Cucumber Melon Brazilian Clay Handmade Soap

 Sorry I haven't been on blog in some time. Life just seems to get in the way. I've been in the hospital three times since I wrote in the blog. I'm feel better and have been thinking of getting back into soap making. From 1999-2008 I sold handmade soap and candles. 

Today, I'm sharing this handmade soap using CP cold process soap I made 1-24-2024. I used Cucumber Melon FO/EO and Brazilian Clay from Nurture Soap on this soap. I'm pleased with the results of this soap. 

Now, it has to cure 4 to 6 weeks so it will last longer in the shower or bathing. 

Handmade Book

This year I've spent more time with my mother going to my doctors appointments and taking my 96 year old mother to wound care specialist, she has an ulcer on her leg where she had cancer. Specialist told me you usually get an ulcer where you get radiation. She is in lots of pain and has home health 3 times a week. 

I try to keep her busy when I'm with her.

June 2nd and 3rd before I had major surgery June 13 we made books like this one. I've now had complication due to surgery and now spend a lot of my time in bed, doctors orders.

Now, lets get back to my booklet; 

I took a few book making supplies, a book/box scoreboards die by Sizzix/Eileen Hull, a Thinlits die by Eileen Hull, some TH Bigz die cuts, tissue tape and cling stamps by Tim Holtz, a new scrapbook pad by Hobby Lobby, a bunch of cut-out stamped and watercolor images. 

Mother has some older Sizzix red thick dies and Tim Holtz bigz dies and stamps that I used on this project as well. My mother made her own book using some of the dies I used. (I shared mothers book on Facebook.) 

The front and back die cut covers were made with black mat board. Each page is made with two scrapbook pages and a heavy card stock inside. We needed lots of glue. Finished book: 5" x 6 1/2"

One of my Eileen Hull scoreboards xl dies is this book/box die;

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1161591749/sizzix-scoreboards-xl-book-box-die?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=eileen+hull&ref=sr_gallery-1-2

Mandala thilits die: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1080288160/sizzix-heart-mandala-by-eileen-hull?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=eileen+hull&ref=sr_gallery-1-4

My favorite tools:"We R Memory Keepers" Crop-a-Dile - Corrner Chomper

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/wr-70904-6.html 

Crop-a Dile - Eyelet and Snap Punch tool:

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/wr-70907-7.html

Framed Spring Flowers

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I watched Eileen’s video over on #Ornamentally Yours Facebook group April 1, 2022. This is what I made after her class and then I made two more frames the next morning, one for me and one for my mom. We will finish those together.

On this one I used silk for a hanger. Tucked down in corner is #eileenhull mandala die made to look like a flower holder. 

Dies are all from #Sizzix. Stamp by Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz.

This is how Eileen made her fabulous project:

Collage Box

This is a project I made to entered in #eileenhullcreativeparty  

I used a scoreboards xl die called the book/box die to make the box. On the lid of box I used my gel press with stencils and paint then finished it using a pink mandala die-cut, gauze, small piece of pink fabric, gold fiber, vintage lace, old rick-rack, old dictionary page stained with archival ink, and then finished it with a stamped and watercolor image.

Eileen Hull is the designer of the book/box die and mandala thinlits dies.

 

Stenciled Gel Press Notebook

I created this piece after seeing #EileenHullDesigns video on “half size folio journal”. I used a stencil with #gelpress to make the page on front of my folio journal.

It was easy to make and it was just the right color of elastic to use and was delivered yesterday.

I used #sizzix folio scoreboards xl die for book and passport scoreboards xl die for inside pages.

Thanks for sharing how to use a button on this project. I purchased a variety of 101 red buttons last week.

Tim Holtz flowers were made using chipboard and then painted with acrylic paint. Stencils were from my Cameo.

I published this piece 2-2022 on Facebook.

Making Books using Gel Printing

 

I made these books using Eileen Hull books and box scoreboards xl dies. Gel printed was used to color both books. 

Busy Making Handbags Again

 Besides making a large leather handbag in January I made a few large books using a plus size die. I've also had fun drawing faces again. It's been more than a year since I've drawn anything. I haven't pay for classes, just free classes with Strathmore Online Workshops through the years.

This past week I was down with my mother and made her two leather handbags. That makes three leather handbags/purses I've made in the last 30 days. 

If you're my friend on Facebook you might have seen the post.

This is the first leather handbag I shared last month.

Leather Handbag

I purchased Schmetz leather needles art: 1715 to use with my 1630 Bernina sewing machine purchased back in 1993. I made this purse/handbag last week with two inside pockets one large fabric and one leather, the leather pocket is for my iPhone. My family says it looks like a 500.00 handbag. I still need topstitching around top of bag. My mom says; take it to a shoe repair and have them topstitch it. I'm scared they will ruin it.

My last leather handbag was made by my mother and me 8 years ago.

Making Christmas Gifts

I made a bunch of Christmas gifts this year using a scoreboards die and Gelli printing plate, No two book are alike. 

I added two small composition books to each book. Gelli Printed books 3 5/8" x 5" 

With closures, elastic, mini books, embellishments I was out of pocket over 100.00. This didn't include price of die cutting, tools, paint, file folders, stencils and gelli printing plate.

MOMENTS

 I made this piece using a white business size envelope, dictionary pages, three die cut tags and flower die cuts, ink pad and applicator, decoupage glue and a fall leaves napkin. 

I used #eileenhulldesigns and #timholtz thinlits dies

Make Amazing Happen

 I've had fun with my mother making and filling books with photo copies of my great grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, sisters and brothers. The next book I want to make is using photo copies of our children and grandchildren. I used Eileen Hull scoreboards xl pocket notebook die with matte board to make this book. I have many more photos is this book. Before closing this book, I want to make an index at back of book to tell who these family members are. My grandmother lived to the age of 94. My mother is 95 and will be 96 in October this year; 2021. She has already made around 20 books, they are filled with photo copies I made with my laser printer. Each of the photos were cut and many were matte with scrapbook paper. I've copied and cut appropriate 500 images from our family photos that are dated from 1800's to 2021. 

Feeling less than Perfect

We were down in the city to go to doctors appointments, we left first appointment from Heart Hospital and stopped at a burger place we had been to in Stillwater and Norman, Ok.

I got sick less than 30 minutes of eating a burger and coke with ice. We ate inside April 19 and I had to stop at a business just a block away to go to restroom. After leaving the restroom we drove to mothers, I was sick all night and then came home the next morning. On the way home I called to see if I could get in to see my doctor. He told me to come in the next day; April 21. 

I told him about getting sick after eating the burger, he said a virus was going around and that is what was making me ill. He ask me to go to the hospital to pick up test tube bottles. I came back here and then took the 4 test tube bottles at the hospital the next day. The first test came back, nurse said it was bacterial infection and was given medication that druggist said I was allergic to. The medication gave me abdominal pains every time I took it. I called back to doctor this past Monday, I left a message for his nurse that I couldn't take the medication because it wasn't agreeing with my stomach so he prescribed another medication this time it doesn't make me sick. Tuesday, May 4 one of  doctors nurse calls me to say they just got the report from one of my test tube bottles that I have Salmonella poisoning. 

That's what I thought all along. It's been 17 days since this nightmare started. I've had nausea, fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and terrible headaches. 

Notes I found on Google: 

(((Can you die from salmonella? Salmonella is rarely fatal, but if the bacteria enters your bloodstream, it can be life-threatening, especially for people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, the very young, and those with diseases

How long does food poisoning last? Most cases of food poisoning last about 1 to 2 days and symptoms resolve on their own. If symptoms persist longer than that, the person should contact their health-care professional. Cyclospora infections may be difficult to detect and diarrhea may last for weeks.

In otherwise healthy people, symptoms should go away in 2 to 5 days, but they may last for 1 to 2 weeks. People who have been treated for salmonella may continue to shed the bacteria in their stool for months to a year after the infection.))))

Flower Journal

I made this Folio Journal scoreboards lx die with other thinlits from Eileen Hull Designs. I used mat board to die cut my booklet. 

Collage Jar with Handle

 

I made this for the Spring Container for May Day Jar and Hanger for Eileen Hull Fan club. I used an old discarded school book from 1947 that had missing pages. I used a page with rabbits. 

Supplies: Eileen Hull die cut flowers and twist and style thread twisting tool. Tim Holtz die cut flowers, TH distress collage medium and TH tissue paper roll. Other supplies; glass jar from my kitchen, gesso, cardstock, twine and bling. Fresh cut flowers are from my garden. 

Another Die-cut and Stamped Card

 I used a few dies and cling rubber stamp, distress crayons and Jane Davenport palette to color flowers. 

New Card

  I made this card using a portion of Eileen Hull's #664882 mandala thinlits die, and Olivia Rose geometric thinlits dies from my new stash of supplies.

Tim Holtz distress crayons were used to color sizzix die cut flowers and stamp a cling image from; CSM155. Distress oxide was using along edges of archival black inked cling mount quote. 

Martha Stewart Multi-purpose glitter paint was used on EH's mandala die-cut.

Tool Caddy

 

I made another tool caddy, this one was made using scoreboards xl post box die and gift box scoreboards xl die both by #Eileen Hull Designs. I've added a lazy susan turntable too. 

Die Cut Display Stand

 

I made this for my youngest sisters birthday. 

I used Eileen Hull display stand scoreboards xl die, some of Tim Holtz supplies and other supplies from my stash. Paper flowers were watercolored. 2021 calendar was a free download. 

Caddy Project

 

Over on Eileen Hull  Fan Club many of the members are making their version of a caddy Eileen shared how to do. I don't have the newest post box die or swivel but do have the shopping bag die and gift box die so this is my project using two of her dies. 

I covered both die cuts with 12 x 12" scrapbook papers from my stash and lots of glue! 

Comfort & Joy!

  I have been a member several years with Eileen Hull Fan Club on Facebook. Back in November 27 Eileen had a new challenge named Comfort & Joy. 

This is my second project started using challenge; Comfort & Joy

                                                                       

I used a snowman napkin and snowflake die-cut applied to a mat board die-cut using Eileen Hull's pocket notebook die. After applying trimmed snowman to book cover I covered the entire book with #Ranger Distress crackle paint and then applied Distress vintage photo ink to crackle. 

Here are some of the other pages:

This is a copy photo of my mother just after her 95th birthday, she is doing what she loves to do, cook! This is one of her cookie recipes that I've used many times including this Christmas 2020.