Member Artisan Profile: 2 Virgos Designs

There’s a saying that when one door closes, another door opens, and Jackie, owner/creator of 2 Virgo Designs, embodies that. Looking for a creative outlet after discovering that damaged nerves prevented her from drawing like she used to, Jackie discovered soap making and fell passionately in love with it.

She’s been creating handmade soaps for two years. When asked what appeals to her about soap making, Jackie explains, “It is math, science, art, creativity, marketing, solitary and social all at once!”

Chocolate & Vanilla Soap

She draws much of inspiration from nature and life. Her favorite items are her hand milled soaps, offered in her Etsy shop. Her shop announcement states that, “2 Virgos Designs indulges my love for creativity, healthy living, and how wonderful lovely scented bath and beauty products and fragrances make us feel.”

Her biggest challenge as an artisan is hand painting her soaps, using a dry brush to paint accents. An example is pictured below in the adorable shar pei soap, part of her Primo’s Pawtourage dog themed soap line.

Shar Pei Handpainted Soap

A skill she’d like to learn is cold process soap making. Jackie says, “I value integrity and kindness above all!” This credo undoubtedly accounts for much of her success in art and business.

When asked to give one piece of advice to other sellers, Jackie offers this: “Do your research, make the best product you can, strive to excel at it!”

Oatmeal, Honey & Goat Milk Soap

Having relocated to Louisiana in 1992, Jackie calls the Bayou State home and her mother also lives here.

You can find Jackie’s scrumptious soaps here:
http://2VirgosDesigns.etsy.com
http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/tygerhart
http://2virgosdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/2VirgosDesigns
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=33532

October Giveaway!!

Okay, we know it's late! It's my fault...I was out of town the first week of the month!

Handmade Louisiana wants to let YOU have a little piece of US! Each month (for as long as possible!) one of our members will have a nifty giveaway for you to win!! Winning will not require too much...blood samples optional...and you'll get a piece of the great things our team can do!

This month, you can win a nifty soap from my very own shop!
You can win one of these three soaps!
Gingerbread cookie Fall Leaf Soap

Or a Green Fall Leaf Soap scented in "Home for the Holidays"

OR, a Gold Leaf Soap scented in Cappucunio Hazelnut

All my soaps are made from a base free of SLS, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS is a common chemical in bath and body products to make them lather more, but it is also a garage floor cleaner! So soaps free of SLS are better for the skin AND the environment! I also use fragrance oils free of phthalates.







How do you win? I thought you'd never ask!

1. Visit one of my shops listed here. Come back and leave a comment on which item is your fave!
www.mamaslittlemonkeys.com
www.fleurdeink.artfire.com
www.ameliaamos.etsy.com
www.mamaslittlemonkeys.etsy.com
www.destashcity.artfire.com

2. Visit one of these shops belonging to my fellow members. Come back and leave a comment on which of their items is your fave!
CTStudios
Hurricane Pottery
DebiDeauxDesigns

You must leave a link to the items and you must complete steps 1 AND 2 to be entered. You MUST leave a URL, email, or contact IN your comment for us to contact you when you win!

You have until November 1st to get your comments in!

Extra entries:
1. Send an email to merry@handmadelouisiana.com with your email address for our future mailing list.
2. Tweet, Facebook, or promote this contest. You MUST provide a URL where you promoted this so we can verify.
3. Join our Facebook Group. Please make sure your Facebook account is set so we can contact you, and include info about yourself (friend, buyer, seller, artist, etc) in your application.


If you would like to join Handmade Louisiana please email Merry at merry@handmadelouisiana.com and she'll send you what you need to know! There is never any cost to join HML!

Good luck!

Member Artisan Profile: Gabrielle Acres

I'm pleased to introduce you to Gabrielle, who works with organically grown herbs to create bath and body products that are both healthy and pure. Gabrielle has been working with herbs for about fifteen years.

She and her husband own a small herb nursery called Gabrielle Acres Farm in New Iberia. About seven years ago she began making soy candles, but longed to make soap. After a life changing accident at her local farmers' market five years ago, Gabrielle realized how important it is to try to accomplish and fulfill one's dreams.

Gabrielle loves soapmaking and the history of herbs. She finds it peaceful to spend time growing and collecting herbs to use them in her creations. For inspiration, she loves to read books and visit websites to learn more about her craft.

When asked if she has one favorite item that she makes, Gabrielle replied, "I love all of my soaps, but one favorite is my Organic Rose Garden Soap and a new one that I am really excited about is my Spiced Organic Apple Soap." Another new item is soap made with organically grown cucumbers and organic yogurt.

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With four children and eleven grandchildren, Gabrielle's home is very busy with family and friends. In addition to her bath and body business, she teaches piano privately in her home. She admits that one of her greatest challenges is trying to schedule quiet time to allow the creative juices to flow.

One skill Gabrielle would like to learn is is how to better photograph her creations. When asked to provide one piece of advice for other sellers, Gabrielle offers this: "Enjoy what you do, spend time in study and research, and give it time.

Gabrielle's connections to Louisiana run deep. She explains, "We [she and her husband] were both born in New Iberia, LA. During our early marriage, we lived in California and Illinois while my husband was in the Air Force. At these times, I realized what a wonderful state we have. We lived in the Mojave Desert in California and I missed the rain so much!!"

In addition to growing herbs, during the summer, Gabrielle grows tomatoes, which her husband brings them to the local farmers' market in New Iberia. Gabrielle and her husband have a pecan orchard and love the fall months when the family, incuding two daughters, goes out to pick pecans. They crack and sell pecan halves during the fall and early winter months. There are also bees on the pecan property and Gabrielle's husband brings native honey to the market.

Gabrielle sells her high quality bath and body items both online and off. She usually has a booth at Earth Day in Baton Rouge and at the Sunset Herb Festival in early May. She also sells from her home, where she has a room with her items displayed.

Here's how you can learn more about Gabrielle and her fabulous creations:

Her website: http://http://www.gabrielleacres.com/

Her Etsy Shop: http://www.herbfriend.etsy.com/

Her Artfire Shop: http://www.gabriellenatural.artfire.com/

On Twitter: herbfriend

Her Blog: http://www.gabriellesgarden.blogspot.com/

Member Artisan Feature--Embellished Bayou

Louisiana life and style is evident throughout Embellished Bayou's lovely shop, run by Christy, a sweet lady with great talent.

A lifelong resident, Christy, attended LSU, lived in New Orleans for 4 years and now resides in Shreveport with her husband and two furbabies. She creates hand painted personalized embellished picture frames and tins, candle embellishments, French memo boards and began creating by making gifts for friends. When she saw items in stores that she knew she could make even better, she knew it was time to sell online!

The lovely soaps in her shop are created by her mother and she has some lovely fleur de lis designs.

Christy loves all the local festivals and also supports local musicians..Cowboy Mouth is her favorite.

You can find more of

her great work on these
links:

The Blog

Facebook

ByHand.Me

Twitter

Thank you for supporting Louisiana artists!