles for dish detergent and containers for the liquid hand soap...maybe something with a pump on top. We shall see...Old Wives Pails