Soap Deli News

Homemaking Tips and Shopping Trips

2012-01-28T16:39:00.000-05:00

Printed Halter with Knit Back from The Limited

Feeling a bit insane this week. The hormones are a little wonky. Plus I had to buy new clothes for work as I seem to have gone up a size this winter. Not the way I wanted to go clothes shopping. I ended up at The Limited where I was able to catch some good deals on some quality clothing that was not made in China. Basically I scored four work outfits consisting of four tops and two pairs of pants in brown and gray for about $200 that work now for winter with a cardigan or jacket and into spring and summer without. (And they help hide the waistline!) Really disliking supporting clothing manufacturer's that import from China for the sole fact that they don't follow our trademark, copyright or patent laws and regularly rip off artists across the board in everything from clothing and accessories to film and art. Would love to see trade laws change on countries that aren't part of trademark and copyright treaties.

So anyway, as a result of possibly having to replace my entire wardrobe I asked for suggestions for getting some indoor cardio on my facebook page and ended up buying Start! Walking with Leslie Sansone 1 & 2 Mile Walk on DVD. (It came with a free 7-day Amazon on Demand Video rental of the video good for one month.) Really hoping this is something I'll be able to stick with. My friend on facebook - and yes! I know her in "real life," was able to drop from 200lbs. to 145lb. with her DVDs which I think is amazing.

Steampunk Art Print Apocalyptic Twins Holding Bomb"Anticipation" by Harriet's Imagination

I also dreamed about a devil zombie apocalypse that slowly unfolded. Every time I woke up I'd just fall back asleep and dream about a worsening twist to the strange dream. Told my brother about it and he suggested I read the book One Second After by William R. Forstchen. Apparently it's a "this really could happen" apocalypse book about the United States being hit with bombs that knock out our communications with an EMP and send us back into what is essentially the Dark Ages. The west coast is then occupied by China purporting itself as humanitarian aid, but they never quite leave. Very unsettling. I may borrow it from my brother after I get over being freaked out by last night's dream. Hormone fluctuations always bring with it the most visual and imaginative dreams for me. Does that happen for anyone else?

But enough about me. I recently discovered some great tips and diy projects online that I want to share.

Dishwasher Hippo Print from TheLSDesign

If you don't already know, vinegar is terrific for just about everything that has anything to do with cleaning. (Grab some DIY Cleaner Recipes here.) But did you also know you can use it in your dishwasher as an eco-friendly rinse aid? Not only is it all natural, but it works! Whole New Mom suggests combining white vinegar with a little bit of food coloring and simply using it in place of your regular commercial brand rinse aid. The food color makes it easier to tell when it's time to refill than simply vinegar on its own. (Click here for an eco-friendly dishwasher detergent recipe!)

With spring creeping up, I have getting outdoors and gardening on the brain. Make pathways and gardens easy to spot at night by decorating the boundaries with glow in the dark rocks! Simply paint your favorite rocks with Rust-Oleum Glow-in-the-Dark Brush-on Paint or Krylon Glowz Aerosol Spray Paint. They'll soak up the sun during the day and then glow from the day's charge at night! Apply several coats for an especially bright glow.

Black Widow Spider Glow in the Dark Rock from Rock Artiste

If you want to be extra artistic and have a knack for painting, consider painting decorative designs on your glow in the dark rocks. A black widow - like the one pictured above from Rock Artiste - gives an even more creative touch to your garden. (For high weather areas, consider following with a polyurethane or oil base clear coat over your final project.)

Liquid Castille Soap from Mountain Rose Herbs

Save money by making your own homemade foaming soap! Just fill a re-usable foaming soap pump with liquid soap and water. I like Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castille Soap and the Unscented Organic Liquid Castille Soap from Mountain Rose Herbs - 16oz. is just $6 plus they have a great selection of organic essential oils you can scent your soap with! Alternately, you can recycle your old commercial brand soap pump once it's empty and refill the same way you would an "empty" foaming soap pump by filling it about 4/5 of the way full with water then topping off with your soap. Whole New Mom also suggests adding a squirt of glycerin - also available from Mountain Rose Herbs - for extra moisture and a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. For more frugal homemaking ideas, check out my blog article, Household Ideas for Pinching Pennies and Stretching Your Dime.

For more tips and DIY projects, be sure to check out my boards on Pinterest!

New Handmade Soaps and a little Nom, Nom, Nom.

2012-01-26T20:39:00.000-05:00

I have three new handmade soaps curing as of several days ago that I think all just smell fabulous! I have also ordered some lavender essential oil so I can make an all natural lavender soap for spring, and of course, I have my order in with my co-worker's daughter for some super awesome, tasty Girl Scout Cookies. Yes, I am a bonifide Girl Scout Cookie addict. My favorite Girl Scout Cookies are the Peanut Butter Sandwiches or what used to be called Do-Si-Dos. (Psst. Serious Eats has a knock off recipe for their tasty peanut butter sandwich cookies on their blog.)

But on to the soaps! You can look forward to these beauties being available for sale from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen in about three weeks.

Bella's Kiss Handmade Shea Butter Soap - A lovely, soft and feminine blend of Violet, Gardenia, Jasmine, Grapefruit, Vanilla, and White Woods. This scent is perfect for teens and young women! Though I'm late 30s and love it too!

Abalone & Sea Handmade Salt Bar Soap - A fresh, unisex scented sea salt bar soap with shea butter that combines the scents of Daylily, Sea Shell Abalone, Lime, Ozonic, Sea Spray Accord, Rose, Jasmine, Freesia, Lily, Beach Daisy, Woods, Musk, and Marine. I made this one for my boyfriend who was a huge fan of my Big Lick Salt Bar.

Pomegranate Cream Handmade Shea Butter Soap - I've had this one before it just looks a little different this go 'round. This soap boasts a fabulous scent combo of exotic, spicy pomegranate, wild bergamot, dewberry, iris, and jasmine followed by spicy notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, with base notes of precious woods and cedar. Currently you can buy a goat's milk lotion from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen in this scent here!

And just in case Peanut Butter Sandwiches are not your favorite cookie, I won't tease you by just giving you just one recipe for making Girl Scout Cookies. There are also recipes for making Caramel DeLites or Samoas at Yum Sugar, Tagalongs at Baking Bites, Thin Mints at Baking Bites, and Trefoils or Shortbread Cookies at CDKitchen. What's your favorite Girl Scout Cookie to buy?

Artisan Loose Leaf Teas from The Cozy Leaf

2012-01-22T17:07:00.000-05:00

I am a huge fan of loose leaf teas, but my favorite teas are loose leaf artisan teas. I love sampling new teas blended up by handmade artisans and have been on the look out for even more great teas since my favorite tea artist closed up her shop. Recently I discovered a new shop with hand blended loose leaf artisan teas located in Wichita, Kansas called The Cozy Leaf.

Sample Pack of 6 Artisan Loose Leaf Tea Blends from The Cozy Leaf

I purchased Abby's - of The Cozy Leaf - Sample Pack of 6 Artisan Loose Leaf Tea Blends and received my purchase on Friday. I've been sipping ever since! According to the February 2012 issue of Reader's Digest Magazine - my mom is a devout subscriber - black tea, dark chocolate and fish can help to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. So I've really decided to up my daytime consumption of a quality black loose leaf tea to at least once a day. (I believe the article recommended four cups a week.) Besides, there's just something about a cup of fresh brewed, hot tea that relaxes you despite the caffeine. My favorites thus far from The Cozy Leaf are the Organic Fit and Active Loose Leaf Tea - this is an Oolong tea blend - and the Organic Peaceful Dreams Loose Leaf Herbal Tea. I always love a nice cup of herbal tea before bed! Abby also has an organic Cream Earl Grey Tea in the works which is my very favorite tea of all time! I'm super excited for it to become available so I can try it out!

I like a hefty, strong cup of tea so rather than the recommended 1 teaspoon per 4oz. cup I generally opt of a rounded Tablespoon of tea per 6-8oz. of water. Herbal teas I steep for a good 10-15 minutes to reap the benefits of the herbs in the blend. I also really like the Traditional Medicinals herbal tea blends. While not an artisan tea, they are organic and their Organic Cold Care PM has been fabulous with this last cold I caught! Plus there's a coupon for $1 off in February's Reader's Digest. (I buy mine at Kroger.) I'm also a big fan of the artisan, flavored black loose leaf teas at Tea for All Reasons.

If you're a fan of tea, but not the caffeine, and your favorite artisan teas aren't available in decaf, you can decaf the teas yourself. Simply bring your cold water to a boil, brew your tea for about 30 seconds, then immediately remove the tea, drain your tea leaves and re-brew with a fresh dose of boiling water for the recommended 3-5 minutes. This method removes most of the caffeine from any of your teas - just as much as a commercial decaffeinated tea - but won't result in a loss of flavor for oolong, green or white teas. Black teas on the other hand can lose some flavor and may need to be steeped longer. Also, keep in mind decaffeinating your tea can cause a loss in the health benefits of your tea. I brew all of my loose leaf teas in T-Sac Tea Filters as I find them easy to use for whatever amount I choose.

Loose Leaf Tea? Make Your Own Tea Bags! via A Beautiful Mess

You can also make your own tea bags from coffee filters. A Beautiful Mess Blog has a simple DIY tutorial for doing so with a decorative touch that would make them great for gifting or as favors. Love tea as much as I do? Check out my Everything Tea Board on Pinterest for more tea related projects, products and ideas.

Are you a tea drinker? What's your favorite tea to drink and when is your favorite time to drink it?

Scott's Simple Homemade Chili Recipe

2012-01-21T18:32:00.000-05:00

During the cold winter months there's nothing like a huge bowl of chili to warm you up! So I thought I'd share my boyfriend, Scott's, homemade chili recipe. It's easy to make and tastes delicious even leftover the next day!


Scott's Homemade Chili - Simmering in the Pot

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
2-3 16oz. cans stewed or diced tomatoes
1 16oz. can tomato paste
4-5 16oz. cans of dark red kidney beans (Alternately you can mix light red and dark red kidney beans or use black beans as a healthier alternative.)
1-2 medium to large onions (white or yellow), diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and diced finely
1 or 2 sweet bell peppers - yellow, orange, or red, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 package regular chili seasoning - Scott uses Kroger or McCormick brand but says you can use almost any brand as long as you choose one with the fewest ingredients which means less fillers and preservatives
1/2 bottle of good beer - Scott chose to Star Hill Brewery's Northern Lights Indian Pale Ale for this batch (optional, but always recommended)

Directions:

Cook the ground beef until brown and cooked through. Drain.
Combine cooked beef in a large pot with other ingredients, only draining two of the three cans of stewed/diced tomatoes.
Cook over med-high heat uncovered until the chili reaches a semi-boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently for 2-3 hours
For extra heat, add more jalapenos, habanero chili peppers or ground cayenne pepper to suit.
To serve, top with your choice of garnish such as chives, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, or whatever you like best on your chili!

Bowl of Chili Ready to Eat and Topped with Shredded Cheese

Like this recipe? Then be sure to try Scott's recipe for Seared Sashami Tuna and Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce with a side of Asparagus. It also includes the addition of tasty beer and a bit of wine in the recipe - though optional, of course.

My son and Scott with Pepper Stickers on their noses.

Using your own produce from your vegetable garden for your homemade chili? Then save the seeds for next year's planting! Simply keep the seeds you remove from your peppers and dry on a paper towel. Then store them in my Printable Seed Packets! You'll find printable seeds packets for cucumber/squash, tomato, parsley/herbs, red pepper, and a radish. But you can put anything you like inside as there's a spot on each packet to write what's inside! Plus there are five different sticker designs - including the fun pepper stickers on Cody and Scott's noses - and red pepper gift wrap for gardening related gifts!

What are your favorite toppings or ingredients you like to include in your homemade chili?

Printable Garden Seed Packets for Saving, Gifting, or Favors

2012-01-18T19:17:00.000-05:00

With spring right around the corner you may be thinking about your upcoming gardening project or even easy party or wedding favor ideas for a spring wedding. So I've created some fun printable seed packets with matching labels and even red pepper gift wrap to make saving your seeds for the following year, creating seed packets as favors or including seed packets in spring gifts that much easier! (Check out a fun gardening gift idea here.)

Just download the pdf file with the printable garden seed packets, red pepper wrapping paper, and matching garden stickers labels. Cut out the seed packets along the outer edges, fold the flaps down and glue the packets together.

Then fill your packets with seeds and seal shut by gluing down the top flap or sealing the flap with a sticker label.

There are five different printable seed packet designs to choose from: cucumber/squash, tomato, parsley/herbs, red pepper, and a radish. But you can put anything you like inside as there's a spot on each packet to write what's inside!

You can use the stickers as seals for your seed packets or print out a sheet for the kids to play with! Just print on sticker label sheets and cut along the outer edges. Alternatively, you can print the labels onto cardstock and use as gift tags, punching a hole into the tag with a hole punch and tying on with ribbon or string.

Download my printable garden seed packets and labels here. These printables are free for personal, non-commercial use.

Do you save seeds from your garden for the following year? What are your favorite seeds to save? (For more fun gardening ideas, visit my Gardening Board on Pinterest.)

Spring Gardener's Handmade Soap Giveaway

2012-01-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

Love to garden? Then get a jump start on spring with a chance to win two extra scrubby bars of Handmade Exfoliating Lettuce Gardener's Soap from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen!

Formulated specifically for regular gardeners so your skin is less likely to dry out from repeated washings - which is often the case with commercial soaps made primarily from industrial foaming agents - this handmade gardening soap contains an abundance of goat's milk, shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, rice bran oil and even colloidal oatmeal. (It's the same great recipe as my bestselling Unscented Goat Milk Soap.) And because dirt and grime rest for no one, this soap bar also contains natural, exfoliating fine ground pumice, apricot kernel meal, and ground calendula petals to scrub clean even the dirtiest of hands. Plus it smells great, boasting a garden fresh scent combination of spearmint, lettuce, and rain.

In addition to winning two bars of gardening soap, the prize for this contest also consists of any handmade soap of the winner's choice from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. You only need to answer with the bar of soap you'd like to receive if you win in order to enter. (All other entries are optional.)

Can't wait to win? Buy all the handmade soaps you could possibly need from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen and save 15% off your entire order through 1/31/12 when you apply coupon code: SPRINGGARDEN to your cart at checkout. Shipping is capped at $6 no matter how much you buy! Also be sure to stop back by Soap Deli News for an upcoming post featuring free printable seed packets! And don't forget to check out all of my great handmade diy gift ideas and printables for Valentine's Day!

Enter now via Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Artistic Inspiration

2012-01-15T16:38:00.001-05:00

Looking for a diy craft project or maybe an instructional art lesson to liven up your free time? Here are a few of my favorite art instructional blog posts to inspire you!

1. Hand Carved Stamp Tutorial via Geninne's Art Blog

2. How to Use Watercolor Pencils via Wayward Girls Crafts

3. Tips for Taking Photos of Your Pets via The First Lime

4. Drawing Inspiration with Sharpies via Cornflower Blue Studio

What are some of your favorite art projects?

DIY Lip Balm - Homemade Chocolate Mint Lip Balm Recipe

2012-01-11T19:35:00.000-05:00

Want to make some of your very own lip balm for those dry winter lips? Here's my own recipe for a lip balm rich in moisturizing butters with a fun Chocolate Mint flavor! Plus it's vegan!

Handmade Chocolate Mint Lip Balm Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 oz. (by weight) unrefined cocoa butter
1/2 oz. (by weight) refined shea butter
2 Tablespoons Carnauba Wax (also known as Candelilla Wax - vegan)
1-2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (More for softer lip balm, less for harder lip balm)
3 ml Chocolate Devil Food Cake Flavor Oil
2 ml Peppermint Essential Oil

Equipment:
digital scale
12-15 .15 oz. oval lip balm tubes with caps
12-15 28x70 shrink wrap bands (optional)
plastic disposable dropper with ml markings or pipette
glass pyrex container
spoon or stir stick
microwave or double boiler

Instructions:
1. Measure out your carnauba wax and weigh out your cocoa butter. Place these ingredients in a glass pyrex measuring cup or bowl. (I use carnauba wax as it's a vegan alternative to beeswax. You can substitute with beeswax if you like or use half beeswax and half carnauba wax for a shinier lip balm.) Microwave in 1 minute increments until mostly melted.

2. Weigh out and add the shea butter to the wax and cocoa butter. Microwave until melted. Stir well. (Optionally you can use a double boiler to melt your ingredients.)

3. Measure out the olive oil - I used Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this recipe - and stir into the wax and butters. Two Tablespoons makes for a softer lip balm which is great for winter, but if you opt for more olive oil, you may want to use lip balm pots in the summer. Alternatively use 1 Tablespoon olive oil for a harder balm.) Re-melt at any point if needed.

4. Measure out the flavor oil (or fragrance oil approved for lip balm use) and peppermint essential oil with the dropper and add to melted lip balm ingredients. Mix well. (Feel free to substitute other flavors or essential oils if you like.)

5. Then using the dropper, fill the lip balm tubes one at a time. You can help your lip balm tubes stay standing by setting them in a tray of epsom salts to keep them in place. My batch made a baker's dozen. I filled my lip balm tubes completely so each contain .2oz. or 5grams of lip balm.

6. Allow to cool completely, then cap and label. If you'd like you can also seal the lip balms with shrink wrap bands by simply placing the bands over the lip balm container and applying heat with a hair dryer.

I have created some free printable labels for your lip balms that you can download here. There's a space for the name of a loved one for gifting! These would be great as wedding favors, stocking stuffers, even Valentine gifts for the kids at school.

Looking for organic oils and butters for your lip balms? Shop Mountain Rose Herbs.

(This lip balm recipe and accompanying printable labels are free for personal, non-commercial use.)

Handmade Valentine's Day Gift Guide

2012-01-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

Don't just give any gift this Valentine's Day, give the gift of handmade! Following are a few of my favorite handmade Valentine's Day gift ideas.

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Heart in Velvet Shea Butter and Goat Milk Soap handmade by Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen

2. Handmade Valentine's Day Cards - Set of Four - "Love Is All You Need" handmade by Julie Ann Art

3. Handmade CupidOo Red Bowl - Set of Five handmade by Atelier OKER Ceramic Design

4. Handmade Chocolate Sugar Cookie Heart Bites handmade by Danielle's Sweet Shop

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Edible Vintage Lace Pink Heart Cookies handmade by Katie's Something Sweet

2. Handmade Hearts a Flutter 3D Heart Oatmeal Bin Organizer handmade by Hoganfe Handmade Originals

3. Handmade Fabric Floral Bracelet handmade by Melasha Cat

4. Handmade Pink Organza Bobby Hair Pin handmade by Mamma Mia e Me

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Victoria Bouquet Lollipops handmade by ZukrBoutique

2. Handmade Love Bird Appliqued Leather Purse handmade by Rose-Anne Russell

3. Handmade Set of Three Lip Tints handmade by Etiquettes

4. Handmade Organic Vegan Vanilla Bean Infused Sugar handmade by Twig and Leaf Botanicals

(Clockwise from left to right.)

1. Handmade Valentine's Day Wolf and Heart Brass Locket handmade by Amber Sky

2. Handmade Alice in Wonderland Heart Corkboard handmade by Uncorked

3. Handmade Heart Tether Blue and Green Small Curio Cabinet handmade by Leah Pettway Fine Art

4. I DO Take This Handmade Pottery Mug handmade by Twisted River Clayworks

For more handmade Valentine's Day gift ideas, be sure to check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas board on Pinterest!

Additionally, you may want to take advantage of my HUGE Closeout Sale on all Handmade Artisan Goods from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. Receive 75% off all products in my Handmade Artisan Goods section including sale items (excludes bath and body products) through 1/15/12 at 11:59pm. Not valid on past purchases and coupon code: CLOSEOUTART must be applied to your cart before payment. Take advantage now and save HUGE on gifts for Valentine's Day, upcoming birthdays, or even treats for yourself!

Printable Soap Labels for Valentine's Day or Wedding Favors

2012-01-08T16:12:00.000-05:00

Looking for a unique way to wrap and label your handmade soaps for Valentine's Day gifts or wedding favors? Then try my free, printable Valentine's Day soap labels for your gift giving needs!

Three fun label designs plus a few heart stickers make this the perfect printable for customizing your soaps for Valentine's Day or wedding favors!

To get started simply wrap your soap in clear plastic wrap, craft paper, or scrapbook papers.

Then print the free pdf download with the soap labels from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. (Download here.) You may use these labels for your own personal, non-commercial use.

Finally, apply the labels to your gift packages or favors however you see fit. Have fun and be creative!

You may also enjoy my Printable Love Bird Valentine's Day Cards and Printable Valentine's Day Gift Wrap available from Soap Deli News. For my DIY gift giving ideas, visit my DIY Valentine's Day Gifts Board on Pinterest. And for handmade Valentine's Day gifts you can buy, check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Board.

DIY Valentine's Day Gifts You Can Craft and Give

2012-01-07T16:08:00.001-05:00

Whether you're on a budget or simply want to give the gift of handmade this Valentine's Day, here is a lovely collection of DIY Valentine's Day gift ideas to get your started on giving the perfect gift for that someone special.

1. Charming Bookmark via Country Living - Pretty and romantic, these easy to craft ribbon bookmarks would make a wonderful gift for your Valentine tucked inside a romantic book. May I suggest Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to Seeby Bill Shapiro?

2. DIY Painted Block Puzzle via Momtastic - This painted, wooden block puzzle is a perfect gift for young children. Give blank wooden blocksa Valentine's Day them with painted hearts or other romantic symbols for a gift that will last a lifetime.

3. Stenciled Animal Mugs via Country Living - This idea is easy and simple. Stencil a new or thrift store mug with PermEnamel Paintfor a customized Valentine's Day gift. It doesn't have to be an animal. Hearts or X's and O's, even initials will give it romantic flair.

4. Personalized Embroidery Hoop via The Joy Cottage - Customize a special message for your Valentine that can be hung on the wall as an everyday reminder of your love. Tuck your favorite fabric into an embroidery hoopthen cut out your message in coordinating fabrics and sew on. Then seal the back with some pretty scrapbook paper cardstock and hot glue.

DIY Beauty Gift Idea from Be Beautiful Blog - Handcraft a teacup sized spa treatment for Valentine's Day with homemade, heart shaped sage and fennel bath melts made from dried sage, crushed fennel seeds and shea butter. Combine with an oatmeal, ginger and almond bath bag and an easy to make massage oil and you the perfect bath and beauty gift for your sweetheart! (You can shop for organic ingredients for this project at Mountain Rose Herbs.)

For more beautiful handmade, DIY gift ideas for Valentine's Day, be sure to visit my DIY Valentine's Day Gifts Board on Pinterest. And for handmade Valentine's Day gifts you can buy, check out my Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Board on Pinterest.

Handmade Valentine's Day Cards - Of a Non-Traditional Sort

2012-01-03T19:45:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is on it's way, and for me, that brings back fond memories of receiving Valentine's Day cards through elementary school exchanges - even from the boys you couldn't stand or the jealous little girls who would knock you off the monkey bars on the playground. How long did we keep those silly little cards before our moms finally tossed them anyway? They were so prized because they were so much fun. Sentiment on Valentine's Day is especially appropriate though, I think. But that doesn't mean it has to be overly romantic or even mushy. They can still be fun just like when we were kids. I for one appreciate Valentine's cards that are witty, raw and fun. They still possess a little romance, just in an unexpected way. Therefore I'll be giving some of my favorite people handmade Valentine's Day cards from Julie Ann Art!

The boyfriend, well, he'll be getting a card assuring him that he's my favorite thing to do. But if that's a little too sultry for your sensibilities...

Then let your loved one know it's just "you and me" with this cute card that features a heart engraved on wood proclaiming that your love is forever.

Or skip any hint of romance all together with a card that's basically crap. Whatever you decide to say and however you decide to say it, Julie Ann Art has the perfect way to get your point across this Valentine's Day. Whether witty or charming or just plain freaky, her fun and brilliantly designed 5 1/2" x 4 1/2" cards all come blank inside for sharing your own private message and are printed on quality, 80lb. acid-free white card stock.

Be sure to have fun with some of Julie's other cards for Valentine's Day as well with messages like "You're my favorite boyfriend," "You're my favorite bedhog," and "You're my favorite baby daddy." To view Julie's full line of Valentine's Day and other greeting cards, visit her shop online. All of the cards from Julie Ann Art are high quality, professionally printed cards featuring original designs by Julie herself that you'll be proud to share with that special someone who drives you crazy.

What's your favorite way to say "I care"?

Seared Sashami Tuna with Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce Recipe

2012-01-02T14:20:00.000-05:00

For New Year's Eve my boyfriend cooked me up a special dish choosing from several of my favorite foods to eat: tuna, shrimp and asparagus with the fact that I love sushi niggling in the back of his head. The dinner was in truth a great experiment that we both thought turned out to be a great success. Scott, my boyfriend, calls it Seared Sashami Tuna and Sauteed Shrimp in an Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce with a side of Asparagus. You may want to file this one in your recipe book as simply "DELICIOUS."

Following is the recipe for Scott's dinner. Keep in mind that for him cooking is an art - and while he by means thinks of himself as a great chef - he doesn't treat his dishes like and exact science. He likes to have fun with his food preparation and all ingredient amounts are approximate because he never measures anything. Basically, he considers himself a self-taught cook who just likes to eat. He rates his own recipe 4 out of 5 stars and I think that's pretty darn accurate. I encourage you to try this recipe, play around with it a little yourself with a little more of this, a little less of that and maybe something we never would of thought of. Then come back and tell me how it turned out! You can want to cook this up for your special someone on Valentine's Day!

Ingredients:

2 Wild Sashimi Tuna Steaks (Our steaks were approximately .43lbs. each bought from The Fresh Market at $14.99 a pound.)
1/2 lb. large, raw and peeled deveined shrimp
1-2 lb. of fresh asparagus depending on your love for this vegetable
Cayenne Pepper Sauce (We used Frank's Red Hot Original)
Soy Sauce (We used Asian Gourmet)
Toasted Sesame Oil (We used Eden Selected)
Peanut Oil (You can substitute canola oil if you have nut allergies)
Horseradish (We used Agrosik)
Pickled Ginger (We didn't like the way the yellow pickled ginger looked in the jar, so we bought pink pickled ginger from the prepared sushi section of The Fresh Market. It's our favorite.)
Fresh Garlic
A large California Naval Orange
Black pepper

Optional Ingredients:

(Because it's fun to get a little crazy.)

Brooklyn Brown Ale or your beer of choice
Schmitt Sohne Reisling (Ya know, the label on the bottle screams, "Pick me, pick me!") or your white wine of choice
Château Morrisette Sweet Red Table Wine (or your red wine of choice)

Directions:

This recipe can be made using one pot, a random dish for marinating the tuna and shrimp, one large sauce pan to minimize clean up later - and a colander. You'll also need a knife and a spatula at minimum. So even bachelor's wh generally eat out can probably swing this one as long as their stove top works.

Asparagus Prep: First you'll want to prep your asparagus for later. Rinse your asparagus in cold water, then snap off the ends. You'll know where to snap because if you try to snap too low you'll get some resistance. Move higher if this happens and you'll end up with great tasting asparagus and no chewy, tough ends to contend with. (It still boggles my mind that there are restaurants who leave the ends intact.) Bring a pot of water to a boil, then blanch the asparagus in boiling water 1-2 minutes until bright green. Transfer to a colander and drain. Set aside. (I'll admit we did consider buying both white and green asparagus, but as I'd never tried white asparagus, I chickened out.)

Make Your Marinade: Your marinade is what will later become your Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction sauce. So be sure to reserve about 1/3 of this marinade for your sauce later on. First, however, you're going to make a marinade for the shrimp and tuna.

In a food processor combine approximately 1/8 Cup peanut oil, 1/4 Cup soy sauce, 1/8 Cup toasted sesame oil, about an 1/8 Cup pickled ginger, your whole naval orange peeled and sectioned, 3 cloves of fresh minced or chopped garlic, a dash of black pepper, 1 Tablespoon horseradish, 2 Tablespoons of the hot sauce, and if you want to be silly like us - a dash of beer or wine or both just for kicks. Blend well.

Then pour about 2/3 of the marinade into a dish with the shrimp and tuna. Allow to marinate for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Cook the Asparagus: While your tuna and shrimp marinate, you'll prepare your asparagus. Add a little peanut oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and a couple of teaspoons of the marinade into a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the asparagus and saute for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and cover.

Sear the Tuna: Using the same pan you just sauteed the asparagus in and still over medium-high heat, add a bit more peanut oil and soy sauce and a Tablespoon of the marinate to prep the pan. Add your sashimi tuna steaks to the pan and sear on each side for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from pan and plate. (You want it rare inside because rare tuna is tasty!)

Saute the Shrimp: Again, you'll use the same pan you just seared the tuna steaks in. Add a bit more peanut oil and soy sauce and about a Tablespoon of marinade to the pan. Add the shrimp and saute over medium-high heat until pink, turning once. Remove the shrimp from the pan - while reserving as much "juice" as possible in the pan - and drain the shrimp in a colander.

Prepare your Sauce: Now you'll make your Orange-Soy-Ginger Reduction Sauce. To do this, simply pour the remaining marinade set aside earlier into the sauce pan you just used to cook the tuna, asparagus and shrimp. Add a touch more peanut oil followed by a shot or two of wine. White is recommended - we used a Riesling only because that's what I like to drink - but you can go a little wild like us and add a shot or two of red wine as well. Oh, and maybe just a touch more beer. We did. Leave the marinade mixture on medium-high heat stirring occasionally until it reduces into a sauce.

Plate it and serve: Plate your shrimp with tuna and pour as much sauce as desired over the tuna and shrimp. Add asparagus to the side and serve immediately.

The center of the tuna when cut should be rare with just the edges seared. I like to eat mine with some fresh pickled ginger.

As an afterthought, Scott also made the suggestion of encrusting the tuna steaks with sesame seeds and a bit of cracked peppercorn and sea salt by coating the surface of the tuna just before placing in the hot oil in your pan.

Download printable instructions for this recipe here.

Looking to purchase quality, organic herbs, spices and seasonings for your own gourmet dishes at home? I highly recommend shopping Mountain Rose Herbs for the best quality and prices. Not only will you receive a great product, but you will save a lot of money by buying in bulk over shopping for spices at grocery stores.

Printable Love Bird Valentine's Day Cards

2011-12-30T18:25:00.000-05:00

Tell your special someone just how much you love them with a Valentine's Day Card! I have created two very special "love bird" note cards that are perfect for sending that romantic note or giving as Valentine's Day cards.

Created from my own original art collages, these two note cards feature two love birds kissing on a branch and a single bird delivering his own special love letter to a mailbox. These Valentine's or sweetheart cards measure 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" and fit inside standard invitation sized envelopes available from most craft or office supply stores. Simply print the cards onto a sheet of cardstock, cut the page in half, fold, and include your handwritten message inside. You can download these cute little love bird cards here. You can also download free love inspired wrapping paper and gift tags for Valentine's Day here.

Want more of these sweet, round little birds? Then check out my Free Printable Owl Notecards for a set of four cards featuring birds having some seasonal fun!

Celebrate the New Year! Free 2012 Printable Calendar.

2011-12-29T21:26:00.001-05:00

2012 begins as a New Year this Sunday! I plan to ring in the New Year by celebrating New Year's Eve with my boyfriend as his band, Grass Monkey, plays at Awful Arthur's in downtown Roanoke, VA. And while I am "slightly" prepared to celebrate, I'm not at all prepared in other ways. So to help get me there I started by doing something very basic - I printed out a 2012 calendar to keep me on track.

My Owl Barn Blog has a free 2012 printable calendar you can download and print. Not only does the calendar feature lovely illustrations of owls by a number of artists, but you can customize your calendar by choosing which owl you'd like for each particular month. The entire calendar only uses three pages of paper to save on ink, with each month measuring about a quarter page.

Keep the calendar as three full size sheets, punch with a hole punch and insert into a binder for work or school. Alternately, print your calendar on cardstock and frame the 8.5"x11" pages in separate pages side by side in your kitchen or office.

Or you can do like I did and cut out each month and clip or staple them together. Or combine the months with with binder rings through hole punches in the tops of each month. Have fun creating your own calendar for 2012! You can find the free download here.

Alternately, you may be interested in buying some handmade calendars from other talented artists. You can find a small selection of 2012 illustrated calendars for sale as featured on my blog.

How will you be ringing in the New Year?

Printable Valentine's Day Gift Wrap

2011-12-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

Oh my, Valentine! Valentine's Day will be upon us in around six short weeks, so now is the time to start crafting clever diy gifts or perhaps browsing to buy something special. I like to recommend shopping handmade whenever possible for a truly unique gift that's sure to be treasured. But of course, no gift is complete without the appropriate gift wrap. So I've drawn up some fun designs for Valentine's Day wrapping paper and gift tags to make your packages extra special! These wrapping papers are perfect for small gifts such as handmade soaps, gift cards, and jewelry!

This Valentine's Day wrapping paper and gift tags set features carved stumps, doxies and pastel hearts. Get creative and add additional elements to your packages such as ribbon, yarn, twine, cardstock tags, bark, and even live foliage.

You can download these free printable papers and tags as a pdf file from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen here. Print, cut, wrap and gift. Feel free to use these downloads for your personal, non-commercial use.

Will you be making gifts for Valentine's Day this year or giving the gift of handmade?

DIY Gardening Gifts for Valentine's Day

2011-12-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

I realize we just hit the winter season, but I'm already thinking ahead to spring. I love spring because everything is new again. Plus I can start planting that early spring garden! My favorite thing to grow, however, are herbs because generally they are easier to grow and the deer, racoons, and squirrels are generally not fans of nibbling on most herbs.

Potted Planting Gift via Design Sponge

With the spring season almost back to back with Valentine's Day, I think a gardening theme makes for some terrific, non-romantic Valentine's Day gifts for someone you care about. I love this idea from Design Sponge for packing seeds and bulbs into a clay pot and tying it with a ribbon and a handmade tag for gifting.

DIY Wooden Gift Tags via Green Eyed Monster

And Green Eyed Monster blog has a step-by-step photo tutorial for making your own diy rustic, wood gift tags similar to the one featured in the Potted Planting Gift Project above.

Handmade Exfoliating Lettuce Gardener's Soap handmade by Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen

Pair all of these things with some Handmade Exfoliating Gardener's Soap and perhaps some gardening gloves or a trowel and you have the perfect gift for anyone who loves to grow things.

Handmade Herb Heart Markers handmade by Sierra Metal Design

If you want to "romance" this gift up a bit for Valentine's Day, you can add a "heart" theme and gift your collection with a heart shaped gift tag or heart shaped garden markers like the ones from Sierra Metal Design pictured above.

For more Valentine's Day gift ideas, visit my ever growing DIY Valentine's Day Gifts and Valentine's Day Gift Ideas boards on Pinterest.

A Handmade Christmas All Wrapped Up! Onto Valentine's Day!

2011-12-26T13:57:00.001-05:00

With Christmas all wrapped up, it's time for me to start thinking ahead to the next "gifting" holiday - Valentine's Day! Of course, I haven't forgotten New Year's, but I ate so much over the past few days I'm not sure I want to think about another carb filled party just quite yet. I'll let that one sneak up on me. Valentine's Day, however, I do like to plan for. I love finding unique, handmade treasures for my sweetheart and I enjoy making them! But first I want to share a few of the handmade finds I gifted for Christmas.

For Christmas I gave my sweetie a handmade guitar wallet from Found. As you can see from comparison it was greatly needed. Scott's old Family Guy wallet was in such poor shape it had a huge hole in the middle. Regardless, he was very reluctant to let it go. The wallet from Found was the perfect replacement. It was hand crafted from remnants of leather hides and upholstery samples and has a spot inside not only for money and cards, but also a guitar pick. (See photos.) Perfect since Scott is both a bass player and guitar player. Where the guitar pick goes, rather than putting a traditional pick in that space, I included a hand stamped guitar pick necklace for him from Wyoming Creative. He was very excited by these new gifts. However, I still had to be the one to throw out his old wallet. For anyone who has ever been married it was sort of like tossing that old, holey t-shirt he still wears when he's not looking. There's that sort of mock devastation.

And, just for fun - because all sane men love bacon - I gave Scott some handmade Crispy Sizzling Bacon Lip Balm from Soap Art. Not only was he a huge fan of this very bacon smelling lip balm, but my dog Jasper wanted a lick too!

Now that all of the Christmas gifts have been opened, I've been working on some love inspired soaps for Valentine's Day. The soap log pictured above was just unmolded today and sliced into bars with my handy Chef's knife. It's a cold process soap made with a combination of olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, rice bran oil and others and is scented with a Red Velvet Cake fragrance and a Red Currant scented soap heart center. Once it's been exposed to air for a bit, the entire bar - minus the red soap heart - will turn a dark, chocolatey brown the same as the edges. I'm still working on a name for this one though, so if you have any ideas feel free to share them! I'll also be introducing a White Chocolate Raspberry scented soap for Valentine's Day as well. (Take a peek.) And I'm currently working on sketches for some Valentine's Day gift wrap and gift tags for a free downloadable pdf.

I wouldn't want you to go without while we're waiting on this lovely soap to cure though! So from now through the end of the year - that's December 31st, 2011 at 11:59pm - you can receive a whopping 35% off all of my handmade shea butter and goat milk lotions! Just shop Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen and apply coupon code: LOTIONLOVE to your cart before final checkout. Supplies are limited so shop early! These rich, luxurious handmade goat milk lotions boast a long lasting scent while feeling fabulous on your skin. They contains a skin smoothing blend of nourishing ingredients including goat's milk, shea butter, honey, aloe, sunflower and soybean oils. Formulated for hydrating dry skin, these handmade goat milk lotions can be used all over as a body lotion or as a daily facial moisturizing cream. Heard enough? Shop now and choose from the following fragrances: Blue Ridge Rose, Mango & Papaya, Pomegranate Cream, Star City Seduction, Red Velvet Cake, and Lavender Vanilla. They'd go perfect paired with your other handmade Valentine's Day or Easter basket gifts!

New Handmade Soaps in the Works!

2011-12-23T16:05:00.000-05:00

I'm making new handmade soaps today! Earlier in the week I cut out some Red Currant scented, cold process shea butter soaps into hearts with heart shaped cookie cutters.

Today, I'm making some Red Velvet Cake cold process soap to use with those hearts. I'll be embedding my heart shaped soaps inside of the Red Velvet Cake Soaps. The Red Velvet Cake soap will turn a dark brown. So when I cut my soap loaf into slices, you'll see a red shaped heart inside every bar surrounded by a deliciously scented, brown colored cake soap. These soaps will be available in the New Year and are definitely love inspired for Valentine's Day! Also for Valentine's Day, I have a pink and brown White Chocolate Raspberry Soap on my curing rack.

Additionally I'm also making a new cold process gardener's soap today for you early spring gardeners! My gardener's soap is being made with the same great, handmade goat milk soap recipe as my bestselling Unscented Goat Milk Soap so it's gentle and non-drying no matter how many times you wash your hands during the day to get rid of garden dirt and grime. It's scented with a fresh fragrance blend of lettuce, rain and spearmint.

It contains fine ground pumice, apricot kernel meal, and calendula petals for tough exfoliation. Don't just use this one after getting dirty in the garden though. It's also a great soap for artists and mechanics! Look for both of these fabulous new soaps in the New Year at Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen!

Handmade DIY Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas

2011-12-21T19:21:00.000-05:00

If you're like my mother, you're up at 3am the night before Christmas wrapping gifts. But just because you wrap at the last minute - hey, we women do a lot! - it doesn't mean your gifts can't look their best. Here are a few inspirational gift wrap ideas so your gifts look like winners on the outside as well as the inside!

1. Craft paper. String. Paint pen. Fresh foliage. You can probably dig these things out of a craft box somewhere. Plus it's eco-friendly if you recycle! Source: Project Wedding

2. Print up your favorite photos onto copy paper for a personalized look. Source: Photojojo

3. Stash your gift inside a brown paper bag - a book or handmade journal perhaps? - and tie with skinny ribbon and handmade paper candies. Source: Sugar and Charm

4. Create beautiful gift wrap with a three-dimensional effect from patterned cardstock. Source: Lifestyle Crafts

5. Handstamp clothespins to "tie" on gift tags. Source: Quotes and Notes

6. A little eco-friendly pizazz. Craft a diy pinecone ornament with found pinecones and silver paint, then tie them onto packages for a dual purpose gift. Source: Elisa McLaughlin Designs

7. Make pillow boxes from cardstock that look like they are tied closed with holly. Source: Martha Stewart

8. Splatter a mix of paint and water onto plain paper to create a unique wrapping paper then decorate with greenery cut from cardstock. Source: Lemon Jitters

For more exciting diy gift wrap ideas, visit my Pretty Packaging Board on Pinterest.

You may also be interested in these blog post from Soap Deli News with other great gift wrap ideas:

And don't forget, you can save an additional 50% off all sale items from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen while supplies last! Just apply coupon code: YEARENDSALE to your cart before checkout to receive the discount. Expires 12/31/11. Shop now.

Last Minute Handmade Gift Ideas: Craft up these DIY Bath and Beauty crafts for holiday or winter birthday gifts!

2011-12-17T18:46:00.001-05:00

Only a week left until Christmas! It's hard to believe. But if you're not ready yet, it's time to get crackin'! Here are a few handmade DIY bath and beauty gift ideas that you can craft yourself in under a day and still make a big impression under the 'ole Christmas tree!

1. DIY Handmade Snowflake Soaps from Torie Jayne Blog - This melt and pour soap recipe makes for a simple, yet elegant project. Find holiday shaped molds on sale now at local craft stores along with your melt and pour base, fragrance, and glitter. Melt, mix and pour. Then wrap your completed soaps in plastic wrap and decorate the with washi tape along the edges for a finished look without a lot of complicated packaging.

2. DIY Handmade Rosemary Spearmint Sugar Scrub from Coordinately Yours - A beautiful and functional gift, this Rosemary Spearmint Sugar Scrub is hand crafted from ingredients easily sourced locally and includes free printable labels for your gifts!

3. DIY Handmade Body Butter Bars from Green Experiments - These solid lotion bars are a snap to make with just three ingredients. Use a cupcake pan for a mold, then package in cellophane and a ribbon! Also be sure to try your hands at this DIY Lotion is for Sissies Bars Recipe from Arizona Spa Girls.

4. DIY Handmade Peppermint and Lemon Foot Soak from Or so she says... Blog - A terrific gift for anyone who is on their feet all day, this foot soak is handcrafted with Epsom and sea salts, a little baking soda and cornstarch, a little olive oil, peppermint and lemon extract - all ingredients you can find at your local grocery store! Your may also like this recipe for making Orange and Eucalyptus Bath Salts.

5. DIY Handmade Striped Peppermint Soaps from Martha Stewart - Another melt and pour soap recipe inspired by red and white striped candy canes! Just use a mini loaf pan as your mold and slice up six bars of this beautiful, holiday peppermint scented soap.

6. DIY Handmade Chapstick from Tidy Tipsy Photography Blog - Everyone can use a little chapstick during the winter months! The recipe and photo tutorial from Tidy Tipsy makes it easy to whip up tubes for everyone left on your list. Can't get tubes before Christmas? Try using small pots or tins instead. These would be great paired with a gift card for that hard to shop for person you just didn't have a clue what to buy. Also be sure to check out the DIY Lip Balm Recipes for making Peppermint-Eucalyptus Lip Balm and Vanilla Rose Lip Balm over at Whole Living.

7. DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent from Soap Deli News Blog - This all natural homemade laundry detergent can be made in under an hour from easily found ingredients and packaged in anything from resealable bags to mason jars tied with ribbon. Makes a great gift for the newlyweds, someone who's recently moved into their first apartment or anyone who is having a child as it's both gentle and non-toxic!

8. DIY Handmade Lavender Body Butter from MayDIY Blog - A rich and lush handmade body butter recipe for anyone who loves lavender! A rich cream perfect for dry, winter skin that doesn't require a preservative, this homemade body butter can be packaged in jars for gift giving anytime.

Looking for more DIY bath and body gifts you can make and give? Be sure to check out the article, Bath and Body Stocking Stuffer Round Up, for even more pampering gift ideas along with my DIY Bath and Body Board on Pinterest.

Bath and beauty not quite what you had in mind? Then check out my Unique DIY Christmas Gift Ideas Board on Pinterest for links to tutorials on making things like DIY Monogrammed Mugs (perfect for a last minute gift!), Homemade BBQ Rub, Leather Journal Books, and DIY Gingerbread Crayons. You may also enjoy my articles on Homemade Gifts You Can Bake, DIY Handmade Christmas Gifts, and Last Minute DIY Holiday Gifts and Stocking Stuffers.

Also be sure to check out the Year End Sale at Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen! Shop the sale section at Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen between now and December 31, 2011 and receive an Additional 50% Off All Sale Products! Simply apply coupon code: YEARENDSALE to your cart before checking out. Remember, shipping is never more than $6 no matter how much you buy! (Coupon code not valid on previous purchases and is valid online only at Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. You must enter the coupon code in order to receive the discount. Adjustments are not made to paid purchases should you fail to enter your coupon code at checkout.) Stock up now for yourself or upcoming birthdays! Even Valentine's Day gifts or Easter baskets! Inventory is limited to stock on hand and includes a wide selection of handmade shea butter soaps as well as handmade artisan products. So don't miss out! Shop now.

Cute Holiday Printable Gift Tags or Sticker Set

2011-12-15T21:25:00.002-05:00

Today I've been wrapping Christmas gifts for my family. This year, since I was on a tight budget, I didn't spend any extra money buying wrapping paper or tags. Instead I recycled old boxes and brown paper craft bags for wrapping paper. And I printed out free gift tags and labels online and made a few of my own!

This gift I wrapped with a brown craft bag I cut apart and some twine I found. I then decorated it with Free Rustic Holiday Tags I downloaded and printed onto sticker paper from vol. 25 blog.

I also made some of my own holiday gift tags today featuring a cute penguin in a heart top hat, a pastel colored camera, a round panda bear, and happy stocking ice skate. I drew them with pencil, outlined them with a black Sharpie marker, then scanned them into my computer and colored them in Gimp.

This set of adorable holiday gift tags (pictured above) is available as a free download so you too can share in the frugal fun of printing off your own gift tags. (They are free for personal, non-commercial use. )Simply print the pdf file for these free printables onto sticker paper to create a fun sticker set for the kids, or to stick on your presents as gift tag labels. Or print onto card stock, cut out and punch a hole in the top. Attach to your gift with ribbon or twine and write your gift message on the back. The set includes four large printable gift tags and six medium sized printable gift tags that are perfect for either Christmas gift tags or winter birthday tags. Also don't forget to check out my free printable Japanese Kawaii inspired holiday tags I also created in this blog post!

Free Printable Kawaii Inspired Holiday Gift Tags

2011-12-14T09:51:00.001-05:00

I have been inspired by so many projects on the web lately, but one project in particular that caught my eye was this tutorial for making your own Kawaii drawings on The First Lime blog. With Christmas just around the corner, I used the ideas for making faces from this tutorial to create my own little holiday gift tags featuring a smiling pine tree with a little squirrel running up its side.

I think they turned out super cute and am excited to try my hand at some more drawings and start a sketch books of Kawaii inspired art! In the meantime, I wanted to offer a free printable download of my little Kawaii tree gift tags. Just download the printable holiday gift tags here, cut and label with your own special message!

Free Printable Owl Notecards

2011-12-13T08:50:00.003-05:00

Many years ago I sold handmade notecards I created from my own original, paper art collages. Many of these stationery sets featured little birds or owls at play. My first set of notecards was my Seasonal or Everyday Birds Notecard Set. Now that I am no longer selling these cards, I wanted to share them with my readers to print and share with family and friends for their own personal use.

This cute card set features a set of four adorable cards reflective of the four seasons. There are birds hanging out on the laundry line in the summer sun, little birds stealing kisses on the branches of bare autumn trees, tiny birds bundling up for that winter snow, and birds scenting out new spring blooms!

To create you own card collection, simply download the free printable PDF file featuring my notecards onto card stock. Then cut each sheet of cards in half between the images and fold the cards in half so the images face front. The finished cards will measure 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" and fit inside standard invitation sized envelopes available from most craft stores.

I hope you enjoy writing your own notes in my little pieces of art!

DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent + Liquid Soap Recipes

2011-12-12T11:00:00.007-05:00

One of the most time consuming things about making handmade soaps is the wait. The wait for your oils and lye water to cool down enough so you can mix your soap, the 24hr. waiting period before you are able to unmold your soaps, and the wait for your soaps to cure. As I was making more of my unscented goat milk soap and a new White Chocolate Raspberry goat milk scented soap yesterday, I decided to utilize my time and finally get around to making some much need homemade laundry detergent. There isn't really waiting time with this project, however, grating the soap for the detergent is time consuming, so it made for a great way to pass the time!

I decided to make an all natural homemade laundry detergent using a bar of my own handmade lemon mint soap. As it's scented with only lemongrass and peppermint essential oils it was a great choice as a base for my detergent! Not only does making my own detergent save money over buying commercial detergent brands, but I like that's it's also eco-friendly! You can also use an unscented soap and add a few drops of fragrance or essential oils to your recipe before mixing.

1. To make my own handmade laundry detergent, first I finely grated one 4oz. bar of my handmade lemon mint soap. This is the most time consuming part of making homemade laundry detergent and your hands definitely feel the work by the time you're done. However, the end result is worth the half hour or so it takes to do.

2. After grating the soap, I added one measured cup of Arm & Hammer brand All Natural Super Washing Soda and one measured cup of 20 Mule Team brand Borax All Natural Laundry Booster to the grated soap into a glass container. (Both of these products can easily be found in most major grocery stores in the laundry detergent aisle.)

3. I then mixed all of the ingredients with a spoon, then poured into a blender and and mixed on the highest setting until the detergent reached a powder consistency. I did remove the blender several times to shake the ingredients before blending again to insure everything got mixed and blended completely.

4. Once my homemade laundry detergent reached a powdered state, I poured it into a 5"x7" resealable bag. You can also use a mason jar with a lid to store your laundry powder. Once packaged, you can label your bag or jar for future storage or use. Or give your freshly made, homemade laundry detergent as a gift by affixing a label to the bag or jar and tying off with some ribbon and a tablespoon sized scoop. My batch made approximately 1lb. 3.5oz. of homemade laundry detergent.

5. To use your homemade laundry detergent, simply scoop one Tablespoon of detergent into the washer for small loads or two Tablespoons of detergent for large loads.

Looking for other uses for grated handmade soap? Make your own homemade liquid soap! Simply grate two 4oz. sized handmade soap bars of your choice and add to a pot filled with a gallon of distilled water. Place the pot on the stove and add two Tablespoons of liquid glycerin to the finely grated soap shavings and the distilled water. Heat over medium/high heat and stir until your soap dissolves. Once your soap mixture dissolves, remove it from the heat and let stand for 10-12 hours. After your soap has completely cooled, beat with a hand mixer to mix thoroughly. If your soap is too thick, you can mix in a small amount of distilled water at this point until your soap is the consistency you desire. If it's too thin - as this can happen depending on the recipe of the soap you choose to use - simply reheat the mixture and add in more grated soap. Once your soap is complete, use a funnel to pour the soap into containers of your choice. (Note: You can purchase organic vegetable glycerin for this project from Mountain Rose Herbs.)