October 31, 2007 – Halloween Special!
In celebration of Halloween we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50.00.

No time to make a special discount code or adjust the shopping cart so we will manually adjust your order/invoice when processing. Orders must be placed via our website to qualify for free shipping.

Sale Starts: October 31, 2007 (9:00 am)
Sale Ends October 31, 2007 (midnight)

Free shipping does NOT apply to international orders.
Shipping carrier will be our choice and will be via regular service (no overnight/express etc.)

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Herbs have played an important part in man’s life for countless years.

Early settlers brought herbs to America for use as remedies for illnesses, flavoring, storing with linens, strewing on floors, or burning for their pleasant fragrances. Some herbs were used to improve the taste of meats in the days before preservation techniques were developed. Other herbs were used to dye homespun fabrics.

Herb gardens were almost an essential feature of pioneer homes. They were placed in sunny corners near the house to be readily available to the busy homemaker. As the population of the new country grew, people from many nations brought herbs with them. This resulted in an exchange of slips, seeds, and plants.

Many herbs familiar to settlers from other countries were found growing wild in the new country. These included parsley, anise, pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and lavender. American Indians knew uses for almost every wild, nonpoisonous plant, but they used the plants chiefly for domestic purposes — tanning and dyeing leather and eating.

**Blackberry Sage

Blackberry Sage…An outstanding blend of fresh blackberries mixed with the heady scent of sage.
A perfect blend they seem to work together and you smell equal parts of both.
A unique blend that just may become your favorite! 

Blackberries, like raspberries, are bramble fruits. The roots of the plants live indefinitely and send forth thorny canes that sprout up one year, bear fruit the next year, then die back to be replaced by new growth.

There are some well-established hybrids all of which were achieved by crossing blackberries with raspberries. These include loganberries, marionberries and boysenberries. The boysenberry was created by Rudolph Boysen of Napa, California back in the 1920’s. He abandoned his berry when he sold his farm but a fruit seller named Walter Knott rescued a few canes from the neglected property. Walters success with the berry inspired him to start a larger business…known today as Knott’s Berry Farm.

Sage -  The fragrance is strong, herbal, fresh and spicy. Native Americans used sage for ceremonial cleansing.
Sage is a silvery-green plant with leaves that offer a memorable fragrant. The most common form of sage first came from the area around the Mediterranean but now grows in regions of North America as well. The leaves of the sage herb serve both medicinal and culinary purposes.

**Ginger Lime

Ginger Lime…a complex and exciting blend – not only does it contain ginger and lime but it also has hints of lemon, lily, grapefruit with a slight pinch of spice!

Ginger – A natural remedy for nausea, motion sickness and general stomach upset due to its carminative effects that help break up and expel intestinal gas. In spite of it being a natural remedy it is important that any medicinal use of ginger be discussed with your doctor.

Ancient Indians used it to treat digestive problems and as a spiritual and physical cleanser.

Lime – Its aroma is sharp, tart, citrus with a hint of sweetness.
Lime is antiseptic, antiviral and astringent.

**Sweetgrass & Sage

A sweet, light herbal blend.

Native Indians have long considered sweetgrass to be a sacred plant and it has played an important role in sacred ceremonies. Naturally growing throughout most of North America sweetgrass prefers rich, moist soil in sunny locations.
The grass can be dried and braided then burned as incense.
Sweetgrass has a very herbal scent.

Sage – The fragrance is strong, herbal, fresh and spicy. Native Americans used sage for ceremonial cleansing.
Sage is a silvery-green plant with leaves that offer a memorable fragrant. The most common form of sage first came from the area around the Mediterranean but now grows in regions of North America as well. The leaves of the sage herb serve both medicinal and culinary purposes.

Blackberry Sage Soap Log

Blackberry Sage Soap Bar & Lotion

Ginger Lime Soap Bar & Lotion

Sweetgrass Sage Soap Bar & Lotion

Country Meadow

www.countrymeadowltd.com

What is a Garden?
By Reginald Arkell

What is a garden?

Goodness knows!
You’ve got a garden.

I suppose:
To one it is a piece of ground
For which some gravel must be found.
To some, those seeds that must be sown,
To some a lawn that must be mown.
To some a ton of Cheddar rocks;
To some it means a window-box;
To some, who dare not pick a flower-
A man, at three-and-six an hour.
To some, it is a silly jest
About the latest garden pest;
To some, a haven where they find
Forgetfulness and peace of mind….

What is a garden?
Large or small,
‘Tis just a garden,
After all

**Grapefruit Mint

A synergistic blend of grapefruit, yuzu, red ginger, lemon along with mint, cucumber and lettuce.

The grapefruit is a sub-tropical citrus tree grown for its fruit which was originally named the “forbidden fruit” of Barbados.

Grapefruit comes in many varieties, determinable by color, which is caused by the pigmentation of the fruit in respect of both its state of ripeness and genetics.

The most popular varieties cultivated today are red, white, and pink hues, referring to the inside, pulp color of the fruit. The family of flavors range from highly acidic and somewhat bitter to sweet and tart.

Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. During the middle ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Mint tea is a strong diuretic. Mint also aids digestion.

Menthol from mint essential oil (40-90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also much used in medicine as a component of many drugs, and are very popular in aromatherapy.

**Tuscan Tomato

A leafy, tomato scent with a heavy dose of basil. A perfect kitchen soap and a gardener’s favorite.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, as are its close cousins tobacco, chili peppers, potato, and eggplant. The tomato is native to Central, South, and southern North America from Mexico to Peru. It is a perennial, often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual, typically reaching to 1–3 m (3 to 10 feet) in height, with a weak, woody stem that often vines over other plants.

The various basils have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils which come together in different proportions for various breeds. The strong clove scent of sweet basil comes from eugenol, the same chemical as actual cloves. The citrus scent of lemon basil and lime basil is because they have a higher portion of citral which causes this effect in several plants, including lemon mint, and limonene, which gives actual lemon peel its scent. African blue basil has a strong camphor smell because it has camphor and camphene in higher proportions. Licorice Basil contains anethole, the same chemical that makes anise smell like licorice, and in fact is sometimes called Anise Basil.

**Wild Lettuce

A pleasant crisp, green scent.

You wouldn’t think Lettuce would actually have a scent would you?
Wild Lettuce is a crisp green scent that is perfect for the Gardener in your life!

Low in calories Lettuce is a great way to get one of your five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. One cup of raw salad greens counts as one serving of vegetables in the USDA’s food guide pyramid. The outer leaves as well as varieties that are dark green and reddish are the most nutritious by providing water, fiber, folate and small amounts of other important vitamins and minerals like zinc and potassium.

To bump up the nutritional quality of the salads you serve, try tossing in some deeply colored salad greens. Spinach, watercress, Lamb’s lettuce, and dandelion greens are loaded with beta-carotene, a pigment our bodies can convert to vitamin A. Dandelion greens, endive, chicory, romaine, and spinach also provide plenty of folate, a vitamin many consider an important nutrient for cardiovascular health.

Grapefruit Mint Lotion

Grapefruit Mint Sugar Scrub

Grapefruit Mint Soap

Grapefruit Mint Collection

Tuscan Tomato Lotion

Tuscan Tomato Sugar Scrub

Tuscan Tomato Collection

Wild Lettuce Lotion

Wild Lettuce Soap

Wild Lettuce Collection

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com
 

What can we say….Fall is our favorite time of year.
Colorful leaves and clean crisp air and pumpkins bright orange in the farmers fields. Our Apple Spice, Autumn Winds and Pumpkin Spice are perfect for this time of year.

**Apple Spice

Amber Bamboo, Jasmine and Mandarin Bamboo are sultry, sexy and exotic while at the same time not overpowering.

As you dream of far away places try this salad for an Oriental suprise!

Asian Coleslaw
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.
In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss with the peanut butter mixture just before serving.
10 servings

**Amber Bamboo

A sensual, deep fragrance that starts with the green notes of mandarin leaf and orange blossom, middle notes of bulgarian rose and vetiver with a dry down of sandalwood, bourbon vanilla, amber, tonka bean and labdanum.

Situated at the Dragon’s-Eye Cave in the northeastern suburb of Guangzhou, and 15 kilometers from downtown, the South China Botanical Garden was established in 1958 and occupies an area of 300 hectares for the purpose of developing tropical and subtropical plants. A total of 5,000 such plants are growing there.

Adding to the beauty of the entire garden is a cluster of elegant architectural structures. The botanical garden has emerged as one of the New Eight Scenes of Guangzhou, the City of Rams, and receives flocks of visitors every year.

**Jasmine

A light, soft, flowery fragrance that is close to the actual Jasmine flower.

In India the jasmine plant is called ‘queen of the night’ or ‘moonshine in the garden’.
Jasmine blossoms are white in color and emit a magical fragrance that penetrates the deepest layers of our soul.

Jasmine influences the emotional part of us as the fragrance not only lightens our mood but brings euphoria. It is especially helpful for emotional issues, particularly when they involve relationships and sex. Jasmine excites sensuality.

In India people have known about the power of jasmine for centuries. Many portrayals of lovers bathed in moonlight near a garden or lake include the jasmine plant, which mirrors the mysterious moonlight in its blossoms.

**Mandarin Bamboo

A unique blend this one is hard to describe but one you will certainly love.
An exotic blend of bamboo, orange and florals this has got to be our favorite of the Hint of Asia collection.

Mandarin (orange)
Sweet, warm, sensuous and alive! Mandarin conveys warmth, happiness and light-heartedness.
Mandarin represents the feminine powers, strengthening heart and soul and making us feel we want to embrace the universe.

Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae. Some of its members are giants forming the largest members of the grass family. It is found in diverse climates…from cold mountains to hot tropical regions.

Bamboo’s long life makes it a Chinese symbol of long life while in India it is a symbol of friendship. In Chinese culture, the bamboo along with mei, orchids and chrysanthemum are held in high esteem and are referred to as the ‘four of great nobility’. Each plant represents a particular aspect of a noble person in confucian ideology.

Amber Bamboo Soap Bar

Amber Bamboo Lotion

Amber Bamboo Soap Bars & Lotion

Jasmine Soap Bars

Jasmine Lotion

Jasmine Soap Bar & Lotion

Mandarin Bamboo Soap Bars

Mandarin Bamboo Lotion

Mandarin Bamboo Soap & Lotion

Mandarin Bamboo Soap & Lotion

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Our Essentials Collection is naturally scented using essential oil blends.
All products are left to their natural color.

Essential oils became available through the invention of steam distillation.
In times past our forefathers burned the dried herbs over hot coals and rock which released their fragrance. This rising smoke became a fragrant communication between people and their gods. With the smoke, people sent prayers, offerings and wishes.

The most fragrant and precious herbs were chosen as these gifts to the gods.
In ancient times, healing was limited to priests and priestesses and was considered a sacred art associated with religion and holiness.
Pleasant fragrances were considered a sign that the gods were present, while unpleasant smells signaled the presence of unkind powers.

**Birch Collection
Has a sweet, spicy, minty fragrance…similiar to wintergreen gum!
Birch has an invigorating effect on the senses. Naturally scented with Birch essential oil.

This essential oil is wonderful in soap…the camphorous aroma really comes through.

Birch essential oil is very difficult to work with in cp (cold process) soap but because it’s a perfect compliment to our Juniper and Spruce soaps (and it’s my favorite of the three) we have decided it’s worth the extra effort it takes to work fast before the soap sets up!

**Juniper Collection

Juniper Berry has a coniferous, woody, spicy, refreshing herbal aroma that comes through very well in our soap. Naturally scented with Juniper essential oil.

**Lavender Patchouli Collection

Naturally scented with lavender and patchouli essential oils. A wonderful blend as it is not overpowering.
The lavender mellows out the patchouli so even if you are not fond of the ‘earthy’ scent you may just like this blend!
Product left to its natural color.

Lavender has been praised for its mild, balancing and stimulating effect on both the skin and mind.
Especially good for dry skin as well as treating wounds, eczema, dermatitis and headaches.
Lavender has long been used in aromatherapy to help with mood swings, irritability, anger and depression. It can have a balancing and cleansing affect on the mind giving way to tranquility.
Lavender – Commonly called ‘Blue Magic’.

Patchouli essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of dried, fermented leaves. The scent is woody, earthy and smoky.
Patchouli can act like an aphrodisiac and is commonly added to perfumes, soap, lotions and other skin care products.
The essential oil helps prevent viral infections and heal wounds.

**Lavender Rosemary

Naturally scented with lavender and rosemary essential oils. An old world blend that has become quite popular.
Product left to its natural color.

Lavender has been praised for its mild, balancing and stimulating effect on both the skin and mind.
Especially good for dry skin as well as treating wounds, eczema, dermatitis and headaches.
Lavender has long been used in aromatherapy to help with mood swings, irritability, anger and depression. It can have a balancing and cleansing affect on the mind giving way to tranquility.
Lavender – Commonly called ‘Blue Magic’.

Rosemary stimulates the central nervous system strengthening mental clarity and awareness. It fragrance is often chosen to accompany meditation.

Rosemary belongs to the large family of labiate plants which include mint, sage, basil, thyme, patchouli and lavender. The scent is strong, clear and strengthening. Rosemary essential oil has the longest history and remains the most valued.

Stories and folktales regarding rosemary have been told for centuries. It is said to attract elves and ghosts..the good kind of course!

**Patchouli Vanilla

Naturally scented with patchouli essential oil and a touch of vanilla.
A very nice blend that is not too overpowering. A must have even if you are not a patchouli lover!
Product is left to its natural color.

The essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of dried, fermented leaves. The scent is woody, earthy and smoky.
Patchouli can act like an aphrodisiac and is commonly added to perfumes, soap, lotions and other skin care products.
The essential oil helps prevent viral infections and heal wounds.

Who doesn’t like vanilla! A sweet, warm fragrance vanilla calms, relaxes and softens anger, frustration and irritability. People often reach for chocolate because of the vanilla it contains.
Vanilla helps add sweetness, depth and softness and is a compliment to many other fragrances and essential oils.

**Spruce

Fresh, herbal pine scent that comes through very well in our soap.
Scent is good for stress and anxiety relief. Naturally scented with Spruce essential oil.

Spruce

Lavender Rosemary

Birch

Juniper

Lavender Patchouli

Patchouli Vanilla

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

We are now taking orders for the following holiday soap logs:

Simply Soft Collection: Gingerbread

Seasons Greetings Collection: Cranberry Fig, Holiday Candy, Northwoods Christmas

The above scents are seasonal and in limited supply. Order early to guarantee availability!

Soap will take 3 weeks to cure so keep this in mind when ordering. All soap log orders will be shipped one curing is done.

Make your own custom packaging for unique holiday gift giving….soap can be cut using a sharp knife, wrapped in handmade paper and tied with raffia for an elegant, eco-friendly stocking stuffer!

Gingerbread Soap Log (Simply Soft Collection)

Cranberry Fig Soap Log (Seasons Greetings Collection)

Northwoods Christmas Soap Log (Seasons Greetings Collection)

Holiday Candy Soap Log (Seasons Greetings Collection)

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

We had our Gardener’s collection redesigned with our new look….but I was not entirely happy with the decorative bar design….

So I asked our graphic designer if they could come up with something a little more….modern, hip and fun-like…

They did not disappoint!

Our Gardener’s collection is my very most favorite new labeling done yet….

Simple yet modern the floral green and brown design is a perfect fit for our Gardener’s collection.

(note: we will be adding sugar scrubs and gift bags to this collection in early 2008!!)

Grapefruit Mint Lotion

Tuscan Tomato Soap

Wild Lettuce Lotion

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

We now offer our products in gift bags for a unique gift-giving alternative to willow baskets.

All gift bags are hand decorated with handmade paper, embossed paper, yarn, ribbons and beads. Remove the yarn, ribbon and beads and the bag can be recycled!

As always we offer a free gift card with your message with each gift bag ordered.

Now Available:

Fall Harvest – Apple Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Autumn Winds

Gift Bag Includes: Soap, Lotion, Pillar Candle, Candle Holder all in matching scents

Seasons Greetings – Cranberry Fig, Holiday Candy, Northwoods Christmas

Gift Bag Includes: Soap, Lotion, Pillar Candle, Candle Holder all in matching scents

Herbal Tea – Chai Tea & Fig, Red Currant & Green Tea, White Tea & Ginger

Gift Bag Includes: Soap, Lotion, Sugar Scrub

Note: Variations in gift bag design, color and decor can and will vary due to product availability

We will be offering gift bags for all of our product lines and will add them to the website as they become available.

White Tea & Ginger Gift Bag (Herbal Tea)

Pumpkin Spice Gift Bag (Fall Harvest)

Cranberry Fig Gift Bag (Seasons Greetings)

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com

There is a potential big wind storm heading towards the Puget Sound area and should hit sometime Thursday (October 18th) afternoon and last through Friday evening.

Wind gusts could topple trees and down powerlines resulting in loss of power.

You will still receive our email auto-responders when sending us an email but if we do not personally respond with 24-48 hrs. or you cannot reach us by phone assume that we have a loss of power.

In the event that we lose power we will respond to emails and phone calls as soon as power is restored.

We ask that you have patience if this occurs.

Thank you for your understanding.

Rebecca

Country Meadow Ltd.

www.countrymeadowltd.com