ABreathOfFrenchAir

2009-10-20T20:14:00.003-05:00

I wanted to show off the finished soap. I covered the bar with a brown paper bag and a cute red checked ribbon. Didn't they turn out well?

Hot Process Handmade Gingerbread Soap From Scratch

2009-10-19T19:02:00.018-05:00

It was a cold and damp day, so I thought it would be a great day to make more soap. I'm running low on basic soap, but I also need some holiday soap....so I'm made Gingerbread Soap!
In the above picture you can see the hard oils melting. I have coconut, palm kernel, shea butter, and palm oil. Off to the side (which you can't see), I have my carefully measured lye/water solution and my soft oils. My soft oils are olive, rice bran, and castor.
While the oils are melting, I got my mold ready to go. I put oats on the bottom of the mold. This will actually be the top of the soap.
I also added ground oats and cocoa powder. The oats are great for your skin and the cocoa is for coloring the soap.
This is my favorite part...right after I poured the lye/water mix into the melted oils. In the above picture I just turned on the stick blender.
This is what it looks like one second after blending.
Here you can see a light trace. If I were making cold process soap, I would stop at this point, separate the mixture and add coloring. Since I'm hot processing, and I'm using cocoa for color, I'm skipping this step.
This is what it looked like after it came to a medium trace and I added the oats and cocoa.
Now the soap is "cooking". You can see the outside of the pot starting to gel.
About 20 min. later. It cooks from the outside in, and when the white spot in the middle is tiny, or disappears, it's finished!
This is a crummy picture, but this picture was taken after the soap had cooled to 170 degrees and I added the Gingerbread oils to the soap.
I added oats to the top (bottom of soap), but most of it fell off after taking it out of the mold. Hot process soap is ready to use as soon as it's finished with the "cook". It takes several hours for the soap to cool.
All set to go! See the oats? This was the bottom of the mold.
All cut and ready to go! I like to let my soap sit for a week or so before using. You don't have to, but the soap will last a lot longer if you do.

Now you know what it takes to makes soap!

Is it Karma, or Carma?

2009-09-15T09:43:00.005-05:00

I think it's Carma! Similar to Lush's Karma. If you love warm, earthy scents, you are going to LOVE Carma! This perfume is an arousing blend of Patchouli, Orange, Lavender, Pine, and Lemongrass Essential Oils.A little goes a long way, so you will enjoy this scent for a long time! Just rub a little on your pulse point and you are set to go!

I am launching a new line of perfumes, so come back often to see what's new!

Fall is almost here, and I can't wait!

2009-09-01T16:19:00.006-05:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year! I love the colors, the smells, and the sounds of Fall. One of my favorite places to be (other than on my back deck) is is front of our fireplace. Our fireplace is in our family room, and we don't use this room very often. Why not? Well, it's sad to say, but we don't have a TV in this room, so we spend time in our finished basement, where our big screen TV is.
BUT....this Fall we are getting a flat screen TV! I can't wait....I have wanted one for almost 5 years now. I can't wait to cozy up on the couch, put my feet up on the coffee table, and watch my favorite show while a fire is crackling in the fireplace. Heaven! I might even have to keep these candles for myself!

2009-08-13T14:03:00.005-05:00

I am always looking for creative ways to wrap my soap. I find it difficult to come up with wrapping that is attractive, but is also inexpensive and not time consuming. It's fun to get creative with a few soaps, but when you have to wrap lots of them, the creative part is finding a fast and cheap way to do it.
The soaps above are mine. These are round soaps that I made in a PVC pipe. They are made with beer and are geared more towards men. I wrapped the soaps with coffee filters and used a round sticker to cover where the filter gathered together.
I went browsing on Flickr and came up with some cute wrappings. Look how cute this is (above). Little bandanna's wrapped around block soap...adorable!
I love the way these soaps are wrapped. Each one comes inside a fabric bag. I like the wrapping around the bag too. I only wish I knew how to sew!
I have used these boxes, but have not wrapped my soaps. I like how each soap is wrapped in different wrapping paper. Clever!
This soap reminds me of my beer soaps. I love the color of the label and the wrapping texture!

**To find out more about these products, click on the picture.

Fall Forward! It's Time To Think About The Fall Season

2009-08-11T09:12:00.010-05:00

Pumpkin Lavender soap! It sounds like a strange combination, but the outcome is amazing! I made one batch of soap and ended up making several more due to the demand!
Autumn Apple Soy Candle - A sweet, fruity scent with a touch of cinnamon....mmmmmmmmm! I made these in two sizes - 2 ounces and 4 ounce tin jars.
Pumpkin Spice whipped soap! I love this product! It's soft and creamy, and the best part is that you can use it as both a body soap and a shampoo! Just scoop up a handful and scrub away!
Pumpkin Spice handmade soap. This is soap is made with real pureed pumpkin, which contains rich vitamins which are great for your skin.
Last, but not least, are my new candles: Cranberry Vanilla, Iced Pumpkin, and Autumn Apple.

Celebrate the Fall Season!

Gosh, It's Been Awhile!

2009-07-31T16:29:00.006-05:00

We had our first Happy Hour Craft Night at Show Me Handmade! We served cookies, Missouri wine, cheese, crackers, and fruit.
We had several groups of friends that came together and took their classes together. Haley taught Calligraphy (book marks) and Winnie taught how to wire wrap earrings, using real stones and sterling silver wire.
MJ, and her daughter, took the wire wrapping class together. I just love this picture!
Lots of chatting, eating, and drinking went on.
I can't wait for next month! We will be announcing our next Happy Hour Soon.

Thunderstorms in St. Louis!

2009-07-12T13:58:00.001-05:00

I so wanted to take new pictures today, but I don't think I can with this storm!
Want to know what's going on in St. Louis right now??

click here!
Storm

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-02T20:19:00.003-05:00

Happy 4th of July! I don't usually do anything special for the 4th, especially now that the kids are out of the house. I just got a call from my daughter, who lives in Chicago, and she is coming home for the weekend! I can't wait, as it's been a long time since she has been home.
Sarah doesn't know what her plans are going to be, but rest assured...she's going to get some mommy time!
Within walking distance is a wonderful home town celebration. There's a parade on the 4th, a pet contest, lots of BBQ, many rides, and three nights of fireworks. I'm sure we will be hitting some of the "celebration"!
Happy 4th!

New Lip Balm Flavors and Labels

2009-06-28T11:06:00.008-05:00

I thought I would share some of my new lip balms with all of you. Above is a group picture of Orange Sorbet, Lavender Mint, Vanilla Bean, Banana Coconut, and Marshmallow Fluff.
Banana Coconut
Vanilla Bean
Marshmallow Fluff....my favorite!

I'm working on lip balms for the Fall. I will have Pumpkin, Candy Cane and a few I will disclose soon...so stay tuned!

Lip Balm Flavors - What's YOUR Favorite??

2009-06-26T16:12:00.007-05:00

Lip Balms are one of my favorite things to use and my most hated thing to make. I love, love, lip balm, but making them is such a pain in the arse...lol!
Being a "mom and pop" shop....or should I say just a "mom" shop, I have to make, label and wrap each and every lip balm. I usually make them in large batches so wrapping them is quicker....but I still hate doing them.
I just made:
Lavender Mint
Vanilla Bean
Orange Sorbet
Banana Coconut
Pink Lemonade
Marshmallow Fluff

What do YOU love to use, but hate to make??

Etsy Weekend Deals!

2009-06-19T13:10:00.006-05:00

Etsy featured my SAFE Team in their Etsy Weekend Deals! They featured my Intoxicating Beer Soap that's made out of real beer!
It's time to relax this weekend! Come see all the wonderful bath and body products featured! Weekend Deal

**What does Beer soap smell like? Well, soap made with beer does not have a scent! The beer I have here is scented with Sea Moss, which is a fresh clean scent...perfect for guys and gals!

Can You Picture The Scent?

2009-06-18T20:51:00.008-05:00

I added candles to my Etsy shop awhile back. I have always wanted to make candles and after lots of testing (which was fun!) I listed my candles. I think bath products go well with candles and what better way to pamper yourself!

The problem I have this that I love so many scents, so I get carried away when ordering my oils! I also have a hard time narrowing down the size of candle. I decided to offer tea candles, round tin candles, and glass candles. Tea candles are nice to have around and are pretty inexpensive to ship. I am offering glass candles because they look really nice I am selling them in my shop...so no shipping costs!
One of my favorite scents is Tomato Leaf. It sounds like a strange scent, but it's really a nice FRESH scent! My son was home last weekend and after smelling this candle, he said, "wow, that really smells like a tomato vine". This coming from a young man that won't even walk into a bath and body shop! He even took one home with him. Now that's an endorsement!

How much do you love bath and body? Now you can buy at 50% off!

2009-05-27T18:49:00.005-05:00

Coming June 1st - A MONTH long hunting game! Every day I will "hide" a word, number, or symbol somewhere in one of my Etsy listings. I will post the "search" every day and the first person to find it in my shop will receive that item for 50% OFF! I will post the "search" during various times each day so everyone had a chance to find it. Check back every day for the new hint!
So, be sure to check out my shop at ABreathOfFrenchAir every day for fun discounts!

Fun With Flowers In St. Louis

2009-05-21T09:35:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is walk around my garden and capture the beauty of my flowers! The above picture is one of my dwarf Iris's. I planted the bulbs 2 years ago and this is their first time blooming. I'm in love with blue flowers these have become my all time favorite!
I tucked this Hosta in my back bed 2 years ago. I had no idea is was going to get this big! I take pictures of my clogs next to the plant for comparison. It will be split this fall!
I plant most of my plants by seed and this Columbine too 3 years to bloom, but it was so worth the wait! The details are just amazing. I planted these as "extra's" since I had so many plants come up, and these are planted under my window boxes in the front of the house.
Another true blue Clematis! This one trails on our white banister in the back yard and blooms for a very long time!

I'm in a contest! I would love your Etsy Vote!

2009-05-14T09:33:00.004-05:00

Time to Vote!

I've been entered into Etsy's contest!! Come see all the wonderful items for Teachers!
My Lemongrass Basil Soap Set is in the contest and I would love your vote!
*the soap has sold, but there is another one in my shop*

VOTE

Monday Finds With All Kinds Of Yummy Things To Eat!

2009-05-11T09:34:00.006-05:00

HowlingWolfSauces's.Etsy.Com
I gave these to my husband and son for Christmas last year. I can honestly tell you that these are the BEST sauces in the world! We used them on chicken, port, and as a dipping sauce. Yum!!
DoubleDippedSweets's
Having tasted Double Dipped's dipped apples, I can'n tell you enough how GOOD these are! They are also HUGE, so be sure you have someone to share it with you!

frankiesfoods.Etsy.Com
This looks like I could just pop it into my mouth! Not only does this look delicious, but the photography is amazing! This shop is brand new, so make a new seller's day by purchasing from their new shop!

Now, I'm hungry!!

Monday Finds!

2009-05-04T09:44:00.006-05:00

Monday finds! Monday's are not the most favorite day of the week....at least not for me. I've decided to turn a dreaded day into a shopping day! Every Monday I will share some of my Virtual Shopping, which I'm going to call Monday Finds.
I love finding art in inconspicuous places. I have always admired vinyl art and these really caught my eye. To see where to purchase, just click on the picture.
This adorable art is from vinylwalldesign. I think these would look great in a kids bedroom, bathroom...or in the hallway.
I just love this! ChuckEBrydWallArt made this subtle artwork. This would look great in my half bath!
Elephannie made this little chickie. I think I would buy more than one!

Blogger Problems

2009-04-27T19:49:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I can't stay logged into Blogger. Every time I leave a page, I have to log back in. Sigh....wish I knew how to navigate computers better!

Anywho....lot's of new stuff today! My Treasury was on the front page again! Although this is exciting, I was sad that they took a few of my Show Me Etsy Teams items out, especially the ShowMeEtsy Shop item!

Here's the treasury!
I have also added candles!! Come see my newest here!
Candles

My First Treasury!

2009-04-03T09:37:00.004-05:00

My first treasury to make the front page of Etsy! I have made lots of treasuries, have been featured in lots of treasuries, and even made it to the front page of treasuries....but this is the first treasury to make the front page!!!!

Spring Has Sprung!

2009-03-26T16:13:00.007-05:00

Spring has sprung! I've been working on the beds for the past few days. Most of them have been neglected due to my ankle surgery last Spring. My favorite flower , or at least the one I love looking at the most, are the Red Hot Pokers (pictured above). I cleaned out the dead leaves and I can see lots of new growth at the base. I started these by seed, and have divided the plants several time. The stems can be 3 to4 feet tall and the bloom is about 5 inches tall. A very stunning plant!
Peeking out are my Sweet William. Not many came back last year, so I will have to sow more for the upcoming year. They are in the very back of the yard, so I can't see them unless I am in the backyard with the dogs. I need to move them closer to the house.
Cleaning out all the grass, I noticed lots of baby Gallardia's. They bloom all summer long and will grow just about anywhere...we have a few growing in our grass last year!
It was fun getting my hands in the dirt. Nothing replenishes the soul as peering at a worm at eye level!

We Were On The News!

2009-03-18T17:55:00.004-05:00

Our local CBS station came to interview our shop the day before our Grand Opening. It was exciting, but very nerve racking! Of course, they picked the only time my voice cracked...oh well...it drew TONS of people into the shop!

CBS

Our Grand Opening At Crestwood Court Is This Weekend!!

2009-03-04T10:27:00.010-06:00

Come visit us at Crestwood Court! We are having our Grand Opening on Saturday and Sunday, March 7th and 8th. Ribbon cutting begins at noon on Saturday. We will have demo's throughout both days, so come and meet all the artists!
Here are a few pictures of my shelves. Above are my foam scrubs and matching soaps.
I arranged my products by scent.
Paul, from Wilson Graphics, made my banner. I love it!!

The Cook

2009-02-22T16:29:00.010-06:00

I decided to pull the crock pot out and make some soap today. I was pretty well stocked for several weeks, so I haven't made soap in what seemed like ages! Above is the "cook". The oils and lye/water are almost done cooking. I melted my oils on high and cooked on a low setting.
Here it is all ready to add the essential oils. This batch has Lemongrass and Basil oils. It smells divine! I waited a few minutes between turning off the crock pot and adding my essential oils.
One plus of soap making is that clean up is easy! I put the crock pot in my sink, add all my spoons, cups, and spatulas , add water and walk away!
Of course, I will have to come back and rinse everything off before I put them in the dishwasher. :)
A long shot of the finished soap. I sprinkled lemon peel on the top. It will be ready to cut in just a few hours. These will be in my shop, at Crestwood Court, in a few weeks.

We Are Open At Crestwood Court!!!

2009-02-07T08:16:00.008-06:00

New banner!! I had it custom made at Wilson Graphics. Paul did a wonderful job creating a banner just for me!
The banner matches my labels! I use a blue and yellow Toile on all my labels.
Next to me is Haleyshandmades. Haley sells Poodle cards, t-shirts, and artwork. Haley has an adorable dog, named Sunny, who comes to work with Haley!
The bottom shelf is hard to get at, so I decided to take some pictures of my soaps and place these on the shelf. My soap is wrapped in burlap bags (above the pics), so the colorful soaps are not visible.

Come visit us at Show Me Handmade!