Scent Trail

New Year

2012-01-01T11:07:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

It is that time of year when people make resolutions and then break them half way through January. I decided long ago not to bother with them, and then they can't be broken. I suppose that the usual ones are in the get fit, stop smoking and lose weight category. Well, I don't do getting fit, have never smoked and as for trying to lose weight, I have given up on that. That is not to say that if I do drop a few pounds, I am not happy about it and wail and gnash teeth if I put some on (which I have done in the last week).

It is a dull, grey day although pretty mild. I was out early with a dog this morning, and ended up slipping into a deep puddle. I spent most of the walk with a decided soggy bum, so crawled back into pyjamas when I got in. We are out to lunch later to "celebrate" my birthday. I think as you get older and stop counting, you are all celebrated out, although I don't mind getting a few presents of course, and it is nice to have someone cook and wash up for you.

I am starting the new year with a newly decorated lounge. Well almost. There are a couple of bits which need finishing off and then it is done, but I have a nasty feeling there may not be enough paint. It is very different to the way it was, and I am very happy with it. I have installed a fish tank into what, according to the principles of Feng Shui, is my wealth area so it will be interesting to see if it works. I need all the help I can get with my finances, and it is keeping the cats amused. They are frequently to be seen with their noses pressed against the glass and the fish don't seem to mind the attention.

So, with 2011 over, and 2012 here what is in store? If you listen to the prophets of doom the economy is heading downhill again. This will make life much harder for those of us with small businesses. Trying to persuade people to part with their hard earned cash is difficult when times are good, when times are bad it is so much harder. Building a business in lean times is certainly a challenge, but it is a challenge which has to be met head on. Sitting and expecting customers to come to you, just does not work. So in the next few weeks, I will be sitting down and trying to come up with a plan to move the business forward.

Just in Case

2011-12-23T19:55:00.000Z

Christmas is here and happily I have finished work until 2012.

This year, my family are celebrating tomorrow instead of Sunday, for reasons I shall not bore you with, and a sigh of relief was heaved this evening when I arrived home from work to find the present for nephew number one on the door mat. I was beginning to panic, and was not looking forward to having to explain to him why he had nothing from me to open.

My ever so small heap of presents is now wrapped and ready to take tomorrow. There does seem like a paucity of gifts this year, but I suppose it is the thought that counts.

In the last couple of days two gifts have arrived for me. One from a friend, and one a Secret Santa gift from someone on a forum I am a member of. Half the fun of that is trying, and failing, to work out who has sent it, and even if you think you have worked out where it is from, there are often some sneaky shenanigans which means that you are completely wrong. The two gifts are sitting on a side table and I am just about resisting opening them, and so far the cats are keeping they paws off.

What, you may ask, am I doing for the next week? Well, I will be relaxing a bit (ok, a lot); checking stocks so I can work out what I need to buy for soaping; adding silk to my shampoo recipe to see what difference it makes and catching up on my reading.

I am currently engrossed in a book about the search for the Northwest Passage. The courage of the men who risked frostbite, scurvy, starvation and death to search for this most prized route despite not even being sure of its existence, is truely sobering.

And so, as we hurtle towards the end of another year, just in case I have lost the will to live by then, I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas, a Peaceful New Year and a prosperous 2012.

Why Handmade?

2011-12-05T21:04:00.001Z

I have been making soap and body products for sale for a couple of years, and it is probably time that I told you why I prefer handmade products to the mass produced, cheaper, commercial ones that I used for so long.

Why should you spend in excess of £3 for a bar of soap, when you can spend a fraction of that at the supermarket?

The commercial soap you buy has in many instances been made with harsh chemicals which do not do your skin any favours. They serve their purpose which is to clean, but ask yourself if your skin feels good afterwards, or if it feels tight and in need of moisturising. If the answer to that is yes, then your skin is being stripped of its natural oils each time you wash.

Handmade soap is different.

First of all, a product which has been made by hand, has been made with love. The heart and soul of the maker goes into each and every product made, from the choice of the ingredients to wrapping the finished product.

More importantly however, is how your skin reacts to this bar of handmade goodness. Good quality handmade soap will have a good glycerine content. Glycerine is a great humectant, missing in most commercial soaps, drawing moisture to the skin and helping to prevent it drying out and thereby reducing the amount of moisturiser you need to use afterwards.

All kinds of goodies, such as shea butter, can be added to handmade soap to bring the best out of your skin. A good soap maker can produce a bar of gorgeous, rich lathering soap which not only does not strip your skin of those important oils, but which helps to put the moisture back.

Surely it is better to spend a bit of money on a lovely bar of artisan soap to help care for your skin, and reduce the money you need to spend on a jar of, hopefully, handmade moisturiser, than it is to buy a bar of commercial cleaning product.

Demonic Soaping

2011-12-04T09:41:00.000Z

I have a fair next weekend so I have been soaping like a demon to try to get enough made.The fair us at Croxteth Hall and I have not been there before so I don't know what to expect and I hope it will be busy.

I have also been lucky to find a lovely new stockist in Formby. The Bloom Room is a charming florist which also stocks some delightful gifts with a focus on handmade. A friend of mine remarked that soap and flowers is a genius combination and she seems to be right becuase a fair few bars have been sold since I dropped some soap off on Tuesday morning. Long may it continue.

I have a break from the day job over Christmas and hope to make some decisions about new products. If I don't, they will never get to see the light of day. All will be revealed.

Pros and Cons

2011-11-23T21:10:00.000Z

One of the benefits of having a soap and beauty products business is the product testing,or having little bits and pieces of things left over that are crying out for you to use them. Today, I had some bath salts left from a bespoke order, so I had a lovely long soak in a geranium scented bath. It's a hard life.

The obvious downside, is not having enough hours in the day not only for product development, but for thinking about new products and researching ingredients. Because the days are not terribly structured (I work part time, and have the petsitting business so there is a great deal of juggling) you have to grab time where you can find it which is often quite difficult and frustrating.

With Christmas fast approaching, and having given it no thought at all, and with little cash to spend I am panicking a little. Somehow I have to buy all my presents, cards etc with about tuppence ha'penny. This is going to be interesting.

First Swirls

2011-11-14T19:06:00.000Z

I have been keen to try "proper" swirls in my soap for a while, but courage has been lacking until yesterday when I finally rolled up my sleeves, donned my gloves, took a deep breath and got going.

I decided on Lavender and Patchouli, a perennial favourite with customers coloured with some pretty lavender colour. By the time I poured, the coloured section was a bit thicker than the uncoloured portion so it sunk in parts and made some "clunky" swirls, but overall I am reasonably happy with the result. I think that I need to practice a bit, and it won't be long before I have another go.

This will be ready in about 4 weeks.

Prang

2011-11-10T19:10:00.000Z

Last July, I had a slight prang in the car, I won't go into details except to say that it was my fault. Neither car was particularly badly damaged, although the repair bills were quite steep (garages do seem to charge a lot for repairing even minor damages). I have now had a call from the insurance company to say that they are having to pay the whiplash claim, plus the costs of physiotherapy, and time off work on top of the cost of the damage to the other car.

If I believed in any way that the two people in the other car had suffered any kind of injury I would not be steaming mad, but I don't. I did not feel the impact, I heard it, and as the sufferer of a bad back, if the impact had been serious I would have felt it. The other driver and her passenger have been to one of those unscrupulous no win no fee charlatans who flash pound signs and promise the earth. My insurance company has no choice but to pay up because whiplash is pretty much impossible to disprove, but I am almost certain the other parties are lying through their teeth and this is what I find frustrating.

It is about time that the government cracked down on such sharp practice, and time that insurance companies started saying enough is enough. This puts up everyone's insurance premiums, and lines the pockets of the miserable little so-and-so's who make a living from this kind of thing. It is also immoral, and in my view legalised theft not to mention fraud. Am I bitter? You bet I am.

The Run Up

2011-11-04T22:28:00.001Z

Someone mentioned recently that there are only 50+ days to Christmas. Yes, thanks for that.

As usual I am not prepared, partly I think, because I hate the festive nonsense, smiling cheerfully as someone elbows you out of the way in the stampede to buy presents is not my cup of tea. This year I have the usual bah humbug attitude to the festive season, so if someone could wake me when it is all over I would be grateful.

I have two fairs before the end of November which I need to get my act together for and hope that they are better than the one I did last weekend. One of these days, I will do a roaring trade at a fair and someone will have to pick me off the floor. I have some lovely baskets to take which will make the perfect gift. They are limited edition, so when they are gone they are gone.

Of course, at this time of year, I have to make an effort to decorate the stand in a jolly Christmassey way (oh joy), but I don't suppose that lighting candles would be a good idea. It would probably give the safety elf apoplexy, not to mention setting the place on fire. I can't have lights because I don't have a power point, so I may just resort to the same as last year, swathing the stall in organza and decorating with a few bits and bobs. And no, I am not wearing a Santa hat or reindeer antlers no matter how much you pay me!

Jordan

2011-10-24T21:11:00.001+01:00

Match me such a marvel save in Eastern clime,

A rose red city half as old as time

John William Burgon

I am sitting at home, looking at grey skies, the wind whipping the branches of the trees into frenzy, and wishing it were this time last week when the view from the window was beautiful blue skies, temperatures were 45º and we woke early to the sonorous call to prayer.

It might seem like a strange time to be visiting the Middle East, but the idea of cancelling our long anticipated holiday really did not occur to us.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as with many countries in this region has a tangled history. Muslim Empires, Roman and Ottoman Turk occupation and the British Mandate have all left their footprints in the sand.

Bordered by Israel, Palestine (West Bank), Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Jordan is at the heart of the Middle East, where it manages to maintain peaceful relations with its neighbours, and with the West.

Because of its location at the crossroads of the Middle East, for centuries

Jordan

has been vital in linking trade routes from East and West, including being on the important and lucrative frankincense trail.

Walking around The Citadel, and looking over the Roman Theatre and the seven hills on which Amman is built, it was clear that there was more history here than you could shake a stick at.

There has been a settlement near Amman for over 9000 years. Under the Romans, Amman was called Philadelphia and during the Byzantine period, it was the seat of a bishopric and a regional centre when in 635 the city was captured by the Damascus based Umayyad dynasty. Although Amman’s influence began to wane under the Abbasids, as the focus of their power shifted to Baghdad, it remained an important stop on the pilgrimage trail to Mecca, and was made capital of Transjordan by Emir Abdullah in 1921.

The Citadel (Jebel al-Qal’a), formerly the ancient site of Rabbath-Ammon, has been settled since the Palaeolithic Age although little remains from before the Roman occupation. Crowning the hill is the large Umayyad Palace complex dating from the Umayyad period of the early half of the 8^th century. The first building you approach is the domed entrance hall built over an earlier Byzantine structure.

Half way down the hill is the Temple of Hercules its huge columns visible for miles, and approached by a huge stone staircase. While northwest of the Temple is the Jordan Archeological Museum which although small, has some fascinating exhibits, although the Dead Sea Scrolls have sadly, been moved.

From The Citadel there is a panoramic view of the hills of Amman and the Roman Theatre and the Odeon. The Theatre dating from the reign of Antonius Pius (AD86-161) is carved into a hill that once served as a necropolis, and can seat around 6000 spectators on its stone steps. The Jordan Folklore Museum is housed in the right wing of the Theatre and has come beautiful exhibits. The costumes on display are timeless and they would not be out of place today. The smaller 500 seat Odeon would have been used for musical concerts as it still is from time to time today.

Jerash, north of Amman, is one of the most important and best preserved Roman towns in the Middle East with archaeological evidence of settlement here dating to the Neolithic age.

Jerash began to flourish during the time of Alexander the Great in 4^th century BC, and after Syria fell under Roman rule, Jerash was named as one of the Decapolis, ten autonomous cities in Judea and Syria, on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, linked by commerce and political interests. In 106 AD the Nabatean Kingdom of which Petra was central, was annexed and Jerash reaped the benefits of this increase in riches.

You need your walking shoes to visit Jerash. Approaching the city by the south, you pass through the impressive sandstone Hadrian’s Gate dating from 129AD built to commemorate the visit of the Emperor Hadrian.

On the left, you pass the Hippodrome which could seat some 15,000 spectators. Walking past the city walls you come to the Oval Plaza edged with Ionic columns with the colonnaded street, The Cardo, bordered by Corinthian columns running north. Along the side of this street, you can still see the remains of shops, and an underground sewage system ran the full length of The Cardo.

At the top of a hill to the north of the city you can find the Temple of Artemis, the patron of Jerash, small, but impressive with eleven of its twelve columns still standing. Just down the hill from the Temple are the remains of three Byzantine Churches. The most northerly of the three is the Church of St Cosmos and St Damian, twin doctors martyred in the 4^th century. Here you can see the most beautiful mosaic floors found in Jerash. The centre Church is that of St John the Baptist which dating from 531 AD. The most southerly of the churches is the church of St George. The lovely mosaics here were damaged by the Iconoclasts in the 8^th century.

Drive southwest along the Kings’ Highway and you come to Madaba. At the Greek Orthodox St George’s Church you can view the fabulous Byzantine mosaic map. This map shows the Holy Land with Jerusalem, depicted in astonishing detail, at its heart. Dating from about 560AD the map originally covered the front of the floor of the Byzantine Church. Now unfortunately only part of the map survives.

One of the best places to eat in Jordan is the Haret Jdoudna complex. The restaurant is two old houses side-by-side where you can feast very reasonably on wonderful Jordanian fare. Opt to eat in the quite courtyard and enjoy watching dish after dish magically appear before you. Here, as with most Jordanian restaurants, if you want a decent coffee opt for the Turkish variety, flavoured with cardamom.

From Madaba, head to Mount Nebo to the northwest. Here is a site with enormous religious significance to Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. It is from the summit of Mt Nebo that Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. In the Christian and Jewish traditions, Moses was buried somewhere on or near the mountain, while the Muslim tradition dictates that his body was carried off the mountain and across the river, where it was buried near the Jericho-Jerusalem highway.

Unfortunately, the Church was closed for renovations being carried out by the Franciscans, but it is worth a visit for the view. From the summit, on a clear day you can see Jericho and as far as Jerusalem.

Continuing along the King’s Highway, and with a stop at the Crusader Castle of Kerak, we arrived at the unprepossessing town of Wadi Musa, gateway to Petra. From the visitors centre you walk a path past huge jinn blocks and the Obelisk Tombs to enter As-Siq the long, beautiful, narrow gorge heading into the mountains. The sides of the gorge appear to touch in places and it is easy to see how this place was lost to the world for 700 years, becoming legend lost in the mists.

I am not sure that you can be prepared for the first view of The Treasury despite the number of photographs you may have seen. You get a fleeting glimpse between the walls of As-Siq, and then suddenly it is ahead of you, glowing pink in the bright morning sun.

Carved deep into the rock face, The Treasury is incredibly well preserved, and was clearly positioned to impress. Imagine the reaction of the visitor 2000 years ago, walking through a narrow gorge to then be faced with this incredible building. When you think of the primitive tools which would have been available to the Nabateans, the fact that this city was carved into the sandstone at all is truly impressive. The carvings on the façade show how much Greek and Roman design influenced the builders of this unique city although the bullet holes in the central urn do nothing for the aesthetics.

As-Siq turns right at The Treasury and heads towards the city. Passing tombs, a Theatre which although it looks Roman is actually of Nabatean construction, a colonnaded street to the Qasr al Bint probably the city’s main temple. This is the only building which is freestanding and due to the addition of wood to its construction has withstood earthquakes and floods.

If you feel energetic you can climb the 800 steps to The Monestery, or take a hike to the High Place of Sacrifice. If not, you can visit the remains of the Byzantine Church to view the beautiful mosaic floor, or wander around the side paths to see what they will reveal.

Petra is a remarkable place, which has to be seen to be truly appreciated.

If you have the time, take a trip to Wadi Rum famous in the West for its connections to T.E. Lawrence, and if you don’t have time, make some. A visit here is a journey to another world. This starkly beautiful place of ancient valleys and towering sandstone cliffs reminds you of your insignificance as it stretches silently and spectacularly into the distance. Due to the abundance of water Wadi Rum was an imortant meeting place for caravans heading for Palestine, Syria and Arabia. Continuing archaeological investigations continue to uncover layers of habitation dating to Neolithic times.

At Wadi Rum you can see rose finches flitting in and out of the rock formations, Nabatean graffiti of camels scratched into the rocks, camel trains taking tourists back and forth, and Bedouin jeeps sailing over the sand dunes, or you can stop for coffee in one of the Bedouin black goat hair tents or go for a camel ride.

At once modern and traditional, Jordan is a country managing to tread a fine political line, pro-Western while maintaining peace with Israel and it has much to offer the tourist, and unusually perhaps for an Arab country, women have positions of power in business and government.

If you want to relax at a Dead Sea resort pampering yourself in one of the spas, if you are a history buff, or have an interest in religion Jordan is the destination for you. Moses, Aaron and John the Baptist all died in Jordan and Jesus was probably baptised here (you can visit Bethany across the Jordan where John the Baptist lived and where the baptism almost certainly took place). Crusader Castles, Roman ruins and ancient cities all have plenty to keep the history buff happy.

This is a country with something for everyone, from the ancient desert moonscapes, to modern thriving cities and it is well worth a visit.

Wind Swept

2011-09-18T16:50:00.000+01:00

I was sitting in the lounge this afternoon when I glanced out of the window at blue skies and sunshine, and decided to go for a walk. I grabbed my camera and headed for the beach just a short walk away.

Once I had picked my way through the rubbish that gathers at the top of the beach, caught in the small dunes and unable to find its escape back to the sea, I walked along the hard, flat sand for a while.

The beach was busy with families, and people walking their dogs, not caring about the wind which was whipping the waves into wild white horses. Each group oblivious of the next, wrapped up in their own little worlds and making the most of the late summer/early autumn sunshine.

Dotted along the beach is Antony Gormley's Iron Men installation "Another Place." Stretching over 2 miles, the 100 metal statues are revealed and submerged as the tides ebb and flow. I am not sure what I think of an artist making multiple copies of his own body, probably a discussion for another time, but they do bring people to the area and that is no bad thing.

I tried taking photographs, but I think that I wobbled a bit in the wind, as they are all a touch fuzzy.

Product Development

2011-09-03T19:20:00.000+01:00

Ok, so I know it is not very neat, but this is my first pass at eye-liner. I used to buy a cream eye-liner from a company which no longer exists and I have run out and was desperate, so I made my own.

It is much simpler to make than I thought it would be, although it sets in the blink of an eye. It is soft enough to be applied with a brush but if I want to sell it I am going to have to work out how to pour it before it sets which will be no mean feat! On the plus side, it is quite quick to make, so I could in theory make whatever colour a customer requests. I am going to need to speak to my lovely assessor to get his advice about what and what is not permissable.

I also made a lovely hand cream recently which I am hoping to launch fairly soon. There are some tests which need to be done beforehand though and I need to give some thought to different oils for different purposes i.e. older skin, but watch this space for further information.

Green - cut pictures

2011-08-28T12:13:00.000+01:00

I should have left it a tiny bit longer, because it was a touch soft to cut, but I just could not wait. I have a bit of a partial gel which is annoying but not disastrous and I have to practice my swirls. I am quite happy with the way this has turned out.

Green

2011-08-27T22:16:00.002+01:00

I have been thinking of trying to create a masculine blend of essential oils for soap. The last time I tried, it did not turn out quite masculine enough - cedar and may chang - so tonight I tried again.

This time I took vetivert, known in India as "the oil of tranquility", smokey, green, earthy and woody and added may chang to lighten it a little. I have a bit of the blend on my hands and I really like it. At the moment, it has an almost aftershave quality to it, so I will have to see how the blend develops in the soap.

You may have noticed the intense green colour. This is from the spirulina I added to half the batter. Goodness knows what this will look like when it is de-moulded and whether the colour will last.

This is what I love about soap making. You never quite know what your creation will turn out like. Each batch is a step into the unknown.

Thank you Nigella

2011-08-21T16:23:00.003+01:00

I am not a fan of chutney, at least I never have been, but recently I have been converted. That ubiquitous brown pickle that you find on a pub ploughman's has always sprung to mind when chutney has been mentioned, but that could not be further from the real stuff.

For the last two years, I have been making a spiced apple chutney with apples from Mum's garden as a Christmas gift, adding extra chillies because the recipient likes hot. The apples are now ready, so it is time to get out the preserving pan again.

This morning, I went to Mum's and picked the apples, the branches of the trees are bowed under the weight of them. While I was at it, I picked some blackberries to make jam with.

I decided to add cassis to the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in the pan. I know that cassis is made from blackcurrents, but still I thought it was worth adding a bit to the pan to give it a little bit extra.

As I had a couple of pineapples in the house, I also made a pineapple chutney which I have just sampled with a bit of strong cheddar. I think it is fair to say, it will not last very long. It is a lovely balance of sweet and sour with a hint of cinnamon and clove - delicious.

Jams, chutneys and preserves are incredibly simple to make and are a great way of using up a glut of fruit and vegetables. At a time when money is tight it is also a great way of storing what you grow to brighten the dark days of winter. All you do is pop the ingredients in a preserving pan (other large, open pans will do) and cook until everything has gone to mush and thickened. Pop into jars and it will keep for months.

You can use all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables, and you don't have to wait until the end of summer to do it. Use what is cheap and in season and you have something lovely to eat later in the year. Chutneys are great with cheese and cold cuts, and what could be better than hot buttered toast and homemade jam?

I used recipes from Nigella Lawson's "How to be a Domestic Goddess".

Money Pit

2011-08-14T20:23:00.000+01:00

I am certainly have had a run of things. Last month the kettle blew up, and the cat ate through the power cable of my phone. Cue opening of purse and parting with money.

A couple of weeks ago, my two ovens gave up the ghost. I spoke to the manufacturer, and the cost of getting it fixed is daylight robbery, assuming it can be fixed. If not, it will still cost me £50 for them to come and tell me there is no hope. Last weekend the fridge stopped working and was subsequently pronounced not worth repairing. More money was spent yesterday because I really cannot cope without a fridge and having proper food in the house. So, as of this morning all I had to do was sort out the oven, and as much of a pain as it is not having it, it is not the end of the world.

This afternoon my toilet had other ideas and became blocked. Actually, I don't think it is the toilet which is blocked, but something a bit further down. About six inches below where the toilet soil pipe meets the down pipe, there is a spot where a pipe (yes, I know so many pipes) connected to the central heating system has been inset. I had the new boiler last December and since then I have had blockages off and on, but did not really think too much about it - until now.

Have you ever tried to find a plumber on a Sunday? I rang a number and I am still waiting for a call back. Great! I don't need the toilet or anything do I? Hopefully, tomorrow Mum is going to go and get me a toilet snake and I will try to unblock it myself. It costs about £10 and is a damn site cheaper than calling out a professional. Watch this space, but don't listen, because I am sure that there will be some swearing.

The Descriptive Word

2011-08-07T11:56:00.001+01:00

Occasionally, a passage from a book I read not only stands out, but stays with me. This evening, "a sky the colour of old bruises," the opening of A Sparrow Falls by Wilbur Smith, comes to mind as I look out of the window. Dusk is falling, and with it comes slow, heavy rain. As I look at the sky grey, puce, yellow and brooding and see birds circling, I am reminded of that line.

For me, reading has always been a joy and a constant, and comforting when times are difficult. Although I read little fiction, I still find reading an escape whether in humour or more tangibly in books about other parts of the world. There is nothing nicer than than setting down, with a mug of hot coffee and a book and losing myself in other worlds, cultures and traditions or something I have to put down when my sides are too sore with laughter to carry on. There is so much to learn about the world past and present, and a good writer like William Dalrymple or Colin Thuberon will transport you. You can smell, hear and see what they describe. Although no comparison to visiting a place for yourself, these books are portals invaluable to our understanding of the world, and there seems to be precious little of that.

The more I read, the less I understand why people are not able to coexist peacefully, without throwing tantrums usually in the form of bullets or bombs. Is the human race really so stupid? Well, yes, history will confirm that it is and that was clearly a rhetorical question. The brat like actions of those in power, who are supposed to act in a way that benefits the county and the people over which they have power often beggars belief and their attitude to other countries is plain dumb. Perhaps they should read more!

Unveiling

2011-07-24T18:55:00.000+01:00

Off to Botany Bay next Thursday morning to set up my new retail space. I am rather excited about the possibilities it offers. I have been in a bit of a flap about how I am going to display the soapies etc., and desperately wanted to get some wine boxes. Unfortunately, they are like hens teeth and although I can find some new ones, I can't get anything older.

I have been faffing with the Body Veil labels for some time, and the retail space has given me a kick up the bottom. Thereis something about a looming deadline which makes everything fall into place. Finally, I decided to invert the labels and instead of having coloured text and twiddly bits on a white background, I now have pretty coloured labels which I am rather pleased with.

It has been a lovely sunny weekend, although a little breezy, and the cats have spent most of the last two days in the garden chasing bugs and playing with empty snail shells. They love to be outside lolling in the sunshine and chattering at the birds which annoy them by flying overhead. I am coming back as a cat next time!

Versatile Blogger Award

2011-07-17T18:10:00.001+01:00

I have been given a Virtual Blogger Award by the lovely Celine at I Am Handmade (http://www.soaperstar.com/). Thank you Celine.

7 random facts about me.

1. I have been vegetarian for 20 years.

2. I live with 5 cats.

3. I hate ants (get the shivers just thinking about them).

4. I drink coffee not tea.

5. I have a very sweet tooth.

6. I don't read non-fiction.

7. I hate housework.

Seven bloggers of note who deserve the Versatile Blogger Award are:

http://fresholi-bites.blogspot.com/

A blog with news and snippets about the Fresholi Forum.

http://akuawood.blogspot.com/

Blog written by Akua Wood, a lovely lady who trades ethically and supports communities in Ghana.

http://www.patti-flynn.com/blog/

Inspirational Australian soapmaker who writes with great wit.

http://gardenforautism.blogspot.com/

A beautifully written blog about the day to day struggles of a disabled mother with an autistic son.

http://anniesgoathill.wordpress.com/

Farming, soap and more.

http://www.myroo.co.uk/

Rachel is a canny business woman and creates beautiful body products for adults and for children.

http://scarlettlondon.blog.com/

A young and up and coming journalist, with a blog which makes a good read.

Signed on the dotted line

2011-07-16T20:14:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, I bit the bullet and rented some retail space at Botany Bay, Chorley. The craft fairs I have been doing over the last 12 months have been a complete waste of time and money, so I have had a bit of a re-think.

Botany Bay is a converted mill which is now a huge shopping emporium on the banks of a canal. The canal was busy with geese (see above) and barges and if it was not for the hum of traffic from the M61, it would have been a lovely, peaceful setting. I have a couple of weeks, maximum, to get things sorted out before I need to set up, although if I do manage to get it done earlier so much the better. The only difficulty is that the setting up has to be done during the week, out of hours, although re-stocking can be done at weekends. There are set times in which you can set up, so the question is how I do it when I am working full time?

I have had a week off from the day job and have not had many animals this week, so I have been able to re-charge the batteries, although I have found it very difficult to relax completely.

I also went on a bit of a shopping spree with Mum. We both had some gold bits and pieces which we did not wear, and which just sat in a drawer never seeing the light of day, so I took them to a jewellers and sold them. With the proceeds, I bought some lovely little earrings to replace the ones I recently lost, and which Dad bought me a long time ago.

My little kittens will be one year old tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly the year has flown. Fidget of course still has some growing up to do, although I don't think he will ever learn to behave. It is such a good job that Echo is an absolute angel, so much so that you hardly know she is in the house. Almost.

It's tough out there

2011-07-11T21:38:00.000+01:00

Do you ever get days when you are not sure what you are doing? When you feel like you are struggling uphill in a gale force wind, through treacle? Well, that is what things are like for me at the moment.

Working full time, visiting animals before and after work and at lunch times, and trying to work on the soap business just do not fit into 24 hour days. I did another horribly unsuccessful craft fair last weekend, another four hours I will never get back, and spent most of the time writing lists of things I need to do, so at least it was not a completely wasted experience. I am struggling to keep all the balls in the air. It would not be so bad if I thought I was getting somewhere but I don't.

Almost daily, it seems like soapy people are giving up or are considering giving up, which is such a shame. They are wonderful, creative people who are finding things too difficult to carry on. I really do not think that crafts are valued in this country. There seems to be a general lack of understanding of what goes into handmade products, and customers do seem to want something for nothing. There is no acknowledgement of the amount of time spent researching ingredients, the incredibly steep learning curve, getting to grips with the relevant legislation and everything else involved in getting a product to market, including the costs. It is not simply a case of getting up one day, making a products and selling it, although I have come across some who seem to think so.

Despite the gloom, there are those who are successful and who can serve as inspiration for the rest of us. The ingredient for that success seems to be passion, a passion that is not quelled by the hoops that one has to jump through. These people show that with hard work and application it is possible to build a business that not only is enjoyable but a success too.

2011-07-02T19:42:00.002+01:00

Photo of Fidget because I could not think of anything else!

As of this morning, I am the proud owner of a shiny new dishwasher. Yes, I know that they are not strictly necessary and that I can live without, but boy do they make life easier. I can finally find my sink again, and of course I am helping to save the planet (research shows they use less energy than washing by hand. No I don't understand either). At any rate, I no longer have to wash dishes by hand which, for someone who lives on their own, took a hell of a lot longer than you would think.

This week I have been back at the house with the outdoor dogs. You may remember I had an incident, a couple of months ago, when I had to resort to climbing a fence to get at a dog, and give road kill to ferrets. Well, no fence climbing this time, but I have had to give chicks to ferret kits. I really do not do dead things, and to have to get frozen chicks out of the freezer, leave them in a dish to defrost and then take them out to the ferrets does not fill me with joy. The things I do for money sometimes!

This is the first weekend when I have been able to make the most of the sunshine. I went out this morning and again this evening, but in between I have been able to sit out and read. I need to sort out some other seating, something that I can really laze on, although I know full well that I won't get anywhere near it.

I am reviewing what I am going to do to push Scent Trail. The realisation dawned a while ago that the Craft Fairs I have been doing are not the way forward, and I am lucky if I make back the cost of the table. I am doing one next weekend, but I think it will be my last for a while. I was speaking to a local artist and book illustrator I was at school with yesterday, and she is going to give me a list of larger Fairs which she thinks will be good for me to attend. They will be more expensive to do, but if I add up what I have spent so far on what have proved to be complete wastes of time I would be horrified. Plus think what else I could have done with the hours I have spent sitting twiddling my thumbs.

If I stand any hope of leaving the day job/hampster wheel, I have to start earning money from soap. Hopefully soon I will expand the range with the liquid soap, and following some, research shampoo. I have an issue with the colour of my liquid soap though. A couple of people have said that the colour is off-putting (how dare they), I think because they are used to seeing pretty pink or purple soaps in the supermarkets. I was going to use some lovely clear bottles, but I think I will have to look into the opaque variety. Bum!

Arrival

2011-06-26T13:43:00.001+01:00

Summer has arrived, although looking at the forecast it will last only a couple of days. It is not sunny, but it is lovely and warm and I am sitting in my back garden (well concreted back yard) enjoying the fresh air. Above the sound of the radio, there is the tinkering of a hammer as someone gets down to DIY and the cats are enjoying chasing flying things too small for me to see, and pouncing on each other.

I really do need to do something with the garden and wish I had soil in which to plant things. I am not particularly green fingered, but I have a few pots on the walls of pretty, pink hanging pelargoniums which reminds me of blissful holidays in France, and others containing lovely violas, one of my favourite flowers. By my back door is a climbing rose, which this year has given me some gorgeous, fragrant blooms, but I noticed yesterday parts of the plant are beginning to die. I am hoping it is because my naughty little ginger thing has been chewing it and that it is not suffering some terminal illness. The wooden planter it is in is a sorry state, and beginning to fall apart, so I need to think about how on earth I re-pot it.

I have neglected the garden this year, but then I have hardly spent any time in it. The cats on the other hand need no excuse to venture out which gives me a bit of peace. The tiny shed needs some repairs, and I wonder whether getting rid of it would be better. My outside space is so small, and the shed hardly used and it seems silly to keep it. I could have another seat there, or some lovely large pots of something. It would be easier keeping it where it is rather than having to break it apart and transport it somewhere, but I really do think that getting rid is what I am going to do.

I also need to do something with the house, which is driving me to distraction. Since the installation of the wood burner the lounge needs decorating. In view of the fact that it took me a good year to find the colour I wanted for the walls, I am dreading it. I look at magazines for ideas and they seem full of beautiful rooms decorated in various shades of neutral. Now, I love that cool sophisticated look, but I usually get bored of it in a couple of weeks. I have a strong need to be surrounded by colour. I have been sitting there imagining what it would look like, and in my minds eye it will look lovely, but in reality I am just not sure.

I desperately need to find something to store my curing and cured soap, so that I can reclaim the kitchen and dining room where it is currently scattered. There is a space at the top of the stairs which would be perfect, I just need to find something that will fit there while allowing air to circulate around the soap.

All the above and about threepence halfpenny to spend on it.

Shampoo

2011-06-17T20:18:00.000+01:00

Last weekend, I made my first shampoo. It is a little like liquid soap - but different. Rashly, I made rather a large batch, half of which was fragranced with lavender and half with mandarin. As you can see the mandarin (on the left) went rather cloudy with the addition of the essential oil, although they have since cleared.

This recipe is olive, coconut and castor oils. I have been using it for the week and I am rather pleased with the result, although it may need a bit of a tweak! I am now researching what I can put in it, seaweed for example, to enrich it further. I have bought of couple of books, and will spend the weekend buried in them researching essential oil blends and shampoo additions, so hopefully I can work out what to do next.

I am really enjoying myself at the moment. ~~Playing~~ experimenting is the best part of all of this and a great release after a long week at work.

Hot and Cold

2011-06-07T21:39:00.000+01:00

Scottish Power have announced a massive increase in the cost of gas and electricity (19% gas, and 10% electricity). How can they justify this when they put up prices at the end of last year?

For those of us on low incomes this increase is a major blow, especially when it is already a struggle. Unfortunately, everyone else will follow suit because they do not seem to be able to operate independently, which makes me think that there is a price cartell in operation.

When is it going to end? Everything is going up in price while salaries are static. I earn a third of what I did 10 years ago, but my bills have more than doubled. On the face of it, it is a crazy time to be in business, although the pet sitting is doing quite well this year - thankfully. I am hoping that at some point the day job, the petsitting and the soapy stuff together will mean that the finances ease a little.

And talking of soapy stuff, I have two fairs on Saturday, which as usual I am not exactly ready for. Most of the body butter was made on the last back holiday, and I am waiting for some boxes for a new gift pack which will also be suitable for travelling. It will have a half size soap, an organic muslin face cloth, an unfragranced body butter and as a little extra a nice little book. There will also be something a little new for the bath salts. Watch this space!

Liquid Soap

2011-05-28T16:31:00.000+01:00

My first solo foray into liquid soap. This recipe has olive oil in and is fragranced with May Chang, so is lovely and lemony. I had a bit of a mishap, because I forgot to heat the water so the soap past became a large solid blob. Once that was sorted, the paste dissolved nicely and liquid soap was made. This is the glycerine method, so in theory, it is usable straight away and there is no curing time.

I love the colour of natural, handmade liquid soap. None of this pink and blue nonsense, just various shades of gold which look beautiful with the light shining through.

Now that I know how to make it, I need to play about with some receipes to see what I like best before getting my assessment. I would like to try a bit of shea butter, but wonder if it will go cloudy?

I really must....

2011-05-22T20:17:00.000+01:00

.... Get more organised. I have come to the realisation that I am not going to earn a living from the business unless I stop allowing myself to get distracted by the minutiae of things around me. I find myself sitting down for five minutes with a cup of coffee only to find it is an hour and a half later and that I have been sitting staring mindlessly at the television.

Yes, I know it is my own fault, and that I have the attention span of a gnat, that I allow myself to easily become distracted, but it has to stop. I have a day job, run a small petsitting business and I have the soapy stuff, and there are not enough hours in the day for all of it. I go to bed annoyed with myself because I have vegged out instead of ploughing through an ever growing list of things to do. On the plus side, I do seem to manage to write the lists at least. They just do not seem to get any shorter. A start would be putting the laptop on the desk rather than sitting with it on my knee in the lounge, thereby allowing the t.v. to get in the way.

My head is stuffed to the gills with ideas for things I want to do if only I had the time. I have a couple of fairs in June, and I want to re-package the bath salts to see if they sell more.

Did you miss me? I have been missing for half an hour to wrap some half-sized soaps which are going to go into travel sets, packaging to be decided. Looking at them, they would make perfect guest soaps too.

A strange beast

2011-05-15T15:41:00.001+01:00

And here is the cut soap. The colour is unever which I like because it makes it interesting and gives texture. The very top looks almost white (ash I think) so the swirls visible yesterday are hardly showing. The jury is out.

Freedom

2011-05-14T20:58:00.000+01:00

The weekend has rolled around again and a couple of days of freedom have arrived. It feels like it has been a long week.

Last weekend, I made liquid soap for the first time. It was good fun, and is something I really need to master before I can get the legalities under way. At the moment the soap is unfragranced, and I am waiting for some bottles to arrive so that I can decant it and try out various fragrances. It will be really interesting to see if the essential oils behave differently in liquid soap rather than solid cold process soaps.

I want to have a go at making bath bombs type things at the weekend. Sometime last year, I made shea bath melts which are nice, but not quite as much fun as having a fizzing bomb release its fragrance. I was recently sent one to test and it was gorgeous. That, of course, is the fun part. I test my essential oil combinations in the bath (well there do have to be some perks) and I did the same thing with the bath melts I made.

There are so many things I want to have a go at making, but there are just not enough hours in the day. I have plans for new products, and I am slowly learing how to make them, but then you have the testing side of things and anything which not anhydrous has to be challenged tested which is not at all cheap.

Today I made a batch of Lavender and Patchouli cold process soap. I was going to try to do the same as last time with a nice solid layer of uncoloured soap on the top. Yeah! Fat chance. You see, I can do things once and they are usually a happy accident, but try to plan to do it again, and it does not work. So I am going to have a very thin layer of uncoloured soap on the top with the alkanet infused soap at the bottom. Goodness knows what it will look like.

That is what I like about this soap making lark. You are never really sure what you are going to end up with. You can use the same ingredients each time you make a batch of soap, you can try to make the new batch look the same as the old one but the soap has other ideas. You effectively get what you are given, like it or lump it. I like it.

The trouble with long weekends

2011-05-02T21:24:00.000+01:00

The trouble with long weekends is going back to work. It is bad enough after a standard weekend, but when you have had four days away from the office, it is so much harder to chain yourself to a desk again, especially when the sun is shining. I have never liked the routine of office and paperwork, but I have a mortgage, ergo no choice. So, tomorrow the chain will be out and I will be back into the routine.

On a happier note, soy wax candles are available to buy on the website. The first fragrance we have released is the lovely Lemongrass and Ginger. It is a light, fresh and uplifting fragrance.

Sunshine and Flowers

2011-04-30T22:55:00.000+01:00

It is another long weekend, at least it is for those who have a 9 - 5 office job, with the May Day bank holiday on Monday, and the Royal Wedding yesterday, it is the second four day weekend in a row.

The weather is lovely. We have blue skies and warm sunshine and the trees are heavy with blossoms of various colours and fragrances. At their best are the lilacs, white, pink and purple pendulous blooms which drip fragrance into the breeze. Walking in the park, I marvelled at the delicate horse chestnut flowers; the gorse bushes beginning to break out their bright orange summer coats; the carpets of bluebells beginning to fade and the first of the many flowers appearing on the Dog Roses. These roses are a highlight of the summer for me. They vary from white to the darkest pink, their open flowers wafting scent along the paths.

It is a lovely time of year for a wedding, and on Friday the Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, took place at Westminster Abbey. I do like a Royal Wedding and I think that it shows this country at its best. We really do know how to do pomp and ceremony better than anyone else. The Life Guards on their gleaming horses; the flag waving crowds; the fashion statements, some of which definitely hit a duff note (I don't know what was going on with those hats); visiting dignitaries and European Royalty and everything going without a hitch. Then there was the dress. Kate Middleton has a great sense of style, simple and streamlined and she stayed true to that.

When she arrived at the Abbey, the dress most certainly did not disappoint. It was very Grace Kelly, simple and stylish with a fitted bodice covered in the most exquisite lace and having motifs symbolising Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. It was a beautiful dress, modern but with references to the past. All in all, I think the wedding was lovely.

Display

2011-04-21T22:17:00.001+01:00

I have been mulling about how best to display soap at Fairs. Until now, I have had them in nice little trugs, but find that people tend not to dig about to see what is in them. Rather they just pick up the first bar, sniff it and put it back. So, something has to change, and after racking my last functioning brain cell have come up on cake stands.

Above is a photograph of the first one, which is uncoloured glass and a good height. I just have to decide if it is right. I have a fair this Saturday, so I will see if it helps then.

Let there be Light

2011-04-18T20:49:00.001+01:00

A long weekend is on its way, and I can't wait. I just hope that the weather will be kind, although it usually isn't. I think poor weather lies in wait for bank holidays.

I have been asked if I make room sprays and candles by one of my stockists. This is a funny co-incidence because it was next on my very long list of things to do. I had a play with fragrances at the weekend, and pictured above are the results.

The larger candles are fragranced with lemongrass and ginger, and are light, fresh and zingy, and although I say so myself, gorgeous. The smaller ones, which I thought would make a nice change to votives, are fragranced with a rosey blend of essential oils. I am burning one at the moment, so that I can work out how many hours they burn for, and nice as they are, they do need a little more of the smelly oils. Still a little tweaking is to be expected. I will try to work on some more over the weekend. They are made using soy wax which is so much better for you than paraffin wax, which emits carcinogens into the air.

They will soon be available to buy through the website.

It really shouldn't happen to.....

2011-04-12T20:30:00.002+01:00

As well as being as soap maker extraordinaire (if only) I have been a pet sitter for the last five years. I love animals and it is nice spending time with them and not having the expense of feeding them and paying vets bills.

Mostly they are very well behaved, but there has been the occasional cat tooth embedded in my finger while I tried to administer tablets (blood everywhere, mine); I have been hauled downhill through bushes by a dog chasing rabbits; I have spent an hour and a half looking for a key for a door which turned out not to be locked; climbed a fence to get at a dog in a back garden kennel (in the house with the unlocked door) and chased a daft dog down a street with cars screeching to a halt around us.

Today, daft dog flattened me. We were strolling in the sunshine minding our own business, when I saw walking along the road towards us two little white fluffballs who proceeded to yap at daft dog, something guaranteed to set him off. He is not naughty, just still not quite an adult and when he is misbehaving he tends to turn into a whirling dervish. The trouble is he forgets how long he is and while he was pirouetting in disgust, he swung his rear end round and I found myself eating tarmac.

He is a lovely boy, but I am beginning to think that he is injurious to my health. Padded cell, anyone?

Spring

2011-04-07T19:54:00.000+01:00

Spring arrived at the end of last week and then promptly disappeared. I suppose that is the nature of what is laughingly known as "the great British weather." I have never been sure if that means the weather in Great Britain, or the British weather is great, or indeed not as is usually the case. Anyhow, we had a fleeting glimpse of blue skies and sunshine and the temperatures rose for a while.

The house is driving me mad at the moment. There is soap on every available surface and some unavailable ones, and I really do have to get myself a curing rack/shelf thumingy so that I can have it all in the one place. I need to get more organised, label boxes so I can find things, sort through stock so I know what I have and more importantly where it is. I spent a large part of Saturday afternoon looking for soy wax so that I could make candles. I must have filed away very safely, because I could not find it, and I know that as soon as I order some more, I will trip over it!

I have started making more CP soap. It is, in some ways, more complicated than the HP process, as oil temperatures are more critical, but I think I am getting there although I am not sure about the Gardener's Soap I made at the weekend. Fragranced with a blend of Cedar, Mandarin and Patchouli essential oils, lightly coloured with alfalfa powder and with blue poppy seeds for exfoliation, it is still rather soft, and I am hoping that once it has hardened properly the colour will be more even.

And here it is

2011-03-30T18:39:00.000+01:00

This is the Lavender and Patchouli layered soap I made last night. I have to say that I am more than a little chuffed at the result. The colour is quite intense, although it may well fade, but I think that the contrast is lovely.

Now, what can I do next?

Peeling back the layers

2011-03-29T21:58:00.003+01:00

I was sitting here this evening, relaxing, and suddenly got soapy withdrawal symptoms. You know the kind of thing, I am fidgety, and I have to go and make some now! So, off I trotted to the kitchen, put on my pointy hat and weighed everything into my cauldron.

I wanted to do something a bit different. All my soaps to date have been plain. Some have had a sprinkling of botanicals on the top, but that has been as far as I have allowed my creativity to go.

I had decided that I was going to fragrance my soap with lavender and patchouli, a combination I have not used before, and I wanted to colour it to match. After I weighed out the liquid oils, I decanted some into a small glass dish, added alkanet and warmed it a little to help the infusion. I let it sit while I melted the liquid and solid oils together, mixed the lye solution added the two together, and brought it to trace. After adding the essential oil blend and mixing well, I separated out some of the raw soap and added my alkanet infused oil to the main part of the soap batch then poured it into the prepared mould. When I thought it had set enough, I very slowly ladled the uncoloured soap on the top and put it to bed.

I will be surprised if this is a successfully layered soap. Everything I have read suggests that you make a half batch of soap, and then while this is setting you make your second half batch, but I like to bend the rules a bit, partly because I never bother to read instructions. I can't wait until tomorrow when I am able to unmould it and see how it looks. It is certain to be interesting. It will either look lovely (pink pigs overhead) or the top layer will have dripped down into the bottom layer and it will look a complete mess. All will be revealed.

The Weekend.

2011-03-21T20:52:00.002Z

I was supposed to go away this weekend to meet-up with like minded soapy folk. Unfortunately I had to work, and instead, drove up for the day on Sunday.

It was a good, fun day, although the weather could have been a little bit kinder. The sky was low and grey, and there was no sign of the sun. On my drive home, there was a fine rain which caused mist all the way from Kirkby Lonsdale to Preston. The M6 is bad enough without accompanying inclement weather, thank you very much.

I arrived about 10.00 and was greeted with coffee and biscuits. We did soapy stuff before lunch (HP and M&P) and then had an incredibly useful graphics tutorial. For those of us who are starting out, there is no huge budget for marketing or getting someone to do all the graphics for you so, unless you know a nice kind soul who can do these things for free, you do it yourself. Trial and error features large, so tips and pointers are invaluable, and I learned a lot from the tutorial.

A packaging discussion followed later before I had to head home. Anyone will tell you that packaging is the bane of their existence. If you know what you want, you can't find it; if you can find it then it will be the wrong size, colour or far too expensive. It is good to get the input of someone else who may have other packaging suppliers you can try.

We all had a great day. Well, everyone except Doris who was dragged over a field behind a tractor, followed by her friends. I suppose at this point, I should admit that Doris is a deceased sheep and that it was the farmer who was dragging her away. We could not quite decide if the flock who ran after the tractor were doing so because they wanted to give Doris a decent send off, or whether it was because the farmer was returning shortly to give them a feed. It gave a couple of us a bit of a giggle. Not because the poor thing was dead, but we somehow managed to give the flock voices and managed to imagine the conversation they might have been having. Ok, so it was one of those you had to be there moments, but it made us laugh.

This is a Rant

2011-03-11T21:36:00.002Z

Prepare yourselves. I am going to have a rant. I do not understand why service has to be so bad. I ordered Himalayan salt for my bath salts last Tuesday. They were shipped on Tuesday, but have not arrived with me.

My supplier has bent over backwards to try to sort out the issue for me, but it is very difficult when the courier does not care a jot. I have spoken to them, and just get the "there is nothing I can do" line which is complete nonsense. Apparently, they have tried to deliver twice, but on neither ocassion has a card been put through the door. Call me cynical but to me, this indicates that there has not been an attempted delivery. It is not that difficult surely, to deliver a package on time and to the correct address. Do I expect too much? I am beginning to think that I do.

Do these courier companies not understand how failure to deliver impacts on small businesses like mine? I have an order to finish and I can't do that without the salts. I wanted to drop it if off over the weekend. What if I lost the order as a result? This does not seem to bother them at all. It would be interesting to know what their failure rate is, but I don't suppose there is a way of finding out.

Rant over.

What did I start?

2011-03-05T21:54:00.000Z

I don't think that when I started to make soap, I knew what I was getting myself in to. I certainly had no idea how much of the house would be invaded by soap, soap making ingredients and soap making kit. More to the point, I did not know how much of my conscious, and who knows sub-conscious thought, it would consume.

I think about it, I trip over it, I make it, wrap it and label it. I have successes and I have failures, and boy, have I had failures. Batches which are the same as umpteen batches I have made in the past, for some unfathomable reason decide to go oh, so horribly and so spectacularly wrong.

Ploughing through all the delightful regulations, designed I am sure to make things as complicated as possible, there are times when I wonder if there is a point. Regulations are important, they safeguard the public, but there are so many people who sell their products without adequate labelling, it makes my blood boil.

Then, there is the business side of the business. Sales, marketing, paperwork and don't mention the packaging. All these things take up so much time and effort, you have to ask yourself if it is worth it.

I could sit here and mount a good argument that it is not, that it is better to keep making soap as a hobby or to give to friends, and to give it up as a business, but I would be lying. The buzz you get when you receive an order is incredible. To know that someone likes your products enough to give you money for them, is a real fillip. Working for yourself is not stress free by any means, after all there is no passing the buck, but you also have a freedom that is impossible working for someone else.

I started my business about a year ago, and so much has happened in that time, culminating in two recent orders from two National Trust properties. This is far beyond anywhere I thought I could go, and could potentially mean big business for me. I have also met, in person and virtually, a lovely, supportive community of like minded people who understand the issues, the products and the problems involved in owning this kind of business. Stressful? Yes it is, but it is also fun and exciting and an outlet for my creativity which also helps to pay the bills.

Rufford Old Hall

2011-03-04T21:33:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that our products will shortly be for sale at Rufford Old Hall, Rufford, Nr Ormskirk, Lancashire.

Light and Dark

2011-03-01T21:01:00.001Z

Spring, that season of hope for the new year is on its way. Snowdrops carpet the woods, crocuses and grape hyacinth are waving from the flower beds and today, I saw a tree with pretty pink blossom just beginning to show. The darkness of winter will soon be behind us and thoughts can turn to warm summer evenings.

Of course, in some parts of the world thoughts are more of survival than warmer weather and the darkness has certainly fallen. The dreadful news of the events in Christchurch last week have competed with news from the Middle East for the front pages of the papers. There has been so much death in the last couple of weeks.

Gaddafi is the latest of the Middle East leaders to feel the wrath of the people. A couple of weeks ago, Egypt's Mubarak stepped down after 18 days of delaying tactics, presumably in order to get his money out of the country. I have a horrible feeling that in Libya it is going to be a different story and that the country is heading for civil war, although to listen to the Colonel, all his people love him. Deluded? You decide.

The knock on effect of all this is the refugee crisis, with many thousands of people trying to flee the country to Tunisia. Reports say that 75,000 people have already fled Libya and tented camps are being set up. Aid workers warn of a developing humanitarian crisis with water and sanitation being major issues.

So, with lengthening days and anticipation of summer air filled with smoke from barbeques, thoughts turn to people in other parts of the world struggling for survivial.

All done!

2011-02-19T20:02:00.000Z

At last, the order for Speke Hall is finished and all I have to do is drop it off. I have to admit it is nice to see a heap of soap, bath salts and gift bags ready to ship.

One thing this order did force me to do was design some labels for the bath salts. It is one of those things I kept putting off, although the salts did not look quite finished without them. I have to do some for the body butters and balms now.

It is good to be experiencing longer days. Tonight, it was still light at 5.30, and although it has gone colder again, it is a sign of spring. The snowdrops are in drifts in the woods, crocuses and tiny irises are beginning to open and soon there will be bright yellow daffodils waving in the breeze. The dark days of winter will soon be over, and I will not feel like a vampire.

Soap, soap and erm, soap.

2011-02-11T19:19:00.000Z

The National Trust, Speke Hall, ordered soap and bath salts from me recently. In readiness, for the last couple of months I have been soaping like a demon to try to build up stocks.

I have, to date, made mainly Hot Process soap which is usable quicker than its Cold Process cousin. The drawback of Hot Process is that the batches are smaller and it is therefore more time consuming. I am slowly moving to Cold Process, because I can make bigger batches, although it is unlikely that I will give up Hot Process completely.

There has been discussion on a forum I am a member of to try to get a consensus on whether one is better than the other. I certainly don't think that there is in the "feel" of the soap, although there is in the look of it. Both soap making methods certainly have their benefits.

As you can see from the picture, I am not using colour in my soap at the moment, and I am not adding botanicals. I have plans to possibly change this for soaps I sell at Craft Fairs to make them look a bit prettier, so watch this space.

This weekend, I will be making the bath salts for the order, Lavender with tiny heather flowers, and Geranium with pretty little rose buds. Not a relaxing weekend then!

Alive

2011-01-24T20:54:00.004Z

I have reached the conclusion that soap is a living being, and a bad humoured one at that. At the weekend, I made a double batch of CP Cedar and May Chang soap. Cedar is a lovely woody fragrance which is set off beautifully by the lemony-sherbet May Chang (exotic Verbena) and this soap is one of my favourites.

I measured out my ingredients, stuck them in the slow cooker and did everything I normally do. I popped it in the mould and left it, I would like to say patiently but I would be lying, until today when I went to unmould it.

Problem 1. The soap decided that it was not going to leave the mould. I pulled at the lining paper, which came off in my hand. A great deal of banging it upside down on the worksurface did no good at all, so with a great deal of under the breath muttering I took a knife and cut out the offending log.

Problem 2. Ash, and lots of it. So much in fact, that about an inch at each end of the bar crumbles like Cheshire cheese. Once that had been cut off, the soap looked fine, just a tiny bit of ash around the edges which I can cope with.

Ash is an issue that all soap makers have, and no-one seems to be able to give a definitive reason for it. I would love to know what makes such innocent ingredients behave like someone in line for an asbo. It is the most annoying thing and convinces me that soap is alive. Either that, or there are gremlins at large the kitchen!

Time has run away from me again.

2011-01-18T19:46:00.000Z

I have a buying event tomorrow evening, and as usual I have left preparations to the last minute. At least this time, I do not have to spend the evening making body butters like last time. I really do not know why I do it. Will I ever learn?

I will be launching the first of the new Silk Route Collection. This represents the Persian part of the Silk Route and is fragrance with a rosey blend of essential oils. It has Babassu oil and a touch of silk for real luxury.

The Fire

2011-01-08T16:45:00.001Z

I can't light it for a few days, and I am going to need to decorate, but here is the new woodburner while it is still nice and clean! Undecided on whether the shelf works or not.

Finally!

2011-01-08T13:10:00.000Z

I was supposed to have a wood burner installed before Christmas, but with perfect timing, the snow arrived and the installation had to be postponed.

So today, is the day. I telephoned the shop yesterday to see what time the fitter might arrived and was told 9.00am. Imagine my surprise when there was a knock on the door at 8.00, and with me still in my pj's.

I have spent all morning banished upstairs. It forced me to do some more work on the website, which is no bad thing, although it is still not finished. I also have packaging issues and have been looking for gift boxes. Packaging is such a nightmare, especially if you know what you want. It will be a case of not being able to find it; or finding it but in the wrong size or colour; or worse, it is perfect but out of stock. I would love to be able to tell someone what I am looking for and them getting them to do it for me. It would make life so much easier.

On a more productive note, I made wedding favours last week, just as a trial batch. I found some lovely little hear moulds which I thought would be perfect. They are cold process which is something I have done much of and I am delighted at how they have turned out, although I could have done without the ash formation. Next time, I will leave them in the mould a little longer and it has been suggested that covering them in clingfilm might help.

Must be Mad

2010-12-30T21:08:00.000Z

I have a few free days, so what do I do? Take the tiles off the bathroom wall.

I was lying in the bath looking at the colour of the paint, and decided that I did not like it. The following day, I went and bought a tester pot which I really liked, but the colour did not go with the tiles, so instead of changing the colour of the paint, I started to take off the tiles. I am sure that is the wrong way round!

Most of the tiles have now been removed, but the remaining ones are decidedly stubborn little blighters. I have smacked my knuckles umpteen times and have come to the conclusion that it was not such a good idea after all. Oh well, not much I can do about it now.

Of course, I have had "help" from the kittens who have been chasing the bits around the bath. It is very kind of them, but the sort of help I could do without.

Seasons Greetings

2010-12-25T10:33:00.000Z

Merry Christmas and a Happy to New Year to everyone!

I have been to see all my furry wards, had my bath and I am sitting with a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate tiffin given to me as a Christmas present.

Later, I am off to Mums for Chrstmas dinner assuming I can remember where I have put the presents.

A few photos

2010-12-19T12:07:00.001Z

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

2010-12-18T12:32:00.000Z

Last night, I arrived home from work around 5.45, no snow. At 6.15 there was about 6 inches of the white stuff covering everything. Out of my back bedroom window, the trees looked like Nigella had gone made with frosting, and it was still falling heavily.

This morning the snow is up to about a foot high, mostly in drifts against the pavements and around the wheels of cars. It fell so fast and so heavy that the cat fencing which keeps my furry little darlings safely in the garden has given way under the weight, and the brackets (the expensive part of the system, naturally) have snapped.

Gathering every ounce of courage, I got into my car and drove into town to go shopping. At this point I have to say that my courage would have deserted me, if I had not had bare cupboards. (My need to eat is far greater than my common sense at times like this).

I made my way into town easily enough, popped into the supermarket, back to the car to put the food in the boot before sliding to the book shop to finish off a Christmas present. I returned to the car with a self satisfied grin, quite pleased with myself that I am one step closer to finishing my present shopping, to find a completely flat front tyre.

Thank goodness for the "third emergency service" (other breakdown services are available). I called them to rescue me, and although I was told that it may take up to two hours to reach me, my knight in his yellow van arrived about 40 minutes later.

What annoys me, is that I know how to change a tyre. I do, honestly! The trouble is that I can't undo the nuts.

So, much later than planned I arrived home with cold wet feet, and soggy jeans to a house full of cats who wanted to go out and play in the garden and can't.

National Trust

2010-11-27T12:30:00.001Z

This morning we received some great news!

We recently applied to the National Trust to be added to their approved local suppliers list. An email popped into the inbox this morning, to confirm that we have indeed been included.

Orders should start arriving late January/early February 2011 for sale at local properties. These will be added to our "where to buy" page as and when the details are available. Watch this space.....

Rosey Blend

2010-11-22T21:16:00.000Z

I have cut the Cold Process soap I made last night. The colour could have been a bit smoother, but I am reasonably happy with it. I just have to work out how to get a lovely even colour, and wait for 4 weeks before I can try it an see what effect the silk has made.

Cold

2010-11-21T20:21:00.000Z

I have just made my first Cold Process soap. As you can see, I do not have a very steady pouring hand.

It is for a new range of soaps which have Babassu oil and silk added for that extra touch of luxury. It is a slightly more delicate process than Hot Process in that you have to take notice of the oil temperatures. I will be really interested to see how it turns out. The problem is that I have no patience and I have to wait weeks to be able to use it.

Talking about cold, I have just seen the weather forecast and there is a cold wind blowing our way later in the week. With it comes the first snows of winter, not here luckily, but I don't do cold very well at all.

Autumn Fair

2010-11-13T20:47:00.001Z

Another Fair over. It took place at old Christ Church, a beautiful venue, if a little chilly at this time of year. I was lucky as my stall was near enough to a heater so that I did not develop hypothermia.

My best seller by far was the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh limited edition soap. Perhaps the combination of the time of year and the fact that we were in a Church helped.

As it was Christmas, I decided on a different look for my "props" and went on a spending spree (feeble excuse I know). I decided on the dramatic, and bought some lovely masks. The problem with them though is that more people fondled the props than wanted to buy and if anyone else had picked them up, I would have screamed!

Face Cream

2010-11-03T18:24:00.001Z

Last night, I made my first face cream. I used someone else's recipe in terms of quantities just so that I could understand the process. Although the texture is a bit light and moussy, I love the feel of it on my face. It is lovely and moisturising.

I am going to see what the texture is like in a week or so and I need to sit and think about texture and how I make it a little thicker for use as a hand cream. As a first pass though I am rather pleased with myself.

New Things

2010-10-30T22:44:00.000+01:00

My head is buzzing with ideas for new products for next year. I am slowly whittling down those ideas and researching oils etc, so that I can start to work on the products and packaging. I am really excited by the direction I have decided to take this area of the business.

The products will be different to those I make now, and are aimed at a different target market. The packaging is going to be the usual pain to source, although I have a vague idea of what I want.

All will be revealed as and when I have finalised a product - so watch this space!

The clocks go back this weekend, so in theory that means an extra hour in bed. In reality, for me it won't. Cats do not go by the time on the clock, and no doubt I will have some furry little ratbag dancing all over me because it wants its breakfast. I am off work on Monday and Tuesday of next week, so I want to get everything ready for the craft fair on 13th and then it won't be too much of a rush, assuming all goes to plan, and it has not today.

I was trying to print off the cigar bands for the limited edition Christmas soap, and spent most of the afternoon fighting with and swearing at the printer, which has now decided that it does not like the card I am using. Trouble is that I have used the card before with no problems so why it won't go through now is a complete mystery.

I hate technology!

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

2010-10-24T18:03:00.001+01:00

I have to tweak the label slightly but this is the almost finished article. Gold (from mica), Frankincense and Myrrh limited edition Christmas soap.

New Soap

2010-10-19T10:35:00.000+01:00

Christmas is rapidly approaching and in preparation, I have made a new limited edition soap. Fragranced with Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils, with a touch of mica for colour this soap will be available for sale shortly on www.scent-trail.co.uk

News

2010-10-03T14:56:00.000+01:00

I am delighted to announce that last Friday, Scent Trail won the Sefton Womens Business Network "Mother Earth" Award for the most eco friendly business. (http://www.swbn.co.uk/).

This was the first year of the awards, so I am especially proud to have won the inaugural award. The SWBN is a networking organisation aimed at helping and supporting women start and grow their businesses.

New Arrivals

2010-09-18T14:54:00.000+01:00

Well, the stork paid me a visit last night, and left me two furry little bundles. The ginger kitten is called Fidget while his sister is Echo.

Fidget is a real Mummies boy, and vocal with it. He wants to sit on my knee, and if I have the audacity to need the toilet, or to go and get myself a drink he shouts until I get back.

Echo on the other hand, is a bit more stand-offish, but has at least stopped flinching if I tickle her under the chin. They are beautiful little beasties and I am having buckets of fun with them.

Another Fair

2010-09-11T21:17:00.000+01:00

I am halfway through a two day craft fair, and it went quite well. Again, people mainly bought multiple products which is great. One lady bought three gift sets. Hopefully, I will have an even better day tomorrow. I need to look for some more fair next month, because (and I hate to mention it) Christmas is not that far away.

Next weekend I will hear the patter of tiny, furry feet. I can't wait!

Craft and Design Fair

2010-09-05T18:03:00.000+01:00

Well that is it, my first Craft Fair is over. I am tired but had a really good day. No-one did particularly well as people seemed to be looking rather than buying, but when I did get sales they tended to be for multiple items.

I met some lovely people, and it is a great place to network and find out about other fairs and how successful, or not they are. I can't wait for the next one.

Bath Salts

2010-09-03T21:25:00.000+01:00

Finally got some new jars for my bath salts. This is the geranium scented salts and the dark bits are tiny rose buds. I am rolling them out at the Craft Fair on Sunday.

Tomorrow, I will be spending the day making body butters. Everything else is done (I hope). I am really looking forward to it.

I also have a couple of new trade enquiries, so hopefully before long I will be able to spill the beans.

Getting there

2010-08-24T19:56:00.000+01:00

Still trying to get ready for the craft fair. It is a bit like Christmas at the moment with things arriving every couple of days.

Instead of using "normal" baskets, I am using these lovely little trugs. I think that they look lovely.

Domestic Chores

2010-08-22T17:41:00.000+01:00

I am in danger of becoming horribly domesticated.

There is a glut of plums and cooking apples on Mum's trees, and I have taken to jam making.

The jars with the blue lids are apple and plum and the red lids are plum. I have a fridge full of apples and a bowl of cooking apples I am trying to decide what to do with. I have so far tried only the plum jam and it is very nice indeed, if I say so myself.

Do you think there is any therapy for this kind of thing?

Busy, busy, busy

2010-08-20T17:13:00.000+01:00

I am busy wrapping soap for the upcoming craft fair. I like the way it looks.

I still have a lot to do, but I am getting there.

Sunflowers

2010-08-15T15:50:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, I received a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers to cheer me up. They have brought a smile to my face, and are just the sort of thing that Taz would have loved to nibble.

Goodbye

2010-08-12T20:19:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, my lovely, funny, gentle, and rather silly teddy bear of a cat, Taz, died. He was 11 and had gone from being a terribly scrawny kitten to a chunky boy who loved nothing more than a cuddle, or having his tummy tickled.

I miss him taking over the bed leaving me perched on the edge, I miss him shouting at me for food and I will miss him crawling under the duvet and lying against my stomach next winter.

The other three watched him die, and are really stressed and clingy as a result. They have hardly eaten this evening, and there is nothing I can do to make them feel better.

New Tag

2010-07-27T19:54:00.000+01:00

I am trying to get a more co-ordinated look with my packaging. The ribbon and fabric I like, but thought that the tag needed a tweak. I have gone for a bit more than a tweak, and now that I have seen the result, need to get them done for all my products.

First Fair

2010-07-23T21:40:00.000+01:00

I have just had my application accepted for the Liverpool Craft and Design Fair on 5th September. I am really excited to be preparing for my first Craft Fair. I am going to have to spend the next few weeks furiously soaping, wrapping, planning and tearing my hear out. I am sure it will be worth all the work though.

My main problem at the moment is designing my stand. I think I know what I am going to use as a table cloth, and I do have some other ideas to make it pretty too. But, and it is a big but, I have to source what I need. I did find some lovely reasonably priced baskets, but the shipping was horrendous so I am going to have to look elsewhere. I have absolutely no idea how much of everything I need to take.

I am currently tweaking my soap packaging. I am not keen on the tags I am using, so I have sent for some. If I like them then I will get them for the rest of my soap. I also need to work on my food balm. It would be good if I have it for the Fair.

Crisis Just About Averted

2010-07-14T21:05:00.000+01:00

Had a bit of a crisis a little while ago. The price of Babassu Oil has rocketed in price and it is in my soap. I had visions of either having to get a brand new safety assessment, or putting the price of the soap up so much no-one would buy.

A few frantic emails to my supplier and my safety assessor later, I heaved a huge sigh of relief when my lovely assessor Scott, said that he would amend the assessment for me without charge. So, while I have been waiting for the new assessment I have not been able to make any soap, and I am a little behind.

Am I the only person who does not have enough hours in the day? I need to catch up on the soap making, do a considerable amount of marketing and try to work my way through the growing list of things I have to do. If anyone could manage to slot another day into the week, I would be grateful.

Lazy Days

2010-06-27T14:14:00.000+01:00

I am sitting in the garden when I should be working, but it has been a long time since we had a real summer. At least it seems like it. It is nice to feel the sun on my bones, and to top up on my vitamin D.

I am having a light eating day. The dreaded D word (diet in case you are not sure) is not allowed through my front door. It is not a word I use, because as soon as I do, I reach for a cream cake. No, I have to play mind games with my stomach if I want to lose some weight. I do not deny myself chocolate, or a cream cake or any of the food groups you hear people say they can't have because they are fattening. Instead, if I have a chocolate craving, and what girl doesn't, then I have a piece. I make sure that it is really good quality chocolate and then I don't eat the whole bar, although I can if I try. Today, I will eat plenty of fruit, with just a small drizzle of cream so that my brain is fooled into thinking that I am doing something really naughty, when I am not. Dinner will be a huge salad, with some sort of carbs - I do not prescribe to the no carb theory, and find that if I don't have some then I could eat an Everest sized pile of salad and still be hungry.

I believe that there is some sort of football game on shortly, can't think what, but I keep hearing a vuvuzela somewhere locally, and it is going to drive me demented if it does not stop. I am so glad that I am not in South Africa where there are hundreds of the blasted things (pun intended). I am not going to watch because I think that it is likely to be a train wreck, and if I am honest I am not terribly patriotic when it comes to football. If the cats allow me the comfy chair, I am going to settle myself with Freya Stark's "Southern Gates of Arabia" and head east to more exotic climes.

Summer has arrived

2010-06-20T18:44:00.000+01:00

I have had a great week this week, I have been off from the day job and for a change, the weather has been kind to me.

On Monday, I went to Anglesey with a box of soap to see if I could sell any. The gallery took the whole box. That gave me a bit of a fright, especially as they want the body butter as well. I just have to wait for the labels which will be something like this...

I am getting a little low on soap. I think one of the hardest things when you start out, is knowing how much to keep in stock. On the one hand you don't really want to make mountains of soap to find that you can't sell it. On the other, running out is not a good thing. Luckily, I make HP soap so can ship fairly quickly after making it. The body butter is easy, and can be made to order.

Back to work tomorrow, and I am not looking forward to it. I have been really relaxed this week, and that feeling is rapidly disappearing!

Had a great day in London on Friday. I thoroughly recommend the Magnificent Maps exhibition at the British Library. It is a fascinating exhibition, especially for someone like me who like to look at maps anyway.

Feedback

2010-06-09T18:29:00.000+01:00

Having a really good day today. I have been featured on the creation collaboration blog hop, and got some great feedback on the order I got through Folksy: "Quick delivery and the soap is very high quality, scents are natural and clean smelling."

It is lovely to know that someone other than me likes my soap.

Body Veil

2010-06-04T21:42:00.000+01:00

Finally I have got some labels for my body butter. I have gone for frosted glass jars which I am very happy with. The labels are ever so slightly too big, and are not quite what I want, but will do for the time being!

Balm

2010-05-15T19:25:00.000+01:00

I made my first balm this afternoon, an eye balm. I packed it with lots of lovely ingredients like shea and mango butters,olive squalane and orchid complex. It feels really nice on my eye area, and will be a good stating point for a foot balm although I think it needs less oil.

More New Things

2010-05-08T18:15:00.000+01:00

I am in the process of adding my bath salts to the website. At the moment there are two options, but more will follow. I just need to find a better background for the photograph!

New Things

2010-05-08T16:42:00.000+01:00

I went to Wales today to collect some lovely soap dishes. They are stoneware, handmade and I think they look great. I am offering them either on their own or with soap.

Guild Membership

2010-05-07T18:09:00.000+01:00

I have just been accepted into the Guild of Craft Soap and Toiletry Makers. It is great to be in such illustrious company and makes me feel like a proper soap maker!

Coming soon to my website, are the bath salts, body butters and some beautiful soap dishes. Watch this space!

My First Order

2010-04-27T09:46:00.000+01:00

It has been a lovely few days of sunshine, with hope of a real summer. I think we deserve one after the winter we have had.

Mum has been foisting my products on poor unsuspecting guinea pigs. Yesterday, she gave a sample of my body butter to a friend, who has placed an order for a full size pot. Yippee, my first order. From tiny acorns, and all that.

I am trying to find suitable outlets for my products rather than just relying on the internet. It is a really time consuming excercise, but hopefully will bear fruit.

Gardens are starting to look lovely after their long sleep. I don't have a garden to speak of, so I have to make do with a few pots. My Camelia is just about to flower, and the Passion Flower never fails. It is a lovely bright purple spot in an otherwise dull spot.

Creation Collaboration Women Wednesday blog hop.

2010-04-23T21:17:00.000+01:00

Last Wednesday was the first Women Wednesday blog hop.

Creation Collaboration was set up as a way of networking by a group of women friends, who are all in business. Women Wednesday was started as a way of promoting the businesses of all who register on the blog roll.

It is a great idea. We are barely out of the recent recession, if indeed we are which I wonder about, and we all need a little help to promote our businesses. Goodness knows it is really difficult to get a business of the ground, and as women we are sometimes not taken seriously, so isn't it great to be able to offer some support to fellow business women?

It just shows how technology is changing the way we promote our businesses. Gone are the days when you just advertised in the local paper. Commerce is now global and the world shrinking.

The world is shrinking that is unless you are one of the poor unfortunates who were caught up in the Icelandic volcano fiasco. I knew I did not shop in Iceland for a reason!

Selling

2010-04-19T21:37:00.000+01:00

My products are now on Folksy. I uploaded them last Thursday, and on Friday go an email to say that one of the products was to be featured on a blog. I can't tell you how excited that made me. It does not take much. Sad really!

This evening, I have uploaded some of my jewellery to see if that sells. Fingers crossed!

And Finally!

2010-04-13T21:09:00.000+01:00

The website is finally live. It has taken a while, but it is up and running. All I need to do now, is wait for the orders to pour in!

Lavender Mist

2010-04-09T16:08:00.000+01:00

I don't quite know what it is about Lavender I am not keen on, but I am just not. I do know that there are many other people who really love the fragrance, so I have made a batch of Lavender and Tea Tree soap.

I thought that I would see whether the guest soaps I made the other day were a bit of a fluke, so I made a slightly bigger batch than I needed and filled the moulds I have. I still need to work out how to get the back of the soap nice and tidy, but otherwise I do like the results. I have used a little alkanet root as a colour, and I think that they look a little like stone.

Packaging

2010-04-08T19:37:00.000+01:00

Finally, I have the soap packaging. I have gone for a really simple option of calico with some really nice ribbon and a simple tag. I really like the way it has turned out, simple but pretty. I am ready to roll. All that I need to do now, is to set up the shop on the website. Simple!

Guest Moulds

2010-04-08T10:22:00.000+01:00

Deliveries arrived yesterday, so I have started making soap again. I had ordered a guest mould to have a play with. I have not used these sorts of moulds before so I did not know what to expect. They are a bit of a faff to fill, but then I am not terribly adept at fiddly. Then there is the difficulty of getting the little buggers out of the mould. A great deal of twisting, banging the moulds on the work surface, and a little bit of yelling and they popped out. I am quite pleased with them, but I think that next time they I will leave them longer before trying to extricate them. I think that they would look lovely with a touch of mica to highlight them, but I don't have them on my assessment.

I have been getting soapy withdrawal symptoms waiting for my ingredients to arrive. The bank holiday weekend slowed things down a little and I am still waiting for my ribbons so I can make a final decision about packing.

Easter

2010-04-04T17:19:00.000+01:00

Surprisingly for a bank holiday, the weather is sunny with blue skies, albeit windy.

I have been messing about with packaging, but can't quite decide what I want. I like both options (see above, but please ignore the delightful background) and there does not seem to be an overall consensus. I think that I will have to defer my decision until I have the "proper" ribbon and have created my label. Still, I have plenty to do to be going on with.

There is a lot of work involved with getting a business off the ground, and my loo roll list of things to do, never seems to get any smaller. It does keep me out of trouble however and what I find so encouraging is the reviews I get for the products I make.

Lovely Buttery

2010-03-27T15:19:00.000Z

Yesterday, I made a body butter for my Mum to take to my godmother in Menorca next week. I have made them in the past with varying degrees of success, but I am really happy with yesterday's efforts.

It is a shea butter, coconut oil whip with added avocado butter, fragranced with geranium essential oil, and absorbs beautifully. I hope that she is happy with it. It is good to have as many guinea pigs as possible, and the body butter is something which I hope to sell at some point.

It would appear that spring has finally sprung. We have beautiful blue skies and sunshine today, although there is quite a wind which lowers the temperature somewhat. I spent a few hours potting up seedlings and planting seeds in the vegetable patch. The seeds which were planted a couple of months ago - aubergine and tagetes are doing very well, although the celeriac have died a death. The consensus is that it was too warm for them in the propagator. I have put celeriac seeds in the veg patch to see if they will be any more successful. I can't wait to be able to pick and then cook my own veggies.

The clocks to forward early tomorrow morning. That will confuse the animals.

Soap or Croap

2010-03-20T22:04:00.000Z

A couple of weeks ago I made a batch of my usual soap, and it was a complete disaster. It was supposed to be my first batch for sale, and the really frustrating thing is the waste of essential oils, which are not cheap.

Today, I decided to bite the bullet and make another batch. Just in case, it all went pear-shaped again, I left it unfragranced, and thankfully it worked. I was beginning to think that I had lost my touch, but it has set and cut really well. I was so pleased with the result that I made a fragranced batch later in the afternoon scented with my geranium mix.

I have also, finallly, decided on my packaging. It has taken a while. I kept allowing myself to get distracted by what other people were doing, but once I had decided on a look for the products it all fell into place. Watch this space, and all will be revealed shortly.

2010-03-05T12:17:00.000Z

This year, I have taken over Dad's vegetable patch. I am really not known for my greenfingered abilities, but I am giving it a go under the watchful eye on my Mother. The garlic is growing nicely - at least the garlic that my brother's dog is not pulling up. I am not sure that she is digging it, but I think that it is more that she tears around the garden like a mad thing, and churns up the plants.
Last weekend, we reinstated the propagator and planted aubergines, tomatoes, salad leaves, celeriac and tagetes (the tagetes are to keep away greenfly and other such creature) and the cucumber seeds went in yesterday. At the moment, we have two aubergines, one tomato and lots of celeriac and tagetes growing nicely. Hopefully, in a couple of weeks the soil will be warm enough to be able to plant seeds directly in the garden. We have lots of other vegetables to go in - garlic chives, leeks, khol rabi, baby turnips, French beans and other things I have forgotten. I am terribly excited about it, although there is absolutely no guarantee of success.
My soap safety assessment came through a little while ago, so I am desperately trying to finish the website, decide how I want my products to look, find packaging, look for boxes to ship my products in, and of course make the products. Still, it keeps me out of trouble. There is a lot of competition about and I need to make sure that not only are the products lovely, they look great too. Decisions, decisions.
The weather this weekend has been glorious, giving hopes of a summer to come. The sun is shining, and the sky is blue although there is still a real chill in the air. I do hope that we have a decent summer this year, we deserve one. The winter seems to have lingered longer than normal, but that may just be my perception. We are in March and still have frosts.

Winter Blues

2010-02-21T12:16:00.000Z

I think that Winter is the saddest of seasons. It is joyless with dark skies and short, cold days, the leafless trees and the plants awaiting warmer weather before they appear. There is little to recommend it to the uninitiated and I yearn for the warmer weather, particularly as I have just received my gas and electricity bill. It will be nice to fling open the back door and not have to shiver while the cats sit and chatter at the birds sitting in the tree which overhangs the alley, desperate to get at them and unable to. I am sure that the birds know that, and sit in the branches just to tease them.
On Friday evening, while I was driving home, the sky looked as if it was on fire. The most intense reds and burnt oranges lay low over the horizon with small grey wispy clouds floating above. It was a beautiful and vivid sunset.
There are signs of Spring in gardens and in parks. Snowdrops are showing their small white bells, and daffodils are beginning to show above the soil. We have had snow again this weekend, and more is forecast for later in the week.
I planted garlic before Christmas, and it is doing very well. It is standing inches above the soil while other plants lag behind. Apparently, garlic likes to be hit by frost to be successful, and it has certainly had plenty of that. At the weekend, Mum and I planted flower and vegetable seeds in the propagator in her greenhouse. I decided that I wanted to grow my own vegetables this year. I am not renown for greenfingers, and do have a habit of killing all that I touch, so we will see what happens. It would be lovely to be able to go an dig a vegetable out of the soil, peel it and cook it the same day.
It was great to see British success at the BAFTAs last night. Usually awards go to the strong American contingent, but it makes a great change to see the British on top.

Obsessions

2010-02-16T22:41:00.000Z

I have an obsession I should probably admit to. Soap. Not that I am obsessive about washing, although I like a good soak in the bath, and I do have a bit of a scrub in the morning. No, I am talking about making it.

I had been thinking of trying for some time, but when you look at on-line tutorials, those demonstrating soap making look like they are dressed in hazmat suits. Luckily, I received plenty of encouragment by people who know what they are talking about, and late last year I gave it a go. I loved the results, and so do the people who have been acting as guinea pigs for me. I like knowing what is in the products I use and I like knowing that they have not been tested on animals. Since I started making my own soap, despite the cold weather we have had over the winter, I have used far less handcream than I would usually have done.

I have had some success with my soap making, although it took me a while to get the colour right. I tried some alkanet root a while ago, to see what colour the soap would turn out and loved the result. It looked like chunks of Welsh slate. I tried again with the last batch I made with a little less of the alkanet in to give it a paler colour, and it looked like cat vomit. Not what you would call much of a success and not one which will see the light of day.

I have just applied for my Safety Assessment, which is very exciting but scary at the same time. I need to think of how I package my products, and look for ways of selling them. Each time I think that I have decided I know what I am going to wrap the soap in, I see something else and then change my mind.

I made a whipped shea butter today for a pregnant friend. Actually, I made two, the same recipe but two different methods. They have turned out very different indeed. One looks like lightly whipped cream and is mousse like in texture, and one like stiff whipped cream. One took two hours and one took half an hour. I will send them to my friend, and she will no doubt give me her honest opinion. This the first time I made whipped shea butter, so I have much to learn. I really enjoy experimenting and it is great fun even when it does not quite work.

We are in for a cold snap later in the week, with accompanying snow. I thought that we had seen the last of the white stuff for this winter and I am not looking forward to more.

I'm a Cataholic

2009-11-11T12:11:00.000Z

My name is Suzanne and I'm a cataholic.

Yes, I admit it, I am completely addicted to animals of the feline persuasion. I have a house full, and even the vet calls me "the mad cat woman".

Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs. I grew up with dogs, and as a small child if anything was bothering me, I told the dogs. Not that they were any use. Part way through unburdening myself, I would get a look that said, “Alright, enough where’s the biscuit?”

The quirks and idiosyncrasies of cats, keep me on my toes. They tear through the house like little tornados, scattering things as they go, usually with a thud and occasionally with a crash and the accompanying shower of glass shards. They disrupt my work. I can be beavering away at my computer until (depending on whether I am using the desktop or laptop) a head blocks my view of the screen, or a bottom parks itself firmly on the keyboard.

Heaven help any plants I bring into the house. Within a couple of days, any shiny green leaves have been munched, and I am left with a few bare stems. Do they touch the herbs that I put on the kitchen windowsill specifically for them to eat? No. Why should they when they can destroy my houseplants?

I saw a fridge magnet that said, “When you call a dog, it comes running. When you call a cat, it takes a message and gets back to you.” Nothing can be closer to the truth. Cats are the hedonists of the animal world. They have never forgotten their status as gods in Ancient Egypt and live to be waited on. They insist on the warmest, most comfortable spot in the house. My cats allow to me to warm the sofa before requesting, ever so nicely, that I move so that they can make themselves comfortable.

I have one little darling who likes to sleep on my pillow. She sits on my face if I don’t move my head so she can curl up in the warm hollow, with her bottom wedged firmly into my shoulder. I have lost count of the number of times I have woken in the morning to find that I am clinging to the edge of the bed, while the cats are stretched out all over it. I did not realise that such small animals could take up so much space!

I have had cats now for ten years, and I am still not quite fluent in cat. I am constantly surprised by their approach to life, and how they manage to wrap me around their small paws. I would like to think that I am mistress in my own house, but I am deluding myself if I do. These beautiful, little creatures know how to get what they want almost without me realising what they are doing.

So, who are the little beasties who have so easily turned my life so firmly around? First in terms of nuisance factor is Lily. She is heads above the others when it comes to disruption, knocking things over and the general troll factor. It is Lily who sits, with little cogs turning, looking for things to get up to. She is a bright little creature, and she quickly works out by looking at the other cats, which buttons to push, and then delights in pushing them. This, quite naturally, leads to a great deal of hissing and looks that would curdle milk from her “siblings”.

Her sister Mia is as different as you can get. They are littermates but the only thing they have in common is that they are both black and white. Where Lily looks for things that are going to get her into trouble, Mia is content to curl up on my knee (usually when I am just about to get up for something).

The only boy in the house is Taz, devil in name only. He is a complete mummy’s boy, scared of his own shadow and a real couch potato. He jumps at the slightest noise, yet he will sit on the windowsill and watch fireworks tracing their trajectory over the night sky.

Finally, there is the latest addition to the feline family, Willow. I met Willow at a foster home where she had been taken from the local rescue centre, as she was pregnant. She had three lovely, lively little kittens, but it was three-legged Willow who I fell in love with. The disruption her arrival caused seven months ago is ongoing. Lily decided that this new arrival was perfect for being mean to. Unfortunately, Willow is yet to work out that running is the worse thing she could do, and to Lily it is a great game. Willow is not so keen on being pounced on, and retaliates and a full-scale catfight ensues.

There you have my feline family. Four completely different furry babies with personalities as big as houses. Life is never dull, and I no longer get a lie-in but I would not change a thing.