Party in the Shower!

Bath and Body Works? The Body Shop? Sure, I've purchased from these National chains...

...not anymore! I found the most luxurious soaps, sugar scrubs, shea butter body creams, shave soaps, etc. and I won't be going back to the mass produced products ever again!

Judi of Satin Petal Soaps, creates the most invigorating bath and body products full of all the good stuff your skin cries for!

"Satin Petal Soap brings to you a naturally delicious array of mouthwatering handmade shea butter soaps, vegetable glycerine soaps, herbal bath salts, shea butter body lotions, shea butter whipped body cream, bath accessories, 100% essential oil aromatherapy soy candles, and so much more."

Judi just opened Satin Petal Soap on Etsy in January 2008 and she has already sold more than 50 products. I encourage you to visit her shop. She takes great pride in the ingredients she uses to ensure she has the happiest, and silkiest customers. She says her products aren't edible but you'll be surprised when you smell these delicious goodies that are for your body, not for your tummy! AND she packages her products so professionally, so beautifully. She also loves putting together gift sets and with Easter being right around the corner, it's a perfect time to visit her shop!

Below are just a few products she carries in her shop...and she's always adding new fragrances and products. Be sure to save her shop to your favorites because once you are "bitten by her products, you'll be smitten". My favorites thus far are the lemon sugar body scrub, luscious blueberry lemon verbena soap and lush vanilla shea butter whipped body cream.

I've Been Tagged!

TAG! YOU'RE IT!

HAA!!! That's what I woke to this morning, though not so big and bold! So, I see there is a "Tag" game going around!! I didn't even get the chance to run!!! I've been graciously tagged by Ginger of MsBelle Jewelry and now I must share with you 7 fun facts about myself. Then....I get to TAG 7 of YOU! (**This is all just for fun. Please DO NOT feel compelled to participate if you wish not to**)

OK, here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger (blog or online website) and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

And here we go:

1. I am majorly addicted to Ice Cream. Just gotta have it. No if, ands, or buts about it. There's not a single minute of the day that I'd turn it down. No matter what time of day, week, month, year, season...it doesn't matter. I just want Ice Cream! Currently my faves are Ben & Jerry's Mocha Heath Bar Crunch, Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, Hagan Daaz Caramel Cone and Blue Bell's Strawberry Cheesecake.

2. When I was a little girl (way little like 4 or 5 years of age) I was horrified of the moon. Yes, that harmless bright light in the sky! I honestly don't know why. It wasn't like my parents let me watch horror movies so I'm not sure where the phobia came from. If we were out at night, I'd literally run as fast as I could to the front door to get in. I couldn't even look up in the sky! I eventually got over it and now I find myself staring at the gorgeous luminous glow on warm summer nights!

3. I love handmade. That's why I have a shop on Etsy! I love the idea of making things with my own two hands. Being able to hold up a piece of jewelry and know that I made that now that's a sign of success in my book! I have taken the Handmade Pledge and choose to purchase the majority of gifts (about 90%) from Etsy or other individuals who handcraft goodies. I am personally addicted to several shops on Etsy including SatinPetalSoap, MsBelle, BeeDazzlesGifts, MerkabaJewelry, DestinysCreation, BelleBeads, CraftsByChris, BlueSaphire, CBLandCompany just to name a few.

4. I am an Environmental Scientist by day! AND actually I have a Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Resource Management; concentration is Wildlife Biology and Ornithology and a Minor in Communication Studies. I have a Master of Science Degree in Biology with a concentration in Ornithology. But my motto today is "I went from chasing birds to chasing turds"!!! I really don't "chase turds" though a portion of Environmental Science is dealing with what goes into the environment; including "turds". My 'assigned' duties at my job are to conduct compliance evaluation inspections (making sure facilities are following the Environmental Rules and Regulations) at solid waste and hazardous waste facilities. Don't worry, I'm not a REALLY mean Inspector :)

5. And to follow #4; I'm an avid Birdwatcher. I've been known to plan vacations AROUND what birds are likely to be seen during a certain time of year! If there are vagrants coming in from say, Mexico, well I'll be heading to Brownsville, Texas so that if I get to see them, they will count on the North American Birding Association's Birding Checklist! Yes, I have a, what real 'birders' call a Lifelist! Currently I'm just over 400 birds! My husband and I are currently planning a 3 day backpacking trip in the Smokey Mountains during the peak of Spring Migration!

6. I'm a HUGE sports fanatic!!! WOW! My greatest love in sports is COLLEGE FOOTBALL! Go WVU Mountaineers (my Undergrad Alma Mater and Home State!). I'm already having withdrawals for the lack of College Game Day on Saturdays and it's only mid-February and football just officially ended early January! I also love the NFL too. Go Colts and Steelers!! I follow NASCAR as well; at least I follow Dale Earnhardt, Jr...wherever he should go!

7. I have this annoying sun allergy! I have no idea why this started as I was always outside as a kid! It just popped up my Sophomore year (1998) in College. It started after I'd gone to the tanning bed for a few days to get a base tan. I was about to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a week and didn't want to burn to a crisp! I'd gone to the tanning bed for about three days when all of a sudden I started breaking out in this horrible rash/hives. It was the itchiest thing EVER! Worse than the worst case of Poison Ivy, I am sooo serious! I thought at first that it must be the tanning lotion I was using so I purchased special lotion from the salon (and paid a ridiculous price as I remember). Nope, that didn't help anything!! Ok, it's the tanning bed? Well, I'd gone to the tanning bed plenty of times prior for such events as Homecoming and Prom in High School. Well, that's not necessarily it. I can't even lay out in the "real" sun any longer than like a day or two. On our Honeymoon in St. Lucia (November 2004) I had laid out for 3 days when the rash started. To this day I keep my white butt indoors and yep, I admit to using that tanning stuff in a bottle ;)


Well, sorry for boring you! That's 7 "unique" facts about me. Maybe you have learned something new about me! Ok, this brings me to....

And now...TAG YOU ARE IT!

1. Jennifer (MerkabaJewelry)

2. Janet (BlueSaphire)

3. Bee (BeeDazzlesGifts)

4. Janice (DestinysCreations)

5. Chris (CraftsByChris)

6. Sue (SignatureSterling)

7. Angela (BlueLagoonBeads)

**AGAIN, this is all just for fun. Please DO NOT feel compelled to participate if you wish not to**

Daffodils, Sure Sign of Spring!

Here is a snapshot of my latest Treasury List created on Etsy!


I LOVE Daffodils. I love their many shapes and many colors. They are a pure symbol of spring for me. Their appearance in the spring brings me smiles as I see their perfect form, vibrant color, and remarkable scent! Oh how I long to lie in a field of daffodils with the one I love; my Husband!





Daffodils
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

They're Not Fancy But...

...they're my first pair of handcrafted ear wires!!



The story behind the necklace set:
The idea for this necklace came as an inspiration from one with a similar color combination on Etsy. I fell in love instantly!! I wanted to re-create it to suit my taste. I love using other metals such as copper. Copper really looks great with mint green and white! The necklace starts out with the pendant. A faceted snow quartz square is accented on either end by copper daisy spacers and Swarovski crystal bicones in Erinite. The pendant hangs on the necklace amongst a variety of gorgeous beads and gemstones including faceted aqua chaledony briolette tear drops, faceted snow quartz squares, teal colored freshwater pearls, whimsically faceted vintage round beads, Swarovski crystals in Erinite, and copper daisy spacers. The necklace is finished off with a fancy copper "S" hook clasp.

And the REAL story for this Blog Post:
I decided that the antiqued copper ear wires I had would not work for my earrings! I've been fumbling with the idea of creating my own ear wires for a while now. In fact, I've talked to several of my Etsy friends about materials, techniques, style, etc. Today was the day to create! I wanted the ear wires to be bright copper, not antiqued. I took a basic highlighter; wrapped the copper wire around the hightlighter and viola! I shaped them the way I wanted them and finished them by lightly and carefully filing the edges. I am so pleased with the way these came out! I can't wait to make more, and I can't wait to venture out in style and design.

Not Your Everyday Pair of Socks!

I bet you think of socks as they are intended to be used; on your child's feet! Well, someone in the United Kingdom found another use for children's socks. You're never going to believe that these adorable animals are made from the same socks your child wears on their tootsies!!

Sock Monkey Island, a lovely shop on Etsy, showcases the cutest stuffed Monkeys made from....you guessed it, children's socks!

BlueSaphire, a self-proclaimed sock monkey addict, began making Monkeys out of socks about 5 years ago when she found an old-fashioned pattern online. Traditionally, the sock monkey is "red heeled". She makes her sock monkeys her very own by her unique designs. Some Monkeys are babies. Some are toddlers. Some are boys. Some are girls. Some wear hats. Some wear clothes. Some are striped. One thing for sure is that they're all unique and "made straight from the heart"!

Here are a few examples of the cute Sock Monkeys she has made. More monkeys can be seen at her Etsy Shop; http://www.BlueSaphire.etsy.com

Be sure to check out her lovely shop!!