Naturally Beautiful by Fairfield Gardens

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T15:25:00.001Z

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the festive period in whatever way you chose to.

I remember before the year 2000 that it seemed like an age away, and it felt like it took forever to get there. Since then time seems to have been on fast forward and now it's 2012!

I wish for the courage, wisdom and faith to make this year whatever I want it to be and I wish the same for you. Here's to a fulfilling year :D

Scenic Sundays - Llanthony Priory, Monmouthshire

2011-09-25T21:02:00.001+01:00

The ruins of Llanthony Priory in Monmouthsire are set in a picturesque valley near the Black Mountains in Monmouthshire.

Taking a Break

2011-08-15T12:30:00.003+01:00

I've been fairly distracted for the past few months - finding it difficult to keep focused on all the different aspects of the business - partly because there are fairly significant changes in the pipeline here at Fairfield Gardens HQ (more on that another time), but also because I'm expecting my second child, who is due any day now. I've tried to carry on as normal, but with everything that's going on, and the school summer holidays as well I think it's time to admit that I need to take a break.

I'd like to thank all of our customers for your continued support. Orders can still be placed via the website, but it might take a little longer to get them sent out to you. There will also be a short hiatus to the newsletter. I hope you'll bear with us for a little while.

If you're a regular visitor to the blog, you may have noticed that it's been somewhat neglected over the past couple of months, and that is likely to continue for a little while longer I'm afraid. I do plan to post updates occasionally, but probably not as often as I'd like to.

Well, that's all for now. See you in a little while :)

Scenic Sundays - Patterns at the Beach

2011-07-31T22:41:00.000+01:00

I spent yesterday at the beach at Southerndown near Bridgend, South Wales, with my husband and son. It's a really picturesque place. The rocky beach gives way to golden, flat sand when the tide goes out, leaving lots of interesting rock pools to investigate.

Apart from the obvious, albeit beautiful, sea vista, I am also drawn to the patterns and textures that you can see on the beach - in the sand, the water, the rocks...

Calendula Watch

2011-07-15T14:17:00.000+01:00

If you've read the blog before, you'll know that I'm rather partial to Calendulas. I've been growing them for a few years now, but last year was the first time that I did it in earnest and got an amazing crop of flower heads and petals to use in our soaps (see my previous post Bright and Beautiful Calendula). I'm aiming to reproduce, if not better the haul for this year. The first flowers were harvested at the start of June, and so far the running total of harvested flowers is 148. With another couple of months to go before the plants run out of steam it's looking good for another bumper harvest, unless the weather decides not to cooperate!

Scenic Sundays - My Own Backyard

2011-06-26T23:13:00.000+01:00

I've been lucky enough to travel to many different places, but it's easy to overlook what's right in front of you. At this time of year especially, the sights in and around Cardiff are as good as any I've seen.

Taff Trail, Pontcanna

Pontcanna Fields

River Taff, Pontcanna

Whitmore Bay, Barry Island

Roath Park Lake, Roath

Lilies - My Back Garden!

Folksy Friday - Lemons

2011-06-10T13:52:00.000+01:00

I've just listed a new item in my Folksy Shop - Lemon Hand Scrub. So these Folksy Friday selections are all lemon themed.

1. Gin Bottle Chopping Board by Number8Glass

2. ACEO Bright Lemon Watercolour by Wild Lemon

3. Oranges and Lemons Bangle by Laura Faye Crafts

4. Rustic Country Fruit Wreath by Cranberry Charms

5. Gin And Tonic Citrus Cufflinks by Birdcage Creative

Scent Pouches

2011-05-31T21:13:00.000+01:00

In my post "Rosemary's Baby" I mentioned that I would be making some scent pouches for the wardrobe to keep the moths away. I had visions of creating pretty pouches from scratch, but then I came across some old muslin drawstring bags that I had lying around (an impulse buy) and decided to use those instead. They actually work pretty well - just the right fabric weight to let the aroma out easily, and the drawstring element means that the bags can be hung easily, and the contents can be emptied to allow the bags to be washed, or to add fresh material or something different.

As they were very simple bags, I did embellish them a little with some very simple embroidery to give an idea of what was inside.

The filling was simply a 50/50 mix of dried rosemary and lavender, which had a short blast in a food processor to release more of the aroma. I also added a little orris root powder to help keep the aroma, but that is optional. It took about 10g of the mix to fill a pouch, which I then hung from various hangers in the wardrobe.

Most scent pouches will be filled with lavender, which is very pleasant, but there is a whole world of scent out there that could be used as well: other dried scented flowers (like rose petals or chamomile flowers), various herbs (as well as rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sage, fennel, bay to name a few), spices (cardamom, cloves, star anise, cinnamon or cassia bark), dried orange or lemon slices... You see what I mean? Experiment with different combinations to come up with your own unique scent, then hang them in wardrobes, place them in drawers or use them to freshen the car.

Scenic Sundays - The River Severn, Hampton Loade, Shropshire

2011-05-15T21:42:00.000+01:00

My husband likes to go fishing, and every so often (usually when the weather is nice) he manages to talk me into going along with him. These images were taken from the banks of the River Severn at Hampton Loade, Shropshire in late summer, while listening to a very tense Ashes Test Match! (For those of you interested in cricket, it was the Trent Bridge Test, which England did win thanks to the efforts of Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard.)

Rosemary's Baby

2011-05-10T10:00:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I finally got around to pruning the rosemary, which had grown from a single cutting into a sprawling bush in danger of taking over the entire front garden. Amazingly this plant is a cutting of a cutting of a cutting many times over which came from my mother-in-law's garden about seven or eight years ago. On a visit to see her, we took a few cuttings from her very impressive rosemary bush (which she herself had grown from a cutting) and brought them back to Cardiff. One of them found its way into the flower bed, where it established itself quite nicely. When we had an extension built we were forced to relocate the rosemary and took a few cuttings just in case it didn't survive the move. One of those was planted in the front garden about eighteen months ago and then pretty much left to its own devices. Despite two very cold winters, it had grown into a monster.

After the better part of an afternoon, I had six bunches about the size shown on the right. So now the question is what to do with all this rosemary? I've allocated a good bunch for the kitchen, and there should be enough to try all manner of experiments with flavoured oils, vinegars, chutney and I was thinking of trying a sprig or two in some strawberry jam later on in the year.

And of course, I'll be trying some experiments with body care products as well. Rosemary's hair conditioning properties are pretty-well-known, so I'm going to infuse some in virgin coconut oil (another great conditioner) for a hair strengthening, scalp stimulating hair treatment. It's also good for the circulation and easing muscle aches, so would work really well with Dead Sea Salt in a body scrub. Its anti-oxidant properties make it an ideal candidate to try in a face mask too.

On the home front I've seen several moths in the vicinity of the wardrobe and rosemary is said to have insect-repellent properties, so I'm planning to make a few scent pouches (along with some old lavender that I have) to hang up among the clothes. And speaking of home fragrancing, I have a lovely book called "The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices" by Sarah Garland, which has a wealth of charming, old-fashioned recipes including a herbal scented candle, which I'd like to give a try. Lots of little projects to keep me busy!

I'll try to remember to post updates about how they all turn out. Look out for some rosemary-themed Limited Editions in the Fairfield Gardens online shop, and recipes that you can try for yourself.

Folksy Friday - Make It Yourself

2011-04-29T21:57:00.000+01:00

This week I've taken my Folsky Friday picks from the "Making" section of the website, with four things that you could make yourself and one which shows the many steps, care and attention that many makers take to produce a single item.

1. Lined Zipper Purse from rosita

2. Gift Boxes from Claire Noble Design

3. Knitted Flowers for Mam from Fflwcs & Williams

4. Fabric Roses from Minxtures

5. A Hand-made leather satchel from Bespoke Leather

Product Update - Love Potions Wedding Favours

2011-04-20T10:50:00.002+01:00

We're pleased to be able to add an additional service to enhance our Love Potions Wedding and Party Favours. As an extra special touch to create a more permanent keepsake, each bottle can now be engraved.

Choose from silver or gold lettering and add your names and the date of your event. At £6.25 per bottle you can add luxury and elegance to your special day without breaking the bank.

BUY NOW

Scenic Sundays - Havana, Cuba

2011-04-17T22:07:00.000+01:00

Last weekend was my wedding anniversary. My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Cuba - four days relaxing by the beach at Varadero, and ten days living it up in Havana. We didn't get many scenic pictures, but here are a few that I could find.

View over Central Park

Partagas Cigar Factory

Malecon

Hummingbird - Varadero

Spotlight on...Rejuvenating Facial Serum

2011-04-16T17:07:00.000+01:00

It may not look like much, but for me this little bottle has become an essential part of my skincare routine. I have combination skin, with a tendancy for dryness around my mouth, lower cheeks and eyebrows, and an oily nose and forehead. Before I started using the serum my skin was quite dull and not very smooth. After about a month of using the serum (once a day in the morning), my skin was noticeably clearer, smoother and brighter. I now use it twice a day - once in the morning and again just before bed. For me it works as a moisturiser as well. 5 drops will cover my face and neck comfortably without greasiness, and I've noticed that my skin definitely looks better when I'm using it, than in the intervals between making new batches, when I'm not.

So what's in it? The key ingredients are Olive Squalane, Rosehip Oil. Carrot Tissue Oil and Papaya Seed Oil.

Squalane - identical to one of the components found in human sebum; prevents moisture loss and restores the skin's suppleness and flexibility; non-greasy and highly penetrating.

Rosehip Oil - a proven source of antioxidants; contains a natural derivative of Vitamin A (the anti-ageing skincare ingredient); with well documented skin rejuvenation properties.

Carrot Tissue Oil - high in Beta-Carotene (a pre-cursor to Vitamin A), antioxidants, and fatty acids. With skin smoothing and anti-ageing properties.

Papaya Seed Oil - has a high fatty acid content, making it an excellent moisturiser; helps to retain moisture in the skin.

Of course, I can't guarantee that it will work for you - everyone responds differently - but if you think my description sounds like you, it might be worth a try. At £5.95 for 10ml (which will typically last 4-6 weeks) it's excellent value too.

Buy Rejuvenating Facial Serum.

Scenic Sundays - Sunsets

2011-04-03T20:43:00.000+01:00

Looking through my images for today's post I came across a few scenic shots taken at sunset.

The First Time Ever I... Smelt a Hyacinth

2011-03-29T16:09:00.000+01:00

Now that the clocks have gone forward, the park is open late enough to take a walk after dinner. On my way around yesterday evening I passed a couple of beds packed with Hyacinths. The fragrance was delightful and took me back to the first time I smelt a Hyacinth. I was mooching around a garden centre one evening after work, about four years ago now, when I caught a whiff of something sweet in the air. At first I thought I had imagined it, or perhaps just caught the remnants of someone's perfume on the air; but the more I wandered the more I realised that it was coming from somewhere nearby. So after doing a couple of laps of the nursery area while sniffing the air (I must have looked a bit crazy), I traced the sweet aroma to a small display of Hyacinths. I remember that I was absolutely delighted, though I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it was because at the time it was a revelation that flowers could smell so lovely. Apart from roses and a vague recollection of the very general floral smell that you find in a florists, I had forgotten that nature was awash with aroma. I bought three small plants, which I kept in my sunny kitchen. So enamoured was I with the aroma that I even tried to capture the scent by immersing the small flower heads in alcohol and then glycerine (soon after getting the plants I had watched the movie Perfume and had become fascinated with the idea of making my own perfume), but all I ended up with was a rather foul-smelling mush. I was dismayed to find that the flowers lost their aroma almost as soon as they were picked. I really believe that that little, seemingly insignificant event - catching an aroma on the breeze - set me on the path that I'm now on, sparking an interest in and love for aromatic plants that I never knew I had.

Scenic Sundays - Cornwall Coastline

2011-03-27T21:59:00.000+01:00

Several years ago my husband and I visited Cornwall, taking in sights from Padstow to St. Ives and down to Lizard Point. It's been ages since I looked at these pictures and I'm glad to have a reason to revisit them.

Lizard

Padstow

St. Ives

Scenic Sundays - St. Andrews, Scotland

2011-03-20T21:50:00.000Z

Just a couple of pictures this week. Lovely views from the beaches at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Ingredient Insight - Hemp Seed Oil

2011-03-15T11:51:00.000Z

Hemp Seeds
(image courtesy of the Good Oil Company www.goodwebsite.co.uk)

Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant. It penetrates deep into the skin, has a high essential fatty acid content, which helps to keep skin supple and retain moisture, and is rich in vitamins and minerals. As it leaves little residue, it is an ideal oil for facial care. When used for hair care, it imparts gloss and shine, and can help relieve dry scalp and repair damaged hair.

Nutritionally it is considered to be an ideal vegetable oil, containing the perfect balance of Omega 3,6 and 9 for optimum absorption by the body. Its gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) content is good for helping to reduce collagen loss (and hence wrinkles), for reducing skin dryness and soothing dry skin conditions (like eczema and psoriasis), and for reducing brittleness in hair and nails. The oil also provides a host of other benefits for the immune system, joints and cholesterol control.

As healthy skin is as much about what goes in as what goes on, hemp seed oil would make an excellent addition to the store cupboard. With a mild, nutty flavour add it to salad dressings or simply take a couple of teaspoons a day.

We use it in our Restorative Body Oil, Radiance Facial Serum and After-Shave Balm.

Scenic Sundays - Tintern Abbey

2011-03-13T21:38:00.000Z

Almost exactly two years ago on a beautiful Spring day, we visited Tintern Abbey in the Forest of Dean. Apart from the ruins of the Abbey, we also took a walk up to The Devil's Pulpit from where there were magnificent views of the valley below.

"Phenomenal Woman"

2011-03-08T21:46:00.000Z

In honour of International Women's Day, here is the marvellous poem "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou:

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

from And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou.

Scenic Sundays - Beata Garden Centre, Lagos

2011-02-27T22:03:00.000Z

My mum has a plant nursery in Lagos, Nigeria. She has turned her gift for growing plants into a business. For almost 4 years she has nurtured and grown all manner of tropical flowers, shrubs and trees, turning a barren patch into a veritable oasis. She also uses her knack for organising to create calm and beautiful spaces for her clients. So if you're in the Lagos area and in need of some greenery (or know someone who is), then why not call or visit?

Scenic Sundays - The Woodland Waterfalls of Pontneddfechan

2011-02-20T17:28:00.000Z

Pontneddfechan - Waterfall Country

Folksy Friday - Textile Art

2011-02-11T13:11:00.000Z

One of the blogs that I read, decor8, which is all about decor and style, led me to another lovely blog - 79 ideas, which deals with everything from design to fashion to crafts - where I was lucky enough to come across the work of Yulia Brodskaya (artyulia.com).

Her stunning illustrations made using paper really struck a chord with me and inspired me to seek out art created using different mediums for this week's Folksy Friday selection. All of today's choices are examples of textile art. I hope you enjoy the selection.

"Dad's Poppies" by Sheila Blakemore - needlefelted, with some beading and embroidery. I was drawn to the vibrant poppies.

"'Lovebirds' Wall Art" by made by lolly - I love the print on this fabric, which has been embellished with beading, buttons and hand-stitching.

"Butterfly Textile Wall Art" by Dizzy - the backing fabric is painted, and the butterflies are made from pink felts and floral fabrics and hand-stitched on to the backing.

"Field Poppy" by Odette's Shop - the background has been hand-dyed, and then embroidered using a mixture of machine and hand stitches.

"Hand-painted Lavender Lady" by Gracie's Garden Bazaar - lovely, whimsical hanging decoration, hand-drawn and painted on tea dyed vintage cotton, embellished with vintage lace and glass pearls, and filled with French lavender.

"Wedgewood Flora" by Bird's Eye- charming, embroidered canvas with felt and beads.

Ingredient Insight - Rice Bran Oil

2011-02-02T08:30:00.001Z

Rice Bran Oil is an excellent oil for skincare. Extracted from Rice Bran, which comes from brown rice, it is rich in Vitamin E and Gamma Oryzanol, both potent antioxidants. When applied to the skin it encourages skin renewal and has some UV absorption properties, making it a good oil for helping to prevent premature ageing. It is light, with good spreadability and is easily absorbed by the skin. Overall, rice bran oil is mild and softening with excellent moisturising and protective properties.

Internally, rice bran oil also has many benefits being high in Omega-6. Gamma Oryzanol has also been shown to reduce cholesterol. It is stable up to very high temperatures, which makes it an excellent oil for frying and cooking in general.

We use it in our Body Butters, Hand Creams, Rejuvenating Facial Serum and Restorative Body Oil.

Surviving the Barren Creative Wasteland!

2011-02-01T11:20:00.000Z

January has been a strange month for me. My head is usually bursting with ideas - new formulations, changes to exisiting formulations, new products, ideas for events, blog entries, personal projects that I would like to undertake, interesting things that I have seen and so on, and so on... - so much so that I had taken to carrying a little notebook for my "Ideas & Inspiration" to help keep track of any ideas before they got pushed out by new ones. But last month, I was strangely quiet, and my little book has been sorely neglected. For several weeks I didn't even know where it was. However, I'm pleased to say that I'm back! (Or at least on my way back.) My little blue book has a few new entries, there are scraps of paper in various places around the house with jottings on, and I've even been back in the kitchen experimenting with a new idea :-)

Folksy Friday - Creative Crochet

2011-01-28T10:00:00.002Z

I recently took up crochet, so today's Folksy Friday offering is a celebration of that craft. The thing that appealed to me about crochet was it's versatility - the ability to create a whole range of beautiful things using a few basic stitches. I think this selection illustrates that.

Clockwise from top left:

Lovely, 20's inspired cloche hat from The Faraway Tree; Intricate, delicate wrap from The Water Gypsy's Creative Crochet; I love the colour of the crochet neck warmer from Eccentric Ella; A bright sunny lambswool corsage by Rebecca Surgery Knit & Crochet; Beautiful salmon pink throw from Tricot Treats by Helen Day; and crochet dinosaur toys, which my son really liked, from Ku-dom.

Hail to the Editor-in-Chief!

2011-01-21T18:56:00.000Z

There's a great site - paper.li - where Twitter (and Facebook) users can publish their content as a newspaper. You set the parameters, like who or what trends to include and how often you want to publish the paper, and the program will search through the content for external links, organise them into different categories, then arrange them all in a newspaper-style layout. And it's free!

Well, I decided to have a go myself, and thus "The Green Living Daily" was born! The contributors to the paper come from my green living Twitter list, and it includes stories from across the globe about natural skincare, the environment, health, and shopping ethically and ecologically.

Take a few minutes to have a read - there is some really interesting content. You can also access the paper from the link at the bottom right of this blog. I'd love to know what you think. And if you're on Twitter, connect with me @FairfieldGdns if you think you have relevant content and would like to be included as a contributor to the paper.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-10T11:33:00.000Z

A Happy New Year to you all!

I hope that you enjoyed the Christmas break, and wish you happiness, success, good health and good times in 2011.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas - #10 to #12

2010-12-17T20:40:00.000Z

Three offerings in one post today to round off the list. Firstly, #10 Anthony Dudley - landscape and wildlife photographer (www.ardudleyphotography.co.uk). He has a stunning array of black & white and colour landscapes, and wildlife images in both limited and open editions. I don't know where he'll be exhibiting, but you can contact him through his website.

#11 - Turn 'N' Burn Welsh Crafts: Bernard Dite is a sculptural woodturner. His motto is "if it can be turned, I will give it a go". As well as producing a variety of vases, bowls, sculptural pieces and smaller items, he also takes on commissions and can offer one-to-one woodturning tuition.

#12 - Blue Rose Crafts: Charlie Gannon is a one-woman sewing machine! Producing a whole range of bags, cushions, covered notebooks and childrenswear with personalised embroidery.

All three are regular features at the monthly craft fairs held in the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay. Dates for 2011 have yet to be released, but keep checking the centre's website for details, if you would like to see them in person.

Well, that's it! I hope that you've enjoyed the journey, and hopefully you've discovered something new and interesting from all the people featured. There are many others that I couldn't feature because they don't have websites, or I didn't know where they would be appearing. Maybe I'll have to revisit this next year...

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #9 - Fairfield Gardens

2010-12-16T11:32:00.000Z

I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a bit of shameless self-promotion! For those of you who aren't familiar with Fairfield Gardens, we make 100% natural bath and skincare products. I think that "simple, but effective" accurately sums up our products and our ethos. From Shampoo to Foot Scrubs, we have a wide variety of products to care for you from head to toe.

And if you order by tomorrow night (17th December) you can still get delivery within the UK in time for Christmas. If you live in Cardiff, we are accepting orders until 3pm on Wednesday 22nd December for free delivery before Christmas. Any of the Gift Boxes can be personalised by adding a personal message, for no extra charge.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #8 - Daniel Stallard

2010-12-15T19:38:00.000Z

Daniel Stallard is a floral artist from Swansea. He paints vibrantly colourful images of all things flowery. As a fellow admirer of flowers, I really love his work. Some of the pieces are simply breathtaking.

In his own words, he describes why flowers inspire him: "About three years ago I noticed [flowers]. I know that may be a strange thing to say but before that flowers were just there. Then one day I couldn't get enough, every where I looked there they were, these ‘little explosions of colour’; all I knew was I desperately wanted to paint them...I find colour to be uplifting, so it is my aim as an artist to share my experiences through colour. I believe this to be what first drew me to flowers as a subject."

He will be at the Cardiff Castle Quarter Christmas Market, in High Street (at the bottom end of St. Mary Street) until Thursday 23rd December.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #7 - Bezeal

2010-12-15T14:30:00.001Z

Bezeal make "custom jewellery by design" - rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants. They also do fingerprint jewellery where you can capture a fingerprint in silver and turn it into a pendant - a lovely idea for a gift. You can now capture artworks in silver too - hand pirnts, paw prints, handwriting and so on - to be turned into keyrings, brooches and bookmarks.

They will not be appearing at any more events before Christmas, but you can buy online, or shop from the comfort of your own home by hosting a jewellery party.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #6 - The Land of Make Believe

2010-12-14T20:33:00.000Z

If you're looking for something for the kids, then pay a visit to The Land of Make Believe where you'll find an assortment of colourful name boards, book ends, mobiles and jigsaws, which you can get specially made with your child's name. Each letter is hand-drawn in wood, and then hand-painted and decorated with embellishments like animals, flowers, cars, rockets, butterflies, bugs... Nicola very kindly gave my son a lovely name board for his bedroom door.

LOMB will be appearing at the Cardiff Castle Quarter Christmas Market until Thursday 23rd December in St. John's Street.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #5 - Shepherd's Moon

2010-12-14T15:44:00.000Z

With the weather about to turn sub-zero again, it's the perfect time to visit Shepherd's Moon. Ellen Roberts and guests artists are practising the art of spinning, weaving and knitting to create a range of beautifully hand-crafted shawls, scarves and other knitwear, as well as books and notions. Ellen can often be seen spinning yarn on her Majacraft Little Gem wheel at events. The handspun yarn is also available to buy.

As well as buying online, you can see Ellen upstairs at the Newport Indoor Market on Saturday 18th December from 10am - 4pm.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #4 - Claire's Creations

2010-12-13T21:12:00.000Z

Claire's Creations are a pretty collection of natural shell button necklaces and bracelets, and Swarovski crystal accessories. I hadn't come across anything like her shell button creations before I first saw her display, so if you're looking for something a little bit different that you wouldn't find on the High Street then a visit with Claire might be just the thing.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #3 - Celtic Seren

2010-12-13T12:10:00.002Z

We got to know Gareth after appearing at a number of the same markets and events. Along with his father, Des, and sister, Rhian, he runs Celtic Seren (formerly Peregrine Pewter), making giftware and jewellery from Pewter.

The creative process happens over many steps as described in his own words: "From the creation of the original sculpture through to the finished article involves many complex processes. The making of the original sculpture, fettling to remove burrs, fine castings of intricate detail, linishing, applying relief to highlight form and texture, using enamel paints, soldering, making vulcanised moulds, satin finishing and polishing."

Celtic Brooches (courtesy of Celtic Seren)

You can buy online or see Gareth at the Castle Quarter Christmas Market in Cardiff until 23rd December. His chalet is located in The Hayes - opposite Queen's Arcade.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #2 - Bang Bang Art

2010-12-10T20:51:00.002Z

Steve John is an artist, illustrator and animator and owner of Bang Bang Art. I first met Steve this summer, while doing the Cardiff Arts & Crafts Festival in the city centre, and I was immediately taken with his "Hugs Art". In the end I had to get a print for my son's room. The pictures show various hugs, and although they are quite simple they depict closeness and love in a touching and beautiful way.

As well as "Hugs Art", Steve also does landscape art, sculptural canvas art, greetings cards, and he also offers a flash animation service for websites. The cheeky line of "Naked Santa" cards has proved a real hit with customers.

Take a look around his website, where you can buy online, or if you can, get down to see him in Cardiff's Castle Quarter Christmas Market - his chalet is located on High Street.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas #1 - Gwydr

2010-12-08T18:33:00.000Z

The first people to feature in "The 12 Crafts of Christmas" are Gwydr (pronounced gwi-der). They make beautiful, contemporary pendants, cuff links, keyrings and Guardian Angels made from stained glass. A selection of the range is pictured below. Every aspect - from design to manufacture to presentation - has been meticulously thought out and overseen. No templates are used to cut the glass or work the silver, so although designs may look similar, no two pendants are exactly the same. You can now shop online or you can buy from one of their stockists throughout Wales, including the Mercure Holland House Hotel Cardiff, Cardiff Castle, Tintern Abbey, The Gate Gallery & Glassworks in Powys and Llantrisant Gallery in Llantrisant. As well as being very talented artisans, the founders, Leanne Bunce and Rebecca Marriott, are also two of the nicest people you'll meet.

The 12 Crafts of Christmas

2010-12-07T14:00:00.000Z

Over the years we've appeared at a lot of events. Some have been good, and some have been absolutely dreadful. One of the things that makes events enjoyable (apart from meeting all of you lovely customers of course) is the other exhibitors. There's generally someone to share a laugh with, or to set the world to rights with; and sometimes they can be the only thing that stands between you and abject despair!

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I've decided to spread a little crafty love, and introduce you to some of the lovely people that I have met - many of who have become good friends. And so I present to you "The 12 Crafts of Christmas"! (It's actually more like the 12 craftspeople of Christmas, but that doesn't roll off the tongue nearly so well.) Over the next 12 days I'll be featuring a different person. Pay them a visit and take a look around - you might find something that you simply can't live without!

We are 3!

2010-12-03T14:30:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to us!

3 years ago Anthony and I embarked on our journey, appearing at our very first market. After a period of umming and ahhing we made the decision to go for it and signed up for a week at the Cardiff at Christmas market. We had no idea how much stock to make, never having done even a small craft fair! I still have the notes I made about how much we could make in the time (it was October and there were 41 days until we had to start). As it turned out my caluclations were way too optimistic - I reckoned that we'd be shifting 200 units per day!!!! Poor, naive, me. But remarkably, sticking to a very tight daily manufacturing timetable, and despite losing a week when our 4 month-old baby was admitted to hospital (he was OK by the way), we managed to generate enough stock. We launched with three product ranges - soap, bath salts and bath tablets.

However, the making of the stuff was the easy part. We then had to wrap and label several hundred items! We gave it a valiant try, but ended up staying up all of the night before our first day. The house was a tip! These pictures were taken on the morning of our first day at the market. If you look closely - you can see my son nestled in amongst the chaos!

We arrived at the stall in dreadful weather - it was lashing down, and then realised that we probably should have given the display a little more thought. There was nothing to cover the walls of the stall with, the table coverings didn't quite fit, we hadn't considered how we would layout the soap and there was nothing to say who we were. The few signs that we had prepared were completely dwarfed by the space. I had to rush to the market the next morning to get some material to hang on the walls. There was a whole heap of last-minute bath tablet failures, which then formed the basis of the Bargain Basket!

Our stall

Our display

Despite the apparent shortcomings of the stall, we had a very successful week, which cemented our resolve to carry on with the business. Three years later a lot has changed, but our commitment and passion haven't. I'm very proud of how much progress we've made.

Anthony and I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all of our supporters - especially our family - and customers. It's been an incredible journey so far, and one that we hope will continue for many years to come!

November Competition Result

2010-12-02T11:05:00.000Z

November's best-selling item was:

Honey & Orange Blossom Soap

While my first foray into the world of giveaways was somewhat less than stellar, I'm undeterred! The soap will roll-over into next month to be added to whatever turns out to be December's most popular item.

Competition Time!

2010-11-30T10:54:00.000Z

I've finally gotten around to launching a new competition! It's simple and free to enter - no purchase is necessary and free delivery.

Every month you'll be invited to guess the month's best selling item from any of the products listed on the website. It has to be a specific product, not just the product group. If nobody guesses correctly, the prize will roll over to the next month.

Enter via our Facebook Page. Leave a comment underneath the post mentioning the competition or go to the "Notes" tab and leave a comment.

At the moment, the competition is only open to UK residents - sorry.

The deadline for entry into the November competition is midnight on Wednesday 1st December.
Good luck!

Long Time No See!

2010-11-18T15:10:00.000Z

Wow, I can't believe how quickly time is passing! I've been saying that all year though, so you'd think that I'd have gotten used to it by now. Since my last entry I've been to and come back from Lagos on a family visit - I hadn't seen my mum and brother for almost 2 years! It was great to get away but now I've got to knuckle down and get back into the swing of things.

The Mansion House

Unfortunately our plans for a pop-up shop fell through at the last minute :-( but we're out and about at a number of events over the coming weeks; check the website for details: http://fairfieldgardens.co.uk/wheretofindus.asp. This Saturday Anthony will be at the Roath Arts & Crafts Market, Mackintosh Sports & Social Club, Keppoch Street, Cardiff from 9.30am - 1pm. The market runs in parallel with the Roath Real Food Farmer's Market which is held in the car park outside so there's a doubly good reason to visit. Then from 3pm - 6pm he'll be at The Mansion House, Richmond Road, Cardiff as part of Afternoon Tea with the Deputy Lord Mayor - an event in aid of the charity LATCH. Tickets are still available at 10 each. Call 029 2087 1543 for details.

We Got Press!

2010-10-07T19:53:00.000+01:00

Our 'Earth For Men' soap has been chosen as one of the best handmade soap bars for men in the November issue of Vegetarian Living Magazine (out now)!

The essential oil blend of Bergamot, Cedarwood, Bitter Orange and Patchouli really has an earthy tone, which is how the range got its name.

I really like 'Earth' and I'm glad and very proud that other people do too!

Random Thought Monday: Sleep Like a Flamingo

2010-09-27T20:51:00.001+01:00

(image courtesy of akronzoo.org)

According to the fountain of knowledge that is QI, flamingos sleep half their body at a time, which is why they are sometimes seen standing with one leg tucked up under a wing. One of the things that I'm always battling against is a lack of time, and I thought how great it would be if humans could do that too. Then you could carry on working while you slept.

At first that seemed like a good idea, but then it occurred to me that if half of your body slept for 8 hours a night (if only...), then you would actually need 16 hours to be fully rested, in which case you wouldn't have gained anything at all. After all half of you working for 16 hours is the same as all of you working for 8 hours, right?

Bright and Beautiful Calendula

2010-09-21T14:19:00.001+01:00

I have just harvested what is probably the last crop of calendula flowers for the season; and what a crop it's been! From just ten plants I have gathered over 500 flower heads, which will yield enough petals for about 500 bars of soap, bags of Bath Powder or Bath Salts. We've grown them using organic methods, with compost that we made from our kitchen waste, and plant food made from comfrey that we have also grown. I'm delighted that our little garden has done so well.

So now our Grapefruit & Geranium range of products will be that little bit more eco-friendly - the calendula at least has a zero carbon footprint.

Random Thought Monday - SLUGS!

2010-09-13T09:37:00.000+01:00

I'm not a huge fan of creepy-crawlies. I'll tolerate them - most of them - but I can't stand slugs. There's no rational explanation - it basically comes down to the way they look, all squidgy and oozing slime, and the fact that they don't seem to serve any purpose except to destroy all your hard work in the garden.

After dispatching a couple of monstrous specimens on Friday, I wondered: If slugs were an endangered species, and you found a few in your garden, nibbling on your prized seedlings, what would you do? Would you leave them to it and follow the correct protocols, or would you quietly "remove" them somehow? I like to think I'd do the right thing, but then again...

Give us a swirl!

2010-09-11T17:47:00.010+01:00

Over the years I have come across some truly remarkable soap creations - from elaborate sculptural pieces to impressive embedded designs. While our soaps are pretty, they are not really artisitic. We have always made thiem in individual moulds, and they are individually wrapped, which does not really lend itself to artistic effects.

The soap swirl is one of the easiest effects to achieve; at its most basic level (which is about where I am!) you can get a really lovely effect, and in the hands of a skilled master the result can be stunning. About a month ago we were contacted by S4C who wanted to film us making soap for a kids' TV show. The production assistant, Hannah, asked if we could make it look pretty. At about the same time we got an enquriy about making a soap loaf instead of individual bars. "Of course", I said. "We'll add some swirls. It'll look great", I said. I mean how hard could it be?

Well, we eventually got a nice result, but it took several attempts. The first attempt was more of a layer than a swirl. The second attempt was better, but still not quite a swirl. In the third attempt we tried using green instead of pink and that was fairly disastrous - there was essentially no contrast between the colours. For the fourth try we decided to use turmeric to make a bright orange, but also decided to try a new aroma, which turned the soap orange. At the end of it all, the turmeric colour completely faded away, so althouhgh there is a hint of swirl, you have to look really closely to see it! Finally, on the fifth attempt Ant cracked it. It might not be a masterpiece but it's a pretty decent beginner's attempt.

With a bit of practice, maybe one day we'll be able to create something like this:

(Image courtesy of Saponifier Magazine. Soap by http://www.balsam.etsy.com)

Random Thought Monday

2010-09-06T15:38:00.000+01:00

I've always got something running through my mind - some thoughts are interesting, some quite intelligent and some completely banal. My poor husband usually has to bear the brunt of my musings, so to give him a break I thought it would be fun to open my mind up to the wider world and to share in other peoples random musings too. Plus, Mondays are generally quite dull, and so "Random Thought Monday" was born! Every Monday I plan to share a random thought or question that has occurred to me at one time or another, and invite you to do the same.

Today's thought occurred to me some time ago, and is pretty random: I wondered if I had to choose, whether it would be better to be bald or toothless? I decided that bald would be better for me. I don't really do much with my hair anyway so probably wouldn't miss it too much, but I like my food, so being without teeth could be disastrous. Besides, a gummy smile only really works with babies. What about you?

Salad Facial

2010-08-18T09:00:00.003+01:00

We've got a bit of a glut of cucumbers at the moment and are about to be engulfed by tomatoes, which made me think that a salad-inspired recipe would be perfect. This recipe is easy to make and great value as you get 2 different treatments from the same recipe.

The cucumber will refresh and soothe the skin, and is mildly astringent; tomatoes are rich in Vitamins A and C - both important for cell renewal - and antioxidants; lettuce (and Dead Sea Salt) is rich in magnesium which helps to enhance skin hydration and reduce inflammation; cider vinegar is astringent, anti-bacterial, and will help to maintain the pH balance of the skin.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cucumber
1 tomato
1 large lettuce leaf
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp Dead Sea Salt (optional)
2 tbsp ground oatmeal or rice flour or cornmeal

Roughly chop the cucumber, tomato and lettuce and place in a blender.
Add the cider vinegar (and salt).
Whizz it all together until smooth.
Strain the mixture through muslin or a fine sieve, reserving the pulp, and pour the liquid into a clean bottle or jar. There should be about 50ml (roughly four tablespoons).
Keep the liquid refrigerated, and use within a week. To use, apply to the face and neck with cotton wool after cleansing.
Add the ground oatmeal (or rice flour etc.) to the reserved pulp and mix well. Use as an exfoliating face mask (apply to face and neck avoiding the eyes, then massage thoroughly using small circular motions; leave for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off).

Be sure to keep everything as clean as possible.

Homemade Washing Detergent

2010-08-05T16:01:00.000+01:00

One of the happy side-effects of having your own skincare company is that you no longer have to buy a host of toiletries. I haven't bought soap, shampoo or any sort of body lotion for years. So it seemed like a logical step to see if we could make our own washing soap. (And it's a great excuse for doing some experiments.)

My research suggested that it's as easy as adding Soda Crystals (Sodium Carbonate) to ordinary bar soap. There's generally some leftover soap hanging around - either trimmings, or soaps that we can't sell because they are misshapen or experimental. So I've been playing around trying to work out how much soap to use per wash, how much Soda Crystals to add and how best to get it ready to use.

So far the best way seems to be to grate the soap and melt it down in hot water and then stir in the Soda Crystals. The whole mixture turns to a gloopy mess and will then set to a firm gel consistency. It's too firm to put in the soap drawer, but it's easily mashed up, so you could put it directly into the drum or mix some up with enough water to make it pourable. I've been using about 250ml (half a pint) of a blend of 4 parts water, 2 parts soap, 1 part Soda Crystals, per load, which seems to be working well at the moment.

The Soda Crystals (Sodium Carbonate) act as a water softener which helps to stop soap scum from forming, which would otherwise stick to the clothes, and it also helps to shift grease. I've got to buy it in as it isn't something that we use in any of our products, but my research also suggests that Sodium Citrate will have a similar effect as a water softener. So my next experiment will be to try to create some. It just happens that Sodium Citrate is the by-product of the reaction between Sodium Bicarbonate (not to be confused with Sodium Carbonate/Soda Crystals) and Citric Acid - the two principal ingredients in the humble Bath Bomb! If it works, then we'll be self-sufficient for washing soap too, and who knows, it could be the start of a whole new venture.

Underneath the Linden Tree

2010-07-20T16:10:00.000+01:00

I'm lucky enough to live near a lovely park - Victoria Park in Cardiff. It's got one of the nicest playgrounds I've seen in a park, a free paddling pool during the summer, and lots of meandering paths to stroll along. Every year, at about this time of year, outside the side entrance I get a whiff of something lovely, and I've been trying to figure out what it is; scouring the front gardens nearby for fragrant flowers and shrubs. Well I've finally figured out where it's coming from - it's the trees! There are Linden trees dotted throughout the park and you get wafts of the delightful fragrance as you walk.

The aroma of Linden blossom is exquisite and full-bodied with so many layers that it could be a perfume in its own right. I bought some absolute a few years ago and had forgotten about it, but I'm glad the trees have helped me to remember!

Folksy Friday

2010-07-16T15:38:00.001+01:00

I came across Folksy a while ago. It's a great place to while away a few hours - I've lost many an afternoon browsing the site! A couple of weeks ago I opened my own Folksy Shop and this is my first Folksy Friday! A great way to showcase some of the lovely things that can be found there. "Martin the paper giraffe" caught my eye on the first page, so I decided to use colour as the theme. So here are a few bright and beautiful items:

Clockwise from top left: "Martin the paper giraffe" by Polka Dot Sundays, "Butterfly Flower Brooch" by Lupin Handmade, some adorable baby booties by Seamingly Possible, and the wonderfully vibrant stained glass "Sunburst Lily" by Amy Orange Juice which I especially like because it reminds me of the lilies in my garden. Happy Friday!

Tales From My Garden

2010-07-04T22:33:00.002+01:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last blog entry - the time has raced by. June was a busy month with more kids' birthday parties than I've ever seen, and a couple of weekend markets. It was also my last month as someone else's employee. I'm now focusing on Fairfield Gardens full time. I'm so excited!

Today was a very relaxing day. I even managed to get a nap in the afternoon; something I haven't done in ages. The morning was spent in the garden with the boys. My job was to collect strawberries, which I seemed to be doing for a really long time! This was the harvest ==>

We collected about the same amount last week, and before that the odd handful or two every few days. I'm so impressed with the productivity of such a small patch, which made me think about the rest of the garden and how much we've managed to cram into our small space. There's been a steady supply of lettuce, chard, radishes and courgettes for over a month, and in the last couple of weeks peas and beetroot. And this year we should also get beans, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, cucumbers, corn, apples and one carrot! Out of all the carrots that were planted only one has survived to maturity.

Every year I try to plant as much calendula as possible as we use the petals in the Grapefruit & Geranium range, and I also wanted to try making calendula oil this year.

And there is one pot of hot red lilies. I love the colour of them - it's so vibrant. They only flower for about two weeks, but they put on a great show.

There's nothing like spending a bit of time outdoors.

Turn Your Shower Into a Spa

2010-05-25T22:26:00.009+01:00

When we think of pampering, a bath will most probably feature somewhere; there's nothing like a long soak in a hot bath to make you feel a million. But a shower can be just as luxurious and relaxing, and even a relatively long shower can use less water than a bath. So here are 3 easy ways to turn your shower into a spa:

1. Give yourself some Hydrotherapy. If you have an adjustable shower head, set it to the most vigorous setting and give yourself a massage. If the shower attachment is also detachable then you can focus the massage on different parts of your body.

2. Get the Roman bath experience. In a Roman bath house the routine was to get warm, get hot and then cool down. (Before you start put a body scrub in an ice bath or in the fridge for a few hours.) Begin with the water on a warm setting, then turn up the heat. Don't stand under the hot stream, but off to one side while the bathroom fills with steam. Then relax and enjoy for a few minutes - perch on the side of the bath or bring in a little stool. To enhance the experience cover yourself all over in a cleansing clay mask or with olive oil (but take care to avoid slipping). Then turn the temperature of the shower down so that it's just lukewarm and use your chilled body scrub to exfoliate for a really invigorating experience.

3. Exercise your senses. Place a bath bomb (or sprinkle some Bath Powder) in the shower tray or bath not too close to the plug hole. It should gradually dissolve, releasing its lovely aroma. Or burn some incense or a scented candle while showering. Take deep breaths while concentrating on the feeling of the water against your skin to give your senses a workout.

Wedding Fair, 23rd May 2010

2010-05-19T08:39:00.002+01:00

Are you an Executive member of Costco Cardiff and getting married soon, or in the Wedding trade? They are having a Wedding Fair on Sunday 23rd May, and we'll be there. Come by and see us and take a look at our range of beautiful, handmade bath and skincare products available as Wedding Favours. All items can be personalised at no extra cost.

Products Update

2010-05-12T15:58:00.000+01:00

Back in January I wrote that we would be shaping up for the New Year, involving discontinuing some items, introducing some new ones and streamlining the product range. Well, we've just about finished and I wanted to let you know what's new.

At the end of last year there were 14 different varieties of soap! As much as I liked each one, it was clear that we needed a cull. So we chose the four most popular varieties, which were (in no particular order) Dusk, Soothe (now called Grapefruit & Geranium), Honey & Orange Blossom and Lavender & Chamomile. We also decided to build a range of products based on these varieties encompassing Sparkling Bath Powder (described in an earlier post), Bath Salts, Body Butter, Hand Cream, and Massage Oil.

Additionally, Earth has always been a woody, masculine aroma to me so we've created a men's range based on it, and redesigned the packaging.

Images (clockwise from top left): Grapefruit & Geranium Body Butter, Dusk Sparkling Bath Powder, Honey & Orange Blossom Hand Cream, Earth for Men After-Shave Balm, Shaving Soap and Bath Soap.

New Items: Honey & Orange Blossom Hand Cream, Body Butter, Sparkling Bath Powder and Bath Salts; Dusk Body Butter; Lavender & Chamomile Sparkling Bath Powder and Bath Salts (Body Butter and Hand Cream coming soon).

Discontinued Items: SOAP: Citrus, Clean, Clean Hands, Revive, Renew, Indulgence (Milk & Honey) and Cucumber; BATH SALTS: Indulgence (Milk & Honey), Revive and Aches & Pains; SPARKLING BATH POWDER: Indulgence (Milk & Honey), Revive and Aches & Pains; Detox Body Scrub; BODY BUTTER: Strawberry, Caramel; LIP BALM: Caramel, Mango & Lime, Pineapple; and Revive Massage Oil.

I'm sorry to see the old products go, but very excited about all the new ones! I hope you like them too...

The RHS Spring Flower Show

2010-05-02T16:21:00.001+01:00

It's been a couple of weeks since the RHS Spring Flower Show in Cardiff, but it was such a good weekend that I thought I'd write about it belatedly. The weather was magnificent, the turnout enormous; but I still heard afterwards that many people did not know that it was going on! That's a real shame because it's a great day out. There were two marquees with floral displays and presentations, retailers selling plants and gardening accessories, a few show gardens, a wheelbarrow competition (where local schools plant up a wheelbarrow based on a theme of their choice and visitors vote on which they like best,) a food hall, craft stalls, a farmer's market and a bandstand where various bands performed over the weekend. Not to mention a whole host of other interactive activities, including tree climbing demonstrations.

We took our two-and-three-quarter year old son with us, not expecting that he would be able to stay for the whole day; but we were pleasantly surprised that there was more than enough to keep him (and us) entertained throughout the day for the whole event.

The third picture is the line for ice-cream! One of the longest I've ever seen. This was also our first market since we decided to streamline our product lines and redesign some of the packaging.

All in all it was a lovely weekend. The new products were received well, particularly the hand creams, and it was good to see lots of repeat customers.

Blooming Marvellous

2010-04-17T16:31:00.000+01:00

The recent bout of good weather has kick-started the growing season. Lots of things in the garden have sprouted - the strawberry plants have a healthy lot of new green leaves, the salad bed is finally showing signs of life, the camellia bush has recovered after the prolonged cold snap and buds have just started to show on the fruit trees.

Very timely, as it ties in nicely with the RHS Spring Flower Show being held in Cardiff this weekend (16th-18th April), where we have a stall. The glorious weather is set to continue for a few more days, and I intend to make the most of it!

Sparkling Bath Powder

2010-04-11T17:42:00.003+01:00

We've been making Sparkling Bath Powder for just over a year now, and by and large they've been quite popular; but we felt that their presentation could be improved. Presenting the new and revamped Sparkling Bath Powder range...

Each Sparkling Bath Powder is presented in an elegant envelope made from cotton-enriched antique laid paper, and now available in four varieties - Dusk, Honey & Orange Blossom, Grapefruit & Geranium and Lavender & Chamomile. To add some sparkle to a bath just sprinkle the contents into the water, slip in and enjoy.

Olive Oil Soap - Some Facts and Some Fiction

2010-03-31T20:49:00.004+01:00

Bar soap is the result of the reaction between sodium hydroxide and fatty acids in the form of vegetable fats and oils. Most soap is made with a mixture of oils to get different properties in the final soap - lather, hardness, conditioning and so on. Pure olive oil soap is soap that has been made using only olive oil. It is also known as "Castille" soap after the region in Spain where it originated.
Many sources say that making olive oil soap is a time-consuming affair that will only produce a soft bar of soap, but there are many factors that could affect the quality of the final bar like what type of olive oil is used, the amount of water in the formulation and the method that is used to make it.

Pure olive oil soap will not lather as readily as soaps containing coconut or palm oil, especially in hard water, though the lather does improve if you use a washcloth or body poof. The lather consists of small bubbles and has been described as "slimy" by some. But lather is not a measure of cleansing ability, although we have been conditioned to equate the two properties. The soap itself will be hard to start with (if it has been cured properly), but may start to feel a little bit tacky with use. That is why many soapmakers will add other oils to the olive oil to change the hardness of the final soap, how well it holds together with use and to get a frothier, more bubbly lather. Using a draining soap dish and not allowing the soap to sit in water will help to keep it from going soft.

Olive oil soap is incredibly mild. So much so that it is widely recommended for use with babies. Also, handmade soaps tend to have some superfatting (which is when more oil than is needed to react with the sodium hydroxide is used, leaving free olive oil in the soap), which adds to their natural moisturising and conditioning properties.

On packaging, soap that is made with olive oil appears in the ingredients list as 'Sodium Olivate'. If a soap is truly made using only olive oil it will not have any other ingredients called 'Sodium ...' in the list. So next time you see a soap being marketed as "Castille" or "Pure Olive Oil" soap you can check for yourself.

Two of our soaps use purely olive oil as the oil base - Simply Soap and Honey & Orange Blossom. The formulation and method that we use result in hard bars that are fairly long-lived. If you can get used to the slightly different feel of the soap on the skin compared with commercial soap, you will find that they are very nourishing soaps that are gentle on the skin and especially beneficial if you have sensitive skin.

Make Time For Yourself

2010-03-28T21:48:00.000+01:00

My older sister always makes time for grooming. Regardless of what's going on, she'll put aside time to wash, scrub, buff and whatever else needs doing. I used to be a bit of a slacker when it came to personal grooming; my main excuse being that I didn't have time. So my grooming regime was a little haphazrd. But in the last couple of months I've taken a leaf out of her book and started to make an effort to put some time aside every week.

Today, I was able to get it all done in about an hour :-) My general routine is not massively involved, consisting of washing my hair (I have virgin Afro hair which I wash once a week), a face mask, full body exfoliation with a salt scrub, and waxing when needed. It doesn't sound like much, but I've already started to see an improvement in my much neglected hair.

If, like I used to, you always put off giving yourself a facial, or sorting out your feet, or whatever other grooming activity because you don't feel that you've got the time, try taking my approach to housework - don't try to do it all at once; pick a task or two to do a day, or every couple of days and before you know it you'll be smooth and glowing.

Earth Hour - 27th March 2010

2010-03-26T22:49:00.002Z

We've signed up in support of the WWF's Earth Hour campaign to show that we care about climate change. Show your support tomorrow night by switching off your lights for one hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. There's still time to sign up and show that you care too. A great excuse for a candelit bath or romantic dinner...

The Loveliness of Natural Perfumes

2010-03-03T21:13:00.001Z

I decided to try out an acidic rinse after washing my hair, which I made up with citric acid and Orange Flower water. (The aim being to neutralise any residues of soap, which is alkaline, and restore the hair's natural pH, thereby improving its appearance and resilience.) It left my hair looking good and smelling fabulous! All that day and the next I kept getting wafts of Orange Blossom, which is one of my favourite aromas. It made me think about how easy it can be to make a simple perfume, and that a hair rinse is a great way to wear it.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Floral waters are easily obtainable - Orange Flower water and Rose water can both be bought at the supermarket, and there is a wealth of other floral waters available to buy online. Or, you could try making your own: lavender, lemon balm and chamomile give up their scents very nicely. Simply steep a tablespoon of flower/herb per 100ml hot water and then strain well (through coffee filter paper or a couple of layers of muslin) and leave to cool. Then rinse through the hair after washing. Unless you intend to add a preservative to your rinse, it's best to use it straight away. Your imagination really is the limit with such a wide range of flowers, herbs and spices easily available. Create your own signature scent. But a word of caution - be sure that any flowers or herbs that you do use are organic or suitable for consumption to ensure that there are no pesticides or other chemicals lurking around.

Happy experimenting!

Traditional Wedding Blessings Get a Facelift

2010-02-27T21:05:00.000Z

Love, Wealth, Health, Happiness and Fertility. These blessings were traditionally signified by five almonds which were wrapped in tuille and given as gifts to wedding guests. (Well, actually it was Long Life instead of Love, but I thought that could be covered by Health, and after all we all need Love.) We have based all of our Wedding Favours on these five blessings, and we're pleased to introduce a new range.

Love Potions are five "potions" based on the five blessings. Packaged in a miniature, corked glass bottle each potion's label has a short "spell" for the guest to cast to bring them either Love, Wealth, Health, Happiness or Fertility, and can be personalised with a particular special message. Choose from Love Potion, Recipe for Wealth, Health Crystals, Happiness in a Bottle or Increased Abundance. They look great and are sure to be a talking point among guests.

Cleansing Bath Tea

2010-01-13T21:28:00.001Z

We all know how easy it is to over-indulge over Christmas. So here's an easy recipe that you can try to help you cleanse your system after all the excesses of Christmas and the New Year.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Sea Salt
2 tbsp Fennel Seeds
2 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp crushed Black Peppercorns
1/2 Grapefruit, sliced

You will also need:
Large piece of muslin or cotton (about 15cm square)
String

Place the ingredients in the centre of the large square of muslin or cotton. Bring the corners up to the centre to form a small pouch and tie with the string. Place in a hot bath and soak in the infusion. After soaking use the bag to massage the skin. If you don't have a bath, you can use the pouch directly in the shower to massage the skin.

This also works well as a drinking tea. Just leave out the salt! You could also replace some or all of the ground ginger with fresh for a less punchy flavour. Leave to infuse for 5-10 minutes, and add honey to taste. There should be enough for two cups.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-08T22:17:00.001Z

Happy New Year! We hope that you've had a lovely Christmas and wish you all the very best in 2010. The New Year is traditionally a time for shaping up, and this year we're doing just that. As much as we love all of our products, we've decided to streamline and tighten up. So we will be saying goodbye to some lines :-( , some products will be changing name and you might see some new products too. But that's good news for you because we're having a sale on surplus stock :-). Take a look at what's on offer in the Special Offers section of the website.

Pamper Party

2009-08-19T17:28:00.002+01:00

We recently launched a new collection. The Pamper Party box contains everything you need for a pamper party in a box. Pretty simple. This is a great idea for a girl's (or boy's - we don't discriminate) night in, or an affordable Hen Party.

Each box contains enough products and treatments for up to 10 people, and includes face masks, facial serums, hand and nail creams, foot scrubs, hand scrubs, mini bath tablets (ideal for foot baths or soaking hands), and a relaxing room fragrance or scented candle to set the mood. AND, as an added bonus, each box comes with a 30% discount code that can be used against future purchases in the Fairfield Gardens shop. All this for only £55 (only £5.50 a head for 10 people) and free shipping!

Summer!

2009-07-11T19:43:00.006+01:00

Well, I was going to start this post by talking about how great the summer was shaping up to be which would have linked nicely to how we should be modifying our skincare routines as a result of all the glorious sunshine. Unfortunately July has been a bit hit and miss thus far, but ever the optimist where summer's concerned I'm sure this is a temporary blip and that normal service will be resumed shortly.

So, with that in mind the skincare mantra for the summer should be "Protect and Replenish". With the sun out in force it's really important to cover up with products that have at least an SPF 15 rating; and after all that sun exposure you'll need a good moisturiser to counteract the sun's drying effects or, if you've stayed out too long, some soothing skincare products to help repair and restore sun-damaged skin.

We have many products that would be great for after-sun skincare - from our Soothing Face Mask with cooling and soothing cucumber; to Grapefruit Body Butter with grapefruit oil and shea butter, which are anti-inflammatory and healing; to Rejuvenating Facial Serum, which is loaded with oils that have a high anti-oxidant content.

Did you know? Jojoba oil, Shea Butter and Rice Bran oil have natural sun-screening properties (but for guaranteed sun protection use products with an SPF rating).

Tales From A Mountain Top

2009-05-24T19:58:00.004+01:00

My husband and I don't get much exercise these days. So we decided to take up walking. Our first outing in March was to Tintern Abbey from where we completed a near-vertical ascent to the top of a mountain (or at least that's what if felt like) to look at the view from the Devil's Pulpit - very aptly named! Today we were out again; another woodland walk that took in the ruins of Ruperra Castle near Newport. I was looking forward to a challenging (but flat!) walk, but we were presented with... yes that's right a near-vertical ascent to the top of a mountain! All paths (even on the way back) seemed to go uphill, which made Anthony comment that the walk must have been designed by Escher!

Both views were pretty special though (bad camera-work aside), and the weather today has been absolutely fantastic. Long may it continue! We both caught the sun , so it's Soothing Face Masks all round. Cucumber and organic green clay will cool and soothe our sun-beaten skin. And my poor feet aren't yet used to such exertions, so I'm soaking them in a lovely foot bath with some Soothe Mini Bath Tablets. The grapefruit and geranium aroma is very uplifting, and the calendula and shea butter will help to reduce any inflammation. I can hardly wait for the next outing ;-).

Goodbye Camellia...

2009-04-28T20:17:00.008+01:00

The flowers are almost gone from our Camellia bush for another season. The delightful pink flowers have brightened up many a dull morning.

Camellia oil is a widely used beauty aid by women in Asia. High in essential fatty acids, vitamins A, B and E it has excellent antioxidant and moisturising properties, making it a great ingredient for dry skin and wrinkles. We use it in our Moisturising Face Mask and Radiance Facial Serum.

Spring!

2009-03-22T14:19:00.003Z

The last week has been absolutely glorious. Hazy mornings, turning into bright and breezy days. I love it when the weather is like this. The days always seem to be filled with hope - a sense that nothing is impossible. I know that the rain will eventually return, especially living in Wales! But somehow even that doesn't seem so depressing...

Why go natural?

2009-02-21T14:57:00.000Z

There is a lot of buzz around at the moment about natural and organic products. But what's the big deal? For me it's about getting back in touch with nature - natural means balance. In times when everything is neatly packaged and over-sanitised it's easy to become detached from the natural world. But having experienced the delight that the smell of a flower can bring, or the wonder at seeing things grow, or the de-stressing effect of a good gardening session, I've been reminded just how important to our well-being a relationship with nature is.

In many cases the natural alternative is just as effective as its synthetic equivalent. It is well documented that the synthetic copy of a natural ingredient often does not have all of the components or subtleties of its natural counterpart that make the latter more effective. So why introduce a load of foreign material into your body unnecessarily, which your body may find harder to break down and use efficiently?

And it is not just the body that finds it harder to process synthetic chemicals. There are many environmental consequences of using synthetics. Like the detergents that are found in most commercial shower gels, shampoos and bubble baths, which are not very biodegradable and linger in rivers, harming aquatic life.

In short, using natural products should be about achieving balance with your surroundings. Enjoy all of the luxury, convenience or potency that commercial synthetic products provide, but with much less of the potential harm or long-term damage that they can do to either you or your environment.

Cardiff at Christmas Market

2008-11-13T13:16:00.004Z

The end of the year continues to approach at an alarming pace. It seemed ages away, but the Christmas Market is upon us.

Fairfield Gardens will be appearing at the Cardiff at Christmas Arts and Crafts Market. Situated in the City Centre off Queen Street (behind the Hilton Hotel, and between Superdrug and The Principality Building Society) there are more than 50 stalls featuring an array of quality handcrafted items - from jewellery to woodwork to bespoke art pieces. And of course our huge array of handmade soap, bath tablets, bath salts, massage and body oils, lip balms, body butter, shampoo bars, shaving soap, face masks, and gift boxes!! All lovingly made by hand with only natural ingredients.

So come by and see us, and enjoy some luxury at affordable prices.

Our TV Debut!

2008-11-13T13:09:00.002Z

We've made our TV debut! Well, our Conditioning Hair Mask has anyway. Celebrity Scissorhands contacted us about using the Hair Mask on the show, and it was featured in the luxury spa treatments episode. They made a bit of an unorthodox addition to our Mask, in the form of Aberdeen Angus bull semen! We usually recommend the addition of water, maybe an egg or yogurt for some extra conditioning, but each to their own...

As part of the fundraising effort, we will be donating 50p from every Hair Mask sold between now and Christmas to Children In Need.

Charity Fashion Show

2008-10-18T22:47:00.003+01:00

A good time was had by all at the recent Fashion Show in aid of Cancer Research Wales, held at the Holland House Hotel and Spa in Cardiff. Fairfield Gardens were lucky enough to have a display table at the event, and interest in our products was high. Some parties were a little too interested though - some items were stolen off the table while I sneaked a peak at the show! Apart from that, it was a fun evening. Unfortunately I have not missed my calling as a fashion photographer, so although I did take some pictures of the evening they are too blurry, distant or dark to warrant being posted with this blog :-(. Never mind.

Charity Fashion Show in Cardiff

2008-09-13T22:42:00.007+01:00

We're pleased to be supporting Cancer Research Wales. Our products have been selected to feature in the Goodie Bags that will be given out at the Cancer Research Wales Fashion Show 2008!

The event will feature High Street Fashion, live entertainment and celebrity guests, and will be held on Monday 6th October at 7.30pm at the Holland House Hotel, Cardiff. Tickets are a steal at only £10 each. Call Cancer Research Wales on 029 2031 6976 or the Capitol Shopping Centre Management Office on 029 2022 3683 and snap one up!

Craft Market, Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay

2008-09-02T21:09:00.004+01:00

We're back at the Craft Market at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay this weekend. The market is open at the following times:

Friday 5th September 3pm - 8pm
Saturday 6th September 10am - 7pm
Sunday 7th September 10am - 7pm

We will have our usual variety of handmade soap, bath and skin care products. This month we are featuring "Relax" bath salts - a relaxing blend of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Mandarin essential oils. We're also having a SALE! with up to 33% off on selected soap varieties.

So come down and bag a bargain, or just browse the various craft stalls and enjoy the atmosphere.

The Value Of Growing Your Own.

2008-08-08T12:04:00.004+01:00

Last year we had to buy in Calendula and Lavender flowers as we were not able to collect enough from the garden. This year we increased the number of plants and having just dried the first few batches of calendula flowers and collected the lavender harvest, I'm struck by how vibrant the petals and buds are compared with the bought in plants. The orange Calendula petals are so vivid they almost look fake, and the bluey purple of the Lavender is so much more beautiful than the general , nondescript grey of the bought in buds. It just goes to show the value of growing your own!

Bought Calendula on the left, Home-grown Calendula on the right

Markets Galore!

2008-07-28T22:10:00.004+01:00

June and July have been really busy months for us. We've appeared at markets in Newport, Bridgend, The Red Dragon Centre Cardiff, the Cardiff International Food and Drink Festival, and Caerphilly (Flower Festival and The Big Cheese just last weekend).

The Gods were smiling on us over the Big Cheese weekend, as we were graced with the best weather of the year so far. Long may it continue!

And there's no time to catch our breath, as we'll be back in The Friary, Cardiff City Centre from Friday 1st August until Saturday 16th August (inclusive). See you there!

Craft Market, Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay

2008-07-02T13:14:00.002+01:00

A reminder that we will be appearing at the Craft Market being held at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay this weekend. The market will be open at the following times:
Friday 4th July 3pm - 7pm
Saturday 5th July 10am - 7pm, and
Sunday 6th July 10am - 7pm.

We will have all of our usual soaps and bath products, but we have recently launched LOADS of new products, including shampoo bars, shaving soap, massage oil, baby oil, lip balm, body butter and some household items as well! There will also be a wide variety of other crafters at the Market, from woodturners to jewellery makers to artists. So come along and support the market if you're in the area.

Everything's coming up Calendulas!

2008-06-08T19:51:00.005+01:00

A couple of days ago our first calendula bloom of the season opened up. Glorious! Now all we need is for the weather to follow suit...

Craft Markets at the Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff

2008-05-19T14:40:00.002+01:00

These craft markets have been going at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff since Jan 2008 and are definitely gathering a following. Featuring a wide array of crafters from across Wales, including Fairfield Gardens (http://www.fairfieldgardens.co.uk/) of course!

At the last market we were sited next to Charlie (http://www.bluerosecrafts.co.uk/), the mother of all crafters! Her table featured a dazzling array of handmade bags, waistcoats, embroidery, cards and jewellery!

Amongst the other crafters were fellow soapmaker Miche Wishi (http://www.michewishi.com/), with her attractively packaged handmade soaps. I love the sound of Bananga!

Gill Nontha (http://www.gillnonthadesigns.co.uk/) who makes jewellery and bags amongst other things.

And Derrick and Beth who make and decorate lovely keepsake boxes. Contact derrick.batey@ntlworld.com.

The next market is from Fri 4th - Sun 6th July, so if you're in the area why not drop in and buy something...