As a young girl my grandmother Nannie and my Aunt Catherine would make soap the old fashion way and it was the best soap I had ever tried.  After growing up and always having beautiful skin and getting compliments on my skin, I started looking for natural soap to use.  It wasn’t until we bought a home in the Blue Ridge Mountains that I decided I didn’t want to work in the corporate world anymore and I decided to start making my own soap and lotions to use at home.

 How long have you been making soap?

I’ve been making soap now for about 1 year now.

 Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.

The start up of our company it really is a lot of work to start and be successful with starting a new business.  The late night hours on the computer designing a layout for your website, making soap into the wee hours of the night or early morning, marketing and finding people who are willing to try your product and hoping that your first transaction works or goes through.  Now looking back at the months from August to now 2014 and the success that we have had since opening The Garnet Rose, the first batch of soap and the first sale, I must say starting my own business was a huge project and a successful one at that!

 If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking,  what did you achieve?

Freedom to walk away from the corporate world, to transition from the city life to the Blue Ridge Mountains and to work from home and be successful at doing something that I really love doing!  A Beautiful Feeling!

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

In one year I would love to build a lil Soap Building by our creek and move my Soap Lab out of the Kitchen and to also have my soaps in stores in more states than just North Carolina.

If you could wave a magic wand, what ill in the world would you solve and why?

Mental Illness…My father was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia some years ago and it has really made me sad that he cannot do things on his own.  I miss him being able to take charge and be himself.  I’ve always been a Daddy’s girl and I miss the man that he used to be.  So if my wand would work I would be one of the happiest Daddy’s Girl ever!

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

I was about to soap for the first time using goats milk and I took all the steps carefully to make it nice and creamy.  I started pouring the Sodium Hydroxide(Lye) in to the goats milk and stirring and almost to the end there was a little Lye left, the color was still nice white and creamy, I got anxious and poured the last of the lye in and it turned Orange immediately!  I was so sad it was the last of the goats milk to use in this particular soap and I had to change the recipe and start over!  Other than that I haven’t had any major catastrophes!

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

Well I don’t want to start having bad luck but so far, Knock on wood, and the creek don’t rise I haven’t had any lye burns to talk about! Lucky Me!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

They are so far away from us I can actually say no however my better half Kevin is there to help in anyway he can he would rather do the dishes and clean up so I can get started with the next project we both own the company but it’s me who creates, makes, cuts, package, ship, and even shower with it if I want to!  My children do help with the marketing on Social Media but pretty much do most of the work myself.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Regina King, Whoopi, or Queen Latifah

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

Why Mama Why

What motivates you and what doesn’t?

Nature and serene surroundings, a gurgling stream or creek and just beauty of the mountains calmness, peace and serenity!

How would your best friend describe you?

A go getter, creative, don’t tolerate non sense and not afraid to speak my mind self motivated! But most of all out going!

What’s the biggest mistake you mistake you made in your life and what did you learn from it?

Not following my own dreams early on in life, it made me a better woman today many hills to climb and left turns to turn around to go right, I’ve had a lot of pain at an early age trusting the wrong people and letting someone so close to me control my life with verbal abuse and demeaning my spirit to a point that my self esteem was completely gone.  That person is gone now and at the age of 47 it was the first time I ever felt…Free!

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

Potatoes, Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Chips anything that has the word Potatoes attached to it!  I’m am a sucker for Potatoes!

Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.

Our soaps are made from several different oils & butters such as Organic Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter and Unrefined Organic Virgin Shea Butter.  We also use Aloe Vera Oil, Mango Butter and a variation of other oils and butters for the different recipes that we use. We don’t use any chemical, synthetic or lab created fragrances only Certified Essential Oils.  We have also found 2 local dairies that provide us the best goats milk in the Blue Ridge Mountains to make our soaps with.  We have almost 30 different fragrances including Coffee, Beer and wine soaps that are also local to North Carolina and we also make Vegan friendly soaps for our Vegan friends.

A Garnet Rose Luxury is what we offer we have so many testimonials from our new customers on our Facebook and Instagram page.  The Garnet Rose Soap Company wants to provide the most luxurious soaps to our customers for that most intimate time when you need to be pampered.

1) Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?

Yes just look for us under AGarnetRose on Etsy

We can be found if you are local to West Jefferson, NC in one of the gift shops in town!  We are also on Display at ParkerTie in the Kitchen and Bathroom decorating Store!  We are in the process of contacting The Mast General Store in Boone NC with hopes to have our soaps carried in their stores.  Our line of soaps will be carried in The Bald Guy Brew Coffee shop in Blowing Rock and Valle Crucis this Spring.  With that said we are expanding and if you are visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains, Grandfather Mountain or even West Jefferson you will be able to find The Garnet Rose Soap Company in a Store near you!

Scarlett Creek Home & Garden Gifts
5 North Jefferson Avenue
West Jefferson, NC 28694

www.agarnetrose.com
www.pintrest.com/agarnetrose
www.facebook.com/agarnetrose
www.twitter.com/agarnetrose
www.instagram.com/agarnetrose
http://mkt.com/the-garnet-rose-soap-company-llc

2) What is your most popular soap — — –

We have several that are very popular,  Peppermint Goats Milk and Vegan, Lavender Goats Milk & Vegan, Lemongrass Goats Milk and our Castile Soap I cant keep these soaps on the shelves!

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

I started making soap because I kept purchasing so much of it online that I decided to try my hand at making it.  I had been searching for a creative outlet and had been making bracelets and selling those but it wasn’t working for me.

I was totally hooked after my first batch of soap!  I was blessed to have a local soap maker that I met on Etsy take me under her wing.  She was a great resource to learn where to purchase my initial supplies from and just bouncing ideas off.  Sadly, she has moved on and is no longer making soap.

How long have you been making soap?

I made my first batches of soap in December 2010 so it has only been three years!  I cannot believe how much I have learned about soap making since those initial batches.

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.

Ok.  I keep skipping over this question and coming back to it.  There are just so many things that could fit in this spot as an answer!  Having children has been an amazing, successful project!  Designing and building our house in the country has been a crazy, project/experiment that was successful!  Having both my husband & I self employed has been another crazy project/experiment!  Through it all, none of this could have happened without God in our lives.  We give praise to Him with every blessing and bump!

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking, what did you achieve?

We are sipping champagne celebrating my 100% increase in sales from last year!  Isn’t it amazing?!  Oh, and while I was making and selling all that soap, 20 pounds miraculously fell off my body!

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

My goals go right along with our imaginary celebration we just had – increase sales!  I had a 20% increase from 2012 to 2013 and pray that trend continues.  I have a smaller goal and a larger goal.  My smaller goal is to increase sales in 2014 to 50% but deep in my heart I am really praying for a 100% increase!  I just hope I don’t burn out from all this soap making!

If you could wave a magic wand, what ill in the world would you solve and why?

The economy.  Period.  I am so tired of people working so hard to barely being able to make it in this world.

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

You know what?  I haven’t really had any great catastrophes!  I have had soaps that aren’t as pretty as others but that is hardly catastrophic.  I had one batch that ashed so bad it wasn’t even funny – completely around the entire 5 pound loaf – all sides!  I ended up trimming away all the ‘ugly’ and cut the rest up as samples.  Waste not want not!

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

Again, I have been very blessed.  I am a big offender of the appropriate safety precautions that all soapers should use.  The worst burn for me would be just getting soap batter into various little cuts on my hands – man does that hurt!  If I am using a particular messier method for a batch, such as tiger stripe, I do wear gloves.

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Both my boys are now in college so they aren’t here too often but when they are, they are supportive.  My husband is very supportive and in fact he has made all my soap molds for me!  My youngest son made all my soap displays that I use for shows.  My husband keeps talking about setting up an official soap making area in the basement with all stainless steel counters and sinks, etc!  He wants me outta the kitchen I believe!  lol

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Joan Wilder!  Ok, I know…..she is a character in a movie but that is who I want in this fantasy movie of mine!

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

Through the Mill.  I get this title because a number of years ago my husband surprised me with one of those gorgeous Journey necklaces.  You know the kind with diamonds in a sort of S curve representing the journey you have been on together?  Well, he said it wasn’t a journey necklace as much as a Through the Mill necklace!  I loved that!

What motivates you and what doesn’t?

I hate that so much of my thoughts revolve around sales but I guess that is the name of the game, right?  That being said, I am totally motivated by sales!  When my sales are down (or non-existent) I have a really tough time pulling out the soaping supplies and making soap.

How would your best friend describe you?

A tough nut to crack.  She seems standoffish.  Get to know her though, she will loosen up!  She is an introvert so give her a break!

What’s the biggest mistake you mistake you made in your life and what did you learn from it?

I have made way too many mistakes to even start thinking about which is the biggest.  More important is that I took every mistake and learned from it.  I wish I had done many things different over the years but each mistake has lead me to where I am today and I do not believe I would be the same person had I led a perfect, mistake free life.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

Oh no!  You are not going to make me give up my faves!  lol  That is tough – I love love love food.  The hardest things for me to give up would be chocolate, coffee, pizza and burgers!

Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.

The name of my business is Faith, Soaps & Love.  I make both natural and almost natural handmade soaps.  What is an almost natural soap?  It would contain fragrance oil (versus essential oil).  I absolutely love the available scents in fragrance oils!  Many people wear perfume or cologne and I liken fragrance oils to perfume or cologne.  If you can’t wear those things, fragrance oils soaps may not be for you.

My company is faith based and all my soap bars are stamped with J316.  (Another item my supportive husband made me)  It stands for John 3:16 out of the Bible.  This verse reads:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

I also have various scripture versus on my lotion bars!  It is my prayer that my products bless those that purchase them!

Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?

I am everywhere!  You can’t escape me!

Website – www.faithsoapsandlove.com
Etsy – www.etsy.com/shop/faithsoapsandlove
Facebook – www.facebook.com/faithsoapsandlove
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/FaithSoapsNLove
Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/FaithSoapsnLove/
Blog – http://faithsoapsandlove.blogspot.com/
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/106378554641365982123
Newsletter: http://www.faithsoapsandlove.com/newsletter

2) What is your most popular soap

In 2013, my most popular soap was Dragon’s Blood!  This soap has a mysterious, alluring scent that is difficult to describe. It has warming notes of amber, incense, Madagascar vanilla and patchouli.  It is then lightened up with layers of romantic notes such as rose, jasmine and lilac. Finally it is topped off with the colorful, light touches of blood orange and grapefruit.

Tell me how you started in soap making.

I have always been curious about the concept, I consider myself a huge “product junkie”.  I literally woke up at 3am one night and said out loud to myself “I am going to make soap”, then went right back to sleep.  The next day I started my research on soap making and it’s been a passion ever since.

How long have you been making soap?

I started making soap in 2010.  Since I didn’t know much about it, I took a beginners class on organic soap making and started out with cold process soap.  I dabbled more and more in different processes and in 2011 I started making glycerin soap. Glycerin has been my favorite thus far.

Tell me about a project or experiment thaat you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.
I have been looking to expand my product line and have been having some issues creating a moisturizing, yet, not too shiny lip balm recipe and I recently perfected one. I consider most of my projects successful,  Some more challenging than others, some I am waiting to have that ah-ha moment but if I cannot get something right the first time I keep trying.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking, What did you achieve?

I would consider this past year a very successful year.  I attended a lot of craft fairs, experimented with some great ideas and am taking pride in creating products that people genuinely love.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

At the beginning of each year I sit down and write a list of personal and professional goals.  One of my professional goals for 2014 is to have a fully operational website up and running; I am currently selling on Etsy. I would also like to attend more craft fairs and secure some wholesale and retail accounts.

If you could wave a magic wand, what ill in the world would you solve and why?

If I had a magic wand, I would stop at one ‘ill’. It’s manic we’re talking about. No more cancer, diabetes or AIDS. Also, no more IBDs, like Crohn’s and Colitis. And I would make sure children don’t suffer….anywhere!!! I would make people be generally nicer. It’s a magic wand, right?

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

When I first started making cold process soap I wouldn’t take into consideration the effects each fragrance oil would have on it and I must have seized over 10 batches of cold process soap before I started to get the hang of it.

 All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

Knock on wood… I have been very lucky thus far and have not endured a lye burn.  I also cover myself in such a way that would put HAZMAT to shame!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Yes, I get tons of support from my family! My fiancée recently surprised me with a display case that he build from scratch so I could maximize my table space at craft fairs and he is my tester for all of my new products, even if they smell like bubble gum or called princess pink!  My first craft fair ever was a few miles from my parents’ house so they volunteered to help me do the show.  I think they were just as excited as I was. My mom came with me to the show, my father had breakfast made and packed thermoses of coffee for us and some sandwiches for lunch.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Isla Fisher. She can do a spunky fiery (yet classy!) red head, very well!

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

NYC’s survival of Jackie!

What motivates you and what doesn’t?

Seeing how much people enjoy my products really motivates me.  I feel truly blessed that I am able to do what I love and see people enjoy it and get excited about it. Not everyone can say that.

How would your best friend describe you?
Animated, fierce, passionate and loyal.

What’s the biggest mistake you made in your life and what did you learn from it?

This is personal, but… I almost got married to the wrong guy. Luckily, I got out before it was too late. Lesson learned: lead with your heart, think your head.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

I recently did!  I gave up pizza, amongst other things in an attempt to maintain a cleaner, healthier lifestyle in 2014.

 Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.

The company is Ginger’s Wild Soap Co.  I like to think that every scent has a bit of my personally in it. My soap is fragrant and fun.  I want people to get excited about bathing!

1) Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?
Right now, other than local craft fares I’m only selling on etsy:

GingersWild

2) What is your most popular soap
I have two soaps that are huge right now. The first is Exfoliating Toasted Pumpkin Oatmeal Soap Bar – it is warm, creamy smelling soap.  It smells so delicious that whenever I make it my fiancée thinks I am baking his favorite oatmeal cookies. The second is Golden Lemon Grass which is a sweet, clean, fresh scent. It sells out really quickly and is a great unisex scent.

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

As a little boy, our son had terrible skin asthma. His skin was breaking open and he had sores and wounds on his body. It’s heartbreaking to see his condition at that time. Dermatologists suggested a combination of petroleum jelly and steroidal ointment to be applied on his body daily then covered in cling wrap. My poor baby! It was a long treatment that did not work. Soon he had boils every month in different parts of his body. Apparently, the petroleum jelly clogged his skin pores.

I started looking for alternatives to treat his skin condition. That’s when I studied soap making.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.Green Gourmet Artisan Soap.
We are a young home based soap making company in Manila. We make small batches to make sure that the quality is top-grade. Our soap kitchen uses only the best natural ingredients to create lightly scented lovely soap good for everyone and anybody who has sensitive skin.All our soaps are handmade in small batches using high quality natural oils and butters and using the traditional cold process method with Olive Oil as the base ingredient. We make each soap from scratch using carefully formulated recipes.Green Gourmet Artisan Soaps are enriched with an array of natural additives making them unique and extra luxurious.  Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Honey, Beer, Oats, Green Tea, Coffee, Yoghurt, Botanicals & Herbs, Buttermilk, Goat’s Milk, Coconut Milk, Clays and Charcoal …. are no strangers in our soap kitchen!We hope to come up with more nourishing formulas in the future. We’ve just about begun packaging and will have our current batch of soaps ready to anyone who appreciates good quality hand-crafted soap.

1) Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?We are on facebook and on instagram.facebook.com/greengourmetartisansoap

IG: greengourmet_artisansoap

2) What is your most popular soap — —

Our Soap Maker’s Choice is the soap I made for my son. It worked well for him. His skin is normal now. It’s made from calendula infused oil, guava infused oil, aloe gel and goat’s milk. It’s unscented. It is also formulated to help treat skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis. Folks with sensitive skin get this soap from us.

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

I started making other skincare products about 5 years ago because I have very sensitive skin and also I have migraines. Most products made my face break out and even gave me bleeding sores by my lips. The fragrances would give me headaches just by walking into some of the stores. So, as I started to make more and more products I kept thinking that handmade soap would help my skin too. I was always afraid of making soap with lye because I thought it would be dangerous so I tried MP soap for a little bit but that was too boring for me. I wanted to create my own recipes with no artificial ingredients so after researching for a year I took the plunge and made my first batch. Once I started, I was hooked and have been creating ever since. I’ve always a creative and “arty” person so I also wanted to make my soaps look beautiful while at the same time using only herbs, spices, clays and foods for color. This is a hard thing to do sometimes, since natural colorants are not as vibrant, eye catching or easy to work with as synthetics. Since I love challenges and know a lot about herbs and plants it’s what makes my soap making interesting and rewarding.

How long have you been making soap?

This will be my 3rd year of making Cold Process Soap. I have to say I love it!

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.

I would definitely say that my most successful project has been my Rose Hip Face Serum. I spent many hours researching each ingredient’s benefits and pitfalls before adding them to the serum, which is geared towards mature skin but can really be used for anyone. It contains only plant and essential oils and is wonderful for your face. Each ingredient is there for a purpose and blends with the others in perfect harmony.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soap making, what did you achieve?

I would have achieved so much this year! My products are on the shelves of REI and Natural Grocers in Colorado as well as several small stores in the Rocky Mountains. My website finally has beautiful product photos, coupons/discounts and a functioning wholesale section. And I’ve spent many hours teaching people about the importance of natural ingredients and reading labels to make informed decisions.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

I try to set my goals at the beginning of each year and love to make lists for myself so I can look back to see how I did. This year one of my main goals is to secure a few wholesale accounts that appreciate all natural ingredients and that have to do with outdoors, nature and/or the environment. I would also like to teach classes on ingredients as well as using herbs and spices to infuse oils. In 2 years from now my goal is to triple my website sales and to create more skin care products.

If you could wave a magic wand, what ill in the world would you solve and why?

I would make sure that everyone in the world had access to clean, pure drinking water for free. Water is vital to our bodies and also to the ecosystem and our water supply is getting more polluted every minute. Everyone deserves clean water and in many parts of the world it is not available, or if it is it comes at a high price.

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

Well, I was trying to make a wine soap with a Blueberry Wine from Colorado where I live. I wanted to add blueberries to the soap since I was naming it “Blueberry Hills” and so I diced up some dried blueberries and mixed them in. The blueberries “leaked” sugars for months after I cut the soap, so then I cut each blueberry out and tried my first rebatch. Needless to say that didn’t work either so into the trash it went. But, I have to say that the soap smelled awesome!

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

I’ve never had a lye burn but then again I’m probably overly cautious when I make soap. I always wear gloves, long sleeves, and safety goggles. I have had spatters of fresh soap hit my cheeks once or twice and that definitely does not feel good!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Yes and no – My husband has made all my wooden molds for me and he and my sons always load and unload my Suburban for my weekly markets. He’s one of my soap testers and tells me what he likes and doesn’t like about the soap or my other products. And, he’s very supportive when it comes to moving things around, getting me soaping gifts for holidays and such. Other than that, my family kids me a lot about making “Lotions and Potions” and laughs when I say “Gee, I can use that for making Soap!”

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

I really don’t know the answer to that question – there are several actors that I really like because they have the abilities to play many different types of roles but I wouldn’t know who to pick.

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

“Choosing the Road Less Traveled”

What motivates you and what doesn’t?

Doing things that are challenging is my biggest motivation. I’ve always chosen to pick demanding fields of study (engineering), jobs (software engineering, garden design) and hobbies (native plant gardening, photography, drawing, hiking in the mountains). I love to learn new things and I love researching anything that interests me. Mother Nature motivates me most of all so everything I do in one form or another takes into account what happens in nature.

Things that don’t motivate me: status, doing things for recognition, because they are trendy, cool or because everyone is doing it.

How would your best friend describe you?

That I’m very passionate about the environment and Mother Nature; that I’m creative and smart; that I’m very shy until I get to know someone, and that I have the best smelling house.

What’s the biggest mistake you mistake you made in your life and what did you learn from it?

I think the biggest mistake has been to always worry about doing everything perfectly. What I mean by that is I used to think I needed a perfectly clean house, perfect kids, perfect job, perfect life – you get the picture. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that none of that really matters too much and so I try not to obsess about those types of issues. I’m much less stressed now!

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

Fresh, crusty bread and rolls – I could eat them all day. I could never give up Chocolate, it’s my everyday little treat to me.

Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.

The name of my company is Dragonfly Dew, which I chose because I love dragonflies and they are my good luck charms I wear around my neck everyday.  Dragonflies symbolize transformation and purity, so I added the “Dew” for describing the feeling my products give to your skin. I didn’t start out making soap, so there is no “Soap” in the name, and I wanted a company name that was memorable and not tied to any one product or myself. As far as my company philosophy it’s really pretty simple – everything I create and sell is made with plant and earth based ingredients, except for my products with beeswax and goats milk. Some companies use the word “natural” as a buzz word and that’s fine, but I try with all my products to be transparent in my labeling and to give honor to the earth and it’s many gifts. I’ve been a nature lover and gardener since as long as I can remember so my products and company represent that lifestyle.

1) Where can it be found?

Mmy products can be found:

–  online at my website http://www.dragonflydew.com
–  At the Woodland Park Farmers Market in Woodland Park, CO
– through my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/DragonflyDew

You can also follow me:

– Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dragonflydew
– Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dragonflydew
– Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dragonflydew

2) What is your most popular soap —

I have 2 soap that consistently sell out faster than others – Coconut Lime Milk Soap and Patchouli soap. The Coconut Lime is one of my face soaps and people love the smell of the Lime Essential Oil and the creaminess of the Coconut Milk. The Patchouli soap has a following of people who buy several bars at a time.

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

My journey into soap making was a gradual one. I initially started making handmade scrubs for co-workers then melt and pour soaps. That was fun for a while, but I wanted more of a challenge, and discovered you could make soap from scratch. I was more fascinated by the science behind making soap than the actual making of soap. It’s become quite an addiction.

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.

My most successful and rewarding project would have to be making lotion. My skin is dry as a bone, and I wanted a product that was thick yet lightweight in texture and easily absorbed into the skin. It took a few trials and a few errors, but I finally formulated the perfect recipe that I love, and my customers seem to love it too.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking, what did you achieve?

I’d celebrate the simple fact that I still love making soap. I’ve been doing it for 5 years now, and I never expected it would blossom into this-having people interested in what I do and wanting to talk with me about it! I never expected to be selling on a venue and have loyal, repeat customers who have such faith in my product that they won’t buy from anyone else. It’s those little achievements that I cherish the most.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

I think my immediate goal is to continue to perfect my craft. I would eventually like to branch out into wholesale. I’d love to see my products on the shelves of some of the local boutiques and businesses in my immediate area.

What’s your superpower?

Wow…ummm…I have a pretty good memory. I’ll remember the most minute detail of something that happened 10 years ago.

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

My first attempt at making cold process soap was a complete disaster. I didn’t understand at the time that certain fragrances could heat up the soap or that the oils and lye mixture had to be a certain temperature, etc….I think I was more angry at wasting the fact that I spent all that money on soaping oils, fragrance, and lye then the actual soap not turning out. It was totally ruined-rebatching couldn’t even bring it from the dead. I keep a picture of that disaster to remind myself how far I’ve come along.

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

I really don’t have one, but I do live on the edge. I often do not use gloves when I make soap because they get in the way and they’re bulky and uncomfortable, so my hands do get “popped” sometimes like you’re frying chicken in hot grease and you’re standing too close to the pan. I’ve been very fortunate.

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Nah, I don’t. I’m pretty introverted even when it comes to my family. They know I “make soap” but there’s no “Oh, so how’s the soapmaking going” at the dinner table, and I’m cool with that. I prefer to keep my sanctuary family and drama free..

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Nia Long. She’s short and pretty-just like me (teehee)

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

Who Does She Think She Is?

What would you say are your 2 greatest weaknesses?

1. I don’t like asking for help-even when I really need it. I’d rather walk around a store for 20 minutes til I find what I’m looking for than ask someone where the light bulbs are.

2. I don’t get enough sleep. My brain is on fast forward and I can’t push pause. But some of my best ideas come to me when I’m lying in bed.

How would your best friend describe you?

I honestly don’t know. I’ll have to ask her…She’ll probably say I’m aloof, but I don’t think I am. It just takes me longer to warm up to people longer than others. I’m really great once you chip the ice off the surface lol…

What is one misconception people have about you?

That I’m not friendly-which goes back to my taking time to warm up to people.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

Give up any food? Are you nuts? LOL…If I must give up one, it would be potatoes. Oh, it hurt to say that.

Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.
My brand is The Soap Seduction. My philosophy is have fun and don’t take yourself so seriously. I try to reflect that in the naming of my products as well as their descriptions.

1) Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?
Yes, I am on Etsy exclusively at the moment. I would eventually like to re-launch my personal website, but Etsy has that built-in audience that I just can’t compete with at the moment.

2) What is your most popular soap
My most popular soaps are my Queen of Shaves shave soap and my Go The F*ck To Sleep soap. I’m convinced it’s the names and not the actual soap, lol. Although the soap is great.

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

Well I got interested in making soap because I raise dairy goats and had/have way too much milk. So I started researching what to do with all that extra milk. Just selling milk or cheesemaking required you to be a licensed dairy. To be a licensed dairy required specific buildings, milking parlors, cheesemaking rooms etc. I don’t have the money for that and at the time I didn’t have the time as I was working full time. So you guessed it, I came across soap making. I could use my goats milk to make wonderfully creamy soaps. So when the American Dairy Goat Assn. had their National Convention in Albuquerque, NM I went and took a soap making class. Went home and made a batch or two of soap. Then did nothing with it for a few years. Then I got the itch to do it again. Now after numerous You Tube video’s and lots of time reading and researching soap and recipes and 3 years later I’ve got my recipes down and I’m actively making and selling soap.

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful.  It doesn’t have to be soap.

My daughters wanted to show goats, we started off with 3 Alpine dairy goats, then decided to get into the meat goats also. So we got 2 Nubian 2 year old does that had never been bred and bred them to the only Boer cross buck in the area at that time. He was a ¾ Boer and 1/3 something else. LOL

The next spring we had our first babies, both Alpine and Boer cross. It was so much fun at the County Fair. Next thing you know I found a 100% Boer buck, bought him and started raising our own.  We showed the Alpines and Boers for a while and when we started doing so much better with the Boers in the Show ring the Alpines became a support system for the Boers. Extra milk to raise bottle babies when that was necessary.

Now 17 years later, both girls are too old for 4-H and I’m retired so no need or extra money to continue to show the Boers. So I’m sold out of them except for my favorite Boer doe. We enjoyed our time with the Boers, have 25 – 30 belt buckles, boxes of trophies and ribbons. Numerous GCH’s, RGCH’s and a few Best in Shows. Now it is time for the Alpines to shine. I’ve bred them so they have great tasting milk and it makes the most wonderful, creamy soap.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking, what did you achieve?

Well, I could give you a most wonderful flight of fancy, but realistically in a year from now I would love to be selling enough soap to support my soap and goat habits, have numerous loyal customers, maybe my own shop or at least an internet shop selling out all the soaps I can imagine. With people who love my unique designs as much as I love to produce them.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

I want to enjoy life! Would love to travel, especially on cruise ships. LOL As far as my soaping business, I know I should have specific goals on where I would like to be in one year or two years, but right now I don’t.

Fancifally I would like to have my own warehouse to produce soap. I would create all the designs and have “people” who would reproduce my soaps for sale, leaving me free to oversee and create. In reality I would love to have a major presence on the web, making $30,000 per year, just give me the two years.

What’s your superpower?

If I could have any superpower that I wanted, hummmm, it would have to be the power to change into any size or form that I wanted. Could you imagine being able to change into an eagle and fly up high, or into a horse and run as fast as you could? How about into a cougar and leap from mountain peak to mountain peak? Or a monkey and swing from tree to tree. Or maybe a fire proof robot that could walk into a burning building and rescue people. That would be so cool!

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

My biggest catastrophe to date was when I was trying out a new FO. I was pretty new to soap making and really didn’t know a lot back then. I had a very picture in my head of what my soap should look like. The FO had a mind of it’s own and decided to become soap on a stick. So there I was poking chunks of soap down into a big chunk of soap, determined to at least make all the different chunks become one. I cut that soap and put it away in a box in the back of my closet. That was 2 ½ years ago. I got a bar out a couple of months ago and tried it and it is some of the best lathering soaps I’ve used. So it just goes to prove that soap is like wine, the longer it cures the better it is.

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

My husband just is one of those men who just thinks anything I do is “cute”. As in “Oh, look Vickie is playing around with her soap again”, so not really. I’ve learned over the years to do what I want to do, whether anyone else likes it or not. LOL

Describe to me, your most memorable customer. Why was she/he memorable.

My most memorable customer is a lady that my best friend introduced to me. We met at a Mystery play dinner. She bought about 4 soaps, one of which was a Cherry Blossom fragranced soap. Her and her husband, yes men can like flowery scents too, love this fragrance. They buy a batch from me about twice a year. I think her husband loves it the most, as he told her this is the first soap I’ve used that doesn’t make my skin itch. Each time I make a new batch for them the design changes and they tell me they love it each time. Can’t beat people who love what you do as much as you love doing it.

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

I must say, I started out making soap scared to death of lye. So I’ve been very careful around it. Haven’t been burned yet other than a little drop here or there that I wash off and it doesn’t even leave a red mark. But my time will come, I’m sure, as I’m getting a little too comfortable around the lye.

What would you say are your 2 greatest weaknesses?

So you just want 2 weaknesses? LOL I’ve got many. Probably my biggest is I could probably hold the world title for procrastination. I do everything at the last possible minute and always underestimate the time it will take to do it.

My second one is that I hate housework! It always needs done. It’s not like you can do it and it is over with. It’s the energizer bunny, it just keeps on needing done again and again and again. I love a clean house, just wish it would stay clean. J

How would your best friend describe you?

I didn’t know so I called and asked her. LOL She said I was a very quite, reserved person, with a good heart, until I started to talk to someone about my goats or soaps, then you couldn’t shut me up.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

Anything with sugar, I love sweets of any or all kinds. Candy, pastry, Cakes, BROWNIES, ice cream…..

Tell me about your soap, your store name and its “brand” or philosophy

My soap business is called “Udder Indugence”. I get a lot of people who tell me I’ve mis-spelled Utter, but no it is Udder because of the goats milk that is in each and every, (almost every), bar of soap that I make. In the three years that I’ve been making soap, I’ve only made about 4-5 batches without goats milk. 3 because I was out of goats milk and one with wine and one with coffee. Both special requests.

Indulgence because I want my soap to be the most luxurious bar of soap you’ve ever used. A delight to the eyes, nose and skin. And I guess that is sort of my philosophy too, If I’m going to make soap, it’s going to be the best that I can possibly make.

1) Where can it be found
Well my Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/UdderIndulgence

and my partially built webpage is: http://udderindulgence.com/

2) What is your most popular soap

I’d have to say that I have 3 most popular soaps. My Lilac, Cherry Blossom and Cedar and Saffron.

Tell me how you started in soapmaking.

I started in soapmaking after studying Alternative Medicine for many years about 15 years ago. I wanted to find a way that I both loved and could use to reach people, in a form that everyone used, soapmaking it was! It opened me up to helping others, with various skin problems, and I was able to extend my creative flow at the same time.

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful.  It doesn’t have to be soap.

Hmmm, that’s a hard one! In all honesty it had to be a life change that I made a little over a year ago, even though it was a tough decision I had to make it.  I closed down my business that I owned. I had real brick and morter store that I   put my emotions, my passion and every penny I had into.

It was heartbreaking to have to close those doors  due to a bad location, a new town that I knew nothing about, and a bad emotional status that I was in however it was a move in the right direction for me. Although painful, it was a huge relief at the same time. I love making soaps, but when you turn a passion into a profession it’s a give or take situation. I was emotionally drained, run down from long hours and I had become distant from the family I love, so I chose to close it down and take some much needed time off.

What happened next started a journey that I never saw coming. For a while my life kind of fell apart, going through a divorce, dealing with re-finding myself somewhere in this vast world of possibilities.  I took a job at a local health food store that really started putting me back in touch with myself, alternative medicine! YES, I was starting to find myself once again, starting to feel that passion for making soaps once again, I was starting to feel ‘alive’ inside once again.

My boss, Fred, started talking to me about me making soaps once again to sell in his store. At first I found myself at a loss, thinking that I had left that part of me behind somewhere else, but then I started to really think about making soap, I started thinking about making soaps constantly, formulating soaps once again. Shortly after the brainstorming started, I met a wonderful man who only re-enforced the fact that I should go back to making soaps once again. Now I am back making soaps and fulfilling my life passion at making soaps, complete with an amazing man who completely supports me, and helps me make soaps.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking,
what did you achieve?

For me celebrating would be me being able to replace a paycheck for a self sustaining business that is growing.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

Yes! In a year I will be faced with bidding on a contract for a medium sized store for my liquid soaps/laundry soap and bar soaps. Withing 2 years I will be filling constant orders for a local grocery chain store. (notice I say ‘will be’ and would like or would be, because if your thinking in terms of would, could, maybe, you will never reach your goals, dream big or don’t dream, that is my motto)

What’s your superpower?

Honestly if you ask me, it’s my determination to do things… If you ask others it will be my stubbornness when people tell me I can’t do something.

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

This is a good one! Honestly I have two experiences to share:

My first ‘great catastrophe’ was when I started making liquid soaps for the first time. I was diluting my liquid soaps down using the gel method (this means cooking the base with alcohol and vegetable glycerin) well I had to add more alcohol to the base, because the alcohol evaporates, now mind you the base is boiling and VERY hot… Needless to say I added the alcohol to the base and it immediately started to foam to the top of the pot, what do I do? Yep, I put the top on the pot, well the soap had better ideas, it blew the top off the pot like a cannon, started a fire (because at this time I was using a gas stove for this, lesson learned), the flame was virtually invisible (but very pretty when you did see it, sarcasm lol). Again, I put the lid on the pot and now it just exploded all over my kitchen ceiling. After I quit shaking, and turned 6 shades of white, I decided to give up on making liquid soaps for a while, until I learned a little more about it.
The second one was not as dramatic/funny now, but I wasted the last of my soapmaking ingredients on it, which bummed me out. Instead of using coconut oil in a salt bar that I have been wanting to make for weeks now, I used Palm kernel oil, BIG MISTAKE! Palm Kernel oil is a lot like coconut oil in soapmaking, but it’s a harder oil, my bars crumbled up into nothing, yep you guessed it, I got salt bar dust out of it… Which I ended up graiting up into powder to add to my laundry soap, because no soap goes unused in a soapmakers house!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Yes, my family members are my biggest buyers, they love my product, my kids actually help making soaps too! We make soapmaking a family event, everyone gets involved, and they each love making their finished product. My daughter Destinee likes making her own makeup, I actually posted a video of her making her very first lipstick “Destinee Purple” she was tickled pink about making it, here’s the link:

Describe to me, your most memorable customer. Why was she/he memorable.

This is a hard one, I have SO many! All my customers have a place in my heart and memory. I will say that one lady in specific stands out in my head at this point, she was a older lady who had come into my shop to ask me if I had anything for dogs, I had told her not at this point. She came back to my shop two weeks later with both of her dogs, brought BOTH of her dogs into my shop, when I politely told her that I could not have animals in my shop.

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

My worst ‘lye burn’ was when I was working with a formula that was setting up fast on me and I was piping the top of a cake soap. The soap got through a hole in my glove and settled under my fingernail, I had no choice to continue to pipe the top of the soap, while my finger was on fire and bleeding all over inside my glove, at that time I put on another glove (so I didn’t ruin the soap) and continued to pipe the rest of the cake soap with tears in my eyes. But that wasn’t the worst… the worst part was when I took off my glove and had to pull the skin and nail apart to pour vinegar into the burn, yeah that’s something that makes you say some real nasty words, LOL.

What would you say are your 2 greatest weaknesses?

I’m a sucker for cake soaps, cupcake soaps, and the talent of some of the soapmakers out there who decorate their soaps so beautifully.

How would your best friend describe you?

Straight from my best friend Kerri Hope: “Ambitious dedicated loving and never willing to give up!”

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

I think this one I would have to say ‘Chocolate’ because just the site of it makes me jump 1-2 pant sizes, LOL.

Tell me about your soap. Your store name and its “brand” or philosophy

My soap company name is ‘Green Door Products’, we named it this because we are a green company producing green products, while we live near Door county in Wisconsin. Our philosophy is keep it green. We are currently working on ‘green’ all purpose cleansers, laundry soaps, liquid laundry soap, carpet cleaners, and a wide variety of household cleaning products and personal care products that meet all green standards also besides our decorative soaps.

1) Where can it be found

Green Door Products

Green Door Products on Etsy

2) What is your most popular soap

My most popular soap right now is my Vanilla & Sandalwood, my cupcake soaps are always a huge hit during the Holidays though and my Christmas Tree soaps are by far my most popular limited soaps that I create, I only make them a few weeks out of the year and they are only offered for 3 weeks from late November until mid December.

Tell me how you started in soap making.

I grew up on a farm in rural North Carolina and had a pet goat as a child. Her name was Loat the goat. Don’t ask me where I got that from, I was 7 at the time and that is what I called her. She was a little black nanny goat that followed me around like a dog. So when Mike and I bought our little farm, before we even closed on the place, I had already purchase 3 little nannies from a girl that agreed to keep them until we moved into our new house. This lady is now a dear friend to me.

Anyway once we started having goat milk, it just seemed like the natural thing to make. Neither Mike nor I are really milk drinkers and I have always loved using goat milk soap. I went thru a huge learning curve trying to learn on my own how to make real soap. Right when I was about to give up I found the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild and started attending their yearly conference. Once I had that first batch turn out perfect, I was hooked! Now it is my passion, second only to my animals here on the farm. Many of our animals here are critically endangered breeds, but that is a whole other story for later.

Tell me about a project or experiment that you consider to be the most successful. 
My most successful project? Well I would have to say it has been our little farm and all its inhabitants. While researching chickens we discovered that there are many breeds of livestock and poultry that are on the brink of extinction. We decided then that we wanted to provide a home and refuge for as many of these breeds as we could. However, finding these breeds has proved a challenge, especially the donkeys.

The French Poitou Donkey is one of the most endangered breeds on earth. There are only an estimated 2000 of these Donkeys left in existence. So when I decided I had to have one, my hopes were dim that we could actually find one, much less one we could afford. After about two years of dreaming of this donkey, the stars lined up in our favor.

We were contacted by and elderly gentleman that has been breeding them for about 30 years. He wanted to reduce his heard and was more concerned with the quality of home we could provide than he was the price we could pay. We purchased two to start with, Marcel and Mimi. Mimi came to us pregnant and gave birth to Ambroise the following July. Shortly after Ambroise was born the gentleman contacted me again and told me he had an orphaned jenny that needed to be bottle fed. We immediately went and got her and brought her home. That little orphan is now Naughty Ophelia. We feel very blessed and accomplished to now have a herd of 4 French Poitou donkeys and to have this elderly couple as friends, actually they are more like family now. I plan to add donkey milk soaps to my line in the near future.These are more personal:

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

My main goal has always been to educate people on the dangers of extinction for both wild and domestic animals. I currently take a few of my hens to elementary class rooms to visit and talk with the kids about the importance of preserving these heritage breeds. A lot of my goals are not necessarily soap related, but my soap helps me to reach these goals.

Next year I would love to be able to open the farm to field trips for the kids, but that takes a lot of insurance! Soap wise, next year my goal is to expand my line and add donkey milk soaps and lotions. I am currently still working on formulations and testing. Within two years I would love to do soap full time and hopefully have a brick and mortar store front located here at the farm, that is deeply rooted in the community. A place where friends and neighbors can come to pick up natural products, meet the farm inhabitants face to face and learn more about these breeds.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soap making, what did you achieve?

We are celebrating the fact that my little farm now provides local jobs for several friends or neighbors who are packing and shipping orders all day long, while I work with several other employees making soaps and other products. Maybe guiding a field trip in between soap batches. My biggest celebration would be because I now employ a computer genius to handle that beastly machine! Oh and someone who loves to wrap and label soap would be a big celebration too!

What’s your superpower?
That is funny because my superpower is what my parents always considered a flaw! I am hard headed, tenacious and stubborn as a mule. If you tell me I can’t do something, well, just stand back a watch me prove you wrong.

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

When I first starting making soap, I didn’t do test batches and I didn’t realize there is a big difference in the quality of many fragrance oils. I had purchased a barging fragrance oil and used it in 5 lb. bath of soap. It was a floral and went into the mold fine, but 20 minutes later it volcanoed up out of the mold, all over the counter and the floor. So I got to clean up 5 lbs of raw soap. Not fun, but a valuable lesson learned!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Yes, my hubby always encourages me. He is really impressed with my products and has provided the bulk of the financial investments. Our kids love my stuff too and talk it up all the time to everyone they meet. I have several out of state wholesale accounts that I credit our girls with sending my way. While I don’t have my parents any more, I have the best in laws on the planet! Anything they can do to help me they are always willing to do and NEVER say no.

Describe to me, your most memorable customer. Why was she/he memorable?

She is my neighbor. She purchase soap from me way back when I was first learning and has been my soap pimp ever since. She is always pimping my soap and has sent me countless customers. Plus since our first interaction we have become great friends as well.

All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn.

I got raw soap inside my bra…………..need I say more?

What would you say are your 2 greatest weaknesses?

1. I am technically challenged; I hate anything I have to do on the computer. I wish there was a class somewhere you could take that could teach us antiques how to get with the times!
2. I am not the most organized person, sometimes I drive myself crazy!

How would your best friend describe you?

Energetic, outspoken and fiercely loyal.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

I already did potatoes. I love them, especially fried or stewed in butter!

Tell me about your soap. Your store name and its “brand” or philosophy.

Plott Hollow Naturals. Named after our farm, Plott Hollow Farm. (our farm was named after our Plott Hounds) I want to bring people the very best natural goat milk products possible but I also want my clients to understand what our farm is all about. I want them to feel like they are helping save the animals and like they are part of our farm family. We lost our male Plott Hound, Ely, last year to a brain tumor. It was wonderful having so many people concerned and supportive thru the whole ordeal. Our farm’s social media page created a huge extended family for us and our animals and I love that. It’s great that they can buy goat milk soaps and feel like they know the goats personally.

Where can your soap be found

• www.plotthollowfarm.com
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Plott-Hollow-Farm/213677488648748?ref=hl
• https://www.etsy.com/people/PlottHollowFarm

What is your most popular soap:

 Donkey Smooch Take a walk on the wild side! Free spirited, grounding patchouli leaves, gently crushed give in to the soft seductive scent of neroli and sandalwood entangle with sweet agave nectar and dew kissed orange blossoms. Even those that don’t particularly care for patchouli love this one of a kind fragrance. I think it is so popular because Mimi, our oldest jenny is known for her big lips! Maybe they feel like they are getting a kiss from MiMi! Plus it’s a patchouli blend, anything patchouli seems to be back in vogue!