New Hope Soap Blog

Master bathrooms evolved from standard hallway bathrooms to a mini spa retreat.  It has become everyone's personal sanctuary: a home away from home.  You can get the same experience in your bathroom.  It doesn't matter what your bathroom looked like before; it's going to become the area you'll never leave.  Here are eight Tips for the Master Bath Renovation.

Planning a baby shower? Lucky you! A baby shower is such a special and memorable occasion. It’s also one that requires a lot of thought and preparation. Here are some tips to help you master the art of  baby shower planning.

• Consult with the Mother-to-be. (Or, if it is a surprise shower, the Dad, Grandmother, or Aunt-to-be.) Does the new mom want a large shower or only a few friends? Would she like a Jack-and-Jill shower, that is, one that includes both male and female friends and family members? This is the new mom’s day, so do your best to make it exactly what would make her happiest.
• Decide on the budget. Are you paying for this shower yourself, or splitting the cost with other relatives and friends? You’ll need to know what you have to spend before you can start making other decisions.
• Make your guest list. Big or small, you need a formal guest list. You need to know the number of guests before you can pick a location.
• Pick a date. If you plan a shower a month or two before the due date, it will give the new mom time to unpack everything and have it ready when baby arrives.
• Choose a location. You can choose a home, restaurant or other outside facility. If you are having the shower outside the home, you’ll need to visit locations, get prices, and see if your chosen date is available. If you are having a catered shower at home, you will need to call caterers to discuss menus, dates, and prices.
• Plan the menu. Home showers can be catered, or you, close friends, and family members can share in the cooking. Order a cake, or plan the desserts that you will make yourself. 
• Choose a theme. Do you know if the new baby is a boy or a girl? This may influence your choice of colors, decorations, and invitations.
• Send invitations. Provide an RSVP phone number and email address. Include a map and directions. A popular feature at baby showers is to ask each guest to bring their favorite storybook for the new baby, or write some advice for the new mom. Include these requests with the invitations.
• Get the decorations. You can order almost any color and theme for decorations both online and at large party stores.
• Order and assemble the party favors. New Hope Soap carries a line of beautiful products, perfect for gift giving.
• Assign tasks. Depending on your needs, delegate someone to get the mom-to-be to the shower, someone to pick up the cake, and someone to be the “official” photographer.

Finally, have a great time! Enjoy the day and seeing all your hard work delight your guest of honor and all the other attendees.

Please contact us for information about our products. We have great gifts for both the new Mom and her guests.

New Hope Soap – Unique gift ideas for Baby Showers,  Wedding Favors, Wedding Gifts, Bridesmaids Gifts. Great gift ideas for the women in your life – gifts for Persoanlized Gifts, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, birthdays or just because! Personalized gift ideas for your Wife, Girlfriend, Mom, Sisters, and so much more. Let New Hope Soap help you find that perfect personalized gift for that special someone, with the touch of the luxury lifestyle.

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

Every bride looks beautiful on her wedding day (and let’s hear it for the mothers-of-the-bride and groom, too).

As the guests ooh and aah over the loveliness of the wedding party, it’s probably just as well if they don’t know about some of the behind-the-scenes angst. Didn’t there used to be a television show called Bridezilla? I never saw it but I can imagine losing weight so a dress fits could take up several episodes and reveal the worse side of a bride’s personality.

Mother's Day is not too far off. Surprise your mother with a unique gift. There are many run-of-the-mill gifts that are usually given mothers. Flowers and a card are one of those gifts. Even though they are appreciated by your mother, you can change things up this year by offering a unique personalized gift for Mother's Day that is practical, different, and memorable.

Mother's Day Gifts - Ideas - Gift Basket Full of Her Favorite Things

A gift basket full of her favorite things will surely bring a smile to her face. Instead of buying a ready-made gift basket, make your own. You can purchase an empty basket at most craft stores. You can then start filling it up with things that she adores. If she is into soaps and creams, you can fill the gift basket with amenities that are made with her favorite amenities. Your can personalize these gifts by having them engraved with a sentiment such is "I love you" or "Mom", or her monogram. Personalized mother's day gifts show that you put some real thought into your gifts. Personalizing the gifts adds an even greater touch of unuqeness that she will adore.For an even more unique touch, you can make handmade creams and lotions. Outside of purchasing and making her things to fill up the gift basket, you can also find coupons to place inside of the gift basket. This will allow her to go to her favorite vendors and boutiques to purchase even more of her favorite things.

Its’ not every day that the whole world connives with you to celebrate the most important woman in your life. We’re talking Mother’s day, a universal day set aside to show love, respect and appreciation for mothers everywhere. You want to make her feel loved and another indiscriminate gift will not do. It has to make a mark on her heart; after all, you stole hers when you’re born. Nothing says special like a personalized gift. Here are some ideas for personalized gifts that will take her breath away (I know, it sounds like a familiar line from a jewelry commercial), but these ideas may do exactly that:

Write a Poem

Mothers love any expression of heartfelt feelings. So, even if you’re not Maya Angelou or the reincarnation of William Shakespeare, if you love words and how words can convey nuances of meaning, go ahead and craft that poem. She will love the effort that goes into doing that. Frame it up for added effect, even though a gift like that doesn’t need much embellishment.

Don't forget the flowers and candy this year, but why not go one step further and find Unique Gifts For Mom that are both tasteful and affordable!

1. For the mom with a sense of humor and an affinity for the outdoors, a horse head squirrel feeder is the perfect gift! At only $15, you can give your mom years of laughs with this unique gift.  (incrediblethings.com)

2. Does your mom like wine? Try a recycle a bottle plant nanny stake! Now she can take her old bottles and put them to good use! Purchase a set of 4 for $17. She'll never have an excuse to not recycle :). (uncommongoods.com)

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

Whether you celebrate Easter of not, that #!@*(!# Easter bunny can be a serious threat to your dieting efforts. Perhaps you never have - or no longer - buy jelly beans to fill baskets (on behalf of that long-eared critter), but it’s just about impossible to pass a checkout counter this season without being tempted by an Easter treat. Whether it’s three chocolate eggs for a $1.00 - or a friendly baskets of jelly beans (“Help Yourself”) this particular holiday is right up there with the major high-calorie temptation holidays.

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

It seems like everyone is on some kind of diet these days - and no group is more diet conscious than a bridal party as they try to shed a few pounds to get ready for the big day!

If you have been charged with planning a bridal shower and you suspect that the majority of the guests will be unhappy with the usual heavy shower fare (bulky sandwiches, potato and pasta salads and trays of cookies), you may want to plan a non-traditional bridal shower.

Consider hosting a “Diet Friendly Shower.”

After first ascertaining that the bride’s feelings will not be hurt by the suggestion of a Diet Friendly Shower, you can make this a memorable, fun - and tasty - event.

You've made it through the difficult part of planning a wedding: meeting the future in-laws, deciding on a color scheme and staying on budget. Before you can say your "I do's" though, you will need to get your bridesmaid gifts. Around this time, you have probably used nearly all of the cash you have saved for your big day, but don't worry! We are your guides to the perfect gifts without the crack in the piggy bank.  

1. Skip the silver bracelets and stick with something fun and colorful like a honeycomb card case!  They are absolutely irresistible and come in nearly every color! At $24 a pop, you'll see why we love these buzz-worthy cases. (poketo.com)

2. For the working girl with flair, deco spheres are the perfect gift! Coming in at $35 each, you'll brighten your girls' days without loathing the price. (plantationdesign.com)

In the seas of wedding gifts that wedding couples are bound to get, how will yours stack up? Is it going to be ho-hum, run-of-the-mill and as-expected or will yours make a lasting impression? If you’re looking for ways to make a splash with your gift, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive, a little creativity may just do the trick. Here are some creative wedding gifts to consider:

Personalized Towels

What better way to remind the newlyweds of starting their lives together than personalized bath towels. Whether it’s embossed with a monogram or names or embellished with graphic or custom logo, personalized towels are thoughtful tokens that will be greatly appreciated.