Friday, June 14, 2013

Pearls For A Bride

This is a three strand pearl necklace I made last month. This one has pretty delicate 4mm freshwater pearls, side drilled. Here are the pearls as I bought them, the 4mm being the smaller ones on the left ..


And here is the finished product ..


Between each pearl I used antique French steel cut seed beads. These are indeed antique stock that was never used. Here's a close up to see them better.


For the clasp, I used a sterling silver Art Deco looking toggle in the shape of a mirror. Pretty!


It's a pretty good length for a wedding accessory, I think. The inside, shortest strand is 16 1/2 inches. The outside strand is 20 1/2 inches. For the beading wire, I used Soft Touch by Soft Flex. This is a very flexible beading wire, and gives this necklace a lovely drape.

This necklace can be found in my Etsy jewelry shop

3 Strand Wedding Pearls

Monday, June 10, 2013

Oatmeal & Honey Goat Milk Soap

From the pour, to the cure. :)

This is one of my favorite soaps. I like making it, I like using it.

Just poured ...


It looks so nice and creamy at this point. I love the honey color! But it doesn't stay this color, it browns up quite a bit. I let it go through a hot gel. Here it is gelling ...

That's some hot soap!!  :)

The next day, ready to cut. Out of the mold....

And all sliced up ...


This soap has no added fragrances. It gets a great scent just from the honey and oatmeal. It smells like a big cookie! And it lathers like a dream. It's mild and gentle. The oatmeal I use is baby food oatmeal, so it's so finely ground that it is not scrubby at all. Makes a nice soap for children to use (as long as they don't think it's a cookie and try to eat it!!).

All cured and ready to go!



Ingredients: Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Distilled Water, Goat Milk, Grapeseed Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Finely Ground Oatmeal, Natural Desert Honey

Find this soap on my website:  Oatmeal & Honey Goat Milk Soap

and in my Etsy shop:  Oatmeal & Honey Goat Milk Soap

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Apple Orchard Layered Soap

This is a soap I made last week.


The bottom layer is colored with Moroccan Red Clay and a touch of red oxide.


Right after I poured the bottom red layer, I evenly sprinkled red clay across it, to form a line between the red and the uncolored soap. I let the bottom layer set for about 20 minutes before carefully pouring the top layer. If you don't let it set up a little, when you pour the top layer it will go through to the middle of the bottom layer. I wanted a nice straight line.


Scented with Apple Orchard fragrance oil from Nature's Garden.