Leaf of the Day: "Soapberry Suds" plus Leaf and Bark

Today has been grey and leaden with intermittent heavy rain. One of those dreary days when you have a permanent headache, a day when you want to be out but have to be in and can't settle. I had earmarked today for my day out sketching but instead had to be confined to quarters. So I set myself the rainy day task of a bit of studio tidying, and some cleaning.
This was made much more bearable as I was using my new homemade soapberry liquid and I have to say it is quite amazing. I made about one litre and put it in an old spray bottle. It is a really excellent degreaser. It does not smell particularly of anything but tomorrow I am going to add some treetree oil to it. This would have an extra antimicrobial effect and smell lovely. I have sprayed it on the work surfaces, washed up with it, cleaned the shower etc .

I am seriously impressed, so I am thinking of going into manufacturing. So on this dreary day I spent sometime designed an exciting label for ..."Soapberry Suds".... my new Pencil and Leaf brand cleaning product.



Here is my product label .......


and matching magazine ad..



OK, I can't claim it to be entirely original but I spotted this wonderful genuine wartime advert for Ivory Soap with handsome bathing sailors, who will now brighten my day ..and with a little customisation made it all my own.



As you can see I only had to change a few things. The advert already came with the "it floats" byline. I have just made a substitution for their Ivory soap, so that the strapping sailor in the foreground can easily grasp my bobbing soapberry nut and to the "it floats" type at the bottom and of course changed the words to carry my very own cleansing message. After all, cleaning up should be fun. Whereas theirs is only "99%" pure mine is, I assure you, 100% pure.

If you would like to know what the original said here is the text.

"Ivory soap had a good many unusual experiences during the war and was found in many strange bathtubs. Perhaps in none did it give more pleasure than in the one mentioned below in a letter written on board one of the army transports:...
""We all had a bath in a large canvas arranged for the purpose a few days ago, about 25 being under the hose at one time. Best of all we had Ivory Soap. It certainly seemed like home to rub in the mild ivory lather from head to foot and then feel the delightful exhilaration following a brisk rub down." "

What a spirited and uplifting sentiment, and fancy one of those sailors having gone to all that trouble to write to Ivory Soap about having a bath with friends. I think that's just wonderful and we need more of it and I think my Soapberry Suds will be just the ticket ...orders taken now. I am thinking of taking a stall next week on Winter Park Farmers Market. I think it will be a hot seller.

(I am wondering if I should have put a warning at the top of this post to protect myself from the ire of the various "phobes" of this world?)

Today I also, with some difficulty, drilled some holes in the seeds. The outer shell is very very hard and I had to rig up a very Heath Robinson contraption to steady the bead involving a putty rubber and a couple of lids of things I found around the house.... but I am very pleased. They are beautiful.
This unfortunately sent me to Michaels to look for some nice additions to make a small piece of jewellery with. I try to stay out of Michaels unless I have a mission as I tend to get stuck. Today I was stuck for ages just pondering the possibilities of combining materials.



However I did finally get round to drawing, and my last look at the soapberry for now is a leaf and a sketch of the bark. The bark is beautiful dark green and pale bluey green. Quite lovely.
_______________________________________

Soapberry Leaf and Bark