Soap Sale Coming Up!

I'm back!  It's been awhile, but I'm finally having a soap sale!

 I will begin taking orders first come, first served next Wednesday, December 3rd at 9:00 am (California time). 

Here are some details about the my soap and the sale. 
 

First, let me tell you a little about my soaps and why you’ll love them. :-)   My soaps are 100% all natural – never any harsh chemicals or ingredients to harm your skin. They contain natural glycerine which is formed in the saponification (soap making) process. Glycerine actually attracts moisture to your skin. Most commercial soaps lack glycerine because they are extracted out for use in other products. Detergents are added in and that is why your skin can feel dry and itchy.  Consequently, homemade soap is softer, so you must let it drain and air dry well between uses.

Do you know what is in the soap you use? I do, because I control everything that goes into the soap I make! I choose only quality, natural ingredients such as coconut, organic palm, and olive oils, 100% pure essential oils, goat’s milk, natural colorants and exfolliants. Yes, I use lye, as it is essential in soap making, but rest assured it evaporates in the saponification process. You can read more about the properties of each specific type of soap below. 

All the soap is made in small batches, by the cold process method, and is cut by hand in my own kitchen. I really enjoy making soap for my own family and it’s a joy to share it with you, too! These bars are large, around 4 1/2 -5 oz each! 

This time I will be offering 5 different types of soap: 

All-vegetable oil  

Goat milk

Goat milk oatmeal 

Shea butter

NEW!  Cocoa butter

ALL-VEGETABLE OIL SOAPS - $3.50 each plus tax

Made with coconut, organic palm, and olive oils.  
A great basic body or facial bar.

 

SHEA BUTTER SOAPS - $4.00 each plus tax

Same oils as the all-vegetable oil soap, with the addition of unrefined shea butter for extra richness (this is considered a "super fatted" soap). Shea butter moisturizes without clogging pores and contains skin benefiting vitamins A and E. You can really feel the difference when you use a shea butter soap. 

 

GOAT MILK SOAPS - $3.50 each plus tax

Same oils as the all-vegetable oil soap, but the addition of goat’s milk provides rich emollients and vitamins to moisturize and nourish the skin. It contains capric-capryllic triglycerides, which are effective in moisturizing skin, and goat milk soap's gentle natural ingredients are beneficial to people with skin sensitivities or eczema.  I am offering one special soap formulated especially for hand washing.  I call it "scrubbie" as it contains coffee grounds for deep cleaning and odor removal (think: garlic).

GOAT MILK OATMEAL SOAPS - $3.50 each plus tax

All the moisture of goat milk soap, oatmeal soap also provides numerous additional benefits. It is great for both oily and dry skin types. Dry skin benefits by having its pH balanced by the oatmeal, while oily skin benefits by the absorbent nature of oats. Plus, there is a healthy fat in oatmeal that keeps skin moist. And the polysaccharides in oatmeal protect the skin after it is washed. Oatmeal soap also contains poly phenols, which benefits acne prone skin and exfoliates the surface cells; it is particularly effective for cystic acne. Oatmeal soaps lather great and provide light exfoliation.

 

 

NEW!  COCOA BUTTER SOAP - $4.00 plus tax

I am pleased to introduce this super emollient new soap!

Cocoa butter is known as the ultimate moisturizer.

It contains natural antioxidants and absorbs easily into the skin.

This soap contains 3% more butter than my shea butter soap, making it my richest soap.

I chose to leave it unscented so that the natural chocolate aroma could shine through.  

 

Can’t decide?   

Try a sample pack! 

 

  

I will surprise you with 4 different soaps in half bar sizes. 
Each pack will contain one of each type of soap

(goat milk, goat milk oatmeal, vegetable oil, and either cocoa butter or shea butter)

$8 plus tax

SALE DETAILS

DELIVERY/SHIPPING: If you are close by, we can make arrangements to get you your goods. If not, I am happy to ship to anywhere in the U.S. 

I can ship up to 4 bars of soap for $5.25 using the USPS small flat rate priority box; larger orders will most likely fit in the medium flat rate box for $11.35. 

PAYMENT: I accept PayPal (use harasick@ca.rr.com), cash, or personal checks (cash & checks accepted only in person).

Holiday appetizer: Cranberry-Pineapple Salsa

Appetizers - -  not exactly my specialty!  

It's always nice to have a few nibbles ready when guests arrive, but I always struggle as to what to serve.  Here's a great recipe that is healthy and fresh -- quite welcome with the heaviness of appetizers at this time of year.  I served this easy and delicious salsa with Trader Joe's organic corn, quinoa, and chia chips.  YUM -- try this soon!

Cranberry Pineapple Salsa

Makes about 3 1/2 cups or 12 servings

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1/2 medium pineapple, pared, cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 packed cups)
1 green onion (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (may add some seeds if heat is desired)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place cranberries, pineapple, green onion, mint, jalapeño, garlic and salt in food processor fitted with metal chopping blade. Pulse until cranberries are coarsely chopped. 

Transfer to serving dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. Serve chilled.

WDW returns with ACAI BOWLS!

Meet my new obsession -- Acai bowls.

They are like ice cream that is good for you!

I like to eat them for breakfast or lunch but feel free to treat them like dessert!

What is an acai berry anyways?  It's considered a "superfood" from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.  The acai tree is actaully a type of palm tree.  Brazilian natives consider the berry to be a secret of health, providing energy, and boosting immune and metabolic function.

Here are some interesting facts about acai berries:

-They contain amino acids & omega fatty acids.

-They have all the same vitamins and minerals of most fruits, but also contain unique chemical compounds found in no other fruit on the planet.  

-Acai contains one of the highest levels of antioxidants you can find -  including a superpotent one called anthocyanin.  It also has free radical powers. Acai's ORAC (oxygen radical absorbancy capacity) is over 3500, which is hundreds of times higher than your average apples and bananas.

The best way to get acai is by buying it frozen.

The company Sabazon sells convenient packets of plain Acai and Acai mixed with guarana extract.  The latter is lightly sweetened with organic cane juice and I prefer that one.

How to make 1 serving

 In high-powered blender add the following:

-1/2 frozen banana, cubed

-1 packet Sabazon Acai puree 

(I get mine at Costco, they also have it at Sprouts and probably Whole Foods)

-1/2 cup liquid (I like almond milk or raw milk or half OJ/half milk)

 -small handful of ice

Blend to the consistency of ice cream.

Now, the fun part... toppings!
 

I like to add the following:

fresh fruit 

(my faves are fresh berries, sliced bananas, peaches, and kiwi)

homemade granola

toasted shredded coconut

and my absolute fave: chia seeds

If you're near Los Angeles, and want a foodie adventure, here's a link to the best acai bowls in town!

Adventures with Annie Sloan Paint

Recently I got turned on to the ease of refinishing furniture with a product called Annie Sloan paint.

I knew a few people who had tried it and had raved about it.  With this type of paint, which is a chalk paint, you are able to paint over any wood finish without sanding or priming.  You just have to be sure your piece is cleaned off and you can start painting it.  I had a few pieces of pine furniture and a kitchen table set I wanted to refinish, so I decided to give it a try.  My sister Suzanne helped me with the first piece, which is a dresser we use in our family room.

Here is a before shot of the dresser (I forgot to take the pic before we painted the drawers).  Originally we purchased this piece unfinished over 10 years ago.  It's just a basic piece with not much detail.  When we got it, we put a clear coat on it and over the years it grew to be a light honey pine color.  

Since I am slowly moving my house colors from the warm to cool.  So I chose a gray color called French Linen.  Annie Sloan paint is about $40 a quart but I only used about 1/4 of the can for this piece.

  We applied three coats of the paint and then I waxed it twice with Annie Sloan wax.  The chalk paint dries, well...chalky.  :-)  So you need to finish with a protective product after you paint.  The finish with the wax applied has just the slightest sheen but feels smooth.  This is easy to do with a brush or cloth.  I am really happy with the way this turned out (my walls are being painted a pale gray as I type, so just ignore the clash of the butter color- also do you think I could have straightened the lamp shade before snapping a pic?) Suzanne graciously donated some extra vintage-type glass knobs she had so I estimate the cost of this project to be about $10.  Nice!

Next, Suzanne and I tackled my kitchen table.   Again, we had bought the set unfinished and we painted it black.  To be honest, I've never been very happy with the way it turned out, so it was the perfect candidate for Annie Sloan!   I chose the color Old White.   I am so thankful my sister helped me because this was a much bigger project.  We actually used a whole quart of the paint for this and put on three coats of Polycrylic.  Here is the table and chair before:

 

And after:

What a difference!  I love it.  
I did a light distress and some of the black paint came through and it's perfect.  The original micro suede chair cushions were aging and a bit blase with all the white, so I ordered this fun fabric to recover them with.  My walls are being painted a light grayish blue so this fabric will look perfect.   

Project cost on this was about $80 since I'm recovering the chairs.  Pretty good for such a dramatic makeover. 


The breakfast nook will be so light and cheery!

 

My next project was my master bathroom vanity cupboards.  They were a (yellowing) "white washed" oak, which is GREAT for the 1990's... anyways I should have had them refinished dark when my kitchen cupboards were refinished a few year ago - but I'm not that smart.  :-)   

I figured Annie Sloan would be a easy and quick fix and I was right.  My bathroom is also being painted a pale gray (hence swatches painted on the wall) so I thought to use the French Linen again on the cabinets. 

Again, I forgot my "before" picture until I was already trying the paint on a little. 

Don't even ask what my bathroom tile is  -- it came with the house. It's kind of Southwesty/Art Deco (if there is such a category) and features unique metallic elements.  Yeah.
I've learned to make peace with it.  

Ta-da!  Super easy facelift for about $5 and a few hours of time! 

I used 2 coats of Annie Sloan and 2 coats of Polycrylic. 

I am very pleased!

Stephanie was over last Saturday refinishing a vintage dresser my sister found her for $20 at a thrift store. She did it this fabulous Duck Egg blue and waxed it.  She's going to get some cool knobs for it and hang a large ornate mirror over it for her bedroom.

 Here's the before shot:

 

And after - mid-century becomes funky and cool:

 

Stephanie also helped me redo this cute little vanity seat I had from Rich's mom.  We used the French Linen then wet distressed it (wiping a damp cloth over it right after painting) which revealed the former cherry wood finish.  I put a quick coat of wax on this and it was done. We recovered the seat in a scrap of fabric I had laying around, and Stephanie is going to put it in her house.



 So after all this, Rich asked me (in a very nice way) to please not paint EVERYTHING in the house - ha!

Just so you know, Home Depot also sells a less expensive chalk paint.  My sister tried it and she said it's similar to Annie Sloan.  
Happy painting!

Princess BUTTAcup

{If you're not a Princess Bride fan, you may not get my title!}

I'm finally getting around to blogging about our little puppy girl Buttercup who we've had A MONTH already! She's doing so well and is a good little girl.  Don't get me wrong-- it's a lot of work (and it's tiring) to have a puppy who has a "schedule."  It's almost like having a baby!   I cannot go out for more than 2 hours at a time, since that is about all the time you can expect a puppy to wait without needing to relieve themselves.  :-)  And since our yard is not totally "puppy proof" when she is outside I must join her.  When she is inside she is either in her crate or in the kitchen closed off with baby gates.  :-)  I don't let her wander around the house just yet. She is about 90% housebroken now, and has begun communicating her need to go out, vs. just letting go on the floor, but I don't trust her fully yet.  So she keeps me busy!

We were very pleased that she came to us with the skill of sleeping through the night (PTL!). I expected some sleepless nights and bleary-eyed 3 am flashlight led potty runs, but alas she pleasantly surprised us.  She goes in her crate around 9pm and Rich gets her up around 5:00am.

Having her has reminded me of how much we adore labradors. I feel a little guilty when people ask where we got her (at a breeder). I know there are tons of pups in shelters needing homes, but we just love the purebred labs.  They have the BEST temperaments and love EVERYONE.  Not a mean bone in their bodies.  This is super important to me as she will likely be here when the grandkids start coming.  :-)  And I think it goes without saying that labs are some good looking dogs.  They are also super fun and love adventure like swimming and hiking.  Our kids adore her and she is already a very loved family dog.

Though it's cramped our empty nester style a bit (not gonna lie), we are really enjoying her.  It's a little hard that she can't really be out in public yet unless we carry her (and she has gone from 8 lb. to 15 lb. so it's getting harder to tote her around).  This is due to the fact that her vaccinations are not complete and the prevalence of canine parvovirus.  In two more weeks she can walk on a leash in public places and we are looking forward to that! 

As you'll see in the pics, she's getting along very well with our 13 year old chocolate lab, Missy. I think Missy has gotten a little perkier, too having a puppy friend.   I tell you, Missy has the patience of Job.   Buttercup does everything annoying possible to her.   Sometimes she barks at her, but I know she wouldn't hurt her.  They have a cute relationship.

Enjoy the pics!

 

First day home - 8 weeks, 8 lb.

 

 

9 weeks

First outing -- Chipotle on Rich's birthday.

A few pics of her all tuckered out ...

 

Don't think of it as "sleeping" but rather "recharging" :-)

Fun with sissy Missy

11 weeks - last Saturday afternoon at Montrose Arts/Crafts Festival.
People continuously stopped us to admire her cuteness  :-)

Anniversaries... it must be May

Celebrating 27 years of marriage today with this guy, who has always carried me through life.  

THEN:  May 16, 1987

Marina del Rey Hotel

NOW:  May 8, 2014

Bouchon Restaurant

And, it's hard to believe, but these two will be celebrating their one year anniversary on Sunday.  It seems like yesterday. 
Congrats Drew & Stephanie!

May 18, 2013

Santa Clarita

Our new little love (warning: cuteness overload ahead!)

In a little over a week, we'll be adding a new member to our family.

We've been wanting a Labrador puppy for some time...

I finally found a good local breeder with this litter of yellow labs-- the white color ones... and I almost died!!

We are naming her Buttercup. She is only 5 weeks old here, the day we picked her out. 

 Just look at this little LOVE!!

Empty nesters in need of a new baby. :-)

 

Seriously in love!!

 

Emma's cell phone that she picked up in her little mouth --  next to her shows how tiny she is!

 

That face... those eyes... that chubby pink belly!!!

 

Oh, and that lab profile! It kills me.

 

The three girls we had to choose from -- not an easy decision!
 We finally decided on the biggest most playful one.
Is there anything cuter than a lab puppy??