A Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek of my mini handmade soaps in the mini flax linen bags that I have made.

These are especially for Thea's  Morning Tea she is kindly hosting this morning.

Australian Biggest Morning Tea is an annual event held all across the country.

These mini soaps and bags, along with an amazing collection of other handmade and natural items are going to be put in the goodie bag which will be given to each wonderful person attending this morning.

I can't wait!

Raising funds for Cancer Council research.

A cause so dear to my heart.

Don't you wish you were coming too?

Linen and Lavender.

I dropped in to see Thea  about two weeks ago at her studio and her new studio shop was well underway.

There was a lot of sorting, painting and assembling going on.
It is all up and running now.

Anyway, I came home with some of her natural Flax Linen that I wanted to sew.

But, first of all I had to take some images of this beautiful and so very natural fabric that just loves lavender and handmade soap.

I bought this small heart shaped pan in a small homewares store in Montmartre, Paris.

I have never used it.

It's one of those things that I just love to look at.

Too sentimental?

It brings back sweet memories of Paris and makes me think of when I will get to visit there again.

After using some of the linen I realised that I could not part with any of the left over bits.

 I love the feel of it and it is just gorgeous to sew.

Why not take a close-up of the bits?

A simple natural linen bag for natural handmade lavender soap.

 Du Savon Dans Un Sac

Don't forget Thea is hosting a morning tea as part of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea for Cancer Research at her new studio shop. See here for details.

Soaping and Sailing!

Such a busy morning.

Three batches of soap are now wrapped up in their quilts and chenille bedspreads as they go through there gelling phase.

One of the vegetable oils in my soap is Coconut Oil.

At this time here of the year it is solid.

So, it needs scooping out of the container.

It looks like ice cream.

It is then melted and then stirred together with Sunflower oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I love the richness of these oils.

The colour and the textures.

The Lye is added and the saponification process begins.

Saponification is the chemical reaction between the vegetable oils and the Lye

So, it is stir, stir, and more stirring...

Then, for me this is the 'magic' phase.

When it becomes to look like custard!

It thickens up, it lightens up and looks good enough to eat.

The essential oils are then added.

These are the ones I am working with at the moment...

All stirred in well than poured into a mould.

This is where they will stay for 24 - 36 hours.

In the guest room.

Covered in quilts and bedspreads so they don't get too cool too quickly.

Resulting in a natural soap in it's purest form.

Plain and simple

No colours.

None of the bad stuff.

No fragrances only pure and natural (and expensive) essential oils.

The only soap available on Madeit at the moment has organic oats in it.

You can see the spots.

So, as I wait for these soaps to begin there curing time which will last about 4 weeks...

I am looking outside and the weather is absolutely fabulous.

There is no wind, which to me is perfect for sailing

(You must think I am mad!)

We will be spending time on the bay.

Probably anchoring at Peel Island

Just for a few nights.

To enjoy the weather

and watch the sunsets.

See you later.

Pam x

My quilt will just have to wait.



Vintage Embroidery Love

 Had fun making these gift bags for soaps today. Gorgeous vintage hand embroidered linens and cottons and a Cath Kidston fabric.

They are available here.

I will be hosting an exciting giveaway here in the next few days. With over 100 posts and over 100 followers it's time to celebrate.

Take care

Thrifty Threads and Florals

Vintage fabric finds this morning, ready for re-purposing

... retro blue flowers on blue flowers... 

... 6 Blue Rose 100% cotton Serviettes from Denmark, never been used...

...Pink Shabby Rose Cotton Tablecloth...

...Stunning vintage hand embroidered poppies on a very old linen tablecloth...

...reminds me of Ring a Ring of Roses...

 Just wanted to share this morning's fabric finds with you from two of my local thrift stores.

Usually I am not this lucky! So, when I am, I love to share it.

Escaping to the Beach

A spur of the moment decision to escape to the beach for a few days lead us to the Northern New South Wales Coast. Not the most brilliant weather for the beach but we are making the most of it and enjoying the very lush rainforest in the hinterland, and exploring the gorgeous towns of Yuki, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah.



Surf Lifesaver Caps hanging in Kingscliffe Surf Club

Blogging from the beach at Kingscliff this morning, I received a really nice email from my lovely NZ blogging friend Shane from Roses Lace and Brocante thanking me for my soaps that she ordered from my Madeit store.

Shane has a lovely blog, a lover of all things French and has family living in France. She is also a very creative in her crafty pursuits. I have been following her blog for a while now you, can check it out  here

Thanks Shane, for being my first customer to order my soap. It is exciting to think that my soap has been sent to a customer in Auckland all through the power of blogging.

Crafty

I just can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by! This week for me has been so busy but I have managed to sew up a few more bags for new batches of soap that have just cured. I always ensure that I use a bar of soap from each batch to make sure it is just right and these new batches are heaven! I am really pleased with them.

I need more room in my crafting area so I really need to use up my fabric collection which I know will take a while. (sigh...as I look around me!..but then if I use it all up it will be instinctively replaced, of that I am sure)...but, I am having fun and I am loving sewing and embellishing these bags.

I have been sewing for as long as I can remember. I used to make my own clothes as a teenager as I could never find exactly what I wanted. I used to sew childrens' clothes and sell them at the markets when my children were small and young enough to be my models without a word of protest.

My passion for sewing has now been re-ignited in the past few months, so has my love of embroidery and crochet.

You never know what may be listed on my online shop !

What I have been up to...

This is what I have been up to in the past few weeks...

...waiting for soap to cure...



Lavender Soap



Lemon Myrtle Soap

...trying to work out a different way of packaging my handmade soap that is different to everybody elses and that I was really happy with. At the same time the packaging had to be attractive and appealing and very special for my gorgeous soap. It is wrapped in paper with a band that details all ingredients, then it is stuffed placed into the drawstring bag.

I wanted to use up my huuuuge collection of fabrics that has been tucked away in the linen press, chests, and drawers.

Fabrics I have brought back from europe and other places. Fabrics to be re-purposed, to use and to give pleasure (I hope) instead of being hidden away.

Vintage serviettes, 1940's barkcloth curtains, 60's and 70's retro tablecloths and tea towels, all being cut up to be re-used. Most of these items have only a useable portion...but I am getting the most out of the fabric making the bags limited editions. Once the fabric has gone that's it.

Fabrics that have been discontinued like Laura Ashley's 'Clarissa'....

Crochet doilies and embroidered doilies getting a new lease of life because of my eclectic sewing habits.

I have opened a 'made it' store where I am slowly listing my soap and the drawstring bags.

This is pretty big for me!

Please check it out and let me know what you think.