New Spring Designs Coming Soon

Just a quick update to let everyone know that my new spring designs will be coming soon!! I have some really great designs I've been working on, so I am very excited! I've been super busy getting ready for a craft show this week in Greenville, so hopefully I will have time to post my new designs after everything is over.

Have a great day!

Sweet Carolina Soaps Now on Etsy!

Hey everyone! I'm very proud to announce that my Etsy shop is now up and running! Finally! Come check out my new Valentines Day goodies! ** http://www.sweetcarolinasoaps.etsy.com **

Thanks and have a wonderful day!

The Start of a New Year

I feel like 2008 really dragged on for me business-wise. I had several huge setbacks, all of which had nothing to do with my business, just personal issues that got in the way, and I almost gave up. Almost. I started working full time on my soap designs and business again in November with the hopes that I would have my store ready by December...but unfortunately I still had too much to do and frankly it would not have been a smart move. I've been working extremely hard getting ready for my Grand Opening Sale for this month and I feel like I am now finally ready! I sometimes get accused of being too much of a perfectionist but I just wanted to feel completely confident before selling my items to the public. I know I still have a lot to learn and I have so many goals and ideas for 2009, I cannot wait to get started! My store will be open by the end of this month so please stay tuned!

Thank you for your support and I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

10 Fun Beauty Secrets

I have always enjoyed reading beauty tips and secrets in magazines. I thought I had tried (or at least heard of) them all, but I ran into this article earlier today and thought I would share some of the clever tips I've never seen before.

1. Clever cover-up. If you get stranded without your concealer, check the cap of your foundation -- the makeup that has collected there will be thick and perfect for covering up flaws.

2. Makeup on the run. If you don't have time for full-on eye makeup on a night out, try this: Dip your finger in a pot of waxy lip balm, then scribble a little dark eyeliner on top of the balm. Gently rub the finger into the roots of your top lashes and finish with mascara . . . the smearier, the better!

(I’ve done this with Chapstick or Vaseline and it seems to have the same effect. Just rub eye shadow on top of the eyelid after applying Chapstick and the color will have more of a ‘pop’! Works great for a night out!)

3. Bright eyes. Find your eyes water in the wind? Dot a little Vaseline at the outer edge of your eyes -- it will act as a waterproof barrier. (Great tip for winter months!)

4. Easy polish. For a hassle-free DIY pedicure, apply base coat and two coats of color a few hours before bed (don't bother trying to keep within the lines) and top off with glossy top coat. Next morning in the shower, you'll find you can easily scrape off any stray polish with your fingernails -- and voila! -- perfect toes.

5. Get rid of shine. Caught yourself in the pub mirror with skin like an oil slick? Don't panic. That nasty hard toilet paper makes an excellent blotter! Simply tear off a corner and press on to your skin to soak up shine.

6. Hair tamer. A small tube of hand cream in your handbag can fix a bad hair day. In winter, rub a tiny amount on your hands and smooth over your head to eliminate static and hat hair. Come summer, running a tiny amount through your hair with fingertips will tame frizz.

7. Bright smile. Before a wedding or party where you're going to be photographed, rub the juicy side of cut strawberries across your front teeth to brighten them.

8. Banish roots. If you have grey roots showing, a quick touch-up with dark mascara will do until you get to the hairdresser. For blondes, try a little hairspray focused at the roots and a dusting of loose, gold eyeshadow. (I want to try this!)

9. Polish fixer. Splash a drop of olive oil over freshly painted nails. This forms a protective film over the polish, encouraging it to dry more quickly and stop smudging. Alternatively, transform grubby nails by rubbing chalk under the tips with a nail brush to give a French manicured look.

10. Beat puffiness. Splashing your face with iced water in the morning will reduce puffiness. But did you know that if you hold an ice cube against the roof of your mouth with your tongue, the chill will help reduce facial puffiness from the inside out?

These are just some of my favorites from the article. What are some of your beauty secrets?