Friday, January 21, 2011

On The Curing Rack

I just cut a couple of logs of soap. Thought you'd like to see them.

First, White Sage (fragrance oil from Majestic Mountain Sage). I just love the look of a log of soap before it is cut! This is a restock, something I have been out of for quite a while! I used to make it with shea butter, but shea butter sometimes make me break out, so I've stopped soaping with it. This time I used my cocoa butter recipe.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)




Also a restock, and the cocoa butter recipe - Herbal Rosemary. Scented with rosemary essential oil.The swirls are made using ground rosemary. I love this soap in my kitchen. I ALWAYS have a piece of Herbal Rosemary soap next to my kitchen sink.







These two soaps have been whisked away to the soaping room for their cure. :)

Also on the curing rack ....

Spruce. I've been longing for spruce this winter, finally was able to get my hands on some spruce essential oil. This comes from Canada and is just wonderful for this desert rat that loves the piney woods! Spruce oil is invigorating and refreshing, has a long history of being used in saunas and steams to help revive and reenergize. This recipe has avocado oil and goat milk in it. Can't wait to use it!



Also, a soap I am calling Night Breeze. Same recipe as the Spruce. For the scent, a blend of Orange, Lemon, Clove, Patchouli, and Ylang Ylang essential oils. I think this will make a very nice spring scent for those that don't like heavy florals. I put just a pinch of Ylang Ylang, so it's just a very mild floral.



For jewelry, I am working on a Valentine's bracelet ... I should probably get this done soon!!! :) A sterling silver chain with Swarovski crystal dangles, including 1 heart dangle in the middle. With a sterling silver heart shaped toggle clasp.





And just a reminder, ALL jewelry, beads, and kits in my Etsy jewelry shop are still marked down 20% !!!!

Jewelry From Tucson

I haven't been crocheting lately. Bad Nan!

Last weekend, Ray and I went birdwatching and photographing in Patagonia, which is in the Santa Rita Mountains. We went to the Patagonia/Sonoita Creek Preserve. Very lovely!! We saw many birds, and a few deer. The deer were especially accommodating, letting Ray get plenty of pictures. This young buck was very much more skittish than the does. I say it was because he was trying to lead us away from his doe, but Ray says he was just a chicken. :)



Check out Ray's blog for lots more gorgeous photos of our day out

Sonoran Connection

And here is a gratuitous Dakota pic

Monday, January 10, 2011

Grand Tucson Gem Show Sale !!!

ALL ITEMS AT JEWELRY FROM TUCSON HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY 20% !!!

All the jewelry, beads, and kits at Jewelry From Tucson have been reduced by 20%! Why? Because the huge Tucson Gem Show is coming, and I want to buy more beads! So be sure to take advantage of MY desire for MORE BEADS! :)

Even the lovely Desert Princess has been reduced! Original price of $650 marked down to $520 for this sale!!!

The Desert Princess



This lovely Amethyst Necklace, original price of $95.00, marked down to $76!!



And this Tigereye Bracelet, originally $26.00 marked down to $20.80 !



All these items and much more can be seen in my Etsy shop

Jewelry From Tucson

ALL items ... jewelry, beads, and kits, have been marked down 20% for this sale! All prices shown reflect the markdown.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Happy New Year!

And so we start another year! 2010 just zipped right by.

So let me show you all the new soaps, jewelry, and crocheting I have done since my last post. :)

For new soaps, I have Christmas Tree

(Note: Click on any photo to enlarge)


Winter's Night



Sahara Sandalwood




Red Hot Cinnamon



Snow Spice



And Orange Blossom



For jewelry, I made this really pretty necklace using Bali sterling silver beads and spacers, and a bit of lapis.





And a couple of pairs of matching earrings





I've also been keeping busy crocheting. I made, for myself, a winter ensemble. A hat, a pair of fingerless gloves, a pair of leg warmers, and a cowl (because cowls are the big rage now and I wanted to see if I like them! )



I like the hat because it doesn't squash my glasses against the side of my head.



Fingerless gloves are nice up to a point. But for when it's really cold, they are kind of useless. These are nice for my morning walk, but I need full gloves when bird watching.



Woolen leggins. :) Snug around the ankles, and flare out a bit at the foot and at the calf. These go more than half way up my calf. The sides are not sewn together, the buttons hold them together so they are adjustable.



And a cowl. I've never worn a cowl before, and wasn't sure what size I would want it. This one is rather large, and I haven't used it yet. It just goes over my head and sets around my neck and shoulders.



Ray and I have been having fun birdwatching. This past weekend we went down to Whitewater Draw to check out the Sandhill Cranes. To see pics, check out Ray's blog - well worth it! We saw THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of cranes!!!!

Sonoran Connection





And I must not forget a gratuitous Dakota picture. :)