Will post finished soap pictures tomorrow! By the way, here's how the last group turned out ;)
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Getting Tropical!
Will post finished soap pictures tomorrow! By the way, here's how the last group turned out ;)
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Wet Vegetable Soap
 |
| Avocado & Greek Yogurt |
 |
| Cucumber, Mint & Coconut Milk |
 |
| Tomato & Coconut Milk |
New Experiments!
We're on a roll! Today, we are going back in the lab with more fresh ingredients! We will post more pictures as we progress. This is quite invigorating!
 | ||
| Coconut Milk, Tomato, Avocado, Cucumber & Fresh Mint |
 |
| Puree #1 |
 |
| Puree #2 |
 |
| Puree #3 |
Friday, February 14, 2014
I'm Bananas for This Soap!
 |
| Finished, cut banana chocolate soap. 100% Natural. No fragrance or dye. |
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Banana Chocolate Soap
| It's an experimentation day here at Stella Marie! I am trying my hand at using fresh fruit purees in soap and it all begins today with an unscented banana chocolate soap! See pics and steps below. I am going to bake the soap using CPOP (Cold Process Oven Process), so I will have pics of the finished soap tomorrow. This is a 100% natural soap. Bananas are GREAT for your skin! Here are 39 reasons why, brought to you by StyleCraze.com. |
 |
| 1. Break up 1 fresh banana. |
 |
| 2. Using a blender, food processor or mixer, blend the banana until it is smooth. |
 |
| 3. Puree! Yay! |
 |
| 4. Measure oils. |
 |
| 5. Add lye solution. |
 |
| 6. Stick blend oils + lye solution. |
 |
| 7. Measure cocoa powder. Dilute it in oil and liquify. |
 |
| 8. Add cocoa to a section of the raw soap. |
 |
| 9. Whisk cocoa in until blended. |
 |
| 10. Add fresh banana puree to the main section of raw soap. |
 |
| 11. Stick blend soap + banana puree. |
 |
| 12. Add sectioned off cocoa soap to banana soap. |
 |
| 13. Swirl together. |
 |
| 14. Pour into mold. I added a few teeny drops of cocoa/oil mixture to the top of the soap and swirled it a little for a decorative top. |
Sunday, October 13, 2013
You Say It's Your Birthday ...
October 5th made 1 full year since our grand opening here in downtown Warren! Hurray! It seems like just yesterday, Jere and I were painting the walls and I was scouring local antique shops for display items. Here is a list of all the things I love about being here.
1. Our Customers. Since opening, we have made some great friends and enjoyed their loyal business. It is always so wonderful to see familiar faces and to catch up. It's great to find out which products they like best and how their friends pampered themselves with their Stella Marie purchases. Some of our customers have even come to work here! Thank you for supporting local businesses and believing in the value of handmade. And thank you for taking the time to write glowing reviews on Yelp! It's humbling and you have no idea how delighted I am to read them.
2. Our Neighbors and Fellow Merchants. I am honored to be great company here. Thank you, Cambria, Naomi and Kim at Bella Yarns, Mary at The Coffee Depot, Elizabeth at MUSE, Katie at The Wooden Midshipmen, Karen at Boheme Gallery, Woof! Woof! Pet Boutique, Chris at In Your Ear Records, Michelle and Courtney at Dimery Photography, Joanne at The Cheese Plate, and Maria at Warren House of Pizza! You guys were all super nice and welcoming and you continue to make our experience in Warren lovely. Together, we represent a group of people passionate about handmade, American-made products. We are all proud to offer products and services you can't get at the mall.
3. Our Students. Since moving to our new space, we gained lots of space in the back and we've had the pleasure of teaching to lots of wonderful, fun and excited students. Each class is unique and all students' creations are bubbly works of art. You continue to inspire me.
4. Our Mailman. Can't say enough about Jeff, our poetic, dread-locked mail carrier. Always upbeat and positive - and witty. After his shift, we sometimes get visits with his dogs, Angie and Danger. Love those guys.
5. Our Scenery. Every night, we are lucky enough to be able to watch gorgeous sunsets from our front windows and on Fridays, Kara and I will walk to a local eatery, then sometimes walk down to the waterfront. Everything is so close and so cute.
6. Our Local Events. From our super popular Warren Walkabout to our holiday shopping stroll to our monthly ArtNights, there is always something fun happening here!
7. Our Artists. (Some people call them "brands," but that's not very human, is it?) In addition to carrying our own line of products, we also carry amazing handmade items by local artists. They make our shop come to life. Kara Muise, Lux Aromatica, LuckyBird Studios, Kimberly DiNofrio, Chrissy Ann Ceramics, Rhode Trip Photography, Pebble Cove Decor, It's Sew You by Kirsten Cole, New Moon Studio, 5th and Madison, Urban Kitchen, Karen Meirs, Black Lab Woodworking, Tanner Glass, Island Mist, and Elizabeth Caruso ;)
We are planning to do a little something special to celebrate our first year anniversary, so stay tuned!
Yours in Soap,
Kim
1. Our Customers. Since opening, we have made some great friends and enjoyed their loyal business. It is always so wonderful to see familiar faces and to catch up. It's great to find out which products they like best and how their friends pampered themselves with their Stella Marie purchases. Some of our customers have even come to work here! Thank you for supporting local businesses and believing in the value of handmade. And thank you for taking the time to write glowing reviews on Yelp! It's humbling and you have no idea how delighted I am to read them.
2. Our Neighbors and Fellow Merchants. I am honored to be great company here. Thank you, Cambria, Naomi and Kim at Bella Yarns, Mary at The Coffee Depot, Elizabeth at MUSE, Katie at The Wooden Midshipmen, Karen at Boheme Gallery, Woof! Woof! Pet Boutique, Chris at In Your Ear Records, Michelle and Courtney at Dimery Photography, Joanne at The Cheese Plate, and Maria at Warren House of Pizza! You guys were all super nice and welcoming and you continue to make our experience in Warren lovely. Together, we represent a group of people passionate about handmade, American-made products. We are all proud to offer products and services you can't get at the mall.
3. Our Students. Since moving to our new space, we gained lots of space in the back and we've had the pleasure of teaching to lots of wonderful, fun and excited students. Each class is unique and all students' creations are bubbly works of art. You continue to inspire me.
4. Our Mailman. Can't say enough about Jeff, our poetic, dread-locked mail carrier. Always upbeat and positive - and witty. After his shift, we sometimes get visits with his dogs, Angie and Danger. Love those guys.
5. Our Scenery. Every night, we are lucky enough to be able to watch gorgeous sunsets from our front windows and on Fridays, Kara and I will walk to a local eatery, then sometimes walk down to the waterfront. Everything is so close and so cute.
6. Our Local Events. From our super popular Warren Walkabout to our holiday shopping stroll to our monthly ArtNights, there is always something fun happening here!
7. Our Artists. (Some people call them "brands," but that's not very human, is it?) In addition to carrying our own line of products, we also carry amazing handmade items by local artists. They make our shop come to life. Kara Muise, Lux Aromatica, LuckyBird Studios, Kimberly DiNofrio, Chrissy Ann Ceramics, Rhode Trip Photography, Pebble Cove Decor, It's Sew You by Kirsten Cole, New Moon Studio, 5th and Madison, Urban Kitchen, Karen Meirs, Black Lab Woodworking, Tanner Glass, Island Mist, and Elizabeth Caruso ;)
We are planning to do a little something special to celebrate our first year anniversary, so stay tuned!
Yours in Soap,
Kim
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Best Remedies are Free?
I'm not a medical doctor, so I can't really dispense medical advice. I can say that many of the raw ingredients I use in the Stella Marie line are highly beneficial to your health, but I can't say, for example, that our products will cure your skin problems. I can only use quality ingredients and solid formulas to create products that I feel good about.
Lots of people spend tons of money on products that companies guarantee will heal them. But, some of the best remedies are totally free! Generosity can be a great way to beat the blues. Harvard Business School Associate Professor, Michael Norton writes, "Happier people give more and giving makes people happier, such that happiness and giving may operate in a positive feedback loop (with happier people giving more, getting happier, and giving even more)." You can actually elevate your mood when you donate your time or your expertise. And the more you do it, as Mr. Norton points out, the better you feel. I have a policy of keeping single bills on me most times. I love to feel the human connection when I give a person in need a buck or two. A random act of kindness helps both parties - the giver and the receiver.
Standing out in the sun for 30 minutes can elevate your mood, too. That fire ball in the sky emits tons of Vitamin D and when you absorb it, you are likely to feel happier and more energized! Cost = Free (except for a little sunscreen, of course).
You know the old saying, laughter is the best medicine? Well, there is a lot of truth to that! When we laugh, we release endorphins and we instantly become happier. I still use the movie Tommy Boy to lift me out of a funk.
Regular exercise can have huge health benefits! Studies have shown that it can even add years onto your life. And taking a daily walk around the park or your neighborhood won't cost a thing.
Enjoy your favorite products, but don't forget to take advantage of the things that don't require your wallet, too.
xoxo
Kim
Lots of people spend tons of money on products that companies guarantee will heal them. But, some of the best remedies are totally free! Generosity can be a great way to beat the blues. Harvard Business School Associate Professor, Michael Norton writes, "Happier people give more and giving makes people happier, such that happiness and giving may operate in a positive feedback loop (with happier people giving more, getting happier, and giving even more)." You can actually elevate your mood when you donate your time or your expertise. And the more you do it, as Mr. Norton points out, the better you feel. I have a policy of keeping single bills on me most times. I love to feel the human connection when I give a person in need a buck or two. A random act of kindness helps both parties - the giver and the receiver.
Standing out in the sun for 30 minutes can elevate your mood, too. That fire ball in the sky emits tons of Vitamin D and when you absorb it, you are likely to feel happier and more energized! Cost = Free (except for a little sunscreen, of course).
Regular exercise can have huge health benefits! Studies have shown that it can even add years onto your life. And taking a daily walk around the park or your neighborhood won't cost a thing.
Enjoy your favorite products, but don't forget to take advantage of the things that don't require your wallet, too.
xoxo
Kim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
