Friday, May 28, 2010
Memorial Day Sale
In honor of Memorial Day we are offering 20% off ALL products in our stores. You must enter code MEMWK10 to receive the savings.
To ALL of our Etsy shoppers, please enter the code in the message box at check out and we will refund the discounted amount to you. For those who shop on our site, you may enter the code in the Voucher field, click recalculate and the discount amount will populate.
Be sure to check out our Bargain Bin, we have slashed prices on many soaps, lip balms and perfume oils to make room for the new. With the discounted prices and additional 20% off, the savings is GREAT!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Ingredient of the Day: Dea Sea Mud
What is the big deal with putting mud all over your body?
Applying ordinary, yet extraordinary Dead Sea Mud on your body has many skin loving benefits.
The mud comes from the Dead Sea based in Jordan and Israel. It has attracted many visitors from around the world for thousands of years and is known as the world’s first health resort according to Wikipedia. Due to the layout of the Dead Sea, high concentrations of salts and minerals are produced that are excellent for the skin. Its most precious resource is the Dead Sea Mud.
Dead Sea Mud contains a large range of minerals that
• improves circulation and natural skin generation
• cleanses the skin and removes any residue, impurities and toxins
• provides effective relief for skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema and acne
• moisturizes the skin and keeps it hydrated
• gently removes dead skin cells to reveal more youthful, healthier skin
Dead Sea Mud exfoliates, cleanses and hydrates the skin all while infusing it with minerals. In addition, it helps improve the skin quality of various skin conditions thus making it a staple product for your household.
Check out our Spa Bar with Dead Sea Mud, it exfoliates, cleanses and hydrates.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Etsy Milestone
First, don’t make the mistake we made. We opened our Etsy shop in 2006 and did noting and I do mean nothing with it. It just sat there hoping to be recognized. Unfortunately, the same ole same ole NOTHING happen in 2007 and part of 2008. It was not until late 2008 when we finally decided to do something with our Etsy shop after being asked countless times “Are you on Etsy?”.
Second, don’t just promote one avenue of shopping for your items online. We were extremely focused on promoting our webstore to the point that we ignored venues like Etsy. We have learned the more places such as Facebook you promote your products/services, the more likely you’ll be seen in Cyber world. .
Third, don’t forget to add your Etsy url to all your marketing items, brochures, catalogs, business cards, etc. Etsy is extremely popular and is becoming more recognized with each day. Therefore, you may have customers who shop Etsy exclusively and if you’re not informing your customers of all the avenues they can find your products then you may be missing out on sales, relationships, networking opportunities, etc. You never know who your customer(s) may refer your product to.
Fourth, don’t be intimidated by the Etsy forums. Get in there and make yourself known, join groups, street teams, network, work out trades, promote, have specials, etc. Remember I said Etsy is getting more and more popular by the day so you never know who is lurking around, it could be your lucky day.
Finally, don’t forget to have fun and to be respectful while doing so. Your business is a reflection of you and in today’s world we can find a great deal of information about a person with the click of a button. So please remember while taking part in online discussions not to forget you are representing your business.
I hope these don’ts will help someone in one way or another. It took us a while to catch on, but once we did we saw light at the end of the tunnel.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Happy Earth Day
Earth Day according to Wikipedia is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment and this year marks its 40th Anniversary.
In honor of Earth Day, we have decided to promote 3 items that were inspired by nature from the creation to the final packaging.
First up is our Cucumber & Aloe Soap by CCrafters

Soothe and heal your skin from the harsh environmental elements with our pure Cucumber & Aloe handmade soap. This 100% natural soap is true to the plant. It is made with organic cucumber puree grown here in the fertile soil of North Carolina, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, quality vegetable oils, exotic butters and premium plant-based essential oils. This bar is sure to give your skin all the attention it deserves and will do the body good! This bar is packaged in deli paper with a label made from recycled material.
Second Up Ginger Juice & Berries Hairdress by Lavida Given by Nature

Third Up Recycled Envelope Paper Necklace by Hippie Kingdom

According to Hippie Kingdom, the Eco Friendly necklace made of paper beads from Colorful Telephone Bill Envelopes was carefully handcrafted. The paper beads are strung on natural hemp and are connected in an interesting pattern to form a rectangular pendant. It will even arrive at your front door packaged in recycable mailing material. Now this is certainly a nice upcycled item. Very creative
Friday, March 20, 2009
Herbal Salve

Hello Everyone,
Today I would like to share a little about our Herbal Salve. Our Herbal Salve was formulated to treat a friend’s itchy, dry patches due to eczema. The salve has worked wonders for the friend’s skin however it is more than just a dry patch soother.
Recently, my youngest son who is 10 had his hair cut at the barber’s that left a small cut around his hair line from the clippers. Of course he complained about the uncomfortable feeling and I, being mom, kissed it and said it will be all better now. That did not work as those “kiss the boo boo” days are long gone for him. So to make matters better, I applied the salve to his cut. He immediately said mom, this has a little tingle. I replied it will tingle just a little while because of the fresh cut from the clippers. If it continues to tingle after a few more minutes then we will wipe it off. Well a few moments later he did not complain and his cut felt much better.
Another incident was a few months back when I received a chemical burn on my scalp from a relaxer that was put in my hair. The burn was not bad however, it was a bit uncomfortable. So I applied the Herbal Salve to the burn and I felt the same sensation, since it was a fresh burn, my son experienced and sure enough a few moments later it felt much better. Now mind you I have had these same type of burns many times over in the past and it would take days for that baby to heal on its own. These burns were so uncomfortable that I would hate to comb or brush my hair in that area because it would irritate it really bad. Almost like the feeling of pulling the scab off of a healing cut.
Just yesterday from my visit to the salon, the Herbal Salve came to the rescue again. This time I got my hair washed, conditioned and styled. Well after coming from under the dryer, my stylist applied some sort of spray to my hair right before styling it. Instantly the crown of my head started itching like crazy. I tried to fight the urge from scratching it but I could not take it any longer. So I dug into my head like there was no tomorrow. My stylist said “girl you are going to scratch your hair out with the way your digging, do you want me to put, as she referred to it, some of your grease on your hair?” (I gave her a sample of it a while ago after I shared my experience from the chemical burn and my son’s experience from the clippers). Of course I replied “yes”. The moment she applied the Herbal Salve to the crown of my head the itch was gone. It went away instantly. It is now one day later and the crown of my head has not itched since. I just love this Herbal Salve it is really a great item to have in all households.
Here is a brief description about our Herbal Salve. It is loaded with soothing oils, butters, waxes and herbs to treat dry patches, itchy spots, and cracked skin or anywhere your skin needs extra attention. This all-natural salve will nourish, replenish and rejuvenate skin all while protecting and healing at the same time. An infusion of olive oil with St. John’s Wort, Plantain, Chickweed, and Calendula combined with Virgin Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and natural waxes is the perfect prescription for beautiful, healthy skin. A must have in every household.
** This product is vegan friendly and contains no artificial ingredients.
- St. John’s Wort – an excellent herb for the treatment of burns, wounds, sores, insect bites, eczema and itching
- Plantain – is a general wound healing herb that is especially good for bites and stings
- Chickweed – soothing, anti-inflammatory that promotes wound healing
- Calendula – soothes and aids in quick healing of cuts and abrasions
***The above statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Cocoa Butter Series of Products

I am not sure how your childhood was, but for me whenever I would get a scrape or burn, my mom would always put cocoa butter on my wound everyday until the scar literally faded away. The cocoa butter not only healed my wounds (and I had many of them), it also toned my skin and moisturized it all at the same time. Thank goodness for a natural miracle product such as cocoa butter that has been used in skin care formulations for centuries.
Our Cocoa Butter is pure, food grade, prime pressed, golden butter obtained from the cocoa bean that has a beautiful, rich aroma of dark chocolate. It is a natural vegetable fat that melts on contact and is most often used to
• soften and lubricate skin
• help prevent and minimize stretch marks
• protect dry, chapped, sensitive skin
• heal wounds
• soothe irritated skin
• great for skin conditions, such as eczema
• helps skin reatin moisture (perfect for winter months)
• and MORE!
Take the time to care for your skin by cleansing with one of our moisturizing Butter Bars made with a generous amount of cocoa butter, then protect your precious skin from the harsh environmental elements with our Cocoa Butter Cream or our luxurious Whipped Honey-Cocoa Body Butter. This delightful whipped butter begins with prime-pressed cocoa butter, shea butter, a dab of mango butter, intertwined with avocado, macadamia, rice bran and um, um, good coconut oil infused with Mexican Vanilla Beans. Whipped Honey-Cocoa is an all natural body cream with a silky smooth texture that melts on contact. Don't forget those puckers. Keep them nice and moist with our Cocoa-Vanilla Lip Balm.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Lime Ale Beer Soap (made with real beer)

We have been hearing about BEER being used as the water portion during soap making. Of course our first thoughts were, yuck that would be an awful smell from the beer and sodium hydroxide and WHO would want to smell like BEER? Thankfully, neither was the case. Our finished Lime Ale soap smells nothing like beer. It has a beautiful aroma of lime with a hint of sandalwood due to the special blend that we created strictly for Lime Ale. And, the soap making process did not yield a yucky aroma, it was quite pleasant.
We wish we could take credit for thinking of adding beer to soaps, but we can’t, however, we can certainly take credit for our signature recipe of olive, coconut, palm, castor, soybean and shea butter. All of these skin-loving edible oils intertwined with the benefits of hops found in Beer yield a wonderful cleansing and moisturizing bar of soap. Since beer is primarily hops, many of this herb’s properties and benefits become a skin cleansing asset when added to soap and promotes clear skin. So why not get yourself a bar on Etsy or our online store.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Lip Balms Placed 3rd Place

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Butter Bars Made with Cocoa and Shea Butters




Friday, July 18, 2008
Lip Balm

What is a lip balm?
According to Wikipedia, a lip balm is a substance topically applied to the lips of the mouth to relieve chapped or dry lips, and cold sores. And guess what? Our lip balms do just that. Our lip balm, which is often referred to as lip smacker, is not your ordinary lip treatment. It is made with wholesome ingredients that will moisturize dry lips with just the right amount of glide while lending a staying power that lasts longer than most balms. Each lip balm is hand produced in our home and come choked full of beeswax, sweet almond oil (or apricot kernel), hempseed oil, castor oil, shea butter, Vitamin E and irresistible flavor/essential oils with no artificial color. A perfect treat for those who want to pamper and nourish their lips with the finest oils, butters and flavor nature can provide. Our lip balm is Da Bomb and others feel the same way.
Recently our lip balms placed 3rd in the Best Lip Balm contest hosted by Products of the Day. We were very delighted to receive this honor as we were among many crafters who have taken their businesses globally (we didn’t think we would top them). To be able to stand out from what we consider some of the big guys makes us feel extremely proud of what we do. You can read all about it here
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Blue Passion Da' Bomb

Da’Bombs are different than the others on the market!
Think of Da’bombs as a combination of fizzing, scenting, and moisturizing all wrapped together in a 2.5” ball that is handmade fresh daily and eager to get into the tub with you! Create a relaxing and soothing spa experience in your own bathroom without spending a fortune. Da’Bombs are not only therapeutic but are a fun addition to any bathtub. Containing shea butter to moisturize the skin and Sodium Bicarbonate to soothe, Da’Bombs are a great way to enjoy a relaxing bath. *Note Da’Bombs are an excellent way to enjoy a foot soak!
How It Benefits You:
1. Soothing and relaxing
2. Highly Moisturizing (no need for lotion after bathing)
3. Loads of minerals and vitamins
Fragrance: This fragrance is the long awaited marriage to our famous Sugar Passion fragrance that is way beyond SEXY! This sweet unisex fragrance opens with a delightful harmony of toasted caramelized sugar and vanilla blended with woodsy notes of cedar and warm Tonka beans. The heart of the fragrance is nicely balanced with Patchouli, Licorice, French Lavender, Heliotrope and Coriander and freshened with crisp bergamot and mandarin with dried down notes of mandarin and anise.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Botanical ShamPOO Bar

It’s not easy being GREEN, which is why we (Karess Krafters) went on a quest to create a GREEN shampoo. We began our research because we often wondered why our hair always appeared to look unclean after it had been washed several times. It always appeared weighed down or heavy without any volume. Well, thankfully we found the answer. It was the type of shampoo and conditioner we were using. We will not give any product details of the items we poured down the drain many years ago, but we will say that they were commercial items that caused a build-up that did not rinse away with wash after wash.
So the ultimate question is Do you read the labels of your shampoo? Or better yet, Do you know what is in your shampoo? Probably not, because most of the ingredients listed on shampoos are long with words that spell check cannot fix, let alone the online Webster tool pronouncing it for you. Not only are the ingredients full of big words, the front label (the one that really catches the eye) says “Lather Up and Rinse”. Umm! Sounds simple enough…right? This task is so simple that it fails to mention that rather than “clarifying” and “de-frizzing”, your simple “Lather Up and Rinse” shampoo may be washing chemicals in your hair oppose to out of your hair, which is why we created a very simple all natural Botanical Shampoo Bar made from ingredients that can be found in your local Health Food Store or even your local grocer.
Our Botanical Shampoo Bar is formulated with botanicals, rich vegetable oils and premium essential oils that your hair will love and appreciate. Here are a few benefits from some of the ingredients found in our shampoo bar:
1.Olive Oil – nourishes, conditions, and improves the strength and elasticity of hair
2.Coconut Oil – great for dry, itchy scalp
3.Avocado Oil – rich in vitamins and excellent for dry hair
4.Hempseed Oil – the riches source of EFAs (essential fatty acids) that increases volume, elasticity, softness and shine
5.Castor Oil – penetrates deep to soften hair, provides moisture and restores natural sheen.
6.Rosemary Herb – encourages hair growth
7.Burdock Root – soothes irritated scalp
8.Nettle – reduces itchiness
9.Chamomile – soothes irritated scalp
We have included a lot of “earth-friendly” ingredients in our Botanical ShamPOO bar that cleanses gently and thoroughly, without harsh detergents that can strip hair. They are also packed with botanicals, African Fair Trade Shea Butter, and Premium Essential Oils to help maintain moisture. To use, saturate hair well, and separate into sections. Then work bar into a lather directly on your scalp, and work the mild lather through the hair. For best storage, keep bar dry between uses.
Note: Please ensure that you rid your hair from any product build-up. To do this, mix ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon of distilled water. Shampoo and rinse as usual. Pour 2 cups over the scalp and let mixture saturate your hair. Finish with a cold-water rinse. Store any left over mixture in a refrigerator and use it every couple of weeks.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Apple Spice Handmade Soap

Add a little spice to your life with our new soap “Apple Spice”. Formulated in small batches using vegetable base oils of olive, palm, coconut, soybean and castor oil along with a hearty helping of African Fair Trade Shea Butter, this soap will surely uplift your senses and perk up your skin! It has a spicy aroma that is refreshing, yet warm and cozy all at the same time. The delightful blend opens with the crisp, tart goodness of apples with added zing of orange peel that is topped off with the right amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It is by all means a wonderful long lasting fragrance that can be appreciated anytime of year.
Oil Benefits found in Apple Spice
* Castor Oil is rich in fatty acids and is soothing and lubricating. It is a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin that lends emolliency to our soaps
* Coconut Oil will not clog pores and absorbs readily into the skin as it provides wonderful fluffy lather to our recipe.
* Olive Oil is a good cell regenerator that attracts external moisture to the skin and still permits the skin to properly release sweat, shed dead skin and release sebum.
* Palm contributes to the hardness of bar soap thus making it last longer
* Shea Butter is reputed for its ability to moisturize and retain the elasticity of the skin.
* Soybean has long been cultivated for its protein which makes an effective moisturizing agent.
Give your skin the attention it deserves by Karessing and Cleansing Naturally. After all it does make SCENTS!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Researching and Formulating
Since my mind was in overdrive and I have spent nearly 4 hours making the Jojoba-Mint Shampoo, I had to find something fun to do while I waited for the soap paste to do its thing. Anyways, I created two items that will be included in every order once they are printed and in our hands. This is something we are already doing, but wanted to spruce it up a bit. We will have a Soap Pamphlet printed that tells a little about our soaps and how to maintain them. In addition, we will be printing a new post card to include in every order that offers customers 15% off of their next online purchase (only one use per customer). The good thing about this is customers who have already taken advantage of this offer will receive a new card with a new code. This could not come at a better time with everything around us sky-rocketing. Many of us can appreciate a DISCOUNT!


Monday, June 2, 2008
Gardening and Cleansing
Yesterday was work in the garden day. Hubby and I planted some beautiful flowers in a corner in our backyard. We plan to turn it into a meditation area complete with a hammock and water fall. It will be a quiet area where we can go to clear our minds, collect out thoughts, and rejuvenate the thinking process. Of course after spending hours in the sun working with soil I felt really gritty and grimy so I was in desperate need of a good soak and my body, particularly my arm pits, thanked me for it. My hair was in need of some TLC also. So here is what I did:
1. I washed my hands with our Garden & Kitchen soap which contains cornmeal and grits that gently scrubbed my soiled hands clean and gave a nourished, polished look due to the hearty helping of shea butter.
2. Since my hair requires what I consider a pro-long rinse (rinsing hair for about 15 minutes after it’s washed), I have to wash my hair in the shower. I ran a warm, others would say hot, shower and just stood under the shower head while allowing the warm water to open my pores. I stood there for about 5 minutes. Then I grabbed my favorite shampoo Rosemary Mint from LaVida Given By Nature and used only a quarter size to wash my entire head of hair, which is dreaded and about shoulder length. This shampoo is so concentrated that only a small amount is needed to produce loads of lather, which gets my hair squeaky clean. Therefore, you save money and most importantly it is all natural and Vegan friendly. Be sure to get yourself a bottle TODAY!
3. So after washing my hair with loads of lather, I just stood under the shower head for about 20 minutes allowing the water to rinse the lather away and allowing my body to relax. I followed by washing my body with our Sunshine Handmade Soap that really gave my grimy, gritty body a good cleanse. The olive-based bar left my skin feeling very hydrated and the beautiful aroma from a proprietary essential oil blend allow my senses to continue to appreciate a natural aroma (remember the first natural aroma was from the flowers planted, then the Rosemary Shampoo, now the Sunshine soap).
4. My cleaning regime was not over. I had to protect and nourish my hair, so of course I used my favorite Ginger Juice and Berries from Lavida Given By Nature on my naturally dreaded hair. It has the perfect balance, not too thick, too oily or too heavy. Just the right amount of herbs and oils that coat and protect my hair from the environmental elements while still nourishing and strengthening my hair.
So check out Karess Krafters and Lavida Given By Nature to get yourself a natural cleanse from head to toe.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Cast A Spell


Cast A Spell is a very romantic fragrance that mixes a sweet

Monday, April 21, 2008
Come See Us

Where: Bond Park, Cary, NC
When: Sat, April 26, 2008, 9 - 5
What: Spring Daze
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Local Artist to look for:
Karess Krafters
Brooks Boutique
Orange Cat Art
Cork & Cotton
Vintage Scrap
April is about Karess-My-Face

It is April and it is all about getting your face in radiant order for the warm months to come with our Karess-My-Face product line. This month we will share tips on how to care for your skin and introduce our facial care line that will help you achieve your skin goals.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body that can be damaged by what it is exposed to and is closely dependent on what you eat. Before deciding on what to do with your skin, you will need to find out what skin type you have, which may be sensitive, oily, normal, combination or has been damaged due to the sun and the heat.
The basic facial care regimen should contain: cleaning, toning and moisturizing
Step 1: Cleanse
Cleaning the skin is one the easiest things you can do. You’ll need to find a cleanser that will give you good results without causing your skin to become irritated.
Our Karess-My-Face facial bar gently cleans and exfoliates all at the same time. The addition of rosehip powder deeply removes dead skin cells, while leaving the complexion clean, refreshed and best of all healthy looking. For an even deeper radiant glow, the use of our complexion brush with boars bristles will stimulate lathering action from our facial bar, ensuring a deep, thorough cleansing. Don’t want to lather up to get a good cleanse, then try our Honey O' facial cleanser in a convenient dispensing bottle.
Our Karess-My-Face Honey O’ cleanser is formulated for sensitive skin with organic aloe juice, oat extract, wheat protein, glycerin, honey and other skin-loving agents to assist in cleaning, lubricating, healing, protecting and moisturizing your skin so that it may function properly. Properly functioning skin is beautiful, clear, and glowing and makes your skin stand out from the rest.
Tip: If you wear makeup, you should carry out the routine of cleaning, toning and moisturizing each evening, as well as washing the face in the morning.
Step 2: Tone
Toners main power lies in their ability to wipe away any traces of dirt, make-up or cleanser that remain after cleansing. Of course, the majority of residue are removed during washing, but following up with a toner finishes the job. It balances skin pH, and tones your complexion while maximizing your skin’s capacity to absorb your favorite moisturizer. Our Botanical Toner brings Organic Aloe Vera juice together with an array of extracts and glycerin to soothe and balance the skin. Cucumber extract moisturizes and restores radiance, while organic black willowbark extract aids in skin renewal.
Tip: Use morning and evening after cleansing to refresh, tone and deep-clean pores
Sept 3: Moisturize
Without moisture, the skin will not remain smooth and supple. The face is exposed to the drying effect of the weather, so moisturizers - which form a film over the skin - contain and augment the natural moisture. Our Karess-My-Face Orchid Facial Serum is an amazing cocktail of natural oils and emollients working in perfect harmony to add moisture to your skin and regenerate new cells, while improving skins elasticity, hydration and smoothness.
Tip: Apply to damp skin (face and neck)immediately after toning
While supplies last, we are offering our facial care products in trial sizes packaged in a convenient take along bag. The set includes a facial bar, honey o' cleanser, toner and serum, just enough product to get a feel of our facial line. As always, spot test any new product.