Sample Bags

I am going to a networking function this week and they are passing out 200 welcome bags that we can put information into....a lonely little business card just doesnt feel right, so we decided to add a sample of our products with our card...but 200 is a lot!

So first I needed to clean my area to work with...


Then gather my supplies, had to run to Walmart for more little baggies. To each baggie along with a biz card we added either a lip balm, lotion, or guest size bar of soap.

And here we are halfway through. Baby girl will finish up in the morning, and The Hubs will run them over to where the function is held for them to add to the bags.

Quite a job and a lot of worth here, but I really feel it is a better thing to give than just a plain ol card....what do you think?

Sale through 2/14/11

All items in our Etsy Shop are 15% off if you use the coupon code SWEETLOVE2011

Sweet Love Giveaway

Valentines Day is just around the corner...how about gifting your love with a soapy version of "Sweet Love".

A lovely heritage sweet pea fragrance with hints of tangy rhubarb that help make the sweet pea floral bloom!

Buy It:
Sweet Love Soap

Win It:

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Soaping and Cooking...

...do not mix!!

So I made 2 small batches of soap and put them to bed in the oven as I always do...anyone who knows me knows that I do not use it much beyond rare batches of brownies or cookies. So it is a good safe insulated place for my soap, plus it holds 8 logs.

Well I decided to be a good wife and actually make supper for The Hubs...and MMM biscuits sounded so good to go with it. So I preheat the oven....I NEVER preheat the oven. Lazy? I dont know I just dont. So I am cooking away when ...hmm...that is an odd smell....YIKES! My soap! Thankfully it was maybe 2 minutes in so it was a quick save and thankfully just 2 little containers to pull out instead of 8 logs.

So I learned my lesson...no preheating...WAIT, scratch that...maybe I will just give up on cooking again!! lol

New Guest Sized Bars

I bought a new system to make guest sized bars with. What a fun new toy. It was so fun I forgot to take in progress pics until the last mini log....basically I make a square of soap, then use the log splitter to cut it into 4 logs, and then cut each of the logs and create 72 guest sized bars in practically no time at all. It was so easy our grandson even cut a log.

Here is the cutter



Here is the bar size in comparison to a regular bar. I think they will be perfect for samples and variety/trial packs.

And our grandson thought it was so cool....this is what happens when he was left alone with the cutter and a bar of soap that happened to be nearby....not sure how he thought that was going to get by us and we wouldnt know that was him lol.

Liquid Soap

I have made liquid soap several times, although I have never sold it. I'm not sure why since I have had a lot of requests for it. But now I feel is a good time to finally make a batch to sell.

This process is an almost 4 hour process.

Here we have our melted oils....

Then we stick blend it to trace...

You can see it thickening here...

Now it is getting hot and thick...BUT...can't walk away just yet...

For me the first 10 minutes are always scary because it puffs....

And puffs!!

But if you stir and stir....

It calms down. :)

This must be what they call the vaseline stage, because as soon as I took the lid off the pot that was my very first thought.

Now we are getting close. It is really cooking down and getting to the translucent stage.

Now it is time to dilute....wow-wee look at that boil when I poured in the water.

It has calmed down, and now comes the hardest part of all...wait! I have a styrofoam cooler I will put the pan into for the night to keep it insulated while the paste dilutes into hopefully some great soap.

Gorgeous Flowers!

Just look at these beauties!!!

They belong to my daughter (given to her on a date).
They were just pods when she brought them home, but just look at what has bloomed....so gorgeous!!
But sad to say I had to move them to her bathroom....the smell although soooo wonderful, was filling up the kitchen and aggravating my allergies which are in full bloom of their own...so I will enjoy the photo instead. :)