Shimmer and Sparkle Fairy Bath

New item...perfect for your little pixie! These bath crystals shimmer, they soften skin, they bubble, AND as if that weren't enough, they smell GREAT!

These jars are Wild Strawberry Scent. You can choose from Banana, Bubble Gum, Wild Strawberry, Watermelon, or Coconut. I'll soon be listing these in my Etsy shop at www.SugarSweetBathShoppe.etsy.com

Only $6 per 4 oz jar, about 8 bath's worth. Great gift idea or for party favors.

bath and body product ingredients

If you have ever wondered what the ingredients are for my bath and body products, here you go. This is to help aid you in choosing products if you have allergies or sensitive skin. Keep in mind I often add additional additives such as oatmeal, fragrance, honey, goat's milk, powdered milk, colorant, aloe gel, additional oils, micas, glitters, etc. to these bases that may not be listed below. The list below is for the untouched bases I use.

As always, if you ever experience allergy or irritation of any kind with a product, stop using it. You might also test a product on a small area of the inner arm and wait 24 hours before use. Many times its the scent that may irritate sensitive skin, and I am more than glad to make unscented items.

And of course, do not ingest the products or allow young children to use them unsupervised. Many b&b products have bakery and fruity scents and shapes that might trick little ones into thinking they are treats.

Glycerin soaps are mostly what I make and they will melt RAPIDLY if left in an undrained soap dish. Glycerin soaps with any form of vanilla in their scent (such as buttercream frosting or brown sugar vanilla) may discolor gradually into a tan-brown shade but are perfectly safe to use.

Lip balms may lose flavor after 4-6 months but are generally safe to use for up to a year. Many of my lip balms are sweetened with an aspartame sweetener.

Use caution when exiting the tub after using b&b products as tub may be especially slippery. Do not get into eyes. If you do, flush well with water.

Okay, the ingredients list:

Lip Balm/Lotion Base-Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E).

Clear soap base-Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sorbitol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Myristate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Cocoate, Water.

Goat's Milk soap base-Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Myristate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Goat Milk Powder, Titanium Dioxide, DMDM Hydantoin.

Honey soap base- Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sorbitol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Myristate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Honey.

Soy milk soap base- Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Myristate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Milk, Titanium Dioxide.

White soap base-Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Myristate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Titanium Dioxide.

Etc! on Main Street

So excited to be approved to have my crafts and b&b goods sold in Etc! on Main Street in McMinnville. I am currently crafting, bagging, and tagging about 40 items to put in, from glass necklaces to soaps to lip balms. Hope to have all items in by the end of this week. Go by and visit if you get a chance. They are located across from the fire hall and have a lot of pretty things to sell. The painted plaques are adorable! Tell them Lynn sent you.

I also was invited to join my first Etsy team. I am still learning what it involves but hopefully it'll mean even more exposure.

Held a two-day promo at www.whimsylanecreations.etsy.com and racked up about 40 sales. One sale was for 20 caps! That's what I'm talking about. Thank the Lord for the blessings.

Nick is away at church camp in Florida while the littles and I pet-sit for the youth pastor and his wife (who are also on the trip to Florida). While on the trip Nick spent the first 24 hours with ice pick headaches and bad nose bleeds. Day two he thought he broke his toe. I wonder what today holds? Hopefully safe fun! Back home here it's been an experience taking care of the two tiny bundles of energy on top of my dog and her six pups, crabs, fish, frog, and two cats. Is this a zoo or what? I am thinking of charging admission. :)

In between all that and recent Easter fun, my new shop at www.whimsylanecreations.com is in the works. It will feature a drop-down menu that will make it much easier to order personalized items and give discounts than it is on Etsy. Plus it will be ultra-girly!

Take care until next post,

Lynn

Bath & Body give away!

I am holding my own Celebrate Spring give away!

What you'll win:

*2 soaps, picked at random...could be a glycerin spring-themed/Easter soap, or my new oatmeal, milk, and honey bar made with real yogurt, oats, and honey. Or perhaps my new cold cream soap. Hmmm...what will she pick??

*1 4 oz. foaming sugar scrub (I'll let the winner pick the scent)

*1 4 oz. whipped bath butter (again, winner picks scent)

*1 lip balm tube or pot, picked at random

Deadline to enter is midnight March 26th. Winner will be drawn at random from all entries received.

How to enter:

1. Post my contest on your blog. Send me the link. One entry.

2. Become a blog follower. One entry. Let me know when you've done this.

3. Become a fan on Facebook. Search under Sugar Sweet Bath Shoppe. Let me know when you've done by posting a wall note that says "I'm a fan! Enter me!"

Give away, hurry!

Giveaway!!!

You don't want to miss this! Jennifer, over at The Trendy Spot

http://www.thetrendyspot.blogspot.com/

is hosting a give-away this month for this adorable, hand-made cloth baby doll and a super-fab new key chain/mini change purse she just invented. Gotta get one of these ladies! If you are on-the- go but don't want to mess with lugging a purse, this is for you. This is Jennifer's take on her own creation:

"A fabulous new item! The other week we went to a concert at the Sommet Center. I didn't want to carry my purse for obvious reasons but since I was the driver, I needed my license, insurance card and of course I needed my cell and money. So, I drug my purse along with me. When I got home, I had an idea in my head and set out to create it. So, this is what I came up with... A small keychain/ID holder that has plenty of room for your debit/credit cards and money and a roomy pocket on the back for your cell phone!"

Go check her out and tell her Lynn sent ya. ;)

Sampler Village

Both my shops will have samples in the March and April Sampler Village boxes.

So go check it out and order your awesome sample box today!

www.SamplerVillage.com

Olive Oil cleanse...improved

I am still using the Olive Oil cleanse I started months ago. Its quick, easy, and believe it or not, I actually kind of like the smell of tea tree oil now. :) What's more, I tweaked it a bit and its WORKING better!!

My oily skin is not so oily. My large pores are shrinking and lightening up and coming clean. Its amazingly easy and inexpensive. Sounds gross but leaves skin soft and smooth and NOT greasy. I certainly don't need any more oil on my face.

Even better recipe:

Mix 1 oz. olive oil with about 20 drops tea tree oil. Every morning and night rub this onto face (even eyes). Let it sit for a minute and then gently wipe off with a dry cloth. That's it! It removes makeup, softens skin, isn't greasy, and has helped my skin be much clearer. Give it a try for about a month and see how you like it. No harsh scrubs or chemicals to dry your face. Maybe this will even help combat wrinkles. Olive oil is just good all-around. Why not your face?

-Lynn

New soap scents and lip balm flavors

I now have the following soap scents:

Very Sexy type

Rapture type

Butterfly Meadows

and Oatmeal, Milk, and honey

I've added more soy milk, honey, and even yogurt-based melt and pour to my selection.

I have lots of new lip balm flavors, too!

Try Circus Peanut, Raspberry Lemonade, CranGrape, Gummy Bear, Lemon Sorbet, and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Give me a few days to make some wonderful goodies and I'll post them to my Etsy shop.

-Lynn

DIY Valentine's Treats...NO CALORIE!

Here's an easy and adorable project you can do for Valentine's to give as gifts. It won't break your bank or expand your friends' waistlines. :)

.........candy heart soaps............

What you'll need:

white melt and pour soap (at least one pound-I like Bittercreek Candle's soap or EBay seller, Microbiding's soap)

soap-safe scent (I used Bittercreek Candle Supply's Chocolate Covered Berries)

flexible mold of your choice (I used a heart-shaped ice mold from the dollar store)

stirring sticks

Pyrex measuring cup

access to microwave

sharp knife

skin-safe colorant or food coloring (food coloring can fade over time or stain skin if too much is used-I used VANILLA coloring from The Chemistry Store)

optional additives and toppers (I used real cocoa powder, about 1 tbsp., and some real sugar sprinkles)

spritz bottle with rubbing alcohol

What to do:

Step 1: using a sharp knife, cube about 1 lb. of white soap base.

Step 2: melt these cubes in your microwave in Pyrex cup, about 30 seconds at a time, until creamy

Step 3: allow to cool slightly, then add about 1/2 tsp color.

Step 4: stir and add more coloring if desired

Step 5: pour in about 1/2 tbsp. of skin-safe scent. You may need to adjust this; follow your manufacturer's guidelines.

Step 6: add in additives if desired, such as sifted cocoa powder

Step 7: put a few sugar sprinkles into your mold if desired

Step 8: pour soap into molds to harden. Spritz with a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol. This prevents bubbles from forming.

Step 9: after the soap has hardened (you can put your mold into the fridge or freezer for about 5 minutes to speed up process), pop soaps out, wrap, and give!

Getting ready for EXPO

I am getting sample bags ready for a women's home business expo in our town on Saturday. I am making 100 sample bags to pass out; some will contain soaps or mini lip balms. Others will have bottle cap pendants. I'm enclosing coupons too, so all the ladies there can get a discount off items in my Etsy stores.

You can get a discount on your shopping too! Just visit my stores at:

www.whimsylanecreations.etsy.com

or

www.SugarSweetBathShoppe.etsy

and make a purchase of $30 or more (excluding shipping costs).

Type in "EXPO" in the comments box at checkout, and I will go back in and refund $2 off your order via Paypal (I wish there was an easier way to do it, but Etsy's payment structure is somewhat odd, as is giving discounts/promos via the site). This offer expires March 31, 2010.

I love to do custom orders but they can take up to two weeks to make and receive, so contact me now to get ahead on spring gift-giving. I am still taking Valentine's orders as well.

Blessings!

Lynn