Declutter Challenge: Week 24

The decluttering continues! I won't lie to you, it is slowing down a little, but not for the reasons you might think. I have not run out of things to get rid of. I am simply getting to a point where I am putting stuff out in the garage for another garage sale or I am trying to sell it online.

I have several textbooks listed on Amazon. I have a few things on Craigslist and I am getting pictures of things taken to put them on Ebay. So, I am keeping busy and looking for things to declutter, but it is slow going.

Last week, I finally cleaned up the craft area. It really was a mess. It had become an area where we piled things high and ignored them However, I finally got to it. First, I went through my box of cards. I have a habit of saving every card that has ever been given to me, but that means a lot of cards! So, I went through the box and kept the ones that were really important to me. The rest went to be recycled. I remember the people that gave them to me, I don't have to keep the cards. Then, I went through my supply of fabric! I actually got rid of scraps and bits and ugly pieces. That was hard for me to part with, but I did it. I'm not going to use it! So, I have reduced it from a stack, a drawer, and a large tote down to just the tote. If it didn't fit, it didn't stay. I also got all of my projects on my project shelf and if it is a project I lost interest in, I got rid of it. I still need to go through my thread and sewing boxes, but for now everything is on the shelf, in a set of drawers, or otherwise in its place. So, I am happy with it.

I didn't get any pictures because I didn't think about doing a before picture, so my after picture just wouldn't have much of an impact. Oh well.

What have you decluttered recently?

When Good Soaps Go Bad

This week has been filled with making milk and honey soaps. I have been making smaller batches because I was testing out the scents and playing with some new techniques. I decided that I wanted to get all three of my different milk and honey (BooBees) soaps made this week.

My first two batches were wonderful. They did trace pretty quickly (I'm thinking a whisk will be used instead of a stick blender), but other than that, they were lovely. I used concentrated goat milk, so I mixed the water you would use to dilute the milk and mixed in the lye. I stuck that in the fridge. I mixed my oils and beeswax, melted it all together, and stuck it in the fridge. Then, I got everything else together. I poured out my fragrance, my honey, my very cold (not frozen) milk, I lined the mold with bubble wrap, and I put a little pink colorant in a squeeze bottle for some pink swirls. Remember, the BooBees Collection was created to donate money to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, read about it here. I mixed the lye into my oils, mixed until it was just stable enough and then I put in my fragrance. I separated out just a few spoonfuls into my squeeze bottle and shook it really well. Then, I added my milk and honey to my main batch and mixed.

Ambrosia-Love the swirls!

My first batch of Ambrosia soap was awesome! Read about it here. The soap turned a beautiful honey color and the pink is so light, that I just adore it. My next batch was called Sultry. It is a spicy, tropical scent that I just can't get enough of. I really find myself going in and picking up the soap just to sniff it. This time I put some of the pink on the bottom and sides of the mold. This soap is darker because of the vanilla in the fragrance, but I love it anyway. Again, this batch traced quickly, but I kept it cool and stuck it in the fridge to keep it from overheating. It was ready to be cut sooner than normal, but that was okay because I check my soaps often. I can never just let them sit.

Sultry-Needs to be cleaned up, but it is lovely.

My latest batch was made the same way. It is the same formula with a different scent. Celebration is a blend of fresh strawberries and bubbly champagne that I just adore. I even sprinkled a little glitter on top to go along with the name! Everything went along the same. The temperatures were kept low. I put the entire batch in the fridge to keep it from overheating. When I checked it, it was nice and hard, so I unmolded it. At first glance, it was just perfect! Sparkly, fresh, and golden!

The flip side is another story. Apparently, despite being in the fridge, it overheated anyway. So, that lovely brown goo is caramelized sugar! Good for peanut brittle and caramel; bad for soap :( 

Here are my two positives:

1. Because I did put this in the fridge, it did not get hot enough to volcano and make a big, hot, caustic mess.
2. I might be able to rebatch this into something ugly, but usable.

Yes, I am still focusing on flipping my thinking!

BooBees Ambrosia Soap

Did you know that in Greek mythology, ambrosia was food or drink for the gods? It provided them with ageless immortality and had to ability to wash away the effects of the years. Many believe that ambrosia was supposed to be a type of honey and the association to ageless immortality is due to honey's ability to heal. Even today, honey is often used by many because of its ability to heal. Read more about the benefits of honey here.

All BooBees products are formulated with goat's milk and honey to give your the richest, creamiest bar of soap possible. Goat's milk, like other milk, contains lactic acid which helps dissolve dead skin cells. It also contains a good amount of cream which is full of fats that help your skin look healthier because it provides extra moisture. In soap, goat's milk creates a creamier, more moisturizing bar of soap. People with dry skin or certain skin conditions, such as eczema, may find that soap formulated with milk can help relieve these conditions and leave their skin nourished.

In the mold. Oh, the anticipation!

Honey adds to the humectant qualities of the glycerin already in the soap, but it also acts as an antimicrobial agent on your skin. It will help keep your skin clean and beautiful. Plus, the sugar in the honey will make the soap even more bubbly!

Out of the mold and cut!

BooBees Ambrosia soap is lightly scented with a warm, rich blend of oatmeal, milk, and honey. It smells amazing when you first take a whiff. Then, when you mix it with water and start sudsing up, you will find that it warms into an experience all its own. It will surround you with layers of bubbles, all bursting with the scent of true ambrosia.

To give them a little extra gorgeous factor and to remind you to feel your boobees regularly, I added a little pink on the top.

CFAM at Fine Arts Center

Today is my first Wednesday market at the Fine Arts Center. We are open from 3-7 this afternoon.

I'm taking Hayden with me, so I'm a little nervous. Unloading, setup, and selling with a toddler! I must be crazy :)

If you can, come out to see us today!

Honey

Honey is used world wide as a natural sweetener. However, honey is so much more than a sweet (delicious) liquid. Honey is also used in skin care because it offers a wide variety of benefits.

Honey has long been considered one of the best anti aging ingredients; Cleopatra was well known for her milk and honey baths. Honey is still used today in a variety of skin care products. It is used in lotions, cremes, masques, and (of course) bath soaks. You cannot deny the wonderful effects that honey has on skin.

Honey is an effective antiseptic, which helps keep skin clear and blemish free. Honey also contains a high level of antioxidants that help repair damage done by the elements and stress. Using honey as part of a skin care regime can actually leave your skin amazingly soft! Honey is also a humectant, which means it can help seal in moisture and draw moisture to itself.

Photo by Lithfin on Flickr

 Honey can easily be incorporated into your skin care regime with easy DIY recipes. For example, mix a little honey with some milk and egg white to make a gentle cleanser that will leave your skin soft and glowing. If you have very oily skin, try a little lemon juice instead of milk. You can also make a gentle toner with honey and aloe or witch hazel. There are too many options to list! Look for other ideas for masques, hair treatments, bath soaks, or anything else you can think of.

Try getting your honey fresh from a local beekeeper. It usually has a better flavor (because you need to eat some of it :) and you are supporting your local economy!

What is your favorite use of honey?

Decluttler Challenge: Week 23

I thought I was behind, but when I looked at it, I'm not!!! That makes me happy :)

For those of you that don't know what my Declutter Challenge is, check it out here. You can also follow my adventures if you wish by reading my decluttering posts.

This week almost didn't happen. I almost forgot! Can you believe I would do such a thing? Well, it has been a crazy, busy week. I've been preparing all week for my market that didn't happen because I had my dates wrong. Oh well, at least I'm ready.

Back to the point...this week's challenge did happen because I got an email about one of the items I posted on craigslist! Happy dance time...

Ok, so I got the email yesterday, I met her today and the water cooler is officially gone.

Bye bye!

On a side note, I discovered #declutter on Twitter and I'll be sharing there as well.

Have you started decluttering? Remember, it is easy to start. It doesn't have to be big, just grab one item a week and make it leave your house (by hook or by crook). Take it to the trash, resale shop, craigslist, ebay, or whatever, just make that item leave! One item a week isn't too hard and before you know it, you'll be letting all sorts of things go.

If you have a story to share, I would love to here it!

Updoing My Booth

This will be my 3rd market season! I'm excited to be doing it again because I don't do enough business to have an actual store, but I love meeting customers. I have a few that make sure they find out when I'm going to the market, so they can find me! I love that I actually get to meet them and see them.

The first year, I decided to do the market at the last minute and I shared it with a friend. So, we didn't put a lot of thought into the display (check it out here). Last year, was insane with my little guy that wasn't quite 1 year! I had some ideas, but it was more of a mish mash and my display was a little sad. Not this year! I have been planning, scheming, and designed to come up with a display that all ties together. I wanted to share my progress today and then tomorrow, I will show you the finished booth.

Since this word honu is Hawaiian, I decided to design my booth with an island feel to it. My next decision was to use white and ocean blue for my set-up. My tablecloths have always been white twin size sheets. I keep thinking about getting actual tablecloths, but the sheets work so well and are easily replaced. I found a fabric dye that I fell in love with, it is Dylon's Bahama Blue. I mean the name says it all! So, my tablecloths will now be Bahama blue, not white.

It is actually much more tropical!

Next, we to decide what to do with my fabulous shelves. One set was a shutter door that we cut in half and made into shelves and the other is a foldable set I found at a thrift store. The shutters were already white, but the shelf part was a blue that ended up being too dark. I found a tropical blue paint that I loved, but I didn't want it to be overwhelming. So, we decided to paint the shelves blue and then white; then we are going to scuff them up so a little blue shows through. The scuffing may not happen by tomorrow, but they are painted and looking lovely!

Everything out for painting! Love my shelves :)

The sun is a little strong, but I love this blue!

I also decided I needed better signs than I've used in the past. The plastic holders just wasn't cutting it. My inspiration was actually a little plaque in Hayden's room. It is a simple small piece of wood with a wooden dowel to hold it upright. So, we used some scrap wood in the garage, cut it up, sanded it, and now it is painted. I will write my signage on the wood in paint pens! I also decided to make a "Specials" board. I bought a from at Michael's, along with a pre-cut piece of plywood; the plywood is now chalkboard black and the frame is tropical blue! It will look so cute. I think I'm going to use ribbon to tie the board to my tent, but I'm not positive yet.

My first time using chalkboard paint!

I still have to write out all of my signs, but the major part is all done! Stay tuned for my big reveal...