Earthquake in Chile

As many of my followers know, I have been in Santiago, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina for the past week. Our group will be leaving Mendoza this afternoon to fly back to Santiago where we will catch our flight home. During our stay in Argentina we received news of the earthquake that hit 100 miles outside of Santiago. Several beachfront resorts were evacuated, one being in the same area that we stayed upon arrival to Chile. Spending time with the Chileans made our group very aware of the damages caused during the February 2010 earthquake in Chile. They are still repairing the damages and lifes were lost.

I prayer for a safe trip home today as it will be a very long day of travel (not to mention a time difference of two hours). I want to give a shout out to my staff who managed to process orders and take care of business while I was away. Monday morning will be a very busy day for me as I catch up on those items and affairs of business that I couldn't handle last week. I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Arrived in Chile

it was a long flight (9 1/2 hours) but the sunny, 97 degree weather was worthy of the journey. I am sitting poolside answering emails and attending to what business I can from afar. It never ceases to amaze me how one can stay so connected via electronic devices. maybe too connected when you're on vacation. I am limiting work to a couple of hours in the morning. Then, the balance of the day is for "vacation" time with my husband.

My assistant, Kristy, will be taking care of business while I am away. Orders will process as usual with the exception of international postal orders which will not be processed until February 14. Email is the best way to communicate with me while I am out of the country. Either Kristy or myself will reply as soon as possible.

South America Here I Come!!!!!

Yesterday, I received a call from my honey-man. He said, "Hi honey-woman (then a long pause). IT'S A GO!!! WERE GOING TO CHILE AND ARGENTINA!!!!!! For those of you who follow my blog, you know that my husband is in the fine wine business. He works for a major national distributor and is brand manager to many suppliers. He has opportunity to travel abroad on many occasions, but it is very rare that spouses are allowed on trips. So, I am tickled pink that I have been invited. We will be traveling with another couple which is icing on the cake. Just giving a heads up that I will be gone February 4 - February 13.


First, a big thanks to my honey for working and managing his accounts to earn this trip. Second thanks to the winery and supplier hosting this incredible get-away. The itinerary is nothing less than spectacular.

We will be staying in Chile but a 2-day stay in Argentina is planned where we will visit the winery and dine in some pretty awesome places. What I love about this trip is there is plenty of free time to visit local sites and hang out at the beach.

My staff will be working to process orders while I am away. I will be in contact with them via mobile devices and Internet connections. However, this is a vacation for me (and I don't take many) so I want to keep work issues to a minimum. If my staffers are unable to assist with questions or concerns during my away time, it will have to wait until I return.

Orders will go out as usual with the exception of international shipments. International order received during the week of February 3- February 13 will not ship until February 15.

Did I mention that I'll be leaving Winter weather temperatures of 20-30's to spend time in a tropical place with temperatures in the 80's? I'll be sure to blog while away and fill you in on the many wonderful places we visit.

Melt & Pour Soapmaking: Miss O Princess Soapsicle Tutorial

The Princess O Soapsicle tutorial is complete. You can view it below and also on our web site. A great soap for Valentine's Day. Pair it with coordinating heart shaped soaps.

Helloooo Evergreen, Colorado!

I'm flying into Denver on Thursday for a family wedding in Evergreen, Colorado. With so many 16 hour days under my belt, this is a well deserved mini vacation. My honey and I are flying with a host of other family members for a weekend of festivities. The fact that so many family members are on the same flight is frightening! But, I love the craziness of big families and this extended weekend will prove to be a blast.

I have left my staff in charge while I'm away. I have complete confidence in their ability to keep the ship afloat. I will have portable devices and laptop at hand, but can't guarantee I will be available for immediate replies. Afterall, this is a family retreat and I want to make the most of it. Certainly, no one will suffer long-term damage if they don't receive an immediate reply to an email.

In addition to all the craziness of preparing for this trip, I'm having new carpet installed, wallpaper stripped and a number of rooms painted. Yes, I am certifiably crazy!!!!! All this while trying to pack, oh, and did I mention the cleaning service is cleaning during all this chaos.

Once I return, I have two new tutorials to share. The Christmas Curl soap (pictured above) and the Agate Soap Spheres previously posted here.

Update to Mold Market Sheep Mold Post

After posting info about Mold Market's new sheep mold (due for release in late February), I received an email from a hotel in Ecuador. Andres, the owner of Black Sheep Inn, was interested in this mold to promote their hotel in the high Andes. What an incredible place!! I am committed to visiting this hotel within the next year. Awesome views, great prices, and on top of all that... they are an eco-certifed hotel with recognition for Best Green Ecological & Community Practices.



Perched on a hillside just outside of the rural village of Chugchilán, their guesthouse, hotel offers all the comforts of home while exploring the real Andes of Ecuador. Day hikes, open air markets, local artisans, and awesome views. A gourmet vegetarian DINNER, farm fresh BREAKFAST, and packed LUNCH; also free tea & coffee all day long, purified drinking water, hiking maps & hot showers. I am sooooo ready!!