We'll return to our regularly scheduled program next week

If you haven't guessed by now, I've gone into panic mode for the upcoming fair. I've been staying up way too late (for me, for other people, it'd be early still) trying to get the website up and running and having soaps ready for the show. Hubby's been helping with the display which you saw last week, but it's been re-vamped (again) so I'll have new pictures to show next week.

In the meanwhile, enjoy these pictures of the lovely view I have from the office I'm currently at. This was a nice break in the rainy weather we've been having for a while, so I took advantage.

We have a website

After what  feels like forever, but probably has only been a couple of months I finally have my website up and running again. It's been a long, slow process as anyone who's tried to set up a website can attest. The webhosting company is great though, helping me install the required software because that is so not my forte.

It took a lot of searching, looking, trying on, going back before I found a look for a website I liked. Best part is, it's free! Gotta love open source and all those wonderfully geeky people who are willing to share their gifts.

Gdranted my website still isn't perfect, I need to do a lot of tweaking to it but at least when I head into the craft fair next week (if you're in Surrey, don't forget to come by and check it out), I can hand out my business card and be safe in the knowledge that if people do try and look up my business, they won't come to a blank page or worse yet, a 404 error.

Of course getting a website going means getting together a lot of information and having pretty pictures. To that end, hubby is helping me take some new pictures of the soaps which I think takes my products to a whole new level. It'll take some time for him to re-take all the photos of the products and for me to put them all up, but in the meanwhile, take a gander at these photos, and please check out the newly revised website and let me know what you think.

Craft Fair Preparedness

Why oh why do I make promises I can't keep without going insane? Partly because I'm crazy, partly because I am in denial that I'm getting old and don't have as much energy as I used to. I had forgotten how tiring it is going to work. Actually the work part is fine, it's the commuting that's tough. It takes me almost as much time to go from one end of town to the other as it does to go through two cities.

Last week, in a fit of insanity, I said I'd post a picture of my display. So, this post is late because I needed to have something to show as promised. Not being the most organized person I had to rush to get a display together for this post. Please remember that this is a work in progress and pardon the messy basement.

This is what the display would look like if all the lights were out. It looks much cooler in person.

The full display

Top two shelves

Bottom 3 shelves
 

Top shelf, gift boxes ready to go.

There's going to be more tweaking and adding of other soaps before the craft fair, but this is what's been done for now. I'd love to get some feedback

Should I panic?

It's November 9 today. Wow. I have approximately 3 weeks until I do my craft show. I think in terms of stuff made, I'm not too badly off since it's a 2 day affair rather than a 4 day one. However, there are still displays to be created, soaps to be packed into nice little gift bags, and all those other niceties. Plus I want to make more hot chocolate/coffee soaps because I think those are über cute.

What is setting me into a bit of a tizzy, besides my propensity to procrastinate, is that I'm starting a job on Tuesday. I don't know how long it'll last, but it means I don't get to sit on my butt at home all day and work slowly at putting my display together. I have to organize my time better so that I am efficient. Plus, I'm still working on putting together a website so when I hand out my cards at the show, it doesn't end up leading people to nowheresville.

So, for now I'll stop blabbing and get working. Have a great weekend everyone, and don't forget to take two minutes out to remember those who laid their lives on the line for us.

Next week:  pictures of the display

New molds

When we went to Portland, we stopped in at Otion on the way back so I could pick up some more scents and molds. Besides the amazing smells of Pomegranate and Black Currant, and Fresh Snow, I also picked up Exotic Fruit Smoothie. Don't those fragrances sound amazing?

As always, the first time I make something, it's not quite right.

This is supposed to be old fashioned looking but it's a little dull .

So I tried to brighten it up

Much better!

The bears suffered the same fate, but even more so.

Second try resulted in these:

The blue background is still a little bright, so next set it'll be toned down.

But I thought together, these would make a nice little stocking stuffer.

I used my existing molds to make some new maple leaf soaps

Also managed to finish off a customer's order, 52 of these cute piggies

And for those of you who like Twitter