Naiad Soap Arts

Last Minute handmade gift ideas

2011-12-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

I often find myself making last minute gifts during the holidays - they are perfect for those friends who have everything and are nice to have around in case there are any unexpected guests during the holidays! Here is what I did this year:

1) Flavored liquors make for pretty gifts when packaged in corked bottles! You can get the recipes for these on my blog here. There is still time to make the Chai Whisky which only needs 24 hours to infuse! I used frosted glass cosmetic bottles that I had left over from some R&D but you can find Cork top bottles at most craft stores. Mason jars would also be lovely for packaging. You can make up sticker labels, or a raffia tie with a tag and the name of the infusion would be perfect too!

2) Handmade chocolates are always a hit! Get some nut and dried fruit trail mix and add to melted chocolate to make fruit and nut bars. Trader Joe's Omega Trail mix works well! Wrap in tin paper and a cigar band label or tag label.Good quality chocolate can be found at most health food and natural food stores or get melting chocolate from the your local craft store.
how to to temper chocolate

For chocolate clusters get some raw nuts, candy them (great recipe here), and then dip the nuts into chocolate and spoon onto parchment paper until set! I made some yummy ones with white chocolate, candied almonds and freeze dried blueberries from Trader Joes! They go great with a blueberry vodka spritzer! (wink)

3) You can NEVER go wrong with homemade marshmallows! I used an easy recipe from the NPR website and the book "Make the Bread Buy the Butter". I added some cardamom to mine, or you can add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder for chocolate marshmallows or even some peppermint extract! Bags can be found at your local craft store.

Sales and Giveaways

2011-12-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few deals around the web I wanted to share!

Giveaway:
Product Body is giving away 2 soaps of your choice and a new Bath Tea
Enter the Product Body Giveaway

Lotion bar Cafe is giving away a $25 gift certificate to their shop!
Enter the Lotion Bar Cafe Giveaway

Sales:
Christmas Cupcake soap is on sale at Platypus Dreams

Lillian Skincare is having a sale on all Vanilla Mint Products!

Use code "Welcome" for free shipping on your first order through rep Ellen's at Mark cosmetics! I used these products for my wedding makeup and LOVE it!

Be sure to check out the Holiday Gift guide at the Rikrak Studio

Infused Liquors Part One: Recipes & Method

2011-12-04T15:51:00.000-08:00

Grapefruit Lavender Gin,

Blueberry Lemon & Rosemary Vodka and Chai Whisky

A couple of years a go my friend Nikole gave me a jar of vanilla beans with instructions on how to make your own vanilla extract. I was thinking about her and remembered the gift which was the inspiration for these infused liquor recipes! I am thinking I will give them as gifts to my friends who drink alcohol and are looking for something adventurous to try!

In Part One I will show you how to make the infusions and in the second part I will show you some packaging ideas and recipes!

Materials:
32 oz widemouth Glass containers with lids
Small Food Processor
Mortar & Pestle
Herbs, dried fruit, spices and citrus peels

Method:
Prepare ingredients by dry toasting and grinding herbs with Mortar & Pestle, chop or food process dried fruit and bruise fresh herbs and citrus peels. Add the ingredients to your glass jar and fill with liquor. Tightly seal and label. Store in a warm dark place and shake twice a day for 24 hours to one week depending on the strength of the herbs. Strain liquor with a coffee filter and fill glass storage containers.

Grapefruit Lavender Gin
Ingredients:
Peel of one Grapefruit
1/4 cup of Organic Dried Lavender
30 fl. oz. of Gin

1) Peel the Grapefruit rind being careful to avoid the white bitter parts and add to your jar along with the Lavender Buds. 2) Add the Gin. Let sit in a warm dark place for 1 week. Shake the jar twice per day.

Blueberry, Lemon and Rosemary Vodka
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Dried Wild Blueberries (Trader Joes)
Peel of one Lemon
sprig of fresh Rosemary bruised or 1 Tablespoon dried and chopped
30 fl. oz. of Vodka

1) Peel the Lemon rind being careful to avoid the white bitter parts and add to the jar. 2) In a food processor pulse the blueberries and a few ounces of the vodka until the blueberries start to break down. You do not want to form a paste, just break them up a bit. 3) Add the Blueberries and vodka to the jar along with the rosemary and remaining vodka. Let sit in a warm dark place for 1 week. Shake the jar twice per day.

Chai Whisky (or Bourbon)
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Cardamom Pods
1 Tablespoon White Peppercorns
2 Cinnamon Sticks broken up into about 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon fresh Ginger chopped (dried pieces are ok or 1 Teaspoon ground)
1/2 Teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon ground Cloves
2 Vanilla Beans washed and broken into 1 inch pieces
30 fl oz Whisky or Bourbon

1) Toast the Cardamom, Peppercorns and Cinnamon until the spices start to pop. BE CAREFUL - the Peppercorns with go up like popcorn if they get too hot! 2) Transfer to a Mortar and Pestle and grind to a coarse consistency just to release the oils. You will have a lot of large pieces of Cinnamon. 3) Chop the Ginger if necessary and add all of the ingredients to your jar and fill with Whisky or Bourbon. Let sit in a warm dark place for 24-48 hours. Shake the jar twice per day.

Stay tuned in a week or so for packaging tips!

For Organic Herbs and Spices:
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

New Stuff: Liquid Soaps!

2011-11-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Introducing my new liquid soaps available in Lemongrass, Rosemary Mint and Lavender Lime Fennel! I made this liquid soap from scratch with all natural ingredients and organic oils of Sunflower, Virgin Coconut and Castor Oil. I added organic aloe for it's soothing properties and all natural plant essential oils for fragrance.

All in all it is just a really nice gentle soap and I really hope that you like it!

Each 8 fluid oz bottle comes with an easy to use pump and is just $9.50 per bottle! 64 oz Refills coming soon! For sale in my Etsy Shop!

New Yoga Mat Spray just $6.50 per 4 fluid oz bottle! Made with the same organic oils and blend of antibacterial essential oils including cinnamon, rosemary and lavender! It cleans your yoga or workout mat and smells great too! A scrubby companion soap is coming soon!

Winners of the English Apothecary Giveaway

2011-08-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the wonderful comments! The winners are:
Ben.ar.dett - Grand Prize: A full size bar Soap, a full size Sugar Scrub and a full size Liquid Soap
Jenn U - Grand Prize: A full size bar Soap, a full size Sugar Scrub and a full size Liquid Soap

Other winners will get a soap sampler, a full size bar of soap, 7 oz scrub and soap sample, full size scrub, or a full size liquid soap! Here they are (picked a couple extra!)
The Soap Sister
Kristine
Jessie Yang
Lesley
Alexandra C
Suzanne
Kandice Smith
Lolapooch
Renee
Minuscule Dot
Adrianr
Ana Maria

If you are a winner please send your address to erin@naiadsoaparts.com with "EA winner" as the subject line. Include the name you used to make the comment so I can match you up and if you are international please include a paypal email so i can invoice you for 50% of the shipping. If you are an international winner and have changed your mind let me know and I will redraw for your prize. I ship First class international but if you want to be upgraded to priority for an additional cost let me know.

Your packages will go out as soon as I get your addresses!
Thanks!

English Apothecary™ giveaway

2011-08-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

The English Apothecary™ line was conceived in January of 2010 during a rainy morning walk, where here in Southern California we are in the middle of rainy season and all of the flowers are in full bloom. I caught the scent of something sweet, floral and citrus and had to run home to try and recreate it. I wanted English Apothecary™ to be an all natural line but strayed on my initial products, which were very popular but did not adhere to the 100% natural criterion I had drawn for the brand so I wanted to start over. I got stuck, then I got busy, then I got married, and so the line has been dormant for over a whole year!

I really wanted to do English Apothecary™ right with the product line clear and packaging all in order. It has been slow going, as it sometimes is when you are the R&D, Production, and Packaging departments but I am finally ready to launch the first products!

I would love to hear what YOU think about the new scents! I am giving away sample packs of 1 oz. bar soaps, full 5.25 oz bar soaps, full 14 oz. jars of sugar scrub and full 8 oz. size liquid soaps! There will be 12 prizes in all with two lucky recipients getting bar soap, scrub and liquid soap!

There is a catch - I want your feedback! Let me know what you think about the products and be honest! I will try to post a survey once everyone gets their samples and has a chance to try them, but feel free to leave a comment in this post.
Note - some of the packaging is not finalized in case your label falls off (wink).

To enter just leave a comment below. I will announce the lucky 12 this Saturday August 6th at 5 pm PST. Shipping to the USA is free but if you are outside of the country I will ask that you cover 50% of the shipping so please note this when entering.

The bar soaps will be available in
Lavender Chamomile
Lemon Honey
Orange & Blossoms
Peppermint Tea Tree
Bergamot, Lime & Basil

Scrubs in:
Lavender Chamomile
Lemon Honey
Orange & Blossoms

Liquid Soap in:
Lemon Honey
Orange & Blossoms

HSMG Soapers Showcase 2011

2011-05-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Conference in Miami was a blast, tiring (in a good way), and jam packed with amazing speakers. I was so happy to hang out with friends and meet new people - I will tell you all about it later but I thought for now I would get up some pretty pictures of soap for you all to drool over! I didn't write down the names of all of the winning soap makers so if you see this and are one of the winners that I didn't have a link for please leave me a comment and I will add you!

Best In Show, Best Packaging Melt & Pour

Best Packaging Cold Process/Hot Process

By the Sea Soap

Best Appearance Melt & Pour

Best Appearance Cold Process/Hot Process

Best Scent Cold Process/Hot Process

Pepo Park

Best Scent Melt & Pour

Best in Something Different

Some More shots of the entries:

New Market Specials 5.3.11

2011-05-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Market Special is a limited edition soap sold by the slice without a box similar to how you may buy your soap in the market! These soaps are still 4.25 - 4.5 oz in weight but only $5.50 per bar!

This week Bromeliad and Wild Orchid and Lemon!

Shop all Market Specials

Bromeliad: a light floral with hints of ginger and cotton candy sugar. The bright colors through the middle reminded me of vibrant Bromeliad flowers!

Wild Orchid and Lemon: A bright sharp floral with lemon zest and coconut milk. If you like the English Apothecary Lemon Gardenia you will love this scent!

The San Diego Wedding - April 16th 2011

2011-04-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Where have I been the past couple of weeks? Well, one week I was away for my wedding and this past week I am coming down from the high and easing back into work. We have another party coming at the end of May for all of our East Coast family and friends and I can't wait for that! So yeah, I will me MIA for another two weeks at the end of May for the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Conference and then the second reception in Connecticut. It is all about me me me right now and I appreciate all of the support and patience I have gotten from family, friends and clients. I swear I will get my act together once all of the wedding bliss has passed - for now please enjoy some pics!

The photographer we hired won't have pics ready for a couple of weeks and we had several cameras going so we are trying to get all of the pictures organized but my Sister-in-Law, Jayci, grabbed Shaun and I for a few pics (she took some gorgeous photographs!) and I did my best to document the DIY food before it got consumed.

photos by my new sis - Jayci Lau of Sweet Petite

We rented a big house in Carlsbad California with a fabulous backyard and enough bedrooms to house our immediate families while they were in town. We went the budget DIY route and were lucky and blessed to have so many hard workers in the house helping to coordinate tasks and get things done! We got to the house Thursday and had family arriving all day Friday and some even coming in Saturday afternoon after the ceremony! We had family from Hawaii, Texas, San Fran and Connecticut flying out to be with us. We went a little unconventional and had a small ceremony Saturday with a family dinner afterwards and then a reception of about 35 friends and family Sunday. It seemed too short - I barely had a chance to spend time with people!

Me and Dad (also known as Franky P) with Birds of Paradise - his new favorite flower. He spent a lot of time going around the yard inspecting all of the Bird of Paradise flowers like a giddy little kid. Being from New England and not traveling very much, he had never seen them before and called me over a few times to look at some that he found particularly interesting. He is so cute! Here are a couple of his favorites:

This patio was towards the back of the yard and was the perfect place to hold the ceremony.

Shaun's Grandparents brought Kalua Pig and Lau Lau all the way from Hawai'i and Shaun's Aunties brought some veggies from China Town in San Fran. The evening of the ceremony we has a simple dinner with Kalua Pig, Lau Lau, Chinese Broccoli and Spinach with Oyster Sauce and plenty of rice and Poi! The Aunties surprised up with a cake so we did the feed each other the cake thing! It was fun!

The day of the reception was crazy with family and friends running around, going to the store for last minute items, hanging decorations and making food. The menu turned out to be quite extensive with Kalua Pig sliders, handmade local Tamales and Lumpia, a variety of Cheeses, Charcuterie and Olives, Caprese and Baby Green Salads, Homemade Cupcakes, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, French Macarons and Hawai'ian Coffee.

Look for this Red Velvet Cupcake recipe on the Soap Queen blog in the next month or so. It is Gluten, Dairy, Egg and Soy free and the cupcakes were flying off the stand at the Reception!

To decorate I printed out Butterflies from a Dover Clip Art Book onto cardstock, cut them out and taped them to toothpicks. A simple but pretty topper!

I made my Own Wedding bouquet and favors. The favors were soap of course! I made a simple tag with an eyelet and tied it with baking twine. The Matchbooks are filled with a honeybee wildflower mix with many plants native to California. I got the project from Martha Stewart Weddings and modified the template to include the seed mix and planting instructions for Connecticut, Hawai'i and San Diego.

I took the bouquet around the yard looking for accents. There was this fabulous patch of lavender and I just had to include some of my favorite plant into the bouquet.

This soap is my Hubby's favorite! It is unscented made with shea butter, jojoba oil and a bunch of other awesome stuff! I added some ground oatmeal and french yellow clay.

Custom Ring Bowl from Paloma's Nest

Another fun project - I made these vases by covering wine bottles with Chalkboard Spray Paint. My Nephew had fun decorating them and my Dad made little arrangements with leftover Bouquet flowers.

There are still a lot of pictures floating around out there so I will add to this post as I collect them and look out for the Connecticut Reception post sometime in June.

Ginger and Green Curry Soup

2011-04-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know by now I am on a restricted diet due to some food sensitivities to Gluten, Soy, Eggs and Dairy so my kitchen has become a mini food lab for trying out new recipes and modifying recipes I love to make them free of the things I should not eat! Thai curries have been a great inspiration for me with their fresh ingredients and one of my favorite liquids Coconut Milk! I like to eat this soup topped with fresh sprouts and red cargo rice on the side!

If you have an Asian market in your neighborhood I highly recommend visiting them for vegetables and especially the fresh Ginger root for this recipe. I find that the vegetables at these markets are always very fresh as vegetables make up the bulk in most Asian diets so the produce has a very high turnaround. The veggies at my market are not advertised as organic but since I always find critters in my produce and I take it as a good sign!

I am always especially excited about the ginger at my local Asian Market. It is always juicy and fresh and they even have Galangal a root in the same family as Ginger and used widely in South East Asia. It has a similar flavor to Ginger but is milder with less heat and slight woody pine flavors. It is used to make Thai Curry Pastes and can be substituted with regular ginger if you want to try and make your own green curry paste. I have seen many recipes but all have the ginger or galangal, garlic, chiles, lemongrass, lime and a spice blend. There are a lot of ingredients on most Green Curry Paste recipes so I like to buy mine pre-made.

Ingredients:
• 32 oz of low sodium vegetable broth from a box or make your own here.
• 1 can (13.5 oz) of Coconut Milk
• 6 large cloves of garlic sliced (or more if you like)
• 3 Tablespoons of grated FRESH ginger root. I like to use a fine cheese grater. Powdered ginger will not give you the heat and sweetness.
• 1 Tablespoon Green Curry Paste (more or less to your taste)
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil.
• 1 heaping tablespoon of Brown Sugar
• 1 cup rough chopped basil (sweet or thai)
• 6 green onions light green and white parts, chopped
• Black pepper and Coconut Aminos to taste. (Coconut Aminos is a soy free liquid amino acid seasoning alternative - it kind of tastes like a combination of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and is DELICIOUS! You can use Soy Sauce if you do not have sensitivities)
• Vegetables - you can use just about anything that you have on hand. I am using:
2 Red Bell peppers sliced
3 - 4 cups of Baby Bok Choy cut into 1 inch pieces
2-3 cups stemmed watercress cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 cup whole sugar snap peas
If you are ok with meat you can sub the Veggie Broth for 32 oz. of low sodium Chicken Broth and add one cup of sliced chicken to the soup.

Method:
1) Wash and dry all of your veggies herbs and spices, cut up and separate into cooking times. Group 1: Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Red Peppers. Group 2: Bok Choy Stems and Sugar Snap Peas. Group 3: Basil, Watercress, Bok Choy Leaves. I like to have a few bowls going to hold my veggies as I chop then up since they have different cooking times.
2) In a medium Sauce Pan Heat your Sesame oil and saute Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions and Red Bell Pepper for about one minute to release the flavors - be sure to not burn anything!
3) Add the Sugar, Vegetable Broth, Coconut Milk, Green Curry Paste, Bok Choy and Sugar Snap Peas and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4) Add the Basil, Watercress and Bok Choy Leaves and boil for about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Column Swirl

2011-03-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

So, this video of a painting by Holton Rower has been going around and made it into the soap community via Soapylove's Facebook page where Debbie noted it might be inspiring for Cold Process soap makers. Boy was she right! Amanda Griffin of Lovin' Soap posted pictures of her attempt to do this with soap - as far as I know the first person to try it out with soap as the medium. Since then I have done it as well as Holly Port from Lotion Bar Café!

Click here to see the original video reposted by Non ci posso credere. The video is beautifully done!

Here are my results:

just poured soap. The colors are made using natural cosmetic clays. I used an essential oil blend for the scent so this one is all natural!

Gelled Soap 18 hours later

Clay colors

Column cross sections. These are really cool - I think they look like sediment lines.

Cut Bars. There is a lot of variety and the bars from the edges of the mold didn't get much color. These are mostly from the middle of the mold.

Market Special: Rose Bud

2011-03-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

This week's Market Special is Rose Bud Shea Butter Soap!

A heady medium strong scent reminiscent of Fragrant Tea Roses!

Enjoy!

50 % Off Sale!

2011-03-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

1 Hour only 50% Off!

Today March 17th: 1 pm - 2 pm PST

Use code 50MARCHMADNESS2011 at Etsy Checkout!

Browse the Naiad Soap Arts Etsy Shop

Walk About San Diego

2011-03-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

The beauty of photography is that you can crop out the ugly, or make the ugly interesting! Here are some things that caught my eye while taking a walk!

Market Specials

2011-03-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

Introducing Market Specials - super short run soaps of 14 bars for fun sold Naked (without a box) for $5.50!

I will be adding one or two new ones each week! This week:

Pineapple Mint

Pikake

I've been nominated!

2011-03-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much to Amy Warden of Great Cakes Soap Works, and everyone who nominated me on the Great Cakes Soapworks Blog for your favorite Handmade Soap Blogs in the "Best Photography" category! You guys (my loyal fans and customers) ROCK!

Check out the other nominees and cast your votes! I'm off to vote right now! Some of my favorite blogs are on there and it is so hard to choose!

Project: Love Tags

2011-02-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air! I am thinking about my wedding and Valentine's Day is right around the corner! I have my soap favors made and while they cure I have been thinking about how I want to present them and have decided to tie a little love tag to each! These make a beautiful finish to any Valentine as well and you can personalize them any way you wish! I have a hundred or so to make for my wedding favors so let's get cracking!

What you will need:
Tools:
• Instant eyelet setter with 1/16th inch hole punch and 1/16th inch eyelet setter attachments
• Setting Mat
• Rubber letter stamps up to 3/4 inch tall (The set I am using is by Hampton Art and I got it at a Michael's Craft Store.)
• Fabric scissors or rotary cutter and cutting mat

Materials
• Half a yard of light weight canvas material cut into one inch strips. Keep them long so you can spell out word of various lengths.
• Ink pad in color of your choice. I am using black.
• 1/8 inch Quicklets™eyelets in color (s) of your choice

Instructions:
1) Lay out a strip of your fabric and stamp "LOVE" horizontally or vertically. I started at the right edge of my canvas strip and worked backwards stamping the last letter first and the first letter last. Cut off your word leaving about once inch of fabric before the letter "L". This is where we will set our eyelet.

2) Using the eyelet setter with the 1/16th inch hole punch attachment, punch a hole in the fabric about 1/2 inch in front of the letter "L".
3) Insert your eyelet in through the hole with the word facing up.

4) Flip the fabric and eyelet over and using your 1/16th inch eyelet setter press down to set the eyelet until your hear a loud click. Since this is an instant setter you do not need a hammer.

DONE! Wasn't that easy!

Try other words or phrases like: BE MINE, BEST FRIEND, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

These versatile tags can be used to make this cute heart banner. Just cut out hearts from colored card stock and set an eyelet on both sides. String ribbon through the holes, alternating hearts and LOVE tags!

Inspiration for the project:

Design Sketches

2011-01-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

For my Birthday my friend Anna got me the Gluten Free Red Velvet and the Vegan Red Velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles Bakery. I am going to do a post on my comparison between the two and in preparation I took some pics and am designing my images. I though my process might be interesting for you to see...

The design board

This is the original photo. I took it into Photoshop CS5 and corrected the gamma and exposure which really made the red pop against the teal. I also stamped out some annoying stray crumbs.

The Vegan and Gluten free cupcakes come with an edible letter on them close to the Futura font (thank you for figuring that out Shaun). I really liked the idea of doing the letter in bold so I did a knock out of the letter on the red background. When I was searching fonts for the other text I fell in love with the font Handwriting - Dakota but it doesn't really work with the block letter. The "Red Velvet" text on the plate was added after doing a few different designs. I did it on a curved path with the letter getting smaller in font size. I also adjusted the Kerning (space between letters).

I have been into swirly dashed lines and created this one freehand with the pencil tool and then adjusted the loops and curves with the pen tool so it flowed better. As you can see the knock out block letter has no place in this design - I am happy with this one. The whole line "Red Velvet Gluten Free Cupcake was originally white and the red change came after the dashed line was created.

Just an idea to replace the dashed line with hearts - I was thinking valentines day. The hearts are drawn freehand with the brush tool on 2 pt oval.

I had text on the pasteboard in white that I wanted to see better so I added a grey box behind it. Just messing around I added it to the photo to see how it would look in the design. Red white and grey are nice colors together! I think this is off balance.

This was my last design and last attempt to make the knock out block letters work. I liked this one too but it reminds me of some other ad or logo that I can't quite place. If someone knows please tell me - it is killing me!

Overall I think they are still a WIP. I feel like the composition needs something towards the bottom to balance it out. I will just have to look at them for a while - maybe one of them is ok as is after all.

What do you think or which do you like best?

Finding inspiration in finding a new space

2011-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

I have to say I am up to my ears in soap! It is taking over my life, every nook and cranny in my house is a storage space for product waiting to ship, my garage is floor to ceiling with curing racks, supply shelves, a shipping station with barely enough room for the few boxes of personal items we have to store! It is time for a larger space! This day has been waiting to happen for at least a year and my fear of risk has held me back up to this point. It is a scary thing! San Diego is a pretty expensive place to own a business and the extra overhead will most likely take my debt free business into the red for a little while. All this in a year when I am getting married and me and the future hubby are hoping to buy a home! To help nurture my excitement about such a big step I am thinking about all of the ways that I can make my future space my own. My ideal scenario is to create a happy, inspiring, and organized space for me, my packaging whizz Anna and that new soap maker I will be looking to hire!

A couple of years ago I went on a little texture finding adventure with my friend Debbie to a super cool store she found called Architectural Salvage. I was looking through my pics for some inspiration and some of them turned out pretty nice so I wanted to share! Mind you I am not looking to turn my new soap shop into an antique store but I wouldn't mind decorating my office with some interesting pieces, maybe an antique door knob, a row of glass lampshades on the wall or a blue bathtub full of E's to greet me in the morning!

Simply Sweet Sugar Scubs Classes are Back at The Nova Studio! March 12th 2011

2011-01-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

Last September I had the opportunity to teach at the Nova Studio in the California Bay Area. My Simply Sweet Sugar Scrub class sold out and the eClass has been the highest selling eClass for the Nova Studio since! We are bringing it back this Spring 2011 with two classes and new scrubs! I will be showing you how to do the Sugar Cubes, the Lip Sugar Scrub and the Sugar Whipped Soap as well as a new papaya Enzyme Foot Scrub and a new Whipped Sugar Scrub with all natural ingredients!

Here is something nice someone said about the class:
"I absolutely loved this class. Erin was very knowledgeable and forthcoming about the scrubs and her soap business in general. I would recommend this class to my friends and family." – Michelle Ember. Click here for more comments on the class!

Class Date & Times:

Saturday March 12th
9 am - 1 pm or 2 pm - 6pm
$99 plus $35 materials fee

What you will take home!

Awesome handouts and a bunch of products: a 10 oz jar of Body Sugar Cubes, a 4 oz jar of Whipped Sugar Scrub, a 4 oz jar of Sugar Whipped Soap, an 8 oz jar of Papaya Enzyme Foot Scrub & two adorable pots of Exfoliating Sugar Lip Scrub. Erin will supply everything you need, just show up with your sweet self, ready to learn & have fun!

To sign up visit the class page on the Nova Studio Website!

Overview:
Whipped Sugar Scrub (all-natural, from scratch): Demo & Hands-On: This product is a combination of a body butter and a sugar scrub. The consistency is like very thick frosting. Students will watch a demo of the batch being made by Erin, then they'll get to choose which essential oils to use for scent & choose a color.
Sugar Whipped Soap (using a base): Demo: The consistency of this scrub is light and fluffy with just enough foaming action to get you clean and soften your skin. This recipe utilizes a pre-made base that contains the foaming agents as well as the preservative, so you don't have to worry about that. Erin will make this batch demonstration style and students will get a 4 oz jar to take home & try.

Papaya Enzyme Foot Scrub: Hands-On: An invigorating, more intense scrub made especially for your feet that contains different types of sugar, papaya (which contains a natural exfoliating enzyme), oils, butters, a natural cleansing agent and an emulsifier (to make it more creamy & less oily).

Body Sugar Cubes: Hands-On: A single-use sugar scrub that uses a melt & pour soap base, mixed with oils & butters to cleanse & exfoliate at the same time, leaving NO oily mess in your tub. Take home a big jar of cubes, custom scented & colored by you!
Exfoliating Lip Scrub: Hands-On: Made from scratch, a wonderful blend of waxes, oils & butters to gently exfoliate lips while helping to seal in moisture. A very popular scrub, for all ages.

New postcard designs

2011-01-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

Things I do late at night when I have had too much green tea...These are some new post card designs I am having printed up! I will include them in orders either blank for you to use/send (frame? LOL!) or with coupon codes on the back!

What do you think?

odds & ends are coming soon to the etsy shop!

this photo is a personal favorite and I think it makes a nice post card!

for when I get requests to include a note in birthday gift orders!

Bird on Branch Mini Chocolate Covered Cakes on SoapQueen

2010-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

This delicious, edible chocolate project is made with my bird.on.branch mold available at Bramble Berry. Originally intended for soap making, the mold material is PERFECT for molding chocolate! I have provided a gluten free vegan recipe for the cake as well as links/resources for vegan chocolate and cream filling if you want to make this project all Vegan. Check it out on the Soap Queen Blog.

I made these cute labels for the cakes - download the free clip art for the labels here: Bird.on.Branch Mini Chocolate Cake labels

Charlie the Squirrel

2010-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

Charlie the squirrel, king of Sherman Oaks, CA paid us a visit during our morning coffee. He was surprisingly bold walking right up to our feet. Being from the East Coast where Squirrels are evil I was a little jumpy. Luckily he was after my pumpkin seeds and not my toes!

Etsy Wedding inspiration

2010-12-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

I love it when I have a chance to slip away to do a little wedding planning. Here are a few of my favorite picks from Etsy:

Weddingdressfantasy

Designer Inspired Wedding Dress

Paloma's Nest

CUSTOM Ring Bearer Bowl (TM) with blooming branch - personalized ring dish for wedding and commitment ceremony -the original ring bowl design by Paloma's Nest

Purposedesign

spicelab magnetic spice rack. dark brown frame with eight containers.

makes a great gift for a home chef.

Whiteowl

emmaline lace necklace

MySillyBear

ON SALE - Rocket Pop ... 5 Poms

darlingtonia

Gold and Turquoise Pow Wow Princess Moccasin -Women's Sizes 5-11

KateSaidYes

Deep Red Calla Lily Wedding Bouquet

Buildersstudio

Elegant Robot Couple Wedding Cake Topper Space Princess Bride and Groom with Top Hat and Tails Wood Statues with Base

Enough Soap for A Year!

2010-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, that is silly. After all, I have enough soap for a few dozen years, but I am not talking about my soap, I am talking about the fabulous soap I procured at the Nova Studio's 7th Anniversary Party soap swap! I don't even know... it is maybe 10 bars! (yes,) It was a while ago but I just dusted off some pics I took and brought out the soap to reacquaint myself with the lovely scents, and just had to share them with you!

Contributors:
Lori Nova
Sirona Springs Soap
Loft Soap
Soapeeze
Sherry Mantranga
Nanda Soap
Garden Natural
Naiad Soap Arts
-plus others that didn't have info on the label. If you were also a contributor please post your info in a comment!

Garden Natural

This really smells like Dill Pickle no joke! I love it!!!

Sirona Springs

Um - Soapeez packaging it too cute!

Enjoy!

Sugar Cube Video from Soap Queen!

2010-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Anne-Marie aka Soap Queen of Brambleberry has made this awesome video illustrating how to make my solid sugar scrubs! She adapted my recipe from the soap queen blog (here) to make these fantastic neapolitan scented scrubs! Get the recipe on the Soap Queen blog and watch the video here:

Make Solid Sugar Soap Scrub from Soap Queen on Vimeo.

Lip Balms and Sugar Cubes get a Facelift!

2010-12-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Wow! I hadn't realized it has been so long since my last post! I have been Busy, Busy, Busy for the holidays, I recently got engaged (yay!), am planning new classes at the Nova Studio (more details to come!) and just launched the new package design for the Lip Balms and Bath Sugar Cubes! There are new scents and new flavors like Lemon Gingergrass Bath Sugar Cubes with natural color and essential oils and 100% all natural Lemon Sorbet Lip Balm. Enjoy! xoxoxo

New Sweet Acai Berry and Lemon Sorbet Lip Balms

New Lemon Gingergrass Bath Sugar Cubes

And our popular Brown Sugar and Fig Bath Sugar Cubes are back with a feature in HGTV's Handmade Gift Guide under Gifts for Her

To learn how to make these scrubs you can but the eClass from the Nova Studio or sign up for one of two classes I am teaching at the Nova Studio in March 2011!

Weekend at the Nova Studio

2010-09-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

The new Nova Studio Sign

I had a blast last weekend at the Nova Studio, where I participated in a Lip Sugar Scrub demo at the 7th Anniversary Party and taught the Simply Sweet Sugar Scrubs Class. The Nova Studio is a place to learn everything bath and body. The owner, Lori Nova is an expert soap maker offering classes in Cold Process soap making, and a 4 day Bath and Body Boot Camp. The studio also offers classes taught by a variety of teachers including Lotions & Creams, Healing Balms and Salves, Advanced CP soap Design, Eco-Friendly Candle making, the 2 Day Soapylove "Book" Camp, a 4 Day Bath & Body BUSINESS Boot Camp, and many more!

My class had students from all over the Bay Area and one couple that came all the way from Mexico City to take the class! I was honored. It was also nice to see some of my Facebook Fans there, after I figured out they were fans (darn those tiny avatar pics, and the fact that I suck with remembering names!)

The Anniversary party was a blast. There were a ton of raffle prizes generously donated by various companies which you can check out here. I was on a table featuring a demo and make & take lip sugar scrubs, Ruth Esteves of Sirona Springs demo'ed the shrink wrap system from National Shrink Wrap which I own and which is awesome, Alice Duvernell did a make & take and Q&A session on Facial Steams sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs, and Melanie Monteverde did a demo and samples of Aroma Beads sponsored by Elements Bath & Body.

Here are some pics!

my Lip Sugar Scrub demo table

raffle table

counting down the minutes until the door open!

the teachers: Erin Pikor, Melanie Monteverde, Alice Duvernell, Ruth Esteves, Lori Nova

Liquid soap is a success - sort of

2010-08-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

So after two failed attempts I have successfully made liquid soap! Horray! Customers have been asking for it and I can finally add it to the line! Bottles are on their way - no going back now! I used a recipe from The Liquid Soap Making ebook that I bought by Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry for just $7.95!

Me making the soap. I had to use a plug for the crock pot and to get better leverage I was standing on a stool. It looks a little silly - my room mate came out into the kitchen and snapped this shot after saying something like "you never know what you are going to see when you walk out into the kitchen".

To make liquid soap you use potassium hydroxide which allows to soap to stay in a semi liquid state, rather than sodium hydroxide which makes hard bar soap. It is a hot process method so you have to cook the soap until it is completely saponified, but the bonus is you don't have to cure it for 4-6 weeks - it is ready to use after it is fully cooked! The cooking process makes a paste that is then diluted with distilled water then thickened. I made a Castor/Olive oil soap and with the soft oils it took quite a lot of time - 9 hours to cook the paste plus 1 hour to trace the soap!

Cooked Soap Paste

Here are the dilution tests. As you can see, the last test is clear (you can see by counter top through the bottom)

The next step it to test fragrance. Not all Fragrance oils and essential oils mix well into liquid soap so testing before scenting a whole batch is absolutely key! I tested 24 in all! These are tests of 2 oz of thickened soap with 1.5 ml of fragrance or EO.

The big winners - these stayed clear and did not break down or separate the soap. The Almond stayed clear but made the soap a darker shade:
• Cybilla Almond FO from Bramble Berry
• Sweetgrass FO from Bramble Berry
• Peppermint Essential Oil

Runners up - These are almost clear - so close - more translucent
• Bamboo Sugarcane type FO by Crafters Choice
• Gardenia FO by Bramble Berry
• Pineapple Cilantro FO by Bramble Berry

Other tests either Milky, broke down the soap so it was very liquid or separated:
Kumquat - separated soap
Brown Sugar & Fig - separated soap

Separated soap

Pumpkin Pie FO - turned soap dark/milky
Red Tea Lychee FO - soap is clear with some separation but soap broke down to very liquid
Tahitian Vanilla FO - turned soap dark/milky/broke soap down to very liquid
Mediterranean Fig type FO - milky
Passionfruit Pineapple FO - milky
Sun Ripened Raspberry FO - milky
Santa's Spruce FO - milky
Wassail FO - turned soap dark/milky
Peach FO - milky/some separation
Clean type FO - milky
Fresh Bamboo FO - milky
Wasabi FO - milky
Cranberry Fig FO - milky

French Lavender EO - milky
Lemongrass EO - milky
Tea Tree EO - milky
Rosemary EO - milky

It is possible that some of these will perform better with less fragrance - again this is 1.5 ml of fragrance in 2 oz of soap. Really devote a whole batch to testing. This batch made over a gallon of soap and all of it will be used to test fragrances.

If anyone tests other fragrances and would like to share - let me know so I can grow the list!

Off to do more testing! Happy Soaping!

More from Otion's SWI 2010

2010-08-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

I was just going through some pics from the Soap Weekend Intensive (SWI) a couple of weekends ago and I wanted to share! I met the wonderful Jude Birch who runs Aussie Soap Supplies in Australia while I was there. I can't believe she came all the way from Australia! She taught swirling and layering Cold Process techniques this year. I had a blast hanging out with her when we weren't teaching. She is an amazing soaper and you can read an little interview with her, here at the Soap King Blog!

FYI- even if you missed the SWI this year you can still take classes at Otion. Here is the class schedule! http://www.otionsoap.com/soapclasses.html

I thought the project she taught were lovely and we had a fun little photo shoot in the building where Otion is located:

Here's me and Jude!

Some of the students

The mess I made prepping for my class

Me drinking a beer making a sour puss face :)

Coming down from the Lake House

2010-08-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of staying on Lake Samish while in Washington State for a class I taught at Otion's Soap Weekend Intensive. It was absolutely stunning and peaceful and reminded me of summers with my family on Lake Champlain in Vermont. Friday I took a 6.5 mile jog around the lake, hung out on the dock, read Villa Incognito, and just relaxed like I haven't in a long time! Over the weekend I took a boat ride, did a little fishing, and enjoyed great food and a few "libations".

Me and Anne-Marie fishing on the dock

Early morning

pretty pink thing

giant orange slug

tennis shoe planter - I thought this was so cool!

The Making of the French Macaron Soap v.2.0

2010-07-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

These are created from a custom mold (or molds) that I made from a hand carved clay master.

So, I loved the Macaron Soap v.1.0 but I really wanted to make something that was not only easier to produce, but also more like a real French Macaron cookie! I am so happy with the results!
here was the original:

They are super cute as well, but these were the nice ones and the method of making them left varying results from batch to batch which was just unacceptable for me especially if I am wholesaling them.

Here is how I did it!
1) I carved the two cookie pieces from Super Scuply and then added a flat disk to one of the cookie sides for the middle. So the mold is a two part, one side just the cookie, and one side the cookie plus the middle!

2) After baking the two sides I created one silicone mold and make a whole bunch of masters that would later be used to make a large sheet of multicavity molds.
3) I molded the masters. First I got a foam board that I cut and taped into a shallow box, then I layed out the masters and poured the silicon.

It was a mess but fun! I have made single cavity molds with silicone before but never anything on this scale!

I wanted to have at least 100 cavities for wholesale purposes so I ended up with 8 sheets of molds each with 14 total cookies (28 cavities total for the two part mold) Below is the cookie with the middle and each one of those got paired with a cookie top! The halves were easily "glued" together with melted glycerin soap!

Each one of the sheets was about $180 worth of silicone - Times 8 that really adds up!

New soap available and on sale!

2010-07-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note - the new Bathtub Brew and lavender Lime Soda are now available and on sale until July 10th for $5.50 per bar! Click here to buy!

I also sent out a newsletter with an exclusive sale for subscribers - be sure to sign up by July 10th to catch the sale!
( see sign up form on the right side bar)

Meat City by Jason M. Tucker

2010-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends, the talented writer Jason M. Tucker has a new book of horror short stories out called Meat City.

He has appeared in various anthologies including Darc Karnivale and Northern Haunts and his short story Blood, Magic, and a Concubine is available as a Kindle Version on Amazon for just 99¢! Jason is selling signed copies of Meat City for just $15 which includes shipping!

Learn more about Jason and buy a signed copy here!

The Art of Soap - a book by Debbie Chialtas of Soapylove

2010-06-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

I am constantly amazed by how much people love soap! I get emails, chats and posts on my Facebook fan page from lovers of soap, users with new appreciation and budding soapmakers looking for advice, all praising the idea of soap and the process of making it. Since its invention soap has been here to stay. Soap, that utilitarian staple of human cleanliness (modern usage also for cats and dogs), that modest brick in standard scents like “Dove” and “Irish Spring”. After entering the world of soap making almost four years ago, I felt like I was stepping into the beginning of a soap revolution. I have watched soap making evolve into an exploration of custom fragrances, exotic and ancient ingredients, and wild to mild colors, with soap makers pushing the boundaries of artistic soap design, each with a unique visual perspective – an intimate expression of themselves. After all, as soap makers don’t we all dream of making what we ultimately would like to bathe with?

Soap is no longer modest but is screaming to be front and center.

A woman at the forefront of this soap revolution is Debbie Chialtas of Soapylove, a good friend and a master artisan of glycerin soap. She has conceived an idea in the process of fruition. A book dedicated to the varying aesthetics in soap and the stories behind the bars. Simply: The Art of Soap. When she asked me to photograph the book I didn’t hesitate.

Follow the progress of the book here: http://theartofsoapbook.blogspot.com/

You can see Debbie's amazing soaps here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soapylove/

Debbie's blog: http://soapylove.blogspot.com/

Homemade rose water

2010-05-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

This time of year every time I walk out the front door I get the heady waft of of roses at the peak of bloom and sometimes I shut my eyes and breathe deeply lingering for a few moments to imprint the scent on my memory.

I decided to try capturing the delicate scent by attempting some homemade rose water! From what I know of the process I thought a home set up might be do-able and got to work searching the interweb for some methods! I found some things, made a slight modification and went to work with rudimentary household utensils (thought I was, in my mind, acquiring glass do-dads and pipe, rubber stopper and connector thingys and burners like a mad scientist to make something a little more sophisticated - next project!).

TIP: You can use your rose water by itself as a refreshing toner or add 10% witch hazel to make an astringent!

Stuff you will need
• about 8 oz of fresh rose petals - preferably that are chemical free and picked in the morning
If you don;t have roses as a neighbor or see if a local florist will give/sell you old roses (that thye will probably throw out anyway)
NOTE: I made 2 oz of rose water with 8 oz of fresh petals
• double boiler with a steamer
• ramekin or small heat safe dish
• tin foil ( a stainless steel bowl will work better)
• ice
• tap water or distilled water

What to do:
This process will take 3-4 hours depending on how many rose petals you pick.
1) clean the picked petals - mine were covered in insects and spiders so I just filled the pot holding my petals to the top with water to flush critters out.
2) set up your pot. Fill the bottom with water so the steamer pan is about 1 inch above the level of the water. Place the ramekin in the center.
3) Put petals around the ramekin, you can really stuff them in just make sure they sit at or below the level of your ramekin.

4) place a sheet of foil over the top so that it is in a concave shape - you can also use a stainless steel bowl.
5) set water to boil and then simmer - put a few ice cubes on the top of your foil - you will have to keep refilling ice and emptying water so a bowl would indeed be better for this! Just make sure the lowest point of the bowl sits above the ramekin and that it completely seals the top of the pot so that rose water does not escape!

6) You will have to refill rose petals every half hour or so - do not remove old ones. You will already see the rose water in the ramekin after just 30 minutes!You may also have to add more water to the double boiler, but just add a few ounces at a time so it does not breach the bottom of the steam pan. After you have added your last batch of rose petals let the whole thing steam for another hour and then you are done! Discard rose petals into the compost heap or back into your garden soil.

Place the rose water in a sterile glass jar and keep in the refrigerator - lasts about a week.

Has anyone tried making floral water with other types of flowers? If so what did you make and what was your method!

Natural Selections

2010-05-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

I have been brewing up essential oils combos like crazy for the past few weeks! I was inspired by a lecture I saw at the HSMG Conference by Robert Tisserand, an expert in aromatherapy, and got to work revisiting my essential oil books and formulating up a storm! My goal is to expand my all natural line of soaps to give customers additional all natural options while still striving for a unique look! Soaps made with essential oils hit your body differently than soaps made with fragrance oils. They have the power to soothe, relax, calm, get you energized, - the benefits are physiological and psychological! Now, I am not dogging fragrance oils. Sometimes I want to wake up to the smell of fresh baked blueberry muffins or strawberry cheesecake, or a soap that smells like a far off place from my childhood that a particular fragrance oils has perfectly captured. Everything has a place. Right now I am mesmerized by essential oils and I hope you enjoy what I have come up with! FYI - I am showing some love to the gentlemen with a new beer soap with orange and spices that the ladies will love too, and a woodsy spruce combo with a touch of citrus! The beer soap is made and pictured below and the Spruce is in production next week as soon as my larger sizes of the oils arrive!

I hope you enjoy the pics and welcome any suggestions you might have for future all natural soaps!

Natural collection from front to back: Lavender Lime Italian Soda, French Lavender, Lemongrass, Rosemary Mint, Bath Tub Brew

Castile soaps made with 100% olive oil, essential oils, botanicals and clay. I sell these as facial soaps but they are lovely for the whole body! from front to back: Unscented Castile, Tea Tree, Lemon Geranium

New Lavender Lime Italian Soda available at the end of June:

New Bath Tub Brew available at the end of June, made with organic fair trade red palm oil, Stone IPA, and a warm spicy blend of essential oils - ok, it smells like a pumpkin pie!

The newly redesigned Rosemary Mint!

Two new English Apothecary™ scents

2010-05-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Sage & Chamomile

Gently scented with green notes of sage and herby floral chamomile with cedar and smoke.

Narcissus

a powdery delicate floral reminiscent of daffodil

find them in my Etsy Shop

Enjoy! :)

A lovely cup of tea

2010-05-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying a lovely cup of tea made from an oolong one of my clients sent! I love my clients!
This is the Strand Tea Company's "Hairy Crab" Oolong from the Fulian Provence in China. It has lovely hints of Pineapple and Coconut with a medium golden color and strong nutty taste. What a refreshing morning tea! I think it would be nice with a pineapple glazed chicken dish or a tropical turkey salad!

Do you have a favorite Tea? If so post a link!

Some pics from the HSMG 2010 Conference in Denver

2010-05-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hello all! It has been so busy here at the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Conference! I took a few minutes to get some pics of the beautiful Inverness Hotel in Denver. I was particularly interested in the hotel - it has nice architectural features and wide open, but cozy and welcoming spaces. I will be posting a little recap of my experience at this years conference and all the the things I have learned!

Cool planters along the outer edge of a catwalk over the lobby.

I thought it was a nice organic touch.

Shots of the lobby sitting areas from the catwalk.

Fancy guest room!

View from the room window. We were overlooking a golf course which was beautiful, but there was little green space for non-golfers to walk. My one hotel complaint.

Sculptures in the lobby - didn't read the display but I will get an explanation for this one!

Castile soaps are back!

2010-04-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Soap made with 100% Olive oil is a most gentle soap, is a hard long lasting bar and has a creamy soft silky lather! These soaps get praise from my clients so I am once again offering the Unscented Castile and the Lemon Geranium Facial soap in addition to my Tea Tree facial soap. All three are made with Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and are 100% natural.

find them in my shop!

For oily skin I recommend the Tea tree soap or the Lemon Geranium
For normal/combination skin I recommend the Lemon Geranium or Unscented castile
For dry skin I recommend the Unscented castile

Traditional Castile Soap

The Geranium facial soap has been revamped to include ground oatmeal ground calendula for a gentle exfoliation and lemon essential oil to brighten the skin. I also added honey, a humectant, and pink clay to help draw toxins out of your skin.

Lemon Geranium facial soap

For the face I recommend to lather the soap on and let it sit for a minute before rinsing so the ingredients have time to do their magic! Be sure to wash your face with cold water. Hot water will strip moisture from your skin. To finish apply two drops of extra virgin olive oil to a cotton pad and smooth over face. Use your fingers to rub it in!

Tea Tree Facial Soap

Olive oil has been used for thousands of years as a skin ointment and modern science tells us that indeed olive oil is beneficial for the skin whether applied or ingested. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants including Vitamin E, Vitamin A and Hydroxytyrosol, said to slow the aging process by stabilizing the cell plasma membrane with can break down as we age*.

Though I do promote these as facial soaps they are wonderful for the whole body! Enjoy!

*sources

the Pink and Green Sale

2010-03-31T17:25:00.000-07:00

In Honor of over 200 fans on the Naiad Soap Arts Facebook Fan Page, and my favorite color combo, I am having a sale!

For the PINK and GREEN sale - anything in my Etsy shop that is either PINK or GREEN or BOTH with be marked 20% off starting April 1st through April 5th! For Instance:

Happy Shopping!

naiad.etsy.com

Pure, Fantastic Pepo Park

2010-03-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

At last year's HSMG Conference I had the privilege of hanging out with Kim Wilton, the little lady behind Pepo Park . Not only is she super cool but she is a super talented soap maker as well! Her products are all natural, simple but elegant, in fresh scents like Ylang Delight, Ginger Spice and Lavender, Lime + Grapefruit. I am using the Ginger Spice now and it makes taking a shower in the morning pure bliss with a heavenly scent and bubbly moisturizing lather!

Oh, and she makes a must have salve for dry weathered skin with Tea Tree and lavender essential oils called No More Rough Patches, as well as bath salts, lip balms and room sprays!

When she isn't making soap or donating soap to Clean the World and other charities you can find her on facebook, Etsy, and her website!

Winner of the Sunset Cliffs Giveaway!

2010-03-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Adrian - the second commenter! Just send an email to me at erin@naiadsoaparts.com with your shipping info!

Thanks to everyone for the comments and compliments!

Join me at the Soap Weekend Intensive at Otion!

2010-03-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen on the Soap Queen blog yet I am happy to announce that I will be teaching glycerin soap techniques at the Otion Soap Weekend Intensive August 13th, 14th and 15th in Bellingham Washington! Other classes are Cold Process soap, Liquid soap and Lotion Making! It will be a jam packed weekend of learning and fun, not to mention beautiful Pacific Northwest summer scenery!

It is my first time teaching at the SWI (so go easy on me) and I am so excited, absolutely giddy really, that I will be teaching this summer! A big thanks to Anne-Marie for inviting me!

Here is one of the projects I will be teaching

You can register here: 2010 Soap Weekend Intensive

I hope you'll join us!

FINALLY! Geeeze! Presenting Sugar Whipped Soaps (again)

2010-03-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

New Sugar Whipped soaps have arrived! (Just in time to still have them up March 15th, at least PST, so I don't look like such a slacker!
Just $11.00 for a 10oz tub! Look for them in the Body Scrub section of my Shop!

Six Yummy Scents, Bubbly Lather, Saturated with fine Sugar for a gentle scrub! Run Down:

~ Key Lime Pie ~ Buttery sweet graham cracker crust filled with sweet, citrusy Key Lime custard and sugared meringue!

~ Cardamom Vanilla ~ Warm buttery vanilla custard and fresh ground spicy green cardamom!

~ Lemon Poppy Cake ~ Mouth watering Lemon butter cake drizzled with buttercreme icing!

~ Orange Sherbet ~ Cold and tangy orange sherbet filled with vanilla bean ice cream - just like an orange creamsicle! You will want to lick it! (but don't!)

~ Very Berry ~ Luscious, tart Acai Berry, Raspberry and Black Currant mingle into a perfect juicy sweet scent!

~ Brown Sugar Pumpkin Crunch ~ Sweet baked Pumpkin with golden crisp brown sugar and butter crumb topping!

French Macarons First attempt!

2010-03-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

You have all seen them - those delightful pastel confections in gorgeous colors and flavors that intrigue and tempt, and are notoriously know for being difficult to make! Did I mention they are my favorite cookie? (thank you Debbie at Soapylove) Well, I had to try making them of course! It all started when I got my daily email from Rare Bird Finds featuring "I (heart) Macarons" by Hisako Ogita. I immediately followed the link and bought the book! It is filled with beautiful pictures and easy to follow photographed instructions making the whole endeavor seem possible, so this weekend I dove in!

I pondered over the myriad color/flavor combos and came up with a simple Pistachio macaron with a Framboise buttercreme filling! All of the ingredients were easily found at Trader Joes and luckily I have a scale since I measured the ingredients by weight to be precise!

Readying the ingredients was a snap - but them came the "Macronnage", the step where perfectly stiff egg whites are mixed with the dry ingredients: Ground almonds and powdered sugar (and ground pistachios in this case). This is the make or break step, mix too much or too little and the tops of the macarons could be cracked, they could lack feet (the little ridge at the bottom which it MUST have to be classified a macaron) or could have a dull appearance instead of a shiny hard shell. The instructions said to do 15 strokes with a rubber spatula to mix the batter to the right consistency - I did exactly 15 strokes and the batter looked perfect.

When I piped the batter however it looked thin whereas in the pictures from the book the batter looked stiffer - perfectly round dots with a little height and dome to the top. I thought I was finished but I moved forward! They dryed for 45 minutes and then I popped them in the oven. The directions said a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. I did this and the first baking sheet was overbaked (but with feet to my delight!). The second baking sheet I dropped the heat to 300 and baked for 7 minutes and they were underbaked. The third sheet was the charm at 300 degrees for 10 minutes with a rotation half way through baking! The hardest part was getting them off of the parchment paper so next time I will use silicone baking mats for sure!

Notes for next time:

1) the directions did not say this but while doign research I found that you should use dried egg whites, that is you separate the whites and let them sit out for 24-72 hours to reduce the moisture while still maintaining the protein bonds. I cheated and microwaved then for 15 seconds. Next time I will do it the right way and hopefully the batter will be a bit more stiff. (wish the book would have mentioned that)

2) use silicone baking mats.

New Limited Edition Soap: Sunset Cliffs - Giveaway!

2010-03-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

Introducing a happy little experiment with checkers: my new Limited Edition soap - Sunset Cliffs! Scented like fresh squeezed Kumquat and juicy Mango slices! Fresh, citrusy and fruity, reminiscent of summer time, picnics and the beautiful San Diego Coast!

I am giving a bar of this yummy stuff away to someone lucky! You will get a huge 5 oz bar - just leave a comment under this post and a winner will be chosen at random. The giveaway closes Saturday March 20th at 9 pm PST.

You guys are the best!

NEW - Masala Chai - as voted by you!

2010-03-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

So a while back I posted a poll for the new addition to my permanent Luxury Shea Butter soap collection! Marsala Chai is here as voted by you!

Packed with black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, coriander, nutmeg and warm buttery vanilla! Delightful indeed and great for men and women! The spice and tea mix acts as an exfoliant to gently scrub away dirt and dead skin. We used our classic shea butter recipe, including shea butter and vitamin rich oils for a luxurious feel!

Look for it in the Luxury CP Soap Section of my Etsy shop!

Five New Soap scents- Faery's Muse Exclusives!

2010-03-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have teamed up with Laura at Faery's Muse to bring her scent ideas to life in five new soaps that you can only get at Faery's Muse!

Choose From:

Strawberry Mimosa:"Springtime sweet strawberry nectar mixes with sparkling champagne for an update to the favorite brunch drink. Salut!"

a La Chocolat: Puts one in mind of cobblestoned French villages and lovely chocolate shops where imaginary kangaroos roam freely. Chocolate with a pinch of mysterious Aztec spices mixes with robust French roast coffee from a sidestreet cafe. Hand delivery by Johnny Depp not included, unfortunately."

Chocolat Tea: "An intriguing blend of black tea--don't think Lipton's, think darker!--swirled with a smooth ribbon of milk chocolate. You'll want seconds of this special Tea!"

Mocha Breve:"Sweet chocolate and a hint of soft cream tempers robust espresso and a hint of orange in this lovely sniff, just like its namesake! This soap even looks like lovely dark chocolate."

Carnival Apple: "Brings back memories of country fairs---juicy, tart sweet apple mixes with buttery caramel in the heat of the day. You won't upset the apple cart if you pick one up for a friend too!"

Parsleyed Quinoa with Oven Roasted Cabbage and Goat Cheese

2010-02-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

This recipe is simple but delicious and is perfect for a light dinner (which really should be a smaller meal than it traditionally is). Cabbage is low calorie, high in fiber and antioxidants and a wonderful filling food especially if you are dieting. Quinoa is just awesome, and good source of phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese, Vitamins B6, Niacin and Thiamin, lysine, is low in fat and high in protein. Goat cheese is known to cause less adverse reactions than cheese made from cow's milk and has a unique tangy quality that I love!

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/4 t. salt (optional)
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley rough chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste
young chevre (goat cheese) for crumbling over cabbage

1) Preheat oven to 400º.
2) Clean and core cabbage, peel outer leaves and cut into quarters. Place cabbage quarters on a cookie sheet covered in foil with the sliced sides facing up.
3) Heat olive oil and minced garlic in a small microwave safe container for 30 seconds. Brush on cabbage. Be sure to get an equal amount of garlic on each piece of cabbage.
4) Place cabbage in preheated oven, roast for 45 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan bring the 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil and add 1/4 cup of chopped parsley and quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (if desired). Bring up to a boil then cover and reduce heat to simmer until all of the water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. The quinoa will appear translucent when done. Keep covered to steam until cabbage is done.
6) When cabbage is done (cabbage should be still slightly crunchy in the middle but tender on the outsides with a nice brown color) sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
7) To serve, place 1 cabbage quarter on a plate with 1/2 cup of quinoa, sprinkle with about 2 Tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese and enjoy!

Last Day of Liver cleanse - White Been Purée with sautéed chard

2010-02-26T07:47:00.000-08:00

So I am in the home stretch of the liver cleanse and I am so happy that I did this! I feel wonderful, lost a couple pounds and I think I have kicked my dependence on caffeine for good! I have been eating surprisingly well but have started craving all of the foods I am not supposed to have of course. After today I can re-introduce gluten, dairy, eggs and soy one at a time to see if I have any adverse reactions which may indicate a food allergy. I really hope I am not allergic to dairy - I don't think I could live without cheese! Throughout the day I will post a few of the recipes I have tried during the week. First up:

White Bean Purée with Sautéed Chard
(adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop)

Creamy Puréed White beans with roasted garlic perfectly compliments sautéed Onions and Swiss Chard for a balanced healthy snack or side dish to fish or chicken. You can use fresh chopped garlic that has been sautéed for a spicier flavor but I love the mellow sweet creamy taste of the roasted garlic with this. This is delicious, protein packed substitute for starch when following a low carb diet!

Bean Puree:

1 1/3 cup vegetable broth

3 , 15 oz cans of Cannellini or Great Northern beans no salt added (or low salt)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 roasted garlic cloves peeled (whole garlic bulb is needed)

Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Drizzle olive oil on the garlic bulb and wrap a the whole bulb of garlic in tin foil. Bake in toaster over or regular oven at 400 degrees about 45 minutes.

2. In a medium sauce pan bring the broth to a boil.

3. When garlic is done remove and peel 6 cloves and place in a food processor with your white beans and broth. You may have to do the beans in batches depending on the size of your food processor. Purée until smooth.

4. transfer the bean puree back into the sauce pan and cook until thick. Salt and pepper to taste.

Greens:

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves Minced

2 1/2 lbs well rinsed Chard leaves rough chopped, thick stems removed (you can roast the stems so save them if you like!)

1 Teaspoon minced herbs ( I suggest fresh sage or thyme)

1. In a large Stockpot heat oil over medium heat, add onions and cook until just golden. Add garlic and herbs until fragrant - about 1 minute.

2. add Swiss chard, turning in the pot to coat with oil. Cover and cook until wilted stirring occasionally.

Reheat the White Bean Purée is necessary, portion out in to a shallow bowl and top with greens!

I love to top this with slivered almonds as well!

Indian style lentils with spinach

2010-02-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

It is the third day of my liver cleanse and I can now incorporate food back into my diet, so I am treating myself to a hearty and healthy dish of fragrant Indian spices mixed with nutritious lentils and spinach! Part of my love of making this is the beautiful aromatic spices and vegetables I get to experience while making the dish - it sure gets my appetite going!

The lentil or dal, is super good for you - high in potassium, calcium and iron, and a good source of B vitamins, phosphorus and copper and we all know how good spinach is! Thanks Popeye! Lentils are tasty, versatile, easy to prepare and pretty inexpensive making them one of my favorite foods!

The extra chili pepper and fresh ginger makes this dish very spicy! I suggest leaving out the chili if you want a milder spice flavor.

Spicy Indian Style Lentils with Spinach

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger minced
• 1 green chili minced
• 1/4 Teaspoon garam masala (An Indian Spice mix which can also be found in the spice section of your grocery store)
• 1/4 Teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin
• 3-4 cups rough chopped spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1) rinse lentils and pick over for stones.
2) in a small sauce pan bring lentils to a boil in the vegetable broth. Cook until tender about 25 minutes, add more liquid if needed.
3) in 3 T of Olive oil sautee chili, garlic, ginger, tumeric, garam marsala and cumin about 2 minutes
4) add the lentils plus liquid to the sautee simmer for about 10 minutes
5) add spinach and cook until wilted

Serve with brown rice! Makes enough for 2 servings or 4 servings as a side dish. Enjoy

7 Day Liver Cleanse - Day 2 recap, Day 3 menu

2010-02-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

So the second day of fasting was a bit easier but and I had to eat a little (a tablespoon of almond butter and a banana) because I walk/jogged and did some stretching in the morning and needed some protein afterwards. After my exercise I noticed a yicky odor on my body, not normal body odor, but it smelled like the capsule supplement I am taking for the clease was seeping out of my pores. That was a little weird.

I felt less hungry in general yesterday, and did not have to nap like on Saturday. I did get a dull mild headache towards late yesterday evening but felt good when I woke up this morning. I already feel less bloated, and "cleaned out' than I normally do and did not wake up with sneezing like I do most mornings!

I am so happy about eating today! I thought a lot about food yesterday.

The menu for today:
Breakfast: rice powder in rice milk, supplements
Snack: rice cake with 1 T almond butter, 1/2 cup of organic blueberries
Lunch: Indian Style Lentils with brown rice
Snack: banana, 1/4 cup almonds
Dinner: rice powder in rice milk, supplements

Herbal tea sweetened with molasses and lots of water throughout the day!

7 Day Liver Cleanse - Day 1

2010-02-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I started a 7 day Liver Cleanse supervised by my friend Jim Chialtas a licensed Acupuncturist here in San Diego. The point of the this cleanse is to remove toxins from the body which can lead to adverse health effects, as well as eliminate stress caused by food allergens, diagnosed and undiagnosed. Even if you lead a healthy lifestyle you are exposed to pollutants found in the environment, non-organic and processed foods, and you may have food allergies that you are unaware of, so this is a way to give the body a break for a week.

Before the cleanse we were given a questionnaire that helps indicate toxicity level - I didn't score too well! Based on 60 symptoms and a point scale of 0-4, 4 being the most severe, I scored a 34 which indicates a moderate level of toxicity! I am hoping that he cleanse will improve some of my problems with allergies and congestion and get me on track to eat healthier. I live under the illusion that I am a healthy eater but in reality I munch on potato chips every once in a while, NEED my cup of coffee in the morning, enjoy my wine a little too much sometimes, eat more refined sugars and grains than I would like to and could stand to have more organic fruits and veggies in my diet. I am so happy I already kicked the diet soda!

As far as this weeks diet, we were provided with a rice powder supplement and two capsule supplements as well as a list of detox friendly foods - lots of organic fruits and veggies, lentils, beans, certain nut butters, whole grain rice quinoa, the list goes on. We can NOT have wheat or foods with gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, processed foods, refined sugars, caffeine (except green tea), alcohol, and meat should be organic and limited if ingested at all. Day one and two was an optional fast that I decided to do, so just the rice powder supplement and capsule supplements, as well as herbal tea, water and whole fruit juice but no food. I slept most of the day yesterday but managed to take a short walk and make some veggie broth as a base for some of my meals this week! Today I woke up thirsty and hungry but the rice powder shake satisfied me enough to take a brisk walk - I snuck in a banana and a few raw almonds after the walk and I am looking forward to the next shake!

here is the recipe for the broth:

Vegetable Broth (use organic when possible)

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6-8 celery stalks chopped
1 large onion chopped
4 medium carrots chopped
1 large leek chopped
10 cups distilled water
4 large garlic cloves whole (you can leave the skin on)
handful of fresh parsley
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
handful of fresh basil
skin from two potatoes
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1) Heat oil in a large stock pot on medium heat, add onion, garlic, leek and cook until translucent (I like to get a little color on them as I think it adds a richness to the stock flavor)
2) add celery and carrots cook about 5 minutes.

3) add distilled water and the remaining ingredients to the stock pot, bring to a boil then cover and simmer for about 90 minutes.

4) strain stock squeezing out the liquid from the solid. Let cool, transfer to a container and refrigerate for 2 days or freeze.

My experience with the Abbey James Soap Co.

2010-02-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, you all know that I make soap and have an virtually endless supply at my disposal so when I do buy soap it is from friends and from soap artisans that tickle my curiosity and blow me away with design (Yeah, I am a jerk like that). I have finally checked the Abbey James Soap Co. off of my list. I am so excited to show you what I got!

First I opened the package and I knew right away that I was in for a wonderful experience! The Thank You sticker is a great idea - a simple way to finish off your wrapping and make your customers experience memorable from the start!

Here is what was inside! We have the two items I ordered - a three pack body butter sampler and a bar of Sugared Spruce soap. Extra goodies: a sample size body butter, two cold process soap samples and a beautiful drawer sachet scented with her Haiku fragrance (also a great idea! It has all of the info you need to find your way back to the Abbey James Soap co. etsy shop!).

I am going to add a quick lesson in photography

to get a larger depth of field - top- use a smaller aperture (bigger number). In low light you may need a tripod as the shutter speed will be slower. For a smaller depth of field - bottom- use a larger aperture (smaller number). The corresponding shutter speed will be faster for the same exposure.

The body butters are amazing. They have a creamy light texture and absorb into your skin quickly. They scents are not overpowering, just strong enough to leave a light kiss of scent on your skin. I got Pomegranate Blossom, Lemon Biscotti and Red Clover Tea - the Lemon Biscotti is my favorite but then I am a sucker for sweets!

(small aperture, long exposure)

(large aperature, short exposure)

The soap smells divine and has a fluffy lather. I love how Rebecca used a clear label to show off the pretty soap!

Rebecca Smith is the owner, and creator of these luscious B&B treats. Her customer service is excellent and her products are wonderful. Check out her shop for beautifully packaged gift sets as well!

AbbeyJames.com

Sugar Whipped Soap - 20 FREE samples

2010-02-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

So, I am working on some fragrances for new Sugar Whipped soaps. So far I have Very Berri, Lemon Poppy Cake, Cardamom Vanilla (the same as my Marshmallow Cream soap), and Brown Sugar Pumpkin Crunch! The next 20 orders over $20.00 will get one of these 4 oz Sugar Whipped Soaps free! I would love some feedback on how you like the scent, texture, scrubbiness and any other comments! FYI - The label is a working label and bound to change so I would love suggestions on that too!

The New Line: English Apothecary™

2010-02-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

You know when you are making a lot of soap or other toiletries and have numerous fragrances open and scents mingle together in the air, or maybe you are taking a morning hike or walking through a garden and sometimes you get a whiff of some fabulous combination of wild herbs and flowers that you can't decipher? That is the inspiration for this new line of soaps, bath salts, and body oils I am calling English Apothecary™. An ode to flowers, nature, herbal teas and tincures, and a time when what we put on our bodies came of the same stuff that we put into it. With natural clays, freshly ground organic herbs, and custom blended pure essential oils and fine cosmetic fragrances!

I already have some items ready and will have soaps off cure by mid March.

So far I have: the signature blend, a scent reminiscent of misty morning walks through heady roses, lavender and peony, on the edge of a Cedar forest, very floral powdery and feminine. Gardenia with bright green notes of lemon verbena tea and and creamy thai coconut milk!

Take a look!

Shave Sets are back in time for your Sweetheart!

2010-02-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update - The Men's Shave Sets are back! Heather at Muds Evolution Pottery has outdone herself again with this newest batch of mugs in a variety of rich colors! You get the shave mug shown in the listing, your choice of shave soap in tart Grapefruit, Kumquat, Sandalwood or Wasabi, and a boar hair shave brush all in a gift box! $35.00 at Naiad Soap Arts

Tangerine Butter Cake Soap...

2010-01-30T22:23:00.000-08:00

Buttery Sweet pound Cake mingles with bright Tangerine, with hints of vanilla bean, clove and cinnamon!

Now available! Click here to buy!

CGQG3A923JN9

Marsala Chai is the Winner!

2010-01-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who voted for the next soap in my Permanent Collection! The Marsala Chai will be ready to purchase through my Etsy shop and for wholesale on March 1st!

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...

2010-01-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Which soap should I add to the Permanent Collection? I love every soap that I make (even if customers do not) so it is hard to choose what stays and what is a Limited Edition. Here are some Discontinued and Seasonal soaps that I often get requests for and there is a spot in the permanent collection for one of them. Please help me decide! I have a poll going over to the right and would love your vote!

Honeydew Peach: This bright and summery soap is scented with a perfect marriage of Sweet Juicy Honeydew Melon and Peach fragrances.

Marsala Chai: Packed with black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, coriander, nutmeg and warm buttery vanilla!

Pineapple Mint: Sweet, sugary candied mint leaves with a juicy, ripe pineapple finish!

Smoked Balsam: Fresh pine scent with notes of campfire smoke, patchouli and amber!

I ♥ Beets!

2010-01-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

I had never had a beet until a few months ago, as my memories are of the red root and bright pink hard boiled eggs in a magenta pickling broth, not so appealing at 5 or 6 years old, and the experience turned me off of beets until they were recently recommended by a friend! Now I absolutely love them, am tickled by the pretty color and since then, have found out just about all I could about the nutritious pink food! Beets are like the Superman of veggies! According to articles I have read they are high in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and C. Put it up against Spinach and other greens for iron content and Beet Greens are the winner pound for pound! Betacyanin, which gives beets their red color is apparently a superhero against cancer!

Oh, back to the eggs. I wonder if my Mom knew those bright pink pickled eggs and beets are a harmonious combo - Apparently the Choline in eggs and the Betaine in Beets work together to fight inflammation linked to heart disease, Osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes! I don't know what Choline and Betaine are but that is pretty cool!

There are a few precautions as well. Due to the oxalates those with kidney stones or gallbaldder stones should consume with caution and probably if your doctor says it is ok.

I am not an expert and don't want to make claims but you can read all about it on The Worlds Healthiest Foods or by doing a web search for beets - you will find a lot of resources!

AND - you may see a little red hmm, hmm, down there after eating beets. This is called beeturia and it is a harmless condition that happens to those who cannot metabolize the betalain that makes the beets red. 10-14% of the population suffers from this.

I love that you can eat the whole plant, root and greens - very economical!

Beets are in season in Sothern California right now. You want to look for small unwrinkled beets when buying, though I had some beets the size of softballs last night and they were wonderful - tender and sweet! The were being sold by the bunch rather than the pound so I just bought the Heaviest bunch there was!

I like a simple preparation for the beets and greens, as they have natural sugar and salt so little to no seasoning is required!

Simple Beet salad with wilted greens and walnuts:

It is a great snack on its own but I love to serve this with grilled Firm Tofu drizzled

with Soy Vay Island Teriyaki sauce.

It goes well with the sweet sauce and would also be wonderful with a side of

Cottage Cheese or a portion of grilled Chicken!

• I started with a bunch of organic beets - about 2 lbs with greens, a bunch of organic swiss chard
(6 cups), and a bunch of organic Mustard (6 cups). I strongly recommend organic produce here!

• separate the beets from the greens, peel, slice into 1/2 inch pieces, place in the bottom of a baking pan, drizzle with about 2 T. of olive oil, a pinch of coarse sea salt (optional) and roast at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You want them fork tender.

If you want to cut some of the fat out, you may also clean them, wrap in tin foil with the skin on and roast until fork tender. (I just like drizzling with olive oil because all the TV cooks do it and it makes me feel fancy) Remember to peel them after roasting!

• While the beets are roasting rinse your greens well! Take out the tough middle stalks on the leaves, either by cutting, or tearing leaves away from stalk. I like to cut to avoid bruising the greens. Rough chop the greens to about 1 - 2 inch pieces.

• Once the beets are done quickly wilt the greens in 1T of olive oil on high heat. This will take about 2 minutes. Beets greens and chard have a fair amount of sodium naturally so season with a little freshly ground pepper.

• Top with sliced beets and about 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or almonds! Serves 3-4! make sure everyone gets a couple beet slices! I say this because I like to keep them for myself. :)

Enjoy!

Tutorial: Sweet Treats Mini Soap Chocolates

2010-01-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

I always love to give handmade goodies for holidays and I think these little soap chocolates are the perfect Valentine's Day gift for a sweetheart or even friends and co-workers. They are simple and budget friendly! I hope you enjoy it!

Materials:

• 12 oz. of Bright White glycerin soap

• 8 oz. of Naturally Clear plus 4 oz. of Bright White glycerin soap

• two, 2 cup microwave safe glass measuring cups

• 2 plastic droppers

• Wilton Bite size brownie squares pan

• Strawberry Fragrance Oil

• Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil

• Non Bleed Red Liquid Color

• Brown Oxide Liquid Color

• two, 2 or 4 oz. Plastic Squeeze Bottles

• Rubbing Alcohol in a Spray Bottle

a simmering pan of water (optional)

Directions:

1) Melt 12 oz of white soap in microwave - about 2 minutes. Add 6 drops of Non bleed red color, less or more depending on how light or dark you would like your pink, and 4 ml of Strawberry Fragrance. Set aside

2) Melt 8 oz of clear soap base plus 4 oz. of white soap base in microwave - about 2 minutes, Add 30 drops of Brown Liquid Oxide, more or less depending on how light or dark you would like the chocolate color, and 4 ml of Rich Dark Chocolate Fragrance Oil.

here are the colors you are looking to get

3) Pour about 1 oz of pink soap into one squeeze bottle and about 1 oz of Chocolate Brown soap into the other squeeze bottle. If the soap starts to set up, place the bottles in a pan of simmering water until the soap is liquid again.

4) Working in only 12 of the mold cavities, make thin lines of soap across the mold in a diagonal motion using one of the soap colors. You may get a little pooling depending on how hot the soap is – this is ok! Repeat in the remaining 12 cavities with the other soap color. Let set for about 5 minutes.

I make the lines across the entire mold but if you are less messy than me, you can concentrate the lines within the individual cavities. The lines will just be thicker if you do that.

5) Make sure the soap in the glass containers is at about 120 degrees, not too hot to melt the soap and not too cool to look goopy. Let cool or heat as needed. Spray the brownie mold with a generous amount of rubbing alcohol coating all of the soap lines.

6) Pour the pink soap in the mold cavities with chocolate brown stripes and the chocolate brown soap in the mold cavities with the pink stripes. Spray with rubbing alcohol to remove air bubbles and let set about 1 hour until the soap is completely firm.

7) Pop out of the mold and you are done!

Variation: Once you get the hang of the squeeze bottles you can make other designs such as hearts, swirls or dots.

Packaging ideas:

Stack soaps in a wide mouth glass apothecary jar. Decorate with an antique key to your heart and a handmade heart tag and finish with ribbon!

4 soaps fit perfectly in a 3.25 in square by 1 inch box. Add a little paper shred in the bottom of the box, place soaps, and finish with a ribbon and handmade tag.

Add pink wood shred to the bottom of a shallow tin and fill with soaps! What a nice surprise when the lucky recipient opens the box!

resources:

A little Package of Joy!

2010-01-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

On Monday I got a little package of Joy from a wonderful customer of mine...

The fabled Neiman Marcus Cookies!

There is a whole urban legend around the cookie claiming a customer bought the recipe for a $250 price tag. Another recipe is also on the Neiman Marcus site which looks pretty standard save coffee powder, but the Urban Legend version calls for such delights as ground chocolate and finely ground oatmeal and I think it is far better!

The beauty of the recipe is that you can add just about any nut or morsel to it and it will still taste wonderful! Masa's version has pecans, walnuts, butterscotch , white chocolate and semisweet morsels. I had a friend who added cut up Reese's peanut butter cups instead of chocolate morsels - also wonderful!

Next time you are in the mood for some cookies try this recipe (the urban legend one)!

It is always the best cookie at the party!

The super cute card is from Seltzer

Thanks Masa!

Missing Home

2009-12-28T22:36:00.000-08:00

Mini Gingerbread Houses stand on thier own!

2009-12-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

My attempt at this awesome project from Not Martha. My boyfriend and I did this last night for a fun Christmas Eve project. Boyfriend was sick so I had most of the fun but he was a trooper and hung in until they were all done! He is so sweet!

I rolled my dough a bit too thick (note for next time) so they are puffy and don't sit on the rim of the cup properly, but they are delicious and they stand! Success!

Below we have (from bottom left to back)

Witches House, Bluth Family Model Home, random unfinished house, Jaws house (see shark fin on top), Spike's house (from Mario Bros.), Easy Turf house, Stripe's house (the gremlin), My Country Bungalow, Patty Peppermint's house

If you live in San Diego you may have seen San Diego Charger

LaDainian Tomlinson's commercial for the fake grass EZ Turf. At first it was the Astro Turf house but after a couple of glasses of wine this seemed funnier - not as funny sober but I do love the color.

Naughty or Nice Giveaway Winner...

2009-12-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

Lutefisk

Please send your shipping info to erin@naiadsoaparts.com

Happy Holidays Everyone!