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10 random facts about myself

Updated: Sep 4, 2022

My family

  1. I have been married to my amazing husband Peter for over 10 years now. We became friends before we started to date. We have worked together in many kitchens over many years. Being able to work together in many high-stress kitchens has given us both amazing cooking skills, and the ability to communicate thoroughly and work towards the same goal. We got married at a music and art festival one year before we had our official wedding with our friends and family. We love to take road trips and bring our dog Pork Chop with us. We get out and go camping when we are able to and enjoy traveling to new places.


(My husband Peter and I)





Pets

2. We have an adopted dog from a local shelter, her name is Pork Chop. She is a 4-year-old pit bull who is a chocolate brindle color, with cropped ears. She is a blessing in our lives. She makes us laugh every day. Swimming is her favorite form of exercise so we often take her swimming at the Spokane River. She makes friends wherever she goes. If you are afraid of the pit bull breed, she is an amazing ambassador for her ability to get along with other dogs and people of all sizes is amazing. Pork has two close dog friends, a standard poodle next door named Jasper, and a wiener dog named Molly. One of her favorite treats ever is a dill pickle, if you open a jar she will soon be at your feet with hopes of receiving a bite. Her favorite toy is a pink stuffed fabric pig she carries around the house or a set of black velvety gloves that she is gentle with.




(Pork Chop)


Interesting skills

3. I am a lampworker (glassblower). Fire is my favorite element and is an amazing tool. Being a cook for many years and learning how to use fire to create amazing dishes has helped me learn how to use heat and flame to make beautiful glass art. Making mandrel beads and pendants are my favorite things to make out of glass. My favorite glass color to work with is blue. My seat of choice when working is a drum stool my amazing husband got me for my birthday, I have always sat on one when behind the torch, and probably always will, though I am not a drummer. I have always loved all items made of glass, and from a young age had wanted to learn this magic skill of working with the flame and glass to create, even if it was just a small marble. Glass is probably my first love, and still brings me so much joy and relaxation when creating something new. I have been making glass items for about 18 years, and am not the best, but I give it my all. My heart is in every single little bead, and item that I have made over the years. Washington has amazing glass workers, and I love to see all of the creative items that people in my community make. Finding inspiration every time I sit behind my torch and flame and let my own personal style and creativity flow. Making items out of glass is one of the most relaxing things I can do for myself. It is a form of self-care. It is one of my favorite forms of meditation and clears my mind of the stress of the world and life. When opening my kiln the next day, checking out my creations is still something that brings me more joy than any Christmas morning has. I love to see the way the glass changes and the magic that happens in the kiln.


(Chihuly, my favorite glass artist)









Hobbies

4. Plants and trees are another passion of mine. Horticulture and gardening are always something that I love to learn about. Learning the scientific and latten names of plants is interesting and can tell you so much about a plant. Being outside in nature and feeling the earth has always been something that I have enjoyed doing. Learning about the different ways to use herbs and plants is one of my greatest passions. I love to use what nature has to cook and create amazing soaps and salves. Collecting things in nature is something I enjoy doing. Sands, pine sap, flowers, herbs, tree bark, and more are always being picked up and collected whenever I go out. Bringing these items into my soap whenever I can integrate them into the process. Cut flowers do not do it for me, and my husband knows that my preference is a live plant any day, over any cut flowers. I would rather have a pinecone from the ground he found himself than a big bouquet of roses!





(Rosie the Riveter)


My tattoos

5) I have quite a few tattoos. Rosie the Riveter is on my upper arm, along with a WW2 tank, plane, and pineapple grenade. My favorite glass pattern is behind my ear, the Fibonacci is the most commonly repeated pattern in nature. You can find it in pinecones, flowers, honey combes and so much more. I received my first tattoo at the age of 18 years old, and I have not had a new tattoo in over 10 years. One day I would love to have both of my arms completely covered, but for now, over half of one arm is covered and that is enough. Every single thing that is on my body means something special to me. Tattoos are an amazing way to express yourself.







One of my weaknesses, imperfections


6. Computers and writing are not my strong points. I am dyslexic and have always avoided doing anything with writing, or entering numbers. It takes a lot more energy for me to do some simple tasks than most. Reading was always something that brought stress to me rather than fun. Reading about my interests and passions is something that brings me joy, and makes it effortless. Learning about spreadsheets, though, is something that I just can not get into still. It is important for us all to know our strengths and weaknesses and be able to work on areas that we are not as efficient in. Learning how to ask for help when I need it is not always easy at first. Doing things I am not good at can be hard, but I am learning a lot of new skills and growing as a person along the way. I am thankful to all of my friends and family who have helped me along my journey, I could not do this without all of your support.






(Crawfish Boil my husband and I made.)


What are my favorite foods?


7. I love food! My Dad was a chef for many years and has taught me how to work in a kitchen and use a knife correctly and work the stove at a young age. We grew up helping in the kitchen often, and working for my family's catering business. Working in kitchens has always been something that has come naturally to me and I am so grateful for the skills it takes to be able to create amazing dishes at home with my husband. Working in kitchens over many years has even made me a better customer, being able to order properly and knowing the language of the kitchen and restaurants and understanding how some items are made to order or take longer than others, and am not afraid to receive an item late, or not perfect. My husband, I would say is a bit more adventurous than I am when it comes to food. My favorite items to order out are a good soup salad and bread, but not every soup, salad, or bread is worth ordering, in my opinion. My favorite soups to order are Pho, miso ramen, and Mexican meatball soup. My favorite salads are usually those with homemade dressing, caesar or vinaigrette, handmade croutons or caramelized nuts, fresh local greens, and vegetables. Sourdough bread is probably my favorite bread, but anything hand-made is beautiful. Here in Spokane, we have a pretty good selection of places where I can find these near my home. We are pretty lucky as a community that we have so many places for all palates of food lovers.


( Photo credit to Michelle Magdalena Maddox )


Favorite flavors


8. Sour and bitter are some of my favorite flavors. Lemons, limes, tamarind, citric acid, vinegar, and even fermented foods. Pickles and brined items are some of my favorite things to make and buy. Homemade bitters, kombuchas, vinegar, and pickles are always in the works in my kitchen. I have always enjoyed items like this and have always snacked on items like lemons with salt, pickled veggies and fruits, vinegar, and lemon juice. One of my favorite snacks is fresh mango, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumbers, topped with lime juice and tajin spice mix. Often I am adding sour and bitter items to my food and drinks often and enjoy the bold flavor they give to any dish. I am a sucker for sour and bitter drinks, beer, or cider.




Favorite form of self-care


9). Taking a hot bath is one of my favorite forms of self-care. Testing new ingredients, and products are always enjoyable. There is no need for fancy items to enjoy my bath, sometimes less is more. Epsom salts, magnesium chloride, essential oils, or other local natural soaps are always my favorite items to use. Taking a nice hot cup of loose leaf tea and a cold glass of water with fresh ginger to drink while in the bath makes my experience even better. Taking the time to relax and slow down is important to me to make sure I am scheduling into my weekly routine. Sitting down and relaxing can be hard to do for many of us, and there is not much to do but relax while in a bath and it forces me to hydrate my body with fluids that I love. After sitting in the bath, I spritz my body with glycerine water to hydrate my skin before using body butter and body oils to seal the moisture. Putting on one of my robes, and favorite pair of slippers before relaxing on the couch with my husband and Pork.


My dreadlocks


10. I have 29 dreadlocks that I created my own locks almost three years ago. It was a long process of letting them mature naturally. My hair grows fast and is super thick so I have grown my hair out long to donate it three different times so far. Changing my hair often is something I enjoy doing and have had many colors of hair over the years, and love to have my hair up and braided when we go to music and art festivals. Dreadlocks have always interested me and I began learning about how to create them in my own hair. The process of making my own dreads has taught me a lot about my own hair and myself along the way. Yes, I wash my hair and dreadlocks often, my hair does not smell, or stink and is not icky and or gross. I care for my dreads a bit differently than I do my loose natural hair. Dreadlocks are basically felted hair and need to be cared for like they are your favorite sweater. My hair and dreads are not perfect, but they are mine, and I love them. They have a mind of their own and have a lot of character. Often my hair is up in a bun on top of my head. I am able to add hand-made glass mandrel beads that I create myself. One thing I love about having dreads is that you can add just about anything you want to your hair.




(Foraging in the woods of Montana with my amazing girlfriends.)





Being a bit strange and different from others has taken me a long time to be ok and comfortable with. I like a lot of different things than the general public and have a lot of nontraditional hobbies and interests. Pursuing our personal interests and passions helps us to develop our personalities as individuals. I am proud to surround myself with people of all kinds, ages, and interests, who I call friends. Being friends with people who are interested in different topics allows me to learn often and look at many challenges that arise in a healthy way. Let's celebrate what makes us all different, and be proud of our own strengths and weaknesses. I hope to encourage you all to follow your dreams, and enjoy the process of learning and growing. Be bold, be yourself, and try new things often. I encourage you to reach out and ask questions and learn new skills. Life is short and we all deserve to reach for our dreams, no matter how far away they may seem.


All Natural * Fragrance-Free, Custom orders available


*Check out my soaps on social media and read my weekly blog for self-care tips and tricks.




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Posting photos of your soaps and tagging them with my hashtags below is a great way to help any and all small businesses grow naturally.



*Thank you to every one of you for supporting me and my dreams of being an artisan soap crafter. Every order is important to me! I appreciate each and everyone who has bought my soaps along the way, either from my webshop, local art shows, local vendor malls, flower shops, and from me.


Here is a list of my completed blogs! Learn a bit about Cold Process Soap and Christal Clear Soaps, and how I got started making all-natural fragrance-free soap.



5) Sand

6) Indigo

7 Rose & wildflower

8) holiday gifts

9) In the garden

10) What’s in my bag

11) Fall is here

12) Essential oils

13) Clays

14) Favorite self-care tips

15) Spices are not just for cooking

16) What I am thankful for

17) New in the shop/stocking up with Christal Clear Soaps

18) An accomplishment I am proud of

19) Houseguests

20) Selfcare during the holidays

https://christalsglass.wixsite.com/christalclearsoaps/post/self-care-during-the-holidays









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