Fab new cupcake slippers to make

Thanks to ohmygoodknits!  (I love this blog site)  http://goodknits.com/blog/ Ive found this lovely pattern for very simple little toddler slippers.  I feel another cupcake idea coming on guys!

NOTE: to complete each round, slst into top of the beginning ch3.

Using worsted weight yarn and a 5.00mm hook (H)–
CH 4, slst to make a circle
CH 3, 10 DC into circle (11 dc),
CH 3, DC into same st, 2 DC into each st around (22 dc)
next three rows (even rounds): CH 3, 1 DC into each st
CH 3, DC into next 18 st, leaving 4 unworked. CH 3, turn and work 18 DC back and forth until the sole is as long as the baby’s foot (~5 rows).

seam up the back, then work about 2 rounds of single crochet around the edge, decreasing at the corners.


That’s it! Easy peasy! You can make a complete pair in under and hour. The fun part is thinking of ways to decorate them using felt and thread. Lisa has even turned some into different slippers by crocheting up a little strap on the borders, see below.

Lisa has one suggestion to parents: watch your babies in these! They’re like socks, so if you have slippery floors, be extra vigilant. She used some puffy fabric paint to make them slightly more slip-resistant. You could also sew a sole to the bottom or at least some slip-resistant spots near the toe and heel.   Enjoy!  Let me see some pics if you do make some, I intend to.




WHY I AM NOT USING PALM OIL ANY MORE

Follow this link to a new page on my website where I try to explain.....

https://www.naturallymadesoaps.co.uk/SearchResults.asp?Cat=63

Im very pleased to be able to tell you that All my soaps are now palm oil free.

Let me know what you think, do you have any more facts that I can add to the page?

Pretty Posh Fair, Exmouth

Well the stall looked fine, not as good as normal as I was so rushed I just did not have time to get my normal overhead supports so I could cover it with spring greenery and flowers, but I managed to get time to stop off on the way in with gloves and secateurs and cut some new beech, oak and Hawthorn.  I then put this into two jugs on either side and it looked nice, not quite the same but people liked it.

A funny old day really.  Lots of people, a steady flow all morning, lots of interest and questions but just not buying much.  Why?  Could it be the recession, could it be the election looming?  I know people are still very worried about finances, and why not, and it was not just me, lots of other stall holders were slow too.  Oh well, cupcakes flew off the stall and sold lots of the new palm oil free range....
On the other hand I made lots of good contacts.  Two more shops wanting to stock Naturally Made Soaps, two more fairs to attend and a chance to buy into a very cheap supply of pomace olive oil - basically enough for potentially a years supply for £1.95 a litre.  So pretty pleased really.  Anyway, Debbie (the organiser) did a fantastic job of getting a really great selection of products today, it always amazes me how many talented makers there are in Devon, some really lovely stuff.  I will be booking my stall for the October Fair anyway, thanks for organising it Debbie and thanks to all my loyal customers who came and bought as always.

A few of my fellow stall holders who really caught my eye:
KATYCAKES - http://www.katycakes.biz
Wow!  fantastically beautiful cupcakes that you can eat!!  much more filling than mine

ATHENIAN OLIVE - http://athenianolive.co.uk
Lovely Greek olive oil products including soap (which I bought and cant wait to try!)

THE CAKE LADY - http://www.the-cake-lady.org
HMMM yummy, yummy, yummy her chocolate cake I sampled was so sticky and lovely.  What is it with me and cake at the moment?  I'm already at least 2 stone overweight, am I on a roll? I hope not.  Anyway, her cakes are really good and look fantastic.

LEAFSTREET - http://www.leafstreet.co.uk
One of the shops in Exeter wanting to supply my soaps, thanks guys!

By the way, the other shop is opening soon in Exmouth, details to follow.

Finally a link to Pretty Posh to find out more about future events and how you can get involved - http://www.prettyposhlocal.co.uk/

Dirty Dog soap back from testing in Thailand

and it looks like it went down well, less annoying insects and a lovely scent.
Check out the Girls Travel Club Blog  http://girlstravelclub.co.uk/blog/2010/04/keep-bugs-away-with-ahem-pet-care.html

Dog soap is the best!!

New soaps added to the website

Hi everyone, I have been busy today adding lots of new soaps to my site and generally tidying it up a bit, sounds easy but it has taken me the whole day!!

Anyway, go and have a look at:

Rose Garden Mini Soap Cupcakes
http://www.naturallymadesoaps.co.uk/Rose-Carden-Mini-Cupcake-p/rg2.htm
So cute and simple looking.  Its a tiny version of its bigger brother Rose Garden.  Palm Oil Free!

Chamomile Spring
http://www.naturallymadesoaps.co.uk/Chamomile-Spring-p/ch1.htm
I just love this soap, funny how Lemongrass and sweet orange essential oils smell a little like freshly grated ginger when they are put together - or at least I think they do!  This is selling very fast.  Palm Oil Free!

Vanilla Cream and Sugar Candy
http://www.naturallymadesoaps.co.uk/Vanilla-Cream-and-Sugar-Candy-p/vcsc1.htm
One for the kids, or the kid in us!  It has a lovely warm, 'just baked cake' fragrance.  Palm Oil Free!

Azure Waters Sea Salt Bar
 https://www.naturallymadesoaps.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Azure1
Brand new and really different, treat yourself to your very own 'spa' soap home treatment.  Palm Oil Free!  (not ready for dispatch until after 4th May)

So can you spot the obvious connection with all these new soaps?  Easy - ALL PALM OIL FREE!  I'm so pleased.  So now every remake I do will have all whole Devon goats milk and be palm oil free.  Can't better that, oh yes I can, I almost forgot, I'm about to get my first order of organic, lightly refined Shea Butter from Fresholi  http://www.fresholi.co.uk/

Fresholi organic shea butter comes from Ghana and comes from a Fairly Traded Community Project.  This is what they write about their products sourced using this route:

"Wherever possible, we source quality & sustainable ingredients that support community projects around the world.  We embrace wholeheartedly the ethic of paying a fair price in order to sustain these projects & the communities they support. 

It fills us with enormous pride and satisfaction that both our certified organic tamanu oil and our certified organic unrefined shea butter are sourced from such projects."

Click on the link below to see a presentation about their Shea Butter.

http://www.fresholi.co.uk/galleries/projects/projects-shea.htm

Do leave a comment and let me know what you think of both my new soaps and my desire to go Palm Oil Free - have you yet?

Another new soap on the drying rack!

Palm Free again, its the way to go!

This one is a replacement for my White Chocolate & Strawberry Gateaux, inspired by Twiggy from FuturePrimative http://futureprimitivesoap.com/ and thank you to Twiggy for allowing me to use her ideas especially the one about making dark, thin lines around your layers and embeds.  I'm happy with the initial results and it smells fab.  Same scents as before (Chocolate Truffle from Gracefruit and Strawberry from The Soap Kitchen), the balls are rebatched and scented with Strawberry, the bottom layer is chocolate, middle layer plain white and top layer dollops of all 3 swirled together.
Its curing well and is already nice and hard, again a bit sticky out of the mold but my palm free experiments are getting better.  I hope you like it.

Summertime! I love Tip Nut

Great tips for grilling shrimp already, got to think she lives in hotter climates than UK lol
but still, have a look it makes you think of summer.....  it has been a lovely day here in South Devon too, could this be the shape of things to come?  http://tipnut.com/grill-shrimp/
Carry on and look at my last posts, need new names and feedback....