Getting Ready for the Thames Festival

For the past month or so i have been super busy getting ready for the 'Thames Festival'.  The event will be held over two days (10th & 11th September) along the Thames with various events taking place.  I will only be participating on the 11th but i am still mega excited since this is my first really big fair, the location is right next to the 'Tate' and it's an incredible opportunity for me to show my products to the wider audience.

I started my preparations over a month ago, but with so much going on in my little world that i hardly took any pictures along the way.  
I started off making my soap batches since i know that once they are made i can just leave them to cure for a month while i work on my other products.  

A few of my soaps curing

Next....i decided to get my logo done by the lovely Bonita from 'It's all about the Graphics'.
I had an idea of what i wanted, something simple with a vintage look, and nothing too flowery.  so i was really pleased with the final outcome.  She also designed my avatar and banner for my folksy shop which i was really pleased with. http://www.folksy.com/shops/BobbinsandBalms

Pauline from 3 Little Finches, designed labels for my Lavender & Bergamot Balm, Vanilla & Vetiver Balm, Gardeners Balm, Lime Lip Balm and Vanilla Lip Balm.  The labels came out superb and they make my products look a million times more professional. 
( i just discovered the colour accent function on my camera so some of the pics are not colour )
 

One of the products which sells really well at fairs are my bath fizzies with Epsom salt.  I decided to make a batch of 'Rose & Geranium' and a batch of 'Lavender' bath fizzies.  I usually package them in a brown kraft box with some ribbon tied around, and honestly they look really cute.

My favourite soy wax candles in Lavender & Bergamot, Ylang ylang & Grapefruit and Clove & Orange have also been made for the fair.

Excitement in the Garden

The garden is full of exciting veg, herbs and flowers, and each day something new and wonderful is appearing.  

Our 1st chillie pepper plant is growing nicely. We have a dozen or so blossoms so I'm happy that we will get a good few chillies for my mums spicy curries.

you can see the chillie pepper growing

lots of chillies blossoming, i think we will have a dozen or so chillie peppers

A few 'not so good' tomatoes were thrown on an empty patch in the garden....and before  we knew it, we were swamped with a gigantic tomato bush.  The tomatoes have just started to grow and i am not sure what type they are, so far there seems to be a few plum and a few cherry, i will just have to wait and see.

Tomatoes

Yellow petals before the tomatoes emerge

Also another first for us is pumpkin, we were given the seeds by a kind neighbour. No pumpkin as yet but the leaves are getting bigger..fingers crossed.

Pumpkin

Lastly, our fig tree.  A small plant was given to my father by his Cypriot friend over 10 years ago and since it has grown nicely giving delicious figs each year.  For some unknown reason we don't have as many this year, but each day new little figs are appearing.

Lavender Sachet

I love vintage pharmacy/apothecary and soap labels and decided that i shall try printing some on linen for my lavender sachets.  The sachets are small enough to hide away in your drawers and I have added a small piece of lace or binding so the sachets can he hung on hangers.

Lavender Weekend

Whist searching online for dried lavender suppliers I came across ‘The Hop Shop’ at Castle Farm. The farm were organising ‘A Lavender weekend’ for the 1st two weekends of July which looked rather interesting so I decided that this would be my next day trip…….

From the main road the lavender fields are breath-taking, I had to stop traffic just to take a photo of this view, I have never seen fields upon fields of lavender and boy did it take my breath away and give me tickles in my tummy.

These are just a few of the pictures i took

Castle Farm from the main road

'The Hop Shop'

Lavender for sale

Apple juice made from 'Norfolk Royals' Apples

The lavender cutting machine

Fields of lavender

Production of lavender oil / year

Pretty view at the farm

Lavender ice-cream

All natural & Eco-friendly Soy Candles

I love candles, making them, using them and of course giving them as gifts.  They are extremely versatile and can be used in so many different areas to create moods and atmospheres including home decor, garden, dinner parties, bathroom and aromatherapy.

I always make candles made from soy wax, this is because they are eco-friendly and have so many more advantages in comparison to the common paraffin wax candles.

Advantages of Soya Wax

• made from soya wax a bi-product of the soya bean
• is a renewable source, grown in many regions
• gives a clean burn and does not produce too much black soot
• does not release harmful toxins & carcinogens into the atmosphere
• is biodegradable
• last longer due to a slower burning time
• holds scent well

Disadvantages of Paraffin Wax

• made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable source. 
• contain carcinogens which are released when burned. 
• burns to give a black soot which can collect on surfaces.

Floral Soap

I love visiting the country and sleepy little villages tucked away just a short drive outside London, villages like Aston Clinton, Shalford, Denham and Amersham. I love the green-ness, the florals, the quietness and most of all the lovely little cottages with original features, stable doors and giant brass knockers.

So.....a few weeks back whist visiting friends in Aston Clinton i had an urge to make a floral soap, one which was packed with lots of old english, traditional, floral and feminine character, and reminded me of everything  vintage.  

In my mind i had an image of a rustic yet feminine soap, heavily topped with petals and a delicate floral scent.

Using one of my favourite cocoa butter base recipes, i added a little beeswax to keep with the village/country theme ( imagination....lots of bee hives in the country) and added a little crushed calendula petals to give a soft yellow appearance.

Lots of english village botanics were packed on top, lavender, chamomile, rose and calendula petals. The chosen scents were palma rosa, lavender and ylang ylang....the scent is just divine and my mum has already pre-ordered a few slices. 

So far i have been calling this soap 'floral soap' but i really would like to change it and have a more distinguished name, it will come to me soon !!

I am super excited about this little soap and i cant wait to use it tonight!!!!

**Folksy Buy** - Plant Markers

I brought these lovely handmade ceramic plant markers on folksy from 'the little brick house'. Their size (14 x 2 cm) is just perfect for my herb patch.  I was unsure on whether i should choose wooden ones or black slate ones and when i saw these i fell in love with them.