Anyone for Green Tea - Naturally of course

At last my latest creation is complete. With all the different types, colours and fragrances to choose from I just felt the need to create without them all. I love my "Traditional Soaps" and certainly have my favourites, what can I say, just can't help myself, English Rose, Sandalwood and Naturally Nettle are my personal choice to use.
Armed with botanicals, nourishing butters, and skin loving oils I got creating. 

I chose "Green Tea" due to it's positive properties concerning she skin.

I really am chuffed at the natural colour and effect, glad I decided on "Natural" :-)

Winter Warmers

October already and there is a noticeable change in the evening temperature. Time will seem fly by now and it will be woolly hats and cosy gloves before we know it.
With that though in mind and a chill through my spine with the thought of the cold to come i decided it was time to break out a new soap. I have been pondering for a week or two what type to make and decided it just had to be a traditionally made soap, the moisturising and skin nourishing butters and oils will be needed to help combat the cold attack on our skin too.

 I decided it would be great to have it in a nice warming fragrance, psychological therapy in mind :-)


For that warm cosy feeling reach for a slice - Traditionally made Winter Spice.

Handmade Cold Process Soap - Lavender

My latest creation is my Lavender Soap
I wanted a very mild fragrance but nice and natural, so my choice was Cold Process using Essential Oil and Naturally Dried Lavender. I wasn't sure at first if i was going to colour it but i have been dying to use the Alkanet i have, so i just jumped in!

The Alkanet was infused in oil until it was a nice deep colour then it was strained and mixed in the soap mixture.
It is great having a totally natural Soap :o)

*If you use natural colours infused in oil, like Alkanet, you must account for the oil in your recipe*

The New Tropical Rum CP Soap

When i made this it was with the intention of it being a men's soap, but after it had hardened nicely i realised that although its already popular with my male customers (thanks for the feedback guys), it is also popular with some of my female customers. When i tried the first slice, as i do with all the soaps and other goodies i make, i was pleasantly surprised to find it more unisex than i originally thought it would be. Its kinda like those fragrances that you get that are for him and her which are really similar, but this is just the 1 fragrance lol.


It could be due to it being a Cold Process Soap, as the fragrance would be very different if it was one of my glycerin soaps. Well either way I'm pleased with the result and can't wait til the others are ready. Hmm others? yes you will have to wait too, no sneaky peeks so be patient.

Getting ready for the next event

With the weekend almost over i have been planning my new design for some Lavender Bags for the website not sure if they will be ready in time for the next event though. On the 15th August im off to Walton to the colombine centre for another Craft Fair.
Looking forward to attending this as not only do i love Walton ( up on the Naze is my favourite ) but its one of Dorett Events, so i get to see my friend Clare Dorett again. She is such a lovely lady and my son really likes her too, he will be gutted he can't make her a cuppa this time ( not allowed ) so we will just have to bring a flask and he can make her one when we attend Clares next event in Matching...Aahhhhh...

With 3 fragrances for the roller perfumes and now the shea butter bath truffles also comes in Jasmine ( Mmmmm ) so thats 5 fragrances for those. I like the Tulip Bath Bombs and even if i say so myself the Grapefruit Sorbet is just Yummy :o)

Should be a good selection of crafter, it normally is, so im gonna be on the lookout for something for my eldest son. He was recently 19 and ive been looking for a bracelet for him but just not seen THE one. Well you never know aye.

I have been occupying the kitchen too so hopefully my new Cold Process Soap will be ready..Fingers crossed!

For those who have not experienced a Cold Process Soap, oftenly refered to Traditional Soap or CP/HP Soap ( Cold /Hot ) it is wonderful, and im not saying it because i make it either. I have problematic skin, Rheumatiod Arthritis doesnt help..
The first bar i tried was from a fellow soaper in wales, Anne-Marie, it was very different to what i was used to but helped my swollen legs, next was another fellow soaper in Kent and i add a good friend, Annya, she sent me down a bar of lavender, she knows i love lavender lol, it was sooooo silky, ahhhhh. Hmmm i was getting hooked. Too late!!
Yes thats when it all started, thats when i knew i wanted to make traditional soap!
I must of course add that my friends Annika ( Cornwall ) and Carol ( Devon ) didnt help to stop me, actually they incouraged me ;o) I do admit i have a weakness, its Carols fault.... I hope you see this Carol lol
Well as you guess i have a fair few friends who are also soapers, which is kinda handy as we can ginea pig.. err i mean be testers. Well Carol knows as the all do im old fashioned with my personal preference of fragrances, the top 2 are lavender and rose. I was sent a bar from Carol and that was "it" you know when you fing "THE" fragrance for you? well i found mine....
All trditional soap is different depending who makes it, as we all use different ingredients. But on the whole they are so soft and bubbly but still a hard bar, and conditioning. Its not for everybody, some people prefer more modern bars. Me i love both, but handmade of course.
Well with still so much to do its my time to sign off, hopefully there will be some pictures of my new creations soon. Until then you van see some of my creations on the slide show to the right.

Til next time.. Happy Crafting!