Author Archives: Lisa Chouinard

4 Positive Impacts Your Hobby Has on Your Health

Image by pexels

As the stresses of our daily lives can feel overbearing at times, we often feel the need to look elsewhere to focus our minds and situate our attention. Having a hobby that is truly enjoyable to us not only enriches our lives, but also gives us a good enough reason to “take a break” from our normalcies every once in a while. With an unlimited amount of hobbies out there, it can almost feel overwhelming – but no matter what it is that you choose, each hobby has a unique set of skills that follows.

There are so many reasons that we should all have at least one hobby. Below are some of the most important advantages:

1.Boost Your Confidence

It can be an exceptional feeling when you find out that you have talents that are outside of your daily work-life. Being good at your job is one thing but uncovering the talents that you never knew you had can give you an extra confidence boost.

2. Get Better Sleep

It can be hard to resist looking at technology before bed, especially in today’s technically-advanced world. If this is something you do on the regular, you probably know that it can be difficult to fall asleep afterwards.

Instead of straining your eyes and wiring your brain, a relaxing hobby is a great before-bed practice that will help you sleep better and longer. Pair a good soothing hobby with some lavender essential oil and a cozy bed to help you get the best sleep you’ve had in a long time.

3. New Social Outlet

Hobbies have the great potential to introduce us to people that we would have never met otherwise. Even though one hobby may seem like a solitary endeavor, it can actually allow for us to find a social outlet and can even provide a degree of social support that we are needing. These relationships that we form through social networks introduce us to people that can turn into life-long friends and can even be a key component to our happiness.

To find your social outlet and get the chance to work in a hands-on environment, book a class today for a soap-making party! When you find a new hobby, you will find that all of a sudden, your life is filled with new and interesting people who love to talk about your hobby just as much as you do.

4.Lower Your Stress

Refocus your mind and forget about the stressful situations by participating in a hobby that you truly enjoy. Partaking in your hobby recurrently throughout the day can help to boost your creativity and problem-solving skills. If the hobby requires more physical activity, it can help to create chemical changes in your body that reduce stress, leaving you feeling more energized than when you started.

The reasons to have a hobby are almost unlimited. Hobbies make your life interesting, can help you sleep better, cope with stress, and even boost your confidence. They can help you develop as a person, learn new skills and meet new people.

Expand your horizons with a hobby that you love and reap all of these benefits – it’s a no-brainer!

Blue Genie Art Bazaar opens this Friday!

It’s November, so let the countdown to opening day begin! This year’s Bazaar features 200 artists and artisans offering the unique gifts for everyone on your shopping list.

And there’s more than shopping at the Bazaar: craft activities for kids on Tuesdays, live music on Wednesdays, plus a full bar! Shop on “Make-A-Wish Mondays” and we will donate 10% of the day’s profits to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas.

Follow Blue Genie Art Bazaar on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for special events & updates throughout the season!

Houston folks! Come to the very last WHAM this weekend!

Dear Friends,

Join me for Fresh Arts’ 13th annual Winter Holiday Art Market (aka WHAM) Nov. 16-18 at Winter Street Studios. The event is a weekend art sale and celebration that includes more than 60 local Houston-based artists from all disciplines.


Why shop at WHAM? The three-day event offers unique, one-of-a-kind wares in a fun and festive setting so you can find meaningful gifts for yourself and others. Plus WHAM is an amazing resource for local artists like me, generating over $1 million in income for local artists since its launch.


This year, I’ll be selling my lotion bars, beard oil and other smell goods that you have come to love. 


WHAM is great fun for people of all ages. You can join us for the WHAM Preview and Ugly Sweater Party on Friday (costumes encouraged) and enjoy lite bites and an open bar with specialty cocktails courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co., Dripping Springs Vodka, and Austin Eastciders. Or stop by for tax-free shopping and free entry on Saturday and Sunday– with complimentary beverages all weekend long– plus live music, food for sale by local restaurants, artist demonstrations, and poetry-on-demand with Outspoken Bean and the PlusFest poets.


If you’d like to learn more, please visit: bit.ly/WinterHolidayArtMarket.

Bonus points if you click here and select ‘Going’. 


Thank you for your support! 


https://fetosoap.etsy.com

Make Soap: We made the list! Austin Monthly’s 101 Fun Things to Do This Summer

Thanks Austin Monthly! We made the list 101 Fun Things to Do This Summer in Austin! Make soap with us by booking a party starting at $250 for up to 10 guests, $15 for each additional guest. We also offer nail polish and bath bomb making options!

Make Your Own Soap & Nail Polish May Events

I’ll have my Make Your Own Soap & Nail Polish Booth at Maker Faire Austin this weekend 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday, May 5th & 6th, Maker Faire Bay Area 19-21st & in Houston at Comicpalooza May 25-27th.

Here’s a video from last year’s event to give you an idea of what goes on at a Maker Faire:

Maker Faire Austin from Stephen Henderson on Vimeo.

If you’d like to book us for a Make Your Own Soap / Nail Polish / Bath Bomb Party, please don’t hesitate to contact us here. Parties up to 10 people start at $250, $15 for each additional participant.

Up Next: Winter Holiday Art Market (Houston)

Houston! I’ll be back for the weekend for Fresh Art’s WINTER HOLIDAY ART MARKET. There will be food for sale from local vendors, Complimentary beverages all weekend long, live artist demonstrations, free entry and free parking.

Friday night is the “UGLY SWEATER” PREVIEW PARTY! –
Friday, November 17, 6 – 10pm

Open bar and specialty cocktails, light bites, live music, early shopping access, and free parking.

Ticket Prices:
$15/Advance online purchase (ends 11/16), $25 entry at the door
FREE for Fresh Arts Members

Saturday, November 18, 10am – 7pm // Free entry + Tax Free shopping!

Sunday, November 19, 11am – 4pm // Free entry + Tax Free shopping!

Winter Holiday Art Market
Winter Holiday Art Market Booth

 

Thank you Houston Maker Faire!

We received an Editor’s Choice Ribbon from Maker Faire for our Make Your Own Soap & Nail Polish Booth

Thank you Houston! We loved making soap and nail polish with you at the Houston Maker Faire. We’ll be back for the Winter Holiday Art Market next month, so hopefully see you there!

October’s Bath Bomb of the Month is…

October’s Bath Bomb of the Month is Perfect Pumpkin! It smells like a Sweet Autumn pumpkin topped with the perfect touch of cinnamon and clove. Sweet sugary maple adds the finishing touch to this fabulous fall fragrance.

Sign up here or click on the picture to get this bomb in time for Halloween! I ship them all out mid-month, so you have a few weeks!

pumpkin-fizzy-bath-bombs

I’m also offering mini versions of these here in my Etsy store and they look like this:

pumpkin bath bombs

 

Get September’s Bath Bomb of the Month

September’s Bath Bomb of the Month is Gingham Apple and it’s ready to ship out!

Celebrate Back to School with crunchy green apples bursting with sweet juices. They are a fresh picked farmer’s market delight that smells so fresh and gorgeous!

Sign up here to get a special limited edition bath bomb delivered to your door (or recipient’s door) each month.

Gingham Apple Bath Bomb

Make Soap and Nail Polish this weekend in Houston and Austin

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I’m making nail polish and soap in Houston at Comicpalooza! I’ll have Father’s Day themed embed papers to make some rad gifts for Dad plus a big pile of toys!

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http://comicpalooza.com

Comicpalooza Exhibit Hours:

Friday June 17, 2016 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday June 18, 2016 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday June 19, 2016 10:00 AM

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On Saturday in Austin you can make soap and nail polish at the Burlap Bag, along with other crafts! They will have donuts and mimosas, so don’t forget to RSVP so they can bring enough for everyone! https://www.facebook.com/events/1707215539565780/

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Maker Faire Bay Area

Thank you Austin Maker Faire for the Blue Ribbon – Staff Pick Award for our Make Your Own Soap Booth and Nail Polish Booth!

We are headed to the Bay Area for Maker Faire this weekend – Friday May, 20th – Sunday, May 22nd and can’t wait to make soap with you all out there!

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It’s hard to explain what a Maker Faire is in still pictures, so here’s a video that will give you a glimpse of it:

Get Tickets to Maker Faire Today!

Maker Faire Austin is this Weekend!

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Do you have plans this weekend? If you want a fun, family friendly event to go to, check out the Austin Maker Faire this weekend. Get your tickets here! It’s all day on Saturday and Sunday, and on Sunday there will be free chair massages for moms!

I’ll have my Make Your Own Soap and Make Your Own Nail Polish stations there! I’m the red X on the map below! You’ll be able to make custom soaps and nail polishes right on the spot.
makeyourownsoapandnailpolishMaker Faire Austin Map Feto Soap2016-03-24 20.23.53-1 2016-03-24 20.23.53 2016-03-24 20.23.52-4 2016-03-24 20.23.52-3 2016-03-24 20.23.52-2 2016-03-24 20.23.52-1

Happy New Year!

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I wanted to start off the new year with a BANG! so I made a jumbo, shimmery-gold, champagne-scented bath bomb for January’s Bath Bomb of the Month Club Members. I do have a few available to purchase in my etsy shop during the month of January only, as it’s a limited edition item.

Do you want a special jumbo bath bomb delivered straight to your door every month? Sign up here.

Here’s the Champagne Bath Bomb in action! It fizzed for over 5 minutes and made my bathroom smell gorgeous!

A video posted by Lisa (@fetosoap) on

Blue Genie Art Bazaar

bgabsquare2015I’m back at this wonderful 4-week long shopping event, held at The Linc Shopping Center, in the Marchesa Hall and Theater 6226 Middle Fiskville Road. It’s open 7 days a week, 10am to 10pm through Dec 24th and I keep my booth chock full of all of your feto soap favorites!

Austin De-Stash Bash – An Arts and Crafts Garage Sale

2015-11-05 15.04.19Kicking off the first of my holiday shows with the De-stash Bash Arts & Crafts Garage Sale  Supplies only, no finished products at’s Tom’s Austin!   Seems like fabric is the big winner this year, but can you really ever have too much.  PLUS we will have everything from Japanese quilting fabric to vintage barkcloth.  I’ll have bath & body supplies, packaging and displays.

Here’s the star studded Fall 2015 Destash Bash cast: Anne Marie Beard | Sierra Bailey Manic Trout | Becka Spellman Baby Bolt | Jennifer Perkins Naughty Secretary Club |Vickie Howell | Fredda Perkins | Debbie Carroll | Dian Sierra Hey Muchacha | Tisa Jackson Tisa’s Creations |Lisa Sita Chouinard Feto Soap | Anslee Collins | Angela Milliman | Bunny’s Designs

Please remember that the date is Sunday, November 8th at the TOMS store on S. Congress 10ish to 5ish.

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Detroit here I come!

fbcover-july-aug-events-2015My next Make Your Own Soap / Maker Faire adventure will be Maker Faire Detroit in a few weeks. It’ll be my first time in Motown and I hear good things about the Henry Ford Museum.

Highlight video from Maker Faire Detroit:

I’ll head home to Austin from Detroit, and after refilling my soapmaking supply cases, will road-trip to the McAllen Mini Maker Faire the next week in South Texas!

Here’s a video from last year’s event in McAllen:

Houston Comicpalooza

Houston Comicpalooza Badge
We had a blast making nail polish and soap with you guys again this year.
Lisa & Eli at Comicpalooza
Eli has been visiting my Make Your Own Soap Booth since he was small. (over 7 years ago, but who’s counting?) He’s 15 now and made some rockin’ polish for his mom at my booth this year.

 

Jordan making soap
I met Jordan at the Snap Conference in Salt Lake City, so it was great to catch up with her again in Houston while she made some “king cake” soap and nail polish.

 

 

I can’t wait to be back next year! It was so good to see old friends and make some new ones this time around!

Two Maker Faires, One Weekend

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This weekend I’m headed to the Bay Area Maker Faire with my Make Your Own Soap Booth starting on Friday,  where you can create a custom bar of soap right on the spot!

Here’s a quick glance at how my booth has changed over the years since my very first one in 2007. I used to take a microwave with me. I also had to cube ALL the soap base (from a massive 24 lb soap block) we were using that day. That’s what all those lined up cups are full of in the picture from 2008. Now I bring a soap melter with me in a trunk that my friend Kai told me about. I still use the same two trunks to cart my supplies that I bought way back then! I’ve streamlined the process, and the booth has gotten much neater (and brighter!)  than it was way back when.

11001690_824989024204921_6178992618318660913_oMy Austin team will be in full force at the Austin Mini Maker Faire helping you create your custom bars of soap on the spot, too, so don’t worry, you won’t miss out on any soapmaking fun!

If you’re not in the Bay Area or Austin, check out the Maker Faire Map for a Maker Faire near you, or start one if there’s not one in your city!