Oops

I have neglected to update in months. For shame!

I am doing about 8398 projects right now for a swap, so I'll have some pictures soon. In the mix: a hand-painted wooden box, a clock! with brains!, soap/bath bombs, 2 pairs of earrings, a necklace, and if I get around to it, a small tote-bag, an etched mirror, embroidered pillow cases, candles, and/or wax tarts. And that's just for one person. I have someone else who is totally overdue for one of my care packages.

For my niece's birthday, I need to track down some hot pink glitter vinyl so I can make her another purse or some sort of wallet or tote. I made her this one (on the right) for Christmas, and she uses it constantly. I'm happy to see that it has held up to 7 months of constant use! I think the vinyl will be cute and hold up even better. I'm kind of afraid to see what it will do to my sewing machine—I don't have a Teflon foot to make my life easier, and it's not a really professional machine. Maybe I'll commandeer my mom's nice Brother machine. My brother & sisters and I got it for her birthday in January, and she's too intimidated by it to actually use it. Ho hum.

I haven't knit anything for myself in a long time. I am hoping to FINALLY start the pair of socks that have been on my to-do list for months. I guess it will be easier when I don't have these other things that have to be done in the next two weeks (there is a swap deadline to contend with). Plus, once Harry Potter 7 comes out, I will be out of commission for another day or two. ;)

On the soap front, I'm going to try a new recipe, using raw Tussah Noil fibers. I am really anxious to try this out! I got a new 3-pound wooden soap mold, but wow. 3 pounds. I generally make 1-pound batches, and I have to give it away to everyone I see to get rid of the surplus. I guess once I get a scent I truly love, 3-pounds won't be too bad.

With bath bombs, i'm trying to get the dry-to-wet ratio perfected, which is a lot harder than I ever thought. Just a tiny bit too much water, and they tend to develop cracks or look like they have been deflated. Once I have that down, i am going to try my hand at foaming/bubble bombs.

i've kind of gone off the deep end with ordering scents. i need to make a lot of tarts, candles, soap, bath bombs, hair/body sprays to kind of justify owning that many tiny bottles of stink.

11 am and still no coffee. This must be rectified immediately.