(it’s a pink fuzzy cat toy if you were wondering)

However, it seems there is another way. I’m always up for learning a new way to knit or crochet so I thought I’d share their solution. Here we go Continental Knit + Norwegian Purl. Everything is done basically through the back making it very fast to switch between stitches.

I’ve also created a new knitting page that I’ll try to add to as I find new styles, solutions, cool stuff, and maybe some patterns and/or yarn things around the web. This could get really BIG people!

Life has been busy busy busy but I managed a batch of layered soap bars in yummy gingersnap last night. Here they are! Perfect for my holiday cravings.

Ingredients: Goats Milk M&P, Orange Mica, Copper Sparkle Mica, Moroccan Red Clay, Gold Sparkle Mica, Gingersnap Fragrance.

Deodorant has been a BIG hit this summer which has been a challenge. A main ingredient is coconut oil that melts at 76 degrees. Packaging became a REALLY big challenge when it started leaking before I could ship it so back at base I re-made and re-packaged in “fancy” ziplock bags. Some assembly required.

This beautiful necklace with the word FLY was a custom request from a friend. It’s destined to be gifted to a book author who just published a book on flying. I will ask if I can share her name here.

This pearl “firecracker” necklace and matching bracelet were also a custom pieces for a co-worker who planned on gifting them to a mother-of-the-groom this last weekend. No word yet on how the wedding went since my co-worker is still on vacation. I’ll be sure to share the outcome on this one too.

This beautiful gray necklace was also for my co-worker. This one is pearl knotted, and I must admit, a lot of work. The plan was to have the pieces finished before my big company picnic at the local water park but the necklace had other ideas. Third time was the charm and after a long day of hauling (over 650lbs) of food to the water park, spending the day in the sun, and supervising the food prep I was in no shape to pearl knot but there was nothing for it but to sit down after a long day and knot these beautiful pearls. In the future I might send my co-worker to pick out all of my pearls. She had amazing taste. Both necklaces had wonderful luster, shape and color. I’ve never worked with “firecracker” pearls before so it was a lot of fun to see what they could do. Several new pearl strands will be arriving in my IndenturedMason store soon as a result of this necklace.

Other things I’ve been up to

Cream colored scarf I actually finished before but have been putting off taking pictures

My multi-colored seed stitch scarf that just keeps going and going. This is on ball 2 and I’m pretty sure I need at least one more.

Chai Tea goats milk swirl soap with Moroccan red clay. Smells yummy and is wonderful to wash with, creamy with a little bit of slick texture.

I’ve also ordered a few more jewelry supplies that are really exciting. They should inspire new pieces in my shop (or my jewelry box). Can you tell I’m liking the birds lately?

A semi new type of project I’m trying out that is pretty easy at this stage, a knitting loom. Basic projects are hats and scarves like my cream scarf a few pictures up and this soon to be hat or  tube scarf depending of if I like the hat idea. Hats are not my friend so I’m not sure about this as a hat.  What do you think?

This has been a hard week.

1. My day job had a company picnic and I was in charge of the food. All of the meat (over 650lbs) was hauled by me to the park. All went well but water slides, wave pools, sun exposure and heavy lifting really did me in for the rest of the week.
2. BIG project due soon at my day job so this week has been crazy plus my co-worker has taken a week off so it’s all me PLUS I spent the morning talking to the DMV!
3. Today I had my first unhappy unreasonable customer.
4. Now I’m depressed, tired, sore, worried, stressed, and hoping tomorrow is better
5. Hubby is wonderful! He took me shopping for some retail therapy and then out to dinner with friends who are also great at distractions.
6. Time to move on and probably get some sleep.

I’d could really use some advise on dealing with difficult customers though.

As a new business owner and skin care manufacturer that hopes to one day quit my day job the H.R. 5786 will make it impossible for me to follow that dream.

At the prompting of The Soap Queen’s contest I wrote the following letter to my rep.

Dear Representative,

I am writing to express my concerns about H.R. 5786, the ‘Safe Cosmetics Act’. I make lip balms, soaps, deodorants and lotions and sell them in small quantities online and out of my home. My business makes less than $5000 per year. I sell these items to augment my family’s income and help our quality of life. I make my lip balms, soaps, deodorants and lotions with common ingredients that you can find in your kitchen. For example, I make deodorant with baking soda, coconut oil, and arrow root starch. H.R. 5786 has a bunch of extra reporting requirements that would be virtually impossible for me to comply with. I’m just one woman in a kitchen. I don’t have a huge staff to help me. Plus, I often change my formulations based on the season and what my customers are asking for. Being nimble is a huge advantage for me and if I have to submit a new safety and ingredient affidavit for every product, that will take away one of my key advantages. Please don’t support this legislation. It is well-meaning but is written in such a way that I won’t be able to stay in business because I won’t be able to keep up. Estee Lauder started at her kitchen table. Please don’t take that opportunity away from me.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Mason
Cheryl Mason’s Kitchen

I’m off to make jewelry but tomorrow I will have more on how to felt soap and adding some basic designs.

before

after