Halloween Candy Without The Commercialism

I love Halloween, besides Christmas it's my favorite holiday of the year. The chance to play dress up, decorate inside and out like a creepy horror movie set, having neighbors ask if we're going to decorate again this year (we're apparently known as the Halloween House!), it's just so much fun!

I just had to make new Halloween lollipops for the Lollipop Shop - a sweet natural alternative to the commercial junk in the stores and so far we have a few listed with lots more to come.

My favorite so far is the haunted house lollipop, the detailing on the pop is wonderful and it's a perfect size, not too small, not too big. One thing I hate sometimes is not being able to catch the details on some of my pops in photographs but I think this one came out great.

Car Trouble

So I turn on the minivan to move it to the end of the driveway on Saturday morning as we were having our yearly clean out the garage yard sale. It begins to make some odd sounds, sounds like its coughing almost and then a few seconds later the check engine light comes on!

Like come on already, you've only just been fixed a few months ago for a check engine problem and now you have a new boo boo???

I didn't realise just how much I relied on my car until yesterday when I had to ask my husband to pick up some groceries on his way home from work, but there has been a plus side, I was able to stay home and get some new soaps made and listed although it didn't make me slow down at all, I was up late again making up packages at 11.30pm!

What can I say, I have an obsession with getting things sent out quickly :)

New Lollipops!!

After an insanely busy summer, the kids are back at school and I'm back to working hard and getting new lollipops up and online.

I really love this one, not that I didn't like the original unicorn, but this one is so huge and is of the entire unicorn instead of just the head. I've always loved unicorns, the mystical and magical stories that include them have always been intriguing to me.

Inventory now shows I have over 300 different mold shapes in stock and I just placed orders for about 50 more new ones, especially for Halloween and Christmas, so I'm definately on target for getting 300 plus in the etsy store - http://sweetlollipopshop.etsy.com - by Christmas time.

Busy as a bee

Things here have been getting so overwhelming, the fibro pain has been at it's worst and the fatigue from the CFS getting harder to deal with and then on top of it all it seems everyone in the house decided to give up doing things and leave me with all the responsibility, whether it's picking up, cleaning up, following up with things.

So when I'm not taking on other peoples responsibilities, I've hidden in my sanctuary, my office and tried to get the stores updated and pictures done and new soaps made. I'm just about keeping up and at least up here I can lose myself in some music or some daytime tv in the background.

Must remember to get the insurance waiver for NH Made done today and mailed out.

"Thought for the day" Find someone that will trade massages for chocolate.

I have a new store!!

So, Our Sweet Lollipop Etsy Shop was getting over crowded with lollipops and ducky soaps so I moved the ducky soaps to a new duck pond!

The New Duck Pond!

And my hubby took my advice and got his own etsy store and blog :)

Edwood's Woodcraft Creations

Not quite sure how to link to his blog ... hmmmm, it's Edwood's Woodcrafting

So far it's a blast and etsy has to be one of the best sites I've ever come across. Between trading and sales, I've found some beautiful, unique gifts and dealt with some wonderful people.

Please anyone that hasn't browsed etsy, please just check it out!

Etsy.com

Etsy Buy Handmade SweetLollipopShop

Ducks Ducks Everywhere!

It's that time of year, yup craft shows galore! My neck is breaking thanks to a DH with a cold keeping me up all hours, thank god for ambien or I'd be the living dead. If you have never layed there tense and wanting to smother the man you love if he doesn't stop twitching and snoring, then you obviously have never been married.

*stops to pour soap layer*

Ok where was I? Yea, so I was a deadbeat bum all day then thought yanno, I could use a little raspberry vodka (after all it's been sitting winking at me unopened since halloween since I generally don't drink anymore). Lo and behold I get a little urge to go make some soap, well I do have an order and a show in a few days, get it done whilst the brain is still functioning right?

Lifetime movie network in the background and christmas rubber duckies everywhere, running around like a maniac getting the scents all in order, the vanilla stabilizer, the right jug, guessing the right amount, oops too much green - my bad!

*stops to pour soap layer and spray ducks butts with alcohol*

So, we have 33 new santa duck soaps made, 3 brand spanking new christmas mice duck soaps and a new version of the blue and white snowman duck soap, this time in a cute 'to die for' snowflake mold I found yesterday - so I will be buying more if they turn out as pretty as I think they will.

So life is busy and hectic, but I'm happy, etsy folk are liking my soaps and it has to be said, I like etsy folk. I am getting quite the buzz out of the reactions I'm getting, I really feel like I'm doing something good, bringing a smile to someone and something I enjoy whilst contributing to the household finally ...

Now if only I could smother him tonight and get some sleep *wink*