Night Market

Here is the night market I have been at for the month of August, 5 nights a week, from 8pm to approximately 1am. It is across from the Hotel Zimbali, on Vera Playa if anyone wishes to come visit!

Some of the stands...

Leanne at her book stand

Tina, Jewllery maker. Hers are the only earrings I wear! http://bluetinajewellery.blogspot.com/

Me, excited for the night to begin!




I have a system that works well for me when it comes to selling at markets. I say hello or good evening to anyone passing by whose eye I can catch. I try to make eye contact with everyone I can. If they slow down to look, I give out free samples, small centimer squares of my best smelling soaps. Then I get chatting if they have time to listen. I tell them about the soaps in general, that I make them with natural and local ingredients. I explain the different properties of each one. Sometimes they purchase right away. Often, they return to purchase after once around the market. Other times, they return another day after trying the sample.

I find that if I don't make personal contact with them, I don't sell that well. Once I have met them and they have purchased from me, they often get in contact by email or through my site to purchase more.

So, I love being on the front line and meeting the potential customers. I love when they return after sampling...

I may be taking more pictures of some of the other artisans stands and posting.

Happy Summer Soaping!!

xoxo
Jen

Great Shampoo Bar Exchange – Great Cakes Soapworks

The first shampoo bar, other than my own, that I have tried for the Shampoo Bar Exchange was the lighter soap sent to me by Amy of Great Cakes Soapworks. It is called “The Original Opus”.

Impressions before using it – beautiful natural colour & texture,nice size and I LOOOOOOVE the scent.

The ingredients list: Saponified Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Lard, rice Bran Oil, Castor Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Beer, Aloe Vera Juice and Essential Oils of Lemongrass, Lavender, Rosemary and Peppermint.

When I began using it, I was sooooo surprised at just how different it was from mine. It lathered instantly and abundantly. Wonderful, thick, sudsy lather. I just kept washing & lathering and lathering... like I didn’t want it to end!! I also adore the scent. It smells wonderful dry but even better when washing!

I used a simple Vinegar rinse (1 part Apple Cidar Vinegar to 10 parts water) after each wash.

My hair combed through very nicely after Amy’s shampoo. Not like the slick chemical & silicone-loaded commercial shampoo and conditioner comb-throughs... but much nicer that with my shampoo bar.

So, for the first few times I used this shampoo bar... I was in love!

Unfortunately, it didn’t last as my hair started getting greasy after about 5 days, then on day 7, I washed with it for the last time as the whole back of my hair was greasy.

What factors are involved? The four of us - Becky from The Soap Sister, Amy from Great Cakes Soapworks, Michele from Tierra Verde and I - have all agreed that we think there may be many factors that affect the Shampoo bar when using - Water type, hair type, scalp type, and rinse or conditioner type.

I have extremely hard water - full of Calcium. Most people here have dry itchy scalp dandruff because of the water. I have medium thick, totally dyed hair. (I wish I could get away from dying my hair as I know it is not good for it, but I am not prepared to leave it grey...) My dandruff has gone away since I began using shampoo bars about a year ago, and for the most part, my scalp isn't itchy any more.

So, as for Amy's bar:

The good? The Abundant Suds, the Awesome Scent, the Wonderful Comb-Through.
The not-so-good? The greasy hair. Unfortunately this is a biggy - and I can't continue using this bar. Could this be improved by simply lowering the superfat?

Great Shampoo Bar Exchange

Rosemary Nettle Shampoo Bar, with Basil and Green Clay


Beer Honey Shampoo Bar


Carrot and Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar


A few months ago, when several of these soapers with blogs that I follow began posting about their Shampoo Bar experiments, I got an idea....

A SHAMPOO BAR EXCHANGE!!!! This way, I would get to try out some different shampoo bars, get feedback on my shampoo bars and do a soap experimental exchange/ challenge which I have been dying to do since I began soaping.

So I contacted:

Tierra Verde Handmade Soaps http://tierraverdesoaps.blogspot.com/

Great Cakes Soapworks http://www.greatcakessoapworks.com/handmade-soap-blog/

The Soap Sister http://thesoapsister.blogspot.com/

and invited them to participate. They all agreed! It took a couple of months to get things ready for shipping and recently we all shipped off our shampoo bars!

We are now going to be using one soapers bar at the same time and blogging about them...

Can't wait!!

Please forgive the repeat photos. The photos in the blog are the shampoo bars I sent, and I don't have new photos as I don't have my camera back yet!!

Leg update: I am walking better and better and enjoying physio-therapy! Leg, foot and ankle still get pretty swollen, so I put the leg up for rest sometimes as well....

Happy Soaping and Shampooing to everyone!

xo
Jen

Packaging when Immobile

I have had lots of time lately to get caught up on packaging...

Leg update: I walked the 4 blocks from home to the beach and back yesterday afternoon. I sat for a while with my leg in the sea. Oh that Mediterranean healing... bring it on!!!

Trip to Canada - Part 2

Beer & Honey Shampoo

Wild Lavender

Dog Shampoo

Activated Charcoal, Goat Milk, Spearmint Essential Oil

This is just a teaser... they are some old photos of soaps I made... but the great news is the Doctor unwrapped my leg yesterday and blood tests say that there is no more Thrombosis! Yippee. So I am to begin walking on it again... does that mean soaping? Oh yes I think it does!!! And walking!!! And full-on Showering!!! I have a lot to organize here (still need to get unpacked etc etc...) but I think I may be able to make soap tomorrow. My daughter (still in Canada, at camp) has the camera so I am searching for our point and shoot... will find!!

So, back to Canada... A little more Collingwood. My cousin organized (Thank you Eden!!) a big BBQ for Canada Day and a rubber duck race down the creek on my uncle's property. Everyone had to decorate a rubber duck and they were all numbered. Then people bet on the winners to raise money for Cancer. A lot of fun... and I think about 600$ was raised.

Dad watching the Duck race finish line

Another shot of Georgian Bay, Collingwood... looks like the Ocean doesn't it!?

Dad took Aurora and I camping in Arrowhead Park, Huntsville.






I have always left a little piece of my heart in Huntsville as we used to have a cottage there. Most of my memories of family get togethers when I was younger and Christmases and Easters were there. Then during university, I lived there during the summers and worked at a bar in town to pay for university. Although I grew up in Toronto, I would say that Huntville always felt more like home to me. My haven. Dad sold the cottage several years ago. Whenever in Huntsville we always stop by the property to check it out but this time when we arrived, the cottage WASN'T THERE. We found out it had burnt to the ground in April. Wow. I shed a few tears.

More photos of Arrowhead park and Huntsville:















So... Trip to Canada - Part 3 is yet to come and progress leg reports and back to the markets and swimming in the sea and soaping - Oh yeah!!!!!

Trip to Canada - Part 1

Ontario summertime countryside (drive from Toronto to Collingwood)

I would love to post some glorious photos of a new soap I made... But I haven’t made soap in over a month because I had been travelling and now I am immobilized with Thrombosis. Can you imagine being immobilized and not being able to do anything other than what you are able to do on a sofa with your leg up in 40º weather with no Air Conditioning... for weeks? No matter how difficult it all is I can't get down about it because I feel so lucky. I feel so fortunate. I feel so blessed to be here. I should not have flown with Thrombisis.

So, please bear with me as I post about non-soapy things until I can get back to my passion...

Toronto Racoon, a family of them live under my old friend Leigh's porch

I almost called this post Trip Home but I have lived away from Canada for 8 years now... So what is home? The place you are from? or the place you are now? Can you create home wherever are? Or maybe it is not about the place at all but about people?

Canola Fields

I almost didn’t go on the trip as I had injured my leg, torn part of my calf muscle shortly before we left... and during the entire 3 week trip I hobbled around on a cane but this trip was mostly about the people so it was okay.

Collingwood, Canada Day, July 1st:





Dad, my daughter Aurora and Mum, at that great Canadian icon - Tim Hortons

My stepmum, back porch, Collingwood

Georgian Bay, photo taken by my daughter

Dad & I

Me, hobbling and happy at Georgian Bay


I will continue with my Canadian journey in another post...

Most nights, ever since my grandmother died in March 2010, before going to sleep, I write a list of the things I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for:
1) the wonderful people in my life
2) my husband who has come through and is looking after me better than I could have imagined
3) being alive and getting better
4) the wonderful smell in my house... with my Essential Oil soaps
5) the enjoyment I get from reading and writing
6) the followers out there who enjoy my Blog

xoxo Jen

The Versatile Blogger Award

I am flattered to have been given "The Versatile Blogger" award by both Tierra Verde Handmade Soaps http://tierraverdesoaps.blogspot.com/2011/07/paying-it-forward.html and Soaperstar http://soaperstar.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-have-been-given-versatile-blogger.html

Thank you both!!!

Here is the information regarding the award.

The concept behind the Versatile Blogger Award is to follow a few rules and then pass it on to whatever blog you think deserves it. The rules are:
1 – Make a post and link it back to the person who gave you the award (and include their website address)
2 – Share 7 random things about yourself
3 – Award 7 recently discovered bloggers with this award and contact them to let them know they have won

So here are 7 Random things about myself:

1) I grew up in Toronto at Yonge Blvd and Yonge Street and my last name is Young. So I was a young Young at Yonge & Yonge.
2) I learned to knit and crochet when I was 7 years old from my aunt who is a fabulous knitter and quilter.
3) I wrote a novel when I was 12, entered it into a competion for young authors and didn’t win anything. Reading it now, I realize it wasn’t a great literary work but the accomplishment of finishing a novel still feels wonderful.
4) The greatest thing I have ever done in my life was having my daughter Aurora… she was a big surprise as I lived alone in a tiny 1 room apartment, was not in a healthy stable relationship at the time, had no money as I was a starving Grad student but none of it mattered because from the moment I saw that positive pregnancy test I knew she would be the best thing in my life. And she is.
5) When I was younger I wanted to be an actress. The constant competition hurt my self-esteem and I finally left acting behind.
6) I have written many songs over the years on my guitar but finally recorded a CD of my originals 8 years ago and felt very proud. The guitar sounds great, the voice not-so-much but it is mine and I cherish it.
7) My very favourite foods are Tomatoes and cheese. I can't go a day without either.

Now who to give this award to? Well, re-reading the instructions I notice it said Recently Discovered blogs, so I will try to choose new blogs I have been enjoying and pick blogs that have not already been nominated although I would love to nominate you all!!!

I nominate the following blogs.

http://www.tokyofactory.net/
http://restingonabranch.blogspot.com/
http://mygaliciangarden.blogspot.com/
http://skruben.blogspot.com/
http://biancahewson.blogspot.com/
http://www.bodygoodiesonline.com/blog/
http://handmadesoapblog.blogspot.com/

Pending... a post about my recent trip to Canada!!

Happy Soaping everyone!!

xoxo
Jen

Soap Log Splitter

Thanks to my Dad!!!! Look at the beautiful Soap Log Splitter that he made from scratch for me!! Now I just have to get it back to Spain and try it out!!

And Happy Belated Canada Day!!!! This is a photo of my cousin's backyard just before the Canada Day celebration bonfire and fireworks.




xo
Jen

Carrot & Coconut Cream Shampoo Bar

Made another Shampoo Bar, this time with pureed carrots and coconut milk. I kept the oils as simple as possible. I am leaning toward using more and more olive oil in all of my products as that is what this area offers, instead of importing more exotic oils from elsewhere. Well, all of my bars also have Coconut Oil and Castor Oil in them, and most also have Shea Butter as I am in love with Shea Butter. So, I am not giving up importing entirely...!!

This shampoo bar has: Olive, Coconut, Castor, Carrot & Jojoba Oils. The liquid is a 50-50% split carrot purée and Coconut Milk. The essential oils are Bay Laurel, Lavender & Ylang Ylang. Sounds like a beautiful scent combo. Right? Wrong. It is a really odd scent. Not pretty. Won’t do this one again. Oh well, it’s all part of experimenting.


I like the colour. Must come from the carrots and carrot oil although it is not a carrot orange. As you can see, it is more yellowy than orange.

I loved working with the Carrots (first time!!) and coconut cream. The only thing is the soap seems a little dry and bumpy, like this. Do you see what I mean?

I prefer a sleek soap that you just can't stop touching... like my spoon swirl soap...

I love when you slice it and you get that sleek, smooth cut, like Sparklebrooks soaps. I get it more often than not. However, lately I have been getting these odd bumps sometimes. Could it be the climate? Does anyone know why this happens? Somehow I think maybe Guru Cocobong may know...

Also want to take a moment to talk about the “messy swirls” on top. I have had to do these on both of my recent Shampoo bar experiments as the mix got thick real fast.

Although I am a big fan of looking at photos of beautiful swirly-top soaps, when it comes to using a soap or shampoo bar, I much prefer a perfectly smooth bar. I know we all have different priorities in our soap making… some soap makers put scent first, others put appearance first. Our different priorities and focuses is what makes us all so unique!! My main focus, by far, is functionality, feel and result on my skin. So I try to get the tops as smooth as possible now, but when the soap gets thick? I swirl!



Can’t wait to try this one!!

Xo
Jen

Tierra Verde – Fabulous Soaps

I have been admiring Tierra Verde Handmade Soaps for some time. I go over and over the wonderful photos on the blog http://tierraverdesoaps.blogspot.com/ and on the website http://www.tierraverdesoaps.com/ . They are just my kind of soap… all natural, simple, skin loving, Essential Oil soaps. The packaging is beautifully simple and ecological.

So, recently I got some!! Here is the package I received!!


From left to right - Sweet hand-written card from Michele, Warm Cedar Shaving Round, Orange Honey Drizzle with Oats, a sweet heart sample of Patchouli Vanilla, Creamy Coconut with Lime and Clove.

The truth is I love them all!

As I have yet to perfect a shaving bar, I was most intrigued by the Warm Cedar shaving round... so I tried it first and it is awesome to shave with! I love the scent. Cedarwood with Patchouli... I am a Patchouli addict so I adore this one. Subtle yet lasting.


The bar is hard, the suds are thick and abundant and it makes shaving a treat. It is also the PERFECT size. I have put it into one of my mugs and it fits devinely. I love the thick shaving lather!



Then I went for the heart sample which was luring me, unopened with the patchouli... Great soap, awesome scent and lots of creamy bubbly suds.


Next was Orange Honey Drizzle with Oats – A beautiful bar to look at.


Sleek and hard to hold. Conditioning and lightly exfoliating when using. There is something subtle yet clearly orange about the aroma. Addicting. I keep smelling again. When I use oats, they always turn out harsher in my soaps, but this bar is soft on my skin and the oats are mild. I love it. Currently I have it in my kitchen.


Lastly, Creamy Coconut with Lime and Clove. Another wonderful soap! This one is the creamiest and sudsiest. Nice hard bar, sexy addictive scent, soft on my skin and creamy, silky lather. Love it!!!



All in all, wonderful, beauiful, amazing smelling, all natural soaps.

Thank you Tierra Verde!!!!!!

xoxo
Jen