Introducing Unkamengifts

Proud members of the SHE Team(Schooling at Home Etsians), the Helmrich family is a creative bunch! They have taken the Buy Handmade Pledge, and love to make all their gifts for each other.

Leah, now 15, began making jewelry 3 years ago after a fellow RVing friend showed her a few of the basics. She took right to it and loved making jewelry for herself, and friends. Shortly after, she started selling it locally. She now also makes FlowerChildren and is proud to now have her own shop, favmoongirl.

About the same time, her brother Byron, now age 11, started collecting interesting rocks and polishing them with his dad's help. He found that he enjoyed selling them as gratitude rocks, because the root of true happiness is being grateful for everything that you have.

Recently their dad, Ralph made a necklace for their mom, Karen and got such a charge out of seeing her wear it that he decided to learn more and make more. He specializes in chainmaille at the moment because Leah can't stand working with all those little jump rings! Karen enjoys it all and helps whomever needs it; whether with photographing, test driving, and assisting with creating the marvelous jewelry, gratitude rocks and FlowerChildren.

The family calls Livingston, TX, their home but spend about 6 months a year traveling in their other home, a 40 foot RV. The kids are homeschooled, and always have been. They love being homeschooled and all the great opportunities that they have been given!!

Introducing Chantel and Me

I began Chantel and Me to give myself an outlet for my photo hobby. I enjoy taking shots of nature, and am so thankful God has blessed us with an abundance of beauty and color. I also enjoy taking pictures of odd things, like a series I'd like to do called "Bee Hineys"(pics coming soon in the shop), or an old forgotten cemetery planted deep in the woods. Since my sweet husband gifted me with a wonderful camera I love looking for those unique shots. I like to take an everyday picture and digitally enhance it to become something special.

I also envision Chantel and Me having some mixed media items and some sewn items. I'd like to get back into drawing and try out some watercolor and acrylic painting. Those plans are still in the making. Watch soon to see what Chantel and Me becomes.

Be sure and check back often to see new things listed. If you click on these photos you will go to the page where they are available.

Introducing CypressLakeSoaps

I love that our team is getting so many new members. I want to introduce you to one of our newest. Be sure and click on the photos to go to her store items.

Cypress Lake Soaps
Cypress Lake Soap is a family business that draws inspiration from nature.

In the search for a milder, safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to commercial soap, we began to make our own using only natural ingredients.

What makes our soap different?
Our soap is truly different from commercial grade products. These soaps are created using only vegetable oils, essential oils, and other products found in nature, such as vegetable fibers and powders, as well as, herbs and spices, and natural clays for their color, texture, interest, fragrance, and their nutritive properties. Our soap base starts off with a mixture of quality ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil and castor oil. All of these products come together to form a wonderful, all natural soap with a luxurious lather that also retains its natural glycerin to pamper your skin and senses.

What you will never find in our soap!
They will never contain chemical or synthetic fragrance oils, synthetic dyes or any other synthetic ingredients, sodium laurel sulfate or any other types of detergents, petroleum products, or artificial preservatives.

How we make our soap!
Every bar is a unique creation because they are made in small batches using the cold-process method. Each batch is hand stirred, and poured into molds, when it is ready the individual bars are cut and cured for up to six weeks. This time is used to further develop the mildness of the bars and to allow time for them to harden. No two bars will ever be exactly alike. We think you will enjoy our soap as much as we enjoy creating it.