What's on the Curing Rack

Well, let's see ....

There's a nice lavender/clove blend, with goat milk, using my olive oil/wheat germ oil recipe.

A beer soap, olive oil/wheat germ oil recipe, used Sam Adams Black Lager and a little bit of grapefruit EO.

OH, my Desert Soap! Olive oil infused with chapperal, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, wheat germ oil, and jojoba oil. Aloe Vera Juice as part of my liquid, and added some agave nector. Sage, Rosemary, and Palmarosa EO's. My my!!! Smells like the desert after a good rain.

And still in the molds -
Peppermint with Chocolate Swirl, with Goat Milk, using my cocoa butter recipe. Chocolate swirl is made with organic cocoa.

Chamomile Infusion - Chamomile infused olive oil, my olive oil/wheat germ oil recipe, and Lavender/Cedarwood/Palmarosa EO blend.

Cigar Box Purses by Bad Girl Beads

Once again, I have been neglecting my blog!! tsk tsk!

I hope everybody had a cheery Christmas, and I hope everybody has a safe and fun New Years Eve and a prosperous New Year.

Farmers Market
-------------------

Our Farmers Market was not open this past weekend, but will be open this coming Saturday (Jan. 3).

Ray took his camera with him the weekend before Christmas and got a few good vendor shots. Here are some cigar box purses, made by Amy Snow of Bad Girl Beads. They run in price around $80-100, and are really fun! (HINT: Click on the photos for a larger view)

Goat Milk Soap

I have finally listed my Goat Milk Soaps on Etsy. I've been using the Fragrance Free as my facial soap for over a week now. My face is loving it!!

Fragrance Free


Oatmeal and Honey


Rose & Apple Potpourri


Eucalyptus

Christmas Promotion !!!

Free Shipping, 5 Soaps ... No, Wait, SIX (6) Soaps for $25!!

Just a quick promo from Aunt Nancy's Handmade Soaps for our preferred customers!! We are just a little more than a week away from Christmas! I can get any orders placed today and tomorrow out by Friday at the latest, priority mail, so they can get to you just in time!

Choose the "you pick 5, free shipping" listing in our Aunt Nancy's Etsy shop. In the buyers comment section, write "I want SIX" and list your 6 choices of soap!

Aunt Nancy's Handmade Soap

This promo is good for today and tomorrow (Dec. 16 and Dec. 17).

Merry Christmas!!

PS: I now have 4 Goat Milk soaps listed!!

Farmers Market Report

Saturday's Farmers Market was fun, although there wasn't a lot of traffic. I think most folks went to the large 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair downtown Tucson. But we managed to sell a few bars of soap! :)

Ray brought his camera along and got a few good shots.

Helping Mom sell jam


Our Farmers Market manager Laura and little daughter Ruby looking all Christmas-y


Hanna coming in our booth to smell the soap again


Brussel Sprouts!


Colorful peppers!


A view of the artisan vendors on the west side of the barn


Chris Crooks Metal Designs


Me, I want a Hoola Hoop ! :)

Today's Soap Pot

Today I am doing 2 soap pots. One is a goat milk soap with a lavender EO blend. I haven't made the blend yet. I think something like lavender, cedarwood/or spruce needle, and clove bud. The second soap pot is beer soap. This time I'm using Sam Adams Black Lager. Tempted to scent it, but the only manly man scent I have is a Bay Rum FO.

I'm expecting a shipment of herbs today. I'll be doing some infusions next week. I need to make a desert soap, because tourists will be filing into Tucson soon. Some of the herbs I have coming are chaparral, bay leaves, chamomile, rosemary, chia, and patchouli leaves. I already have plenty of sage, so I think I can make a nice desert soap with the chaparral, sage, and rosemary. Add some agave nectar, aloe vera juice, jojoba oil. Doesn't that all just scream Sonoran Desert !!!

Mission San Xavier del Bac

While my sister was here visiting from Florida, we took a drive out to the Mission San Xavier del Bac. This gorgeous mission belongs to the Tohono O'odham tribe, and was built in the late 1700's. Restoration work has taken place both inside and outside, and is still ongoing. Here are a few pics

Black Friday was successful !

I just want to thank all my customers for making Black Friday a successful day for me! :) I hope everyone enjoys their soaps.

Black Friday Special 3 for $10 Sale

We invite all to partake in Aunt Nancy's Black Friday Soap Sale in our Etsy shop. Buy any three (3) soaps for $10.00 plus shipping! This offer is valid Friday, November 28th.

That's right! Three bars for $10.00! Choose any combination of soaps. Just list your choice of soaps in the Buyer's Comment section when purchasing our special "You Pick 3" listing. This offer is valid Friday, November 28th. Please feel free to convo or email me with any questions.

And even better, if you purchase TWO "You Pick 3" listings, I will refund the shipping charges of the second purchase!! So your total for 6 soaps will come to $20.00, plus $4.90 shipping!

Look for the "Black Friday Special You Pick 3" listing in Aunt Nancy's Handmade Soap shop on Etsy.

*** International buyers, please contact me for international shipping rates. If I do not already have a shipping charge set up for your location, just convo me and I will set up a listing for you.

This offer is valid Friday, November 28th.


Aunt Nancy's Handmade Soaps

Coming Soon - Goat Milk Soap

I'll start introducing my new line of soaps in a few weeks - Goat Milk Soap. First in line will be a fragrance free goat milk soap, using my olive oil/wheat germ oil recipe. It's all cut and just needs a few weeks of curing.



Next in line will be Goat Milk Oatmeal and Honey Soap, also using my olive oil/wheat germ oil recipe. In fact, some of the Goat Milk Oatmeal and Honey is already spoken for!! :))

Eucalyptus Soap

Yesterday I made Eucalyptus Soap. Not my favorite. However, I can certainly appreciate the goodness of it when my head is stuffy! So, for this time of year, Eucalyptus Soap it is!! Sitting on the counter and ready to be unmolded now, clearing out my sinuses even as I speak! It will be ready for the farmers market and for Etsy in 3-4 weeks.

Kristinbags

OK, I am NOT a pocketbook kind of gal. I buy one pocketbook about every 10 years, and use the poor thing until it falls apart. So, at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Craft Show that I sold soap at this weekend, when I looked across the aisle to see a display of handmade bags, I thought "eh, hand bags". Until I saw Kristin, the creator of these bags, wearing one. A voice said "hey, I want one of those!" and I said "It's just a bag". And the voice said, "yeah, but I want one!". I couldn't keep that voice quiet as I watched woman after woman trying on these bags, and finding a size bag that fit so it looked good, and it looked comfortable.

These are cross-body bags, made from cotton, fully lined. They are designed to go across the chest, and hang fairly low and towards the back. Well, I think you just need to go look at them! Here ...
Kristinbags.com

Oh, yeah, I finally got one! :)) We did a bit of a trade, one bag for 8 bars of soap plus a couple of lip balms. I'm happy, I hope Kristin is!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Craft Show, and the RVFM

I know, I've been MIA for a week or so. All the reports I have heard about the amount of traffic that comes through the BBBS Craft Show had me running around here beforehand making sure I had plenty of soap ready for the three hectic days. Plus Ray was still doing our regular farmers market, so I had to make sure I was ready for that, too!

The BBBS show started very slowly. Friday had very little attendance. It had all the vendors a bit nervous. Fortunately, things picked up for Saturday and Sunday. Not as much traffic as previous years, according to other vendors who have been doing this show for a while, but still, a satisfying show. I hope I made a few new customers, and a few new friends!

The best seller was my Orange & Clove with Shea Butter. I completely sold out! Fortunately I have another batch on the curing rack, which will be ready for this coming weekend.

Saturday morning, Ray dropped me off at the show, and he brought soap and jewelry to the Rincon Valley Farmers Market, our regular Saturday market. He had a pretty good day, and even sold my 3-strand green turquoise necklace! He always manages to sell jewelry on days he does the market without me. Go figure! :)

3 strand green turquoise necklace, turquoise from the Kingman Mine

Don't Forget to Vote !!

As my daughter says, Rock The Vote !! :) Let's all get out there and do our civic duty.

I'll be voting for Obama on Tuesday!! This is a guy that is trying to do the right thing. He has such a wonderfully positive attitude, and he is always trying to lift up instead of beat down. He IS what this country needs right now. I like his ideas, I like his approach to getting things done, I like that he is working hard on domestic issues and not JUST thinking about foreign issues as so many other politicians are doing. I think we need to fix things at home before we can effectively help others. I don't believe the current Republican Party knows how, or WANTS to know how, to bring about energy changes. And energy is a HUGE HUGE problem, priority number 1.

OK, that is probably the last time you'll see me talking politics on my blog. The main point I want to make is ...

VOTE !

Market Report

Last weekend, Ray did the farmers market, and I did a small craft show at the rec hall at Tucson Estates, right next door in my mother's development. Ray did really good, selling lots of soap and a set of pearls! Long live the Soap King! :) I did good, selling a good amount of soap, and I hope I made a few new return customers.

This weekend's farmers market was slow. Very low traffic. Maybe everyone was doing yard work? standing in line to vote? I don't know where everyone was!

Next weekend, I'm doing a three day show to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, taking place at Plaza Palomino on the corner of Swan and Fort Lowell, here in Tucson. Called the Southwest Flair A-Fair.

New Soaps

Here's a few soaps I just listed on Etsy

Orange & Clove. This was a BIG hit at the festival this weekend, liked by both men and women.



Click HERE to see Etsy listing

Spruce Needle, smells just like a Christmas tree!



Click HERE to see Etsy listing

Autumn Harvest Mix, a spicy scented shred soap



Click HERE for Etsy listing

And Sweet Confetti, scented with Fleurs D'Oranger confetti



Click HERE for Etsy listing

Chiricahua National Monument

This past weekend, we went down to Willcox, AZ for the first annual Wine and Arts Festival as vendors. We went a day early so we could do some exploring. So we took a drive out to Chiricahua National Monumnet. WOW ! Just stunning! It was a beautiful crystal clear day with a typical blue blue blue Arizona sky. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Willcox Wine and Art Festival

We did a two day craft show in Willcox, Arizona, sponsored by the Arizona Wine Growers Association. Willcox is famous for Rex Allen, hydroponic tomatoes, and trains. The festival was held on Railroad Avenue in front of the Rex Allen Cowboy Museum. The Avenue was closed off to traffic, and the vendors set up in the road. Wine tasting took place near the pavilion in the park. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! This was the first year for this festival, so there weren't droves of folks there. It was ~ok~ for the first year. We didn't make a killing. Hopefully, I picked up a few new customers. We'll see!!






We arrived early enough on Friday to take a drive out to Chiricahua National Monument. Just absolutely beautiful!! I will be posting pics later this week.

Farmers Market, Reed Diffusers, and a Two Day Craft Show

This weekend's farmers market at the Rincon Valley Farmers Market was pretty wild and wooly, weather-wise. I guess pieces of the hurricane Norbert were giving us just an itty bitty little "hello" and driving some winds and rain around the mountains. A few wind gusts sent some of the vendors running to hold down their displays. A few vendors had to leave early because of the wind. Since we are in the barn, we had no worries ... other than the rain and wind keeping customers away! There were quite a few customers, but most of them just bought their veggies and nothing else. I had a few people scoping out Christmas gifts already, and I was always quick to point out that handmade soap makes a wonderful gift, and that I would be having gift packages as the Christmas season got closer.

Speaking of Christmas season, I am going to be trying out something new for me. Reed diffusers. I'm testing a diffuser base now, and so far I am happy with it. Now to find some pretty diffuser bottles. I will offer them as an entire kit in nice packaging so they'll make nice Christmas presents, and the diffuser oil separately for refill.

Next weekend, Ray and I will not be at our regular farmers market. We will be doing a two day show in Willcox, AZ. This is the Willcox Wine and Art Festival, Oct. 18-19. So far, it looks like nice weather. According to the publicity I have read, there will be plenty of artisans, and there will be wine tasting! Plus Willcox is home to a few pick-your-own farms, including apples and pumpkins. So anyone within the area, I hope to see you there!!

Photos of the Santa Ritas

Ray is on vacation this week. It's mostly a stacation, you know, stay at home, do yard work, and sleep vacation. :)

But yesterday we went exploring. We picked Patagonia Lake as our destination. Patagonia Lake is southeast of Tucson, in the hills above Nogales. To get there, we decided to go the long way, east to Vail, then south to Sonoita through the Santa Rita Mountains.

How do you say ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL !!!! I mean it! I am in awe of the mountains around here. We live in the Tucson Mountains, which seem like individual peaks within a range. And to the north of us are the Catalinas, standing like one huge rugged rocky mountain. And to the east, the Rincon Mountains, a rolling sloping range. And to the southeast, the Santa Ritas, with rolling ridges looking like tree roots.

Here are some pics for you



There are yellow flowers everywhere. I believe they are some kind of aster, but haven't been able to identify them yet. I'm sure the folks native to this area will laugh and say well, heck, those are ______ ! :)



Everyone looks very self sufficient in this area. Windmills, solar panels. Here's a windmill in a pasture of cows.



And this is the lake ... small compared to what we are used to in New England, but very nice!!



Plenty of birds around. A few ducks, which I need to get out my bird book to identify ... I still haven't learned my western birds yet, which for an old birdwatcher like me is just bad! Great blue herons, which were nice to see again. Turkey vultures hanging around, casting shadows on our picnic. Here's one just hanging around the campground area of the lake.



And here's a look back at the lake as we head out towards Nogales.

Love That Turquoise!

I spent some time this week making jewelry. The fall gem show was here at the beginning of September, and I went on a small buying spree. I always check out the guys from the Kingman mine. The Kingman mine has a variety of turquoise, from the vibrant blue that I just love, to a beautiful subtle green. I bought a gorgeous strand of 8mm rondells in a beautiful blue. And a graduated strand of blue with a black matrix. And a couple of blue-green heshi strands.

So I made this with the blue turquoise





The accent beads are purple jade, from Turkey, and are really lovely!




This is the necklace I made with the strand of graduated beads, with matrix. Accents are Bali sterling silver.



Matching earrings



AND ..
A special order for one of my farmers market customer - she was looking for a plum/purple color necklace to wear to a wedding next month. She found an amethyst bracelet that she thought would match, and ask if I could make a necklace just like it. Fortunately, I had plenty of the beads so this is what I made





She just called a while ago to let me know she received it, and that it is perfect!! :-D That's what we like to hear!!!

New Listings on Etsy

I'm trying something a little different for me. Soap logs! These are 8 inch soap logs, which weigh in at about 2 1/2 pounds.

The prettiest is the Herbal Rosemary



I also have an Oatmeal and Honey



And a Lemon and Honey



I have a couple of other logs that I need to take pics of ... White Sage, and Lavender. I also have a couple of Pumpkin Spice logs that will be ready soon!

Fun at the Roasted Chili Festival

I wish I had gotten pictures! There was a good crowd at the Chili Festival at the Rincon Valley Farmers Market this past Saturday. I sold lots of soap and some jewelry.

For jewelry, I sold my Cantaloupe and Honey Dew necklace


And a carnelian wire wrapped bracelet and matching earrings




And other assorted earrings and wire wrapped rings.

The best sellers in the soap category were Pumpkin Spice, Lavender, and Herbal Rosemary.

One of the entertaining parts of our farmers market is there is a dog food vendor in the barn. And people are always bringing their dogs. Saturday the Greyhound Rescue group was set up, so there were beautiful greyhounds around all day. They are such sweet dogs! I never met a greyhound I didn't love!