It’s shaping up to be one soapy summer vacation!

The season may not officially begin until June, but with school out and the temperature up, we’re in full summer swing at South of France. To help you catch the summer vacation bug, we’re kicking off our Don’t forget the Soap! Instagram photo contest.

Where are you traveling to this summer? South of France wants to be a part of the adventure so take us with you! Whether you’re headed to the beaches of Thailand or your grandma’s condo in New Smyrna Beach, simply snap a photo of you and your South of France soap and post it to Instagram. Use the hashtags #SOF and #SoapySummer. One lucky winner will receive a year’s supply of South of France soaps!

The winner will be selected by how fun, unique and memorable their image is, so grab your soap, your phone and your imagination! Contest kicks of Monday, May 21st and ends August 20th. Full terms and conditions will be available on The Soap Dish Magazine’s Facebook page Monday. If you have any questions before then, ask us here, on Twitter or on Facebook.

Simply Delicious Fruit Pizza

The following is a recipe from our friends at Kid Kritics:

(Thank you Nutrition Babes for this recipe)

This recipe was a HUGE hit with the Kid Kritics.  Want to impress your family and friends?  Make it at your next party!  Here are some comments from the Kid Kritics: “Best I ever had in my whole life … make 1000 more … tastes amazing … I want my house made of it!”

These mini versions were a twist on the recipe below. They used vanilla Greek yogurt as the sauce base. Have fun with your fruit mix, also! We used mixed berries and pineapple on our mini pizzas.

Preheat: Oven according to cookie directions

Equipment: Mixing bowl, electric mixer, cookie sheet, cutting board & knife

Prep Tim: 10 min

Cook Time:10-12 min, plus chill time

Number of Servings:8 or more depending on ages

Instructions

1.     3 cups prepared sugar cookie dough

Press dough in 12- to 14-inch diameter pizza pan. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until dough looks done, as it would for cookies. Remove and let cool 10-20 minutes.

2.     8 ounces Organic Valley Cream Cheese

3.     2 cups Organic Valley Whipped Cream

4.     1 package Simply Organic Fruit Dip Mix

Prepare topping by blending cream cheese, whipped cream and Fruit Dip Mix together. Spread evenly on pizza.

5.     2 kiwi, sliced

6.     2 bananas, sliced

7.     8 ounces strawberries, sliced

8.     8 ounces blueberries

9.     8 ounces pineapple, sliced

Take sliced fruit and decoratively layer in a circular pattern on pizza. Chill until ready to serve, at least one hour.

Options

Make cookies as you normally would, and create mini pizzas for a fun treat for kids.  Try gingerbread, carrot cake, or banana bread instead of cookie base.  You can replace cream cheese with organic yogurt.

Grocery List

• 3 cups prepared sugar cookie dough
• 8 ounces Organic Valley Cream Cheese
• 2 cups Organic Valley Whipped Cream
• 1 package Simply Organic Fruit Dip Mix
• 2 kiwi
• 2 bananas
• 8 ounces strawberries
• 8 ounces blueberries
• 8 ounces pineapple

6 Natural Food Colors: tan, white, brown, green , yellow, red, blue
5 Food Groups: whole grains, spices, dairy, fruit, sweet

Performance Rating: 6 Colors/5 Groups

Give three homemade gifts that Mom can pamper herself with.

Mother’s Day is about showing appreciation to our moms. It is an opportunity to tell them how much we appreciate their love, support and hard work. Why not go the extra mile this year and show mom a little love with special homemade gifts that she can pamper herself with. Consider it a spa day in a box!

Brown Sugar Body Scrub
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp grape seed oil

Combine ingredients. Scrub should be the consistency of wet sand. If needed, add more grape seed oil.

Calming Bath Salts
1 cup Epsom salt
lavender essential oil

Add 4-5 drops of essential oil and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.

Cuticle Balm
2 tablespoons beeswax chips
2 tablespoons shea butter
2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil
20 drops vanilla essential oil

Using a double boiler, slowly melt ingredients together over low heat. Stir constantly. Add to container. Let cool.

Consider packaging your gifts with a big fluffy robe and some comfy slippers to make the spa experience complete!

Feature Friday: Dedham, Massachusetts

The First Church and Parish in Dedham, MA. Image courtesy of John Phelan.

When you are in the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, you don’t have to worry about picking up your favorite South of France soap. Simply swing by the Dedham Whole Foods and grab what you need. But that’s not all to do while you are there. If you have a hankering for some Greek food, swing by Kouzina Estiatorio and enjoy the lamb shanks. Or check out the seafood fare at Legal C Bar for the seafood tower. Just be sure to bring a friend!

For the history buffs out there, Dedham is home to the oldest surviving timber frame house. The Fairbanks House was built between 1637 and 1641 by Puritan settler, Jonathon Fairbanke. Dedham is also the home of the first public school funded by taxpayers. And it is also the site of the first man-made waterway.

Dedham is known for its beautiful antique pottery created by the Robertson family. Dedham Pottery, the name of the company, created beautiful high-fire stoneware with a crackle finish and is prized by collectors.

From the Dedham area? Tell what you love about South of France Soaps and living in such a great town!

Make your very own delectable foot scrub

Baring your feet after a winter hibernating in boots can be a scary thought. We decided the best way to bring your tootsies into the sunshine was to start off with some fun foot scrubs that you can make at home.

Invigorating Peppermint Scrub
1 cup Kosher Salt
Sweet Almond Oil
Peppermint essential oil

Add salt to bowl. Add almond oil slowly until you have a wet but still grainy mixture. Add 3-4 drops of peppermint essential oil.

Moisturizing Brown Sugar and Honey Scrub
1 cup of brown sugar
Olive oil
2 tablespoons honey

Add brown sugar to mixing bowl. Add honey. Add olive oil until your mixture is wet but still grainy.

Cleansing Tea Tree Oil Scrub
1 cup Epsom salt
Grapeseed Oil
Tea tree oil

Add salt to bowl. Mix in grapeseed oil until mixture is wet but still thick. Add three drops of tea tree oil.

These fun scrubs are not only great for your feet; try them as body scrubs, as well. They are especially great for rough knees and elbows.

Feature Friday: Charleston, SC

Image courtesy of Daniel Mayer

If you happen to be traveling through the Palmetto State, be sure to swing by Charleston. Why? Well, for one, you can pick up your favorite Good Health Natural Foods and South of France Products at Whole Foods and Earth Fare. Once your stocked up on those, be sure to check out all the other amazing things the city has to offer.

For all those foodies out there, Charleston is the place to be. Craving a true Southern-style brunch, complete with shrimp and grits and live music? Head over to High Cotton. Be sure to try one of their amazing Bloody Mary’s complete with a pickled green bean. Oysters are also amazing. Over at Pearlz. In addition to the classic oyster on the half-shell, you can also get spicy oyster shooters.

If a leisurely afternoon is what you’re after hop into one of the many horse drawn carriage rides that will take you around the city. Or maybe you could wander through the Historic Charleston City Market. There you’ll find antiques, kinck knacks and souvenirs. There are also snacks and crafts. One of the most quintessential of all Charleston crafts are Charleston Sweetgrass Baskets and you’ll find several artisans making these unique vessels around the market.

Image courtesy of Daniel Mayer

And plant lovers, be sure to wander around Magnolia Plantation for a turn. This beautiful garden is filled with water features, orchids and trees draped in lazy Spanish moss. Visitors are sure to be greeted by one of the peacocks or lizards that call the grounds home. Just watch out for the baby gators!

Simple stain removal to save your favorite clothing.

Have you ever had a favorite shirt? A shirt that you love, the one that makes you look great in any light. The only thing worse than losing a favorite shirt, is losing that shirt because of a stubborn stain. For some of us, this can happen more often than we care to admit. Well save some cash and that shirt! We’ve collected some methods for combating those tiresome stains

For a grease stain:
The same dish soap that makes cleaning grease off of your pots and pans so easy can also clean your pants.

• First, remove excess grease by blotting the fabric. Be sure not to smear it all over the place.
• Put baking soda on the spot and let it sit for a few hours.  It will help pull the remaining excess grease out of the fabric.
• When you are ready to soak the fabric, brush the baking soda off into the trash and fill the sink with warm water and good dish soap.
• Let it soak for a few hours then drain the sink and give the clothes a good rinse.
• Wash as directed.
• Before you dry the clothing, check the stain. Once the garment has been through the dryer, the stain can become set and much more difficult to remove.

Sweat stains in your whites:
You wouldn’t be alone if you admitted you end up throwing out white shirts every summer due to perspiration stains.  The stain culprit in this instance is your antiperspirant. The aluminum in the antiperspirant reacts with your sweat to create those embarrassing yellow stains. Luckily, there is a way to banish the sweat stains for good.

• Act fast. If the shirt has been washed and dried multiple times, it may be too late to save. You’ll have more luck if you treat the stains as soon as they appear.
• Fill your sink with one gallon to one cup ratio of water to white vinegar. Make sure the vinegar is clear with no yellow or brown color.
• Place the garment in the mixture and let it soak, at least overnight.
• Wash the garment as directed with ¾ cup of oxygenated bleach.
• Before you dry the garment, check the stain. If you still see yellow stains try another soak wash cycle.

For a cosmetic stain:
For a cosmetic stain, the important thing is to first determine the type of cosmetic, since they all are made differently and will need to be treated differently.

• For mascara: Mascaras are an oil-based product. Use the method for grease stain removal.
• For lipstick: Be sure to test this method on an unseen area of the garment to check for colorfastness. Pour rubbing alcohol on the spot and scrub with a small fabric brush. Use a little detergent to pretreat the stain and let it sit overnight. Wash as usual and check the stain before drying.
• For foundation: Pour hydrogen peroxide on the area and scrub gently with a fabric brush.

For a pen mark:
Don’t let that stray pen mark ruin your photographic ambitions! Spray a little hairspray on the offending line and rub gently with a small brush. Rinse with water.

If any of these methods fail you, talk to your local dry cleaner for advice or to remove the stain. Be sure to follow the recommendation on your clothing care label, also. If a shirt says to wash on cold, you should probably soak it in cold water as well. Before diving into any of these methods, test them on a small, unseen area of your clothing to check for discoloration. Good luck!

Get your home fresh and ready with some thoughtful planning.

Cleaning between seasons can be overwhelming; especially with all of the pressure we place on spring-cleaning. It doesn’t have to be a massive or scary job, though. We’ve got some simple tips that will help you tackle your cleaning chores in no time.

First survey your home and come up with a list of cleaning projects you need to accomplish. Doing a room by room inventory will help you make sure that you clean areas you may have forgotten about. It also prevents you from starting an unnecessary task. Maybe you think that you need to clean the curtains, but after you surveyed your room, you realized they are new and don’t need attention.

Once you have your big projects, break those tasks down into smaller increments and create a schedule for each task so that nothing gets forgotten. (There are some helpful checklists and organizing links at the end of the article.) Print out a simple chart to help you keep track of what day a task needs to be done and whose responsibility it is.

Next, assemble all of your materials. If you plan on organizing your closet on day 2, then make sure you have all of your organizing materials handy before day 2. This prevents you from procrastinating or getting distracted at the store. Also, keep your cleaning materials organized and grouped according to task. When you are ready to start on a task that requires a specific set of cleaning supplies, everything is already grouped together and ready to go. Handy carriers can make carting supplies to far flung areas of the house much easier.

Spring-cleaning checklists:

Martha Stewart
http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2007Q2/la_0407_spring_cleaning.pdf

Kelly’s, at the complete guide to imperfect home making
http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/p/thorough-spring-cleaning-checklist.html
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7hOb4y0RrPg/S5kd4GfOi_I/AAAAAAAAB9k/vq8XstaICn8/s1600-h/Spring+Cleaning.jpg

Weekly Cleaning Chart

http://static.home-ec101.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Home-Ec-101-Chore-Chart1.pdf

Feature Friday: Pittston, PA

Good Health may be a North Carolina based company, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only place you’ll find us. In addition to our products being available around the country, we have a new factory in a new location. Say hello to the newest members of the Pittston, Pennsylvania family. Not familiar with Pittston? Well, you should be.

Pittston folks know how to have a good time. We knew this the minute we heard about the Pittston Tomato Festival. This festival celebrates the tomato with games, a 5k and arts and crafts. Oh, and there’s a giant tomato fight. That’s right. Participants pay a small fee to get some goggles and ammunition and all proceeds go to charity. What a fun way to raise money! So if you’re in the area in August, you should swing by.

Tomatoes aren’t all this town does, though. If you have a hankering for seafood, drop by Cooper’s Seafood for some tasty dishes and great ambiance. Enjoy freshly shucked oysters at great prices or one of the signature cocktails.

If you’re looking to get a workout in, hit the Revolution Ice Centre for one of the daily public skates. On a nice day, swing by the beautiful trails at nearby Campbell’s ledge. The trails lead you by features such as waterfalls and quartz mines.

So whether your looking for a sleepy small town or a fun loving place with friendly people, Pittston’s the place!

Make your very own Welcome Spring Wreath.

Bring some of that springtime beauty into your home with this easy craft. We made this beautiful Spring wreath in an hour and for less than $20! All you need are some simple craft materials and a little imagination.

Supplies you will need:

• Styrofoam Wreath
• Thick yarn
• Paper or fabric flowers – Use colors that coordinate with your yarn for the best look.
• Straight pins  - The ones with pearls on the end work best.
• Ribbon in any color
• Thick paper
• Color pencils
• Scissors
• Scotch tape

First, take your yarn and secure the end to the Styrofoam wreath with a straight pin.  Begin to wrap the yarn around and around the wreath, making sure each new wrap is touching the last.  You must also try not to wrap the yarn too tight or it will have less loft and look flat.  Every three inches or so place a strait pin into the yarn to ensure it doesn’t move. When starting with a new skein of yarn, slightly overlap the ends, placing a strait pin through both. Continue wrapping.  When the whole wreath is covered with yarn, cut and secure the end with a pin.

Next place flowers on the wreath. Stick a pearl covered straight pin through the center of the flower and secure it to a spot on the wreath.

To make the hanger, cut a 46” piece of ribbon. Pull it through the center of the wreath then tie a knot half way up the ribbon.  Where the knot is, tie a simple bow.  Place a pin in the ribbon where it meets the wreath. This will make sure it doesn’t slide around.

Finally, make your welcome Spring sign.  Use a heavy piece of paper and write your message and decorate with colored pencils.  Cut it into the shape of a flag.  Secure one end onto a pin with a little scotch tape and place it into the wreath wherever you like.

Now find a place in your home in need of some springtime love.