Welcome Little Pea

In honor of our newest little pea, we will be offering a celebratory coupon code exclusively at Pea Pod Crafts. Simply enter INTHEPINK to receive 25% off your total order before May 1st, 2011. Feel free to share this code with your friends and family as well!

Marlee Grace 4/9/2011 (6lbs, 6oz; 19 inches)

Treasury West

Check out the new treasury i'm in titled: For Me Papa

Meet Tatty Gnome

I love terrariums! This year I wanted to turn my terrarium into a project that my son and I could both enjoy. By adding a few miniatures (available at your local craft store), your terrarium can transform into a magical fantasyland. It's so much fun to assemble and can be a constant source of entertainment when mini items are added or swapped out!

Here's how to turn an ordinary terrarium into a magical gnome home:


Items needed:
Terrarium ( see Building a Miniature Ecosystem)
Moss- for a grass look
Miniatures (gnome, birds, fences, mushrooms..etc)
Small birdhouse
River rocks
Bark
Sticks
Hot glue gun

1) Cut bark and sticks to use as shingles and trim for the birdhouse.
2) Paint birdhouse brown or green for a natural look- or bright colors for a more eclectic look.
3) Add bark shingles and stick trim using a hot glue gun.
4) Assemble gnome and house within the terrarium.
5) Set scene using additional miniatures (vegetable garden, tea party etc.)
6) Mist or water regularly as directed for the terrarium plants.
7) Swap out scene periodically for additional fun!

The way to a girl's heart.......samples!

It's no secret that I LOVE SOAP. When I buy soap I have a routine:

1) close eyes... feel, smell, feel, smell
2) open eyes ...feel, smell, feel, smell

I'm sure you're thinking....weirdo! Think of picking out soap as a wine tasting. While descriptions and recommendations are helpful, they don't always hit the nail on the head. Soap smells and feels different to each individual user. Since it plays an intimate roll in our lives, let's get to know it a little better first! This can be hard when buying online. Until your PC can provide smellinet, try one of these sample packs now offered at PeaPod Crafts!

• Classy Clean Collection: ($12) - 12 mini sized soaps (approx. 1oz each)
• Sudsy Sampler Pack: ($6) - 6 mini sized soaps (approx. 1oz each)
• Bubbly Box Set: ($20) - 4 full sized soaps (approx. 4oz each) plus 4 mini sized soaps (**shipping on BBS is a flat rate of $4.95)

Visit http://www.peapodcrafts.etsy.com/ (or see side panel) to order.

Time to Make the Donuts...er Soap! How to Make Swirled Soap

This weekend I was knee deep in olive oil. My etsy site has been getting a bit dry in the last few months and needs to be replinished!!! My goal: add 12 more batches of soap before March 15th. This weekend I was able to whip out 6 batches. Stay tuned on my etsy site as i'll be unveiling the new scents in the next few days!

To make things easier, i've recently purchase some new molds. Previously I used the homemade wooden style and they work wonderfully, but the new ones are awesome! I've been using them for six months now and absolutely love them! They're made from the same material that your everday kitchen cutting board is made from. Because there's no need to line them, unmolding and cleaning them are SUPER easy. (One little FYI: I do spread a thin coat of petroleum jelly on the molds to help with unmolding).

I'm so excited to show off my first successful swirl! I've attempted to swirl a few times in the past and the results were always the same....boring! I'm a habitual stirrer and when you overstir a swirl you get something far less intersting.

Here's how you do an IN THE POT swirl: (My recipe uses 36oz of oil.)

1. During the mixing process let soap/lye solution come to a light trace.
2. Separate 1 cup of newly created soap mixture into a small mixing bowl or container.
3. Add colorant to the small amount of soap and mix well.
4. Hold the container of colored soap high over the pot of soap (approx. 2ft) and slowly drizzle into the pot. This enables the color to dispense to throughout the pot and all the way to the bottom of the pot.
5. OPTIONAL **Stir pot once with a skinny stick (I use a shishkabob stick). Do not overstir or you will loose a crisp swirl.
6. Pour into the log mold- this is where the swirling effect occurs.

LUGGAGE SALE!!!

Have you joined my facebook fanpage?

BIG SALE ON LUGGAGE through March 1st. BUT you have to be a fan to find out the details:)


Join here: www.facebook.com/peapodcrafts

NEW Year's Resolutions

1) Create more
2) Post more
3) Sell more

Being as it's already February 1st, I am NOT doing so well in the post more department. Here are a few things that are in fact in the works for 2010.

----new soap scents (just received a batch of peak fragrances)
----new prints/colors for make up rolls and vendor aprons
----matching make up bag/roll sets
----Weekly featured EZ-Peazy Etsian.

Stay tuned. 2010 is going to be a wonderful year!