Argument For Handcrafted Soapy Treats

Tie Dyed Felted Soap by Precious Gems I was standing in line at Starbucks the other day and it hit me. I was getting ready to pay $5 for a cup of coffee. Of course it was a big cup of coffee with lots of frills, but nevertheless, it was a cup of coffee. Coffee! It would be gone in a matter of minutes. I was almost, literally, eating money. Then, I got to thinking about all the other things I spend money on, food, gas clothing, cleaning supplies...Cleaning supplies! Naturally this brought me back to soap. One of my favorite things. Its a necessary part of life, soap that is. We need it to get clean. Unlike coffee which, even though some people (me) would argue is a necessity, the reality is, we don't really NEED coffee. Then I realized that my handcrafted soap addiction was rather justified. It WAS a need (work with me). If I spend $5-$10 dollars on a bar of soap that I really love that soap will likely last 2 weeks to a month and its getting me clean. With sites like Etsy and local brick and mortar shops, I could choose the scent of my desire and get it without sodium laureth sulfate or phthalates and it can also be visually appealing. I began to realize that handcrafted soap was a far more economical way to spend my money than buying a coffee and it would bring just as much joy. I could even get coffee scented soap if I wanted! What a bargain! Shopping around on Etsy I found these soaps that look like something I (a soap maker) would really love. Sunbasil Garden Use Java Latte Handcrafted Soap in your shower and wake up to the delicious scent of fresh roasted coffee. Made with vegetable glycerin. DeShawn Marie has a 10 pack we are drooling over! DeShawn Marie also offers 3 pound soap loaves which can be found by clicking here. Desert Soapstone also offers swirly big bars inspired by nature's color palette and scented with the finest phthalate free fragrance oils around. AJ's Sweet Soap (below) Specializes in dessert themed soaps. They have everything from cupcakes to ice cream. They even have beer in a cup. As you can see, there's quite a variety when it comes to handcrafted soap. So the next time you head out for a cup of coffee think about how much deliciously scented soap you could buy for the cost of taking your family out and it lasts about 100 times as long (if not longer). If you have a favorite soap or are a soap maker please post your links and likes. We'd love to hear from you!

Consistency is Hard

Why is it so hard to be consistent? O.k. Those of you that have it down are thinking, "Um, its not, you just decide to be consistent and then be consistent." That reminds me of a scene in the movie Say Anything when Joan and John Cusack are debating how hard it is to be in a good mood. "How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and then just be in a good mood?" he asks (something like that). She follows with an annoyed, "Its easy." Really? Is it easy to do something we loathe, but know is good? I think for those that say its easy are just better at faking it. So what am I struggling with? Better yet, what am I not struggling with? O.k. o.k. life is actually pretty awesome right now, except for a couple people missing from it, I can't complain, but struggling...Yes. Exercise. Why I can't stand this healthful activity that always makes me feel better is a mystery. Maybe its my long history of being a klutz or maybe its the time I went for a jog as a teenager only to wake up on the side of the road with a mouthful of dirt because I forgot to eat before I started on an epic jog without any prior running experience. Run on sentence. Did you follow that? So exercise is currently a bit of a thorn in my side, but I know its good for me so I'm gonna do it. If anyone has any tips on finding the motivation...What? Hang on, someone's trying to tell me something...Oh you mean I already exercised today when I went on that four mile bike ride with the family? Does that justify donuts tomorrow with a friend? No? So you mean I have to exercise every day for it to really benefit me? What about the donuts?