Another Great Giveaway from Creating from The Heart

Shes at it again!!! You really have to jump over to Melissas blog and check out this grand giveaway but while you are there don't forget to also check out her awesome creations as those are better than the giveaway!!



http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-3rd-blogaversary-giveaway.html

Hello!!!

 Gosh it seems like a long time since I actually got on here to post anything doesn't it!!! Okay so I'm a rotten blogger I just can't help it!!
I've been having a dilly time posting comments on any ones blog. I guess Blogger is having headaches or something. Whatever the reason I just can't post anything. I was using Explorer as my browser but had to switch to Google Chrome in order to play the games over on FaceBook. So I decided to do a Google search and see if my blog is listed-----IT IS!!!! Its weird to see the blog out there in cyberland but I'm sure zillions of others are listed too. Guess we all should feel special.

Not alot has been happening in our little world. I tried selling the soaps and crafts at a flea market and that went belly up. It was almost horrible but it was a learning experience so all wasn't lost. Plus on our last day there God let a man stop in who just needed to talk. So even though the sales were low that day was special. God knows where to put you and why you're there even if you don't understand it.

The soaps are fine but I do have to rebatch many and add extra scent. The ones I had put a GOOD dose of fragrance in was still smelling good and was just about the right scent soooooo I've done a couple new batches and added some extra scent and now its a wait and see type thing!. I'll be glad when I finally learn the ropes of soap making. The All Natural soaps are the easiest to make and I've gotten those down pat pretty quick. My goal is to become all natural by next year. However I still like the smells of certain fragrances and they are alot cheaper than essential oils. We'll just see how things go.

As for the woodcrafting side of my business-oooh my I thought I was sunk when my scroll saw died!!!!! Just up and quit on me during a cutting event. All I could do was cry. I loved that saw and the way it cut and the fact I could do some really tight curves. OOOh yeah it was good. But as with all good things they come to an end. I had held on to my old saw but I had lost half the parts and the only type blades I could use were pinned end ones. This saw was twice the age as my new one and twice as rusted so I held out little hope of it working. Would you believe I fired up that baby and it purrs like a kitten!!! I couldn't believe it. I mean here it was old, rusted and worn out yet it totally blew the younger model out of the water  ( do I sense a moral to the story here???? LOL) . So now I'm back in business yet having to reteach myself on that ole baby. The heat does make it hard to be outside but I did get a few dozen ornaments cut out and ready to go. Bring on the craft shows!!!

And finally I ask any of you prayer warriors out there to help me pray for my friend Dee. Shes got gangrene in her foot and clearly said if its entered her bone she will not have an amputation opting rather to let life run its course.I can't go into personal details here but I do just ask you to remember her as this is hard for all those involved. Plus it sooo brings back memories of losing my mother to something very similar.

Okay enough tears and news. Will try to post a little more regular haven't I promised this before????) but don't hold me to it as the first craft show is in Sept and its a 2 day event so I've got to be cracking the whip and get things going. Enjoy this awesome summer heat and hopefully all the rotten storm systems are out to sea.

Hugs, Vicki

A Great giveaway!!!

Melissa from "creating from the Heart" is having another of her awesome giveaways!!! Why not go over a have a peek and while you're there be sure to check out her wonderful creations.



http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/2011/05/its-giveaway-time.html

Lokking for 25 followers (or Likes) on FB

Good morning all. Hope this finds everyone high and dry with no damage from the recent storms. Just when I thought we were over them here another round comes thru late yesterday evening. Thankfully it was fast moving and non damaging.

Are  (or have you-not sure when it was on) watching  the Royal Wedding?? I don't get into that but its everywhere and one just can't get past it. I do wish the new couple great marriage success and a long happy life together.

Now I'm looking for 25 "likes " on Face Book ( see FB link on side). Not for a gloat but to get recognized. Guess it will generate more hits that way. I only have 7 so I still have a ways to go!!!  Once I reach that number I will be giving away a bar of my soaps ( only good to United States residents at this time-sorry). I would love to include all my out of state friends but each country is different in regulations/laws and until I can fully study all laws I'll have to stick to selling soaps/bath supplies here in America. You are free to join as I am also displaying my paper crafts and will be putting on my woodcraft things so I might have to consider something in that line for the rest of you!!


I do appreciate each and everyone of you for taking the time to comment or just read my nutty posts. I know sometimes I get too carried away but that's just who I am.

Right now I'm about to fight with my beloved GD to get her to do schooling. She wants to be a vet when she grows up and she's got that TV set to The Animal Planet!! Most kids love cartoons but not this one, she's into those animals right now and something tells me she just won't outgrow it.

Until later, have a wonderful day filled with lots of laughter and sunshine! Or if its filled with rain and dark clouds just look for that silver lining. Either way enjoy

Daisys Dilly Creations--Newsletter

Okay not exactly sure just how well the newsletter is going to show but going to give it a try here. Hopefully I can learn to send it email in the future. Enjoy-----Updated Just click on image to enlarge enough to read!! Works great

Added a FaceBook Page

  After reading all the marketing tips and ideas I decided to list myself on Face Book. Maybe not a 100% grandest idea but alot of my friends are there so will see how it goes. With hubby's job taking a big cut back (OUCH!!) I have decided its time to get rolling in my side business.I know things are tough everywhere so I'm not going to  go on about how bad we are here as this current financial thing isn't a "me" thing its an "US" thing. We are all getting hit in areas that we just can't help but we can pick ourselves up and look for ways to make money. Mine just happens to be crafting and soap making. I will be operating on a shoe string budget but it will not effect the quality of my items. I don't care how low you are on money you should always do your best work with the best materials. I've searched the Internet high and low for the best soap bases as well as the best fragrances and herbs.  I also use top line plywood for my wood crafts and I take my time doing the needed work. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm trying to put myself on any type of pedestal as that's not my goal. Rather my goal is to offer you the best product at a reasonable price.

Also I'm not begging you to join me on Face Book but just letting you know I am there if you want to come have a look. I do need to get better pictures of the things posted so bear with me in that area.

Thanks for taking your time to visit with me

The soaps are rolling in !!



lavender, chamomile, rmore lavender and rosebud



chamomile,neoplitan, and some cookies



my (not) so wonderful iced cupcakes!!



my very pretty mini bundt cakes-love these



DAISY'S DANDELION DREAMS 



Okay lets try this again and see where things land!! This new blogger takes a bit of getting use to doesn't it. Kinda types dead center!! OOOOh well at least it lets me put the pics in-somewhat straight!

After a zillion messed up bars I finally hit on some good type things. The Neoplitan bars are by far the best bar I've made. The first batch came out smelling soo yummy I had to remind everyone it was soap and not real! The cupcakes were another thing that ,even though they are a bit messed up (can't icing worth a flip as is and then to try doing it with soap-ooh my) they turned out kinda cute. Those are real candy sprinkles on top so I'm thinking these will appeal to kids for sure. I mean what kid doesn't like to make a mess. Over time they dissolve into the icing base but the color is still very visible and very messy. Next ones will have  more of an adultish type sprinkles.Then I got a very expensive silicon mold for the mini bundt cakes but after one batch I was glad I paid the extra for this mold. These cakes are just adorable!!!  They weigh in about the same as my bars but the details on the mold was just awesome. I decided not to add icing to these. My all time favorite scent on these so far is the Almond,Cherry. At first it was a bit overwhelming but when I wrapped them the other day they have mellowed out to a really wonderful smell.

Now to the herbal soaps--oooh boy what can I say here. This is where your level of soap making really shows. I'm sure a seasoned soaper would know that herbs turn your base a really yucky brown but since I am not seasoned I had no idea . I had made up a wonderful batch of very pretty Rosebud -just the right shade of pink/white with not too much flower in it. Then lo and behold a couple days later I go to wrap them and nearly died!! Nearly every bar had turned a deathy shade of brown.  I think about 10 bars survived without the drastic color change and I can't figure out why. The other herbals are changing too but with the added coloring they aren't too bad. The plain white ones had to go as they got just too dark for my liking.

I've also found that one doesn't need to buy tons of molds-though I do have a few-but rather they can use what's on had at home or buy some really cheap things at the "mart" stores. Drawer organizers make the best molds and the soap releases very easy. The worset thing I got an idea to use was a copper jello mold!! Not one of my better ideas for sure as it took me a few hours to release the soap yet the detailing was great.

I'm not done with my newest adventure. I do think I like this much better than woodcrafting  but doubting if the profits will be as good as they are with the wood. Almost everyone and his brother is selling sooaps these days so one does have to make a niche in the market. I'm just hoping to break even this year and then go from there.

Hope you enjoyed looking at my first round of goodies and hoping to be back with more later . Enjoy your day and hopefully by now the snow is melting in your area and Spring is right around the corner.