Soapmaking course

Castille soap, with Calendula.


I'm planning a soapmaking course in Mullingar Educate Together NS, next Saturday May 28th.
Time - 10:00am to 3:00pm. Cost €60.

Participants will learn how to make soap from scratch, in a safe and playful environment. I will demonstrate, and then participants will get some hands on experience.

We will make castille soap, rich in olive oil, scent it with Essentials oils, and add
organic materials like calendula petals, lavendar, poppy seeds and cosmetic clays, to augment the soaps properties.


Participants will go home with recipes and soap that they made, coloured, and scented themselves.

If you're interested, please let me know asap. If you'd like to learn to make soap, and this time doesn't suit, let me know that you're interested and if you'd prefer an evening course or a Sunday - or a different Saturday.

087 2222562 or annambrowne@gmail.com

Paper making

I'm teaching a Summer Camp next week, and thought it would be good to make paper, and embed some saved seeds in it. It's years since I last made paper, so I had a practice run today.

Yesterday I swung by a printers, and got loads of scrap paper. Soaked it in a bucket of hot water overnight. Took the hand blender to it this morning,and we were all set to go.

Kids were initially very uninterested, but when they saw hat there was water and mess involved, they got stuck in, and really understood and enjoyed the process. There are about 20 A3 sheets now hanging from the line, looking forward to when they are dry!

iPhone Cover

So, I succumbed to the tech pressure and bought an iPhone. But, it's so expensive to replace! What if I am my usual klutzy self, and drop it? I got the screen cover, and the skin, but it wasn't enough. So I felted a little cover for it, with a special tie for holding the headphones, and keeping it closed. I think it's very cute, but it will be even cuter when I sew on some eyes. And it's a bit subtle for me, colour wise. I'll have to make another :-(

Anyone want this one when I replace it?

Mullingar Advertiser - wrong phone number

Great to have my Soapmaking and Natural cosmetics course (in Mullingar, May 23rd) featured in the Mullingar Advertiser If you've come here because of that - the phone number there is missing a digit - to book the soapmaking and natural cosmetics course phone or text 087 2222562.

Interesting competition

My swap partner for the Clasheen Spring swap is having an interesting http://feltingfibres.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/competiton-time/ - check it out! A beautiful waterfall jacket is the prize....

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral

 

 

 

 

These are some of the wonderful things you'll see if you visit the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef at Trinity Science Gallery.

The show is great on a number of fronts - it's beautiful, you can feel that you are scubadiving, and looking at the corals. It's inspiring from the craft point of view, and from the use of different wools, and recycled materials to make a coral reef.
From a science and ecology point of view, it makes you think about how we could be destroying a beautiful organism. And then there's the whole hyperbolic space thing, and thinking about different surfaces.

I'm wondering how I can incorporate this into my summer camp - there has to be a way..or several...

Antibacterial soap concerns

Interesting post about the possible health effects of triclosan, an antimicrobial chemical.

My favourite part - FDA states: “At this time, the agency does not have evidence that triclosan in antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water.”


Learn to make your own soap!