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!
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. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
I recently had a couple of chances for some really important feedback. The first was positive. I put my products in front of a jury for the first time and they were judging on presentation, packaging, originality, scent, price point, etc. I felt on top of the world having been approved to be in my city’s Craft Fair and I was relishing in their kind words. The other situation wasn’t as positive. I had shipped some product and I was upset to hear that they didn’t meet their expectations. It caused me to take a step back and I actually started wondering if I should even do my Little Soapy Biz stuff any more. Yep, I’m that dramatic.
As a person that is always striving to make the best natural goodies that not only works for myself, for my family, for my friends and for people I’ve never met; it was hard for me to receive some critical feedback since I put my heart and soul into this! I usually get really positive feedback and feel so proud of what I create. Heck, I use this stuff everyday and so do many others. I just haven’t had too much negative feedback and I’m used to being the main one criticizing my own work and then improving on it! However, I really appreciate it when people are candid and honest with me. While it may have taken me aback at first, I began to strategize on how to make those particular products even better.
A Little Soapy Business at the Family Day Pop-Up Market – Monday Feb 9
A friend of mine, and owner of Compass Fitness, is organizing a Family Day Pop-Up Market at South Bonson Community Centre in Pitt Meadows. Many local vendors and A Little Soapy Business will be there and it’s going to be a lot of fun!
If you’re in the neighbourhood, come check it out! This is a family friendly event and is a great way to support your local businesses. Also, Valentine’s day will be less than 1 week away, so you can find that something special for your Valentine!
For more details, the latest information or to simply RSVP for the free admission event, check out the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1528847790713912/
With Christmas just a few days away, perhaps you’re trying to think of that perfect gift for that one last person on your list. I’ve got a great natural gift idea that you can make at home!
At the request of my cousin, I’ve been inspired to create a great facial scrub/cleanser that will leave skin feeling really clean and refreshed.
Here are the ingredients and steps below. Please let me know what you think! If you do not have clay, you can find cosmetic grade clay on the internet, or call around to local natural stores.
1/2 cup white (kaolin) clay
1/4 cup finely ground oats
1/8 cup finely ground, blanched almonds
8 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)
I would recommend lavender essential oil as its great for all skin types and helps with acne, aging, scars, oiliness, dryness and skin elasticity. Plus it smells wonderful and has a relaxing effect, which is perfect for this time of year!
Combine all the ingredients well – you may need to use dry, clean fingers to break up any lumps from the essential oil. Store in a glass container.
To use, put about a quarter size of the mixture in your palm, add water and stir into a paste. Gently massage it into your face, and rinse off with warm water. You can let it sit on your skin before you rinse it off for up to 10-15 minutes to let the clay activate. Use it 1-2 times per week. I would recommend to follow with toner and skin oil… Or you can simply use a face lotion.
I just tried it. It is SOOO amazing. my skin feels great, refreshed and very soft. I hope the lucky person you made it for enjoys it as much as I did!
A Little Soapy Business 