Real "Suds to Love"...

Tower of Handmade Soaps from "Suds to Love"

Made with skin loving ingredients like: Cocoa butter,

shea butter,palm kernel oil, & castor oil...oh-la-la!

When Trisha from Suds to Love emailed me to ask if I'd try some of her soaps, I course I was excited to say, "Yes." I had been following her informative trials of soaps making & as a bonus watching her family grow from two adorable pups (Roscoe & Howie) to her newest pup precious little Ellie Mae. What I didn't expect was the GRAND package that arrived in my mail box. Before I even opened the mailbox door~ I knew the package arrived!

Pure fresh soap heaven all wrapped up, & what I thought would be 1 or 2 bars of soaps turned out to be 8 bars! Now I haven't "soaped" yet with the bars, but if they are anything like they look...

Wonderful handmade soaps...all mine!

Trisha-ya nailed several things...the packaging was simple, but ohhhh so adorable with mixed papers matching the scent in hand, the swirls, the fragrances & their names.

Names like: Honeysuckle, Black Pepper Lime, Sweet Mango Sorbet, Niagara Falls, Champagne Energy, White Truffle Raspberry, Washai Green Tea, & Iced Carrot Cake.

It was more than a delight to open this package, especially since a lot of these scents were new to me. A fav? It would be really really hard to say, but here's a glimpse of some of them: Honeysuckle~ right off the bat reminded me of my grandmother's honeysuckle bushes in Leominister, Mass., Niagara Falls~ darn can't nail that fresh scent, but I may use this one first, & Iced Carrot Cake- Trisha-don't change a thing on this one, it's perfect, White Truffle Raspberry- looks like thick fudge, smells like sweet candy! And I will admit I have never seen black soap, which was the Black Pepper Lime one~ and no I didn't sneeze & I can smell the hint of lime.

Well Trisha~ What an amazing package! I really was floored, and sooooo gracious of your generosity. Many many thanks!!!! And a big HUG to you!!!
Suds to Love shop opening???

Back to the BIZ of Business...

Hardscapes, Plumber's Puddy, Cutting Edge, Kool Energy, Waterman's Catch, & more...

handmade manly soaps... now on Esty

We are a family of Tradesmen...Introducing Under the Willow's newest creation: The Tradesman Soap Collection. This soap line is dedicated to those who create & work with their hands. Some of these trades have been around for centuries, while others evolve as the need of the community calls out. Each bar is around 3 ounces, handmade, named after a "trade"~ & formulated with heavenly manly scents...No cologne required after your man shower with one of these babies...

Wedding Day Pictures...FINALLY!

Here comes the beautiful bride...She's ready but first...

Her Bridemaids start up the hill here and...
here...Dear friends forever from childhood & college...

The flower girls wait patiently with my sister before their descend...

Now it's their turn! They are instructed to run up the hill...They spread their wings as the "Fairy Dance" music from Peter Pan fills the air...

At six years old & three years old...this is soooo much fun!

Almost there! They would soon be bouncing in the castle moon bounce...

The Bride is glowing... She is escorted by her Granddaddy & Father...A gentle wind wisped her veil away... I wonder where it landed?? You'll see later (smile)...

Half-way up, her Stepdaddy took her the rest of the way with her Granddaddy...So special to have so much love surrounding her...

Finally the Bride & Groom together...with Reverend Richard, a childhood friend of my son...

I'll have to ask...what was said at this moment...

Exchanging of the rings...

Their "First Kiss"...

The Wedding Party...minus the cutie pie ring bearer...here

and here...

Oh there's the cutie pie ring bearer...nephew of the Bride... and hey~ now he has a "new" Uncle!

Now some fun pictures from the wedding...It really was the mood!

Taking a ride...

I think he's having fun!

Her too!

Yep, the Bride & Bridemaids all wore flip-flops...

So that's where the veil landed...Right on my youngest son's/best man head...Does that mean he's the next to get married? (BIG smile, wink, wink, wink)....

This picture almost made my cry...Behind them is our Willow tree that we planted little over twenty years ago...I could have never dreamed back then what had just taken place on our property...we are so blessed.

And Finally...

J & J ...Just married

May 24,2008

I love this picture too...

A Few Good Men...

Groomsmen~ My youngest son/bestman on left, dear friends in the middle, nephew on the end... watching the bride walk up the hill from our carriage house... (Heather, SherriG-see the paper birch??)

Cutie pie ringbearer... the little flower girls had pulled the highly decorated wagon through the center of white chairs... My son, the groom is on the step in the lighter color suit. Really, I don't have one pic of him yet with his beautiful bride together~ BUT they should be coming in soon...

Here Comes the Bride...Part I

A few pics have slowly come in ~ This picture was taken in the carriage house just before the ceremony began... I am expecting more to come in soon (see my fingers tapping on the table)...I'll post more soon :)
Go here to see our little Mud Puddle Girl Bride....

Picture Perfect....

The starting of 240 guests walking up our front lawn to be seated...

It was quite a site... I will never forget. My son (the groom) & myself watchful from our front living room window...we both needed some Kleenex...

Inside the tent...the chairs would come down after the ceremony...

On the tables were beautiful peonies that were fresh picked from a neighboring yard & wedding favors of handmade soaps...

Flip flop handmade soaps in chocolate & banana flavors &

Cambridge Rum was also a choice...

I am still waiting for pictures of the bride & groom to come in....BUT I was able to capture the bride's wedding gown...I will hold it for her until we see the new couple very soon...She was just stunning & I can't wait to share the photos with you...

Yes- the weather was good...NO it was beautiful, the day was beautiful & we have just added a new member to the family... We are blessed...

Soaps for Hope...

Soaps for Hope, a special story, on my other blog here.

Product Body...Creates Handmade Soap!

Life is good when you open your mailbox and there's a package from Joanna Schmidt owner of Product Body. Then it turns great when she generously tucks in a little something extra. Along with two fruity soaps from this swap soap... I received some Carrot Cake Bubble Rubble. Carrot Cake~ oh my gosh- it smells delish~ actually that may be an understatement. Within about two hours of receiving this package~ I took photos because I am going to use the Carrot Cake Bubble Rubble tonite. For the last several days, I have been under the weather~ so it's just what the doctor ordered... I must admit I am quite impressed with the soaps Joanna sent because her company Product Body creates delicious body products like the famous "Crush on You" line of scrubs, Sugar Foot, Mama Bomb, etc..So, is there handmade soaps in the future of the Product Body line??? With Joanna's quick wit (read her blog~loads of fun), flair for naming & creating her incredible products, and now some impressive handmade soaps~ I think... I wonder????

Hugs to you Joanna~ I love both the Japanese grapefruit (Yuzu), and the graham cracker soap. Okay off to take a soak with my Carrot Cake Bubble Rubble :)

Post Script: I also received some other wonderful handmade soap you can see here.

Thinking Organic...

Something about all this talk about organic goodness has certainly grabbed my attention... So-in between work, upcoming wedding plans, holidays, etc... I couldn't help but try my hand at some organic pillows & Billows (small pillows of comfort). The top small pillow is the Billow~ and will go to a Twinkle Pink girl...the bottom two are mine!!! After all, before I make them for anyone else- I better be sure they are exactly what I want in softness, durability, comfort...did I mention softness???? Luckily I have found the most butter rich soft certified organic flannel---mind you "Made in the USA." I thought it would be a great idea to start with pillows; after all, we sleep for hours (okay sometimes)---& what could be better than slumbering away on material that is pure, no-dyes, no chemicals...just pure 100 percent organic material... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Someone asks me again...

They asked me "why" I don't list everything on my website, that I offer to everyone I know, or offer at craft shows, holiday giving, etc... ?? The simple answer is time. The time to update the site, the time to keep up making the products, filling orders, the time to do this, or that. So finally after several people have mentioned to add one particular product (they have been using) to my site, I decided the time was right...

Richly Almond Lotion from Under the Willow

Richly Almond Lotion~ In short it's decedent, smooth, creamy & really does look like the photo...It also has an exclusive (with Under the Willow) blend of fragrances that top note is---what else? Almond---Richly Almond. And it's on special this week if anyone is interested in trying out our lotion...

And if you'd like to see what happily takes up my weekends at times...go here.

Just a Girlie Girl...

This is a Mud Puddle Girl...don't let that perfectly dressed doll fool you---She can play just as hard as any little boy, catch fish in a pond, hold bugs, hug a very dirty dog, climb trees, ride a bike, & run in the mud...But as a dressed up Mud Puddle Girl it's all about layers of dots, bows, stripes, fancy shoes & a fancy hair pin and did I mention LOTS of yummy lip balm?...But when she's ready to help Mommy in the kitchen, do crafts or just play she wears this. Each week Under the Willow's gift shop will feature a product line.

This week is our newest line called Mud Puddle Girl. It's fun, sassy & it's about what a girlie girl does best....just being themselves!

And don't forget a give-away is still going on... win a free round bar of Bennington Maple Sugar...leave a comment & on Valentine's Day--a winner will be announced!

A Box & A Bow...

Nestled inside this box is almost a pound of delicious Crumb Cupcakes...Life by Chocolate, Sweetest Pea, Velvet Rose, Frosted Ice Sherbet are among some of the new scents soon to be released by Under the Willow...

If they don't look good enough to eat; they won't make it into one of these boxes...with a bow for gift giving for Valentine's Day right into Mother's Day...BUT you won't be eating these decedent Crumb Cupcakes...because they are handmade soaps drizzled with a special blend of sweets & sea salts...

A little somethin' for the holidays...

Free giveaway! Want a sweet somethin' for the holidays, but without the calories? Some things in life are simple...

Just leave a comment on any of my postings & you are entered to win a Sweet Maple Crumb Cupcake~ an excluslive from Under the Willow... valued at 9.99.

******

This is a creamy rich handmade soap! Go here.

Post Script: The winner will be announced on Sunday December 16, 2007.

If you have a minute... Something new...

http://mudpuddlegirl.blogspot.com/

Any comments would be most welcome....

So~What's in a name?

Many years ago my husband & I, with three small children tucked under our arms built a Victorian Farmhouse on some of Maryland's beautiful rolling hills. The first week we moved in we planted this willow tree dreaming about the day our grandchildren would climb it. Little did we know it didn't take long for our own children to climb it, because just as our children-the willow tree grew strong & fast...and little did we know then, twenty years later, what our youngest son would build ...
...just as his father had built before him ...
...an empty house that would become...


...our home...


...and back then our youngest could only watch not knowing then that one day, twenty years later, he too ...


would build another home on the propery we call a carriage house, that would include a soap kitchen, wood working shop & more found...


...Under the Willow