Without question, our favorite place to shop for indulgent bath and body products is Heartstrings in Markle, IN. Why? We get to give our business to an Indiana businesswoman for one. Secondly, the products are flat out fabulous. Jeannie Bayless makes most of what you will find at her shop. However, you will also find some gorgeous home decor pieces and products by companies such as Cucina and our beloved Trapp candles. Jeannie doesn't have online ordering on her website but she'll ship you goodies if you send her an email wish list. Ideally, you'll find yourself in the Markle area sometime and drop by her shop. Think a soap and lotion shop in a barn in the middle of farmland sounds too folksy and not chi-chi enough for you? Think again. The above pictures show just one of the 3 gorgeous rooms that make up the shop. Plus, the products are nothing short of luxurious. The Body Butter would be a nice introduction to her products. If you are feeling adventurous, place an email order and try one- White Tea & Ginger is a nice clean scent. Another favorite is the Moisturizing Scrub in sugar with vanilla bean. This stuff amazingly exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time. Also, she has a huge selection of candles in little tin containers. We've enjoyed the White Tea one before but this time we picked up the sublime Bonsai scent. And, of course, we can't leave out her homemade soaps. No harsh chemicals, adorable packaging, and amazing scents. This past weekend, we picked up bars of Fresh Springs and Burberry, both enriched with good things like shea butter and hemp oils.

We could literally go on and on about how much we love this place. We are telling you months in advance of Christmas so that, the next time you are in northeastern Indiana, you can make sure to stop by and buy gifts that will truly be appreciated (not to mention some goodies for yourself). Or, if you never pass by this way, email Jeannie and ask for recommendations and have her ship you something to try. The prices are extremely reasonable (we got 2 bars of soap, a Trapp votive, the Moisturizing scrub, a large tub of Body Butter and the Bonsai spa candle for $35) and we love supporting "made in Indiana" products.