Uhhh… this is happening!

Sooo besides being consumed by my latest writing projects, hiking, dogs, nieces and nephews, genealogy, ANYTHING Scotland… not much else captures my attention until now. I SWEAR I was only trying to figure out what to give my mom for Christmas (Don’t worry, she doesn’t do social media, so she will NEVER see this). I started looking at recipe books because she is pretty much one of the most amazing cooks out there. I feel that chefs, cooks, bakers–whatever they’re called–are all also super good at math and they also have mad science skills because they’re basically doing chemistry projects all the time (not one of my talents admittedly–I’ve burnt spaghetti before and live off peanut butter sandwiches, no joke). Anyway, as I looked through the recipe books for my mom, I found what I dubbed “selfish presents” because they were recipes for junk food and candybar replicas that I would ABSOLUTELY EAT AND DIE FROM PURE HAPPINESS if she made them. But then I ran across the soapmaking recipe books, and I thought… is this too much? She already bakes and sews and stuff. Could she possibly have time for another hobby like this? But then I saw some cute soapmaking kits online and I thought, how fun! It would just be this ONE time thing! No commitments. Nothing big. Something to make neighbors or grandchildren for Valentine’s Day this year. Then I thought… well, I could make those same kits for cheaper and with more bulk supplies. Maybe that’s what got me into trouble. I started collecting a few things off of Amazon, but then I got the soapmaking recipe book in the mail and I was like… wait, I’m almost there to getting ALL these ingredients and soapmaking equipment! I can just get this and this and this and this… and now looking at this picture above, I’m seeing she needs twine too. Uh oh. Suddenly my “kit” has become this sweat factory of work, but I can’t stop!!! And the only way to justify the cost is to say, “Hey, mom! Let’s do this together.” And after that, it will look like I just got her something that I wanted… and who knows? Maybe I did want this! Because this is so FASCINATING! I might actually leave the house to go to the store–Yes, ME!!–AND buy some special oils at a Whole foods store to finish off my collection. Hee hee, and of course, my mom is going to be like, “Wait. Is this for you or for me?” And I’m gonna have to squirm guiltily because she just might be right. It’ll be like giving her a bowling ball with Homer written on it. Yikes!

Anyway, I’m really hoping that this gift doesn’t do a bellyflop… but if it does, I’m thinking I need to have a soapmaker in my next book to justify everything I’ve done in the name of soap this Christmas. Until then (lol), check out my latest Christmas book, “Snowed in at Silver Lake” HERE… In the meantime, I’ll be ordering some more essential oils… and oh… maybe a few more colors… and this mold looks cool! It looks like a cupcake. Oh dear. Someone stop me. Hahahahahaha. Christmas can’t come soon enough, I think!