Back in the Saddle Again...doo-dee-dooo!

It feels great to be back to normal!  Here's yesterday's soap that I did my usual way. (I did NOT attempt to prevent gel in any way.)

Colors and scents are what I wanted, although I did go a bit overboard with the poppy seeds! 

Hey -nobody's perfect! ;)

Natural Bar Soap -layered just for fun...

rosemary & lime homemade soap, colored with cambrian blue clay & alkanet root powder...infused with poppy seeds to exfoliate the skin
 

Soap Favors & Shavers...

Natural Soap Party Favors by Heirloom Soapworks

Capt. Jack Sandalwood Shaving Soap

 

 

Working on a few specialty soaps lately,  custom wedding favors, filling orders & I'm happy to have two new stores which will be offering Heirloom Natural Soap.
Percolating on new designs and scent combinations for Spring/Summer and offering Farmer's Market pricing right on the old website!  Hope you're all "Happy-Bubbly-Busy" too. :)  ~Becky 




 

Spiced Orange Natural Soap

Coming Soon:  Spiced Orange Limited Edition Natural Soap -just for fun!

 

"High Seas" Vegan Coconut Milk Soap

The classic, natural bay-lime scent of this coconut milk soap is light and fresh -not overpowering.  French green clay gently pulls impurities from pores while avocado & mango butters soften & smooth the skin.

This batch is ready to ship and available for purchase in our Online Store .

Happy Soaping!  ~Becky

Natural Soap: "North Branch"

 A new soap, named for the town of North Branch MN. This soap's colors are meant to suggest a winter palette comprised of evergreens, berries and snow.  

Appealing to men and ladies, this soap is fragranced with Austrian Fir Needle essential oil (as well as a few others that will remain a mystery) It's superfatted with shea butter, mango butter and cocoa butter, to combat winter dryness.  Colored with clays: French Pink and French Green chosen for their lovely hues and skin-soothing properties.

Limited Edition, accepting pre-orders via comment & email.  Shipping 3-3-12.

A Few "Newbies"...

Fragrance Free: Yogurt-Pumpkin & Yogurt-Honey Natural Soaps

"My Sweetheart" Natural Soap Trio in Lavender-Orange

"My Sweetheart" Soap Cupcakes in Ylang Ylang-Orange

and last but not least:

A New Haircut! LOL! :)

Just had to throw that one in -just to see if anyone actually reads to the end of my posts!



Happy Soaping Everyone!

Newbies and Smart Customers....

A quick update:  No, I haven't fallen off the planet! ;)   Just trying to keep up with increased demand due to increased sales at craft fairs, online, word-of-mouth....alas, blogging must take a backseat at times.

Two Newbies that are on the rack:

Lavender Swirl & Eucalyptus-Rosemary

Now about my "smart customers" -not only do I learn from customers all the time, not just what they want, but fabulous information they've read from experts that I really want/need to know.....to these special, thoughtful & caring customers :  My goggles off to you!  (I don't wear a hat)  Thanks for corresponding, suggesting, offering your ideas and suggestions!  

I was inspired by one of my newer customers....let's call her "Maria", who educated me on Dr. Perricone's stance regarding sugar and skin health (good info, and I'll be reading more -just as soon as I have a chance to order his book(s)....and then she inspired this new soap:

Spearmint-Orange

  I just received some 5x orange about a week ago, and hadn't done anything with it....until today!  I love the way my house smells after making this one.  Fresh and clean -sweet & citrus-ey.   This soap is packed with shea, mango & cocoa butters and I'm impatient to see it cut & smell it on the curing rack.

Thanks "Miss Maria" for your feedback, information and suggestions -I hope my fellow soapers are blessed with such customers, too.  It makes what I do feel really worthwhile! :) 

SOAPies in "Candy Cane"

"Candy Cane" SOAPie by Heirloom Soapworks

"Candy Cane" SOAPie Slices by Heirloom Soapworks

Limited Edition for the Christmas Season -creamy-minty natural soap; loaded with shea, mango & cocoa butters.  Please contact me soon if you would like to reserve slices or whole pies, as these will be going to the craft fair next weekend & may well disappear! :)

Soaps for the Holydays!

A few of our 2011 Christmas Soaps that were poured on All Saints Day:

"Luke 2:12"

"Luke 2:10"

"Matthew 2:2"


"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light....for unto us a child is born,
to us a son is given;  and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" -Isaiah 9:2,6.

Merry Christmas, soap fans!
 

Another SoaPIE: Natural Soap "pie"

The latest SoaPIE(TM) Natural Soap "PIE" is in Orange Spice. I will be doing several more varieties this weekend.  Having a BLAST making something new & PLAYING in my soap room!

Orange Spice SoaPIE(TM) Natural Soap

 Orange Spice SoaPIE -available by the slice or by the "pie" (sliced or not)

Update on "Vanilla-Pumpkin Pie" Natural Soap & a "newbie"...

I thought I would post a picture of the Natural Soap "Vanilla-Pumpkin Pie" now that it has been cut into slices:

 

"Vanilla-Pumpkin Pie" Natural Soap

  

As usual, I've discovered one thing to "tweak" on my next batch.  I'll change

where I put the "cream".  If I put it around the perimeter, so that customers who buy the whole pie can vary the size of the slices without worrying about whether or not the dollop of "cream" will end up centered.

Speaking of "next batch", here's the photo of  "Lemon Pie" Natural Soap, which is probably gelling about now:

"Lemon Pie" Natural Soap

See what I mean about the cream around the perimeter?  I likes it! ;)

I'll post pics tomorrow after cutting.  Happy soaping everyone!

Natural Soap For the Holidays: "Pumpkin Pie" & "Tannenbaum"

Last year Heirloom's Holiday Natural Soaps went over big with our customers, so I've been busy creating a couple of new varieties to add for 2011:

Tannenbaum Natural Soap from Heirloom Soapworks

 "Tannenbaum" is colored with therapeutic Cambrian Blue Clay and scented with essential oils of Austrian Fir Needle and Spearmint. While these bars are decorative and make festive gifts, they are formulated (as are all of our soaps) with skin-care first and foremost: no synthetics, detergents, parabens, or "fragrance", not tested on animals, and are 100% natural.

These bars are extra-large at a whopping 6.3 oz. each.  These will be ready to ship on Nov.1


Up next "Pumpkin Pie" Natural Soap:

"Pumpkin Pie" Natural Soap from Heirloom

Another new soap for the season is "Pumpkin Pie" Natural Soap.  With skin-friendly ingredients: olive oil, coconut oil, honey and essential oils this soap will care for hands & body as it decorates your bath or powder room!  As always, they contain no synthetics, detergents, parabens, or "fragrance", are not tested on animals, and are 100% natural.

I'm a bit anxious about getting these out of the molds...but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Slices should be ready to ship around Nov. 11th.


For those who read the entire post, I'm doing a giveaway of Holiday Soaps for two lucky soap fans.  Up for grabs is 1 bar of Tannenbaum Natural Soap and 1 bar of Pumpkin Pie Natural Soap.  I will draw 2 names from those who comment on this post (or the sister post at heirloomnaturalsoap(dot)com) on Monday.  The first name drawn will win the Tannenbaum Soap and the second name drawn will win the pumpkin pie soap.  So, to enter for a chance to win, simply leave a comment below and you'll be entered.  Good Luck to all!  

"All In The Family" -a new collection...

Something for everyone in the family -that's what the new natural soap set from Heirloom Soapworks is designed to have:

1. Lavender Swirl (a relaxing favorite for mom)

2. Rosemary-Lime (to gently cleanse the kids,'tweens & teens)

3. "Mr. Sensitive" -extra mild and moisturizing for sensitive skin/faces

4. "Capt. Jack Sandalwood" -after all, Dad deserves a soap of his own, yes?

For some reason I really liked the way the soaps photographed together.  So I had to click a few more shots yesterday when the sky was overcast...

This "All In The Family" set of natural soaps is available in my Etsy shop, at the discounted price of $20.00.  Supplies are limited, so get 'em while you can! :)

"F.R.W.L." Natural Soap: Cut and Curing...

Here's a photo of "From Russia with Love" Natural Soap which is now cut and curing.  Should be ready to use around Oct. 25.  I'm loving the blue-green color......'think I'll be using this clay in more than one recipe!  ;)

The Soap Sister goes High Tech? What's this world coming to???

Heirloom Soapworks now accepts credit/debit cards in-person! Yes, you can buy soap anywhere we are (craft shows, farmers markets, or out-and-about) with a swipe of your card thanks to Verizon Wireless and Intuit ...check it out:

  It should be way more convenient for customers,  and the best part is -it's simple!  Even I can do it....;)   

When is "enough" enough?

My big ol' shelf is almost full ...don't relax, Becky -keep soapin'!

How do you know when you've made enough soap?  Personally, I'm very un-scientific about the inventory-thing (what a shock, eh?)

I'm just curious to hear how some of my fellow soapmakers handle the issue.  My M.O. seems to be: soap like crazy....burn out.....rest/regroup/reorganize......run low on soap....repeat.  

My most recent goal is to keep my big ol' soap curing shelf full to the brim at all times.  I tend to relax and feel like I have "enough" and then realize that when you replenish 12+ retailers -suddenly "enough" isn't enough!

Am I alone in this struggle? 

Natural Soap, Sanity, Alton IL, and "I hate my camera today -grrrr!"

Hello Soap Fans!

Please pardon my lack of posts lately -I've been busy as a cat (as I know many of you have been) ramping up production....er, no, really that sounds way too gradual ...and calm....and, well, I've been soaping like a woman possessed!



Why I hate my camera today -I just couldn't capture the beauty of "Molten"


Does anyone else out there in blogland feel the pressure?  You know, the 
"Six-week-cure-pressure".  (I keep telling myself to relax...there's always Hot Process to save the day, but so far it's not working!)

Yes, I've been swept into the pre-fall-craft-show frenzy.  I've mailed out applications & fees.  I've made commitments.  I must soap! (It's o.k., I love it & perform best under a deadline...always have.)

I have set some healthy (I believe) new soap boundaries as well, in the interest of preserving my sanity:

1. I only work (on my soap business) from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. M-F

2. I've expanded & organized my production space & I can now do everything except heat my oils in my soap room. Production is up as a result...a staggering (for me) 11 batches in the last week.

3. Finally, I'm trying to curtail some of my "soap talk"  ...gulp  ....nggggh....mmmph!  That, so far, has proven to be a challenge.  I'm trying to remember that not everyone shares my passion for all things bubbly and skin-loving. (What's wrong with people, anyway??? -LOL)

Oh, and Heirloom Soapworks natural soaps are now at The Gift Box in Alton, IL  (300 E. Broadway) -yay!

Heirloom Soap display at The Gift Box, Alton, IL

 

So what have you been up to? ;)

"Molten" -fresh out of the mold...

More to come when the lighting's right....

Is it just me, or is there a creepy-looking face in that top bar??

Perhaps the eyes of a raccoon in the bottom one?

It really doesn't look that freaky in person, I don't think...

All Natural Soap -or "What I've been up to"

A few pics of new natural soaps from Heirloom Soapworks:



 Soap Taters





Deep Purple




Mandarin







Sweet Blossom

 


Madagascar