Gotta stop dragging my BUT around.

I'm guessing I am not alone when I say I have a huge BUT. A great BUT. A BUT crafted with such precision that the Swiss are envious of the craftsmanship.

We all have a BUT. I would exercise more, but.... I would go back to school, but.... Our BUT is ours. We own it.  We feed it. In the end, it consumes US.

Spent the past weekend at the Central Soapers Workshop in Kansas City. I was invited to speak to a group of Indie Business Owners about formulating products for Hair Care on Sunday afternoon. I arrived a day early and attended a few sessions in the Business track. Topics ranged from Brand Identity to GMP. All of them made me think. And think hard.

Danielle Vincent of Outlaw Soaps asked us to answer various questions to ourselves about our brand identity and where we wanted to see our products.

Lela Barker of Lucky Break Consulting asked if we were all Down With GMP.

Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry gave 6 Steps to Social Media Success

Kayla Fioravanti spoke magical words about Crafting Compelling Copy and Self-publishing.

While none of this is 'new' to me, I have been failing at it all. Why? Because I spend way too much time on things that are really, truly unimportant. I have fallen into a comfortable pattern that ends up draining me creatively. My biggest BUT.

A typical day starts out with a delicious cup of coffee. That is a great start. I love that start. Coffee with sugar, whole cream and a splash of extra special vanilla extract made by my dear friend Carrie is pure perfection. (Recipe for Real Vanilla Extract is below). That is not the problem. The problem is what I choose to do as I enjoy that coffee. Raise your hand if you start your day with catching up on Facebook, Forums and email. Be honest. I bet you do the same more days than not.

That one cup of coffee, refilled to empty the pot, turns into a time suck vortex that swallows up the whole morning. Poof go healthy productive Hours that could have been spent writing to you. Sharing with you. Collaborating with YOU. I have been cheating on YOU with Facebook. And I am truly sorry.

Will you let me make it up to you? 

I'd like to start my day with you. I'd like to share ideas with you.

Will you help kick my Big BUT?

My professional BUT is not alone. My personal one has grown too. Why? I would run with Paisley today, BUT it is snowing outside. I would write more, BUT I used up all my time on Facebook. I would have not put on 10 lbs this past Winter, BUT I love to make comforting bread. Well, the bread is not the problem, the first BUT, not exercising Paisley has more to do with it. Why deny every single earthly pleasure? Enjoy the journey.

I have taken the first step. Will you join me?

I pledge to use that first part of my day productively. I will share with you things I have learned on my journeys. Here's to a good start.

Real Vanilla Extract
Enjoy the real thing in baked goods, pastry, shakes and a good hot cuppa in the morning.

Ingredients:

3 whole Vanilla Beans (more are better, less will take longer)
slightly less than 4 ounces of an edible alcohol (Vodka, Everclear, Bourbon...)
A bottle or jar with a good seal

How To:
1) Cut your vanilla beans lengthwise to reveal the "caviar" seeds inside. Then cut into several pieces that will fit into the bottle or jar you chose. Stuff the beans in there.
2) Fill the rest of the bottle or jar with the alcohol you chose. Vanilla is extracted with alcohol. It will not work with water or oil. It must be a quality alcohol.
3) put the jar away for a few weeks. Give it a shake once in a while, if for nothing else to look at it and marvel at your brilliance.

The longer this jar sits, the more full the flavor will be. The color will continue to darken as it sits. I have some vanilla in sealed bottles that has been infusing for years.

When you can't wait any longer, or after at least a month, add a bit of your masterpiece to something you bake in exchange for store bought vanilla. Add a dribble to your coffee and think of me. Enjoy.

Where to buy Beans
Vanilla Beans are spendy. The grocery store carries them if you just have to have them right this second. It's ok if they are shriveled. They will extract just fine.


If you have a bigger vanilla habit (like me) visit Ebay and look for vanilla beans in bulk. The seller VanillaProducts has many sizes and varieties.

I have also purchased from an online site named ThePoster.com..Weird name for the site, but if you poke around you will find bulk vanilla beans, saffron, extracts and more. It's totally worth the time if you love Vanilla.

What do you bottle in?
If you want a fancy bottle, check out places like Uline.com or SKS-Bottle.com or even your local farm stores in the Honey aisles. You can use any bottle you like. I prefer glass myself. Amber glass actually, but any will do.

If you make a LOT of vanilla, you can infuse directly in the original bottle the alcohol came in. Add as many beans as you can fit into that bottle. I tend to use one
bean per ounce of alcohol. WHen you have a bottle of vanilla infusin you will always have a great last-minute gift on hand.

Vanilla Sugar
Stick a vanilla bean pod into a bowl of sugar. Let it sit there as you use the sugar. As time passes that sugar will infuse with vanilla essence. It is a totally easy delight.

Here's to Kicking BUT!