The Ideal Home Show 2011

Yesterday i went to 'The Ideal Home Show' at Earls Court with a few work friends and had a fantastic day. The best part was looking at and trying all the food..... lots of lovely italian ice cream, cheeses with ginger and crushed black pepper and my favourite was a caramalised balsamic vinegar. 

I didnt enjoy the womens section with beauty products and various items of clothing, it reminded me a little of a run down market with lot of bright lighting......but thats just my opinion. 

I managed to pick up a few items on the day, i tried not to get too  carried away and i think i did a really good job.....i only wonder how i would have taken it all home on the underground anyway......

When i saw this GIGANTIC bag i fell in love with it, it's handmade in madagascar.  It is sooo versitile.....laundry bag, storage in the corner of the room, carrying bits to craft fairs, overnight bag....endless usages.

This crystal bowl i picked up from a furntiure stall 'Aflair', i thought it may be handy as a picture prop and storage for maybe jewellery or soap slices or something....not 100% sure what yet

I thought this night light holder was really cute, i have a habbit of collecting them and have far too many.....but they always come in handy and the lady in the shop was really sweet.

Also from this really sweet women i picked up a roll of 6m lace....collecting,  collecting,  collecting..... i honestly dont know what i will do with it, its not enough for a quilt so i will probably use it when packaging my soaps.

Soap Packaging

Just a few pictures to show you the packaging for my soaps, all hand wrapped by myself using traditional packaging styles. Hope you all like them.

'Lime Loofah Soap' & 'Pink Clay and Geranium Soap'

Just a quick blog to show you a few pictures of my new 'Lime Loofah' & 'Pink Clay & Geranium' soaps.

Both still have a few days left of curing, and i cant wait to try them out.

I'm loving how the loofah makes it almost look 'biological' like one of those pictures taken of the nervous system...or something!!!!

Nice and rustic!!! i know some don't like adding rose petals to soap mixtures because they turn dark...BUT....I LOVE IT!!! i love the brown against the pale pink, i love the earthiness, i like the textures...and i love these soaps being round....they'll make great mothers day gifts.

Body Scrub & Foot Scrub

Its been a while since my last blog. Having a full time job which takes almost 2.5 hours of travelling each day, 7am starts and a busy family life, seem to take up allot of my day.  The spare time i do have i spend doing research on the net, publicising my products, and other soap activities like packaging and trying new recipes.

Today i want to share with you some homemade body scrubs i have made for various members of the family and close friends.  

The first is for my older sister who lives in Birmingham.  This body scrub contains both fine and coarse sea salt, i have added poppy seeds which look absolutely amazing nestled into the white salt.  This scrub has been scented with ylang ylang & grapefruit essential oils which is a lovely feminine scent yet not too floral like rose or lavender (she hates both rose and lavender...)

Sea Salt & Poppy Body Scrub

For my youngest sister who's 17 i have made a wonderfully yummy Mocha Body Scrub, it is also a firm favourite of my sister in law who cant get enough of the mocha scent.  This is a brown sugar scrub with ground coffee added to give a rich dark brown colour and it's scented with vanilla essential oil.  Both sister and sister in law are coffee MAD!!!

Mocha Sugar Scrub

Lastly i have made a foot scrub for a friend who Really Really Really needs help with dry chapped feet.  This scrub is made from fine and ground sea salt, and has dried rosemary added.  Peppermint and rosemary essential oils have been added since they are both known for their healing properties and peppermint gives a cooling effect to tired feet.

Peppermint & Rosemary Foot Scrub

Soap Crazy

Making cold process soap is an addiction, i am making approximately 4 batches of soap each week.  

My kitchen has been taken over by soap making equipment and my rooms are smelling of LUSH.

All the scents which i was never a fan of like lavender, i seem to have fallen in love with.  Here are some soaps i made a few weeks ago and are in the process of curing

left to right: vanilla & peppermint soap, green tea & lemongrass soap, french clay & tea tree soap, lavender soap, gardeners soap

these are my new wooden moulds that i am using, they were made by my friend jose.