Pinterest Archives - Page 6 of 9

Soapy Social Media Roundup

January 10, 2015 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

With the new year in full swing, it’s safe to say I have hit the ground running! The past few days have been spent planning and making goals for 2015 for business, personal and family. If you’re curious, you can read more about my personal goals for the next few months here. After a whirlwind of a week, we’ve got an action-packed weekend planned with multiple play dates and crafts galore. We’ll enjoy lots of time at home with a crafty projects and lots of toy trucks.

Above, Jamisen hauls sweets in his toys. Marshmallows and monster trucks, what more could a kid want? If you have any great ideas for toddler inside games, I would love to hear them! The weather this week is surprisingly clear, but the rain is sure to return. My “Toddler Fun,” Pinterest board is full of ideas, but I’m always on the lookout for more. Speaking of Pinterest, check out my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams from this week below.

Pins:

From left to right, clockwise:

This stunning butterfly swirl soap made by Handmade in Florida is stunning. The butterfly swirl is one I still need to perfect…practice makes perfect!
Dainty and delicate, the Crepe Paper Cherry Blossom Branches created by Lia Griffith are a great way to always have fresh looking flowers in the house.
Made with quinoa, red cabbage, carrots and edamame, this Asian Quinoa Salad looks incredibly fresh and tasty.
Made with Epsom salt, Champagne Fragrance Oil and La Bomb Colorants, this Mimosa Salt Scrub by Otion Soap Bar

Instagram:

Below are just some of the soapy projects the team and I made in 2014. I can’t wait to see what fun projects 2015 brings!
On the left, Lily cuddles up to her daddy. These two have been inseparable lately, and it’s so cute. On the right, this Rose and Primrose rebatch project is a a great way to make cold-process soap without having to handle sodium hydroxide. If you subscribe to our newsletter, you’ve already received the tutorial in your inbox. If not, it will be on the blog later this month!

Twitter:

This year, both UPS and FedEx are changing how they charge customers for lightweight shipments in large boxes. Read more about that here.
You’ve probably heard the rumor that cellphones give you cancer…but is it true?
During your free time, how do you spend it? These graphs looking at an average day of unemployed men and women are surprising and interesting.
Sometimes multi-tasking is completely necessary, but it can also kill productivity. Here are 5 tools to combat multitasking and get your focus back.
Does a watermark actually prevent image theft? Kenna from Modern Soapmaking argues “no.”

To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

January 3, 2015 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy first weekend of 2015! I hope you had a fun and safe New Years Eve. My night was rather quiet; the family played some board games and enjoyed a low key dinner. New Years day was spent visiting a children museum. Jamisen and Lily had a blast, we will definitely be visiting the museum again soon. The 2015 cutie below is my sweet niece, Alise. She is growing so fast!

In soapy news, the team and I have been busy creating some fun recipes with using clays. Keep your eyes on the blog for those projects, and be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to find out about upcoming sales and promotions (hint hint!). If you enjoy sneak peeks, check out the Instagram shots below to see what we have been working on, along with my other favorite pins and tweets from the week!

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

I love how fresh this Roasted Beet, Pear and Quinoa Salad looks. Beets add such a nice pop of color to any dish, as evident in the Goat Cheese Beet Dip I made several months ago.
These Marbled Clay Ring Dishes are stunning! The tutorial looks surprisingly easy as well.
It may be too late to create these Tissue Tassels for a New Year celebration, but they would make adorable birthday party decor.
With black, white and purple swirls, this soap created by Petals Bath Boutique really wows. The addition of glitter on top gives a touch of glam.

Instagram:
I have been working a lot with clays recently (look for these projects soon!). Below is cold process soap created with sea clay, hydrated chrome green and pink sea salt on top. The soft swirl was made using the in-the-pot swirl technique, a great swirling method for the beginning soaper.

So many fun soapy projects this year! Below is the bakers rack in the soap lab filled to the brim with soap and other handmade goodness. Soon we will be clearing off the rack by donating the soap to local charities.

Twitter:

Have you ever wondered why there is no such thing as vanilla essential oil? This article offers a great explanation.
Sometimes it feels there is simply not enough time in the day. By using these tips, you may find you have more time than you thought.
Let’s make 2015 the year of happiness! This article gives a list of things proven to make us happier, including strong relationships and giving.
Full of protein, antioxidants and vitamins, a new plant-based burger will be hitting select Whole Foods in January. Can’t wait to try these!
Looking for a few good reads? Here are 10 reasons why you should pick up a classic.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

December 20, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

This week has been equal parts amazing, hectic and inspirational. On Tuesday night, Umpqua Bank hosted a magical launch party for Handmade Beauty Box. It was an incredible night filled with food, drinks, a DIY salt scrub bar and lots of love and support. I’m so proud of the Handmade Beauty Box team, and everything they have accomplished. A big thanks to everybody who has supported this new venture…I hope you are all having a blast making the first Handmade Beauty Box project!

Despite the gloomy and grey weather, this week has been full of colorful soapy projects. Check out the fun projects we have been making via my favorite Instagrams below, along with lots of colorful pins! Also, look out for a spicy and warm soup recipe tomorrow =)

Pins:

From left to right, clockwise:

I love the idea of using leftover materials to make something beautiful. These colorful presents are made using recycled materials, and they look fantastic!
Full of vibrant color, this Layered Modified Mantra Rainbow Soap made by Kenna of Modern Soapmaking is the perfect soap for winter blues.
The holidays present a lot of opportunities to indulge in sugar and butter. This Arugula Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Goat Cheese looks like the perfect, reduced-guilt holiday salad.
Speaking of leafy greens, this Kale Pendant is made with real kale! Wouldn’t mind if this necklace was under the tree this year =)

Instagram:

Top row, left to right: Rosey rebatch soap scented with Ylang Ylang Essential Oil…smells amazing! This sunshine soap makes me happy every time I look at it; it’s made with embeds created from the 6 Half Cylinder Silicone Mold.
Bottom row, left to right: Earth and water was my inspiration for this blue and green soap made with the Vertical Wood Mold. Pantone’s color of the year, Marsala, was the inspiration for this wine colored lip tint.

Twitter:

Some days, getting out of bed is so hard! Here are some tips to drag yourself out of that warm, cozy bed. One tip is grabbing your laptop and start working before leaving bed…sounds good to me =)
Do you follow the Paleo Diet? Personally I love the way it makes me feel, but this article makes some great points about why it may not be the best choice.
Ever wonder how active your pets are during the day while your at work? This man strapped a FitBit on his cat to find out, the results are so interesting!
If you are a listener to the Serial Podcast (and if you’re not, start listening!) these photos of the real-life “characters” bring the story to life.
Do you love eggs? I probably eat at least one a day! Find out the recommended daily egg intake here.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

December 13, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Anybody else feeling like there is so much to do, and so little time? The holidays have a way of magically speeding up time! This week has been full of holiday preparation, from decorating the house to wrapping gifts. On Wednesday, the team partnered with the Salvation Army to Christmas shop for more than ten families. We all had a blast, and it was great to get in the holiday spirit. Look out for a blog post next week documenting all the fun.

The kiddos are in full holiday mode, constantly asking when Santa is going to get here. “Soon, the elves are not done making the toys!” In the meantime, they have had fun helping me wrap gifts for others. Speaking of gift wrapping, check out the creative wrapping idea via my favorite pins below!

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

These Cheesecake Cookies may be too adorable to eat! Made with cream cheese and strawberry jam, the top is accented with holly drawn with food coloring.
Super easy to make, these Toilet Paper Roll Gift Boxes would be perfect for a wide variety of bath and beauty projects including lip balm, bath fizzies and soap.
Peppermint scented products are a great gift option, because just about everybody loves the fresh scent. These Peppermint Avocado Melt and Pour Soaps would make fantastic stocking stuffers.
“Throw kindness around like confetti.” Love this quote! We could all use a little more kindness in our lives =)

Instagram:

Once Christmas is over, it will be time to create soap for Valentine’s Day! This Queen of Hearts Cold Process soap is full love with sparkle, hearts, and cold process frosting.

Left to right: I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again, crafting is better with friends! I had a blast making melt and pour with fellow Bellingham business women. On the right, I’m in love with the adorable Stenciled Wedding Soap Favors that Jen from Something Turquoise created.

Twitter:

Facebook’s News Feed is incredibly complicated…there are so many factors that play a role in who sees your posts. Here are a list of some of those factors to help create feed updates wisely.
Women make up roughly 15% of technical roles in the tech industry, and that number is dropping.
Speaking of tech, the best time to learn code is now! There are variety of classes and opportunities to do so, click here to see options.
So excited to see that Handmade Beauty Box made Everyday’s Health list of 14 Perfect Gifts for the Beauty Obsessed!
Putting yourself on social media can be intimidating. Here are some tips to “insult-proof” your ego.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup and Winners!

December 7, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

This week I spent a few days in the beautiful (and cold!) New York City. It was wonderful to see the big city all dressed up for the holidays. All you New Yorkers are lucky to live in such a bustling, magical place. While most of my time was spent working (pinch me, I got to meet the Martha Stewart team!) I did squeeze in some fun with an amazing Broadway show.

Now that I’m back home, it’s time to focus on family and the upcoming holiday! Luckily I started my Christmas preparation early this year, so most of my gifts just need to be wrapped and shipped. If you’re needing a little holiday gift inspiration, there is still time to make homemade gifts! The 12 Days of Christmas series is full of last minute projects =)

Speaking of holidays, thanks to everybody who shared what they were thankful for in the Thankful, Grateful and Joys post. It was wonderful to read all the thoughtful responses. It was hard to choose just two winners, but the comments from Ray and Valerie really stood out to me. Ray and Valerie, look out for an email on Monday to claim your Handmade Beauty Box! Looking for even more holiday fun? Check out my favorite tweets, pins, and ‘grams this week!

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

This Cranberry Punch looks so festive and delicious! It would make a wonderful beverage on Christmas Eve.
Full of red and white curls, this melt and pour soap made by Artisan Suds would be a great gift. Who doesn’t love receiving handmade soap? Made with Peppermint Essential Oil and Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil, I bet it smells amazing.
That cranberry punch would look beautiful on top of this glamorous DIY Gold Zig Zag Tray! I love that this tray looks holiday inspired, but is also appropriate all year long.
These Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies will be perfect for the upcoming office cookie party =)

Instagram:

Left to right: The kiddos had a blast decorating the tree. They were so excited to hang up the Christmas ornaments they created. Speaking of ornaments, the Scented Beeswax Ornaments seen in the photo on the left is making our tree smell even more wonderful than usual!

The cold weather makes bath time more relaxing and invigorating. I have been using the Minty Layered Bath Salts to add a fresh scent and skin-loving epsom salt.

Tweets:

Is it possible to reduce your stress in 2 minutes a day? Try these tips and find out!
Some emails are difficult to write, such as writing a thank you note, or turning down a project. Here are 27 pre-written templates for these tough emails.
How much of a blog post do people actually see? If you’re reading now, you’re in the 25th percentile!
A monkey wearing a coat and diaper was found wandering an Ikea parking lot, looking for his “mom.” Luckily the little guy is doing alright, but the legal battle that followed took a toll on the sanctuary that took him in.
The human brain is an incredibly complex organ…did you know gaining weight may cause the brain to shrink?

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

November 22, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

This weekend, I’m enjoying the California sun during a UPS event for west coast clients. It’s been wonderful to escape the Pacific Northwest rain! When Monday comes around, Thanksgiving prep will be in full swing. Jamisen’s interest in helping in the kitchen is growing, which is both fun and messy (see photo below). This Thanksgiving dinner, I’m definitely planning on utilizing my new kitchen assistant.
Keep your eyes on the blog tomorrow for a delicious Thanksgiving-inspired breakfast option, perfect for the morning of or day after. It’s full of pumpkin, pecans, and oatmeal. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite Christmas-y pins, colorful Instagrams and interesting tweets.

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

These DIY Cornstarch Clay Gift Tags are adorable! This would be a great project to make with the kids. If you’re looking for more natural ornament ideas, the Beeswax Ornaments add a festive scent to your home.
This Holly Jolly Reindeer Print Wrapping Papper is made using craft paint, pom poms and craft paper. I love the simplicity of this look.
Created by Sunlit Soap, this Holiday Candy Cane Soap is perfectly festive and sophisticated. The stamp in the center works wonderfully with the layered design.
You can never have too much glitter, and this is especially true during the holidays! These DIY glitter acorns would make a fun centerpiece or ornament.

Instagram:
The soap below was swirled with the handle of a silicone spatula, producing large swirls. These bars were cute horizontally, and I love how every bar looks incredibly different. What fun and unique swirling tools have you used?

While Christmas is right around the corner, I always have my mind on the next holiday. Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it, and with this heart-filled soap…I’m ready!

Twitter:

Social media content should be driven by your community. Make sure the content ads value to that community! Here are some tips to improve your social media insight, and how to create better content for your audience.
Ever eaten lunch at work, and suddenly felt more tired? Turns out, what you eat for lunch can effect your productivity.
Are 3D printers the next must-have crafting tool? Probably not, but Martha Stewart and Makerbot have teamed up to make the device more mainstream. The results are pretty amazing!
A newscaster in Australia wore the same suit for a year to make a point about sexism. Seeing how much attention we give to female public figures and what they wear, this is incredibly interesting!
Making a bad decision for your business is a fear of every business owner. This video of the “10 Worst Business Decisions of All Time” is sure to put things in perspective.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

November 8, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I hope you all had a wonderful first week of November, and a fun and safe Halloween! With autumn in full swing, the Soap Lab has been cranking out new fall and winter projects. If you’re looking for soapy autumn ideas, the new Gourmet Autumn Cold Process Soap Class teaches you how to make five beautiful cold process soaps. Taught by Erica Pence of Bath Alchemy Lab, this class is perfect for those wanting to expand their soap making abilities.

Before we know it, the holiday season will be upon on us. Are you feeling prepared? Starting next Monday, keep your eyes on the blog for twelve (!!!) consecutive days of easy DIY gift ideas. These projects are perfect for last minute gifts, or a small gift for yourself =) In the meantime, here are my top pins, tweets and instagrams from the past week.

Pins:

This Salted Caramel Pudding looks absolutely sinful! I love the colors as well…this may inspire a soap project!
How beautiful is this Silver and Peach Double Druzy Ring? The neutral colors would go with a wide variety of looks.
I love the detail of this Rose Soap. If you’d like to try making cold process roses, the Rose Garden Cold Process Soap tutorial shows you how.
This soft peach and green color palette is gorgeous. I think these color would make great bath salts or fizzies.

Instagram:

I have experimented with the negative embed technique lately, as demonstrated in the Misty Maritime Moon Cold Process tutorial. This technique inspired the soap below, made with rainbow colors and Blackberry Sage Fragrance Oil.

What’s better than soap making and a little inspirational music? For this project, I wanted to experiment with using a large swirling tool. The handle of a silicone spatula certainly did the trick!

Tweets:

America’s favorite drinks may surprise you. Water takes the top spot, followed by milk and coffee. I have a feeling in the Pacific Northwest, coffee might rank higher!
This compilation of beautiful images from Design Sponge is certain to put a smile on your face.
Quitting a corporate job to build a startup is not easy. In this story, a man shares his painful startup experience and offers 5 tips on making the transition.
Only have about five ingredients in your kitchen? Supercook allows you to search recipes by the ingredients you have at home.
Platinum selling albums may be a thing of the past. Is Taylor Swifts new album, “1989,” the last platinum album ever?

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

October 25, 2014 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

With Halloween quickly approaching, I have been busy gathering costumes, pumpkins and decor. Jamisen has decided to dress up as Clifford the Big Red Dog, and has been perfecting his dog noises. The weather has been incredibly unpredictable lately with pouring rain one day, and warm sunshine the next. During a trip to the pumpkin patch, it was hot enough that the kiddos decided to cool down by removing their shirts! Definitely not our average October, but we will take it.

Here on the blog, the week was all about vibrant color and spicy scents with the Color, Spice and Everything Nice promotion. The brightly-hued inspiration clearly spilled over into other social media outlets. Check out my favorite vibrant pins below, along with my top tweets and instagrams from the week.

Pins:
Left to right, clockwise:

This felt coaster tutorial by Inspired by Charm is a great way to add a splash of color to the kitchen or living room. They look super easy to make too!
Created with plenty of food coloring and topped with cotton candy, these Cotton Candy Cupcakes would be a huge hit at a kids party.
These hot pink, white and gold pumpkins by Lauren Conrad are both chic and adorable. I especially love the gold stems.
I love the creativity and unique texture in these melt and pour soaps created by Limbic Sensations. The layers of color looks fantastic!

Instagram:

Last week we filmed the last Soap Crafting Live session for the year, wow time flies! If you missed out on the past classes don’t fret, Soap Crafting Club will be back in 2015. Click here to get the details.

This week the Color, Spice and Everything Nice sale kicked off, including lots of fun projects that are full of color and warmth. Below is the Technicolor Zebra Swirl shown in the newsletter, and the Radiant Neon Nail Polish featured on the Soap Queen Tumblr.

Last weekend was a blast, I had a few friends over to make nail polish and a luxurious scrub. Blog post coming soon with tips on how to throw a DIY party!

Twitter:

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, brains can be “trained” to love healthy foods. Totally makes sense…the more junk food you eat, the more you want it!
Fostering the skills to become an entrepreneur gives children valuable tools in life, no matter what they decide to become. This article gives fantastic tips on how to do this, including taking your children to work with you, recognizing your children’s strengths and teaching financial literacy.
Do you check your email constantly? Here are some tips to cut back.
When writing social media updates, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. This list of 71 Ways to Write a Social Media Update has some great ideas!
If you need your daily dose of adorable, this video of bears playing golf in Canada will fit the bill.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

October 11, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

This weekend, the family and I are celebrating fall. Today we had an amazing play date and tomorrow, our plan is to go to the apple and pumpkin orchard and farm to pick apples and find our perfect pumpkin (the gourds from the garden are great but the kids want a traditional jack-o-lantern too). If you have any wonderful apples recipes, I would love to hear them! I’m thinking some homemade spinach applesauce may be in order. If you are looking for a fun fall project, keep your eyes on the blog tomorrow. It involves pumpkins, lots of glitter and mica painting. Are you working on any fall inspired projects this weekend? If so, I would love to see them on the Facebook page. You can also share your projects on Instagram, just hashtag #brambleberry so I don’t miss them =)

Here are some of my favorite tweets, pins, and ‘grams from the week!

Pinterest:

Far left, clockwise:

This Black Crepe Paper Wreath by Lia Griffith is a great combination of spooky and sophisticated.
Made with avocado and argan oil, this Luxury Argan & Creamy Avocado Soap looks incredibly skin loving. I love the bright green colors!
A fun twist on the traditional candy apple, this recipe for Purple Candied Apples uses violet icing color to give the apples a Halloween vibe.
How delicious does this No-Bake Minit Chocolaye Chip Pie look? Yum! The recipe looks easy as well and with two little ones? Easy is essential for my cooking =)

Instagram: I have been experimenting with lots of bright colors this week. Maybe it’s the heavy dose of gray fog that Bellingham has been experiencing, but I can’t get enough! On the left, Lily has been showing us her independence more and more. She has also been talking up a storm! On the right, more bright colors are being used in the 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold. The fun red hue was created with Fired Up Fuchsia and Merlot Mica. If you’re looking for a new scrub recipe, the Emulsified Sugar Scrub on Soap Queen TV leaves skin feeling smooth and not greasy. I may need to whip up a few batches this weekend =) Twitter:

Breaking down large goals into daily habits make goals achievable. Here are five tips for daily habits in successful content marketing, it’s all about the small daily updates!
Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company in 2011, and today the company is worth nearly $1 billion! Talk about success. In this interview, Alba chats about running a company while having celebrity status.
This list of 44 apps to turn your smartphone into a productivity powerhouse is amazing! Do you use any on the list? I love Eternity.
Constantly being creative can be difficult. What’s the recipe for outstanding creative productivity? Free time, creation, stimuli and restraints.
I need to start implementing these 10 things to start every week, especially #9! Which tip are you going to start?

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Like and Win Contest Winners!

September 30, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Thanks to everybody who entered the Like and Win Contest! It’s been fun to interact with new followers via Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr, as well as connecting with existing followers. Yesterday the contest came to an end, and we are excited to announce all six winners! Scroll down to see if you won a Bramble Berry Gift Certificate…

[Read more…]

Soapy Social Media Roundup

September 27, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy first official week of fall! The Pacific Northwest certainly received the fall-memo, as the weather changed suddenly from sun to pouring rain this week. On the bright side, the garden is receiving plenty of water and the kiddos are utilizing their inside toys. Gotta stay positive!

With the grey weather comes more crafting and inside activities. Today, I’m whipping up some pumpkin puree (blog post about that tomorrow) and gathering inspiration via Pinterest for upcoming Halloween/fall projects. If you haven’t already, there is still time to enter to win one of SIX Bramble Berry gift certificates, simply for following Soap Queen on social media outlets. Click here to enter the contest! Speaking of social media, here are my top pins, tweets and instagrams from the past week.

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

It’s almost time to decorate pumpkins! While the traditional carved pumpkin is cute, this glittered pumpkin really brings the glam.
Can you believe that the colors in this soap made by Zahida from Handmade in Florida are all natural? If you admire Zahida’s work as much as I do, read more about her in this interview.
These Flourless Apple Pie Pancakes from Jessica in the Kitchen look incredibly moist and tasty. Perfect for a weekend brunch!
I love using recyclables for DIY projects; it’s so fun to turn trash into treasure. These candy corn Ombre Wine Bottles look easy and super festive.

Instagram:

This week, I have been practicing my squeeze bottle skills. It can be tricky to find the right squeezing consistency, and to keep a steady hand! Practice makes perfect.

I’m thrilled with how this dandelion soap turned out! This soap has real dandelions on top, and the swirl in the center is called the Dandelion Zebra Swirl, first featured by soaper Vinvela Ebony. If you want to try the Dandelion Zebra Swirl, check out this tutorial.

Top Tweets from Twitter:

Love almonds as much as I do? Good news, almonds may reduce heart attack risk and protect artery walls from damage. These 9 Health Benefits of Almonds will have you reaching for these tasty nuts more often!
Working from home is a luxury. If you are able to do so, make sure you are being effective with these tips.
Skincare routines are becoming increasingly complex, but does it actually lead to better skin? Probably!
Staying on top of email can feel totally overwhelming. These tips are great for keeping your inbox organized.
Taylor Swift’s shift into pop music is a great example of why cohesive branding is so important!

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Like and Win!

September 22, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Sharing tutorials, soapy inspiration and bits of my life on this blog motivates and inspires me immensely. I love being able to swap ideas and interact with fellow soapers! Did you know you can find more Soap Queen tutorials, inspiration and behind the scenes sneak peeks via other social media outlets? Check out all the unique, fun soapy activity happening on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Google + and Facebook.

To show our awesome social media followers extra appreciation, enter now for a chance to win one of SIX Bramble Berry gift certificates! Simply like or follow Soap Queen or Bramble Berry on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Tumblr (or all four!) to be entered.

For each social media outlet, one follower will be selected at random to win a $15 Bramble Berry gift certificate. One winner will be selected at random from all the social media outlets to win the GRAND PRIZE $50 Bramble Berry gift certificate. Liking and following on all outlets greatly increase your chances of winning both a $15, or the GRAND prize $50 gift certificate! This contest is open to international readers and followers as well. One person may not win two gift certificates.

HOW TO ENTER:

Sign into the Rafflecopter widget below using your email. This makes it easy to contact you if you win!
Via the widget below, follow Bramble Berry and Soap Queen on various social media outlets. Simply select which outlet you’d like to follow, click on the “+1” button on the right, and follow the instructions. Note: Be sure to sign in to Rafflecopter using your email, or leave a comment on the blog while logged in using your email. This way if you win, we can contact you!
You can also win by just reading the blog! Select “Leave a Blog Post Comment” via the widget to be entered, and leave a comment telling us about your latest DIY project.
Tweet about the giveaway to receive an extra entry for the $50 grand prize. Select “Tweet About the Giveaway,” and follow the instructions.
To increase your chance of winning, you may enter with all six options.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest ends on Monday, September 29th at noon, PDT. Six winners will be chosen at random, and contacted via email. One person may not win two gift certificates. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected at random.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

August 30, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I hope you are all having a great Labor Day weekend! Mine has been filled with sunshine and gardening. With summer ending, I’m trying my best to harvest summer crops and get ready for fall. Luckily, the warm weather lasts into September here in the Pacific Northwest, so there is still time to enjoy the sun before the fall chill sets in. I do need to pull most of my kale because it got powdery mildew (yes, I dried water + milk 1:9 ratio and some other things I’ve read online to try), so I’ll be replanting kale this weekend too. Speaking of fall, be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to be in the know about upcoming promotions and exclusive projects. We have some really fun and festive holiday and fall ideas, and can’t wait to share them with you. In the meantime, here are my favorite pins, tweets and instagrams from the past few weeks! Pins: Left to right, clockwise:

This Rose Necklace and Ring Tutorial by The Idea Room is adorable. I would love to use a deep purple color and wear the necklace during fall.
Doesn’t this Tomato and Blueberry Salad look delicious? I have never tried blueberries in a salad before, I love the color they add.
With vibrant colors and an amazing swirl, this Dusk to Dawn Soap by Petals Bath Boutique is a showstopper. If you’d like to try a Faux Funnel Pour, check out this Soap Queen Tv video!
As summer ends, it’s time to start planning my fall garden. Here are 10 Vegetables to Grow in Fall, I might try to grow some garlic.

Instagram: With fall on it’s way and Pumpkin Spice Lattes officially hitting stores on September 2nd, we have been busy creating pumpkin inspired projects =) Be on the look out for them next week! Creating a textured soap top is easy; simply use a spoon to make peaks! Covering it with Sparkle Gold Mica doesn’t hurt either =) Tweets:

When trying to lose weight, it can be tempting to hop on the scale several times a day. Here are 5 reasons why you should use your scale sparingly.
It would seem that all scientific studies offer life changing breakthroughs, but many are simply bad science. When reading a scientific study, here are things to look for to help evaluate the claims of the study.
According to the Wall Street Journal, yoga participation only grew 4.5% in 2013, while the sales for yoga apparel increased by 45%! Seems comfortable and stylish is a winning combination.
What does social media’s ability to make us all “microcelebrities” mean for our lives? Creating and sharing content online continues to shape how we build relationships.
If you suffer from anxiety, here are 6 Tips for Fighting Anxiety (with one being especially important!)

Have a great rest of your holiday weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

August 16, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

It’s been a wonderful week, full of excitement! My new niece Alise arrived on Sunday, and she is absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait for Alise to grow up alongside Lily and Jamisen (cousins are like built in best friends!). This weekend the family is going to be spending lots of time with the new addition =)

My brother Erik with his daughter, Alise

It’s hard to believe that summer is already wrapping up. I’ve started thinking about fall soapy projects and fall gardening, do you have fall on the brain? I’m loving all the fall inspired soap popping up on the Facebook page! Speaking of social media, here are some of my favorite tweets, pins and instagrams from the week. Pins: Left, clockwise:

This Caramelized Corn and Heirloom Tomato Galette w/ Herbed Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese (phew!) is stunning. My garden is bursting with tomatoes right now, and this recipe looks like a great way to use them.
Katie from Royalty Soaps is such a talented young lady, just take a look at her gorgeous Apple Cinnamon Twist Soap! If you want to learn more about Katie and her soapy business, read our interview with her here.
This DIY Apple Jar Tutorial is ridiculously cute. I’m always amazed at all the creative tutorials involving mason jars!
These 7 Tips for Fun Family Biking Adventures with Kids are great for summer bike riding trips. I can’t wait until the entire family can ride bikes together.

Instagram: It’s always fun to experiment with new design ideas, and attempting to use tools in new ways. For this soap, I used the Vertical Wood Mold to create a double in the pot swirl! This month I’m taking part in Great Cakes Soapworks Soap Challenge Club. It’s a fun way to push yourself to try new soaping techniques. This month is “Negative Embedding,” I’m excited to see all the creative designs! Tweets:

One of YouTube’s most popular channels is run by an anonymous user by the name of “DisneyCollectorBR,” and could be pulling in as much as $13 million! Totally fascinating.
Earlier in the week, Bellingham was enjoyed weather in the mid-eighties, but unfortunately the rain has returned. Can’t complain though, New York experienced a whole summers worth of rain in just hours.
Should you be working from home today? Maybe! Working remotely can increase productivity and happiness.
Writing and producing quality content everyday can be tough. These tips can help you prevent the dreaded writer’s block.
Have you seen Twitter’s new analytics? They are totally addicting, but it’s important to aim for real, quality interaction.

Have a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.