​Change in inevitable. To grow means one must outgrow one’s current surroundings. When that happens, it is always uncomfortable and oftentimes painful, as one is forced to let go of things one no longer needs or cannot hold onto any longer. That is our current situation here in Florida at Two Sisters.

A few years ago, Aurora, co-founder of Two Sisters Natural Soaps and your local soap making guru, received a diagnosis and strong recommendation from a very well respected local medical specialist.   This doctor believed it would be in her best long term interest to strongly consider relocating to a different environment in an effort to help alleviate some of the issues that are unfortunately having a severe impact upon Aurora’s ability to continue with her daily way of life due to her medical diagnosis.  After years of struggling to avoid change we are reluctantly heeding this doctor’s recommendation. We have learned that we cannot continue on as we had once hoped and planned. We are preparing to permanently relocate, and this move will take us out of the state of Florida.  Unfortunately, this means that we will not be able to continue appearing at the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market, and our final curtain call will be on Saturday, November 9, 2019. 

So, where does this leave you, our friends and customers? Fear not, we are not closing up shop.  Far from it!  While we will not be at the weekly market after November 9, 2019, we are always here either on social media and our website, www.herbsandsundries.com, via internet/email communication, or even that highly antiquated thing known as a phone call.  We will still be making all of the soaps and products that you have grown to love, and will continue to provide them for purchase and order.  We have spoken with some of you regarding our relocation as we have been able, and the highly supportive and encouraging responses from all of you have been incredible. It has made this difficult decision and process less so. Thank you for the positivity and encouragement.

Over the years through all of the markets and events we have done, we have formed so many unique relationships with many of our customers.  What started off as a great way to be able to present our soaps to the community has become so much more than that, because of the many great people we see and interact with every single week.  We have seen our customers, up close and personal, as you have marked off milestones in life such as getting married, having children (or in some cases grandchildren), and sometimes experiencing various health related issues as well.  So often we have had so many of you, our customers, share these experiences with us through your stories, experiences, and pictures.

Having developed these wonderful relationships with all of you, makes this announcement more saddening than one could ever realistically predict.  We aren’t kidding when we say we are going to miss all y’all.

Both Aurora and her husband Steve (whom many of you may know from his presence at the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market every Saturday) offer our sincerest thanks to all of our customers.  No matter if you were the very first winner from our free bar of soap on the first day we attended the Sunday Clermont Farmer’s Market all those years ago, or if you somehow end up being our final Winter Garden Farmer’s Market customer on Saturday, November 9, 2019, we value and appreciate each and every one of you.  For all of the out flowing of support and appreciation that you have shown to us and our ventures, we simply say thank you.  We will see you on Saturday, November 9, at the Winter Garden Farmers Market. Come wish us farewell as we start on the new chapter of our adventures. 

Hurricane Dorian means we need to stay home and prep. Also soap and rain are not good friends. Sorry for the late notice, but we will not be attending today's Winter Garden Farmer's Market, Aug. 31. Stay safe and as dry as you can. 

Well, we try to give as much heads up as possible for our farmer's market appearance. Consider yourselves warned: We Will NOT be attending the Winter Garden Farmers Market tomorrow, Saturday June 8th. The forecasted rains are just a bit too threatening for us. As i always say, "Soap and water and grand friends, but rain and soap are archenemies." 

We will be back, barring unforeseen circumstances, next week! Hopefully the Chocolate and Stout Top Shelf Edition bars will be ready to make their appearance again!

​www.wintergardenfarmersmarket.com/

The adventures in soaping are forever ongoing. We started to make the Chocolate and Stout bar and had a lye blowup. No seriously. The moment the sodium hydroxide hit the beer it started bubbling up worse than any witch's cauldron in any movie I've ever seen! (And i've seen many.) At first i thought the beer wasn't flat enough. That we had a carbonation reaction occur causing the beer and lye mixture to bubble up and start dissolving the rivets in my stainless steel mixing pot.  (Yeah. That happened.) but upon further inspection, the beer that i had purchased in past had nitrogen in it. Said so on the package, but in tiny, tiny letters. SO. 

We have disposed of the beer and lye mixture safely and properly, and have cleaned up from soapmaking for the day. The melted cacao and coconut oil for the batch has been set aside and is ready for the next batch of beer soap - as soon as we go get another gallon of un-nitrogenated beer. Until then, enjoy what was the start of something beautiful: an island of coconut oil in a sea of melted cacao.

Put together a bulk order today. It was supervised by our local manager, Mr. MiniBuddy. He did his job incredibly well by staying in their hammock while i worked. That was the best purchase i have made in a while. It's rather challenging typing with this beast in your lap.

AS PROMISED!!! Aren't these beautiful?!?!! Solid oak, cut from a single piece, sanded, stained, and varnished by us. Natural variations in the wood make each soap dish unique. This is just the first run. I know what i want to do for the next run and can hardly wait to see how they turn out. What is in store? You'll just have to tune in later to find out!!! Whatchy'all think????

SNEAK PEEK

The soap has been wrapped and loaded. Oh, and yeah, we *ALSO* have a few new soap dishes to show off that will be on the table. We're going to try for a few photos tomorrow in the pretty morning light. Come by our table at the Winter Garden Farmer's Market from 9-2 pm to see a sneak peek! Never fret though, I will definitely put the pix on here and our other social media accounts too! See y'all tomorrow!

Our Irish is showing just a wee bit. Getting ready to do a batch of our Top Shelf Edition of our Chocolate and Stout bars. Yes, we use a full GALLON of Guinness Stout in a batch of our soap bars. Yes, i know - my heart weeps a little but seriously, after washing my hair with these bars - i  weep no more. 

We keep getting chased in and out with the rain. Alas, that is Florida summer for you. Never fear, we are boldly moving forward and are working to have some new soap dishes on the table this Saturday at the Winter Garden Farmers Market. We sacrificed a first full board's worth of oak soap dishes to the god of education, however we learned more than a one or two things from the experience. I consider that the  Price of Learning. Working to snap some pictures of the process when I can stay out there for more than a few minutes due to the heat.