Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Today I absolutely HAVE to get my dungeon workroom straightened up.  These are the things I need to get done today:

Clean dungeon workroom.
Measure soap oils
Start figuring out inventory for fall shows
Package Primitive Blessings soap
Make stockings
Fold laundry

And then the evening is mine to quilt, quilt, quilt.  I love Thursdays!!

Oh, and I made a paper box from a video tutorial I saw on YouTube.  

Word of the day:
Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : 1st Martyrs of Rome (+ 1st century)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:1-8.

He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" --he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Here we are at the end of June. The days are sliding by so quickly. We had our Moeggenborg Family reunion last Sunday. The numbers are fewer and fewer each year. It's kind of sad to see. Entire branches of the family are not coming any more. We had a good time, but it was discouraging to see how few people come to it any more.

I made some soap last night. I'm getting in the the Christmas soap mode and made a batch of Pepperberry Wreath. It's a blend of an essential oil and a fragrance oil. I like it - reminds me of Christmas.  As usual, I made a large loaf, a mini loaf, 4 maple leaves, 5 cupcakes and a bunch of dobbies for future cupcakes.

 

I am still very bad about waiting to unmold and I managed to mash a little of the bottom of the larger loaf - but it was on the end where I cut samples from so I guess it's okay.  I just can't seem to leave it in the mold.  LOL!

Word of the day:
Saint Peter and Saint Paul, apostles - Solemnity
Feast of the Church : Saints Peter and Paul - Solemnity
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16:13-19.

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, «Who do people say that the Son of Man is?»
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Saturday, June 25, 2010

I puttered around doing some packaging today.  I made a batch of Blueberry Cobbler bath fizzies.  The batch I made the other night - well, let's say it isn't wise to put a fan on them if it is humid outside and the fan is next to a window.  They fizzed on me.  Smelled great, but the batch was wasted.  :(  I'm getting a little discouraged because I have given away several of these fizzies and only one person has given me any feedback.  I wish we still had a tub so I could test them out myself.  I don't know if they just didn't like them, haven't used them, or both.
Here is a picture of tonight's batch.  They look pretty good and I'm hoping they don't fizz on me before they are dried.  I have finally perfected my recipe!!

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. William of Vercelli (of Monte-Vergine), Abbot (+ 1142)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 8:5-17.

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him,
saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.
Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.
When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick,
to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: "He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases."

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Traditionally, Thursday night is quilting night for me but I just had to make soap. I was suffering from withdrawals. LOL! Soapmaking is good therapy for me. Things are in a bit of an upheaval at the church. I should be used to it by now because that seems to be the history with our parish, but it's hard. It confuses the parishioners and can often lead to a faltering of faith. I'm praying that things work out for all concerned. But in the meantime, soapmaking has the same effect on me that baking bread does. It soothes the soul. Tonight's batch is Christmas Tree. I put titanium dioxide in the the lye water, but then mixed 2 separate colors of green and swirled those in. I am hoping that the part that looks yellow will turn white. It should, but you never know with soap. The chemicals tend to do what they want to with the colors.

Word of the day:
Wednesday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Thomas More, Martyr (1478-1535), St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr (1459-1535)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7:15-20.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Oh, I am a sad, pitiable soul. I have absolutely no patience or discipline. Look what I did after saying that I would wait until Sunday. I figured since the loaf was in the fridge, it would be easy to unmold - and it was, but it is still soft. You can see that it started to gel even though it was in the fridge.

Here is one of the bitty bars.  I got a little too close with the camera.

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Elizabeth of Schoenau, St. Gregory Barbarigo, Bishop (1625-1697), Sts. Marcus and Marcellianus, Martyrs (+286)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6:24-34.

Jesus said to his disciples: «No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

Friday, June 17, 2011

I made a batch of Chai Tea candles yesterday and a batch of Chai Tea soap today. My cupcakes turned out a little lopsided, except for one of them.  I hope the swirl turns out.  I used cocoa as the darker color and some unscented batter with titanium dioxide in it.  I WILL not cut it until Sunday.  I WILL not cut it until Sunday.

I listed some new items on Artfire.  This soap is called Wash Day.  It smells to me like Mondays when I was a kid and the clothes dried on the line in the warm sunshine.  It has a a "clean cotton" kind of scent to it.

I just paid for our ad in the upcoming issue of Country Sampler so the girls and I need to get on the stick and start working on the Christmas stockings!!

These are some face cloths I have been making.  I hate to just sit and do nothing so when I'm riding in the car on a long trip or chatting at the table over coffee, I stitch these up.

Word of the day:
Friday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Herve, Abbot, (6th century)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6:19-23.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I made a batch of Cider Mill soap yesterday. I think with the higher percentage of goat milk, I am going to have to force myself to wait an extra day to unmold it. I also need to remember to get the loaf mold into the refrigerator as soon as it's poured. Yesterday's batch heated up - not too bad, but I could see a little difference in the top. Also, when I cut the loaf I could really smell the ammonia. When the liquid is all water, I think it evaporates faster. The thicker goat milk needs more time. The soap looks fine, but it was very soft when I unmolded it today.

Word of the day:
Tuesday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Elisha, Prophet (9th century BC)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:43-48.

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Been doing some of the more fun things around the Sugar Bush. My favorite thing to do is package products. I made a batch of Country Apple Bath Fizzies yesterday and they turned out really nice. I packaged them this morning.

Also, my first batch of soap made with fresh goat milk from Diane Davis is ready to package. It will be fully cured on Monday. I tried a bar this morning. All I can say is OMIGOSH! It is so creamy and nice! This is scented with Raspberry Jasmine Spice.   These would make really cute gifts for wedding or baby showers.

Last night Anna hosted an Album Making Party at her house.  I'm going to use it for Grandbaby pics.  Of course I'll need to make a few more to hold all the pics I have.


Word of the day:
Saint Barnabas, apostle – Memorial
Saint(s) of the day : St. Barnabas, Apostle
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10:7-13.

As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Claire and I made pancakes this morning.

Claire is going to add a message:
rufryruy7477777777747weydwtyyyyy          6666666yywj
She says this is a secret message.  I guess it will remain a secret.

On the business front, I made a batch fizzies last night.  Here is a pic of the Peach Scented one. 

Word of the day:
Friday of the Seventh week of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Margaret of Scotland, Queen (+ 1093)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21:15-19.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Here are some things I've been working on.  The picture below is of some Bridal Party Gifts that were ordered.  These were ordered back in May.  There are cupcake soaps for the women and soap slices for the men.  These were done in Lemongrass. 

 Below is a batch of fudge that I made with fresh goat's milk.  The taste is the same, but the texture is much creamier.  I had extra milk this week so I tried it.  I think we may be changing our recipe. 

Remember the batch of Primitive Blessings soap that I did the other day?  Here is a pic of it cut up.  It hasn't darkened yet, but it will.

Word of the day:
Thursday of the Seventh week of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Ephrem the Syrian, Deacon and Doctor of the Church (c.306-373)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 17:20-26.

I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them."

 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

First of all, Happy Birthday to my favorite son, favorite youngest child, and favorite auto body guy!
Of course he is a bit older than the little guy in the picture with the bowl haircut about which I never hear the end.  Hahaha.  Sam is 29 today!!  Here he is operating my knitting machine as he works on a Fair project.

One of our items was featured in a collection on Artfire.  Whoohoo!


It's too hot to do anything today.  I just wish we could have a spring and fall again.  LOL!



Word of the day:
Wednesday of the Seventh week of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Medard, Bishop (c.457_545)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 17:11b-19.

And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.

Monday, June 6, 2011

I made soap tonight. I did a video of me making it, but it's uploading at the moment so I don't know how it turned out.  I was going to take a picture of the batch in the molds, but when I went to do it, I could feel a lot of heat coming off of it.  The big loaf was already gelling so I rushed it down to the fridge.  I just hope there isn't a big crack in the top.

Word of the day:
Monday of the Seventh week of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Norbert, Bishop (c.1080-1134)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16:29-33.

His disciples said, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God."
Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."

 

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Ha! I was looking at pics on Facebook and found one with me in it.   If you look on the left hand side of the picture you will see a palm frond.  I am just to the right of it looking down.  LOL!  Good thing I knew where I was standing or I never would have found me. 

Word of the day:
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (+754) - Memorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 17:1-11a.

When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours,
and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Well, I finally got to make soap last night. I made Pumpkin Spice (sorry Deb). I make our Autumn soaps in the summer because our craft show season is insane starting with late September (when the stocking orders begin to roll in too.) I upped the goat milk on this. The lye concentration was 6.5 ounces of water and 16 ounces of goat milk. I put the batch in the refrigerator to keep it from gelling. I took it out this morning and it is really oily. I can't tell if the zap I am getting is from lye or fragrance oil. We shall see. The soap began to heat up a bit after I got it out of the refrigerator. I used no coloring, but swirled it with a cocoa powder mixture. I have used this in bar soap but it did not turn this gorgeous shade of orange. Perhaps the oven processing made a difference in the bars. I love the way these turned out. I am hoping the the moisture really is oil and not something else. Time will definitely tell.

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Sixth week of Easter
Saint(s) of the day : St. Francis Caracciolo, Priest & Co-Founder of Congregation (1563-1608)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16:23b-28.

On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."