Easter Swap Goodies!

I was absolutely THRILLED when my name was chosen as one of Monica's Easter swap partners and had such fun putting together a basket of goodies for her. The postal transit time between CT and Italy pushes my patience to the limit, but when her package arrived at my doorstep, it was well worth the wait! Her wrapping job is so beautiful that one is tempted to hold off on opening each package. I may have been tempted, but I am not stupid :-) Inside were such beautiful, carefully selected treasures...all lovingly made by my thoughtful and very talented friend! I started the unveiling with the wonderful Easter card, in which Monica gave me a bit of background information on several of the presents. I was in tears before I even removed a single bow on the packages. Monica, by the way, ties bows that would have Houdini struggling to get through...adds to the anticipation! Prior to taking pictures, this time, I chose the perfect spot for each item. The only exception is the adorable bunny she made, who is sitting in a metal basket that hangs from my kitchen window. I couldn't get the lighting right, so I plopped her on my comfy bed pillows for the photo session. The little, handpainted bell and trinket box have joined another bell, from Monica, on my dresser. The "Wish" bunnies are nestled in their egg, hanging on the curtain rod, in my bedroom. The nest, which Monica found in her garden...and is my absolute favorite...is...where else? In the vintage birdcage I have in my living room. Once again, Monica, you demonstrate an uncanny ability to select the perfect gift. The morning the package arrived, I had been playing around with different items to put inside the cage: silk flowers, different types of greenery, candles, baubles & buttons, ribbons & lace. I got slightly frustrated with cage renovations and decided to leave it empty until I could find something that worked. I laughed so hard when I opened the bird's nest...utter perfection. I'm sure I've forgotten something....ohhhhhhh, the soap cone: a fun, whimsical cone filled with springy soaps...such fun! I love, love, love everything and am so very grateful for the friendship that has evolved all because of this fantastic forum. What an amazing thing it is to come together, in this "vast" arena (special smiles for you, Monica) and make such true friends!

Squeaky Clean

I had to run over to Michael's (craft supplies) this afternoon. "Had to" is such a joke. Who am I kidding? Any excuse for a field trip to Michael's, works for me! After wandering the aisles for a little bit, I realized I truly didn't need anything...until I stumbled upon the soap making section. Uh oh. Big trouble! I have been wanting to make my own soaps for quite some time, but the process looked far too complicated for my liking. Time for a short-cut. I bought a few different, microwavable blocks of soap (olive oil, goat's milk & glycerin) and two sets of molds. I already had some essential oils at home. I had such fun making soap tonight and realized how inexpensive it is, when you consider paying $3.99-$5.99 for a bar of "specialty" soap. I took apart an old sachet and used the dried lavender in the lavender scented soaps. I like the natural look of those bars. Any recipes/ suggestions for things that work well with or in soaps, would be greatly appreciated!