The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • January through April 2022 • Page 39
Trent finds herself drawn to “terse verse.” Depending on the age of the targeted audience, a typical picture book has between 400 and 800 words. Said Trent, “I love the challenge of telling a satisfying story with word count limitations; every word has to pack a punch.” Trent finds herself drawn to “terse verse.” Depending on the age of the targeted audience, a typical picture book has between 400 and 800 words. Said Trent, “I love the challenge of telling a satisfying story with word count limitations; every word has to pack a punch.” Her books are often fun as well as educational. In Farmers’ Market Day, the readers follow a little girl as she excitedly makes her way through the Saturday farmers’ market. The brightly colored illustrations by Jane Dippold really draw the eye. GiddyUp Buckaroos! takes readers on a Wild West adventure and includes some Spanish words sprinkled throughout with a glossary at the back of the book, and The Planet We Live On lovingly teaches children all about our home, Earth. We can continue to keep things local by purchasing Trent’s books through our local independent bookstores. If you don’t see them on the shelves, ask to special order. The Planet We Live On is also listed for purchase on Trent’s website. Find Shanda Trent online at shandatrent.com. She also has an author page on Facebook @ShandaTrentBooks. She can be contacted by email at shandatrentbooks@gmail.com.
Feeling Good with Jerome Stuart Nichols and The Butters Hygienics Co. Jerome Stuart Nichols wants his customers to feel “The sense of being cared for. That’s all I really care about.” And I absolutely feel it. I’ve been using shea butter lotions to soothe my dry skin since a friend recommended it to me while I was living in California, which has significantly dryer climates than Michigan. So, I was excited to find a handmade, plantbased company offering shea butter moisturizers practically in my own neighborhood here in Michigan. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. The Butters Hygienics Co. offers over 50 handmade items, “everything for face, body, hair, bath, and bedroom.” Bonus, they are unabashedly queer—just like me! Where did The Butters come from? Out of necessity. “I need lube and a lotion that meet my high standards. I’ve always been a person to just create what I don’t see in the world. So, I gave it a try. I used my training in pâtisserie and viennoiserie (French and Italian pastry) from Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale as well as cultural knowledge and research to figure out what I wanted. The same thing remains true today.”
I was excited to find a handmade, plant-based company offering shea butter moisturizers practically in my own neighborhood here in Michigan.
And as for the name, he said, “‘The Butters’ comes from a viral video where a white lady had just found out about raw shea butter and posed the question: where are y’all hiding the butters? Well, one of my goals with The Butters is to educate white people about oils and butters. ‘Cause, honestly, white people have a lot of cultural fear of being oily, greasy, and looking poor or unkempt. In the black community (and many brown ones), these plant extracts are considered crucial to hygiene and almost spiritual in importance. Hence the full name The Butters Hygienics Co. We are here to help you take care of yourself, in the best ways possible.” As with all businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdowns had an impact. “We’ve gotten rid of all in-person marketing. No more cons, fests, markets, or fairs. But the pandemic has been excellent for us. Our business grew 400% last year and doubled again this year. We’ve focused on new marketing strategies and word of mouth to help us keep growing.” I became one of those new happy customers after seeing a post about The Butters on Ypsilanti’s Neighborhood Theatre Group’s Instagram. It was mid-pandemic, I was working from home, and the only other human I saw in-person was my husband. I needed to pause and relax badly! Luckily, The Butters sell bath bombs. I also picked up a bottle of Anti-aging Facial Toner made with rose water, calendula, and hyaluronic acid; deliciously scented sugar scrubs; and body moisturizer that all make my skin feel amazing. If you have not yet discovered “the butters,” you are missing out. In addition to these fantastic products, The Butters’ website also has an educational blog so you can learn more about skin care, hair care, sexual health, and how different substances benefit different body and hair types. You may find just the thing you’ve always needed. Shop The Butters Hygienics Co. at GetTheButters.com. Follow @getthebutters on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.
