Life isn't Soap Simple, or is it!

Soap, probably not the first thing that comes to most people’s minds as an interesting topic, but yet it is a topic that to some of us is a very important. Today 1 in 5 Americans suffer from an Allergy, whether it be a soap allergy or food allergy, you personally are guaranteed to know someone who suffers in daily life from an allergy. Personally I am allergic to cats and most laundry detergents both make me itch badly and can cause severely red skin that seems to just thin the skin to a couple layers. So I was very intrigued when I discovered on Etsy.com the shop LifeSoapSimple http://www.etsy.com/shop/LifeSoapSimple, a wonderful treasure trove of all handmade gentle soaps.

So I asked “Kristi” the shop owner what made her decide to start making Soap of all things!
Kristi: “Like many soap makers, my venture in soap making began with...well, a rash. My then infant son was prone to itchy, rashy skin and none of the suggested OTC products were doing any good. In fact, many made the condition WORSE! After a full night of no sleep with a screaming 1 month old (only to discover the next morning his entire torso covered in a red rash from the lotion I had applied at bed time) I was determined to find something that really worked. I began research and tried a few home remedies that seemed to help and then......I found a soap making kit and the rest is history and here I am selling my soaps around the world”.

So looking at LifeSoapSimple’s shop you will see everything from bar soap to shaving soap for him, I was particularly interested in the home made lip balm, not only because lip balm is something I use every day but because in her women mind Kristi was smart and made it Chocolate orange. Yes Chocolate Lip Balm oh yeah give me some of that. All in all I really enjoyed looking at LifeSoapSimple and will most likely be buying some of the lip balm at least, but I think it’s a shop that really has a purpose and would be appreciated by allot of people out there they just need to find there way to http://www.etsy.com/shop/LifeSoapSimple and shop. Thanks Kristi for introducing me to your wonderful shop it was a privilege to write about.

And Follow LifeSoapSimple's blog at http://lifesoapsimple.blogspot.com/
and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LifeSoapSimple

Thanks for reading Everyone

It's a Wonderland on Etsy!

Down the Rabbit hole I go today to explore the Tea Party Whimsy Shop on Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/TeaPartyWhimsy , a Whimsical place full of fun and fantastic artwork in a very non everyday craft. Looking through the shop you’re childhood days of reading “Alice in Wonderland” come back, and who is to say we as adults can’t have ourselves a Whimsical Wonderland Tea party adorned with mini top hats, little tea hats and of course Giant Teacups for our tea.

What’s the inspiration behind TeaPartyWhimsy, for this I had to go straight to its creator, her comments made me smile, and brought back my own childhood? Mentioning that she wished she had Spinning teacups in her back yard brightly colored and vibrant, and taking inspiration from other sources then “Alice in Wonderland” such as Tim Burton’s “Big Fish”. Using also Victorian influences of lace and cameo’s that appeal to all age groups, seen in the lovely hats and head bands and even the adorable tops adorned with lace and most interestingly dyed with tea.

So how do I feel about TeaPartyWhimsy? Well I am a mad hatter for it (You know at some point I had to mention the mad hatter!). It’s a adorable shop that takes you to a place in-between childhood and adulthood, a place where you’re still a kid and sitting at a table in the wood’s with rabbits and mice wearing cute hats and drinking tea, talking about the evil queen (who is probably your boss or mother in law) and devising ways of dethroning her to make wonderland a better place. TeaPartyWhimsy will remain one of my favorite shops from now on, and I think all little girls would love a “Absolutely Alice Tea Party” thrown with goodies of all kinds from TeaPartyWhimsy. This is a place to stop a while, have some tea and enjoy.

Thanks for Reading.

Victorian Influences!

As a lover of all things Vintage, the Victorian era intrigues me as a stage in our history where Fashion made quite a statement. With big bulging cameos, large gemstones and dangles, dangles, dangles. Some may say the Victorian era was the original BLING starters, with their Giant Carat weight hanging around the neck or dangling from the ears, planted on the fingers the Victorian lady's new how to look stylish.

Loving the whole era I sought out to see what I could find that would represent the whole Victorian fashion in a Pendant and then infuse that 1860's style with some of my idea's. So After finally finding the perfect pendant a 50 Carat Weight Mint Amethyst set in silver, the Job really started, how in the world and I going to match this gorgeous pendant with a necklace that is different and yet something that represents my shop, beads and more beads. And Not just any ole beads, but my fave beads Swarovski Crystal beads.

Crochet seem to be my savior in the end with a simple 4 layer chain in mint. And after working with it for a week hand beading each Swarovski Crystal on, I can't help but wonder whats missing from this embellishment, so I have devised a poll for feedback. Please participate. So at the very bottom of this page you will find the poll.

Thanks

The Bowl of Soup Theory!

So what is "The Bowl of Soup Theory"?

Well let us start at the beginning years ago my boss one day, while working our both horrid retail Jobs had finished with a most difficult customer, one of those people who can't comprehend that when you order something The Enterprise dose not instantaneously beam it into your sore room. So after the painful 20 min ordeal of explaining that it in fact has to be put on a truck and then driven to our store first before it can be picked up, he turned to me and said "Yup the bowl of soup theory". I puzzled asked exactly what that was, he then stated the bowl of soup theory applied to Stupid people, seriously stupid people, not the average idiot but those people who you are amazed managed to survive life they are so stupid. So he went on to say the only reason these people do survive is because occasionally through luck they fall head first into a bowl of soup and therefore get nourishment and continue living. So after that whenever I came across an exceedingly stupid person I would just say aloud "Huh the bowl of soup theory"! And leave it at that with nothing more said.

So why am I bringing it up again NOW you may ask? Well I recently went on a vacation to Yellowstone National Park, a lovely place by the way. If your not familiar with the park, while driving through the park there are many a traffic jam due to Animal sightings, a bison or elk, maybe some swans. You get used to them. So on my last day as we drove back to the west entrance from the Upper Loop as its called, we run into a traffic jam, so sitting patently we begin to see people getting out of their cars and running up the road. (Yes Leaving their cars sitting there blocking the road). So then people get out from behind in front of us, and just run up ahead, getting annoyed at this point I am thinking OK I don't care if this is a National Park Traffic rules still apply.

Some time later a women comes walking back and is telling everyone there is a BEAR up ahead, so even more people get out of their cars with their KIDS and run up ahead. Now I am really mad, WHY?

Question 1 "How big is a Bear? = Answer: About 500lbs
Question 2 "What do bears eat" = Answer: Meat (not excluding dumb tourists and their kids)
Question 3 "Dose a bear care that you just want a picture" = Answer: NO

So now there is a human smorgasbord all ogling the bear which is about 5 ft away, taking pictures and hollering how exciting this is. I at this point am hoping that bear just ate itself a big ole elk and doesn't want fillet of tourist. And I am thinking so if the Bear begins chowing down on the buffet of idoits is this a Kodak moment or a MasterCard commercial.

Yellowstone 7 day Pass $25
New Tennis Shoes $65
Camera $300

Being eaten by a bear while trying to take a picture of it , Stupid but Priceless!
For the medical bills there is MasterCard......

So I say to you all The Bowl of Soup Theory exists and is being practiced all over the world and in July 2010 it was being practiced in Yellowstone National Park Wyoming.

But in case your worried, Nobody was hurt, about 10 min's into the Stupidity the wonderful Park Rangers Showed up and broke up the show, they had guns. Made everyone go back to their cars and move along. As we passed they shook their heads, as did we.

Thanks for reading everyone!

The Spring Flowers Bloom!

So tomorrow will be the 7 months mark, since I embarked on this journey of designing cancer awareness Jewelry. So far it has been a lovely road of bringing a little sparkle to someone in pain, of a new diagnosis. And yet it amazed even me when i made myself a Brain cancer awareness bracelet so many months ago. It seem through it I could channel some comfort that I believed so much in my Aunt who had passed away, that from that little bracelet, I drew her strength. And mostly remembered her wisdom, in times of discomfort and confusion.

But to me it seems that with such a tragedy brings also understanding, making us stronger and lifts the vale from our eyes, so that we can truly see others as they ought to be seen. Sadly many use such sadness to draw attention to themselves and forget the ones that truly matter, the ones left behind and devastated by the loss, who cannot cope with the daily reminders of the beautiful life that once was. But to bare others trials and tribulations half-ens their burden, such small acts can have profound impacts. A moment to say hello, I am thinking of you, a call or a simple little two second e-mail could be so important as to save a life in my book. I believe that the ones we have lost would be ashamed if we were not all to band together a look after thoughts they have left behind, they do not wish to be left alone with their memory's and pain as the walls close in on them.

So maybe nobody will ever read this post, but I hope thoughts who need to hear it do, and feel bad, but do something about it. Love is in the wind, and when i look at the wild poppy's and flowers I remember that the memory's of the ones lost to cancer is all around us, lets not forget them or thoughts they left for us to watch over.

The Gealic Language is close to me Because

Back in the USA after many years abroad in Scotland, the Celtic ways and traditions imbedded deep in my skin. Raised in Scotland since the age of 11, bring many a colorful experience.

Scotland, by far the most beautiful country anyone could hope to visit or be raised in my case. Full of tradition and honor, and full of proud Scotts, and with blustering beauty at every angle, who could not come to adore the country and its people. From a tiny Village on the River Clyde known as Gourock, home of beautiful scenery, tales of witches being burned, Druid’s in the forests and mysterious Viking history. The River Clyde a picturesque blue river inlet from the sea, running from the mouth of the North Atlantic Ocean to the very rivers of Glasgow, the river Clyde has a historical ship building past, which sadly today has all but gone from the area.
After Graduating High school and continuing on to College where I majored in Advanced Construction and Interior Design, after which our family was shook by Breast Cancer, a long battle for my Aunt and namesake. Beat it she did and in true

Scottish gumption she showed cancer who was boss. And not till many years later after moving back to the USA in 2008 would my family know true tragedy in a Brain Cancer diagnosis that had no hope. But Hope we did, and to that we were beat by the Cancer and lost a dear loved one in the most horrific way.
And that is why I started this Shop, Ta Muid Beo, Gaelic meaning “We are Alive”, after searching for months for beautiful quality Brain Cancer awareness bracelets for my family members I realized there are so many types of cancer and no awareness bracelets to recognize the struggle of the family’s

Why ? Cancer Awareness Bracelets

"Ta Muid Beo", Gaelic meaning "We are Alive", is a shop I have created in memory of toughs I have lost to cancer. I created Wrap & Single strand bracelet from Swarovski Crystal beads and enjoy selling them way below the competition's prices which can be as high as $120. The goal is to spread awareness about all the different cancers and diseases that effect family's.

I began this endeavours when on a search to find Brain Cancer awareness bracelets for me and my family members, after finding almost nothing, I realized only a few cancers are represented in the market of awareness bracelets, and to find a truly beautiful one under $90 was almost impossible. Now with a large inventory and equipped with the loving memory of lost loved ones I hope to head out to craft fairs and sell affordable and beautiful bracelets to people, so that we all can be aware.

On a more personal note, my first project of course was to make 10 wrap bracelets for my family members, package them up and send them off. Unaware of this idea my family members I can say were truly shocked upon receipt of the little brown envelopes with round filigree tins inside. And these little tins tied with a bow, adorned with a happy picture of our lost loved one with poem, and inside the tin wrapped up in tissue paper were Grey Swarovski Crystal beaded wrap bracelets with charms, charms that were personal to us all. Tears of sadness and happiness followed each family member at opening and reading the poem. And to that they are all worn even now everyday as a reminder that we all will never forget.

"Even thou I am gone, there is no end to my love" C.R.P 1952 - 2009