Friday Sketch Challenge #61

Morning everybody hope you are all keeping well and warm.

Today is Friday Sketch Challenge Time and we would love for you to come over and join in the fun.  Today's sketch is by the lovely Kelly and this certainly got the old juices going as I wanted to do this beautiful sketch justice.  

Today's sponsor is 

and the Prize for the winning entry is

$5 Gift Certificate

Here is my card, hope you like it

Shades of Purple 

Why not pop over to Friday Sketch Challenge

and join in the fun 

Off to do a bit of blog hopping now

Love Alison xxx

Evening All

I am so sorry not to have been checking your blogs out over the last couple of days but have been busy sorting my soap out, I decided I would rebatch all my soap (had to grate it all into small bits) and use my new moulds so that all my soaps are all the same size, so far I have rebatched the following

Lavender & Patchouli
Honey and Oats
Rose Geranium
Marjoram, Fennel and Avocado
Coconut
Orange and Lemon
Non-Perfumed

Picture of my Honey & Oats below these little bars weigh in at 90g and I am selling them boxed for £3.00 think that should be ok, don't want to undersell myself nor do I wish to overprice my goodies

These just need to cure now for around 4-6 weeks 

Back to making my normal soap first no grating thank goodness my hands are quite sore.  

I have been asked to make three cards so I must get on with them, have just finished all my DT blogging so am off to look at all your wonderful creations just now.  Got my car back yesterday from the garage they have done a wonderful repair to my boot where I backed into a wall, only trouble is Sarah's car is in the garage so Alan is using mine and Sarah is using her Dad's so I am left without transport and as the bus is very few and far between from here to anywhere am staying home where its dry and warm.

Off to do some blog hopping now

Love Alison xx

Such a Naughty Blogger

Hi Everybody

Not caught up with you for a few days as I have been trying to sort my soap out which thankfully all done, I phoned The Soap Kitchen, where I buy all my stuff from to make soap and candles as their customer service is first rate and the staff all fall over themselves to help you fantastic service.  I spoke with Richard who is the founder of the company and explained that I had changed my soap moulds to loaf mould to tray mould and explained that my soap was the same texture of goats cheese.

He took my recipe that I use to make my soap and went away for a short while, within the hour I had a call from him telling me my recipe was wrong for tray moulds and gave me the correct format using my ingredients well chuffed will have a go tomorrow and see.

In the meantime I have rebatched the soap that went wrong added some colourant to make swirls in the soap and they have turned out perfect, only have to let them cure now for 4-6 weeks and all ready for the next market I attend.

Below is Lavender & Patchouli Soap 

This is re-batched soap (or French Milled) depends where you are from

Now just have to cure them and box them 

Will be back later on to do some blog hopping.

Love Alison xx

Morning Everybody

Hope you all had a good weekend, mine was certainly productive two DT cards finished and a card for me to post, I also made some lavender soap but have a problem have cured it overnight and I should be able just to tip it out of the mould (my new one) but for some reason the soap is very crumbly and is breaking when I try to take it out, think it may be too much water as I got Alan to measure it for me and think he may of put too much in.  Have popped it in the freezer for a couple of hours and will try again if not will have to throw this away and make a new batch.

The card I want to share with you today is an anniversary card, the image is from Dr Digi which I think has some fab fun images of which I now own a few of, can you tell I could not sleep last night was up until 3.30am and then had to take Sarah to work so was up at 7am, am tired now but will have to keep myself going otherwise I will be up all night again.

The silicone Glue is showing through on the photo but does not on the card thank goodness.  Am off to have some breakfast now and then as all the housework is done, Alan and Sarah set too yesterday, I can sit and relax and make another card yippee

Will be back blog hopping later 

Love Alison xxx

Had A Great Time

Hi All

Had a lovely afternoon at Rachel's doing a bit of crafting - colouring images in ready to make cards with.  We also discussed my website and the fact that some of my cards because I have made them with Crafter's Companion images I am not allowed to put them online, also the bag I made for my soap is also due to copyright laws not suitable for me to use commercially and a couple of other things came to light so I have decided to close the website for now and just concentrate on a few more markets which when looking we have found one that is only held 4 times a year so Rachel and I are thinking of doing that together and I can concentrate on getting my soap stocks built again and making some more candles.    In a way it's a relief knowing that I don't have to keep the pace up in making soap etc.

My new soap moulds turned up today so am going to have a go at making some more soap tomorrow think it is the turn of unscented and also lavender, and if I have enough lavender and patchouli which always sells well.

On another positive note I have found a course that offers a more in-depth knowledge of soap making so am going to book myself onto that.  I am also going to start using my poor neglected sewing machine and will post my make when I have completed it, have started cutting material already lol.  I have ordered myself a pattern for a couple of bags that I would like to make but before that I need to make a nice cover for my sewing machine.

Well that's it from me for now have no card to post as I did not get around to making one but will try and sort something out for tomorrow.

Night Night

Love Alison 

Am off Crafting at Rachel's this afternoon

Morning all

How are you today, keeping warm and well I hope.   Had a lovely night's sleep last night the first in ages although very tired just not been able to sleep.

Alan passed his 17th Edition Exam although he reckons it was touch and go as nothing sunk in, but he is just a born worrier I had no qualms about him not passing.

I am off to Rachel's today for a crafty afternoon am going to work on some DT cards so will not be able to post them until the date set, so sorry for being a tease.

But I do have something to show you, what do you reckon to this little favor bag have done it this color so that it shows better than the white.

I have also redesigned my soap packet again, I decided the box I showed you in a previous post would be too much like hard work especially when the orders start coming in, it would of meant my making the blue label for each box and then sticking it down so I thought I would go for something a bit simpler and also could use the labels I already have in stock and are by Avery so already sticky, just a bit of magic worked on publisher and away we go.

This is just a template as I am awaiting card stock to arrive so had to use a pearlised card and it doesn't like the folds I want it to do keep splitting but at least I know what it looks like when put together.

Right am off to have a shower and get my bits and bobs ready to take with me to Rachel's.

Will blog hop later.

Love To All

Ali xx

Up Early Today

Morning all

How is everybody, this weather is certainly affecting my bones, arthritis playing up badly today but hey ho there are people out there worse off than me.   My car has gone to the garage to have the boot door replaced after I backed into a wall before Christmas, the courtesy car looks nice hope it's ok to drive, never driven a Citroen before.

I decided I wanted to make a card for the hell of it today although I have loads to sell I wanted to make some wedding invitations to put onto my website.

Alan has been on a course all week, something about 17th Edition (Electrics) and he has his exam today think he is slightly worried as he says his brain doesn't seem to want to take it in but I think he is just a worrier and he'll be fine, I mean he has been an Electrician for around 45 years, omg just realised how old he is, I never seem to think of him as getting older to me he is still that 25 year old I met all those years ago.

Well here is my card I have used a tattered lace bow which I bought ages ago and made 250 wedding invitations using it but then put it away sick of the sight of it, but wanted to bring it out and give it some love again.

Well am off to add more stuff to my website will be back later to do a bit of blog hopping.

Love to All

Alison x