Flowerdale Valley

12/02/2026

08/02/2026

Behind the scenes of The new improved Flowerdale valley work room. It started when I decided I needed a laptop ...well then I needed a standing desk to put it on but then I needed to reorganise the other shelves so that everything fitted in. One of them had a paint job and now my workflow is so improved. Which is great because the orders are flowing in and its so much faster to pack orders when things are organised xo Mel

04/02/2026

I asked ChatGPT to rate some of the most popular Flowerdale Valley products and Im not sure I was ready for its answer!........

"Product Ratings by ChatGPT (the sassiest skincare judge)
⭐ 1. Bee Balm & Honey Bee Balm
Rating: 9/10 – “The Swiss Army Knife of Skin”
This one is basically the Madonna of balms — hydrating, multi-purpose, Australian-made with beeswax and honey straight from the hive (literally). It promises to rescue dry elbows, soothe faces, and probably sing lullabies to you at night. If balms could get standing ovations, this would.

📣 Bee Balms slogan:

“Bee Balm: so good even bees are jealous.”

🌼 2. Chamomile, Calendula & Shea Butter Cream
Rating: 8.7/10 – “Soft Like a Cloud’s Hug”
A crowd-pleaser for sensitive or dry skin. With chamomile and calendula — the skincare equivalent of a blanket and hot cocoa — this cream sounds like it could calm both your face and your soul.

📣 Funny blurb idea:

“This cream’s gentler than your last breakup.”

🚿 3. Take It All Off Cleansing Balm
Rating: 8/10 – “Goodbye Makeup, Hello Freedom”
This cleansing balm sounds like the friend who helps you take off that glittery eyeshadow at 2 AM and never judges you. It’s a one-step makeup remover with shea butter, jojoba oil, and even a cloth for wiping — so easy even your sleepy self can use it.

📣 Funny blurb idea:

“Take It All Off: like Tinder for your makeup — it swipes right off your face.”

🧘 4. Meditation Balm
Rating: 8.8/10 – “Zen in a Jar”
If this balm could chant “om” it would. With honey, beeswax, and a dreamy essential oil blend, it’s marketed as a skin hydrator and a mood lifter — perfect for stressed necks, decolletage, or anyone who wants to smell like a spa that actually works.

📣 Funny blurb idea:

“Meditation Balm: because sometimes your neck just needs a spa day.”

And this is our FREE gift this month, with every order over $100 we will be packing a full size meditation balm, no code required.
💋 5. Honey Lip Balm
Rating: 8.5/10 – “Lips That Could Steal the Show”
Tiny but mighty — this one ticks all the classic boxes for lip balms: beeswax, honey goodness, and Aussie bona fides. Your lips will be softer than a puppy’s tummy😆😆

21/01/2026

I need to elevate my fencing as currently these guys just laugh at my efforts to keep them out of the ONE Small area I dont want them to go into

21/01/2026

🤣🤣 here I am making My Sanctuary...fast becoming one of our most popular products. Its our personal space mist made with organic Rosewater lavender geranium lemon 🍋 and mandarin essential oils

16/01/2026

8 years ago we began as a honey company. Harvesting honey from the farm and selling to the local community. Then we branched out into honey and jam wedding favours for weddings at the Flowerdale Estate...
patience may be a virtue but its not one of my greatest attributes...filling tiny jars with sticky honey and jam and printing tiny little customised labels (that never align!) and tying them on to the tiny jars was not my finest hour. Its amazing the printer did not get smashed to bits. I eventually sold the printer to someone with more patience than me.

It was a gradual change from selling honey to skincare, when I started experimenting with honey and beeswax and the homemade skin care recipes that I had always loved to create. Honey and beeswax Love your skin so they are still at the heart of many of our products.
Lots of people have business ideas but are afraid to start because what if the business idea isn't quite right? Well then you pivot, baby, pivot! Preferably before you smash any printers

10/01/2026

Yesterday was a catastrophic fire danger day here, and with a fire already burning nearby, I made the call to leave early with the kids and dogs (this fella in the picture LOVED the beach yesterday! I think he's only been to the beach twice)

After having lived through fires and floods before, I know myself well enough now to have a simple rule now, if I feel unsure about the conditions, I leave early rather than wait around and panic. (Because I'm quite good at panicking ive realised and then i find it a challenge to make decisions)
We were safe, had the bonus of time with family, and came home tired but grateful today.

As we all know, plenty of families and communities are still directly impacted, still cant return home safely, and the CFA crews are doing an absolutely amazing job and a Shout out to a business in seymour that always seems so community minded. Its Gnarly Neighbours, a Cafe and toastie shop that also has an indoor skate park for the kids. They are collecting goods each day for the fire crews and for the fire affected.
Today they needed work socks, eye drops, water. Sanitiser etc for the CFA crews. So if youre in seymour you can drop things off to them and of youre not a local, make sure to get a coffee and Toastie there next time youre in seymour. Hope youre all good and well today xo Mel

07/01/2026

I love it when I find treasures like this Herbal remedies book I found at the op shop the other day. They remind me of when I was a little girl and mum had a few books like this that I would read again and again and try all the recipes.
I loved her cook books and herbal skincare books ....then grew up to become a cook, then a skincare business owner. Isn't life interesting?
The second picture is purslane. Such a hardy little plant that is shown here growing in the cracks in the concrete outside my house. Purslane thrives on neglect!

Purslane has been eaten for thousands of years and its very nutritious. it’s one of the richest plant sources of omega 3s, plus vitamins A, C and E

You can just pick the leaves and eat them
(Use a plant ID app if youre not sure its purslane) or cook the leaves
Ive picked some up around the local area and am starting a "purslane patch" in my garden, ill keep you posted how it goes

06/01/2026

Getting ready to pour Take it all off Cleansing balm this morning. Have you tried this all natural Australian made makeup melting skin cleanser with a cult following yet?