How sweet!

I’m rather ashamed that it took me this long to find this lovely little mention; it’s from August 23, after all!

For you budget beauties, you can get yummy, natural clear lip balms from Om Shanti Handcrafts…

Read the rest here…and thanks Mary!

Kind words from Jill!

Jill’s a regular customer of mine and rather a friend as well — we chat back and forth frequently over at the Creative Cafe. Recently she bought one of my Roses, Roses and Roses soaps (alas, one of the last!) and just posted some really kind words in her blog.

Specifically I can now say this is probably the best rose soap in the world. It smells gorgeous. It soaps lovely. It feels all luxurious and smooth and wonderful.

…looks like I’m gonna hafta make some more. Thanks, Jill!

Ahh, Dani. :)

So my friend Dani from back East and I got started on Etsy around the same time, but being so far apart (and so busy) it took us a little while to realize this. Since then, we’ve encouraged each other and naught much else — being, well, awfully busy. She’s been running Sweet Tarragon since December of last year and she makes, truly, some lovely jewelry.

Just recently, though, she and her partner Mer started another shop — Hot Glue Media — focusing on business graphics. Etsy banners and avatars, business cards, letterhead, labels, and anything else you might want.

Hot Glue Media: Solutions that Stick! Okay, I just think that’s hysterical.

I keep meaning to get around to interviewing the two of them (and failing), but that’ll happen someday. In the meantime, I figured I’d do a little pointer their way.

(She also may have posted nice things about my stuff in her blog, but I’d've done this anyway, I just needed the provocation!)

A winner!

A couple weeks ago I was featured at De Lavande Hand Beaded Necklaces & More — Rachelle did a lovely interview and ran a contest. The winner was one Mary, otherwise known as PopBlocks on Etsy and the lady who writes Now Entering Momville, an awfully fun blog.

After a lot of consideration Mary opted to spend her ten dollar gift certificate on a bottle of my Good Smellin Bug Stuff, which I duly sent off. Upon receiving it she did a little review in her blog…

From Lavande blog, I won a $10 gift certificate to Omshanti, a terrific etsy shop with tons of all-natural beauty and health goodies for pretty darn cheap. I am going back there for birthday gift baskets and stocking stuffers.

Check out her place for the rest of what she had to say — and thank you, Mary, for your kind words!

A couple more mentions.

Every once in a while I gotta link to what people are saying about me. It’s good for my ego, y’know.

I woke up several days ago to a lovely message from a friend of mine, Jill, who runs the Creative Cafe. Creative Cafe is a friendly little place dedicated to supporting those with disabilities — and showing off the creative things the members do. There’s also (by the way) the Creative Cafe Salesrooms, where Creative Cafe members can sell their stuff. There’s some really cool things available there — do have a look!

So, anyway, message from Jill. It read:

Hi Kate

Just saw a google alert question in a forum on “who makes the best soap” so I recomended yours!

Have a look HERE

May as well spread the word!

HERE was The Purse Forum, a site for those who really love their purses — and shoes, jewelry, clothing, and bath and beauty products. Here’s what Jill said about me:

In my opinion the best rose soap is by Kate of Omshanti Handicrafts…Kate also make a Scarborough Fair soap and a range of bath salts and lip balms all from natural ingredients. I am addicted to her bath salts and everything she makes smells georgeous.

…yeah, so I was kinda ridiculously happy to see someone saying that sort of thing about my work. And specifically going places to say it, too! Thanks Jill!

I got another review recently. So far it’s just about my shop, but she bought some of the aforementioned Scarborough Faire soap and will be reviewing that as well. Ms Lexia has made a habit of reviewing other Etsy sellers in her blog, giving them more exposure than they’d get otherwise. And bless her for that — I’ve found a few shops that way that I wouldn’t have without her.

Here’s some of what she had to say:

But you must look closer to see what’s special about OMSHANTI’s products. She uses a lot of pure, natural, and simple ingredients. We’re in the middle of a hot summer. And Ease the Burn Sunburn Spray sounds heavenly. It’s made from pure, good things, like aloe vera, witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, and natural essential oil of lavender.

You can go here to read the rest of her review, or just check out her blog, which is filled with reviews of great places to shop.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t link to her Etsy shop as well, since it’s filled with beautiful, unique jewelry.

And lastly, I’ve a friend who’s been having a pretty crap life lately. I decided to take pity on her and send her some stuff. And she posted a bit about that in her journal:

Then Mar checked the mail, and I got an awesome package from Kate!!! I has awesome bath salts, nummy-smelling tea, and a cute soap to try. There will be reviews, but you should all go here and buy things from her. I can guarantee it’s all quality workmanship and ingredients, and you won’t regret it! :) (She’s also an awesome person, but if her stuff sucked, I’d find some way to get that across regardless. So her stuff doesn’t suck. :) )

See? My ego’s growing as we speak. (Don’t worry, it only gets so big.) And that’s all for now!

I have been remiss!

I have been reminded by the lovely Paper Girl Productions that one should review what one purchases!

See, she’s got a post over at her place of 35 Ideas to Blog About. And while I’m rarely out of ideas, I’ll still take one of hers (with requested link!) and review a purchase I made recently.

There I was, chatting and promoting away on the Etsy forums, hoping to talk someone into buying my stuff, and somehow I got suckered into buying something, myself. 10oneworld, an absolute sweetie, makes the loveliest organic t-shirts (and onesies and tote bags) with the entire world on them.

Nope, that’s not me wearing it. I’ve got a picture with it on but you can’t see the world, alas!

The globe is actually appliqued on — it gives a really neat effect. And everything’s organic, the packaging she used is recycled (and I’ve already reused it shipping some of my stuff out), and she even included a dollar-off coupon for an organic, earth-friendly detergent to wash it in.

Have a look at some of her other stuff, and be sure to visit her site!

A three-pack of my own:

…mentions (more than mentions, truly) of my stuff and my shop in three different blogs.

This one I’d managed to miss for far too long. It was posted back on May 12, on the EtsyBloggers Street Team Blog, a group for those of us on Etsy who blog and blog a lot. A very eclectic group, since our link isn’t locality or type of product, but a good group of people nonetheless.

Om Shanti Handcrafts

The next one I knew was coming up — a local blogger (just down in Littleton), a fellow member of the Mile High Etsy Street Team. This one is local — well, the Front Range in particular and Colorado in general — and Denille sent out the word that she’d like to feature some of those local folks on her blog. Naturally I jumped at the chance (and will be featuring her in return — it seems only fair!). This was in interview format, so most of the words are my own.

Interview with Kate Jones, owner of Om Shanti Handcrafts

I feel like I did okay — go and have a look!

And lastly — I’d found Balmbastic a while ago. It’s a review blog, focussed mostly on lip balms though they will review just about any bath & body product out there. She’s known for being straight-up, honest, and at times blunt. Well, all the reviews I’ve got so far have been from friends — so I figured going to someone impartial would be of use. At best, I’d get a great review; at worst, I’d know what to fix, and I could send her an update later.

So I contacted them. This was a while ago, mind you; she’s got a lot to do, and it slipped my mind. Until she ordered some of my lip balms about a week ago.

Sent em off (carefully choosing the ones with the least-scratched labels). Added a ‘bribe’ (a bath salts sample; I always include a free gift). Waited.

The review came in last night. Wow. Might I add? WOW.

Om Shanti Handcrafts’ Lip Balm

An excerpt:

These balms glide on and make your lips feel like silk. They are not greasy, however they do feel a bit slick, but this goes away as it nicely and evenly (this is something I noticed right away and was taken aback by. Since when does lip balm do anything evenly?) absorb into your lips. There is a slight sheen, but as previously mentioned, only the Wintry Balm would be labeled gloss-like.

She gave me a five out of five…and will be reviewing the bribe as well. I’m afraid that upon reading this, I danced around the house and scared the cats (Remy, however, didn’t care.) What a review! What a review!

…and that’s what’s new in my world. Me? Smug.

A customer testimonial!

My friend Kass, also a customer, had this to say:

“Without Om Shanti Bath Salts, I simply refuse to bathe!”

I love my Kass. :)