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Flip Flops & Pop Tarts: Soaps, Soaps and More Soaps Staying Busy

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A Beautiful Day at the Smithfield Farmers Market

Hello lovelies!! I know (head hung low) I have been mia again....but short term not too long. I tell you sooo much to do and no time it seems, I know most DIYers know the whole scenario. So many ideas running thru your head and so little time. Well on Saturday April 18, 2015 it was another wonderful day at the Smithfield Farmers Market in Smithfield Virginia. It had been a very busy week the week leading up to the market day. The boys had their school science night on Tuesday the 14th, which of course meant science projects......finishing them up and getting them to school. I will share the science projects later. Oh yeah back to the farmers market, I made my pecan pies like always, and the maple cinnamon buns.  We had our wonderful Leaf Love Soaps, our It's All About #9 Farms eggs from our beautiful very much loved hens. We have even had many customers who have come back to us and told us "we have been looking all over the market for you guys" which makes us happy!! We only go every other week so we don't have a permanent site, we move around to accommodate the other vendors who also are not there every week. It all works out very well. We also had some of my handmade jewelry too. I am still working on a complete set up, since I rotate back and forth with art and craft shows and the farmers markets. 

One of the yummy pecan pies. I had sold several before the market.

I even used my pie slicer to make some of my customers wishes come true. They had asked for smaller pies and/or slices. Well you got your wish!

Here are the maple cinnamon buns which are absolutely out of this world amazing!! More pics of the pecan pies too.

Here is the whole set up. The art bags hanging up which the customers really enjoyed them, I got lots of great compliments on them.

I had some of my mixed media art jewelry too. The cuffs have been published in Cloth Paper Scissors Art Magazine. On my side bar you can see the actual cover of the magazine it was in.

Here are our wonderful Leaf Love Soaps. I had repeat customers and many who came back and told me how much they loved the soap......HAPPY MOMENT!!!

More pics of the our amazing Leaf Love Soaps.

We also have our african black soap which is totally exfoliating and has tremendous powers for the skin.

We also had our farm sign to represent all we have at the market, from the eggs, to baked goods, to soaps, home canned goods, and many fruits and vegetables. I have been working everyday in our huge gardens to make sure I am able to bring amazing goodness to the market as well as feed my own family. 

I also had all the adorable art bags to give as gifts for the soaps. I hand paint each and everyone of the 100% canvas bags using high grade art paints like Golden Paints, Liquitex Paints, and many more.

Another art bag I love the crab.....happy!

This has been one of my favorites so far. Love this art bag... Again HAPPY!

Fairy Lights who sells beautiful designs and who is a beautiful soul. I enjoyed talking to her and of course have my eye on a pair of earrings. You can find a list of the vendors HERE.

Doves Under the Son. Stunning works of hand crafted wood and walking sticks! You can find a list of some of the vendors HERE

Oh do we love springtime when planting is so precious and how all the farmers are here with the most gorgeous plants and trees. DK Arbor Nursery.

Look under the table! How PRESH!!!! (Kisses) DK Arbor Nursery

Sweets Enshante has yummy treats for your sweet tooth. She had her adorable little helpers too.

Windsor Castle Park

Handcrafted with Wood who I absolutely love and YES I did get the rolling pin I wanted!!! Score! ***note now all my art buddies we will even more rolling pins*** (for our pizza parties) CAN I HEAR A YAY! You can find a list of vendors HERE

Yep it's the third one from the left!! #love oh my they are stunning and not to mention the sweetest man you will ever meet and he is very knowledgable with chickens so of course we talked and talked!! My next purchase is going to be one of those beautiful wooded spoons! #happycook

See............ amazing #happycook ( this is my next purchase from HandCrafted with Wood)

See what I mean just GORGEOUS!

Fashionably Graphic who has works of art jewelry! Stunning dichroic glass, polymer clay pendants!  #swoon they even gave me a calendar. Thank you!!! The refrigerator magnet is perfect! ;o)

 See here is the info, stunning work! Fashionably Graphic

Another new so very sweet artist Marsh Landing she had home grown mushrooms.... Amazing! She sold out fast!! #soldout what every artist wants! WTG!!! (Extreme happy clapping here) See list of vendors HERE

The sweet yummy jams from Fresh Batch Jams. I bought the Aloha jam and oh my sweet yumminess at its BEST! #yum I loved her sample set up too, see below.

See the Aloha Jam oh my it is amazing! Fresh Batch Jams

Rainbow Gardens has lovely green goodness of plants! #iloveplants You can find a list of vendors HERE

I love my customers!!! Thank you for all your support we are so very THANKFUL!

Here I hung up the curtains for my girls who like privacy while laying their eggs.

They are very happy with nesting boxes. Here are some of my Rhode Island Reds. Each one has a unique personality.

Meet Petunia I'm really thinking she is saying Are you Serious? What do you think?

Baby Daisy says hello (technically she is saying pick me up mommy) 

They all love to use the same nesting box #communitynestingbox

Of course here are a few of my already 97 tomato plants. With these cooler night I added fresh compost around the bottoms to add heat, nitrogen, and protection. We dropped down to 37 degrees and 39 degrees. Tomatoes don't like their leaves wet nor do they like temperatures below 50 degrees.

As far as the eye can see plants. I have straight neck squash planted too, many seeds started carrots, peas ( which already have blooms on them), Swiss chard, gourds, radishes, onions, oh my so many! I love love love gardening.

Picture taken by Cheryl at the Smithfield Farmers Market. Thank you Cheryl!

Hope to see you at the market! 

Bye until next time! 

Eat healthy and be happy....

Cyber Hugs, 

Dawn Gallop

Hand Painted Bags for Gift Bags

These little bags I hand paint and then I put a bar of soap, a handmade crocheted 100% cotton washcloth, and a handmade cedar soap block to allow drainage of the soaps. These make great gift bags for any gift giving need. 

I have painted the bags with lessons I have learned from the masters. Classes I have taken over the years. Mindy Lacefield, Donna Downey, Juliette Crane, and well too many to list I think. These are a few of my favs!! Oh my goodness and Danger Jane...like I said too many too list!

 

This is the home sweet home bag.

 

The dolphin bag is a favorite always. Each bag is always different but I try to keep the designs similar. The colors are always different I use the best paints too. Well that is what I have.

Owls are ever so popular.

 

There are several bunnies all sizes and shapes. I love bunnies.

 

This is one of my favorite. Be yourself.

 

This is what they look like when they go to the retail stores for sale. This one is also a Thermofax of  one of my own drawings. I actually bought my Thermofax Here

 

 

This one is actually at the Museum of the Albemarle gift shop.

 

This one was at the Chowan Art Council but it sold right away.

 

 

This one I made using my Thermofax machine

 

All of them are different. I try to coordinate the crocheted washcloths.

This was my first one I painted and it was the first to sell too.

 This one is different too, using the Thermofax again.

Of course anything camera related is my favorite. Yes #pictureperfect

 

Oh snap! Another camera bag. Love!

 

Another Thermofax one of one of my own drawings.

I have made a lot of these and many more to go. 

Hello says Daisy she always follows behind me when going outside. I have been getting around 50-55 eggs per day.

I love this, when I lifted up the door to one of the nesting boxes this is what I found. They all like to lay in one area "a community box" even though I have many many nesting boxes they will still lay in one box and a lot of the times it is a corner box.

Love!!!

I hope you have a great week!
Cyber Hugs,
Dawn Gallop