SPOILER ALERT: Unboxing of JDNatlady's Goody Kit (November 2012)

Charcoal Soap and Rhassoul Clay Soap Soap Sampler

Soap Sampler

Sometimes people want to try a couple of soaps before deciding which one they want to buy, so I started offering soap samplers.  Here is my latest one that may be found in my Etsy shop.  The Rhassoul Clay Soap is on the left and the Charcoal Soap is on the right, and together they total 2.7 ounces.

Do you as a soapmaker offer soap samplers?  As a buyer do you like trying soap samplers or do you just prefer getting larger bars?

Soap Balls

Soap balls

Do you make cold process or hot process soap?  Have you ever tried making soap balls instead of bars of soap?  What do you do with your little bits of soap leftover from making your batch of homemade soap?

These soap balls are small ones that fit nicely in your hands and are about the size of guest soaps.  If you make cold process or hot process soap yourself, this is a nice way to use the last bits left in your soap pot.  You must use the same safety precautions that you use with making soap bars, including, but not limited to goggles, gloves, and covering for your clothes.  After you have put your soap bars into your soap mold, you are sometimes left with a small amount of raw soap in your soap pot.  Just carefully scoop out the raw soap and hand roll the balls in your gloved hands.  Then cure them for the amount of time that you cure your soap bars.  I made these for my Etsy shop and cured them for the same amount of weeks that I cured the bars before offering them for sale.  Due to the small size of the soap balls, I offered them in sets.   I think I will try to make more next time I do another batch of soap.  At some point, I may do a whole batch as soap balls instead of as bars, because they are just so cute. 

 Have you ever used soap balls for bathing or washing your hands?  Do you prefer them to soap bars? 

Fall wedding finds on Etsy in my latest treasury

Fall Wedding Treasury/Treasury Challenge

Here are some fall wedding goodies that I found on Etsy and created a treasury with them.  Actually, I was inspired to do this because I wanted to do a team challenge for the first time.  This was for the Avidteam on Etsy.  Click on the link above the photo to see the treasury. 

A treasury on Etsy is an opportunity for you to select items you like and showcase them in a collection that you curate.  You don't get to put your own items from your Etsy shop in them, but it's nice to feature other sellers/creators. 

Have you ever done a team treasury challenge on Etsy? Do you like making treasuries?  I like making treasuries and like being in them.  What about you?  If you make treasuries, what inspires you to make them?

Inspiring colors

Over a short period of time, I kept coming across the color combination orange, brown, and white.  First, a friend was wearing a great dress with those colors.  Then I received as a gift a box of candy brought back from Japan.  Finally, I was at a friend's house and that interior designer friend had created a pillow with fabric with colors similar to the ones that I kept seeing.

The last two photos show the washcloths or dishcloths that I crocheted out of 100% cotton yarn that combine white, brown, cream, and a deep salmon. While not exactly the colors from the items that inspired me and with the colors being more muted, the color combination that I kept seeing drew me to this yarn when I was selecting one to buy for making these handmade cloths.  The color combination will be appearing in other creations that I make such as jewelry, hats, and soap.  In the last picture is one of my soaps that I make that picked up the brown in the washcloth. 

So it will not always be the case that what inspires you gets literally translated into your creations, but it may spark an interest in a new color, texture, material, technique, or something else related to your creative process.  Have you ever found similar inspiration from seeing similar color combinations over and over and thinking that you have to do something in those colors? 

Christmas in July 2012: handmade soaps, vintage corsages, mineral makeup - YouTube

Video montage of several Etsy shops participating in Christmas in July promotion on Etsy

Christmas in July 2012: handmade soaps, vintage corsages, mineral makeup - YouTube
Check out this cool video that one of the members of Etsy made.  She was so gracious to feature my handmade soaps and announce my participation in the upcoming Christmas in July promotion on Etsy.  Click here to visit the Etsy shop of the person who created the videos, and LOL, no it wasn’t me.  Click here to visit my Etsy shop that features the soaps shown.

Red or Black Licorice Drops - Yummy by Elva on Etsy

Red or Black Licorice Drops - Yummy by Elva on Etsy

My earrings were featured in this treasury by another member on Etsy.  They are the black and white ones on the top left side with the black swirl on a white background.  I really enjoy making jewelry and was excited to see a piece of mine featured.  Each one of the pieces shown in this treasury was made by a member of the Caribbean Team on Etsy.  I make treasuries for the team, too.  When I get a chance, I will post some of them.  The ones that I make are usually about half members of the Caribbean team and half from other sellers on Etsy.

Here is a photo of just my earrings.

 
What do you think?  Are you a person who likes large earrings or small ones?  Please share your thoughts.