A Lazy Day

Somehow I can't get off the mark today to do some product photography. I have Coconut Lime Verbena and Cuppa Chai soaps ready to go in the shop, but have no creative spark or ideas about how to do great photos. So I'm mostly dozing and reading today. That's OK though, some days you just need to do that. My batteries must need charging.

Oh, I did put my incredibly unattractive Plumberry Spice soap into my shop -- I'm calling them Homely Orphans and they're only $3 a bar. Just close your eyes in the shower. :D

I went to the library yesterday and found that I owed $35 in late fees! I have never been so late with so many books. It was a sobering experience. Of course immediately I checked out another 6 books, one of which is all about how to make Waldorf-style dolls. I've loved those dolls since my daughter was a baby and we began getting the Hearthsongs catalog with dolls like these in it.

Take the Pledge. I did! Buy handmade this holiday season!

Homecoming

Well, my babies have just left for their Homecoming Dance. I took some quick photos of them on their way out the door. :)

Vicky 1 | Vicky 2 | Geoff

This is Vicky's senior year, so this is the big one. Her beautiful dress was made by her big sister, Tabitha, of Astoria Designs.

Crocheting a Faery

You wouldn't think crocheting a little 5 inch faery would be such a chore, but I've been whacking away at this thing for days. It's almost done now, I just have to crochet some wings for her. Or not. Maybe I'll pull apart a plastic butterfly, if I can find the right colors.

I've added a bunch of stuff to my shop, including Lilac and Lavender, Turkish Mocha and Secrets of India. I've got a couple new kinds of soap curing right now -- Coconut Lime Verbena and Lavender Peppermint Oatmeal.

Tonight is the Homecoming game at our kids' high school and tomorrow is the Homecoming dance. I want to get some photos of the kids all dressed up. :)

Graduating Seniors

For the four years our daughter has been on the dance team, we've watched the graduating Seniors on the football team, the cheerleaders and the band/dance members walk across the football field with their parents to the applause of their classmates. Last night we were so proud to escort our daughter across the field to a lot of wild applause from her teammates. She was beaming! It meant a lot to her that all her teammates gave her a big cheer! She got a dozen roses from mom and dad.

Our son is going to his first school dance ever, for Homecoming next weekend. We went out and got him new dress pants and shirt, shoes and tie because the boy is growing like a weed. My 6'2" husband even has to look up at him now. I can't believe how tall and grownup our son has become. He invited the nicest little girl (literally, she's about 5' tall) who plays the tuba in the band to go to the dance with him. I can't even imagine them slow dancing together. :D

This morning I did such a mom thing for breakfast. I made Vicky and her GF real French Toast, from scratch, dusted with powdered sugar, served with bacon, and I even warmed the maple syrup. Plus I decorated the plate with cut oranges. Yum.

It looked so good it made me wish I wasn't on a diet. I just went back to WW a month ago and have lost almost 8 lbs. so far. It is a good start and I know WW works. I just wish I could blast off 30 lbs., but at my age, that just isn't going to happen. Slow and steady, that's the way it always goes for me.

I made some soap today and dang, it turned out weird. It separated into what looks like applesauce, and I couldn't even stickblend it into submission. So I poured it into the crockpot and tried to cook the living daylights out of it to get it to melt and cohere, but I don't think it was entirely successful. I have another batch that did something similar recently, same fragrance supplier, which makes me leery of ordering from them again. The soap is good, lathers well and all, but it looks like hell.

I really hate wasting wonderful and costly fragrances, not to mention the cost of the soap ingredients. So I might think of something to do with these unfortunate-looking soaps. I'm thinking of calling them Fugly Orphans or something like that and selling them at a discount. I wonder if that would work?

Fizzy Bath Salts

I've fallen behind on blogging again, things have just been so hectic. I'm making a lot of stuff lately!

Today I added Fizzy Bath Salts to my shop, in Rosemary Mint and Pink Grapefruit. They don't just smell good, they sort fizz and give you tickly little bubbles while you're soaking in the tub. And yesterday I put the cutest Sassy Little Crocheted Purse in the shop.

In the meantime, I've been soaping like a maniac. I made Turkish Mocha, Secrets of India and a really lovely floral blend, Lilac and Lavender. They are all on the curing rack in my office and it smells fantastic in here!

I can hardly believe it, but this Friday is Homecoming at my kids' high school. This is my daughter's senior year, so all the parents of the seniors in band and dance will be walking across the football field with their kids just before the game. A lot of the parents in past years have been dressed like they're going to a formal or something. I mean, I want to honor my daughter but I'm not willing to wear a cocktail dress and high heels to traipse across churned up grass on the field. So I'll probably go with the jeans, a nice shirt and my Crocs.

I bought the most gorgeous bracelet from charmedbyskye for my daughter. You have to see it, it's here. Is that amazing, or what? She is a member of the Earthpath Artisans Street Team, which I belong to also, on Etsy. EAST just had an Autumn Challenge that was judged by the Storque admins on Etsy. I didn't win, but I have to say the people who did win deserved to win, very talented folks.

Catching Up

I added a bunch of new stuff to my Etsy shop: Apricot Freesia soap, Orange Ginger soap and Mama Mia Baby Belly Balm ™. Today I was excited to make my 100th sale!

I think I'm having too much fun selling soap. It gives me an excuse to keep buying new fragrances. The other day I made Turkish Mocha and it gave me a craving for Starbucks. Yum. And a couple people I mentioned it to have already asked me when it will be ready. So I'm not the only person who likes the idea of coffee soap. I've some Chai Spice and Vanilla Latte fragrances on the way, too.

I still can't believe my daughter is 18. You really know your kid is growing up when you feel comfortable letting them drive you somewhere and (gasp!) cut your bangs for you. I still remember the time she cut all her hair off and put it in a bag under her bed. She denied that she had cut her hair. It was one of the few times I'd seen my husband cry. We're talking hair disaster, our little girl's long shiny hair hacked off to 100 different lengths. And now she cuts my bangs for me, heh.

Kitchen Remodeling

Yesterday I put Sleigh Ride into my shop, it's such a wonderful holiday fragrance with orange, apple, mint and cinnamon. :)

I wanted to introduce you to an amazingly talented dress designer, my stepdaughter, Tabitha, owner of Astoria Designs. She just opened a shop at Etsy. I've known her since she was 15 and she's always been able to sew anything. She uses only the finest silks and laces and actually handpaints her own silks. Go take a peek at her beautiful art to wear!

Our whole kitchen is torn up and an incredible mess. My husband put a new countertop in, well...most of it, anyway. The hard part is done, where you have to take the whole sink out. Of course this means lots of cleaning up behind him, sweeping up sawdust and having to wash everything in the cupboards and drawers. Argh.

So I'm not making anything for a few more days. You can't do alchemy in your kitchen without counter space and running water.

Earthpath Artisans Challenge

I finally uploaded my entry to the Earthpath Street Team's (EAST) Fall Leaves Challenge. It's here, if you want to take a peek. The soap is Orange Ginger, soon to go into my shop.

I paid for a spot in the Etsy Storque Showcase today. I'm hoping it will bring me more sales. I've never done it before, so it will be interesting to see if it works.

I'm have a restful day today, probably do some crocheting later. I have to remind myself at times that I don't have to make something every single day.

Treasuries

I'm pretty excited about this -- I made it into two treasuries yesterday. Take a peek at the Heard She's Down to Earth and You're So Fruit treasuries! :)

If you want to see some very talented Etsy sellers, check out the Etsy Earthpath Artisans Blog. :)

Whipped Mango Satin Body Butter

How's this for divine decadence? I just made Luscious Skin Whipped Mango Satin Body Butter and put it in my shop. This stuff is the bomb, 75% Mango Butter, with Meadowfoam, Jojoba, Rice Bran and Calendula-infused oils, scented naturally with Vanilla-infused Coconut oil and Lavender Essential Oil. Mmmmm...

I just returned from the post office, where I have to drive almost every day. I don't trust leaving my orders out in the mailbox, stuff might melt. Even though we are finally getting our first little taste of South Florida fall weather, we still have to put the a/c on by noon.

Finally, my 2 oz. tins arrived yesterday! I have plans for them to hold all kinds of salves and balms. I'm the kitchen alchemist. :D