Katie Mouse and the Christmas Door


Book Description

Christmas is coming for Katie Mouse and the rest of the Mouse family! Papa strings lights on the house and takes Katie and her little brother, Dylan, to get a tree, while Mama puts up decorations and bakes cookies for Santa Mouse. Now, if only Katie could decide what she really wants for Christmas, so she can let Santa Mouse know! On Christmas Eve, Santa Mouse and his mouse elves arrive to leave gifts for Katie and Dylan. But Alvar, the newest elf on the sleigh, wanders off to explore, and winds up meeting the Mouse children face to face. From the elf, they hear all about the North Pole and the magical Christmas Door, which shows you what you want and need the most. Can Alvar help Katie discover her deepest Christmas wish? And can Katie help Alvar, when Santa Mouse accidentally leaves him behind? For ages 4 to 9. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// ABOUT ANNE AND MOUSE TOWN In 2016, Anne L. Watson fell in love with felted mice by Bulgarian artist Diyana Stankova. Anne happened to be working on a housekeeping almanac, so she started photographing the mice, posing them in scenes with miniatures in dollhouses, to illustrate the book. Soon she was writing little stories about the mouse family, while learning to use Photoshop to manipulate their poses and composite their props and settings in a creative blend of toys, other photos, and purchased and free art. As Anne added more mice and other felted animals from Diyana and other artists, Mouse Town began to take shape. As might be expected, these adorable but pushy critters eventually demanded their own books, and Anne obliged with the Katie Mouse series. Besides her children's books, Anne writes literary novels and how-to books for grown-ups, on such subjects as housekeeping, soapmaking, and baking with cookie molds. She lives in Bellingham, Washington, with her husband and fellow author, Aaron Shepard, and a growing family of critters. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE "What's the Christmas Door?" Katie asked with new interest. Alvar's eyes shone even brighter. "When the Christmas Door opens, it shows you what you want and need the most." "That sounds wonderful!" said Katie. "I can never decide that for myself." She sighed. "But I guess I could never go there." Alvar thought a moment. "You don't really need to. I could show it to both of you, right here." "Really?" said Katie, all excited. "Just close your eyes and look for a red and green door at the end of a path. I'll help you." Katie and Dylan closed their eyes. Snow swirled all around them, thick and soft. As it settled, they found themselves on a misty forest path with Alvar. The mist grew thinner, and out of it, a door slowly appeared before them -- red and green with gold trimmings, brighter than their Christmas tree. A gold key hung from the doorknob. "What do we do now?" said Katie. "Just touch the key, and the door will open," said Alvar. "Who's first?"




The Mice Before Christmas


Book Description

Everyone knows that famous line from "The Night Before Christmas," Clement Clarke Moore's classic poem: "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." But how many know why all those mice were already in bed, or what they were up to before that? Here at last is a companion poem to reveal all: The holiday hustle and bustle in the mouse house since early that morning. The evening party for all the mouse friends and relations, with presents, feasting, and dancing. And to top it all off, a visit from Santa Mouse himself! Never before told, this mice-eye story is sure to find a place in your heart beside the original classic. ///////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the author/illustrator of "Katie Mouse and the Perfect Wedding," "Katie Mouse and the Christmas Door," "The Secret of Gingerbread Village," and other children's books, as well as the author of numerous craft books and novels for adults. She lives in Bellingham, Washington, with her husband and fellow author, Aaron Shepard. Wendy Edelson is the award-winning illustrator of "The Baker's Dozen," "Quackling," "Christmas Truce," "Which Shoes Do You Choose?", and many more children's books. She has applied her talent to a wide range of illustration projects, including picture books, pet portraits, posters, and puzzles. Among her clients have been Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, Pacific Northwest Ballet, the U.S. Postal Service, Cricket Magazine, McGraw-Hill Education, and the American Library Association. ///////////////////////////////////////////// REVIEWER COMMENTS FROM NETGALLEY AND MORE "A new classic." ~ "A perfect gift for Christmas." ~ "The start of a new Christmas tradition." ~ "Will be a staple at our house for many more Christmas holidays." ~ "I cannot wait to give this to all my friends with children of all ages as a gift this year." ~ "A total delight." ~ "This gem is destined to become a beloved holiday favorite!" ~ "The kids loved it AND the adults loved it too." ~ "Fantastic tale." ~ "I will be sure to share this one with all my students for the holidays." ~ "Sure to be a classic." ~ "Brilliant." ~ "I really don't think there is an age group who won't love this." ~ "Even my grumpy old neighbour smiled." ~ "This book blew me away!" ~ "An absolute must for libraries." ~ "Will give you a warm Christmas glow." ~ "Will become a cherished family tradition." ~ "Wonderful!!! Simply wonderful!!!" ~ "A beautiful gift for anyone at Christmastime." ~ "A must-have to be enjoyed by adults and children alike." ~ "A Christmas delight." ~ "Has the most vividly colorful and highly detailed illustrations I've seen." ~ "Recommend this one for families, libraries, and even schools." ~ "Highly highly recommend!" ~ "Clever and adorable." ~ "We always read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve, and now we will be adding this book to that tradition!!!" ~ "Wonderful wonderful!" ~ "Great spin on a classic!" ~ "Pure Christmas joy." ~ "A book to be brought out on Christmas Eve, year after year." ~ "A new children's classic." ~ "A perfect readaloud for the holiday season." ~ "Should find its way into homes and school libraries for years to come." ~ "A new favorite." ~ "I was completely enchanted." ~ "Perfect and beautifully executed." ~ "Would keep children of many ages entertained for hours." ~ "A fantastic companion to the original poem." ~ "Captures the essence of what makes Christmas so special." ~ "A classic in its own right." ~ "Enchanting, cozy, and just very, very sweet." ~ "You have to read it to understand the magic of 'The Mice Before Christmas.'"




The Adventures of Mouse Deer


Book Description

"I'm quick and smart as I can be. Try and try, but you can't catch me!" Mouse Deer sings his song as he walks through the forest looking for tasty fruits and roots and shoots. Though he is small, he is not afraid. He knows that many big animals want to eat him -- but first they have to catch him! In these delightful trickster tales from Southeast Asia, find out how Mouse Deer gets the best of his enemies -- Tiger, Crocodile, and the most dangerous animal of all, Farmer! TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "FOLKTALES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Kim Gamble is one of the most popular children's book illustrators of Australia. He is also a frequent contributor to that country's much-loved School Magazine, where Aaron's Mouse Deer stories first appeared. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "A retelling of some of Southeast Asia's most popular folklore .... Simply narrated, The Adventures of Mouse Deer is witty and steeped in the power of myth, as well as high-spirited determination.... [A] delightful introduction to an enduring legend."-- Small Press Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review, May 2005 "Mouse Deer's small stature leaves him vulnerable in the jungle, but Crocodile, Tiger, and Farmer are no match for this quick-witted, fearless creature. Give this book to children making their first forays into chapter books, and visit the author's Web site to download readers theater scripts." -- Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal, Dec. 1, 2009 ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS 1 ~ Mouse Deer and Tiger 2 ~ Mouse Deer and Crocodile 3 ~ Mouse Deer and Farmer ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE Then he heard something. ROWR! There was Tiger! "Hello, Mouse Deer. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be my lunch." Mouse Deer didn't want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast. He saw a mud puddle. "I'm sorry, Tiger. I can't be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his pudding." "His pudding?" said Tiger. "Yes. There it is." Mouse Deer pointed to the mud puddle. "It has the best taste in the world. The King doesn't want anyone else to eat it." Tiger looked longingly at the puddle. "I would like to taste the King's pudding." "Oh, no, Tiger! The King would be very angry." "Just one little taste, Mouse Deer! The King will never know." "Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me."




Baking with Cookie Molds


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! Beautiful to look at but hard to use. That's the reputation of cookie molds. But should it be? In this groundbreaking book, Anne L. Watson restores cookie molds to an honored place in the baker's kitchen by revealing long-lost secrets of their use. With Anne's techniques and recipes, tasty cookies with lovely, detailed designs will literally fall from the mold into your hand. Learn how to make traditional molded cookies like speculaas, springerle, and shortbread, as well as modern ones like White Chocolate Lime Cookies and Orange Blossom Wedding Cookies. Learn the tricks of sandwich cookies, layer cookies, chocolate backing, and exhibition cookies. And learn about the molds themselves -- the many kinds, their history, the best places to find them, how to treat them, what makes a good one, and which to avoid entirely. With nearly two dozen recipes and almost a hundred photos, "Baking with Cookie Molds" will quickly have you making cookies that both amaze and delight. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the author of a number of popular books on home crafts and lifestyle, as well as children's books and many novels. In a previous career, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne lives with her husband and photographer, Aaron Shepard, in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Expert instructions guarantee readers a frustration-free experience when using decorative metal, earthware, and wooden molds . . . After reading this, you'll want to snatch them up." -- Lisa Campbell, Library Journal, Sept. 15, 2015 -- STARRED REVIEW "A tasty treat of practical cookie making, historical cookie-mold information, and a wide range of recipes, all served with appetizing sides of baking history and great photographs." -- Kirkus Reviews, June 16, 2015 "Anne L. Watson deserves big hugs from bakers everywhere for resurrecting the beautiful and tasty art of baking with cookie molds. Loaded with practical advice on everything from the care and cleaning of molds to proper recipe formulation and molding technique, 'Baking with Cookie Molds' provides all the know-how one needs to put retired molds back where they belong -- off walls and out of cupboards, and into action in our kitchens." -- Julia Usher, author, "Cookie Swap," and Director, International Association of Culinary Professionals "Cookie molds are lovely to admire but often end up as part of your kitchen decor rather than as a baking tool. 'Baking with Cookie Molds' will inspire you to use those molds as they were intended -- to create strikingly beautiful cookies -- and shows that those cookies can be delicious as well! Detailed instructions and photographs make it feel like the author is right there in your kitchen, baking alongside you and guiding you through each step." -- Christina Banner, author, "How to Build a Gingerbread House" "A must read for novice and avid bakers! Anne's story and vast knowledge of cookie molds keeps you entertained from beginning to end." -- Karen Giamalva, President and CEO, LetsBakeCookies.com "Friendly, warm, and inviting." -- Ken Hamilton, The Springerle Baker "A 'honey' of a collection of old and new secrets for shaping edible-art cookies -- with less effort and more success. Will do much to keep this tradition alive!" -- Gene Wilson, HOBI Cookie Molds




Milk Soapmaking


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! Do you love the feel of milk soaps but shy away from the cost? Are you looking for a special kind of gift you can make yourself? Or do you already make soap and want to try something new? Anne L. Watson's "Smart Soapmaking" was the first book based on modern techniques that eliminate the drudgery and guesswork from home soapmaking. Now, by popular demand, she continues her soapmaking revolution with the first practical, comprehensive book on making milk soap from scratch. Experience the rich, soothing, luxurious feel of milk soap you've made yourself. Your skin will thank you for it. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the first author to have introduced modern techniques of home soapmaking and lotionmaking to book readers. She has made soap under the company name Soap Tree, and before her retirement from professional life, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne and her husband, Aaron Shepard, live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Beautiful in its simplicity. . . . A definitive book for experienced as well as beginning milk soapers." -- Rebekah Bailey, The Original Soap Dish, South Whitley, Indiana "An easy to read and understand book that will take the mystery out of milk-based soapmaking and debunk some of the myths surrounding it. It contains some great basic formulas to get you started making milk soaps of any kind, and fuel to let your imagination run wild when you are ready to formulate your own creations. A good source of information for new soapmakers, and also suitable for more experienced soapmakers who want to start making milk soaps but thought it would be too difficult." -- Amanda Guilfoyle, Bodelicious Bath & Body Products, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia "As always, Anne is up to her usual excellence. This book demystifies milk soapmaking so everyone can have the luxury of a truly decadent bar of soap *easily*. LOVE this book!!!" -- Susan Kennedy, Oregon Trail Soaps, Rogue River, Oregon "If you have an interest in milk soaps, this is the book for you. . . . Debunks much of the popular wisdom that may have discouraged some soapmakers." -- Kevin M. Dunn, Author, "Scientific Soapmaking" and "Caveman Chemistry" "As uber-soapmaker Anne L. Watson demonstrates, milk soaps made properly are [rightfully] well-known for a quality of luxurious buttery softness that is undeniable. . . . Anne once again acquits herself ably as a scholar of the suds and a natural communicator." -- Wishing Willow (blog) "Enthusiastically recommended." -- Midwest Book Review, Feb. 2009, "Reviewer's Choice" "Full of information that milk soapers, whether novice or experienced, could use to make better milk soaps. Anne writes in a conversational style that made me feel as though I were sitting down with her in her kitchen. . . . Anne details what seems to be everything there is to know about the subject. Rather than simply offering her opinions and favorite practices, Anne did extensive testing and experimenting, learning how to make the best milk soap bars that could be made. Soapmakers will be impressed with the amount and quality of Anne's research and observations. . . . That leaves the question: Can a neophyte made good cold-process milk soap? I now say yes, with the caveat they have 'Milk Soapmaking' in hand." -- Beth Byrne, "The Saponifier," Sept.-Oct. 2010




Crafting with Cookie Molds


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! It's a match! Cookie molds and polymer clay are perfect crafting companions! So says Anne L. Watson, whose earlier books helped spark a cookie molds revival. As Anne has discovered, cookie dough and polymer clay have a lot in common, and a mold made for one will work brilliantly with the other. The mold does the main work of shaping the clay, making you look like an expert every time! And many cookie molds are "bakeable," so that figures come out of the mold perfectly formed and already hardened. Besides that, contemporary cookie molds come in shapes, patterns, and themes that will appeal to polymer clay and mixed media crafters as well as cookie bakers. So, while bakers will find a new use for their molds, crafters will discover countless new designs to grace their projects. "Crafting with Cookie Molds" includes everything you need to get started: basic tips and techniques, plus over thirty of Anne's own decorative projects, from beginning to advanced, illustrated with over 170 photos. You'll find Christmas tree ornaments, boxes, baskets, shelf standers, wreaths, gingerbread houses, and more. And if you want to use the very same cookie molds as Anne, they're identified by maker, with notes on where to find them. Welcome to the exciting new world of polymer clay and cookie molds! ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the author of "Baking with Cookie Molds" and "Cookie Molds Around the Year," which helped launch the modern revival of interest in cookie molds. She has also written popular books on soapmaking and housekeeping, as well as many novels and children's books. In a previous career, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne lives with her husband and photographer, Aaron Shepard, in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Charming . . . Watson offers a thorough introduction to a clever new craft . . . A comprehensive, organized, and deliciously readable manual that provides instruction with enthusiasm and ease." -- Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2024 ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS PART 1 -- BASICS Basic Tools Basic Supplies Basic Directions PART 2 -- PROJECTS Baskets Boxes and Canisters Table Decorations Shelf and Counter Decorations Wall and Door Decorations Other Room Decorations Christmas Projects ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE "Too pretty to eat!" If you make molded cookies, you've heard that one over and over. And if you're like me, you don't know what to say. It's a compliment, but it can also feel frustrating. If all your work and skill gives you cookies that can't be eaten, what are you supposed to do with them? Make decorations? Hang them on the wall? Display them on a shelf? Well, yes, that's exactly what you can do -- if you make molded "cookies" out of polymer clay. "Cookies" like that can decorate a holiday tree or a wreath. They can adorn a box, a basket, a canister, a candlestick, or any number of other gifts, prized possessions, or common household items. They can even stand on their own, as when made into a planter box or a gingerbread house. Of course, not everyone reading this book has ever made a molded cookie. Maybe instead you're experienced in mixed media or polymer clay, and you're looking for new directions for your craft. Or maybe, as a beginner, you love that a cookie mold could do the hardest part of shaping clay, leaving you to reap the rewards! Whichever side you're coming from -- cookie molds or crafts -- this book will get you off to a good start combining them.




Cool Soapmaking


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! Soapmakers may love to add a variety of materials to soap, but they find that some cause more trouble than others. In the heat of the chemical reaction, an ingredient might discolor, or lose its scent, or develop a bad smell. Or it might cause problems during soapmaking, giving off noxious fumes, or making the soap harden so fast that there's no time to pour it in the mold. Help has arrived. Anne L. Watson extends the low-temp techniques from her book "Milk Soapmaking" to making soap from a variety of special ingredients, including cucumber, citrus, pine tar, beer, and wine. Soaps that have long challenged home soapmakers will now pose no problem at all. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the first author to have introduced modern techniques of home soapmaking and lotionmaking to book readers. She has made soap under the company name Soap Tree, and before her retirement from professional life, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne and her husband, Aaron Shepard, live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS GETTING STARTED (From High-Temp Soapmaking to Low) WHAT DO I PUT INTO IT? (The Ingredients of Cool Soapmaking) WHAT DO I USE TO MAKE IT? (Gathering the Equipment You Need) PROJECT #1: MILK SOAPS Recipe: Anne's Cool Milk Soap COOL SOAPMAKING STEP-BY-STEP (From Prep to Cleanup and Beyond) PROJECT #2: CUCUMBER SOAPS Recipe: Basic Cucumber Soap Recipe: Cucumber Yogurt Soap Recipe: Cucumber Green Clay Soap Recipe: Cucumber Apricot Soap Recipe: Cucumber Avocado Soap Sidebar: Designing Cucumber Soaps PROJECT #3: CITRUS SOAPS Recipe: Basic Citrus Soap Recipe: Orange Yogurt Soap Recipe: Citrus Honey Soap Recipe: Ruby Red Grapefruit Soap Sidebar: Designing Citrus Soaps PROJECT #4: SOAPS WITH ACCELERANTS Recipe: Sweet Bay Soap Recipe: Pine Tar Soap Sidebar: Designing Soaps with Accelerants PROJECT #5: BEER and WINE SOAPS Recipe: Basic Beer Soap Recipe: Chocolate Ale Soap Recipe: Red Wine Soap Recipe: White Wine Soap Recipe: Anne's Coconut Beer Soap Sidebar: Designing Beer and Wine Soaps WHY? WHY? WHY? (Frequently Asked Questions) WHERE TO FIND MORE




Smart Soapmaking


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! Maybe you'd like to make your own soap, but you're worried that working with lye is too difficult or dangerous. Maybe you're scared off by "beginner" books that go on for hundreds of pages and leave you less confident than before. Or maybe you're already making soap, but you wonder if methods you've learned are slower and more complicated than they need to be. Whether beginner or advanced, you'll find "Smart Soapmaking" practical, helpful, and refreshing. Written by a former professional soapmaker, it explodes the myths about soapmaking and shows you how to make wonderful soap from scratch with the least fuss and bother. You'll get a wide variety of recipes, plus you'll learn how to modify them and create new ones. Want to make a luxurious gift soap? Or one that's all natural, with no artificial ingredients? Maybe a moisturizing soap for dry skin? Or one with a trending oil not yet in books? With "Smart Soapmaking," you can do all that and more, to get exactly the soap you want. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the first author to have introduced modern techniques of home soapmaking and lotionmaking to book readers. She has made soap under the company name Soap Tree, and before her retirement from professional life, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne and her husband, Aaron Shepard, live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// ******RECOMMENDED BY THE HANDCRAFTED SOAP & COSMETIC GUILD****** "The only book [you'll] ever need." -- Mother Earth News, Feb.-Mar. 2019 "Should become THE book for soapmaking. . . . It's about time someone wrote a book like this. Most are idealistic and inaccurate. This book has a wonderful common sense approach that is SO long overdue. . . . I can recommend it with 100% confidence." -- Susan Kennedy, Oregon Trail Soaps, Rogue River, Oregon "Smart it is . . . . A simple, no-nonsense book that cuts through the curmudgery of stifling soap bibles like no other." -- Shellie Humphries, Harstine Island, Washington "A great book for beginners, with clear and easy instructions." -- Anne-Marie Faiola, Bramble Berry Inc., Bellingham, Washington "I learned more from Smart Soapmaking than from any other soaping book, and I have read quite a few. . . . It's written with the average person in mind, not a chemistry major. Directions are very simple and easy to understand. It really takes the mystery out of making soap." -- Jackie Pack, Stuart, Virginia "Groundbreaking . . . . Anne L. Watson [is the] universally respected and loved author/crafter/curator of this lost art for thousands of aspiring soapers . . . . Unquestionably the best book with which to begin. To be precise, it's probably the most accessible, most reader-friendly, and most immediately useful container of information a first-time soapmaker could hope to find." -- Wishing Willow (blog) "BRILLIANT to find the recipes are in grams as well as ounces." -- Jude Birch, Aussie Soap Supplies, Bicton, West Australia




Castile Soapmaking


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! For centuries, the name Castile has been associated with the highest quality in soap. But Castile -- made from olive oil, traditionally in factories -- has proven hard to translate to craft soapmaking. It has earned a reputation as difficult to make, slow to cure, and lacking in rich lather. Until now. Anne L. Watson, author of "Smart Soapmaking," continues her soapmaking revolution with the first practical book on making Castile soap bars at home. With the secrets revealed in this advanced guide, you'll be making lovely, quick-curing, lather-rich Castile quickly, safely, and reliably. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the first author to have introduced modern techniques of home soapmaking and lotionmaking to book readers. She has made soap under the company name Soap Tree, and before her retirement from professional life, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne and her husband, Aaron Shepard, live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS GETTING STARTED (Facts and Myths About Castile) THE KEYS TO CASTILE (Moving It from Factory to Kitchen) WHAT DO I PUT INTO IT? (The Ingredients of Castile) WHAT DO I USE TO MAKE IT? (Gathering the Equipment You Need) Recipe: Anne's Classic Castile STEP-BY-STEP CASTILE SOAPMAKING (From Prep to Cleanup and Beyond) MORE RECIPES! (Different Castile Soaps You Can Try) Recipe: Milk Castile Recipe: Herbal Castile Recipe: Oatmeal Castile Recipe: Cleansing Castile Recipe: Gardener's Lemon Poppy Seed Castile Recipe: Castor Castile Recipe: Coconut Castor Castile Recipe: Tropical Castile WHY? WHY? WHY? (Frequently Asked Questions) WHERE TO FIND MORE




Smart Lotionmaking


Book Description

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS! Do you love the feel of a good lotion but find yourself unhappy with the cost, or wary of the chemical ingredients? Do you ever wonder if you could make it for yourself at home? Are you afraid to try because the lotion might not turn out well, or might even be unsafe? Anne L. Watson's "Smart Soapmaking" was the first book based on modern techniques that eliminate the drudgery and guesswork from home soapmaking. Now, by popular demand, she continues her handcraft cosmetics revolution with the first practical, comprehensive book on making lotion from scratch. Whether you want to make lotion for personal use or to sell, Anne allays any fears with methods that are proven safe and approved by experts, yet simple and easy enough to perform in your kitchen. You'll soon be making lotion that's better than any you've been buying, and at a fraction of the cost. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson is the first author to have introduced modern techniques of home soapmaking and lotionmaking to book readers. She has made soap under the company name Soap Tree, and before her retirement from professional life, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne and her husband, Aaron Shepard, live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "The definitive guide to lotionmaking." -- Donna Puizina, Ekoaromas, Lafayette, New Jersey "Spells out everything and makes it easy to understand." -- Cheryl McCoy, Emerald City Soap, Haven, Kansas "Anne makes it so much fun, and so easy." -- Mary Jean Hammann, Grandma Jean's Soaps and Lotions, New London, Ohio "So logical and easy to understand that my first batch was a success AND a sell-out!" -- Susan Dinion, Holiday Farm & Handmade Goods, Berlin, Massachusetts ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS A FEW FIRST THOUGHTS LIES AND LOTIONS (Myths About Lotion and Lotionmaking) LOTION LINGO (Learning the Jargon) WHAT IS LOTION, ANYWAY? (What It Is and What Goes Into It) THE TWO WAYS TO SANITIZE LOTION (And How to Choose Between Them) WHAT DO I PUT IT IN? (Choosing Your Bottles) WHAT DO I USE TO MAKE IT? (Gathering the Equipment You Need) STEP-BY-STEP LOTIONMAKING (From Prep to Cleanup and Beyond) TESTING YOUR LOTION (Making Sure It's Safe) MORE RECIPES! (Different Lotions You Can Try) MILK LOTION RECIPES (Treating Your Skin to Milk) DESIGNING YOUR OWN (How to Create Great Recipes) TROUBLESHOOTING (Tricks, Tweaks, and Fixes) MAKING IT A BUSINESS (How to Go Pro, Not Bust) WHY? WHY? WHY? (Frequently Asked Questions) WHERE TO READ MORE WHERE TO GET TESTING WHERE TO GET SUPPLIES