I think I'm addicted to soap.

A final review of the products I've ordered in the past will be posted soon. I had combined them, but well it made for a very very long post...

I'm not quite out of what I've already ordered yet, but that didn't stop me from stocking up for the future (I think I might have a problem. At least this one encourages good hygiene).

Although I was super happy with Praireland Herbs, I wanted to branch out and try a new place.

This time, I went with Chagrin Valley. I didn't order from them the first time, because their website is incredibly confusing, and it was nearly impossible to figure out shipping charges. (This time around, the website was slighlty less confusing- because I spent more time on it, but shipping charges are still a mystery. They have lots of different shipping methods, but only flat rate is affordable. They say if something won't fit in flat rate, they just remove it from your order, no contact about changing shipping or removing something else. This chart is really important for figuring that out. Once again, finding that chart took me way more time than it probably should have. I had actually already ordered, hoping for the best, before I found it and confirmed my order was okay) Once I had it figured out, shipping was $5.70 and I ordered Monday and got these Friday

So, Chagrin Valley Soap and Craft has TONS of different products, soaps, shampoos, lotions, and lots of other bath and body products. Google them, and there are tons of great reviews, I was eager to try them.


Look at the adorable packaging- no plastics here! Just good for the environment paper bags. (Which was a little nerve wracking since this came in the pouring rain. It didn't seemed to have affected the product though the outside package was a little wet.)

After much deliberation, I got 3 soaps and 3 shampoo samples. Let's talk about the soaps first. They are all priced differently, likely based on ingredients and popularity.
I got: Honey Butter, Chocolate and Almond, and Peppermint Twist. (Also in the picture, shampoo samples, and solid lotion)

Honey Butter- $7.15
The Honey Butter is for Kevin's dry skin (though with winter almost over, it might not be an issue). He stole my LUSH "Honey I washed the kids" and I was hoping this would give him similar results, LUSH is just too expensive. The ingredients show lots of rich skin softeners. All of the soaps have "filtered rainwater" as one of their ingredientsl I just love that. Sadly, palm oil is in all of them, but no chemical ingredients.

There is not much of a scent at all (though my dog seems to think there is, she has been trying to eat this one in particular since it got into the house!) However, since I bought this one with Kevin in mind, I think that’s a good thing. The Old Spice commercials tell me that I prefer a gajillion to one for my man to smell like the guy riding the horse backwards and not like a girl; I’m confident this soap won’t make him smell like a girl. (Also- weirdest commercials ever.) This soap is labeled 6.5-7.5 oz Handcut Wt, and weighed 7.1 ounces when I weighed it. I think it’s not fully cured though, because when I cut it for a slice for the shower, it was a) very easy to cut and b) a totally different inside color than outside color. I’m a bit disappointed by this, because soft soaps that aren’t fully cured will melt faster, and also lose weight by the curing process.

Chocolate Almond- $7
This soap I bought just because it is BEAUTIFUL. So pretty. I think handmade soap should look like this. It has a very very strong Almond Oil smell, not really chocolately at all, it reminds me of baking cookies (which is weird because I don't make almond cookies). I’m really excited about this one, and it went into the shower first. The weight on this one was 6.6 ounces.

Peppermint Twist- $7
This one I bought because I am a peppermint nut. It’s such an invigorating scent for a morning shower. And well, it smells just like peppermint. Not sure what the twist is :) Looking at the ingredients, the twist must be the bits of rosemary. Kind of funny because when my older rosemary shampoo almost ran out I combined the pieces with my older peppermint ones. It was like a peppermint pizza! This doesn’t smell like that at all. (The Rosemary nettle soap always made me think of pizza). The weight of this was 6.6 oz

Slight Disappointment
I know I’m crazy for weighing all my soaps. The website makes huge claims about how big their soaps are (and they are! Most places sell 3 or 4 ounces soaps) Of course, because they are hand cut, they aren’t exact. The website and packaging says they will be between 6.5-7.5 ounces, and of course, they all are. However, I’m a bit disappointed because they are all on the low end. I know they didn’t cheat me at all, but I wish they were higher on the range. Because of the ease of cutting, and the two color issue of the one soap, I don’t think these are fully cured yet- so they are going to lose more weight. Still, the price was good, and I am very happy overall.

Shampoo Samples.
I got 3 shampoo samples. Those are the smaller bars in the picture. Café Moreno (2.0 oz of a coffee/cinnamon smell- it’s supposed to help darken hair), Babassu & Marsh Mallow (2.1 oz and I can’t even describe this one… it was the marshmallow that sold me), and Extra Honey Beer & Eggs (1.4 oz of a sweet smell, described as their most popular). These samples are a great value $2.60 each, and I imagine they’ll last a LONG time based on the life of the other bars I’ve used. (These are about half the size of those- so at least a month each…)

And more
I also ordered a solid lotion $5.50. It comes in a tin and smells of sweet sweet mango. (Which it should! It’s called Hemp Mango Mint) This is smaller than I thought it would be, but I love the smell. I got this because I loved the LUSH massage bar, but not so much the smell. I’m not sure if this will be a good substitute or not.

Reviews to come when I actually use the products!!!

Vote!

It's your civic duty. You must vote. I have quite a few candidates, but I'm letting you vote for both the ones you like and the ones you don't like, whichever you'd prefer. (I often feel it would be a better use of my vote to vote against someone then for someone else. ) Some I've shown the block and a few examples of what it might look like; consider that you are voting on the block, and I'll later ask which design I should do :) Others you see the whole quilt. These are in no particular order.

Number 1: Simple blocks with a sashing. I'd probably do most of this as strips, not individual blocks as the lines show.


Number 2: I like this one for it's simplicity. It wouldn't have as many blocks as the lines show. Ignore the lines (from here on out, that's just a good idea...)

Number 3: Made of two more complicated blocks.
Number 4: Very similar to one above but no sashing.
Number 5: This could be arranged other ways, just an idea...
Number 6: Lots of ways to arrange this one.

Number 7: Note this also uses the yellow, the others would just be backed in yellow.
Number 8: This one looks like it uses the yellow, but that's actually green.
Number 9: I'm a little worried this block is too hard for me...





I have allergies/sinus issues right now and it sucks. So having you all choose my quilt will make me very happy.

Also- what size do you make for a baby? I can't remember what I did last time. Is a 40" square big enough for a lay-upon blanket? Too big?

Quilt for Baby...

My SIL is pregnant with her second, and it's time for me to make another baby quilt. Kevin and I were at Joann's looking for home decor fabric for curtains (it was 60% off- but we couldn't find anything that we liked...) and I picked out some gorgeous fabrics for a quilt.

I probably should have picked a design first!

I'm have 4 colors for the front: pink, purple, blue, and green and the backing will be yellow. Kevin picked the yellow, but I thought it was just a bit too bright.

I need to figure out a design- anyone have any 4 color ideas? I was thinking about just making a basic 9 patches using pink-blue, pink-green, and blue-green and using the purple as a border for them all. The purple kind of has a different value then the rest (that is- when I take my contacts out, I can still see the pattern... the others it fades away) so I thought it might be too busy to mix in with the rest.

This weekend I'll scan the fabric into the computer and play with a photo editor to come up with some ideas. If I actually do that- maybe I'll post them to vote!

See some other fabrics too? The pink and black are for a purse for me. The fat quarter- just because it was the prettiest fabric ever. But they didn't have it in yardage. :(

Firework socks

I had posted about these socks quite awhile ago, but for some reason, they never got a photoshoot. (Perhaps because I never wove the ends in...)
This yarn is Wild Funnies from Dibadu. The colorway is Feuerwerk (or something like that...) and I am 99.9% sure that means "Firework", and the colors definetly say that. Wild Funnies is a yarn designed to pool, so these socks are just plain stockinette that way the pooling colors can be the main feature of the sock.

I love pooling, and I love the way these pooled! What's so weird is that the first sock I made pooled in a giant column, showing the gorgeous colors in an amazing way, and then when I switched needles for the foot (I do the feet at a tighter gauge, for durability and because my feet are tiny and my calves are not)- they switched to spiral pooling. Cool! Then, I did the second sock, and it began spiral pooling right away. I figured when I switched for the foot, the pooling pattern would change again- nope, it didn't! The feet of the two socks are almost identical. Weird.

When I saw how the column pooling was working, I spent a bit of time thinking about how I wanted that oriented on my leg. I decided it should go on the sides, so I attached the heel so that the front of the sock is mostly black and pink. (I love black and pink...) Chances are, no one will ever see this detail- so everyone marvel at it now... The only thing I don't like about this sock is the heel, with the colors all seperated by black, they don't work together well, like they do when they are put next to each other. The first time I used this yarn, it did that on the leg- it looked so bad. So I pulled it out and set the yarn aside. When using pooling yarns, gauge is a big deal, and the make or break it between ugly and lovely.

And here's the best news of all. Dibadu.de is now translated into English! (I think you still will need to email about shipping to the USA, it doesn't seem to be "set"- also, log in an account- the VAT disappears and the prices go way down...) When I bought this yarn, the site was all in German- I just guessed where everything might be (a shop is a shop right? Language will not get into the way of yarn aquisiton) and then emailed the owner to make sure she could ship to the USA, and it all worked out.

After knitpicks releases their spring yarns, if I don't spend too much money, I want more Dibadu yarns. What is it about German sock yarns? Wollmeise, Dibadu, Opal, ONline? I just can't get enough!

What am I working on now? The other sock for my Dad, and finishing up our "remodel". It will be a LONG time before we get pictures of that though...

Olympic knitting is finished!

I have finished my Olympic knitting. (Due to a "no kneeling or squatting" order from my PT, I can't block it, but I'm placing this in the "win" column, because with two days left- I clearly have time to block it otherwise, AND it's a knitting contest for me, not a blocking one. The alpaca hat is 2 years old, worn constantly, and still hasn't had the ends woven in. It's about knitting for me.)

So anyhow- I made the seascape stole, but it's really more of a seascape scarf, even with agressive blocking, it is going to be very narrow. I did an extra repeat for length, and so glad I did- this thing is tiny.

Elsa is pretending to be a cat, and helping me take a picture. I decided that was cute enough, so you get no good picture of what it actually looks like. Later- I promise.

On an Olympic note- I love ever minute of them- I watch every sport except hockey. I can't get myself to care about hockey. But the absolute highlight of the game for me was Mirai Nagasu's long program- and even more than that, her "Oh my gosh" and ecstatic cheering as the final standings were announced- never before have I seen an athlete be so excited to have just missed the podium. But man, there were so many doubters when she was named to the Olympic team, and boy did she show them. WOW- what a skater. Hopefully she and Rachel skate just as well at World's and the USA gets it's 3 spots back.

Today we start priming the living room, and need to go find a nice neutral beige-ish color for it. How boring.

Storage Solution!

I am a messy person. My whole life I've always wanted to be a clean person. One of my favorite things is to organize. I'm just really bad at keeping it that way.

I've had show racks that are metal bars in plastic holders since middle school-ish. Most of Kevin's shoes went in those, along with my shoes that I didn't wear much. The shoes I did wear went in an over the door plastic thingy that we actually bought for our cruise (a cruise lifesaver- btw- a place for key cards, sunglasses, lip balm, all organized at your finger tips.) But we have accordian doors- so it had to hang on the outside. Not pretty.

I think I mentioned we are taking all the carpet out upstairs- along with painting all the rooms (will post pictures when we are done). So everything is getting emptied out and I am being very picky about what gets put back. In addition to having multiple goodwill bags of clothes (how did I get so fat?) Kevin told me he hates the racks because his shoes barely fit. I went to target and found a hanging shoe organzier for me, and a sweater organizer for his shoes (much larger than mine!). All his shoes fit in his, although 2 of the places will have to be shared once they are all in, and all my regular wear shoes fit in mine. My boots and shoes that rarely get worn are in an under the bed organizer.

In the end, I think it takes up a bit more space, but it looks SO much nicer. And we really have never used all of our hanging space in our main closet, since we also have a second closet in the guest room for all our non-regular wear clothes- suits, formal dresses (most of which are going to goodwill), skating dresses, and biking/skiing clothes

What do you think? The best part- both were on sale $9.99 each. I've seen similar things for $25, though these are normally only $15.



Olympic knitting update: I don't think I'll make it. I lost a full day yesterday due to horrible headaches, and for length I'm adding an extra repeat. That's like asking Apolo Ohno to do an extra lap :)

The Knitting Olympics

I decided this year to participate in the Yarn Harlot Winter Olympics. My project is Knitty's Seascape Stole, in Knitpicks Gloss, and I can already see that I won't finish it. But that's okay- not every Olympian can get gold, and instead they shoot for a personal best. So hopefully I can get a good chunk done.

That means that Daffodil is being set aside with 6 rows and an edging to go.

My "Hearts Afire socks" are also on hiatus. I'm not sure what to do with them. I don't love the knitting- way too fiddly with the cable needle, and the foot is just a little bit too big (I hate toe up socks for that). SO I'm not sure if I should just suck it up and knit them, cast off the first one and call it an anklet and make a mate, or just rip it out. If it was any other yarn I'd make the anklet- but this is fuschia wollmeise- one of my favorites, and I feel like it could be put to better use. So i'm leaning towards ripping out. But I hate wasting a serviceable, if not perfect sock. Opinions?

My other project is Tiger Socks at work. I did the first one on 44 stitches and after the heel went on I decided that was too few- the stretch around the foot distorted the pattern, even though they fit nicely. So I restarted with 48 stitches and those are ready for the heel flap. I didn't rip out the 44 stitch one though, in case 48 is too big. They are "at work" socks, but will have to wait until after the olympics, anyhow. But when I finish this second heel I'll rip out whichever I'm not keeping.

I think that's all I have on the needles right now, but I do need to make a second sock for my Dad. He LOVED the first sock I sent him, and said it fit perfectly. He wants the mate right away, so this will be first priority after the Olympics.

For Sale.

For a few years I was a very very avid card maker but my craft room has overfilled with many hobbies. I haven't stamped much lately, and figured that when I start again styles will be different, so I should destash the stamps while they are still fairly current and others might like them.

These are all Stampin' up products, and I believe all are retired.

All are mounted on wood blocks, and in good, but used, condition. 99% of these have the set name and are numbered (i.e., 1/6) on the side of the block. I don't have the original boxes, because I stored multiple to a box, but will ship them in clamshells appropriate for the size of the sets you buy.

Shipping based on the order total, willing to negotiate prices for bulk orders. USA only, please. If I've met you in real life, I'll ship for free.

Blooming with Happiness $15
Warmest Regards $14
Loads of Love $13 (one of my first sets, a little messy on the blocks)
Loads of Love Accessories $15
Friend to Friend $15
Sincere Salutations $20
Tag Alongs $13
Happy Harmony $10
Bud Basics $7
Bitty Borders $3
Small Script $6
Made From Scratch $4
Curvy Verses $12
A is for Adorable $8
Very Punny $10
Perfect Petals $10
The Fine Print $6
So Very $6
En Pointe $9 (messy blocks)
Delight in Life $5

If you don't want the wood blocks, I'll unmount before shipping (to save shipping costs) but the price will be the same...

Kiva.org

A loan through Kiva is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Soap Queen blog posted about it this morning and reminded me. You can start with as little as $25.

It's different from normal charitable donations- in this case, it's not a donation, it's a loan. (And since the default rate is very very low- you have a pretty good chance of it TRULY being a loan, and getting the money back) These loans won't earn you interest, though the lenders do charge interest to the entrepreneur. After Grameen (?) bank won the Nobel Prize, microloans became very interesting to me. I'm so happy to have finally gotten involved with the idea. If my $25 is repaid, I will give it right back out again. I love that the same money can keep working for people who need it over and over. Kiva even offers gift certificates- so your recipient can choose who they want to fund. A cool spin on "a donation in your name"

The group I gave to is looking for money to buy wool for sweater knitting. There are so many loans I decided to use my interest to help narrow it down. Kiva rates the lending partners, so you have an idea of the risk of the loan. You can also look at the history of loans that have defaulted to get an idea too. Many loans being repaid have a journal of sorts that tells you how the money is being used. These are real people, and it's making a real difference.

I've read a lot of critisim of the micro-loan saying that they only help individuals, and not the country- because the entrepeneurs won't ever hire an employee, therefore building the economy. But you've got to start somewhere, and this is something I can do to help someone.

Wow, I'm bad at blogging.

But- I have excuses. One of the reasons I'm bad at blogging is I can only do it from home, and the computer is downstairs. And it's freezing downstairs. Therefore, I rarely go down there during the winter. I try to remember to update on weekends when Kevin has his laptop home, and upstairs, but then the second excuse comes into play. Blog posts without pictures are boring- and I don't have pictures. So that's why I never update.

But here, here is a post that will have no pictures.

Knitting round-up:
Fireworks socks: Finished and fabulous. Will post pictures eventually.
Dad's socks: First one is finished, and getting ready to be sent to Austin. I won't start the second until I get his comments. It fit's Kevin well, so hopefully it will fit Dad too. I'm most worried about the leg being baggy. I ribbed the gusset, so it should fit regardless of the size of his arch.
Tiger Socks: Started last night and restarted last night. The Opal 6-ply is THICK. I'm doing 44 stitches for my sock. I started with 48 and had to rip out. But this yarn knits fast because it's bulky, and faster because it's fun to watch to see what stripe will come next. Still thinking these will be knee highs, but I'm not sure. I think these will stay at work, so they will be slow going.
Daffodil Design: Slow progress, but almost there! I didn't do any knitting on it this weekend or last. It's not going to get finished that way.
Hearts Afire: February Sock Knitters Anon sockdown sock. Will use Fuschia Wollmeise.


Why have I not done any Daffodil Design?
Well, last weekend was my birthday weekend, we hosted a party, and then I knit Dad's sock on Sunday. So there was no knitting time. This weekend, well, the house has been a disaster because we are redecorating. There hasn't been SPACE for me to sit and concentrate on lace knitting. We took all the furniture and stuff out of our green room, and it's all over the living room. This doesn't get in the way of sock knitting but I need a tranquil space to concentrate for lace! We (mostly Kevin) scraped all the popcorn off the ceiling, then Kevin primed the walls and ceiling, then we selected paint and new flooring, and Kevin painted the ceiling, and tonight we will paint the walls. Probably this weekend we'll get started on the flooring and reinstalling the baseboards. Our entire upstairs, minus kitchen and bathroom, will be laminate wood flooring. I'm very excited about this, but a little nervous- what if we spend all the money and then it doesn't look good?

Also- did you know laminate is less expensive than carpet. Weird...