A break..

Hellooooo.  I've been taking a short break over the Easter Holidays, so the shops have been shut, and the family and I have been having lots of jam packed days.  I also had a fair and two soap demos to squeeze in, so not entirely work free ;)  

I've increased my bias selection, so there are now all these to choose from when purchasing a face cloth.

I've also been having a play around with the wash mitts, as I was never entirely happy with the thick seams on my first ones.  I love these now.  I making a couple more before I change them over in the shop.

 

I've also changed the Lemon and Ginger soap to include these fab poppy seeds instead of the lemon peel.  I love, love, love how it looks now!

Now Open!

I had intended to add my soaps to a new Etsy shop many, many months ago (March 2012!!) but never quite had the time to set it up properly.  I wanted to keep the two sides to my business completely separate with regards Etsy.  Anyway, over the last month I have been slowing doing bits and now I have the first three varieties of soap in there...Y A Y!

I shall be adding more items over the coming days and weeks, so do keep popping in :)

Mojo

I've had a fairly quiet week with regards work...the mojo just disappeared so I went with it and did some gardening instead.  I did have one fair which was rather disappointing as I was really looking forward to it, but these things happen.

Up there is the new gift packaging for the soap bars.  It can comfortably hold 2 bars, and looks rather cute ;)

1st May...How did that happen?

Blimey the time flies when you're having fun...or catching up on lots of paperwork!  What do you think to my bedtime reading? ;)  There are new Cosmetic Regulations coming into force in July so I'm just going through all the paperwork I already hold to check there's nothing missing.  It's exciting I tell ya...not! 

I also attended the Artisans in Action event last weekend where I met some fabulous people.  I've also been making soaps...this one is one I haven't made for a while - Kitchen and Gardeners Soap which has coffee grounds in to help remove those unwanted odours.

I'm also part way through a new flower brooch but I'm not showing you any pictures until it's finished.  Hope you can wait :)

Enjoy the sunshine.

New Soap!

I've made a new variety called Spicy.  It has Ginger, Cardamon and Lemongrass essential oils in it....ooh, it smells delicious!

I've also managed to make more Rose...

...and more Lavender.  I'm just waiting for an essential oil order to replenish my stocks then I'll be making some more ready for Christmas.

Gorgeous Natural Organic Soaps :oD

I know I'm rather biased towards my soaps but they are just gorgeous!  And now I've splashed the cash and got Rose Maroc Absolute so you can have proper Rose soap.  Pictured above, it will be ready on 8th June.  Today I've also made more Lemon and Ginger and Bare with Oatmeal - both ready 9th June.

Yummy soap ready

Bare with oatmeal now available on the website...and here's a yellow version of the baby card that someone requested (I'll try and get one in the shop too) :o)



Owls galore

Hectic just doesn't quite cover it at the minute :o).  Well, here's a new card that I've had planned for ages, and that I finally got round to making last night.  What do you think?

What else have a been doing?  Well, there's been more blue owls for cards, 

there's been more soap (patchouli and orange and a lighter orange scrub),



then this morning I've had a visit from a sales rep with a view to stocking buttons and ribbons on my website.  I'm like an over-excited puppy at the minute!!  I'll keep you informed as to how we get on. 

I'm also prepping for a second craft evening that I've been organising.  We'll be making spring flowers, hearts and birds, so I'm making lots of lists to make sure I take everything with me!

Hope your all busy doing something you love, and that the sun is shining for you :o)

Ready

More cards ready...plus the patchouli and orange soap, and the potted mandarin shaving soap will be in the shop later today.

And look what arrived in the post this morning.  I needed some fabrics that were a bit more boyish so I got three...don't know how the butterflies came to be there ;o).

Better get making things with them then!

A Day For Soap

 (Lemon and Ginger)

I've had two days of cooking, eating, entertaining, upwrapping, building lego, feeling like a beached whale, being spoilt, so today I decided (after having a quick tidy up) that I would make some soap.

As I only had one soap mould I have to choose very carefully which one I want to make, so I decided on a new one - Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Pine.  Then hubby came home and said he could make me another mould if I'd like!!  Of course, yes please!!  So he made two!

So I now have three lots of soap sat cooling under towels, two of which I forgot to photograph! 

The other two are new too -The first one is Lemon and Ginger and then one I've wanted to make for ages but because it is made in 2 parts, with the first part having to sit for 2 weeks, I've had to wait.  This one will be an Orange Scrub soap with oatmeal....ooooh, I can't wait for that to be ready.

MmmMmm

Soaps ready to take to a group.

Christmas cake finally made.

Hubby's work Christmas party attended (selling a few bars of soap while I'm there ;o) ).

Panto this weekend.

Nephews birthday party this weekend.

Putting up, painting and filling our new retro wall units in the kitchen.

Envelopes to fill and send out for customers.

Heck....I think I may need to order a few more hours in the day...do you think I'll get my order fulfilled?!

Joy

 Soap ready for parcelling up and sending out.

Another wreath colourway - I sat making this at home ed group yesterday while teaching some of the non-sewing Mum's how to make one....wonderful :o)

Lets get busy with it...

Ready in time for Christmas...mandarin, cinnamon and clove soap (ready 13th December) and... 

..more lemon and tea tree (ready 12th December).

I also need to make more shaving soap as I've nearly sold the entire batch!!

Back to it then :o)

Back to it with gusto then.  Ylang ylang soap made this morning (ready 10th December).

I've started attending some free workshops provided by a local enterprise scheme to help with the marketing side of things (I'm truely pants at this sort of thing).  So with their advice still ringing in my ears I've set up a twitter account, eek!

@MyHandmadeHaven

The link is in the sidebar on the right if you like that sort of thing :o).

So this afternoon I shall be doing a little housework, a little play with the kids, and hopefully a little sewing as that's been sorely lacking in these parts.  Hope your all having a productive day :o)



Heck

 Lavender

 Mandarin Shaving Soap

 Patchouli and Orange

Samples/favours

Well, that never went to plan.  I think the shock of actually passing my driving test put me right out of kilter!  I'm back on form now and the soaps are in the shop ;o)



Back to it

Trying to get back into it after having and passing my driving test, having a weekend away then going to see Sarah Millican.  I've had a few days catching up with washing and driving round, today is home ed group then tomorrow I shall get back to making stuff ;o).  A couple of soaps need adding to the shops too, so it looks like I shall be having another busy weekend.



(Today is my Dad's birthday)

So...

...after a really rubbish night's sleep I thought I'd do some of the paperwork for the shop.  I've now added an information page for the soap.  Go take a peak and see what you think.  I also posted some gorgeous tins this morning for an order but forgot to photograph them!  I need to update the photos for tins so this seems like the perfect excuse to make some more ;o). 

Quickie

No piccie but just to say I got some more soap made this afternoon..lavender this time.  This will be ready 30th October.

Making some more tins and cards this evening, including a new card which I can't actually show you yet as the very first one is destined for something special :o)

Hope your all having a lovely weekend in this wonderful mini-summer we're having.

Soap

Patchouli and orange now setting on my shelf - ready 29th October.  Hopefully I'll get another batch done tomorrow of one of my usuals, then the ingredients for the new ones will be here next week...yipee.

Almost forgot...

...Bare soap ready and in the shop today.