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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

New Soy Wax Melts

We adore candles in our house and we love to use our oil burner so it made total sense for me to make our own wax tarts or melts.  A certain famous American company makes what they have trademarked as "tarts" so I can't use that name but I call them melts which makes sense because they do melt in the oil burner.

I love to use 100% natural soy for a variety of reasons - for a start, its biodegradable, renewable resource - it is a natural wax and is created from soy beans.  Paraffin wax is often used as a alternative but this wax is a petroleum by-product, and, as such, this isn't a renewable resource (once it's gone, it's gone) nor is it biodegradable.

Soy wax burns cleanly - it is free from soot and carcinogens, it doesn't emit the toxins that paraffin wax does and it is a healthier wax to use in households were anyone has any breathing issues, ie asthma etc.  Soy wax is considered a zero green house contributor because it gives out so little carbon dioxide when burnt.

Cleaning up after making soy wax candles and melts is a breeze! Once you've used your wax melts over an and over again, the fragrance lessens ... once all the fragrance is gone, all you need to do is, with the edge of knife, CAREFULLY, push the tip in and the wax will release and come away cleanly from the sides.  You can simply wash with sudsy water and your oil burner is clean to use again.  But what do you do with the wax? Well, if you have an open fire, you can make your own firelighters! Yep... just collect paper, old lint from your tumble dryer etc and place in a small container (what about those plastic boxes you get from the odd Chinese takeaway we all treat ourselves to from time to time).. melt the wax and pour over the paper and lint.  Then, once cooled, break up and use as homemade firelighters!

For me, I love a strongly scented candle - I like that it can scent my main living room which is a very large room.  Our house is open plan so, technically, a big challenge for any candle to scent the room because the scent actually goes all over the house.  I've done a lot of testing of these melts and you really can smell them upstairs and down - not in an overpowering way (I know how too strong scents can be a little sickening) but is a beautifully scented way.  I use the maximum fragrance load for my melts which allows them to scent more than one room but also to last longer over time.  Also, it's said that soy wax will burn for 50% longer than paraffin because it burns at a cooler temperature.

On the site at the moment, I have three variations of Christmas scents but I actually have a lot more made and ready to be uploaded ... we just need to get some pictures taken so they can be uploaded! Here is our current offering, specially for Christmas:

This is Christmas Cabin and these are fragranced with a wonderfully festive blend of bayberries, cranberries, cinnamon bark & orange zest.  Oh do they smell so good, very very Christmassy! They had a little silver glitter on top, this gives a lovely sheen when the wax melts and regular readers will know my love affair with glitter! Each of the packs of Soy Melts come in a golden organza bag (resusable and beautifully scented when you've used all the melts up) and there are four generously sized melts per pack... each pack is only €5 which you will no doubt find is cheaper than the said American company who use paraffin wax for their trademarked tarts.

Christmas Cabin with silver glitter

Christmas Cabin - 4 per Pack 

This fragrance is DIVINE! My mouth waters when I smell these - it's Gingerbread Eggnog and it's so creamy and yummy, soooooooooo good and it really really smells so Christmassssssssssyyyyy too.  I used a fab golden glitter with these and again, they come in a set of four for €5.

Gingerbread Eggnog - ohhh my word, creamy nommy fabulousity!

Glittering golden Gingerbread Eggnog Soy Wax Melts

The final version, for now, is Holidazzle - these fabulously coloured pink melts are fragranced with a truly dazzling blend of sweet crisp cranberry juice, vanilla, cloves, bayberry and fir.  Oh these are juicy and creamy and Christmassy and just soooooooo good too.  Again I've used golden glitter because it just looks so lovely against the pink.  Plus it matches the golden organza bag! 


Holidazzle in a golden organza bag

Holidazzle - pink and gold and beautiful

Here's a cute combo pic, just cos I can :)

Combo!

And another ... three stages of fabulousity! 

Hope you enjoy the pics ... if you fancy getting your mitts on some of these cuties, check out the website at http://www.iamhandmade.com/ourshop/cat_650616-Natural-Soy-Wax-Candle-Melts.html ... why not treat yourself and make your house smell of pure Christmas?! 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Some other things ...

It was my birthday in September and I didn't know what I wanted as a present so told my hubby to put the idea on hold and, when I saw something I wanted, then I'd ask for it.  No point in getting something totally useless... I'm not really a handbag or shoe person, I don't really wear jewellery, I see the point of having one watch but no more.. you get the idea.

So I decided I fancied a ceramics/pottery class and I duly signed up.  It's something I've always wanted to do and I love it.  It's all handbuilding so far and we've just finishing coiling .. it's only 3 hours a week, at nighttime so not much time and oh my, does that time fly way too quickly.  So now I'm a little obsessed with it and would love to be able to do more but, as ever I'm limited by space, time and money!

Here's a pic of what I've made so far... not a stunner by any stretch of the imagination but I'm happy with it, even with the wonky top!!


No classes this week (le sigh, cue tears) but it starts back next week (cue unending joy).  Guess what I'm getting for my Christmas present?


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Soap Travels ...

Ages ago I joined in an international soap swap ... a box of soap, with three soaps inside, was sent across the globe and has been from America to Australia and Europe and a ton of places in between.  Originally the idea of Julia from Cocobong Soaps, this has taken quite some time to get to me.. in fact, I'd forgotten about it entirely!

The box arrived in my house in the middle of a very busy time at home so I, sadly, had to wait a little to be able to really give it attention - apologies to anyone who's been waiting on the box next and I hope you understand that, sometimes, life takes over from the soaping world.

Anyway, out of the three soaps, I picked my choice based on a) fragrance b) quirky looks and c) incredible ingredient list. The soap I choose is from Les Savons de Chauvirey based in France.  Sylvie Cecini is the soaper (waves Hi and Hello!) who started soaping in 2008 after visiting Canada to learn cold process soaping.

The soap has some fab ingredients including Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Hemp Oil, Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Sunflower Oil and is fragranced with May Chang or Litsea Cubeba.. a fab ingredient list you'll agree.  Now, there's something odd on the label and it says "Pommes de Terre Cuties" which means Baked Potato and I don't know if there's actually baked potato in there! You can see what I mean by quirky! Also , at the side of the label it says "Patate Câline" which means Cuddly Potato!!!

Now keep in mind the potato theme... the soaps comes in a little hessian bag which made me think of a potato sack and when I opened the bag, there is a soap that is oddly shaped, light pink and not unlike a potato so I'm thinking the whole theme is a potato in it's own potato sack! I'm still wondering if there is real potato in there!!!

So we took some pics of the box and the other soaps, along with the Cuddly Potato soap too:

The contents of the box as it arrived

  The three soaps together

 One of the other soaps

 Another of the soap box contents

 The Cuddly Potato soap wrapping

 The Cuddly Potato soap wrapping and ingredient list ... you can see the Pommes de Terra Cuites which means Baked Potato 

And the Cuddly Potato Soap!! 

Very quirky, funny soap with a fab ingredients list and an incredible scent of May Chang... this did make us laugh and I don't mean badly, it was just a funny soap that tickled our sense of humour.

Thanks to everyone involved in the soap swap, apologies again for the delay in sending out the box again but life does have a way of taking over.  The box, with my own soap in replacement of the Cuddly Potato, is being posted out on Tuesday of this week (as Monday is a Public Holiday).  I hope whoever decides to keep my soap is happy with it.  

If you'd like to check out Sylvie's site her website can be found at http://www.les-savons-de-chauvirey.fr/content/4-le-lavoir-de-chauvirey.


Monday, October 15, 2012

Snow Angel

Snow Angel - a pure polar white glistening beauty, with a deep dark heart of sheer luxurious naughtiness.

Snow Angel is made with our best selling formula of Sweet Almond & Golden Olive Oils with lashings of Cocoa Butter. Added to these incredible skin loving oils, we've included our Triple Milk formula of Goatsmilk, Yogurt & Buttermilk which are natural sources of AHA's, then we added Colloidal Oatmeal, White Kaolin Clay and Tussah Silk... sheer luxury for your skin!

Snow Angel is pure and white with a glistening coat of icy glitter and, despite looking very angelic, her fragrance is deep and dark, sumptuous blend of pomegranate, raspberry, plum & spicy pink pepper on a base of patchouli and frankincense.

Making of Snow Angel Pure Silk Handmade Irish Soap:


http://youtu.be/8bOEa9hG-OI 

Cutting of Snow Angel Pure Silk Handmade Irish Soap:

http://youtu.be/CIqEnrbAnEQ 

Here are the final cuts pics courtesy of Titch Holland:













 The soap will be fully cured on 15 October and is available for pre-order right now on our website... hope you enjoy!!!



Friday, October 12, 2012

Glitter Berries

Glitter Berries - imagine deep dark shining berries, swirled with warming spices.

The sheer luxury soap is made with our best selling formula of Sweet Almond & Golden Olive oils with lashings of Cocoa Butter. Along with this skin loving formula, we've added Goatsmilk, Buttermilk & Yogurt along with White Kaolin Clay, Colloidal Oatmeal and, of course, Tussah Silk.

Within the swirls of deep luxurious purple, warm pink and deep red, the soap is fragranced with a scent explosion of Cranberry, Lemon, Clove, Mistletoe, Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Frankincense, Patchouli, Lily, Raspberry, Green Apple & Black Grape on a warm Amber base. The soap is completed with a glistening carpet of frosty glitter.

Making Glitter Berries Handmade Pure Silk Soap:

http://youtu.be/pYco_Df3ZE4  

Cutting Glitter Berries Handmade Pure Silk Soap:

http://youtu.be/zSDue0bCb1o 

Here are the final cut pics of the soap, I love it! Thanks to Titch Holland for her amazing work, make sure to check out her Facebook Page:



 





 The soap will be fully cured on 15 October and is now available for pre-order on our website... hope you enjoy!!


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Are you Naughty or Nice?

Naughty & Nice - between the whirls of cerise pink, apple green and glistening gold, this luxury soap is fragranced with a with delicious blend of tart, juicy apples, sweet strawberries, red ripe raspberries, dark blackberries with a hint of warm cinnamon.

Naughty & Nice luxury handmade soap is made from our best selling formula which includes Sweet Almond & Golden Olive oils with lashings of Cocoa Butter.  To this we've added our Triple Milk formula of Buttermilk, Goatsmilk & Yogurt along with Colloidal Oatmeal and White Kaolin Clay and, of course, pure Tussah Silk for extra luxury.

Making Naughty & Nice Pure Silk Handmade Soap:

http://youtu.be/Svm0QuljIR4 

 Cutting Naughty & Nice Pure Silk Handmade Soap:

http://youtu.be/F3m_d_ZT92w 

Here are the final cut photos... you'll notice that the swirls are more muted than my usual style but I love the pastel pastel of this which plays nicely against the Naughty & Nice name:






 

 

The soap will be fully cured on 15 October and is now available for pre-order on our website... enjoy!!!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Midnight Star

Midnight Star - imagine inky dark, bruised purple sky shot through with golden starlight.

This beautiful soap is made with our best selling formula of Sweet Almond & Golden Olive oils along with lashings of creamy Cocoa Butter. To this we've added our Triple Milk formula of Buttermilk, Goatsmilk & Yogurt which are natural, gentle sources of AHA's, vitamins and minerals.  We've also added White Kaolin Clay which helps to clarify even the most sensitive of skins and Colloidal Oatmeal which helps soothe the skin.

We have fragranced the soap with a blend of rich dark winter plum, sweet tangerine & luscious black grape within a heart of woods & frankincense on a base of warm vanilla & deep musk - it smells incredible!

Making Midnight Star Handmade Pure Silk Irish Soap:

http://youtu.be/MvLLfsG_5HU 

Cutting Midnight Star Handmade Pure Silk Irish Soap:

http://youtu.be/QBLe1mWgCaY 

Here are the final cut photos courtesy of Titch Holland (do check out her page, you'll see some fabulous photos):











The soap will be fully cured by 15 October and is available now for pre-order on our website.  Hope you enjoy!!!



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