It's been such a loooooong time since I've posted and I'm really embarrassed and ashamed by that! I HAVE been really busy with one thing or another, particularly with my Soap Business.
A few months ago I received a phone call from an art gallery owner about purchasing some of my soap. Originally I was thinking the customer just want a few bars. Maybe 10 or 15 max. She wanted 50 bars of Kauri soap as she and her husband owned Nelson's Kaihu Kauri Art Gallery in Dargaville.
So I set too and made batch after batch of kauri soap (my food processor only holds a certain amount of ingredients at once!) and as I had almost run out of handmade paper for labelling, made more paper.
As I rang out of supplies for the kauri soap I had to phone them to see whether they'd be happy with 30 Kauri and a mix of others like Kowhai, Pohutukawa, Rimu, Tanekaha, Kawakawa etc. Thankfully, they were happy with that.
All boxed up and ready to go!
so a couple of weeks ago, when I had a Saturday off (working at The Bach) My friend Robyn and I made the trip over to Dargaville and up to Nelson's Kaihu Kauri Gallery.
It took me longer to get there than expected (I drive slow!) and we were starting to wonder if we were lost! (It's up past Kai Iwi Lakes but before Waipoua Forest. Thankfully, we came upon the art gallery at that point!
This log doesn't look very big but it was huge...twice the size of my car!
Inside the Art Gallery...
The 750 square metre octagonal gallery is supported by a 30-ton Ancient Kauri log centrepiece.
Nelson's Kaihu Kauri Gallery features:A large range of wood artPotteryHand-blown glassGreenstonePauaHandmade soapsLocal paintingsAnd a wide range of New Zealand-made gifts and souvenirs.
After the introductions and the soap
transaction Robyn and I spent some time
looking at all the lovely kauri items
on display for sale.
What an amazing mirror!
And I loved the freeform furniture.
Shame I couldn't afford to take it home!
I had a lovely chat to Nelson and his wife Ngaire.
They also very generously gave me a few boxes
of kauri chunks/gum for my future soap-making.
On the way back to Dargaville for a bite to eat
Robyn and I stopped off at another Kauri Gallery.
the outshirts of Dargaville and just happened to have
a Fish 'n Chip shop next to it!
We went in and had a wee look around and a chat
to Rick's wife Sue who runs the Gallery.
When I told her I made soap and had just
delivered an order "up the road" she said they'd
like to order some kauri soap too.
(I need to phone and check that she's still keen
and take another drive over to Dargaville.
I'm sure there's other art galleries
and places of interest to visit while I'm over)
This lovely handmade paper caught my eye...
...and I love how it's been used by one of there regular's!
It got my head thinking.....
When I said I was a paper-maker Sue asked me if
I would like some shavings to make my own
So I am a very happy camper with much to do
but not enough time to do it all!
