Monday, October 17, 2011

Times Union Blog Story

Upper Madison Street Fair Sunday

A street fair to bring together the community and to help get recognition for the Pine Hills neighborhood will be held Sunday afternoon. Local residents, visitors and families are encouraged to attend.


The Upper Madison Street Fair is a family-fun fair that includes an afternoon of activities. The fair is free and run on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Madison Avenue will be closed between North Allen and West Lawrence streets.

Beautify Upper Madison, a local committee, has invited about two dozen local artists, crafters and musicians to the event.

“The more successful everyone elses businesses are, the more successful we are and the more we can put back into the communities that we love so much,” said Theresa Hovish owner of Theresa and Jim’s Homemade Soaps, a vendor who will sell homemade handcrafted cold processed soaps. “Community involvement is key to helping better our neighborhoods, schools, and society as a whole. The more we can do to find ways to engage the community- such as the participating in the Upper Madison Street Fair- the better.”

Some of the afternoon’s activities will include a bouncy bounce, bike polo, bike rescue (local volunteers will make minor repairs to children’s bikes), bike rodeo, henna hand painting, temporary tattoos and a silly pet trick contest.

An eclectic variety of vendors will be set up along the street including All Good Bakers, and Livvy Lou’s Boutique. Candles and soaps, glass designs, wallets, hats, hair accessories, jewelry, handbags, jams and jellies, chocolates, original paintings, desserts and natural skin care products will be available.

All Good Bakers, a Quail Street bakery, will offer some of its specialty vegan cinnamon buns, buttermilk scones, wholegrain muffins, cookies and tarts.

“We just opened our shop in April of this year, so we think attending this particular festival, in our neighborhood will help remind everyone that we are located nearby and give them an opportunity to try us if they haven’t visited our shop yet,” said owner Britin Foster.

Life entertainment will include Albany Swing Dancing, Annie and the Hedonists a local jazz, folk and blues band, guided Footsteps dance group, The Landfill Mountain Boys a traditional and contemporary folk, bluegrass, blues and country group, Golden Notes, an a cappella group and the Emmaus African and Youth Choirs.

Some other events during the fair may include antique car show, 50/50 raffles, photography, book sales and massages presented by Albany Massage Associates. “Most pass through this section of town on their way in or out of the city without realizing how much there is to offer in such a small section of town,” said Jonathan Duda, a committee member of Beautify Upper Madison Program. -30-

http://blog.timesunion.com/pinehills/upper-madison-street-fair-sunday/4695/

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
- Nelson Mandela

Sunday, October 2, 2011

September has come and gone...

Wow! September has come and gone already! That was super fast.  Both jobs are in full swing. My students have been making beautiful artworks to share with the world and I couldn't be happier.  The balance is better this year between making the time for my own business and teaching. Both are busier, but I work better that way.

The Saturday Delmar Market has been AMAZING. Everyone is so friendly and wonderful. Great farmers, bakers, artists and of course soap!

The pumpkin soap has been a huge success! I can't make it fast enough. Working on some holiday cold process soaps. Let me know what you think.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

New Beauty Product

I wanted to share some new products that I LOVE. I am going to start with Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo. Yuuuummmmy.



You have to smell this shampoo to believe it! I never get tired of it. I have been trying to find a coconut scent for my soap to rival this shampoo. IT SMELLS SO GOOD! You will pay a couple extra bucks for this shampoo, but your hair and body will thank you. It's great too, so a little goes a long way. I get mine at BJ's so the price isn't that much different. This shampoo leaves my thin wavy hair feeling clean and light!

Organix Organic coconut milk  has organic coconut milk and ultra whipped egg white proteins (sorry my vegan friends) along with weightless coconut oil to hydrate and nourish your hair as gentle cleansers wash away impurities.
 Luxurious Sulfate Free & Paraben Free Formulas • Organic Active Ingredients • Amazing Scent
They have a whole series of different shampoos and conditioners, can't wait to try the others.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Delmar Saturday Market

Jim, myself and a friend were able to visit the Delmar Farmers Market this weekend. Everyone is so fantastic there. They were collecting for the people impacted by Hurricane Irene. TONS of food was donated. What a wonderful community. Everyone was so nice and kind.

I won't be able to do as many holiday fairs this year as a result but that's OK. We will get everything figured out. Also...Jim and I are getting married! Pigs can now fly. Don't forget to come visit me Sept. 17 during my first market. We move indoors when it gets chilly. Our pumpkin spice will make it's debut on the 17th (unless you have ordered them from our etsy site already)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Chemicals in Bath and Beauty Products

Chemicals to avoid in your beauty products:

Phthalates
Phthalates, called “plasticizers,” are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible or resilient and also as solvents. Phthalates are found in, among other things, toys, food packaging, hoses, raincoats, shower curtains, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, lubricants, adhesives, detergents, nail polish, hair spray and shampoo.

Phthalates have been found to disrupt the endocrine system. Several phthalate compounds have caused reduced sperm counts, testicular atrophy and structural abnormalities in the reproductive systems of male test animals, and some studies also link phthalates to liver cancer, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s 2005 National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Though the CDC contends the health hazards of phthalates to humans have not been definitively established, for some years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has regulated phthalates as water and air pollutants.

Parabens
Parabens are a class of chemicals used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeupm and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.

Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, is why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in extremely low concentrations in breast cancer tumors (an average of 20 nanograms/g of tissue). Parabens have also displayed the ability to slightly mimic estrogen (a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer). No effective direct links between parabens and cancer have been established, however.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Pumpkin Soap

Love, love, LOVE my new pumpkin soap! I have been playing around with liquids other than water or coffee. Let me tell you...carrot juice and soap making are fantastic.

This soap IS fall. Our Pumpkin Spice soap is dark, creamy and rich, with notes of Cinnamon, Cardamom and Nutmeg. Our soap gets it's color from a mixture of carrot juice and turmeric.

Carrot juice is thought to stimulate skin cell renewal, help reverse the effects of sun damage and aging. Beta Carotene in soap = Happy Skin.

Turmeric in soap has TONS of benefits too. Turmeric is naturally antiseptic, antibacterial AND anti-inflammatory.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79509362/pumpkin-spice-soap-handmade-cold-process