Tropical fruit soap slices

As a soapmaker, I often indulge my artistic side with my craft - however I have just made possibly the most surreal, crazy loaf, that even Dali would love. This is a fruity fiesta of a soap loaf, featuring, lemon, raspberry, orange, grapefruit and even a little white chocolate! I made careful layers of contrasting colours and some little circular soap inserts which I placed on top of the loaf. Once cut, the loaf really shows it`s crazy credentials - I made it for a special order for my local school christmas fundraiser, I hope the children love it!

Nest of tables

Few things make me quite as happy as upcycling old unloved furniture.  My most recent project was a ancient nest of tables which was all battered and forgotten and eventually found its way onto ebay.  I sanded, primed and waxed and painted until the ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan.  It`s now looking to be re-homed with someone who will show it the love it deserves!

New Stuff 22/11/13

With all of this rain, northerly wind and general gloom, it`s perhaps unsurprising that I`ve been thinking about warming baths and pampering.  Maybe it`s a subconscious thing because two new products I`ve come up with today are bath related -

Goatsmilk and Oat bath milk powder - pop a tablespoon or two into your bathwater for a milky, creamy nutrient packed bath

I have also been making bath tea - in handy little tea-bags which con be popped into your bathwater and left to `brew`!  Packed with lavender buds, caldendula flowers, goatsmilk powder, oats and patchouli essential oil.  Goes wonderfully well with my Lavender Sleep Balm and my Goatsmilk soaps!

Lavender

Oohhhh! I love lavender, I put it in cakes, biscuits, soap and now balms. I`ve just launched my new look Lavender Sleep Balm and I`ve given it a more modern, minimalistic twist. Coming soon - solid perfumes and Herbal Rescue balms (great for bumps, bruises, stings and chapped skins). XX

Autumn apples

Now that summer is long gone and we are bracing ourselves for snow and Christmas, I seem to have a glut of cooking apples to deal with. So far I have made apple crumble, stewed apple, apple pie, apple and lavender jelly and my favorite - Dutch Apple Cake Ingredients 2 eggs 175 g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 85 g butter 75 ml milk 125 g plain flour 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced Cream togethet the butter & sugar, then add the eggs and flour, cinnamon, baking powder, milk and vanilla extract. Mix into a stiff batter and spoon into a lined baking tray. Arrange the apple slices on top and then bake for 30 mins at gas mark 5. Bloomin` lovely!