Dirty Loves Clean - Vegan Bath and Body Products

VEGANTINE'S DAY

2010-02-07T17:20:00.003-05:00

Surprise your sweetheart with some vegan treats, handmade by some awesome Etsy sellers. From left to right, Chocolate and Orange Zest Vanilla Sugar Cookies ($10), Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies ($12), both by Short and Sweets, and Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes ($15), Mini Chocolate Cupcakes ($11), both by The Cupcake Mint.

JARS OF LOVE

2010-02-04T19:00:00.003-05:00

Golly Bard on Etsy has amazing nature inspired watercolor paintings including jars filled with hearts!

TIME OUT NY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

2009-11-18T01:20:00.008-05:00

I am being featured in Time Out New York's Holiday Gift Guide. If you're looking to buy McCarren Park soap or similar products, visit my etsy. Thanks!

Edited to Add: I am out of McCarren Park soap. Make sure to check out the Bento store online (click bath&body) for her stock of my soaps.

RECIPE: TOFU STEAK W/ ONIONS

2009-11-03T17:07:00.005-05:00

Via Vegweb
Preparation time: 30 mins.
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lg. onion
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup extra water
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Freeze tofu to give it more texture. Give adequate time for defrosting. Then slice Tofu into 6 even cutlets about 1/2 inch thick. Place on paper towel to drain. Heat non-stick pan. Slice Onion from root to stem. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions when oil is hot. Sauté onions until golden brown and caramelized (about 5-10 min.) remove onions, set aside. Add other tablespoon of oil to pan. Add tofu and fry until golden brown on both sides (about 10 min.) Add onions back to pan. Add balsamic vinegar, worcestershire sauce and stir. When all combined add mixture of water and cornstarch to pan. Stir until thick. Add water to thin out if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Plate up this dish with the onions and sauce smothered over the Tofu Steaks. Can serve with corn and mashed potatoes.

Note: For extra flavor, you can double sauce recipe, marinate overnight, add garlic, etc.

DE-STOCK SALE ON ETSY

2009-11-02T22:48:00.003-05:00

I'm having a de-stock sale for November, while supplies last. Get the deals now for holiday gifts!

RECIPE: CHICKPEA SANDWICH

2009-11-02T12:51:00.006-05:00

Chickpea Sandwich via Vegweb
Preparation time: 10 min.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained well
4-5 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise OR Tahini dressing
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
salt/pepper, to taste
1 stalk of celery, diced in small pieces
tomato or lettuce (optional)
fresh dill, to taste
garlic powder, if using vegan mayo
whole-grain bread

Directions:
I highly recommend trying the Tahini Dressing. Not only is it great as a mayo substitute, you can also use it on baked potatoes, as a dip for veggies, or drizzled on steamed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and Brussels sprouts. Very versatile!

Anyway, begin by mashing the chickpeas in a medium mixing bowl, using a fork or potato masher. I like to leave a few chickpeas whole or just partially mashed for variation of texture. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. This will make enough for about four big sandwiches, and keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days.

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

2009-11-01T22:23:00.002-05:00

For Halloween, I was a tree and Jared was a lumberjack. Jared did my hair ; )

It was fun, but in a dark bar, I don't think anyone could tell what I was, haha.

VEG POT PIE RECIPE

2009-10-28T18:27:00.005-04:00

Veg Pot Pie Recipe via vegweb

Ingredients:
1-2 potatoes
3 medium carrots
flour or corn starch
2-3 cups veggie broth
1 package frozen spinach (I used fresh)
a variety of veggies such as green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, or just about anything.
(I just used squash, potatoes, carrots)
veg grated or sliced cheddar to cover pan in two layers (I used a package of soy ched cheese)
lots of good spices: garlic, cumin, tarragon makes it savory, whatever you like.
(I also used fresh garlic)
1 frozen veg pie shell, or fresh dough if you have time (I used 2 shells and used a third shell to cover half of the two pot pies.. ideally, I would have fully covered them, but I only had 3 shells.)

Directions:
Thaw pie shell and bake for approx 10 mins at 400 deg before filling. Meanwhile, cook chopped veggies (NOT spinach, just keep it till later). Cook in micro or oven till about 3/4 cooked. To make sauce, heat broth in large kettle, add spices, and lower heat. Add slowly either cornstarch or flour (I use flour), till slightly thickened. You can add dairy free milk and use veggie buillon cubes. Add to this cooked veggies and coat them w/sauce.

Meanwhile, layer 1/2 cheese on bottom of lower crust. Spoon in veggies and sauce, then add spinach on top. Add rest of cheese on top of that, and close it up as best as you can w/ the torn top shell. At least mine always tears. bake at 400 for about 45 min, till crust is brown and delicious cheese and juice oozes out.

EASY VEG CHILI SOUP

2009-10-27T14:49:00.004-04:00

This is tasty and really easy to put together. I served with garlic bread.

From The American Cancer Society's Kids' First Cookbook" by The American Cancer Society (Except they say to use turkey and I used fake ground meat). Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:
Approx 1 pound, package of fake ground meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can corn, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans
1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 15-ounce can spaghetti sauce
salt and pepper or other spices to taste
1 cup water

On the stove, cook fake ground meat and onion in large pot on medium-high until brown. Add all other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add a small amount of additional water if needed, and salt and pepper to taste.

NEW NEW TEAM SALE ON ETSY

2009-10-23T14:17:00.003-04:00

Participating team shops below are offering a % off items in their store for the weekend Oct 10/23-10/25 with code "weekend deals" in message to seller.

BRIGHT SIDE PROJECT FEATURED

2009-10-18T13:09:00.003-04:00

I am excited to be part of a giveaway on The Bright Side Project. Check it out!

Also, 20% off on all orders this weekend on Etsy!

PUMPKING PICKING

2009-10-15T00:00:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday Jared and I got woken up by some friends who live up the street. They have been wanting to check out Beacon and asked us if we wanted to come along. When they mentioned pumpkin picking, I was all in. The farm was actually in the town across the river. It was amazing. Never have I seen such views at a pumpkin patch! It was nice fall weather, a little cold, but with some sun. Afterwards we ate dinner and looked at a house they're interested in. Overall, good day trip.

FALL AT THE PARK

2009-10-08T18:55:00.005-04:00

Check out my old blog that I am bringing back,
Fashion with a Budget! Featuring outfits comprised of items $50 or less.

Fall at the Park by stasiia featuring Forever21 shoes

Chick Pea and Sweet Potato Curry Recipe

2009-10-06T17:08:00.008-04:00

Chick Pea and Sweet Potato Curry via vegweb
Serves: 6 .. (For me, more like 3-4 good size portions ; )

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas (drained)
1 largish sweet potato, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 smallish onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 potato, chopped (I left this out)
curry powder to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 cubes of vegetable boullion (I used vegetable broth instead)
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin and ground cardamon
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup of coconut milk
1/2 table spoon of brown sugar

Directions:

1. Chop all the veggies about the same size as a chickpea.

2. In a large skillet, saute the onion, celery, bell pepper, and
carrot in a little oil until soft (5 minutes).

3. Add chickpeas, both kinds of potato and spices. Cover and cook for
about 20 minutes until the potatoes are mostly done.

4. Sprinkle flour on top of veggies and stir while cooking for a few minutes.

5. Pour coconut milk in a bring to a simmer. Add in Brown sugar and
stir. Add Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve over brown rice.

My Notes: I used veg broth instead of the oil or veg cubes. Also, it says to let it sit covered for 20mins, but I dont see how it wouldnt get stuck to the pan, even non-stick. I just added the chickpeas and potatos as I cut, let it sit covered for 5 mins or so, then kept mixing as I added spices. I accidentally used double the amount of coconut milk (1 can), so I just cooked for longer and added extra spices, turned out good. Jared commented that he *really liked it* and it tasted like Indian food, but sweeter, which I attribute to the coconut milk and brown sugar.

Deal a Day

2009-10-06T13:58:00.007-04:00

It's too bad I can't even afford highly discounted designer clothing, because I am really loving almost all the Bensoni on Gilt Groupe. If you're not sure what Gilt Groupe is, basically it's a website that updates daily with discounted clothing, footwear and accessories- all still usually out of my price range ; ). But I guess it's fun to look and you never know what will be posted.

I'm on another similar site for home wares called One Kings Lane. I bought something on there for the first time yesterday, kitchenware from Rösle! I will now be the owner of a fancy fruit corer, pizza cutter, wire cheese slicer, and peeler. I've been in the process of updating our cookware/etc and it makes cooking that much easier.

General Tao's Tofu Recipe

2009-10-02T14:08:00.012-04:00

General Tao's Tofu via vegweb
Preparation time: 40 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 box of firm tofu
egg substitute for 1 egg
3/4 cup cornstarch
vegetable oil for frying
3 chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 Tablespoons sugar
red pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon sherry (optional)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
steamed broccoli
choice of rice

Directions:
Drain, dry and cut tofu into 1 inch chunks. You can freeze tofu the
night before to get a more chicken-like consistency, but it isn't
necessary. Mix the egg replacer as specified on the box and add an
additional 3 tablespoons water. Dip tofu in egg replacer/water
mixture and coat completely. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu
and coat completely. Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up
at the bottom of the bowl.

Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain oil.

Heat 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat. Add green
onions, ginger and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Be careful not
to burn garlic. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper and
vinegar. Mix 2 Tablespoons water with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and
pour into mixture stirring well. Add fried tofu and coat evenly.

Serve immediately with steamed broccoli over your choice of rice.

My notes: I think I added too much ginger so that flavor kind of overpowered, it could have used a bit more salt(soy sauce?) to diffuse the ginger taste, but maybe if you follow the recipe right it's fine, haha. I also don't know that I did the cornstarch on the tofu right.. I ended up mixing it all in a bowl and I think maybe you're supposed to do it separately. This recipe was easy but the tofu took longer to cook than I would have thought. Also if you're making rice and it's not minute rice, you have to set that up ahead of time. And, some people recommended to double the sauce recipe, if you don't mind upping the calories, I would because it would have been good mixed with the rice. Last comment, nummy.

Polyvore featuring Dirty Loves Clean II

2009-10-02T00:45:00.003-04:00

Find me. by The Stylish Geek featuring Echo accessories

About Moi. by simple- featuring Alexander Wang tops

Polyvore featuring Dirty Loves Clean

2009-10-02T00:41:00.001-04:00

I pity the fool by gokarm featuring Juicy Couture shoes

Press

2009-09-17T15:51:00.011-04:00

7up Pound Cake soap featured on NBC Chicago's Around Town section!

Dirty Loves Clean Being Sold at Bento

2009-09-04T17:55:00.006-04:00

Dirty Loves Clean at Bento!

BENTO

1029 Main St

Honesdale, Pa 18431

570-251-3222

Wholesale

2009-08-05T17:23:00.004-04:00

Just finished putting together a wholesale information page and line sheet. If you are a store and interested in carrying my handmade, vegan products, let me know! E-mail me (dirtylovesclean at gmail.com) the following information:

Name:
Company Name:
Business Licence Number (Resale # or Tax ID):
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone Number:
Email:
Website Address:
Please tell me about your business. What other lines do you carry:
Other comments?

I am trying to do more wholesale now and really get DLC out there..

So far you can buy DLC at:

Renegade Handmade in Chicago, NY
Bento in Honesdale, PA
Jane Leslie & Co in Kingston, PA
Mesh Boutique (Lipbalms only) in Murfreesboro, TN

Post Brooklyn Renegade 2009

2009-06-15T12:12:00.006-04:00

So it's been a week since Renegade, but I never made a post about my experiences. Here are my honest opinions as a vendor.. pros & cons:

+/- It was in a park.. (+) because it was pretty, "fresh air", grass, more space, (-) because some people got weird end spots that I think could make it confusing for shoppers, and the track is pretty big.. (People probably wouldn't make another round unless they really had the time, or they might not remember where somewhere was since it was a circle, it could be confusing) also, many seemed to just be taking a casual stroll.

- There were too many vendors. My original mind set was, oh, more booths, more people will come to check it out! But I think there were 2 other soap vendors besides myself last year, and it was at least double this year. I'm sure this eats into vendors sales because there are just too many choices.

+ The weather, besides it was way too hot at times, I'll take that over rain and paper labels any day.

+ The renegade staff. I don't know if this staff member overheard me complaining or what, but the first morning we got there we realized we were on a curve and that meant the front was 10 feet but not the back. This guy came out of nowhere asking if we wanted to be moved and was really helpful (Although someone else ended up moving so we ended up with enough room).

+ The vendors. Everyone around me was really sweet and helpful. Someone gave us her tent sides so we could set up a mock tent (since we were positioned outside of ours) and get shade!

Overall.. I did feel like it was slow, my booth would be fairly empty/no sales for awhile, but then there would be spurts. It was worrisome and I was actually pretty bored at times! but, after adding up my sales, I'm pretty pleased with how I did, and my sales were only off $8 from sat to sun. But, that is not including some lady at the end of the day Sunday who wanted to "buy all your soaps right now" (wholesale). Although that didn't happen exactly, she still walked around with a good amount and seemed to want to buy more in the future. so + For connections

Images here.

Also, in case you're curious of the top sellers at Renegade:

1) Cabana Boy
2) McCarren Park
3) Manhattan
4) Sweet Tea (now sold out..I'll have to make more)
5) Mojito

Buy Great Veg Meat & Help a Shelter Start Up!

2009-06-10T12:20:00.009-04:00

I will do a small wrap up post about Renegade along with some photos in the near future, but for now I wanted to take a minute to tell you about a unique etsy shop, Pitseel.

She makes gourmet fake meats. I am on the end of the spectrum of non-meat eaters that grew up eating meat and (generally) liking the taste of it. To me, a meal was at least 3 parts; the meat, the side (potatoes, pasta), and the vegetable. Although I know that does not always hold true, to me a meal is more complete with a protein aspect dominating it and these fake meats are great for just that.

I recently finished eating all of my previous order (finished it off with a sample of pinenut pesto "chicken" that she sent that was amazing) and I went to make another order on her etsy site. I noticed that everything is on sale and she had a shop note stating she may not be making anymore in the future. This prompted me to message her and ask for a custom 8 pound order (will store in the freezer for 4 months). While in contact with her, she told me, "I am opening an animal rescue within the year. I am going to be going to local pounds (we have 14 acres where we are going, so I just need a kennel license as well as some kind of shelter. I am at my maximum of 3 rescues already, and need a license after that) and bringing home the pets that are to be euthanized soon..".
I think this is an awesome thing to do and I just wanted to help her out and tell everyone, buy her food(or other products), they're great! AND youre helping out a shelter start up.

Or you can also donate here:

Where to Find DLC at Renegade 6/6 & 6/7

2009-05-26T10:47:00.002-04:00

At McCarren Park (running track) in Greenpoint Brooklyn, I'll be introducing new soaps, lip balms, and new products such as lotion! Yesterday I worked on a batch in the ~famed~ McCarren Park (grass) scent. You can find me at booth 73 (click map to view larger) sharing with Peppersprouts. I have a lot of work to do!

Selling @ 5th Ave

2009-05-26T09:36:00.003-04:00

The morning started off pretty hellish for lack of better term. We actually took a car instead of trying to lug everything on the subway; it was just too many things for 2 sets of arms. But- I didn't understand where my spot was, so we drove to the wrong place. Then I told him to just bring me to 5th ave and not knowing how long the fair went on down 5th ave, had him drop us off (since he was probably already annoyed with me). I tipped him extra, only to be stuck at the opposite end that we needed to be at. I hadn't packed in a very carry-able way since we had the car, so Jared ending up dumping all my inventory onto the street as he struggled to carry too many heavy things. BUT we made it, with maybe 10 mins to the fair's opening.

It was a chilly day, the foot traffic was decent, but my sales weren't as high as I hoped. Regardless, it was a fun experience.

I'm a little awkward in the beginning of this video because I did not want to be filmed eating! but here is a little clip of me at the 5th Ave Fair, sharing a spot with Felicity of Wish By Felicity:

Untitled from Michelle Stasha on Vimeo.

& Jared getting ~sunwashed~:

Untitled from Michelle Stasha on Vimeo.

Dirty Loves Clean in the Storque..

2009-05-22T13:16:00.005-04:00

..for the first time ever! I was chosen by the awesome seek editor of Time Out New York. More here.

NewNew Team Memorial Day Weekend Sales!

2009-05-22T13:14:00.003-04:00

Have some extra time during the long weekend? Check out these NewNew shops and treat yourself to these Memorial Day Weekend Sales! Offers apply May 22nd through the 25th.

http://DirtyLovesClean.etsy.com - Choose from the following codes, Enter _______ in message to seller: Freebalm- your choice of 1 lip balm from 'I have a Dreamsicle', 'My Dear Marzipan', or 'Oatmeal Cookie Monster'. Freesoap- sachet bag filled w/ assorted (3-5) soap samples. Freesachet- free herb sachet bag filled with either lavender buds/flaxseed or peppermint/flaxseed, your choice. Memday- 10% off entire order, refund will be made after your purchase.(One code per customer).
http://CLineCreations.etsy.com - 10% Off All Orders
http://MSwedowsky.etsy.com - Free US and International shipping on all purchases! Receive 10% off entire order when purchasing more than one item. No promo code required--just wait to pay and I will send you a revised invoice through PayPal that reflects the 10% discount.
http://JournalisticTendency.etsy.com - 10% Off All Orders
http://PandaWithCookie.etsy.com- Welcome summer with a swell new tote bag to take your books and bagels to the beach! Purchase an $18 tote bag with a $5 pouch for $20. Purchase a $22 tote bag with a $5 pouch for $24. I will send a new invoice after purchase.

Free shipping:

Spring Handmade Cavalcade 2009

2009-05-20T15:27:00.003-04:00

Shots from the Spring Handmade Cavalcade.

See more on Flickr.

Prospect Park Fair

2009-05-20T15:10:00.004-04:00

Just a couple shots from the second craft fair of the season that I sold at.. Prospect Park fair. I did a prospect park soap to go along, which curiously, did not do well, but did very well at the Spring Handmade Cavalcade (those photos to follow).

Ways to Promote & Advertise your Business!

2009-05-20T13:49:00.004-04:00

I came up with this list for an etsy team I am on. It is geared towards people just beginning their own business, but also for anyone unsure of where to get started with promoting their business online. Enjoy!

1. Selling Online: You can sell your products online through etsy.com or other similar sites such as artfire.com .You can also sell on your own domain/website by putting paypal or google check out 'buy now' buttons which will send people to those websites to pay. Then there are different shopping cart/e-commerce options which someone can set up for you or you can attempt yourself.
2. Selling via catalog: There are different forms of catalogs you could sell in. A catalog might be good to reach new markets and people who do not buy online. One that you could make yourself would be similar to a line sheet. You could take pictures of your items and upload to image editing software. Put prices/description/etc. Then make a separate order form. Print out sheets and distribute. My idea was that I could even give to people(family members or friends) to bring to their workplaces and then give them the product so I wouldn't have to ship. However, you could also ship and charge for s/h on the form.
3. Myspace.com: As everyone probably knows, is a social networking site. It is a way to reach a lot of people, blog about your company, make bulletins, add friends, post your events, etc. While I sort of feel business myspace accounts can annoy some (when it turns into spam), they can still be helpful. Try adding other crafty magazines, craft fairs, businesses, and the friends that they have.
4. Facebook.com: Ditto on Facebook. Facebook seems to have beaten Myspace with popularity these days. As far as my knowledge goes.. a "business" facebook is different from a personal one, and people add you when they "fan" you.
5. Twitter.com: Is a way to communicate with others. You post little snippets of text to say just about anything.. It can be good for your business because you can post when you update your etsy, sites, blog, make new products, you can also ask questions/answer others. But again, be careful not to spam. Let people know you are not just a company, but a person.
6. Blogging: Blogging is a great way for your customers to become/stay interested in your company. You can post about new products, how you make your products, other people's products, going to craft fairs/events, the industry you're in, or just your day! However, I think it's a good idea to stick closely to what your business is all about-- but at the same time, show you're a real person(like stated above) and people will feel more connected to you and your company.
7. Commenting: Is another tool to get yourself recognized. I'm sure you notice the 'more popular' members on various forums who comment all the time. Well, you can get yourself noticed this way just by commenting here and there. People will click your name and check out your blog and see what you're all about.
8. Giveaways/Raffles/Samples: It is a good idea to participate in these because you're getting your company name and product into the hands of people who may have not found you otherwise. You can find out about giveaways by google searching or checking etsy forums, etc. There are also goody bags/samplers such as The Black Box.com, in which you send in sample sizes of your products or other marketing materials such as a postcard, magnet, button, etc. These can get distributed to hundreds of people. A couple other examples would be giving your sample sized products to people to give out at craft fairs or when they sell their products online.
9. Cross Promotion: You can always try to cross-promote with people for free. An example would be writing about them on your blog and asking if they would do the same for you, or including their banner/etsy mini on their blog/website for the same in return.
10. Collaborations: If you can find a way to mesh two companies and make a product, you're doubling the awareness of the item, therefore getting your company noticed. It can also save you money, time, and labor. I have participated in a couple collaborations. One is on a larger scale where I have created a line of soaps with another company. Both of our names are on the label and we both sell the product. On a smaller scale, I have sold cameo soaps to go along with a soap dish for a ceramic business. She allowed me to label my soaps with my logo.
11. Flickr.com: This is a website where people can host their images. It is free for a basic account and about $25 a year for unlimited uploading. You can also upload videos and get stats on how many people click your images/videos. It is a good for businesses to join 'groups' related to their business and post images of their products. Make sure to use a lot of tags and a proper title so people can find you through search.
12. Etsy Minis: You can create an etsy mini, which shows a small collage of images of products in your shop. It is good to put this on the side of your blog or on your website so that people know when you update your shop.
13. Style Hive.com/ Kaboodle.com : Post your items to these sites and it basically gives them more chances to show up when potential shoppers search the web or the sites specifically
14. Blog Rings: Adding your blog and/or website to 'rings' is just another way to get your website/company found. Basically, list your website/etsy as many places as you can find. There are also "handmade items yellow pages" type sites.
15. Etsy Teams: Teams are usually specific to things like your actual product or where you live. Members band together to help promote each other. I highly recommend joining a team and participating often to reap the full benefits.
16. Etsy Forums: Participating in the forums gets you recognition as a company, therefore increasing your chances for shop hearts and sales.

Anymore ideas?

Etsy Gift Guide: Spring Cleaning

2009-05-15T13:07:00.007-04:00

One of my soaps (from the Charlie & Sarah collaboration line) is featured in a gift guide- very cool. Sales have been slow so I hope this gets me some recognition. Etsy has also chosen me for a couple front page treasuries recently. It's nice to get picked out of the hundreds of soapmakers on etsy. Competition is ~fierce~, haha. You'll also notice a Charlie & Sarah hoodie in the Father's Day gift guide.

Boxed Wine..in your Shower?

2009-05-13T12:05:00.002-04:00

My 'Boxed Wine' soap featuring a white zinfandel scent and pink kaolin clay is all cured and ready to use. Get clean, not drunk. Or maybe both at the same time. ; )

I'll be there Sunday!

2009-05-03T15:51:00.003-04:00

This upcoming weekend you can find me at Prospect Park on Saturday and at the Spring Handmade Cavalcade on Sunday!

Customize Your Soap!

2009-05-03T15:40:00.002-04:00

Now offering soap stamp inscription for only $1- check it out. It's perfect for custom gifts. Mother's day is right around the corner..

A Couple Things..

2009-04-24T11:03:00.005-04:00

First, check out this review:

Next, a little preview of something in the works, my new web store! It will be pretty simple, but it's a nice alternative to have my own web store on my domain. Thankfully my brother helped me set up the shopping cart and is helping with little details while I am trying to get all the products up. This Saturday (80 degrees, I should be outside!) will be picture taking day since I'll have some sunlight..while Sunday I am having a picnic with some friends ; ).

Under Construction..

If You Like Pina Colada

2009-04-24T10:55:00.005-04:00

Adding organic coconut flakes to my new soap I made last night- It's sort of a pina colada scent: coconut, pineapple, and a little creamy vanilla. I made this one with coconut milk in place of distilled water to add to the tropical theme and give it lots of nice bubbly lather!

Go Green Greenpoint Fair Recap

2009-04-20T15:06:00.007-04:00

+ It didn't rain and wasn't as cold as the weather said a week prior (As I was checking compulsively)

- It was pretty windy in the morning

+ It warmed up later in the day

Enough about weather.

+ We (boyfriend slave and I) could walk there, even though I made my boyfriend take 2..or more, extra trips to get me things we couldn't carry the first time or something I forgot.

- It was in a parking lot. Originally it was supposed to be in the park, but I heard something about construction and them not being able to get that spot. Well, it was news to me when I got the map that it wasn't in the park, and even though I live close to the park, I didn't realize until I got there that it was actually *behind* this huge high school (the front which faces the park). The park gets a good amount of foot traffic and people usually walk by on their way from Williamsburg to Greenpoint, but because we were behind the school, we were somewhat out of the way and not visible. I think this resulted in a lower than expected amount of foot traffic. I actually went a couple hours with only one sale (from a friend) but it picked up a little later in the day. Overall though, very slow for sales.

- While I was close to the entrance gate, I was across from some dumpsters(although they didn't smell, they were recycling dumpsters I believe), a loud band, generator, and say hello to Mr. Sausage in the images below.

+My tent was pretty easy to set up
(Questions for craft fair veterans- best way to weight down my tent and also where can I get tent walls in case of rain?)

+/-? My boothmate didn't show up so I moved my table in the front

+ I was next to Sarah and Karin, fellow NewNewer's, and invited Sarah's son to play and keep me company in my tent since there was some down time.

+ I have merch ready for upcoming shows, so even if I didn't sell a lot yesterday, it's ready to sell! I am going to take some pictures as soon as I can(most likely the weekend when I get a full day of sunlight) to get some of my products online. It's been awhile since I've had much of anything on there, Although I did add the lip balms I made for the show to etsy today.

I also made/introduced some new products, created so I'd have more variety at the show-- scent sachet bags, one with peppermint leaves and one with lavender buds, a bath soak set including one bag of colloidal oatmeal and one bath tea soaks with herbs and sea salt, as well as green tea scented bath salts in tubes. Perfect for Mother's Day gifts.

Oh! and the best seller? McCarren Park soap- although I'm not positive if it was the scent, the name, or both. I'm guessing both. I definitely had someone buy one without even smelling it.

Next up is Prospect Park Fair on May 9th. http://www.geocities.com/parkcraft/

Images of the Greenpoint fair below:

Key Words

2009-04-17T16:15:00.001-04:00

Haha, not to knock my "readers" too much, but do people talk to google now? This search brought someone to my blog, "show me a dirty stove that was dirty for a week or so and what did they clean it with to get it white".

I wish google was that smart.

Soap & Getting Bizzy Time

2009-04-16T13:33:00.005-04:00

Having a day job while trying to squeeze in soapmaking and all the other aspects of business is a bit tough. Now that all the spring/summer fairs are coming up (and soap needs a one month cure time to factor in), I really need to keep a tight schedule/calender and get as much done as I can.

I get home from work, the sun's already starting to go down, I eat dinner, and make soap till bedtime! Thankfully my dear boyfriend helps when he can. We've decided to try hot glue instead of double sided tape for wrapping soaps. I did the tape thing for awhile because what happens is that soaps shrink a little over time and so the label gets loose and falls off. The tape allows some ease to un-stick and redo.. which is why I didn't really want to try glue, but we'll see how it goes-- it's much quicker than tape according to my bf.

So while my bf did some label wrapping for me, I made a batch of soap with coconut milk. In the past I've used coconut milk powder, but I wanted to try this. It's a good vegan alternative to goats milk soaps and according to David Fisher, go-to soap guy,

"Like Cleopatra's famed milk-baths, milk in soap provides extra moisturizing qualities and a creaminess that can't be matched with just oils. It gives the extra moisturizing qualities, but gives something extra - super bubbly lather! I'm not sure whether it's the extra sugar content of the milk, or the coconut itself that makes the extra lather...but it sure does. Extra creamy...extra bubbly!"

As seen below, weighting out the coconut milk, my recipe, and messy labeling paper mess.

Looks like a rich smoothie. Even with putting it into the freezer to cool down prior to adding sodium hydroxide (this mixture with the oils is what causes it to turn into soap), it still took foreverrr to cool down. I guess in the future I'd leave it in the freezer a bit longer than I did. While it was cooling, my oils were melting away on the stove.. and what's that in the background?..hm?

Upcoming.. white zinfandel wine soap! I have 2 names ideas for this and am considering using both on labels and seeing which people choose more..is that weird? haha.

That's all for now. Drink.. er I mean, Soap Up.

MCCARREN PARK GO GREEN GREENPOINT FAIR SOAPS

2009-04-14T09:36:00.003-04:00

New soaps which will premiere this Sunday at McCarren Park for the Greenpoint Goes Green Earth Day Fair. See the calender on the side of my blog for more details.

(Above)From left to right-- Black Tie Affair (black pepper essential oil with bentonite clay), Sweet Tea (infused with green tea), Guava Loves Yuzu (with sesame seeds for gentle exfoliation), Sunrise/Sunset (half sweet orange with calendula, half lavender with alkanet root), McCarren Park (in celebration of Earth day, a sweet fresh cut grass scent), and lastly White Cherry Almond (with bitter almond essential oil, a little sweet orange, and luffa for exfoliation). I will have these soaps plus my English Line, which I will show off later on.

2009-04-13T14:00:00.008-04:00

I'm back from my trip to Delaware-- My boyfriend's Mother asked me to make some baby powder scented soaps for the arrival of her grandchild, Brody. I came up with the concept, "IT'S A BRODY". I also scented some sachet beads and put into muslin bags which we stamped with his name and a cute little foot print. We added baby foot print ribbon to the soaps and put them into plastic bags which we tied with raffia. The end results were placed into a basket, great around Easter time, which the Mother can keep by her door and give out to guests.

I had fun with these and definitely plan on offering favors (soaps/packages), if anyone is interested, feel free to contact me dirtylovesclean @ gmail.com.

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR ACCEPTANCE

2009-04-07T12:15:00.006-04:00

That's right.. I got into Renegade! It will be held this year June 6th and 7th at McCarren Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and I am super excited (although let's cross our fingers for no rain!).

Last year, Renegade was actually the first fair I ever did. While it was a great experience, there was also a torrential downpour among other bouts of rain, and I mean torrential. Our tent ended up coming down on us and pretty much all my labels(products) were ruined because they are wrapped with just paper/ink.

I learned a few things incase of rain..
-Carboard boxes are not a good idea. This year I'll bring some plastic containers for storage.
-Tent walls or even window plastic (the stuff you put over your windows in the winter) are a good idea. It would also be good to have the plastic to throw over your table.
-A more expensive tent is worth it. This year I bought an EZ up tent and I am hoping it works out well.

I have to figure out how I am going to set up my table this year, but it should be an improvement from last when I was using cookie cooling racks.

Here is a set of me last year at Renegade. This year I am sharing a tent with fellow friend and Greenpointer, Jen of Peppersprouts. We also shared at BUST- I love her coasters and shadow boxes and pretty much everything she does.

Well that is all- I am just really excited. I remember last year, even though I was completely drained from the sun, not eating, rain, standing, selling, etc, there was so much energy & enthusiasm from the vendors and people shopping around that infused into me. It's a good time all around!

MAY LUK w/ DIRTY LOVES CLEAN AT BIM

2009-04-06T11:01:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple shots of May at the Brooklyn Indie Market this weekend with our soap/soap dish set.

TEASER SHOTS

2009-03-31T13:21:00.003-04:00

My Sunrise/Sunset (half sweet orange and half lavender essential oils w/ calendula petals) soap was a hit at the winter craft fairs even though it seems like a more summery soap to me. I had fun remaking this & added in even more flowers!

Also, May Luk's soap dishes to accompany my Victorian cameo soaps (you will see later on) are finished and I'm loving them, as seen below:

WHAT'S NEW ON ETSY?

2009-03-30T15:43:00.003-04:00

What is new on my etsy shop? I added some nice soap/bathroom accessories! A sisal bag and soap dish . These make great additions for gifts. Let me know and I will wrap with a ribbon and gift tag.

Here modeling the accessories is my new Charlie & Sarah English line soap: Tea & Cucumber

Sisal is a natural plant fiber from the agave plant. It is valued for its strength, durability, and ability to stretch.

This natural sisal bag with drawstring is a great place to store and dry your favorite soap - whether it's a brand new bar, or you're down to the last small sliver of a bar.

Insert your soap bar into the bag and use with water. The sisal bag will extend the lather and therefore conserve your soap even further. It feels great cleaning, exfoliating and reviving your skin!

After using, rinse the bag and store in a dry, airy place until your next use. Depending on where you hang this bag, your soap may dry well enough inside that you do not need to use a soap dish.

A great sustainable product, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are normally used in its production. This item is compostable when it becomes worn out.

Letting your soap sit in water will cause it to melt faster-- A soap dish is essential for getting the most life out of your handmade soap! This wooden soap dish with slots is the perfect decorative solution to give your soap the love and care it needs ; ).

WEDDING FAVORS

2009-03-30T15:35:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite dishes, I picked it up on sale at Anthropologie awhile back. Here it is featuring some of the melt-and-pour wedding favor soaps I made. I plan on offering these as well as cold process soap favors and more, in the near future. If you are interested, please contact me for details.

GRASS SOAP! & EARTH DAY FAIR IN GREENPOINT BROOKLYN

2009-03-30T15:24:00.006-04:00

What have I been up to? I've been up to soap making, yes!, finally I am building up stock...(After the holidays I took a little break). My partnership with Charlie & Sarah allows me to make larger batches with them, while also concentrating on making my own smaller (one person can handle) batches. It feels good to have soap curing on racks in my apt once again. The tops of my kitchen cupboards are getting packed though..

I have a few craft shows coming up this spring/summer. The first one is on April 19th: Go Green Greenpoint Earth Day Fair at McCarren Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn-- just a short walk away from where I live! I will be testing out my new tent. I'm excited to get out in the nice weather and sell again ; )

And a little teaser, what is more fitting for an earth day event?.. here I am making "grass"..

HELPFUL BIZ TIPS & TRICKS

2009-03-24T12:08:00.004-04:00

Here is a little list of a few business tips & tricks I have come across these past few months.

Paying Tax in NYS:
E-file! http://www.tax.state.ny.us/elf/elf_individual.htm - It's really easy and does the calculations for you
Etsy Fee Calculator - http://www.rolbe.com/etsy.htm

http://www.letsets.com/ - Etsy Tools

http://www.squidoo.com/etsy-tools

Paypal Fee Calculator - http://www.rolbe.com/paypal.htm

www.Ping.fm - Lets you update all social networks at the same time/same site

Ghost Fox- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2278 - a firefox add-on that makes your browser all text/blend in with everything else (for when you're "working")

Shipping Items:
Instead of going to the post office, if you have a scale you can mail things from home.

If they pay with paypal, there is a button 'ship now' and you basically just need the weight of the item. You can then drop off at the post office or even arrange a pick-up at your place.

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now - Lets you ship to someone using paypal, even if they didnt pay with paypal.

Anyone have any to share?

CHARLIE & SARAH WITH DIRTY LOVES CLEAN

2009-03-09T14:06:00.003-04:00

I mentioned briefly about my collaboration with Charlie & Sarah. Basically we are doing a line of soaps together that have an 'English theme' to them. So far we have made a sea salt clean laundry scent soap and a green tea/cucumber scent. Names are still a work in progress..

Here are some shots from our first soap making endeavor!

We tried out these new molds we bought.. but I am not sure how I feel about them. They are sharp on the edges and the soap gets stuck to the sides.. don't think that is supposed to happen, but it might be because our recipe is based on 15% butters, causing it to be softer and stickier before drying.

Here we are mixing the soap in our big (huge!) new pot.

Pouring into the molds..

Making 'waves' with a chopstick.

And lastly, sprinkling the top with sea salt..

The rest of the set.

NEWNEW HOW-TO VIDEO: MELT & POUR SOAP WEDDING FAVORS

2009-03-09T14:01:00.004-04:00

Check out my post on The NewNew Blog about melt and pour wedding favors!

ANNOUNCING SPRING HANDMADE CAVALCADE

2009-02-27T11:25:00.003-05:00

Mark it on your calender-- I'll be there Sunday, May 10th, 2009, Mother's day! Pick up a last minute gift, or bring your mother, better yet-- mothers, bring yourself and treat yourself to some handmade soap ; ).

DUMBO PT II

2009-02-25T13:11:00.005-05:00

the Brit salesman himself..

selling mah soaps..

Not much left, so get it while it's there! My soaps at DUMBO every weekend. We're going to start our British soap line very soon... ; )

DUMBO WINTER POP UP CRAFT MARKET

2009-02-19T12:26:00.004-05:00

I've been on somewhat of a soap making hiatus, but you can now find my soaps at the Dumbo winter pop-up craft market ( being sold by these lovely people. )

Currently your only choices are Sex on the Beach & English Tea Rose, but they are some good choices! Check it out ; ).

IT HAS BEEN...

2009-02-06T16:25:00.006-05:00

..Awhile since I last posted. Not much has been going on with my business.. to be honest, I'm just too tired after my day job & just want to keep relaxing ; ). I did make a couple soaps for Valentines, and I will hopefully become unlazy and make labels for them and put them on etsy this weekend!

Expect Victoriana- an english tea rose scent and Sex on the Beach- like the drink, a sweet blend of peach schnapps, cranberry juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice, reminiscent of pixie stix/smarties.

I am also happy to announce a couple partnerships I am going to undertake.. 1. I am making cameo soaps (most likely with the victoriana scent, maybe some bergamot as well) and May Luk is creating a victorian-esque soap dish for it. I really love love her ceramics.

I am also doing an english themed line with Ch arlie and Sarah. They make cute clothing, accessories, and such, with british words. We are going to try and stick to the theme.. soap style of course!

So, now is time to get busy!

ETSY SPECIAL DELIVERY

2009-01-21T09:59:00.000-05:00

ETSY FIND: DIRTY & CLEAN SOAP DISHES

2009-01-10T21:45:00.004-05:00

I came across these Dirty and Clean soap dishes today.. I am a sucker for handmade ceramics. I'd love to take a class and learn to do pottery.. ah so many things I'd like to learn to make.

LEMON DROP COOKIES SOAP AND PASS THE COURVOISIER LIP BALM REVIEW

2008-12-21T12:20:00.005-05:00

with special guests:
KATIE'S PARENTS

I am home for the holidays and I asked Michelle to send the next batch of samples to my parent's house in Tennessee. They arrived yesterday, so my parents and I did a little impromptu testing in my kitchen.

My dad picked out a sample of Lemon Drop Cookie soap and washed his hands. He looked at me with a deadly serious face and said "I tell you what, Kates, there is something special about this soap." That is a direct quote. He then proceeded to wash his hands for the next four minutes.

My mom loved the smell of the soap. "It just so subtle!" she squealed, leaning in to smell the suds as she soaped her hands up. She has very sensitive skin and can't use any products with heavy chemical scents, but Dirty Loves Clean is gentle enough even for her! I am going to have to keep an eye on my DLC samples while I'm home. She's a sneaky one.

We also picked out Pass the Courvoisier lip balm to try, because nothing says 'home for the holidays' like brandy with your family. My parents are both lip balm fanatics and were skeptical when I told them that Dirty Loves Clean products are hand-made. They gingerly applied some of the rich balm to their lips and then mmmmmmmmmmmmmed in approval. They pored over the list of ingredients and concluded the amazing not-greasy, not-sticky, just-right feeling of DLC lip balm has to come from all of the natural moisturizers Michelle uses. We were all amazed at how long our winter-chapped lips stayed soft.

If you haven't tried DLC's lip balm, what are you waiting for? It's a steal at just $2.50 a pop and it will put you off that Carmex crap you've been using for the rest of your life.

Happy Holidays!!
-KATIE

BEHIND (& IN FRONT) OF THE SCENES AT BUST CRAFTACULAR

2008-12-21T11:21:00.003-05:00

My really professional organizational set-up for extra stock & bags.

Boyfriend helping me set-up.

Across the way from me, other vegan goods.

All set up!

Me from afar.

People buying ; )

FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH . essential oils . NATURAL VEGAN SOAP

2008-12-20T13:49:00.004-05:00

Just added to etsy. I only have a couple of these left..

LIP BALMS GALORE!

2008-12-20T13:07:00.008-05:00

I just added a bunch of lip balms to etsy! Check them out. I actually don't really have any soaps to put up (besides one) because I was planning on giving some away as gifts, so it'll be a month or so before I have more-- just keep checking the blog! ; )

BUST CRAFTACULAR DECEMBER 14th, 2008

2008-12-15T13:39:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple shots from BUST yesterday. I will post more later! I did well, sold out of a bunch! I actually don't have enough stock for Lyceum this coming weekend, so I am canceling. I will put the remaining stock on etsy asap.

GIFT BOXES W/ GIFT TAGS DESIGNED BY SAMANTHA HAHN

2008-12-15T13:27:00.009-05:00

Thanks to Samantha for designing some gift tag artwork for me. I sold these gift sets at BUST yesterday. Gift tags are still available and will be for sale on etsy very soon.

www.samanthahahn.com

Where to find The {NewNew} at Bust Craftacular tomorrow!

2008-12-13T14:15:00.008-05:00

Click map to view larger. Print & bring to BUST with you!

14- Hand Of Fatima Design: Urban Jewelery Designed from Antique and Vintage Wears- Handmade in NYC. http://thehandoffatima.etsy.com

25- Dirty Loves Clean: Vegan bath & body products including: holiday themed handmade soaps, lip balms, cameo-shaped soaps & gift sets. www.dirtylovesclean.blogspot.com
25- Peppersprouts: New York themed shadow boxes and other hand-cut art

77- Red Bridge Studio: silk screened home & personal accessories, t-shirts www.redbridgestudio.blogspot.com

86- KimmChi: bold, abstract silkscreened women's shirts
86- wabisabi brooklyn: decoupage jewelry. handmade in the county of kings.

89- Charlie and Sarah
89- Chestnut Farmer

90- Cakehouse: Handmade Refashioned Home Accessories www.cakehousedesign.com
90- Take Me Homeware: Handmade ceramics by May Lukwww.takemehomeware.com

94- Lingua Nigra: Jewelry. www.linguanigra.com

102- Metal Sugar: Deliciously Original Jewelry

119- Jill K Davis Jewelry: Sterling silver, brass and gold plated jewelry. Houses, trees and "Hi" and "Bye" earrings, necklaces, bracelets and charms. http://jdavisstudio.etsy.com

166- Nordea's Soaperie: Handmade soap, whipped body butter, lip balms, & perfumes www.nordea-soaperie.com

178- Beacon Bookmarks: Wooden Bookmarks
178- Blue Stitch Books: Vintage inspired paper goods, journals and sewn accessories bluestitchbooks.etsy.com

BUST Craftacular this Sunday!

2008-12-11T14:28:00.006-05:00

You better come to BUST's Craftacular this Sunday! Look at all the amazing vendors. I'll be posting a map in a day or two that shows where all the {newnew} members will be, but for now I'll say, go in the entrance, when you get to the "fork" turn right and go to the end.. I am against the wall, all the way on the right, in the far corner. Does that make sense?

I still have so much to do!! So many soaps to wrap and lip balms to label!

Holiday Handmade Cavalcade Photos

2008-12-09T13:31:00.008-05:00

Sadly most of these were taken when I had low stock. Wish I would have gotten some nice close up shots when the products were all there. Thanks to Waisze for the first picture which was near the start of the fair & my table was nicely stocked, but.. I am making a lovely face, eh?

Holiday Handmade Cavalcade!

2008-12-08T09:31:00.011-05:00

..was a success! I am very happy with the way it turned out. We arrived early to help decorate a bit- mainly hanging hand cut snowflakes everywhere (I love them) and then set up our spot. We did run into a bit of an issue with lighting, but after a trip to the hardware store, our floor (midtown) probably was the best lit of them all, hah.

I started to sell out quick- people were definitely in gift buying mode. I got scared (& excited) because after only about 1-2 hours, my stock was getting low. I wanted to make the most of the event, so after debating, I sent my boyfriend back to our apt to pick up more soaps. It is a bit of a trek and even with him taking a car back to the Knitting Factory, he arrived with only about an hour and a half left, yet, I sold soaps he brought back! So it was worth it.

I offered single soaps or a 3 soap deal which came with a free gift box. At BUST I will have the gift boxes with gift tags with designs by Samantha Hahn on them. I love her style of art and am happy she decided to collaborate with me. In the future we may even do a soap line using her designs as packaging which would be neat.

I also brought my lump o' coal soaps, sold out of what I brought.. which wasnt too many, but 10-15? And sold out of my little soap sets which are 3 mini soaps wrapped with a ribbon. It's always good having less weight to go back home, we actually took the subway home even with 2 suitcases and a fold in half table because we had already spent almost $40 on taking cars. It would be nice to have a car to go to craft fairs..yes it would.. but then there is parking and gas.. so who knows if it's worth it.

Anyway, it seemed that my two best sellers were Green Tea & Sunrise, Sunset. Both non 'foody' scents, which I tend to have the majority of. I think I'll try to do more non foody soaps..but it's hard, they just sound so appealing to me, haha. Some of my favorite foody scents will be available at BUST- Lemon Drop Cookies, Spike My Cider & Amaretto Coffee..mmm. Snowball Fight (mint essential oils) also did very well and Hazelnut Coffee, among others. Anyway, I've noticed my best sellers really vary from show to show, so you never know.

Sadly, I did not have time to get together my lip balms.. I've been having so many issues with those things, you'd think they wouldn't be too hard, mainly melt and pour, but if you don't pour right, they either sink in as they harden or they go over the top and make a mess or they get a crack down the middle which sometimes affects when people twist the lip balm up. I've had to re-do a bunch, but, with my mom coming into town this week, I am hoping I can teach her how to make them so that she can help & I have a bunch for BUST Craftacular ; ). I am not sure quite what to expect of BUST, but after not bringing enough inventory to HHC, I am planning to bring as much as I can manage to BUST. As it is right now, I have 2 suitcases I stuff full, I'll have to add another 1-2 into the mix...

Below is a video my boyfriend took of the fair when it was just getting started. I would have taken more videos, but the battery died. I also brought my camera, but not the (newly charged) batteries I left on the kitchen table. Sad. I would have loved to get some good shots of this fair. Luckily there were some photographers around, so I will post some pictures later.

I'm not as smiley as I should have been!, but I think I was a little overwhelmed, still getting settled.

Well.. all the late nights were worth it!

Oh also.. I had some people show up specifically for me- yay! Am I getting a following? One actually read a review on my soaps and came because of that- again, yay for internet marketing. ; )

Holiday Handmade Cavalcade This Saturday!

2008-12-02T16:09:00.005-05:00

I have a lot to do for HHC this Saturday.. then it's another craft show each weekend til Christmas, so I'm really trying to bang everything out with my limited schedule. Right now I have plans to introduce certain soaps at HHC and then others at BUST. If memory serves me, those soaps will be.. First Snow, Christmas Cookies, Snowball Fight, Hazelnut Coffee, Hot Cocoa, Santa's Pipe, Cocoa Creme Brulee, Sunrise, Sunset., Crackling Firewood, Gingerbread Man, Under The Mistletoe, Green Tea..

Here is a little sneak peek at the soaps I've been slaving over.

I am also going to be working on lip balms, cocoa butter melts, and more.. if I have the time. Lip balms are definitely a priority right now- I need to use all the yummy flavors I bought.

Tonight I have gathered some friends to come help me label soaps ; ) it really takes forever.. probably my biggest issue with my soaps, but I love the way they look.

& Don't forget about HHC this Saturday! The {NewNew} group, which I am part of, has been involed in the whole process of setting up this fair, everything from the advertising, press, sponsors, goody bags, coupons, decorations, layout, etc etc, we're all a part of it in some way and I am realllyyy excited to see how it turns out. Not to mention, it is taking place in a music venue with a bar & good music.. and we have an apple cider sponsor, yum.

BROOKLYN LYCEUM

2008-11-25T11:09:00.007-05:00

Nice.. i dig the flyer for the BK Lyceum.

This will be my last craft show for the holidays.. December 20th and 21st. I am thinking the next show I will do will be around Valentine's Day. I need the month break!

P.s. I must be out of it, I just realized I was going to buy a shirt with this design on it from the artist for my bf's birthday.

CUSTOM STAMPS

2008-11-25T02:08:00.005-05:00

Woo.. in a good and bad way. It's passed 2am and I am not in bed yet for my morning wake up of 7am. I've been trying to figure things out for the upcoming craft fairs.. pricing, gift boxes & dimensions, and printing gift wrap paper basically all day. Then I wanted to at least get something done, so I made some custom stamps on simonstamp.com. One for muslin bags that will hold soap (and whatever else I want to use it on) & another for my paper bags. I think in the long run these will come in handy.. these are very small images of them, but what do you think? Lets hope they look nice when they come! Need bedtime..

ONE SPOON OR TWO REVIEW

2008-11-24T23:06:00.006-05:00

One Spoon or Two is far and away my favorite Dirty Loves Clean soap yet!

I'm a little bit of a hedonist. I'm the kind of person who thinks that too much is just enough. That's why I love that One Spoon or Two is superfatted by 5%! Superfatting is a soapmaking technique that saturates the soap with oils, which leaves the skin smooth and hydrated. One Spoon or Two contains 40% olive oil and a positively decadent 10% shea butter, which leaves skin feeling healthy and moisturized. I noticed right away!

But it's not all the creamy oils in One Spoon or Two that makes this soap my favorite. It's the scent! This soap is full of organic brown sugar and it smells good enough to crumble on top of apple cobbler. The sugar gives the soap a rich, distinct sweetness with a note of molasses. And my skin smelled absolutely delicious all day!

If One Spoon or Two is rich and sweet enough to satisfy this hedonist, it's sure to be the perfect indulgence for anyone on your holiday shopping list. This soap is definitely a crowd pleaser! Beware flirtatious strangers inviting themselves into your house to sample.

Available for purchase here!

Next up: Spike My Cider

-KATIE

CINNAMON CIDER & AMARETTO COFFEE

2008-11-24T18:42:00.009-05:00

These might be two of my favorites! I love the way they smell and they are pretty too. My friend Jamie came over and helped me which is always nice because things get hectic when I am trying to do a few soaps at a time.. they start to get thick and then don't pour into the mold and everything becomes a mess, haha. I put real coffee grounds into the Amaretto/Coffee soap. The bottom half is coffee scented with the grounds and the top is amaretto with the coffee swirled. Then I did another batch of Spike My Cider (cinnamon cider) with cinnamon sticks (did you know these things are almost $1 each, crazy!) except this time I did not use apple cider since last time that made the bar softer. and melt faster.

VEGAN LIP BALMS & OTHER STUFF

2008-11-24T09:40:00.006-05:00

My etsy shop has been looking quite empty- that is because I am preparing for some big craft shows that are coming up. If you haven't checked out my calender on the side of my blog, it shows all the different events I am participating in.

So last week I actually received two e-mails regarding my lip balms..

I purchased your oatmeal-cookie-monster lip balm about a month or more ago at that flea market in brooklyn. I completely love it. I love that it's not gooey and it keeps my lips moisturized far longer than other lip balms. - Mary

The laundry ate my lip balm. I bought the My Dear Marzipan lip balm outside Prospect Park subway a month or two months ago. Unfortunately it died today in the laundry. Are you located anywhere to buy a new lip balm? I very much enjoyed it and would like to get another. Thank you! - Kellie

I love little e-mails like these! I just put in an order for lip balm flavors.. let me see if I can remember all the flavors that I will have.. Oatmeal Cookie-Monster (all natural), I Have a Dreamsicle (all Natural), My Dear Marzipan (all natural), and ones that need names: Buttercream, Chocolate Cream/Fudge Pop, Courvoisier Brandy, Pomegranate, Peppermint Ice, Chai Tea, & Gingerbread. I tried to get a bit of a variety from foody scents to fruit to mint.. If you have any name ideas, shoot them my way! If I ever use ideas people give me, I send them soap samples ; ).

And about the lip balms, they will be for sale at my fairs and available on etsy probably within 2-3 weeks.

Anyway, I am going to be quite busy these next 2-3 weeks.. I am going out of town for Thanksgiving so that really loses me a lot of needed prep time. I hope I get everything done.. lots on my to-do list! The Holiday Handmade Cavalcade is coming up on the 6th and then BUST the week after!

PUMPKIN SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE [SCENTED] SOAP REVIEW

2008-11-23T21:04:00.006-05:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving, today I sampled Dirty Loves Clean's Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice soap. I reviewed this soap's unscented cousin last week and just adored its understated, natural sweet smell the scrubby steel-cut oats. I couldn't wait to try the scented version!

The scented version of Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice has everything I loved about the unscented version: real pumpkin puree, real oats, and lots of moisturizing olive oil and shea butter. But the scented version has several layers of perfectly-blended fragrances to complement the subtle sweetness of the natural ingredients. Hints of spice and pumpkin mingle with a satisfying note of pie crust for a soap so tasty, I wanted to put it in my mouth. And, as always, my skin felt clean and moisturized and all-around yummy.

This soap would make a lovely Christmas gift--perfect for your perpetually-dieting Auntie or your cousin who could use some incentive to bathe more.

Available for purchase here!

Next up: One Spoon Or Two?

-KATIE

SNEAK PEEK.. ON THE CURING RACKS

2008-11-23T13:35:00.003-05:00

Where my soap hides away to cure in my apartment..

POLL RESULT

2008-11-22T20:23:00.003-05:00

Which scents are your favorite:

1. Fruity
2. Foody
3. Floral
4. Minty
5. Woodsy
6. Musky

Anyone want to get more specific? Comment!

NEW SOAPS: CHRISTMAS TREE & LEMON DROP COOKIE

2008-11-22T15:51:00.002-05:00

Figured I should take more pictures of soap making in action, haha. For the Christmas Tree soap I grinded some dried seaweed and luffa. I topped the Lemon Drop Cookies soap with some turbinado sugar 'hearts'. Both soaps got a bit messed up because they were poured too high and so the top got a little smushed. I find that the soaps never come out exactly how I picture it.. but good none the less.

Since foody scents are probably my favorite- I've tried a bunch of different kinds and I have to say.. Sugar Drop Cookies has got to be the closest smell to real food... mmmm..
soo good, want to eat it.

More pictures following this post.

Today I am trying my hand at "salt bars"- Laundry and White Tea scented.

HELLO CUPCAKE! SOAP REVIEW

2008-11-21T15:07:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Katie here again.

This week, I have been trying a new Dirty Loves Clean soap every day.

Manic Monday mornings call for something sweet and comforting. That’s why I loved starting my week with Hello Cupcake!

Michelle put real sprinkles in the batter for Hello Cupcake, and the brightly colored bits in this tasty soap bring a touch of whimsy to my morning routine. Hello Cupcake smells sweet—good enough to eat!—but the smell isn’t overpowering or cloying. The natural ingredients in Dirty Loves Clean soaps create a pleasing natural scent—nothing like the nasty artificial perfumes and chemicals we are used to lathering up with. Mmmm…between the sweet natural scents and the skin-nurturing oils, how could anyone go back to normal soap after they’ve had Dirty Loves Clean?

Tomorrow morning, I’ll get festive with Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!

-KATIE

WEEK OF REVIEWS

2008-11-16T22:51:00.000-05:00

Hi Y'all!

This is Katie, Dirty Loves Clean's copywriter! I live in Atlanta and am an editor at a children's book publisher for a living. I love writing for Dirty Loves Clean because I love supporting homegrown businesses that emphasize eco-friendly business practices.

To put us in the holiday mood, I am going to be reviewing 6 of DLC's holiday soaps this week. Today I got hot and soapy with Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice (the unscented version).

This is actually the first time I have used a DLC soap and I am honestly in love. This soap is fragrance-free but has a subtle sweet and oaty smell that comes naturally from the pumpkin puree and organic oats. The blend of oils made my skin feel instantly softer, and the scrubby oats gave me a good exfoliatin'. I worked up a good lather and stepped out of my shower with soft, smooth skin, smelling just faintly of a bowl of pumpkin oatmeal.

I am so excited to try Hello Cupcake tomorrow morning!

Bust Craftacular

2008-11-15T00:22:00.001-05:00

"Congratulations!

You've been accepted as a vendor for the 2008 BUST Magazine Holiday Craftacular in NYC! Thanks so much for submitting your application and fee-- we're thrilled to have you involved in this event!"

NEW YORK, NY

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2008

10:00 AM – 7:30 PM

Metropolitan Pavilion: 125 West 18th Street, NYC

Yay! Okay-- I need to go to sleep though, Brooklyn Indie Market tomorrow!

Esty sale in 30 mins!

2008-11-13T18:36:00.001-05:00

How-to-video!

Halloween!

2008-11-02T16:46:00.001-05:00

A little late.. but I wanted to do a Halloween post to show off a few things.. first, a melt and pour soap project. I have only made melt and pour soap a couple times, so these did not come out perfect, but I was just making them for friends and family ; ). I scented them with an awesome pumpkin spice fragrance (which was not as spicy as the fragrance I used for my cold-process soap, and dare I say, I like it better personally) and put in cute glow-in-the-dark Halloween themed duckies. The end result looks a bit like a kindergarten project, but those are my favorite kind.

I also used a stencil to decorate some envelopes and Jared made a card with a drawing/design of his, and a silly picture of us holding a heart carved pumpkin. I wanted to send a picture because we don't see our families much at all, and (some of them) like to put our pictures on their fridges, haha. Sadly Jared and I did not do a big pumpkin carving thing this year. Everything has been getting pushed to the side because of all the work he has been doing, but now that he is done with two of his main projects, he's been able to sit on the couch with me (and sew his plushes, another project for an art show) while I am lazy and watch tv ; )

Also wanted to show off some Halloween themed cupcakes- at least I got to participate in a couple crafty Halloween things even if we didn't carve pumpkins together (The heart pumpkin was carved by me very quickly before he came home from work so that we could get the cards out). One thing I love about making soap is that it brings back more of the joy of holidays to me.. I like to do holiday-themed soaps and since they have to be made at least a month in advance, I am feeling very holiday-ey lately (I'm sure there is a better word for that).

Jared and I of course waited till the last (couple of days) to decide what to be for Halloween.. so we went with something easy-- red riding hood & the wolf. I wanted to be a little more *unique*, so I decided we should be fancier. I think that came through more with Jared's outfit- but then again, someone on the train thought he was Michael J Fox from Teen Wolf, haha. We thought simple and easy, so all he bought were some ears, fang teeth (which he wore on the bottom instead of top), and some gloves which he sewed fake black fur to. He works near some fabric stores in the city, so he bought me fabric for my cape and even sewed it for me! This picture does not do it much justice, but he actually sewed it as a circle and added a hood. I forced him to try using the sewing machine and he is happy he did, although he's still hand sewing small pieces right now actually (on to some neat plushes he is making) but I'm sure he'll start using the sewing machine for everything soon enough. I told him it'll be his job to hem our (future) kid's clothing someday ; ).

25% OFF ON ALL SOAPS!

2008-10-31T14:01:00.001-04:00

I wanted to let you all know I am doing a Halloween Sale- 25% off my soaps. I might keep the sale up for the weekend..or I might end it tomorrow, going to see how it goes.
buy on etsy!

Also I wanted to show off my boyfriend's most recent art project. He had some of his designs cast into resin 'toys' and then spent hours painting them and making the cases from scratch. He has been staying up till 2-4am and waking up at 7:30- he is crazy, but they are finished, and very neat!

http://jaredde al.blogspot.com

toy release article*

for sale here*

Another Monday, Another {NewNew} Giveaway!

2008-10-29T18:25:00.001-04:00

Each and Every Monday The {NewNew} York Etsy team has a give-away and this Monday they are giving away a pair of Mosaic Dot Earings from Salt and Paper.

These earrings are part of her new dot mosaic collection. They bring me back to my childhood when I always wanted to make neat little things with polymer clay--but my sister was way better at it ; ) Her main talent was making my Barbies cute little food.

Natalie Wedeking is the Brooklyn-based designer/craftsperson behind Salt & Paper. She is inspired by mostly non-jewelry things: good package design, poster art, old marimekko patterns, William Morris wallpapers, scandinavian folk art, prefab housing, old book covers, vintage signage - pretty much anything made before 1975. In real life she is a graphic/package designer and the things she loves in graphic design - flat color, patterning, unusual color combinations - show up in her jewelry work. Natalie particularly likes to work in polymer clay, which gives her an opportunity to make completely unique jewelry elements from scratch. The medium lends itself to abstract florals and flat, graphic patterns like woodgrain. She layers it almost like paint, often very precisely and geometrically, but in flattening and finishing a piece, the nature of the clay takes over and the end results are unpredictable and very interesting.

New Soaps..

2008-10-23T22:26:00.000-04:00

I made a couple soaps awhile back that I am really excited about.. Santa's Pipe (Blend of: Cherrywood, Raspberry, Vanilla, Tobacco.. smells a lot like Cherry Almond, but even better) & Creme Brulee and Cocoa (Blend of Cocoa, Cream, Vanilla, Almond). I may keep these names, but Creme Brulee & Cocoa is a little boring.. any ideas?

I took some pictures since I think the soap making process is pretty interesting and I love sharing it..

First picture is of my soapmaking *set-up*, my recipe hanging on the wall so I know what weights of each oil/butter/etc I need. Next to that is the metal pot where I mix distilled water and sodium hydroxide and next to that are my soap pots.

I added coconut milk powder to these soaps to make them creamier and more moisturizing. It's always been my goal to make a non-drying soap-- and handmade cold process soaps to begin with are less drying than cocommercial soaps because they are made with oils and butters, not detergents and fillers. But-- a little lesson in soap making, soap qualities are dependent on what oils and butters you use, and at what percentage. I've always used a high percentage of olive oil and added some sort of butter (shea or cocoa)- but recently I've been lessening my coconut oil (which tends to be a bit drying although it creates good lather) and adding larger amounts of butters. I'm planning on using both cocoa and shea in my future batches and at a higher than normal percentage (Most add maybe 1-5%, I'll add at least 10-20%). While this is expensive, it will create a ~luxury~ soap bar and that is my goal. And like I said, I am also using different additives to create different qualities.. such as the coconut milk powder in these batches.

After I added the coconut milk powder and the saponification process began- I separated the soap into different pots so I could add the different fragrances and additives. It can become a fight against time when you do it this way because one batch of soap might become harder faster than another (as it saponifys it basically turns from oil into thick "cream" and hardens overnight) and the goal is usually to pour while it's still pourable ; ). However, since I make limited edition batches in small quantities, this is the easiest way for me.

I added some soap shreds from a previous batch (you have to plan ahead for this kind of stuff! so in another batch I used a little bit of the same fragrance and left over soap to create soap shreds and a soap oval log (made from leftover bits of my Brown Sugar soap) which I put in Santa's Pipe to give a 'pipe' effect?..haha, you'll see pictures later, I like the way it turned out) and some luffa for Creme Brulee for gentle exfoliation and lastly, apricot seed for Santa's pipe, for a not as subtle exfoliation/texture to the soap.

I also tried out my new cameo mold and I love(d) the way they look(ed)..sadly.. I cannot get them out of the mold. If I ever get them out, I might try the mold again in the future and just oil it a lot before pouring soap in..hope that works. I really wanted to make a variety of cameo soaps for all the holiday craft fairs..seems like a nice 'gift' type item, right? (image on right: made a bit of a mess, didn't I?)

Soap making is a long process. Some people are shocked to hear that you should wait a month to use (or to sell) after you make it. I stole this from David Fisher on about.com:

Cold Process soap needs to age or "cure" before it is finally ready to use. Cured soap is harder, milder, and more "finished." Reason to cure:

To make sure that the saponification process is completely complete. This generally takes about 24-48 hours. Yes...I know it sounds like blasphemy...but your soap really IS safe to use after a couple of days.
Now...before you all yell at me...it does become milder as it ages and cures more...but only a TINY TINY bit. 99% of the ph changes happen in the first 48 hours.
The real reason to cure your soap is for the water to evaporate. A harder bar of soap will last longer, lather better and just be overall better soap. For this, yes, wait a few weeks.

Generally I've heard of soap makers testing their soap after 2 weeks and selling after 4- so that is what I stick to. These new soaps are just about ready.. ! I took pictures of them since they've been cut and I will post soon. They have both darkened a bit from the vanilla (but that is what I expected and wanted). Like I said, I am excited about these ones! ; )

Karen's Monsters!

2008-10-20T19:35:00.001-04:00

It's another Monday.. that means another {NewNew} Giveaway! Last week I gave away a soap- and this week, there is a super cute Halloween themed plush from Karen's Monsters.

"Eyra is a Jack-o-Rabbit, part Bunny Monster, part Halloween jack-o-lantern. He is especially fond of this time of year and likes to rake up big piles of leaves to jump in, or preferably to jump in a big pile of leaves that someone else raked up. He can't wait to go trick or treating and hopes to find a new friend that will take him. Made from fleece and polyester and stuffed with fiberfill. He is almost 13 inches tall."

Karen Goetsch is a Brooklyn-based designer of monster plush toys for children and big kids. She began Karen's Monsters in order to offer toys full of creativity and sparks of imagination. Each monster is handmade, unique and kid safe.

Try to win yourself!

Register for a Goody Bag at the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade!

2008-10-20T19:08:00.000-04:00

Come Join Us and Shop Handmade this Holiday!

The Holiday Handmade Cavalcade is a one-day shopping event being held at the legendary Knitting Factory, showcasing more than 30 locally-grown purveyors of handmade goods.

Register now to receive a free goody bag! Stop by before noon, you'll also receive exclusive coupons for discounts for and after the event.

And while you're there among the three floors of holiday shopping, don't forget to enter the free raffle to win creations from participating vendors.

So mark your calendar for Saturday, December 6 from 10am-5pm and come join us for some holiday cheer. We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP HERE FOR A FREE GOODY BAG!

As mentioned in previous posts, I am co-chair of the ~goody-bag~ committee, and what we are doing is giving away free goody bags to the first 200 people who RSVP for the event. Right now we are asking for samples and donations from companies and I expect the bags to be filled with lots of fun things ; ). If you or someone you know would like to donate items for the goody bags, please e-mail handmadecavalcade@gmail.com. Originally we were requesting donations of at least 25 items, but we are now accepting any amount!

Advertising Opportunity: Hip Holiday Craft Fair Now Accepting Samples and Promos

2008-10-16T22:06:00.000-04:00

-Advertising Opportunity: Hip Holiday Craft Fair-
-Now Accepting Samples and Promos-

The Holiday Handmade Cavalcade is a one-day three floor shopping event showcasing handcrafted goods. It will take place at the Knitting Factory in New York City from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday December 6th, 2008.

The event is being organized by The {NewNew} Etsy team (http://thenewnewny.com). The group is partnering with many sponsors including Etsy & L Magazine (www.thelmagazine.com), and a large crowd is expected.

Anyone who RSVPs for the event online will be eligible to receive 1 of 200 complimentary, limited-edition goody bags. The group is now accepting donations for the goody bags. This will be a great way to promote your business & gain exposure around the holiday season.

Types of donations accepted include samples/smaller versions of your product (soap, earrings, prints, etc) and promos (pins, buttons, magnets, etc)— however, business cards, fliers, or related items will not be included unless they are attached to another item such as a coupon.

Contact handmadecavalcade @ gmail.com with the subject line *promos* for the address of where to send and with any questions you may have. *Donations must be received by November 21, 2008.*

For more info on the event visit www.handmadecavalcade.com

BK Flea this past weekend..

2008-10-15T18:45:00.000-04:00

So I participated in the Brooklyn Flea again this past weekend with the {NewNew}. It was a much better experience this time in terms of the weather and my sales! I also had a ~celebrity sighting~, and amusingly enough, the BK flea posted about it on their blog (sure why not, Jemaine is pretty cool). Anyone watch the Flight of the Conchords? It's a silly hbo series. Another girl in the group pointed Jemaine out and asked if it was him.. I was pretty excited. I would have loved to talk to him (his voice..sigh)-- but did not want to come across as an annoying fan, so instead, I took a picture ; ). I almost got a face shot..but my camera was off & I did not want to be *too* stalker-ish. So much for my paparazzi skills.

----------------------------------------------------

I also wanted to share some treasuries I have been included in: (A treasury is basically a collage of products that are posted on etsy to try and help get sales. It's good to be included in them for this reason..!)

----------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------

Win one of my soaps!

2008-10-13T19:23:00.001-04:00

It's really easy! All you have to do is write something about my company-- it can be short and sweet. You can post it anywhere basically.. a blog, livejournal, myspace bulletin, facebook bulletin, twitter, etc.. Then just paste the link of where you wrote about DLC in the post on the newnew blog. I will be sending additional soap samples with this soap.

Visit the {newnew} blog for more details on how to win my soap!

YAY BUST!

2008-10-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

So I applied to the BUST-Holiday-Craftacular and will find out in mid November if I get it.. If I do, I am sharing a booth area with another girl, but my fee is still quite expensive ($150 for the day) for I believe 4ft of space. With my products averaging $5-- I will have to sell *a lot* to even surpass the cost, but I'm thinking it's worth it.

Last BUST Craftacular had people lining up outside around the corner waiting to get in. Basically everyone comes to do holiday shopping, and my soaps just happen to be perfect for that~. It is also around the same time as the HHC, which will also cost me a good amount, but I am really hoping to do both. AND there is the Hearts & Crafts in Greenpoint (yay only 2 blocks away). Maybe I'm having craft fair fever.. hopefully it's not too draining. I've gotta make lots more soaps ASAP!

Also- BUST featured me on their main page!! (I should have wrote a better bio thing haha)

It's only gotten be 64 visits so far, but whatev, that is 64 people.. come on more hits..
I'm actually semi embarrassed about my website right now though. I really need to update it and make it nicer!

Oh p.s. I am in the process of adding my new soaps to etsy & adding new images to old soap listings. I actually started my first "grown-up" job on Thursday (finally! I graduated this past spring) so my schedule is not as open as it once was, but I am hoping to finish this weekend.

Virtual Trunk Show!

2008-10-10T19:35:00.000-04:00

This is still new to me.. but Etsy has 'virtual labs' which are basically fancy chatrooms and the {newnew} team is having a trunk show where we show off our items and give discounts! Most of us will be going on web cameras, so it should be interesting... I'll post again when the show gets closer!

Holiday Handmade Cavalcade

2008-10-10T19:05:00.000-04:00

So, I am doing this really fun craft fair event in December. It's very hands on, the group I am in called 'the newnew' is putting everything together themselves. I am a co-chairing a committee- so lots of responsibility, but I think it'll be worth it. This is a little blurb on the event:

_____________________________________________________________

Bust out your shopping carts because December 6, 2008, the Holiday
Handmade Cavalcade is taking over the Knitting Factory!

The {NewNew} York Etsy Street team — a group of sellers from Etsy.com, the online marketplace for handmade goods — is heading to TriBeCa/SoHo to set up shop in the Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, NYC. The craft fair will take place from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

You’ll find smashing jewelry, paper goods, hand-screened clothing and accessories, unique artwork and items for the home, yummy soaps and body butters, and much much more!

Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013

Subway Directions:
You can take the 1 or 9 train to Franklin Street, walk one block south to Leonard, turn left and walk a block & a half to the club.

You can take the A, C or E train to Canal Street, walk 4 blocks south and turn left on Leonard. You could also take the N or R train to Canal Street, walk down Broadway 4 blocks to Leonard, turn right, and see the club at the far end of the block.

For more information, please contact us at handmadecavalcade@gmail.com

_____________________________________________________________

If you're interested in coming, you should join the newnew mailing list for notifications and also the chance to rsvp for a goodie bag. We will also be giving out raffle tickets the day of to win bigger prizes.

We're planning on having fun music, holiday themed drinks, and more. It should be a good time!

So on that note...

HHC needs Volunteers!

If you for (whatever reason) think it might be fun to volunteer for a craft fair, let me know! Examples of some things you could do include:

- hand out flyers on canal street
- man the goody bag table and rsvp list
- hand out maps and drink coupons at the door
- give out raffle tix on each floor
- collect raffle tix from sellers
- call the raffle (need a gregarious person to handle this...)
- and more

If interested, comment with your name, how long you can work (morning? full day? break down?) and your contact (phone or e-mail).

Right now the group is asking friends & family, but figured I'd post anyway! You might get some free goodies out of it..

My ~Craft Fair Weekend~

2008-10-08T16:26:00.000-04:00

So this weekend I had my third and forth craft fairs. Artmart 11225 in the Prospect Park area of Brooklyn was set up on a street (construction area as our backdrop) near some major subway lines which brought in a decent amount of foot traffic. In terms of a "cheaper" craft fair, the initial cost was free for me because I shared my table and chairs with my friend Laura. However- there are always other costs associated, and in this case, taking a car service was pretty necessary. Having a car and doing craft fairs would make my life so much easier (for now, I stuff everything into a suitcase)- but then there are car payments, insurance, gas, and all that fun stuff. We had a little sprinkle of rain earlier in the morning, but luckily it stopped (I was having memories of the torrential downpour we encountered at Renegade which ruined basically all of my items). And my sales.. well, they were alright. I went a few hours without selling any soaps, but that picked up a bit later in the day. I'm not sure that the area was really my target market/customer, so in the future I'll have to decide if I want to sell at Artmart again.

Then there was the Brooklyn Flea on Sunday. For this I shared a tent/table area with a group I am in called t he newnew. This also happened to be the day of a huge craft fair called Atlantic Antic (which I did not find out about until it was too late to sign up).. and maybe that was the reason that the Flea was oddly low in customers. The morning was also raining quite a bit and you can imagine my surprise as I had been checking the weather daily and even the night before, it was not supposed to rain. Well, I ventured out regardless, as not to let down my ~team~ (or waste any $$) with my non-waterproof suitcase full of soap and supplies to the subway at 7am. I had to have help carrying the heavy thing up the subway station stairs, so I'm thinking less is more for the future. I'm also thinking I need a waterproof suitcase. At the Flea I did decent, but not as good as I would have hoped. The majority of items being sold at the Flea were 'flea' type items, and our tent was probably the only craft/handmade items tent there (with everyone else probably at Antic). However, I'm giving the Flea another chance this Sunday and then after that.. I think the weather might be a bit too cold for my liking/sitting out in ; ).

8/12/08: Come see me at the Brooklyn Flea located in Fort Greene
at 176 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Craft Fairs!

2008-10-03T16:58:00.000-04:00

I'll be at two craft fairs this weekend!- Artmart 11225 & The Brooklyn Flea. These will be my third and forth craft fairs. I'm not sure what to expect, because the first craft fair I did was Renegade, which is huge, always gets tons of foot traffic and is pretty much my target market-- and I did very well & then the last fair I did was an Eco-friendly one that was very small, not promoted very well and the people in that area (who were basically just there for the farmer's market next to us) did not seem to respond well to my product. We will see I guess! It will also be a new experience because I am sharing a table both days.. so I'll be going from 6-7 feet of space to 3-4! I think I need to get some better displays for the future, but money is really tight right now. What do you all think about the baking racks as displays? I think they have some appeal, but I think I need more layers of height. These are stackable, but then the soap on the rack below is hard to get to. When I'm sharing a table, I will definitely need to use my vertical space better. (by the way, I unwrinkled my banner in the image on the right after I realized how bad it looked, haha)

Hope to see some of you this weekend!

Artmart 11225
Saturday the 4th of October
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Lincoln Road (Q or S train to
Prospect Park, exit to Lincoln Road.)
Admission: Free
link

Brooklyn Flea
Sunday the 5th of October
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Bishop Loughlin Memorial
High School in Fort Greene, Brooklyn,
on Lafayette Ave. between Clermont
and Vanderbilt Ave.
Admission: Free
link

Organization!

2008-09-30T01:48:00.000-04:00

I am pretty obsessive about trying to keep my life organized- although it doesn't always end up as organized as I'd like it to be. I make so many lists on so many different pieces of paper of things that I need/want to get done. In the past I used igoogle, but for some reason stopped.. Well, I am back at it and I found out they have an even better to-do list gadget thingy. This one lets you make different 'types' of to-do lists which is ideal..and you can put in priority- high, medium, low. You can also print your list! So my point is- anyone interested in being a little more organized, I reccomend igoogle and adding the application called 'My Listy'. Enjoy!

Welcome!

2008-09-25T11:59:00.002-04:00

Ready to bring fun back into the bath? Straight from a kitchen in Brooklyn comes Dirty Loves Clean, a handmade bath and beauty line that specializes in using natural and vegan approved ingredients that are good for you, our furry friends, and the environment!

DLC is a one-woman show; I create everything from the soap to the labels and my dear boyfriend helps here and there when needed.

NATURAL means avoiding synthetic 'bad for you' ingredients such as petrochemicals, phthalates, parabens and more.

VEGAN means no animal products are used, including beeswax or honey. And definitely no animal testing!

ECO-FRIENDLY means taking steps to lesson my carbon footprint on the world and in terms of DLC this includes using recycled papers for labels, biodegradable bags for packaging, and trying to source ingredients locally as much as possible.