Why is there soap in my mailbox? Confessions of a soap-porn girl...

Well, if you follow this blog you know that I love handmade and I LOVE soap and lotion. Seriously, good smelling soap/lotion can change my entire mood. I think I'm a poster child for the success of aromatherapy. I like fruity scents... the tangy and more tart the better. I'm partial to lime, cranberry, pomegranate, and orange. I burn lime oil when I'm in a bad mood because it always seems to pick me back up. So, imagine how happy I was (and a little confused at first) when I opened by mailbox the other day and saw a package from Soap that Makes Scents. Confused because I haunt tons of soap shops on Etsy every day, [I like soap!porn, I guess] but I try like hell to refrain from buying. Why? Because of this...

This is my soap stash. And I can promise you that there's more than this; I've probably stashed it somewhere else. So back to the story...

I saw the package and my first thought was, "Oh #$^%, I went sleep-shopping again! Dang it!" assuming that I'd been surfing the soap at 2 a.m. when my resistance is low. When I opened the package, I got even more confused because this is what was in it:

Citrus Splash Handmade Body Souffle Whipped Soap, $5.75

I knew I'd been lusting after this soap about a week prior. And there was only one other person who knew I was lusting after it...my friend, Paula, of Picard Creative:

Yes, it's true, sometimes I don't surf the soap!porn circuit alone. I blame Skype for that. So the soap was a surprise gift from my friend and I'm really enjoying it. Not only does it make me smell fabulous; it made the whole bathroom smell fabulous for the rest of the day! I keep wanting to get back in the shower, lol.

So, thumbs up for this soap! (And for Paula, lol.)

~Lori

What Little Girls Are (Hand)Made Of?

One of the biggest joys in my life are my nieces. Three of them are 7 and younger, so I have a blast buying them unique, fun, handmade gifts for every holiday and sometimes just for fun! Here's a peek at some of my most favorite purchases:

Ribbon Wands!

My nieces now have 2 each, and they absolutely LOVE these things. It's a great way for them to burn off some energy while pretending to be beautiful fairies or princesses or dancers. We play with them every time I visit them, and we wear ourselves out! As a former teacher, I really appreciate the 'open-ended' play these wands inspire. It's so much fun to see how creative the girls get.

American Girl Ponchos with matching hat and purse!

My nieces are each getting an America Girl doll this Christmas, and boy was I excited when I found this handmade doll clothes seller on Etsy! Christine from Lavenderlore does amazing work! She's great to work with, and I know I'll be back in her shop soon! I want my own baby doll now. :-)

Crocheted Cupcakes by Crocheted Little Things

Aren't these the sweetest things? Luisa, at Crocheted Little Things, whipped these up for me. They open up like a little box so I can put some extra goodies in there for the girls!

Suzie the Grass Gal by ARTechniques - Before

After!

These little cuties were a summertime gift. Each one of my nieces got their own grass head and together we soaked them in water and then put them in little bowls near a window so they could start growing some hair! This was a fun and easy project and they loved it!

Fun Popcorn Soap by LoveLeeSoaps

I adore handmade soap, and I'm always sending the girls different funny soaps I find on Etsy. This whole trend started about 2 years ago with Karen's Soaps Fish In A Bag:

Aren't they hilarious? (I'm easily entertained, lol!)

Wee Vermont Fairies - Sea Fairy Mermaid Doll

No little girl's life is complete without mermaids! This little angel was a birthday gift for my youngest niece last year. She loved it!

Well, I could go on ALL day about the wonderful handmade toys you have a your disposal! I don't ever set foot in a 'real' toy store anymore. My nieces love knowing that something new and neat-o is always on the horizon. My 7-year-old niece knows how to surf Etsy now and bookmark her favorites, lol. You gotta get 'em handmade and start 'em young!

~Lori