06.30.09
Posted in Uncategorized, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 11:43 am by admin
For a quiet, rural county in Kentucky, things have really been popping around here, both literally and figuratively.
First of all, Elk Creek Hunt Club was selected to host the U.S. Open of shooting sports, and over 1,200 shooters from all over the world tested their skills June 23-28. If that wasn’t enough excitement, many of those competitors brought family and friends with them, and a few were looking for other interesting things to do while they were here.
First Annual Sweet Owen Arts in the Park
Owen County organized several interesting events including a historical tour of the city and its homes along with a carriage ride and progressive tea that wound up at Friday’s farmers’ market.
A carriage tour through historic Owenton, complete with storytellers, ended at our farmers’ market and courthouse.
In addition, the Owen County Arts Council (including your friendly soapmaker) planned an all-day “Sweet Owen Arts in the Park” on Saturday, the first of what we hope are annual events. We invited local artists to set up and were pleased at the response from them. We had 32 artists including many potters, jewelrymakers, fine artists, photographers, a broom-maker, gourd artists, and many more. There was an all-day lineup of really great music, and plenty of good food too. We had exhibitions of old-time forging, spinning and printing. We also had exhibits of childrens’ art from the schools.
I have to say that planning for this event was daunting. There were so many details and of course not enough money to take care of everything the way we’d like. We ended up hand-lettering a number of signs, and using our labor to stretch funds. The event was sponsored by local businesses and organizations, but it still took plenty of old-fashioned elbow grease.
Ron DeVore brought his dulcimer along with fine art and entertained fairgoers near his booth.
Count It a Success
Crowds were moderate … there just aren’t that many people who live in Owen County, but we advertised in surrounding areas as well and that helped some. In addition, we did have some visitors from the Elk Creek U.S. Open. Festival-goers seemed to unanimously have a great time.
The event took place at the Owen County Fairgrounds, and some artists were inside a display building while others were set up in tents outside the building. It turned out to be a super-hot 90-plus degrees with sun beating down. I myself came away with a supreme sunburn and a promise not to leave home without sunscreen again. There were too many UV rays bouncing around inside my tent, and what was I thinking anyway?
This was my tent. Note that I’ve put Anna’s EsSCENTials Bodycare across the front of the tent. I also brought some of my hooked rugs to help decorate and draw attention.
Nevertheless, by 9 p.m. that night, as we emptied garbage cans and stored chairs and picnic tables, the arts council members felt it had been a success and a credit to the community. In a small community, it takes a lot of volunteers to get anything accomplished. The fine women I worked with on the arts council were some of the best and most resourceful you’d ever want to meet. Already we’re evaluating and planning for next year. That Sweet Owen Arts in the Park festival is planned for late May.
And on to “Moments of Happiness”
As for me, I’m glad for a break where I can begin to think soap again. I’m still mulling over my next anticipated creation which I’ve mentioned before, “Moments of Happiness” soap, inspired by my trip to Thailand and my beautiful new granddaughter, Eva Leilani. I have come up with a tentative essential oil combination for it and am about ready to begin tests. More reports on that to come.
Sharon
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04.28.09
Posted in Uncategorized, Blogroll, Everyday Journal at 12:37 pm by admin
It was a 28-hour flight but at this moment with little Eva, worth every minute.
I’ve just had the adventure of a lifetime and my mind is spinning with images of a sweet baby girl and the magic of Ali Babba fairytales.
I just returned from a trip to Thailand where I got to visit with granddaughter, little Eva Leilani, for the first time. She was exactly two months old when we arrived, just a slip of a thing, and it was magical to hold her in my arms. I’d just completed a 28-hour flight but one look at that pink mouth and long fingers and it was all well worth it. Her mama and daddy say she doesn’t sleep nearly enough and she needs a lot of attention. They are pretty much worn out. But on our taxi ride home, she could not have been more perfect. She never closed those eyes though, in spite of its being 1 a.m.
This is “Good Eva.” I didn’t get as many pictures of the baby her mama calls “Bad Eva.” Didn’t matter though…she is perfect!
I had nearly two weeks with them, and we’re in danger of my telling long and boring grandmother stories here. I’ll try to keep it to a minimum except to say Eva liked the mobile I took her after her daddy fixed it with more brightly-colored stuffed toys to watch. And she also liked the swinging chair we got. She watches Baby Einstein videos, and we have mixed feelings about that. Her very favorite thing is to be ensconsed on her “throne,” which means sitting in one of her daddy’s hands while he holds her upper body with the other one and pumps her up and down. It takes more biceps than I can muster, but her daddy has worn a path down the hallway outside their apartment where he walks her and swings her up and down until she literally falls over in his hands. She has an uncanny ability to tell when she’s headed toward bed though. We’re pretty sure things will be easier for this alert little girl when she can distinguish more of what she sees and can entertain herself better. For sure she’s the most beautiful baby ever.
This is the famous floating market.
Nid at a wonderful cultural show demonstrating how rice is tossed in a basket.
About Thailand…it is all you have heard and more. Fantastic architecture, glittering tiled buildings, enormous Buddhas, fantastic food from street vendors, great open markets where everything in the world is sold at very low prices, tourist attractions and destinations, incredible beaches, the amazing floating market, elephants and snake charmers…all this and much more. Most importantly I’d like to say something about the Thai people. This was the most gracious, warm and open people I’ve ever met. In spite of recent political unrest, which I never got a good sense of, I felt safe and cared for the entire trip. Partly that was due to little Eva’s mother, Khannita or Nid as she is nicknamed, who helped us negotiate in Thai. But it also is due to a culture which laughs a lot, plays some, and has not yet been caught up in the commercialism that has permeated ours.
One small part of the Grand Palace, an enormous walled city.
Me being utterly amazed at the detail and workmanship at the Grand Palace.
A very impressive elephant who turned out to be pretty friendly too.
Oh, and about soap…because of the heat and humidity, the type of soap I make which is very heavy on olive oil, is perhaps not the best. Olive oil attracts moisture all the time, and in a humid, tropical climate that can have drawbacks. I did see one soap vendor at the market but did not have a chance to talk to her given the language barrier. Her soap was wrapped in plastic. Ingredients looked good although I couldn’t get them all. The label did say they were all vegetable. Also, at the Grand Palace there was one booth with soaps that were brightly colored and molded in shapes. They were beautiul and I made a mistake not buying some to bring back.
Very fancy carved soaps for sale for 100 baht…about $3.50
The one thing I did buy to bring back was sheets of mulberry paper for special wrappers (not sure what yet), two sizes of bags made of mulberry paper, and some beautiful ribbon. There were a number of paper vendors at the open market. What a joy it was to shop there. I could have gone back again and again, just to see what was there.
Now I’m home and trying to outsmart jetlag (not doing well on that one!) and get caught up on work here. Markets have already begun and I’m the late arrival. But when I take those grandbaby pictures, I’ll get no argument from anybody.
Sharon
Eva loved her turtle and tried hard to stare it down.
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04.03.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:56 am by admin
One more little fun thing for spring. I’ve decided to do a lavender soap with shea butter and package it in honor of the many wonderful quilters in Kentucky. It will be called “Quilter’s Hands.” Personally, I am more of a rug hooker than a quilter, but there are obvious problems with using that as a name. Actually, this suggestion came from the good people at the Kentucky Arts Council. To come up with a label I searched for quilt patterns and especially loved the Seminole patterns which I used as inspiration.
Sharon
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03.19.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal at 7:45 am by admin
The last two batches of spring soaps, ready for trimming.
In that short window of opportunity between the Kentucky Crafted Trade Show in February and the opening of spring farmers’ markets in April, two things happen: 1) I entertain the illusion of enjoying lovely, two-day weekends, and 2) I frantically try to fill in “inventory holes” before the next 10 months of six-day work weeks begin.
The illusion of two-day weekends is the best part. I think about it for months in advance … picturing myself on the couch with a great book and a snuggly, warm quilt. In fact, I enjoy thinking about it so much, when the reality hits every year, I really don’t mind. Actually, I do get some of the great-book-warm-quilt experience. But the truth is I invariably decide I need one more work day each week to catch up on (bookkeeping, soapmaking, labeling, design, etc. etc.) And since I get to choose to do this extra day rather than being driven by schedules and deadlines, it doesn’t seem as hard, somehow.
The other part … filling in inventory holes before farmers’ markets begin … is also a double-edged sword. It’s work, no doubt about that. But it’s the part of work I enjoy the most … getting into the soap studio, blending oils, considering new fragrance combinations, weighing new development ideas, and putting my hands in the soap pot. And that’s what I’ve been doing for the last several weeks. Including getting ready for the Kentucky Crafted trade show, I have made 24 double-batches of different kinds of soap or 650 pounds of the stuff. This week saw the last of my big push for spring. There are a couple soaps that will need replenishing soon, but are fine for the time being. However, I have completed batches of all the best sellers and, with all due respect to the gods of unexpected surprise, I’m ready for spring!
And I have a few new soaps to take to market including a series in honor of Kentucky’s equine history and future. The world equestrian games will be held in 2010, and the state is gearing up. So is Anna’s EsSCENTials Bodycare. In honor of the upcoming games, my “Kentucky Thoroughbred” series is finished and being packaged. It includes “Saddlewood Sage,” “Run for the Roses,” and “Mint Julep.” I will just have to test the market and see if horse lovers and soap lovers are one and the same.
Sharon
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03.17.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal at 6:51 am by admin
I cheated a little. These are last year’s daffodils in full bloom.
The sun is out today and the first daffodils are in bloom in the woods around the cottage. This marks something important, and I think deserves a celebration, which in fact, I plan on having. Those beautiful spring flowers get full-to-bursting with their brilliant yellow heads, and I thought yesterday would be the day they’d pop, but they held off until this morning. In spite of 38 frosty degrees, I awoke to see the first brave daffodil souls raise their open faces to the sun. Here in north central Kentucky, there are other spots where daffodils bloom earlier, maybe along a south-facing wall. And there are other spring flowers such as crocus and snowdrops that are up a week and a half before. But I always feel when daffodils bloom on the hills and under the trees where I live, we have indeed survived a long, cold winter, and that’s got to be a good thing.
My friend, glassblower, and jewelrymaker extraordinaire, Ann Klem, is coming to Owen County for a visit today. Ann’s work is known throughout the commonwealth. We worked together in Kentucky’s Platinum 10 organization and have met each year at the Kentucky Crafted trade show. This spring Ann is traveling to Murano in Italy for a glassblowing seminar, and I couldn’t be more excited for her.
Here’s a small sample of Ann Klem’s work. I thought you’d enjoy seeing something besides soap in this blog. However…much more soap to follow. It’s been a good spring for soapmaking!
So in honor of Ann and my first daffodils, after touring my humble soapmaking studio here, we are headed out to Elk Creek Winery for lunch. Ann’s work is part of a several-month exhibition at the winery, and it will be her first time to see it.
It’s a great day for a celebration!
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02.23.09
Posted in Everyday Journal, Trade Shows at 3:49 pm by admin
This is one side of this year’s booth with a new “anna’s” sign that I hope will be something people remember from year to year.
Those of you who read this blog will remember the incredible Kentucky Crafted Trade Show event of last year, 2008. I wrote about it then in detail, but a quick summary goes something like this: 1) loading the car I broke my right leg; 2) with the help of a very good friend, I went anyway on crutches and in a wheelchair; 3) on Friday night we got the blizzard of the century … or at least a very long time … and the Louisville city fathers declared that nobody should drive, so it was only the vendors who had paid beaucoup monies to be there who made it to the exhibition hall that day; 4) and overall, it was a disaster you just write off as something that just happens!
This year I have to say I was VERY careful carrying soap down the stairs to load into the car. I was also without a helper this year. My good friend wisely bowed out. (Just kidding … she had serious issues and could not be there and I really missed her.) So for the first time, I had to transport the entire booth in my own car, unload and set up the booth alone, and then do the tear-down and get home. I was a little concerned.
My solution was to simplify this year. I could only carry what I fit in the Subaru, which meant leaving behind everything that I didn’t absolutely have to have.
Guardian angels
I had worried for three weeks about how I was going to carry all that stuff into the exhibition hall myself. I have a dolly, but loading and unloading, multiple trips, etc., sounded like it might test my strength. So when I pulled into the exhibition hall loading dock and got out of my car, I was in for a wonderful surprise. It couldn’t have been more than a second-and-a-half before a woman, not much bigger than me or younger either, came up and said, “Can I help you unload?” I did a double-take and the words kind of tumbled out of my mouth, “You want to HELP me?” “Yes,” she said. “I’m a volunteer and that’s what I’m here for.”
Well, I know some shows do dribs and drabs of loading and unloading help, but this was an angel in disguise as far as I was concerned. We decided she would go scour up a loading dolly while I unloaded from the car onto the loading dock, which was about five feet above where I was standing. Pretty soon she was back with another woman, and while I unloaded from the car, they put everything on two dollies and took it to my booth for me. By the time I got parked and into the exhibition hall, they had unloaded everything at my booth and all I had to do was set up! I was absolutely thrilled with the efficiency … And the help.
Also, good friends Patty and Bill helped me load and unload the car on this end, and another wonderful friend, Veronica, spent Saturday and Sunday with me in Louisville for the big retail days.
Set-up on a shoestring
Since I was doing a scaled-back version and didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted, I started putting things together slowly and letting it come together as it would. I tried several versions and then came up with the final, about three hours later. I decided it worked for me and plus I was getting hungry and ready to quit.
This is what the final version looked like.
I set up a “Man Soap” shelf, and that was probably the best thing I did because that got so much attention and also made it easier for men to come into the booth, removing the assumption that good soap is just a “fru-fru” item.
Then I set up a shelf with all new soaps from the past year. That was moderately successful. It served as a focal talking point for me, and I can use all the help I can get in that department. But most of my customers had not seen me since last year and didn’t have as much interest in what was new and what was not.
I had my large shelf set up, but tried to put fewer choices on it. Sometimes I have the sense that having so many options is overwhelming for people.
I had another small shelf with special facial soaps or soaps for people with special needs. And finally, I had a shelf with my new “Ultimate” products on it, the soap, salt scrub and the eye & face cream.
Scattered around the tables I had various gift items including sets with soap and soap dish and the three-pack series sets such as my “Kentucky Series,” “Farmers Market Series” and “Man Soap Series.”
A centerpiece to make me smile
As a centerpiece I used a treasure chest filled with pretty sea shells and a tall bottle of oil. Also I took photos of little Eva Leilani, born just a week ago, 9-year-old Lydia and my granddog Winnie. They were placed beside the centerpiece where I could see them and smile.
Economy having an effect
On Saturday, the first retail day, the show was packed and it seemed to me people were willing to spend money. However, total sales were down by about one-third, so the economy is having an effect for sure. Vendors at the show who did not have small items to sell had a very hard time. Some sold nothing! People were not parting with big dollar amounts.
Sunday was much slower, and I managed to eek out enough so that while I fell short of covering expenses, it was not by much if you don’t consider four days of labor! And I figure the prestige of doing the show is worth something. I wore my “soap doctor” lab coat from last year and people remembered it.
I also came away with several ideas for new soaps to develop this year. So many soaps … so little time! sigh.
People liked the idea of my moonshine soap, and the entire Kentucky series. It got a lot of interest, but I have to say, the biggest sellers were the old favorites with one exception. I sold out of Cucumber Mint soap, so people must have liked the fragrance combination. Pumpkin Spice soap was a good seller too, and Lavender Vanilla is getting some serious attention and sales.
During the show, I worked on a new hooked rug for little Eva and finished it, and that gave me lots of time to tell people who wanted to see it about Eva and show off her photo. A good chunk of Louisville knows all about her now.
So overall, I’d consider the show a success, given the tough economic climate. I survived, didn’t lose my shirt, and broke no bones.
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Posted in Uncategorized, Everyday Journal at 3:23 pm by admin
Little Eva, only three days old. Isn’t she beautiful?
Sometimes the very best things happen, and this is one of them. Eva Leilani was born Feb. 11, and I want to celebrate this beautiful baby’s birth. She is my son’s baby, born half a world away in Thailand, but I was able to almost “be there” through the magic of technology. I cannot wait to see little Eva (pronounced A-VA) with my own eyes and hold her close. She came into the world after only two and a half hours of labor for her mother, and right away she was looking around and appearing very satisfied with what she saw. She gave my son a little smile as he got close with his video camera (honest!), and it seemed to me she was letting us know she is quite content with her mama and daddy and her world. But not half as much as we are with her!
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01.19.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal at 2:29 pm by admin
Here’s today’s batch of Green Tea Mint, all reformulated and ready for a better tomorrow.
It’s the day before inauguration, and the country’s attention is focused on Washington, D.C. In honor of the new president, inauguration festivities and hope for a greener tomorrow, I spent the day in the soap studio reformulating a soap I’d like to dedicate to a better future. Green Tea Mint is a soap I developed a few years ago, but I chose some essentil oils that don’t “hold” as well as they should, so it was on my list to make changes before the next batch. Today was the day.
In consultation with my soapmaking buddy, Charlotte Hayer, I’m going to do something a little different. I wanted to recombine the mints, so I chose both spearmint and peppermint, and added them to a good dollop of sweet orange and a bit of vanilla. Now, sweet orange and vanilla are a wonderful combination, but the orange fragrance is fleeting. So I decided when the orange fades, the mints will be there to pick up the slack, along with that softening note of vanilla. I hope it works. I’ll let you know.
So, here’s to hope and the future … green for environmental awareness, tea for wisdom and honor, and mint for health and well-being!
Sharon
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01.08.09
Posted in Uncategorized, Blogroll, Everyday Journal at 10:15 am by admin
Here’s one corner of a storage cabinet built originally for office supplies, I’m sure. But I inherited it with this studio office and it will forever smell great! Soap stock is depleted now, but not for long.
Happy 2009, everyone. From my perch above the town square, I am watching snow blowing horizontally across the windows. Up-and-down snow is one thing … side-to-side snow is quite another. After a weekend with temperatures in the 40’s and melting snow, it looks like we’re back to normal in Kentucky.
After some consideration, I’ve decided to ignore the dire economic forecasts for the time being and forge ahead with soap production. Anybody else making different plans? I have this year’s Kentucky Crafted trade show in Louisville Feb. 19-22. We’ll see if I can complete this one with my body in one piece. Last year’s show was done from a wheelchair and I’d rather not repeat that spectacle. Or hear one more person ask me if I’d slipped on a bar of soap on the way to the show. This is an expensive undertaking, and I try to break even and hope the coverage and prestige of being there will pay future dividends. This year I’ll be crossing my fingers AND my toes. No, that might lead me back to the wheelchair. Guess I’ll just take my chances.
I’ve started serious production already and just took delivery of another big oils order. One of the soaps I developed in the fall, Serenity, was such a hit that I have a new batch on the curing racks already. It was completely gone. (The entire batch of holiday soap also sold out … I’ll do that one again too!) I think I’ll let Serenity be my new soap for this spring, even though I introduced it in a trial run in the fall. Lavender Rose Clay will be the second new introduction. I always like to go to markets with something new in the spring, and it’s surprising to me how many people ask me what’s new.
To get ready for production, I’ve spent the last two days cleaning out the soap studio, especially the big cabinet where I store soap that has cured and is ready to go to market. I re-alphabetized everything, made new labels and moved it all around. Looks lots better! I rearranged everything to make places for the new soaps and I see that I’m now in trouble. I have only a few slots left, so this year I vow to cut out a slower-selling soap before experimenting with any new ones. That’s easier said than done.
And lastly, I mopped the floor. It’s amazing how “goopey” the floor of a soap studio gets…all little soap shavings mixed with a fine layer of oil I guess. So tomorrow, serious production begins!
Let’s hope for some warm breezes soon, soap addicts! We might as well look forward to the adventures of 2009.
Sharon
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12.19.08
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Trade Shows at 8:29 am by admin
Our treasure chest full of holiday goodies for this year.
I’m sorry to have been slow to update this blog. My dear friend nudged me…said she had checked the blog for a Christmas update…so on this very gray, rainy day, I’m putting everything aside, mostly to wish friends, readers and fellow soapers a warm, sudsy holiday.
It’s actually been slow here. I had one fantastic holiday show, caught a memorable head cold that kept me in bed for days, had to cancel (or risk infecting half of Frankfort) another show I was looking forward to, and have been only now regathering strength. I’m way behind on soap production. This has been an excellent end-of-year for Anna’s EsSCENTials Bodycare, and I should also thank all those people who made special efforts to put our good olive oil soaps in Christmas stockings all over Kentucky. I’ve had a steady stream of people up here in the studio, and I tried to do more “gift-y” things this year, although that is definitely not my forte!
Finally this week I got back in production. I’m completely out of a few favorite kinds, and I try never to let that happen. I also have a couple new ones I want to get into serious production. The Rose Clay Cleanser (an olive oil bar with rose clay and shea butter) was warmly received when I did a trial run this fall. My next target date is Feb. 19-22 in Louisville, where I will attend the Kentucky Crafted trade show. Given that soap cures for a month before going out to shows and shelves, that means by mid-January I have to be all caught up with production.
With the bad economic news everywhere, next year may be a true challenge. I’d like to hear from other soapers about their plans. Right now I’ve not made any changes beyond watching sales carefully and considering cutting the number of kinds of soaps I make.
But for now, let’s just kick back and enjoy what we have, including wonderful friends who keep our spirits up by prodding us to update blogs. Happy holidays, everyone!
Sharon
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