Essential U Blog

AIA Career Development Seminar :: Accelerated Aromatherapy Education

Now is the time to mark your calendars for the Alliance of International Aromatherapists Career Development Seminar.  This will be a great opportunity to dig deeper into subjects that can really enhance your aromatherapy education and business practice.

    

AIA has put together a wonderful two day program with some retreat time as well as time to network and visit with friends!  AIA will also have their annual members' meeting and election of new directors and officers.

Hidden Below the Surface

When I was growing up my family camped a lot, I mean really a lot, as it was our means of seeing the world on a budget.  Back then there was a book called Europe on $10 a day and my parents took their advice literally.   We camped so much so that as an adult I’ve never pitched a tent.  I believe sometimes camping skips a generation.  Tease me all you want, but if I never hear the sound of a tent zipper again in my life I will die happy. 

    

We also camped our way across America.  There wasn’t an America on $10 a day book but I think that my parents could have written one.  Our travels brought us to a memorable camping site in Oklahoma that changed the way I looked at things. 

Essential Wholesale Recipe Wall of Fame :: Melissa's Fur So Fresh for Dogs

Melissa was quick to volunteer to add her recipe idea to the Essential Wholesale Recipe Wall of Fame.  She said as a kid she was always mixing and experimenting with anything she could get her hands on.  Her idea for Fur So Fresh for Dogs came from a conversation she had with a friend at the dog park regarding fleas and ticks. 

    

Today her idea was solidified when she was flipping through The Herb Companion and found the article Repel Pests Naturally.  Her dogs Gigi and C-Boy will love Melissa's new product made with their shared hikes in mind. 

The Business of Soap :: The Story of After the Rayne

Nikie Brown of After the Rayne started with a hobby that turned into a passion which expanded into a business that she can pass on to her children and generations to come.  I first met Nikie in person at the 2009 Handcrafted Soapmakers Annual Conference in Palm Springs.  Her passion for soap, her family and the community of soapers has always been easy to spot.

  

Right after the 2010 Annual Conference in Denver this year I got an email from Nikie alerting me that one of her friends and a fellow soaper had a missing child.  We immediately added her to our missing children Wordless Wednesday reports and continue to ask for your help getting the word out about missing child Ali Lowitzer. 

Wordless Wednesday :: Missing Person :: Cheyanne Sandoval

At Essential Wholesale we have our own approach to Wordless Wednesday.  To read more about our Wordless Wednesday Missing Person's series click here.

  

Missing Child: Cheyanna Sandoval
Nickname: Shyy
Date Missing: 5/7/2010
Missing From: Lakewood, CO
DOB: 9/9/1995
Age at Disappearance: 14 years old
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian/Hispanic
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 130 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown

Circumstances: Cheyanna went missing from Lakewood, Colorado on May 7, 2010. She may still be in the local area.

If you have information concerning this case, please contact:  The Polly Klaas® Foundation (800) 587-4357

 

Thai Iced Coffee Recipe

My recipe for Thai Iced Coffee is simple, cool for summer, but a diet buster to keep around the house, so save this for parties.  I don't know if this is how Thai Iced Coffee is really made, I just came up with the recipe after tasting some at my favorite Thai Restaurant and loved it.  This recipe has been a hit ever since.

    

Ingredients
8-10 cups Brewed Coffee
1 14 oz can Borden Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Ice Cubes

That is it!  Just brew 8-10 cups of your favorite coffee, allow to cool slightly.  Mix sweetened condensed milk with warm coffee, allow to cool further, serve over ice.  This simple recipe can be expanded by adding your favorite spices but you won't need any additional sweetener. 

Resource :: American Council on Science and Health

The American Council on Science and Health is another valuable resource for scientific information. It was founded by Elizabeth M. Whelan, Sc.D., M.P.H. in 1978.  She has a Masters in Public Health from the Yale School of Medicine a Master of Science from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a Doctor of Science from the Harvard School of Public Health.  Needless to say she is qualified to talk on subject of  Public Health topics.  

    

A few articles worth reading on current events include:
Crying Wolf about 'Chemicals' and Cancer
What's the Story? Health Claims Against Cosmetics 
President's Cancer Panel Reveals Activist Media are the Real Cancer

The Power of Your Story

Your story is priceless.  It is powerful.  Here is a little story that stopped an airplane which demonstrates the power of the story and sharing it.   

    

It all started when I left for Ireland from Germany to meet up with a group that had flown there from America.  This was all in the "dark ages" of communication before cell phones, text messaging or even emails.  We made special arrangements for my flight to arrive in Dublin several hours ahead of my group. In theory this was a good plan, but back then if one thing went wrong an entire plan could be destroyed.

Banana Facial Masques for All Skin Types :: Guest Post Katherine Corkill

I love bananas, but I always seem to have an abundance of over ripe bananas.  The other day I was trying to come up with something new to do with my ripe bananas other than freeze them for smoothies or make my banana bread recipe. 

    

In my journey online I stumbled upon Katherine Corkill's blog Banana Facial Masques for All Skin Types.  It was one of those, well of course moments, since I often recommend looking in your own kitchen for facial supplies.  I loved Katherine's take on the topic so much that I wrote her and asked for her to guest her banana post on Essential U. 

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun on Sustainability

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Founder and President of Ambassador Organics, in her keynote address to the 2010 Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Annual Conference was literally so quotable that I couldn’t keep up with my note taking.  I dared to ask her for a peek at her notes after her talk so that I could write down a few of the quotes I missed.  Ambassador Braun was so generous that she not only gave me a peek but sent me her entire speech! 

        

I started out this blog with the intention of pulling out a few gems, but the speech was so artistically woven together that the power of her message compounded upon itself in such a way that removing even a word seemed a crime.  No matter what your politics are Ambassador Braun’s message on sustainability is powerful.  Please set aside politics and listen to the women, the business owner, the mother and her story of the unique journey that brought her to this message.