We all have tried many kinds of lotions. Some of them have exotic names, some have fancy bottles or tubes, others have powerful scents. You may wonder why the Planet Patchwork store is carrying hand cream, especially not one called "Cleverly Packaged Quilter's Miracle Stuff". Honestly, I probably would have walked right by the booth at Market last month, had it not been for the demo. Everybody knows I love a good demo!

Quilters were applying this plain, cream -colored, non-scented substance and then having their hands sprayed to watch the water bead on the skin surface. You may think this sounds about as exciting as watching ice melt. However, when it's your skin and you wash your hands many times a day, this can be pretty darn thrilling.

So I stepped up, applied it to my hands, had my hands spritzed with water and listened to what Don Johnson, the "Honey Guy" had to say about the product. I noticed that it felt less slippery (greasy?) than most lotions going on, but that my hands felt quite soothed and smoothed pretty quickly. Never one to make snap decisions, I began a day- long consumer test. I washed my hands frequently. I recreated the water spritz test at lunch with my bottle of Dasani, and I kept checking my skin. Sunday morning I went back and bought some to bring home to the Planet Patchwork store.

I have carried the little travel size in my purse ever since. The container itself is great in a purse because the top is hinged so it won't get lost or roll on the floor of the car. It's a bright yellow color so it can be easily found in the murky depths of a purse lining. The 4-oz jar is more user-friendly to open if you suffer from arthritis or hand weakness. The lightweight plastic jar has a bright yellow label so you can't miss it in the cabinet.

I do not yet know if this made-from-beeswax-from-third-generation-family-hives works miracles or not. However, I have used it on my hands, face and lips and feet with good results. I keep waiting for one of the cats to accidentally scratch me so I can see if it helps prevent scabbing. Apparently you can use it on your dogs and all other animals. It is said to soothe burns, anything that itches, and all kinds of insect stings. Teacher-friends of mine who work with very young children say it's a lifesaver for folks who wash their hands as part of their job. Made from all-natural ingredients, there are no antibacterial chemicals in it. Add to all that the reasonable price, and you can understand why PP is carrying this product.

Now that winter is upon us, it's definitely dry skin season, especially since we wash our hands even more often because it's flu season too! And you know how unpleasant quilting can be if your hands are rough and dry. Think about suggesting this to potters and gardeners you know as well. Truthfully, for anyone with skin!

Buy it in The Planet Patchwork store!