5 Things Lately

Hello, yeah it's been a while. Not much, how 'bout you? Can't get that song out of your head now, huh?

Anyway, just a brief check in to share what's going on at Lora's Beauty. As some of you know who follow me on Instagram (click here to follow me), I made a quick trip to Alaska last month. I went to see my son and take in the beauty that is Seward, Alaska.

Wow! Is it ever beautiful! 

Surrounded by the Kenai Mountains, Seward sits on Resurrection Bay in the Gulf of Alaska. I'm adding these photos unfiltered and unedited.

I went with my mom and we saw Alec's ship!

Someone told me that Alaska was a lot like Oregon only everything is just bigger. I couldn't agree more, I mean look at those mushrooms!

Unfortunately, on our next to the last day there, Alec went underway. However, this afforded me the opportunity to get a photo of the ship leaving the bay. Doesn't it look so tiny?

I'm headed back to Seward in July and this time I'll bring a new camera lens so I can zoom in better on the wildlife and the ships.

Meanwhile, back in Portland, we've got the garden planted and have even harvested a little from it such as the romaine lettuce I used to make this smoked salmon (from Alaska of course) salad.

Because of the garden and the fact that the lettuce is ready, we've been eating our fair share of salads and to make them more of a meal I'm all about the extras, like salmon (or tuna), eggs, avocados, and wasabi peas! The wasabi peas tossed on top provide a nice kick and crunch to the salads, seriously, try it!

Another nice summer (or any season) meal I've been doing is shredded chicken in the pressure cooker; it's so simple. I cook 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts with some pre-packaged taco/fajita spice mix and a couple cups of water for about 30 minutes. I then shred them by pulling them apart using forks. We get about 4 meals out of this by using the chicken in burritos, soup, on salads, or whatever! 

I made some last week and we had burritos which is how I discovered squeezable sour cream at the grocery store! How have I missed this before!? Sour cream is just meant to be squeezed! Perfection.

Since returning from Alaska, I've made a new soap which is now available in the online store. This goats' milk soap, named Polar Smoke, is a mad mixture of warm cinnamon essential oil and cool peppermint essential oil with menthol crystals melted throughout!

The bottom black part (the smoke) has activated charcoal and is scented with cinnamon while the polar top is scented with peppermint! 

If you haven't tried showering with a soap that has menthol in it yet then you haven't experienced the refreshing, awakening shower that's perfect for hot summer days. 

Both the new Polar Smoke as well as the Peppermint Ice soap contain menthol and are fully stocked in the online store!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the longer days.

A Few Things

I've just got a few things to share this week starting with my STRONG desire to see the end of this winter! REALLY tired of the cold and wet. *sigh* Ok, enough complaining.

We're spending this weekend putting up crown molding in the kitchen as the painters will hopefully be starting next week.

I decided on the Pumice color (middle color) from Miller Paint for the walls.

The trim will be Patti's Pearl (top row second from the left) also from Miller Paint.

Last weekend we made our annual winter trip to Astoria, Oregon for the Festival of the Dark Arts. As usual, it did not disappoint.

There were plenty of people in costume, some really good ones too!

There was also some nice art including this ice sculpture.

The beer, of course, was awesome if you didn't mind being served by ghouls! Next year, we plan on going after 6 pm however, as the crowds seem to really thin out. It's really crowded right when they open at 2.

On our trip home we saw this herd of elk by the roadway. We scared them off when we stopped to take photos though.

Monday is 'Pizza Day' around here and we usually (just about always) make a pepperoni and mushroom pizza. This week for a change we really mixed it up and made this goat cheese, pear, and caramelized onion pizza. I used my homemade pizza dough recipe and added a little arugula as well. It was a big hit and will definitely get some more playing time!

I finally broke down and bought a Pressure Cooker this week. I've had it on my Amazon Wish List for years but never pulled the plug on it. Now, I'm really excited to try this recipe as well as cook dried beans in 45 minutes! CRAZY!

I've been using my new Honey Hopped Soap lately and am loving it! I'm so happy with the scent, the cassia essential oil really held through the soap making process and smells wonderful. Pick up a few bars while they last!

Snow and Cookies!

I don't have much to share this week beeeecaaaause......


SNOW!!!!

aaaaaaannnnd.....

COOKIES!!!

Yes, we got snow in Portland on Wednesday.  The snow photo was taken on Thursday so some of it melted.

Something about a snow day before the holidays makes me want to bake and the best cookie known to man is the chocolate chip cookie!

This recipe is Betty Crocker's because there's no need to mess with perfection (and lots of butter!).

There's still time to place an order from Lora's Beauty for delivery before the holidays! Nothing says "I love you" and "Happy Holidays" more than a bar of goats' milk soap!

Winter Is Here

Portland had it's first ice storm of the year last week. I very gingerly went outside to take some photos.

It's amusing to me when people talk about how Portlanders don't know how to drive in the snow. Well, this is the kind of snow we normally get. In this kind of weather, it's hard to leave your front porch, let alone drive.

It's important though, to keep the bird feeders stocked. Even the tiny hummingbirds are out and need food.

The ice and snow sure make for some beautiful photos.

Here's what's left of our summer peppers.

Our Christmas lights are hanging in there.

As are the tree branches.

This kind of weather makes for a great day to make soap and what kind of soap do you think of when it's icy out?

Why, Peppermint Menthol Goats' Milk soap of course!

Pick up a few of these beauties for the holidays!

A Few Quick Things For Friday

Weather permitting, we're getting our tree this weekend! Last weekend we did the annual drag out all the holiday lights, plug them in, confirm they don't work and throw them away. Just for fun, this year we added a step to the process and hung them outside BEFORE confirming they didn't work! *sigh* Anyway, we've got to pick up a few new strands of lights this weekend as well.

I haven't broken down and started playing holiday music yet. I usually start the week before, or sometimes, the night before Christmas. This song, though not really holiday music, got a nice update this year. The original version always sounded a little smarmy.

Tickets went on sale this past week for The Festival of the Dark Arts at Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon in February.  I wrote about the great time we had last year here. If you like dark beer, dark days, and dark arts, you shouldn't miss this.  Get your tickets quick, they go fast as do the hotel rooms!

I'm still restocking my soap reserves. This week I replenished the Patchouli Cedar Sage Goat Milk bar. This is a great bar for the men out there. It's packed with garden-fresh sage, cedar wood and patchouli essential oils, creamy cocoa butter, and olive oil. It contains a wonderful outdoorsy scent at the same time being a very luxurious soap. Pick up a few bars for the man in your life, or for yourself!

Welcome Ed and Olive

We had to go to the pet shop anyway. Sure it was a rainy Saturday and we didn't have much going on so a trip to the pet shop was a necessary distraction.

We have this routine when we go to the pet shop, first I grab a cup of free coffee (I know, awesome pet shop!) we then visit the cats who want adopted. Then we visit the bunnies if there are any, then we go to the bird section, and last we get what we came for.

Ed

On this particular day, the cats were both snuggled deep in their snuggle sacks so we couldn't see them and there were no bunnies. The birds though, they were awake and very social!

Olive

There were Budgies (green and blue), owl finches, and even a couple Macaws (one was the store bird and the other was vacationing at the store while it's owners were gone). There were also two cockatiels that instantly perked up when we walked over.

They were so social and seemed to understand the baby nonsense talk I was saying to them!

However, we ended up buying what we needed and leaving with out them.

Once home, we did a little research about what it took to care for a cockatiel. After a couple hours, we decided we had what it took!

Back to the pet store we went and this time we returned home with Ed and Olive.

Apparently you need a blood test to actually tell the sex of the birds but from everything we've read, I think we've got a male and a female.

They've warmed up to us very quickly and we had them out of the cage the same day we brought them home.  Usually, they need a few days to adjust to a new home so we feel lucky they are so social.

I've never had birds as pets before. From what I've read, they're very much like a young child. They like to play, and you can teach them colors, to count and to speak.

Welcome Ed and Olive!

A Few Things

It's only Tuesday but, I've found a few things I'd like to share with you.

First up, I couldn't contain myself when I found this recipe! What could be better than a warm chocolate drink that has red wine in it!?  I haven't made it yet but it's on my to do list for this weekend! Just adding red wine to this hot chocolate recipe I shared last year would be tasty.

I've been busy making soap for the holiday rush and a Christmas bazaar I'm participating in. Consequently, I now have the popular Mug-o-Beer Soap restocked in the online store.

The Pepperwood Goats' Milk Soap has been restocked as well.

Pick up a few while supplies last!

Thoughts for Friday

I'm going to try something new. My Thoughts for Friday post will no longer be a collection of things I've done, read, seen, bought, or tried over the past week.  Instead, I'm going to spread those thoughts and objects out over individual posts during the week.

The idea is to create more content in smaller posts which will provide a quick way to get DIY ideas, recipes, and see furniture redoes and pretty pictures.

You may have noticed a change this week as I've posted several things; one about freezing herbs,

a Fall DIY project, and a post about visiting Portland.

The best way to stay current and not miss a post is to subscribe to Simply Lora's Beauty by submitting your email address on the sidebar!

Thoughts for Friday

Another week comes to a close and we're staring the weekend in the face!  I've got a few shameless promotions and a great online store I've found to share with you this week.

First up, I'm excited to debut new labeling for Lora's Beauty Soaps! Autumn is in the air and I've added a black background wrapper to the soaps with a small leaf punched into the foreground label.  It's not much but it looks o-so-sophisticated!

Also for Autumn; a new scent!  The Honey Ginger goats' milk soap is a seasonal special only!  Need a gift for someone with an Autumn birthday?  This soap paired with some Warm Cinnamon Honey soap all decked out in the new labeling would make a beautiful and useful gift or pick some up for yourself!

Several years ago I purchased a waxed canvas backpack with leather straps from an Etsy store.  I use it mainly for a camera case and every time I use it I get compliments on it.  It's well made and looks like it.  I've also seen similar bags in stores selling for upwards of $300.  I paid around $60 for mine.  I was going to send the website to a friend who asked for it a couple years ago, but the Etsy store was no longer in business.  Well, just this week I got an email from the store saying they have a new website!  Check it out if you're in need of a new bag.  Their prices are great (the bag pictured sells for $55!) and I've been very pleased with my backpack!

Got a beard?  I have it on good authority that the Kent Beard/Mustache Comb is #thebomb! It's handmade with each tooth cut by special circular saws, profiled, beveled and hand-polished on pumice wheels.  This is done to eliminate razor sharp teeth which can damage hair and cause split ends.

Use it with LB Equipment's Beard Oil for a soft, glistening, tangle free beard!

Get out there and enjoy your last summer weekend! We're going to try to make it to the Polish Festival for some great food!