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.