Cleaned up

Tattoo session 1

Took a break from soaping to get my tattoo started. The artist is Marie Wadman of Diving Swallow! (their site appears to be down right now)

The concept is a manzanita branch curving up my back, with a base of peonies, and a fairy lantern to the site. If I can afford it, we're going to add butterflies as well.


My great-grandmother, grandmother and mom all love peonies -- so to me, they symbolize NY. My mom grew them in a corner of the yard, called them "pine-ees" like her grandmother. The manzanita is from Mt Diablo -- representing California.


In this shot, the top flowers haven't been inked -- the rest is done. Outline took two and a half hours, next session is the undershading of the leaves and branches. After that we begin the color.


Check out the koi piece in the upper left. Marie said it wound all the way around her client's arm, then torso, finally ending curling around her belly button. INTENSE! I love it.

Dahi Chicken

I really wanted to recreate the "Monsoon Masala" Dahi Chicken at our favorite Indian restaurant -- while it didn't really come close (at all) it was a very tasty dish!

Trader Joe's was out of white onions, ugh, so we had to use purple. There is also garlic and ginger, red pepper paste (wicked hot) and dried chilies from the farmer's market. Added garam masala too.

Chilies I dried over a few weeks, don't you love the color!!

Cooking the spice paste



Added yogurt -- maybe too much. I was supposed to simmer, I accidently boiled it. It made the mixture separate but it was still tasty.

The nan looks perfect -- thanks Trader Joes!! I didn't make it :)


Finished with cilantro and tomatoes:

Fantastic Papercraft shop

Check out MonAmi! She's a wonderful Etsy seller who makes great papercrafts.

Here's her etsy store! Mon Ami Greetings

I've been featured!

Check out Sara's amazing blog, I am so honored to be featured there!

Here are some pictures I snapped while processing orders for the holiday season.

Cutting into a big, forty-pound tub of creamy vegetable soap:


Chop chop!

I can see some Hawaiian, Coffee, Orange Blossom, Chocolates, Aloe Vera in this shot:


Another angle, can see some Lime Chiffon, Peppermint Bark, Pomegranate,


I love the Lime!!

Some Papaya and some others:


Chocolate Milk, always a star seller!


Orders being processed:

Featured again!

Forgot to post since I was on vacation. Check out this feature the Soap Queen did of lil me!

Soap and the Finer Things in Life

Anne-Marie's got a lovely blog and makes great soaps!