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Welcome to my blog! Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and read what's on my mind. I've a vicious sense of humor, an apprecation for romance and a mad addiction to writing.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Tis the Season for Magic! Enchanting Yuletide: A Multi-Author Anthology.



Today it's my pleasure to feature Enchanting Yuletide: A Multi-Author Anthology as well as share a poem and recipe from a couple of its authors. So enjoy and Happy Holidays! 

Authors: Jena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer

Genre: Holiday / Fantasy

Publisher: Pipe and Thimble

Date of Publication: November 15th, 2017

ASIN: B076LLT6JD

Number of pages: 184

Cover Artist: Raven Williams


Book Description

Six stories of the holiday season, guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. So, grab your hot chocolate and snuggle up to experience the season as you've never done before. After all, tis the Season for Magic!




Meet the Authors

Author Raven Williams shares a Holiday Poem


It’s Christmas

It’s Christmas.
A time of family and joy,
Delights for every girl and boy.

It’s Christmas.
A time to gather around the tree.
The children’s voices filled with glee.

It’s Christmas.
Santa’s come, leaving presents galore.
Wrapping paper strewn across the floor.

It’s Christmas.
The long Solstice night has come to pass.
The morning sun shines brightly through the glass.

It’s Christmas.
A time to spread love and good cheer.
Let’s continue to do so throughout the New Year.

©2018 Raven M Williams


About Raven Williams

A prolific writer, Raven began her career in 2010 with a blog and non-fiction, then moving to fiction in 2014, when she began Elven-Jumper, the first book in the Realm.

Jumper Chronicles. She now has 30 books to her name, spanning the Realm Jumper Chronicles, Raven’s Twisted Classics, and the Demon Stones Saga, as well as her non-fiction, with more planned.

When Raven is not writing, she is creating art in the form of abstract paintings, fractal designs, and jewelry pieces that tie into her stories. She is also a caregiver for a disabled family member and two cats. She physically resides in the Northwest Florida Panhandle, but spends most of her time mentally in her Mystic Realms.

Will you join her?

Sign-up for Raven’s Newsletter here: https://mysticrealmscurioshop.com/newsletter-sign-up


Raven’s Mystic Realms FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/mysticrealmscurioshop/







Author Jena Baxter shares a Holiday Recipe



I love special soaps and toiletries and sugar scrubs are on the top of my list. There are all kinds. Some require special attention, and others are downright easy. I don’t recommend the traditional oil and sugar, unless you want to slip and slide, then spend the day cleaning your tub. I think this one is much better, and the ingredients are easy to find. They make great gifts too.


Homemade Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes


Once you have all your ingredients together prepare to work fast.


The first thing you need is a glycerin melt and pour soap base. Most craft stores carry it. Michael’s now carries some great detergent-free bases


You’ll also need a skin friendly oil. Fractionated coconut oil is a great choice and can be found in your supermarket. Sweet almond oil, avocado or olive oil will work well too. Macadamia is wonderful, but not as easy to find.


A SKIN SAFE scent and colorant if you want them. They will be available in the area you find the glycerin soap. Read the label, they MUST be skin safe. Don’t use candle colorant. Choose a nice fragrance for the season. Peppermint, pumpkin, cookies, or gingerbread.


Sugar – Sugar can have large or small grains. For this recipe, I use regular white granulated sugar. For a face soap, I would probably use brown sugar. For a foot soap, I’d use demerara sugar, because the granules are larger.


You will also need a mold. No need to run out and buy one for this recipe however. You can use a silicon mold or ice tray, or a sanitized milk carton cut to size; the box quarts are pretty perfect. Line it with saran wrap. You want the mold to give, so you can push the scrub out once it’s set. If you use the milk carton, you can carefully rip the paper off.


To Make Your Sugar Scrub


½ Cup Oil


Cup Melt and Pour base


Cups plus Sugar


Use drops or a half teaspoon to get the fragrance you want. Be cautious not to use more than necessary because even skin safe fragrance can be harsh on your skin. 1 teaspoon per pound of soap base is the limit.


Instructions:

Have your mold ready before you start and remember to work fast.


Melt your soap base on very low heat. A double boiler is good, or you can microwave it in 30 second pulses. I use 30 seconds to start and stir. If I need more time, I do 15 second pulses. You don’t want it to get too hot, because soap can burn.


When the base is completely melted, pour into a large bowl, add your oil. Mix well.


Add your colorant one drop at a time until you get the shade you want but use as little as possible; too much colorant can stain washcloths. Mix well


Add up to a half teaspoon of fragrance. Mix well.


Add your sugar and mix fast; You don’t want it to harden on you.  You want to pour it as soon as possible. When it’s incorporated pour it into your mold. If it’s too thick, spoon it in and press it down.


Once the soap is set. (I’d give it at least a couple of hours. I leave mine overnight). Carefully remove it from the mold, placing it onto a plate, or anything oil can’t seep through, because there is always some oil that seeps out of the soap. Work gently because the scrub will be crumbly.


Carefully cut it into 1-1 ½ inch squares. If there is a lot of leftover oil, I cover and leave
it, so it can soak some of that up. There will usually be seeping oil.


Your sugar scrub soap is finished and ready to package. You can use cellophane wraps or jars, label it, and add trinkets or bows to the top. Be creative. Just remember to use something the oil can’t seep through. I also place a note on the label telling people to be careful in the shower or tub, because oils can make it slippery.


Instructions: Break off a piece from the cube. Scrub an area until the sugar is gone. Rinse well, and pat dry. It usually takes one or two cubes per shower.


Have fun with it. Once you’ve tried these, I think you’ll be addicted.


WARNING: If someone is allergic to a food product, (Like nuts, avocados, etc.) they will be allergic to the oils produced by that item as well.




About Jena Baxter



A prolific writer, Jena Baxter creates characters with depth and stories filled with action, emotion, and a little bit of romance. She loves building fantastical worlds and cultures.


Living in Northern California with her husband, Jena enjoys soapmaking, her pets, and writer's conferences. She also reads for a screenwriting contest on an annual basis.


















2 comments:

Mary Preston said...

The Anthology sounds wonderful.

Jena Baxter said...

Thanks you, Mary, and Thanks for posting for us Sky.