Well, a few minutes ago, the winter sky was bright blue with just a few wisps of grayish white clouds outside my office window. It is still quite early, using weekend time, which means anything before 9am is just too early to do much at all. I’m already sitting at the desk, drinking my second cup of java. I’ve scanned my site for orders, checked on my Etsy shop and thought I’d mumble a bit, here, about life and such.

If you read my blog, you already know that while I do like to talk about my products (soap, lotions and such), I also do spend time giving sales advice (especially on setting up craft shows) and about the weather. No matter where you live, the weather is important to your life. Nowhere I’ve ever been, though, takes the prize from North Texas. You never know what a day will bring. Bright skies one hour can turn into a deep gray drizzly funk. Windless can transform into a brisk breeze that makes your jeep skitter in the lanes while you drive.

Yesterday, I drove my son to college. He’s nearly 21. And he stayed around here, living at home, for a few years going to the local community college…trying to figure himself out. A lot of kids do that. Finally, he determined that what he wanted to do….was to do something. He wasn’t interested in a ‘sitting behind the desk’ type of job. So, he’s at trade school, learning electronics.

He’s really very smart. But like a lot of teens (okay I know he’s nearly 21, but he’s still a ‘kid’ to his momma), he was probably more afraid of making the wrong decision than of making a decision at all. So he didn’t. Until he did.

Not me. When I was 18, I was all fired up and ready to move to school. I went to Purdue, nearly a 14 hour drive from the home that my parents lived in. I adored being there. Always at the top of my class, I smugly assumed that I’d be running the school in a few months. Reality was a horrifying thing. I was at a school where everyone else was also at the top of their class (at least those that didn’t flunk out…) and for the first time in my life, surrounded by real peers, I had to work for what I wanted.

It was a scary time. But it was also a liberating time. And I’d trade it for nothing. Okay, I’d trade it for a few hundred million dollars…but not for much less. It made me, me. And that’s a bargain.

My son is going to have his own rough road to walk. He has a dorm setup that would have been the height of luxury for a Purdue student. His own room, with a sink. Connects to a shared bathroom (one other student). They have a largish living room with some fairly industrial furniture. A kitchen with a table and 4 chairs. Amazing.

The bedroom my son has, alone, is larger than the room I shared with another student during my freshman year. And we didn’t have that cool bathroom setup. Living room? Yeah. But no way a kitchen.

He’s not on the meal plan, so we loaded him up with groceries from Aldi. I head back there today with a bike and a few things he forgot. I was 14 hours away. He’s nearly 1.5.

He’ll be fine. He’ll soar on the freedom. And I hope he loves school as much as I did. But part of me…well, I’m a bit sad this morning. While I know he had to go. And while I was encouraging it…after all, there’s only so many times you can trip over a size 14 shoe before you begin to think that said shoes did not need to STILL be in your house…

I miss him. And while it is crisp and clean outside the house. And we’re going to tidy up the inside, too…cleaning the flotsam and jetsam of so many boy years here…and tucking them neatly into boxes until he needs them again…well, it isn’t the same.

And that’s okay. Birds have to fly. But sometimes, it is hard to see that maiden flight. Even though you know that they have to do it.

Okay, this is my first post in several months. And I really do not have an excuse.

Sure, I’ve done several shows (5 to be exact) and most of them are multiple day events. And that, combined with a real job (although my dream is to do ‘just this’ full time, as a single parent, I am compelled to work somewhere with good benefits!) makes for one TIRED woman.

It’s okay. I know (each fall) that this is coming. So I get my holiday shopping out of the way and rest as much as possible. It is true that I don’t get as much done in the way of organizing. I mean, laundry is done as well as food prep, but boxes might not get put back and the yard is neglected.

But now, it is time to take stock and relax…as much as possible.

First, let me say that this has been one amazing holiday season. My online sales are way UP and I’m still shipping out daily. I can no longer promise ‘before Christmas’ arrival with standard delivery, but if you need something, I can ask Santa United States Postal Service to get it to you on time. For an extra fee. I think it is for supercharged reindeer food…

Come 2012, there will be a few changes afoot. Nothing more now, but behind the scenes, things are changing. Some new products, of course, and some of them will make it into my Etsy shop by year’s end. But by the end of January 2012, this entire place may look different…more streamlined.

That’s all for now. I’ll write again, soon. Promise.

Technically, that’s not true….I did a spring show earlier this year (don’t like them, for some reason, and neither–it seems–do customers). But yesterday was the official kickstart to my fall show season at the Trietsch United Methodist church in Flower Mound, TX.

If I met you there, especially if you became a Coquette Bath & Home™ customer, I appreciate you! Like always, this is an amazing show. Very well run. Even though my position was right in front of the bathrooms…I did not have enough time to leave my booth!

(psst, organizers…having someone come and offer to booth sit–for a few minutes–for those who do shows alone would be a huge blessing).

They doubled the size of their show this year, opening up a new building to vendors. I’m not sure how many vendors attended, but heard that just one room in the new building housed 100…it seems like maybe 250-300 sellers were there.

This is billed as a handcrafted show, and it seems that it is, still. I did not see anything around me that appeared to be anything ‘but’ handmade. Which is very good. Looking forward to next year…but I think I’ll get a double booth. Very hard to move around today…due to standing on tile and no space to sit down. My booth yesterday was ‘in the middle’ and I had to build a large table out of 3 smaller ones pushed together and bounce from side to side (maneuvering around a brick pillar) all day.

Onward in the season. Next up? Martin High School on October 15-16. Martin High School runs a spectacular show. I’m set up (as usual) outside the cafeteria. Please stop by. Martin High School is at 4501 W Pleasant Ridge, Arlington, TX.

See you there!

I’ve begun commenting lately, in several spots, about handmade soap. Why it is good. Why it is important. And even…why.

One thing I know I’ve glossed over by mentioning my team RealSoap on Etsy is that not everyone is who they say they are. I know, you’re probably shocked, but lots of folks like to appear to be one way (marketing ya know) but are really something else, entirely.

Like the soap resellers. Those who buy logs of soap and cut them into chunks and sell them. It is not illegal to do this. Though, on Etsy, it is against the terms of use (TOU) because stuff on Etsy is supposed to fall in one of 3 categories to be sold: Vintage, Supplies or Handmade.

And Handmade means by you, not by someone else.

But some like to pretend that they aren’t doing what we (knowledgeable soapmakers) know that they are. Whatever. Hurts no one, normally.

But then we find some who are making horrific medical claims. No, I’m not going to point you to any specific website or to any specific person. But I would like to give you a few general rules.

Maybe these rules won’t lead you to someone who DEFINITELY is a reseller of soap rather than a creator of soap. But they will lead you to someone who doesn’t know the law. Or doesn’t care enough about it to follow it.

Rule #1: Medical claims. Folks, as I’ve mentioned before, if there was a soap that could make me look like Angelina Jolie or Halle Berry or (hell) anyone cuter than me, I’d have a lifetime supply in a locked cabinet. It simply doesn’t exist. Nor does soap cure cancer (yep, I’ve found someone who says just that…maybe I need to alert the American Cancer Society cause to my knowledge they are unaware of this incredible breakthrough) or anything else. You can’t even state that this ingredient or that is ‘known’ or ‘suspected’ or ‘historically has been used’ to ‘cure, fix etc’ anything like psorasis, excema, dermatitis, crowsfeet, wrinkles. saggy boobs etc,,

But folks are doing this. And if you see someone making these claims…please do not support them. If there really is a medical breakthrough like that, it will be on the evening news. Believe me.

Now, that is not to say that some ingredients HAVE been shown to do this or that…or historically have been used in this way or that way. I’m not debating that. But in this society, where everyone is looking for an angle, some folks have grabbed this health reason to shill their products.

Soap cleans. That’s all. It also should smell good (personal preference…)

Rule #2: They make soap without lye. As I’ve already mentioned in my previous post (in this here blog) that’s impossible. So avoid anyone who says that they don’t use lye. Now, truthfully, when the chemical reaction is done, there is no lye left. And the oils are transformed. But if someone is listing olive oil and shea butter etc (which are raw ingredients to make soap…among many other oils and butters) then they should also list the lye. Please note that soap does not have to be labeled with ingredients, but I think folks should…skin allergies aren’t fun.

Rule #3: not labeling products. Again, soap is legally exempt. But nothing else is. The basics of labeling are that each product must contain the list of ingredients in descending order (first ingredient is the largest percentage and so on). It must list the weight of the product minus the package (net weight), and it must offer contact information of the manufacturer.

Rule #4: well this is a personal opinion but stay away from extremes. Really cheap prices worry me. And really expensive prices make me feel like I’m being robbed. But that’s just me. Soap bars (handmade) usually run from $4-6 around where I live. So a bar that is $2 would tell me that it may be made with inferior ingredients. Bars that are $15 would tell me that someone thinks I’m silly enough to pay it.

You do what feels right to you. But remember, only buy real soap…from real soapmakers. You’ll be glad you did.

Okay, I guess I’ve been listening to a little bit too much Aerosmith (What kind of love are you on, from the Armageddon soundtrack…) but the title also seems very appropriate.

I captain a team on Etsy called ‘RealSoap’. I think I’ve mentioned this before. But while many categories on Etsy are being overtaken by mass-produced crap from all corners of the world (and are not, any more, entirely handmade…sad to say), we, who make soap, rather thought we were immune to such shennigans.

After all, we make soap! How in the world could someone be a reseller?

Yeah, well, we quickly found out that we were wrong. Seems that folks are buying logs of soap made by other companies and cutting said soap, and slapping their labels on said soap and selling it. Nothing wrong with that, by the way. Perfectly legal. But they aren’t the ones who make the actual soap and in many cases, these folks (cause I’ve checked some shops) put forth some of the most amazingly weird commentary about their ‘products’. Such as this soap removes cellulite or wrinkles or detoxes your skin, or cures psoriasis.

All of which, sorry to say, are purest balderdash. Listen I’m a ‘fluffy’ person, and I make soap. I gotta tell you that if there was a soap that would make me look like Angelina Jolie (or have a model body), I’d be all over that in a heartbeat. Alas, it isn’t true. There really is no substitute for limiting calories and exercising (as I quaff my cup of pecan flavored, cream & sugar enhanced morning java)…

So, why does this all tie into the title? Actually, okay, it doesn’t. I just wanted to give you a ‘catch-up’ if you don’t read my blog that often (and seriously, I’m kinda funny, so you should….) but I do get emails from time to time from folks who have heard the snake oil soaper claims. Or are just plain bamboozled by the various bits of hoopla.

So I’m going to set the record straight. As simply as I can.

First, soap. Soap is a byproduct of a chemical reaction between an oil and an alkali. For soap, that means lye. Yes, lye. No ‘lyeing’ about it, you cannot make soap without lye. Seriously. Please do not believe the bunk from some companies (large and small) that say they use a natural ‘salt’ to make their soap…oh no LYE in their soap. Chemically, it is impossible. But if they persist, challenge them to put their hands in their lovely ‘salt’ solution. I mean, if it is JUST salt, it would be fine, right?

Trust me, they won’t. Well, not if they care about their fingers…and keeping them. Lye is a corrosive alkali. Soapmakers have to be very careful in handling it. As even mixing the lye with liquid (water, beer, goat’s milk etc) which you have to do to completely dissolve it, produces toxic fumes. Yeah, this is serious stuff. And a soapmaker has to be very careful.

Again, if they value body parts. And personally, I do.

Right now, you’re probably thinking. OH MY GAWD…NO WAY AM I GOING TO USE ANYTHING THAT TOXIC….now hold yer horsies, it is okay. Because ALL soap, regardless of the ingredients is made this way. Now, we’re still talking soap, not those chemical surfactant bars (more on those in a bit).

But I know what you’re thinking. Why, oh why, if soap is made with this ingredient (and it has to be, remember) is this stuff safe to use?  Well, because, if the soap is properly made…THERE WILL BE NO LYE LEFT IN THE FINISHED SOAP.

Yep, you read that right. No lye left. That’s because the lye, and the oils, have changed. They’ve become (chemically) a salt, which is soap. Think of lye as a greedy monster, gobbling up oil molecules. If there’s enough oil molecules, then when the lye is exhausted and the reaction is complete, no lye left. Just soap.

A bit more oil than needed? That’s called a superfat, and it produces a creamier lather (because of the unreactive oils), again no lye left.

A bit too little oil? Ummm, we have a problem. Cause that’s soap that is lye heavy, where you do have chemical lye remaining in the soap. It can burn your skin. It can hurt you.

How to know what type of soap you’re getting? Well, I’ve been criticized for this comment before, but I believe it so here it goes again.

DON’T BUY SOAP FROM NEW SOAPMAKERS.

I mean, like they made soap last month, or the last three months, and now they’re selling it to you. They may be following all of the precautions. But they may not, either. Their soap has not had enough time to age and see if it is shelf stable (DOS–dreaded orange spot–is rancid oils in soap…and this happens over time to even the best soapmaker. But newbies might not have a clue).

New soapmakers should not sell. I know. I’m sure folks will (again) disagree, but that’s what I think. They should, though, give their soap away to friends and family. Have people test it, give them feedback. I’ve seen lovely looking soap that didn’t lather worth a darn. Or left my skin feeling slimey. Not good. But you only know by using and finetuning your recipe.

There’s a lot of ground to cover here, but to shorten this (some) here are a few bits of information. Remember, lots of great folks makes lots of great soap. I think I’m definitely one of them. I’ve been making soap for nearly a decade. Yes, I’ve had some ‘interesting’ results (didn’t sell them) and sometimes I make stuff that flops (oh, you don’t like pea green colored soap…my bad).

CP: also called cold process soap. This is one of the traditional methods of soapmaking. Oils are combined with alkali (lye mixed with water or other liquid) and mixed together. Once a thick pudding texture is achieved, fragrances, colorants and other additives are added. Once poured into a mold, this soap requires time for the chemical reaction (making the raw soap into lovely gentle soap) to complete. Generally CP soap is ready to use in 6-8 weeks.

HP: Hot process soap. Take the same mixture as above and warm it, speeding the chemical reaction. Some folks use an oven. Some use a crockpot. This soap sets up fast and usually has a more rustic appearance because the soap solidifies faster than CP does. Usually ready to use in days.

MP: Melt & Pour. Make no mistake, this is still REAL soap. Okay, it could be a chemical surfactant bar, too. Depending on the base one buys. Read the ingredient labels of the soap you are interested in purchasing or talk to the soapmaker if possible (I’m always available to answer emails and obviously, I LOVE talking about soap). The base ols are still combined with lye in a gigantic cooker operation that produces various types of soap bases. From goat’s milk/shea butter enriched, to shaving soap, to ultra clear ‘glycerin’ soap (remember ALL soap has to contain glycerin…more on that in a bit).

That’s the basic 3. Of course, there are variations. And stuff like water discounts, and sap values etc. that mean nada to anyone who isn’t making soap.

Now for the bad stuff. Okay, ‘bad’ is a personal view. Chemical surfactant bars.

Yes, they could be of the MP variety (again, read the labels…read like a chemistry exam? Yep you got yourself a bona fide surfactant bar. I’d say ‘congrats’ but nah….buy some real soap, okay?). This includes those ‘lovely’ bases sold at the hobby stores (and some sold by professional companies). This also includes those ‘beauty bars’ or ‘bath bars’ sold at the megamart.

Why aren’t they called soap? They can’t be. By law. Soap must contain glycerin. Which is why the comment (sometimes with a bit of derision) about ‘glycerin soap’ is funny to me. Because soap contains glycerin. Yes, there are soap snobs within the soaper community (oh, my handmade is better than your handmade…meh….give me a break). So whether you’re buying a CP bar, a MP bar, a HP bar, a CPOP bar (yeah, it can get into all sorts of lovely alphabet soup acronyms), you just want soap, right?

And if you want soap, look for glycerin on the label. Now, keep in mind that in the US, soap does not have to list ingredients. But reputable soapmakers do. Why? Well, if you’re allergic to almonds, you might like to know if the soap is made with sweet almond oil, right?

I would. And that’s why I list every ingredient.

Well, this has gotten a bit long. Sorry about that. Feel free to comment and you can also drop me an email at info@coquettebath.com.  Or convo me at my Etsy shop (CoquetteBath). I look forward to hearing from you.

Soap is great. Just buy good soap, okay? If you like my soap, I’m offering a discount in my Etsy shop just for you.  Use code COQUETTEROX for 15% off your Etsy order.

I was at IKEA in Frisco, TX yesterday. Along with half of North Texas, or so it appeared! It was just wall to wall people. Not like that during the week…of course, given the amount of time it takes to ‘kinda’ see that place, not many folks can do that on a weekday.

I’ve been redecorating the house, recently. Since I don’t have a huge budget for this, I buy a few things at a time. My recent mission has been threefold: to get a couple new end tables, to find something to replace the UGLY china cabinet that I bought like a lifetime ago, and to figure out new seating for the living room.

I bought one thing yesterday to use as an end table. Keep in mind that I don’t like matchy matchy…I want things to coordinate but still be different. I have plans to take a round piece of wood and make an end table out of it (I’ve already made a dressing/makeup table for my bedroom). And that will be a project in the next few weeks. Stained flat black, it will go in the newly floored living room/den. But I needed at least one more item.

I bought a 4 hole IKEA Expedit unit yesterday. I did find some images online, but because of copyright, I’ll take one, myself, when it is done. Placed at the end of the couch, it should look pretty cool.

Right now, I’m also trying to decide what to do with this wall

Because the TV is nice. And the unit it is sitting on (an old credenza unit from the 1950′s) is really cool, it just needs ‘something’. So I think I’ll get a couple of bookcases to bracket it. With doors on them, they’ll be really cool and different. Have to decide between IKEA Billy (very cheap but also looks like it, with the thin wood…but this unit DOES have glass front doors that can JUST go on the lower part…like that). Or the HEMNES series. Solid wood (which I love) but the door covers the whole blasted thing. Which I do not love. I actually may get that and then ask a brother to help me make some doors, though…because I want to store out of season blankets and afghans and other items, like games. With open shelving on the top.

Maybe IKEA has something like that for this series, but if so, I haven’t found it yet.

But the bugger has been the issue of replacing this:

My ex and I bought this nearly 20 years ago. Back then, traditional furniture was a compromise. I’ve always preferred Scandanivan design. But he didn’t so…well, we compromised. Since, I haven’t liked it at all, but I have stuff that needs a home. So I’m thinking and thinking.

It is simply too hot around here (yeah, can’t avoid a weather report…) to do anything outside. We’re in a record drought in Texas and the temps have been in triple digits for the past 35 days or so. I hear we’re to hit 108 this week. And I’m in shock. After a frigid winter and now this…

Hope your weekend is going well. And that you’re getting something done. Oh yeah, I have to make soap today. Restocks on about EVERYTHING. And a new soap is coming…a red/white/blue floral. I haven’t ever seen anything like that before. Which is exactly why I want to do one!

See ya!

It is Sunday morning. And with the heat, I’m in a bit of ‘Sundaze’. That’s when you are a bit exhausted with the heat, and yet you know that this is your last day of weekend. So you have to push through the tired and get busy.

And we’re getting busy around here. Yes, I’ve a pile of soap to label on my desk. Here’s proof!

A pile of soap ready to be labeled! Already for sale on my site! Not visible (behind) is Bamboo & Green Tea. Also shown: Nag Champa, Peaches & Cream, Plumeria, Blueberry Cream, Triple Citrus and Cafe au Lait!

We’re also busy working on the new flooring. ONE  ROOM TO GO. It has been an exhausting time. And I HATE having my house tore up (to coin a phrase) with bits and pieces everywhere. One couch is in the dining room, which pushes the dining room table against the wall. And no one can really use it. So I’ll be glad when this is done. Son and I did about 2/3 of the work yesterday, leaving about 6′ (by width) for today. Here’s what it looks like now.

Here's the new flooring. We have about 6' to go to complete the room!

Finally, it is a remember your blessings day. Seriously, I do believe that being thankful is very important. A long time ago, I had a lot of stress and issues. Going through a bad divorce, and then into the transition phase afterwards, it was an extremely traumatic time. I had to keep it ‘together’ for the kids. but I have to say that I had some emotional sadness to work through. One day, out of the blue, a wonderful present arrived in the mail. I’m a huge fan of the rock group, Styx….always have been. And I’d entered a contest to win an autographed guitar. Never assuming that I’d win anything…

Then, one day, the UPS driver brings me this long box. For the past 7 or so years, this has been hanging on the wall in front of my computer…

Here's proof that wonderful things happen! My autographed Styx guitar!

I know you can barely read the autographs, but the following band members signed it: Lawrence Gowan (keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums), James Young (lead guitar), Glen Burtnik (bass) and Tommy Shaw (lead guitar). Everytime I start to think ‘well, life sure sucks and no one notices me at all…’ I look at this guitar and remember that blessings do come in mysterious ways. And that a good attitude is key to everything.

Hope your day is equally blessed. And remember, you control what happens to you. Maybe not the actual things (though, most of the time, you do) but you always control how you react to them. My philosophical musings for today. But seriously, folks, life is great. Have a good Sundaze! And I hope you make it splendid!

You know it is a rough day when even the dog doesn’t want to go outside. It really is hot here in Texas.

Yes, I’m aware that this is, yet another, of my weather reports. But honestly, weather is a huge part of our lives. Even when we don’t think about it. If it is cold, hot, windy, rainy, etc, we have special clothing to wear (or not!).

Most of our house is tile. Both of the kids’ bedrooms are painted concrete. And we’ve started laying the last floor that will be laminate. No carpet. Okay, a few rugs, but no carpet. I really detest carpet. And although I’m not thrilled that the doggie ‘helped’ with the carpet removal, still, I am glad it is gone.

The animals are telling me that it is hot, though. They won’t lie on the furniture, but prefer the cool tile floor. Already, I’m dreaming of November. That is, around here, when we can guarantee of some cooler temps. While October can be chilly, my kids have trick or treated in shorts before.

As well as coats and hats! You just never know. Which is probably why I’m so smitten with the idea of weather.

Because it is just too hot to do anything outside, we’ve been working inside. First the living room was painted. Then I noticed that the crown molding needed some attention. It was put up by moi about 10 years ago, right after moving into the house. Over the years, the house has settled a bit, and a few spots there was a slight gap. Very slight. And I’m happy to say that. Maybe a 1/16th of an inch? Well, it bothered me, so it got caulked and then the entire trim got repainted. Which meant another touchup on the walls, cause a bit of white did get on the turquoise from place to place…

The first 2 rows are down. Soon the entire room will be smooth and carpet free!

We’re going from a mossy green to a light clear turquoise/aqua color. A huge change but the rooms (where we’ve painted) seem lighter, fresher and much much larger. That’s a very good thing!

Mossy green is leaving. Light aqua is coming to shine! Photo also shows one of my favorite items, the painting where I got the new wall color inspiration.

Of course, the floor is going to be nice when done. And then I have to put up new baseboards. And sew new slipcovers for the couch and love seat. And then there’s the new art that has to be bought/painted/found. As the old art doesn’t match with the new colors. But that’s okay. New is good.

So even though it is hot outside, inside we’re doing what we can to make life sweeter. Hope your life is sweet. And if not, we recommend some paint and a few weeks!

At about 12:30 am this morning, my daughter and I returned from our 4 day trip to Montana. I’d never been there, you see, and I’ve been jonsing to dig for sapphires since I was a wee girl.

Well, I’ve done that now. And while it was fun, it was also a bit anticlimatic. I do wonder if the mine owners go through the stones first and pull out anything really ‘good’. And then, at the time, folks walk around and tell you about ‘the big one that got away’ cause someone else found it.

Yesterday.

Okay, maybe so, but again, maybe not. I’d be more impressed to see a series of photos with dates, with folks holding nice gems in their hands. But if they had that type of general ‘proof and brag’, I didn’t see it.  Call me a bit of a skeptic, but I always follow the money. And it just makes sense that the mine folk go through the rock first, to pick out anything truly wonderful, leaving behind some, and then mixing in more dirt/rock to make the search more eventful.

Local folks, who operated stores in town, told me that many have mason jars full of sapphires and every now and then someone goes to a garage sale and gets a box of stuff that has a jar in it. I’d love that, for sure!

Still, it was fun. Daughter and I went through $60 worth of rock and we each found some industrial grade (cause they were rather cracked) and some gem grade stones. You keep what you find there, and I did find a hot pink sapphire. So I was thrilled. It is, there, a very rare color (any pink is) cause most of the stones found are greenish.

Here’s what I found. The smaller cut stones were also bought there. One of the sapphires stores (there were several dedicated to finished jewelry and selling bags of rock to search through), also allowed me to photograph a display of cut stones, showing the range of sapphire colors.

Here's my sapphire haul!

Above you can see some chunks of stone. The photo doesn’t really show them well, but they are all greenish. Nothing too saturated EXCEPT for the hot pink one in the back. Hot pink sapphires are rare and this one is about a carat plus (raw). So it is a great find!

Here’s what the store had. They were kind enough to take the box out of the case so that I could photograph it. The colors are from nature…maybe a tad enhanced by heat treating (a permanent and perfectly legal method of treatment to enhance color and clarity)…

Cut sapphires from a Philipsburg, Montana store. Sapphire comes in a rainbow of colors...if red, it is called a ruby!

We stayed in a historic hotel in Philipsburg, too. One thing I always notice in antique malls and older buildings is the musty smell of so many old things. This place was remodeled about a decade ago, but stuffed full of books, old furniture and such, it really had a strong musty odor. You did get used to it, after a short time, but even today, my jean jacket has that same ‘old’ smell.  Can I recommend some good candles? LOL…

Here’s a few shots of the main street…

A shot down the street in Philipsburg. I love the mountains in the background. A cute coffee bar (The Daily Grind) is in view behind the outfitter shop.

And another one:

A longer shot, taken up the street from the previous, showing the long row of wonderfully charming turn of the LAST century buildings. A mining community in the late 1800's, this town is full of charm.

Being a small town (about 1000 folks) in the mountains, you do expect to see some wildlife. Well, other than the inn owner’s dog (no shots, sorry), the only ‘wildlife’ we saw was this perky bunny one very early morning.

While on an early morning strol; (temperature about 50degrees!) we found this bunny in a grass carpeted lot on main street between 2 historic buildings.

Well, we’re back home. And relaxing. It is about 2pm and daughter just got up (she did have a very late night!) and now it is back to some type of normality. I still have a few days off…so maybe I’ll make some soap….

And plan my next travel adventure. Chicago, anyone?

Tomorrow morning, my daughter and I head for the mountains. The original plan was to drive through the central breadbasket of the United States (from our home base in Fort Worth, TX) in a huge circle. But then, I figured that I did not want to be sitting in a car for nearly 50 hours with 2 teens (cause son was originally coming, too) and a corgi.

So, I’m not. This is, after all a vacation, not a marathon.

I’ve been ‘rock crazy’ my entire life. I remember buying a book back in the early 70′s called ‘Gems for the Taking’. I devoured that book and noted that there ARE many places in the United States where one can legally dig for precious gems and minerals (such as gold). Sometimes, you need a license from the local government or state. Other times, you just need to go to the right place.

We’re going to the right place. A spot in the mountains of Montana where sapphires have been located. I’m agog with excitement!

(Geek disclaimer: I studied gemology for about a year…)  Sapphires and rubies are actually the same stone–just different colors. Of course, all gem minerals are clear (if pure). It is the impurities of trace minerals (other ones) that create the color. Any corundum that is red is a ruby. Any other color and it is a sapphire.

I love sapphires. Pink ones, particularly. But any color will do. A ’9′ on the Mohs scale (the only harder mineral is a diamond at 10) they are durable and gorgeous.

And I want some.

Okay, to be honest, I have some. I have a ring with very large navette (aka marquise) sapphires in very dark blue. And a pair of blue sapphire and diamond earrings that I bought after my divorce. But I want more. And so I’m going to dig some up, myself.

At least, that’s the plan.

So the daughter and myself will board a plane tomorrow morning very early. We fly to Denver, change planes, and then to Helena, Montana. Where a rental is waiting. For the hour or so drive to Philipsburg, Montana. Not sure what we’ll see on the way, but I know we’ll see different terrain. I do love living in Texas–during the fall/winter/spring. But the summer? OMG, I’d head north in a heartbeat if I could. The triple digit temps, brown grass and baking winds are not my cup of tea. To put it mildly.

I’m sure that I’ll return rejuvenated and inspired for some new soaps. Actually, I’ve poured 8 new ones this week. Two are already on my site (Cafe au lait (http://www.coquettebath.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_34&products_id=200) and Nag Champa (http://www.coquettebath.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_34&products_id=199) ).

Maybe I’ll even have a few special rocks. I hope so. Wishing you and yours a most glorious, safe, and comforting Fourth of July. This is also (July 4th) my father’s 79th birthday.

Happy birthday, Dad. We love you.