Am I a Mac or am I a PC?

A bit unrelated to soap… but I thought I’d take a road down my business and everyday choices… Okay, so I have a bit of an identity crises at the moment. Do you remember the Mac commercials starting from 2006 that had a young guy identify himself as a Mac and identified another, older business man, as a PC? (If not, watch 30 seconds of this here). It was basically insinuating that Macs are more reliable, fun, and they were really targeted at a younger generation. But you know, I’ve always identified myself as a PC… even thought they made it out to be a nerdy accountant-type old guy according to these commercials. I am from the generation that had the average-consumer home use computers appear in my pre-teens. I have always loved how PC’s can be pulled apart and upgraded… yeah, they had viruses, but they were more common, and that meant PC’s always had more computer games. 🙂

Something changed a few months ago… I bought a Mac. I KNOW! But before you PC people cast me out of society, hear me out.

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Under the Umbrella

If you’re like me, you appreciate and seek out locally-made or designed products because you know the skill and talent that can produce them is where you live, and supporting your micro-economy is important to you.

Because of this, I am so thrilled to announce that A Little Soapy Business is now working with an Artisan Collective called Under the Umbrella that is located in the heart of lower Lonsdale in North Vancouver. Under the Umbrella is a gift and apparel boutique featuring a curated showcase of local talent found in the Greater Vancouver Area. You will now find our products along with other amazing local talent. Talk about a one-stop shop of perfect gifts and cool stuff!

I love this excerpt from their webpage:

DIY Activated Charcoal Mask

In December, I created a beautiful black soap for the holidays that I playfully named; “Chunk of Coal” soap that was coloured with activated charcoal. I’ve been playing a bit with charcoal and plan to create a face cleansing soap that contains charcoal in the near future. In the meantime, here is some information on Activated Charcoal benefits and also a recipe for you to make at home any day, so that you can enjoy the benefits  of this fantastic ingredient!

While derived from common charcoal, activated charcoal differs because it is made specifically for medicinal use and is porous. These pores allow activated charcoal to trap chemicals and is used to treat poisonings, intestinal gas, nausea, and bile flow issues. It is also used in water filters to absorb the yucky flavors from the water and help purify drinking water. Activated charcoal also works wonders for the skin when applied topically: it keeps skin clear by drawing dirt out of pores and improves skin-tone by removing dry patches. Perfect for your dry winter or sun-stressed skin!

We’re Two! Contest time!

I am so excited to share that A Little Soapy Business has just turned 2 years this February! It’s been such an incredible journey and I appreciate you all for sharing your feedback, being my guinea pigs and sharing my passion for natural products.

An anniversary can only mean it’s time for a give-away! Yeah!!! Enter to win an all-natural, preservative-free Romancer Gift set plus 1 item of choice from A Little Soapy Business valued at over $70! 

Honey & Yogurty Goodness for your Skin

During this busy time of year, I try to make a little ‘me’ time in the few moments that I get. One of them is to spend a few minutes pampering myself and one of my favorites for fresh feeling, soft skin is a face mask.

One of the products in my online shop: Skin Brightening Face Mask and Polish – notes on the side that you can add Yogurt or Honey instead of oil or water. Why would you want to add either of those? Well, it’s to create your own fresh face mask. The shelf life of my powdered mask lasts so much longer since I haven’t added any short life ingredients to it, which is intended so it can be customized it to your skin needs for an extra treat!

Lets talk about the benefits of yogurt on skin…

Find our products in Lougheed Mall!

October was a very busy month for me. Some of you may know that I work full time as a Business Analyst, and A Little Soapy Business is my venture of passion and fun where I get to be creative and make all of my natural handmade goods. In late September, I received an invitation to have my products featured in a mall this year! All I could think is wow, exciting! And WOW, a that’s going to be a TON of work!!

Balance and organization is everything when juggling a full time job and a personal side business along with family, health, among other things.

Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub Recipe

Fall is finally upon us and I love this time of year! The fresh crisp air, warm drinks and of course, pumpkin pie! All of the pumpkins that are ready to be taken home from the stores and yummy fall influenced desserts have inspired me to make an all natural Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub. While it’s not the same as pumpkin pie, it is sure a nice way to enjoy the warm spices without the guilt!

Transitioning to Fall

I had a really wonderful summer filled with trips around our beautiful province, British Columbia. We hung out at Spanish Banks (our local
beach), toured the BC Interior picking up a couple of cases of delicious VQA wines, and had my hubby’s family visit us from Venezuela. We also got to be part of a family and close friends beautiful weddings and got some hiking in around the local mountains.

Now with the weather transitioning from the very hot Summer that we had here in Vancouver, to cooler Fall-like days, I always find myself reaching for a few favorite items… my crochet hook, so that I can start creating some fun things to keep warm this fall and winter (and maybe some gifts too!), a mug of warm tea to keep cozy and warm on cooler days, and my lip balm to keep my lips moisturized and healthy. In fact, I always have a lip balm in all of my coat pockets and in my purse!

I thought it would be a great time to share a recipe for making an all natural lip balm.

Honey Body Wash Recipe

Lately I’ve been working on something pretty exciting! Not only am I making goodies to get ready for my summer event where locals can find me at the North Vancouver Canada Day craft show at Waterfront Park, but I’m also lucky enough to be collaborating along with others for a 30 day Beauty Detox Program! If that interests you, not only will this feature locally based wellness experts (to Vancouver), it will also be free! More on that in the next few days…

In the meantime… this collaboration inspired me to look making an easy soap based recipe. I’ve concocted a mosturising, good for your skin, Raw Honey Body Wash. Not only is this simple to make, but you can customize it with a scent that you love… such as Relaxing Lavender, Uplifting Sweet Orange, or Floral Ylang Ylang and Jasmine essential oils.

Popping up in North Vancouver!

North Van Craft Fair – Photo from North Vancouver Arts Council

Exciting news! We’re going to be popping up in North Vancouver on Wednesday July 1st Canada Day Celebration along with other local artists at Waterfront Park in North Vancouver (the park is located just a few steps west of Lonsdale Quay).

Live in North Vancouver, or surrounding area? Come meet your soap maker! I will be there all day from 11-4. I’m looking forward to seeing you! For more event information, check out the North Vancouver Arts Council Website: http://nvartscouncil.ca/events/craft-fairs 

Naturally yours, Susan