Sometimes life gets in the way.........

Well things have been busy at the Casa De Gonzalez the last month some good things and some bad. It has gotten in the way of keeping up my blog but I'm back......

So her is some of the new things I have been doing....................

This week I opened a new shop http://Gingerbells.ArtFire.com
ArtFire is a new site that features handcrafts. I have found a lot of new talented crafters browsing the Studio Shops; I also see a lot of Etsy shopkeepers there too. It looks like a promising up and coming site.

I have booked some of my Spring shows here are the dates...........
Brockton Big red Barn Market April 3-4
Brockton, Illinois

Wabash Valley Herb Festival May 9
Fairbanks Park, Terre Haute, Indiana

Rosedale Strawberry Festival June 5-6-7
Rosedale ,Indiana

I am gonna try to book a couple more maybe it will help make up for the slow down on Etsy. If not I will still have fun I really enjoy doing craft shows.

I have pulled out my bead loom and am really enjoying working on it again, I am working on a amulet bag right now. I think it might be cute to hold my cell phone.
It's working up nicely and I am surprised it's been a long time since I have drawn up a beading chart. I like drawing up the charts and playing with my colored pencils. If we ever get some sunshine I'll takes some photos of the work in progress.....I am so ready for spring!

Busy weekend

This weekend will be busy. I will be set up for three days for a local festival. I am setting up this afternoon. I am so glad my space is inside because it is so hot outside and I am sure my products and myself would melt.

I REALLY REALLY dislike hot weather. I grew up in Washington state and I think that might have something to do with my inability to tolerate heat and humidity. Back home we never had air conditioning and here it is a must making summer not to fun. I really think it's the humidity that is what makes me miserable because when we go to Mexico it's hot but not humid and I am not as uncomfortable.

I will be taking my laptop and camera with me so I will be able to post some photos of the show.

So if you are around Rosedale Indiana please come and say Hi to me at the Rosedale Strawberry Festival.

Please don't eat the soap!

I love the little pastel cakes at the bakery and since I am on a diet I shouldn't have them. That doesn't mean I can't have them if they are made out of soap.
So I made these big 6 oz. soap cakes they smell awesome. I like the new scents too.....
Almond Pastry Oatmeal Soap
Pink Sugar Shea Butter Soap
Pomegranate Shea Butter Soap
Blue Hyacinth She Butter Soap.
I have several other new scents in my soap shop to check out.

I will be adding Palm Wax Candles to my shop in about 2 weeks. I really like these vegan candles and have enjoyed testing them over the last couple of weeks. I love the testing part of my craft....

I love my new soap mold

I bought a new soap mold that I just love. It's not a fancy shape its a classic beveled oval what I love about it is how much easier it is to use then my other molds. It is made of a really high quality silicone the soap slips right out. Also because it is so heavy weight it doesn't warp like the hard plastic molds so it makes a lovely smooth bar of soap. The beautiful shape makes a wonderful base shape for embellishment and fits perfectly in the hand.

The soap in the photos are simple looking but the look really fits the awesome Strawberries and Cream scent. This soap smells like the yummy strawberry cream savors candy. I am not a big fan of food smelling soaps but I have to say this one makes me crave strawberries. YUMMO!

I have been testing a lot of different M&P soap bases lately to add to my cold process soaps. I wanted a base with high quality ingredients like the ones in my CP soaps. After a lot of trial and error I am happy with the one I have chosen and I think my customers will like it too. I know my soap testers are giving it rave reviews. I love testing soaps it's good clean fun(ha ha).

I have several new scents that I am testing too. The next new soap I will be adding is a Blackberry Sage blend Shea butter soap; I really like this fresh scent. I also will be adding some new herbal bath tea blends and milk and salt soaks too. I just got a big shipment of excellent organic herbs to blend into these bath luxuries.