It's been a good year...

I've had a week off from my regular work now, which is great, but I've been super busy. Of course Christmas was in there, and I think the best gift I received was an entire day home alone the day after Christmas!  I usually take my three kids (teens) shopping the day after Christmas to spend their Christmas money, but my oldest (19) said she could just take my youngest (14) since she was going to the same area.  How nice!!  The middle child drove herself where she wanted to go. 

That meant I got to stay home alone, turn on some tunes, and SOAP!  I have a huge project going where I need to make 675 bars of three kinds of soap (225 bars each scent), and I got 2/3 of it done.  The other 1/3 I have to wait on supplies to come the first week of January.  I wasn't paying attention when I ordered, and only after ordering did I notice the supplier was closed until January 2.  Oh well, it'll still work out and be ready in time.
 
My house smells amazing right now, even moreso than usual.  One of the huge batches I made was Patchouli Orange, my current favorite.  I just love that scent.  I also made an anise scented soap...anise is legendary for two reasons - it's supposed to attract fish, and hide human scent (for hunters).  The Minnesota fishing opener is in May, so it'll be ready long before then.  The fishermen are supposed to wash their hands and even their lures with it before fishing, and it masks the human scent while attracting fish.  It's also good for hunters, they should shower with it before going out in the woods.  Same premise, it covers human scent and I've read that deer actually like the scent and will come closer to investigate. 

Today I'll be making two totally new batches.  I've infused olive oil with Chamomile flowers and will use that in one batch.  Chamomile's healing qualities are beneficial for slow healing wounds, burns, eczema, inflammations on the skin, skin ulcers and such.   It smells heavenly, like a very sweet honey.  I think that one will be great.  I'm superfatting that batch even more than the usual 5% so it'll be even more moisturizing.

The other one I'm going to make will be somewhat stinky.  Well, hopefully it won't be too awfully smelly once it's cured!  I'm using Neem oil, which is extremely pungent (ok, it outright stinks!).   Neem oil is traditionally used for scabies, hives, eczema, psoriasis and all types of dry, red, skin rashes. As a natural antibacterial and antifungal, it is also commonly used for a variety of skin imbalances like athlete’s foot, toe fungi, and ringworm.  Sounds great for those with skin problems.  I'll definitely add some soothing essential oils to mask the smell, and I've heard that the Neem smell does dissipate over time, it's just too bad that such a great oil has such a bad smell!

Sometimes when I soap it just doesn't turn out right though, or at least not like I'd hoped.  Yesterday I threw out a whole batch of soap that I didn't like.  It had been an experiment (I was gonna call it "On the Edge" - see below) and it just wasn't lathering much at all.  I do a lot of reading and researching, and love trying new things, but this one just didn't seem to work out.  Most of the time if I make something that doesn't turn out terrific, I give it away to my customers at craft shows as "Mystery Soap."  It's always still good soap, but usually the scent is very weak, or it's a bar that got cut too small, or an odd shape/end piece, etc. or some other cosmetic type of defect and I don't feel right charging for it, so I give it away to those who buy even one bar.  But this one wasn't worth giving away, so I pitched it.  Live and learn I guess!

Our soap has been traveling the world lately.  My boss's daughter is traveling to Chile this week, and taking soap to her friends as a gift.  And one of my best friends' brother is in town from Japan, and loved the soap in her shower, so he's taking back a bunch of bars with him too.  I think that's cool. 

I just wish I got to travel as much as my soap does!

I thank you for being my customer in 2007, it's been a good year.

And I wish you the very best life has to offer for 2008!

'Tis the Season!

Wow, the Christmas rush is on.  I was so excited to get up this morning, open my email and see several new orders come in overnight.  One was from California, which meant I got to add another state to my shipping map (on the "Find Us" page).  That's 15 states where people have discovered Real Simple Soap!  Thinking about it, that's over 1/4 of the United States!  Ok, I could put a few more on the map...states where I've shipped to friends, but that really wouldn't be fair, would it?!  The map shows where people have actually ordered from.

It's amazing how it's spreading.  A lady called me from New York the other day, and when I asked her how she heard of our soap she said "I don't really know.  My daughter (who also lives in NY) gave me a very specific shopping list and your soap was on it."  Huh.  Interesting.

It seems I go to the post office a lot these days.  Even the post office lady ordered some soap, because she could smell it through the box and was intrigued.  I gave her several samples and the next day, she ordered too!  I can't tell you how much fun this is.

Now if only I could find the time to put up that Christmas tree...

Hoping you have a fantastic holiday season!