Handmade for the Holidays: Pompeii Street Soap Co.

For Handmade for the Holidays I will be spotlighting a handful of artists and crafters that have made some very amazing pieces that I've gifted over the past few years to my friends and family.  Each one took the time to create the most perfect item I could have asked for.  It is, in my little way, a thank you to those individuals.  I hope that by reading my little Handmade for the Holidays list you too might be inclined to pay these little shops a visit and enjoy their fantastic work.

Next up is Pompeii Street Soap Co., a natural soap shop located in central Pennsylvania.  Though I may have never purchased this wonderful soap as a gift to anyone other than myself, it is a Handmade for the Holidays feature because I get ridiculously giddy with the thought of opening a new bar of soap and everyone deserves to have that feeling.  Really, these products are amazing.

Motivated by a love of aromatherapy, her own dry skin, and the desire to be her own boss, Jessica Gill started the company in her basement in 2001.  All products are at least 98% natural (with most being 100% natural) and everything is made with a gourmet touch. All products are hand made, cut and packaged by caring human hands on the premises in her workshop and store in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.

Jessica’s interest in soap was heightened after reading about the discovery of a perfectly preserved soap shop unearthed in the ruins of the ancient town of Pompeii, Italy, which, in 79 AD, was blanketed in ash after Mount Vesuvius’ devastating eruption.  This small, ancient soap shop is thought to be the oldest existing, organized soap shop.  Jessica chose the name Pompeii Street Soap Company as a reflection of her business’ ideals and goals to produce all natural soaps in an old fashioned way.*

Orange & Clove: 100% NATURAL. Pure Orange peel and clove oils combined with ground spices make this soap bar richly scented and uplifting. Lathers great and smells like a traditional Colonial Christmas ornament. Special Edition

Handmade for the Holidays: Make Your Dog Smile by Hattie Rex

For Handmade for the Holidays I will be spotlighting a handful of artists and crafters that have made some very amazing pieces that I've gifted over the past few years to my friends and family.  Each one took the time to create the most perfect item I could have asked for.  It is, in my little way, a thank you to those individuals.  I hope that by reading my little Handmade for the Holidays list you too might be inclined to pay these little shops a visit and enjoy their fantastic work.

First up is the Etsy shop Make Your Dog Smile by Hattie Rex.  If you are a lover of animals I urge to take a look at this little shop.  Make Your Dog Smile is the work of Tessa, who lives in rural Missouri with her husband, four dogs and a cat named Merle.  Between working on her master's degree in Technical Communication and writing part-time for various media, Tessa somehow finds the time to hammer out really fun id tags for pets.

Shortly before we officially adopted Heidi, I began my search for a special id tag to adorn her collar.  I searched through so many fun and interesting pet id tags on Etsy but I always seemed to come back to Tessa's little shop.

Handmade for the Holidays

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season quickly consuming us, I wanted to dedicate a few posts to buying handmade and showcase a few artists and crafters I've purchased from in the past.  

Now that buying handmade is so much more accessible, thanks to online sites like Etsy and Artfire and independent brick and mortar stores, I've found myself shopping for handmade whenever I can.  Grace Dobush, in the first chapter of her book Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash and Basically Have It All, discusses the reasons for the handmade revolution.  She explains that it stems from an appreciation that people have with the makers.  She quotes Lauren Bacon, co-author of The Boss of You- "Artistry is so incredibly valuable now because it keeps us in touch with human relationships."  This idea of human connection is exactly why I try to shop handmade. It is such a great feeling when you know the story behind the object that you are purchasing.  It is an even greater feeling when you can pass that story onto the recipient of said object.  But perhaps the best feeling of all, for me anyhow, is knowing that I am supporting an independent artist/crafter/maker/designer in something that they are passionate about so they can continue doing what they love to do.  It is, as Dobush reminds us, an alternative to sweatshops and the mass produced goods of the big box stores.

Martha Stewart's Apple Crumb Pie

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Dan's family. Because of this, we spent the weekend before with my family for a little advance Thanksgiving feast.  I wanted to make a dessert and opted for apple pie because it hadn't been claimed yet and honestly, what is Thanksgiving without apple pie?    After scouring recipes for the perfect specimen, I decided upon this pie by Martha Stewart.  How can one go wrong with Martha Stewart?  Apparently, I found a way.

I wanted to like this.  I really, really did.  It was the slightly too large crust/crumb topping combination that called out to me.  It reminded me of a galette, but with a fun, crumbly topping.  Surely, the best of both worlds.  Every single review, all 17 of them, raves about this amazing pie.  For me, it fell short in a few ways and I think I am partly at fault. 

I don't mean to be a stranger

I don't mean to be a stranger, I really don't.  Honestly, there has been so much going on around here lately with the holidays, a full time job, and a new addition to the little family...

...it's hard to get all my posting in.  But I'm not complaining one bit.  No siree.  In fact, I'm vowing to post much more often.  To start off with, I have a handful of recipes I'd love to share with you- some flops, some glowing successes, but all worth sharing.  Plus, I'm compiling a great little holiday gift guide and I've been working on some new pieces that I am very, very excited about.  A sneak peak:

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with loved ones, warmth, laughter and delicious food.  Please stay tuned for more to come.  Promise.