Airing My Dirty Laundry, It's Good for the Environment

Am I really posting a picture of my dirty laundry?  Well, it kinda looks like it...  but really it's clean, dirty laundry.  Huh?

These are my soap rags.  I use them for about everything when I make soap, from wiping up soap spills to wiping out soap buckets.  They are much more durable and absorbent that paper towels or newspaper.  And they are better for the environment.  How, you ask?  Well, I do use water to wash them, but I'm keeping paper (trees) out of the landfill! And I don't add any extra soap to wash the rags as they all ready have soap on them.

A few words of warning:

1) Make sure that you wait a few days after you use the rags before you wash them.  The soap needs to harden on the material. Otherwise, you'll get an oily mess in your washer!!

2)  Don't put a lot of used soap rags in the washer.  (I'm talking 30-40.)  Otherwise this will happen (see picture!)  I suggest you wash10-15 heavily soaped rags and add some of your other laundry to it as well!

What clean up tricks do you use when making soap or any other messy hobby?

Recipe: The Best Pancakes in the Whole World!! (And they're made withOatmeal!!!)

Now that's a strong statement, "The Best Pancakes I'm the Whole World!!" But it's the truth! I'm not one for homemade pancakes! They tend to be thick and too dry for me.  I envision myself looking like a dog trying to get peanut butter off the roof of my mouth when I eat them! So I've been sticking to a boxed mix, preferring Krusteaz. But last weekend, while camping with the fam, Aunt Sharon broke out with THE BEST PANCAKES EVER!!!! Homemade, from scratch, the moistest (is that a word?) pancakes! So here I introduce you to ....homemade Oatmeal Pancakes!!!

Ingredients for about 12 pancakes:

2 cups of oatmeal

2 cups of buttermilk

3 eggs

2 Tbs sugar

4 Tbs oil

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Step 1: Soak oatmeal in buttermilk over night!

Step 2: Mix dry ingredients!

Step 3: Add in wet ingredients including oatmeal mixture!

Step 4: Cook

Step 5: Eat and Enjoy! And please let me know what you thought of this recipe!!

Inspiration in Soap Packaging!

I'll be honest... I was nervous about the idea of taking a vacation for so long.  As I teacher, I look forward to my summer break (any break actually!) This time though, I was nervous about being away from my soap!!! (A little wierd huh?)  On any other vacay, I would take my craft with me: knifty knitters, art supplies etc. But soap making supplies aren't that easy to transport. So I went through withdrawals... Salivating on other soap makers projects I found on Facebook or Pinterest.  But by day three, envy turned into inspiration.  I got out a pen and paper and started planning what I would make when I got home, creating a calendar of what would be made and when, and getting to things I never could find time for because I'd rather be making soap.  I redesigned labels/ packaging, blogged, and rewrote product descriptions! I started to exercise!!!!! (I just walked 4 miles and am participating in a squat challenge!).   I'm actually finding out that time away from my passion is exactly what I needed! I needed space to think and plan so that when I come home to my oils, I'm off and running! Here are some great packaging tutorials that I found. This one is from: http://ohhappyday.com/2012/08/print-on-brown-paper-bags/

And this one is from: http://www.diywedding.org/diy-wedding-ideas/free-downloads/diy-wedding-favor-bags-with-a-twist

Craft Beer: Savor Growl

First day in Ohio and where did we have to stop? Of course, a craft beer store! Thanks to today's wonderful advancements in smart phone technology, we quickly discovered Savor Growl in Clintonville, OH!  We were quickly greeted by friendly knowledgable staff that gave detailed answers to all of our questions.  Their selection of beer and wine was impressive. They even had a bar to fill your own growler with a minimum of 35 beers on tab!

So if you're in the Columbus area, check out this great craft beer store and don't forget your growler! It's exciting to see such a cool craft beer store use innovative ways to get great beer to people! I hope this becomes the norm. I haven't seen it in California (correct me if I'm wrong!) This girl was impressed!!!

Getting to Know Your Local Businesses: Panic in Polkadots

It's time to get to know your local businesses, so I introduce Katie McKinnon from Panic in Polkadots. I met Katie at a local craft fair in Oakland. I fell in love with her owl stuffies and was intrigued by how she upcycled everyday items into works of art!   Here is what she had to say about her craft:

Who are you and what is your business about? My name is Katie McKinnon, and I create things. My shop is Panic in Polkadots and my most popular items are my stuffed animal friends, ice cream cones, robots, and cupcakes! I create everything in my home studio, by hand and by sewing machine, using my own patterns. I strive to use fabric scraps and reclaimed fabrics wherever possible, as well as buttons and bottlecaps, playing cards and ribbon!

What inspired you to go into your business? I have always been about creating things, and I would give a lot of my creations away as gifts to friends and family. One day, a friend encouraged me to start selling my items, and my Etsy store was born. Pretty soon, I was getting all kinds of custom orders! My passion is to create things that are truly unique, that come from the heart, and that are fairly affordable. Everyone should be able to enjoy handmade Panic in Polkadots!

What are some random facts about you? I collect umbrellas of many kinds: whether it's the real deal, in earring form, in paintings, in tattoos that I have, and even in my nickname "Umbrella!" I have an orange fuzz cat named Lucy, she is a redhead who gets in trouble a lot! I work at an ice cream shop, and have worked in various ice cream shops ever since I was 16! I love analog photography, and I still shoot with my many film cameras to this day! My birthday is 5 days before Christmas, and I have never had a surprise birthday party!

What's your favorite local place? I will have to say Alameda Theatre and Cineplex.  They are always showing films for the Classic Film Series and if you get the 8 pack of tickets, they are like 5 bucks each!  The Historic Theatre is beautiful and makes you feel like you have stepped back in time.  If only the popcorn were more timely priced!

Thanks Katie!  You can find out more about her at: www.panicinpolkadots.com , and www.facebook.com/PanicinPolkadots , and http://www.etsy.com/shop/panicinpolkadots

DIY: Handmade with LOVE

I made this about two years ago.  It currently hangs in our hallway.  And it's quick and easy, and would make a great Valentines or Mother's Day Present!

How to instructions:
1) I found cardboard letters at JoAnn Fabrics,
2) I painted them black
3) I Mogpogged (sp?) old pictures to the letters!

Today as I walked by, I took a minute to admire the people that hang on this LOVE...  family, friends, people who have past, and many "firsts"... (wedding pictures and the births of our girls).  It gave me  a warm fuzzy.  I should stop to look at it more often!  What handmade item gives you LOVE?

A Time to Slow Down

It's June...and we all are running around like a chicken with their head cut off!  Graduations, parties, and the summer are right around the corner.  And there's the stuff to finish.  I got to help my daughter finish her end of the year project, and get her registered for summer camp by Tuesday.  Then I need to finish writing a report for work by Wednesday (or was it Friday?  Please let it be Friday!!)... and Oh... I've got 5 soap shows coming up, did I make and wrap enough?   It's like 'we' (the collective we) have been running a marathon and we are one mile away from the finish line.

Yesterday, I got a reminder to slow down.  I burned my arm on a hot pot while I was pouring rebatched soap into a mold.  It didn't seem like a big deal at the time.  I just put cold water on it and rushed to the next thing I had to do.  But now, a day later, it hurts, it's peeling, and turning black and blue.  I can't rest my arm on anything or lift my youngest daughter up to snuggle with, as the pain in unbearable.

Rushing around oftentimes leads to mistakes, accidents, and takes us away from the very things that are the most important to us.  I was reminded to ask myself, "Is it really important to do all these activities?  Can't I say no to some, and yes to others?  Why am I doing this activity?  Am I happy?' 

And so, I give gratitude to my burn.  It reminded me to slow down.  It has FORCED me to stop.  And as a reward, I am completely present...  I'm enjoying watching my kids ride their bikes. I'm actually 'listening' during a conversation with my husband (don't tell him that though!)  

But I'll be honest, I have started a list of To-Do's for tomorrow.  I'm only human!!!

What remind's you to slow down?