Planting, Soaping, and Writing

Hi everyone~I can't believe it's been two weeks since I posted! From reading your blogs, looks like all of you have been busy, too.

I've managed to get all of my herbs plants in the ground, but still have some seeds to plant. Our garden is coming along, but like the herb garden, it still has a ways to go. Hubby made another raised bed box today, so I'll be working on getting it planted sometime in the coming week.

I've been making soap for a craft show in a couple of weeks. I've been experimenting with dried herbs (haven't used any fresh ones in the mix, yet), and really like the way it's been turning out. I've found that getting the scent to stay in hot process soap is challenging. I finally made a batch that's a lavender/mint mix and it smells pretty good.

My writing project is finally completely finished and edited~so I'm taking a little break before getting back to it.

Hope all of you are enjoying the spring!

Blackberry Winter

I hope all of you southern gardeners managed to avoid any frost last night. I checked my calender and it really is May, LOL! We did not have frost, which we are very thankful for~but I'm afraid our neighbors just to the north of us did. Our tomatoes still look healthy, as do the rest of our plants.

I am looking forward to the warm-up this week, as well as drying out! My, I've seen enough rain to last me for a while.

Hoping all of you are warm, safe, and dry!

Make Your Own Lotion

I made this easy recipe about two weeks ago--and it turned out great! I waited until I'd used it a couple of weeks before posting. I wanted to make sure it is good stuff--and it is. It is so easy to make, too.

I made mine on the stove-stop. I put a measuring cup with the 1/4 cup of emulsifying wax (I bought this on ebay) and 1/4 cup of olive oil (light) in a small sauce pan over low heat until the oil and wax melted together. I ended up covering the top of the pan to make the wax melt, as it was a little cool in the house--there is no need to stir, it will melt on its own. Just don't let it boil!

After they were completely melted together, I added the 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, stirring it all gently together. Then I added 1 1/2 teaspoons of Jasmine essential oil. I poured the mixture into two wide-mouth canning jars. I had to shake it some as it cooled to keep it from being lumpy.

Olive oil is very good for your skin and it makes a wonderful moisturizing lotion. I added a teaspoon of Jasmine essential oil to the lotion right before I poured it into the jars. The next batch will be vanilla.

Please Pray

I really have been meaning to make a post in the last week. I think of my blog as a fun place to post and visit with my friends--but this last week has brought so much suffering across the South. Some of our own family live in Vilonia, AR that was struck by the tornado on Monday. They were all spared and only one cousin had damage, but they are all okay. We are very thankful. The news this morning from Alabama and other states is horrific. Please pray for everyone that has been touched by these storms. Lives are changed forever. God be with them.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1