PAINFULLY cute

I was feeling down today, so I went online to look at cuteness. It's what I do. Therapeutic, some would say.
I'm in a much better mood now.... and this is why:

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST....

 

 Now don't YOU feel better??

Oh goodness me.

The powers that be at my "real" job have decided I'm SO much of an asset at the company, they're cutting my hours to half of what they were. I am 100% part time now. Oh, yay.

I posted in the Etsy forums last night, lamenting all this nonsense, and people have been AMAZING! So much  love coming from my fellow Etsians. I am eternally grateful for the show of support and good advice!

Something I have been planning on doing for a while (think I even blogged about it) is changing the packaging for Spring. Portland is pretty mild 10 months out of the year, but there are many places I ship that aren't. I don't see my lip balms having a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the heat in slider tins, so I will be switching very soon to clear oval tubes. Don't fret - they are super awesome and I will have much more room for labeling (and they. The only drawback is there can be no fortune inside. :-( The solid perfumes are also going to the way of the tube. I will definitely re-order the tins as soon as the weather cools down, and they may still be an option for the die hard fans ( I said MAY) until I run out. The perfumes won't change at all - still 5ml roll-on bottles.

I know it seems a little early to be thinking about all this, but it's been unseasonably warm here, so I'm reminded constantly of what's to come.

Soon there will be soaps in my humble little shop. :-) If I had to guess, I would say start watching for them to appear around May 1st.

Bottom line? Screw the job. I am putting all of my creative (and physical) energy into my Etsy shop and I will make it work. I plan on being one of those "Etsy Success Stories." Mark my words!!!!

Yes. Optimism is good, and SO not my style (before, anyway).

Keep smiling everyone.

SCRUB a dub dub - Emulsifying Sugar Scrubs

Ok. The scrubs are shaping up. I've made Dessert Absinthe and Black Jack, which are my most popular scents by far. They are so nice. I'm really proud of them. I've been hesitant to do scrubs until now because of the shipping weight, but I think they are so worth it.

These scrubs aren't overly greasy at all, and there's no oil floating at the top, which I always disliked intensely. It's just milky, moisturizing goodness.

I just have to print labels and get them photographed, and it's into the shop they go!

There will be a new scent making it's appearance as well - a honey patchouli vanilla concoction that's sweet and amazing!

Rub a Dub Dub

New on the agenda - cold process soaps and sugar scrubs. I'm working on it! Scrubs should be in the shop soon.... soaps somewhere around mid-April. Quick blogging today - busy, busy, busy!!

By George...........

Please forgive me, but I am having one of those moments..... I'm proud of myself. :-)

I've had a scent concoction in my head for weeks, but didn't actually create it until today. Now, mind you, it has to age for a bit, but as of right now -- Goodness Gracious it's good!

I'm much more of a winter scent person. I've never been one of those who says "Oh, I couldn't possibly wear an amber perfume because it's spring!"

Not that there's anything wrong with that (thanks, Jerry Seinfeld).

So in keeping with the wishes of my lovely and beautiful customers, I've been working on spring scents. This one -- I'm calling her Cleo -- is an amazing combination of the blackest berries, sweetest spices, palest musks, and darkest woods. It's floral, fruity and a bit sinful at the same time.

I'm not a fruity-smell person in the least, but I'm giving myself the ol' reach-around and patting myself on the back for this one. Whee!

In the shop this weekend!

Lighting, New Scents, and a cool chick from Poland.

I got an order this morning from a girl in Poland who wants to buy a sample of a perfume I wrote about on here, but haven't gotten to my shop yet. I just think it's awesome someone is reading this blog. I often feel like I'm typing into the void.

I bought a lighting setup today to make life a bit easier. I much prefer shooting in natural light, but can't always do so, especially living in a place like Oregon. The weather is so unpredictable, and it's raining more times than not this time of year.  So I just bought a few lights, and am making my own lightbox this evening, time permitting. Once I get that all figured out, I will be able to shoot anytime I feel like it, which will make getting products into the shop a lot easier.

Bartola will be added very soon. I'm still working on the label design. I'm waffling about whether to offer ALL scents I make in solid form as well as oil. They seem to do well. With summer coming before we know it, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

Off to clean up my space a bit, have some dinner, and think things over.

Cheers.