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Organizing

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What do you think of this little bit of repurposing? I got a shoe organizer to put on my table for events. I figure that I’ll label each section (totally not surprising given my personality, right? Lol). I figure that I’ll lay the bottles of lotion down for the brief time I’m at events and it’ll make it much easier to go through them, and making them more approachable. Customers seemed to get overwhelmed picking through a sea of bottles sitting on the table (and no matter how grouped and organized I would make it, people always jumbled them up). I’m thinking of like the left column being goat’s milk V2, then next is goat’s milk V3, and so on. I’ll still use my baskets for other items, to keep that approachable, rustic feel. I can just see the gingham print fabric tablecloths, this organizer, and adorable baskets across my tables. *content smile* I’m hoping that by the Ozawkie Citywide I’ll have the right column filled with things for chronic pain sufferers. *crossing fingers* So, would this be more approachable to you? Would you like that kind of organization when shopping at a craft booth?

A lot of money later lol

I sat and made myself a priority list of what I really want to accomplish in the upcoming months, then made my order for that fantastic sale I wrote about earlier.  I couldn’t resist a few new scents to enjoy and got two new ones from the company for the amount I spent. *bashful smile*

Anyway, I focused mostly on bases and essential oils, since they’re usually so expensive.  I got five EOs that are thought to help with inflammation, as well as a lotion base that has Evening Primrose, another antiinflammatory.  *happy dance* A great start for making some items to potentially help ease chronic pain. I also got some more menthol crystals and a mortar and pestle, to improve my rub and because I’ve never seen the tiny bag of expensive crystals on sale. Lol.

I have some chocolate products that I want to make and picked out a few items to fulfill that line.  I mean, how can chocolate NOT sell?  *grin* While reviewing the recipes that call for soap base and for cocoa butter I had a light bulb moment.  I was happy to see that cocoa butter soap base itself was on sale too for a great price, so why not make things easier and have it all in one?  My nose still likes to remind me of the funky smell of when I accidentally burned a bit of cocoa butter while melting it (has to be melted to add into things).  So, avoiding a repeat and reducing the steps is quite exciting for nerdy ol’ me.  *smile*

I got a few goodies, just can’t help myself, that I’m really happy about.  One customer has psoriasis and I found that neem oil (in a special recipe) should help them.  I can’t wait to see if I can help give her some relief!  For pure fun I got a pearlized and foam booster, to increase lather and silkiness of my bubble wash.  Since the bubble wash can be used for bubble baths I think the kids will enjoy the extra bubbles.  *grin* I also finally found a five star rated coffee FO to use in soap with ground coffee for exfoliation and neat appearance.  Booyah!  Crafters posted that it smells like freshly brewed coffee and always sells out at events.  *crossing fingers that I’m as lucky* 

To finish it off the two FOs they are sending are exciting scents that are more expensive than I will buy to check out (I actually keep my purchasing a bit frugal with the lower cost FOs or commonly on sale ones, and rarely spend a lot of money on a scent that might suck).  I got “Romance in Bed” and “Twilight Woods for Men”.  The woods one sounds like such a sexy blend with musk, spices, patchouli, cedar, and vetiver. *dreamy sigh* C’mon in, Sexy…Anyway, the romance one is suppose to be an “elegant, sensual scent” with florals, amber, and vanilla.  I may have a new signature scent to wear.  *grin* I suppose it is probably time for a more mature signature scent than rootbeer float. *laugh*

Anyway, the upcoming journey with these items should be quite fun and I look forward to sharing this with you.  Happy Monday!

Sale!

My oh my!  I’ve had some health issues lately, but got a great email today to give me a boost.  My wholesaler is having a site-wide sale. *happy sigh* Now to decide if I’m going to get more FOs (if I have to expand to a third page of listing of scents I worry that that might get overwhelming) or should I get some bases to expand what I actually make, instead of tons of scents for a limited number of things to.customize.  *tapping lip*

I know that I’ll stock up on the bases that are my best sellers, like the different lotions and additives.  I think that regardless of the shopping direction that I go I am going to get the key items to have a small, focused, line of Chronic Pain options.  It is so near and dear that while I can splurge a bit, I’m going to make sure to be able to make something that truly lifts my spirit. 

I have so many ideas and not many of them sell, as Larry keeps pointing out following seeing the losses when my business taxes were done (insert groan and please pity me lol).  I like learning new things and as I continue to expand I then create the items that are my best sellers, so it’s hard for me to look at it in the same way that he does.  

I admit to you that I have a few new things that come hell or high water I WILL be creating!  I am itching to make bath cookies and some new lotion blends.  I also can’t wait to get some new silicone molds (o.co has great deals on them – who’d have guessed??) and make some lovely new soaps.  I want to make some rustic soaps, like the coffee scented w grounds in the bars for exfoliation, and chocolate bars with dark cocoa powder.  *sigh*  It’s absolutely exciting to me to think of new things that might bring happiness to someone.  Maybe that one special thing will introduce them to pampering and they’ll finally take a few minutes out for themselves, preventing burn out and depression.  What an awesome chance to have a good impact!

Anyway, I’m headed back to the website and my books to determine the spoils of this sale. *grin* I always get mixed up if clary sage is for the detox or is it…. 😉 Sweet dreams and a happy tomorrow!

A Little Fun

Well, I got injured a few days ago and put my time to good use – I put in a supply order.  Lol.  Remember that post a while back about not getting any new FOs?  Um…slap my hands now *grin*  Since my drunken pina colada turned out so below my expectations Ibought a five star pina colada FO.  I also got a caribbean coconut that has great crafter reviews and an angel food cake FO that sounds amazing.  I’m hoping that it will help boost my vanillas…along with the deluxe vanilla that I added too.  Rofl.  I got a cedarwood EO and a Hershey’s-like chocolate FO.  I want something a little different from the fudge brownie that I usually use.  I got two free FOs too – Sun & Sand (what a great one for Summer!) and Frosted Snowdrops.  I read reviews that most crafters sell it out year round.  Oh, I am so excited! 

I got a few other items, too.  I got some citric acid powder to make some fizzy bath salts (fun idea, isn’t it?!).  I also got some honey powder to improve the Acne Bee Gone soaps, too.  I’m so impressed with the awesome benefits of honey that I figured a versatile version would be an awesome additive in some of my products.  Super sparkle iridescent glitter has been on my wish list for awhile and I went for it.  Lol.  Now that I’m experimenting more and inspired to make new soaps, it became a must. *grin* The last additive that I am so excited about is another emulsifying wax.  My other one gives my lotions a thicker, creamy, and protective feel.  This new one is more of a soft, silky, whipped, and powdery feel.  Some people just aren’t into the feel of lotion and I think this will be a great alternative. 

I also found an e-book that gave some great inspirations, too.  The most exciting thing I want to try is “bath cookies”.  What a neat idea!  They even get baked! Lol.  This book is where I read about making fizzy bath salts, too.  I’m very happy that when I’m out of commission I can find great inspirations.  Back to recovering for now, but exciting things to come!! 🙂

Cello bagged bath salts

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I finally did it! I made the chocolate covered cherries swirled bath salts and bagged them. I think they look really adorable, even though the proportions look odd while I measured to be exact. The shape definitely affects the look of the contents lol. I’m hoping that because they’re small they will be easier to sell. I really look forward to making some more varieties, but definitely need help. I managed to make four by myself, but it was incredibly hard to do them by myself, so I have to wait to finish until someone helps me. If I slightly move my thumb then the salt swirls start to blend and the salts love to stick to the measuring cup, so it got interesting to keep the cone upright, not move, and scrape down the jar with a spoon while holding the cup. Yeah, notice the need for a few extra hands? Lol. And resting them in a cup lets the colors blend or the bag shuts during the pour, risking pouring salts everywhere but the cello. *rolling eyes with a bemused smile* It’s funny what odd little issues I run into while making bath/body products. 🙂 Anyway, I am so excited about these that I had to post a picture right away. *grin* Have a great day and hopefully hangover free 😉

Bath salts

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I made huge batches of chocolate fudge and then maraschino cherry bath salts. It smells phenomenal in my kitchen and did I mention that there is actual dark cocoa powder in the fudge to color it, instead of dye? *grin* Might as well get some naturally awesome antioxidants for your skin while soaking away your troubles. I will be using the new cello bags that I got (yeah, yeah, not really new since it’s been at least a month since I received them, but never used them yet, so they’re still new). I think that swirls of the two in the cello cones will look very color and the combo will be like chocolate covered cherries. *smile* So awesome! I intended to make half the amount of cherry, but wasn’t paying attention and used the same recipes as for the fudge batch. Lol. Oops. I’ll just have to wait until I get more dead sea salts to make some neopolitan blend. Yum! Also going to make some spa, as well. I haven’t figured out what else I want, since I definitely don’t want a mess of salts un-purchased and unsellable at the end of the season yet again. I really think that these will look so much better than the jars and will sell better since they’re going to be smaller, therefore cheaper, than the jarred salts. So exciting!! I can’t decide if I like the smell of these, or the corned beef that’s cooking, the best. *grin* Happy St. Patrick’s Day and I hope you all have safe celebrations today!!

Rawr, or something

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Lol. I think my watermelon sorbet dinos turned out pretty well. They help ease the sting of the bummer previously mentioned. The pterodactyl looks a little odd IMO, but I’ll go with what the company said he’s suppose to be 😉 Regardless they all smell wonderful and richly colored. I’m happy that they turned out so well, since two will get put into the boys summer combo. Yay!

Rawr, or something

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Lol. I think my watermelon sorbet dinos turned out pretty well. They help ease the sting of the bummer previously mentioned. The pterodactyl looks a little odd IMO, but I’ll go with what the company said he’s suppose to be 😉 Regardless they all smell wonderful and richly colored. I’m happy that they turned out so well, since two will get put into the boys summer combo. Yay!

Bummer

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Awhile back I had excitedly found a plastic mold of fairy tale carriages. Unfortunately it’s a lollipop mold, so at the base of each is the space for a stick. I thought that if I made a blockage of playdoh at the base of each carriage, in the stick area, and let them fully dry for a few days, that it would solve the problem. Um, quite a bummer when I finally poured some soaps and sat down to bag them after they had set up. My soap was too hot in two of them and the playdoh actually melted a bit, then mixed into the bottom of the soap a bit. Although I had planned on shaving the little nub with my xacto knife, I ended up having to shave up the base a little to remove the doh. What a disappointment! My carriage bases have a belly button. Ugh! The third…*sigh* I’ll use to practice painting on I suppose. This must have been the first that I poured, the hottest, because I spotted thick spots of playdoh almost at the carriage door, when held to light. I guess that I’ll make the blocks further down and have a bit of extra waste to shave off. It sounds so simple, but when you have to measure so precisely and figure up costs per every milliliter, that makes me have to be more irritatingly precise than normal. *wrinkling nose* I’m all ready a bit of a stuffed shirt, so I hate to go even further in that direction. Lol. Anyway, that’s enough about my bummer. That is, until I post a pic of whatever horrid results of my first attempt at soap painting look like. *grin*

Cute as a button

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I got my card reader in the mail today (*sigh* yesterday really) and think it’s so cute. *grin* The only downside is that it doesn’t secure fully with my case on my iPhone, so I’ll have to remove my case for events. Meh. The coolest part was playing with the app. I have managed to refrain from messing with it until I connected the reader, since it is a plug and play device, and I’ve had issues with apps after jumping the gun. Anyway, I get the app and reader acquainted, then started to explore. I get to enter all of my product codes, descriptions, and prices, so that when I run a transaction I just select the items in the order. Love it!! I really dislike having to enter every detail on every line or not having the items listed, so this just tickles me happy. I all ready slid my credit card acceptance sticker into my tabletop frame with my collection agency’s sticker. I ~might~ be a little excited. *grin* So I’m doing a tedious task that I love – data entry. Lol. I figured I’d take a little break to post a few pics while playing Top Shot 😉