Our 2023 Holiday Collection

We are so excited to introduce our 2023 Holiday collection! We hope that this collection will bring you as much joy as it did to us creating it! Thank ewe so much for supporting our little farm this Christmas! We appreciate it more than you know 🐑 🐑 🐑

CHRISTMAS LAMB SOAP GIFT SET

Share the joy of the season with our CHRISTMAS LAMB soap gift set! The CHRISTMAS LAMB soap gift set includes two all-natural sheep milk soap bars: ENCHANTED FOREST and MAGICAL LAND. These two handcrafted soap bars are embossed with an adorable lamb and come carefully packaged in a little gingerbread house. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

SANTA CLAUS GIFT SET

Bring holiday cheer to your loved ones with our SANTA CLAUS gift set! The set includes an ENCHANTED FOREST sheep milk soap bar and bath tea and a MAGICAL LAND sheep milk soap bar. These three handcrafted sheep goods are carefully packaged in a plaid Santa book box filled with fresh hay and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

ENCHANTED FOREST GIFT SET

Let our ENCHANTED FOREST gift set transport you deep into the woods! The set contains a sheep milk soap bar embossed with a lamb and a sheep milk bath soak that are both naturally colored with spirulina powder and scented with four evergreen essential oils. The ENCHANTED FOREST gift set will come to you in an elegant green gift box filled with fresh hay. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

DESSERT SAUCE GIFT SET

This delectable duo of old fashioned Sheep Milk Peppermint Chocolate and Sheep Milk Salted Caramel Sauces is handmade using sheep milk and all-natural ingredients. These decadent and mouthwatering sauces come in a kraft gift box and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

CHOCOLATE LOVER GIFT SET

Hello Chocolate Lovers! This mouth-watering gift set comprises of our rich and silky smooth Sheep Milk Chocolate Peppermint Sauce and an assortment of 4 gourmet Sheep Milk Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Truffles. Each item is carefully crafted using sheep milk, local and/or organic ingredients. The CHOCOLATE LOVER gift set will come to you in a kraft box and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS EWE - BOARD BOOK

Wrap your little one in love with this sweet Christmas board book during the most punderful time of the year! Wish your little sugarplum a beary Merry Christmas and jingle all the way with this heartwarming story for babies and toddlers! Combining beautiful illustrations, charming animal puns, and the evergreen message of love, All I Want for Christmas is Ewe is a moovelous way to celebrate the season and share your love for each otter.

By Rose Rossner, illustrated by Gail Yerrill

SHEEP WOOL DRYER BALLS - SET OF 4

Get the perfect gift for the environmentally conscious person in your life this holiday season! Our set of 4 extra large sheep wool dryer balls is handmade with wool from our East Friesian sheep and hand dyed wool roving from a local farm. This all-natural set of 4 sheep wool dryer balls will soften your clothes, reduce static, and save energy and money by decreasing drying time. They are long lasting, reusable, and a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to wasteful and toxic dryer sheets. These 4 sheep wool dryer balls come in a reusable vintage Santa drawstring canvas bag. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

Thank ewe so much for choosing the Sheep Shop this holiday season!

From our family to yours,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Our 2022 Christmas Collection

We are so excited to share with you our 2022 Christmas collection of unique and handcrafted sheep goods made in Vermont with love! You will find a variety of affordable gift sets that will satisfy your senses and your palate.
From our family to yours,
Happy Holidays!

MERRY CHRISTMAS SOAP GIFT SET

Bring holiday cheer to your loved ones with our soap gift set! The Merry Christmas soap gift box includes two all-natural sheep milk soap bars: JINGLE BELLS and O CHRISTMAS TREE. These two handcrafted soap bars are embossed with a Christmas tree and Jingle Bells and come carefully packaged in a Merry Christmas red box with a magnetic lid. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

O CHRISTMAS TREE GIFT SET

Share the joy of the season with O CHRISTMAS TREE gift set! The set contains a sheep milk soap bar embossed with a Christmas tree and a sheep milk bath soak that are both naturally colored with spirulina powder and scented with evergreen essential oils. O CHRISTMAS TREE gift set will come to you in an elegant kraft pinstripe black gift box filled with fresh hay. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

JINGLE BELLS GIFT SET

Spread holiday magic with our JINGLE BELLS gift set! The set contains a sheep milk soap bar embossed with Jingle Bells and a sheep milk sugar scrub that are both naturally colored with clays and scented with a custom Christmas essential oil blend. Our JINGLE BELLS gift set will come to you in an elegant kraft pinstripe black gift box filled with fresh hay. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

DESSERT SAUCE GIFT SET

This delectable duo of old fashioned Sheep Milk Peppermint Chocolate and Sheep Milk Salted Caramel Sauces is handmade using sheep milk and all-natural ingredients. These decadent and mouthwatering sauces come in a kraft gift box and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

CHOCOLATE LOVER GIFT SET

Hello Chocolate Lovers! This mouth-watering gift set comprises of our rich and silky smooth Sheep Milk Chocolate Peppermint Sauce and an assortment of 4 gourmet Sheep Milk Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Truffles. Each item is carefully crafted using sheep milk, local and/or organic ingredients. The CHOCOLATE LOVER gift set will come to you in a kraft box and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

CARAMEL CONNOISSEUR GIFT SET

This unique gift set was curated for the caramel connoisseur in your family! The set includes our delectable Sheep Milk Salted Caramel Sauce as well as 3 homemade Sheep Milk Fleur de Sel Caramel Candies. Each item is carefully crafted using sheep milk, local and/or organic ingredients. The CARAMEL CONNOISSEUR gift set will come to you in a kraft box and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

HOLIDAY SAMPLER GIFT SET

The HOLIDAY SAMPLER gift set consists of an assortment of our handcrafted sheep milk goodies that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Each item is carefully crafted using sheep milk, local and/or organic ingredients.

The HOLIDAY SAMPLER set includes:

*A Sheep Milk Peppermint Chocolate Sauce

*A Sheep Milk Salted Caramel Sauce

*A box of 4 Sheep Milk Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Truffles

*A bag of 3 homemade Sheep Milk Fleur de Sel Caramel Candies

The HOLIDAY SAMPLER gift set will come to you in a red plaid basket and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

LITTLE LAMB GIFT SET

Wrap your little one in love this Christmas with this sweet Little Lamb gift set! The set contains Sheep in a Shop board book, a handmade wooden lacing sheep toy, and a sheep greeting card.

SHEEP WOOL DRYER BALLS (SET OF 4)

Get the perfect gift for the environmentally conscious person in your life this holiday season! Our set of 4 extra large sheep wool dryer balls is handmade with wool from our East Friesian sheep and hand dyed wool roving from a local farm. This all-natural set of 4 sheep wool dryer balls will soften your clothes, reduce static, and save energy and money by decreasing drying time. They are long lasting, reusable, and a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to wasteful and toxic dryer sheets. These 4 sheep wool dryer balls come in a reusable vintage Santa drawstring canvas bag.

Thank you so much for choosing the Sheep Shop this holiday season!

With love and gratitude,

THE SHEEP SHOP FAMILY

Our New Maremma Puppy

Meet Joy, our 10 week old Maremma puppy! We welcomed this adorable little girl to our homestead 12 days ago and she has brought us so much joy! She is very smart, she is learning quickly, and she is already demonstrating natural guarding instinct. Since losing our 10 year old Maremma last year, we had multiple incidents involving fisher cats, bears, and deer. We lost multiple chickens and ducks last summer and our garden became an all-you-can-eat buffet for deer:)

We are so grateful to have found Joy and we are excited for all of the adventures we will share together!

Thank you so much for following along our journey!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

The Sounds of our Homestead | Happy Spring 🌷🌷🌷

Happy Spring everyone!

To celebrate this new season of renewed hope, new beginnings, and restoration of all living things, we thought it would be joyful to capture the different sounds we hear on our 11 acre Vermont homestead.

May this Earth and its people heal and May we have PEACE!!!

Thank you so much for watching!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

Making Spring Sheep Milk Soaps

Spring is in the air! Even though the ground is still covered with a blanket of snow, the shop smells of chamomile, rose, geranium, lavender, spearmint, lemongrass, and sage. I am daydreaming of blooming gardens, buzzing bees, and warmer days, but for now, I got busy making two luxurious Spring sheep milk soaps: Yarrow-Lemongrass and Spring Bouquet.

Did you check our new Patreon page yet? We invite you to join us there for Patron-only posts, updates, behind the scenes content, early access to Youtube videos, monthly live Q & A, exclusive voting power and so much more! We will be giving one bar each of our two spring sheep milk soaps to our first patron. Looking forward to have you join us on this new exciting adventure!

Thank you so much for your support!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

New Life on the Homestead

Meet Copper and Calcite, our first lambs of 2022! The two baby girls were born on February 21st without any assistance. Marcialito and I went out to feed the animals and to my utter surprise, I spotted two tiny lambs standing right next to their mother Diamond.

Copper and Calcite are healthy and nursing well and they are bringing us so much joy and light. I hope they can give you a little respite from everything that is happening in the world right now…

Take care of yourself!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

Life Update

After an extended break, we are back blogging and posting on social media.

This pause allowed me to reflect on some of the things that happened to our family in the past year (accident, job loss, death of our beloved sheepdog, my father's bout with sepsis and Alzheimer diagnosis, my own health struggles, and an abrupt transition to homeschool for our son who has severe anxiety). It was also a beautiful year filled with countless blessings and new beginnings. There is a season for everything and taking some much needed time for rest and introspection is vital to one's mental health and well-being. I am back today with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement and I am looking forward to sharing and connecting with you. You can watch our new Youtube video below and you can also join us on Patreon.

Looking forward to having you follow along as we share more and more of our life homesteading, homeschooling, and running a small business in rural Vermont!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

All I Want For Christmas Is Ewe

We are so excited to announce the release of our new holiday collection ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS EWE!!! We have poured our hearts into this collection and we hope you will enjoy it!

From our family to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

EWE WOODLAND SHEEP MILK SOAP

Let our EWE WOODLAND sheep milk soap transport you deep into the forest! This all-natural sheep milk soap is embossed with a ewe sheep, is naturally colored with chlorophyll, and is scented with a blend of 5 evergreen essential oils. Our EWE WOODLAND sheep milk soap is handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont home using fresh milk from East Friesian sheep. Our EWE WOODLAND sheep milk soap will come to you in a natural Kraft gift box filled with fresh hay, wrapped with green gingham ribbon, and adorned with a bronze sheep bell. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE CANDY CANE SHEEP MILK SOAP

Awaken your inner child this Christmas with our EWE CANDY CANE sheep milk soap! This all-natural sheep milk soap is embossed with a ewe sheep, is naturally colored with french red clay and rose kaolin clay, and is scented with pure peppermint essential oil. Our EWE CANDY CANE sheep milk soap is handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont home using fresh milk from East Friesian sheep. Our EWE CANDY CANE sheep milk soap will come to you in a natural Kraft gift box filled with fresh hay, wrapped with red gingham ribbon, and adorned with a bronze sheep bell. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE GINGERBREAD SHEEP MILK SOAP

Enjoy the aroma of freshly baked gingerbread in your shower this holiday season! This all-natural sheep milk soap is embossed with a ewe sheep, is naturally colored with coffee grounds, and is scented with essential oils of cinnamon, clove, ginger, and sweet orange. Our GINGERBREAD sheep milk soap is handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont home using fresh milk from East Friesian sheep. Our GINGERBREAD sheep milk soap will come to you in a natural Kraft gift box filled with fresh hay, wrapped with brown gingham ribbon, and adorned with a bronze sheep bell. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE GINGERBREAD GIFT SET

Wish your loved ones a merry and bright Christmas with our EWE GINGERBREAD gift set! The set contains handcrafted gingerbread sheep milk soap bar and beeswax candle scented with pure essential oils of cinnamon, clove, ginger, and sweet orange. Our EWE GINGERBREAD gift set will come to you in an elegant kraft pinstripe black gift box filled with fresh hay and wrapped with brown gingham ribbon. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE SANTA CLAUS GIFT SET

Bring holiday cheer to your loved ones with our SANTA CLAUS gift set! The set includes three all-natural sheep milk soap bars: Ewe Candy Cane, Ewe Woodland, and Ewe Gingerbread. These three handcrafted soap bars are carefully packaged in a plaid Santa book box filled with fresh hay and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE WOODLAND GIFT SET

Share the joy of the season with our unique EWE WOODLAND gift set! The set contains a woodland sheep milk soap bar and sugar scrub that are naturally colored and scented with a blend of 5 pure evergreen essential oils. Our EWE WOODLAND gift set will come to you in an elegant kraft pinstripe black gift box filled with fresh hay and wrapped with green gingham ribbon. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

OLD SAINT NICK GIFT SET

Make the season bright with our OLD SAINT NICK gift set! This vintage inspired gift set comes in a plaid Santa book box and features a unique collection of holiday handcrafted sheep goods: a gingerbread soap bar, a candy cane soap bar, a woodland soap bar, a candy cane bath soak, a woodland sugar scrub, a gingerbread beeswax candle, and a green ewe Christmas ornament. The gift set also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE SHEEP WOOL DRYER BALLS (SET OF 4)

Get the perfect gift for the environmentally conscious person in your life this holiday season! Our set of 4 extra large sheep wool dryer balls is handmade with wool from our East Friesian sheep and hand dyed wool roving from a local farm. This all-natural set of 4 sheep wool dryer balls will soften your clothes, reduce static, and save energy and money by decreasing drying time. They are long lasting, reusable, and a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to wasteful and toxic dryer sheets. These 4 sheep wool dryer balls come in a reusable vintage Santa drawstring canvas bag.

EWE CANDY CANE GIFT SET

Spread holiday magic with our EWE CANDY CANE gift set! The set includes naturally scented and colored candy cane sheep milk soap bar and bath soak. Our EWE CANDY CANE gift set will come to you in an elegant kraft pinstripe black gift box filled with fresh hay and wrapped with red gingham ribbon. It also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

EWE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT - NATURAL

Bring the beauty of the forest indoors with this rustic handmade Christmas ornament! Handcrafted from natural pine wood with bark, this unique ornament is hand burned on one side with a ewe sheep and the back is natural wood.

EWE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT - GREEN

Add a touch of farmhouse flair to your Christmas decor with this handmade Christmas ornament! Handcrafted from natural pine wood with bark and painted with Miss Mustard Seed boxwood milk paint, this one-of-a-kind ornament is hand burned with a ewe sheep on one side and the back is painted green as well.

EWE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT - STRIPED

This festive red and white striped Christmas ornament is handcrafted from natural pine wood with bark and painted with Miss Mustard Seed milk paint. This unique ornament is hand burned with a ewe sheep on one side and the back is painted red and white as well.

LAMB PLUSHIE

This adorable red hand crochet lamb plushie is made from burgundy chenille yarn with faces and limbs in coordinating red tone. Each lamb plushie is handcrafted by the talented Michelle DeGuire who is using her amazing skills to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Michelle is a nurse practitioner who lost many family members to cancer. All materials and time are donated by Ms. DeGuire and 100% of the money from every lamb sold goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Each handcrafted lamb against leukemia takes 6 hours to make and measures 10 inches long.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS EWE - BOARD BOOK

Wrap your little one in love with this sweet Christmas board book during the most punderful time of the year! Wish your little sugarplum a beary Merry Christmas and jingle all the way with this heartwarming story for babies and toddlers! Combining beautiful illustrations, charming animal puns, and the evergreen message of love, All I Want for Christmas is Ewe is a moovelous way to celebrate the season and share your love for each otter.

By Rose Rossner, illustrated by Gail Yerrill

LOVE AND KINDNESS TO ALL!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Sheep Wool Dryer Balls

We are so excited to announce the launch of our sheep wool dryer balls today! We are always striving to create sheep goods that are healthy for you and for planet Earth and these sheep wool dryer balls definitely meet both criteria. Marcial has been busy making these dryer balls with wool from our East Friesian sheep and hand dyed wool roving from a local farm.

Each set of 4 sheep wool dryer balls will soften clothes, reduce static, and save energy and money by decreasing drying time. They are also long lasting, reusable, and a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to wasteful and toxic dryer sheets. Our hope is always to shed light and educate people on the risks and dangers of using household products that contain harmful toxins and chemicals and offer a healthier and more sustainable alternative. These dryer balls are handmade with 100% wool and contain none of that yucky stuff!

To use, simply toss 4 balls into the dryer. To add fragrance, put a few drops of essential oil on the balls. Easy peasy! Bonus, these balls come in a beautiful 100% organic cotton muslin bag.

Here are some benefits of using sheep wool dryer balls:

🐑 Eco-Friendly

🐑  Zero Waste

🐑  Biodegradable

🐑  Compostable

🐑 Saves energy

🐑 Saves money

🐑  Hypoallergenic

🐑  Chemical-Free

🐑  Toxin-Free

🐑  Made From A Renewable Resource

We hope that you will enjoy our latest sheep good and we look forward to hearing from you!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

Catching Up...

It is hard to believe that the last Sheep Shop blog post was published in November. A lot has happened since then and I would like to fill you in on some of the highlights and happenings around our homestead so far this year. Back in January, we started some pretty intense home renovations including mold remediation and asbestos removal following a water leak in our guest bathroom. One of the highlight of this stressful time was to spend a few days in a quintessential Vermont house near our homestead during the asbestos abatement and I snapped a few pictures to share with you.

We completely gutted our guest bathroom and laundry room and we are hoping to complete the renovations and share the process with you this summer. We also replaced our flooring in the kitchen and living room and DIYed some open shelving in our kitchen. Here is a sneak peek…

Marcial had a work accident at the beginning of March and he is now working full-time for the Sheep Shop. He has been busy making cutting boards and developing and testing new products for the shop.

Marcialito finished 3rd grade and is now busy spending time with his guinea pig, tending to his enchanted gnome garden, and getting his chick and duckling hatching operation ready for new arrivals this month. He has found so many passions and it is a joy to see him flourish and be excited about his life.

Our beloved Maremma sheepdog Moose passed unexpectedly on June 4th. A neighbor found Moose lying dead in a field after Marcial and Marcialito took him on a hike to our river. He was 10 years old and he seemed well, strong, and healthy. There is such a big hole in our hearts and our homestead... He was really the protector, the brain, and the soul of our operation. He was not only a family member but also an integral part of our homestead. We were relying on Moose for so many tasks and we feel a bit lost without him.

With the immense sadness of our dog passing, we also experienced the enormous joy of welcoming two lambs, Opal and Lapis Lazuli. Both boys have the most beautiful blue eyes, hence the blue color stone names. Both first time mamas are doing well and we love to watch the lambs frolicking in the field. We wish Moose could have been there for their births but we feel his spirit all around us.

As usual, we are racing to plant all of our vegetable starts and trying to keep up with our daily gardening chores. Here are a few pictures of our homestead this spring season.

I also received an AMAZING gift from my sister for my 42nd birthday!!!! I have been dreaming of this for many, many, many years and I can’t believe I will be able to grow and cultivate my passion for gardening in a GREENHOUSE!!!!!!!!! It is a dream come true and as much as I feel blessed to receive such a generous and amazing gift, I feel even more grateful to have a sister that I have the honor to call my best friend.

Our little farm store is keeping us busy and we are juggling taking care of our animals, tending to our gardens, fulfilling orders, developing and testing new products, and figuring out the logistics of producing and selling sheep milk ice cream and cheese. We are excited to launch our wool dryer balls in a week or two!!! Stay tuned…

I hope you are healthy and well and I would love for you to share what has been happening with you lately:)

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

FAMILY Holiday Collection

2021 “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS EWE” COLLECTION COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH!!!

One of the many things that the year 2020 has taught us is that we are all part of one family. We share the same home and we are all profoundly connected. When we look back at the past 12 months, the word family keeps coming back. Families all around the world have been deeply impacted one way or another this year. The gift of time we received had most of us reflect on the importance and significance of family, friends, and community. In honor of families in this country and all around the world, we have named each gift set with the word FAMILY in 9 different languages.

From the Sheep Shop family to yours, we wish you all HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

FAMILY Gift Set

Bring holiday cheer to your loved one with our FAMILY gift set. The set includes two all-natural sheep milk soap bars: Mocha Peppermint Yule Log and Enchanted Woodland Yule Tree. These two handcrafted soap bars are carefully packaged in a nostalgic Candy Canes tin box filled with fresh hay and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

FAMILIA Gift Set

The FAMILIA holiday set contains three enchanted woodland Yule tree handcrafted sheep goods: a Yule tree soap bar, a Yule tree sugar scrub, and a Yule tree bath tea. These all-natural products will invoke memories of Christmas past with the aroma of balsam fir needle and cypress essential oils. The gift set comes carefully packaged in a natural jute handle bag filled with fresh hay and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

FAMIGLIA Gift Set

A Yule log cake is a traditional holiday dessert savored in different parts of the world. The FAMIGLIA gift set is inspired by this Christmas delicacy and includes a mocha peppermint yule log bath soak, sugar scrub, soap bar, and bath fizzie. These 4 all-natural mocha peppermint yule log sheep goods come in a dark brown weave swing handle basket filled with fresh hay and include a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

KAZOKU Gift Set

Share the joy of the season with our one-of-a kind KAZOKU basket! The set includes an enchanted woodland yule tree soap bar, a yule tree sheep milk beeswax candle, and a maple wood sheep coaster. These three handcrafted products come in a green swing handle bamboo basket and include a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

FAMILLE Gift Set

Spread holiday magic with our FAMILLE gift set! This all-natural sheep milk soap bar is scented with balsam fir needle and cypress essential oils, is embossed with a yule tree, and is adorned with hemlock cones. The handcrafted soap bar is carefully packaged in a vintage inspired Farm Fresh Christmas Trees tin box filled with fresh hay and includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

PARIVAAR Gift Set

Send the warmest wishes this holiday season with our PARIVAAR gift set! This vintage inspired gift set comes in a plaid Santa book box and features a unique collection of enchanted woodland yule tree sheep milk goods: a soap bar, bath tea, sugar scrub, ewe and lamb beeswax wax melts, and a sheep notebook and pine cone ornaments. The gift set also includes a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

FAMILIE Gift Set

Celebrate your loved one’s this holiday season with our FAMILIE gift basket!

This limited holiday edition gift basket contains all of our handcrafted mocha peppermint products:

*Mocha peppermint sheep milk soap

*Mocha peppermint sheep milk sugar scrub

*Mocha peppermint sheep milk bath fizzie

*Mocha peppermint sheep milk bath soak

*Mocha peppermint sheep milk beeswax candle

All of these mocha peppermint sheep goods are nestled in a lined wired basket filled with fresh hay and include a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

SIDANELV Gift Set

Make the season bright with our SIDANELV gift basket! This unique set contains a mocha peppermint soap bar and sugar scrub, peppermint ewe and lamb beeswax wax melts, and a maple wood sheep coaster. These handcrafted sheep goods are nestled in a round bamboo handle basket filled with fresh hay and include a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock.

UMNDENI Gift Set

Treat your loved one with the UMNDENI gift set! The delectable duo of old fashioned Sheep Milk Peppermint Chocolate and Sheep Milk Espresso Chocolate Sauces is handmade by my sister Sarah using sheep milk and all-natural ingredients. The UMNDENI gift set also includes a bag of Vermont maple popcorn and a sheep greeting card printed on linen cardstock. All of these decadent and mouthwatering goodies come in a red plaid gift basket.

LOVE AND KINDNESS TO ALL!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Launching the PRECIOUS Campaign

There is a moment in everyone’s life when everything comes full circle. Launching the PRECIOUS campaign is that moment for me. I pondered for a while if this was the right time to launch this campaign with the global crisis we are all experiencing and I decided that there was never a better and much needed time. This project so dear to my heart is about giving hope and offering kindness and compassion to battered women. With all of the lockdowns in place right now, there is an alarming surge of domestic violence around the world. Many victims are now quarantined with their abuser and with all of the stress, layoffs, sickness, and financial hardships that this pandemic has brought on, many women and chidren are seeing the intensity and frequency of abuse escalate. The few hours of relief victims previously had when their abuser was at work or out of the home is now gone. Also, the accessibility to counsellors, support groups, and advocates has been reduced dramatically and the opportunities to escape to a shelter or call a domestic violence hotline is next to none. This global crisis is bringing a lot of fear, anxiety, sorrows, and hardships, but it can also motivate us to rise and shine our light on those who need it more than we do.

Here are a few personal questions I answered about domestic abuse and the PRECIOUS campaign…

What is PRECIOUS and how did it come about?

Precious was born out of a need to share my story and help victims of domestic abuse and family violence. PRECIOUS is about giving away luxury gemstone soaps to battered women to remind them how worthy and precious they are.  I, myself, was a victim of family violence as a child and teenager, and my deepest wish is to help other victims find their light in the darkness.

What are the long term effects of domestic abuse and family violence?

I think that abuse has devastating long term effects on mental, physical, and emotional health.  In the past 20 years, I personally have dealt with severe anxiety, depression, PTSD, panic attacks, OCD, disordered eating, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis.  I would have to say that the wounds that take the longest time to heal are the ones related to the victims' ability to truly believe in, trust, care for, and love themselves.  This is where PRECIOUS comes in.  Keep telling and reminding battered women and abused children how precious they are until they start believing it themselves.  Treating mental and physical illnesses is a great start but it does not heal one's core.  I am aware that giving a gemstone soap bar does not heal one's core but the offering of kindness, love, compassion, and hope can really help someone feel less alone.  Another thing that is not very often discussed is how difficult living in a body that was abused can be.  Most victims start living in their head and lose connection with their body.  We have to wash ourselves every day and putting a luxury rose scented gemstone bar of soap on a bruised body and a broken heart can be a humble beginning for restoring the mind, heart, body, and soul connection.   

What would you want to say to a victim of domestic abuse and family violence right now?

Actually, I have a note that I include with every soap.  It says this:

With this gemstone soap,

Wash away the wounds of trauma and allow the scars to heal,

In time, transform the pain, suffering, and darkness, 

by becoming a bright light for others in need,

Let this gemstone remind you always how so precious and worthy you are. 

The definition of the word precious is: something of great value; not to be wasted, or treated carelessly.  The thing that helped me the most in my healing journey was to understand that I am far more than my pain, my suffering, the abuse, and my circumstances.  I was, I am, and I will always be Love and Light.   

Tell us about the gemstone soaps and how the PRECIOUS campaign works...

Our gemstone soaps are all-natural and made with fresh sheep milk.  They are colored with clays and herbs, and scented with pure essential oils.  The first soap we are introducing today is Rose Hope, which has rose buds and a rose quartz gem on every bar.  The soap is colored with rose kaolin clay and scented with rose absolute essential oil.  Rose quartz is well known for helping heal trauma and for promoting feelings of self-love and self-worth.  The PRECIOUS campaign is very simple:  every time someone purchases a gemstone soap bar, we give one away to a shelter for battered women and abused children.  We will also be introducing new gemstone soaps with different colors, scents, and gemstones and our hope is to be able to donate gemstone soaps to as many shelters for battered women and abused children as possible in Vermont and across the country. 

Last question, do you feel precious now?

At 40 years old, I can say that for the first time in my life, I do feel precious.  I also know that the greatest way to heal is to serve and I feel a responsibility to pay it forward and to shine my light on victims of domestic abuse and family violence.

HERE ARE TWO WAYS THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PRECIOUS CAMPAIGN:

• You can purchase a gemstone soap by clicking on the button below. For each bar of soap that you purchase, we will donate one bar of soap to a shelter for battered women and abused children.

• You can make a donation to support the PRECIOUS campaign by clicking on the DONATE button below. Your contribution will enable us to handcraft more gemstone soaps and reach a greater number of shelters and victims of domestic abuse.

Donate

THE MAKING OF ROSE HOPE SOAP

In Uncharted Territory, Plant Seeds

‘‘When you can’t control what is happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what is happening. That’s where your power is.’’ -Unknown

After one week spent in sheer panic, fear, and anxiety, I am now striving to reclaim my power and make a shift towards hope. I realized this week that there is never a more important time to plant seeds than in uncharted territory. Planting seeds, literally and figuratively, is one of the most meaningful thing we can do individually and collectively right now when tomorrow feels so uncertain.

Every year, I start seeds indoors in the hope that they will germinate, that the seedlings will be strong enough to transplant and be spared by wildlife, that the plants will not succomb to strong winds or the scorching sun, and that I will remember to water them and pick their fruit before they rot. I keep planting even if there is no guarantee. I plant because there IS hope for a bountiful harvest and colorful blooms. There IS hope even if I can’t see it right now and understand how it will all come together with the countless obstacles on the way. In this unprecedented time, I encourage you to plant seeds everyday and to cling to hope.

This poem written by Kitty O’Meara has brought me some peace this week and I wanted to share it with you today.

And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

It is a very challenging time for all of us and I would love to use this platform to keep building community in a time when we have to be physically apart. Please let me know how you are holding up and what you are going through in the comment box below or by sending me an email at info@sheepshopvt.com

I would love to hear from you ❤️❤️❤️

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

How To Plank An Existing Table

I got a few questions about our farmhouse table and I though I would show you today how we transformed our dining table into a rustic farmhouse plank table using barn boards.

It all started when my husband found these beautiful boards from an old Vermont barn.  

The boards looked pretty rough but I knew that with a little TCL, they would be perfect to plank our kitchen table.

Let me walk you through this project step by step.

HOW TO PLANK AN EXISTING TABLE 

*Affiliate links provided for your convenience.*

SUPPLIES

• Barn boards (or wooden planks)

• Tape measure

• Miter saw

• Table saw

• Sander

• Wood filler

• Wood glue

• Wood screws

• Drill

• Primer

• Paint 

• Sealant 

TUTORIAL

• First, measure the width and the length of your table.  In order not to see the existing tabletop under the boards, you will need to add a few inches to the length and the width of your tabletop. The dimensions of our table is 72 inches long by 32 inches wide and I added 8 inches to the length (4 inches on each side) and 4 inches to the width (2 inches on each side).    

• Determine how wide you would like the planks to be.  Our barn boards were originally about 12 inches wide and I decided to cut them in half, so each board is approximately 6 inches wide.

• Calculate how many boards you will need for this project.  Don't forget to include the extra inches on each side of the existing tabletop to make your new table wide enough to hide the tabletop underneath.   

• Using a miter saw, cut each plank to your desired length.  Don't forget to include the extra inches on each side of the existing tabletop to make your new table long enough to hide the tabletop underneath.

• Using a table saw, cut each plank to your desired width.  

• Sand each board until all surfaces are smooth.

• Fill big holes and cracks with wood filler, let it dry, and sand the filled areas.

• Prime and paint each board.  I could not get good coverage with my regular water-based primer so I ended up using BIN, a shellac-based primer/sealer.  I gave the boards and the entire table two coats of Benjamin Moore 'Chantilly Lace'. 

• Align the boards on the tabletop and glue each one to the table and let it dry.  We have a very active boy so we decided to use glue AND screws for this project.

• Flip the table over and screw each board to the table.  We used two screws per board, one on each end.

• The last step is to seal your table.  Because I painted our table white and I did not want the white to yellow, I used polycrylic instead of polyurethane.

We went for a very rustic look and decided not to plane each board.  The thickness of each board varies slightly and is around 3/4 inch. 

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and that this project inspired you to makeover a tired piece of furniture in your own home.

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

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How To Age Paper Using Tea Bags

In today’s post, I combined my love of sheep and vintage décor into a very simple and inexpensive project. I aged a sheep image I found on The Graphics Fairy website using only white copy paper and tea bags.

Here is the step-by-step process I used to age white printing paper:

 1. Print your favorite picture on white copy paper.

2. Put 3 tea bags in a cup.

3.  Boil water.  Pour water over the tea bags.  Let it steep for 10 minutes.

 4.  Remove the tea bags from the water and let cool for a few minutes.  Place paper in a sheet pan.

 5.  Brush front and back of the paper with the tea bags.  You can dip them in the tea as needed.

 6.  Let the paper dry for a few hours.

7.  Put the picture in a frame.

I hope this post inspired you to print your favorite picture and to give it some vintage flair!  Thank you so much for stopping by today!  It means so much to me:)

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

Our Victorian Rose Collection

It is with immense love and gratitude that I introduce you our victorian rose collection.  Putting this Valentine's day line together for all of you has given me so much joy, creativity, and inspiration.  For the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of playing with lace, roses, french pink clay, hibiscus flowers, bushel baskets, and vintage prints.  I have also learned a great deal about my favorite period in history, the victorian era, all while smelling the roses, literally:)  I hope this collection will inspire you to bring some romantic flair to your daily life and that it will remind you to practice self-love and self-care.     

‘SOUVENIR DE LA MALMAISON’ GIFT BASKET

Show your love this Valentine's day with our 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' gift basket! Our 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' gift basket contains our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk sugar scrub, our rose hibiscus sheep milk bath soak, and our rose hibiscus sheep milk beeswax candle. These sheep milk goods come in a bushel basket filled with fresh hay and include a metal sheep bell and a victorian rose greeting card.  This unique gift basket was inspired by 'Souvenir de la Malmaison', a victorian rose created by rose breeder Jean Béluze, who named it after the Château de Malmaison, where Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais had created a magnificent rose garden.

‘CÉCILE BRÜNNER’ GIFT BASKET

Delight the special person in your life this Valentine's day with our 'Cécile Brünner' gift basket! Our 'Cécile Brünner' gift basket contains our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk bath tea, our rose ewe and lamb beeswax wax melts, and our rose hibiscus sheep milk bath fizzie. These sheep milk goods come nestled in a bushel basket filled with fresh hay and include a metal sheep bell and a victorian rose greeting card. This one of a kind gift basket was inspired by 'Cécile Brünner', a victorian rose bred in France by Marie Ducher and introduced by her son-in-law Joseph Pernet-Ducher in 1881. 

‘GERTRUDE JEKILL’ GIFT BASKET

Shower your loved one this Valentine's day with our 'Gertrude Jekyll' gift basket! Our 'Gertrude Jekyll' gift basket features our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk sugar scrub, our rose hibiscus sheep milk bath soak, our rose hibiscus sheep milk bath fizzie, and our rose ewe and lamb beeswax wax melts. All of these sheep goods come in a bushel basket filled with fresh hay and include a metal sheep bell and a victorian rose greeting card.  This very special gift basket was inspired by 'Gertrude Jekyll', a favorite rose of ours that we have the pleasure of growing here at the Sheep Shop. Gertrude Jekyll was a remarkable victorian horticulturist, garden designer, photographer, and writer. She created over 400 gardens and wrote countless books and articles.

SOOTHING ROSE HIBISCUS SHEEP MILK BATH TEA

Indulge your senses with our luxurious rose hibiscus sheep milk bath tea. Handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont home using all-natural ingredients, our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk bath tea will soften, tone, and hydrate your skin. This all-natural aromatic bath tea blend features cocoa butter, Epsom salt, whole milk powder, saponified sheep milk, hibiscus flowers, and rose absolute essential oil.

SOOTHING ROSE EWE AND LAMB BEESWAX WAX MELTS

“Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.”  -William Makepeace Thackeray

We hope you will feel unconditional love and support with our soothing rose ewe and lamb shaped beeswax wax melts. Hand poured in small batches in our Vermont home, our all-natural ewe and 6 lambs wax melts are made using 100% pure beeswax, coconut oil, and rose absolute essential oil. Our soothing rose ewe and lamb beeswax wax melts will come to you carefully packaged in a metal tin container filled with fresh hay, wrapped with white lace ribbon, and adorned with a bronze sheep bell.

SOOTHING ROSE HIBISCUS SHEEP MILK SUGAR SCRUB

Infused with the soothing aroma of rose essential oil and the antioxidant properties of hibiscus flowers, our rose hibiscus sheep milk sugar scrub will polish, revitalize, and rejuvenate your skin. The pure cane sugar will gently exfoliate and help reveal healthier and younger looking skin while the rich combination of the coconut oil and sheep milk will leave your skin soft and nourished.

SOOTHING ROSE HIBISCUS SHEEP MILK BATH FIZZIE

Handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont kitchen, our rose hibiscus sheep milk bath fizzies are made using 11 all-natural ingredients. Watch this truly luxurious bath bomb fizz as it releases nourishing sheep milk, coconut oil, and shea butter, soothing baking soda and cornstarch, detoxifying Epsom salt, french pink clay, and citric acid, antioxidant and anti-aging witch hazel and hibiscus flowers, and nurturing rose essential oil.

SOOTHING ROSE HIBISCUS SHEEP MILK BATH SOAK

Elevate your bath experience with our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk soak! Luxuriate in scented rose milky water and hibiscus flowers with our special blend of sheep milk, Epsom salt, french pink clay, baking soda, and rose essential oil. Handcrafted in small batches in our Vermont home using high quality and all-natural ingredients, our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk bath soak will leave your skin smooth and nourished. You will also benefit from the antioxidant and anti-aging properties of hibiscus flowers while soaking.

SOOTHING ROSE HIBISCUS SHEEP MILK BEESWAX CANDLE

The sweet and floral aroma of sheep milk, beeswax, rose, and hibiscus truly makes this candle one of a kind! Our soothing rose hibiscus sheep milk beeswax candles are hand poured in small batches in our Vermont kitchen using 100% pure beeswax, fresh sheep milk, rose absolute essential oil, dried hibiscus flowers, and natural cotton wicks.  Each 9 oz candle comes in a beautiful hexagon glass jar and will burn for approximately 40 hours. We hope that you will enjoy the warm glow and the soothing aroma of our rose hibiscus sheep milk beeswax candle.

I hope you enjoyed perusing our victorian rose collection and that it inspired you to treat yourself or a special someone in your life this Valentine’s Day. You can browse our other collections here. For the farmhouse lover in your life, we are also offering sheep cutting boards, coasters, and gift cards.

With love and gratitude to you and your loved ones this Valentine’s Day,

Marie-Hélène, Marcial, and Marcialito

Warming Winter Tea

I am back today with a warming winter tea recipe. Many cultures around the world have tea traditions and ceremonies and it is fascinating to read and learn about them.  Ancient civilizations were drinking tea to treat illnesses, to aid digestion, to help with nervous disorders, as an antidote to poison, to stimulate creativity, to enhance longevity, etc.  Today, tea is the world’s most popular beverage after water.  There are so many health benefits attributed to drinking tea and I have enjoyed making it a daily ritual of mine this winter. Did you know that according to Chinese medicine, different herbs and teas can be classified as hot, warm, neutral, cool, or cold?

Today’s warming winter tea recipe will help raise your internal heat and support your immune system.

WARMING WINTER TEA

ACTIVE TIME: 5 MINUTES | YIELD: 2 SERVINGs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 star anise

• 2 teaspoons molasses

• milk

• 4 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring to a boil 4 cups of water.

2. Add ginger, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and let it steep for 15 minutes.

3. Strain spices and add 2 teaspoons of molasses and a splash of milk.

4. Pour tea into 2 teacups. Enjoy!

I hope this tea will keep you warm inside and out this winter. Are you a tea drinker?  What is your favorite tea? I would love to know. 

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

Top Ten Posts of 2019

My word for 2019 was JOY. After suffering from a nervous breakdown in 2018, I wanted 2019 to be the year where I follow the joy, wherever it lead me. I have to say that this little blog and shop have brought me so much pleasure and joy throughout the year. I read every comment you wrote and I have enjoyed getting to know some of you. My goal with this blog has always been to use this platform to build community and to support and encourage one another. I hope we can interact and connect even more in 2020! I can't wait to share with you what we have in store this year, but first, let’s take a look back at the top ten posts of 2019!

NUMBER TEN

Baking Soda and Cornstarch Christmas Ornaments

A tutorial on how to make these simple white Christmas ornaments using baking soda and cornstarch.  

NUMBER NINE

What We Have Been Up To…

In this post, I shared a few updates that we made on our homestead last Spring.

NUMBER EIGHT

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas For Sheep Lovers

Twelve unique finds for the sheep and farmhouse lover in your life…

NUMBER SEVEN

Gut-Healing & Immune-Boosting Green Juice

I shared about my struggles with gut issues and the steps I took to heal, which included juicing a few times a week.

NUMBER SIX

Best Of Christmas Past…

A look back at our home from the past two years with two very different holiday looks.

NUMBER FIVE

Winter Living Room

Our farmhouse living room decorated for winter with a muted and peaceful color palette.

NUMBER FOUR

A Stroll Through Our Town Of 900…

A little tour of Woodbury town, our little slice of paradise in rural Vermont…

NUMBER THREE

DIY Hanging Juniper Botanical Print

An easy and inexpensive project that brings character and vintage charm to any space.

NUMBER TWO

Benefits of Sheep Milk For Your Skin and Overall Health

Milk has been used for centuries as a beauty aid and has been praised for its skin healing benefits and anti-aging properties. Because of its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, protein, and butterfat, sheep milk is, in my opinion, the premier choice to incorporate in your health and beauty regimen.

NUMBER ONE

How To Make Laminate Countertops Look Like Wood For Less Than $100.00

Our most popular post to date is this tutorial on how we gave our kitchen countertops a makeover for $76.98!!!

There you have it, the top 10 posts of 2019!  

I would like to take a moment to say thank you for reading and following along our journey and for all of your kindness, encouragement and support!  It means more than you know... 

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

Au Revoir to 2019...

We opened our little shop a year ago and my heart has been flooded with a plethora of emotions this year... A lot of fear and doubts that what I have to offer the world may not be good or desirable enough, tremendous joy, love, and passion for what I am creating, a strong dose of impatience and frustration for not getting the wanted results when I am expecting them, and the longing for connecting, servicing, and building community.  I have also felt an enormous amount of gratitude for having the chance to live a life where I get to follow my joy and share my passions.  My word for 2020 is detachment.  Detachment from feelings and thoughts that are stunting my growth and detachment from desired outcomes and results.  I also want to start leaving more room for God to do his work and not holding anything too tight.  We have a lot of exciting new projects and products in store for 2020 but for now, I would like to say thank you for taking the time to visit us here and follow our journey. I do not take any of you for granted:)  I wish you all many blessings and a lot of learning and dreaming in the coming year!  Merci beaucoup!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

Winter Tree For the Birds

I love gardening and being surrounded by wildlife.  With many feet of snow on the ground and negative temperatures, it is often hard to enjoy time outdoors during the cold season so I thought I would share how we had wildlife come to us a few winters ago. We gave a second life to our Christmas tree and positioned it right outside our living room window.  My son and I made fruit garlands and bird seed ornaments and we enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels feast on them. Upcycling our Christmas tree and giving it to the birds was such a fun project and a nice way to teach our son about birds and wildlife. 

Here is what you will need to make birdseed ornaments:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 

• 1/2 cup hot water

• 3 tablespoons corn syrup

• 3/4 cup flour

• 3 cups bird seed 

• Muffin tin

• Jute or yarn

• Non-stick cooking spray

TUTORIAL:

*Mix together 1 envelope of gelatin and 1/2 cup of hot water until the gelatin is dissolved.

*Stir in 3 tablespoons of corn syrup.

*Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix until a paste is formed.

*Pour in 3 cups of birdseed and combine until well coated.

*Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each muffin cup half way.

*Make a loop with jute twine or yarn and gently press into the mixture.

*Fill each muffin cup to the top with the leftover bird seed mixture and press firmly.  Let it set for 12 hours before hanging.

*To make the fruit garlands, I strung thick slices of apples and oranges with a needle and jute twine.

Voilà!  Simple and easy to make decorations that birds will enjoy all winter!

With love and gratitude,

Marie-Hélène

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