Chapel Bridge in Lucerne Switzerland

One of the many things I love to do is travel.  I travel every year to collect ingredients for my handmade soap creations.  I'm able to enjoy all the things I love by combining my love of nature, food, culture, photography and travel when I take these trips.  Above is a photo of the famous Chapel Bridge in Lucerne Switzerland.  Built in the 14th century.  Lucerne was one of my favorite places I visited in Europe and Switzerland.  A very vibrant and beautiful community.  I truly felt at peace there.

My Website: http://www.deshawnmarie.com
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In a Dreamy State of Mind.

Today I can't seem to keep my mind here in the apartment. Maybe it's the cold weather that is making me dream of far away places. Every time I start to cut soap, package it, etc. I find myself drifting to memories of a trip I took a little over a year ago. Alot of the herbs, flowers, etc. that I stand here making soaps with today were gathered from that trip. So I thought I would share a few photos and memories from that trip. Next time you have one of my soaps in your hands you can think ahhh I have lemons from Italy in here or Lavender from France in here. I spent 4 months gathering inspiration and ingredients in France, Switzerland and Italy to create my new soaps that I recently designed.

Sometimes it is just something simple that inspires me. Like this picture I took of a dandelion in a park outside of Paris.



Even my breakfast can inspire me to think of something new. Like this plate of pastries and croissants in Paris.



Hiking in the Italian and Swiss Alps was an unbelievable experience and I found much inspiration there. Here is a photo in which I am standing in Switzerland looking into Italy.


Although this flower is not a rose or a lilac it is what inspired me to make my Lilac Rose soap.

If you look at the Lilac Rose soap which is pictured below I'm sure you can see how that flower inspired me to create it.



These delicate little purple flowers inspired me to create my Lavender Rosemary soap which has delicate purple flowers on it.



Here is a photo of my Lavender Rosemary soap so you can see how those little flowers gave me the visual of this soap.



I thought I'd share this little photo journal of how I come up with ideas, inspiration and the moments it happens. Next entry I'll explain how I think of the ingredients to get the look in the soap I want to create. Well back to soap making...hopefully I can get my mind to stay here now :)