Vacation Rocks!

It’s one of the best parts of owning your own business. If I need to take a day off I can. Yesterday I did. I apologize for the lack of a post I just did not have time to get one written or access to my computer.

My sister and her boyfriend and their INSANE dog are here for the week. The first few days were very busy out having fun and then very crazy at home as their pup got used to the happy pups. The four dogs have finally found peace and it has been so fun watching them play.

There are quite a bit of soaps already made and curing. Arabian Nights is just out of this world. There is a Ginger Lime loofah soap that has a very sweet lime fragrance to it. There is another loofah soap as well that has no name yet but is my own fragrance blend. It’s a floral citrus blend with a warm touch.

Today I’ll be making coffee scrubs and bottling the Argan oil. As soon as we can get a good amount of sun I will get photos done. It has been rather cloudy the last few days. We’ll also be making a few other soaps today as well. We’ve tested a rosemary lavender soap which I think may be a keeper so I may make more of that. Our Turkish Coffee smells very chocolaty so I think I am going to call it Turkish Cocoa and make it a chocolaty brown with a gold swirl. Lots of ideas for soaps! I can’t wait to get started for the day. Photos of all the mew products will be forthcoming as soon as I can get enough sunlight to get pictures taken.

Since I can’t get photos of the new soaps with the current lighting I will leave you with this photo of my sister’s boyfriend Joey from the Bristol Renaissance Fair:

It’s okay to laugh. It was an amazing moment in photo taking history. Have a great day!

DIY Friday – Scalp Treatment

If you are like me, the littlest bit of stress or a change in the weather or just about anything can make your skin freak out. When my skin freaks out like that my scalp becomes an itchy dry unattractive mess. Luckily there is an all-natural way to fix it with just four ingredients. You can make it at home easily or you will soon be able to buy it in our shop.

Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup Sweet Almond Oil
• ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 10-20 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
• 10-20 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

Directions:

Combine everything in a dropper bottle or a squirt bottle. I use an old hair color applicator bottle. Shake well. Ta-daa you’re done. I told you it would be simple.
Keep in mind that the amount of the essential oil you use is a personal choice. I tend to use a bit more in my own products so you can adjust the amount to your preference.

How To Use:

Shake well before each use. Apply a few drops directly on to you scalp in the troubled areas. Massage the oil into your scalp taking care to make sure that the entire area is covered well. A little bit will go a long way here. Let it sit for about 20 minutes then brush your hair with a boar bristle (or similar) brush. At this point you will want to double check that you didn’t miss any spots, you can add more and brush again. Let the oil sit for about 1-2 hours then shampoo and condition as usual.

A few important things to note:

• DO NOT use this treatment on open wounds or broken skin
• If your scalp is particularly bad or you have severe dandruff it is common that after a treatment you scalp may feel hard or scaly. This is your skin healing itself. Both the essential oils are going to help kill any harmful bacteria that may be causing the scalp problem and are going to help re-balance the areas natural chemical makeup and pH. It will get better with every treatment and shampoo.
• This treatment works best when used once a week. You can extend it to twice a week for the most severe cases.
• Dandruff and dry skin are different conditions that look similar; this treatment can help with both.

That’s it for this week. Everyone have an awesome weekend!

The Crochet Crowd’s Summer Challenge Week Three

Well I’m now on week 3 of the blanket. I think I have a pretty steady pace started for it but I am hoping to speed that pace up considerably since Miss Amelia is due in just about 3 weeks. I know the blanket won’t be needed for a bit (they live in FL and it IS still summer last I checked).

It’s now a little over two feet long and as you can see from the photos its near close to being big enough for a tablecloth! I’m still very happy with how it’s turning out and I know it’s a blanket she will have for a long time.

I am also working on a super secret side project for Baby Amelia as well but I want that one to be a surprise. I will post photos after Wendy receives it so y’all can see it. I just hope it turns out the way it is supposed to. It’s going to be very, very special!

I am also finishing up a blanket for my sister which I hope to finally give her while she is here. I will post photos of it once it is complete.

Tomorrows DIY Friday should prove to be a fun one for everybody! It’s a product I’ve been using myself with great results. It’s my own personal recipe and so far I love it. I really do think this one I will have to sell in the shop.

Before I close for the day I want to point out an article that was on Yahoo! News yesterday. They did a special on Activated Charcoal’s beauty benefits. The article mentions Activated Charcoal masks and they seemed to almost be reading my mind. I am planning on creating a clay and charcoal detox mask. I am researching the most gentle and effective combinations so I can put together just the right balance. You can read the article HERE.

That’s it for today all. Have a great Thursday! Check back tomorrow for the DIY Scalp Treatment.

Sale Starting August 11th!

Happy Hump Day! Only a few days left till my baby sister gets here! Most of the supplies coming in for our new line of products will be arriving between now and Monday. I am very, very excited about it!

My Birthday is August 12^th. To celebrate I am hosting a BIG sale in the shop. Everything will be 25% off from 8/11 – 8/17.  Stock up and save!

I have a fun DIY project coming up again on Friday. It’s a super simple scalp treatment that I’ve been testing and so far it’s working great. I may even list it in the shop at some point!

That’s it for today! Sorry for such a short post I seem to have some severe writers block today.

I’ll be back tomorrow with an update on the baby blanket for the challenge.

It’s Just Another Manic… Tuesday?

Hello and Happy Tuesday! A few days ago I got a message on Etsy from Rachel Riot of Manic Designs. I’d favorited her “Super Star” Infinity Wrap on Etsy and she sent me an uncommonly personal note to let me know it was going on sale.

“Super Star” Infinity Wrap by Manic Designs

Most of the time whenever I get an email pertaining to an item I’d favorite I just get a form email telling me I should buy from the store but Rachel is different. She took the time to look at my shop and get a feel for me as a potential customer. This kind of personal service is so very rare nowadays and I was touched by the gesture.

Manic Designs is a shop full of fun, funky, fashion-forward couture designs. All of her work is beautiful and edgy. Right now Rachel is having a sale on all of her infinity wraps. The wraps are on sale for just $20.00! They are definitely worth it. Here are a two more of my personal favorites:

“Sadie” Crochet Lace Infinity Wrap by Manic Designs

“Kat” Crochet Lace Infinity Wrap by Manic Designs

Manic Designs carries far more than just wraps though! She has to-die-for clothing that while edgy is totally wearable! Just check out this stunning Circle Skirt Coat:

“The New Look” Circle Skirt Coat by Manic Designs

Or this Oatmeal & Hot Coral Striped Tank Top:

“The Taelor” Oatmeal & Hot Coral Striped Tank Top by Manic Designs

This Maxi Dress:

“The Lucielle” Black Maxi Dress by Manic Designs

Se even sells the perfect Little Black Dress (LBD):

“The Harlow” LBD by Manic Designs

Everything is just so fun and her photography is spot on. I am especially in love with her scarves though. They are all just beautiful:

“Taelor” Scarf by Manic Designs

“Evan” Scarf by Manic Designs

“The Raven” Shredded Scarf by Manic Designs

I desperately want the Star wrap and I am hoping to talk Stud Muffin into grabbing it for me as a birthday gift. There is only one left so I’m crossing my crossables for that one! Y’all know me… if it has a star on it I have to have it, but I am also trying not to spend any money with you know… the whole ‘I’m putting a deposit on my wedding dress next week’ thing.

Yep still in love with it!

So that’s Manic Designs! Rachel has a ton of fab new stuff coming out this fall and she was nice enough to provide me with a few sneak peek photos to share:

Coming soon from Manic Designs!

Coming soon from Manic Designs!

Coming soon from Manic Designs!

I really do love the product photography she uses. It could be in any high fashion magazine and fit right in. The juxtaposition of the soft and beautiful with the gritty and harsh is just stunning.

If you’d like more information on Rachel and Manic Designs you can check her out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or on Etsy! And if someone wants to buy me that wrap… I wouldn’t complain! Have a great Tuesday all!