SavonMarie

Tuesday's Treasures

2011-10-11T01:21:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to be part of Shabby Lane Shops. It's an on-line shopping mall, and there is always something exciting going on. One popular feature is Tuesday's Treasures. Every Tuesday, many of the shops offer special sale items.Best of all, there is also a give away. Savon Marie is proud to be a sponsor for this week. All you need to do is click on the link for details on how to enter to win. In addition, Savon Marie is offering a 25% discount on all retail purchases for this Tuesday, October 11, 2011.
Our newest soap is pictured on the left. It is a set that features an Eiffel Tower and four pretty blossoms. We call it I Love Paris. It's a lovely gift at only $4.50

Happy shopping!

2011-09-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

It's so hard to believe that summer is just about over. We hope that all of you had a wonderful and relaxing summer. We especially hope that Hurricane Irene spared you. We have been very busy with lots of new items. We're going to share some of them with you.

First is our selection of soap for men. We have thought about this for a very long time, and after a number of requests, we are happy to present them. They are pictured on the left and are available in a few designer scents as well as a few of our popular unisex fragrances. We have even created some boxes that should please our male friends. One of them is pictured on the right.

We have had a lovely mold featuring two cherubs for a while. What is so special about this one is that the sides of the soap also have a lovely cherub design. But as special as this mold is, we couldn't decide on a name or a presentation for it. Sometimes the names are the hardest part. So now we are happy to show you what we call Love Eternal. You can see it below.

In keeping with our policy of packaging every soap in a hand-embellished gift box, we are including a matching box, which you can see on the right.

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to visit us at Shabby Lane Shops.

See you soon,
Marie

Look Who's Back

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Where does the time go? I know it has been a while, but I have been making lots and lots of lather lately. I have also been working on new products and packaging for some customer favorites. If you'd like to see our new additions and also receive news of sales, sign up for my newsletter here. It comes out every 2 months or so. But for now, we want to share the return of one of our favorites and new packaging for another favorite.

He's back! Our Rubber Duckie soap was very popular, but he was also a packaging/shipping nightmare. In the past we attached toy Rubber Duckies to a pond which was made of soap. Now we have a Rubber Duckie made of 100% soap. He is packaged in his own little box. He even has a little side kick, also available separately.

We also have lovely new packaging for our buttons. We love it. Hope you do too. The tin can be used for other little treasures when the soap is gone. We are also planning other soaps and more designs for these lovely tins.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you soon again.

Marie

Peonies and Froggy

2011-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I know it has been a long time. I have been really busy making lots of soap. I have finally started working in my garden. It rained for so long, I could not get out there. I finally had success with peonies that I planted a few years ago. I moved them and they are thriving. I have a picture of one of the plants. I never thought I'd be showing pictures of a plant, but what the heck. Just this once.

Now on to some soap. I have been really busy, but one of my favorite new items is one that I just call Froggy. I've added the photo of the soap and the gift box below.I hope you think he's as cute as I do. I almost want to kiss him. Just almost. Thanks for stopping by.

Marie

Ribbons

2011-04-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Pardon my absence. It all stared with major computer issues. It took a while and resulted in a new computer from Dell. That covers the first 6 weeks of my absence. I will spare you the rest. But now I'm back to blogging.

I decided to write about ZipperStop.com, which is my favorite source for ribbon. I'm sure many people are aware of this wonderful company. It has been around for about 70 years. You can read all about the history of ZipperStop here. I just love this company's story. I'm sure you will enjoy it too.

ZipperStop is located right here in New York. I could easily hop on the subway and go the store's location in lower Manhattan. Or I could drive there. I do neither; I have my ribbons shipped. I buy 3 at a time as I slowly add to my stash and try to keep the clutter down. Why only 3 at a time? Why don't I go there? It can be tough sticking to my rule of only buying an item when I get rid of an item. If I went there, I would probably buy 33. I am not interested in lugging tons of ribbon (or myself) up and down subway steps with tons of ribbon for an hour long ride where no seats are guaranteed. It is at this time that I invoke my arthritic senior citizen status. I don't drive there because the shipping is less than the bridge tolls. I live in the Bronx, so bridges must be crossed. Then there's parking. ZipperStop is located in the Canal Street area. Canal Street should be pictured in the dictionary under the listing for the word congestion.

ZipperStop has a great web site and the popular seam binding ribbon that so many of us use is available in 202 colors. It is 1/2 inch wide and 100 yards cost $7.95. I think that is a great bargain for a thing of beauty.

Savon Marie Catalog

2010-11-21T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I know it has been a while, but I have been very busy lately. This catalog is one of the reasons. It will be available shortly after Thanksgiving, but for now, you can take a look here.

The catalog contains some of our best sellers, old favorites, and a few brand new items.

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and now, I finally have it completed. Take a look and let me know what you think.

I have also been working on a Betty Boop Soap. I am not quite there yet with the soap mold, but I do have a cute little gift box ready. Betty is blowing a kiss. The box has a bit of glitter on the lips and is trimmed with hot pink and black ribbon.

What's not to love about Betty? Even my grand daughter loves her. This soap is part of our Blonde in a Bathtub line.

Another one of our new soaps from our Blonde in a Bathtub Line is this zebra soap. There is also a cheetah pattern. It is not even on our web site yet. We are offering it in our Blonde in a Bathtub selection of fragrances, many of which are designer duplicates.

My next post will be all about the holidays. I'll have some holiday items to show you and also have news about some online holiday events that we will be part of.

Also a very special offer for newsletter subscribers only. If you'd like to receive this offer, you can sign up here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Marie

Thanks

2010-10-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for your suggestion for my new soap. The name I chose is "Tranquility." This was suggested by Debbie, and I agree with her; it does have a Zen feeling. As soon as Debbie sends me her address, I will get the prizes out to her.

Thanks again for your suggestions. It was a difficult choice.

Buttons are Back

The Bar of Buttons soap is back. I've got a new photo of a white Bar of Buttons, but I can't wait to try it in black. Maybe a deep country red or pine green for the holidays. But right now my favorite is just plain white.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week.
Marie

Rose D'Amour and Ripple

2010-10-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I want to share 2 of my newest soaps. I have had my eye on these molds for a long time. They are a bit pricey, but I am so glad I purchased them. I love the rose for many reasons. First it IS a rose and the heart shape makes it extraordinary. The detail is so delicate and beautiful. What I really love is that it will stand up to shipping. Now that's a rose after my own heart. Please excuse the poor pun.

This is the third in a line I call Zen Garden. I love the elegant simplicity of this soap. I scented my samples with Water Blossom Ivy, one of my favorites. Right now I am calling this one Ripple, the name that the mold maker gave it. However, if any of you have a suggestion for a more romantic name, please let me know. If your suggestion is used, you will recieve one of each of these new soaps. Thanks so much.

Marie

Ondine, Harmony & Golden Bamboo

2010-08-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I know it has been a while, but this has been one busy summer. I am not complaining, just explaining. I have 3 new creations here. I just posted them all together. I do not want to start my day with the ususal frustration I have trying to get pictures to do what I want them to do.

The first picture is a mermaid which I painted with mica. I decided to call her Ondine, which is the name of a mythical water sprite. It is also the name of a perfume I loved many years ago.

The second picture I call Harmony. I was thinking of calling it Made for Each Other, but Harmony won out. I made it in black and white because it reminded me of the yin yang symbol.

The third is Golden Bamboo, another soap hand painted with mica. You can't see it too much, but the soap itself has a subtle shimmer of gold. I am going to do one in pearl white soap as well. But this is what I have ready for today.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a wonderful week.

Marie

French Farmhouse Soap

2010-07-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

This week I am introducing some new soap. It is called French Farmhouse Soap. This soap is made from scratch using all natural ingredients. Made mostly of olive oil and coconut oil, it also has shea butter.I love this soap! It was made by a fellow soaper, and it is the only soap I use other than my own. It feels wonderful. Sherri, of Antique Paperie designed the Rosette and image for the box. I think she did a great job.

Thanks for looking, and have a great week.
Marie

The winning entry

2010-07-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who suggested a name for the image of Pierrot and the lovely lady pictured in my last post. It was difficult. A few of the names were ones that I thought of, but the name that really stood out for me was Debbie's. Sweet Secrets was her entry.

Thanks to everyone who participated.
Marie

Roses for Lili & Giveaway

2010-07-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I have been very fortunate to have some wonderful new wholesale customers. They have been keeping me very busy, but I finally managed to post a few soap boxes today. I mention the boxes with my customers because a few of them have been purchasing the boxes before I even get them posted. So, yes I have been very, very fortunate. I am very grateful, too. It has been fun rubber stamping and playing with my oh-so-easy-to-use greeting card software.

However, I am highlighting a few boxes with images from Sherri of Antique Paperie. I have been using her designs for a while. Sherri has recently become a member of Make Mine Pink. So I decided to feature some of her work here. The first box is named Roses for Lili. I love this design. I'm sure you agree that her work is beautiful. The next one I call Stolen Kiss. It is a perfect match for my Pierrot soap. I even managed to find a matching image by the same artist. I have not made anything from it yet, but I will very soon. I posted it here as well. It is the image on the right. All I need is a name. I have a few ideas, but I would love some suggestions from you. The winner will receive soap in a gift box of her (or his!) choice. Thanks. Marie

Summer Soaps

2010-06-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It has been a while, but so much seems to be happening these days. I have been working on getting some things for sale on Etsy. I am kind of excited about it, but it seems to be taking me forever to get things set up. One thing I like about Etsy is all the help they offer. I have been reading the suggestions and doing my best. I hope to have the shop open soon.

As you can see, I have been getting ready for summer here at Savon Marie. This Hawaiian shirt is a gift with purchase. It is a sweet little guest soap and will be included with the purchase of our Flip Flop Soap.

Another new addition is Cheers! our selection of sparkling clear Aloe Soap in the shape of a cocktail glass. I decided to call it Cheers! because the only other name I could think of was Bottoms Up. That did not seem like a good name for something that might be used in a bathtub. Cheers! is also a guest soap, weighing in at just about 2 ounces. It is available in a number of delicious fragrances. Mandarine Martini, Raspberries and Champagne, Lavender Martini, and our popular Vanilla Champagne are just a few. It is packaged in a clear box, and the price is only $2.50 each

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to visit Make Mine Pink. There is always something exciting going on there. This week there will be a Pink Friday Event. The theme is Red White and Blue. On Saturday, there will be another Pink Twilight Sale. Don't miss out on the fun.

See you soon.

Marie

Shop Hop, Shabby Shops and Tassels.

2010-04-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody, I have been pretty busy lately. The first thing I want to share with you is the Mother's Day Shop Hop at Make Mine Pink. It starts April 25th and lasts until May 1, 2010. It's like an online scavenger hunt. It is so easy to participate. All you have to do is visit the participating sites and look for the "hidden" shop hop symbol which is a shopping bag. Click on the shopping bag to record your find and move on to the next site. The lucky shopper who finds the most wins a fabulous prize from Make Mine Pink. The prize for this event is a fabulous Tea Time Gift Basket valued at $68. Just click the link above to register and see all the information you need. It lasts a whole week, so you have lots of time to shop and search. The Shop Hops at Make Mine Pink are always lots of fun. Register now!

I am also very excited about signing up to be part of Claudia Twardus' new venture, Shabby Shops in a Box. Claudia will sell boxes containing samples of products from participating vendors. I really like this idea. It is a new and relatively inexpensive way for vendors to get products out there. Who wouldn't like to receive a box of samples? You can visit Claudia's site and see for yourself. Just click on the link above.

Another exciting event is the tassel giveaway that Dawn from Hydrangea Home is having. As you can see, Dawn's tassels are gorgeous.

This picture is from her blog. If you would like to participate in either of these two wonderful opportunities, just click the links above.

Now I am going to work on some photos for items I am planning to sell on etsy. More about that next time.

Have a great week. Thanks for stopping by.

Marie

Bonjour Mademoiselle!

2010-03-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Bonjour! This weekend I created a new fragrance. I am calling it "Mademoiselle." It is a rose and amber combination, with other floral notes. I was actually inspired by the new box I created. You can see it in my first picture. The caption reads, "The girl in the pink dress dances every dance." This box inspired me to do a new soap in pink, but my purchase of pink ribbon with crepe paper ruffles gave me the name. As you can see, the pink ribbon is stamped with the word "Mademoiselle." I purchased ribbon on etsy from Bit of Vintage and she included this lovely pink perfection with my purchase. So of course, I went back to buy more. I will also be creating a larger box which incorporates the ribbon. I just could not wait to show it to you, so for now it is making my mediocre pictures look much better than they really are.

Yesterday I made a daffodil soap. I tried out some new soap paint, and I love it. I may go back to painting soap again. I especially like the soft look of the transparent colors. The borders are highlighted with a touch of mica. This soap will be available in 2 fragrances, One is "April Showers," and it is as fresh and clean as it sounds; the other is "Fresh Cut Flowers," a light floral just perfect for spring.

Only 2 weeks ago, we were buried in snow. Now we are eagerly awaiting Spring. All we have to do is get through the wind and the rain. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week.
Marie

New Boxes

2010-03-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Hello Everybody,
It seems like I am creating a habit of getting things done, just not in the order of importance. I am having family visiting me tomorrow. I should have spent the day getting the place spruced up for them. But noooo. I completed 2 boxes instead. Then I played around with my craft supplies. But after all, they are family, so they can stand to see the place looking a little ragged around the edges. It should create the illusion that I am very very busy.
Anyway, I really like these boxes better than my painted boxes. I am planning to add quite a few more selections over the next few weeks. I hope you'll be back to see them.
Thanks for stopping by. Spring will soon be here!!!.
Marie

The Glitter Queen Returns

2010-02-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Here in New York, we had quite a bit of snow over the weekend. I decided to go through my craft supplies and see what I could do with them. A few months ago I started trolling around Etsy for digital images. Since I am not an artist, I thought I would use the images for some soap boxes I wanted to make. I went crazy! Anything that appealed to me wound up in the shopping cart whether it suited my original purpose or not. So yesterday, I decided to go through my images and supplies. I made some tags. Most of them will probably be used as give aways. I am all thumbs, have little patience, and measuring? Fugeddaboudit. (I learned that as a result of living in the Bronx.) Anyway I did wind up with a few things. I wonder what my former colleagues at work (a school) would think of the woman they used to call the Glitter Queen. I had tubs of it and used it often to decorate bulletin boards. Now life is much easier with Stickles.

I could not resist the Cat tags or the Scottie tags. I made some Scottie soap for Valentines day, and it was a hit, so I will use those tags with my Scottie soap orders. The cat tags were just too cute. They would make nice book marks.

The pink floral tags must be used as give aways. The designer forbids sale in any form. I won't be buying any more form that person. They look a little brighter in the picture than they really are, but they are pretty and make me think of spring.

Next you will see some French tags with a pale pink tapestry background. I was pleased with my borders on these. Thanks to Stickles once again. I also tried different colors of seam binding, but I am leaning toward the black for these.

So this is how I spent a snowy afternoon. It was lots of fun, and it made me forget that I was snowed in. Oh and I did do a little work on a design for the top of a soap box. I plan to adhere it to a papier mache box, so the brown and beige tones really look very nice on the box. I may add a ribbon. So as usual, I spent a lot of time creating things, but barely finished working on what I really needed to do.

Now if only I could figure out how to get pictures where I want them and get rid of empty spaces without deleting the text and pictures I want on this blog.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week. Spring is just around the corner!!!
Marie

Black Is The New Black

2010-02-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

On your right is a soap requested by one of my customers, Tiffany Numan, owner of Vintage at Heart in Studio City, California. When she placed her last order, Tiffany asked for a Black Fleur de Lis soap. I could hardly wait to make it. I made coal soap for Christmas and liked it, but I never gave black soap another thought. Thanks Tiffany. Your soap is really beautiful. The color is perfect for the Fleur shape. And yes, the suds are white.

If you live near Studio City and love vintage, visit Tiffany's shop. She has many lovely items and she is lovely, too. The address is Vintage at Heart, 4377 Tujunga AVe, Studio City, California.

Have a terrific week! Thanks for stopping by.
Marie

Happy New Year!

2010-01-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. It's only been a few weeks, but as always, it seems much longer since we shopped, baked, and prepared for the holidays. It was hectic and lots of fun, but I am glad to get back to my usual slower pace.

I have been working on a few new soap boxes. I keep trying new ideas and learning new techniques as I go along. I have always loved unusual boxes; they are a delight and also help me keep organized. So my goal is to create not just a gift box, but something that can be useful long after the soap is gone. A number of customers like them, so I am encouraged to keep going. Here a photos of my latest. Yes, that is Audrey Hepburn superimposed on Gustave Caillebotte's painting, Paris, A Rainy Day. I just love Audrey, and I plan to add a few more boxes with her image.

These boxes will all be listed on Make Mine Pink's Friday Shopping Event next Friday. The theme is "In with the New." Don't forget to visit Make Mine Pink this and every Friday for shopping with a twist.. The boutiques are all preparing fabulous new items just for you!
Till the next time,
Marie

And the winner is....

2009-11-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Carrie. Thanks to everyone who participated. But Sweet Embrace is the perfect name for the soap. Thanks, Carrie. Please visit the site and let me know which items you would like.
marie

Moon Glow Dream Lover

2009-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody,

This is one of my new molds. I love everything about it: the simplicity, the detail, just everything. However, I am undecided about what to call it. Right now I am calling it Moon Glow because it has a soft golden shimmer, and I do love that song. I was originally going to call it Dream Lover, but that Bobby Darin song keeps going through my head. Not that it is a bad thing, but maybe there is a better name, a name that won't have me hearing songs all day.

I think this calls for a contest. Please choose your favorite or post a suggestion. If your name wins, you will win $20 worth of products of your choice. If I become fixated on one of my own choices, Moon Glow or Dream Lover, then I will use the random number thing to choose a winning post.

Thanks.

Marie

New Items

2009-11-23T05:16:00.000-08:00

This has been a very busy week. I have been working on a few large orders and putting together some new items. This box of pears is the first thing I completed. I love the scent of fresh juicy pears, the look of a bowl of pears and the delicious taste of pears. These little soaps are guest soaps, and I stamped the hand colored design on the lid of the box.

I also made some soap in the shape of coal. They come with darling little beaded Christmas stockings. They are scented with the fragrance of Holiday Candy. These are so cute. The coal soap is colored with black oxide, which is a natural pigment.

My last offering is a golden sled. I love the look of this soap. It is elegant and traditional. The fragrance I used for this one is Vanila Champagne, a new favorite of mine and my customers.

I'll have more next week, but for now I want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. May you and your families and friends share the joy of being together as we begin this holiday season. Thanks for visiting my blog this week.

The Ultimate Gift Basket

2009-11-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Gift Basket. What a great idea! Members of Make Mine Pink are preparing another wonderful surprise for everyone. Each participating member is contributing one fabulous item for the Ultimate Gift Basket. One lucky person will have the opportunity to win this fabulous prize. However, even those who do not win have a special opportunity. Make Mine Pink Members are all creating an Ultimate Gift Basket category in their boutiques. Each item in the Ultimate Gift Basket will be available for purchase.That means buyers can create their own Ultimate Gift Baskets.

I just love that idea. Pictured above is my contribution to the Ultimate Gift Basket. It is a Pfaltzgraff Candy Jar in the Winterberry Pattern filled with hand crafted soap in the shape of mini snowballs. I used my new camera to take this picture. I just love my new little PINK camera. But I love Christmas and Make Mine Pink even more.

Thanks for visiting!

Joy!

2009-10-04T12:29:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I have been busy working on holiday items. This year I am going for another look for some of my soaps. I decided to make some soaps in pastel pink (of course), pale blue, light lavender, and soft aqua. They will all have silver, gold, and pearl highlights. I have also created a golden angel. I hope this one appeals to the angel lovers. On a more traditional note, I have a cardinal soap. He is made of red and white soap with hand-painted highlights.

It feels good to get ready for the holidays early, but now I wish I had spent more time on next week's Pink Friday theme. Oh well.....

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week.

Marie

Trick or Treat

2009-09-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Signs of fall are here. It started with September in the Rain, which happens to be one of my favorite songs by Dinah Washington. The sunny days are breezy and bright, and the air feels crisp. School has started, and Halloween is just around the corner. Or at least if I believe the mammoth display of candy and assorted pumpkin items at the local supermarket, it is.

So I started working on a Halloween Soap for some of my favorite customers. This is what I came up with. This one is called Trick or Treat, and the fragrance is everything fall or Indian Summer is made of: apples, cinnamon, and that woodsy leafy Autumn fragrance that we all love so much. No wonder so many people say Autumn is their favorite time of year.

Thanks for stopping by.

Petite Cherie

2009-08-31T05:14:00.001-07:00

Hello Everybody,

Just one of the things I have been working on this week is another soap box. This one is called Petite Cherie. It is named after a favorite fragrance of Sherri Mitchell, from Punk Rose Paper. Sherri is the talented lady who made the tag featured on the lid of the box. I must confess, when I first smelled the fragrance, I was not crazy about it, but like so many scents, its true beauty comes out after being soaped, as we soapmakers like to say. Petite Cherie is one of those fragrances. Fresh, green, and floral, Petite Cherie it is a fragrance of innocence and simplicity. This tag seemed a perfect match. Thanks Sherri inspiring a new fragrance for Savon Marie.

Out to Sea with Smooth Lips

2009-08-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

As some of you know, I have been decluttering all week. It has been very rewarding, but I am beginning to run out of steam today. So I decided to take a short break and let all blog readers in a closeout sale in advance. The Rubber Duckies and the lip balms will be discontinued. The Rubber Duckies are already part of the Friday Flea Market and the Lip Balms will be up this Friday. Blog readers can order now.

I want to focus more on making soap, so the lip balms will be offered on sale. For $2, you will recive a large tube of all natural lip balm and a smaller one free. I will also include one in each order until supplies run out.

The Rubber Duckie soap is being dicontinued even though it is a good seller. Shipping the Duckie soap has always been a problem. The Rubber Duckies will be on sale Buy one Get One while supplies last.

The Body Wash, Lotion, Lotion Spray, Body Mist, and Primrose Moisturizing Cream will continue to be part of the product line.

If you are interested in purchasing the closeout items, you can order from the web site. Just visit the At the Flea Market Page. Thanks for stopping by.

The Beautiful and The Adequate

2009-08-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

It has been a while, but this has been a very busy summer. New soaps are coming soon. Look for Halloween soap, a modern cameo, and more. Today however, I am featuring some soap boxes. One set was made by me. The other set has very little of my work, and they are beautiful. (I call them as I see them.) Pictures of both boxes are shown here. Let's start with the beautiful boxes. The focal point of the box is a tag made by Sherri of Punk Rose Paper. I was introduced to Sherri's work by Susan of The Dutch Rose . Sherri sells wholesale only, and her prices are as incredible as her work. You can see how beautiful her work is. The tag can be removed from the box, so the buyer has an extra little gift in addition to the free gift I always include with my orders. Thanks Sherri for your beautiful creations and for solving a problem for an ameteur crafter who happens to be all thumbs.

That leads us to the second set. These boxes are my attempt to make a soap box reminiscent of a jewelry box. Each of these boxes is painted to create a marbled or shabby chic look. Faux gemstones have been adhered to the top of the box. I plan to use these for next week's Make Mine Pink Friday. The theme is "Mother's Jewelry Box. These boxes, which are made of wood, hold 2 bars of Savon Marie soap and will be included free with any purchase of 2 Savon soaps.

Well, that's just part of what I have been doing all summer. I am very happy to say that I have been very busy for the past few months with orders. I am very grateful to all of my customers and friends. You have all inspired me. Thanks to you, I am always trying new ideas...in soaping that is, the crafting thing has got to go.

Thanks for stopping by!
Marie

Summer Porch & More

2009-07-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

It has been a while. Since my last post I went to Cape Cod to attend the Mini Retreat sponsored by Make Mine Pink . I'm glad I did. It was a very restful and informative week. When I returned, I was ready for lots of new orders. So I have been up to my neck in suds all month. It's good to finally catch up.

I am posting two items for Show and Tell, part of Make Mine Pink's way to help members promote new products, communicate with friends and customers, and to have a little blog fun.

The first, pictured above, is my floral soap for Pink Friday on July 1oth. The theme is Summer Porch & Garden. I am fortunate enough to live in a house with a porch and a garden, quite an accomplishment for someone living in an apartment in Bronx, NY. I thought this soap was perfect for the theme. It features blue forget-me-nots and pink roses. The fragrance is Fresh Cut Flowers. It's light and airy, just right for summer.

My next item is the result of a brainstorm I got while working on an order. I am also a member of Friday Flea Market, and they seemed just right for a flea market sale. I made soap with honey and goat milk in the shape of an egg. The soap "dish" is a charming egg cup. These sweet little soaps are on sale here.

Now I must tell you all that I am going away once again. This has been quite a year for me in terms of traveling. I guess I got carried away in my first year of retirement. Next week, my family and I are cruising to Canada for 5 glorious days. When I get back, I plan to settle down and start working on a few more new ideas. Keep your eyes open!

Honesty is the Best Policy

2009-05-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

I received this award from Debbie of Cozy Cottage. I feel honored. Thanks Debbie. In order to accept this award I must link to Debbie's blog. Just click on Cozy Cottage above. As you can see on the left, I must also display the Honest Scrap widget. Then I must tell 10 true things about myself and give the award to seven other lucky people.

Okay, in all honesty, I

1 have to say ice cream is my favorite thing to eat.

2 am absolutely thrilled to be retired.

3 enjoy true crime stories, reading them or seeing them on 48 Hours Investigates

4 wish I could live in Nice, France

5 would rather spend time with my grand daughter than with her parents. She IS more fun that they are. (Don't tell.)

6 got a personalized license plate to avoid a trip to DMV

7 love champagne

8 think Tracey Ulman is hilarious.

9 am fascinated by almost anything related to World War Two

10 have never had a new car and don't care if I never get one.

Now my turn to bestow the honors.

Melissa at The Casual Cameo

Marie Antionette at Creations by Marie Antionette

Pat of Patricia Rose

Helene at Sisters Gift Company

Lynn at Tres Belle Boutique

Lisa at Lisas Creative Gifts and Antiques

Lynn of The Vintage Nest

Sunflower Soaps

2009-05-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Well I have been at it again. I decided to try to take some pictures of my Sunflowers Soap for the upcoming Pink Friday theme, The Secret Garden which features all things floral. I took so many pictures just to get one decent shot. This is the result; it will have to do. I've got to move on to Greta's Wild Orchids. That could be tough, since I have no orchids, but sometimes I do feel a little wild, like this morning when I had too much caffeine.

Actually, this floral theme will coincide with my Flowers & Showers Sale. For this event, anyone ordering a floral soap will also receive a 5 ounce bottle of our Aloe Body Wash in the same floral fragrance. The sale starts on Friday May 29th and lasts until June 11th. Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you at the Flowers & Showers Sale.

2009-04-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

The Members of Make Mine Pink Step up and adopt a hope chest for Enchanted Makeovers 2009 vision project.
First let me introduce you to the non-profit organization that Make Mine Pink is joining hands with this year. I'm sure you've heard of Terry Grahl of Enchanted Makeovers? Well, for the past several years Terry has been donating her time and gathering resources to refurbish women and children's shelters. This year the 2009 Vision project is Terry's shelter makeover. We're proud to be able to help her with this worthy project.
Please visit the Enchanted Makeover site read more. http://www.enchantedmakeovers.org/
Part of Terry's plan is to have a hope chest for each girl in the shelter that would be filled with items that they will need when they move on from the shelter. We all had or knew someone that had a hope chest, and understand the significance of giving these girls something to look forward to..dream about.. hope for.
Terry had a company lined up that expressed interest in providing the hope chest for all 20 girls but unfortunately the company that was planning to donate the hope chests is no longer able to. Terry has asked MMP to help. Two hope chests have already been donated, leaving 18 for MMP to raise funds for. As I doodled 18 hope chest at 200.00 each = 3600.00 on a piece of paper, I started thinking. 18 people (only 18) could adopt/provide a hope chest for 200.00 contribution. Two Hundred dollars each didn't sound all that bad. I could do that for such a worthy cause. But I doodled some more and thought.. 36 people - 2 to a chest would be 100.00 each - that was even better! But what about teams of 3 people? That would be 67 dollars each? That would be so within many of our reach, making it easier for more to participate. I just knew we could do this if we formed teams to adopt a hope chest. Suddenly the plan for 18 hope chests and 3600.00 didn't seem out of reach at all. A plan was formed and the adopt a hope chest program began.
As of April 20, 2009 we have 11 Hope Chest Funded. We have 7 to go in the next month. If you'd like to join a team or adopt a hope chest, please email me at info@makeminepink.com. Please let us know if you will
Adopt a Hope Chest Myself: 200.00Adopt a Hope Chest with 1 other person 100.00Adopt a Hope Chest with 2 others 67.00
Some of you asked if the hope chest will go with each girl. No.. it will stay at the shelter offering hopes and dreams to every new resident. When one graduates, she'll take with her the contents (some of which we will contribute) and make room for a new resident to plan and dream of a time when she'll be ready to move on.
Terry has a gentleman that will be constructing each hope chest.. so time is not a luxury we have. The 2009 vision project is due to be completed by August, so we need to move fast! Monetary donations for the hope chests will be due by May 30th.
On behalf of Terry and the Enchanted Makeover Committee at Make Mine Pink..thank you for being a part of the 2009 Vision Project.
Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

A Treasure from Andie

2009-04-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Well it looks like I am an addict, A Show and Tell Addict. This is the second week in a row that I have purchased something from one of my Make Mine Pink sisters as a result of visiting their blogs for a feature called Show and Tell.

Last week, my friend Andie of Brown Bee Studio shared a lovely pinkeep she made as a tribute to Marie Antoinette. Well, as soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted it. It did have MY name on it. Take a look at the packaging. It is so bright and cheery, just like Andie. I love the colors. her tag is qdorable, too. It has a touch of glitter and even a real button. Once I opened it, I was delighted to see that the beautiful pinkeep Andie featured on her Show and Tell is even prettier in person.

These pictures show the front and the back of the pinkeep. Andie created the design in cross stitch. A few pearls and blue stones grace some safety pins on the bottom left corner. Andie even added a few pins and a needle on the top right. The floral print on the back is a perfect choice.

Visit Andie at The Brown Bee Studio on Etsy or stop by her blog for the latest buzz at the Brown Bee Studio

Lavender and lace

2009-04-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

We are so excited about this week's Pink Friday theme at Make Mine Pink. It's a favorite of ours, Lavender and Lace. We even created a special soap box for the occasion. All of our soaps on sale this week will fit into the box. We are offering special prices on all of our lavender scented soaps, lotion, body mist and more. Be sure to visit Make Mine Pink and Savon Marie on Friday, April 24th. All participating boutiques have lovely items this week. One or more is just right for you.

Show and Tell Bonanza

2009-04-18T16:26:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Happy Spring. I have lots to show today. I want to share with you some items I received from two friends at Make Mine Pink.

First up is Stephanie at Shabby in Pink Boutique Stephanie has a wonderful selection of items in her boutique. Just perfect for Easter or Spring is this rabbit doll all dressed up in a white spring dress embellished with applique and embroidery. I placed her next to a picture of my grand daughter, Lili, who is as cute as a bunny. Maybe even cuter.

I knew the minute I saw this Fleur de Lis that it was meant to be in my living room. I have loved the Fleur de Lis symbol ever since I can remember. It is on my logo and I even make soap in the shape of a Fleur de Lis. I have a few other Fleur de Lis pediments in my living room. I guess you could say I have a small collection.

Finally, here are some wonderful extras that Stephanie included. It was such a pleasure opening that package. She added a little wand with a lovely purple ribbon and picture of violets. You can see it in my planter. Just under the planter is a vintage French soap sign. Since I make soap, this struck me as an especially thoughtful gift. Thank you, Stephanie.

Stephanie's treasures really brightened up my room. Thanks to her, I am ready for Spring. Don't forget to click the link above to visit her site.

Warning! The next image has unladylike language. But it is my page, and I can say whatever I want.

I recently blogged about Tedi, who has a lovely online book shop called The Petite Bookstore. Tedi specializes in titles that appeal to women. What a great idea! It really saves time when I want to purchase a magazine or book. I don't have to sift through unrelated titles. The book I blogged about is The Creative Entrepreneur. As a gift with purchase, Tedi included a journal and matching bookmark. I am now using Tedi's journal to create my own visual journal.

One of the writing prompts is to make a list of things that I'd like to stop doing. I am not an artist, so I used scrapbooking software. On the facing page, I have a quotation that says, "The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you." When I open my book to that page I have a very focused vision for that day or as long as I want.

Thanks for stopping by.

Marie

Lucie

2009-04-13T00:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Meet Lucie. She is featured on my latest soap box. Her background is homemade paper. I chose it because it reminded me of icing. The box has a silver border and is trimmed with blue grosgrain ribbon. The caption reads, "She told enough white lies to ice a wedding cake." A small cake completes the design. The papier mache box has been painted matte silver and was designed to hold one bar of SavonMarie soap. Of course, it is reusable.

Now about Lucie. She was not a bad woman. Her life was full of intrigue, and she did what she had to do. It was all for love. That is all she (or I) will tell you.

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Oh Dear! Harriet has gone too far again.

2009-04-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

For Show and Tell this week, I am introducing Harriet. She is my latest soap box creation. The caption reads, "Harriet always took her fashion sense a bit too far." Well, we certainly won't argue that. Harriet is adorned with feathers AND pearls. She just does not know when to stop. But bless her heart, she tries. She is the focal point (of course!) on a matte silver soap box. The box is made of recycled papier mache. It is very sturdy and certainly reusable. It measures 41/2 by 3 by 1 7/8 inches.

I love boxes, and over the years I have kept and reused many of the unique gift boxes I have received. I thought this might be a nice option as gift packaging for my soap and for my fellow box collectors.

Don't forget to stop by at Make Mine Pink this week. There is lots of fun and lots of prizes. Make Mine Pink has a Pink Slots event all week. Try your luck! Thanks for stopping by.

Marie Antoinette

2009-04-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

This is just a quick reminder to visit Make Mine Pink and Savon Marie on Friday, April 3, for our Pink Friday event. All boutiques at Make Mine Pink are offering lovely items in honor of Marie Antoinette, which is this week's theme. At Savon Marie we are offering some of our lovely Bath Cakes and Tarts in honor of Marie's love of pastry. Won't you join us?

Buttons & Bows

2009-03-29T21:49:00.001-07:00

Hello Everybody,

Here is something I could not resist. I found this soap mold and knew I had to have it. This is not the greatest photo, but I wanted to share my newest bar of soap. The buttons are colored with mica. I love using mica; it adds subtle color and shimmer.

This bar is in blue, but rest asured, a pink one is soon to follow. All I need now are some bows.

Meet Adele and Francoise

2009-03-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I just could not resist these. They were created by Caroline of caroleecrafts.com I carelessly erased the original set of pictures I took. They were beautifully wrapped. I thought I had downloaded them, but apparently, I did not. Fortunately I still had the card. I just love the way it opens. Also included in Caroline's package was a lovely lace sachet full of lavender, one of my favorites. As pretty as they look in the picture, Adele and Francoise are even lovlier in person.

Thanks again Caroline. By the way Caroline is in the UK, but her package arrived very quickly. I have had to wait much longer for packages from places like Arkansas. The cost of postage was also very reasonable. Caroline has many beautiful hand made items on her site. You can visit her at www.caroleecrafts.com

Marie

Petite Bookstore & Drawing

2009-03-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

Yesterday I received an order from The Petite Bookstore. I ordered two books last week, and Tedi's presentation was beautiful. In addition to the books, there was a bookmark made from a giant paperclip embellished with ribbons. So simple yet, very elegant. Then there was a lovely tag with a gold crown on it, also perfect for a bookmark. Finally, there was a beautiful journal. These were all gifts! The journal even had ribbon tags on it, so there are sections for different topics. I was so thrilled with the gifts that I almost forgot about the books I ordered! So I want to thank Tedi for everything and encourage you all to visit her at The Petite Bookstore. You' ll love her selection and receiving your order will be like receiving a very special present. For some reason, my links are not working. Tedi's site is www.petitebookstoe.com. Maybe that will show.

And now for the winner of last week's giveaway. I used the random number generator to pick the winner. The winner is Carol. Thanks to everyone who participated.

I survived Mardi Gras

2009-03-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hello Everybody,

This is not me.

I survived Mardi Gras. It was such fun. I really love New Orleans. The people are so friendly and the food was fantastic. And of course Mardi Gras itself was unforgettable. They sure know how to throw a party. I lost most of my pictures, but I did salvage a few. I would like to share one that I call Bachelor Number Three. He was quite charming. I never did get his name. He seemed annoyed though that I did not get his entire costume. He was wearing a kilt, but that picture is blurry, so this one will have to do.

I just loved the parades, especially Zulu, which was celebrating its 100th anniversary. I liked Zulu because their costumes reminded me of the Mummers parade in my hometown of Philadelphia. The Mummers parade is held on New Year's Day, and like Mardi Gras, the tradition goes way back. Below is a photo of the Krewe of Zulu, but they look just like Mummers. I always said Macy's has nothing on the Mummers. Well, they don't have anything on Mardi Gras either. I mean look at all those feathers and sequins. What's a girl to do!

My friend and I tried lots of restaurants including Antoine's, Deenies, The Court of Two Sisters, The Palace Cafe, and a few I can't remember. I tried oysters and lots of other seafood wherever we went. So I got inspired to have a giveaway of my Bombshell Soap. Just leave a comment. I will draw a winner in about one week using the random number site.

Amethyst

2009-02-16T06:45:00.001-08:00

At last! After creating lots of purple soap, I made an amethyst that I like. I realize it is probably not a true replica of a rough cut amethyst, but I like it, and I hope everyone else does too. The fragrance I chose for this one is Lavender Martini. I think it is perfect; it's definitely a lavender fragrance, but it has some zing to it. It's fresh and breezy.

This will be my last post for a while. The rest of this week will be spent getting chores and errands done. On Friday I leave for New Orleans. I will return on February 27th. See you then!

Marie

Jade

2009-02-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
This is a quick post to show my new addition to
The Savon Stone Collection. It is Jade. The fragrance, also conveniently called jade is a charming blend of sweet jasmine, white lilies and violets; middle notes of lavender, rose combined with a delicate touch of sun ripened pineapple; bottom notes of fresh apple and fresh green melon. In other words, it really smells good.

I am really enjoying the challenge of creating these stones. I am hoping to add Amethyst next.
In time, I will also be adding some meaning behind the stones, but right now, I am still revamping the web site. Since my car is on its way out, a new web site is out of the question, so I am plodding along.

Thanks for visiting.
Sincerely,
Marie

Lavender in Love

2009-02-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

February is one of our favorite months at Savon Marie. Of course we love Valentine's Day, but for Savon Marie, there are two special events in February. One is Lavender in Love, and the other is Customer Appreciation Day. Celebrate with us. Even if you don't love Lavender, we have something just for you.

New

2009-01-25T14:44:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Here is a new item I will be featuring this week. I am planning to create more of these "rocks." Of course they are made of soap. These are marble. I am now working on Citrine. I am planning to soap my way through the world of gemstones, rocks, and minerals.

Between that and working on my photography skills, I have been pretty busy.

Have a wonderful week everyone. Thanks for stopping by.
Marie

Roses, Roses, Roses...and a little Romance!

2009-01-22T07:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
I just had to post today. This is one of my new photographs. I believe it is an improvement over my usual work. I am featuring one of my Rose Soaps. Also in the photo is a lovely antique white iron and crackled glass votive which I purchased from Dawn at My Hydrangea Home. Dawn has many lovely items for sale. It is a treat to wander through her site.

Another reason for today's post is to remind everyone that tomorrow is Pink Friday. One of our favorite themes is featured, Romantically Roses. Be sure to visit all participating Make Mine Pink boutiques. You'll find lots of roses and romance. Happy shopping.

The Return of Pink Friday!

2009-01-11T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Pink Friday has returned. Everyone at Make Mink Pink is just delighted. We all have some very exciting Pink Fridays planned. At Savon Marie, we are celebrating Pink Friday with our version of Pink Friday Soap. Our inspiration was the new Pink Friday logo. We are still working on a few finishing touches, but this is what we will be offering on Pink Friday as a gift with purchase of $12 or more.

See you on Pink Friday!

Marie

A Make Mine Pink Christmas

2009-01-05T07:21:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Yes, Christmas is over , and for some it may even seem to be long gone. I just took my tree and decorations down yesterday because I had company over the week end. It occurred to me that a lot of my Christmas items came from my Make Mine Pink sisters. So I decided to photograph them.

The first three items are from my secret sister, who was Dianne from Mama's Pocketbook. The first is a cardinal and according to legend good fortune comes to those who have a cardinal in their tree. The second is a lovely stylized pine cone. The third is a tree topper. The rose under it has been our tree topper since the first tree in my own home. So I just put it under Dianne's wonderful Santa.

Next is a votive holder from Dawn at My Hydrangea Home. My (flameless) votive is surrounded by glitter jingle bells from Whimsy Pink. The second picture shows a white tree also from Dianne, A snow lady from Susie of The Polka Dot Rose, and I am so sorry to say that I forgot which person I purchased the aqua jester from, but I do love him. He is so happy. If you recognize him, send me your link.The little pink thing is a snow globe I purchased from Duane Reade, a drug store here in NY. It was only $4.99!!

These last two are an ornament from Susie and a cupcake from Patty of Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe. This ornament is one of my many favorites. It is clear glass filled with sand and shells and lovely blue sequins and sparles. Next to it is one of Patty's cupcakes. It was beautiful. I sat it in the tree for this photo, but it was really displayed on a table. I also had some of Patty's miniature cupcakes in the tree. They were so adorable.

Well, that's it. As you can see, Make Mine Pink made my Christmas very lovely. That's because you are all so talented.

I want to apologize to Carol of Clutterbug Studio and Lilli Blue of Lilli's Vintage Rescues. I purchased a stocking from Lilli and a Pixie Yourself from Carol. Both items were given as gifts before I got this idea. But they were both a bid success.

Thanks and Happy New Year to all.

P. S. Did I mention how I hate trying to arrange pictures on Blogger?

New for the Holidays

2008-12-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

I have been working on this idea for months, and I finally have some items for sale. I have a few holiday boxes on my site now, and I hope to offer these soap boxes as an option for purchase for other occasions as well.

I have also added some new Rubber Ducky soaps. Who doesn't love Rubber Ducky? I have a selection of rubber Ducky soaps for the holidays. He is so cute in his Santa suit and reindeer antlers. As you can see in the center photo, he floats on a bar of soapy clean aloe soap. That's all for this time. But soon there will be more. I am currently working on a snowflake box and a snowy village box. I guess I'd better get a move on if I want to post them by Christmas.

Holiday Soap

2008-11-16T10:16:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,

It is so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. Before we know it, we will be rushing around for last minute gifts. I have been working on my holiday soaps. I have one of my favorites for Show and Tell Monday. I love the simplicity of this soap. The big bow is so appealling to me. I usually make this in Candy Cane fragrance with the red bow or in Bayberry with a green bow. One of the things I like about this soap (and all my soaps) is that it is perfect as a little supplement to a gift cetificate. A gift certificate can be exactly what someone wants, but I still like to add a little something that can be unwrapped. This one still looks wrapped even after opening it.

Shop Hop Begins with Birthday Wishes for Marie Antoinette

2008-10-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Marie Antoinette of Dolls by Marie Antoinette for inviting me to the lovely birthday soiree given by Joy of Cupid's Charm. Joy has decided to honor Marie Anoinette, everyone's favorite French Queen on Sunday, November 2, 2008. If you are not familiar with Marie's and Joy's blogs, click the links above. You will be delighted. Both ladies have wonderful blogs; I promise you won't be diappointed.

I can't think of a better way to begin the Twelve Days of Christmas Shop Hop. Savon Marie is participating in this fun-filled shopping event sponsored by Make Mine Pink . Each day I will be adding new items or featuring customer favorites at special prices. It's easy and fun to participate just register at Make Mine Pink and visit each participating boutique.

Marie Antoinette certainly knew how to throw a party! As a close personal friend of the Queen, I am very honored to participate in yet another of her birthday celebrations. I just happen to have a photo of her birthday soiree a few years ago. Here I am sizing up her shoes when she nodded off after a sugar binge. She did promise them to me. Really, she did. But that's another story. Her shoes were too big for me anyway.

I did make some lovely tarts for this year's soiree. I have three varieties.

The first is a delicately scented Rose Petal Tart. The second one is the ever popular Cherry Tart, and finally, in honor of Marie's Austrian heritage, a luscious Apricot Creme Tart. As you can see, I did get the shoes after all.

Unfortunately, I am not a baker. I am a soap maker, so please don't eat the tarts. Enjoy them in your bath, instead.

Show and Tell Monday

2008-10-05T07:33:00.001-07:00

Hello Everybody,

So many people love this time of year and I am one of them. I love the cool crisp weather, the lovely colors of Fall, and Halloween.

Today, I am showing my latest soap creation. These leaf soaps are dusted with a bit of gold mica and scented with a fragrance called Indian Summer. It is a wonderful fall fragrance reminiscent of an afternoon walk down a country lane. Apples, woodsy, and a little spice make it a fragrance that both men and women enjoy.

It is packaged in a rustic oval box, embellished with golden highlights along the side. On the lid, there is a silhouette of a group of trees embossed in gold.

Show and Tell Monday Give Away

2008-09-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

At last, I have something to show and tell. I have been in a holiday soap making frenzy. I will share a few of my designs, but they are still in the rough stages. Read on to find out about the giveaway.

The first is a Christmas Stocking. the soap itself has a gold metalic shimmer. The colors are also shimmery mica. I have a few other options which are not yet completed.

The next is a snowflake with just a touch of pearly white mica. I also make this in a clear soap, but everyone seems to like this one.

The third is a holly soap. This is just made with layers of different colors and a few touches of soap paint (made from mica) on the berries. Next to the holly is Joy, again just layers of clear soap topped with an opaque white soap.

Last is the Santa Soap. This is still a work in progress. It requires lots of layers of color. It is still not right. I won't point out my mistake, but I bet someone will find it. You will probably find more than one, but the first person to find the one I am thinking of will win $10 worth of products from my web site. Take a look at these versions of Santa, and good luck.

SBS Teas

2008-09-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I want to tell you all about a wonderful new company, SBS Teas. Today I received my first order. Even though SBS is a tea company, I ordered some coffee. The packaging is great and the coffee is wonderful. Take a look at my photos.

The photo on the right shows my Brazil Baggio Platinum Decaf with the SBS Favorite Blends Sampler. I also received two biscotti as a treat for ordering. On the left is my selection of favorite blends. Notice the stirrer. Notice that the biscotti are missing. I ate them. Photography builds up an appetite.

I was fortunate to meet Sharon and her mother at the Make Mine Pink Retreat. We were at the same table for dinner. They are both very lovely ladies, and as you can see, their products are top notch.

Tagged

2008-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Carrie of Noelle Garrett Designs. Thanks, Carrie. Now I must list seven facts about myself. This is fun, yet challenging. I want to seem at least interesting, if not exciting, and still tell the truth :o) I can only promise my facts will be truthful.

1 I love jazz. As a teenager I was so passionate about it. In a time when Elvis Presley was everyone's idol, my idol was Max Roach, a drummer. My dream was to have a son who played the drums. My idol is now Thelonious Monk, but I do have a son who plays the drums.

2 My all time favorite thing to eat is ice cream, especially Ben and Jerry's. However, I can still remember Edy's White Out. I had it once and searched and searched only to discover it was a limited flavor. I even wrote to them and asked them to bring it back.

3 It has only been 5 years since I have been able to travel. I have been to Nice and Paris alone and to Rome with a school trip. The only place I would return to in a heartbeat is Nice. I always thought it would be Paris.

4 I was raised to believe that girls should get married and have families and stay at home and live happily (or unhappily) married ever after. It did not work for me. I was divorced with 2 babies 3 months and 15 months old. I raised my sons alone and have lived alone for so long, I don't know how I would behave if I had a husband. Not at all what I thought would happen, but I am happy with my life.

5 My son, the drummer, followed in my footsteps and became a teacher, even though I warned him not to do it. He is a brilliant teacher who gets measurable results, and he loves it. I am so glad he did not listen to me. My other son is handicapped; he has a big heart and is a history buff.

6 I was born in Philadelphia, but moved to New York almost 25 years ago. I love where I live in the Bronx. Even though I live in apartment, I have a back yard. It is so peaceful and quiet. One of my friends from Manhattan said living here it was like living in the country. I love it.

7 I published 2 books and am working on a third.

So now I must tag some people. I have chosen

Theresa of Cottage Violets

Cathy of Treasured Heirlooms

Silena of The Enchanted Valley Boutique

Susan of The Dutch Rose

And the winner is....

2008-08-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who left a comment for the giveaway. There certainly are a lot of great blonde movie stars, male and female. I used the random number generator on the mathgoodies site. The winning number was 20. The twentieth person to post was Cynthia, so she is the winner. The prize is a six ounce bar of Aloe Soap, a nine ounce jar of Primrose Moisturizer, and a 5 ounce bottle of Moisturizing Mist. All are scented with a fragrance called Marilyn's Marvelous Melons, which is a delicious blend of watermelon and berries.

2008-08-05T03:50:00.000-07:00

Make Mine Pink

Get Down to Business

September 19, 20, 2008

Do you wish you could start your own business?
Do you want to grow your small business?
Even if owning your own business is just a dream,
you won't want to miss this opportunity.

You can start making that dream come true right now.
Take a look at this wonderful opportunity to start or grow your own business.
Click here.

Time for another giveaway

2008-08-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,

It's that time again. Time for another giveaway. It's very easy this time. Just answer this question. Who is your favorite blonde movie star. The winner will be chosen on August 6th. The prize will be a selection of Blonde in the Bathtub products. Thanks in advance for your participation.

Noelle Garret Designs

2008-07-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I just had to share with you the lovely gift I received from Carrie of Noelle Garret Designs. I was lucky enough to win this gift on her blog contest. For once I remembered to take a picture before opening. Well, actually, no, I didn't. I just slipped my goodies out and left the lovely packaging in tact. But isn't her presentation just beautiful.

My prize was two Inspirational quotes from Carrie's new line of quotes called Words to Dream By Inspirational Quotes. Here are pictures of Carrie's exquisite work. As you can see, Carrie is very talented. She makes journals, gift tags, bookmarks, and lots of other lovely items. You can find it all at her web site, Noelle Garrett Designs.

I just love everything. Thanks, Carrie.

Flip Flop Flip Flop Flip Flop

2008-07-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Just how many shoes does one woman need? Is this enough? Of course not, There are no left shoes here. Besides, we can never have enough shoes, chocolate, fun.

These Flip Flop (couldn't think of a better name, so I am calling it what it is) soaps are my Show and Tell for today. They weigh over 5 ounces and they come in luscious fragrances like Lemon Splash, Water Blossom, Mango Raspberry, Berried in Cherries and more. You can even choose your own color combination. They will soon be available on my web site. Actually, they will be available for a stroll down the Garden Path.

If that sounds a little too cryptic, it relates to Make Mine Pink's themed shopping event which takes place every Friday. Our next theme, on July 18th, is the Garden Path. Watch for an announcement, or just stop by on any Friday. The theme changes every week.

Strawberries and Champagne

2008-07-04T04:55:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Patricia.

Patricia has won this month's giveaway.

She will receive an assortment of Savon Marie products.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

See you all for next month's giveaway.

Roses! Roses! Roses!

2008-07-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

Pink Friday!

This week's theme is Romantically Roses. Join all of us at Make Mine Pink in a romantically rosy shopping extraganza. Say that three times fast! Better yet, click on the Pink Friday Gift Box and start your romantic shopping spree.

Life is good

2008-06-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day of retirement. I don't think it has sunk in yet. I may not feel the full impact until September when everyone else returns to work while I merely yawn and roll over. Someone, peel me a grape. Please. Thanks ever so.

It has been a very busy week, but I am happy to say much of it has been in the form of celebration. One very special celebration took place yesterday morning. But first a little background. For a number of years I did a fund raiser for the school library; it was called the Library Cafe. As with all things, it came to an end. There are a number of reasons why I had to end it, but we all missed it. Well, yesterday morning, when I walked into the library for the last time as a full-time employee, my colleagues had set up the Library Cafe. In addition to coffee, there was a buffet with cakes, muffins, Danish, bagels, croissants, and many other items. It was such a delightful and heartwarming surprise. Many of my colleagues and friends drifted in and out all morning. We sat and reminisced about "the old days" and other wonderful memories...and a few not so good memories that we can now laugh about. It was a perfect last day.

I was stunned by the gifts I received. My house looks like a flower shop. As you all know, my pictures leave a lot to be desired. But now I will have time to improve that skill. I will start tomorrow...or maybe next week.

Here are some of the gifts I received. The pendant is actually a beautiful cushion cut green stone and the earrings have crystals in the center. The watch is also really beautiful. I love the interchangeable straps. Note to my Pink Friends: one of them is PINK. The gift certificate is for my very favorite restaurant. That was given to me by my younger friends. We had a lovely party last Friday at a Mexican restaurant and later adjourned to a friend's nearby apartment. That was also a memorable event and lots of fun. I even forgot that I was old enough to be everyone's mother.

And one of my very favorites was from Carolyn. There is a little story to this one. I will share it with you. One day Carolyn offered me a slice of her home-made lemon pound cake. Oh my goodness! It was lemon heaven in my mouth. So her gift to me was a copy of the recipe with some of the ingredients packed in a bundt cake pan. And a giant Retirement coffee mug. Just perfect for our morning coffee chats.

Oh dear, Buddha's belly is sticking out. I did mention that I was going to start working on the photography thing, didn't I? In a month or two.
Well now, you know two things must happen. First, I will post Carolyn's pound cake recipe.
Second, it's once again time for a giveawy. It's not just a giveawy... it's a RETIREMENT GIVEAWAY. So because retirement means no work for me, my giveaway means no work for you! No quiz, no questions. All you have to do is leave a comment. The fragrance of this month's gift is appropriately, Strawberries and Champagne. Winner will be announced July 3.

Now for Carolyn's Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 pound of sweet butter
1/2 pound or cream cheese (8 oz.)
2 cups sugar
2 cups Presto Cake Flour
6 eggs
2 Tablespoons of lemon extract

Beat butter, sugar, cream cheese, egg yolks, and lemon extract together. Add flour, beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Beat egg whites for two minutes at high speed. Fold into batter. Bake in a greased 10-inch tube pan. for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Arte y Pico Award

2008-06-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

I had the honor and privilege of receiving the Arte Y Pico, award from Janet of Janet's Creative Pillows. The Arte y Pico Award is “given to those who are creative and have a penchant for art.” Thank you Janet; I feel very fortunate to be in such creative company.

Here are the rules:
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity,design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3.Each award winner has to show the award and put the name of and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award (I know it says this is a rule , but I know not everyone likes to do this, so I won't be upset if you don't.)

4. The award winner and one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules.Now for the fun yet very hard part... to choose 5 other people for this award...drum roll please....

1. Carrie of Noelle Garrett Designs

2. Carol of Clutterbug Studio

3. Pei Li of Miniature Patisserie Chef

4. Roxie of Business in THE Bag

5. Inka of Inklings Designs

I am so happy to present this award to all of you lovely ladies. I think you are extremely talented and so deserving of this award!

My C List

2008-06-11T06:18:00.001-07:00

It has been a while, but at last I had a hot minute to get my C list up. This was so easy. Many of the items seem decadant, but you only live once, and according to Joe E. Lewis, "If you do it right, once is enough." So here are a few of my favorite "C" things and people.
Champagne
Chocolate
Chenille
Cheerios
Chico Hamilton
Cake
Cookies
Candy,
Cross Stistch
Charlie Parker
Casablanca (film)
Cheese
Cinnamon
Coffee
Cats

Show and Tell Monday

2008-06-08T17:23:00.001-07:00

Well this is a bizzare photo, but it is what I have to show and tell for today. I am sure my sisters at Make Mine Pink have had enough of my retirement news. Too bad. One more time today, and then I will be quiet until the champagne toasts have been made.

I worked on my retirement papers, located in the photo. I am also working on my offering for Pink Friday. It's a wonderful Honey Lemon Hand Soap. Quite a mouthful, but it is quite a soap. Made from a goatmilk and honey formula, it is scented with lemon. It smells divine, but more important, it cleanses, moisturizes and removes those pesky kitchen odors, like onions or garlic from your lovely hands.

Janet & Roscoe

2008-06-07T15:10:00.001-07:00

Today I received a custom painted pillow from Janet of www.Janetscreativepillows.com Janet is as talented as she is lovely. She creates lots of pillows, including custom painted pillows. This was painted from a photograph I sent to Janet. As you can see, she did a great job. She also has great prices. Roscoe's family, including my grand daughter, who calls him her brother, will be wildly delighted when they see this. And I am not exaggerating about the wild part; they really are a wild bunch, but you just gotta love them. And I do. Thank you, Janet. Once again you have made Grandma look like a brilliant gift giver. This was supposed to be saved for Christmas. but one day DIL plied Grandma with a rum punch. What can I say, I spilled the beans.

Congratulations, Colby

2008-06-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the winner of this month's giveaway is Colby. I was going to have my cat, Spike draw the winner My method would have been to throw numbered pieces of paper on the floor. The paper he pounced on first would be the winner. Luckily, I visited Francie's blog and saw that she used a random math calculator. Francie's blog is so delightful. Stop by and say hello. thescentedcottageblogspot.com

Thanks everyone for participating in this month's giveaway. Check back at the end of the month for the next one.

Name Change

2008-05-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

At last, Spring is in full swing. All of those rainy days have given us pretty flowers, the days are sunny and bright, and we're ready for some relaxation.

The name of my blog has been changed. I decided to return to the original name of my business: Savon Marie. This was the name I used for about ten years. I changed it thinking I needed or wanted to have the feeling of a store. Your Bath Boutique seemed apporopriate, but it never seemed quite right. I have decided to simplify a lot of things in my life, and my business is one of them. I can assure you that the only thing that is changing is the title. The products will remain the same. In fact, simplifying is allowing me to do what I have been doing even better. So I am working on a few new formulas for lotions and potions.

To celebrate, I am having a giveaway. June 1 happens to be Marilyn Monroe's birthday. So anyone who leaves a comment will be eligible for a gift of Body Wash and Hand Cream in a fragrance named for Marilyn; it's Marilyn's Marvelous Melons. Add a piece of information about Marilyn, and if you win, I will add a bonus of Lotion Spray. The winner's name will be drawn on Friday, June 6.

2008-05-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Show and Tell Monday

2008-05-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Cupcakes,
Here is my latest soap creation. For some reason, I could not post here, so they are on the right. They are made of glycerin soap with aloe and foaming bath whip. The cupcakes are Strawberry and the frosting is Vanilla Cream. I am waiting for packaging which looks like a cupcake. I am still working on the name. Today they are Bath Cakes; I was thinking of Soap Cakes or Tub Cakes. Any suggestions?

Chocolate

2008-05-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Fellow Chocolate Lovers,

Today has been quiet but productive. I did a little soap making, gardening, and reading. I have also been thinking about my C List which will be completed and posted soon. One of the first things I wrote on my list was chocolate. It was beat only by coffee, which I happened to be drinking at the time. Chocolate is such a heavenly treat, and now it is even considered healthy. An ounce of dark anti-oxident rich chocolate is actually good for you. A pint of Ben and Jerry's triple chocolate whatever would not be a good substitute. But we already know that, don't we.

By the way, if you are looking for a sinfully delicious treat, try Oooh Fudge, pictured above. Carol of Clutterbug Studio makes the best fudge from scratch. It truly is a bit of Chocolate Heaven. One taste, and you will be hooked. As you can see, it is also beautifully packaged; it comes with its own serving spoon and it's all tied up in a pretty pink ribbon. Try some of Carol's own homemade fudge today. Taste the love!

What Your Taste in Chocolate Says About You!

Now, let's have some chocolate fun. It's calorie free. It's a Chocolate Quiz.

The Chocolate Oracle

Show and Tell Monday

2008-05-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

My oh My! Is it a Pie? Whipped Cream? Well, it is whipped. It's a new product I created using lots and lots of Aloe. Aloe is such a wonderful ingredient. It soothes, moisturizes, and even helps heal the skin. It's Whipped Body Butter. So new, I have not even created the packaging for it. But soon, it will be available. So that's it for my Show and Tell today.

Notable Quote and Giveaway

2008-04-30T07:59:00.001-07:00

On Success...

"I never sought success in order to get fame and money; it's the talent and the passion that count."

Words to live by. Talent and passion are always a winning combination. Have you noticed how everything changes when you have a passion for something?

Let's celebrate our passion with a give-away.

It's simple. Just leave a comment. In your comment, identify the classic beauty (pictured above) who said these powerful words and you will receive a gift set of soap and lotion. Want a bonus? Identify the fragrance on my website named for her and where it came from, and I will add Body Mist and a few other goodies. It really is so easy. If more than one person provides the information, the gift goes to the first person with the most complete information. Start here Blonde in a Bathtub.

B is for...

2008-04-06T11:43:00.001-07:00

Black Cats

Books

Blue

Bubbles

Bette Davis

Blue Monk (my all-time favorite song)

The Best Years of Our Lives

Beaches

Blackberries, well really ALL berries

Babies

Bakeries, and most of what's in bakeries

Balloons

Birthdays

Butterflies

Billie HolidayBarbara Stanwyk

Because of Winn Dixie, the book

Bracelets

Brownies

Blue Eyes

That's my B list. Certainly not in order and certainly not complete. What about you? What's on your B List?

Do your Duty!

2008-04-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a delightful quote that should remind us all what we need to add to our "To Do" list.

"There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy."

- Robert Louis Stevenson

One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words.

2008-03-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this with everyone. This adorable pink confection (on the left) is one of Janet's Creative Pillows. It is being held up by my grand daughter, Lili. She is featured in the picture on the right, and she was absolutely thrilled with her Easter present. I spotted this pillow at Janet's web site, and I knew immediately it would be perfect for Lili. It is a gift fit for a princess, and Lili reminds all of us quite frequently that she is, indeed, a princess.

Janet creates lovely pillows, but she is also a talented artist. Take a look at her lovely creations. Just click on this link. Janet's Creative Pillows. You won't be disappointed. And Janet is as lovely as her creations. Thanks, Janet.

Notable Quote

2008-03-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Life is rather like a tin of sardines...

we're all of us just looking for the key.

Alan Bennet (1934--)

Lists

2008-03-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

I love lists. I like reading them and making them. They help keep me organized, and when I cross something off of a list, I feel like I have been productive. It was only a matter of time before I added a list to my blog. I decided that instead of making just one long list of favorites, I'd work my way through the alphabet. Take a look at the right. How do you feel about lists? What's on your A List?

And the winner is...

2008-03-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I said I was new at this. My little contest needs to end now. I read a post today from Ann of Green Oak Antiques about letting go of bad ideas. I don't think my contest was a bad idea, but I do think running it for 3 weeks was definitely not a good idea. What was I thinking? The sooner I end it, the sooner I can plan another one.

So I am happy to announce a winner. I snagged a student and asked him to pick a number from 1 to 6. He chose number 2. So the winner is Lynn of The Vintage Nest. Congratulations, Lynn, and thanks for the post.

2008-03-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

Thirsty for Spring.

Winter is on its way out. Finally! I just can't wait for Spring. It is one of my favorite seasons. I always think of Spring as a time of renewal and hope. Everyone seems happier in Spring. And why not? It brings warm weather, beautiful flowers, and sunshine. Everything and everyone seems brighter and more colorful in Spring.

Let's celebrate with a giveaway. Just leave a comment sharing what you love about spring. This contest will run until March 20. At that time, I will count the responses and have a drawing. The winner will coincide with the number drawn. In other words, if the number 8 is drawn, the 8th post will win. The lucky number will be drawn by a student in the school where I work (my version of Price Waterhouse). The prize will be an assortment of 3 soaps scented with Spring fragrances. Good luck to everyone.

Lavender in Love!

2008-02-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

February is Lavender In Love! Month at Your bath Boutique. If you are a lavender lover, you won't want to miss our celebration of Lavender. We've created 10 lavender fragrance blends and added them to our best sellers. There's still time. Take a look.
http://www.yourbathboutique.com/page/page/5484614.htm