new soap

I finally started to experiment with shampoo bars. Have made Tea tree with neem. Over the last year I have had so many folks asking for this one I had to make it. Its curing now. I will know in about 24 hours what it loooks like cos I have atempted to colour with alkanet root which gives a varying blue/ pin colour depending on pH and quantity of herb used. Then started maing a grapefruit shampoo bar only to realise I have run out of castor oil - essential ingredient in shampoo bars! So had to ring the suppliers to get added to current order. They were at lunch so now waiting for call back. Anyway having been twarted at grpefruit I have made Orange ( normal) soap instead with calendula flowers felcxked thru if for orangey coloured bits - no idea if this will work but I reallyt need to add colour to my soaps. I have also been surfing - virtual style and found a natural food colouring suplier which I shall check out and if their products can be ok`d as vegan may well be taking this further. So have 2 new soaps currently in larder curing and in about a month will be sending out samples to the kind folks who give me feedback. Intending for a lemon and lavender shampoo bar as well since I have been using this one for a whole year and its nice - made using camomile infusion so good for blonds and may also do a rosemary one for brunettes. Heyho I love January - tho making no money at all!!! having said that have an order to deliver locally on wednesday and also have taken about £40 online but its not really anywhere near enough to live on and april is now very close and my savings will be gone after that! Still I may yet make this self employment work. After all the year is not over as yet is it...............

online business, xmas wreaths and cold hands

Well I am doing ok with ebay now I have sussed out most of the controls. Lost quite a bit listing wrongly or badly but seem to be doing better now. I am not doing so well on my own website which is a shame but maybe it will slowly pick up. Trouble is xmas soon over and I suspect no one will buy anything I make for a month or so after that so hard times will be ahead. Just heard from M that is snowing where he works - about 20 miles from here but no sign of snow as yet here. Sent a new soap sample to all team members but so far no feedback but having used it myself I think its rather a nice one. Just need to get someone else to tell me what they think - hint hint if anyone out there is reading this........................
Going to have a go at shampoo bars next week. Cant wait to be honest. i only ever made one and it wasnt too bad but now I want to aim to bring out at least 2 early next year since apparently the cosmetics regs are changing and the price of saftey assessments os abou ot go sky high so I need to get as much in there asap as I realistically can manage but ofcourse I still need to make sure its good quality else no point bothering at all. Doing Reading eco-veggie fayre this weekend and hopefully that will be a good one and other than that I am just sending out internet orders till xmas. Looking forward to xmas this year. No nasty company bullying me anymore and no nastiness at all hanging over us. Just hope we can continue to make ends meet..............
Oh and finally made a wreath for the front door but it is a bit large and so had to cut off the outside and it is quite difficult locking and unlocking to door since you cant get to the key holes! Still I do like my new wreath and its all hand made and natural after all....................
I cleaned out my chickens this morning and my hands were so cold I still have pain in the ends of my fingers and thats after about 4 hours. I didnt even use water just a citronella spray. It should stop red spider mites moving into their house and although I usually disinfect I do not want them to have to go to bed later with frozen disinfectanty water a;ll over the inside of their home. I gave them loads of hay so they should be able to snuggle together and keep warm. I do worry about them at this time of year. I want a turkey for xmas - as in to have as a pet but I do not think we can actually afford to feed one right now which is really sad cos I would have liked to have saved someone .............still there is always next year..............