Lemon Mint Soap

After my ordeal with the hunt for dried lemon peels, I went ahead and made my Lemon Mint Soap. In place of the peel (still researching), I added this essential combinations of:
Lemongrass
Litsea Cubea
Orange Valencia
Peppermint Oil

It smelled so good when I added the essential oils. I added a superfat of Avocado Oil to the soap so the citrus combination would not be drying to the skin.
Here is the end result:

Someone needs to invent the "Scratch & Sniff" computer. LOL I wish you could smell these. I am thankful that even though I did not have my dried lemon peels to add to the soap, it still came out good.

These will be added to my etsy store in a couple of weeks. They need to cure.

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You Don't Carry Dried Lemon Peel ?????

This evening I was going to make Lemon Mint Soap. I typically add dried lemon peel because citrus essential oils fade in natural soaps. I add the citrus essential and fragrance oil and the lemon peel helps it to stick. It is great.

So I took a trip to Whole Foods because in the past they carried the dried citrus peels. It is a thirty minute drive for me to get there but with my son in tow, it takes longer. :)

There were signs that maybe I should have stayed home. When we got there, the power went out in the store. No problem, I just assumed they would fix the problem in a couple of minutes and the backup generator would kick in. (First Omen). I proceeded to go to the aisle with the dried herbs. I was ready to grab my purchase and leave. I get there and the aisle is totally changed (Second Omen). Everything is categorized different than what I was used to. No harm no foul, I go to the spices and believe that I will find my dried lemon peels there. I look once, twice and a third time, no dried lemon peels. (Third and Final Omen).

So I thought maybe I have the wrong section and they moved it. (Still in denial). I start looking around the store in the "dark" and I still do not see what I am looking for. I flag down someone at the information desk who brought me to a different area. Hooray, maybe I am just blind and I didn't see the lemon peels there. But to no avail, there were no lemon peels in that department. She even called someone in the grocery department to double check. The response, "the item has been discontinued".

So I took my determined self back home and now the search is on for dried lemon peels online. :(

What about you? Have you been in search for something to only be let down by the outcome? How did you handle it?


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A New Earth - Chapter 2 & 3

"The thing that we have overlooked in our life is the most important - it is the present moment" - Eckhart Tolle

The above quote was taken from the online course for the Oprah Book Club on A New Earth. For me, this has been my constant theme while reading this book. These chapters go into the definition of the ego is and the characteristics of the ego respectively. In a nutshell, the ego will always be in us. The key to our succumbing the ego and the negative talk that we conduct in our heads is to be aware of the negative talk, accepting it but not following through with it. We must also grasp that we are to live for what is going on right now in our lives. Not the past or the future but right now. If you are enjoying the book and the online classes like me, please share your comments.

You can always view the online classes at http://www.oprah.com/

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Today is Uplift & Encourage Women Day

Ok so I made that up. But there are always times when we as women whether married,single, with children or without need that extra boost to get us through the day.

The following song has been on my spirit lately and I wanted to share it with you.

This video is by Mary J Blige. She has been an inspiration to alot of women because she has gone through some tough times as an artist and has risen from each and every one of them. The song is called Work That and listen to the lyrics:



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Business Book - Craft Inc

Ok call me crazy. I am a wife, mom of three (2 girls & 1 boy) and soapmaker entrepeneur. When do you have time to read??? I make time. When I have to drop my girls off to school and pick them up, I have a "small" window of opportunity to read things that help me with my business.

My current read is Craft, Inc - Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business - by Meg Mateo Ilasco. It focuses on those of us that have a hobby that you love and want to take the first steps to turning it into a business. It is talks about finding your passion, naming your business, time management, producing your product for retail and wholesale, pricing. What I really love is the author talks about blogging, email newsletters and advertising. She is current with all the latest programs and technology that is available. Within every chapter the author interviews other indies who discuss the subject matter, pitfalls they encountered and advice for others.

I would highly recommend this book for inspiration to all indies.

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A New Earth - Chapter 1

This portion of the book was a conceptual overview of what the author wanted readers to know about the book. You can dub the book New Age or whatever you want. But it was not written for you to change your way of thinking. If you are not looking to change your present state of being then as the author states, it is meaningless. It is a book to help you be more aware of yourself. As the author stated from the telecast on 3/3/2008, “the basis of your life is the present moment”. It is not what happened to you in the past and what you want for your future but now.

One question that Eckhart Tolle posed at the end of our session last week was, “Am I ready to be still?” This hit me like a ton of bricks because my goal for this year and onward is to practice stillness. I did not know if that meant meditation or what. But I now know that just being present is what I was seeking.

You can view last week’s telecast at www.oprah.com/anewearth. You never know, if you are moving toward deeper spirituality this may enhance what you are doing right now.

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Teleconference on Blogging for your Business

Last night I had the opportunity to listen to a free teleconference on How Blogging can be a Key factor for your business. The teleconference was held by Donna Maria of Indie Business Blog.

I have read her blog posts on the 1-2-3 on Blogging as well as other posts that deal with why blogging is beneficial. This phone conference went over:
- the most popular blog sites
- their advantages and disadvantages
- a view of other bloggers using these blog sites
- what are some of the things you can write about in your blog
(related to you business or otherwise)
- and whether blogging is for you.

I found it beneficial to me because I started a blog after viewing a blog I look at for inspiration http://www.soap-queen.blogspot.com/. But I realize that since my business was stagnate, my effort to write anything in my blog was stagnate as well. The advice that Donna Maria has reminded me to put the effort in even when it
seems like nothing is going on.

I have already taking her advice to heart by entering 3 post this
week alone. :)

So thank you Donna Maria for all your work with the phone conference and I hope to become a member of the Indie Business Network soon.

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Oprah Book Club - A New Earth

I am taking the 10 week live class with Oprah's Book Club that is focusing on the new book by Eckhart Tolle "A New Earth". Why you might say? I have now idea. I was looking at Oprah one day and toward the end of the show she was discussing the book and spoke with others
that have read the book. I was curious to find out what was the big deal with this book. I have read "The Secret" not because she recommended it, but because of the testimony that I received from my best friend who read it and applied it to her life. Believe me I am a skeptic for alot of things. I am also a spiritual person trying to walk according to how Jesus and the Holy Spirit want me to walk despite falling numerous times (smile). But I figured I would get in on what all the talk was about. I have started me first homework assignment for chapter one and I will say I am more conscious of how I do things. I don't know that I attribute that to the book or to the fact that I have taken the time to slow down in various areas of my life. The live experience was good yesterday until my DSL line wanted to have an attack.
Seems that everyone was having issues because of the increased traffic.

Well I be able to look at the rest of the session without interruption. I will keep you all posted on my progress and whether it is worth the read.


~ Diana ~

New Month, New Possibilities

I am writing this post to praise the Synergi Group,LLC on a wonderful week of Teleseminars for Women in Business and those how are starting a business. There was definitely something for every aspect of our lives. From learning the tricks of Social Networking from the 2techdivas, learning how to be a self made millionaire from the Dynamic Diva, or learn to start a web-based business on a shoestring from Khrys Vaughn of HerStartup. There was so much information and it was all free for those that are a part of the Synergi Group or HerStartup circle. It is easy to get all the information from other ladies who have been where you and I are at in this world of new found entrepreneurship. Sign up for their free newsletter on either of their sites and join the camaraderie and listen to wisdom from others that have done and are successful.

Listening to some of the ladies has continued to inspire me and remind me that anything is possible. It is a matter of my attitude and the belief in myself and what I have to offer.


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