Check out this video

Michelle and Caron of Two Blooms Design Studio (with whom I recently did a swap from Canada to Ireland and back) wrote a post on their blog about the swap plus added images and, best of all, a video they made ... singing!!! It's SO good, I loved it, you have to check this out!!

http://twobloomsdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/two-blooms-meets-i-am-handmade.html

Make sure to watch the video, it's so cool!

Soap Swap - Two Blooms Design Studio

I was delighted a while back to receive an email from Michelle from Two Blooms Design Studio who asked if I'd be interested in doing a swap with her.  I've been reading her blog and following her on Facebook for a while now so I said YES PLEASE!!! So we agreed to swap two soaps, some soap samples, a body butter and a lip balm.  She went one better and added in some of her foaming bath salts too.

I got them in the post last Friday I think but was only able to make the video about them last night and then ran out of time to put the video together fully.  But it was the first thing I did after I got home from work this evening and here it is!




Love everything you make Michelle, a very high quality product and I was so honoured to swap with you.  I can only hope you're as happy with my soaps and other things as I was with yours.  Thank you SO much again xx

First Irish Soap Swap

I joined in with an Irish based soap swap recently - I've met two other soapers from Ireland (one in the East and the other in the South West) on a soaping forum and we decided to do a swap of our soaps! We eventually got round to it in January (after all the hard work we all put in over the Christmas period) and I received their soaps this week.

I have to apologise in advance if the photos aren't up to the usual standard .... they were taken on my mobile phone camera which isn't as good as my regular camera.

First up are soaps and a trial sugar scrub from Lí Ban Ireland - Rose has been soaping for quite a number of years (well, more than me!) and has huge experience.  She uses essential oils in the main for her fragrances and is an expert blender.  Below are pictures of her new Chai Latte and Mayan soaps and her trial sugar scrub (technically the Chai Latte isn't included in the swap, I'm buying that from her because I just loved the sound of the essential oil blend she used!).

Secondly, Hajni from Mianra Soaps sent me her Cedar & Patchouli soap and her Rose Clay as well.  Her packaging was just lovely, but I sadly rushed in and opened them up before even thinking that I should take photos of the package.. stupid me!

I'm in the middle of testing them now - I always give things a long test, I don't believe in giving an opinion based on one or two uses but I will say that the soaps from both companies are just lovely and very lathery.

I also don't see my role as a public reviewer of other people's work ... there's more than just soap at stake  but I know I won't be disappointed by either of these.

Hope you enjoyed the pics and I hope Rose and Hajni are both enjoying mine!

Picture 1: Lí Ban Ireland - Chai Latte soap and trial sugar scrub

Picture 2: Lí Ban Ireland - Chai Latte (left) and Mayan (right) cold process soaps

Picture 3: Mianra - Cedar & Patchouli (left) and Rose Clay soap (right)

Picture 4: Mianra Soaps

Picture 5: All the soaps together ready for testing