Sunday, June 29, 2014

Face Soap

I made a sizable batch of soap yesterday. I used new silicone molds. The molds went wonky and made odd shaped bars of soap. I re-batched most of the soap and I can now clean it up and package it. It is made with wheat grass, raw cow milk, shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, peppermint infused grapeseed oil, Himalayan pink bath salt, olive oil, titanium dioxide to keep the soap from going brown, soap shreds from another batch of soap, fragrance oil, palm oil, and coloring (these items are not in the proper order). I know I have left out something. As you can see from my funny photo, I did not get the bath salts mixed well enough.


face???alien???green Martian???

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Have a great day! Dawnie

Friday, June 27, 2014

Getting Ready for a Craft Fair

I am trying to get ready to go to a craft show over the 4th of July weekend. I am packaging and pricing items. I am still trying to enter items into Etsy and update my website.

Fourth Of July Craft‑Flea Market

July 4 - 6, 2013

Train Depot - El Dorado, KS 67042

I have made the art soaps and played with the fancy tops, etc. I have changed the way I make soaps, and make a more triangular bar without fancy tops, but always swirls and twirls or a little something inside to give it a little pretty umph. Obviously the main reason for making soap is to make it mostly natural with extra skin conditioning butters, (such as shea and cocoa) and oils, using lovely fragrances and making the bars pretty. I also like to use raw milk or goats milk in my soaps. Any herb, fruit, vegetable, or other additive is fun to use. I enjoy using raw milk from an Amish dairy in my soaps. Part of using the raw milk is the nice drive in the country to purchase the milk and that may influence my decision. LOL I have delicate skin and I don't like to itch or have a rash. I bet you don't either.

Due to the change in soap making style, I am discounting all of the soaps that are not newly made.

At the craft fair, I will be selling soaps, bath fizzies or bombs, pot holders of all kinds, hats, tea cozies, knitted wash cloths and dishcloths, etc. Come by and take a peek. I will be at the old train station.

New tags for the show.

Have you watched television or a movie and noticed a hand knitted item or a hand crocheted item? I do. I watch a lot of English shows and I see tea cozies on them. Today I noticed a knitted shawl on the movie Coppers, season 2.

When I showed you photos of my trumpet vines, I failed to show you how it took over the side of my cottage home. When you drive up to the cottage, it looks like one of those English cottages that have all of the vines and flowers growing all around. I love English things, but the middle of Kansas is far from England! It has been raining quite a lot which is like England, so my flowers have stayed green.

Does anyone need any trumpet vines???

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Have a great weekend! Dawnie

Monday, June 23, 2014

Pink Chicken Bath Fuzzies

About all I have made lately are bath fizzies. I made pink and blue. The blue are not wrapped yet, but here are the pink.......

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thanks for viewing! Have a great week! Dawnie

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Trumpet Vines

see the ants on this group of flowers

The trumpet vines have taken over. I cut them back a couple years ago. I have ivy, wisteria, and another kind of vine in the front of the house, aside from the trumpet vines. If I don't cut back the trumpet vines soon, they will take over and cover the other vines. I planted some trumpet vines in front of the chicken coop last year and it has grown all the way to the top of the coop.

I ordered a shelf from an antique store in Oklahoma to house some of my collection of tea cups and tea pots. I like cottages and flowers---if you couldn't tell. The shelf is not decorated with the tea cups it will collect dust with on a permanent basis, but here is the shelf. It blends in nicely and is almost the same make as my large tea cup shelf.

My co-worker and her best friend Squeeky.

I hope you have enjoyed your week. It has gone very fast.

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thank you for viewing my blog. Have a great day! Dawnie

Monday, June 16, 2014

Please Enjoy Pictures at Our Urban Farm

Caption Needed

Hope gathered 5 eggs.

Onions and cucumbers

The beginning of marbled eggs.

Marbled eggs

Elvis and Ginger Rogers

Pretty Blue Ears! It reminds me of earrings.

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thank you for viewing my blog. Have a great day! Dawnie

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Weekend Review

I am getting over a summer cold and most of my hives are gone. I have enjoyed the Father's Day NCIS Marathon on TV. LOL I have several yarns I want to use up so I am knitting simple pot holders. Simple does not mean ugly..............

Yesterday, I bought a water gun for shooting the neighboring Tom cats who like to eat or torment my smaller chickens. By torment, I mean eating. I have used the gun twice. Of course, I missed both times, but I may have put the fear of God in the cat.

How is your weekend?

You are able to view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com

And my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thank you for viewing my blog. Have a great day! Dawnie

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Current and Old Photos

Emalou

Stubborn Norma

Happy Norma

We finished!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Linda's Jewels

We took a trip to Grandma's House. It is not often my sister and I are able to get together. She also does crafts. Her expertise is in jewelry making. I am allergic to costume jewelry, so I seldom can wear the creations of Linda, unfortunately. I do like to use them to dangle off of tea cozy tops, etc. Some of her current finished projects are: