Spring Soaps ***SOAP GIVEAWAY***

 

 Spring is in the air and so is love and some beautiful scents. I have been spending most of these nice days in the garden and have been spending my nights making some great soaps. BUT I NEED YOUR HELP! I have whipped up some beautiful batches: a Lavender batch, a peppermint swirl batch and a beautiful batch that has no name. CAN YOU HELP ME NAME IT? This pretty batch Has essentials oils of patchouli, ylang ylang, rosewood and sweet orange and is delicately sprinkled with rose petals and topped with the sweetest rose buds.

Comment your name idea below . . . if I pick your name you will get a bar free.

YOUR COMMENT MUST APPEAR IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW OF THIS BLOG NOT ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA.

***CONTEST CLOSES 4 WEEKS FROM NOW***MAY 20

LOUCRAFT-Y SOAPS WILL PICK THE NAME WE THINK FITS BEST. YOU CAN ALSO SHARE THIS POST WITH FRIENDS. BE CREATIVE, HAVE FUN AND MAY THE SOAP BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!

Peppermint Swirl

Lavender

Too pretty to not have a name.

Name this soap.

Will you be the winner
of this beautiful soap?

Spring Happenings on the Homestead

Sweet-Pea one of
our newest additions.

Clearing and cleaning the raised bed area.

It was a tough winter but we made it through. Spring comes forth with new life, warmth and beauty, but it also brings forth many projects! The homestead is in full swing with kids, repairs, clean up and garden work.

Rob gets busy fixing
the fences that the snow
and goats damaged.

 























It is a whole family affair. It is a lot of work but many hands makes it feel light. We all feel a sense of accomplishment and pride at the end of  the day.

Kolbe helps dad.

We also added fencing
to give us some more garden
area.

The goats watch us work on
the other side!

Donovan got busy making some
more raised beds.

He did a great job.

Peas planted
in their new bed.

Strawberry

 Plants are sprouting everywhere!

Rhubarb

Garlic

Charlotte and Kolbe
clean the area and
discuss what is to be done.

The human kids thought it would be a good idea to clean up an old fire pit in the new garden area. They decided to make it into a grotto with a rock flower garden.

The girls working
hard on their project.

A job well done!
It looks beautiful.

Dyeing Homestead/Farm-fresh Eggs

Questions I always seem to get each year around this time : "You raise your own chickens right? The eggs are not white . . . do you have to go out and buy white eggs? Can you really dye brown eggs?"

What our eggs normally look like.

Yes, I have been keeping chickens for some time now. No, I do not go out and buy white eggs. And yes you can dye brown eggs. My chickens lay a range from light brown to darker brown, from white to blue-green. In some cases it would almost seem silly to dye them at all since they already look to beautiful. But this is a fun tradition I don't think I will ever grow out of . . .  and as you will see from these pics neither have my teenagers.

I have over the years learned a few things about dyeing homestead eggs. 

1. This one may seem strange but when I first starting getting our own eggs I could not seem to hard-boil them. I thought is was me. The whites always stuck to the shell and I would end up with a tore up hard-boiled egg. A friend of mine told me it was because they were too fresh. So I started a few weeks before Easter tucking a few dozens in the back of the fridge to age. (According to food safety rules raw eggs can store in your fridge for 3-5 weeks). These are the eggs I use for hard-boiling and dyeing.

No matter what color they
started as . . . they will be soon
be a work of art.

2. Now, I am usually a big crazy for not using artificial dyes. But, come on now, it is only once a year and we are not really eating it. Besides the artificial dyes come out more vibrant and since are eggs are not white we need more vibrant.  JUST THIS ONCE USE STORE BOUGHT ARTIFICIAL DYE

3. We make up 3 different types of dye batches. One batch the tablet dissolved in just water = pastels. One batch the tablet dissolved in vinegar and water = more bold. And one batch just in vinegar = really bold. 

4. We are not afraid to use any other materials not included in our little dye box. Tape, markers, crayons, markers, paint, nail polish and heat guns. MAKE IT CREATIVE AND FUN BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THIS IS ABOUT ~ FAMILY FUN.

Kolbe making a tie-dye egg.

One Egg to Rule them All

Donovan gets really
into making a Lord
of the Rings
themed egg.

The Egg-eye of Sauron

I am not sure what
my crazy boy is doing here,
but the color is beautiful.

Having fun with her Ninja Eggs.

Our whimsical creations.

 Happy Easter!