JesPlayin

Changes....Moving

2010-04-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hello folks,
I wanted to update you on what's going on...I know it's been a while. For a few reasons, I decided to close down Taiwo Bath and Body. It's something I've thought about for a while, and just decided to act on. When something no longer moves you, it's time to let it go. For those of you who have asked me for soapmaking advise via this blog, I am still available, so feel free to contact me there as well. Once a soapmaker, always a soapmaker!
I will now be pursuing my long-time passion of home-making information and education in the form of my new blog AfroMartha. The new blog, which I am currently developing will be all inclusive with tips, Q&A, recipes and downloadables. You will also find a neat little section with recipes/formula to make your own products bath and beauty, as well as cleaning products. I have included some of my more pertinent posts from this blog, as well as some new ones. I also plan to include a forum and other goodies in the future. As such, this necessitates a change in venue, which will allow me to implement all the things I plan on doing.

With that said, I introduce to you AfroMartha! Please surf on over there right now and check it out, but keep in mind I am still building it.

Not Good....

2010-02-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

In the past few months, I have been noticing a strong sensitivity to fragrance oils. I have tried denial...turns out it's not just an river in Egypt. I've been telling myself that it must be something else, that I'm just imagining it, etc, etc,. But it never fails. As soon as I open up a bottle, use some lotion, or am around anything even remotely scented, the back of my throat/nose/sinuses starts to burn, and my eyes start to water. It doesn't even have to be synthetic fragrances. Essential oils do it to me too!

This is so not good. I work with scents on a daily basis. I LOVE scents! However, I can't take it anymore. Now I understand what my Aunt has been suffering all these years. Turns out she wasn't just being over-the-top dramatic when she banished anything scented from her environs.

I'm not sure what to do here...how to get around this. I don't want this little sensitivity to put the kibosh on my body products. We'll see what happens.

To separate or not to separate, that is the question...

2010-02-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

Okay folks. Remember when I said I had creative ADD? I may have it, but I don't want my shop to. I originally started my Taiwosoaps Etsy as strictly body products. I also started my JesPlayin Etsy shop even before that one. That shop was for my vintage, restyled, and jewelry products. In my infinite wisdom I decided to bring the earrings over to the Taiwosoaps page, because they seemed to go together well. Beautiful products that make you feel beautiful, right? I also combined the two so that everything can be in one place. Well, I'm starting to think that may not be such a good idea now.

I'm thinking of separating the two product because I feel they have totally different vibes. I have been exploring some new jewelry methods that I'm really excited about, and I think they deserve their own space once it's all said and done. Focus is something I struggle with on a daily basis, but I don't want it to show in my shop. So, I ask all you wise readers out there: To separate or not to separate? Give me a well thought out argument below, and there just might be something in it for you!

I wish it was mine.

2010-01-30T15:06:00.001-08:00

my vase close up, originally uploaded by BeadsInTheBelfry.

This vase belongs to a Jewelry maker named Beads in the Belfry. Saw it on her flickr stream and just had to post it here. I am sooo inspired by this piece. It is literally causing me to really reconsider my quitely tucked away surface design/home decor passion. Thinking~

Tofu & Vegetable Calzones

2010-01-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

I know somewhere there's an Italian person cringing at the thought of Tofu and Vegetables in a CALZONE!!! Sorry dude, my family can't get enough of this stuff.

I started making this years ago during the height of my family's vegetarianism. Though we are no longer vegetarians, I still cook like one for the most part. We eat only chicken, but I don't even cook that at home very often. I usually save the Chicken for my Nigerian Stew (which is just not the same any other way) or for when I go out with friends. I only occasionally cook chicken, simply because I don't like working with raw chicken. We do like our vegetables, and I actually LOVE tofu, as do my kids, so I use that often.

This has been a favorite in my household for years now. In my household it's actually known as "Favorite Rolls" not Calzones. I just now got it to where it's not quite so labor intensive and time-consuming as it once was. Thank goodness for Trader Joe's! Really good ingredients at really reasonable prices! I get the pizza dough from there for 99cents, and that shaves off a huge amount of prep. To think that I used to make pizza crust from scratch. Que'lle Horreur!

A little bit about tofu:
Don't be scared! True, it doesn't have a flavor/taste of its own, but that's what makes it so good to work with. It will absorb whatever flavor you want it to. It is a literally a flavor sponge. Use whatever spices you want. In this recipe I use an italian spice blend.

This isn't so much a recipe as a guideline. This isn't like pastry baking, where everything has to be exact. Cooking is more forgiving. Use your own combination of fillings if you'd like. If you use everything in the pictures as I've used, you should end up with about at least 13 small calzones, depending on how filled each one is. If you have issues, leave a comment below, and I'll help you out.

1. The aforementioned TJ Pizza crust. Awesomeness! Freezes really well. Even though this picture has one bag of dough, I use two bags. Make sure you put it in the fridge to thaw a day ahead if you freeze. On calzone day, I usually set it out on the counter with the bag open at least an hour ahead so that it can get to room temperature

2. Get your vegetables together. Everything I put into my filling is below. The only thing not pictured is the spice mix and salt. Everything is to your taste. I use italian spices.

3. Here are the veggies all chopped up. Make sure to crumble up the tofu into a colander. You want to drain out as much water as possible because the vegetables will also ooze water into your filling mix. A 'too wet' filling mix will make your calzone soggy, yuck.

4. I usually saute/pan fry the tofu first (with a little oil) until it gets a light brown crust on it. This is to further reduce the water content. Then I add the onions and garlic, saute a couple more minutes, then add the rest of the veggies and spices/salt. Another couple more minutes, then I add the Ragu spaghetti sauce and let the flavors marry for about 10-15 minutes, stirring the whole time.
This is what it looks like when it's ready to go.

5. After the filling's done, I let it cool down for a little while because if you fill while the filing is piping hot, you could make holes in your dough. For this reason, it's a good idea (when possible to make the filling a little bit ahead of when you want to fill the dough.

I then spread out the dough onto a floured surface and roll w/a rolling pin. I use a pizza wheel (or knife) to cut the dough into eight pieces like below.

6. Lightly stretch out the dough (not too much, you don't want it thin) and scoop some filling into each piece. Roll up and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper (or foil). Bake at 350deg, until lightly browned on top.

7. And Voila! Here it is, all ready to eat.

8. Here's what the inside looks like if you break it apart. Yummy!

And the winner is:::::

2010-01-23T09:56:00.001-08:00

Shonda Swallow! Step forth and claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone that entered. I will have another contest next week, so stay tuned!

Romantic Playlist Contest!

2010-01-19T11:40:00.001-08:00

So, I think it's time for a contest!

In light of the upcoming Valentine's Day, I think this contest is apropos, don't you think?

IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A ROMANTIC PLAYLIST, WHAT 10 (TEN) SONGS WOULD BE ON IT?

Far be it for me to judge your musical tastes, so the winner will be selected with a randomizer.

The loot: The new Valentine's Day Champagne Bubble Bath

Contest ends: Friday January 22 at 5pm

Winner Announced: Friday January 22, 2010, 6pm

The Rules are:

1. You must leave a comment either in the comments box or the Taiwo Bath and Body Facebook Fan Page.

2. You must have 10 songs on your playlist.

Good luck, and happy playing!

Help, I can't stop making fizzies!

2010-01-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

I'm up to my eyeballs in Bath products...bath fizzies, foaming bath salts and bath oils! So excited to make and present these products. For some reason, making something so simple is so immensely gratifying! The minute I pop out the perfectly spherical fizzy I know I've accomplished something. Fizzies, as simple as they are, can be quite complicated to make. Just one too many spritzes of liquid and your batch is totally unusable. I've been having a really great time making them and can't wait to take photos and load onto my etsy site. Stay tuned....

Looking Ahead to 2010

2010-01-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I feel that this is going to be the best year yet! To make that happen, certain plans have to be put in place. I won't disclose everything just yet, but there are a couple of changes coming to Taiwo in the immediate future. Here they are:

1. Moving back to Etsy from Artfire.
I like Artfire, but I LOVE etsy, even with it's limitations and sometimes wonky configuration. I've just never bonded with Artfires interface like I did with Etsy.Effective January 15 2010 Taiwo will move back to it's original Etsy site. You can always still find it at www.taiwobathandbody.com though.

2. Taiwo is changing focus.
As I mentioned in the last post, I have found a niche to focus my body products offerings in the vast bath and body marketplace. This is a hard decision because like I said, I like to make everything. I can make everything, but again that does not mean that I should. I have decided to focus my offerings specifically to Bath Products only. It is something I've really enjoyed making and using. I, a staunch shower lover am now a convert to the joys of taking a long relaxing bath.
I feel particularly confident to offer a line of products JUST for Baths because I realize the importance of baths. First of all, it's something that people are passionate about. Those who take baths really take baths. They soak. For Bathers, bathing is far more than just a cleansing ritual. I once had a friend who loved her baths so much that her kids new better than to try to talk to her while taking her baths. She took them NIGHTLY. It was her one thing she looked forward to at the end of each day.
I have identified different reasons why people take baths for relaxation. For some, it's a chance to daydream and visit distant lands in their minds. For others, it's a ritual they do before going out for a night of fun, say a girl's night out, maybe. For yet another group of people, it is the prelude to romantic evening. For some others, it's a therapeutic ritual, like soaking sore muscles, or dry itchy irritated skin. Sometimes it's all these reasons at different times of our lives...
I am excited to offer my latest offerings: Bubbling Bath Fizzies, Bath Oils, and Dry Bubble Bath and Bath Powders. As things progress I may add some related items, but in the meantime, it will be strictly these products.

The obligatory New Year's post

2010-01-01T22:46:00.000-08:00

So it's a new year, yay us!

I am very excited about the upcoming year. I know it's going to be a good one professionally and personally. Not in the same way I've 'known' it's going to be a good one for the past few years, and it's (the feeling) just fizzled by february. This is different. Call it getting older, wiser, feeling more comfortable with who you are...whatever. I just know it's going to be the BEST year ever!

Professionally, I think I've learned to let go of worrying about what I think I'm 'supposed' to be doing, and just following what I want to do. I think I've reached a point where I'm giving myself permission to follow my heart, passion whatever, instead of what I think will make me some money (that never works...for me anyway). I've realized that it's okay to be broke, because broke is temporary, but poor is a state of mind that lasts forever.

I've always known that I could never do a regular 9-5 job, not that there is anything wrong with that. I feel terrible admitting this publicly because I know billions of people do it everyday. My dear sweet husband does it everyday without complaint. He says he's fine doing a job that's not necessarily his dream because he has things that fulfill him outside of that job. I'm not like that. For me, a 9-5 is like a slow death (at least the jobs I've had, which are really kind of the bottom of the barrel.) I know I'm very fortunate to be married to someone who lets me be me...who goes to work everyday without putting pressure on me to earn an income. In fact any pressure I've ever experienced about that has come directly from myself. Never mind that I earn my keep around here with all that I do being at home. I still feel this nagging urge to contribute financially, which is (partly) what's led me down the path of entrepreneurship. I've always been trying to work for myself for as long as I can remember because I just can't stand the thought of building someone else's empire while breaking my back for peanuts. I fell for a lot of work at home schemes along the way, but I guess that may be par for the course.

My most recent job, a seasonal part time job just ended, and I couldn't be happier. I feel like that job (for a lot of reasons) took me away from what I want to accomplish in my life. The only thing that got me through and kept me from quitting was knowing it was temporary. At that job I watched people sweating every little detail because their very livelihood depends on it. It made me sad to watch these people with families spend 10, sometimes 14 hours a day at at his call center. I would often ask them when they see their kids. This lady who sat next to me told me that she sees her kids just long enough to feed them dinner and get them started on homework. Everyday. Until the weekend (which by the way you are obligated to work one of those weekend days.) This sucks. Bigtime. Even though this was a sh*t job, is it really any different from a high-powered corporate gig? Nope. In fact the higher you go on that ladder, the more your obligation and time commitment.

Please don't get me wrong. I know that business ownership is NOT for everyone. I also know that having your own business takes just as high a level of commitment. I just know that it's where I prefer to be.

I know that I'm very blessed to have the skills and talents that I have. I realized today that it is my obligation to share these gifts and talents with others. I will find a way to do this in 2010.

Anyway, like I was saying before I got on a tangent. I'm a little older, wiser and more comfortable in my skin and I think I'm finally able to let go of certain things that have held me back in my quest for successful business ownership.

Aww drat. This was supposed to be a post about my plans for Taiwo in 2010, but I guess that will wait till tommorrow.

One Clue...

2009-12-29T11:49:00.001-08:00

I realize I've been doing some food posts lately, so I guess I owe in the 'life' and 'making other stuff' department.
Being a very creative person can be very frustrating at times. So much I want to do, so little time. I also tend to flit around a lot, which is never good for business. Oh, I do enjoy my creativity! However, I've had the hardest time settling on which one to pursue. Asking a creatively ADD person to pick one thing and stick with it is like asking a mother to pick her favorite child... excruciatingly difficult.
I came back to my Taiwo products because it's the one I have the most experience in. I have been making soaps and other body products since December 1998 when it first hit me that it was possible to make this stuff at home. It's just always seemed logical to do that. After taking a 3 year break from the business (due to the increasing size of my family), I decided it was time to go back. I came back to the same problem I had before: how to pick a niche and focus on that niche. I always thought I had to offer EVERYTHING. That can be the death of a business too, trying to be everything to everyone. Just because you CAN do everything doesn't mean you SHOULD.
I think I may have finally found that niche. I am excited, but waiting until the initial excitement passes to make any announcements.
Stay tuned.

Coquito!

2009-12-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

You know that scene in the movie "Envy" with Jack Black where they announce at dinner that 'Flan' will be served. suddenly everyone gets real excited like Flan is just the best thing in the world! Well, if you don't know that scene, run to the nearest video store and get a copy. It's hi-larious!

Anyway, the reaction in that scene is what you'll get everytime you make Coquito, Puerto Rico's answer to the American Eggnog. Think Eggnog by the beach on a hot sunny day. That's how yummy this drink is.

I first discovered this drink about 2 years ago when The Man brought it home from a weekend with his Capoeira buddies. I had a taste and just had to make it! Alas, in my old age, I've grown to become somewhat lactose intolerant, but this drink is not as dairy intensive as its American counterpart. Warning: it's not for the faint of heart. It's very sweet, and possibly very fattening, but it's a wonderful once a year induldgence. Here's my recipe

Coquito:
1 Can Coconut Milk (I use Goya)
1 Can Coconut Cream (the sweetened kind, I use Goya)
1 small can sweetened condensed Milk
6 oz Rum (Preferably Coconut Flavored)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
makes approximately 46oz

Method:
Combine all ingredients in your blender cup and blend until smooth. Chill in the fridge for about an hour. It will thicken slightly, just mix with your whisk. It will be thick but smooth.
Enjoy!

A time to give

2009-12-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

So, it's that time of the year again.

This year I decided not to do my usual last minute mad-dash of trying to figure out what to give my kids' teachers the night before. I decided to actually be ahead of the curve this time.
Actually, this new-found preparedness began with the secret santa at work. I mindlessly filled out the form, thinking, how cool it would be to get presents from someone I didn't know. At the time, it barely occurred to me that I would have to reciprocate (insert comments about my self-absorption here...) When the lightbulb finally went off, I started to think. Since my secret santa recipient likes hot cocoa, I set out to make a gift mug filled with hot-cocoa, marshmallows and the works. What I I ended up with was even better.

I used cone bags, instead of the usual mugs, to package the mix. I really got excited when I realized that I could use my newest toy, silhouette machine, to cut the tags. I tied some ribbon around it, and finished it off with a tag and some bling! I got really into packaging the stuff, and for once I was on-time!

This makes a great gift for coworkers, teachers, mailpeople, babysitters, and anyone else you'd like to appreciate! It's also a great stocking stuffer.

Here's the recipe for the Hot Chocolate Cones. This makes about 6 cones.

Hot Cocoa Mix:

Ingredients

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended.
Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you're ready to package it. Makes about 4 cups of mix.

To package each cone:

Ingredients (For Each Cone:

1/2 cup cocoa mix
2 (6- by 12-inch) cone-shaped cellophane bags (available at party stores)
2 clear rubber bands (I used twist ties)
Scissors

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1 Peppermint Candy Canes

Instructions:

Pour the cocoa mix into one of the bags. Close the bag with a clear rubber band, then trim the end of the bag 1 inch above the band.
Place the cocoa-filled bag into the second bag and flatten its top so the end doesn't stick up.
Layer the chocolate chips and the marshmallows, then stick 1 candy cane in the center. Fasten the bag around the candy cane with one twist tie. Secure the bag with the other rubber band.

Optional:

1. Tie a piece of ribbon around the cone to cover up the twist tie.

2. Address a decorative gift tag and hang from the ribbon.

Happy Gift Giving!

And the winner is....

2009-11-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

"Angie in AZ" for her entry of "Sand and Sea".

Here is what she wrote as her entry:

"This soap sounds wonderful and is really, really beautiful. The very first thing that popped into my mind reading about it and looking at the color, patterns, and texture is "Sand and Sea". The colors are of the sand and sea. The patterns remind me of swirls of water and the top, of waves. So that's my name."

I thought her entry and her reason for it was just so awesome. It made me think, and being that I'm product-naming challenged, it was one that I wouldn't have thought of, but is oh-so-fitting.

Thank you, Angie! Step forth and claim your prize by emailing me at yetunguez@taiwobathandbody.com

Thank you to all who entered...tough decision because there were so many wonderful entries! You will get another chance to name another soap soon!

Taiwo Artisanal Soap...and a Contest!

2009-11-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

I love to make Soap. I really do. Problem is, I find it hard to limit my selection of soaps to a few constant bars. To solve this dilemma, I am introducing a line of Artisanal Soaps. 'Artisanal' is defined as: Any product made by hand, by a skilled craftsman. I make these soaps by hand, with little to no mechanization. Well, I like to think I'm a skilled craftswoman, thank you very much!

Here is my first in this line of soaps. It is made with Olive, Coconut, Soy, Cottonseed oils, and Avocado oils, along with a healthy helping of Pure unrefined Shea Butter. The lovely green swirls you see is achieved with the use of natural mineral rich Spirulina. The soap is scented a fresh uplifting Pine scent. It is a healthy hunking 5.75 oz!

Okay, here comes the hard part. What do I name this soap? Hey, This calls for a contest...

The Rules:

1. Come up with the most clever name you possibly can.
2. This contest will go be open until Friday November 13, 2009 at 5pm EST.
3. Winner will be announced on Saturday November 14th, 2009 10am
4. Enter your entry either by commenting on this blog.
5. Winner will receive One free full-size bar of this soap.

GOOD LUCK!

Taiwo Bath and Body GRAND OPENING! Take 20% off

2009-10-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

So, the long awaited grand opening of my store Taiwo Bath and Body is finally here! Make sure you take 20% off your total order with the code: 'GRANDOPENING20'

Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake

2009-10-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was listening to "All Things Considered" on NPR where they did a segment on the Office Cake lady. It was really fun to hear the lighter side of NPR, and the segment also left my mouth watering for a piece of Missy G's yummy poundcake. I immediately went to the website to get the recipe. I made the cake the next night, following the recipe to a 'T'. Absolutely de-lish!!!!

I also took pictures on my phone, which I posted to my facebook page. This of course led to lots of requests for the recipe. facebook page. You can get the recipe here. I'm not sure how long the link will be good, so I've copied and pasted the recipe here for all who have asked for it.

Let me reiterate that THIS IS NOT MY RECIPE, AND THESE ARE NOT MY PICTURES. The recipe and pictures are taken directly from the NPR website.

Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Enlarge Annabelle Breakey

You'll Need

A shallow baking pan

A potato masher

A 10-inch tube pan

For The Cake

About 4 medium sweet potatoes

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maple flavoring

1/2 cup peeled and diced Granny Smith apples

For The Topping

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3/4 cups chopped pecans

About 2 Hours Before Mixing The Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake your sweet potatoes for at least 45 minutes. Use a knife or a fork to test for doneness—the potato should be very mushy inside its shriveled skin. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour. Slit each skin lengthwise and remove, leaving the soft, orange center. Mash with a potato masher and measure out 2 cups for this recipe. Cool to room temperature before mixing the cake. If the mashed sweet potatoes are too warm, they will melt the butterfat and the batter won't get as nice and thick as it should.

To Make The Cake

2. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of your tube pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.

3. Cream the butter with a mixer on medium speed.

4. Combine the sugars in separate bowl. Gradually add to the creamed butter, 1/4 cup at a time, beating at medium to high speed after each addition.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating at medium to high speed for 1 minute after adding each one.

6. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup at a time.

7. In a separate bowl, dry whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

8. In another separate bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, and maple flavoring.

9. With the mixer still on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition. Start with a third of the flour mixture, beat, then add half of the milk mixture, beat again, and repeat until the last of the flour mixture has been added and beaten in.

10. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and then mix the batter on medium to high speed for 2 minutes.

11. Slow the mixer down to the lowest speed and add the apples, mixing until just incorporated.

12. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and use the back of a spoon to even out and smooth the batter.

To Make The Topping

13. In a separate bowl (I know — it's like the bowls have Balkanized here), combine the cold butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a wooden spoon and do not fret because the mixture is crumbly. That's just the way you want it.

14. Sprinkle the topping all over the surface of the batter.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes before testing for doneness. Then use a sharp knife to test the cake, and poke it around in a couple of places to determine whether it's finished. This cake can fool ya.

15. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, using the plate-over-pan method, unmold the cake and flip it onto a cake rack, topping side up.

What did you eat today?

2009-10-05T13:34:00.001-07:00

Beauty is more than skin deep. You will get out of your skin what you put in. No cream or salve or balm can externally change what needs to be changed internally.

I'm also guilty of eating bad sometimes, but I do try to eat well most of the time. With that in mind, here's what I had for lunch today:

Veggie Pita Sandwich:
--------------------------
1 tomato, diced
1 handful baby spinach, julienned
1 avocado, diced
1/2 mango, julienned with a slicer
3 stalks green onions, chopped thin
3 sprigs cilantro, chopped
squirt with rice wine vinegar and olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper.

Fill your pita pocket, and enjoy with a cup of hot tea, water or juice.
'Bon Appetit!'

My undying love for Menards...and other soapmaking adventures in the quest for PVC pipes.

2009-09-17T20:06:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: The following is going to read like a paid advertisment. IT'S NOT. I
just really love the place.

For you poor souls who don't know, Menard's is a ginormous regional hardware/home improvement warehouse chain in the Midwest. This store is to home improvement what Ikea is to Furniture and home accessories. I absolutely love roaming the aisles of HIWs because you never know what you're going to find. For someone as crafty and creative as me, Menards/Lowes/Home Depot are like candy stores! Menard's is HUGE! My local one is about the size of Lowes and Home Depot combined, with about twice the selection of either.

The best part though, is their outstanding customer service. During our somewhat big (for us) kitchen-bath-and everywhere else re-do this past march, I accidentally broke one of a pair of lighting fixtures in a box. They took it back, no problem. They even let me keep the unbroken (already mounted piece) with no hassle. The staff is always friendly and eager to help, and like I said earlier, I can find everything I need, and more, at a great price! It also has that old-timey country store feel to it.

Since it is a bit out of the way for me, I sometimes forget to consider this store when I need something home improvement related. Yesterday, I happened to be in the area, and thought I'd stop in. I wanted to check on their selection of PVC pipes and accessories, for some soap and other goodies I've been working on. I had the hardest time getting what I needed from Lowes, Home Depot, AND Taylor's Do It Best. Lemme tell ya, they DON'T do it best! What I needed was to have 5 feet of PVC pipe cut down to 2 inch pieces. Now, I understand that that is kind of a tall order. I could've cut them by hand with a handsaw, and that was not something I wanted to do. These warehouse stores have very powerful table saws (for cutting for customers) that would've made shortwork of the pipes, but they would not cut them for me! I guess the sales force is trained to only sell, do an occasional crooked cut, and maybe help you find stuff (which they barely do). They are not there to help you achieve your ultimate goal, which for me happened to be 18-24 pieces of 2 inch pvc soap molds!

Now, there are a couple of notable efforts worth mentioning along the way to achieving this goal. An older gentleman (about 70years old) employee at Home Depot actually propositioned me during my attempts to get these pipes cut. I wondered why he was looking at me like I was on the menu. He chatted me up for a good twenty minutes, stringing me along by asking me questions as to my purpose for needing the pipes, telling me how he liked doing things the old fashioned way, asking me whereabouts I lived. Naive little me thought that he was about to offer to use his saw to cut the pipes for me on his personal time. Even that didn't sit well with me, but I was playing along. Little did I know that rather than trying to cut some pipe, he was trying to lay some pipe! Old fool! I hastened my exit when he leaned in all conspiratorial and said to me, "I love black ladies..." I won't even mention what he said right before that! He then proceeded to ask me if I was married, to which I responded with an emphatic YES! and got the hell outta dodge. Nasty ol' man!

The second most notable effort goes to the man at the Do It Best center. I called prior to going in just to make sure they could cut the pipe for me and the lady on the phone said yes. Though I'd been told they could do it, I went in with being not very hopeful, because phone operators will often tell you what you want to hear to get you off the phone and into the store, only for you to find out that it was a big ol' lie. So I went in and I started getting somewhat more hopeful when the man in the plumbing section said, 'sure, I can cut that!'. He asked how many pieces and what size. He proceeded to go in the back and cut. Twenty minutes later he comes back with a hacked up piece of what might or might not be the PVC pipe, and declares that he just can't cut it. The fool was in the back using a hand saw to cut the pipes! Of course it wasn't coming out straight, DUH! I could've done that myself, but didn't want to! I had to give him an 'A' for effort though. He was actually going to hack off 12 pieces of PVC pipe by hand for me. How sweet.

So that's how I ended up at Menard's. The young dudes in the "Barn" (where they cut lumber) were like 'sure, we can do that!' And this time it was for real. Despite the plastic dust flying everywhere, they painstakingly measured and cut, measured and cut, until I had 18pieces of pvc, all so that I can have perfect little round pillars of soap for sale. Ah, what I do for my customers! Oh, and here's the result of all my hard work.

Brighter Minds Media and new products coming soon!

2009-09-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you with crafty kids, here's what I think is a great opportunity. The good folks over at Brighter Minds Media are putting together a book of crafts, for kids by kids. Here's a chance for your crafty kid to get their work (and name!) immortalized in a book. Shoot on over here to get details.

Well, I've been quite busy formulating some yummy new products for my Taiwo shop. I'm so excited about everything and can't wait to get it out there! In due time, in due time. I'm also excited about new things I will be putting on my JesPlayin shop, which is looking quite skimpy lately due to some spectacular customers that have come my way. Patience...I will be adding new items soon.

Thanks for stopping by, and take time to look at the flowers.

What is a Bath Bomb and how do you use it?

2009-08-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have noticed those egg-shaped colorful things called bath-bombs or bath fizzies in my shop. Some of you might now how to use it, and some might not. Here is an explanation, for those that don't know.

A bath bomb or bath fizzy is a sensual, visual and olfactory experience. To use one, simply drop into your bathtub filled with water, and watch as it releases scent and color. It's really quite fun to watch, especially for kids!

But that's not all...
My bath bombs are specially designed to help soothe skin as well as delight the senses. The special ingredient, Oat Flour provides a therapeutic benefit to skin. Oat Flour is useful in soothing dry itchy irritated skin caused by such skin conditions as Dermatitis or Psoriasis. It is also excellent for soothing sunburn. *Please note that I said SOOTHING, not CURING or HEALING* Bath bombs will not replace medical attention from your doctor.

Will you end up with a tub full of oats? No. Oat Flour bond with water to form a mucilage that helps soothe the skin. This mucilage does not leave a residue in your tub, so no worries about oatmeal in the tub!

I hope I have addressed your questions/concerns about Bath Bombs. Please feel free to post any questions you may have.

Instructable

2009-08-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Notice my embedded instructable to the right of this page. I did this over a year ago, and it has just occured to me tonight to put it up on this here blog. Check it out for yourself! I will do another one, this time as a video, so stay tuned.

New Items on Taiwosoaps Etsy and upcoming tute

2009-08-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

Just listed: some fresh new body goodies! Check them out here.
Just developing: I am working on my latest project for the EAS blog. I am so excited about this project! I am also developing an Instructable and a step-by-step tutorial for it
Second clue: Repurposing an item for everyone's favorite swedish megastore...
Stay tuned...

Vision Time!

2009-08-04T20:07:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to make a vision board for a while...even got some magazine pages ripped out. I have heard that these are quite helpful in achieving your goals. I can believe that. Anything that puts your intentions in the forefront of your mind can't be bad. I think mine will be in the form of a book though. I have so many areas of my life I want to make a focus for. When it's (finally!) done I'll post a pic, and maybe a tute.

Why don't you join me?

Don't call it a comeback!

2009-07-31T22:04:00.001-07:00

I've been here for years...

So, I am happily back to what I know, which is soaps and body products. I am busily formulating my new line to arrive soon online, at shows and home parties. Stay tuned for the grand opening announcement. Please be sure to join my mailing list on the right in order to be notified when the goodies come available.

Everyday Artists' Studio

2009-07-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

Well! It appears I have been formally introduced as a blogger for EAS. Check it out here.

Recipe Freebie - Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2009-07-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Kinda weird, I know...Weirdly Delicious! It's a good way to bury the veggies too. They won't even know there's something green in there. To veganize: just replace the eggs with egg substitute. Easy-peasy.
I figure it's time I start giving back to people who stumble onto my blog, so I plan on including some more free downloads...crafty tricks, decor ideas, projects and of course recipes. Look out world!

passing it to the next generation

2009-06-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

So, I've been on a serious sewing kick lately. No, more like I've rediscovered and deepened my love of sewing. Blame it on Heather Bailey, Amy Butler, and Anna-Maria Horner for their luscious fabrics and simply beautiful projects. They have inspired me to start sewing, and gasp! without a store pattern...
I even revived my old-new sewing machine this weekend. I had parked it away for over a year because I broke the needle clamp in a freak sewing accident. Instead of purchasing the part needed, I bought an old 'Husky' from my favorite thrift store for a whopping $8 and used that for a little while. My old-old Husky, while a great machine, is rather noisy. It's hard to sew at night with a noisy machine, so I decided to fork over the $30 for the part I needed for my old-new Brother. And boy, am I glad I did! I've been in sewing heaven for the past 24 hours. I'm discovering the joys of scalloped stitches, drop-in bobbins and automatic button-holers! I never knew such bliss was to be had!
This means I now have 2 perfectly functioning machines. Everyone should be so blessed. I decided to gift the Husky to my 8 year old daughter who has been begging for one. Most 8 year olds get a toy sewing machine, but she gets a REAL one! Boy I tell ya, she is her mother's daughter! She is begging to learn knitting, crochet and sewing. I encourage whatever she is into because the girl has talent, if I do say so myself, and I do!

Sew Simple, Sew Cute

2009-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

So I've been making some little girl dresses. The idea just kind of popped out of nowhere. I forgot how much I love sewing, especially without a pattern. There's just someting so freeing about making something freestyle. I've made a few pillowcase dresses, which I then adorned with my own printed patterns. Once I get a picture of one of these printed ones I will post the pic. In the meantime, here's my lovely supermodelquin (She's not really a modelquin, I just love that and wanted to say it) sporting one of the un-printed ones.

Furniture on Etsy - ReStyled Pedestal Side Table by JesPlayin

2009-06-04T06:53:00.001-07:00

Gorgous and Very stylish!

A good before shot would have been nice...

2009-05-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have seriously got to start taking before shots. Here is my latest project, coming soon to my etsy store. This little gem was really banged up, but I've brought it back to life.

Here is a before: okay, but a little banged up.

After: Nice, huh?

My Mother's Day Tea Party.

2009-05-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by an old friend of mine to host a Tea Party for my friends this year for mother's day. Well, it was also inspired by the holiday tea my friends and I visited back in December at a Bed and Breakfast. It was so fun to get dressed and sit down to some finger sandwiches and sweets and actually get served. As Mothers, we rarely get a chance to sit down and get served! We're usually doing the serving and just eat on the run, or eat our kids' leftovers.

Anywhoo...this year for Mom's Day, I decided to host my friends. I even sent out 'save the dates' followed by invites. It wasn't a formal affair, but I did it up nice. I collected some nice dishes, cups etc to round out my little china collection. My daughter enjoyed making the tissue flower centerpiece. The plan was to make Heather's flower pinwheels but make them into corsages, but I just ran out of time...and I was exhausted! Check out the menu below.
Most of my guests canceled on the day of, but oh well. A good time was had by those who did show up.

THE MENU:

Salad: Spinach & Mango Salad
Soup: Vegetable Soup
Hot Tea: Pure Chamomile
Iced Tea: Goji Berry Pomegranate
Water: Distilled flavored with Cucumber Slices
Sweets: Cranberry Orange Scones
Cinnamon Scones
Cookies with Almonds and Strawberry Preserves
Savories: Open-faced Cucumber Sandwiches
Turkey/Cream Cheese Rollups
Mini Quiches
Cheese & Turkey Bacon Croissants

Happy Monday!

2009-05-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

My favorite Treasure Hunt

2009-04-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

Take a good look at the picture below:

Looks like a big ol' pile of junk, doesn't it? To the untrained eyes, it probably is. To those who know, it is a pile of rocks with diamonds hidden underneath. This is the Outlet. I love this place so much and was going so often that I had to declare a moratorium for myself. I have put my limit to once a week. I'm guessing that it's the last stop for 'stuff' before the landfill, but I could be wrong. Stuff is cheaper there than the regular Thrift Store, especially since the cashiers kind of have the final say on price (this could be good or bad).

Of course it's not for everyone. You have to love a good treasure hunt, and not be afraid to dig into possible broken glass or dirty things (that's why it's good to bring your gloves!).
I absolutely love this place. It's a rummager's dream, and I loves me some rummage! I'm so spoiled that I don't even go into the regular thrift stores anymore, unless for clothes...it's not a really good place for clothes, I must say.

I usually need a good hour or so. In the back there's furniture, frames, lamps, bikes, sewing machines, stereos, etc. In the main area there are at least 10 rows of about 10 bins each. The last row has just shoes. I don't generally venture there either. My favorite part though is the main area with all the bins. I start on one end and work toward the other. I know I'm going to find some great stuff if I suddenly feel the urge to go. I guess that's because when you're jonesing, you look more carefully. When I go 'just because', I don't do as well.

Watch out for bin-change! Bin change is when they rotate the bins out and bring in a fresh pile of 'junk'. People act like savages because they want to have first dibs at looking at the bins. Once they see the workers start moving the bins, they start lining up in anticipation. Once the new bins are in, watch out! Stuff goes flying at an alarming rate. I usually stay away from this scene and wait till the herd has thinned. I don't mind not having first dibs because people are looking for different things anyway.

No matter what nice stuff I get, I do sometimes get 'cart envy' while waiting to check out. There's just so much stuff, you will miss something, or someone will beat you to it. For instance, the last time I was there, this lady ahead of me in line had a collection gorgeous dishes! I was so jealous!

The pickins have been so good that I'm considering reselling some vintage items, as is or tricked up my way. I don't know about that though...I'd be tempted to keep everything for myself.

Anywhoo...I'm sure you'd like to know what kind of 'stuff' I've gotten from there. First of all, I usually set my budget at no more than $10 for the whole trip (unless of course, I'm getting furniture.) This tells you how cheap stuff is. I've gotten decorative items, as well as functional ones. Here are just a few things that I've gotten from there:

1. I broke the glass cup to my blender. I found 2 identical replacements (on 2 different trips). I paid $0.75 each. Now I don't have to toss the motor and buy a new one.

2. A collection of milk glass and hobnail glass dishes and lamps. $0.39 each.

3. A brand new bathtub corner organizer thingy unopened with all it's parts intact: $2.

4. A brand new 3-bin laundry sorter, unopened with all the parts intact: $3

5. 4 Gorgeous red dining chairs: $8 each.

6. Gorgous side table: $4

7. A pair of funky chairs that I tricked up below: $5 each.

8. An assortment of dishes (brand new): $0.39 - $$0.69 each.

9. A nice bike for my husband: $15

10. All the metal tins I'm using to store my craft supplies (which I will blog about someday soon, hopefully)

These are just a few of the things I've picked up from there. I'm so excited, I get to treat myself and head out there tommorrow! I wonder what treasures await me.

My evolving design aesthetic

2009-04-24T05:05:00.001-07:00

For as long as I can remember I have been a slave to contemporary design...you know, clean lines, brand new everything, trendy color combinations etc. I must admit I do still love the trendy colors like pink + brown, blue + brown, etc. I think I mostly loved contemporary because it was everywhere. HGTV certainly seems devoted to it, and you know I love me so HGTV.

I am however starting to see my design aesthetic shift towards the love of vintage/vintage inspired/vintage made modern. It must have started with the pair of funky chairs I previously posted. Maybe it's because of my old home. It certainly got cemented with Domino Magazine and their "Domino: The Book of Decorating". (That book has SO helped me with setting up my living room! I absolutely love this book and it will be added to my bible collection, just as soon as I can get it for a good price.) Suddenly I not only appreciate, but love the beauty in old things, the mundane everyday items that have been cast off, etc etc.

I wouldn't say I'm completely into vintage, because I wouldn't want my house to look like the 50's threw up in it. I do love pairing modern with the old. I especially love taking something old and making it new again, as I did with said chairs. Lately I've been collecting those candy and cookie tins. I just love them! I couldn't figure out what to do with them at first, then it hit me that they would make great storage items for my craft supplies. That is a blog for another day when the reorg is done and I have pictures...stay tuned.

I think though the reason that I've fallen in love with vintage decor is because it requires imagination. It is also very warm and to me, conducive to my bustling lifestyle, whereas modern/contemporary design is more rigid and austere. All in all, I realize I don't have to stick to one style, as long as I combine different styles without looking 'all over the place.'

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth day 2009, I thought I'd finally make the effort to blog about and post pics of some projects I've done in which I've used upcycled materials. Okay, granted everything I do involves some sort of reusing or recycling. This is because:

1. I love the thrill and challenge of finding a new use for something other than it's original purpose. I think it's so boring to use something exactly for what it was intended for, so I always find a new life for something, after the original owner decides that its life is over. Even if when I'm using something for its intended purpose, I still love creative reuse. I was never into shopping the malls and department stores, just for this reason.

2. It is a bargain to do it this way. Let's face it, I L-O-V-E a bargain. I have come to the realization that even if I were to someday strike it rich, would still bargain hunt. It is my hobby, my raison d'etre, if you will. I especially love thrift store shopping. For me it is a high unlike anything else...uncovering that diamond in the rough, that needle in the haystack of discards. More about my favorite haunts, in a minute.

Anywhoo... Here is how I built myself a very nice pantry. My very old home came with a pantry that had seen better days. The floor leaned a little, the walls were horrendous, and the shelves were a disgrace. I wish I had a before pic of the pantry as it was (I took some, but they must've gotten deleted.) It took us months to get the pantry together.

We had to re-drywall and paint...then came the question of shelving. The previous shelves were in pretty bad shape, so reusing them was out of the question. I had originally thought I'd buy some cheap IKEA bookshelves (Flarke, anyone?) and use those, but an even better (and cheaper) alternative fell in my lap. See, this is where it pays to troll Craigslist for bargains. I saw a post for shelves for $2 a piece (???!!!) and immediately jumped on it. The seller was a bookstore owner who was clearing out their warehouse to cut costs. These shelves were over 20 years old and made of plywood. They were bookshelves, but they were built shelf by shelf, meaning that each shelf was a box, and stacked on top of each other. They were about a foot deep, a foot tall and 4 ft wide. I spent a total of $18 for 24 shelves (long story). 2 coats of primer, 1 coat of paint, some moulding to pretty up the edges and sides, and here's what I got in return:

Shelves: Before (this is how they looked at the warehouse, dingy, dusty and full of splinters)

Shelves After:

Total Cost:
Shelves: $18
Paint/Primer: $35 (1 Gal each)
Moulding: $30 (Moulding is expensive, yikes!)
Total: $83
Having the pantry of your dreams: Priceless

I also tricked out my pantry with some thrift store baskets (about .75cents - $1.00 a piece) to store produce. Here are more pics:

Baskets to hold the produce (courtesy of my favorite thrift store) :

My old wire rack to hold my large collection of spices (rolls from side to side for access to the shelves it covers) :

Envy and the Envy Killer

2009-04-21T20:44:00.001-07:00

Envy is a very ugly emotion. For me it's an emotional equivalent of that feeling when you bump your head against something and feel your brain rattle a little bit, and you get that smell in your nose (kind of a hard smell to describe). It's that feeling like I'm never going to be good enough or I'm not going to ever get there, and here I am, doing the exact same thing this person's doing, but I get no recognition for it. Or that this person(s) has it all figured out, and damn, why didn't I think of that!!!

It's really so silly.

I'm working on my envy issues. I only get envious whenever someone gets attention/success due to something that I do well or thought about doing myself. It always looks so easy when I hear these stories, but I know that it really isn't. I also know, that they only attained that attention or success as a result of them doing the one thing that I won't do: Stick with something.

Earlier today my good friend V called to tell me that the $5 dinners lady was on Rachel Ray. I was like 'oh, ok.' Then tonight I'm watching the local news, and they were also talking about it. For those who don't know who she is, she's this local lady who gained fame and fortune for being able to feed her whole family for $5 a dinner. She made a youtube video, and won a $6k gift card from Walmart. She also has a site that shows you how to do this.

The reason for the envy? My friend V. had told me to do just what she did with having the site, because I too, am a maven at feeding my family (very well) on a budget. I didn't really pursue the idea because it wasn't one I was passionate about. I realized though, that I didn't envy her because she was doing something I wanted to do, really. It was really more an envy of knowing what you love, are good at, and having the courage to pursue making somewhat of a living at it. I have a lot of things I'm good at and love doing, but I don't think I've found the one that I want to pursue as a career/business idea. Maybe I'm not meant to make a career/business of any of my current skill-set. I don't know.

Tonight I found my envy-killer. I came to the realization that it's just not my turn yet. I'm not where I need to be to make it happen. I haven't found my 'one thing' that I am good enough at, and passionate enough about to overcome the fear of doing. That day will come and it will happen organically.

Until then, I'm will quietly content myself with doing the things I currently love.

Unanswered Prayers, what ifs, what nots, shoulda-coulda-wouldas...

2009-04-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

I, for some reason, have had that Garth Brooks song "unanswered prayers" in my head today. I think it all started while listening to "This American Life" yesterday. That episode was about 'what I used to believe,' and there was a segment in which, two people, a man and a woman meet by sheer coincidence. The man is a christian minister, and the woman an almost-agnostic. They end up discussing whether God exists, and of course the minister spends the better part of the conversation trying to convince the lady. She asks him why is it that God answers some prayers and not others, and the minister explains that sometimes God saves you from what you think you want by not answering what you've prayed so earnestly for.

I'm not at all religious (despite being raised in the christian tradition). I believe this, however, that everything you pray for is not necessarily what is good for you, and that yes, you should thank God (or the creator, or whatever entity you believe in) for unanswered prayers.

'Remember when you're talking to the man upstairs,
that just because he may not answer,
doesn't mean he don't care.
Some of God's greatest gifts
Are unanswered prayers.'

I remember all the times I prayed hard for something, but I couldn't really tell you now, any one specific thing that I had wanted so badly at the time. Somehow everything just works out the way it should.

I do also believe that we are also blessed with free will, but I think it all just works together. One of my favorite movies is "Sliding Doors" with Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie depicts two alternate realities and the possibilities those realities hold. I love that movie so much (though the details escape me right now) because it deals with wondering what if.

I think the reason I love it so much is because I am always looking for the perfect scenerio, perfect solution, perfect everything. What I've learned though, is that there is no 'perfect.' There just IS. It's our interpretation of the IS that makes it perfect, or not. You make the decision, do what you feel is best, and the result is what you get...no more, no less, no perfect, no imperfect. No one can really say with any certainty that their result is perfect, or that it isn't and that there is a more perfect result out there.

So, I'm grateful for answered and unanswered prayers, free will and destiny, and perfect imperfection.

So many projects

2009-04-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

I freely admit I'm the worst at taking pictures and documenting my projects. That being said, I have been doing so many projects that I haven't had time (or maybe the desire?) to blog them. When I get into a project, I'm full speed-ahead, then realize I haven't taken pics. I do actually have some pics of works in progress, so here goes: Chairs rescued and brought back to life:

Before:

During:

After:

This chair is not complete yet though. I still need to add the cord to hide the uglies, and possibly paint the frame. I can't decide what color...black or white is predictable, and the room will be orange, so now what? I actually like the bronze on the top part of the chair so maybe that.

Introducing Craftivity!

2009-02-14T20:18:00.000-08:00

So, I'm finally realing a long-time goal of mine, which is to teach school age children functional crafting. I have wanted to do this since first starting to make soap, but at the time I limited the scope to just body products. I agonized over how to do it, and went through different transformations before finally arriving at Craftivity. I will now be teaching children how to make things for their own use. I'm very excited about it, and I hope that the class gets a good response at my daughter's school where I am testing out the concept. I know we are in tough economic times, but I can't think of a better time to start teaching our kids how to be more self-sufficient.
While looking for more ways to beef up the class offerings, I ran across this RePlayground. They are a company that makes gifts out of recycled materials. I've had this idea before, but never this wonderful! They take it to a whole other level! I absolutely love their creations, and I now have permission to use their ideas in my classes. Hooray Recycling! Viva Craftivity!

Craft Stores are the D*mn Devil!

2009-02-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

So tonight I headed out to Joann's. I had scoped it out earlier in the week and they had some pretty good sales going on. Of course I was lost in there for about an hour...so many beautiful things to see, so many cute ideas!!! There's definitely a craft renaissance going on, as evidenced by the abundance of supplies out there. I remember when craft stores were grandma's playground. Now there are soooo many hip funky, fresh and simply fabulous fabrics out there! I'm even considering taking up quilts...like I need another craft to add to my repertoire. Oh...my hands get so jealous of what my mind can create!

Speaking of people living the dream, there are some designers I've been stalking. They are absolutely living my dream! I just love their work! I love Lotta Jansdotter for the simplicity of her designs. I love her for the same reason I love Ikea. It's that whole clean simple and well designed Scandinavian aesthetic. She makes me want to learn every kind of printing by hand that there is!

Then there's midwestern sweetheart Amy Butler. I don't know exactly when I took notice of her brand, but it's been on my radar ever since. Everything is just so fresh and wholesome and beautiful! I actually contacted her once, since she lives in my state, but that went nowhere.
Another designer I recently discovered is Heather Bailey. Her work is startlingly similar to Amy Butler, but there is a suble difference. Plus she gets mad props for those Trash Ties...man! I wish I'd come up with that!

I love these 3 designers for many reasons. I guess what I love the most is that they make a great living doing what they love. They also show the rest of us that being crafty is not silly or unimportant.

"Don't mistake the detours for shortcuts..."

2009-02-12T20:13:00.001-08:00

So says the lyrics of a song I like. Truer words were never spoken. Sometimes it's easy to do just this. I did just that tonight. Okay, so it wasn't brain surgery, nor did it have life-altering consequences, thank goodness.

I set out to make a yummy looking recipe for truffles. These were to go to my kids' teachers for Valentines day. I got kinda lazy at the last minute and decided to go with chocolate covered pretzels. I'd been craving some since I had some at a work carry-in.

For starters I broke the #1 rule of chocolate melting, which is, do not melt over direct heat. I made another mistake in following the package directions, which said to melt either in microwave or in a pot on the stove. Well! I did just this and the 'chocolate' seized up like petrified wood!

In the end I have not truffles, no chocolate covered pretzels, and no valentines day presents for the teachers. I should've just gone with the truffles.

Don't mistake he detours for shortcuts.

Slowly Coming Out from Under My Rock

2009-01-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a long 3 months it's been! I know it's been quite a while since I've blogged, so I am blogging now. This is my last week at my seasonal job, and even though I'll miss the money, I am happy that it's about to be over. It's definitely not fun working full time nights.

Anywhoo, March 1st is almost upon us again, and that means it's almost time for baby girl's 8th birthday! This year I've decided to do it right and actually plan ahead. I have exactly 4 weeks to the event. Furthermore, I've decided no more sex-segregated parties. This came about not because of some lofty ideals I had, but because I found myself short-changing the boys. I would end up doing a total girly-girl party for the princess, then do a half-job with the boys party. Also, because we didn't know a lot of little boys, I would end up forcing my son into a mixed party. The biggest reason is because I hated telling my boys they can't come to their sister's party.

As I sit here writing this, I'm feeling more strongly about it. I'm feeling that we shouldn't force these stereotypes on our children at such a young age. Of course all this stuff has commercial underpinnings. I remember when we I was young and there was no 'spa party for girls only'. Now everything has to have a theme. Well, I'm taking it back to the old school where we will play games, maybe do some crafts (unisex of course) and have a great time, with boys AND girls in attendance. Now I just have to figure out how to pull this off. I will definitely post the party plans ones it's cemented.

I've also resolved to do better with my overall craftiness/gift giving. It seems like for the most part I only relate my creativity to making money with it. The flip side to that way of thinking is that I end up getting frustrated and not enjoying the doing and everything turns into work because I only look at it as something to sell. Meanwhile I have all these friends birthdays, and baby births that come and go where I've either gotten them nothing or bought something at the last minute. I resolve to do more loving creativity. I am going to put my love into my crafts and give more to people who matter to me. For instance, I have a niece who will be born any day soon. I am going to make her these absolutely adorable baby booties, amongst other things.
My bestest friend ever, in Virginia is getting ready to have another little girl too, so that's 2 booties to make. I have a cousin about to turn 8 also, so I have to find something for her as well...you get the point.

It's good to be back.

Couch part 1

2008-11-12T05:32:00.000-08:00

I am finally covering up our couches. I don't have pictures yet, but I will soon. A couch is way more difficult to reupholster than a chair (of course). The demolotion is the part I hate...the part that makes me want to forget the whole thing! I am just trying to take it step by step so I don't do a mediocre job...the temptation is great because I need my couch back, but I'm just trying to remember not to rush through it. I will post a picture of how it looks at this stage.

The couch in question is a Martha Stewart Everyday couch we bought from K-Mart almost 3 years ago while still living in Virginia. I thought they were soooo cute, and since it was on clearance for $75 each, I bought two. I quickly assembled them, Ikea-style, and was impressed with how sleek and contemporary they looked. A couple of months later I found out why they were on clearance. While the frame itself is okay (you have to tighten the screws every so often), the upholstery fabric didn't fare so well. It was a dark color, which I thought would hide stains farely well, but no, it shows stains quite visibly. The worst part is, it's a very cheap polyester fabric that didn't stand up to just plain sitting, much less kids jumping and climbing on it. Within a couple of months, the fabric started to shred at the seams, so you could see foam underneath, and the surface started to pill a little.

We bought a couch and loveseat set from CL as a replacement, but those started to get dirty shortly thereafter (they were a cream color, and I should've known better, but I was in love). When we relocated to Ohio a few months later, we left them in VA, a decision I still regret to this day. Now I'm faced with either recovering our MSE couches, or buying a new set. Option 2 is not really an option, so here I am, recovering. Thank God for 50% off fabric sale at Hancock!

Si Se Puede....

2008-11-05T23:28:00.001-08:00

...AND YES WE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Creative A.D.D ...More craft ideas, I say!

2008-11-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

I suffer from sever Creative A.D.D. Here are my symptoms:

1. Whenever I see something really really cute, I say 'I could've made that!'. Yeah, but I didn't, and that bothers me. A lot.

2. I am obsessed with making things. I have enough projects lined up for eternity, yet I continue to add more, or seek out new things to make.

3. I practically live in the craft section of bookstores and libraries. I just can't get enough ideas. More craft ideas, I say!

4. I find a new favorite medium almost monthly. I will full-on throw myself into a new craft for a few weeks, then begin to grow bored and find another. I will rediscover an old favorite craft and then become once more enamored, only to grow bored again. This happens with almost all crafts, except for Knitting/Crochet...it's just too much work, lol.

5. I own supplies for almost any craft you can imagine. Need a brad awl? I got one! Need some embroidery hoops? I got those too! How about some Gocco ink? Yup, got some!

6. I spend more time discovering new crafts than I do producing something. I just discovered that I hate boring old production work. Who wants to make the same thing over and over again? On to the next item!

I could go on and on, but I think I've hit the major symptoms. Now I want to hear from you readers out there. I need your responses. Do you experience this? How do you cope? How do you stay focused? How do you stay on task and do what needs to be done without being all over the place?
Thanks for your responses/Suggestions.

I'm (sort of) published!

2008-10-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, It is such an amazing feeling to see my work immortalized in "Altered Paper Jewelry" by Jenn Mason. She had approached me through Etsy back in January (I think) about with submitting a piece for her book. Even though I took all the necessary steps, I didn't know if my piece would actually make it into the book. Even when she emailed me about 2 weeks ago about sending a copy of the book, I still didn't really believe that my bracelet would be in the book, and I didn't want to ask if it was. Well, imagine my surprise and delight when I went to the BN today and saw her book on the shelves. I decided to check for my piece, and sure enough, it was in there, with my mini bio and everything! I feel so special! If this isn't validation, I don't know what is.
Go out and get the book, and look on page 109 for my bracelet, and be sure to check the bios!

Polka dotted Pendant Light Project

2008-10-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: The following post was composed after I got off my new full-time job that ends at midnight, so some of what I've typed is probably a little non-sensical. I apologize. I'm just trying to keep up with my posting responsibilities. I hope you get something out of this.

Here's a simple little light project I just did for my dining area. First the before picture below, then the step-by-step follows. Notice the exceptional hideousness of what was there before. I hated this fake candle chandelier thingy from the moment I saw it, but I had to live with it for a while before being able to change it.

Before: Sinfully Ugly Chandelier

And here's what I did to rectify the ugliness. Also notice in the final picture that the walls have been painted, and I've put up some art. Maybe one day I can overcome my perfectionism enough to show a good picture of the whole room, instead of just parts of it. Also let me apologize in advance for my poor camera skills. I try, but I can't always get the PERFECT shot.
Anywhoo....

I picked up this brand new target lampshade from my favorite goodwill for 79 cents. I loved the rectangular shape, but it was a little boring, being just plain white and all. I wanted to add a little something to it, but without affect its ability to diffuse light while brightening the room a bit. The solution: Polka dots of course!

Step one: cut up a bunch of circles of various sizes. You can use any kind of paper you like, even colored and patterned, but I used white. Cutting the shapes is made easier with the use of hole punchers. I have about 4 of them, in various sizes. I used a lot less circles than I thought I would, so don't punch too much, unless you want a lot, of course.
Step 2: I then decoupaged (Mod Podge) the circles onto the inside of the shades in a random fashion. Again, placement is up to you. It is easier to let the glue dry to the shade just a little bit before going back over the circle with the glue. Tweezers also help in holding and positioning the circles.

Step 3: I then hardwired the shade with my light fixture to the ceiling. The hardwiring portion of this tute is for another day... let's just say that I cannibalized an Ikea ceiling fixture...

Ta-Da! The AFTER: Hideous light fixture is gone!

This same trick can be used on a regular table or floor lamp, so feel free to get creative with your design!

Well folks, the hour is late, and I am tired, so off to bed I go!

Happy Bday to him

2008-10-12T20:48:00.001-07:00

Check out the invites I did for my son's 5th birthday party. I am so proud of how his party turned out! I was totally going to do what I always do, which is to schlep something together at the last minute, but thank goodness I went all out. This is a milestone birthday (5), and also, since he's a middler, I wanted him to feel special.
How to do a Character Birthday on a budget:
1. Since he loves Ben10 so much, I did his party with the Ben10 colors of black, white and lime green. I didn't have any actual Ben10 merchandise (damn, they're pricey!) so I did just the colors. I had black, gray and green balloons blown up and taped to the rafters, and taped white, black and green streamers around the ceilings. In addition, I was able to get black plates and white forks, as well as green plastic table cloth. I also made a birthday banner that coordinated with the invites I made.
2. I decorated his cake like an Omnitrix. The cake was almost a disaster because who knew that too much food coloring makes your icing bitter???? Thank goodness no one noticed. I used 2 Box cake mixes for the cake. I was a little scared to frost the cake, but here's a neat trick a cake lady taught me: Freeze the cake overnight. It's easier to frost that way. Okay, my cake wasn't perfect. I think rolled fondant would've been better, but you get the idea. See below.
3. Play theme music from the cartoon (show, character, whatever). I was able to find the theme music online. We really just listened to the music, but another idea would be to do musical chairs to the song(s).
4. Crafts/Activities. I rolled out and taped some paper onto my walls and placed some crayons around for the children to do wall art.
5. Another Craft/Activity we did was to make picture frames out of colorful craft foam sheets. I cut out the middle of half the pack and left the other half as backing. I then had them decorate the 'frames' with precut foam shapes. I went around taking pictures of each child, printed them out at the party, and had them place the pictures into their 'frames', which we stapled together. This doubled as their 'take home'. Grand price: $2 for the 20 frames (thanks dollar tree!)

I spent about $15 on food and about $20 on decorations and plates, etc. for about 10 children. A great time was had by all!

Latest Obsession...Part I

2008-10-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Those that know me know that I'm always off on some new adventure, learning something new to do (as if I didn't have enough on my plate)
I've been obsessed lately with printing by hand, in its many different forms. Screenprinting is holding my attention the most. I started out with stamping, or painting with a stencil, but I find those to be not quite the way to go for me. When I do something, I want it to look as close to "machine made" as possible. Okay, I know that sounds really ridiculous coming from a handcrafter. Let me explain. What I mean is, I want it to look as...oh hell...PERFECT as possible. I want to handmake it without it looking hokey. I want it to look like it came from a store, because ultimately I want it in a store. Okay, as I type this, I think I've stumbled upon my problem. I think deep down I still don't believe that handmade could be as beautiful as not-handmade. Okay, excuse me while I dodge the cyber-tomatoes that are sure to be heading in my direction.

No, I don't really believe that handmade is not as good. I think it's better. I just want handmade to be able to compete with not-handmade. If I make it for sale or personal use, I don't want it to look like I was just messing around and not taking it seriously...is all I'm sayin'.

Okay, once again, I've taken a major sidebar.

Like I was saying before, I've gotten really into printing by hand. While searching for books on the subject, I came on Lena Corwin's brand new book "Printing by Hand". Finally! Someone's written on the subject in a way that I want to learn about it...with great detail. I had previously bought Lotta Jansdotter's book "Lotta Prints :How to Print with anything, from potatoes to linoleum Now, I love Lotta...love, love, love Lotta! For someone who's so obsessed with perfection that she sometimes can't proceed unless the stars are perfectly aligned, her work is a welcome relief. She has made me feel okay about my crooked line drawings, or not being a great drawer. Her drawings are whimsical, and almost childlike. I love the simplicity of her work.But I gotta tell ya, the book was a lot lacking. It was great as a pictorial, but she really didn't go into detail about the processes. She didn't specify what type of inks to use, or any of that. The book is good for someone new to crafting, but not for a seasoned crafter who's looking for more detail. I bought the book just because I love her work so much. I didn't preview it first...I actually pre-ordered it before it came out.
But back to Lena Corwins book. I have taken quite a few trips to B&N to look thru her book and I find that it addresses most of my questions about printing. The only way it could be better is if she actually tells me the brand of inks and paints she herself uses. But I know that's not gonna happen... I will be adding this one to my collection, but until then, I have a few more trips to B&N.
Next post will be about my plans for this medium. Stay tuned.

Ikea lamp redux

2008-09-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

This is so simple I'm almost embarrassed to post it as a bona-fide project. During one of my many trips to Ikea, I spotted this lamp/nightlight that I thought would be perfect for the boy's room. At $4.99 each, the price was certainly right! Only problem is, the picture was not to my taste. Upon closer inspection, I saw where I could very easily take the lamp apart and replace the paper. And that's what I did. My older son loooooves Ben10, and I was able to quickly find a very good high-res pic on the 'net. A quick crop in photoshop and it was good to go. The lamp I used was Tassa Natt, and can be found here

before:after:

More Chairs

2008-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the other two chairs I've done. Can you guess which went into the boys' room, and which went to the girl?
I lucked out and found the same chair on two different occasions! The chairs looked like someone soaked their hands in a combination of mud, grease and grime for weeks, then smeared every inch of the chairs with it! I thought about taking the metal frames to get sandblasted and refinished at an auto painting place but didn't. Because 1) the places I called thought I was crazy (this is ohio, not san francisco, after all..) and 2) really, who am I kidding? I read a very effective tip on bringing your chrome back to life. Simply scrub the chrome with aluminum foil. What was even better? add some baking soda pasted with water. It was amazingly easy and effective in cleaning/shining the chrome. Check the before and after... (A lot of times you'll see my 'before' objects positioned rather strangely. That's because I ALWAYS forget to take the before picture before starting the demo.)

Before

After #1

After #2

Chairs...

2008-09-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Before

After

I've been obsessed with recovering old chairs lately. Maybe it's because I've been 'finding' so many! I just love making something old and cast aside, new again. I've done about 3 chairs so far, with 2 chairs and 2 couches left to re-upholster. I don't know when I'll get to those, as fabric (at least what I want) is un-cheap! I love the funky, mod fabrics out , but at $18-$60 per yard, that could add up.
The chair in this picture is my craft room chair. It was actually an rolling office chair in its old life. I loved the chair instantly from the side of the road. I cleaned it up nicely, but kept the original upholstery for a few months. I wasn't sure I could recover it, since I couldn't find any screws. I eventually found the screws and proceeded to take it apart. For a second during the demo I considered pitching the whole project because it had sooooooo many staples! Plus, it was really built to last, and I wasn't sure I could do as good a job putting it back together. I'm so glad I kept it and continued to work on it because it turned out so nice! It took me 3 nights to demo and rebuild. I still didn't tighten up the redo as much as the original, but I think it's great. I'm working on my perfectionist tendencies...
The sweetest part of the whole deal? The fabric only cost me $0.88 for all 3 yards (I only used about 1.5 yards). The Wal-Mart I got it from was closing out their fabric section so I was able to pull off a major score.
I have two more chairs that I've done that I will post soon.

Hiking with a purse...only my daughter.

2008-09-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

So, we commemorated Labor day by hiking at Charleston Falls Nature Preserve. We went early in the morning before it got hot, and a great time was had by all. Though, the brochure l-i-e-d! It is decidedly NOT the Niagara Falls of the midwest, lol The Thorny Badlands were also neither thorny, nor bad. All in all, a great time was had by all.
I'm the one in the corner right with my braids hanging out, and my girlfriend V is the one with the Dora backpack (mommies unite!)
Here's is my lovely Princess Snaggletooth, hiking with her pink sparkly princess purse. Only her, I tell ya!

Oh my Wordle!

2008-09-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

Get your own: http://worldle.net

Slowly getting back into the swing...

2008-09-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, for the extended absence. I've been busy ripping up carpet and tacks, taking down wallpaper, painting walls, and moving...all with 3 children in tow. No, I didn't do it all myself, but I did a lot of work, as the hubster had to work during the day. But kudos to him though, he'd work daytime and go right into the house-work at night.

We had to do the most important things first, of course, and had to move in lightning fast. You see, we underestimated how much work we had to do, and set up to have our utilities turned off at the old place just one (very) short week after closing. I really wanted to at least get the painting done and the carpet up before moving in. I will live with ugly floors before I'll live with pissy carpets. (Previous owners had pets) The boys' room was a labor of love for me. I practically did the room myself. I ripped down all 4 layers of wallpaper (thankfully the first 3 came off easily, the 4th with vinegar and water), had to TSP-wash down the walls to remove the glue, primed, painted (2nd coat) and removed carpet tacks and staples...I harp on the tacks because, man, those things are a pain to remove! Hubby missed out on the distinct pleasure of wallpaper removal. Thanks to my hard work, the walls look awesome! Now the floors are another story. The hardwoods will have to be refinished at a later date.

I won't bore you to much more with the gory details. We got 'er done and are now settling in. There are still soooo many projects to be done (removing awnings, anyone?), but we can take our time with the rest of the projects.

Now I'm slowly getting back into posting and creating for my etsy shop. Please stay tuned for new and exciting products coming soon!
In the meantime, I'm getting ready to start making my own laundry detergent. Here's a great recipe I found on Woman's Day's website. I'm excited and can't wait to try this and see how well it works. My detergent buying days are about to be over if it washes as clean as they say it does. Now you might wonder why I'd make detergent when I could easily buy it. Here are my reasons:
1. I want something simpler and more natural. My son suffers from seasonal allergies. I, as well as all 3 of my kids suffer with hives. I want to eliminate as much chemicals from our lives as possible.
2. Detergent is expensive! This recipe will end up costing pennies per load.
3. I love the self-sufficiency aspect of it. Plus, I can customize with essential oils/fragrances that
I love.
4. It's fun! Yet another thing I can make!
I will make it this weekend, try it out and report back on my findings.

With no further ado, here's the recipe, courtesy of Mary Hunt of soapsgonebuy.com and woman's day.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:
3 pints water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated
1/2 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda, please!)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
2-gallon bucket to mix it in
Additional hot water

Directions:
Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in washing soda and borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to a two-gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket to about 3 inches from the top with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Note: This detergent will not make suds, which makes it perfect for front-loading HE washers.

I feel so special...

2008-08-13T06:24:00.000-07:00

At the risk of coming off self-congratulatory, I made another treasury! And this one made front page yesterday! I totally missed my 15 seconds of fame though, due to the ongoing house project. I have not been in front of the computer as much. Making front page was one of my goals, and, wow, I made it! I wasn't even aware I was in this treasury because the curator didn't notify me (It's nice if they do, but they don't have to.)
Thanks to thepairabirds for her lovely treasury, and for including my votive shades once again. I can't wait to get back into creating more items for my JesPlayin shop.

Put some panties on dem windows...

2008-08-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

In working on This Old House, I came to the realization of why it's so dark inside. Metal Awnings. On every window. The awnings are leaving the scene as we speak, courtesy of the hubster.
In addition to the awnings, there are light-blocking curtains on every window as well. I somewhat understand this as there are many large windows in the house. I on the other hand, love light. Lots of it, but I also understand the need for privacy. On an episode of some random HGTV show (I watch so many, they start to all blend together in my mind), I saw where they used something called 'Privacy film' to keep outsiders from peeking in. I thought this was genius, so I went and priced it. I can't remember how much you get per package, but I know it came to something like $30. This could add up! I had started trying to figure out how else to cover the windows but still have light. It suddenly hit me. Clear contact paper!!!
I remembered that I had some so I quickly gave it a try, and sure enough, it works! It's a very light adhesive film, so it doesn't leave tacky goo on your windows. I'm almost willing to bet that it's the same material marketed as 'privacy film'. Pffftt. At $3-5 a roll for a lot (I don't remember how much, but I know it was more than the 'privacy film' package) It is a substantial savings. I'm looking forward to doing this!
Oh, it's also useful for other projects such as wall art. Check out this instructable (not mine).

Another Treasury, Yay!

2008-08-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tennekka of MODNAROS for featuring my votive shades in her lovely treasury. I've included the screen capture for your viewing pleasure. This is my third treasury, (each time with this votive shades). It never occurred to me to save the first two via screen capture until I saw someone do it for their flickr. Now I wish I had memorialized the treasury in a picture. Oh well, there's always next time (I believe)
One day I hope to get around to doing one too...there are some really amazing creations on etsy.

This old house

2008-08-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

So we've gone and done it, bought ourselves an old house. The sweet old couple that sold it to us had lived there for 60 years! yes, almost twice as long as I've been alive. We fell instantly in love with the old world charm and huge family room. Dreams of an expansive crafting area, built-in bookcases and shelves, cozy atmosphere, and lovely hardwood floors prompted us to make an offer. Never mind the too small bedrooms, 1 tiny bathroom, and country decor and the knotty pine paneled walls and cabinets in the kitchen . When you're in love, you're in love!
Now it's ours, and the real work begins.
I've been ripping down wallpaper, which thankfully is coming down quite easily. What is it with elders and wallpaper anyway?! I also have been working to get rid of the country decor. The previous owners were heavy antique collectors, and they left us a lot of stuff. A lot of useful stuff, and a lot of stuff I have to get rid of. They did leave me a very nice round coffee table, and a nice buffet that I've been wanting for the dining room. They also left a lot of antique country style chairs that I'm not interested in. I'm sure these would probably sell well at a flea market or antique show, but I don't really have the time or energy or the space to store it. I do also feel bad selling certain things, like the rugs the old lady hooked about 50 years ago. Not only is it not really my style, but it I'm sure it's very cat- and dog-pissy. They're nice and huge! just not the right colors. I somehow feel that I'll wish I'd kept them in the winter cold.
Speaking of floors, I'm dying to un-earth the lovely hardwoods under the cat and dog-pissy carpet.
This old house is going to be fun to make into my fabulous new home, and I'll be sure to post pics.

Moving, Moving, Moving...

2008-08-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

So it looks like we are moving. I didn't want to broadcast this till it was more of a reality. Even now that it's looming ahead (closing's in 3 days), I'm still hesitant to talk about it. Excitement is not the word for what I feel. I can decorate to my heart's content! I've been accumulating my furniture, freegan-style, for the new digs. In true JP style, I love to take something old and cast aside, fix it up and have friends 'ooh and aah' over how wonderful it is. Thanks, pre-owners! Even if I was well-off, I'd still do this. It's just too much fun. Once I get a chance I will post pics of some of my refurbishments (is that a word?). I've scored some major coups, including a pair unbelievably funky french-style chairs...Stay tuned.

2nd post of the night - featured!

2008-07-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

A mere 1 hour after posting my Instructable, I am featured on the FRONT PAGE!!!
Check it out here: http://www.instructables.com/
Here's a direct link to my instructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Process-Liquid-Soapmaking/

Love is hard work.

2008-07-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about my love of creating...you thought I was about to dish, didn't cha? Sike!
Anywhoo, I made my first instructable tonight, yippee! I did my instructable on liquid soapmaking. One might wonder why I would give away my secrets, if I'm selling the soap....
Don't worry, I'm no fool, I didn't give away any secrets. My process is just too great not to share with the world. The instructable is really just meant to serve as a pictorial. I know lots of people who won't try something until they see how it looks first. I'm thinking of developing this into a full-fledged e-book for sale. Keep your eyes peeled for more info.

It's the simple things...

2008-07-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

For tonight's workshop with the wee-ones, we made cardboard flip-flops. I found this on family fun's website, and thought it was such a wonderful idea! It's simple, easy and the kids can customize to their hearts content. We actually started last night. I traced their feet onto the cardboard, and cut them out, then had them paint the bottom part of the flip-flops. Then tonight we came back and decorated the top using 2 inch wide strips of cardstock and various paints, appliques, glitter, markers and whatnot. The kids had a great time, and they are so impressed with their creations, they insisted on wearing them around the house. The trouble came when #3 (who didn't make one) flipped out because he wanted a pair. So you guessed it, I had to quickly make him a pair too. He literally did not stop wailing till they were on his feet. You would think they got hundred dollar presents or something. Proof positive that kids don't necessarily need all those fancy toys with the bells and whistles. Sometimes it's just just the simple things...

Here is Prince Focused decorating his flaps.

And Princess Snaggletooth decorating hers...

Meanwhile Prince Rawkus scribbled and marked up my craft table...

Here is the finished product....

Here are Prince Focused and Princess Snaggletooth modeling there creations.
And a great time was had by all!

At the market

2008-07-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Soap Queen in action at the Yellow Springs Farmer's market. I did okay.
I've got a frienemy at the market that I need to keep a close eye on. Competition is fierce! That's all I'm going to say about that.

In other news, I had my first international etsy order to Australia, yay!

My latest Etsy Listing

2008-07-18T07:10:00.001-07:00

You would think my kitchen looked this good all the time. Check out my new item on etsy: Votive Shades Pattern E. The surface design is loosely based on the Adinkra symbol "Ananse Ntontan" which stands for wisdom and creativity. How divine!
The shades are great for dinner parties, and will softly illuminate your space to give a cozy bistro feel. Speaking of which, while in NY in February I met up with my dear friend S.W at a restaurant. Of course I don't remember the name of the place now, but I remember it was in the village, below street level and illuminated entirely by the candles on the table. They could've used these shades...hey, maybe they'll wanna buy some? Hmmm....new idea!
Anywhoos, these shades are also great as wedding reception centerpieces. Check them out!

Exhausted

2008-07-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

Excuse me if this post is a little rambly. Sleep is seriously in short supply. This time tommorrow, I should be passed out somewhere after this whirlwind of a weekend. I'm trying not to fall off, trying to stay focused. Trying...to.....keep.......up................the....................work.
I'm off to bed for the next 3 hours before it all starts again.

One Day I will laugh about this...

2008-07-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was in the process of bottling my fresh batch of soap in preparation for this weekend's farmer's market, when in strolled my older two who are age 7 and 4. Of course they wanted to help. Of course my first inclination was a to scream a big, fat, NO. But of course, common sense, compassion, and a desire to be a good parent prevailed. I agreed to let them put the caps on the bottles for me. Everything was going swimmingly well, when inevitably, my 4 year old drops a bottle on the floor, spilling half its contents! I guess he lost his grip on the bottle because of drips on the side. Have you ever tried to mop up concentrated liquid soap off the floor??? You simply haven't lived! Of course I was vexed and wanted to have a screaming fit, but once again, I had restraint. All I could say was 'It's okay son, I know it was an accident.'
I wonder if there's been any sort of research statics on the amount of stress induced on parents from having to have so much restraint?

*On another note, my fabulous Votive Candle Shades made someone's treasury! Yay! I hope this translates into sales.

*My Taiwosoaps Etsy shop opened today, yay! I will be adding more items as I see fit, so stay tuned! Oh yeah, and shop too!
I'm equally passionate about both my product lines, but I didn't really see how to mesh the two in the same shop, so I opened a separate shop for the soaps.

Liquid Soap Pictorial

2008-07-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here are my steps, documented in pictures. This should in no way be taken as a tutorial. If you need some info on where to get a bonafide tutorial, send me a comment and I'll point you in the right direction. There are so many tutorials out there, but most don't have step-by-step pictures.

Yellow Springs Farmer's Market

2008-06-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

So much happened this week on the liquid soap front. I was so happy with the soap I made I decided to sell it! I remembered suddenly that the Yellow Springs market is a free setup, and the village is full of the kinds of folks that would appreciate this, so I thought it'd be a great place to start. I had been by the market about 2 weeks before to scout it out and saw they had 2 soapmakers selling there. I think my product is different enough to stand apart from the others, so I decided to go for it. This meant, chaos...especially since I had NO materials...as in labels, biz cards, display etc. It really wasn't too bad though. I had only 6 20 ounce bottles of the soap on hand. Usually I wouldn't even do a show with that few products, but I figured I had nothing to lose, and it was a great way to test the market. So I set about designing labels, cards, and a display. It was wonderful that I didn't have so many products to outfit, so I was able to focus on the look I was going for: Earthy, Natural, and Green...literally. My labels were green. I can't give you all my secrets, but lets just say, I had to do some pretty creative upcycling and repurposing to end up with what you see before you.
So how did I do? I sold 4 out of 6 bottles, which is great, considering that I was only there about 2 hours. You see, it started raining and thundering really hard,. I didn't have shelter, and Princess Snaggletooth is terrified of rain, thunder and lightening. For some reason she's really worried about hurricanes and tornadoes. I think if I'd stayed the whole time I would've accomplished my goal of selling everything. I will return next week, because it was a great experience.

Buttons & Bows

2008-06-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

So tonight my daughter asks me if we can have workshop. I am dead tired, I mean, so sleepy I can't see straight. But I go ahead and say yes because I've been blowing her off about 'workshop' for the past few weeks. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day between all the things that need to be done, and the stuff that has to be done. Anyway, tonight we have time, but I'm just tired and chronically sleep deprived. All I wanted was to crawl into my bed and watch TV till my eyes fall out, or I pass out...probably the latter. I say yes anyway.
'Workshop' was my brilliant solution to the 'mommy-can-I-helps' that inevitably happens when I'm in the studio trying to create. This would usually lead to frustration as I can't get anything done because a little person wants to 'help', or needs supervision. So I decided (rather ambitiously) that twice a week I would let them come in the studio and create. Of course, twice a week is a lot, especially during the school year. Workshop almost became obsolete during the 'Annie Jr. months', when she was in late rehearsals for the play.
So tonight, I say yes, sleep be damned, and I had a great time! She ended up making a bracelet out of some cute buttons I've been saving for the right project. As I found out, the right project is what you make it. She made a button bracelet, and I made a bunch of button barrettes, and one bow-rette. At the Mocha conference in Chicago I attended a couple of weeks ago, I saw a lady that makes and sells these, and I was like "hey, I have those same EXACT buttons!". Now why didn't I think of that??? They were quite simple to make too.
No, I will not be selling these. I just made them for fun, and for my girlfriend's daughter's birthday this weekend. SJ really loves these bows, so I'll make a couple more as a present.
I will try to get the pic of the bracelet that Princess Snaggletooth made. She went to bed before I could get a picture.
Here are the pics of what I made, and a picture of my generally always messy worktable. Also I've added another picture of my liquid soap with my working label. Please critique if you'd like. Okay, I will now find my way to bed.

Eat To Live

2008-06-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of tonights dinner above. Isn't it just gorgeous How the red 'pops' off the green? That would be the graphic designer in me talking. The dish you are looking at is Basil Pesto 'Pasta.'
Look closer. That's not the traditional pasta you are looking at. You are looking at thinly shredded fresh zucchini coated in a basil pesto sauce and topped in fresh chopped tomatoes tossed with some seasoned rice vinegar (my favorite!). And yes, it's all RAW. And deelish!
Anyone who knows me knows I love food. Chicken, Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw. If it tastes good, I'll eat it. I'll try just about anything once (as long as it's not bugs or strange creatures, yecch!). If I don't like it, I never have to eat it again, is my motto. I was a vegetarian for about 5 years, and it was great, I felt healthy, and good, but I just couldn't bear the thought of phasing out a whole food group altogether. As long as good food exists, I can't phase out a whole segment of food just as a general policy.
Now, that being said, a good portion of my family's diet is still vegetarian. The husband is still staunchly vegetarian, which leaves me either cooking vegetarian, or cooking two meals for dinner. Since I don't want to spend my whole day in the kitchen, I usually cook what everyone can eat, most of the time.
I went to the farmer's market yesterday and stopped by the Raw Passion Bistro and they served this dish. As I always do whenever I sample a great dish, I did the copycat at home, and the results are above, right. I think I pretty much got it dead on...after all, there's no cooking involved. Bon Appetit! The dish is tasted even better since I got my ingredients from the farmer's market.
Oh, and the cooked pasta dish on the right is what the kids ate, since I know they won't eat the food (except for the oldest, she leans vegetarian.) I used Gimme Lean Sausage style in this, but I used real mozzarella and Colby-Jack cheeses. It was all good.

Liquid Soap, Yay!

2008-06-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

Those who know me know that I used to sell my handmade soaps and lotions. I've made both bar soaps and liquid soap using the cold process method. I'm considering selling it again, but I have to see how I'm going to make it all happen. I'm way too talented for my own good! This is my blessing, and this is my curse, a la Spiderman.
Anyway, I took a loooong hiatus from Soapmaking. In the interim I've used both bars and shower gels, but nothing compares to my handmade soap. Last night I made a batch of the most delicious, richest, most soothing batch of Liquid soap! I'm so excited at how easy it was, and how well it turned out. The whole thing took approximately 4 hours, but about 90% of that time was oven time. I didn't take pictures this time, but next time I definitely will. I might even do a tutorial for anyone out there who is interested in making some. If there's enough interest I will sell it.
The batch I made used cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut & corn oils. Can you say rich and soothing??!! I used it this morning and my skin is loving it. Washed my hair with it, and I didn't even use conditioner. Awesome.
Like I said, I didn't take pictures of the process, but I will put up a picture of the pot, and the bottle below.

Boite Nouvelle

2008-06-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

I just love surface patterns. Fabrics and papers, etc. I love creating new patterns. I guess more than anything I consider myself a surface designer. The dream is to one day design fabrics and paper. Until now, I'm happy selling my 'one-off' pieces on etsy. Check out my new pencil cups on your right. Peace.

This RePurposed life

2008-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

In my ripe old age I continue to find ways to recycle items around the house. For instance, I've converted a dresser into a kitchen island, amongst other things. Lately, I've been focused more on making smaller scale items. Check out my new line of Pencil cups at my Etsy shop. The humble soup can is one that piles up rather quickly, and is quite versatile. Anyone can do this at home, but not everyone has access to my lovely adinkra-inspired designs. For those who are less crafty, I offer my creations. For the rest of you, please remember to reduce, reuse, recycle!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2008-05-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

When I was a young (crafty) child fresh off the plane from Nigeria, I was amazed at how much useful stuff people would throw out. This led to me saving a whole bunch of those styrofoam trays from the grocery store. I just knew they could be turned into something. I made lots of picture frames, but after a while, I had to let them go because they were rapidly piling up. This was a pivotal point in my 'junk to treasure' attitude. Today, I still love to save little bottles, cans, boxes, etc to be used for something later. More and more lately I'm finding things that can be reused. This goes with the whole GREEN movement, but hey, I was Green before Green was green!

It is my aim with my etsy shop to use as many 'upcycled' items in my work as possible. I am really impressed with the things I've been able to make from household discards. Following is a tutorial for a small shipping box.

Small Shipping box from a drink carton.
--------------------------------

If your household is anything like mine, you go through a lot of containers: Cereal boxes, soup cans, soymilk cartons, jugs, etc. It kills me to throw these things away, so I've been saving them to use. Here's a pictorial of me making a small shipping box with an empty juice carton (you know, the dole/welch's juice kind)

You will need:
-Craft Knife with a fairly sharp blade (I used my trusty 10 year old X-acto)
-tape
-paper to wrap the box in (as USPS won't allow you to use any old box)
-small item to be shipped.

Steps:

Step 1. Cut off the triangular shaped top of the box.
Step 2: Slice each of the four corners to the desired depth toaccomodate whatever object you're sending. I just eyeballed it, but if you're anal about this type of stuff you can measure.
Step 3: Fold down each of the four sides, and crease.
Step 4: Place the object to be mailed in the box, fold down the flaps and secure the box with tape.

Testing

2007-12-25T19:11:00.000-08:00