Taking a break

I know, I know, it's ages since I last posted. I've been pretty busy with Ebay orders but am now taking a break from it for awhile. We've got lots going on here. Websites to build, both mine and others too. Plus the bathroom is going to be totally revamped over the next few weeks. So the water may be off at times. Not ideal when I am trying to make stuff.

I've been thinking about new products though and have been working on some scent blends. Taking my inspiration from retro perfumes and the world of burlesque. I've also been working on some new packaging ideas too.

I have got a couple of orders to get sorted out though. Hopefully I'll get those done at the weekend.

Christmas is Coming :0)

Still as busy as I ever was, I've more or less shut up shop on Ebay now until January but email and phone orders are coming in thick and fast still. Aaaargh...will I ever find time to do my own stuff for Chrimbo?!!!

So if I don't get the chance before the 25th, just wanted to wish you all A Very Merry Christmas and A Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Also, here's something not very Christmassy but interesting to watch on youtube Real Men Knit!

I think the Christmas Rush has started.

So I'm still busy making and posting stuff out. Had one disaster. A large parcel came apart in the post and ended up being delivered in a plastic bag with some of the contents missing. Bugger! Now I know that the parcel was packed well, I think it happened coz it weighed 1.6 kilos and said FRAGILE on it. I reckon someone couldn't help having a nosey! I'm just waiting to hear back from the customer so that I can put a claim in with Royal Mail.

So on Soap and Stuff I've also started selling soapmaking stuff. Fragrance oils, moulds, colours etc. I've got a more comprehensive pricelist if anyone is interested. Plus I've got a Trade Pricelist for all my soaps and bath bombs too. Just email me on 'info(at)soapandstuff.com' I use Paypal for secure online payments.

Right now I've done whoring my site ;0) What other crafty things have I been up to? Well not a lot really, I need to get back on the sewing machine, I've got a few things to finish, plus I'm going to do a lil revamp project with a man's shirt.

I gotta go down the Post Office again in a bit, so I best get some work done.

Busy Busy

Had another wholesale order the other week, it's finally arrived in Ireland. Hurrah, and the customer was really pleased with the products...double Hurrah! :0)

Things have been going quite well on Ebay too, I just need to find the time to make some products in bulk...for someone who doesn't have a full time job my days just seem to whizz by.

Unfortunately not had time to experiment much :0( But have made some new fragrance bath bombs, Tropical Hawaiian, ( Exotic Lily, Frangipani, Gardenia and a touch of coconut, with rose petals.) They smell gorgeous, even if I do say so myself! and they went down a storm at last night's Pamper Party. I need to make some more so I can get them up on Ebay.

Ah well I best go and start on the Ebay orders so I can send them off tomorrow...no rest for the wicked eh? ;0)

Apologies

Sorry I've not posted for awhile. Been really busy, trying to keep up with Ebay orders plus the usual work stuff. I really need to get round to taking more photos as I've got some more bits and pieces to put up on Ebay.

I've just had a large wholesale order, plus I've got to make stuff for a Pamper Party that's coming up, so I guess I'll be even busy over the next week or so.

My plans to do some experimenting seem to be on the back burner at the moment. Although I would like to push on with those ideas, I'm thinking bath and body goodies that smell and look like cakes and sweets. in keeping with the bath bon bons. Mmmm sweeeeet.... :0)

Busy again.

I've had small wholesale order, so today I'm busy making bath bon bons. Mmmmm the brown sugar ones make me feel so hungry...and I'm on a diet too. Good job they're not edible, otherwise I'd have eaten half of them! LOL

I'm a bit annoyed coz someone on Ebay has nicked one of my pics and my text description, (inlcuding fonts and colours), to sell one of their own bath bombs. The font and colours are all connected with my website and shop identity. I use the same font and colours on all my labels, invoices, business card etc. It's very lazy of the seller to copy my post. I mean, how difficult is it to describe a bath bomb?! Anyway, I've reported them to Ebay, so hopefully they will take the listings down and put their own stuff up.

I spend a lot of time doing my pics and creating templates for my listings, I don't want anybody just copying my stuff. Even though it's in the public domain I own it and they could have at least asked permission. From now on any new pics will be watermarked and I guess I'll just have to keep checking listings to see if anyone is copying my decriptions.

Anyway, back to making the bath bon bons.....

Organic Soap

I have been playing around with *organic soap base and essential oils. Some people on a soaping mail list I am on have said that they had some problems with it, mainly it's odour and the fact that it is soft and can feel slimy. I presume this is because, it contains only vegetable oils, salts and water softeners. There are no detergents/surfactants per se. I suppose it may also be more likely to be attracting moisture to it's surface, if it contains a high proportion of glycerine, which is a humectant, a substance that retains moisture.

Anyway, I have used it today, and done some experimentation adding shea butter, mango butter and aloe vera to the organic base. It seems to be holding up well and the butters and gel dispersed nicely in the melted base. I can't say that I found the smell of it offensive. It smelled like soap to me!

Before I cut up the soap base to use, I noticed some opaque spots running throughout it. The soap baseitself is a transparent light honey colour. People have mentioned about these white spots on the soap mailing list. They don't appear to be in the finished soaps but I will keep an eye on them over the next day or two.

It has been good to make something a little different. I usually make soaps, with bold and bright designs but with the organic base I have gone for a more subtle effect. No point using an organic base if you are going to add bright colours and manmade fragrances to it. Instead I have used natural butters and gels, botanicals and organic essential oils. I even made a special soap just for me. It contains shea butter and Rose Maroc Absolute, at over £6 per ml, I won't be making this to sell, unless anyone fancies paying about £15 for one 100g bar of soap? .....Nah I thought not! LOL

*100% of the oils used are certified organic by the Soil Association. It contains natural glycerine from the organic oils.