Since starting Stardust & Suds, I’ve joined several soap-making groups. There’s almost always a debate about the quality of melt-and-pour versus cold-process soap. Melt-and-pour soap begins with a ready-made base that makers can color, scent, and mold into countless creative designs. Cold-process soap starts with oils or fats and lye, which undergo saponification to create soap. It’s a more involved process that requires careful measuring, mixing, and curing. If we jump in th

Small Artisan Loaves I can honestly say bread is not my forte. Baking as a whole doesn’t get along with me very well. My problem is that baking is chemistry. I’m an alchemist - I wanna’ tinker. Baking is not very forgiving of tinkering. Nonetheless, I set out on a quest. I became fascinated by the sourdough idea. Not the best option for starting out new. Enthusiastically buying starters and containers, and disheartened, try after try. Okay, this experiment is not happening. B

"Cooking is one of the ways I express creativity and love, whether I'm in the kitchen or crafting soaps." IMO, one of the things that defines a cook’s style is the herbs and spices they treasure. A little trivia: herbs are the leafy parts of plants, while spices come from roots, bark, seeds, and other plant parts. As for me, I’m an equal-opportunity fusion cook when it comes to flavor. To celebrate being part of the Favorite Chef contest, I want to share some of my go-to herb

Learning how to cook. Becomming a foodie and a cookbook author. Joining the Favorite Chef Competition chef.com/2026/patricia-telesco

Need an inexpensive gift? We have numerous gifts under $10 that are beautiful and budget-friendy

Learn why we respond so deeply to aromas. How to use aromas to create ambiance

the creative process behind stardust and suds