ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Kristine Bessell

• Tell us a little bit about your shoppe.  My shop consists of fun, fresh, natural and gentle soaps, as well as other bath and body products that are good for your skin. Each and every Cherry Tree Soaps product is handcrafted with care, using only the finest natural ingredients available. You won’t find any harmful chemicals or harsh detergents in any of my products. And I have tons of fun dreaming up colorful, unique, and deliciously-scented soaps – the wheels are always turning, and you never know what I will come up with next!

• What is your favorite product in your shoppe and why?  Hands-down, my favorite product in my shop is my Lip Balm. I am a lip balm addict, and you will never find me without one of my delicious tubes of lip balm! They save my lips during the cold, dry winter months and while other people panic when they leave their wallet or cell phone at home, I panic when I leave home without my lip balm! Another one of my very favorite products is my Ultra Rich Body Butter, which will be available in my shop very soon!

• When you’re not handcrafting your beautiful soaps and other luxurious products, what are your hobbies?   I absolutely love to read! I adore curling up with a good book, and getting lost for hours in a captivating storyline with enchanting characters. Having two very active little boys at home and running the business does not leave very much time for reading, but I do get a chance to sneak away with a good book every now and then. I also make sure to schedule in family time with my husband and the boys regularly. This is so important to me, as my boys are already growing up so fast and won’t be this little for very long!

• What do you like best about The Artisan Group?  There is so much that I absolutely love about The Artisan Group! Being accepted into the group was such a thrill, but no one could have prepared me for the doors and windows of opportunities that would open up to me just by becoming a member. If you would have told me last year that my products would soon be in the hands of several famous celebrities, I never would have believed it. But it’s happened, and some days I just want to pinch myself to see if it’s a dream! And, not only has my membership in The Artisan Group given my business an incredible boost, but I’ve met lots of other talented artisans through this group that have become such a wonderful support team. We bounce ideas off each other, help promote one another’s brand, and congratulate and cheer each other on with every success and accomplishment we each achieve. It’s a wonderful community and I am so honored to be a part of it!

Kristine will participate as a display participant in the upcoming luxury celebrity gift lounge on January 13-14, 2012 at the L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, in honor of the The 2012 Golden Globes Nominees and Presenters.