The Bead Spot

© Kadrof |  Dreamstime Stock Photos  &  Stock Free Images After seeing a Facebook video last week on bar shampoo, I've been thinking about learning to make soap. The video argues that bar shampoo is better for the planet than traditional shampoo because users don't have a bottle to throw away. At first, I thought about buying bar shampoo; organic versions are easy to find on Etsy. But then I thought I could probably save money if I learn to make both bar shampoo and bar soap myself. It won't be as pretty or as creative as the Etsy offerings, but it would be cheaper and I wouldn't have to worry about paying shipping fees. So, when I have time, I've been looking at YouTube videos that show how to make and/or offer recipes for bar soap and shampoo. A few have made me a little afraid to use lye, describing it as caustic and recommending gloves and goggles, but I'm determined not to let that scare me off. Once I get the first batch made and cured, I...

Last weekend, my husband, daughter and I visited a fall festival we had never been to before. We went there not expecting much, but left pleasantly surprised — and $50 or so poorer since we spent money we didn't plan on spending at arts-and-crafts vendor tables. The first thing that caught my eye was a deerskin amulet bag, which I really wanted but it cost more than I could pay (It was worth its price tag, though, just out of my price range). The same vendor also had beaded barrettes, which I've never bothered to make because, in my hair and my daughter's hair at least, barrettes tend to pop out easily. My daughter spotted a pair of pink ones with a feather pattern that she really liked. She likes all things pink. Since they were only $5 for the set, I bought them for her despite my reservations about how well they'd hold. Unlike other barrettes though, these were snug and didn't pop out. They stayed in her hair for the rest of the day. I think it has to do...