American As Apple Pie Soap

Ok, here it is! I have added this new item to my shop because it is just so cute! You know it is getting to be that time of year when we celebrate the USA for being a place of freedom. Well, I was working in my soap laboratory (ok, kitchen!) and I created this masterpiece.

The top is like a crunchy topping of a pie, and the middle is like creamy filling and the bottom layer has navy glitter in it but looks kind of like a crust of a pie. And to top it all off, it has cornmeal which makes it a scrubby, exfoliating soap for cleaning all those body parts!

Practice Makes Perfect!

This weekend I spent a lot of time (with my sister and hubby as well) working on setting up the plan for the booth for my first craft show ever! Coming soon - in about 2 weeks on March 14. It's a show called "Spring Fling" and is in Stillwater, OK.

So, I am really nervous about how I will set it up and because I sell two kinds of items, both bags and handmade soaps, it's a little tricky to keep the displays looking good. Well, I started with this blog from the Disciples of Etsy group about what to pack and take to a craft show. I found a few things I will need to do myself, and I think that was great! I have to make a sign for my shop, a sign about taking credit cards, and a sign about prices for the soaps. I think we got the bags all labeled with pricing.

So, as you can see, the booth is open - it will be 8 x 10 ft and will allow people to walk into the area and browse. Hopefully, it will draw them in. You can see the mixture of products that I have developed, and I cannot believe how much stuff I have to go with. Really, my sister, Dorsa, took the time to use the stands and props I have purchased and lay out the table.
The stand was made by my Father in Law, and he's done a great job so I have a place to hang the bags. And I am renting an 8 ft table for one side and taking a 5 ft that we already have for the other side. And, yes, I just bought fabric to drape over the tables. Nice, plain, cream colored. And we will be wearing leopard print aprons so we kind of match the soap wrapping as well as just being memorable. So, what do you think? I want to know if you think the booth is inviting, encourages you to look around and what you like to see at a show. I have purchased some larger bags for the show, but I must go get some small bags for those rare purchases of just a few items! HEHE.

Carrot Cake and Buttercream Soap

It's the latest creation by me, an attempt at creating 2 colors and even possibly a swirl - which turned out to smell great but not really look much different than I thought it would. I tried to color it orange and cream, but see how the edges are dark? That is how the yellow sections are now anyway. I guess the air hitting the vanilla / buttercream layer makes it turn. Either way, it smells divine! And the orange faded to pinkish, but I think it might look a little like "upside-down" carrot cake with frosting. Wouldn't you love to have that much frosting? Yummy! So, I made the bottom layer first, and let it sit for a minute while I made the second layer. That's why it didn't blend too well, but the point is - I'm learning more with each batch.
I feel I need to make a few more batches with so many shows coming up, I have about 5 in a row in March, April, May. And I just found another one - www.normanmusicfestival.com - that also has promise and I am seriously considering it! I would really love to see you at one of the shows, you can read more about my shows here and as I am getting ready I will show you my work and my layout for the booth!
And, I am making some BOSS aprons for sis and I to wear at the booth. You will know us by our aprons, I promise. I will show you them soon!

New Valentine's Soaps!

It's here and it's ready! I made some soap specifically with Valentine's day in mind. It smells like roses (which I love) and is cheaper than a dozen roses (any day of the week and especially on this day). I took rose petals and interspersed them throughout the pink soap, then I dropped in the pre-made hearts (I did them earlier) so it's fun to call it a "piece" of my heart. hehe

And the chocolate soap is ready, so how about a bar of chocolate, some roses and a piece of my heart to keep your valentine clean!

New Soaps coming Soon!

Thanks go out to my wonderful father in law who made me more wooden soap molds! Thanks Whit! He took one of my molds I ordered and made me 4 more just like it that hold 8 pounds of soap. I use 8 and 12 pound molds, and I am making a lot of soap these days just to get ready for the craft show season!
So, here are the latest creations! I made an attempt at a layered soap as you can see from the picture. It's got chocolate cream pie scent, cocoa powder in the top layer to color it, and chunks of pink/cocoa soap from an earlier batch that I cut up. It smells delicious, and I am hoping it will remind you of a piece of pie that you can't stand to not pick up and take home with you! After paying for it, of course. The other soap that is barely visible on the bottom is sage and citrus with clay (I am loving the clay soaps and I may start making all my soaps with clay) and lavender buds on top. It is really more of a manly scent, or one for the kitchen sink. Part of my effort to branch out.
I bought some rose petals and rose scent, as well as more peony scent since I love peonies and that bloom time is coming soon (ok, not until May but let me dream!) Working on more shops and I go this week to one to sell my soaps. I am also working on selling soaps through the OK Food Coop, and you will be able to buy my soaps and bags through that website in the coming months as well.

Soap, Soap, Soap and more Soap

Well, today I spent a long time on the phone, but it appears to be worth it as we can refinance our home loan and save about $520 a month in payments. That's great, especially with the economy slowing down. Keith works for commission and that certainly varies depending on the national economy. Me, I am taking a few vacation days and making stuff for the shops and craft fairs.

So, today, after I got the phone hung up, I started making soap. It's so addictive, I have to say. I have dreams about what I am going to make! So, today I made more of my wildly popular Honey, Oatmeal and Buttermilk soap, made some Sage, Citrus and Lavender soap, and made some layered soap with cocoa butter and chunks and chocolate cream pie fragrance. I will show you later this week in pictures... right now the soap is gelling. Oh, and next week I have my first appointment with someone in a shop to see if they will buy my soap. It's next Friday, so be thinking of me and I will let you know what happens.

Soap that is pending...

I have been making a lot of soap recently and next week I hope to make some more. Been working on getting it right! In the picture above, you can see the new peony/clay soap I made last week and the Just Plain Soap that has no fragrance or color - great for use on kids! I cut the peony with my new crinkle cutter, and the bars are more consistent. I am getting really excited about next week, and I am going to make about 6 more batches so that I am ready for the shows I have planned for March and April. I bought some new fragrances and other items that I have shipping this week from Majestic Mountain Sage and Wholesale Fragrances. I'm making a face bar that is supposed to help with breakouts. I am also going to do a funky chocolate and cocoa butter swirl bar. And I am going to try to do a shaving soap. Let's see, I think that will keep me busy, besides needing to do some sewing for the artfire shop and visiting a shop to see if they will stock the soap. Coming soon - Coconut Lime Verbena and Lavender Fields soap - ready in about 2 weeks.

Luxurious Honey, Oatmeal and Buttermilk soap is done!

Ok, I really don't cook soap. Just warm up the oil a little before I blend together the lye and fragrance. But, I think of it as cooking when it has to sit for 4-6 weeks before you can use it. So, why does it have to sit you ask? So the water evaporates and it becomes harder and more mild.
So, this is the first attempt at an oatmeal bar. And ever since I made it, I come into the room where I have it aging and it has this warm, snuggly smell that makes you want to pick it up and get a big sniff of the scent.

Chevas, my hairdresser, is putting my soaps at her booth at Salon West in OKC. When I let her smell this one a few weeks ago it is all she has asked about! So, I am going to take some to her shop tomorrow when I get my hair done. You can see the oatmeal in it, and the milk really makes it feel wonderful on your skin. No color or fragrance were added, and I think this is going to be my best bar yet.

I am going to spend part of the day today making soap so it's ready for the spring shows I am doing. I bought a bunch of oil and racks from US Foodservice on Tuesday and now it's time to use it. So, look for more posts soon on other recipes I have created. I have a bunch of fragrance oil that has come in over the past couple of weeks and I am dying to use it.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's here and we are still here! What a year this will be, with all of the changes in the world. For me, I am just wondering what my shop will bring this year. I am making a resolution to work at getting my shop off of the ground. To sell things each and every month, and to create new things that people find useful and interesting. I am also going to dedicate myself to documenting the costs of my business so that I understand what is working for me and what is not.
I kind of stopped sewing for a month while the holidays were approaching so that we could get ready for the parties and guests, and my attitude towards my business was not improving. These past couple of days I have been able to sew items again and make some soap, and it really makes the way I feel so much better, it's like therapy for the business. I am actually sewing and just dreaming up ideas. So, you can look forward to seeing my new ideas as I have some time off over the next couple of weeks and I have to get ready for shows in March.
My hubby and I went to the Clear Sight Eye Center on Tuesday so he could see if he is a candidate for LASIK eye surgery. He is, so he's going to get the surgery on next Friday. They were very nice at the place, and I just wanted him to have the surgery at the place with the laser for cutting the flap on the eye, which they have. It's kind of an expensive surgery, about $3500 for both eyes, but the benefits I think are enormous. So, I will let you know how that goes, but I am anticipating that he will say it's the best money he's spent (next to our wedding!)