Many Changes

It has been forever and a day since I have posted. There have been many changes in my life. My number 1 helper (or rather I helped her), Darling Daughter (DD) has gone off to college. She had been doing most of the soap making for me the last couple of years. She was saving money for college. I miss her very much. I also started a new job in July. I am working 40 hours a week on the graveyard shift. This leaves little energy or time for soap making. Did I tell you I miss DD very much? I have managed to make a little soap but I have a lot of "out of stock" notices on my web site. I work the weekends so I will only be doing one Christmas show. My favorite high school, Douglas High School, right here in Minden, Nevada, has a wonderful one day show and I asked for that Saturday off. Hope to see you there!

A New Year

A time for new beginnings. I have already cleaned up my work space. I have started using some of the ingredients I have been hoarding to make new products. And....... I have been contacting new businesses to carry my soap. You know the old saying, "Talk to 100 people to find 10 interested people to find 1 person who will DO it."

I found that person here. The owner of Body Language, Debbie Nalder, is now stocking SierraSnowSoaps in her incredible day spa.


From massage and skin care


salon and nail services




to laser-medical services with Dr. Nita Schwartz


this spa has it all.
Right from their website

"philosophy…..
health, wellbeing, and beauty come together at bodylanguage. more and more people are discovering the enduring pleasure and benefits to be gained from professionals whose sole purpose is to make you feel and look your best.

bodylanguage features an array of treatments designed to enhance your health and wellbeing inside and out. enjoy the healthful, rejuvenation of massage, reflexology, or infrared sauna. treat your skin to a fabulous, renewing european facial or one of our cosmetic medical treatments. let our hair and nail design professionals help you look your best.

whatever your needs, bodylanguage is committed to your health, wellbeing, and beauty. come in, relax with a cup of tea while we help transport your senses to a place of calm, nurturing bliss."

And I believe it. Coming in the front door is like walking into peace and quiet. The colors, sounds and decor is soothing to the soul. You almost hope your appointment is running late so you can relax in the sitting area.


Stop by and pick up some soaps


and stay for some pampering.


Body Language is located in the grey building at 1478 B 4th Street, Minden, NV
The spa phone number is 775.782.8485 and the salon number is 775.782.2641.

Check out their service menu.

Did You Survive The Holidays?

It was a fast paced holiday season with craft shows, filling orders, restocking the shelves, and making soap. I found the time to wrap some gifts at the fair grounds for Project Santa, did some baking (oh, the crack candy at my house was awesome), had family dinners, and even read a book.

I love to make soap, it brings out the creative side of me. I like to wrap myself up in a scent and close my eyes and "see" the soap I am going to create. It is really cool when the soap turns out the way I "imagine" it.

While setting up at one of the holiday craft shows I found myself next to Katie Spencer. She is a wonder woman who used to sell to HUGE chain stores. She now sells her handmade items at Tumblewinds on Esmeralda St. in Minden. One item in her booth just fascinated me.


I love the origami feel to the ornament. I love the sharp angles. I love the bright colors. I just love these ornaments. Being the wonderful person that she is, Katie mailed the instructions and I made 11 ornaments to give as Christmas gifts.


Did I tell you I love making these ornaments?

Hold That Thought

You know, the one about not having much money. What to do, what to do.

I found myself with a little time, that would be because we are not exchanging gifts this year due to lack of funds. The real problem here is, I LOVE TO WRAP GIFTS. I found a way to get my wrapping fix without spending any money.

In our little town we not only have service clubs like the 20/30 Club, Elks, Minden Fortnightly Club, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Kiwanis, we also have all the schools hold food drives around the holidays. We have a food closet that runs year round helping those people that need a lift. But the best project of all.......


is Project Santa.

I meet up with Marilyn Malkmus, organizer of Project Santa. The program helps provide Christmas gifts to kids living in Douglas County. There are Angel Trees at many stores throughout the county, people can pick an Angel and buy the gifts listed and then drop them back off where Marilyn makes sure they go to the right family. There were 786 children in the program last year and she said there are 100 more than that this year. She directed me to the book wrapping station. Every child will receive at least 1 reading book but judging by the thousand of books I saw there will be no shortage of books. Marilyn has many helpers that volunteer every year, and the rest are like me. I went for 8 hours one day, but anyone can go, even if for one hour. I saw so many friends there and made some new ones, Hi Katie and Steve! I got my wrapping fix taken care of, that is for sure.

It was a great way to get into the spirit of Christmas. All the gifts wrapped and sitting on the family's number brought tears to my eyes. I remember a friend of mine who was in the program a couple of years ago. Her little boy would not have had anything under the tree, if they had a tree. The generosity of the community overwhelmed her and made her Christmas.

So...even if you don't have money to spend, you can spend your time by volunteering for one of the service organizations. It is a great way to give back to the community you live in.

Merry Christmas

I May Not Have Much Money, Handmade From The Heart

Every year the Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) gets together and makes up gift bags for the teachers at Douglas High School. This year with both my husband and I being unemployed I was not able to pick up the usual gift items. Still wanting to do my part I looked around the soap room and found some 2 oz. bottles I don't use any more. So...I spent the day making 150 bottles of lotions for the teachers. I know many of them and I thank the Lord my dear daughter has such dedicated and knowledgeable people to teach her. It was an honor to be able to bring a little of my handmade items to them.

First I sterilized the bottles and caps.


Second, I whipped up some lotion and scented it with a spicy cranberry scent, perfect for men or women.


Third, I poured into the clean bottles, labeled and packed them up.


Thank you Teachers of Douglas High School.

You Are Never Too Old To Learn

I have been a bit remiss in my postings. I let life get in the way. Here is a bit of what was happening in the Carson Valley. My orange painted toe nails did the trick. The Douglas High School Volleyball Team did not lose a league match this season. Yes, they won every match.

Including the Nevada 4A State Championship.



Our girls went out with a bang beating 2 teams from Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman and Green Valley High Schools to win the title of Best Volleyball Team of the State of Nevada 2010.



It was very exciting and the result of many long hard hours of practice and conditioning. After all was said and done the league coaches pick "All League Teams". 7 of our girls made 1st team, 2nd team or honorable mention in their league. 1 girl made Player of the Year in our league.

What does that make the coach?

A coach much loved and respected. A coach who asks the girls to push it a little farther, work a little harder, but never asks more than she is willing to give. That makes the coach the COACH OF THE YEAR in our league. And she deserves it! Balancing home life, coach life, teaching life, girls, parents......quite a balancing act.

It was an incredible year. I learned a lot from these girls. Their work ethic will serve them well in their future. They made me realize I need to work a lot harder to reach my goals. That is why I am cleaning the computer room.

"Really?" says Tiger.

"What is all this stuff?"

More to follow later.

I Am Putting Soap Into A New Store

I put a soap display into a shop in Gardnerville the other day.


Heartstrings Gallery Gifts
1572 US Highway 395
Minden NV 89423
Phone: 775-781-0861

Long-time artist Lee Lewis opened the shop in October of 2009 in the Copeland Center site that now is home to the Arts Council. She makes and sells her own work: silk scarves and ties, jewelry, wall hangings, mosaics, hand painted glassware, candles and original watercolors and prints.


Her partner is photographer Rich Farrar.


She features several other artists.
Laura Burt shows her glass art and fused, leaded, etched and stained glass.


Kim Johnston shows her ceramics and pottery.


And now there is me.


The store is bright and the colors are brilliant. It makes you happy just walking into the door. And now it smells good, too! Lee has the eye when it comes to decorating. The store flows from one treasure to the next. It draws you in, you know there will be another delight to the eyes right around the corner. I am so happy to be here.


As with all the shops I put my soap in, this one is community friendly too! We all believe in shop local and support your local businesses and friends. This is Lee donating a painting to the DAWG representative for their fundraiser. I love our no-kill pet shelter and try to support them any way I can.


Lee will have the shop open for Carson Valley Days, so stop in and say hello!

Heartstrings Gallery Gifts
1572 US Highway 395
Minden NV 89423
Phone: 775-781-0861