Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Still pluggin along getting inventory ready for our fall shows.  Because yesterday was Memorial Day, I did not make soap.  I spent the day down with my daughters and 3 of the grandkids.  We went to a parade in Sheridan, went to lunch, and hit up a few garage sales.  It was just fun hanging out together.

Today I made some more electric grubbies, some more tarts, more candles, and soap scented with Fairy Tales.

I am using some new soap colorants.  The company I first bought my micas from is out of business and I have been having trouble finding soap stable colorants.  I found some liquid ones that I tried out in the soap above.  Because the soap is called Fairy Tales, I kept the colors soft. 

Word of the day: 

Tuesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Saint(s) of the day : St. Mother Orsola (Giulia) Ledóchowska (1865 - 1939)  

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:28-31.

Peter began to say to Jesus, "We have given up everything and followed you.»
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first."

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

This morning I had 3 of the grandkids here.  I decided to work on a rug since I can stay in one place an keep an eye on the monkeys.  Madison is a big help in handing me strips - keeps me from having to keep reaching for them.  I got up to go get something and came back to this:

Madison loves to "make rugs."  She has a specific protocol - she has to have her shoes on (which for some reason she skipped in the above picture). 

We have about 6 weeks until the Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival so I have to close in on finishing up any soap we want to have for sale in the next 2 weeks.

Nothing gets me out of a funk like making soap. Today I decided to do something fun and make cupcakes. Madison and Claire love soapie cupcakes.  I made a batch scented with Fairy Tales.

I also tried out a new scent.  I purchased it for my brother-in-law to try.  I'm not sure if it is a scent I will keep.  I'll post a pic of it cut up tomorrow.  We'll see how it goes at the Syrup Festival.  I swirled with with black which morphed to dark green - go figure.  I will probably call it Praire Moon. 

I also packaged the County Fair this week.  Packaged other soaps last week.  Should be pretty well stocked up for soap for the syrup festival.

Word of the day:
Tuesday of the Fourth week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St. Joseph Bilczewski, Bishop (1860-1923), St Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus, Religious (1842-1912)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 5:1-16.

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep (Gate) a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be well?"
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me."
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."
He answered them, "The man who made me well told me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'"
They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?"
The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you."
The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

I unmolded my Fairy Tales soaps.  The minis were really hard to unmold.  I had to put them in the freezer.

 This song has been running through my mind all day.  LOL!  Makes me think of my dad who loved Frank Sinatra (except Dad's voice was even better.)  I grew up with scratchy 78s and the cool 45s



Oh, it looks really nasty out.  It is as dark as dusk and the air smells damp.  There is a cool breeze coming in the back door and it is thundering and lightening.  Harold and Howard are over at Anna's and they were working on the roof.  My guess is that they are done for the day.  I sure hope this gets it out of its system before the 5k tonight.

Well, the power just went out - you can feel that the air is lighter now that the humidity is dropping.  The storm is moving east so I am  hopeful about tonight.

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23:1-12.

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Well, Deb E., you have created a mini cupcake monster. I don't know why I didn't try this before.  They were so much fun to do.  I may need to include them in my regular soap routine.  Maybe do 5 large cupcakes and 5 small.  These are just way too cute!!! Thanks for the prodding, Deb.  Of course I will set aside one of them just for you as a thank you.  I also have 3 little granddaughters who will love this soap.  It's scented in Fairy Tales fragrance oil.

 

Word of the day:
Friday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. John Eudes, Priest (1601-1680)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 22:34-40.

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together,
and one of them (a scholar of the law) tested him by asking,
Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?
He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

Saturday, April 16, 2011

This morning's funeral was one of the hardest I've had to do in a long time.  The kids were troopers and I had 4 students come over to help with the music.  As long as I didn't look at the parents, I was okay, however during Communion one little girl walked over to the red casket and just stood looking up at Owen's picture.  I had to look away.  I can't imagine the kind of pain those parents are going through.

Tonight we had Palm Sunday Mass.  It went well, but we had to have a short procession because of the rain.  Tomorrow the choir will be there. 

Here is the Fairy Tales soap cut up and also the 3 cupcakes I made.   I listed the slices on Artfire and it has had 14 views already!!! 

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St Engratia, Virgin and Martyr and Eighteen Martyrs of Saragossa (+ 304)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11:45-56.

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation."
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish."
He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.
So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples.
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?"

Friday, April 15, 2011

This morning's Mass was bittersweet. We all dressed in red. Red was Owen's favorite color. Father's homily was about the tough week that the kids have gone through. It was hard to look out at the little ones and know that a face was missing. After Mass, the students gathered in the parish hall. Each was given a red or white balloon. We all headed out to the courtyard. Father gave a short tribute and the balloons were released. This is something these kids will remember the rest of their lives. This afternoon the kids will go to the funeral home. Such a hard lesson for such young ones.

Tomorrow is the funeral. The school kids gave me suggestions for music. Those students who attend the funeral will be invited to sing with the cantor.
Tomorrow is going to be a hard day.

 As I usually do when I am feeling down, I made some soap. There is something soul-satisfying about doing things like making soap or baking bread. I made a soap that I will name Fairy Tales. It is swirled with pink and lavender, sprinkled with pink and lavender glitter, and decorated with candy pearls. I made 3 little cupcakes and our usual maple leaf sample sizes. It is so pretty. I can't wait to cut it.  I even had enough left to make a couple of flowers.  I still need to wait a little longer before piping the frosting, but I am getting there.

Late night update:   We were featured in an Artfire Collection!!

 
Word of the day:
Thursday of the Fifth week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St Peter Gonzales, Dominican Priest (1190-1246)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 8:51-59.

Jesus said to the Jews: «Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.»
(So) the Jews said to him, "Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?"
Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.
So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."
So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.