Playing Tag with Soap Friends

I've been tagged by Elizabeth at Gassner Custom Soaps
These are the rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged you
2) Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading)
3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below)
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them (This is only a game)
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up

OK, so here goes random:

1. I was in the band with my future husband in elementary school. He played the Sax and I played the flute. He was in 5th grade and I was in 4th.2. I weighed 80 lbs more than I do now after I had Ella. My two best friends were Ben & Jerry.


3. I live 90 miles away from the nearest Target. I've been to Target twice in my life... and I loved it!
4. Gerry took all of my siblings, their spouses, my bff Laurel and me out for the best night of my life for my 40th birthday. He took care of all of the details which included a limo into Boston, a spectacular meal and a night for the 2 of us at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston. It was a blast!

5. I got a tatoo when I was 39 and my MIL didn't know about it until this year (2 years later.) I don't think she loves tatoos... :)


6. I never in a million years would have considered myself crafty enough to be a soaper, but it has become the second most fun thing I do~next to being a Mom/Wife.So now it's time for tagging.....

1. Sherrie at Birch Bark Soap
2. Michelle at Oats and Honey
3.Jennie at Beehive and Bird's Nest
4.That Guy from Soap with Balls
5. Elizabeth from Gracefruit
6. Diana from Shea Bath

Love to you all!

A Soap? A Moisturizer? Both!

I am a scrub junkie from way back. I used to buy all those scrubs that you'd find in the mall or at department stores. No more. Once I started making soap, I fell in love with making scrubs as well. I love the concept of getting clean and soft in the shower. It's my thing.

So here's the first of two of my fav. scrub products. It's called Sweet Birch Shower Butter and it's really yummy. It's a whipped cleanser loaded with pure cane sugar, sweet almond oil & glycerin. Just imagine being in the shower and scrubbing with a soothing, smoothing, creamy butter. You'll rinse off clean and dry off soft. It's so fun!

Click on my Etsy site to read more. It's currently available in Ginger Lime, Summer Green & Pamplemousse.

I can't believe that I am working on Autumn/Winter products already, but I am. Let me know what your favorite seasonal fragrances are. I love to hear what you are craving!

Another Bubble Class.. A New Teacher

Austen and Peter have known their friend, Jacob, since they were tiny. Peter and Jacob are about 4 month apart in age and they have been buddies since the beginning. In fact, we have known Jon & Ann (his parents) since days before kids. (I don't remember those days, but I know they happened!) Jacob also has a brother, Isaac, who is Cora's age and a sister, Olivia, who is Ella's age. Anyway, Jacob came over for some play time the other day and brought Jarvis, who stayed with the Kaplans for 2 weeks as part of the Fresh Air Fund.

Austen thought it would be fun to make some soap with the boys, so off they went to get some suds going. It's amazing how little I have to participate in these projects now that the boys are so much older. Austen took on the role of lead instructor. He did a great job explaining the technique of making Melt & Pour soap. Peter was right there with him showing Jacob and Jarvis some of his favorite molds and fragrances.

Jarvis left for home the next morning. We are all happy to think of his family getting bubbly in the Bronx with the soap that he made up here in the Green Mountains.

Red Belt Success!

Last night the Randolph Blue Wave TKD clan traveled up to the Burlington Blue Wave Dojang for a great night of testing. Once a student has reached 3rd Gup (Blue Belt with Red Stripe), they must test outside of their home dojang. Gerry was notified last week that he would be testing in Burlington for his RED belt. This is a huge deal because earning your Red Belt leaves you only 2 tests away from BLACK BELT! It also means testing in front of a formidable panel of Black BeltsTesting is really hard physically and pretty intense emotionally. Here's a quick vid. of Gerry's Board Breaking and Sparring segments. You can see that he kicked Master White and Miss Essig when he tried to break. It looked painful. Gerry apologized after the testing. He did an amazing job during his testing! He was very focused and looked great!!

I get the sense that being a Red Belt is kind of like pledging for a fraternity. Master White was telling the dojang last night that lots and lots of people quit TKD as Red Belts and that students have to stay focused and determined to make it all the way. They often have to drop and do push-ups for whatever reason a Black Belt comes up with. They also fetch the Black Belts their coffee, serve ice cream to 350 people at Summer Camp and do other types of scrub work.

I can't wait for the day that my three boys test for their Black Belt. Although Austen and Peter weren't quite ready for this testing, they are working really hard to earn the right to test before the Fall. Gerry has said that his goal is to test with the boys for Black Belt. Big congrats to Sonja and Mike who also earned their Red Belts and Ramsey who earned her Red Stripe! Huge congratulations to Gerry for his outstanding job!! We are all so proud of you!!!

Meanwhile, I will test (with Ella?) for my yellow stripe on Tues 7.29. I'm nervous, but I totally love the personal challenge that TKD is making me face. TKD couldn't possibly be any further out of my comfort zone and I am totally into it.

Too Much Soaping Lately?

Remember "Castaway", the movie starring Tom Hanks and a volleyball? He named the ball Wilson (it was a Wilson volleyball), and made it/him his friend. I think I have my very own Wilson. Is that... wrong?

I was having a hard time coming up with a name for a new fragrance formulation. I'm a girl who can head into space pretty quickly, so that's where I went to try to solve my problem. When I came back into focus (literally and figuratively), I spied this little soap ball that had been tossed aside about a month ago. It was part of a batch of Kumquat soap. The batch was nice, but a little too soft so I made a few soap spheres with it. I had also topped the batch with calendula petals, which ended up on top.

Still without a name for my new fragrance, I found myself decorating my soap ball and turning him into Bubba. This is a sure sign that I need more fresh air in my days!

Counting My Blessings

Last night was Bubble Class #2 with the Blessings Craft Club. This group is perfectly named! Each one of the five ladies is sweet, funny, kind and uber~crafty! Last night's class was a mixture of fun and hard work as we kicked through 3 projects. We made melt & pour projects, re~usable dryer sachets & (my favorite) shea & sugar scrub.

It's so fun to get to know someone based on their sensuality. I'm not teetering on nasty talk, I mean getting to know which fragrances, colors and textures appeal to one's senses. I'm not as good at guessing as I'd like to be. The Blessings Girls cover the spectrum. The best, BEST thing is watching someone's face when they get it just the way the like it! It's a magic moment. Just look at their beautiful work! Fragrances like Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, Bonsai, Creme Brulee and
a really yummy China Rain, Vanilla & Rose blend (courtesy of Brambleberry) filled the air!
Life is so good!

Thanks again to all of you girls! I may "teach" the class, but you all make it so fun! These are evenings that I really look forward to!! :)

The Great Cape Escape

We had a blast on the Cape. The weather was fantastic, the kids were wonderful and it was a really nice time spent with Gerry's parents. I just love the salty air of the beach. As much as I adore living in Vermont, I do miss the Great Atlantic and beachy living. Thank goodness I can go get my fix in Cotuit. Huge thanks and hugs to Gerry's 'rents for inviting us down year after year for great times with family!

I have a ton of soaping to do! My BFF Laurel's future SIL has her bridal shower in Sun Valley, Idaho on August 3rd and I am making the favors! I'm so excited to do it and I'm anticipating some mad production in the next couple of days.

I'm also so excited to have the "Blessings Crafters" coming back for a Bubble Class on Thursday. You can read about their first class here. These ladies are a riot. I expect lots of laughter and some wonderful creativity!

Now I'm running off to pick up Max. I haven't seen him since last Thursday. I'm sure he'll be jumping for joy. (did I mention that he's part kangaroo?) I can't wait to see that crazy puppy.