07.20.10
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 1:49 pm by admin
Manly (or womanly) shaving soaps, plus a cool companion molded soap made with leftovers.
The title to this entry has nothing to do with its content, but someone said that to me recently, and I liked it very much!
Actually, what I want to write about is a new shaving soap for men (and women) that I finished last week. There aren’t many men who use razors to shave with anymore, and probably even fewer who use shaving soap with their razors. However, I have a very good customer who does. I’d like to tell you a little about him because, well, because he likes Anna’s EsSCENTials Bodycare products so much.
This man (we’ll call him Chris since I have not asked his permission to mention him on this blog) is an interesting guy—well-educated, friendly, intelligent, and in his profession he has traveled widely throughout the world. Chris and his wife appeared at my soap table several years ago with an interesting story. They had bought my soaps several times, although I hadn’t formally met them. But what they told me made me sit up and take notice. Chris said that in his travels, he tends to look for high-quality local soaps and likes to test them out. (There are people out there like us, honest!) He said that he had been using my soaps for some time, and he wanted me to know that although he has tried soaps from all over the world, he felt that few compared and none were better than mine.
Well, that meant a lot. Over the years I’ve determined not to make the compromises (lower quality oils and ingredients) that many soapmakers make and which might bring in more profits, but this is something most of my customers do not consciously know. And I’m not pointing fingers at other soapmakers…there is a lot of competition and costs keep going up. But I’ve resisted, and so when someone who has the experience to tell the difference makes a statement like that, it makes all those decisions worthwhile!
A New Manly Man Soap
In the past, I occasionally made round soaps that would fit into shaving cups, but there is not a big market for them, so I had run out. Chris said he is using my hemp soap bar as a shaving soap, but of course it does not fit into the shaving cup. However, he said, it is superior to any other shaving soap he’s tried so he makes do.
Well, I can’t have that! If this customer wants a round shaving soap, and thinks mine are the best he’s ever used, he will have it!
And not only that, he made a few suggestions that I thought were good ones. He likes patchouli, which I mix with hemp seed oil for a softening, moisturizing soap. So I used patchouli and hemp, and mixed that with soothing lavender, for a round shaving soap. He also suggested using a bit of rhassoul clay for a good “slip” and to help the razor. Again, excellent suggestion.
So into the soap lab-OR-a-tory I went, and emerged a few hours later with my latest and greatest shaving soap in the mold. I haven’t decided what to call it yet, but it’s a nice combination of patchouli and lavender, and has a good dose of rhassoul clay as well. It will be a few weeks before it’s ready to go to market, but I intend for Chris to have the best shaving soap I can produce!
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06.21.10
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 12:33 pm by admin
Today’s new batch of stretch mark oil for my fruitful friends, along with the small-sized travel bottles I painstakingly filled last week.
Yay! I love summer. Being a warm-weather, open-window aficianado, I love living where I don’t have to hide in air conditioning all summer. Of course, everybody around me does, but I think it’s overkill. Welcome, summer 2010.
Well, we’re into the market season for sure now, and crowds are returning bit by bit as green, leafy produce, yellow summer squash and red tomatoes come on. It’s always good to see friends from last year. I now have customers who plan their fall purchases to cover all of winter, and several of them report in on whether they had soap to last until now. I wonder if they realize that for me this goes beyond a commercial venture, and their kindness is remarkable and appreciated…a very personal compliment.
Market Blues
In spite of the good news, however, I thought I’d take a minute to complain. Have other soapmakers ever had experiences like this? It happens to me very occasionally, but when it does, it strikes me as odd enough to notice. For example, last Saturday I felt like a pariah in my favorite market. At the Frankfort market, I have many friends and regular customers. But for some reason, on this particular Saturday, the crowds just walked past my booth like they didn’t know me or care to. For the entire day, sales were just pitiful. I walked to the front of my table to check and see if it just didn’t look good or something. Actually, I thought it looked better than normal. But I rearranged a few things anyway, moved some signs and made sure soap displays were standing straight and proud.
I could have stood out front and tried to engage people and encourage sales, but that’s not my style. I do not like to force sales. I know that’s not good salesmanship, but it’s the only way I can work it.
All I can think of is that it rained hard that morning until about 9:30 or so, and selling soap in the rain isn’t easy, even if you are under a pavilion which we are (thank you SO much, market planners). Really good soap attracts moisture, which is OK in the shower but not at point of purchase. The rain could have cut our crowds too. Not a good answer, but that’s all I have. Sometimes it just happens, and you have to write that week off and plan for next week to be better, which, usually, it is.
And Another New Product
I don’t know why but it seems to me I’ve been especially busy whipping up body care products this spring. I have a couple friends who are expecting babies this year, and so I did a batch of stretch mark oils for them. In doing so, I went to a favorite vendor’s Web site for supplies, and discovered they have a sale on Tamanu Oil. This is a Polynesian nut oil that is remarkable in its antibiotic and cell-regeneration properties. It’s excellent for repair of skin problems such as acne, sun damage, aging and stretch marks. It’s a little pricey, but I’m going to give it a try.
Actually, I have been thinking about which body products are most valued by my customers as I decide where to put my efforts. Stretch mark oil isn’t something I often get a call for but it does seem to me it’s something I can offer which is uniquely good, given my access to exotic or high-quality ingredients. At least, I’ll give it a try.
Happy summer, everybody.
Sharon
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06.09.10
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 1:59 pm by admin
A new batch of Anna’s All-Natural Deodorant just in time for spring and summer
This week I switched from the soap pot to the melting pot. Soapmakers need to multi-task too, and at Anna’s EsSCENTials I’ve tried to hone in on products that are compatible with the good soaps that go through our doors. I’ve done excellent creams, lotions and other goodies. But this week I did a spring-time batch of Anna’s All-Natural Deodorant.
I’d researched this product for a while before coming up with a recipe that looked good to me. I looked for something that was both effective and safe, and tried a couple options before settling on this recipe. Some of my faithful soap customers agreed to give it a try, and I held my breath. People often have strong feelings about their deodorant. When reports came back unanimously positive, I figured I had something worth taking to market.
The problem was with packaging, however. The product was well-received, but the little pots I used weren’t. People wanted a container that would twist up as the deodorant was used and didn’t involve fingers in a container. This year, I found some nice, transluscent containers with twisters on the bottom. I think that should solve the problem.
So what’s in it?
The final recipe contains a number of essential oils that soothe, fight bacteria, and reduce odors. They include white thyme, tea tree, lavender, rosemary and others. I also included baking soda in a base of shea butter, sweet almond and other nice oils.
Other melting pot goodies
And other melting pot goodies
Also this week I did a new batch of the muscle & joint massage cream that my customers like so much. I’ve really had rave reviews for this one from people with knee and hand problems, among others. This special cream is designed with essential oils that reduce swelling and a special ingredient from Thailand, plai oil. So with that and the whipped shea butter cream I finished a couple weeks ago, I guess I’m as ready for spring markets as I’ll ever be.
Sharon
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10.10.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 2:27 pm by admin
Three times during the summer/fall, we have night farmers’ markets in Owenton where I live. They’re always big-festival events, looked forward to by the whole community, who turn out in droves. They bring lawn chairs and sit out on the courthouse lawn to hear local musicians and have supper catered by several local caterers. Sales are good for market vendors so they like it too. All in all it’s a “good time had by all” kind of event … usually.
Last night was the final night market of the year, and it rained all day. I think we got 4 or 5 inches in the past 36 hours. Normal people would assume the market was cancelled. Well, about 5 p.m. the rain died back to a drizzle, and when I looked out my soap studio window (across the street from the courthouse), the apple guy was there and a veggie vendor was there and the bread lady was unloading. I ended up going outside with them in spite of misgivings. Soap does not do well in the rain!
The musician for the evening did not show up, nor did the food (supper) vendors. It was only five or six regular vendors, and of course almost no customers. Who’d have expected us to set up in all that rain? However, by dark, I had made $31, and the veggie guy $50, and everybody else a little bit too, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Mostly the vendors all sat around and had a good time. Somebody went home and got lunchmeat, and the bread lady opened a loaf. Somebody else had a bottle of wine in her car, so we sat and drank wine and ate chips with homemade salsa and sandwiches on the courthouse lawn (in a dry county).
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, and I expect the stories will grow after being retold a few times. Well worth it!
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10.07.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 11:36 am by admin
Notice the colorful, natural leaves scattered through this handmade paper. Wonderful!
Soapers are well into thinking holi-daze, and I do mean daze! In the midst of fall festivals, we’re frantically trying to think about gift packaging (gotta be new and sparkly) and whether we have enough of that favorite soap to last through the end of the year (probably not).
This fall’s gift packaging takes advantage of my spring Thailand trip with some handmade mulberry paper bags, ribbon and tissue. They’re gorgeous! They have natural leaves and colorful bits scattered through them…really spectacular in person. The only downside is the paper will absorb moisture (no plastic in these babies) and can get beat up if you use it for display for months at every farmers’ market like I have.
I also found some perfect clear acetate boxes and pretty bags which are new and different. Oh, and some gorgeous sheer ribbon that doesn’t hide the soaps. So the last couple weeks I’ve been wrapping as well as soaping, but am not near to being ready for gift season. I hope you think these are as pretty as I do.
Sharon
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08.18.09
Posted in Uncategorized, Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 12:09 pm by admin
This weekend I take our newest soap to market, “Moments of Happiness.”
And here it is … representing my fondest memories of my Thailand family including new granddaughter Eva, and of beautiful Thailand itelf … presenting my newest soap, “Moments of Happiness.”
It turned out to be a beautiful soap … a soft golden color with a lovely dark red/orange swirl, and the scent is (I hope) a good Asian one too. It is slightly “exotic” with a fresh, uplifting touch of lemongrass to finish. I wrapped it with gorgeous handmade mulberry paper brought back from the outdoor Thai market and a label of optimistic sunrise colors of the east.
The soap cntains a good amount of sesame oil, as well as shea butter and, of course, rich olive oil. And this week it makes its debut. Today I created a small sign announcing our newest soap, which gave me a chance to print a couple of my favorite Eva photos too (one on each side).
A new sign with a pretty little girl’s photo as a bonus
I hope this soap is loved even a tiny bit as much as what inspired it.
And, by the way, I got to spend another couple hours online (via Web cam) with little Eva this morning. I saw her turn over and sit up by herself for the first time! Also, she got her first two teeth last week and has learned in two days how to zip around the apartment in her car (or walker), crashing into furniture and shrieking with delight as she does so. One thing I can say for sure is that this child is loved.
Sharon
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07.29.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 2:21 pm by admin
After three months of waiting, today is the birthday of “Moments of Happiness” herbal soap.
It’s been most of the day in the soap studio with my hands in the soap pot and finally, finally, after three months of planning, deciding, rejecting and replanning, it’s done. “Moments of Happiness,” inspired by my amazing trip to Thailand and my beautiful new grandaughter who lives there, is complete.
I couldn’t help myself. Here are two new photos of Eva. One is with a big yawn, ready for bed, and the other is discovering her toes … best toys ever.
Some soaps are so easy to plan and create … it seems as though they appear in your thoughts full-grown. This one did not. Well, there was a lot to consider for it … a gorgeous baby girl and an exotic Asian culture with more adventure, laughter and new awarenesses than I ever expected to experience. My universe shifted a lot this year, and I probably will not be the same again. All that had to settle a bit, and then I tried to transfer my feelings to my soaping passion.
The first and easiest part of the soap was its name. That did come to me full-blown one day as I cast my eyes on another fantastic view of tropical Thailand. I noticed that sometimes Thai businesses or items have very descriptive names, often including the impact they hope to have on people who encounter them. I figured when “Moments of Happiness” popped into my mind, it was Thailand’s gift to me and my soapmaking quest.
The second part of the plan was to include sesame oil in the formula. Sesame is a staple in Thailand and I was pretty sure I wanted to use it. Turns out sesame oil is recommended for psoriasis, eczema, arthritis and rheumatism. Since the therapeutic side of soapmaking and aromatherapy are important to me, I figured I had a good start going.
Then came the crucial stage of a scent combination, and here’s where I waffled. I wanted an Asian scent that I thought my family who live there would like. I considered several rather “spicy” formulations but decided to go a different route, at least for the first try. I ended up with a combination of sandalwood, ylang ylang, black pepper, ginger, vetiver and lemongrass. Sound good? I hope so. I won’t know for sure until I’ve had a chance to live with it for a while, and also see the reaction when that steady flow of people stop by my booth and pick it up. It won’t take long before it’s very obvious whether it’s loved by a few, by no one, or by lots of people.
I know I can sell the soap … it has great oils including the sesame, as well as shea butter. I fixed a beautiful swirl in it, and I intend to wrap it in a glorious wrapper of a special mulberry paper I brought back with me from Thailand. But whether or not this is the final version of the scent combination remains to be seen.
And Also…
Moments of Happiness right next to Cucumber Basil Mint…a good day’s work I think.
In addition, the summer vegetables are at their freshest right now, so my second batch of the day was Cucumber Basil Mint. Of my three farmers’ market soaps, this was the big hit last year, so I recreated it with no changes. It’s a beautiful soap, a pretty light green, with flecks of cucumber, cucumber skin and basil leaves running through the soap.
People have actually been asking for this soap. One customer likes it so much she refuses to buy anything else. She stops by my table every few weeks just to check. Well, I guess that’s a good thing.
So Far This Summer
I wonder how other soapers are finding sales this summer. Last year I expected sales to be down but they weren’t. I attributed that to a growing consciousness about buying fresh, locally-grown farmers’ market produce and other locally-produced products such as soap combined with the desire among some rural areas to support locally-owned vendors and businesses when possible. This year, however, as the economic downturn grinds on and people continue to search for ways to cut back, I think I can feel the pinch. My sales are holding strong, but they did not grow this year … they are very near what they were last year and a little down at some points.
Still I feel fortunate and grateful that I can continue to explore this passion for healthy, handcrafted soap and body products.
Does it get any better than this on a July afternoon? I think not!
Sharon
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07.20.09
Posted in Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 7:38 am by admin
Jamison chose her bean and held onto it at Saturday’s market.
I had a visit from my most favorite farmers’ market customer (and her good mama) Saturday. Little Jamison Elise was born in October in Frankfort, and she’s the apple of many peoples’ eye around here. She’s made it to nine months and is fearless, funny, inquisitive … and she bends in half at the waist and dives for the floor just when you think she’s safely nestled on your lap. Well, I’m onto those tricks now, and Saturday, we both headed right for the ground and played there while her mama watched my table.
Right away we needed some “props” because there were lots of less desirable objects of interest on the ground. We quickly came up with two green beans (fresh from the garden, of course) and a yellow summer squash. Now Jamison has sprouted two small teeth on the bottom of her mouth, and when she chose one of the beans, it turned out to be just the thing to gnaw. Before she left, she had neatly removed the top quarter of that bean and had a great time doing it. We walked over to the Ayres’ Orchard booth and ordered the reddest apple Larry had in the baskets. He did a search and we came up with a great one. I made the first dent, but after that Jamison wouldn’t let that apple get far from those little teeth. She loved it! Her mama, Jessie, told me something I did not know … that babies don’t develop taste buds for the sour flavor until later, and that Jamison will suck a lime slice dry.
The perfect summer bean
Well, we had a great time, and as I watch Jamison grow, I often think of little Eva who is four months younger and far away in Thailand. I visited with Eva via web cam last week and watched her get up on her knees with the intention of going somewhere. She was not sure how to coordinate the top half of her body with the bottom half though, so she lunged forward instead, bonking her head on her favorite toy … the wipes box. Oh, there is so much to learn in these first months!
My day is better, my life is richer!
What a privilege to share experiences with these two beautiful little girls. My deep love goes out to both of them. And here’s a quote from Picasso that Jamison’s mom sent to me last week … something we might all want to remember.
“To be young, really young, takes a very long time,” said Picasso. “It’s not easy to hone your ability to see the world fresh over and over again. You’ve got to work for years to immunize yourself against the millions of people who think they’ve got everything figured out. To cultivate an ingenious and fully awakened innocence, you have to continually shed your temptation to rely on habitual responses, never ceasing from the effort to greet every experience with a beginners mind. This playful approach to life goes against the grain of almost every ideology and political system, which means only the fiercest individuals with a highly developed sense of self can summon the courage to do it.”
So here’s to a renewed sense of wonder, to two absolutely precious little girls who light up my heart, and to the artist in all of us.
Sharon
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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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11.18.08
Posted in Uncategorized, Blogroll, Everyday Journal, Farmers Markets at 9:26 am by admin
Sharon and I, with layers of sweaters, in our booth at The Autumn Drive Festival.
As I said last month, it’s festival season. In mid-October, I traveled to northern Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border, for a big festival, a new one for me, called The Autumn Drive Festival. It’s north and west of Chicago, and my friends, Sharon and Steve, moved there last year. Sharon is an amazing artist…one of those people who can do just about anything, and right now her passion is carving and decorating gourds with lovely, intricate natural scenes. She has one “Fairy Garden” gourd that draws you in and has you searching for the tiny people and all their garden friends.
Anyway, we decided to do this show together, and it turned out to be an adventure, but great fun. The Autumn Drive Festival offers a couple miles of places to stop and explore, with hundreds of vendors. One of the delightful parts of doing festivals is that you never know for sure what you’ll find when you get there…and it’s always different from what you expected.
In this case, it was 80 degrees when I left Kentucky, about 60 when I hit Chicago, and 40 with a brutal wind when I got to the festival. I had left home wearing flip-flops, throwing in pants and a heavy sweatshirt because I do know Illinois fall weather. The next morning, when the show actually began, the temps had fallen again and misty rain was in the air. I had worn every piece of clothing in my travel bag, but that was no match for northern Illinois wind chills. We were headed for three 9-to-5 days of even colder weather, falling temperatures and bitter wind sweeping down across the great plains. Sigh. The life of a crafter.
Coming to my rescue was a wonderful booth near us called “Ginger Blossom” that sold hand-knitted sweaters made by a women’s cooperative in Nepal, big fuzzy socks and hats that pull down over your ears. Before the weekend was over, I became their new best friend!
Ups and Downs
As some crafters can tell you, it’s not uncommon to find little irritations growing to big irritations in situations like these. Nobody’s comfortable…not vendors, shoppers, kids or pets. The mood of everyone becomes tinged with unease, purse strings contract and you look for the nearest hot chocolate vendor, who does really well.
I was no exception. After driving so far and standing on frigid feet for three days, I was not exactly polite to the “gentleman” who wanted to know what was in my soaps (I was HAPPY to tell him because that’s what I’m proudest of), and after hearing about all the great ingredients, turned up his nose and made a rude comment. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a soap shopper, just someone looking for an argument.
On the other hand, the weather problems also made for lots of fun conversations with people who were able to laugh at them. And what better time to talk about a skin-saving product when you’re standing in a 20 m.p.h. wind sucking all the moisture from your body. All I had to do was mention olive oil, and customers’ eyes would light up.
Setup Thoughts
I have to thank my friend, Sharon (Northwoods Art), for organizing and sharing this weekend with me, and her husband, Steve, for helping us with construction, corn stalk-gathering, take-down (always the hardest part), and encouragement. And I’d also like to mention that sharing a booth with an artist like this has definite advantages for a soaper. Sharon had gourds of all sizes and prices, some of them show-stoppers. Her art caught the eye of many people on the tour who stopped by look at it. This brought people into the booth who might not have stopped otherwise. And likewise, there were people looking for handcrafted bodycare products who found true art in our booth. In the end, I think we both thought the arrangement worked well.
Sharon’s side of the booth, with some of her exquisite gourd art.
We decorated the tent poles with corn stalks tied with wide, country-style ribbon, and had tables along three sides. Sharon had found some pretty dark orange felted fabric which worked as table coverings and drew the table setup together. The only thing I’d change was to have more signage for Sharon’s artwork, but overall I thought the effect was pretty much what we were going for.
A little of the soap display as well.
Upcoming Festivals
So, it’s on to the Thanksgiving and Christmas festivals. I have a new one this year in Frankfort, and a couple old-friend festivals that I look forward to every year. After the holidays, the task will be to get ready for the Kentucky Crafted trade show in February, and then there is a little time left to rest up before starting over again in the spring.
So let’s lift a toast to having survived this year and to new opportunities ahead. “Play it again, Sam,” and happy holidays, everyone!
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