HEADING OUT FOR A MUCH NEEDED VACATION

December 31, 2008

The family and I are headed out of town for a 14 day vacation. We will be visiting the island of Oahu. We are very much looking forward to it. The last couple times we visited the island I had intended to visit the THE SOAP FACTORY. A family set up shop in an old historic sugar mill and have a very successful soapmaking business on the island. I've passed by but never stopped for a tour and this year I do not intend to miss it. I have lots of goodies in mind that I'd like to buy and hopefully they will let me take pictures.
Read More

MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

December 27, 2008

1. I promise not to wake up before 11 am.
2. I promise not to work out more than 1x a week.
3. I promise not to avoid chocolate.
4. I promise not to skip a snickers cooler each day from caribou.
5. I promise only to walk the dog if she barks uncontrollably and whines a little.
6. I promise to be extra late dropping my kids at school so I can sleep later.
7. I promise to spend extra money on soapmaking supplies and cardmaking supplies.
8. I promise not to give my husband too much alone time.
9. I promise to eat out and not cook at least 4x's a week.
10. I promise to give my kids unhealthy food daily.
11. I promise to do laundry only once a month
12. I promise to clean house every six months.
13. I promise not to read or write too much.
14. I promise not to help my kids with homework.
15. I promise not to have long talks with my children when they have inquisitive questions about life.

Now at least if I break one of these I won't feel guilty :)
Read More

TO ALL MY SOAPING FRIENDS

December 24, 2008

I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Read More

WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT SELL?

November 13, 2008

I've asked this question before but have been thinking more about it lately. What do you think makes a product sell? Fragrance, Texture, Packaging? I would guess most handmade soap or other body product business people would say all of it matters but what I've been hearing from people I've spoken to about this, most people are sold on ONE things. Sometimes it is packaging that first attracts them, some don't even pass up an opportunity to buy a product, even if it smells badly, if the packaging is great.
Read More

CHECK OUT THE SOAP

November 12, 2008

We had another great soap swap in the fall. Yessssssss I'm behind on posting the picture. I kept my lovely little soaps together and they waited Oh So Patiently for me to take their picture for the blog.
Read More

SOMEONE MADE ME SMILE TODAY

October 31, 2008

I love when I read blogs that make me smile. This morning I was going through my list of blogging buddies and came across Sheabutter Cottage. Akua was so wonderful as to award me with the "friendship" award. My heart melted and I smiled. Can't ask for more than that.
Read More

WINTER SOAP SWAP

October 28, 2008

Some of the members over at the SOAPMAKERS CORNER are having a holiday soap swap. The deadline to sign up is November 29, soaps will be swapped out on December 10. If you are interested in learning more of the details just follow this link ---> HERE

Any and all soapers are welcome. CP, HP, M&P. We hope you join us.
Read More

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

September 18, 2008

Sorry I have not blogged lately. I'm seriously losing touch with the blog community. I try really hard to get online and whip as fast as possible through blogs and the couple forums I frequent but lately there just isn't enough time in a day.
Read More

A BLOG AWARD!

August 2, 2008

I recieved this wonderful blog award from my friend Carrie~gigi over at MUD PUDDLE GIRL. Carrie and I have known each other through the blogging world for quite a while now. She is a sweet, lovely, and kind person and I'm really happy to have met her. It is joy, knowing each of my blogging friends and I feel honored that Carrie gave me this award.
Read More

WHATS UP WITH THE SANDALWOOD??

I made a batch of soap using sandlewood powder for color yesterday. Now, I picked up what was labelled as red sandlewood at a store here in Minneapolis. I didn't know what properties it would bring to my soap, if any, so I did some research and learned that it produces a nice purple color. Well, something isn't right. Looks like sandlewood powder, smells like sandlewood powder, but this is what color it is in my soap:
Read More

NO MORE SOAP SUPPLIES

Time to spend money on a new camera. I seriously can't take it anymore. Here is the latest: Strawberry scented soap with strawberry seeds. For the last 4 batches of soap I've used the Heat Transfer Method of soapmaking but........ something is different. I can't put my finger on what it is but something is not quite
Read More

SOAPMAKING DAY

July 31, 2008

Today was soapmaking day again for Donna and I. We've committed ourselves to a couple craft shows this fall so it is time to experiment with what types of soap we want to create. This was my first experience with rose clay. What were the results? Well, I didn't really like the way it looked when it was poured into
Read More

SOAP GOODIES FROM E. GASSNER

July 30, 2008

I received some goodies from Elizabeth over at GASSNER CUSTOM SOAPS and what a big surprise it was. I was only expecting a few fragrance oils but I found so much more in the box. She sent the cutest little soap with a rubber ducky embedded in it for my baby girl. The baby immediately knew it was for
Read More

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOAP SWAP??

July 28, 2008

Umm.... I got very behind in my blogging and although I had good intentions I kept getting further and further behind. Not to mention my goofy camera flaked on me. I recently borrowed a camera for the sole purpose of taking a picture of the soaps I received in a swap we had going on the original forum. Warning:
Read More

CREATIVE MOMENTS TO COME

July 8, 2008

I'm happy to report, after my small trip to Florida, I'm feeling pretty darn good again and good = creative. My dear friend Donna and I will be selling at two Craft Shows this fall, I received the applications today. I'm really excited about it. I haven't felt like doing a craft show in ages so this gives me something to look forward to. In the past week I've ordered from about 4 different soap supply companies and I'm waiting patiently for all my goodies to arrive. All you soapmakers out there know what that feels like. I'll be experimenting with soaps and Donna will experiment with cards - figuring out what we like and what we'll want to sell. Fingers crossed for some "mind blowing" creations! :)
Read More

OFF TO FLORIDA

June 27, 2008

Where? Anna Maria Island. I had never heard of it until one of my stamping friends, Sharon, told me about it. Actually, she shared a bunch of pictures on INKSTAINERS FORUM and it seemed like a perfect place to visit for the family. We'd been talking about a short trip to the beach and Sharon was so kind as to hook us up with her favorite vacation spot and now that is where we are headed. I cannot wait to walk on white sand and see the beautiful blue water. Our family is in desperate need of a vacation. Hopefully we all come back refreshed and ready for life :) and.... with a few pictures to share.

xxoo to all my blogging buddies.


Read More

WHIPPED SHEA EXPERIMENT

May 29, 2008

Before I begin about the whipped shea first let me say this: DO NOT BUY A EXILM CASIO DIGITAL CAMERA - THEY ARE USELESS!
Read More

GUESS WHAT ARRIVED ON MY DOORSTEP?

May 21, 2008

PRODUCT BODY thats what. I ordered some products from my blogging friend Joaanna over at THE SOAP BAR BLOG and I must say - if your reading this Joanna - I'm so pleased with the fact that your product arrived in world record time. That is some seriously fast shipping! I couldn't believe it when the package came to my door. I LOOOOOOOVE fast shipping!
Read More

I MISS BLOGGING & BLOGGERS

May 11, 2008

Since the move into the new home I haven't really gotten back into the old routine. 90% of that is a really good thing but 10% is sorta sad. I miss blogging and I miss my blogging buddies. Now that we are finally settling in and actually beginning to make sense of the mess in our home I'll slowly be returning to blogging. I hope all my blogger friends are doing well and that their soaping or cardmaking ventures are going great! Hopefully I'll have some soap to share soon. Tonight I'm placing an order from Snowdrift Farm. They have a 10% sale going on until 11:59 p.m. YAHOOOOO!! Gotta get me some goodies :)

BTW/I have yet to blog about the soap swap and all the wonderful soaps I received. That will be my very next post. I have all the soaps together ready to be blogged about (except one because I used it - but I'll be mentioning how wonderful it is and I'll take a picture of the half used portion - Hee Hee!).
Read More

ON THE MOVE!

March 23, 2008

Tonight my computer will go off and I will no longer have DSL until Thursday (if all goes well with the new company doing the install). Our closing on the new home is tomorrow and the closing for the new owners of our home is March 27. Busy week. Of course, it would have helped if I hadn't put off packing.
Read More

SO WHAT IS THIS FELT SOAP?

March 15, 2008

JERABEKS CAFE

I've been hearing a lot about felt soap and reading about it here and there. I didn't give it much thought until the other day when I was visiting a cafe in my old neighborhood. There is a bohemian family I grew up with that has a family owned cafe since 1908, that everyone in the neighborhood loves to visit. Well,
Read More

I DID IT!

March 11, 2008

As if being a soapmaker and selling the soap wasn't enough. I took the leap and have become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. I'm actually very excited about it. A friend and I have been going to other peoples stamping classes for a while now and like with soap, I love experiencing other peoples ideas and work but I really love the creative side of making cards and stamping as well. So, my friend Donna and I have decided to combine our cardmaking skills (she's a fantastic cardmaker) and all of our tools (we buy what one another doesn't have) and create some fun cardmaking classes of our own. I will still attend my host/friend Kelly's classes, because I enjoy her company and want to support her business also but I'm really going to enjoying tapping into my creative cardmaker side even more to share with other people. Please wish me luck, I'm going to need it! LOL!
Read More

COLD PROCESSED SOAP/GLYCERIN MIX

February 18, 2008

I saw this technique in a book a while back and I thought I'd give it a try. Last week I had a small window of opportunity to make soap again so I jumped on it. LOL!!
Read More

THE HOUSE SOLD!!

February 16, 2008

Maybe it is premature of me to be dancing a jig but I'm very excited. We have signed a purchase agreement and if all goes well with the buyers having our home inspected, then our home will officially be sold. I probably shouldn't be dancing a full jig yet so maybe I'll just do a half jig but I am very excited. At least I can say we are half way there =)
Read More

pH STRIPS

February 13, 2008

The topic of pH levels in soap came up over on the forum and I thought, why not post about it here too.

I remember when I first started soaping I knew nothing abouth pH. I learned straight out of a Sandy Maine book (if you want to learn to make soap her books are perfect). I don't know where along the line I learned about pH but it wasn't very long after I started to make soap that I learned how important it was.
Read More

LIFE IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT A BILLOW

February 5, 2008

Every girl in my family now has their very own special billow. My friend Carrie over at UNDER THE WILLOW GIFTS BLOG sent my baby girl a billow for her birthday and included a surprise billow for me as well. It was such a treat to open the box and find not one but two beautiful handmade billows. They are
Read More

ONE STEP CLOSER TO REAL LIFE AGAIN

January 24, 2008

Tomorrow is the official day.... that we put our home on the MLS and try to sell it. It has been an exhausting 3 months. These past 11 months have been nothing short of a mini nightmare but thankfully a huge part of the stress is coming to an end (which is getting this darn house ready for the market). Someone please remind me why I decided to buy a new house and sell our home in the middle of winter and in such a crappy market???? 
Read More