You know that great feeling you get after a good belly-laugh? Maybe it's inspired by a clever friend, a zany puppy video or a dirty joke. But the end state is the same - it's somewhere between relaxed and elated. It erases cares, leaving a smile on your face and in your heart.  That's what Lilly Sage Apothecary is all about. Welcome, I’m Carol and I’m so glad you are here.

I was a hippy.   Now, I’m a hippy with an espresso machine. 

I grew up mostly in Tennessee. My parents are educated people who love art. Having expressed a minor talent in it, I was encouraged to attend art school. So, I did. I focused on 3D art, primarily pottery. You know what’s a great idea? Taking an aptitude test in high school. It’s likely a standard practice today, but it wasn’t then. In between kicking pots, I took one. The results were inconceivable. I, an artist, scored best in math and mechanical aptitude. The test went on to suggest a career as a garage mechanic or a chemist. I did “occasionally” partake in a little illicit chemistry, but this was insane. I was a nonconformist artist hippy. It would be years before I could truly appreciate how perfect that evaluation had been.

I have adventure in my soul… as a young woman I began to travel. I had heard Muses live in Alaska, so I went to find out. I lived in “the bush”. I made soap, sourdough bread and my own butter. I raised chickens, canned veggies and routinely ran pesky moose out of my garden. I had plenty of firewood and life was good. The air in Alaska is clean, and sustainable is a way of life. It was a good place for me. I became a woodworker and built furniture. Alaska is a wonderful place for pioneers. And, yes, I found Muses. 

In time I wanted to be southern again.  So, I headed back south. In 2017, I opened a little soap shop, Lilly Sage Apothecary. Remember the chemistry aptitude?  It came in handy when I undertook formal training in organic botanical formulations. Yep, I still make my own sourdough and butter. And, you know that old reference to dirty hippies? It couldn’t be further from the truth.  We make soap... and espresso.