Developing a new product isn't as simple as it might sound

I don't take on new product development lightly.  That was an understatement, trust me.  I do spend a good amount of time in "my own head" as I work out the nuances which usually results in the therapeutic products I make.  Because I have taken great care to develop a strong "brand" for Just Lavendar, the process could easily be compared to rendering a 3D item.  Developing an effective herbal product is the easy part, at least for me.  Releasing a new product is much more than formulating it.  The packaging has to meet or at least compliment the branding.  A complicated product is one that has what I call, several moving parts.

As you may have guessed, I am working on a fairly complicated product right now.  I've been mulling it over too many months now, carefully laying all the proverbial "moving parts" on the table trying to figure out how best to package and market it, identifying who my prospective customers are, designing a layer of consumability so customers will return to buy it again, and more.  Because I'm a visual learner, I often sketch out how I want the product to look.  This complicated product has several elements I have to make, aside from the herbal formulation itself.  This means I have to figure out how many products I can make from a specific measure of fabric, etc.  Which type of closure will work best, and more.  Honestly, it is exhausting.  This is why I can only work on it for small amounts of time, with large amounts of time between.

My determination is resolute with this new product.  I know people want this because I listen when they tell me what they need.  My notes for this new product are now complete.  I have one last thing to figure out and then I will begin production.  You have been warned.

How 911 Butter happened

A few years ago I began having joint pain in my hands, specifically effecting my thumbs, in a bad way.  As a crafter/maker, this was not a good thing.  Since I first learned to type in the late 60's/early 70's, I attributed my thumb pain to using the space bar while typing on manual typewriters for +/- 10 years after graduating from high school.  Hey, it made sense to me.  Using over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, and other pain relieving medicines for many years, irritated my stomach and I didn't tolerate them well any more.  The sad reality of this fact finally hit home after I had an endoscopy a few years ago and was told I had a "stricture" blocking part of my esophagus.  My doctor told me she had "dilated" my esophagus to take care of it, and then gave me a prescription for Omeprazole.  Just like that.  Of course, I had to take a look at the side-effects of Omeprazole.  As expected, I didn't like them.  But I took the Omeprazole anyway, for a while, then tapered off.  I began to police what and when I ate to minimize excess stomach acids and stopped taking pain pills that had originally caused the problem.  

I still had to do something about the pain in my hands, right?  I did my research and partnered with a few friends who were willing to "test" my topical herbal balm/butter formula until it reached a state of being highly effective but not irritating sensitive skin.  Once the formula was finalized, there was one more thing left to take care of.  This incredible inflammation managing formula needed an equally fabulous name.  A friend I attended Multimedia Design classes with huddled with me and we came up with "911 Butter."  Our thoughts being that 911 is the numerical equivalent for HELP.

After introducing 911 Butter in 2013, as part of the Just Lavendar product line, it took off.  Soon, I had to create a 911 Butter website to accommodate the user comments sharing how 911 Butter was helping them.

 This 1 oz push-up tube is available when I set up shop at local venues.

A 2 oz jar is available when you order online.

The 911 Butter formula is a base of organic beeswax and hemp seed oil.  Hemp seed oil does not contain CBD nor THC, but it is high in Omega 3, which is very compatible with our skin.  Six essential oils work together bringing circulation to the area of application and helping your body move inflammation away.  A subtle release is usually felt with ten minutes, or less, and helps to manage pain for two to three hours, longer for some folks.

I'll be vending at the Eugene Picc-A-Dilly this Sunday, April 23rd.  Find Just Lavendar at table 56 in building #1.  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Herbally yours,
Rege Shaw

Getting my Blog on

Today, I accepted that I struggle with producing a regular newsletter and finding folks to sign up to receive it.  I decided I should blog instead.

I'm submitting this as my first Just Lavendar blog and plan to give this a true effort to share my herbal experience and knowledge with whomever might be interested, and hopefully encourage others to consider that there is an alternative choice when it comes to caring for your body and health.

Herbally yours,
Rege