It’s time to change

I’ve decided that I needed one blog that talked about all aspects of my life instead of having three separate blogs.  I am going to be deleting this blog soon.  So if you want to stay connected and up with what’s going on in my life please subscribe to my new and soon to be only blog: http://sleepeatheal.blogspot.com/2012/02/well-this-is-it.html.  Thank you so much for being a fan but I can’t stay up with three blogs anymore.  I think one will de so much more.

 

Art

I love when you get an idea in your mind and when you get it out it is exactly how you wanted it to be.  That is what happened yesterday.  Last weekend I had this vision for some art for a friend of mine and I knew I had to get some canvas.  It’s a multimedia piece.  The background is fabric (attached with mod podge).  Other elements include a stick I found outside and painted gold, a variety of buttons, and a poem I cut out in the shape of a bird.  I just love how it all came together and it was so much fun to make.  What do you all think?

Dishwasher Detergent

So I am trying to make most of the things we usually buy at home.  Sometimes it’s worth the trouble sometimes I chalk it up with a learning experience.  I have been researching dish detergents for a while now.  I love using organic detergent without all of the nasty chemicals in them but they get so expensive.  I finally came up with a recipe with help of many blogs and forums and decided to give it a try.  What would it hurt right?

Here’s the recipe I used:

1 Cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda, totally different)
1 Cup Borax
1/2 Cup Sea Salt (I used fine grain)
1/2 Cup Citric Acid
40 Drops Lavender EO
45 Drops Grapefruit EO

I put everything in a mason jar and shook it well to combine.  I just ran my first load and … It works great!  No residue, no food stuck on anything.  I am impressed.  We also do a vinegar rinse in our jet dry thing since we have hard water.  It didn’t cost me much… I had the washing soda and borax already from making my own laundry detergent.  You could use whatever EO’s you wanted but I chose mine because of their specific properties.

Lavender EO: Lavender is known to have antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and aromatic properties (mountainroseherbs.com)

Grapefruit EO: Grapefruit is known to have antibacterial, antiseptic, and astringent properties (mountainroseherbs.com).  The citrus also helps cut grease which is nice for dishes as well.

I am surprised it worked out so well.  Usually things have to be tweaked a bit because of things like the type of dishwasher you have, type of water you have, etc.  I love it when things work out, don’t you!?!

 

Craft Show

At the beginning of this month I did a craft fair and it was such a great experience just like last year when I did.  It is so funny how depending on the crowd really depends on what I need to make.  For example at the farmer’s market I have a huge group of people who want as natural as possible.  At this craft fair they want natural but love the fragrance oils over the essential oils.  Here’s some pics of what we had:

I’ve Been a Bad Blogger

I have been so busy these last few months I have been a bad blogger.  I actually haven’t had too much creative time between work, the farmer’s market, and my husband going back to school.  The farmer’s market is officially over as of today.  I have to now get the Etsy store back up and running.  If you would like to get my monthly newsletter please e-mail me at: soapy_joes@yahoo.com with I wanna get your newsletter as the title.  In it I will have special coupons, news, new items, etc.

In other news I have started doing videos on my other blog veggiegrl.  If you are interested feel free to head on over and check it out.  I would love to have more subscribers.  Well I need to get a few things done before bed.  I hope you all have had a lovely summer!

I Heart Soap

Last night I got two more batches done: Chai Tea and Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey.  Both smell SOOOOOO good!  I find that when I am using fragrance oils that discolor I just leave them pretty plain so that the discoloration decorates the soap more naturally.  Here they are:
I sprinkled just a bit of chai tea on the soap to keep up with the rustic look that HP gives you.
This one has loofa embedded into the soap and just a bit of oatmeal again for a more rustic look.  I can’t wait for the discolor to come through.  It’s almost like magic every time it happens.

Look at my newest batch

This is my newest creation, Tea Tree Bastille Facial Soap (though you can totally use this on your body too!).  What is Bastille soap?  It is soap where the main ingredient is Olive Oil but also contains other oils as well.  Mine has Olive Oil and Castor Oil.  Castile Soap is Olive Oil only though many companies out there don’t follow this rule (ahem Dr. Bronner).  Anyways what’s in my soap that makes it great for the face (and body too!)?

Olive Oil: This creates a mild soap great for sensitive skin.  It’s highly conditioning and is said to also help with dry skin, minimizing scars, helps eczema and psoriasis, and rashes and it helps the skin hold in the moisture.

Castor Oil: Helps add lather to the soap while still adding conditioning properties.

Calendula:  has anti-inflammatory qualities that can prevent infection in minor skin wounds when applied topically. It can reduce itching, redness, pain, and swelling of insect bites and rashes. It is soothing for sunburns, cuts, scrapes, dry and chapped hands, and minor burns.

Spirulina Powder: is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage). It contains nutrients, including B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid).

French Green Clay: French Green Clay (Also Known as Illite Clay or Sea Clay) is very absorbent, and literally “drinks” oils, toxic substances, and impurities from your skin.  Its toning action stimulates the skin by bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, revitalizing the complexion, and tightening pores. Mined from bedrock quarries in France, it is sun-dried, completely natural, unscented, and fragrance free.  Green clay is a bio-mineral, and contains decomposed plant matter as well as many trace minerals, such as: silica, aluminum, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt, manganese, phosphorous, silicon, micro-algaes, kelp, and phyto-nutrients. Green Clay has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties which make it beneficial for muscular pain, swelling, and arthritic or rheumatic conditions. Cosmetically, French Green clay is revered for its ability to stimulate blood and lymph circulation, remove dead skin cells, absorb impurities and fats, and tone and strengthen connective tissues.  After using French Green clay, skin feels fresh, smooth, radiant, and soft.  French Green Clay is also marvelous for helping to clear problem skin areas, and is gentle enough to use weekly, or even daily on problem spots. (mountainroseherbs.com)

Coconut Milk: According to OptiDerma, coconut milk can treat a variety of skin ailments when applied topically. Coconut milk’s moisturizing properties soothe the symptoms of psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema. It also prevents wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots. The natural fatty acids found in coconut milk make it an excellent topical treatment for dry, irritated skin, according to CareFair.com. These fatty acids allow coconut milk to remove harmful bacteria from your skin without overdrying. (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/132040-home-skin-remedies-that-use-coconut-milk/#ixzz1X847fDQk)

Tea Tree Essential Oil: Has healing properties as well as being an antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiseptic.

It’s now cut and currently on the drying rack to sit for a few months.  It will then be a gentile moisturizing facial soap. Can’t wait!

No sew cafe curtains

I love bargains and I hate above all else paying full price for anything.  I have been on the hunt for some cute cafe curtains for the window above the kitchen sink.  The pre-made curtains are always expensive (at least to me) and kind of cheesy.  I am a young hip modern gal I should have young hip modern curtains.  As I was tooling around Target today it came to me:
What you need for this awesomness:
1 tension rod: $3.78
2 sets of clip rings: $9.78
2 fabric napkins in a cute design: $4.98

Total for the project: $18.54

The best part about this set up is that I can easily change the curtains as I find new ones, get sick of the old ones, or want to do something seasonal.  Also, since these are made of cotton they are washable.  So what do you think?  I ❤ them!

Fall S.O.A.P. Panel

We all know I am a huge Bramble Berry fan.  It was actually their site that prompted me to try making soap for Christmas gifts a few years ago.  Thanks to them I can officially say my name is Amber and I am 100% addicted to soap making.  This little blog post is my entry for the fall S.O.A.P. panel.  I was lucky enough to get on the spring panel earlier this year, but I have grown so much in my soap making that I would love to be chosen again to try it with my new-found skills.  I have lately been obsessed with HP (hot process) soap making.  I do love it and its simple beauty.  I also am really into making lotions.  If chosen these are the two techniques I would focus on.  Here’s a little glimpse into my obsession:
Sadly, that’s not even all of it.  HAHA.  I am sure my fellow soap makers get it.  One thing I would like to do is at the end of the process I would like to sell all the items that are made.  I would like to donate 10% of the sales to my favorite foundation Souls for Soles where $1.00 = 1 pair of shoes for those in need.  So please pick me if you would.  It would be fun for me and it would also help a good cause.

This and That

Every Sunday I go out and sell my soaps and such at a Farmer’s Market.  This is my first year doing so and I can say I have learned a lot.  For example, I need to have far more stock before the season starts.  Right now I am making soap every couple of weeks or so to keep up.  Because of this my CP soap making has been put on hold because I don’t have time.  I have been trying out a few bases from Bramble Berry.  I recently got LCP base.  I have heard that this one can be slightly drying than the others so I have tried out a few new additives such as coconut oil, avocado oil, palm oil, and honey.  So far I like the experimentation.  Here’s a few pics of my table at the Farmer’s Market and my newest creations:

Passionfruit Rose Guest Soap
Pineapple Cilantro Guest Soap
Oatmeal and Honey (Unscented)
Gardners Soap (Tea Tree, Lavender, Peppermint)
Lavender Love

I want to get back into making more CP soap but I think that is going to have to wait until I have a bit more time and it’s a tich cooler since we really don’t have any a/c.