The life of a Mad Soaper

I'm still alive!

2010-06-11T02:59:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, i just wanted to let you know i'm still alive! I was struggling with some personal issues and needed time to sort them out. I'm back, and my etsy shop is active again! Yay!

Hopefully i'll be listing new items, and posting in here with frequency again! I missed everyone, and hope you were all well in the last few months i was absent.

I'd love comments if you guys would like to leave them. what would you like to see me post about? More personal life? I've sort of become addicted to makeup lately, what about some of that crap? :P

Sugar Scub Cubes are In Stock!

2009-10-28T01:45:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to introduce a new line of products to my shop! I recently started making Sugar Scrub Cubes made with hemp oil and real cane sugar.
These generously sized cubes are plenty to cut in half and use a few times!
Wonderful for a gift, or just the right treat to pamper yourself on cold winter nights in a nice warm bath.

Sugar Cookie scented Sugar Scrub Cubes also have Apricot Seed Powder for extra exfoliation! These smell just like a realy sugar cookie, just like my mother used to make. :) Sugar, dough, flour and butter blend together in a very heartwarming scent.

Royal Cherry Scrub Cubes are a wonderful luxurious gold color and smell of rich ripe cherries! A wonderful scrub that leave a light gold shimmer behind after use. :)

I absolutely want to EAT these sugar scrub cubes! White Truffle Raspberry Sugar Scrub Cubes were the first kind i created, and i love them so much! They're so absolutely to die for. I wish I could give these ones out to everyone I know!

The Soap Making Process

2009-10-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

I get people asking me all the time, "Is soap making difficult?"
I don't think so, however when i first started the whole process seemed SO daunting and difficult. But once i gave it a shot and actually tried it (okay, i tried it 4 times before my soap turned out right. True story.) it didn't seem so bad! You just need to get into a habit of doing things a certain way. It takes a lot of time and practice but eventually you can easily make soap without a problem. It's fun and you create a useful and practical product for yourself!

Here are some photos and i'll explain the process!

The first thing I do is put on gloves and protective eyewear. I didn't even think to take that photo until just now.. anyway, after I do this i pour my Lye into a container to measure it out.
I then measure my water out in a different container, and add the lye to this water. When I'm adding the lye, it's very important that i do not inhale and of the fumes from the lye. I usually cover my face with a bandana, then cover my face as i mix the lye mixture in a very airy area. I like to turn a fan on as well to try and get air circulation out a window when i'm making soap.

This is the mixture of lye and water cooling down.

I measure out my liquid oils into my mixing container.

Then i put solid oils in a separate container. Here are butters such as shea, cocoa butter, or mango butter.

Coconut oil as well.

After these oils have been melted i add them to the container with my liquid oils

After everything is at room temperature i add my cooled down lye water to the oil mixture. I do this slowly while mixing.

After all the lye water has been added and mixed into the soap i use a stick blender to mix it up well. When this happens the soap goes into a stage called "trace" where it thickens and starts to look like pudding. This photo shows the first signs of trace, or a Light Trace. I add scent to this soap usually at about this stage, and mix some more.

After all the mixing has been done i pour the soap into my lined mold with a bit left on the sides. I color the soap on the side 2 different colors then combine them into the main soap mold and swirl it around.

This is what a finished batch of soap looks like in the mold.

Unfortunately i messed up on this batch and the soap got weird spots in it, i didn't notice my lye had crystallized so the batch was off. :( Thats what you get for focusing on taking photos while making soap! Doh.

Gifts for my Family & Friends!

2009-10-13T01:22:00.000-07:00

Sea Blue Hand Knit Socks - Ladies size S/M - $18

These would be for my mother, because she is cursed just as I am with constantly freezing toes and fingers. Wools socks are her FAVORITE gift to receive because it seems she never has enough pairs.

8 oz Sugar Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark- $10

For my dad, since he's diabetic and isn't able to have sugar. He LOVES peanut butter fudge and this looks so yummy! I'm sure he'd happy eat this all up on christmas day.

Have You Been There/ original acrylic painting - $40

My friend Jenn would fall in love with this painting the moment her eyes laid upon it! I love the bold and dreamy style, and it's very psychedelic! A wonderful price for such a creative and artistic illustration, I am absolutely in awe of the style of this painter!

Franklin the Teal and White Striped Turtle - $7

This turtle is so cute! I absolutely adore it, and know that my best friend Liz would go crazy over it! The colors are so crisp and it looks to be very high quality. A WONDERFUL seller, as well! Liz is a turtle lover (and she has a pet tortoise!) so this is absolutely perfect for her.

I'm so sorry! A quick update.

2009-10-13T00:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for my blog absence! I've been getting ready for the holiday, and preparing tons of wonderful treats for everyone to enjoy and give. :) Above is a photo of my new Peppermint Candy Whipped Soap! It smells just like a tasty candy cane or hard peppermint candy!

This item was featured on the front page of etsy!! The autumn soap trio, my Lemongrass Lavender bar, Dragon's blood, and Apple Cider shampoo bar. I was so shocked, i didn't even know! Thankfully a friend sent me a convo to let me know.

I just started making Glycerin soaps, so there are only a few but this one I am very proud of! It is scented with White Truffle Raspberry fragrance, and is so pretty and delicately colored!
I can't wait to get more of my glycerin soaps listed, I'm so very satisfied with the way they turned out.

Whipped soaps are coming soon!

2009-09-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

I just tried my hand at Whipped soaps for the first time, and i absolutely love them! Just wanted to give you all a sneak peak of some products that are coming very soon to my etsy shop!

These are made similar to Cold Process soaps, however they're made at room temperature by whipping up solid oils and butters together, then adding the lye water.
This makes the soap a really cool whipped consistency and it can float in water because it's light and fluffy! These are great for children so they don't lose the soap in the tub, and i plan on making tons of wonderful fruity scents that most anyone is sure to enjoy. :D

Getting in the Halloween Spirit.

2009-09-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

I want to start this post off with this adorably sassy skirt by ZombieKittenO . This particular skirt features a spooked out kitty on a very flattering retro style pencil skirt. They also offer many different styles with bats, a coffin, and others! Only $65 plus shipping.

Isn't that creepy? It's a necklace made from vinyl! It was created by VonErickson and is available for only $15! Make a statement, or add the perfect touch to your spooky undead Halloween costume!
I will definitely admit that i really admire these necklaces! There are blood drippy necklaces as well! So creative and wonderful.

Not into dressing up? Why not celebrate in your own way at home, with some delicious Candy Corn Sugar Scrub Cubes! Take a long bath and relax with these (and hide them from the kids, they smell like candy!) There are available at HeathensHearth on etsy for $9 plus shipping.

Brand New Soaps, Lip Balms @ Lathersbylinds

2009-09-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Introducing my newest product, ALL VEGAN lip balms made with Hemp oil and Vitamin E to keep you lips smooth and moist. Available in my shop: Cherry Hemp lip balm or Raspberry Hemp lip balm!!

A new favorite scent has arrived! Strawberry Kiwi Sorbet. It's very sweet, fruity, and delicious!

This is my Lavender Fields bar made with my wonderfully moisturizing hemp formula! It also contains apricot seed to light exfoliation.

Citrus Cilantro is also another new favorite that i am now offering in my shop! Very crisp, like orange citrus and fresh chopped cilantro. I LOVE waking up to this scent in the morning, it's a lovely smell to really open your eyes. This one has a light green layer with apricot seed for light exfoliation.

Last, but absolutely not least if my SPOOKY PUMPKIN soap, made in a lovely pumpkin and spice scent and the wonderful moisturizing hemp recipe (one of my signatures!). It features a beautiful black swirl in a lovely orange bar. Perfect to put you and your kids in the Halloween spirit, in or out of the shower!

New soaps in the works!

2009-08-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

I finally recieved my monsterous new supply order!! 16 new fragrances, veggie oils, flavor oils for chapsticks, seeds, herbs, and soap colors! Tons of new exciting things that i've been dying to get. :D
The day I got the box from UPS, I went through, sniffed everything, and got straight to soap making. Yesterday I made the soap you see above, scented Strawberry Kiwi Sorbet with 2 kinds of seeds, cranberry and apricot seed that has been crushed. It smells absolutely amazing! It is made with one of my favorite soap recipes using soybean oil!!

I also made another bar, scented with the fragrance "Citrus Cilantro". It's an amazingly crisp and refreshing scent, that smells like crushed oranges lemons and lots and lots of fresh chopped Cilantro! This was made at the request of a coworker, who always comes over to sniff the freshly chopped herb while I'm making foods in the morning. She's been asking about it for awhile and I finally found a scent that I really find to be perfect. It's sooo invigorating, I really love the blend!

Today, John asked me to make soap! So I took him into the kitchen and spent time telling him what each oil does, what I do with each ingredient, etc. We came up with a lovely fragrance blend together, then picked a wonderfully creamy and soft recipe to make. He measured out all the oils and water, mixed up the ingredients, and even poured the lye into the oils. He did a great job and I barely yelled at him at all! ;) Just kidding, he was great. The soap fragrance is an amazing blend of Strawberry, Cherry, Almond, and Hazelnut Cappiccino. It's so tasty, it smells like an amazing drink from a coffee house!

I also wanted to give you guys a quick peak at my brand new packaging!! The picture below is a shot of my last bar of Bergamot Orange (which was insanely popular at Hempfest! Almost sold out.) all wrapped up in the new stuff! The tissue paper is 100% recycled materials, and the raffia is recyclable paper! YAY!
The tags also have all my business info so that it's easy to reorder those bars you know you love ;)

Hope you guys are having a great Friday, and hope you all enjoy your weekend!

I'll take you to the Candy Shoppe ;)

2009-08-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

Okay so this is definately something i never thought i'd end up buying online but turned out to love: SWEETS!
I'm 100% addicted to buying sweets and candies on etsy, and i basically do every time i have the excuse.

The first sweets i've ever purchased from etsy were the Dulce de leche vanilla marshmallows from VINTAGECONFECTION (pictured up top.). They're soo tasty, it was my first homemade marshemallow and it was to die for. The swirl in the mallow is my favorite part, soo sweet. These are amazing in hot cocoa, and big enough that you can definately cut them up for smaller pieces!

The next thing I purchased (and adoooored!!) were some delicious Gourmet Cake Truffles from BlissCandies for my 1 year anniversary with John. I ordered them in Carrot Cake with milk chocolate to dipp them in. SO GOOD! John absolutely loved these and gobbled them up so quickly. He definately wants more, that is for sure. We might need to buy the package of 48 next time!

Next on my list to try is Pumpkin Chocolate Truffles from Janeofalltrades. Don't those look amazing?! they sound like a very interesting flavor as well. :D

Do you have a favorite treat from a seller on etsy?! Leave some suggestions that you've tried or would love to try from your favorite etsy users. :D

A Huge Success!

2009-08-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Home from hempfest, and everything was amazing!!I sold out of a ton of scents, and gave out a lot of cards.

I'll be back and fully stocked, better than ever in september! Currently selling out my old scents on etsy. :) Get them while they last.

My First Vendor Event: Seattle Hempfest!

2009-07-30T20:16:00.001-07:00

Every year, hundreds (thousands maybe?!) show up in Seattle at Myrtle-Edwards park to support a cause they believe very strongly about. Not only is it a protest, but it's equally a festivial (refered to as a Protestival) and celebration. Everyone is excited to see the speakers, bands, and political figures that show up to make Seattle Hempfest what it really is!

Well, this year I've purchased a booth!! This is my first event/show/fair, and I will openly admit that I am scared poopless. I barely have the supplies to run a booth! Borrowing a canopy and tables, and i'm going to use sheets to cover the tables. Cardboard boxes will probably help with displaying my items, and my sign is probably going to be painted by hand as opposed to a fancy printed vynle one.
I'm so very lucky, though, to have many very supportive friends that will be helping me achieve this every step of the way. Everyone in my life is being very reassuring, reminding me that "Everyone loves your soaps, you'll do fine" but, the fear can't be helped!!!
I'm an inexperienced 19 year old going out into the big big world and selling my name and my products to a tonnn of strangers!
Hopefully people will dig this young, thrown together feel. It's my first shot, but I'm so determined to make this amazing. I know the wonderful, amazing girls that will being attending with my (a coworker, Krystal, and a great friend of mine, Whitney!)

With my first event just around the corning, I'll have my shop down for a bit. It actually may not come back up until late August, early September because of the cure time for Cold Process soaps. I'll possibly save one bar of each soap here at my house while i'm at the event, so i have some items around to keep the thing open, but i've not yet decided yet. It really depends on how things go at the event!!

When i do return, though, EXPECT SOME GREAT THINGS! I'm planning to roll out a few additional Bath and Body products that I do not currently offer. Some ideas may include bath fizzies, chapsticks, body frostings, foamy sugar scrubs, etc.
Also, there will be a whole packaging revamp! My items will be much more professionally presented ( + super cute.)
I also intend to include a lot more scents and varieties of soaps. More shaving soaps, hemp soaps, and other recipes with scent available in more than one recipe.

So please excuse my absense for a bit, but when i come back, expect some AMAZING things!

The Man Post!

2009-07-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

HELLO everyone! Today's theme is "Gifts for Men". I've been thinking a lot about what to get my boyfriend for his upcoming birthday, and our upcoming anniversary! So enjoy this hand picked selection of gifts for the men in your life!

This clock is from 8milecreekdesigns, and it is made from a 1965 Ford Mustang! Neat, right? I'm thinking that John would love this! It's on sale right now, only $45. I know my dad would adore of one these as well, since he's always had mustangs and been a huge fan of that type of car.

Check out these fantastic Steampunk Cufflinks! Perfect for dressing up while maintaining your own individual self, these intricate cufflinks are perfect for men! (Or women that like cufflinks!) And at $23.99 these can fit into anyone's budget. You can find these and other great items from WhiteFlagDesigns.

These Mustache Pint Glasses are sure to tickle anyone's fancy! Mustache or no, now you can look totally classy while chuggin a pint! You know your boyfriend, dad, or a certain friend would love these more than they probably should. :D

Only $28.00 from BreadandBadger

Small and simple, but what guy doesn't love a good zombie flick/video game?! They're all about the undead, it seems. haha! Give this to every zombie hunter you know, and they'll always keep you safe from the brain sucking, flesh eating creatures!

Only $1.85 from familyofbears

When a man gets clean, he doesn't need pretty, colorful soaps! He needs something that will CLEAN him and do it darn right! "A woodsy mix of basil, juniper, lemon, sandalwood and patchouli" sounds pretty manly as well!! No wonder this soap is called Mountain Man!! This moisturizing shave soaps will go perfectly with the dirty mess that every man seems to make of themselves. Oh well, we love the sweaty dudes.

Only $3.75 from mountainmamachic

Getting in Shape.

2009-07-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

One thing I feel has always been a week point for me is getting into shape, staying fit, and eating healthy. There is always just a little extra weight that i wouldn't mind getting rid.

I was on a pretty great roll back in February, using a site called My Calorie Counter but when i moved into my new place things went crazy. Money got tighter and we went grocery shopping less and less, started hitting up the Wendy's dollar menu, the BK dollar menu. This really took it's toll on my body. I gained weight, and i think that now i'm at the heaviest i've ever been.

NOW, this is not to say i really find myself "fat." I just know that i could be so much healthier than i am right now! My family has always had a very hard time with weight and there are also health risks my parents have that i need to be aware of! My dad is diabetic, has heart problems, and high blood preasure.
The best way to help prevent these health issues for myself will be eating a well balanced diet, paired with regular exercise!
So i sort of owe it to myself to really buckle down and take my own health serious.
I will say that i'll NEVER give up my wendy's spicy chicken sandwich, though. no way!

I'm trying to make this fun for myself, though. Yesterday my boyfriend and i spent about a half hour hunting around the produce section at our local grocery store. We bought celery, these weird Sweet Tree fruits, a yummy Asian Salad mix, Baby Carrots, Pomegranate Lemonade, and Pomegranate Blueberry juice. they're all so yummy! Oh yeah, and we got a ton of KIWIS too!
Strawberries as well. :D We ended up caving and buying coffees and a donut each though. Just as a farewell haha!!
That night we had these awesome lean Pepper steaks and john cooked them so well! They're pretty good for you too.
I really enjoy spending time with my man, and making our meals so this will perhaps bring my relationship with my boyfriend to a healthier place as well.

In addition i've rented a few work out videos from netflix! They should be slowly arriving come monday! The first video in the list is a Carmen Electra Aerobic Strip Tease video! and i really think it looks interesting! There were tons of pretty good reviews but from the sounds of it it might not be a really great one to do routinely. It just seems like a fun video to kick off my work out kick. Another one in the list is "Bollywood Belly" where you dance to upbeat music like in bollywood films!! It sounds like it'll be very energetic and perhaps a better REAL workout for me. My tummy could use a toning, thats for sure. ;)

Chocolate-Banana Cream pie?! Where?

2009-07-23T21:28:00.001-07:00

Doesn't that look good? The smell of fresh bananas and super creamy chocolate with a tasty crust.. Plenty of vanilla and cream to go around..

Okay, it's not pie. It's my newest soap! It smells so real, my boyfriend almost tried to take a bite when he saw it. haha, silly guy. He's a know soap licker, though ;)

I love the new recipe i used for it, too. It's so smooth and silky, leaves your skin feeling moisturized and completely refreshed.
It's no wonder it feels so fantastic, it's full of natural oils and butters known to make your skin feel amazing! Shea butter and mango butter to make your skin super soft, many customers explain to me that they don't even need to lotion their "extremely dry skin" after showering or baths!

On a similar note, a very pleased customer left me this testimonial in a message!

"I have seriously dry skin and before I started using soap from Lathers By Linds I would have to put on tons of lotion after my shower in order to feel soft and moisturized. I was a bit skeptical at first about trying soap from Linds cause she does bar soaps and they usually dry my skin out even worse, but one day I just decided "Okay...i'm gonna give these a try...they look so pretty". After getting them home and trying them out I was hooked instantly. My skin felt so amazingly soft and moisturized after my shower that I didn't even need to use lotion. I lovelovelove her hemp soaps and I can honestly say I don't think i'll ever go back to using anything else. She has a customer for life in me for sure."

- A real customer, peacefrogdesigns

Of course she was using my Soft Sunflowers & Sunshine hemp bar!

Satisfied me!

2009-07-21T02:22:00.000-07:00

I got mail today!! It was something i was very much looking forward to, so i was really excited when i saw the mailman today. :D Ran out and checked it as soon as he drove off.

I was from xneoncanvas AAAAND it was the stamper i'd ordered from her just 2 days before! She got it here super fast, and the envelope was so cute! I busted it open and there was a lovely little note for me, and a business card! (which i collect for future reference!)
I was so excited to get my stamp that i needed to use it immediately!

And, well, a great friend of mine was in need of a good letter so I tested it out on my cute new stationary (and i got new pens too.. maybe i went a little crazy. ink pad too? hah!) and it is just PERFECT! I love it, it's so cute and looks exactly like the photo in the listing.
She even makes them as you order them, so she send me a convo asking me the size i wanted!

Overall, i was extremely satisfied with this wonderful purchase (not to mention affordly priced & adorable!) and i highly recommend that you all take a peek at xneoncanva's shop! Great service and great products!

She also offers stamp business cards and other custom stamps to meet your stampy needs!

I myself plan on contacting her to make a stamp to use in my soap packaging!

A giveaway!

2009-07-11T11:40:00.001-07:00

This time, not mine! But really awesome. :)

You can find all the details HERE!

"I am giving away a custom stamped sterling silver ring of your choice of size, font, and finish!"

The winner will be chosen after the blog hits 120 followers, and there is only 1 more to go! check it out!

Been a GREAT week.

2009-07-03T00:44:00.000-07:00

So this week has been really great for me!
I went from 111 sales to 130 in 2 or 3 days!
I'm taking part in a sale right now, and i think that might be the cause. :)
I was also featuredin a treasury, and a few of my customers tweeted about me on twitter.

It's really nice cause i've been pretty down lately.
I'll have money to buy more supplies for hempfest!

I had 245 bars of soap when i took count today, but i sold some so we might be a little less than that. Hopefully the total will be close to 300 in a few days!
Have to make a ton of soaps by August 15th!

Wish me luck everyone, and please take a peak at my shop! There is agreat deal going on right now, free shipping on all orders. Limited time only!

Free Shipping sale!

2009-06-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
How's the summer going so far?

My boyfriend and i have been spending tons of lazy days together lately, soaking up the sun and enjoying cool drinks.. not to mention sticking to the leather couch!!

I did however, slip and fall the other day in my bedroom and cut my hand up pretty good on some glass. I also fell ontop of some things on the floor, so i have bruises on my side. :( Sore!

Lathersbylinds.etsy.com is Holding a Sale!

I'm currently holding a sale in my etsy store! I'm offering FREE SHIPPING from now until...

It's a secret! ;) It's only going to be up again a week, so i suggest taking advantage of this deal while you can! You'll get your bars of soap for around $5 each!

This is for USA residents only, but international buyers will only be charged $2!

Thats definately a steal. :)

The weirdest thing! + a pictures of me.

2009-06-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

I was just visiting the blog of one of my fellow etsy users, AllieRuth, when i noticed that she has a cat the looks exactly like my Cheech!
So i wanted to post a few pictures for you to see my adorable little baby, and maybe if you feel like it take a peak at AllieRuth's blog!

Spearmint + Eucalytus & Sweet/Spicy Cinnamon

2009-06-28T17:27:00.001-07:00

Two more new soaps again! Maybe i'll just list 2 a day or something! haha.

Sweet/Spicy Cinnamon was ment to be "Cinnamon roll" however, the roll part, and all of the glaze sort of went south for the winter. This is very close to Big Red, with less bite. There is a tiny hint of sugary vanilla, but juuust a hint! It's a great bar, even if the scent was a goof up. haha!

Spearmint + eucalyptus! This one is great for the lovers of minty, refreshing or invigorating scents! I loooooove this bar. My boyfriend was actually the one to suggest the scent and the color combo. :D

Like always, you can find these and other amazing handmade soaps in my etsy shop!

Creamsicle & Soft Sunflowers and Sunshine.

2009-06-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

New soaps in my shop! I just listed these a few days ago.

These bars are both made with the same recipe, producing a nice hard bar with wonderful bubble and lather. This bar is the sort that produces the nice, larger bubbles instead of the thick foamy bars. I really like these! They both have hemp oil, as well as grapeseed & coconut oils!

My shipping methods are being adjusted, and hopefully the costs will be down to $2 for 1 bar of soap! That's a $1.50 savings on shipping! I hope to get my costs changed over tonight on all of my listings. Take a peak at my other soaps, and take advantage of my new, lower shipping price!

Rings?

2009-06-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

So, my boyfriend and I are approaching our 1 year anniversary!

It's hard to be sneaky since we live together, so i've been looking around etsy for something to get him.

He mentioned perhaps a ring.. but i'm a little weary of getting one for him. He's never bought me a ring, just a weird teddy bear necklace. haha.

I do love it, btw ;)

Here are some of the ideas i've come up with.

This one is from ZoeAndDoyle and can be anodized a solid color! I think i would get this in a green color, his favorite colors are black and green.

This one is from SilverGarden, and i really love the leaf pattern! I'm not sure how into it john would be though, he's so hard to shop for!

These rings might be exactly what i'm looking for though! They come in a pair, and are made from the same piece of metal and treated so they match as much as possible. They're amazing looking! They're from JSurine and are actually the cheapest option as well!

Let me know what you think! I just don't know what to get him. I'm horrible at gifts! I couldn't give him soap, because he's always used them all lol.

Simple photo taking tips that COULD save you lots of grief!

2009-06-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

One of my first photos for my listings on etsy!

I see, more often than i should, people worrying and second guessing the photos in their shop.
MANY times have I looked at my shop and thought to myself.. these photos are not what I want the world to see when they're looking at my product. I want my products to look amazing, as amazing as they actually are! People can only read my words, and look at my pictures when they're buying my soaps online, so I feel it's just so important to take accurate & appealing photos. I can never stress it enough.
A lot of times, I'll see people asking for critiquing, and the thing that sticks out the most are dull, flat photos. items shot from too far away in a dark place with no detail.. Blurry photos, dark photos, ones with excessive glare & reflections. These can be a problem and sometimes it takes a lot of time and patience to make it work. People won't buy if you can't show them what it is that they are purchasing!!
Photos are something that EVERYONE can work to improve, so here are a few little tiny tips you might not have thought of that can help out a ton when you're just getting started.
Keep in mind, I'm not photo expert myself! I have, however, improved with lots of help and practice and advice from other amazing sellers from Etsy. I hope my info can be just as useful to someone who might need it. :D

Take photos by a well lit window. Let the natural light come in! It is a very temper mental light source at times, but it's always free, it will always look natural, and it gives a very night white light that is essential for taking photos with accurate color. Earlier in the day is slightly brighter.
Use the MACRO setting on your camera, so that you will be able to capture the most detail possible. This setting works best WITHOUT flash, and a steady hand is needed. Tripods are also very handy when using this setting. Clear, sharp pictures with wonderful lighting, and no blur! You've already improved your photos greatly.
Try different colors behind your items. White works best generally, but sometimes other colors will suit your items best. Go for something that won't turn grainy or blotchy, because if you need to adjust the photo, some background colors just dooo not look good. Experiment.
Clean everything up, make your item spotless, sleek, and just darn presentable. No hairs, link, pet fur, stains.. none of those things are presentable on any item. It's just kinda grody! Would you want to buy a soap with hairs in it? uh, no! I don't want clothes of purses with hair, and for sure, Don't take pictures of you wearing something that is one of a kind, such as earrings! It just sort of freaks me, and a lot of other people out! I'd understand a bit better if they're vintage earrings, but one of a kind earrings, being worn.. ew. Sorry!
For items such as EARRINGS I would suggest hanging them from a glass or between something, on a wire or chopstick. Something that will show how they might dangle. For items like necklaces, having it draped in a book, on a glass, or over an edge looks great sometimes. Just play with positioning to find something that would really compliment the piece.
Don't make photos TOO loud with props, but try to keep nice simple things. Such as flowers, powders if they're in the product, herbs, maybe a book, a glass, something simple that can aid in the visual feel of the product.
Again, keep things light, bright, and in focus.
Don't zoom into the "digital" settings on your camera. It will usually let you know when it kicks into digital zoom. Usually photos zoomed in this much turn grainy, pixelated, and look a bit blury. Try to keep things in manual zoom, and if you need to be closer, move your own hiney closer instead of over-zoomin

After using the tips above, my photos look like this!

the WINNER! of my giveaway!

2009-06-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Congrats, to Aik Yin Chien for being the winner of my giveaway!

In addition to the advertised prize, the winner will recieve the "favorite soap" they emailed me about! Sneaky, right!? Aik will recieve the sample tin as well as 1 bar of Cocoa Grapefruit soap!

To make it fair, my boyfriend picked a number to select the winner of the contest, he didn't read any emails and didn't even see any of the names at all.

Thanks for all the emails from everyone, it's such a great feeling to get to hold a contest where I make people compliment me to enter. :D Check back very soon for the next great giveaway!

Finds, lovely love finds!

2009-06-23T23:13:00.001-07:00

Clothing is the theme of this post! And what a hoodie to kick it off with. I'm so envious, i tried to make a sweatshirt once in high school and it was a big mess. Way too short, the sleeves popped up at the seams.. yikes.

But this Bamboo Hoodie is nothing like my sad attempts! It rocks! Nice, warm, stretchy, and comfy! NOT to mention stylish. I want it! I also suggest taking a peak at the other items in the shop! There is an adorable dino hoodie for wee-ones.

Put down the peace pipe, and check this trippy top out! ;)

I love this, i want this, i think i may possibly BUY this is i can in a few days.. It's so me, it just screams my name!
& I know you all love it to, and with you could pull that amazing dye job off :D
Only $20, and the seller uses amazingly high quality dyes to ensure a long lasting, bright color that won't wash out or fade!

You've got a cute bum, right? So why not put them in cute bum holders? These panties will hold your cute bum right where it should be, while also being cute itself! These are sleak, very sexy looking, with just a dash of girly frill on the hips! This is probably my favorite style of panties, everrrr! :D There are other very suble and feminine panties in this sellers shop, i suggest you check them out!

& to top off this obviously hippy outfit i've put together, a pair of hemp everyday capris! So comfortable looking, super stretchy hemp/oranic cotton and lycra blend fabric in a ton of different color options! $52 but they look sooo worth it. I would never take these off.

Quick reminder on my giveaway!!

2009-06-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

ENTER TO WIN!
I've recieved my 100th sale, and in appreciation for all the support my customer give me, I am offering a FREE sample pack & Travel case to a lucky winner!

The SOAP SAMPLE pack include:
Watermelon Bubblegum
Not Your Momma's Guava
Pumpkin Spice Mocha
The Perfect Apple
Green Tea
Cherry Almond
& Manly Beer Soap
as well as 1 vintage travel case
HOW TO ENTER:
Send an email to lathersby.linds@gmail.com
& let me know which bar is your favorite and why
& remember to follow this blog!!
I will announce the winner here when I receive 50 entries OR until the 22nd of June.

Advertising on this blog!

2009-06-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that I am now offering ad space through Project Wonderful!
If anyone would like to advertise, the spots are free right now! They're the square, and i only have

TWO SPOTS!!

So hurry on and get your space on my page while it lasts! :D

The Sellers #1: LaurasJewellery

2009-06-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce to you, LaurasJewellery @ Etsy.com!

She has a fun, colorful, very hip style that I just love! There are also tons of different items to choose from! Necklaces, phone charms, earrings & pins!

These game controller earrings are my personal fave!

How did you first discover Etsy?

I first discovered Etsy through eBay. I had been a seller and a buyer on eBay for a few years when my favourite supply shop disappeared… she had discovered Etsy and so I followed the trend. I started Etsy under a different name about 2 years ago, but I had no branding and was a bit all over the place. So, in June 2008, ‘LaurasJewellery’ was born with some funky graphics created by my designer boyfriend!

Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces?

I get inspiration from everywhere, I like to go to charity shops and rummage sales and find knick knacks that I can make into jewellery.

Which is your favorite piece, still in stock or sold?

I love the pink flamingo cameo necklace at the moment. I do change my mind quite often though depending what mood I’m in.

Something silly and random and funny about yourself?

I like to craft while watching soaps on TV. I always find my creative juices are flowing then.

Any favorite sellers?

Yes, FashionFauxPas.etsy.com She sells the grooviest cards!

Where can I find Laura?
Great question! You can find her at her SHOP!

(Laura says "I love making things and as a result I have lots and lots of earrings and phone charms that I use for free gifts when you buy from me! So if you want a freebie, you know where to come")

Her TWITTER & MYSPACE

Being Seen, my first attempt.

2009-06-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Being seen on Etsy, or anywhere else on the internet can be difficult sometimes. We all know this, but do we all know what we can do to BE SEEN? I am by no means an expert, but here are some tips and tricks that I have picked up along the way that maybe he helpful to newer users on Etsy, or most any other site for that matter.
These are not "tried and true" these are just some of the things I do every day to help my shop get a little more notice.

List items often! By doing this, you will be placed at the top of the search results! But remember, your item may be quickly buried under other people's items. So when should you list? I try to list at different times. Instead of coming home from work each night at 10 and list, try listing first thing in the morning. Then the next time, try to list in the middle of the day. This will allow people that aren't normally on the same time as you the chance to see your items in the searches!
Try to CREATE as often as possible. DAILY is best. The more you create, the more you can list, the more people can search, and the more people can buy! Creating has so many wonderful advantages. DON'T let yourself become lazy because "no one is buying!" It might be a slow time for shopping in GENERAL so just because you're not seeing sales does not mean you should stop. Dedication is key! You will also become BETTER at your craft, and start making things of better quality!
Connect with people! Try to have REAL conversations with customers. Get to know them. Find out what they like and maybe suggest something based off of this. The better you know who is buying from you, the more likely you are to make a sale! Oh, you have a child age 6 who likes baths and toys? Why, i'm sure they'd love this bath fizzie with a surprise toy inside!!
Advertise! (on social networks) Now, i'm not telling you to buy a full page in COSMO or anything here. Advertising comes in ALL forms! A lot of people like to go the social media route which is pretty effective. ONLY if you tye it in with the above suggestions though! Connect with them on these social media sites and it's 100% free advertising! Twitter, facebook, blogger, We love etsy, mixxmade, byhand, craftster, live journal, deviantart, any of these places are acceptable to post about the items you create. PLEASE be careful not to be spamming on these platforms! Throw in things about yourself, what you ate for dinner, if your dog did something silly, if you got a promotion at work, if you're getting married!
Advertise! (some more!) You thought that would be enough?! NO WAY! You have to work that little hiney of yours off to make the sales baby. It will not come overnight. Advertise, advertise, advertise! Pass out business cards, put ads in the local classifieds, sell at the farmers market or local festivals. SPONSER anything if you can afford to. There are some sites that are a waste, and while craftcult and craftopolis are wonderful resources, the advertising is less than worth it. Try your hand at using Project Wonderful! They offer cheap ads (a few cents!) and you can find the site that works for you! They offer tons of sizes for your banners, and there are SO many places you can advertise. Definitely find you target market for this one.
Don't be ashamed of what you do! Some people won't tell their friends or family what they are creating and selling, and that is a shame!! Tell EVERYONE in the WORLD what you do. Know why? It's 2 hours before your friend is going to their in laws house.. oh no! They have no gift! What is fast, and easy.. oh, I know! Suzie told me she makes flower arrangements last week! Thats perfect! THIS. Happens! A. LOT! The day before mother's day, i sold more than $200 worth of soap, because my friends had forgotten. They all came to me because they knew i would help them pick something out that their mothers would really love! What mom doesn't like handmade soaps?! If they hadn't known, they would have gone to wal-mart, or the drug store and found something a lot different. Like i said, tell everyone!!
Give them something to LOOK AT! Even if bright and loud isn't your style, you can still create items that make a statement. Try bold contrasts, or singular rich colors. Try to take photos with awesome light then fiddle with it till the photos really pop! Having at least 1 VERY eye catching item can help get you the attention you want for your shop. Maybe someone saw that one and found your shop, but then fell in love with a different piece. It happens often.
Do Giveaways and Special Offers These kind of promotions will draw the people that would probably have little interest in your shop! Maybe your items would be just outside of a person's price range regularly. If you offer a giveaway or a sale, this gives those buys the chance to find out if they really love your product or not! You MIGHT end up even having something they like so much, that they'd be willing to pay the little extra for it. Giveaways can also help increase blog traffic, which will in turn increase your shop traffic!

Let me know if there is anything I am missing! This is my first time trying to write tips for sellers so please let me know if any of there were helpful at all. Thanks everyone! Happy sales.

More Neat Finds!

2009-06-13T20:33:00.001-07:00

Doesn't this look cool? GeekGear sells a bunch of these cool things! They are Mason Jars that have a rainbow light inside! It transitions through all the colors pictured. You can find this particular light HERE for $17.99! I am looking into getting one for my bedroom.

The shop also offers other cool, geeky items! A pencil holder made from 3 1/2" floppy discs, photo frames made out of sticks of memory, as well as some crazy clocks made out of keyboards! You will absolutely find something neat for the geek in you ;)

Oh, do i spot a theme here?!

THIS necklace is by the wonderful halibuvalley is so cute! Perfect, simple, colorful, and best of all recycled! I love creating things out of items that have no other use, it's awesome! A great way to be green, and keep your green as well! Right now this wonderful necklace is only $2 on sale! Snag it up while it is still there!!

So, I know this one isn't RECYCLED, but who can resist the Kitty?! This beauty is by NemesisProductions; Scented with Warm Vanilla Sugar, and personally I drool over her shop ALL THE TIME! When you check her out, don't just visit this soap's page, but take a look at all the other items she has to offer! Scrubs, soaps, Bath fizzies, as well as photography!!

Oookay, that is all for now folks! PLEASE check out these amazing shops! These are just items i've had in my favorites for a while a wanted to share, none of these sellers asked me to write about their shops at all! SO with that, please do not ask. I like to find shops at random or just things i love and write about them. maybe if you see cool things from OTHER people i will do a quick write up about them. :D It's always better to be surprised then to plan it, isn't it?!

Also, remember to enter my giveaway!

Citrus Morning, perfect for the AM

2009-06-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

My newest creation! Citrus Morning hemp soap, perfect for waking up and smelling the OJ! And the grapefruit, and the lime, and the lemon. haha!

It's perfect! check it out here!

I made some aaaamazing mango peach and lemon salsa scented soap last night! It will be posted soon for you all to admire, but it smells good enough to eat. Actually, my friend Kegan did try to eat it! LOL

Also, i want to thank all those that entered the contest, and remind everyone that it's still open! You can find instructions on how to enter here!

Don't forget to ENTER!

2009-06-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hey~

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

You can find it HERE! & It's so easy to enter! All you have to do it send an email to

Lathersby.linds@gmail.com and tell me which scent in my shop is your FAVORITE and a little tiny explanation as to why!

Easy as that.

And the prize?!

A cute travel tin stuffed with soap samples! try a bunch! I can barely close the lid on that sucker!

Office Daydream - A Rocking Treasury

2009-06-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

I was included in another cool treasury created by Bloodlesscoup! It features items that are red and black, i love the look.

This dress is amazingly beautiful.. I'm so envious, i could only image wearing that dress to a ball or big event. Dancing with famous, beautiful actors or sitting with the sexy rock stars at an awards show. You can't say you don't see it when you look at this dress ;)

It must be said that the quality is beyond belief! Truly a stunner for sure.

The jewelry selection features is also something to admire! The whole feel is elegant, classy.

The earrings to the left are from SpoolDesign and you can find them Here! For only $11.50.

Show your support and click on the links, browse the shops, and leave a comment on the treasury!

Any comments can be left here as well, was there another item in the treasury that you loved?!

Enter To WIN! Travel case and sample soaps!

2009-06-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

ENTER TO WIN!

I've recieved my 100th sale, and in appreciation for all the support my customer give me, I am offering a FREE sample pack & Travel case to a lucky winner!

The SOAP SAMPLE pack include:

Watermelon Bubblegum

Not Your Momma's Guava

Pumpkin Spice Mocha

The Perfect Apple

Green Tea

Cherry Almond

& Manly Beer Soap

as well as 1 vintage travel case

HOW TO ENTER:

Send an email to lathersby.linds@gmail.com

& let me know which bar is your favorite and why

& remember to follow this blog!!

I will announce the winner here when I receive 50 entries OR until the 22nd of June.

Newest soap! It's called Manly Beer!

2009-06-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

I call this, manly beer! It's scented with sandlewood & a hint of orange, and the soap is made with real Coors beer! It smells like beer, then when you use it the sandlewood really comes out. it smells great! Turned out a lot better than I though it would.

I think i'm going to be doing a giveaway soon, would you be interested in winning Manly Beer as a prize?! Let me know!

What a sweet journal!

2009-05-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

I just have to say, I adore the journal! I've recently been looking for a new one, trying to get back into writing about my days. This one just seems perfect, as do many of the other journals from BooksByStephan.

This journal is covered with silk book cloth and has a really, really pretty paper lining inside.

Check out the beautiful stiching on the spine!

You could cherrish this 80 page handmade journal for $22.

BooksByStephan has 100% feedback and joined etsy in Dec. of 2008.

Great Day Yesterday

2009-05-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

I spent the day with my boyfriend John after work. While it was hot and miserable, and john and i ended up getting in a few fights, we had a great time.
We went to the store and got food from the Deli, then went down to a really wonderful park that includes a waterfront. Unfortunately, no pictures this time! I forgot my camera :x The sea Lions were out at the water research place a bit down the beach and we could hear them barking. Ahh, i love them! They're so fat and cuute.
We ended up leaving there a bit early, because we discovered tiny black thingies crawling all over us.. Kinda freaked out! And they were itchy!
So we walked back to the car, holding hand.

After that, we decided to cash in all the change we've been saving for the last like.. 9 months! John works at Subway, so he's always bringing home pockets FILLED with change when he gets off work. He's always the best, most friendly sandwich maker ever and somehow remembers everyone's sandwiches. Everyone loves him, he'll come home with 20$ in times a night sometimes!!
When he transfered stores, a lot of his regular customers started going to the one he got switched to because they really like him!! The store he transfered to is now making at least $900 more a day with him there. Awesome!

Anywho.. the change ended up coming to $95 in our hot little hands. Drove to the movie rental store to pick up "My Bloody Valintine" which was.. okay. GOREY! So much cut up dead bodies and pickax killing. They started to get creative, even though there were tons of people killed, no 2 people were pickaxed in the same style. lol.

We also picked up a few scratch tickets for the hell of it. John won $50 on his $5 ticket and i lost. Then i lost on another one. Then i won $1. we're both winners ;)

Then while we were watching our movie, our friend Kegan stopped by and hung out for a bit, enjoyed a little of the movie with us..
After he left, we paused the movie and went, picked up a "snack" from wendy's. haha! I'm a wendy's fiend.

Also, i sold 5 bars of soap yesterday! Gotta pack tomorrow so i can send 7 boxes on monday. daaang.

more new stuff!

2009-05-27T21:24:00.001-07:00

This is my pretty boy, cheech. He decided i wasn't paying enough attention to him while i was taking photos of my new "The Perfect Apple" soap.

It's the same scent i had previously, however it has a bit more of a kick, and i decided to use red and green in the bar because it's sort of a combination of both. but it smells sooo good!!

The other bar is my Sweet Strawberry Swirl bar.

I don't know what possessed me to do it, but i just wanted to make a soap that REALLY POPPED!! Hot pink, yellow, green, and purple. This bar is perfect!! Wonderful for kids, it's sweet and sugary scented. I looove it.

It sadly might discolor a little bit more due to the vanilla in the scent. oh well!

It's a piece of art..

New listings, and a sale!

2009-05-26T23:31:00.001-07:00

First order of business, i made a treasury!! PLEASE go check out and support your fellow sellers by givin a few items a quick look!

Next off, i have a few new soaps!

Plumeria hemp soap, smells awesome!

Cherry Almond hemp soap rocks as well.

Blueberry Vanilla is almost like wonderful scones.

Peppermint Orange for something a little different, soothing, and amazing after a hard day of work or when you have a cold!

I am also goin to set up a booth at SEATTLE HEMPFEST this summer! It's official, i have purchased my booth, and will be located near the Seeley Stage! WOOHOO! I'm definitely pumped. LOTS of soap making and wrapping to do up till then, and i need to find a canopy as well! Crap..

Please check out all the links, leave me some feedback, or just ask a question. I'd love to hear from you all!

A quick update on new projects.

2009-05-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Confetti soap, currently curing. I decided to not add an addition scent to this one, so it's unscented with tooons of confetti from other soaps.

this one i JUST poured! Cinnamon roll, it smells so tasty! I can't wait to cut it tomorrow.

This is an interesting one! Peppermint, orange, and lime. It's really fresh and clean. An interesting scent, but i love it!

Also, my next scents to make: Watermelon bubblegum (again), green apple, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla, and cherry almond.

So many new soaps!

2009-04-27T00:12:00.001-07:00

I've been on a soap making frenzy lately! My newest scents include coconut lime, watermelon, guava, and i feel like there is one more that i'm forgetting.. I still need to take pictures, list, and a few other things.

I REALLY need to sell some more soaps so i can buy more oils!

I ordered business cards, as well as new papers to wrap the soaps in. Make them actually have a packaging appearance.

Here's a preview of the watermelon soap! Smells just like the gum, and would be perfect for kids, or those with a sweet tooth.

My perrfect kitty, Cheech!

2009-04-22T23:37:00.001-07:00

I love this kitty! He's such a little butt head.

John and I got Cheech just after we'd moved into out new house. We were looking in the newspaper, and there was only one ad for cats. Free young male cat. Fixed, shots, no fees!

We called the lady up, and she seemed SUPER out there, ya know? Space case! She rattled off the directions faster than you could image.

We got lost trying to find the house and had to call her again to find the way!

When we got there, we brought a cat carrier in with us to take our baby home, but the lady said no! She got out an old pillow case, threw the cat in, and twisted the bag up while handing it to us!!! She said he'd be more "comfortable" in it instead of the "LITTLE JAIL!"

Some people are nuts.

Didn't go as planned

2009-04-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Today didn't go as planned at all! John had to go into work, after we'd just rented movies for us to watch tonight when our friend came over to visit. Dang!!
So our friend came over and spent some time with me here, while i made a batch of soap.
I used cleminite and cream scent, as well as an herbal blend made by Crossroadsconjure infused in olive oil.
Somehow, this batch turned out perfectly. Everything went smooth, the colors blended amazingly, and it smells just FANTASTIC! I think this soap just may have a bit of luck! It looks like tie dyed soap, really.

The other batch I made after my guest went home, was scented with Guava, Green Apple, Acai, and mangosteen. It's juicy! Plain color with rich red purple swirls, seeds in the red soap for exfoliation.

I can't wait to unmold! They're both gel right now, so tomorrow will be the most exciting part! Haha, I love making sooap.

I'm home!!

2009-04-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, i just got home from cali! It was so beautiful, and so HOT!
My boyfriend and I visited Disneyland, as well as california adventure.
We stayed in a really nice best western that had a 24 hour pool and hot tub, though the pool was probably around 35 degrees the whole time. WAY TOO COLD!!

The picture is of my boyfriend at Cape Blanco in Oregon! We camped there for a night on the way down. The cabin we got was so nice, and only $35 for the night. It had a queen bed, and a bunk bed with a little night stand, a table, 2 chairs, lights and electric as well as a heater! So it was campin made easy. The picture is taken on a cliff that we could get to from a little train right behind our cabin. SO PRETTY! There were rocks in the distance that looked like a turtle and a whale hanging out. haha.

Anyway, we're off to print some pictures and get lunch, as well as to deliver some soap to my momma.

California Dreamin!!

2009-04-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow evening, my boyfriend and I are leaving for CALI!!
We're going to be camping in the redwood forest, visit disneyland or hollywood adventures, hang out with some friends in LA and possibly Sanfran, and visit as many beaches as we can.
I'm soo excited, and I'm bringing my camera! There will be pictures, for sure.
I also hope to buy some gifts for friends as well as any amazing fabrics or soap supplies i happen to find. Herbs or botanicals, maybe tea blends or spiritual herb and root blends.

I'm actually in the planning stages of soaps that have herbs with a "purpose"! I found some "cast out evil" "lucky" "fortune" kind of herbal blends that are straight plant matter, nothing added. I'd love to use essencial oils and throw some extra fine ground herbs in my soaps, to create soaps that will help to not only improve your SKIN, but the spirital aspects of your life as well.. Soaps that can help improve your life in ALL areas.

Do you think you'd buy a spiritual herbal blend soap? Or think it's interesting, at least.

Anyway, boyfriend is home with dinner! Happy easter to all!

New shop banner!

2009-04-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

I just made a new banner for my shop and wanted to show it off! I'm super proud of it, honestly. :)

I am VERY PROUD!!!

stop by my shop to check out my 25% off sale this month!!

Castile Soap

2009-04-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

Going to make some castile soap tonight.

Should i scent it, or leave it unscented?

I wish i had another soap mold!!

First treasury!

2009-04-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

I caught my first treasury on esty today! It was pure luck, i had just gotten off work and checked to see when it was opening.. 10 minutes! So i just waited because i've wanted to make one for a bit. :)

you can find it here!

2 items that belong to me, an amazing dyed slip, some sandles that rock, and a few other summer themed items. Check it out! Definitely colorful.

Work was verrry short today! I think i'm going to give a coworker a mini relaxation set.. she is pregnant and always stressin! NO good for a baby.

Just found the PERFECT NECKLACE!

2009-04-05T01:59:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh, I LOVE this necklace!! It is made by mannmadedesigns and I adore it!

The necklace even has a reversable side, so if you're not going for a green look, there is always blue to wear with that other outfit.

I'm in awe, there are so many beautiful pieces in the shop.. I highly suggest checking them out and giving them your heart!

In other news, Australia is A VERY LONG MOVIE!!

MS walk goodness.

2009-04-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

Last night John and I went to his parents house in preperation for this year's MS walk.
Basically, that means he and his friends as well as family all get REALLY hammered, puke, pass out, and get about 3 and a half hours worth of sleep before we have to leave for the actual walk!!
It was fun to watch all the guys make fools of themselves.. I can't actually drink, I have an allergy to alcohol!
It's not very fun, gotta say.
But I get the pleasure of remaining sober, and getting to laugh at everyone puking up half a bottle of Jack Danials.

Have I ever mentioned that my boyfriend's dad is the vice president of a motercycle club?! Maybe that explains a few things, hehe.

It's their tradition to celebrate and get drunk before the walk, then everyone walks for John's mother's team. She won the award for Largest Team this year!

Anyway, it was much shorter than I'd expected, but I was still soo tired afterward that I slept for about 4 hours afterward!

John and I just made burgers and chicken fingers, and we rented Australia from the redbox. Off to eat!!

Some Cute Finds!

2009-04-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't this wall hanging ADORABLE! I can see exactly where i would put this on my wall at home.. If you like it, or ANYTHING PARIS, then you will looove ParischicBoutique.

Not only are the items in this shop completely awesome, they're affordable as well. You will find not only a $15 and under section, but a section filled with items for $5 or less.

That pretty much ROCKS.

Why not treat yourself to something that is not only cute, but won't break the bank!

I'll be updating later with some more affordable yet cute things for you to treat yourself with!

New soap and a link to a friend

2009-04-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Just finished a new batch of soap! It's still in log form, need to cut it up and then make them pretty before i can list them or take photos.
I DID however, just list an ALL NATURAL soap! Using hemp oil, extra virgin olive oil, castor, mango butter, and coconut oil. It's pretty amazing, if i do say so myself!
The picture to the right is the hemp soap, all natural with a minty fresh invigorating scent. Check it out!

I just wanted to point everyone in the direction of a good friend of mine named Whitney. She's a wonderful girl, and she started her etsy career about the same time as i did. If you love anything cute, you should check out her earrings! She puts a lot of time and thought into these, and they're really just lovely. :)
Her items are just VERY bright and lovely. These magnets are my favorite, just putting it out there ;)

First go

2009-03-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

The basics..

I'm Lindsay, 19, and live with my boyfriend.
We have a cat named Cheech, and a little mini garden in the living room.

I'm completely addicted to making soap and have been doing it in some form for years.
I love my home, my boyfriend, and my life, and i wouldn't trade it for anything!
I have a small soap company that i am helping to slowly grow.

Uhhhh... I'll update for real later.