Friday, November 15, 2013

~ALL LATHERED UP - REPACKAGING PERFUMED SOAPS~

About 2 1/2 years ago I shared with you a tutorial about repackaging perfumed soaps.  If you missed the post or would like to revisit it you can find it HERE.
I love using beautiful soaps and I love displaying them in our baths as well.  Problem is they are often very expensive and just like I told you a few years ago, many lack display-worthy packaging.  Beautiful soaps in truly UGLY boxes and wraps!  No wonder it's possible for graphic designers to make so much money... :)
 
I find Soaps on clearance all the time.  Usually the paper wrappings have been torn open or the boxes have been ripped apart.  Whatever the reason for the extra discounts, I swoop them up because I know when the holidays come they will be perfect for welcoming guests to our home and also for gift giving/stocking stuffers for family and friends.
 
Although I still love Soaps packaged like the photos shown in the tutorial, I'm understanding more and more (locally in my booth and also online) the popular look these days is one of simple refinement with less frou frou.  Yeah...I kicked and screamed about it for a bit...but things change and as a business woman I can either grow and change with the times or deal with unsold offerings that have become dated and stale. Vintage ephemera is the rage...it's reproduced onto signs, pillows, scarves, t-shirts, caps, dishes and more...
I truly believe that customers speak loud and clear about what they want and these days the things that sell best for me are generally fashioned in natural tones. 
Today I'm showing you some of the repacked soaps I finished a few days ago for my Booth.  All the soaps were manufactured in Italy and smell divine.  There is Tuscan Raspberry, Camilla and Holly Berry.  The Holly Berry Soap I wrapped with a reproduced vintage SEARS Christmas Ad from 1916.  I used a reproduced perfume ad for the Camilla Soap and for the Tuscan Raspberry Soap I used two reproduced vintage poems/letters and an ad showcasing different kinds of fonts.

For the labels I used Paint Shop Pro.  A simple and easy to read front for the front and for the back label I just copied what came off the original packaging and colorized it.

I hope you're inspired to do something similar for those you love this year.  Fast, fun and you can certainly save some money in the process.

More soon.

Love to you...

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

~FOR THE BOYS~

Last Thursday I took a special order for nine Christmas Stockings and over the weekend I got busy getting them all done.  All were to be made using the same gorgeous linen (almost a burlap color) and five were to be designed for three women and two girls and the other four for two men and two boys...  Whew~big job!!!!
 
When working with almost only vintage lace and linen complements it's sometimes a challenge to get everything to look beautiful without being too matchy-matchy!  Today I finished the male stockings and thought I'd give you a little peek at what they came out like.  I love the simple and uncomplicated lines and how they are easily differentiated from the ones with more of a feminine flare.  All the girl stockings are made similar to the one you see at the top!

No lace or frills for the boy stockings!  The woman who placed the order only wanted linen and vintage buttons on them.  So...this is what I came up with..
Opted to fray the linen on the front for some textured accents and changed each one of them up just a bit so they were similar, but not identical!
A couple have toe and heel patches and all four have a fringed ruffle around the top!
Simple cotton/linen backings and linings...
Tonight I'll be working on the balance of the order and then I'll be smiling BIG!  

Hope your week is wonderful.  Continuing to look forward to better days and sharing more thoughts and ideas with you.
(Thank you for your prayers!)

Love and blessings~ 

Sunday, November 10, 2013

IN THE IN-BETWEEN

Dear Blogger Friends...

It's been since the middle of October since I last shared a post with you.  I've wanted to check in more times than I can say~just to update you on what's been keeping me busy.  But, to be honest with you I've just felt incredibly unfocused and even a bit more than a bit depressed and vulnerable.  These past few months have been trying days in the life of my Mr. AGPMan and I, and even though we are both physically fine (thank-you, God!), we've faced some challenges just the same.

I've heard from many of you concerned about our well being and I can't begin to thank you for your words of support and kindness.  Your grace extended to us has meant so much.  You have prayed for us without asking the whys and through those prayers we've been blessed.  It's not been my intention to keep you in the dark, it's just some things are personal and best kept private (aka: internet free) until God reveals to us His plan for our lives.  When people ask me to pray for them I count it as a privilege and I'm honored to do so.  It's been enough for me to know that God knows the details...  So again...thank you for lifting us up to the Father.  

For those of you who are worried about our health, please don't be.  We are not ill (nor is our family) and we remain grateful for measurable inward peace in the midst of some uncertain days.  

We attend a large church in Oklahoma City and last March one of my favorite Christian singers, Sandi Patti, (also her home church) sang one of her newest songs (co-written with Wayne Watson) for our congregation.  I didn't know at the time how much the lyrics would mean to me only a couple of months later.  It's called "In The In-Between" and I've shared with you the lyrics below.  We've all faced days of wonderment and blessings and equally those in-between days of loss and concern.  I've been drawn to a place of comfort each time I'm reminded that what may seem big to me, in fact, isn't to God.

I continue to ask you to pray for my beloved Mr. AGPMan.  In thirty-five years of marriage I've never seen him more humbled and discouraged.  At the same time I want you to know he is a man of GREAT FAITH and we both know that God will reveal to us His purpose for this journey in His time.

Here is the video of Sandi singing alone with just the piano...  The words to her beautiful song follow.

IN THE IN-BETWEEN

I’ve seen some glorious days where I flew so much higher,
Much higher than I ever thought I would.
Soaring through the air I would declare
“Well isn’t God good, isn’t He good!”
And He was.  And He is.  And He always will be~
But in the in-between it’s hard for me to see.

In the in-between when everyday life happens.
And the fields of green belong to someone else.
In the in-between of what will be and what has been.
Jesus is a faithful friend in the in-between.

I’ve been unsure of myself, but even in the dark
I’m pretty sure that all is well and then I see
There in the mirror looking back at me
A work that is not everything that it will be.

‘Cause He was and He was and He always will be
Close beside and holding onto me.
In the in-between where everyday life happens
And the fields of green belong to someone else.
In the in-between of what will be and what has been
Jesus is a faithful friend, in the in-between.

Grace and mercy know no season.
There is no good reason why the best days might not be the days ahead
And in the in between when you have some time to dream
Your faith and strength will be restored
By the gracious Lord of the in between
Where everyday life happens
And the fields of green belong to someone else
In the in between what will be and what has been
Jesus is a faithful friend.
In the in between.
Jesus is a faithful friend.
In the in between.
(S. Patti/W. Watson)

Blessings to you.  Looking forward to better days.

Love,

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