Bye, Bye, Bubbles

At the end of 2010, Mrs. So & So is getting out of the soap & lotion business.  I’ll be focusing my work time on quilting instead.  Here is your chance to get any products that you like to use.

Send me an email with your order and I’ll fill them in the order received.  I’ll try to check in often and keep this inventory status updated.

I ship via priority mail.   If I know you or you’ve ordered before, I’ll include an invoice in your box in the good faith that you’ll send payment upon receipt.  Otherwise, please let me know your paypal email and I’ll send an invoice for you.  If you are local, you are welcome to come out. Give me a call first.

Current inventory – updated 10 a.m. 1/13/11

Soaps – $4 each

Almond, Milk, & Honey – 7

Blackberry Vanilla Musk – 5

Black Orchid – 1

Cherry Blossom – 12

Fairy Flowers – 7

Mystic Morning – 1

Red Clover Tea – 3

Waterfall Mist – 7

Waterlily – 9

Goat Milk Lotion – 8 oz pump – Regular $10, now $7

Beach Boys – 3

Crisp Breeze – 3

Mystic Morning – 2

Red Clover Tea – 2

Waterfall Mist – 1

MSM Cream 3 oz – regular $14, now $10

Studio Rose fragrance – 5

Muscle Relief Essential Oil Blend – 3

Butterlicious Body Cream – 7 oz – regular $13, now $9

Fairy Flowers – 2

Crisp Breeze – 1

Blackberry Vanilla Musk – 2

Red Clover Tea – 1

Whipped Shea Butter – 2.5 oz – regular $9, now $6

Blackberry Vanilla Musk – 1

Evening Mocha – 1

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Thank you for your support of my business over the years.   I’ve lost the joy of soaping so it is time to move on.  I am excited for the new year and the new adventures in store for us.

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THE Weekend Cometh

I’m working on a few finishing touches and a bit more packing/gathering of things for Miss K & her new apartment.  Both K & I felt like colds last night.  😦   Of course, all her remedies are already packed but I’m hoping a good night of sleep helped her.

Part of my work today is cutting soap.  I made 8 batches in a bit less than a week that encompassed last weekend.   With all the humdity, they aren’t even setting up very quickly.  I usually cut my big block within a day or 2 of pouring and today struggled to cut the batch I poured on 8/20.   Frustrating to me!

I am really low on inventory so they need made so they can get curing but summer soaping is tough.

In this marathon of soaping, I’ve made:

• Red Clover Tea
• Evening Mocha
• Almond, Milk, & Honey
• Beach Boys
• Black Raspberry Vanilla
• Cherry Blossom
• Fairy Flowers
• Blackberry Vanilla Musk

Four batches still need cut.    There are 4 more on the replacing inventory list of regulars to be made yet and I have a list of 5 new ones I’d like to get done.  At least not much is planned for next week!   🙂

Most of these fragrances are totally sold out.  Hence the need to soap even tho it  has been humid!  These will be ready the end of September. I move to my show in town on Monday.

There are tomatoes to pick for K and I grilled extra meat to share with her since her gas (oven & stove) won’t be turned on until Friday.    She has been able to go most nights this past week to clean.   She’ll be so happy to be moved!

Gpa came over with a few things for K.  Including a put-together small set of 3 drawers.  I could have painted it — had I had it sooner!! haha!  Phil seems to delight in the challenge of packing the truck so I’m sure we’ll get in all we plan on taking.   🙂

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Spotlight and A Bit of the Weekend

I’ve been honored over on Mickey’s blog. ♥ She is a wonderful quilter that I met when she came to teach at our guild. We hit it off immediately and I’m thrilled to have a quilting friend and fellow mom of college students/ mom of an artist/ mom of a geek! 🙂

You can also find my etsy shop via the button on the side of my blog. Email me for a current list of soaps in stock.

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Meanwhile, Phil & I returned yesterday afternoon from our 3 days and 2 nights behind the Cheddar Curtain. Fabulous is an understatement!!

Celebrating 27 years of marriage!

Beautiful scenery.

Nike Outlet.

Land’s End Outlet. ($9 jeans for me in one size smaller!! 🙂 )

Wow! Prime Rib at Sebastian’s!!

Quilt Essentials 🙂

Port Hotel in Port Washington (beyond description but I’ll give you more details & pictures later… )

2 + hours walking along Lake Michigan & watching boaters come & go

Sunshine

TLC by the owner of The Port Hotel

7 shower heads in one shower!

Sunday Brunch

The view from the top of a bluff (100 steps up from the beach!) overlooking Lake Michigan (we waved to Miss K!)

Port Washington local festival

Returning home to find all the animals properly cared for.

Topped off by a short nap for both of us and a bonfire with friends!

I can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you the pictures. Meanwhile, REALLY hoping the first step in repairing my computer arrives tomorrow!

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Soap-making Demo

On Tuesday, I gave a demonstration on soap-making.   This is an annual Craft Camp Day, sort of like an extension group.  Seven ladies took my class and their day was full of various classes.

My demo table before class.

I had great students!  They were interested and asked good questions and took notes. Since my class was the only demonstration and not an actual hands-on for the class, they each got a bar of my soap for their take-home.

My class was from 10 – 12 and I was heading home by 1.  I am thankful they also allow me to take soaps & lotions for sale and I had good sales.  I did this Craft Camp in 2008 and 3 people this time said they were hoping I would be there with products.  That is a good feeling.   🙂

It is a ton of work to have all the supplies and equipment there so I am glad it pays for itself as well.

On Wednesday, I did an inventory of my soaps and checked my etsy site so that is accurate with the fragrances available.   I am also been thankful for the sales that happen here at the door.

I really need to spend a few weeks soaping.  Not sure when that is going to happen!  I have 2 batches needing cut now.  NOW!

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Missed It!

Welcome to a new month… but I missed my goal for January.

I had  good Christmas sales and found myself very low or sold-out on many, many of my soaps!  So I made a list and checked my fragrance supply.  Some I needed to reorder but some I still had in stock.  My list had 15 of my current soaps that needed remade!!  That is a long list.

So I set to work.

I can prep 2 batches at a time so one day I’d get 2 pans of oils and 2 pitchers of lye water ready.  The next day I’d mix one batch.  The following day I’d mix the next batch.

Sometimes I try to cram in 2 batches a day with mixing in the early morning and then the next one near bedtime.  But that really starts to stress me out and I have many other jobs on my list as well.  (quilting and re-doing Phil’s office as well as regular life!)

I finished these batches:

• Crisp Breeze
• Beach Boys
• Denim Wear
• Gardener’s Blend
• Patchouli Musk
• Raspberry Rhubarb
• Red Clover Tea
• Sandalwood
• Smokey Mountain Pine Tree
• Rosemary Mint
• Lavender

I have 1 batch prepped to mix tomorrow and then I’m at the mercy of the shea butter supplier as I’m out!! Ack!!  I know it takes awhile to get but I still didn’t reorder that soon enough.  Then I have 3 more on my list to complete.

I have a few new batches I’d like to get made just for me and fun and to try something new.  😉

The soap cures about 6 weeks so even the first ones have a bit more curing time to go yet.  But all are cut and curing nicely in the furnace room in the basement.  I have them in cardboard boxes and covered loosely.

Next will be a big empty table to trim all the bars, make labels, and wrapping with ribbon.

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My Soaps at Lynn’s

I mention selling my soaps & lotions at Lynn’s a few times a year so I thought I’d show you what her place is like.

This is the front of her house which we don’t use for the sale.  However, this fall she had the Friends of the Library group selling pies, desserts, & drinks on the front porch.  I never got a chance to go see it, but she said it was beautiful with their tables & decorations.  They did very well and sold out of pies by 2!

She sets up a shop in the carriage house behind their home about 4 times a year and kindly lets me (& several others) sell our wares too.  In exchange, she gets a cut of our sales and we work a 4 hour shift to help with the check-outs.

Here is the view from the carriage house, looking at her back door. (Her dh is the wonderful gardener!)

Where you enter:

to the right of the entry:

I love that she lets me use this cabinet for my soaps & lotions!

And a few more shots so you can get a feel for the place:

I think her prices are good.  A wreath like this is about $32.

The big wreath to the left was $55.  The small basket (flat with handle) with arrangement on the left end of the white bench was $18.

The shop was open this weekend Friday – Sunday and will be open next Saturday.  We had good crowds when I worked on Friday afternoon and they were swamped all morning.

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You Now Have Pictures – Thanks to K!

I got home with K and we had a late supper all together.  JP & Phil had been at the 4-H Ice Cream stand working so had just finished cooking when we came in.  K thought it a great idea to run to the fair tonight after supper so I could get pictures of my stuff.  You owe her! 😉

My Best of Show quilted pillow

Embroidered & hand made pillowcases

(one is brights with hats and one is drums & a music theme)

Apron

Coasters – I had 1st

Embroidered denim jacket.  It is variations of pink for the flowers and swags.  They artfully arranged it on the shelf to show the front & back at the same time!

I have yet to figure out why a set of 3 bars of homemade soap are in the canning section but I still play along.  Usually I’m the only entry which = $5.  Why not?

The 2nd place wallhanging is mine in the light batiks.  It is 3 paper-pieced stars and hangs vertically with the point at the bottom.   I would have to agree the McKenna Ryan all stitched down w/ buttonhole stitch is quite nice and deserves the 1st.

We were probably only at the fair an hour.  Visited with some friends who were happy to see K and checked on Grandma M’s antique entries.

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A Soap Dish

An online guai friend (on guaifenesin protocol)  has a great business and I have to show you!

She recycles vinyl billboards into a myriad of items and look at the very cute soap dishes she has made!

First click HERE.

And HERE is an addition to the soap box so the soap can drain.

She also has soap totes that let your soap dry in the pouch.  How brilliant is that?

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June Jems

What else happened this month?

I got NEW sandals from Heather in Brazil!!

They are super comfy and great quality South American leather.   She originally planned to bring them to me but at the last minute couldn’t pull off the 6 hour trip each way to get here.  It was just after our big May parties so I couldn’t go find her either.

But I had a very happy day when the box arrived from her!!  Isn’t she sweet?  🙂

Thank you!!

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Earlier in the month, JP was honored & thrilled to be invited to attend a Fine Arts Conference at Willow Creek along with some others in the music ministry at church.  What a treat!!

This was his first outing on his own but he had a great time and handled buying his own food & staying in a hotel just fine.  🙂

One evening they went to Medieval Times for dinner & the entertainment.  It sounded like a ton of fun!!

A highlight of the conference was hearing Darlene Zschech speak and the live Hillsong concert!  JP’s first live concert – nothing like starting at the top!  He said it was fabulous.

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K has had a busy month with her 2 classes & her RA job.   One class is an independent study with her hat making instructor.  She is loving the time at Eia’s studio and learning some of the business end of it as well.  She and another student did an art fair this past weekend.  Near the end of July a bigger one is planned near K’s neighborhood and they plan to have hats & accessories for sale that weekend as well.

She is following leads for jobs and also looking for an apartment to rent.

Her students in the building arrived last Sunday (6/21).   She has a floor of high school girls spending 2, 3, or 5 weeks studying at SAIC.   She has taken any of the ones in the building on trips to the grocery, Chinatown, and Dairy Queen.   I’m sure she’ll include a trip to the thrift store again as that was a huge hit last summer!  She is a good tour guide!

She also had a weekend at the beginning of the month with Phil’s parents!   She ran them north & south and back again for 2 long days.  They all had a great time!

Her other class ends this week.  She has enjoyed it but it is intense, putting a whole semester of work into 3 weeks.   This has been on Chicago architecture and they have only been in the classroom a few times.  The other days are spent touring and studying the city!  (I only had a small panic when she called that she was lost!  I googled her location and could direct her in the right way once I knew where she was and had her heading the right way!  🙂  Yeah for the internet & cell phones as she was walking away from the street she needed when she called. )

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Phil continues to watch his crops grow and with all the rain & heat we’ve had, the corn seems to be jumping!   He is nearly done with spraying but has a few fields of soybeans to get to yet.  Yesterday and today have been too windy for that job anyway.

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Mrs. So & So has been busy this month back in the work station.  I’ve made 96 oz of MSM cream,  192 oz. of goat milk lotion, and 8 batches of goat milk soap. Whew!

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Here is my newest appliance:

The dishwasher died June 1st!  Sort of funny but I was SO thankful I had made it through May with a working one!!

The buttons are along the top so the front is flat and clean.  🙂  I’m loving it!

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Saturday’s Soap Demo

My Saturday went really well!  I’m pretty recovered today with a long to-do list that I’m working on.

The set-up for this day was super! They had a main session, then a time to choose one of 3 workshops, lunch provided (the part I had was yummy!), then 2 more workshop slots. The vendors were in tables around the outer edge of the room where the main session & lunch were held. 

We were able to sit in on the main session and that was an interesting discussion on local foods.  How to sell, how to buy.  

The first workshop they could choose included Roger who owns the grist mill in a neighboring ‘mill’ town.  We know them from church and had been to their open house a few years ago.   It was great to hear him talk about grinding wheat & corn on his mill since I’ve done a lot of reading on grinding grains and like to grind corn & wheat with my Whisper Mill.  

Roger did his talk from his display table near us so it was easy to listen in.  🙂   He had built the coolest mini model of his mill!  Amazing and with moving parts!

I was the first afternoon workshop. I only had an hour whereas the other demos I’ve done, I’ve had either 1 1/2 hrs or 2 hrs.  So I cut out the actual measuring of oils. I was at an hour and still waiting for a trace and to pour in the mold. They were all saying to keep going, it wouldn’t take them 15 mins to walk upstairs, etc.  

I finished.   And didn’t muff up my double swirl… .which I usually don’t do in public!  

The class had an extra fee but the organizer had it higher than I had suggested.  The fee covered that they got to choose a bar of soap, a wrapped & pretty ready to sell bar. It was on their registration but they were oh-so-excited!

THEN I had some ends they could choose from as well. (to make up the extra fee)  Someone asked this OR that and I said, ‘no both!’    And when there were still ends left in the box, I said to get a few more. They were over the top thrilled! 

Plus they really liked the teaching too.  They asked great questions and got up to look in my soap pot several times. Best class ever! (not counting my one-on-one.  )

They asked if my lotion recipes were in the packet.  I almost asked if I had “stupid” stamped on my forehead.  So they said they are campaigning for a lotion class next year.  I guess I didn’t make it clear MY recipe for soap wasn’t in their packet either. You know what would happen if it was… 

There were 4 of us there as vendors. Two of us led a workshop, too. I had super sales!! I knew there weren’t many registered AND they were having a silent auction, too. Where was all this money to come from? 

They were ALL over it!  I had over $230 in sales. JP helps at my table and actually did nearly all of it this time. I was there to help bag a few things and answer some Qs but he did it.  I’ll give him some commission from it. 

I didn’t see the final auction price, but was asked to donate something as my pay for having the vendor spot. I had a gm lotion and coordinating soap in a clear bag w/ nice bow. Value was $14.50 and the first bid I saw was $17.  It was money for the Master Gardner program. 

A great day and some new contacts I hope as well. 

I had my camera and was too busy to remember to take pictures of our table or my class.  😦  

I was interested in one of the silent auction items: a large violet plant.  When I looked before lunch the bid was only $2.   However, after lunch I never made it back to see and honestly, I wasn’t there to spend money.  😉  

But I did the happy dance as we were all cleaning up because…. they had collected the extra desserts for give away and then put 2 little violet plants there.  Hmm… me & my big mouth said if they needed a home, I’d take one.  The person was quite pleased with my interest, said I could have 2, and quickly delivered them to my table.  🙂  I am anxious to see their colors.  🙂  

I must continue on… a busy week here!

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