Finally! Photos of beer soap!

1. Lye water being added to oils

2. Wow, pudding trace, already.


3. Whew. In the molds


4. Unmolded and ready to use!

Notice that the pictures loaded exactly backwards. If you would be so kind as to reverse the order, and start looking at the pictures from the botton and going up, you'll understand what I mean, LOL.

Raspberry Beer Soap

Finally! Photos of Raspberry Beer Soap!

Garden Meanderings: Daily posts

Garden Meanderings: Daily posts

Daily posts

I got sick and forgot about blogging every day! A new initiative for the rest of October to blog daily. . .

For local readers, I'm teaching a one night class at R-H Continuing Ed. on Monday, the 19th on making botanical potpourri. We'll make a fall scented and colored potpourri and a Christmas scented and colored potpourri. I'll also talk about and have handouts for making your own.

Join us. It'll be fun!

October is here in earnest!

Fall is here, without a doubt! I'm feeling the urgency to get things finished before my garden is ready for rest.

We were at Genesee Country Museum on Saturday, and there was a vendor there for native plants and herbs. Naturally, I bought a couple of them. One was Geranium macalatum, which I may already have, but bought just in case. . . The other was Monarda fistulosa. I know I don't have that one. So, I have two more plants to get in the ground! I hope to get a few nice days soon that coincide with my schedule. I'm sure other gardeners can identify with that!

I felt very fortunate, also, to have found 4 cukes in my garden! I thought their season was over, so I stopped checking, but just happened upon them. I made soap with cucumber, aloe juice, and mint. Which brings me to my challenge. Send me a name for this soap and your address, and I'll send you some soap! I will take the first five entries, at least. Keep in mind that I want to emphasize the "cool" part of the cucumber. Of course, you'll want to send me your entry and addy privately, not as a public comment on the blog. Send it to beth@soapandgarden.com.

Last week's sale still applies throughout the month, but the contest ends on Thursday.

Fall Fun Sale! Since autumn has arrived, I'd like to feature some products to celebrate it:

Soap: Apple Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, Toasted Vanilla, and Cinnamon & Sugar.

They each have goodies like real apple and cinnamon! $6/bar.

Room Spray: see the above scents. 4 oz./$8.

Not on my site are: Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.

Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00

Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7

Foaming Soap: Comes in scents listed on site and fall scents. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Enjoy fall while we have it! Winter comes all too soon.

Fall is Here!

Those of you who love autumn, your time has arrived! It's getting colder, especially at night. The leaves are turning, and indeed, falling, apples have edged out many summer fruits at farmers' markets and grocery stores, and we are putting away shorts and tanks in favor of long sleeves and jeans. Like many others, I am involved in harvesting and preserving herbs for winter use. Some I use for culinary purposes, while others are for my family's home remedies. I've made elderberry tincture, syrup, and cordial, which has already been put to use by sick kids. I hate to think about what kind of winter we'll have in regards to sickness, but I plan to do all I can to keep everyone healthy. I have to say that the elderberry/apple crisp was just delicious, and worth repeating, for sure.

In addition to my culinary and remedy activities, I enjoy preserving and using many herbs for my soap and bath and body products, as well as household products. Some herbs provide cosmetic benefits, while others give us color or other benefits. I find this aspect of what I do to be engrossing and just a lot of fun. Thinking about new and even repeating "old" products for that my customers makes it even more fun!

We are having trouble with our card reader, so I still don't have pictures to post. I'll certainly update the blog once they're up, though.



Fall Fun Sale! Since autumn has arrived, I'd like to feature some products to celebrate it:

Soap: Apple Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, Toasted Vanilla, and Cinnamon & Sugar. They each have goodies like real apple and cinnamon! $6/bar.
Room Spray: see the above scents. 4 oz./$8.

Not on my site are:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap: Comes in scents listed on site. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Please read my blog to catch up on recent herbal and floral adventures!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

September is here already!

Wow, this summer went by so quickly! Why? We were busy--the kids had a lot going on, we took a trip to MI, and I spent the first month in preparation for the CNY Soapmakers Gathering in July. Still, that didn't really explain it fully for me. I soon realized that the lack of true summer weather was why it hadn't been summer for me.

Some I talked to were just as happy for the cooler temps. My bank account was thrilled at lower cooling bills since we only used our a/c for a short time. Nevertheless, to me, summer is hot weather and sunshine, pools, sprinklers, shorts and tees, everything we experience most summers, not cold and rain.

So it goes though, and the old poem, "We'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!" certainly rings true, and we count our blessings. Besides the lower electric bills, most perennials were quite happy, and I did very little watering.

Now, we are looking toward fall. In the stores, of course, it is fall. Displays feature orange, yellow, brown, and all things autumn. If I were go to Michaels, Christmas would be a prominent part of the store display, as well! Those with good garden harvests are preserving their yields. I'll be continuing to preserve my herbs until there's no more to harvest or until frost stops me. Once autumn arrives in earnest, I remember how nice it is to experience the changes: having everyone home together in the evenings, warm dinners, hot tea. . . it's not all bad!

Since autumn is on our minds, I'd like to feature some items that fit right in!

Soaps: apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, toasted vanilla, and cinnamon & sugar - $6/bar
Room spray: See above scents. 4 oz./$8

Not on my site are:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap: Comes in scents listed on site. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

As soon as I figure out what to do with the card reader we just got, I'll post new pics! It should work this time, LOL.