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Archives for July 2013

Fundraiser Kit + Craft Show Tips Galore

Filed Under: Business Musings

Was I the only one that raised money for school activities with car washes and bake sales? I spent weekend after weekend, washing cars for donation or begging people to pre-order my homemade chocolate chip shortbread cookies. My poor folks were somehow cajoled along to every car wash and my mom didn’t even mind when I stole all the ingredients for the cakes, pies and cookies from my her kitchen (thanks for that donation, Mom!). As all parents of school-age children know, those fundraisers still go on (with even more bells and whistles; sell cards! sell candy! sell magazines! sell gummy bears! sell cookie dough! And, more. So. Much. More.) So, why shouldn’t there be a DIY Soapy Fundraiser?

We’ve put together all the supplies you and your kiddos need to create some awesome, easy bars of soap that you can sell at craft shows, farmer’s markets, and yes, through good old fashioned order sheets (we’ve all seen them when we’re filling out another magazine, jewelry or, candle order form for the adorable 9 year old in front of us) going door to door or desk to desk if your parent works in an office.

The kit includes: 

Soap  Fragrance Oils (4 oz) Embeddable Toys

 

 

 
  • 25 Koala Erasers
  • 25 Penguin Erasers
  • 25 Frog Erasers
  • 25 Hamster Erasers

 

 
Molds Colorants Soaping Tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will be able to make around 400 bars of soap, 100 of them with happy animals in them. Using this kit you can make soap that costs about 94¢ in materials and can be sold for $3 to $5 dollars each, leaving you with a healthy fundraising margin and a lot of creative fun. Individually, these items would cost more than $460, so you are saving about $100 when you buy the kit.

You may not know this but I started selling soap at craft shows and farmer’s markets when I was 18 years old. Yeah, that’s me, circa 15-17 years ago. If you’re thinking of selling your soapy wares at a Farmer’s Market or Craft Show to raise money, I’ve got some tips and tricks that I’ve accumulated after a decade of soapmaking.

anne-marie1999

(1) Let the signage do the talking for you. Clearly mark everything. Do not assume that people will understand that your awesome, gorgeous artistic soap is actually soap.

(2) Stand. Be interested. Smile. Stay off the phone. No texting, surfing the net or talking. Pay attention to the person in front of you.

(3) Everyone loves a deal; bundle your wares. Example: Buy 1 bar for $5 or 5 for $20.

(4) Have items clearly priced. Make it clear if your prices include tax. I really like the big pricing for this craft show set up. It is obvious what the price is for each ‘set’ of products.

(5) Create a compelling, inviting set up. This Pinterest board has some great ideas for set ups. If you’re outside, remember that the sun can melt your soap if it’s too hot or bleach o some of your colors, so think about creative shade solutions or ask the organizer to put you in a position that doesn’t put you in direct sunlight. Drape a tablecloth over your set up to hide your boxes. Need inspiration? This Flickr group, “Show Me Your Booths” has lots of good ideas too.

(6) Let your buyers be a part of your journey. Offer an email sign up with updates about the fundraiser/your trip. They’ve invested in you by buying your soap. Many of them will want to hear how your trip/your game/your project turned out.

(7) Have lots of change. When you are selling soap for $4 or $5, you will need more $1 dollar bills than you could possibly imagine.

(8) Prepare snacks for you. Assume you will not get a break. Granola bars, fruit roll ups, bottled water etc… will be your friend.

(9) Research the venue ahead of time for your sake, and the customers. Find the ATM machine so you can direct customers to it. Find the bathroom so you can dash off to it once in a while. Figure out where the best place to load and unload your goods.

(10) Your soap in the bathroom, with a sign. Once you know your location, put your soap (on a draining soap dish!) in the bathroom with a sign, “Like this soap? Come find us in Booth XYZ”

(11)  Optional: Buy the downloadable e-book, “How to Be a Craft Show Genius.”

(12) Prepare to succeed by alerting the cavalry. Email your friends, your parent’s friends, your 2nd grade trombone teacher and your dog’s pet sitter. Tell them where you will be, where the craft show is, what the hours are and **why** it’s important that they come and support you.

(13) Take everything you will need and more for a siege on your booth. This blog post has an amazing list of supplies you will want in your booth. This includes things like a receipt book, cash box, tape and more.

(14) Prepare responses to some common questions. Example: “You made this?! Wow!” Your answer should engage the customer. Do not give just a one word “Yup!” Something like, “Yes, I got together with 3 friends who are traveling to Guatemala on a mission trip with our school and we made these over three weekends. This one is my favorite. Which one do you like the best?”

(15) Spruce yourself up. Look nice and professional. Ladies, wear flats. If you’re outdoors, wear sunscreen. Whatever you wear, you want it to be so easy on the eyes that people are looking at your wares … not what you’re wearing.

(16) Use downtime wisely. Spruce up your booth. Rearrange soap. Make sure pricing is clear. Fill in any holes.

(17) Smile, smile, smile. You love this! When you’re selling your goods, remember the ‘why’. You are doing this to raise money for cancer, to raise money to go help others in another country, to go with your friends to band camp – remember what it is and keep it in your head and your heart to get you through the slow moments, or when someone doesn’t buy your product and you’re crushed. You can do this because your cause, your ‘why’, is bigger than that.

Every single blog post I’ve ever written about selling (to date) is below for you to read through if you want more tips and tricks!

 

Business Insurance for the Handcrafted Industry

Dealing with Unhappy Customers

Driven by Data

How to Sell Consignment

On Photographing Products

Be Cool Cold Call

Selling Your Soap, More Wholesale Advice

So You Want to Sell Your Soap: Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

Thinking About Opening A Store

Your Number One Job

Cleaning Up Your Pricing

Shopping is Psychological

Gettin’ On My Soapbox, Sell, Sell Sell

Craft Show Tips

I Only Use Dove

Where do you buy your supplies?

I want product for free

Can You Teach Me How To Make This?

How Is This Made?

Why Does Your Soap Cost So Much?

Making Sales Calls

Want even more business advice? Browse the “Business Musings” section on Soap Queen to read interviews will fellow soapy business owners, learn about social media best practices and more.

Last Day to Pre-Order Soap Crafting

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

We’re getting closer and closer to the official release of Soap Crafting, and there is still time to get in on the freebie action! Today is the last day to place a pre-order and not only receive the 240-page, full-color, soapmaking extravaganza that is the Soap Crafting book before everyone else, but also get access to two exclusive video tutorials from the book, plus two never-before-seen project downloads AND a comprehensive, downloadable PDF guide to coloring cold process soap.
Note that these exclusive offers are only available for pre-orders completed through BrambleBerry.com. International customers, please e-mail SMA(at)brambleberry(dot)com with your pre-order.
Even better yet, a little bird told us that we may be able to ship the pre-order books as early as next week! =) Also, total side note, one of our awesome team members made the little graphic below. Generally, I wouldn’t be talking about myself in the third person … (ha!)

We’ve been busy making soapy favors for our local book release party at the end of this month using projects from the book, and these are a few videos of us cutting some of the projects this week. Below is the fabulously fall-inspired Pumpkin In-The-Pot Swirl soap:

And this is the fierce Firedrop Swirl, one of my favorite recipes from the book.

Place your BrambleBerry.com pre-order  here and get all the details to a special SoapCrafting club (!!!) before anyone else! What are you most excited to see in the book?

Home Spa: Soothing Eye Pillow Sewing Tutorial

Filed Under: Home Crafts

I’ve recently become obsessed with sewing. I suspect it has something to do with the knowledge that I will be making Halloween costumes for the next 12 years. So, it’s only natural to see what I can make in the bath and body arena. Eye pillows are an easy project for even me, a very beginner sewer. After a long marathon-soaping weekend, treat your happy (but exhausted) self to this soothing eye pillow from our #HomeSpa collection. The natural scent of the lavender buds helps to calm the senses, and a few seconds in the microwave will give the pillow a comforting warmth perfect for soothing tired eyes. It’s the perfect finish after tub time with the scrubby Shea Salt Bars and before finishing your relaxation routine with the Gentle Gel Serum.

What you’ll need:

Fabric (100% cotton quilting weight)

One piece 3X5″ (red)

One piece 2X5″ (green)

One piece 5X5″ (tan)

One piece 8X5″ (a different green)

One piece of applique lace,  at least 5.5″ long

One piece of sew-in lace, at least 5.5″ long

Tools

Scissors or Rotary Cutter

Sewing Machine (needles, coordinating thread)

Measuring Cup

Funnel

Cutting Fabrics

Miscellaneous

1/2 cup Lavender Grade 1

1/2 cup Uncooked Rice

(optional) 5 drops Hungarian Lavender

ONE: Applique the lace to the center of the red fabric by placing the wrong side of the lace on the right side of the fabric length-wise and top-stitching. The lace should be parallel to the 5″ edge of the fabric.

TWO: Stitch the green fabric to the red along the 5″ side using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

THREE: Stitch the tan fabric to the green along the 5″ side using a 1/2″ seam allowance with the in-seam lace sandwiched between the layers of fabric. Trim any excess lace.

FOUR: Press the seam allowances of the pieced top away from the in-seam lace so that the lace lies flat against the tan fabric.

FIVE: With the right sides together, stitch the pieced top to the 8X5″ green fabric all around using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Leave an opening about 1-1.5″ long and back-tack at the beginning and end of the stitch. Trim the corners of the fabric, making sure not to clip through the seam. Press the seam allowances to the center of the pillow on both sides.

SIX: Turn the pillow right-side-out through the hole left in the seam. Use a chopstick or skewer to turn out the corners sharply.

SEVEN: Press the pillow one last time after it’s turned right-side out.

EIGHT: In a separate container, mix the rice, Lavender Grade 1 and optional Hungarian Lavender Essential oil.

NINE: Place a funnel into the hole that was left in the pillow and pour the lavender/rice/essential oil mix in. Make sure that the funnel’s spout is big enough for the rice and lavender herb to get through!

TEN: Finish the pillow by edge-stitching the hole closed, back-tacking at the beginning and end of the stitch.

That’s it! You’re done. You can use this for a hot or a cold eye pillow. Put in freezer to cool tired eyes or put in the microwave for 15 seconds and make adorable hand pocket warmers for winter.

Interview with Shaka Soap

Filed Under: Business Musings

If you’re craving a little tropical vacation, Shaka Soap can transport you to a land of sun, sand and sea. The artisan behind Shaka Soaps, Jessica Taylor, founded the business in Hawaii, but now resides in Bend, Oregon. Jessica aims to create products using natural ingredients at affordable prices, and her soaps were included in celebrity gift bags for the the 2012 Oscars and MTV Movie Awards.

Although the company is no longer based on the Big Island, Shaka Soaps continues to bring an easy going, ‘hang loose’-vibe to every bath and body product. For more on Jessica, her products and what “shaka” actually means, read on!

Soap Queen: How did you first get started soaping?

Jessica Taylor: This is a toughie, because I had wanted to make soap for 6-7 years. I like the feeling of, “I made this and it is useful!” I did scrapbooking and didn’t like how the books piled up. I also took up cake decorating, but got really tired of eating cake (I know, it sounds impossible right?).

I started to noticed the artistic capabilities in handmade soap and I was intrigued. I bought all these books and a giant stainless steel pot (I knew that was a must!), and then I got pregnant. I am one of those really cautious gals who has to research like crazy before I try anything new, so I wanted to wait until after baby was born. Then the baby was born and I just never found the time. Then second baby was born and then there was no time at all! We moved to Hawaii shortly after having our second baby, and inspiration was EVERYWHERE. I busted out the books and the giant pot. I made my first batch of cold process, and was instantly addicted!

Soap Queen: I totally love your Hawaiian-themed business; could you tell us a little bit more about how that came about?

Jessica: When we moved to Hawaii, I knew I would love it but I had no idea how in love I would fall with the culture, flowers, beaches, everything. The Hawaiian culture is so powerful and historic, I wanted to emulate my respect for it in an artistic way.

I quickly learned that the hang loose sign is referred to as the “Shaka”, and Shaka Soap just sounded fun (I’m a sucker for alliteration). I also learned that many bath and body products that are made in Hawaii were very spendy, and many of the people there wanted to buy handmade, but simply couldn’t justify the price. That became the driver for me; to make high quality, handmade bath and body products (from Hawaii) that everyone could try. At the end of 2012, we had to move to Oregon, but I continue to use Hawaii as my inspiration for every creation since that is where the company was founded.

 

Soap Queen: What is your favorite type of bath and body product to make?

Jessica: I really love making cold process soap — I think it keeps me sane! There are infinite ways to be creative with cold process soap.  From different pouring techniques, to swirling techniques, texturing capabilities, and coloring and infusing oils, the list goes on and on!

When I’ve had a rough day with the kiddos, my husband knows I need to saponify as my therapy. I do go in spurts of ‘creative explosions’ after I see a really fun video of a new technique. After I saw Kenna of Amathia Soapworks do the Tiger Stripe Swirl I was whipping out oils 10 seconds after the video was finished. Once that is out of my system, then I need to make a salve or some lotion for a few days after, so I don’t get burnt out on just one type of product. With cold process though, it’s hard for me to get tired of making it — really, really hard! I basically have to run out of oils to stop, and my family claims a lot of the soaps I make before they even make it on the website!

Soap Queen: Alright, it’s a cold process vs. melt & pour showdown — to you, what are the advantages of each?

Jessica: I go back and forth. My love is cold process, even to personally shower with. It just feels so “homestead-y” to me. Making it from scratch feels so much like a pioneer!

I love melt & pour because I don’t have to wait. I hate waiting for cold process to be ready to use, that is the worst part. I also love melt & pour because I don’t have to worry about a batch ricing, seizing, or turning into a soap brick unexpectedly. Any fragrance oil or essential oil is a friend to melt & pour and that is a nice peace of mind. I also love the different molds that can be used for melt & pour. A few hours it can be used!  I’ve had some molds that I’ve  used for cold process and it was like trying to coax a frightened animal out of a hole. Eventually you’re yelling at it to just “get out of there!” I also feel there is a sort of mystery with cold process. You try to pour a certain way, but until you unmold and cut, you never know quite how it turns out. I really like how clean my layers come out with melt & pour as well. For someone who has a touch of OCD, the clean layers are beautiful to see. I really do enjoy doing both melt & pour and cold process, but cold process has my heart.


Soap Queen: What sort of advice would you give to people new to the business and soaping world?

Jessica: I want it to be fun!  When I first started, I wish I would have been told to “slow down!” I was making cold process soap in August 2011, turned Shaka Soap into a business in November 2011, then had my products at the GBK Oscars Gift Lounge with The Artisan Group in February 2012 and the MTV Movie Awards in May 2012. For me, it was too much, too fast. The fun was taken out of it and it became something I had to do rather than something I wanted to do.

So take your time and enjoy it, because once those orders start coming in, it becomes a job and not so much a hobby. If you are ready to turn your hobby into a business, social media is your friend. Blog, make a Facebook page, and have a website (or an Etsy shop). Be awesome with customer service (like BB is!) and be ready for questions anyone might have about your products. I have gotten some real doozies, but thecustomer is always grateful that I took the time to answer.

I also try not to take things personally. I have had many people say some nasty things about the business choices I have made (gifting celebrities for one), but I’m doing what I feel is best for my company. Also, donating to charities is a must. We sent a bunch of soap to the Red Cross for the explosions in Texas, donated to charity auctions for Habitat for Humanity and woman’s shelters and always that feels nice to do. Plus, I get to make more soap to stock up again!

Soap Queen: What is your favorite Bramble Berry product?

Jessica: Oh my gosh! How does one choose their favorite Bramble Berry product? I’ve often joked about how I need an intervention for my Bramble Berry obsession. It’s real —  help me!

If I absolutely had to choose a favorite product it would be the fragrance oils. They always smell so amazing and really authentic, and I have yet to smell one (and that is a pretty high number of “smells”) that had a synthetic scent to it. They are really great quality. If I had to choose a favorite fragrance oil — and that is nearly impossible for me to do — it would be Rain Cybilla. It is just so fresh and clean. It is my personal favorite but it sure moves quick in cold process!

 

Want more Shaka Soap? Check out her website, blog and Facebook!

Website: Shaka Soap

Blog: Shaka Blog

Facebook: Shaka Soap

 

Soap Swap Splendor

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Let the countdown begin — our August Soap Swap is now less than a month away! If you aren’t familiar with our Soap Swaps, they are a wonderful way to connect with other soapers, be inspired by new techniques and designs, and experience a wonderful array of fragrances. If you’ve swapped before, you know that the day your swap box arrives is practically the equivalent of Christmas morning for a five year old.

Keep in mind that swap entries should be in batches of twelve, 4 oz. soaps. Swap boxes are due to our warehouse by August 12, so we recommend getting them packed and shipped by August 5. We will ship out the swap boxes no later than August 23. Swap boxes should be addressed to:

Bramble Berry Inc. C/O Soap Swap, 2138 Humboldt Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

Cold process, melt & pour and hot process soaps are all perfectly okay, and if you haven’t made your soaps yet be sure to consult the chart in the swap post to make sure the fragrance you want to use is still available. The swap is free, but you will need to pay for your own shipping. To do so, be sure to purchase the Magical Swap Express Item before the August 12 deadline.

Keep in mind that if you make cold process, you will receive a batch of cold process in return. The same applies to melt & pour. Along with your soaps, don’t forget to include a list of ingredients and the fragrance you used in your soaps — this is helpful to the swappers who will receive your soaps. Feel free to get creative with your packaging and labeling because it’s all part of the fun!

For those of you who want to participate in the swap, there’s still time! Simply email Swap(at)BrambleBerry(dot)com with the type of swap (cold process, melt & pour or hot process) and the fragrance. Be aware that if you decide to do cold process, your soap may not cure in time for the recipient to use. If that’s the case, simply add a cure date along with your ingredient list.

Sounds easy enough, right? It is! To spark your creativity, take a look below at some of the wonderful soaps we’ve received so far. Happy Swapping!

 

How Sweet It Is

Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Picking berries“I’ve noticed that being with you, I smile more often, I anger a little less quickly, the sun shines a little brighter, and life is so much sweeter.” -Unknown

PS – The blueberries that we picked the day this photo was taken weighed over 4 pounds. Jamisen ate them ALL in 6 days. We all feared he would turn into Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory but so far, he’s not turning blue.

Facebook Photo of the Week (July 19th ~ July 26th)

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I’ve been in and out of the office this week on account of  Norm, our COO, mandating me to take it easy (little does he know, no one can stop me from checking emails on my phone!) I’ve been able to spend plenty of outside in the sunshine with Lily, and Jamisen even helped me build a trellis in our backyard garden.

In soapy news, we’re smack dab in the middle of #HomeSpa. Hopefully you’ve been taking advantage of our super special 24-hour flash sales, and if not, sign up for our newsletter to be in-the-know about next week’s coupons. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest because we’ll announce deals there too! Along with the sale, we’ve also rolled out a few luxurious tutorials that follow the spa theme. As usual, there was no shortage of gorgeous soap photos on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page. Seeing the inspirational soaps made for a great way to end my mini-staycation week. Are you ready for this week’s feature? It might make you green with envy!

This week’s entry comes to us from Shelly at Green Apple Soaps & Sundries. She told us this was her version (and I’d say a very successful one at that) of the Violet Gradient Glitter Melt & Pour Tutorial. Instead of the glitter, she used mica and the fun and fruity Crisp Anjou Pear Fragrance Oil to come up with what she calls “Layered Pear.” Thank you for being a part of our amazing soapmaking community on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page, Shelly. It’s so invigorating to see the many variations of Soap Queen tutorials (and original ideas) that are shared with us every week — keep it up!

Shelly’s Website: Green Apple Soaps & Sundries

Shelly’s Facebook Page:  Green Apple Soaps & Sundries

We also wanted to share Shelly’s entry to the Make It: #WoodlandElves feature, and remind you that there is still time to make bath & body products with your free sample fragrance oil from this month. We’d love to see what creative ideas you come up with, and don’t forget to share them on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page with the hashtag #WoodlandElves. We’ll showcase all the photos we receive in a Facebook album. For some inspiration, take a look at past MIM albums such as Make It Month Baby Powder, Make It Month Photography and Make It Month 4th of July. Happy Soaping!

Be sure to post pictures of your soap creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to win a gift package from Bramble Berry, and don’t forget to check Soap Queen regularly for soapy news and updates!

Home Spa: Pink Salt and Shea Bath Bar

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Transport yourself to the seaside of a breezy Mediterranean village with this #HomeSpa Pink Himalayan Sea Salt tutorial. Skin-loving Shea Melt and Pour base combines with scrubby Pink Himalayan Salt to create a bar that is both moisturizing and exfoliating. One thing to be aware of, this bar does not lather well because of the high amount of salt, but it is sensual and luxurious.

What You’ll Need:

32 oz. Shea Melt & Pour

16 oz. Medium Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Super Pearly White Color Block

12-Bar Round Silicone Mold

1.3 oz. of Spring Meadow Fragrance or Essential Oil Blend

Click here to add everything you need to make this project with the Spring Meadow Blend to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

Click here to add everything you need to make this project with the Essential Oil Blend to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

 

 

ONE: Cut the Shea Melt & Pour into 1 inch cubes and place in a heat safe container. Melt in the microwave on 30 second bursts, stirring between each heat.

TWO: After the soap has been fully melted, shave off chunks of the Super Pearly White Color Block and stir vigorously to melt the color block into the soap. Since the soap is already white, the color block will add a slight shimmer to the soap.

THREE: Add the fragrance blend and stir with a whisk or spoon until the oil has been fully incorporated into the soap.

FOUR: Portion out the Medium Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and add it to the soap. The crystals will sink to the bottom of the soap. This is part of the design and is difficult to avoid because of the thin viscosity of the soap when melted versus the heavy grains of salt.

FIVE: Because the salts are heavy and will sink to to the bottom of the container, use a spoon to scoop 2 – 3 spoonfuls of sea salts into each mold cavity to enhance the evenness of the design. Yes, you are pulling the salts from the melted soap that you just put the salts into – reach your spoon all the way into the bottom of it to get a heaping spoonful. After you  have an even coat of salts, pour the melted soap over the salts and spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles. Repeat this process for each cavity. If the soap starts to harden, pop the mixture into the microwave for 15 seconds.

Allow the soaps to harden for 2 – 3 hours before unmolding!

Wrap in saran wrap (not sure how to do that? Watch Episode 11 of SoapQueen.TV), download the FREE label templates, print on label stock and stick onto your soap for a professional, finished look.

Home Spa: Gentle Gel Serum

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

Relieve tired eyes with a serum part of the Home Spa collection of tutorials. The ingredients in this formula were specifically selected for their skin-loving properties. For example, Carrot Seed Essential Oil, which some studies suggest provides a natural source free-radical-fighting antioxidants, is wonderful for mature skin. Additionally, the Evening Primrose Extract is extremely gentle and is often used to treat acne, eczema and  psoriasis. The Bulgarian Lavender provides an element of aromatherapy, and it’s all held together by a combination of nourishing oils and waxes. Finish off your creation with our vintage label design. Download the free PDF template here.

What You’ll Need:

1.5 oz. Chia Seed Oil

1.2 oz. Fractionated Coconut Oil

.24 oz. Evening Primrose Extract

1 tsp. Cera Bellina Wax

3 drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil

15 drops Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil

2 Droppers

Non-Stackable Clear Lip Butter Pots

Label Template

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

ONE: In a microwave safe container, combine the Chia Seed Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil and Evening Primrose Extract.

TWO: After the oils and extract have been thoroughly stirred together, add the Cera Bellina Wax. Place in the microwave on 30 second bursts until the wax is fully melted.

THREE: After the wax has been fully melted into the oils, add the Carrot Seed Essential Oil and Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil and mix well.

FOUR: Slowly pour the mixture into the lip balm tins. Pour until you reach the indented groove in the tins.

FIVE: Place the tins without their lids in the freezer for 30 minutes to an 1 hour. This step is essential or your gel won’t set up!

If you make this or any of our Home Spa Collection projects we’d love to see them! Share them on Instagram or on Facebook and be sure to add #homespa so we can find them.

Treat Yourself to a Home Spa

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the watery canals of Venice, Bramble Berry is bringing the treasures of old world Europe a little closer to home this summer. Starting tomorrow and going through August 2nd, we’ll introduce a variety of new tutorials that make up our Home Spa collection. Expect plenty of soothing, exfoliating and skin-pampering items with artisan ingredients such as Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Evening Primrose Extract, Mango Butter and delicate blends of fragrance and essential oils. Escape and indulge without leaving home!

In addition to newsletters and tutorials, look out for special Mid-Week Mayhem coupons and exclusive offers. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the promotion, we’ll release a coupon code good for just 24 hours. Find out about the day’s discount on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, Bramble Berry’s home page and the Soap Queen Blog.

Newsletter subscribers will receive bonus tutorials and get the full schedule of Home Spa-related sales in advance, so if you aren’t signed up already, head over to Bramble Berry and enter your email address on the right hand side. Don’t forget to click through the confirmation email to activate your subscription, and be sure to check your spam filter for emails from info(at)brambleberry(dot)com.

We’ll be tagging all Home Spa projects with #HomeSpa, and we encourage you to do the same! As you create projects, tag them with #HomeSpa then share them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. We will add our favorites to our Bramble Berry Home Spa board on Pinterest.

We’ve created a unique fragrance oil blend and a unique essential oil blend to choose from for each Home Spa project. Each recipe below makes enough for all six projects, and we encourage you to experiment to see which blend (or blends!) you like best.

 

Scent Blends

Spring Meadow Blend (about 4.5 oz total)

2.0 oz. Spring Meadow Fragrance Oil
1.0 oz. Orange Peel Fragrance Oil
1.0 oz. Lavender Fragrance Oil
0.4 oz. Patchouli Fragrance Oil

Click Here to get everything you need to make the Spring Meadow Blend.

Essential Oil Blend (about 4.5 oz. total)

2.0 oz. Red Brazilian Mandarin
1.0 oz.Grapefruit Essential Oil
1.0 oz. Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil
0.4 oz. Patchouli Essential Oil

Click Here to get everything you need to make the Essential Oil Blend.

If the Patchouli in either blend is too strong for your taste, reduce the amount to .2 – .3 oz. Don’t forget that this will yield less total oil, so factor that in when scenting your recipes!

We are stirring up a little mayhem at Bramble Berry – so relax and enjoy it! The fun starts tomorrow…

Soapy Social Media Roundup

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to mid July! I saw a funny little photo on Facebook this morning; it showed cars under snow with the message “Don’t complain about the heat. This is just 16 weeks away.” Yikes!  The summer is flying by, and there has no shortage of activity around here. We’ve been busy planning a super secret collection of tutorials for the end of this month, rolled out a Free Beginner’s Guide to Butters and Oils and (somehow) Chris and I managed to take the kids on a train ride. It may be organized chaos, but it sure does make for a fun workday and life.  For now, sit back, relax, and take a look at my favorite things from the past two weeks on planet soapy social media.

Pins:

Top left (going clockwise): I love how elegant and charming salt soap can be. The pink salt in this soap adds a pop of natural color and acts as a wonderful exfoliant.

Center: Something to add to my wishlist: this collection of mint-colored dishware from Cambria! I (eh hem) may or may not have placed an order for half of them this week. Our dishes at home are 16 years old and we don’t have a full set anymore, after many years of breakage, cracks and chipping.

Right: I’m constantly on the hunt for the perfect summer scent for my soaps. Year after year though, I find myself returning to Lemongrass Essential Oil. It has incredible staying power in cold process soap, and the slight citrus note grounded by a more earthy tone make this a complex, all around fantastic essential oil.

Bottom right: This is such a cute motivational poster. If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life! So thankful that I tripped on this truth when I was just 20 years old and founded Bramble Berry. #Lucky

Bottom left: What a fun twist on decorating Easter eggs — these are not only painted, they’re also filled with glitter! Such a clever way to fill an eggs while keeping the shell (mostly) intact.

Left center: Some Lemon Sugar Cookies to compliment the Lemongrass Essential Oil (coincidence is completely unintentional, I swear!). These look absolutely delicious, and so perfect for summer. I had a work party last weekend and brought everyone sugar cookies from Pure Bliss Desserts. I had one on an empty stomach for breakfast. That was not a good choice but I’m ready to go at it again  (maybe with a little food in me next time!) with this delicious recipe.

Instagrams:

We’ve been hard at work on a fun collection of tutorials (we’re channeling the idea of a day filled with relaxation and pampering). Expect lots of special deals coming at the end of this month too, but for now, here’s a mini preview give you an idea of what’s to come! (P.S. Interested in making this lovely scrub yourself? Buy the kit with everything you need on Bramble Berry.)

No spa experience is complete without a flickering candle flame. Here’s a behind the scenes look at how to make a layered candle. Full tutorial coming soon!

Tweets:

  • This is an excellent (and galling) example of why we need more women in office: women make up the bulk of voters in Virginia but there are no elected female officials statewide.
  • We’ve rolled out a brand new feature on the Bramble Berry website — product reviews!  If you absolutely can’t live without a product (or maybe you had a not-so-great-experience with it), let us – and your fellow soapers – know on the product’s page.
  • This is a fantastic article on how one company has funded an incredible number of startups and shaken up the crowdfunding game in the process. Their secret? Cut out the middle man!
  • If you need some help organizing your thoughts or deciding which direction to take a big project, check out this mind mapping software. It looks super helpful when you have lots of ideas floating around.

Find me on Twitter here, Pinterest here and Instagram here.

Facebook Photo of the Week (July 12th ~ July 19th)

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy weekend everyone, I hope your week is coming to a wonderful close and you’re busy preparing for a weekend summer adventure. Our Chief Operating Officer Norm returned to the office yesterday after a month-long trip to Europe, and we greeted him with a little prank — after all, who wouldn’t want to return to an office full of packing peanuts after 20 hours of travel time!? (Okay, so we didn’t actually fill his whole office with peanuts, but it sure did fool him). We also made him his own Mini-Me to leave with us next time he takes a vacation (which I am hoping is no time soon; the place isn’t the same without him).

Norm & his Mini Me

Aside from the pranks, there was another wonderful display of soapy creations on the Bramble Berry Facebook page.  This fashion-friendly soap is super cute and super trendy:

This week’s photo comes to us from Susan at JBS Farm. Her soap Burberry Plaid soap caught my eye for the precise design and the attention to detail. The colors were spot-on and the lines were so straight. I could hardly believe it when I found that Susan had just starting soaping this last March! What an inspiration to new and established soapers. Thanks to everyone who participates each week by posting photos, asking questions and sharing soapy stories on our Facebook.

Susan’s Website: JBS Farm

Susan’s Facebook Page:  JBS Farm

Be sure to post pictures of your soap creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to win a gift package from Bramble Berry, and don’t forget to check Soap Queen regularly for soapy news and updates!

Soap Challenge: Leopard Spots Tutorial

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Cold Process Soap

Take a walk on the wild side with this trendy Leopard Spot Soap. This was yet another dramatic entry to the Great Cakes Soapworks Challenge series. It involves a unique frosting bag technique to achieve the fierce, big cat-inspired spots. For those of you looking to expand your soaping skill set, this is the tutorial for you!

What You’ll Need:

38 oz. Basic Quick Mix

12.5 oz. distilled water

5.4 oz. Sodium Hydroxide

Two Disposable Frosting Bags

2.2 oz. Pikake Flower Fragrance Oil

Aqua Pearl Mica

Ultramarine Blue

Tangerine Wow

Brown Oxide

10″ Silicone Loaf Mold

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

Want to make a recipe up from scratch?It needs to give you plenty of time to work with it so I’d recommend at least 60% liquid oils and no more than 40% (total) of solid oils and butters.

If you have never made cold process soap before, I highly recommend you get a couple of basic recipes under your belt. Check out this (free!) 4-part series on cold process soap making, especially the episode on lye safety. Bramble Berry carries quite a few books on the topic as well, including this downloadable book on making cold process soap.

COLOR PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of the Tangerine Wow into 1 tablespoon of Sunflower or Sweet Almond Oil, 1 teaspoon Brown Oxide Pigment into 1 tablespoon of Sunflower or Sweet Almond Oil, and 1 teaspoon of Aqua Pearl plus 1 mini-scoop of Ultramarine Blue into into 1 tablespoon of Sunflower or Sweet Almond Oil. Use a mini mixer to get clumps worked out smoothly.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water, and stir until clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that lasts longer in the shower and releases faster from the mold, you can add Sodium Lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of Sodium Lactate per pound of oils in the recipe.

TWO: Pour approximately 1.5 cups of soap batter each into two separate containers. These containers will hold the colors for the spots.

THREE: In the large container, add about 1.5 teaspoons of the Aqua Pearl/Ultramarine Blue colorant. Using a whisk or spatula, mix the colorant into the batter.

FOUR: In the first 1.5 cup container, add .5 teaspoon of Brown Oxide Pigment. Using a whisk or spatula, mix the colorant into the batter.

FIVE: In the second 1.5 cup container, add 2 teaspoons of Tangerine Wow pigment. Using a whisk or spatula, mix the colorant into the batter.

SIX: In the green soap, add about 1.2 oz. of Pikake Flower Fragrance Oil. Be sure to use a whisk or spatula to mix the fragrance into the soap. You don’t want to accelerate trace! Then, pour about 1/4 of the soap into the mold.

SEVEN: Using a whisk or spatula, pour .5 oz. of fragrance oil into the brown soap.

EIGHT: Cut the tip off one of the frosting bags and set it inside a container to minimize messiness. Then, slowly pour about three-fourths of the brown soap into the bag.

NINE: Starting in the lower left corner of the mold, squirt a line of brown soap diagonal across the mold until you reach the other side. Make another diagonal line starting about 2 – 3 inches away from the first. Draw it up to the other end of the mold, parallel with the first line. Make a final line another 2 – 3 inches away from the second, and draw it across the mold, parallel to the second line, until you reach the other side. Each line should between .5 – 1 inch wide.

TEN: Cut the tip off the second frosting bag and set it inside a container to minimize messiness. Then, slowly pour about three-fourths of the orange soap into the bag. Make slightly smaller lines of orange soap over the original brown lines.

ELEVEN: Pour a final layer of brown soap over the orange soap, making sure to fully cover any visible orange soap.

TWELVE: Using a large spoon or spatula, gently plop the remaining green soap over the stripes. Be careful because you do not want the green soap the destroy the carefully layered lines of orange and brown soap. Tamp the mold gently on the table to ensure even coverage and disperse any trapped air bubbles.

TWELVE: Using a spoon or spatula, plop three spoonfuls of the remaining orange soap across the length of the mold, about one inch apart from one another.

THIRTEEN: Using the same technique, fill in the gaps with spoonfuls of the remaining brown soap.

FOURTEEN: Using the tip of a spoon, gently spread the soap from the edge into the middle of the mold, forming a ridge down the center. This will create the “whipped” peak you see in the final result.

Spray the entire top with 91% – 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to reduce soda ash. Cover and insulate for 24 hours and unmold after 3-4 days. Allow to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy!

Peacock Glitter Nail Polish

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

Strut your stuff with this fabulous Peacock Glitter Nail Polish. The polish is super simple to make, and in under a half an hour you can have your nails prepped and ready for a night out! The Vintage Grey Mica adds a touch of sophistication, and the subtlety of the green, blue and aqua-hued glitter make this a versatile polish for any occasion.

What You’ll Need:

Suspending Nail Polish Base

3 Nail Polish Bottles (15 mL size)

3 Nail Polish Mixing Balls

Peacock Nail Polish Glitter

Vintage Grey Mica

Tiny Funnel

Mini Scoops

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

Never made nail polish before? It’s easy! Check out this Soap Queen TV Nail Polish tutorial for a quick introduction to making your own polish.

ONE: In a well ventilated space, pour the nail polish base slowly into the bottle. Fill until just below the shoulder of the bottle to allow for mixing room. If you spill, use an old rag to wipe the neck of the bottle. If you forget to do this, your lid may ‘glue’ itself to the bottle. Please note that nail polish is extremely flammable and should never be customized near any open flame or extremely hot heat source (say, a stove or something like that).

TWO: Drop a mixing ball into each nail polish bottle.

THREE: Using a mini scoop, add 4 – 5 scoops of colorant per bottle. This part can get messy because the mica is so fine, so consider pouring over a garbage can or an easily washable surface.

FOUR: Insert the brush into the bottle and twist the black cap over it until you hear a “click”. Once the cap is securely on the bottle, start shaking! Shake the bottle for 3 – 5 minutes to fully disperse the colorant into the nail polish base.

FIVE: When the colorant has been fully dispersed, add the Peacock Glitter. The amount of glitter is completely up to you, but we added about 10 – 12 scoops.

Tip: To avoid spilling glitter everywhere, consider using a Mini Funnel to channel the glitter directly into the bottle!

That’s it! You’re ready for a night out with perfectly peacock’ed nails.