Sarah’s Surprises

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sarah’s Surprises will only be featuring cancer awareness items, or items that are donating a portion of their proceeds to a cancer charity this month. You’ll also see a few things that aren’t normally featured on Sarah’s Surprises on the weekends.

I hope you’ll enjoy it.

We’ll also have a couple of interviews, and a couple of giveaways are in the works.

Breast Cancer is a serious thing - and it’s affected all of our lives in one way or another.

I am asking each person who has a featured item this month to share why Breast Cancer Awareness is so important to them, and some of the stories are heartbreaking, but some of the stories are triumphant stories of survivors.

We may think that we are only doing a little bit to help Breast Cancer awareness - but we are making a difference, and together we will keep on making a difference.

Even if you feel that you can’t contribute to Breast Cancer Research yourself - you can.

Sarah’s Surprises and Mystical Beauty’s Musings are each participating in the Beauty Blog Network’s Comments 4 A Cure this month.

From October 28-30 for each comment that is left on this blog I’ll donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and from October 21-23 I’ll do the same for each comment left on Mystical Beauty’s Musings, with a maximum of $50.

All you have to do is leave a comment and you’ll be raising money for Breast Cancer awareness and research.

I love the idea of an awareness ear cuff, $27 - what better way to strike up a conversation or show your support than with someone than by wearing your awareness items on your ear, where everyone can see it?

This cuff is from Secret Garden Jewelry.

Here’s the description:

In honor of friends and family who have dealt with this terrible disease, I’ve made a sterling silver ear cuff pink ribbon, Dangling from the bottom of the ribbon is a beautifully faceted round pink amethyst and a cluster of tiny faceted mystic pink quartz.

Amethyst is said to bring serenity and calm, to enhance one’s ability to assimilate new ideas, and to assist during meditation. It is also said to give strength and mental stability, and to provide balance between one’s physical, emotional, intellectual states. Amethyst is also said to make one shrewd in business matters. Amethyst is said to help remove toxins from the body and to help treat arthritis. It also said to be useful in treating a number of disorders including those of the digestive system, heart, nervous system, skin and hearing and to help provide relief from pain and to strengthen the immune system.

This ear cuff is entirely made by hand by myself. The ending wire is soldered shut, so nothing to stick into your ear.This would also make the perfect gift for someone with breast cancer. The ear cuff dangles 1 1/4 inch long (3.2 cm).

I asked Lissa why breast cancer awareness was important to her, and she said:

My sister in law was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 80’s . The treatment back then was pretty radical and caused her to have some heart issues. Thankfully she is cancer free and living a normal life with her family.I know so many people who have dealt with different forms of cancer and it’s devistating on a family. I’m just so thankful my sister in law won the fight.Not every family has been so lucky.

I’m having so much fun burning The Blue Gecko Candle Company’s tarts - and not just because 2 of the tarts I’m burning are named after characters in Stepheneie Meyer’s Twilight series of books, which I’d just finished reading before I got the tarts.

These tarts are strongly scented, and they don’t need to be burned to be smelled.

Even as I sit here with them on my desk I can smell the tarts, and there have been a couple of slightly warmer days when I was sitting downstairs, and the tarts would perfume the air even though the electric tart burner wasn’t on.

It was kind of nice - I got a great scent without having to pay for the electricity the electric tart burner would have used.

When I did burn the tart I could smell it upstairs and downstairs, and the wax popped out of the tart burner easily after I left in the freezer for a while.

Bellissima Bella

If you’re a fan of the wonderful Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer, this is what we think Bella must smell like to that handsome forbidden fiend of hers Soft floral notes of lavender and freesia are dazzled with fresh cut Spruce, sprinkled with luscious sugar crystals and balanced out with just a hint of orange zest; ending with a sweet infusion of juicy summer berries, picked in the deep woods of Forks, Washington. Be warned, may attract Vampires.

Mmm. I was a little worried about the spruce in this one, but it didn’t bother me at all, of course neither did the vampires which is probably a good thing.

Forever Alice

Inspired by the hit novel, “Twilight”, Forever Alice is named for the premonition having best friend of Bella. Alice is a teenage girl, bubbly sweet, but she also happens to be a vampire, immortally cold..she’s forever Alice. Our interpretation of Alice is filled with sweet, sugary cotton candy, innocent creamy vanilla and swirls of gooey caramel; ending with an icy tribute to her cold immortal destiny; minty fresh, frosty cold peppermint. May induce possible visions of the future, visions may or may not be reliable.

I was really excited about the Forever Alice fragrance because I love cotton candy! This is definitely a sweet fragrance, but it isn’t overwhelming.

My MIL thought that this would probably be too sweet for her from the description, but when she came over while I was burning it she liked it.

Summer Lovin’

All right GREASE fans, go ahead and sing it ;)! A delightfully romantic blend of delicate apple blossoms, star jasmine and juicy pomegranate, married with a shy hint of sweet and sassy citrus.

What can I say - it’s Grease!

I really enjoyed The Blue Gecko Candle Company’s Tarts, and I’m impressed with their scent throw, and how easy it is to take the used tart out when I want to switch scents.

I also love the book and movie related scents - it’s fun!

If you’ve tried The Blue Gecko Candle Company’s tarts leave me a comment and let me know what you think - or let me know which book character should have their own tart.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Karina Gallo from Soaps that Make Scents.

Karina creates handcrafted 100% vegetarian soaps and natural lipbalms which are scented using essential or high-quality fragrance oils that she carefully choose and formulate.

I love the fact that Karina makes soaps with essential oils - like the Blood Orange Essential Oil Soap, $4.50.

I’m sure you’re wondering what Karina had to say - so here you go.

1. Please tell us a little about your business, Soap That Makes Scents.

Soap That Makes Scents introduces handcrafted soaps to customers worldwide…no more commercial soaps with chemical fillers and preservatives—I help women and men discover that natural ingredients are better for your skin, just as long-lasting, and wonderfully addictive. Plus I keep people squeaky clean

2. Soap That Makes Scents focuses on soaps and lip balms. What made you decide to focus on those two items?

I was REALLY frustrated with boring bars of soap that dried out my skin…lipbalms that tasted artifical and chalky, and surly customer service clerks who could care less about my business or answering my questions and concerns about what I was putting on my body. I decided that not only did *I* want products that enriched the natural moisture oils in my skin, I wanted other people to feel better about their purchases as well–thus, Soap That Makes Scents was born.

3. What is your favorite product and scent that you sell, and what is your most popular product?

My most popular product is my lip balm…natural, yummy-tasting, and over 22 different flavors—from Pina Colada and Chocolate S’Mores, to Pink Lemonade and Cran-Raspberry. You NEED to have at least one of these on you at all times!

4. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in purchasing your products, but has never ordered online, or is scared about ordering something they canʼt smell, or see?

Stick with established sellers—they have great feedback and a good customer base for a reason. I’ve been in business since 2001, and I love that people from all over the world have tried my soaps and lipbalms, and I’m happy to bring them into the ease of shopping online–no crowded malls, no parking hassles. Shop from the comfort of your home, delivered straight to your front door.

6. Are there any websites that you visit daily? If so, why?

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of my time on www.theswitchboards.com it’s a great way to network and meet interesting people from all areas of crafting and business~

7. Is there anything you wished you knew before you started your business?

I wish I’d discovered all of this sooner!

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed.

Thanks so much for this opportunity!

Soaps That Make Scents is currently offering free shipping on any item for buyers within the USA, $1 shipping on any item going to Canada and $2 shipping on any item travelling to the UK, so if you like trying new stuff without paying too much for shipping hurry and take advantage of this offer.

I’d love to hear what you think about Soaps that Make Scents - so leave a comment and let me know.

This Shell Button and wire necklace, $13, from Lady Fran’s Artistic Outlet, just caught my eye!

I love the 3D effect, and the wrapped wire around the buttons.

Three vintage shell buttons make up this lovely and pure necklace. I also wrapped wire around the outside to bring it some dimension. A gorgeous piece which hangs from a long vintage chain. A silver flower bead sits atop…The chain may be sterling and is 15 inches long. So, the entire necklace is 16 1/2 inches in length.