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When I watch the trees unfurling (don’t you love that word?) in the first signs of Spring, their tiny leaves the color of that bright yellowish-green that Crayola has called…

The photo above is a picture of my Mom. She was born in February 1906. Her name was Erna Ilgenstein and she followed her brother Bruno to the United States…

My granddaughter visited me yesterday, and we made a bunch of heart-shaped sugar cookies. And of course, I judged hers were much better than mine. It got late, and we…

Early February when I was still living on Long Island was cold with some snow still on the ground. My family planted many flowers and the ones above-called Snowdrops were…

It’s already January 17th but the nights are still long, and the days are cold and we still have a ways to go till spring. We have survived the holiday…

Today is the Winter Solstice and tonight will be the longest night of the year. And starting tomorrow the hours of daylight will slowly start to lengthen day by day….

The Spirits travel across the darkening indigo sky Longer nights reaching dark fingers across the land Cooler breezes whisper through the woods rustling leaves to the ground Squirrels scamper home…

I came across the quote below recently, “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings you joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it…

What things inspire you to create?  To write a thought down – to take a photo of something you wanted to memorize – colors, what is your favorite? Drawing or…

The bath is one of my favorite places to meditate as well as a comfy chair. If I could, I would have this dream of a tub to settle into…

Mary Oliver wrote, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” It seems that people, like people smarter than me, keep asking…

We all grew up from childhood taking nightly baths after a hard day at play. Our parents told us to get into the tub and wash all the dirt off…

I love the “ritual photos” and reading about the art of Ritual and what rituals people use.  I have participated in elaborate celebration rituals and have read about rituals that…

I read last year a book titled Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols. I was very curious about it as you may well assume based on my love of baths…

I know that those that have visited my site over the past few months have noted many items out of stock. There is also a message that my family is…

If your bath tub could talk, what would it say to the water? What would the water say to your body? Would the water say perhaps, I invite you in?…

This title seems to sound like an oxymoron to write about the “energy of stillness”. But, please stay with me here. Stillness usually means the absence of energy and any…

Little Altars Everywhere is a book by Rebecca Wells who also wrote The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood.  Both of these books are ones that I have read…

We have all been noticing that the days have gradually been getting longer and longer as we get further into this year. The longest day of the year is yet…

Sylvia Plath once wrote “There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure but I don’t know many of them.” Okay now, what things do you…

I know particularly at these seeming chaotic times we need a place where we can find sanctuary and settle into yourselves. We need to let the outside world go with…

Never iron a four leaf clover as you do not want to press your luck! I came across this quote- author unknown and smiled at the joke of it. I…

Spring seems to be the time of year for baby lambs and chicks and first flowers blooming. There is a great rush for new life being born and plants flourishing….

Recently I went Taos, New Mexico for Creativity Weekend. I wanted to work on my writing to be more comfortable with it and not battle it so much. I feel…

This week’s brief cold snap was like a last reminder that in terms of winter we are not out of the woods yet. But, the temps have started rising again…

The word “hygge” has been popping up all over the place and lately has become as they say an American obsession. Hygge is a “Danish word used to acknowledge a…

And you are looking at that and asking yourself what sort of question is that and what the heck does that mean? There has been the basic definition of what…

That lull right now…. It is mid-January and the tree is down and the decorations have been packed up for another year. The house has been put back in order,…

I have been making and using Bath Salts for almost 20 years and trust me when I say that they can make your bath a true spa experience. I totally…

I had an image in my head when I was typing this of a mama monkey saying “Hang on & hold tight” to her baby as they were going to make that…

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the stores are filled with offers for roses and chocolates and cute stuffed animals. I remember past Valentine’s, when me and my…

I am being barraged lately in my inbox by helpful articles and suggestions about beating the “winter blues”. It seems that after the rush and stress of the holidays that we have…

I have been making soap for over 10 years and its a well-worn craft that I do. Some soaps I have been making for most of those 10 years. I…

When you think of water and relaxation what images come to mind? Particularly in North Carolina the answer is the beach. Myrtle Beach or the Outer Banks are some of…

Yes I admit that the picture above is  a great inspiration for a relaxing bath. But, what do you do when the stress builds up? When your nerves get jangled…

Mary Oliver wrote this~ “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” I came across this quote today in a blog post…

This is a quote from Elizabeth’s Gilbert’s book  “Eat Pray Love” which I am re-reading for I think the third time and yes I have also seen the movie several…

Peppermint and Spearmint are the first herbs that come to my mind when I thinks of mints. Did you know that Peppermint is actually a hybrid of Spearmint and Watermint ?…

I have been making what are known as Shampoo Bars for many years. I started when I still lived in NY about 1998. I started making them then and have…

There is an old Chinese proverb I had seen written down about failure, that other “F” word.  It goes something like this~ Failure is not falling down but refusing to…

Lavender Essential Oil has had a long tradition. The person who first coined the term aromatherapy was Rene-Maurice Gattefosse. He was working in a perfumery business when he got a severe burn and he…

I planned to have Monday be the day to talk about water. My business name is Ritual Waters and I value water and the rituals surrounding bathing. Last week I wrote…

Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way writes about Morning Pages as being a way to help clear your mind before you start the day. Julia has also called…

We have all been there. It’s Monday and we really are not ready for the work week to start. We end up getting late. We cannot find our car keys….

First all the fragrance draws you in~  that clean herbaceous scent that smells like nothing else except like being in the middle of an herb garden. Whether you brush you…

Water is considered one of four elements of western culture along with Fire, Earth and Air. These four elements also are known in pagan cultures as well as early western traditions….

 These were my goal in mind. I subscribe to Bramble Berry’s Soap Queen Blog and read their post daily and always have found inspiration! Well this week’s post that touted…

I have read Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist’s Way several times and it reminds me of things I need to make a point of doing more. One thing I have…

Have you ever had someone tell you to just breathe ? Usually this happens when one is stressed out or when you have been pushing yourself in exercise class. These words…

I have a patch of Lemon Balm in between some flowers in my flower bed as you can see. I have always loved that lemony scent when you crush a…

I decided to try the July Soap Challenge sponsored by Amy Warden at Great Cakes Soapworks . I had tried the May Soap Challenge which was to make a beautiful tear…

Your two year old boy has been playing fiercely after dinner and was running around outside in the yard this afternoon. It is finally time to wind down and get…

OK I just got off track before I just wrote my first sentence!  I guess at 6AM I need a bit more coffee before I start writing.  🙂    I was…

OK I am resting on the couch and I am not sure which hurts worst, my feet or my back? I do love doing shows and as I get older the…

Many years ago I was introduced to Lotion Bars as an alternative to making liquid lotions and creams. I had tried making creams in the past but the whole process…

We all want to use only good ingredients for our skincare and especially for our facial skin as this is the most sensitive. Essential Oils are not only the most…

The chill of Fall is in the air and the rainy weather makes you want to snuggle down with a book to read and later have a mug of hot soap…

Citrine I have discovered is the gemstone for November. The name comes from the French word for “lemon” and describes some of the shades this stone comes in. It is…

The Moon is spinning away to its Last Quarter and this Lunar Month is almost over. It is hard to believe how quickly this actually happens, at least for me…

I am going to be at an outside show this Saturday and I am faced with a few challenges. First thing I did for myself is to take today off…

It seems that November starts off with the calmness of Fall and the beautiful color of the leaves. The brilliant colors of red, orange and yellow catch our eyes and…

OK it is 7:30 on a Monday night and it is the Monday evening blah. It has been a rainy rainy Monday and I wore comfy clothes to work- jeans,…

Courage may be the most important of all virtues because without it one cannot practice any other virtue with consistence. Maya Angelou I was looking for a quote earlier last…

All Hallow’s Eve is the Eve of All Hallows Day or All Saints Day which is November first. The name Halloween has come to be the shortened version of All…

It’s that time of year when the scary movies with things that go bump in the night abound and the wind blows and rustles the leaves outside. We sit down…

When you were younger and went for walks around the neighborhood by your self, did you notice interesting small stones that caught your eye? Have you ever picked those up…

I had been watching this Columbine grow in the bit of soil between the bricks and concrete on my front porch. I at first could not believe it when the plant grew…

I love that in the Fall the Full Moons rise up in the sky as HUGE  ( as in HUGE) orange balls. At night when I am driving and  I…

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take But by the moments that take our breath away I have heard this quote before of Maya Angelou and…

The days are starting to get shorter and naturally the nights longer and the weather has been getting colder. My usual hot drink of choice has been coffee and Starbucks…

It is definitely pumpkin time with Halloween a little over a week away and pumpkin patches being touted as the place to get your pumpkin for carving. There are pumpkin…

I was nowhere in any danger as the people of South Carolina were in or was anywhere near the coast. I was in the mountains and about 7 hours from…

A little backup about my interest in the moon to begin with. I have always been drawn to the moon and at this time of year in the Fall is when…

OK I am soooo pleased with how these came out- Woohoo doing the happy soap dance but read on for the specifics for the challenge I made the soap for….

I have been seeing a lot of fallen acorns on the ground along with the beautiful autumn leaves finally starting to turn.  This is the time of year when squirrels are…

We are now well into the midst of September and each year I wait patiently for the Pumpkin Spice Latte’s to hit Starbucks. For me that is the beginning of…

Where would it be ~ what would it look like ~ how luxurious would it be~ can you even imagine it? Would it be on the side of a mountain? Would it…

Peppermint and Spearmint are the first herbs that come to mind when one thinks of mints. Did you know that Peppermint is actually a hybrid of Spearmint and Watermint ?…

We have heard this before about taking an unbelievable risk and doing something bold and courageous despite all odds. Pursuing a dream or a passion that seemed out of reach….

When I think of walking barefoot in the grass, I think of the movie Pretty Woman when Richard Gere walked barefoot in a park towards the end of the movie….

Once a year the North Carolina Herb Association hosts an annual gathering up  in Banner Elk at the Valle Crucis Convention Center. It happens each year on the last weekend…

The image above is a water crystal that was exposed to thoughts of love and gratitude and is an image from the website of Dr. Masaru Emoto. If you have…

In 2002 I started massage school and was the oldest student in that class. Several night a week I left work and drove a half hour to attend class and also on…

I have been teaching basic soapmaking for the past several years and have had a blast doing it. I teach cold process soapmaking what I call 101. I begin each…

Amy Warden of Great Cakes Soapworks hosts a monthly soap challenge. She has been doing this for a few years and is a pro at encouraging all of us soapers…

The scent of Lavender Essential Oil (EO) is one of the most recognized scents for many people with its fresh herbaceous, floral aroma. This little oil has over 100 constituents including linalyl acetate,…

I used to think that Lavender was Lavender and that there was only one sort. I was so wrong. Have you ever visited a Lavender Farm when in full bloom?…

The wonderful benefits of Olive Oil for the skin have been well researched. Olive Oil is high in antioxidants as well as Vitamin E and Vitamin A.  Due to the high…

Hopefully you are and that you are taking a few moments to relax after an awesome holiday weekend and before you begin your next work week. I hope the picture…

First all the fragrance draws you in~  that clean herbaceous scent that smells like nothing else except like being in the middle of an herb garden. Whether you brush you…

Synchronicity has a dictionary definition as being “the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection”. I have read that this term synchronicity is…

What I mean by creative well is that place where our creativity springs from and our passions and artistry. Where we go when we want to be more than the…

I know this has been posted around Facebook and I had just posted it on my page but the monkeys have been circling about me this week. My job has…

I was mulling over this quote by Phylicia Rashad and realized that usually when I have attended a family event the women generally gather around the kitchen area and the men are…

The soap above was actually made in NYC!  I travelled up to New York and took a weekend intensive to learn advanced swirling, layering, mica lines and embedding soap balls….

I was listening to a story on Public Radio on my way to work this morning about the plight of the honey bees and how their numbers are declining. The…

Long Long Ago in a Galaxy Far Far Away……… sorry my Star Wars is showing.  But really the start of Ritual Waters started actually with a tub or a dream…

Yes I should have known that there are Avocado flowers but the only images I have in my head when talking about Avocados are the actual fruit and seed. So…

This month’s challenge was titled the ” Holly Swirl” after Holly Bailey who first demonstrated this swirl-in-a-swirl technique. It was great fun and something I really want to add to some of my…

The week has ended and a new week will be starting in a couple of days but I wanted to share what we have been up to this week at…

I have been very lackadaisical this weekend, busy making soap but I wanted to share this new blog I have discovered! I have been reading it over the weekend and…

And I bet you are saying, WOW that looks really interesting and what the heck is that supposed to be? A little history before I let you in on what…

Please watch this short video to see what I mean ~ 100_1825    Over the past several months, when I come home I have been taking my dog Tinkerbell out for a walk. Note she has…

I had been a massage to balance a day job, a soap business and be a massage therapist all at the same time. Somewhere along the way in my training I…

 Many of us have heard this term before in aviation movies like “Top Gun” and elsewhere. I have found the following definition for where this term comes from~ “This is aviation jargon,…

I recently made a trip from North Carolina to New York City for a weekend Soap Intensive. This was a fantastic event to learn something new, namely making soap cupcakes…

SARK  stands for Susan Rainbow Ariel Kennedy- a dynamite woman and author and mover and shaker that I have known about for many years and I felt it was time to…

  Fall for me means the spicy scents of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, all wrapped up with pumpkin or apples. For me these are warm, comfy scents as I gather things to make…

     A few months ago this Sedum was standing proud and tall and had pretty pink blossoms blooming. The bees and butterflies were having a feast on the pollen and…

    I grew up on Long Island and Jones Beach and the ocean waves of the Atlantic were part of my childhood. I LOVED the water , even when they crashed…

The wonderful benefits of Olive Oil have been well researched. All the new tasty olive oils have also been tempting us to try them. But did you know about the wonderful benefits…

Peppermint and Spearmint are both well known herbs. They have been both cultivated for a very long time and have started out in Europe, then spreading to many regions. This is also…

I came across this talk by Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote the fantastic book “Eat, Pray, Love” and I think it ties in very well with Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist’s…

and the name is Ritual Waters. I have had people remark about my choice for this my business name and also this blog’s name. I like to add that it…

This week has been a quiet one which for me has been a long time. My daughter and granddaughter are away and I am spending some needed time with myself….

Yes that is beer in the pan in preparation to making a batch of shampoo bar soaps ! I selected a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from the local…

I found this beautiful video on youtube by Louie Schwartzberg. I found his work very wondrous and his talk very inspirational. May it lift your heart and your day!

 Filling the well is a term Julia Cameron uses in her book, The Artist’s Way. The well is your pool of creativity, your dreams, ideas, inspirations, images and so…

Chamomile I started an herbal infusion this morning with this lovely little flower Chamomile. I use this herbal infusion in my Chamomile Soap and also use it in my salve…

I usually awake early every morning, about 5am during the week and about 6am on the weekends. 7am is late for me on the weekends.  LOL The wonderful thing about waking…

I have had a Lavender plant for the past several years that grew quite big but finally died this past season. It was not as lush as the picture here but I usually was able…