Re-VAMP

Spring fever. Boredom. Who knows.

I'm getting ready to do a major overhaul on the shop. It will still be my beloved carnival-circus theme, but different. I need a more...ummm.... cohesive (?) look and feel. Across the board branding. I'm scared, but excited. I would love to share what I'm thinking, but too scared to do THAT even. What if everyone hates it? :-(

Off to watch a movie with the kids. Then bath. Then bed.

Blog about nothing

I've done nothing business related today. Well, not much, anyway. I did the label for the new Thai perfume (which I named Fortuna, by the way), and helped someone out with a bit of graphic design work, but other than that... I've played. AND I took pictures!

My dog Lucky, after being chastised for eating dandelions. I swear, the dogs are *addicted* to those things. I looked online, and they're not poisonous, but jeez - there's a such a thing as TOO MUCH of a good thing, you know?

Bella and Sage had ice cream and Seven rode "The Hog."

Oh, and SPRING IS HERE!!!!!

I made a new smellie, and I'm in loooooove

I had a recipe written down for-ev-er... more of an idea than an actual recipe, and I came across it this afteroon while cleaning the office (blech - what a chore).

I wrote it one afternoon last summer after going out for Thai food. Today it became reality. It's just all kinds of good stuff... lime, lemongrass, coconut, a bit of sugar, and hints of floral. I'm wearing it now and can't stop sniffing my wrist! Thought it would be a good time for the debut - with spring finally here.

So who wants a sample? First person to respond gets one.

Soapy goodness from across the pond.

I just received my soaps today from a *brilliant* soapmaker. She runs a shop called FuturePrimitive, and you should definitely go check her out. Not only is she aces when it comes to her craft, but she's a completely awesome human being as well.

Upon opening the envelope, I was greeted by the BEST herbal, minty, green smell I've ever smelled ( I ordered HUMBUG, which by the way is a HUGE bar of soap!), and therefore had to immediately hop in the shower. Never mind I had showered only an hour before! The only problem was deciding whether to use the Humbug or one of the samples she sent. I actually decided on one of the samples... not sure what it's called, but I believe it the 5th bar in this listing. For my tattooed friends out there, this soap smells *spot on* like the green soap used in tattoo shops!!!! It's unbelievable!!! It lathered so well - thick and rich - and filled the bathroom with a lovely herbal smell.

I eventually snatched the Humbug into the shower as well, and it was all just pure heaven. :-)

Miss Tiggy, soapmaker extraordinaire, uses essential oils and a wonderful, nourishing blend of base oils and butters... This is truly great soap, lovely packaging, and fabulous to look at as well.

So what are you waiting for?  GO!

Working, working, working......

I've had all these scent recipes written down for months, and have done nothing with them. Finally, I'm starting to create them, test them (which can take quite a while for the more complex perfumes), and....finally.... get them in the shop. So there will be some new stuff coming soon. Don't know why I feel the need to write this down!

Finally - the labels are finished.

Here is Menagerie - all dressed and ready to go.

It feels so good to have them done! And I'm extremely happy with the finished labels.

Now I'm off to pack orders and prepare for some "sweet Moped action" later in the day.

Odd day

My neighbor gave me a Moped today. GAVE it to me. 18 miles on the odometer. I've been wanting one for sooooo long. Now I have to go join the Moped Army. Yes!

I'm just really not used to people doing things like that, so it has made me feel really odd all day (in a good way!).

Here is my new baby.............

After this amazingly good day, went to the store for dinner supplies, and came home to this:

Apparently some kind of domestic disturbance. *sigh*

But it was a good day all in all!!!!

New Spring scents in the shop

DROSTA:  Sugary, spiced black tea, infused with mint and lemon, on a base of musky polished wood. Companion to Drosta soap

FUNHOUSE:  Fresh milk spun with black amber, ripe berries, and bright, wild sunflowers... hints of pepper and incense barely concealed underneath.

KIRKOS - Honeyed sweet fruit, layered over amber and wood, topped off with a seductive kiss of mint.

LAVINIA:  A heady blend of refreshing teas, delicate florals, and rich green. Feminine, stimulating, and clean.

Almost forgot........

I was testing a few batches for mildness, and left this piece of Peepshow sitting by the sink. Lo and behold, I come back later and..... FOSSIL. Does anyone else see this or am I crazy?

The other side.... ehh... not so much....

Now if only I could figure out a way to do it purposely!!!

Contenders in the ugly soap Hall of Fame (shame?)

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've had a tremendous problem with soda ash lately. No idea why. I've taken all the preventative measures. *sigh*

Also, some of the springtime scents I've received have caused lots of heat, therefore causing huge crater-ish cracks straight down the middle of my soap logs. Now, I COULD cry and say oh-why-me and throw them out, but I'm embracing the ugly. Wrapping my arms around it and calling it mine own. YES!!!

(And besides, they still smell good!)

So, without further ado, on the rack as we speak...........

DROSTA: A tempting brew of pomegranate tea, darkened by smoky wood, and garnished with a sweet mint leaf.

 

BAILEY: A complimentary soap for my Barnum perfume (of course). Blood red wine sweetened just a bit juicy berries, tobacco, spice, and a insinuation of pitch black.

VAUDEVILLE:  Sugary, honeyed black tea, infused with mint and lemon, on a base of musky polished wood.

MADELINE: The complimentary soap for my Delina perfume. Spiced merlot, a hint of cocoa, and a flowery moonlight path.

Bella's Big Day

My daughter had a program at school. She stood on stage holding a giant blow-up ant and talked about the different body parts of insects. She did sooooo good, but was so nervous! Here is her nervous face:

I'm so proud of my baby!

Prototype packaging for my soapies!

Okay, remember this is just a prototype. The final labels will not be white - more of an antique brown. I didn't photograph the back, because it's just boring ingredients and such. :-)

I would really like feedback. For some reason, I'm nervous about their big debut!

Soda Ash Goblins

*sigh*

There must be something environmental that's causing MAJOR soda ash on my soaps lately. I've done everything possible to prevent it, but the ash has been showing up 3-5 days into curing.

Every. Single. Time.

I'm frustrated and wondering what the hell I'm going to do now. I've thought about moving the curing rack somewhere else, but because I don't know what's causing the ash, I don't know where to move it.

Batches and batches of beautiful soap ruined.

My Newest Crop

ABSINTHE

 

NATALI:  Sweet, ripe orange marbled with creamy vanilla and a hint of sandalwood, cloaked in rich black chocolate.

SOAPIES

Here are a few of the cold process soaps I'm putting in the shop starting around April 1st.

MENAGERIE:  Lush espresso and decadent milks mingled with sweet wood, dark cocoa, and velvety hazelnut vanilla.

 

PEEPSHOW: Juicy apricot and bittersweet red tea, swirled with sweet milk,  a delicious ribbon of fragrant cinnamon and teasing undercurrent of wood smoke.

 

  

  

  

BIGTOP: Oak leaves, green moss and floral