Rosemary Mint and the Monday Ramblings

Finally, I have gotten to upload a pic of some of the soaps that I have curing! My digital camera passed on to the "Great Photo-Op in the Sky" last month and I have sorely neglected to get a new one. I still have not been anywhere to get a new one, too busy, but I did borrow one. Many gracious thanks to my dear friend and Pastor Rev. Elaine Barrow!

The pic that I have above is one of my newest soaps, Rosemary Mint. I love the smell, very invigorating! My daughters and I love to experiment and, again, I chose the scent and they chose the colors. I never really have tried to hard to swirl in a log mold, and it is not the easiest thing for me to do, but I think that it turned out nicely. At least on top :) I prefer log molds, they are easier for me to cut.. I can not even cut a straight line with a paper cutter! Thank Heavens I have a hubby that is a Master Carpenter! He builds my molds and cutters for me and all I have to do is show him a picture and feed him LOL

One of these days I just HAVE to go to Destin and get a new camera. Seems that things are always coming up to stop me. I will get some more "soap porn" up in the next few days though. Too bad you can't smell through the computer... I have a new Mango Papaya that will make your mouth water!

I'm calling it a night. The life of a Bus Driver is an early one. Good night and God Bless!

Mandi

I'm a Featured Artist!!!

Good Morning! I woke up today, as I so often do, before dawn. I drag myself out of the "meat locker" that I call a bedroom and stumble to the kitchen for that magic dark elixir that you might call COFFEE! This morning, I had my coffee on my front porch with my trusty bulldog Jughead (yes, that is his name! his head is HUGE!) and listened to the birds wake up and sing for me. Since my house can not be seen from the highway and I have no neighbors to see me either, I feel totally comfortable in my PJ's.
Morning is a wonderful time for reflection, planning and just general alone time. My kids and the hubby do not get up before 10am if they don't have to, and I can accomplish quite a lot in the hours before all the activity starts. I neglect a lot during the week, as far as computer time goes, due to my work driving the kids to and from school, and the other things that are bound to happen :)
I am not a very complicated person, as you might have guessed from my previous posts, and I would hardly call myself an "artist". I am just ME. BUT... Erica Pence at The Bonnie Bath Co. has chosen me to be her Featured Artist for her blog! I can not deny that I am extremely flattered by this! I do not normally get weepy and emotional but I DID when I read her blog this morning! She captured the true essence of me, and sometimes that is not the easiest thing to do.
There are so many others out there, countless others, that are far more talented and creative than I am. I love to learn about all things, and I frequently have less than half of the answers. It is a true honor for me to even be considered in this category! I am not a very creative person by nature, I tend to fall on the more logical and rational side of things. I heavily rely on family and friends for creative input. I prefer simplicity and know that I can always count on my teenage daughters for the more radical approach! (The Rosemary Mint soaps that I will be unveiling soon is the brainchild of my daughters, the scent choice is mine, but the colors are totally theirs!)
I can not thank Erica enough for what she has done for my spirits, and hopefully, my business! She even ordered herself a little something. ERICA: If you are reading this, look for a "lagniappe", a little something extra.
Be sure to check out the Bonnie Bath Co. Blog not only for my feature, but for all kinds of showcased artists, wonderful handmade products of all kinds and some really sound advice.
Now I am off to the soap pot to make more Lavender, send off mail, package orders, update Facebook, tweet, and just enjoy the beautiful day that we are presented with.
Humble Blessings to ALL!
Mandi

I'm Baaaack!

Well, it's been quite a few days here! I have been super busy getting my fall soaps like settles and everything ordered! The nervousness that I have felt over everthing is replaces with the anxiety of waiting all the boxes! I do LOVE the UPS and FedEx men.. they are really handsome when they are toting boxes of oils, scents and other things to me LOL
On another note, it is back to school this week. Yesterday was our first day back and while the kiddos are excited, I am less then thrilled. My summer has gone NOWHERE fast! It has been filled with doctors, hospitals and tests for my oldest. In a way I am glad that it is over, but I still miss it. Plus, I also drive the school bus, so I am NOT looking forward to training all the Kindergartners on the finer aspects of Bus Etiquette! I have a really cute group of little ones, but it seems that the bigger ones will eventually teach the smaller ones how to misbehave... is this a form of hazing? Get the driver to go completely nuts? Make brown hair turn grey? They sure so work on it sometimes. All in all, I love the bus and would not trade any of the kids on there, and considering it is part time, only 4 hours a day, I still have my soaps and scrubs to abate the insanity that is my life Besides Twitter, Blogging and Facebook (which I have sorely neglected...SORRY) my life is an endless circle of craziness... and I am the Queen of my crazy castle! :) In some small way, I do believe that you have to be just a little off your rocker to enjoy driving a school bus with 50+ elementary kids. It does make for some interesting days!
My fall line of soaps and scrubs will feature: Rosemary Mint, Apple Berry, Apples and Oak, Mullberry, Oatmeal Milk & Honey, Sandalwood Vanilla, Bay Rum and Mango Papaya as well as the usual English Rose, Lavender, Lemon Citronella, Vanilla Coffee (Deodorizing), PearBerry and Rosehip Jasmine. I might throw in a few more, depends on my moods at the time... after all, I am a woman!
That is about all that I have time to write now, and you are most likely bored to death, so I will just sign off until next time.
Blessings from the Creek!
Mandi

Don't Forget!!!

Don't forget to enter my Free Giveaway! I am giving away a free gift basket with 2 Silk Soaps, 1 Sugar Scrub and 1 Handmade wash cloth on October 1! All you have to do is go here and enter! Entries are limited to the US and Canada for shipping reasons. There are no strings and shipping will be free!
To the winner, I will notify October 1 with a list of scent choices and he or she will get to choose what they want to receive. Simple as that!
Blessings
Mandi

Goodbye hectic week!

This last week just about killed me! We are getting ready for the start of school and I am gearing up to forego the lazy summer days that I have been enjoying so. In addition to my Soap Biz, I work part time as a school bus driver...Yeah for me, ugh! I have never really felt animosity towards my job, but then I have never completely taken the summer off as I did this year :) At least it affords me a somewhat flexible schedule; I only work 2-3 hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon. That leaves me time for running around during the day and making the soaps and things that I dearly love.
Back to this week... Monday morning I woke up at 3:30 am with a terrible migraine and it did not abate until I was finally able to sleep at about 6pm Tuesday night. Those things are as bad as toothaches! Keep you up all night, nothing in the house to raid but Aleve, and no friends I was brave enough to call at 2 am for something stronger! Tuesday was my 8 hour training day too... gotta have in 8 hours a year in order to drive the bus and keep my CDL. Fun times.
Wednesday was eye appointments for both my girls and they both need glasses, one for distance and the other for reading... more fun times. The youngest had her 7th grade orientation that day too. Thursday I had to go and pick up the school bus, take the 15 year old to the cardiologist for a Stress Test and appointment to make sure that her seizures were not damaging her heart.. all went fine and he said for me not to bring her back :) That evening was her 10th grade orientation.
Yesterday I had to go get their friend for the night, buy school clothes and supplies and help the dear hubby change out the brakes on his truck because they went out carrying me to get the school bus Thursday.
Today... I am not doing a dang thing that I don't want to do LOL! I slept in till 7, and I am going to make some soaps that I have been severely neglecting... Rosemary Mint and Mango Papaya!
Here's hoping the next week will be better than the last! Maybe I will get up some pics of the soaps soon..... just maybe.
Mandi

A Taste Of Home - Shrimp Victoria

Do you know how a certain food can invoke a memory? Well I am originally from Louisiana and that is what good seafood does to me. When I am felling a little "Homesick" I always cook something that I grew up eating... this time it was Shrimp Victoria.
This is one of those foods that you will either love or hate. Heavy on REAL butter and Sour Cream... loaded in calories, but it is worth it!The recipe itself is simple and quick. And like I said, heavy on the sour cream, but it melds so nice with the butter that it is not "sour" at all. I do not know how many this recipe makes because everyone eats a lot of it... I have to triple the recipe just to feed my hubby and kids, and they are super skinny LOL! It is a BIG hit at my house and a favorite meal for when I have friends over... and the best part.... cleanup is one or 2 pans at the most!
I hope that you enjoy!

Shripm Victoria - Adapted by A. Miller from Tony Chachere's recipe

1 pound Peeled and deveined fresh shrimp (frozen can be used in a pinch)
1/2 pound REAL butter, no substitues, will not be the same flavor
8 ounces Sour Cream - lite will do, but the fully loaded stuff is better :)
1 large onion, diced fine or more if you really like onions!
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced (no substitutions for fresh, you can omit this depending on taste)
1 med Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1 TBSP fresh, minced garlic
2 TBSP All purpose flour
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, or other "Cajun Seasoning" (Tony's is the best if you can find it)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Rice, cooked
Chopped Scallions for garnish

1.Take the peeled and deveined shrimp and season with the Tony Chachere's and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the garlic, onions and bell pepper. Saute on low heat until the onions are translucent, DO NOT burn the garlic.
3. Once the onions are done, add the shrimp, still saute on low heat, cook until the shrimp pink, stirring often.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook and stir a little longer until they are wilted and soft.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the shrimp and veggies and stir well.
6. Add the sour cream and cook and stir on low about 7-10 min or until a little thicker than it was. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve over rice garnished with scallions! (I like to sprinkle a little Fresh DillWeed over it too!)

I hope that your family enjoys it just as much as mine... I miss the BAYOU!!!!
Blessings
Mandi

Soapy Saturday... and Shrimp!

WooHoo! Making soap today :) I am running a little low on Oatmeal Milk & Honey, down to about 15 bars in stock. That is my family's fave so I like to keep lots on hand! They use it like crazy.
Got the oils and the alkali coolong, getting ready for the magic moment when they meld together and do thier little dance on the way to becoming a very creamy soap!
For now, I am doign the molds, the only part that I HATE! Wish that I had one of those fancy silicone log molds, but I can never seem to find one that is the right dimensions that I need.
Also geting ready for dinner tonight. I am tired of the meat and potatoes routine that my family loves, so I am goin' with shrimp. Here on the Gulf Coast, that is one thing that is never out of season!
More to talk about later, when I get the soap safely in bed for the night LOL
Soapy Blessings
Mandi