Green Berry

Made with olive, coconut, rice bran and castor oils and cocoa butter. These soaps have Blackberry Sage fragrant oil and colourings.

This delicious, strong fruity fragrance has top notes of blackberries, a touch of orange zest and a base of fresh green sage leaves.

A perfect blend of juicy blackberries tempered with the cleaness of sage.

I used three different micas to add colour to this soap, two of them pop micas and one a lustre mica.  A little of the colours was added to my soap pot for an 'in the pot swirl', but most was kept to decorate the top.

The smell is divine!

My Dad

My Dad has been taken to Timaru hospital and his kidneys are failing!

I want to fly home ... NOW ... but I can't and it's hard.

I know my Mum and Merv will be with my Dad as he prepares for his final journey ... and I hope I can get home in time to talk to him in person one more time.  I will phone the hospital tomorrow and hopefull I can talk to him.

I usually phone my Dad (in Waimate) at least twice a week and last week I could tell he wasn't well.  He was finding talking difficult and he thought he had another lung infection.  X-rays at the hospital show his lungs are clear ... most unexpected, but his kidneys aren't processing the fluid in his body ... and that's what was affecting his breathing.

I love my Dad!  X

Why are you soaping?

I have allowed my beatiful dog Wilson to be my 'at home' best buddy, since my wonderful hubby died on the last day of Summer 2009 (28 February 2009) ... and then I wonder why he looks at me the way he does, as he watches me get my soaping gear organised. 

His look tells me he knows that shortly the laundry door will close ... blocking his access to his freedom, his dog flap in the outside laundry door.  Then he'll have to watch me go out the sliding doors to 'our' favourite deck area ... with my box ... alone.  Return, then go back out with two bowls and a stirrer ... alone.  Return, then go back out onto 'our' deck and bring the box back in ... all while he's being praised for not following, for staying where he is ... like he has a choice, his access to his door is blocked and he watches me disappear out to 'our' deck, closing the sliding door behind me each time.

I try to involve Wilson in my soapmaking, by telling him what I'm doing and telling him why I'm choosing certain colours and this or that design.  Sadly he never seems interested.

Saturday ... busy as ...

What a fun day!

Made my first batch of 'No Calorie' chocolate soap.  It's made with my favourite recipe of Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Castor Oil and Cocoa Butter.  The fragrance is 'Italian Spiced Chocolate', so added a little melted dark chocolate to the mix.  Smells divine!

Then I made my first batch of whipped soap.  I think I melted the hard oils too much, as it took ages to thicken, but it was exciting when it did.  I only have a hand held beater ... so I was starting to get over the idea when finally it thickened and the excitement returned.

When the soap was ready, the batch was split and one lot coloured with grape pop mica.  The coloured part was put in silicon cup cakes moulds and then came the fun of learning how to pipe happened!  I'm going to need loads of practise, but I was quite happy with the outcome.

Now the wait ... I'm looking forward to trying this again!

Adelaide's Giant Pandas

Have finally been to see the Giant Pandas ... and they're gorgeous!

There was a great Keeper in the area and he told us heaps about Funi and Wang Wang.  It's sad to be told there are only about 1,600 of these beautiful animals in the wild!

Funi and Wang Wang are considered a fantastic genetic pairing for the global Giant Panda breeding program.  Any cubs Wang Wang and Funi have will be valuable additions to the Giant Panda population.  The Keeper did share with us that so far Funi doesn't care much for Wang Wang, so they've moved them into each other's enclosures, in the hope that this may arouse some interest.

Funi ("Lucky Girl")

Born: 23 August 2006 at Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, China

Personality: She is very active and playful and often makes excited mewing vocalisations at feeding time. She is also very intelligent, curious and loves to explore.

Wang Wang ("Net Net")
Born: 31 August 2005 at Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, China

Personality: He is a very laid-back and placid boy. Like all Giant Pandas, he loves to snooze but can usually roused by a fresh stalk of bamboo.

Jandal Slippers!

Look at what my daughter bought me ... purple jandal slippers! 

This Kiwi's in love ...






I love warm feet ...
I love wearing jandals ...
and my favourite colour ...
so these make me very happy!

Drive responsibly

Wilson watching me!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Too Much ...

Sometimes the ache in my heart is ... too much!
Sometimes I miss you ... too much!
Sometimes my tears are ... too much!
Sometimes I need you ... too much!
Sometimes I want to scream and yell ... too much!
Sometimes the pain in my chest is ... too much!
Sometimes I ace for your touch ... too much!
Sometimes I hurt for you ... too much!

But my love for you will never be ... too much!

I will miss you always and I have learned that just because you died, I haven't stopped loving you!

Love in my vegie patch

I love dragonflies ... dragons flying!  This day in my garden was really special.  I think this photo was taken in late summer, early spring.