By Crysta Coburn

In this column, Crysta Coburn writes about crazywisdom-esque people and happenings around Ann Arbor.

A Time 4 You Bath and Spa Treats with Adrian Leek

It is vitally important to make time for yourself and get back to you on a regular basis. But that can be hard, especially with how busy our lives are, and when you throw parenthood into the mix, when you are responsible not only for yourself but for your children, devoting time to only you can feel selfish and that much more difficult!

Ypsilanti-based A Time 4 You Bath and Spa Treats to the rescue! It was actually Adrian Leek’s family that guided her to learning about naturally and simply made bath and body products and launching her own business. “When I became a mother I was very, very particular about what I put on my baby for skin care, but mostly drawn to mixing my own oils for relaxing and calming effects using lavender, chamomile, and olive oil for after bath and bedtime,” Leek shared with me. “My kids LOVED the massages, and I loved knowing that I was able to make something so healthy and enjoyable for my kids.”

About starting her own business, Leek said, “When my second child was diagnosed with autism, it changed our lives...but I was already on the right track with my pursuit of natural hand-made products. With my son’s condition, it was all the more important that natural products were used because so many sensitivities come along with autism. On the flip side of this lifestyle is that we tend to live such stressful lives, and I’ve found it necessary to make a conscious effort toward self-care. A Time For You Bath and Spa Treats was created to help inspire others to stop and not only enjoy a moment to ourselves, but take better care of ourselves...so we can continue to care for the people and things that we love.”

I asked her about how she learned to make her products and where she finds the ingredients. She said, “Research, a love for these kinds of products (natural and simply made), feedback from people that use them, and of course...trial and error. My ingredients come from a mixture of places, my focus is on high quality, responsible, and clean materials.” At the moment, she sources many of her materials online and is “looking for a brick and mortar location to buy materials.”

When I asked Leek why self-care is so important in her life, she answered, “I have learned over the years that it is necessary to consciously try to balance our level of stress with something calming, positive, and relaxing. I believe that these things are imperative to keeping our balance and allowing us to continue with the necessary things that we find important to us.

Leek is hoping to have her products on boutique shelves within the next five years. In the meantime, find A Time 4 You Bath and Spa Treats on Etsy and at local farmers markets.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/timeforyouyes or ATime4YouBathTreats.etsy.com. Or you can email time4youyes@gmail.com.

Read related article: Crysta Goes Visiting, Fall 2018

Bunny and Smooch and Deborah Secord

After growing up in Canton, Deborah Secord studied theater at Eastern Michigan University “and stayed in the area afterward for the artsy, quirky, creative community that Ypsi offers.” It is through theater that I met Secord. She starred in the workshop production of my husband Greg’s play Whatever Happened to Captain Future? with the Ypsilanti-based Neighborhood Theatre Group.

Then, when Greg and I were vending at our area’s newest book festival Booksilanti, I learned that Secord is more than a talented actress—she makes delightful handmade jewelry, too! Each piece is made from the pages of children’s books. As her sign read, “Beloved books go from trash to treasure.” I couldn’t resist buying a pendant featuring the Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, for which I have received several compliments since. (It was a tough choice between that and Winnie the Pooh!) Secord learned to make jewelry through trial and error and watching YouTube videos. “I went through a lot of learning what didn’t work before I figured out what did!”

When I asked why she chose books to make her jewelry, she answered, “I just hate to see books get thrown out—especially Children’s books. [...] When you are a child and you discover a love of reading, certain books just speak to your soul and become a part of you—at least that’s how it was for me. I can still remember how certain books smelled, the warmth of the sun on my back as I lay on the floor in front of the window with my pile of books, the feel of the pages of certain favorites, rough paper smoothed to soft over a thousand re-reads. I have so many books that are falling apart because I read them over and over again. To be able to carry that book with me when it’s no longer readable, to save it and give it new life as a cherished piece of jewelry makes me feel like it’s getting some of the love back that it deserves.”

In addition to acting and jewelry making, Secord also enjoys spending time with her family and loves to bake. “I made rainbow layered unicorn cakes for my daughter’s first birthday this summer and have done golden snitch cakes, pizza cakes, roller skates, and more!” The name Bunny and Smooch is inspired by her daughter and her daughter’s toy bunny. “My spare time and fun time is generally spent hanging out with my family. Most days we like to cuddle up on the couch and watch Great British Bake Off, HGTV, or old episodes of our 90s favorites like The Nanny and Mad About You. Weekends are spent running around Ypsi, camping throughout Michigan, visiting fun and funky art shows and festivals, and catching up with friends.”

In addition to selling at the occasional festival, Secord’s jewelry can be bought online through Facebook.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/bunnyandsmooch or email bunnyandsmooch@gmail.com.

Reflexolo-chiTM Healing with Greg Knollmeyer

According to the Reflexology Association of America, “Reflexology is the application of specific pressure by the use of the practitioner’s hand, thumb, and fingers to a reflex map resembling a human body which is believed to exist on the extremities.” Reflexolo-chiTM was developed by Gloria Zimet as a gentler, less penetrative variant that incorporates the body’s life energy (chi). The impact of reflexolo-chi can be felt as quickly as the first session. I decided to investigate this myself, and I made an appointment with local practitioner Greg Knollmeyer.

I have a painful tailor’s bunion on my left foot that I was eager to address. Knollmeyer explained that there is a long list of ailments that can be tackled with reflexolo-chi, such as stress, headaches, joint pain, PMS, allergies, digestive disorders, and so on. My chief concern was my bunion, however, which I could feel quite sharply as I limped into the office and hopped onto the table. Even while resting, my foot throbbed.

Rather than press on my foot, Knollmeyer manipulated my toes and lower leg to make adjustments, starting with the problematic left. (It reminded me a bit of a chiropractic exam I had many years ago in California, and now I wonder if that doctor perhaps had some of this training.) For anyone with sensitive feet, this is probably a better route than traditional reflexology.

I felt my body slowly loosen up, and the ache in my left foot gradually faded away. Knollmeyer was also easy to talk to and happy to answer any questions and concerns that I had. When he was finished with the left leg, he lifted my foot, moved it around, and invited me to get a feel for how the left side of my body felt. Aside from pain-free, I felt more connected from top to tip.

Learn more at Biodynamiccranialsacral.com

“Okay, good,” said Knollmeyer, and set down my left foot. He raised my right foot and asked the same question while moving the foot gently in all directions. I was surprised by the stark contrast. My right leg felt hollow and disjointed. Knollmeyer worked on that side until my whole body felt whole again.

After the session, I asked what I could do about my foot pain in the future. Was there anything I could do about my shoes?

“Shoes are a corset,” he answered. Having worn several corsets, I knew exactly what he meant. He suggested not sticking to only one pair of shoes. “If possible, change shoes halfway through the day.” That way my feet wouldn’t get stuck in a position they found uncomfortable.

Knollmeyer also showed me a simple exercise that I could do to slowly get my turned out duck feet back in parallel alignment. Walking and standing with feet turned outward stresses feet and knee joints, just to name a few. Which I wish I had known when I went to physical therapy for mysterious knee pain a few summers ago.

I was impressed by the results of my first visit. The pain was gone! Not forever, but it was a relief to walk around the rest of the night pain free. And I feel better armed to get my body back in alignment and pain free in the future.