Bramble Berry Soap Making Supplies | Soap Making Success Stories

Soap Making Success Stories

Shop Nostalgia {Organic Soaps & Toiletries}
10/20/2009 Back to the Nostalgia life. If you missed the first part of this interview get caught up HERE. Now, if you don't mind, Elea and I are going to pick up where we left off...
Anne-Marie: Your packaging is adorable! How long did it take to perfect the look you were going for?

Elea: A long time! It took me well over two years to finish all the designs on the fabrics and papers that house the soap. From concept to completion, it generally takes about 2 months for me to design the packaging for each product. I have drawers full of sample bottles, jars, boxes, papers and just about every type of packaging you can think of – that I experiment with until I finally decided on the direction to take. But, I love designing and drawing and sketching out new ideas for the fabrics and prints – so that part never really feels like work. But, I’m my own worst critic so it does take me quite a long time. I also carefully consider packaging for its recycled or recyclable content or try to offer packaging that can be repurposed after the product is gone. So, it’s a slow, nail-biting process, but seeing the joy on people’s faces when they touch the little bows and giggle at the bluebirds – makes it all worthwhile.

Anne-Marie: Where do you find your inspiration?

Elea: I draw inspiration from a lot of different sources, but most of it comes from my childhood and grandmother. I love the purity and wonder of childhood. And, somehow, for me, that directly correlates to offering wholesome, natural products. However, my grandmother is definitely the biggest source of my inspiration. She was just a really special lady that took time to consider even the tiniest detail – if she thought it would put a smile one someone’s face. For example, she would hand-embroider flowers and birds and things on my pillowcases because she knew I loved it. So in her spirit, I try to add happy little details like that in my collection. I’m also inspired by the color palettes and imagery from of my grandmother’s day.

Anne-Marie: Tell us a little bit about yourself on a personal level. What do you like to do when you’re not making soap?

Elea: I love spending time with my family and discovering new things with my 2-year-old son. We have our daily outings together that I really cherish. We walk to the park, journey to the zoo or play silly games like hide and seek. I also love traveling, watching a good movie or trying new restaurants with my husband. If I’m not doing any of that – I’m probably crafting something.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite Bramble Berry product and why?

Elea: Bramble Berry has so many wonderful products – that’s a tough choice. But, I love their awesome selection of organic essential oils and botanical extracts.

Anne-Marie: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Elea! Good luck with your business and keep us updated! We want to know the latest and greatest with Nostalgia!

If the packaging isn't cute enough as is, the wrapper that comes around the soap is a set of instructions on how to reuse the bag. The instructions on my Sweet Orange Soap teaches me how to turn my cute bag into chicken shaped egg cozy. I haven't attempted yet but I'll let you know how it goes!

Nostalgia Bl og
Nostalgia Website
Wholesale Information
Nostalgialife on Twitter

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Shop Nostalgia {Organic Soaps & Toiletries}
10/19/2009 "Nostalgia Life: The simple, natural pleasures. Taking time to laugh with our children, nurture friendships and watch a butterfly’s erratic flight. Enjoy a warm cup of honey tea and give thanks to all the beautiful things around us."

Elea Lutz is the founder of one very cool soap company, Nostalgia (yes, that's her adorable baby picture below). There are so many things that I absolutely LOVE about her company. Elea takes pride in using natural ingredients, a portion of her profits are donated and her designs are off the charts cute! So sit back, relax, and let's get to know Elea...

Anne-Marie: I always have to know... how did you get started making soap and balms?

Elea: I started experimenting with handmade soaps and balms about 9 years ago – purely out of curiosity. I enjoyed mixing and testing ingredients and learning how they all worked together. I had a particular interest in natural essential oils and herbs and the benefits they provided so I also started taking classes and reading a lot of books on the subject. I worked full time in the corporate world until a few years ago when my son was born. So my ‘experiments’ were just a fun way to feed my creativity and interests. However, during my pregnancy, I started creating my own products, such as belly balm and aromatherapy spray for morning sickness, because I couldn’t find similar products or 100% natural versions in stores. Developing those products, paired with my love of design, really planted the seed for my future business.

Anne-Marie: Is Nostalgia Organics a full time or part time job?

Elea: Full time.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite product to make?

Elea: If I had to choose – hmm…I’d say the aromatherapy balms. I get to bring out some of my favorite essential oils, like ylang-ylang and neroli, to blend. The studio smells heavenly!

Anne-Marie: Do you have any other outlets (farmer’s market, retail shop)?

Elea: I have an online retail shop at www.nostalgiaorganics.com. I also recently started offering my collection at wholesale to other retailers and am excited to now have products in several boutiques and spas. I’ll also be participating in some upcoming local holiday shows.

Anne-Marie: What’s the best thing about running your own business?

Elea: Freedom and creativity are the first words that come to mind. I love the freedom to set my own schedule and work around time with my son and husband. It’s not unusual to find me checking emails or tweeting something (grin) at 3am when the house is quiet. I’m also very creative and enjoy developing a business that is design focused – from the fabrics and prints down to every tiny detail – I design everything and love the creative outlet.

Anne-Marie: You're very philanthropic; how did you get get started with the Beautiful Survivor program?

Elea: The Beautiful Survivor is a grass-roots effort I began developing alongside Nostalgia Organics. Beautiful Survivor was inspired by my own loss of a grandmother to ovarian cancer and dear friend to leukemia. I volunteer and partner with non-profit programs and contribute a portion of my profits towards nurturing women and girls with cancer. For the past several years, I’ve participated with our local Light the Night Walk (lightthenight.org) to help raise funds towards battling blood cancers. This year I also began contributing to Face in the Mirror (faceinthemirror.org), a Phoenix-based outreach program that provides chemical-free skin care products, hand massages and wigs or scarves to women in local hospitals. The Beautiful Survivor program has always been paired with my vision for Nostalgia Organics. I wanted to create a business that gave back to its community when and where it could through some type of outreach – and this cause was a natural choice for me.

Anne-Marie: Giving back is so important and admirable! On that positive note, let's take a little intermission. Same place, same time. See you tomorrow!

The photos in this blog post are all part of the fabulous order that had all the girls (and me!) in customer service squealing with excitement.

Nostalgia Blog
Nostalgia Website
Wholesale Information
Nostalgialife on Twitter

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Little Bitty Soap Company Interview
10/13/2009
Gillian DeConto is the owner of the Little Bitty Soap Company out of British Columbia. She's also the only Certified Soapmaker in all of British Columbia and one of two in the entire nation of Canada (pretty cool). Oh, and did I mention she won 'Best Soap' at the Handmade Soap Guild Annual Conference this year? She is one talented soapmaker! Check out her bio here and the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild here. I purchased some soap from her a couple of weeks ago and I just LOVE them. They were large, hard bars with fabulous lather, fragrance and design. I split them up with the girls in customer service and the reviews were smashing! Gillian was so sweet and agreed to share some of her secrets on the Soap Queen Blog. Here's what I found out about Gillian...

Anne-Marie: How did you get started making soap?

Gillian: I was visiting my sister and was having a shower. She had the most marvelous soap in the shower, it was a peppermint goats milk soap. Well, I instantly fell in love with it's creamy, bubbly, minty goodness. It was made by her friend, so I figured if her friend could make it, then certainly I could too. So, a trip to the library and the grocery was next, then I measured, melted and mixed. Woohoo, magic in the soap pot. That was it, instant addiction, he he he. That was over 10 year ago.

Anne-Marie: I know what you mean about instant addiction, ha ha. Do you have any other outlets other than your website?

Gillian: Yes, I love the local farmer's market and go every Friday. It is my favourite place to sell soaps. I also do several craft and Christmas shows in the fall and, of course, my website.

Anne-Marie: What inspires your soapy designs?

Gillian: Inspiration is all around us. I get ideas from all different sources from art work, to spring napkins to wall paper. When I see something visually appealing, my mind automatically starts to think in terms of soap...Can I make a design like that? Could I combine those colours? what would that look like? How could I make that effect in soap? I can't help it. It’s where my brain goes.

Anne-Marie: I can relate to that too! Do you ever follow trends or customer requests?

Gillian: This is a standing joke around our house, because I like to buck trends, and what other soapmakers are making. For example: swirling. I like a pretty swirl, but I think there is so much more out there that can be done with swirls and so many other cool designs other than swirls. I do take special requests and also design custom soap bars, but my designs are mostly my own whims.

Anne-Marie: How long do you spend on your more intricate soaps?

Gillian: When I am playing with a new idea or concept, I may make several batches as I learn what works and how I want to change it, or new colour combination I want to try. Sometimes, it takes a couple of tries to figure out how to create a certain look. I have been known to spend several hours on a single batch, but generally, it takes only an hour or two for most of my designs.

Anne-Marie: What are your interests and hobbies when you are not soapmaking?

Gillian: I am a busy mother of 4 and also run a small ranch. I love my animals, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, cats, dogs, ducks and guinea fowl. I also have a large garden that I enjoy and keeps me busy. I have quite a few hobbies that keep me busy, knitting, baking, cooking, hunting, fishing, reading, 4-H, and I am working very hard this year as a board member of the HSMG.

Anne-Marie: Do you have any advice for those wanting to start their own business?

Gillian: 1. Pay someone to do the jobs that you are not good at and/or detest. For example, I am a horrible procrastinator when it comes to book work. I really despise it. So, I pay someone a modest amount monthly to do my books. I am so much happier and it is money well spent.
2. This industry, soap and candle making, is very artistic and creative.
Remember to think outside the box and go ahead and create those fun new products and designs.
3. Join a professional Trade organization. The support, information, education etc. is invaluable to small businesses.

Anne-Marie: Thank you so much for the insight into your "little bitty" business. Keep us updated on your latest and greatest soapy designs!

This soap won the Best CP/HP Appearance "picture"
in the 2009 HMSG Soapers Showcase. Congrats Gillian!

These are the fabulous soaps that I ordered from Gillian.
Do you want to learn how to make cold process soap? Get started with our Cold Process Kit or Cold Process DVD.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Watermelon, Soap Stones & Vegan
9/19/2009
Watermelon Soap by Sweet Body

Unique Sea Sponge Soap by Soft Shell Body Shop

Men's Shaving Soap & Stand by Red Leaf

Chinese Inspirational Soap Stones by Spotted Cow Soaps

Essential Lavender Soap by Swan Mountain Soaps

Kiss Me and Make it Good Lip Balm by Funktional Spa

Honey Almond Soap by Southern Vermont Soap

Dazed and Confused Vegan Soap by Yummy Suds

Blue Chamomile Soap by Swan Mountain Soaps
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Soapy Halloween Finds
9/13/2009
Last night I was completely distracted on Etsy (I know, you must be shocked). Here are the cute Halloween soaps that gave me googly eyes. (Halloween, you ask? Yes, Halloween is less than 48 days away and the perfect soap takes time to concoct!)

Sweet Pumpkin Spice Paradise Body Shop

Batty Bubbles Halloween Soap by AJ Sweet Soap

Eye Soap by Bunny Bubbles

Candy Corn Soap Smokey Mountain Scents

Sparkly Skull Soap by Rose Valley Soaps

Bats and Moon Hand Painted Soap by Palm Breezes

Ghost Soap by Carvel County Soapworks

Spinning Spider Felted Soap Persnickety Pelican

I hope you got some Sunday Inspiration from this post for your own ghoulish soapy creations.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Unique Uses for Mica
9/8/2009 Steve Satushek is a Bellingham resident that has traveled all over the world to find inspiration for his photography. He recently started painting. He visits our retail store, Otion, to purchase mica for his artwork. Big thanks to Kat over at Otion for alerting me to this super cool use of micas. I was blown away when I saw Steve's work and I hope you're equally inspired.

"Macre 2" is made of opalescent mica for a shell look.

"Planet C" is made of metallic and glittery mica.

I was so inspired by his artwork that I emailed Steve to ask if we could blog about him. Luckily he agreed. Here's what I asked and his answers...

Anne-Marie: How long have you been practicing your craft? How did you get started?

Steve Satushek: I have been working with resin (several kinds of polyurethanes and epoxies) for the last 3 years but I only do this in the warm part of the year. I have a big workshop with giant doors that I open so I am almost working outside. I use a very good mask as the fumes can be nasty. I do my photography compositing work at my computer in the cold months with my nice heated floor under my feet. Professional photography has been my career for more than 20 years.

Anne-Marie: How did you stumble upon micas and oxides for your artwork?

Steve Satushek: Over the last several years my wife and family and I have been doing many outdoor art projects at our place outside of Bellingham. One of my missions is to bring artwork to our outdoor sanctuary in ways not usually done. We have many 3'x4' weather-proof photos hanging on the side of our house (printed at Appplied D igital Imaging). On my website you may have found the spot called "installations" that shows some of these prints. I also wanted to make paintings, that could be outdoors, hence, the resins. The clear medium is used on big trucks and airliners so it should last a long time outside. UV rays will eventually take their toll, but part of my quest is to find out firsthand what the longevity will be- so far so good.

I started out using liquid acid stains on white cement and I love the look but there are limited colors. I used some powdered pigments on our cements columns that we made in our Mediterranean entryway. I had no idea how to apply the color so I painted on a sticky, milky, medium let it get tacky and then applied the pigment with a dry brush with a plastic bag to catch most of the powder. I had no idea if it would stay on, but it has held up very well for the last 5 years. It was just a progression of trying everything I could get my hands on from there. I am somewhat of a mad scientist always using products in ways they were never intended for. So when I call up the tech reps at some industrial company they probably are chuckling at my ideas while they are trying to figure out what I am doing.
Anne-Marie: I can relate to that, Steve. I'm always trying new things with soap and sometimes that means asking the weird questions. Thanks for letting us blog about you and good luck with all of your projects! You're an inspiration!

Check out his Artist's Statement and visit his website here. You can purchase some of his stock photos here and here. And, if you're lucky enough to live in my neck of the woods, hopefully Steve will do a gallery show soon. When I hear of one, I'll let you know!
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
So Quick, So Perfect - Marbled Soap
9/6/2009
How incredible do these soaps from the Marbled Soap Tutorial look? They're not mine! But, they are perfection in a bar. Congrats to Mosaic Soaps for doing such a great job with her soaps. They look just like the original tutorial - talk about following directions to a T! You can follow her on TwitPic here, Twitter here, Facebook here (how's that for being engaged in a cohesive social media strategy?) Be sure to view her entire product line and buy her soaps here. I heart her swirled soaps - they're colorful, classy and appealing.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
"Leaves" from Whidbey Island
9/2/2009
This cute little Etsy shop is run out of my neck of the woods, the beautiful Whidbey Island. Tabetha, the owner, started making soap just for fun. But when she was joined by her two teen daughters, Emma and Kaylee, the family business was up and running.

The packaging of the soap leaves really stands out. It's sophisticated and classy. The soap leaves are nice one-time-use soap leaves that look gorgeous in a soap dish or can be taken on a backpacking trip.

I ordered Spring, Winter and Summer Soap Leaves, the Strawberry Bundt Cake, the Whimsical Watermelon and the Herbal Infusion bar soap. Everything was fabulous but the Watermelon Soap and Spring Soap leaves were the fan favorites in the Bramble Berry office. In fact, Holly in Customer Service loved the Watermelon Soap so much that I gave her the bar to take home.

Follow Essence Aromatics on Twitter and visit Essence Atomatics on Etsy
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Kristy's Lovely Lathers Part Deux
8/26/2009
If you missed the first interview from Kristy's Lovely Lathers, catch up here. Now, back to Kristy and her fabulous soaps!

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite soap to make?

Kristy: I would say it would be the floral musk that will be coming up on Etsy soon. It looks like a birthday cake, lol.

Anne-Marie: What type of things do you outsource? Or is it a one woman operation?

Kristy: I’m a one woman show.

Anne-Marie: What is the best advice you can give to someone who dreams about starting their own business?

Kristy: Test, test, test. People can get hurt if you don’t test your soaps long enough or do enough research on it before selling. Also, don’t expect people to handout everything to you, you learn more by doing things yourself. I made a lot of soap before I got it right. I had a lot of wonderful people on the forums help me with questions, but I had to learn things on my own too. Start out slow, not gung ho. You can go overboard and buy too many things you will end up selling later because you didn’t use it. Then you lose money.

Anne-Marie: What's your favorite Bramble Berry product?

Kristy: I would say my favorite product is the Lavender Chamomile Huggies Fragrance Oil, which I wish were in smaller batches. I also love the Oatmeal, Milk and Honey and Cherry Almond fragrance oils. They are the best! Omg, and the Chocolate Espresso! I love making tarts with this.

Anne-Marie: Anything we missed? Is there anything else you want Soap Queen reader’s to know about you?

Kristy: I always like to try to make something once. It might take me a while to get it right but once I do, I’m happy. I like to make liquid soap for our personal use and family members. I like to make transparent soap too. I have a tutorial on Miller’s Soap website for transparent soap if anyone wants to try it. It’s very rewarding to make soap you can actually see through. Don’t’ let the alcohol scare you. I also make lotion, lotion bars, and lip balms.

Anne-Marie: Thanks for chatting with us, Kristy!

Be sure to check out Kristy's Lovely Lathers and see the cuteness factor for yourself.

Lemon Lavender Goat's Milk Soap

Ocean Waves Goat's Milk Soap
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Kristy's Lovely Lathers
8/25/2009
Kristy is the owner of Kristy's Lovely Lathers, a "One Woman Show" soap company out of Ohio. I stumbled upon her Etsy shop one morning and instantly fell in love with her soaps. They were too cute not to buy. So (naturally) I bought 4 fabulous bars! Once I received my soaps I had to contact Kristy to rant and rave. I'm so happy she agreed to participate in a Soap Queen interview. SCORE!
Anne-Marie: How did you get started in Soapmaking? How long have you been making soap?

Kristy: I have been making soap for almost 3 ½ years. I started making soap after visiting my husband’s cousin’s wife, Bonnie, in Atlanta, GA. We went to stay for a week and I walked up to the bar in her kitchen and noticed these bars of something on a plate. I asked Bonnie what they were and she said “Oh those are soaps I made.” I asked “You made these?!” She explained the process to me and I went home surfing the net, bought a soap book and as soon as I got my supplies I made a batch. I was hooked!

Anne-Marie: Is this a full time job or a part time job? A hobby?

Kristy: It started out as a hobby then turned into a part time job. I had so many requests for my soap; I had to make it to sell. I still love it even though it’s a part time job.

Anne-Marie: What's the best part about being self-employed? The worst part?

Kristy: The best part is being able to stay home and do what you want and have fun doing it. The worst part is the marketing. I’m not good at it. I leave that up to my husband. He is always the one to open his mouth and say “Hey my wife makes handmade soaps, do you think you would like to carry them in your shop?” LOL.

Anne-Marie: Do you have any other outlets? Farmer’s market? Craft shows?

Kristy: No, I haven’t had the time to venture out and do that yet. I would love to though.

Anne-Marie: What’s your soapy inspiration?

Kristy: Actually, I get my inspiration from colors of nature or items I see in stores. I was in church one Sunday in the front row and there sat a bouquet of flowers under the pulpit. It had bright yellow lilies and plum colored carnations. I sat there the whole time thinking of a soap to make with those colors. I know I am so bad!

I also lay in bed for hours thinking up different soaps to make after buying new fragrance oil. I start with the name first, for instance Mandarin Bamboo. I think of green and orange, and then I go from there. Instead of sugar plums dancing in my head, I have soap bars dancing in my head! It drives me so crazy sometimes that I can’t sleep until I make the soap the next day. Then I can rest. LOL.

Anne-Marie: How long did it take to perfect the Love Note Soaps? We adore them!

Kristy: LOL, I tried this the first time and it worked perfectly, I haven’t been able to make them the same way since.

Anne-Marie: Tell us a little bit about yourselves on a personal level. What do you like to do when you are not working? Do you have any hobbies outside of soap? Do tell! =)

Kristy: I have a hobby greenhouse and like to start my own flower seeds indoors in the winter then move them in the greenhouse after transplanting. I have a garden going at the moment that is producing tons of corn, melons, tomatoes and cucumbers. I love bird watching also. I tried making candles and I’m not good at it. It’s just too difficult. I love making tarts.I also enjoy sitting on my deck every morning, eating my breakfast and watching the deer in my backyard. I currently have a mother and two fawns with spots that hop around and play in the backyard.

This is one of the fabulous soaps that I purchased.
Love Note Goat's Milk Soap. It smells fresh and fruity.

Marti Gras Goat's Milk Soap

Check back in tomorrow for round two. Kristy and I will be back with more fun and inspiring details from Kristy's Lovely Lathers. See you tomorrow!
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
5 Quickfire Questions
8/11/2009
Melissa Hutcheson is the owner and and founder of the Joy of Soap out of Hayward, California. They take pride in making their bath products from organic, natural and sustainably grown ingredients. The fabulous Melissa was kind enough to send us two bars of her handmade creations; Rosy Cheeks Rosemary and Ginger Snap! They are both quality bars of soap with lovely lathers.

Alright, gang, hold on to your seats! It's time for 5 quickfire questions for Melissa. Here we go...

Anne-Marie: How did you get started making soap?

Melissa: I have always enjoyed arts and crafts and making things. I also used to travel quite a bit for work and realized that bath products in the hotels were not so nice for my skin. Once I started researching ingredients and their impact on skin and complexion I understood that I needed to make some changes. I found a great business nearby, The Nova Studio, where I could take a class on how to make soap. Lori Nova, the founder and owner of The Nova Studio is a great teacher and I admire the way she has developed her own niche and business to help others learn new skills. From there I started making soaps from scratch in my kitchen, storing them in the garage and packing them in the dining room. Several months later we built a website and sales started coming in slowly and have been growing steadily over the past year.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite part about what you do?

Melissa: The creativity involved. The opportunity to dream big, and to learn (by doing) how to turn the dream into a viable business. There is so much to learn, and so many people out there who want to help small businesses succeed if you just ask for guidance.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite Bramble Berry product?

Melissa: The Synergy Blend Essential Oils. These are great essential oil blends that take the guess work out of discovering the right blend of oils. I also like the website layout. It is easy to navigate and provides clear details on all products – thank you!

Anne-Marie: What inspires your recipes?

Melissa: I am inspired by images and scenery; images in nature and in publications. I can easily spend hours exploring gardens, and when I travel I try to visit gardens to learn more about a region’s flora and how they are used in making local beauty products. Ideas come to me when researching ingredients, and from friends, family and people I interact with in all types of settings. Our Shaving Soap was inspired by my acupuncturist based on her knowledge of herbs and personal experience, and my husband inspired our Manly Man Soap which is now our most popular bar.

Anne-Marie: What’s the best advice you can give someone wanting to start their own business?

Melissa: Be patient. Be clear on your goals and set a realistic time line for achieving both small and big goals based on your time and financial resources. You may need to change course along the way in order to achieve a goal, and you may also discover a different focus as well. This is OK, and will ultimately produce a more successful business. Be open to asking and receiving help; it is OK to delegate tasks to people who have experience in areas where you do not. You will save so much energy and worry less if you realize that you do not have to do everything yourself. If you are not having fun anymore it’s time evaluate why and what you need to adjust, change, stop doing, delegate, etc. Stay inspired.

Anne-Marie: Thank you so much, Melissa, for the inspiration and advice. We can't wait to see what's next for the Joy of Soap!

Learn more about the Joy of Soap here:
Joy of Soap is Practicing Green
Joy of Soap Blog
Wholesale Information
Follow Melissa on Twitter

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Amazing Soap using Melt & Pour Tool Kit
8/10/2009 Krazy K on the Teach Soap forum posted some of her amazing soap art and I just had to share to inspire you too. She says that she made these using the Melt and Pour Tool kit and that the soaps didn't take too long with the kit. The soaps turned out quite stunning.

On the Teach Soap Forum, Krazy K (user id: eelyak) is very helpful, sharing her tips and techniques on getting a true black, finding cool and innovative molds and showing her finished soaps to inspire others.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
From Screen to Reality
8/7/2009 I love (love, love, love, love, love, love) seeing SoapQueenTV and SoapQueen-inspired ideas out on the marketplace. It's even better when the soaper flat out says that our soap'spiration inspired them to make cool works of soap art.

Here are a few that I came across this week. First up, from the TeachSoap Forum, Honey from Ireland tried the Rubber Stamp Technique from this post. The soap she came up with looks great! What an easy way to personalize a wedding, a birthday or a retirement gift.

Then 'SingingWolf' from the forum (and frequent commenter at SoapQueen.com) tried the Fortune Cookie Soaps from SoapQueen.TV Independence Day Episode and did a great job. They were for a present for her boss and she says, 'Folks were crowding around my boss's desk, sniffing at the birthday presents that were stacked up'. Sweet! That's just what we like to read.

Hallie made these Geometric Soaps below and they look great! She says 'I think I've learned my lesson about dry pigments instead of handy pre-mixed and non-bleeding options. But otherwise, this came out just about as I hoped it would. (I was aiming for off-kilter.)' I'd say she got off-kilter and absolutely stunning. The color choices are great. If you want to learn how to make Geometric Soap, the SoapQueen.TV video is here.

Also with the Geometric Inspiration, Kayla sent us this photo of her rainbow soap. The yellow is a great touch. She said, 'This was so fun. I loved making it.'

You can love making projects like this too. We try to make it easy for you with this blog (all the tutorials are tagged as 'Tutorial' and 'Soap Technique s' and 'TeachSoap' and with SoapQueen.TV We're starting on the scripts for Season Two of SoapQueen.TV and can't wait to bring you even more in-depth crafting projects like lotion and bath fizzies. And in the meantime, happy soaping!
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Sun Basil Garden Interview (Part 2)
8/1/2009
Thanks for joining us again for part 2 of the interview with Lauren Miller from Sun Basil Garden Soap. If you missed the first part of the interview catch up here. Now, back to Sun Basil Garden...

Soap Queen: Your designs are flawless. How much time per week do you put into designing new soaps versus paid production time? For example, at Bramble Berry, 5% of our budget is devoted to research and development which is matched by 5% of staff time. I'm curious about how much time you spend furthering your designs.

Lauren Miller: I try and have fun with it all since soap is just down right fun. I never have a large block of time so I use every little pocket I can get and journal ideas as they come to me. And then when the time opens up - I soap! Perfection can be a big road block so even if I’m not 100% thrilled I give it a try. I would say new designs are about 30% of my time. I’m trying to think two holidays ahead so I can have designs made in time. Keeping on top of shipping and keeping supplies in stock is a big part of my focus.

Soap Queen: What's your favorite Bramble Berry product?

Lauren Miller: Hands down your oxides! It’s the only colorant I will use. The texture and price are unbeatable. I also love Bramble Berry’s Non Bleeding Red. I cannot find that juicy, red color anywhere else nor do I care to look for it. I adore it and get nervous when I start running low.

My favorite Bramble Berry fragrance oil is Fresh Zucchini Flower- that scent is so incredibly unique and fresh.

Soap Queen: If you had another job, what would it be?

Lauren Miller: I do have another job. Full time, stay at home mom to the sweetest little boys. I worked in corporate America for 10 years before having children and I literally traded it all in and never looked back. This is the hardest job I have ever had but it continues to teach me so much about myself- how to love, patience, forgiveness, problem solving and not to take myself too seriously. And I never have trouble sleeping.

This September marks the beginning of both our boys being in school full time so I will begin a new phase of motherhood. I’m so grateful to have my little soap business waiting for me in the wings. I have plans galore and will finally have 8 hours without interruptions to see them through. I’m opening up for wholesale this September and a whole new packaging scheme just in time for holiday gift giving.

Soap Queen: You manage a great business and a family. Do you have any tips for those of us struggling with work/life balance?

Lauren Miller: Define your focus first. For me, my family is my first focus. I’m lucky to have a husband who helps me identify when work begins to take over. Boundaries are incredibly necessary. Learn to say no, even if your ego wants to say yes. When I first started soaping, I would literally stay up every night till 2 am working in the kitchen on new designs but this lead to an impatient mom the next day. I now have set hours for soaping and stick to a set bedtime during the week. Exercise and eat well. It really does help.

Soap Queen: What did I miss that you want Soap Queen readers to know?

Lauren Miller: Thank you so much for the opportunity, Anne-Marie. And I’m dreaming of getting a matching orange microwave as seen on Soap Queen TV in my new soap kitchen. I adore your company and products and continue to refer customers to you when asked how to get started.

Soap Queen: Thank YOU so much giving us a little glimpse into you life. You are an amazing artist and it sounds like you've mastered the work/life balance- something I think we're all striving to achieve. Good luck with your new soaping adventures and keep us posted!

Awww, the simplicity of Milk and Cookies- a peanut butter cookie that is! Grab your guilty pleasure soap here (with out the calories).

Gotta love these modern little flowers, too. I bought my own set a few months ago and was delighted to see that the design went almost all the way through the entire bar. See all of Lauren's garden flower soaps here.

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Sun Basil Garden Interview
7/31/2009
It's time for another Soap Queen Interview! Woohoo!

Today I'll be sharing an interview with Lauren Miller, the owner of Sun Basil Garden Soap Company. Her handcrafted soaps are designed to bring a smile to your face and leave your skin feeling juicy clean. Lauren takes pride in using top of the line, quality and all natural ingredients.

Let’s find out a little bit more about Lauren, shall we?

Soap-Queen: Lauren, your soaps are so creative with a clean and modern look. I’ve already gushed about how much I love them. So tell us…why Soap?

Lauren Miller: I have always adored bath and beauty products. Something about the feeling and the scent just makes me feel like I’m taking care of myself. But after becoming a full time mom, bath time became my only real alone time. Ten minute showers, in those early days with toddlers, was all I could fit in. So about a year ago over breakfast, I declared I was going to start making soap- And that was it! I did a Google search and luckily found Bramble Berry. I got my first delivery and have not stopped since.

Soap is such a fascinating medium. It’s a practical way to express your creativity since everyone needs to use it. There is so little waste. If you make a mistake it’s still something you can use. I love that. Using your imagination and a few basic supplies, the possibilities are endless.

Soap-Queen: I couldn’t agree more! I like to call soapmaking a consumable art form. OK, next question: Your soap is cutting edge design; before you came on the scene, I had not seen anyone focus primarily on cut outs as their main design. How did you come up with this focus?

Lauren Miller: I love to challenge myself and began with very few supplies. I’m always thinking about using what I already have which often becomes like a game. I started pouring color boards from soap and using what I had around the house. I favor bold colors, simplicity and clean lines so the cut outs match my personal style. I discovered this inlayed process guaranteed my design to last more than one use and not rub off as more traditional molded soaps. The challenge and the practicality hooked me.

Soap-Queen: As a current customer (of Sun Basil Garden), I can attest that your designs can get truly intricate. How long do you spend on your most difficult soap?

Lauren Miller: I grew up in a creative family and learned early how to work well with my hands. I’m pretty practiced and can work fast once I’m happy with my finished product.
Now, I’m a still a full time Mom, so interruptions are coming at me constantly. But because soap needs to harden it lends it self well to pouring in stages. I often have trays of bacon and eggs drying while I‘m also making our real breakfast. I never have a long stretch of time but 10 minutes here and there lends itself well to my schedule. I once made a pizza soap that I have not repeated in awhile as it almost broke me.

Soap-Queen: You have an Etsy shop. Do you sell anywhere else? If you do, what are the pros/cons of keeping the Etsy shop in conjunction with the other sales outlets?

Lauren Miller: Right now, as a Mom, Etsy works best for me. I can spend weekends living life with my kids and husband and have control over my inventory. If I’m out of a fragrance oil, I can hold off on listing that line until I reorder and have time to recreate the soap. If school demands take off, I can put my shop on vacation. Not to mention I love the community and the worldwide audience Etsy pulls. I recently opened a shop on Art Fire and have done a few craft shows. I’m launching into wholesale this September and getting ready for the Holiday season.

Soap-Queen: Oh boy! I can't wait to see what you come up with for the Holiday season! On that note, let's take a little break. Stay tuned for part 2 of the Sun Basil Garden Interview. We'll be back tomorrow!

Above is Lauren's famous Full Breakfast Soap Package including coffee, toast with butter, bacon & eggs (and a lemon square for desert). What a great way to wake up in the morning! Grab your breakfast soap here. I purchased the Toast with Butter Soap. It smells like fresh baked bread. You won't be disappointed. YUM!

Yup. You guessed it! My other favorite soap from Sun Basil Garden: A cupcake, of course!

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Soapmaking Video Clip
7/1/2009

It's always exciting to see a soapmaking business getting good press. Tracey does a good job in this video, talking and making soap at the same time. I recognized some of the goodies she was using to make her soap:

'Waffle Crinkle Cutter' here
Lime Essential Oi l here
Spirulina Colorant here

Check out Tracey's site here.

As for me, I'm going to be out of the office for the rest of the day preparing for the Soap Weekend Intensive. Right now, the class is totally full but if you'd like to get on the waiting list, you can call Otion at 360-676-1030. We're putting the finishing touches on a new SoapQueenTV episode for tomorrow on working with Water Soluble Paper so be sure to check in tomorrow for that new tutorial.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
My Etsy Splurge(s)
6/30/2009
I bought some amazing products today, all made by small handmade businesses across the United States:

Lip balms by 'Give Me Lip' - I just loved the dual colored look of her lip balms and purchased Vanilla Chocolate Donut and Cherry Vanilla Cupcake. My lips will be tasting sweet when I get these yummy creations.

Soap by Kristy's Lovely Lathers - The designs intrigued me. It takes real talent to get swirls and artistry on cold process soap and I can't wait to try my Fizzy Pop, Lavender Hugs, Love Note and Star Mint soaps.

Toiletries by Daileys - My secret shame is that I've never tried tooth powder or just tooth soap. I am going to remedy this with Dailey's Tooth Powder (and I got some of their all natural deoderant to try since mine never did work).

It's been a while since I got an Etsy soap fix and I was delighted to see Sweet Anthem on the home page! You may remember I blogged about Sweet Anthem after meeting her in person at Sweet Petula in Seattle.

Now, I just have to stay patient enough for all my goodies to arrive.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Where Cupcakes Meet Fashion
6/12/2009
Bella Cupcake Couture Have your cupcake and adore it too!

Carrie Middlemiss is the founder and owner of Bella Cupcake Couture in Seattle, Washington. After being laid off after an 18 year career as a Marketing Manager for Washington Mutual, she followed her dream and started her own business. Thus, the cupcake accessories fashion line was born! "Why should frosting have all the limelight?" Carrie makes adorable cupcake wrappings that make your cupcake stand out from the crowd. And perfectly unscientific studies show that eating a cupcake that looks cute makes the entire experience more rewarding.

Read her entire story here.

See more cupcake couture on Cakespy, and check out Carrie's blog here! Oh, and purchase your very own cupcake couture here. P.S. I found another use for Carrie's accessories: Bath Bombs Cupcakes, of course. Spruce up your sweet bath morsels with a little color and fashion sense.

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Flaunt Your Swirls!
5/26/2009
Thanks, Kaylee, for "flaunting your stuff" on the Teach Soap Forum. Your swirls ROCK! Kaylee's enthuses, "I'm having way too much fun swirling the soap ~ it's not as hard as I once thought! I would never have tried it if I hadn't watched that episode [of Soap Queen TV]."

See her fabulous swirl soaps below and check out her Etsy site, Crazy K Bath and Body.

Ooohh...Ahhhh! Are you inspired? Ready to try the swirling technique? See Soap Queen TV Episoade 3: Swirling Melt and Pour or purchase our Swirl Soap Kit. Just don't forget to flaunt your stuff on the Teach Soap Forum!

Good Luck and Happy Swirling!
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Lolly Bombs Away
5/22/2009
Sindy is the owner of Sinfully Sweet Soaps. I was excited to pal around with her at the Soap Guild Show this year. She recently sent me some pictures of what she's been cooking up lately.

Check out her Lolly Bombs (the cutest bath fizzies ever) scented with Hello Sweet Thang! Sindy says she's totally hooked on Hello Sweet Thang and she can hardly keep these Lolly Bombs on the shelves.

Sindy also sent me a care package and in my excitement to try and the staff frenzy of 'I want that! I want that!', I found myself without any samples to actually photograph.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Mother's Day Tribute Soap
5/17/2009
Tanya Chappell is a soaper from Australia. Her recipe is currently featured on the Aussie Soap Supplies site and was recently published in Saponifier Magazine. I thought it would be appropriate to share her Mother's Day Tribute Soap - because it's too darn cute not to.

Don't know how to make cold process soap? It's easy but there are some safety things to review before diving in. Learn the basics here and here, buy 'The Everything Soapmaking Book' here and buy the how-to DVD here. There are also lots of tips and tricks at TeachSoap.com

See Tanya's Recipe below

Sweetpea Delight Cold Process Soap
This soap has a creamy base colour with a pink and mauve swirl.

Ingredients:
300 gram Coconut Oil (30%)
250 gram Olive Oil (use light) (25%)
250 gram Rice Bran Oil (25%)
150 gram Palm Oil (15%)
50 gram Shea Butter (I used refined) (5%)
142 gram Caustic Soda (sodium hydroxide) - approx 5% superfat.
270 gram* Filtered Water, plus 1/4 cup aloe vera juice (added to oils)

(Total liquid content is discounted by approx 5% from full amount - I found when soaping at a higher discount - about 15% - that the FO accelerated trace somewhat)

20 gram/ml Brambleberry's Sweet Pea Fragrance Oil
Tussah Silk Fibre (optional) - about a small cotton ball sized wad - a little goes a long way.

Colours:
Pink & Blue Ultramarine Oxides dispersed in liquid glycerin; Titanium Dioxide powder 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Add silk fibre to water and sprinkle caustic soda on top of silk carefully! Follow all safety procedures for mixing lye solution. Silk will dissolve as the lye dissolves; stir occasionally. Allow to cool to 30 degrees.

Add TD (titanium dioxide) powder to either oils or aloe juice depending on whether it is liquid or oil dispersible. Bring oils to 30 degrees. I soaped a little cooler to help slow trace down a bit. I add my aloe juice to my oils before mixing in the lye solution (just a personal preference, and may help keep the batter a lighter tone in the finished product).

Follow instructions for an ITP swirl. I used about 1 cupful of batter for each of my two colours - colouring one 15 drops pink and the other with 15 drops pink and 5 drops blue .
I used a Nizzy 12 bar divider mould and after pouring in the soap batter I waited until it had reached a thick trace then swirled top of soap with a chopstick to get the texture in the pic. Then place dividers and cover for gel.

Best wishes, Tanya Chappell. Thanks for letting us share your recipe with the soaping community.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
It's Gillian! Best CP Soap at HMSG
5/14/2009
I fell completely head over heels in-like with a volunteer helper during my Advanced Lotionmaking classes. Gillian (from Little Bitty Soap Company) was amazing. She fixed everything, was everywhere and did it with a smile on her face. She also has hidden talents. She made the above soap and entered it in the "Soapers' Showcase" at the Handcrafted Soap Guild conference. Clearly, she's talented a being an amazing helper but even more clever with her soapmaking.

I was delighted (but probably not more than she) when she won the BEST cold process soap in the Handmade Soap Guild Show tonight for the soap ('Picture') above. Her unique style of swirling, layering AND embedding clearly wowed the voters and deservedly so. She is inspiring in person with her can-do attitude and her soaps are an aspirational art form for us all to aim for.

Check out her site here. Drop her a line and tell her how cool her soapy art form is.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Breathtaking Wall of Soap
5/13/2009
Wall of Cold Process Soap Entries from the Soapers' Showcase Entries
Inspiring. Breathtaking. Amazing.

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Alabama Soap Meeting
5/5/2009
The Alabamba Soap and Candle Association presents the
11th Annual Alabama Soap Meeting
June 12-13, 2009

I just got this press release from a group that is near and dear to my heart. You might remember when I spoke at the Alabama Soap Meeting (posts here and here). If it sounded like fun and you'd like in, read the press release from the Alabama Soap below:

We hope you will come and join us! The 11th annual Alabama Soap Meeting will be held at the Doster Center in Historic Downtown Prattville, Alabama! Snowdrift Farm Founder, Trina Wallace and her husband Bill will be our keynote speakers and guests for the 2009 ASA Meeting! We're very excited! A veteran cold process soap, lotion maker and perfumist, Trina will talk about what it means to open and operate a body care or supply business: how and where to start, the responsibilities involved and how to feed the creative process. Bill will cover his view of the FDA Globalization act and the importance of creating and maintaining Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).

We promise fun, fellowship, food, education, and some awesome shopping opportunities. There will be several vendors there from whom you can buy on the spot, and many of our generous sponsors will provide samples of new products so we can try before we buy. Put this event on your calendar now.... it'll be the *must attend* event of the summer of 2009! There are always several swaps that you can participate in. We promise you two fun-filled days of amazing demos. We have had amazingly generous sponsors who provide items for door prizes and for goodie bags. I'm sure that they will be even more generous in 2009. Some of our vendors may offer specials such as discounts and free delivery to the meeting.

We'd love to see you there! Make plans now to be there, Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th, 2009. Click HERE to register now! Early Bird Registration ends March 31!!!

(PS: Last year was a blast! You can't miss it if you're in the area.)
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Sweets for the Sweet
4/9/2009
I recently had an excuse to spend some time in the delightful Seattle neighborhood, Pioneer Square. In addition to a delicious little coffee house that serves drinking chocolate, Sweet Petula has their adorable retail shop in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. If you're a bath and body products lover (or should I say 'connoisseur'?) like I am, you'll appreciate every inch of this charming shop. I bought a good selection of their goodies and have been enjoying them ever since.
First of all, everything in the store is merchandised absolutely with clean precision that matches the simple, classic packaging sensibility. But, as I looked closer, I got to see the magic behind the perfectly ordered shelves. Apparently, little elves do not perfectly stage and set the shelves (another fairytale story ruined for me); one hardworking Ms. Cory Smith does and wow, does she work hard.

Cory took me behind the scenes to her manufacturing (which was arranged just as precisely as her store) and impressed me with her thoughtful production practices and tidy workspace. I am pleased to say that her soaps were great in the shower and the square bath fizzy/salt cube above is a relaxing bath time treat. If you're in Seattle, visit the shop! You'll be amazed with the refined selection and excellent products.

The shop also sells Sweet Anthem's perfumes. Because it was my lucky day, the enchanting perfumer Meredith was at Sweet Petula's shop when I got there. She had a wonderful grasp of perfuming and a commanding presence when speaking about her passion for blending scents. I left with a fistful of Meredith's goodies as well as a full bag of Sweeet Petula's products.
Not in Seattle? Buy Sweet Petula's goodies here or here. Check out Sweet Anthem's shop and blog here.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.