cookin' up a storm

'cyclone' logs


'cyclone' peaks


just 'cyclone'

My balls

packets ready for sending.

I done made this 'Cyclone' soap yesterday. I didn't have a lot of Juniper oil left, and getting hold of some quickly proved difficult (and expensive), so I tweaked my recipe.

This now has a smidge of black pepper, which is actually quite similar to Juniper in that it has a lot of the same components, which make up the essential oil. I shan't go into the blurb and bore you though.

It smells so so nice. A really light, yet biting scent with an ozonic aroma. I have some available still but was running a little low. I add organic shea to the mix to make it extra good for the skin. To purchase one of the cured bars, click here to buy from FuturePrimitive Soap or click here for Etsy purchasing.

I've been quite busy lately with web orders, which is really great. Thanks to all who have ordered. Your soaps are on their way this week. Whilst packing them up, I thought I'd take a few pics to show the finished articles. I really like the way they look now, though I've been contemplating trying some different coloured strings. I've seen the ones I want, I just gotta go get some. I'm really happy with the new paper. It lets the soap breathe, and keeps them fresher for longer. (God, that sounds like a panty liner ad!).

The picture of the balls is just to show you how nice they look in a pile! Bored again...though not as bored as when I made my spirals!

Today, I had a nightmare with my car. On Friday, I was leaving Cheltenham and as I put my foot down, my car went nuts and decided to shoot off like a rocket, leaving me almost helpless to try to slow it down. Luckily it did, but not without giving me a half heart attack.

I got home in one piece after driving very carefully. All this weekend, it's been fine but I've only been going about 30MPH due to just driving to Tesco etc.

So...this morning, I set off for work and get onto the bypass, put it into 4th gear, then up into 5th and the damn thing does it again! Again, heart pounding like a good 'un, I slow down (just), breathe and think to myself, I'll go to Mums then call the garage and ask them to take a look.

I get to the garage, and my good friend Coley says, 'c'mon let's take it for a spin'. 'Ok, but be careful', says I.

What do you suppose? It doesn't do it does it?! So I now look like a typical dumb woman talking rubbish. We go 70mph, nothing. We go 80mph (hope the police aren't reading this), again nothing.

Coley turns to me and says 'I ain't being funny or nothin' but you don't suppose it could be the mat do you?'. (i did actually think this myself but thought it couldn't be that simple).

Then, it occurred to me...I'd cleaned out my car of crap and debris after going to the tip last week. It was then that I removed the mats, cleaned 'em up and put them back in the other way around.

So...what had been happening was just that. The car only played naughty once my foot pushed the pedal to the metal...and got caught underneath the mat, making the car go crazy, revving at 4ooo revs, and whizzing off like a nutter.

Panic over!....but a warning to all stupid ass women like me all over the world....check the mat before you blame the clutch, engine, brakes, or man.

out-doorsy & in-doorsy pics

ces't moi.


I would very much like this door to belong to me.


and this hatch.

Ethan & Bella

Ethan and Nats

Bodhi...very patient.

Seamus - the one who likes to eats icky things!

Refer to my Twitter for details!

Seamus and Bracken

Matt n Nat

Bodhi puppy

Sweet Earth bundle

Dark Arts bundle

Spring Greens bundle

Arabica - the perfect kitchen sinkside companion

Been away a while haven't I?

Well, I have been kinda busy making soaps for a rather large order.

Details of which, I shall be posting shortly. I'm very excited to have been given this project to work on, but at the moment I have to keep schtum.

So....here are just a few pics from the past week or so.

Matt and I went on a seriously long walk yesterday and there are a few pics to show some of the places we ended up...though not nearly enough to give you the whole picture.

1st stop was the local Abbey Park, where we bumped into Mum and Nat on their dog walk.

A few pics of the dogs.

The soap pics are part of the batch I have updated my websites with. I felt they needed a re-vamp so I took the pics on a dull day last week. The perfect light I think.

We have a SALE on the FuturePrimitive website at the mo. All plants in pots are half price so if you want to bag a bargain, head on over to here

The sale on plants is only open to customers within the EU. Sorry!

Can't stop too long today as I have more soap to cut and orders to pack, but thought I'd better update this 'ere blog so you don't forget me!

Hope you are all well.

x

new batches of regulars

Just cut this morning. I tweeted about this soap seizing on me yesterday. It decided to go on me just as I needed to do my dots. I only just managed to save it, but it didn't come out as good as it normally does. Never mind, at least it wasn't a total disaster.
Because my soap batter thickened too quickly, I had to layer instead of the usual random pours.
I actually quite like the layering. It came out good. Not too perfect.


Herbaceous cut up on Sunday. This soap has such a good scent...even if I do say so myself.
It's a blend of Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram and Litsea Cubeba (may chang).
A very refreshing herbal scent with a lemon top note. One of my ultimate favourites.
The colour was created after looking at my trusy Farrow & Ball paint chart...again!
Such a good way to think up colours. This duck egg blue was created with TD, ultramarine blue & chromium green oxide.
A good seller at Capability in Cheltenham. If you're ever in the area, you must visit this little treasure trove. It's a really well thought out shop for gardeners. Michele also does garden design.
I'm so pleased she agreed to take my soap last year. She's done really well for me!


Arabica in it's packaging. Now available to buy online here.
I didn't plan on this soap being as scrubby as it is, but I've been using it for the past 3 days in my bath, and it's the DON for exfoliating the whole body.
I like my scrubby bars ultra scrubby, yanno...so it does what it's supposed to. This does a good job, and smells ultra nice. Sweet orange with earthy base notes. I love this and will keep making it as I think folks will love it.


Remember that tutorial I did for Jo's blog? This is the finished, cut up soap we made.
How did yours turn out? I know a few of you had a go as you've been telling me...so do show us.
Leave a comment with your link on this post if you like. Thanks!


Final pic...Herbaceous logs. I love my batches cut into logs. Just a shame to cut 'em all up.
If only I could bathe with a whole log. I might try one day!