Art Fire Treasure Hunt

The Art Fire Treasure Hunt starts today! (I blogged about it earlier this month if you're wondering what in the heck I'm talking about.)

The Treasure Hunt will go from 10:00 a.m. EST to midnight EST. Shop from any of the participating Art Fire artisans, find the item with the treasure chest photo. Purchase that item and get the sale! Each artisan has chosen their own sale for their treasure item.

Find the treasure chest in my Art Fire studio, and get your shipping refunded!

See the full list of participating vendors here.

Happy shopping!

Friday Feature

Today's Friday Feature is Art Fire artisan Lady Mudwerkes! She makes lovely clay items including plaques and mirror frames. All of her work is inspired by nature, myth, or fantasy.

One of the first items in her studio that caught my eye was her Moon Lady Mirror Frame. The Moon Lady's face emerges from a slivery crescent moon, with her hair billowing around where the mirror will go. Beautifully serene. (Moon Lady Mirror Frame, $165.00)

While Lady Mudwerkes has a couple Tree of Life tiles in her studio, this one is my favorite. Peeking through the gnarled branches you can see the moon in each of her phases. This tile can be displayed as a wall hanging or on an easel. (Tree of Life Tile, $30.00)

Don't forget, our very first Art Fire Treasure Hunt is underway tomorrow! Check back tomorrow for more info!

Hump Day Humor

I almost forgot today is Wednesday! After having Monday off (which we never usually get off from school--mostly our days off happen on Fridays), the last two days I've spent thinking it's a different day than it actually is. So in that spirit, here is your Hump Day Humor!


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A Memorial Day Poem

Memorial Day

Eula Gladys Lincoln

In distant field of sunny France
Where strangers come and go,
Amid the farms of Flanders, where
The fragrant breezes blow,
Our solder-dead in quiet sleep
'Neath crosses row on row.

Here shrapnel shells once shrieked and burst
And took their toll of death;
The very wind, itself a foe,
Bore poison on its breath.

Above their graves the birds now sing
As round that home of yore,
When, carefree boys, they romped and played;
Those childhood days soon o'er,
The boys to brave and strong men grown,
They romped and played no more.

They put aside their childish toys,
A man's work each must do,
And when their country called for them,
To her they answered true.

"We must protect our native land:
She shall not suffer wrong
For she has reared and nurtured us,
We're men and we are strong.
We'll bid good-bye to those we love;
It will not be for long."

With aching hearts and tear-dimmed
watched them go away.
Some have returned but many sleep
In foreign lands today.

Where English roses bloom and fade,
In France where lilies grow,
Among the fields of Flanders, where
The scarlet poppies blow,
Our soldier-dead are not forgot
Though strangers come and go.

Poseidon Salt Bars

That's right, ladies and gents, my Poseidon salt bars are off the curing rack and back in stock. The scent is clean and refreshing, just like the salty sea air. And my salt bars are made with coconut milk to make the lather extra creamy. Soap up with one of these in the shower, and it feels like you're sudsing up with a "lotion-y" lather. Available now in my Art Fire and Etsy shops. (Poseidon salt bar, $5.00)

Art Fire Treasure Hunt Sneak Peek

Coming soon...the very first Art Fire Treasure Hunt! (Click here for full details.) Basically, each Art Fire studio that is participating in the treasure hunt will have a sale. You, the shopper, visit those participating studios and try to find the hidden treasure picture in their item listings. If you find it and purchase that item, you get the sale! How fun does that sound!

Hump Day Humor

This is one of my all-time favorite Flight of the Conchords songs. I've never heard one I didn't like, but this is one of their most funny.

New Blog Layout

I had been wanting to change my blog from a two-column to a three-column layout. After spending quite a bit of time reading how to do it, I finally stumbled across some simple directions to change my template. So now I can separate my Etsy and Art Fire information. Not only does it make it easier for you to find, but it also makes it feel less cluttered to me. Double bonus!

Friday Feature

Today's Friday Feature is The Holy Bead! Whatever your faith, you can find prayer beads for you at The Holy Bead. I recently bought a strand of prayer beads from her, and they are beautiful! Plus, with every purchase you make at The Holy Bead, you'll receive a free strand of love beads!

This particular strand of prayer beads is an open strand like the one I bought for myself. The wooden, jasper, and quartz beads celebrate all that is Mother Nature. (Earthtones Prayer Rope, $23.00)

Hump Day Humor

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming for an important announcement. Go check out the EtsyVeg Team blog. My Violet lip balm is currently featured in the blog team treasury!

And now back to your Hump Day Humor. Thank you.

Star Trek

OK, allow me a nerdy moment here. We took my mom to see the new Star Trek movie on Sunday. I was *really* excited to see it this weekend. As in bouncing off the walls excited. The original Star Trek series was always my favorite (especially The Trouble with Tribbles and A Piece of the Action). Back when I was a kid, I think they ran them on Nick at Night or some such. Don't get me wrong, The Next Generation was a great series, too, (I watched them all growing up when they were brand new. Yes, yes, I know I'm surprisingly young to be *that* into the original series...) but I've always had a special place in my heart for the original characters. So of course when I first saw they were making a new Star Trek movie with those original characters, I was pumped, but curious to see how new actors would portray the original crew.

Needless to say, I think that whoever was in charge of casting did a bang-up job. Chris Pine makes a hunky young Kirk, and Zachary Quinto comes across very well as Spock. I loved the storyline, and somehow went into the theater without knowing that Leonard Nimoy was in it. When he first turns around and you see his face, I actually gasped out loud. Ben laughed at me later for not knowing it was coming. Honestly, I have no idea how I missed that bit of info.

Anyway, I don't want to go into details about the movie and spoil it for anyone, but all I know is that I could go see it again in a heartbeat. And I never go see movies in the theater more than once. Whenever this one finally makes its way to DVD, I'll be right there to snatch up my copy. Blu Ray, please, I want to watch Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto hunk it up crystal clear, thank you very much.

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of all of you moms out there, I'm continuing my Saturday Night Special through today. Feel free to enjoy free shipping from either of my shops today. Offer valid in my Art Fire studio and Etsy shop until I wake up Monday morning. Just put "Moms Rock" in the notes to seller at checkout.

Happy Mother's Day!

SNS

I haven't done a Saturday Night Special in a while, so I thought it would be nice to offer one on Mother's Day weekend.

~*~*~ SNS Sale ~*~*~

Free shipping on your purchase from now until I wake up Sunday morning. Just put SNS in the notes to seller on your order, and I'll refund your shipping via PayPal!

This offer is valid in my Art Fire and Etsy shops.

Happy shopping!

Friday Feature

Today's Friday Feature is Mea Culpa Body and Bath. I'll start with a product of hers that I have bought and loved, her shampoo and conditioner. I know, I know, it's like I have a weird hair fetish or something. (Really, I don't!) I love supporting handmade, and love trying products from other bath and body makers that I don't personally make (like shampoo). So there.

Anyway, her shampoo is great. You know how I told you recently that my hair is picky? Well, it happens to enjoy trading off with the shampoo bar I mentioned last week. I have the Champa scent in the shower, but her Lolita shampoo and conditioner set sounds divine, too. (shampoo and conditioner set, $16.99)

The next time I get a tattoo, I'll definitely give her tattoo balm a try. She uses only butters, oils, and essential oils in the balm, all of which are great for letting your skin heal naturally. Just put a layer of the tattoo balm over your new tattoo, and gently massage in. (tattoo balm, $5.00)

Etsy Treasury!

Check it out, I'm in a treasury on Etsy! This one is full of great items of all kinds. You should definitely come look at it before it expires Sunday morning.

Thank you, La Vieja Tun Tun, for including my Relaxation soap in your treasury!

Hump Day Humor

Today's Hump Day Humor comes to us from Fail Blog. If you've never been to this website, you should. It's hilarious.

'poo Experiment Update

If you read Saturday's post, you already know that I was experimenting with the no 'poo method. Instead of using shampoo, mix one tablespoon baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Then use a vinegar rinse -- 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed with a cup of water.

So I tried this Saturday morning, and my hair felt great. I had even bought a new hair brush that afternoon with bristles, which I have read is best for redistributing your hair's natural oils. Let me tell you, my hair felt soft and clean for days! Normally I wash my hair every other day. Guys, I didn't wash it until this morning. I really thought about not 'pooing again, but decided to try inalather's shampoo bar with the vinegar rinse. So far so good, my hair is just as soft as it was for the last couple of days. Although the vinegar did eat up some of the scent from the 'poo bar... At least I got to enjoy the Cedar and Saffron yumminess while I washed up!

To 'poo or not to 'poo...

I'm talking shampoo here, duh! Recently I've been reading a lot about the no 'poo method. Take 1 tablespoon of baking soda and mix it in a cup with some water to make a paste. Massage it into your hair at the roots and scalp, and rinse. Then take 1 tablespoon of vinegar, mix with 1 cup water, apply to your roots and scalp, and rinse. It sounds easy, and from what I've read, it allows your hair to use its own oil to soften your hair, unlike commercial shampoos that strip your hair.

Now, my hair is picky. It doesn't like to have the same shampoo wash it every time. The closest I ever came to finding shampoo that my hair loved consistantly was from inalather on Etsy. Her 'poo bars rock! I loved how easy they were to use, but after a while my hair wanted some conditioner. (By the way, I've heard that inalather is developing conditioner bars...) Call me nutty here, but I didn't want to mix my wonderfully fragrant 'poo bar with some random smelling conditioner. So I left my Cedar and Saffron 'poo bar in its holder in the shower and went back to commercial shampoo and conditioner.

How does this relate to the no 'poo method, you ask? Well this morning I decided to try the baking soda/vinegar rinse on my hair. Since I'd never tried it before, I wasn't sure how long it would take, or how my hair would feel and look after. I had two cups ready to go on the ledge, one with baking soda, and one with apple cider vinegar. I put some water in with my baking soda, but I really think I should have put less. It was really watery, and I think it would be easier to apply if it was more of a paste. Next time... Anyway, I massaged it all in and rinsed. My hair felt really clean as I rinsed, which I have to say surprised me. I mixed my apple cider vinegar with about a cup of water, and massaged that in too. Next time, I'm adding a drop of essential oil, because vinegar just smells so freaking strong! My hair doesn't smell like vinegar at the moment, but I could definitely smell it for about 30 minutes after my shower.

Usually when I use commercial shampoo and conditioner, my hair takes FOREVER to dry. Really. My hair is long and really, really thick. Every time I get it cut by someone new, they always go on and on about how much hair I have. Oh do I? I hadn't noticed it sitting on top of my head. Today, my hair dried a lot quicker than normal, which was great since I had to get to the bank before it closed this morning. My hair even looks great, and feels really soft, like it did with inalather's 'poo bar. If it didn't take me so long to do this whole process, I would be all over trying this method out starting today. But I think I'm going to go back to my lovely 'poo bar, and try the vinegar rinse with it to see if the two together can make my hair as happy as it feels right now. Just wait though, summer vacation is coming up in the not too distant future. I'll definitely be no 'pooing then.

Happy First of May!

Warning - This video contains graphic sexual situations and adult language. If you're sensitive to those things, then don't watch. Otherwise, get ready for a funny song celebrating today, the first of May!