I Love Presents

Have I ever said that before. Yes I am sure I have, but this time the presents were not of my buying. First we had a friend stay and she gave me a pair of gloves, I know it doesn't sound very exciting, but I wear them under my milking gloves on frosty mornings, and it keeps my fingers from freezing in the dairy when the temps are in the minus figures. Now for the fun presents.......

My mother in law has just returned from a fortnights holiday in Mauritius and she bought me back a package of vanilla beans, she also bought me a beautiful silk scarf, but I didn't get a photo of that. As much as I love it, my passion is in the kitchen, so the vanilla beans win hands down. 

The photo isn't great, but I am not unwrapping it till I buy some vodka or rum to steep them in.

Now for the exciting parcel that came in today's mail. Lu Ann from Isoapy was my soap swap partner in the recent series of soap challenges, which were run by Amy Warden of Great Cakes Soap Works. These soaps look and smell amazing. Above and below is Goats milk, mangosteen and acai. I'm not sure what mangosteen and acai are supposed to smell like, but this soap smells so sweet and yummy. I can't wait to take it to the bath. I was very impressed and inspired by the packaging, and embarrassed that the soap I sent Lu Ann was so plain and not nicely packaged.

This one is Lu Ann's landscape soap she called summer escape, it is scented with a fragrance called summer fling. Just what I need right now a reminder of summer. It has been so cold here that the frost hasn't melted in some shady places, so the scent that is reminiscent of summer is really nice.

And then just because she was so sweet, Lu Ann included this extra bar. It is unscented, officially, but it still smells like honey.

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