Soap Queen

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Winning Surprises is Fun!

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Remember the Fair Ivy contest that just wrapped up? If not, read about the contest here and drool over some fabulous soap here and here.

The BB crew hard at work going through each and every entry. From the left: Amber, Simona, Myself (and baby) and Courtney. It was a fun afternoon but a lot of work!

The Fair Ivy contest was a chance to win a wholesale account with Fair Ivy, Surprise Package Subscriptions. Contestants sent in their soaps, lotions, scrubs and other toiletry products to jump at the opportunity. This contest was WAY bigger than we anticipated. We had 54+  people send in their products which meant we had to go through each and every product to pick only 11 finalists to send on to Fairy Ivy, who will ultimately pick the final winner(s).

So Here’s the Question: What are we going to do with the rest of the products? That’s where you come in. We want to give it away to loving homes.

How to Win: Comment below and tell us what your favorite soapy/crafty blog is. OR tell us what your favorite Etsy shop is. The comment MUST include a link! We’ll randomly pick SIX winners to receive a goodie bag including 13-14 bath and body products that may include soap, lotion, scrubs or bathbombs. This is our own version of a surprise package! Thanks for the inspiration, Fair Ivy!

Contest ends next Wednesday the 20th so you have a week to hunt down a new favorite blog or Etsy shop!

Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!
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243 Comments

  2. Wow. So sweet of you to share! I’m going to toot my own horn and list my own etsy shop. hehe etsy.com/shops/megncreations. I hope I win! Thanks AM!

  3. Not fair! So not fair! I just cannot choose one favorite out of over 150 blogs I follow.

    Hmm…not trying to score brownie points, but you guys are definitely in my top 10 picks. I always check your blog even if I don’t have time to read all of them. It definitely is flooded with info and pictures. If I could only follow one blog, it would probably be this one…

    http://www.soapqueen.com

  5. Well, I definitely have a ton of blogs and etsy shops that I need to look at after reading all these posts! Soap Queen is the one blog that I really look at every day.

    If you want to teach your kids to sew, I think that http://www.sewingschool.blogspot.com/ is a great blog. My mom taught us how to sew when we were very young, but I don’t remember anything about the process, so I wasn’t sure where to start with my own kids. They give great advice on what supplies to use as well as fun projects. I bought their Sewing School book, too, and my 9 year old son has made several projects almost completely on his own.

  10. I love the Sirona Spring Blog, is very informative and fun. Her blog as well as yours http://www.soapqueen.com has served of inspiration and motivation for me. http://sironasprings.wordpress.com/

    One of my favorite Etsy stores is Urban Farm Naturals: http://www.etsy.com/shop/UrbanFarmNaturals?ga_search_query=NATURAL+SOAP&ga_page=9&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

    Thank you for sharing all this products and also for letting us recognize all the great soap crafters out there. Kudos everyone!

  12. Well of course I love Soap Queen blog *wink* But the others I like is Great Cakes and Grumpy Girl, both wonderfully nice women with great sites. But I also love Platypus Dreams! You know what, I have too many favorites to list them all! And to be honest, I am always finding new soap makers and their sites to add to my favorites list! *lol* Guess you could say I have a soap addiction, you would think they would have some self-help group for us soap fanatics! *lol* I am myself hoping to open my own store one day soon and when I do I will share that with you all on here too! I hope you 7 the little one are doing well

    BLOGS:
    http://www.greatcakessoapworks.com/handmade-soap-blog/

    http://www.soapobsession.blogspot.com/

    http://burntmill.blogspot.com/

    ETSY:
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/platypusdreams?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=App_Seller&utm_content=shops&utm_campaign=fb_seller_shop

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/MarmaladeHills

  13. Ever since I found your Soap Queen Blog, it’s the main one I read, so definitely my favorite! I’ve been trying to go back and read from the beginning, so I don’t miss anything! I even have made several cupcake recipes, the lemon ones this morning, everyone loved them!

    http://www.soapqueen.com/

    • I did forget to mention that the Soap Queen blog is my daily soap news paper. I must read it daily to get my “soap fix”. Thank you for all the great ideas!

  17. How fun! Who doesn’t love lots of bath and body products? 🙂

    Blog – I ♥ Soap Queen!

    Etsy – My mom’s shop WildOliveKids

    • That is an adorable shop that I haven’t seen before. Love the little owls! This is so great seeing all of these wonderful new shops. I’ll have to do this more often. 🙂

  20. Well, I hate to be a brown-noser, but if it hadn’t been for the Soap Queen, I would never have really attempted soap, lotion, or any toiletry making. I live in Bellingham, home of Bramble Berry, and stumbled across Otion. From there I discovered so many resources, and thus, the obsession began.

    http://www.soapqueen.com !!

  21. Oh…there’s so many and it’s hard to choose! I love reading blogs! Soap Queen’s blog is very informative and creative! Check out the lucious soaps on Lynn’s blog.

  25. I love greenweddingshoes.com. It is filled with the most amazing and creative wedding stories including ideas for bridal gifts including soaps and wonderful personal items. It’s amazing!!!

    • OMG! I could spend way too much time on that blog. So fun, bright and inspirational!

  32. Wow what a thread full of wonderful suggestions. I didn’t read all 200 so this might be a repeat.

    How about sending them off to northern Japan as a good will gesture?

    • We just donated to World Vision this week. It’s important to help them out with more difficult to obtain resources which is why Bramble Berry went with a cash donation. We’re definitely thinking about them!

  33. Hi there! Thanks for doing this! My favorite soap blog is SoapQueen. One of my next favorite soapy blogs is Bloom, Bake & Create: http://www.bloombakecreate.com/ She grows wonderful plants, bakes and cans, and makes soaps and fabric art. She shares a lot of it on her blog.

    My favorite Etsy store? Wow. That’s hard. It changes daily! Right now one of my favorites is Suzy Q’s: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SuzyQQuilts?ref=pr_shop Many quilts and totes and such. Coincidentally, she’s located in Bellingham.

    Happy day and how’s that baby doing?

  35. Anne-Marie,

    Oh my gosh, this is so fun and so generous of you to share all these goodies with a few lucky peeps! One of my favorite blogs by Joanna Schmidt called The Soap Bar http://thesoapbar.blogspot.com/2007/08/welcome-to-soap-bar-blog.html . She also has a store on Etsy called Product Body http://www.etsy.com/shop/productbody
    I love her blog for many reasons. Her soaps are beautiful! Maybe even more important is how I relate to her sense of humor and how in her writing her honesty really comes out. Joanna also spot lights MANY different soapers and I adore looking at the pictures (soap porn) as she calls it ::Giggle::

    I ♥ you Ann-Marie and Bramble Berry!!!

  36. My favorite blog is Soap Queen blog. My 4 year old daughter and I LOVE watching SoapQueenTV together! We went through each and every episodes together for many times. It is so much fun and very entertaining!
    Thanks for providing us such great content!

    My favorite etsy shop is the following:
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/staroftheeast

  39. Well, I’m not trying to suck up or anything, but the only soap/craft blog I follow is this one! lol It’s the truth. I really love Anne-Marie’s inspirational projects, and motivational topics. Certainly gives me some light to my future.

    For the Etsy shop, I’m going to give Kudos to a woman who has helped me out a number of times. And although I don’t know her in real life, she has inspired me on many occasions, and even gave me some soap making tips!
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/silvermaplesoaps

  41. Oooh, this would be the ultimate surprise package!!!

    I have so many Etsy faves, but my most recent purchace came from http://www.etsy.com/shop/SoapStore
    The Dead Sea Mud bar smells amazing. UH-mazing!

    P.S. – The new Soap Queen layout is fantastic! I’m a huge fan.

    • Thanks for posting the link. Beautiful soaps. I can see how you couldn’t resist! And thanks for the kudos on the new blog. We love the new layout too =)

  47. My favorite blog is soapqueen. It not only has great tutorials and information but it also allows all of us out here a chance to connect and see into Ann-Marie’s life. To see that see is in many ways just like us and it gives us the hope and sometimes strength to follow our hopes,dreams, and love of soaping. This isn’t to earn brownie points or anything and I don’t post very often but I have been reading and watching soapqueen for 2 years now and I have learned sooo much. Not only about soaping but myself as well. Thanks

    http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-cut-those-gosh-darned-big-blocks.html

    • Awww. That’s really sweet! Brownie points for you for picking your husband’s Etsy shop =)

  54. I would first like to say thanks for having this contest. I’m new to soaping and I have found so many blogs to help me with my creations thanks to this contest.

    Right now my favorite Etsy is:
    http://www.noellabeautyworks.etsy.com

    I love that her make up is all natural and that she makes her products to custom order. She also has giveaways which everyone loves!!

    • I’m so glad we get to give away some amazing products. Thanks for posting this link. Beautiful mineral makeup!

  55. My most recent Etsy love is:
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/totusmel
    I have been to some great festivals where this kind of cool body adornment would fit in perfectly! Plus I could see a place for it in the bedroom 🙂 especially after a body treatment with some of those great products what were sent in for the Fair Ivy contest.

  58. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Blushie

    I love Megan’s shop, her photos are stunning, her soaps are beautiful works of art and they are packaged and labelled professionally and like works of art. She is also a great seller to work with.
    Of course, I also love the soapqueen blog as I look forward to it every day and get so many new ideas and ways to spend more money on supplies~

  59. Besides of course Soap Queen (where I get sooo much inspiration to try new things!!) I really like Swift’s blog at http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/. Not only does she tell HOW to make something, she tells us WHY she chooses the ingredients she uses. She gives in depth descriptions about the raw ingredients she uses. I feel this gives us more power to inform our customers of what exactly they are purchasing from us. Susan also takes the time to answer any questions that people ask on her blog, and will take the time to actually try out different ideas that people have given her so she can give a well informed, concise answer. She gives so much of her time to all of her followers that it is just amazing. She also creates e-books of alot of the recipes and information she has compiled. She donates the profits for those e-books to the youth group she runs. I know that when I read anything she has posted, she will have the chemistry information to back up anything she says. This makes me very confident when I try out any of the MANY recipes she has posted on her blog!

  60. Anne Marie your blogs are inspirational and have inspired many a soapmaker over time. If I am chosen please send my prize to the owner of one of the blogs I have listed below.

    A couple of my favourite blogs in no order of preference as I don’t want to upset anyone are:

    http://www.thesoapbar.blogspot.com – Jo puts her heart and soul into her blog.

    I can’t read the blogs below but the pictures tell a 1000 words.

    http://jabon-soap.blogspot.com/

    Sergio’s blogs – so creative he also has a You Tube channel, very lovely gentleman.
    http://jabonesvillafortuna.blogspot.com/
    http://enjaboname.blogspot.com/

    (Anne-Marie you must look at this one it’s unreal, a labour of love)
    http://arte-jabon.blogspot.com/

    Exquisite inspirational soap art for exhibitions such patience and planning – http://elomar-pasitoapasito.blogspot.com/

    Best of luck everyone. 🙂 Cheers Sharon

  61. MY REQUEST IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, IF MY COMMENT BELOW IS CHOSEN, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SEND THE GOODIES I WOULD RECIEVE TO STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART, THESE FOLKS SUPPORT FOSTER PARENTS THAT TAKE KIDS LIKE WE DO…. MOST OF THE TIME THESE KIDS FROM NEW BORN TO TEENS DON’T EVEN HAVE A TOOTHBRUSH WHEN THEY ARRIVE…. CAN YOU IMAGINE GETTING A KID PACK THAT HAS WONDERFUL PRODUCTS IN IT? OH MY GOODNESS, THINK OF THE NEGELECTED OR HURT TWEEN, TEEN OR MAYBE EVEN PREGNANT FOSTER TEEN THAT GETS A LITTLE SPOILIN’…. HERE IS THE LINK :
    http://www.straightfromtheheartinc.com/

    Now as for my favorite blog, I am torn between SoapyLove (soapylove.blogspot.com) and of course Brambleberry!

    My favorite Etsy (now that Debbie Chaitles isn’t there any longer) is easily Sun Basil Garden! Their handcrafted artwork is fun and inspiring!
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunbasilgarden

    BRIGHTEST BLESSINGS ONE AND ALL!

    • Good one. I see some delicious looking recipes on that blog. Now I’m suddenly hungry =)

  66. My favorite blog is SoapQueen.com, of course! I don’t soap often anymore, but I still enjoy reading your blog every evening. I’m also enjoying watching the Bramblebump grow! 🙂

  67. My favorite soapy blog is http://www.soapisbeautiful.com, she has the most wonderful pictures of all different kinds of soap, from all kinds of places. There is always inspiration awaiting there.

    Thank you for taking the time to share all the wonderful creations with us.

  74. What a great way of sharing the goodies!

    My favorite blog is http://soapsession.com/blog/. The photography is amazing and the ideas are refreshing and inspiring. The tutorials are also really helpful. The blog is in French but those who don’t speak French will still be able to get a lot out of it because of the photos.

    Thanks!
    Annie

  76. My favorite soap spot is right here on soapqueen. When I boot up my computer, I know there will be a rainbow waiting for me. Thank you so much for all the hard work and tests and trials you all have done for all of us. You are all the best! My favorite blog is http://oodlekadoodleprimitives.blogspot.com/ and http://www.rosie.com/ . I couldn’t just pick 2 as they are both good. I like oodlekadoodle because she is very kind and I have learned alot about making primitive dolls from her. She has alot of patience and very giving of herself. I love Rosie’s blog as she does so much for the elderly and children. She has helped so many people and to me that is what we are supposed to do in this life,help people along the way. Thank you for letting me join in! Good luck with that blessing that is due soon! Nothing like a baby!

  77. Hi AM!!!
    Congrats for that incredible BB crew. I realy adore Soap Queen blog, but I´ve seen all products from Tierra Verde blog and I´m following it because of all amazyng products I´ve seen there.
    http://tierraverdesoaps.blogspot.com/
    Thank you for the chance to win these special products!!!

    Claudia
    Monterrey, Mexico
    PS Is there any chance to participate for somebody from Mexico? I hope so.
    🙂

    • Oh,Thank you so much. So kind of you – I’m glad you like my blog. Good Luck! Wouldn’t it be great to win a bunch of lovely products? Yeah!

    • People have covered some amazing soap blogs thus far. I love the hostess blog. I’m already seeing some really cute ideas. Thanks!

  82. I love soap queen of course. So helpful. In Betsy I love Ariel’s secret garden and natures essence. And also sweet scents soaps. Want to someday try some of their products.

  83. Hi BB!

    Thanks for the offer, what a great idea to spread the love.

    A couple of things, love that AnneMarie is wearing slippers, and love that Courtney is wearing flip flops. Here in Maine we are not ready for summer feet yet, there is still snow on the ground.

    Also, I love peeking inside BB, maybe you can do a post or video of a behind the scences at BB?

    Okay, right now my favorite etsy shop is High Street Vintage as she created all my new packaging labels http://www.etsy.com/people/HighStreetVintage

    But I read Craft Gossip often http://craftgossip.com/ to see what the world is crafting. I don’t have much time for more than soap, but a girl can dream….

    thanks!
    Shannon
    http://www.cascobaysoap.blogspot.com

    • Hi Shannon! You caught me in my slippers. Ack =) We thought we were ready for Spring last week and then it SNOWED here in Bellingham this morning. We are having the craziest weather right now.

      I’m addicted to Craft Gossip too!

      Thanks for popping in!

  85. I have to say that brownie points aside and the obvious attempt at all seriousness and honesty in choosing a blog, I would have to say that the gracious, kind and pregnant owner of Brambleberry’s blog; http://www.soapqueen.com, would be my favorite blog. This is the most informative, detailed blog that has kept me updated with new products, faboo recipes (extremely specific and self explanatory), the behind the scenes goings on of a company that caters specifically to new and experienced crafters the world over and other informative ideas and helpful tips. Thank you!!

    Sonya

  87. Hello! I have a blog that isn’t exactly about soap but is a blog that gives me tons of inspiration to be creative. It is all about recycling, the art of recycling and the creative uses of recyclable materials. Check it out at:http://barnofopportunity.blogspot.com/

    Enjoy! Laurel

    • I love it. Bellingham is such an earth friendly and green community so this totally fits!

  88. Not to sound like a sheep, but I’m going to have to vote for SoaperStar too….I think she just takes the ideas a little further out of the box than I’m used to 😉 Fav etsy shop? Mine of course 😀 It’s not much yet, but I love tweaking ti a little everyday. Okay, many times everyday. http://www.etsy.com/shop/TuesdaysWashday

  90. My fave soap blog is Soaperstar http://www.soaperstar.blogspot.com/

    I love her stuff so much, at one point I bought so much I had to get baskets for my bathroom to display the soaps and I give them to everyone as gifts as well, in fact I got two gift bags recently and I was so tempted to just not pass them on to my friends as they looked and smelled so gorgeous. <3

  91. My favorite Soap blog would have to be SoapQueen 🙂
    But my favorite crafty blog is OnePrettyThing. http://www.oneprettything.com/
    I get so many ideas! Especially new packaging ideas inspired by some of the tutorials listed.

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    ~Jessie

    • BTW, love the idea of everyone posting their favorite blogs, now I have so many new blogs to look through!

  95. So My fav. Blog hands down is SoapQueen. I find the recipes so interesting and simple to make, as they are step by step processes. I also find that the business info and mini classes are wonderfully researched and explained simply as well. My favorite Etsy store would have to be Valhalla Soaps. http://www.etsy.com/people/Valhallasoap?ref=ls_profile

    Not only are the products awesome, I love to watch their YouTube videos. I love seeing what Donna is un-molding next. I want to buy some of her ” Goth Witch” Soap and will when I get back to work and make some money. I would like to say that one of my Favorite SoapQueen Blogs was http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/chocolate-scrubs-soap-2/

    Because let’s face it EVERY THING is better with chocolate!!!

    • Awww. Thanks for all of the positive feedback. We love helping with recipe and projects. It’s honestly so fun for us!

  96. So My fav. Blog hands down is SoapQueen. I find the recipes so interesting and simple to make, as they are step by step processes. I also find that the business info and mini classes are wonderfully researched and explained simply as well. My favorite Etsy store would have to be Valhalla Soaps. http://www.etsy.com/people/Valhallasoap?ref=ls_profile

    Not only are the products awesome, I love to watch their YouTube videos. I love seeing what Donna is un-molding next. I want to buy some of her ” Goth Witch” Soap and will when I get back to work and make some money. I would like to say that one of my Favorite SoapQueen Blogs was http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/chocolate-scrubs-soap-2/

    Because let’s face it EVERY THING is better with chocolate!!!

    • Erin from Naiad is the coolest. She is such a talented soapmaker and crafter. Great blog choice =)

  103. I love reading Soapqueen of course, but the other one I love to read is http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/ She has taught me so much about formulation and the “why and how things work.” Hats off to both of you for all that you have shared with the bath and body community!
    Thanks!
    Stacey

  105. I have to say I heard of soapqueen through Bramble berry. I made soap for my weding and everybody loved it! Know I am exspecting my second child and thanks to you guys I am able to make soap for the new baby as well as my daughter and myself who have Exzema! It has been such a blessing finding you guys!

  108. I love, love, love the soap designs that Deshawn Marie creates. She adds a natural touch inspired by the essential oil or fragrance and the soaps have a sophisticated, romantic feel. I find her work inspirational and it gets my creative juices going to create an original piece of soap.

    I also love reading postings here at soapqueen.com for inspiration too.

    http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=deshawn+marie

  111. My favorite soap blog is Pasito A Pasito. I don’t read or speak the language that this blog is wrote in. But oh my they have some of the most interesting soaps I have laid my eyes on. You can translate this page in English with goggle.

    http://elomar-pasitoapasito.blogspot.com/2011/03/las-mini-series-atacan-de-nuevo.html

    Favorite Etsy shop is hands down Kristy’s Lovely Lathers. http://www.etsy.com/shop/KristysLovelyLathers She is such a sweet person, and has some amazing soapies.

    • Pasito a Pasito: Those are some intricate and inventive soaps. Very impressive! And we totally adore Kristy from Kristy’s Lovely Lathers (so talented). Great picks!

  117. So seriously, my favorite soaping blogs are Soap Queen and Soap King…I have learned so very much both blogs. Everything I know about soaping I have learned from the Soap Queen! I’m all the way in NJ and would love for an Otion to open up on the East coast…what fun!!!

    http://www.soapqueen.com

    Interestingly I learned of BrambleBerry from Lisa Johnson’s stamping and craft blog http://www.poppypaperie.typepad.com/ Lisa is always doing some neat cross-over craft project and last year she made the cutest M&P soaps with Japanese erasers in them…I was hooked!

    • You got me with the name Epically Epic. Pretty funny. I’m loving all of the color. Cute stuff!

    • OMG. I’m melting. These hats are so darling. I’ll have to hunt around a little more and find something for the Bramble Bump, who will be here soon =)

  126. My favorite Etsy shop is The Tempting Tart:

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/thetemptingtart

    I almost always have one of her tarts in my warmer and every time someone comes over they walk in and immediately ask what smells so good?!

    As for soap/crafty blogs, there’s just waaay too many for me to declare a favorite! Although I will say this one ranks pretty high on the list. 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity to win such a great giveaway!

  127. I am a new soaper (5 batches under my belt, YEAH!). I have to say that I love it — it speaks to the latent chemist in me, I think. My other love is crochet. Sooo, my choice to share is my fave site on Etsy.

    If any of you crochet or knit and are looking for the most gorgeous hook/needle cases or project bags, you MUST check out MadBird on Etsy.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/madbird

    The fabrics are so beautiful I leave my crochet bag out when I’m not working on my project just so I can look at the bag. 🙂

  128. I absolutely adore the soaps and lotions I have purchased from Ariel’s Secret Garden. As someone with very dry skin, the goats milk Sherri uses in her products has all but cured it!

    The link to her etsy store is http://www.etsy.com/shop/sherrilenett but she has recently moved her store to artfire. Here is that link https://www.artfire.com/users/ArielsSecretGarden

    Additionally, while Sherri does have a blog (http://sherrilenett.blogspot.com/) I have preferred watching her vlog on youtube, here is that link: http://www.youtube.com/user/sherrilenett

    My apologies for the link heavy comment, I wanted to share all avenues to this great shop!

  130. Personally I would love to see all these goodies donated to a Women’s shelter or a homeless shelter, why not let them have the enjoyment of a scrumptious soap.

    • Hi Mrs. B- Thanks for your note. We donate 400 pounds of soap annually to our women’s shelter here in Bellingham, WA. They literally can’t take anymore soap from us right now =) Plus we thought it would be a really fun way to spread some inspiration around to our Soap Queen readers. We also recently donated 75 pounds of soap from our retail store, Otion, to a shelter over seas. Social responsibility is extremely important. We’re always thinking of others here at BB. Check out our social responsibility statement on the BB site https://www.brambleberry.com/Social-Responsibility-Statement-W15.aspx

  131. My favorite soap blog (beside soap queen…i love to read this blog and learn so much) would be Naiad Soap Arts. http://naiadsoaparts.blogspot.com/ She not only covers soap (love how she tells you what she does and has great pictures) but she also blogs on great foods and sites.
    and my fave etsy shop would be….naid soap arts! her soaps and scrubs are great! they smell great and look amazing :)http://www.etsy.com/shop/naiad

  132. One of my favorite shops is Blushie Soaps (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Blushie).

    I love the little soap curls and the bright colors. It’s inspirational and fun! I finally got to purchase some soap from Blushie. The colors are just as vibrant in person, and the smell is heavenly! The colors contrast yet complement each other so well; you’ll have a smile on your face looking at this soap. The scents just blend naturally and brightly – love that Blackberry Sage.

    I hope I can make such beautiful products someday.

  133. My favorite blog is yours!!! But, I’ve found many other different sites from you. Right now I’m loving all of Debbie Chialtas (aka – SoapyLove). I have found that she will be in the San Fran area teaching a 2 day class “Boot Camp” at The Nova Studio. So I’m packing up and leaving Las Vegas for a long weekend of soap making fun! Thanks for introducing me to Debbie. The last blog I read was
    Lori’s Nova’s owner of The Nova Studio http://thenovastudio.blogspot.com

  136. Although this isn’t a crafty/soapy blog or etsy shop, these retired ladies that volunteer at the hospital I work at do exactly that every single day for patients in the hospital. Their creations are amazing (floral, quilts, knit items, cards, etc.). Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of their creations. I would like to, however, provide a little something for their remarkable work if randomly chosen.

    http://www.sutterdavis.org/about/volunteering.html

    Great idea for the giveaway!

    Thanks!
    Letie

    • They do have beautiful soap. A couple people have posted this blog (for obvious reasons- cuteness!). I love how you’re calling it your “crush”. Love it!

  139. Well, I am somewhat new to CP soaping and body products. I have been crafting them for about a year. I am an information lover and I use so many blogs to help me learn about the craft.

    My favorite blog is Soap Queen. I find it very easy to read and understand. I just love how personal it seems to be, it pairs well with the sister company Bramble Berry.

    I know that I can always trust the information to be correct and safe. The members that leave their comments are full of useful information, also.

    Thank you for all of your help and encouragement through my learning.

  141. My favorite crafty/soapy blog is http://www.chickensintheroad.com . She has a bunch of animals and makes soap and cheese and all sorts of things. I enjoy reading her blog every day and she is the only really local blogger that I know of (she lives in the same county I do). My husband and I have fun making goat milk soap from our own goats’ milk. It’s great to share a hobby, and we’d like to make it a little more than a hobby, but haven’t quite gotten there yet.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    ~Jenny~

    • Those sound like great soaps. I’ll be the Coffee Scrub soap is good too. Thanks for sharing the link. I love the look of this soap! Very natural looking.

  149. SoapQueen is my fave blog 🙂
    So informative!!! Keep up the good work Anne Marie

    My favorite Etsy shop is Notions Soap
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/DedaNotions

    Deb makes some of the best soap I’ve ever used! And her scent combinations are out of this world!!! Absolutely Decadent!!!

      • yes, I am in love with the packaging. I ordered the Essential (Mechanic) soap for the hubby, & instead of swirlies, it has little tools, absolute attention to detail right there!

  152. My Favorite Bath & Body Blog/Website is
    Susan’s Point of Interest Blog.
    http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/

    She’s very “in the know” because she
    tests and forumulates without fear.
    She shares her amazing data with the world and
    has really inspired whole Forums of people
    to try their hand at Bath & Body Products as
    well.

    Susan has also graciously formed 3 e-books
    to help educate on Anhydrous Products, Hair Care,
    and Lotion Making to raise money for the
    Youth Groups she is very active in, helping
    to educate and keep Kids active.

    To me this is a Triple Win Blog and I
    Reccommend it to everyone.

    • She has some amazing, bright and beautiful soap. I love the colors in her latest post!

    • I think you’ll be safe getting any of the jellyfish pendants. They are all stunning! Thanks for the link!

  159. Ack! it’s hard to choose just one…all my soapy friends are super talented as well. But since I must choose, and if it has to be one other than this blog, I’ll pick Sherrie’s Twenty-One Pleasant blog – http://twentytwopleasant.blogspot.com/ – because I’ve learned a lot of great things from her. 🙂

    As for Etsy shop, dang! Again, it’s hard to choose, but I just bought something from Joanna’s Product Body shop – http://www.etsy.com/shop/productbody – I do love her Crush on You scrubs!

    • We totally adore Sunbasilgarden Soaps. She always has the cutest soaps for every occasion!

  164. I have really liked soapobsession.blogspot.com.

    I have watched her change the designs on her soap, and it’s fascinating to me. She’s gone from doing really cool swirl stuff to piping flowers and designs on top.

  168. I have way too many soap and craft blog loves, but one of my favorite crafty blogs is most definitely Point of Interest: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/. I love the cosmetic chemistry geekery that Susan delivers. So many ingredients and so much info that it makes me swoon with delight.

    What a fantastic idea for a contest. I can’t wait to see what sites everyone comes up with. 🙂

  169. My favorite blog would have to be the Soap Queen, of course!!! ;-D

    My favorite etsy shop is owned by Heather Kent, who hand paints one of a kind artwork. She then takes the “mini painting” and puts it into a necklace, ring, earrings, and even belt buckles for you to wear! I’ve bought 7 of her pieces and given them to the special women in my life! Here’s her etsy shop: http://heatherkent.etsy.com

    • Yay. I’m glad we’re your favorite! Definitely adorable artwork. I’m sure the special women in your life swooned over them. Very cute gift idea (mental note).

    • I love burntmill too look at this soap on etsy
      #44080236 I think its is so pretty

  173. I enjoy http://www.soapqueen.com. There is always something new and I have learned a lot from this site.
    It’s been fun following along with the news of the coming baby. I had the chance to take their yearly soap making workshop last year and get to meet so many nice people from Bramble Berry. If I call to ask a question their so good at getting me the answer.

    • Hi Sharon! Thanks for stopping by. I’m so glad the customer service team takes good care of you. They are all rock stars!

  175. I love the soapqueen blog!

    As for my favorite soapy Etsy shop, I love soapapilla: lovesoapapilla.etsy.com

    She makes some really unique soaps, like her handcarved geodes & birthstones. I bought some for a birthday present & they were a big hit! Plus they smell amazing & are great quality.

  176. I am new to soaping… and not very good at it, yet. 🙂 But I love watching vlogs and reading blogs to learn new techniques and ideas.

    My favorite blog so far would HAVE to be Soap Queen. I also LOVE watching SoapQueenTV. It’s so much fun, interesting, and entertaining. GREAT JOB!

    I did find an Etsy site that I love! The “owner” is so nice, friendly, and has great customer service! And her products are great!!

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/madcitysue?ref=seller_info

  183. Not trying to win brownie points or anything, but Soap Queen is my favourite Soap/Craft blog! (I won’t provide a link) 😉

    Favourite Etsy store is yellena http://www.etsy.com/shop/yellena
    The MOST beautiful intricate artwork I’ve ever seen. I could stare at them all day…

    Thanks!
    Nikki