Tea U

"It was only a matter of time.." I thought to myself as I gathered a modest selection of fragrant dried herbs to chop/cut and place into my tea strainer for the first go 'round at Subtle Tea, the newest addition to the 303 family, which is a part of an also new addition to 303 f+b, 303 Home.

I learned to delight in tea from my mother, who would delight in it each day, at any given time of the day. Other than it being a flavorful, uplifting experience, tea also kept us exceptionally healthy. As a teen I began to enjoy tea with my mom, and in all honesty I never remember being ill. Sick days from school came because I simply didn't feel like going to school that day. I remember giggling when it was about 30 minutes past the time I should have been up and ready for school when my mother would knock on my bedroom door and say, "Why are you not getting ready for school yet, Mon?" (Nickname) Barely being able to say it with a straight face I'd reply, "My head hurts.." or any given fabrication. She knew darn well I was fine.. and with all of the tea that we enjoyed, illness was pretty much a non issue.

The picture above is one of my average "cuppas," usually filled with any given sumptuous tea. Over the last year and a half I have started to delight in loose leaf tea. It's a ritual that is so pleasant and calming.. inhaling various herbs in anticipation of the instant calm that is brought along by sipping while working, or enjoying your current read.

I've been making a body tea for some time now, so there is no shortage of herbs in the loft. One morning I decided to get a few herbs that I thought might make a tasty medley, while being smooth and calming and viola! It was almost like second nature. The tea was wonderful, if I do say so myself. I've had years of practice, if you will, meaning that I know what I enjoy when it comes to tea, I know what universally makes a great tea, and also, perhaps most importantly, I know what the herbs that are within a tea can do for your overall health.

.. and 303 Subtle Tea was born.

I now wrap up this entry with a sip from my cuppa.

Same cup as I had in the first photo from four years ago, only this isn't a tazo tea that I've delighted in for years from Starbucks, this time, the tea is my own.

This is the Zen Den.

RELOAD.

Grrr.

Did you know.. that aside from being the creator of a face and body product line that I am a writer? Well l am, and let me tell you something, not only writer's get writer's block. Although, since I am talking about a pause in product making, let's dub the lull I had "product block."

I am kidding.. a little. My mind runs wild with countless next level ideas for 303 f+b.  I finally had to sit down with my husband and tell him that although it seems that I am not currently doing anything with my company, I've had a huge idea that I've been trying to fine tune, release, and watch soar. The idea has been in my mind since late December.. growing, developing, changing position, shape, size, flavor, you name it. It's one idea.. but it is a HUGE idea.. that I want to bring to life, like.. yesterday.

Now my husband, who is one smart mutha even had to tell me.. "let me think about that one.." after I told him my idea. Funny, it was like I took my hunk of idea off of my shoulders and placed it onto his, because after I gave him my thought, I immediately designed a new product for the line.. and he sat.. talking with me, yet trying to figure out how to give legs to my idea.

.. and when the "product block" was lifted, Bad Behaviour was born.

My latest, my new obsession. My current lip color.

I'm proud, I'm in love with it, and as always, I stand behind my goods 200%.

Now... how to grow that idea of mine............ :-)

This has been The Zen Den.

In the Beginning..

Aside from years of buying every cute, trendy, and effective face and body product that graced the inner pages of Harpers Bazaar, Allure and Lucky Magazine, what motivated me to give making face and body products a go wad this handmade lovers bible, if you will. This "Book of Inspiration" really helped my "get up and go" to push forward and invent.

That title is not just whistling dixie.. this is indeed the book of inspiration for all of us "handmade babes" with an artsy eye and creative touch. Many summers ago I studied this book.. the way the ladies had set up studios within their home, learning at what age the passion for creating struck them, the images of them at work/play, proudly creating the finest details with the largest imagination.... makes my heart smile to simply recall the greatness. 

If you're an artsy fartsy type, or simply thinking about creating the things you love on a "larger" scale.. or if you'd like to start a craft and see how it develops, or if you simply want to experience great joy in the process, I HIGHLY recommend checking out this book. You won't be disappointed. Years later, I still grab it and find renewed motivation.

This is the Zen Den.

Thou Shalt put the "I Can Do That Better" Sentence on Ice.

Now.. I can do A LOT.. and I'm always ready to learn something new.. but when I started making products I became very haughty, if you will. In other words, I had no interest in buying anything else ever in life because hey, I could totally make that myself.

Well, it's four years later and I'm in a comfortable place where I can admit that I am not the be all and end all, lmao. Our house is full of my products... but I had to get to a point where I realized that other companies still made stuff that I enjoy as well, such as the hand soaps at Bath and Body Works, numerous high end perfumes.. and most anything from Sephora.

That being said, I really want to promote Anderson Soap Company, which is on Etsy. His products are "amaze." What triggered this blog was me pulling out some of Anderson's red apple whipped soap, and scoffing because I have yet to master whipped soap.. but that's okay, because there's enough room in this world for everyone.. and all product makers can co exist happily ever after.. or so I keep telling myself.. 😀

This is the Zen Den.

That's right, kiss my feet, I totally just re-invented your product.

City Girl Sleuth

All women possess an inner spy.. I was practicing fine tuning mine here.. #funstuff

It's All in Meeee

It's all in me.. hidden nerd, visible creative type, and everything in between.

I was just looking at a compliment on a product that a customer ordered, and how elated they were to receive their free sample. I smiled, happy to receive a response from yet another satisfied customer.. then I said to myself, "Whoa, when did I create a company.. and begin to "brand" myself?" 

"Pinch myself" moments like that happen here and there for me. It's the funniest thing. One part of me creates and develops products like second nature, and then there's a part of me that is floored with it all. 

Story of my life.

I'm an afrocentric woman that fully understands and adapts into any given "white bread" environment. My childhood was as lovely and "white picket fence 'ish" as you can imagine. My only "struggles" came in my twenties, self inflicted wounds that were a result of a girl that had never wanted for anything prior to leaving home, and left home and still wanted the "want for nothing" life. Aside from those bumpy twenties, everything has always come ridiculously easily to me. 

Subjects that I excelled in as a school girl I could virtually do with my eyes closed, perhaps even in a light slumber. ( I kid. )

Ideas have flowed like a waterfall, with a tendency to flow so plentiful and with such force that I actually shut myself down, to a zone that could appear kin to lazy, but it's not so. 

For a good 15+ years now, I've buried the "urkel" in me. That person took a backseat as fashion, glamour and haughty stepped to the front. I'm not complaining, I have completely enjoyed that part, but I am getting to a point in my life where I need to marry those two sides. I miss my nerdy white picket fence side. For years I found it okay to be merely a "face." Intellect was not even necessarily secondary, it was simply non existent, and I made it that way. 

No more.

Last week an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians actually left me with a splitting headache. I didn't even make it halfway through the catastrophe of an episode. I told my husband, "Please, turn that off. Delete it from the ~to be recorded~ files. I cannot do this anymore." I was surprised at my physical reaction because I sincerely enjoyed that show at one time. 

Thank God for progress.

Creating a company has re-awakened a side of me that I didn't think I was interested in bringing to the surface once again.. but I want to..

.. and I love it.

It's a beautiful morning.. Introducing 303 & Sexy Earth Chi