Monday, November 9, 2009

When No One Shows Up

ahh, the Free Lecture Demo.

The flu season, exam season. What ever the reason; people just don't show-up. That's o.k.

It means the house has been cleaned once again from head-to-toe. It means that we have time to get something else done.

Last night none of the people scheduled for my 4 pm workshop arrived. So it was off to the kitchen to make moisturizer. I checked in the cupboards to determine exactly what I had available:

Vitamin E oil
Shea Butter (zero packaging)
Cocoa Butter (zero packaging)
Bees Wax
My Choice Essential Oils

I poured the Vitamin E oil and my favorite seasonally chosen essential oils into the mason jar. I heated the butters and wax on low in a heavy bottomed pot. Every once and a while a twirled the pot a little to keep things moving. But I wanted to really get the oils hot and the wax melted. It makes for a smoother lotion in the end.

Once it was good and hot and the wax was well melted in I removed it from the heat. I allowed the oils to cool slightly before adding them to the Vitamin E and especially the volatile essential oils.

Once I added everything I returned to the jar every once in a while to stir. My hands always receiving the warm last drops of oil off the stir-stick.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Reducing packaging


I walk into my bathroom and see the small jar of face wash, and the big jar of moisturizer, and the little jar of deodorizer lotion. I made them. I reuse the packaging every time.

Of course, I still buy things in packaging so that I can make these products. And of course, there are more benefits to using body products that I made, versus body products made in a factory setting.

I'm also happy to say that the shea butter in my moisturizer is very low packaging at the point of purchase. I get it from Essence of Life in Kensington Market.

It comes in a coconut shell, all wrapped in wax paper. Just the way I always dreamed it would happen.


Saturday, October 10, 2009

We Have The Space!


Things are gone now - traded or sold or given away to the Goodwill downtown. They were sure happy to get a few of our better quality items. We're grateful that they are creating jobs for people. teaching people skills, and selling items at reasonable prices. I have to think that I rented a lot if my kitchen items from them while I was living in Toronto. Serving dishes and the like.

Thanks for checking things out here.


Tuesday, October 6, 2009

these are the items I still want to sell.....

all items are gone
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Sunday, September 27, 2009

painted glass


Painted Glass

I've been painting glass for the past 15 years. Its been an exceptional, reasonably portable hobby and my canvas is always a reclaimed item. I hope that you like this jar. I've made a few pieces since moving to Toronto.

I'm more than happy to take offers on the glass-art. I think that they'd make amazing gifts for the coming holiday season. Every piece takes days and days to make - so just make an offer what you'd like to pay.

This was a peanut butter jar that I've reclaimed












Tiny jam jar - painted - lid included




Household goods - moving sale

all sold