Goodbye 2009

Hey Y'all!!

As we close the book on 2009, I'd like to thank you for a fabulous year! I wish you much happiness and success the New Year can bring.



As always, I am very interested in your feedback. If there is something you would like to see Cactus & Ivy manufacture in 2010, please let me know!

Thanks again for your business and I look forward to serving your spa, bath and body product needs in 2010!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Cranberries

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Cactus & Ivy uses the highly moisturizing oil of Cranberry Seed. It is the only carrier oil available with a one to one ratio of Omega 6 (linoleic) to Omega 3 (alpha-linolenic) fatty acids. It also contributes to the lipid barrier protection of the skin and helps with moisture retention. It is rich in tocopherols (vitamin E), Vitamin A, tocotrienols, phospholipids and phytosterols. Cranberry seed oil can aid in the relief of itchy, scaly, irritated skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

{picture courtesy of Istockphoto.com}

Our Cran Citrus Scrub is a creamy delight for your skin. A sunny yellow body polish with bright red specks of cranberry seeds for extra exfoliation. Lemongrass gives this polish an invigorating and crisp aroma.

Here's another item I would like to share with you. My Mom makes an awesome Cranberry Salad that has become a staple at all our family gatherings. Now I'm a gal that enjoys food and this stuff is good enough to eat all by itself! Yummers!!

Cranberry Salad
16oz + 13oz Sugarless Cherry Jello
2 pks Cranberries, ground
1 c Sugar or Spenda
1 Ground Apple with peel
3/4 c Chopped Celery

Optional & totally worth adding
1 small can Crushed Pineapple
1 c Chopped Pecans

Let cranberries sit in sugar (Splenda) for 1/2 an hour after they are ground. Mix Jello with 3 cups of water. Add to the rest of the ingredients and put in the fridge.

Thanks for stopping by y'all. Happy Holidays to you and yours!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Gift Certificate | Natural Bath and Body Products

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Some say gift cards/certificates are so impersonal. I say no way! I'd much rather receive one from a family member or friend, especially if they don't know my tastes. Then I am free to buy exactly what I want. If you are anything like me, you are particular about bath and body products.



Cactus & Ivy offers gift certificates in any denomination you choose. You may order your gift certificate from the Cactus & Ivy home page or on the products page.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a great day!



Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Recycle to Help St Judes Ranch

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds you having a super duper Tuesday! About a month or so ago, my Mom called to ask me to find a place to recycle the tops of the previous years Christmas cards. So, after a brief search online, I came across St. Jude's Ranch for Children Recycled Card Program.

For thirty years, the Recycled Card Program has been in place. Along with volunteers, the children remove the fronts from donated cards and attach a new back. As it states on their website, "The benefits are two-fold: customers receive "green" holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of "going green".

This is such a wonderful way to give your cards another life and to also brighten the lives of so many. They are presently accepting cards through February 28, 2010. Please take a moment to visit the Recycled Card Program at St. Jude's Ranch for Children for more information and where to send your cards. You'll be glad you did!

Warm fuzzies to y'all and thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

New | Everyday Volume Discount

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Cactus & Ivy has added a 5% volume discount to orders with 5 or more items. There's no code to enter, it is automatically added to your order!


Our Reed Diffusers make a great gift with a fabulous aroma and beautiful color! We are still offering the 15% Southern Living Magazine discount when our Reed Diffusers appeared in the magazine this month. Use code SLM2009. With scents like Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry Fig, Holiday Spice and Plum Cranberry, your home will smell absolutely delicious! The Southern Living discount applies to any item!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and as always, please leave a comment or contact me if you have any questions!

Have a great day!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

New Product | Body Souffle

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you having a fabulous Friday and that your Thanksgiving was the best! Last week I created a new product and I absolutely love it! Drum roll please........




Creamy, dreamy and whipped to perfection with the sweet aroma of butter cream frosting or almond biscotti. I chose shea butter and peach kernel oil as the main ingredients for this goodness in a jar. Shea butter contains a wealth of healing ingredients while peach kernel oil has high levels of fatty acids to nourish the skin. A moisture rich and intense emollient to soften, soothe and hydrate dry skin. A little goes a long way and is packaged with a spatula to eliminate the use of your fingers to remove the product from the jar.
8.1 fl oz | 100% Vegan | 98% Natural

Receive a 15% discount on your entire order with the customer code SOUFFLE!

Y'all voiced your opinion about fragrance oils and I listened. This is the first body product that uses fragrance oils. Butter cream frosting and almond biscotti were chosen for their light and absolutely delectable aromas. Rest assured, they are phthalate free and approved for use in cosmetics.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a fabulous weekend!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all

Wordless Wednesday | Give Thanks

Do You Know What's In Your Beauty Product?

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds you having a spectacular day! Lately, I've been bothered by some of the TV advertisements from the "big box" companies. They claim their product will moisturize deep into the skin while other products of their competitors sit atop the skin.


Here's the skinny on the skin. The skin is the body's largest organ with an area totally around 20 square feet. With (3) three layers, the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, it performs many functions. It serves as a moisture resistance barrier, protects against the environment and provides the sensations of cold, heat and touch.

Cactus & Ivy sources ingredients that are high in Omega 3, Vitamins A, C, D, E & F, Oleic Acid, Palmitoleic Acid and Linoleic Acid to revitalize and restore the skins normal balance. We utilize ingredients that will benefit the skin the most, creating a product with a specific purpose. A complete listing of the ingredients we use can be found here.

Take the time to read the ingredients on your bath and body product label. Cactus & Ivy has always believed in transparency and full disclosure of ingredients in our products. The consumer is savvy and is becoming more knowledgeable about what they put on their skin. We will always list our ingredients in descending order, as required by the FDA Labeling Guidelines. If you want to know which ingredient has the highest percentage that makes up your body product, it is the first ingredient listed. The last ingredient listed has the lowest percentage.

If you have questions about Cactus & Ivy products and the ingredients we use, please leave a comment or contact us directly here.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous weekend!



Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Turkey Trot

Veterans Day Tribute

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you having a great day! Today we honor all military veterans, past and present for their service and sacrifice. This day is especially dear to my heart because of my strong military connections. I'm a Navy Brat and an Army Wife, HOOAH!

Spoken by General Douglas MacArthur at his farewell speech, "Duty," "Honor," "Country" - those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you want to be, what you can be, what you will be".

{care of Istockphoto.com}

My husband, Prevo, was contacted by a brother in arms to ask permission to use his song, Veterans Hand. Dennis put together the following tribute to Prevo's song. Hope you enjoy and please pass it on.



Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a great day!


Cactus & Ivy

Feedback Time

Hey y'all!!

I hope this post finds you having a fabulous Monday! Both the hubs and I are suffering from the cold crud that's going around. I guess it's that time of year.

I'm in need of your help. As you have seen me post before, I absolutely love all feedback - good, bad or indifferent. I've put together a survey to get your thoughts on a few things. Please take a moment to give me your thoughts.

Click Here to take survey

As always, thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day!



Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Dear Deer Friends

Gift Shop Magazine Feature

Hey y'all!!

I hope this email finds you having a fabulous day! Today is another fantastic day and Cactus & Ivy is in another magazine. I will never tire of the exposure Cactus & Ivy is receiving. I am very grateful and honored for the opportunity.


Sue Marquette Poremba wrote a story on All American Sells. It's so refreshing to see all the fabulously talented people right here in the good old U. S. of A.! As Sue writes, "The basic reason behind the "buying American-made" phenomenon is pretty simple: consumers shop their values." Read the story in its entirety: All American Sells

This holiday season, I think you will begin to see more American made products, and who knows, they may just come from your neighbor!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a great day!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Latest News & Happenings

Hey y'all!

I hope you are having a great day and geared up for a fun Halloween! Pumpkin is one of the ingredients on my radar for product creation.


I have been formulating a few new products for the holiday season. After receiving feedback from y'all and many clients, I have decided to incorporate fragrance oils into a few products. It's definitely a fact that consumers like the smell of many scents that can't be produced in nature. While Cactus & Ivy has always used essential oils, I can't deny the fact that many would like to see products scented with options not available in nature. Rest assured, I will only source Phthalate free fragrance oils. Keep your eyeballs peeled because I will be releasing them in the next week.

On another note, Cactus & Ivy Reed Diffusers are featured in the Made by Southern Hands section of the Southern Living Magazine, November issue. Can I just say Woo-Hoo!! What a fabulous opportunity and such an honor. Thanks Southern Living Magazine, y'all ROCK!


Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a great day! Happy "Trick or Treating" tomorrow and be safe!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Lazy Days of Summer are Over

Breast Cancer Awareness

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you having a great Thursday. It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I wanted to help raise awareness and pass on important links.

It's so important that you do monthly breast exams, in addition to, an annual mammogram. If you need help locating a Mammography Center, click here.

For more information about Breast Cancer, here are several sites with a wealth of information:

~ National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. - Click

~ National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Click

~ Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Click


"The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year, over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 40,000 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year".

Click to Give at The Breast Cancer Site. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to help fund free mammograms for women in need. All you have to do is click daily and sponsors pay for the mammograms. It's that easy. Take a moment to visit their site and 'Click to Give' today!

Thank you for taking the time to become more aware of Breast Cancer. We owe it to every woman in our lives, including ourselves! I pray that a cure is found for this horrible disease.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a great day!



Creator-Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Halloween Kitties

Wordless Wednesday | Best Buds

Outdoor Fun | Cornhole Bags

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. If you follow me on twitter, you know that my husband and I make cornhole bags. If you've never played cornhole then you are missing out on great backyard fun!

Several years ago, friends introduced us to cornhole and we've been hooked ever since. It's a game played with a set of boards that have a 6" hole at the top. Below is an example of a set of boards we built.


The boards are placed 27' apart from one another. Two teams gather, one team member on opposite boards. The object of the game is for each team member to throw (4) corn filled bags, either to land on the board for 1 point or go through the hole for 3 points. The game is played alternating from each board until a team reaches 21. Think of it as a variation of horseshoes but with bags of corn. For more information about cornhole, check out the American Cornhole Association website.


We also manufacture cornhole bags. The bags are presently available in black, burgundy, navy, orange, purple, red and yellow. Each bag is 6" x 6" made from duck cloth and contains 16oz {1lb} of corn.

Yes, Cactus & Ivy is a manufacturer of bath and body goodness but I'm also a lover of all things that bring people together. I can't recall a time I have attended a yard gathering where cornhole wasn't present.

Thanks for stopping by y'all. Hope you have a great day and let the fun begin!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Support Cactus & Ivy

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. I am at it again!! I've entered Cactus & Ivy in the 2009 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition and would greatly appreciate your vote.



Registration is not required and you can vote one time each day. Y'all have always gone above and beyond in your support for Cactus & Ivy. Plain and simple......y'all ROCK!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a fabulous day!




Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Ever Have the Feeling You're Being Watched

Deciphering a Cosmetic Label

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. It has been some time since I've posted only because I am having trouble typing with my finger injury. Here goes my re-entry into the blogosphere!


Cosmetics, whether manufactured in the United States or imported from abroad, must be in compliance with the labeling guidelines of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FD&C Act).

Items required on a label are:

• Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by their INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name.

• Must state the name of the product and accurate statement of net weight. Solid, semisolid or viscous cosmetics are listed as pound and ounce where liquid measurements are listed as U.S. gallon and the subdivisions of fluid ounce, quart and pint.

• The name and place of the company distributing the cosmetic must be present. If the company is listed in the phone book, the street address may be omitted. If the company distributing the cosmetic is not the manufacturer, it must state "Manufactured for or Distributed by".
  

• Cosmetics which may be hazardous when misused must bear a warning label and adequate directions for safe use. Examples of products requiring such statements are cosmetics in aerosol containers, feminine deodorant sprays and bubble bath products for children.

• Labels bearing misleading or false information or not labeled in accordance with the labeling guidelines, may be considered misbranded and may be subject to regulatory action.

For more Cosmetic Labeling Guide information, please visit the FDA website.


You may see a period after opening (PAO) symbol on the label. It symbolizes an open jar, which designates the lifespan of the product in months, after opening. The number of months may be listed out to the right side or on the base of the image.


Manufacturers may also include a logo to indicate the product is certified vegan, organic or cruelty free. Other images you may see:
Recycle logo
The Leaping Bunny logo

Caring Consumer (PETA) logo

Cactus & Ivy is licensed to use both The Leaping Bunny and Caring Consumer logos. Each year, I must complete a statement that our products are not tested on animals and I only purchase from suppliers who adhere to the same standards.

I hope this helps you determine what is in your bath and beauty products. If you have any questions, please ask. Whether you are purchasing from Cactus & Ivy or another company, I want you to be informed. I am here to help.

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Coconut Milk Powder

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Coconut Milk Powder has become a favorite ingredient of mine for its creamy feel, natural sweet aroma and the way it makes my skin feel.

Coconut milk powder in bath products create a moisturizing and nutrient rich experience. Comprised of more than 90% medium chain triglycerides, coconut milk powder is a superior emollient, perfect for all skin types and has been used to treat skin ailments like eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

Presently, coconut milk powder is found in our Coconut Soy Bath Grains, but hold the phone. I will be unveiling a new product that is sweet and creamy and full of awesomeness. Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a fabulous day!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Age Old Question

{picture care of istockphoto}

A Day of Remembrance

Hey y'all -

Today is a somber day of remembrance. A day of honoring the men and women who lost their lives 8 years ago today. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the loved ones whose lives were lost on this tragic day.

In honor and remembrance of United Flight 175, American Flight 11, World Trade Center, Pentagon, American Flight 77 and United Flight 93.


This American will never forget. May they rest in peace.


Lisa M. Rodgers
Cactus & Ivy

Wordless Wednesday | Back to Reality

{photo care of istockphoto}