Good Morning.
       Has anyone had any of this lovely rain.  For once we received some here and I am happy to say have green grass popping up all over the ground.  Don't care if it is only weeds it is green and in my book beautiful.  We had 60 mls yesterday and I had to pump water from the 2 smaller tanks up to the Big back tank so I save it for the garden.  Do hope those who needed it also got some.

   I started back in the soap shed this month but must have not been concentrating as I forgot to add the essential oil in one batch so had to tip it out of the mould into the pot and quickly add the oil then stir it lightly as I wanted to try and keep some of the 2 coloured swirl.  It worked but not as pretty as it originally looked.   The 2nd one I made a double batch of Goat Milk Lavender Soap and once again did such a lovely swirl with the lavender colour through the creamy milk colour.  Imagine my horror when I went to the fridge the next morning and there before my eyes was the Goat Milk  I should have used.  I must admit I did wonder why the amount I made did not fill the 2 moulds and I had to do some quick thinking to make the bars the correct size by pushing the mix up from one end of mould and filling the cavity with a couple of empty bottles I had sitting there to hold the board in place.
  I shredded all the soap and did a re batch but it is so ugly now and a far cry from my lovely swirl so guess it will be come house soap and we will use it up eventually.   
  Did you see the new soap that went up for sale this month.  It is fragranced with Freesia so I have done a very soft pink in the pot swirl to match the sweet lovely fragrance and I think it is beautiful.

  I also released Bath Bombs this month.  I don't make these as I just cannot get them right and really don't have time so I selected a maker that was nearby to me and had not used any chemicals that I don't like.  Unfortunately unbeknown to me at the time that I placed my first order and it was delivered she decided to go out of the business of making them so I have only that one small order of them from her and am looking for another supplier.   I had some of my customers try them out and received good reviews from them so now if you want some lovely bath bombs or Shower Steamers/Fizzers then check them out on Facebook and place an order.

My garden is loving the rain we have had so are the weeds unfortunately.  The heat has been unbearable so the vegetable garden is all under shade cloth.  I was down to the last few litres of water in the large tank so was so glad to have had at least 2 smaller storms earlier in the month and then 2 bigger ones on Saturday.  Despite the weather I have had some lovely yellow Arum Lilly's flower in the back garden and of course the blue salvia and my beautiful Little Gem Magnolia is  putting up flowers so the native bees I have are really happy. Also had yellow crocus pop up after the rain Had to move them from where they were during winter as the heat from the side of the house was just to much for the poor little things now they are in under the tea trees surrounded by flowers and they are much happier. 

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a  Little Mac has settled back into Doggy Playgroup after a few weeks off over Christmas.  He is beginning to be one of the group at last instead of hanging back and watching and he is also quietning down but that could be because he has now turned five.  He still barks at any noise he heres but not nearly as much and seems to obey me more than he was before starting to go there so I am happy for him to keep going and socialising.   We are still waiting for his main Christmas present to arrive Received a watch in the shape of an owl instead and have been trying to get it sorted out ever since.  I am sure Mac loves all the balls and squeaky toys he has been given as he had his Gotch Day then Christmas then a couple of weeks later his 5th Birthday so guess he is happy.

Well that is enough rambling from me so until next time stay safe and be kind to each other.
Blessings

Good  Morning.
    Happy New Year to Everyone.   Did you make a New Year's Resolution.
I did and one was to be more active with my Postings and updates to Social Media.    So today is the start and I wonder just how long this will last.  I also need to do inventory of  both Face Book and the Web site as well as Pinterest to bring them all into line with my Catalogue but first need to update said Catalogue.   So busy times in the off festival season.
 Have been fluffing around the edges for the last few weeks as needed to rest after some gruelling multiple day shows and the ghastly heat early December that knocked me around and I was exhausted.   Now that all the Holidays are over it is time to get things moving as have lots of Soap to make to replenish what was sold.    Also have a new Soap Fragrance ready to go just as soon as I get more Label paper as you wouldn't believe this I ran out.  Must have been the heat fried my brain as usually I have stacks sitting there whenever I need it.
   Also have a new product being tried and a review to come from my testers before they can be released.  I am buying these in as I don't have time to make them but you can rest assured they are handmade and are not quite local to me but within an hours drive. Can't wait to here what the reviews say as my house smells divine from the few I have here waiting to here back from the testers. Everything else is chugging along nicely.  I do a shift in the CO-OP Shop every Wednesday Morning 9-1pm Darling Downs Handmade Shop in the Wilsonton Shopping Centre so if you want to discuss products before buying then pop in and see me then.   The rest of my week is usually taken up with work in the Soap Room or Labelling in the Family Room in between keeping the House and Yard going.

  Talking about my yard we finally had some rain in early  December  then a storm  on Christmas Eve so the grass has grown and I have actually mowed twice.  There are still a lot of bare patches and an horrific amount of the green is weed but it all got mowed and the leaves all munched into the mulch pile.  I am outside around 5 am most mornings and do a couple  hours work of raking or trimming,  mulching or weeding as the garden gets quite neglected during the festival seasons so I like to get it revived just as soon as I can after the shows have finished.  This year I have grown lettuce and silver beet in tubs in the green house as normally they get grubs and expire before I can get a decent picking.  They have done really well and I have been using them for a few weeks.  Tried a new tomato and it is producing well but the bushes have developed the wilt so will need cutting off down low and letting come again.  Waiting on the fruit still there to ripen before cutting them.  
​ I have worked out a better way to place the shade cloth over all the tubs so the whole vege patch is under shade now and is doing so much better.   I was almost out of tank water when we got the rain so now hopefully have enough to see me through a few more months when we hopefully will get some more from the wet season.

Mac received heaps of new balls for Christmas and has not stopped chasing them since.  He has one that I put his kibble in and he pats it with his paw to get it rolling until a piece of kibble comes out but 9 times out of 10 he leaves the piece on the floor and continues  patting the ball to make it roll...go figure.   Mac has been on holidays from Doggy Playgroup but starts back again tomorrow.  He loves going there and received a bandanna from Lisa for Christmas.  Had to have a big doggies sized one as the little ones would not go round his neck with all that fur.  We celebrated his Gotcha Day with a new toy a fat bull that squeaks of course and as his main Christmas present has not arrived from China he will get that for his Actual birthday and another squeaky toy, this time a fat donkey later this month.

 Well that is enough of my rambling so please take care and remember to be kind to each other.

Blessings
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