My Find of the Week--A great gift idea!

Do you need gift ideas for those people who have everything? How about lovely hostess gifts? Would you like an idea that both men and women will like?  Here it is--handmade soap. Once you try it, you will completely understand.  It's a great way to start the day in the shower, or a lovely way to end it in the tub.  It's aromantherapy and getting clean, all in one.  And I think real soap is good for you, as opposed to those bars of detergents that the store calls soap. We have super sensitive skin in this house, and we're all happy when we use handmade soap from Hello Crafty.

Hello Crafty Handmade Soap is gift worthy, wonderful soap that comes in all kinds of amazing scent combinations.  The beautiful Bonnie King of Durham, NC, whips these up herself and the girl knows what she's doing.  The blue one, above, is called "Ocean." Isn't it pretty?  It "brings the scent of an ocean breeze" into your shower (that's what she says and I believe her).  It's a salt bar, meaning that it's made with lots of salt that gives it a hardness that makes it last a long time.  But they're still make a creamy lather.  My favorite salt bar has blood orange, lemongrass, grapefruit and bergamot essential oils in it.  The smell is amazing.  Hub has even told me how much he likes to use it in the shower!  He has never mentioned soap in the 30 years that we've been married until I brought that one home!

This one is the lavendar citrus cold process bar.  Go to her Etsy shop and read about all the different kinds of soap.  Very reasonably priced--about $7 per big bar, very decadent stuff.  She packages it nicely, so you'll be good to go.  Oprah would make this a Favorite Thing.  Martha would call it a Very Good Thing.  Even better, DeCocco Design calls it the Find of the Week!  

Ciao,

Anne

Find of the week

I almost didn't find a "find" this week!  It doesn't always have to be a piece of furniture.  There are no rules here.  It just has to be interesting,  useful, a real bargain or whatever I'm in the mood for.  So this week it's something very useful in home decor.  But first, let me introduce to you When Pigz Fly, a lovely shop on Six Forks Rd. in North Raleigh.  I've gone by it many times and have wondered about it, but finally stopped in yesterday.  Loved it!  Here are some pictures:

Does this look familiar?  It sits, all by itself,  in a residential part of Six Forks Rd.  The owner, Diane, is there Wednesday through Sunday, from 11:00-7:00.  Pay attention to those hours so you don't frustrate yourself.

It's a small shop, but between the areas outside and inside, there are lots of things to see and buy.  This picture only shows you one corner.

Fair trade items, local artists, NC products abound. The lovely artwork above the shelf is by Susan Dahlin Bashford, a Raleigh artist.  Ornaments, soap, handbags, scarfs, clothing, jewelry, food, metal art, antiquey pieces, garden sculptures, cards, oh, I've got to stop because I know I'm leaving out a ton.  This is a great place for interesting pieces for the home as well as gifts for teachers, hostesses, friends, etc. 

Ok, here's the Find of the Week;

See these hooks hanging from a metal basket?  I believe the tag says $3 each.  You know when you see those beautiful handblown glass balls in stores and galleries, or some lovely thing that you know would be perfect  in your home dangling in a window, casting off light, color and interesting shadows, but you have no idea how you're going to hang it so you just pass on by?  Wow, that was a long sentence.  Well here's the answer.

I'm going to buy some of these to hang off the curtain rod in the living room in the big window.  Then I'm going to hang vintage Christmas ornaments that I've had forever on the ends.  I'll do this after Thanksgiving.  That's my plan anyway.  But I could think of 100 things to hang from these hooks that will look great, and not just for the holidays.

I hope Diane has lots of these in stock.  While you're there, be sure to really look around and scoop up some of  the other items in the store.  They won't be there if you think you can come back later.  She has a great eye, lots of customers, lovely, unique items for sale AND she's far from the mall, so you will totally enjoy your shopping experience.

Really, this whole store was a find.

Ciao,

Anne