Gardening, Gardening, Gardening

I'm so tired of being dirty.


Been out in the yard at least four or five hours a day since last Monday, and just now am approaching completion. Our yard is only about 30 feet by 30 feet (30 by 40 if you count the herb bed) - you wouldn't think there'd be so much to be done, but there is. Whew.


My perennial herbs are finally up, and i was able to harvest enough lavender leaves for the new soap, tentatively named Tea in the Herb Garden. I'm looking forward to experimenting with fresh herbal teas, and especially pleased that the lovage came back - damn gardeners grubbed it up last year without so much as a by-your-leave.


Would love to have another pot of chamomile this year, but the thing about chamomile is that even if a container, you don't just plant it for yourself; you plant it for the neighbors, the next block, the apartments down the street... >.< There's a house a couple of blocks away that still has wild chamomile in their lawn from when i first
planted just a little pot on the back porch - ten years ago. Oops.


Just a couple of things left to do: mulching, one more tomato, some more plants that had to be ordered are on their way and will need homes (coleus, a miniature daylily, and a picotee lilac that i've wanted for years [!]) and the most ambitious project - building a concrete planter for the driveway/front yard.



And now i need a bath. Shouldn't have kept washing and wearing the same short-sleeved dress to do all this, because now i've got a perfect farmer's tan. Doh.

Mystery Solved

Wow. So not only are we in not one, but two treasuries, but one of those treasuries made it to the front page!


Holy crap!


I entirely blame my husband's stellar photography for this bit of luck. XD

Holy Crizzap!

I woke up from a late-evening nap to find a huge suprise - two sales, a custom order inquiry, over 30 new hearts, and over 800 views on one of my items: the Mexican Hot Chocolate soap.


!!!!


I have no idea what happened. It must have gotten into a treasury (i never get to look at them, if we're being honest here) and - maybe front page from there? Did anyone happen to see it?


Guess i'll just enjoy the windfall, and try to make the next soap worthy of that kind of attention, too. Whee!

The Terrible Thing about the Love of Soap

When i started this little shop, i thought to myself, "This'll be great! I'll use only my own products, and not only be able to evaluate them over the long term, but save a little money, too! :D!"


Great idea, right? Only i've hardly been able to yet. Why? I just went around the house and gathered up all my bath products. I still have fourteen - count 'em, 14 - bars from other artisans. Most of them are so well-cured (read:ancient of days) that once i do start on them, they'll last a couple of months.


[facepalm.] Guess the husband's going to have to continue to be my guinea pig for a while yet.

Cool Stuff on a Theme

Something i've been doing off and on (mostly off, if we're being honest) is assembling a taste of my favorite Etsy items for friends, usually on a theme. I'll have to think of a suitably fruity name for this in the future, but in the meantime: have some Cool Etsy Stuff!


The theme for today: Shoes!



From The Purple Fern:



from Art and Ghosts:



from Netamir:



from etrelles:



from zerkahloostrah



from paisleypanda:




And a few that have expired or been moved, but they're too awesome to let go:








I don't know why, but these make me laugh. The little bobble is just so cheerful.

Soaps On Sale

My remaining Chocolate Truffle, Cinnaroll, and Winter Comfort soaps are currently on sale at 20% off.


Grab them while you can; i'm reformulating them and need to make room. :D