Why We Love Square for Credit Card Processing on our iPad

Chivas Skin Care and Square were featured last week on Good Morning America.

What is Square?

Square is a revolutionary service that enables anyone to accept credit cards anywhere. Square offers an easy to use, free credit card reader that plugs into a phone or iPad. It’s simple to sign up. There is no extra equipment, complicated contracts, monthly fees or merchant account required.

Photo credit: A special thanks to Karen Keltner of Soma Get Fit (linkhttp://somagetfit.com/) for shooting and sharing all of these pictures with us.

Our Goat Family Keeps Growing!

Terrific Triplets!

On February 5th, Bisquette gave birth to triplets! The male is black with a white star, one of the females is white and black and the other female is black with brown and tan.

It’s A Boy!

On January  23 , Fauvette gave birth to a Male named Chocolate. Fauvette is a Nubia and the first one to have a baby!

Healthy Twin Girls!

Also on February 5th, Lolly gave birth to female twins. One is black with a white spot on her head and the other is tri-colored.

Guru Goat Shares “Secrets of Longevity” from Dr. Maoshing Ni

Dr. Maoshing Ni shares his secrets in his book, ”Secrets of Longevity- Hundreds of Ways to Live to be 100.” Guru Goat started reading this book and wanted to share some of his secrets that she found most pertinent to natural health and skin care:

Secret #2: Gone With the Wind

” Common colds and flus can turn into serious respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, which claims many lives among the elderly. Eastern medicine sees colds and flus as “wind” disorders… Western medicine calls them adaptogens, which increase the body’s defense mechanisms and help the immune system work better in times of stress. They can be found separately in health food stores or in a formula called Jade Screen in Chinese pharmacies. In addition, wash your hands frequently with soap and water and inhale vapors from eucalyptus, oregano, and lavender tea, which are antibacterial, antiviral, and decongesting.” (page 129)

When washing your hands, try using one of our soaps made with these specific essential oils: eucalyptus, oregano and lavender.  Not only will these soaps keep your hands clean, soft and moisturized, but the pure essential oils in each of them will also have a light aromatherapeutic effect. 

Lavender Pine Chamomile goat milk soap: with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, as well as pine, spruce needle and chamomile

Santa Rosa Valley goat milk soap: with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, as well as orange, grapefruit and rose geranium

Lemongrass goat milk soaps: with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, as well as lemongrass, tea tree and peppermint

Lavender Oatmeal goat milk soap: with lavender essential oil, as well as rosweood, rose geranium, and grapefruit

Note: We do not have any soaps made with oregano essential oil because the scent is quite pungent and not really pleasant for body care in our opinion.  Inhaling the vapors from this oil is still very effective.

Secret #1: Keep Cool on the Outside…

” Experiencing extremes of temperature can endanger one’s health and even one’s life. To strengthen the body and make it more resistant to environmental temperature changes, I recommend taking cold showers. This constricts the blood vessels at the surface and extremities of your body, driving tremendous blood flow into the internal organs to increase oxygenation and transport waste away from these vital body parts. If you are not used to the practice, however, acclimate yourself gradually. Begin by scrubbing your body with cold towels. After a few days, run your shower or bathwater at a slightly cooler temperature than you are used to, and use less hot water each week until you can switch to a completely cold shower.” ( page 246)

Of course, we recommend taking your cold shower with our one of the goat milk soaps mentioned above.

Book Information: ” Secrets of Longevity- Hundreds of Ways to Live to be 100.” by Dr. Maoshing Ni. Published by Chronicle Books.

“The Story of Cosmetics” Video: The Ugly Truth of “Toxics In, Toxics Out” for Skin Care

Gossip Goat heard about “The Story of Cosmetics” video and wanted to pass on the message to our readers. The video addresses the issue of problem-toxins in skin care products and shows the major loopholes in US federal law that allow these types of skin care products to be sold. You can read the full article on “The Story of Cosmetics” written by Catherine Clifford  here.

We make sure that our products are safe and gentle for your skin.  You can check out the ingredients we use in our products by clicking here or by viewing each individual product listing.

Note: This video was created by the makers of “The Story of Stuff” and if you haven’t seen it yet, we also highly recommend.

A Few of our Favorite Things from July!

Gossip Goat shares a few of her favorite things that made July a great month!

1. Farmer’s Markets: Summer is a great time to explore your town and go to the Farmer’s Market. Farmer’s Markets offer a variety of fresh fruit, flowers, honey, bread and so much more. Gossip Goat enjoys going to her local Farmer’s Market on Sunday morning. She picks up fresh strawberries and blueberries from her favorite stand. They make a perfect afternoon snack or topping on oatmeal. Gossip Goat will also pick up some colorful flowers to put on her patio table. Placing a vase of flowers on an outside table can turn your basic outdoor table into a lovely outdoor dinning area. Farmer’s Markets are also great places to take photos!

2. Zumba: Summer is a time to have fun and relax and lets face it… sometimes working out isn’t on the top of the list. Gossip Goat loves being in shape but doesn’t necessarily like the process of getting in shape… that is until she started Zumba. Zumba is a high-energy group workout class that tones and sculpts your body while you burn calories and fat. Zumba combines Latin dance and basic cardio in a fun and energetic way. The music alone will have you dancing into shape. Gossip Goat loves the way she feels after an hour of dancing, sweating and smiling. Find a Zumba class near you and give it a try! If Zumba doesn’t sound like your idea of fun try swimming! Check out Granny Goat’s blog on the benefits of swimming this Summer.

3. Great Music: Roll down your windows, turn up the volume and sing along to your favorite Summer song! Gossip Goat has been enjoying the summer breeze while listening to her favorite summer songs. Here are her favorite songs to listen to with the windows down…

• Stuck Like Glue – Sugarland
• American Honey – Lady Antebellum
• Summer Girl – Jessica Andrews
• Legs- Jer Coons
• Young Forever- Jay-Z
• Slide Along Side – Shifty
• Good To Be Me – Uncle Cracker (ft. Kid Rock)
• Top Down – Fast Ryde

4. Finding  A New Interest: Gossip Goat wanted to find something new and different. She stumbled upon and quickly became fascinated with the Tour de France! After watching one stage of the Tour she was surprised how captivating the sport of cycling is. Gossip Goat watched every morning as her favorite cyclists, Andy Schleck and Lance Armstrong, saw victory and defeat. Sadly, the Tour de France ended this past Sunday in Paris but Gossip Goat is excited to watch the Tour next year.

5.  Gossip Goat’s Product Pick of the Month… Vegan Lip Balm! Keeping your lips from getting dry during the Summer can be a challenge, especially if you drive around with your windows down singing-along to your favorite song. So make sure to pack your favorite lip balm in your beach bag or leave an extra in your car.

Photo credit: (1) Taylor Harkins (2) inshapeladiesfitness.webs.com (3)Countryuniverse.net (4)byjamesraia.com (5)Chivasskincare.com

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE: “Pizza and Wine” Cookbook with Goat Cheese Pizza Recipes

Chivas is all about goat milk!  While our website focuses on natural skin care products using goat milk (including our goat milk soap, goat milk bath salts, and goat milk facial creme), we also carry cookbooks with that offer great goat cheese recipes.  Our newest book is ” Pizza and Wine.”

In Pizza & Wine, Chef Leonardo Curti shares 65 delectable pizza recipes paired with the perfect wine to create an idyllic meal. Includes these delicious pizza variations and more: Quattro Formaggie Roasted Potato with White Truffle Oil Tuscan Salami Calzone Italian Fig and Prosciutto.

To find out more about this book and the authors, click here.

NEW PRODUCT: “Dinner at Your Door” Cook Book for Co-op Cooking

Chivas is all about goat milk!  While our website focuses on natural skin care products using goat milk (including our goat milk soap, goat milk bath salts, and goat milk facial creme), we also carry cookbooks with that offer great goat cheese recipes.  Our newest book is  “Dinner at Your Door” by Diana Ellis, Alex Davis & Andy Remeis.

Dinner at Your Door provides information you need to set up your own dinner co-op, along with more than sixty recipes specially developed for co-op cooking. These dishes offer the perfect starting point for meals that can be made ahead of time, that travel well, and that won’t dry out after drop-off. Dinner at Your Door takes your average weeknight dinner from a grind to gourmet.

Learn more about this book and the author by clicking here.

Gourmet Goat Just Discovered Seeds of Change Jalfrezi Simmer Sauce

Gourmet Goat just discovered  Seeds of Change Jalfrezi Simmer Sauce. The sauce is certified organic and delicious. All the spices in the sauce are organically grown! To make this company even more impressive, Seeds of Change contributes 1% of their net sales to advance the cause of sustainable organic agriculture worldwide. Gourmet Goat was so excited she made an irresistible and easy recipe using the organic sauce.

Personal Naan Pizza:

Heat oven to 400

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of Seeds of Change Jalfrezi Simmer Sauce
• 4 pieces of garlic naan
• 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 oz low fat ricotta cheese ( or goat cheese!)
• 1 small tomato chopped

Directions:

1. Place the pieces on naan on a baking sheet and coat each piece with about 3 tablespoons of Jalfrezi Simmer Sauce. Leave about ¼ inch around the edge so there is a thin crust.
2. After thawing and removing all the water from the spinach, sprinkle it over the sauce, then place nickel sized chunks of the ricotta cheese over the spinach.
3. Put the pizza in the oven for 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.

Need a side dish? 2 cups of fresh corn sautéed in 1 tablespoon of butter with a ½ teaspoon of cumin makes a great addition to this Indian pizza recipe!

Photo Credit: (1) John Lee (2) Taylor Harkins

Gossip Goat Shares a Message from Whole Living Magazine

At Chivas Skin Care, we focus on finding a perfect balance of ingredients in our goat milk soap. We put love, time and hard work into every soap we make while still maintaining our values and commitment to being as eco-friendly as possible.With hectic schedules and never ending to do lists it can be hard to find the right balance for your own personal life. The article, ” 10 Thoughts On Whole Living” caught Gossip Goat’s eye when she was flipping through Whole Living Magazine (previously called “Body and Soul”, a Martha Stewart magazine) and she wanted to share it with you in hopes that it would inspire you to live a “whole” life too …

“10 Thoughts On Whole Living”

1. Taste something straight from the tree.
2. Give your way out of a bad mood- with a donation, a foot massage, or a compliment.
3. Daily chaos will never cease. Rather than struggling against it, find your own rhythm.
4. See your surroundings with fresh eyes. The best way to find yourself is to discover where you are.
5. Head outside and move. Nature invigorates the mind and the body.
6. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Ignite your own creative fire.
7. Take a day off. The world ( and the office) will be fine- and still there when you get back.
8. Notice your cravings- for sugar, caffeine, attention. Ask yourself what you really need and why.
9. Kick off your shoes, spread your toes, and ground yourself in the present.
10. Rising to a physical challenge can make you feel powerful in every way.

(August 2010 issue of Whole Living Magazine, page 87)

Looking for other thoughts on whole living?

Take a bath with our goat milk bath salts; then relax and enjoy the sound of the water. Or try a new healthy recipe and share with a neighbor.

Photo Credit: Taylor Harkins

Want to Stay Cool this Summer? Refresh with the Coolest Yogurt in Town!

Gossip Goat has fallen in love with Pinkberry! It is the perfect way to cool off and enjoy a guilt-free dessert! Pinkberry offers a variety of flavors from Pomegranate, Original, Chocolate, Mango, Passion Fruit, Coconut and their newest addition Watermelon. At less than 35 calories an ounce this summer treat won’t make you feel guilty about a thing!

These refreshing flavors of yogurt are made that much sweeter by adding whatever toppings you want! Pinkberry offers fresh fruits like mango, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. They also offer decadent toppings like cheesecake, Oreos, chocolate shavings and nuts.

Right now Pinkberry is offering a promotion for their newest flavor Watermelon. If you go between 5-7 pm and order Watermelon it is half-priced!

Gossip Goat’s favorite swirly combination is Pomegranate and Mango yogurt with pineapple, strawberries and Oreos. The Oreos add a nice crunch to the refreshing and delicious combination of these summer fruit flavors.

Still looking for other ways to stay cool this summer? Take a cool shower with Lemongrass goat milk soap!

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