Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more
Based on your suggestions, comments and encouragement we have been working hard to get a system on Bramble Berry’s website where you can review our products and leave feedback. We’re happy to announce that we have a review system finally in place!
We want to know what you like, what you don’t like and any additions you’d like to see to the Bramble Berry product family. Follow along to learn how to leave your very first review.
Life is settling in with two children. Those who have made the transition from 1 child to 2 know the tiredness, pain, frustration and moments of glee and hilarity Chris and I are going through. Jamisen remains 95% loving and curious and 5% mischievous when it comes to his little sister.
Like, is he helping in this photo? It certainly would appear but …
Lily remains a textbook baby (thank goodness, since Jamisen was definitely NOT) and is able to come to work with me every day. I get about 4 hours of work done in an 8 hour day but I’m just happy to have her with me. On days I need to concentrate, the entire team pitches in to keep her calm. She is quite the little office mascot and is comfortable with the smells and sounds of the Bramble Berry offices. Lily is a full 6 weeks old now and is sleeping 4 hours at a time most nights. I feel like a new woman, capable of coherent speech and patience (a miracle!) if I get a stretch of 4 hours of sleep per night. I’m still tired (!!!) but it’s manageable now.
We had a fun (busy, exhausting) weekend with Grandma and Grandpa here. It is always a blessing, and such a relief to have extra hands to help wrangle the children and give Chris and I a moment to ourselves every so often. It’s nice to get quiet time to remind each other that we do indeed, like each other and catch up on the news of the week.
With their help, we ventured out onto a good old-fashioned train ride – emphasis on the OLD. The trains that we took were over 100 years old and never would pass safety inspection today. Thankfully, they never traveled over 5 miles per hour, making a very short trip last and last and last. Jamisen’s first handcart ride was a success (though the same can’t be said for the next group that took it. Their handcart jumped the tracks, leaving us all very thankful that Jamisen wasn’t on that particular handcart ride. Thankfully no one was hurt).
His sister was less excited about the train trip and did not delight and amaze our cabin. She screamed and screamed for 85% of the ride. I tried to walk her around each train car to give equal opportunity screaming to each train car. Sometimes, she just likes to remind us she is indeed, a baby. =)
Jamisen is obsessed (OBSESSED) with trains. This trip was epic for him and he was awake over 2 hours past his naptime, running on pure happy adrenalin. I see many more train trips in our future this summer.
We had lots of play time this weekend, including three different parks. It was wonderful to have Grandma and Grandpa there to help with both kids. Jamisen is developing an amazing relationship with them, especially Grandma who comes to spend entire weeks with us. Both Chris and I feel thankful, blessed and exceedingly grateful to have such a strong support network.
Jamisen and I even got some one-on-one time this weekend and I really enjoyed it. I’ve missed my little guy while Lily has integrated into our lives (since I’m often comforting or feeding her while Jamisen plays with Daddy). It was a relief to just focus on him and laugh and laugh. The weekend went far too quickly but, there’s always next weekend!
“Young people know how to use these social networking tools, and they know how to use them effectively.” -Edward Norton
Lily and I gave a joint talk on entrepreneurship this week. It was fun to have her with me – and she was a definite hit with the students!
With all the fun happenings at Bramble Berry and Soap Queen, this last week has just flown by! We’ve had one of our last guest posts from the Soap Guild show (written by our very own Kat Hackney), a brand new Make it Month with Woodland Elves, the sample fragrance of the month, and a unique chance for you to inspire a Soap Queen tutorial. And, if you want to be prepared for a fun promotion that is happening later this month, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (we’ve been dropping little hints as far as what’s to come!) ! Are you ready for the photo of the week? A soapy piano scale please…
This week’s photo comes to us from the very talented Lena at Lena Alma Handmade. This masterfully executed piano keys soap was created using Bramble Berry’s new 4″ silicone mold that was part of our Soap Guild Conference Goodie Bag earlier this year. Did you know I play piano? I took lessons for 13 years and enjoy playing to this day. Her soap caught my eye with its crisp black embeds in a milky white background that resemble adorable piano keys. Expect a soapy little package coming your way, Lena! Thanks again to everyone else who is part of our soap making community each and every week. Your photos truly make the Bramble Berry Facebook page what it is!
Lena’s Website: Lena Alma Handmade
Lena’s Facebook Page: Lena Alma Handmade
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!
I love the simplicity of this recipe, which made it perfect for a Soap Queen Short Video (What’s a Soap Queen Short? It’s a video that doesn’t have me talking and is only one camera view, instead of showing me talking and then doing close ups of the product demonstration. Some ideas just don’t need a lot of production!). Just combine Coconut Oil and Salt and the fragrance or essential oil of your choice and you have a luxurious scrub. You may find in the warmer months that it is very soft since the Coconut oil melts at such a low temperature. So be sure you store it in a container with a good seal like our Plastic Bail Jar.
To make this Salt Scrub you will need:
Click here to get everything you need to make this scrub.
We’re looking for some awesome soap’siration for a future tutorial – and we need your help! Have you ever thought “I wonder how that’s made?” or even, “I wonder if that would work!”? Let us take on the testing and development of a recipe you inspire. Or, let us experiment with a color palette that you’ve been tossing around in your head but haven’t gotten around to using. Bonus: we want to see your inspiration in the form of a Pinterest board (because, who doesn’t love Pinterest?!).
So here’s the deal. Create a new Pinterest board with a title that includes “Soap Queen” + the name of your tutorial. For example, “Soap Queen Cold Process Salt Bars” is the title of a mock board we created as an example of what an inspirational board might look like for our Pretty in Pink Cold Process Salt Bars. On your board, pin concept, color palette/inspiration, and don’t forget to include ingredients, tools, and/or packaging (if necessary) for your project! Any type of bath and body product or home craft will be considered. That includes melt and pour or cold process soap, lotion, scrubs, Fizzies,candles, etc. Once your board is completed, link it here in the comments.
You have until August 5th to create your inspirational Pinterest board, so get to pinning! Soon after, we’ll choose our favorite board (or two…or three) and that inspired tutorial will be featured right here on the Soap Queen blog.
Let’s break it down:
Any questions? Let us know in the comments below! And don’t forget to have fun =)
There’s no shortage of fun around the Bramble Berry offices and we let that spirit of fun spill over into charitable activities too. Whether it’s testing a recipe for soapy silly putty, holding an office trivia competition or doing our weekly Team Awesome drawings to recognize outstanding employees, we’re not afraid to mix work and play. It’s even better when we can have a little fun outside the office too!
Bramble Bowler and Customer Care Team Member Rachel shows off the passes she won to the Whatcom Museum of Art & History.
After all the fun we had at Bowl for Kids’ Sake last year, we were eager to join in on the fun again! Not only was this an opportunity to support the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters Northwest, our Bramble Bowlers also got to flex their bowling skills (or lack thereof) too. So maybe we weren’t the best team out there, but I think it’s definitely safe to say we had the most fun.
Our intrepid team of Bramble Bowlers. From left to right: Michelle from Shipping, Lauren from Packing, Ryan M. from Research & Development, Rachel from Customer Care and Kirsten from Social Media.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake is just one of the many volunteer events Bramble Berry participates in each year. From the beginning, Bramble Berry has always believed in giving back to the community, and we’re fortunate to have many non-profit organizations that do amazing work in Bellingham and beyond. In the past, BrambleBerrians have participated in events such as the Salvation Army Shopping Trip, an Americares soap drive, and a Northwest Center clothing drive. As a small local business, we’re committed to enriching our community by helping those around us, even if it’s something as small (and as fun) as a few games of bowling. =)
Interested in learning more about Big Brothers Big Sisters? Check out their website here.
With the July Sample of the Month, it truly is Christmas in July. Throughout this month, every order at Brambleberry.com (excluding soap-base-only orders), will receive a complementary half-ounce bottle of Woodland Elves Fragrance Oil.
This scent includes notes that are hallmarks of the holiday season: hearty Siberian Fir, fresh White Pine, spicy Clove and festive Mistletoe. This fragrance performs beautifully in cold process soap, and works wonderfully in melt and pour, lotions and scrubs. Although the holiday season seems far off, it’s never too early to start preparing for seasonal gift giving.
To jump start your holiday crafting, we’re hosting another Make it Month featuring the Woodland Elves Fragrance Oil! Full details and helpful tips below:
This is an excellent way to show off your creations, and it’s a great source of inspiration for your upcoming holiday projects. In the past, we’ve hosted Make it Months with a variety of themes, including 4th Of July, Oatmeal Milk and Honey Cybilla Fragrance Oil and creative packaging.
To give you a few ideas, here are a few photos from a Make it Month: Christmas that we hosted last year:
We’ve given you the instructions, and now it’s up to you to start crafting, creating and soaping. We can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with!
PS – Many of the Bramble Berry holiday fragrances are coming back into stock this month. Find the full list HERE.
The 2013 Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild conference has come and gone, leaving more than 300 attendees overloaded with valuable lessons regarding all aspects of soap making and business practices. Tired? Yes! Inspired? I can hardly control myself. I could barely sit in my seat during Amanda Griffin’s peacock swirl demonstration.
This is my third time attending and speaking at the conference, and it feels like they just get better each year. The classes were engaging and informative, the Soaper’s Showcase had the cream of the crop, and the goodie bags were generous to say the least.
I had a great time talking about my favorite subject, color, in a Cold Process Colorant Master Class. You all had such great questions and I was thrilled to hear the sound of relief in so many voices who expressed their gratitude after the class. I also have to thank those who attended the second session and were fantastic sports when my mic went out part way through. It wouldn’t be as exciting unless there were at least some challenges along the way.
Missed the conference? You can buy Kat’s Advanced Colorants e-book here!
I met a few of my soap idols as well, including Sharon of Platypus Dreams (who came all the way from Australia!) and Marie Gale, author of Soap & Cosmetic Labeling, Good Manufacturing Practices, and 300 Years of Natural Recipes. We sat next to each other at lunch and talked about horses while I giggled like a fool.
There was a game show night that had us all picking our brains trying to answer trivia, both soap related and general. Eh-hem, go Team Orange!! There was also an English carnival themed event with games like bocce ball, bean bag toss, and stack the soap molds. Everyone left with their arms full of prizes.
The conference also has meals specifically designed in such a way where attendees get to network and meet fellow soapers from all over the nation and beyond. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and converse with those who are doing exactly what you are, with all different experience levels and stories.
I, for one, cannot wait to get back to my soap pot and put some new ideas into practice. Next year’s conference is being held at an incredible spa in Tucson, Arizona and early bird registration has begun. I have to thank the HSCG and all of the hard working coordinators who made this another successful and rewarding event. If you’ve never attended, I strongly encourage you to go. Split the cost of a room with some soap friends if it’ll help. You’ll never forget it!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July spent with family and friends. Our little family (including the newest addition, Lily) was able to participate in all the daytime festivities and had a fun time in the sun (and a tense time in the evening; Miss Lily was up past 1 a.m., crying. Right or wrong, I’m blaming the fireworks). Yesterday we announced the winners of our Fourth of July Challenge, and you can see the winners here. To see all the other creative entries into the challenge, check out our #4th of July Album on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page. In addition to the amazing entries into our challenge, we have a real treat for this weeks Facebook Photo of the Week. Are you ready to see who made these adorable soaps?
The winning soaps this week could not be cuter! These adorable little Koko-Girls were made by the talented Maria, of Kokolele Soaps. Maria is a fantastic melt-and-pour soapcrafter, and the intricate details in her work is inspiring. If you’d like to learn more about Maria and her talent, check out this interview. These party favor soaps were made using Bramble Berry’s Round 3D Mold, and Maria even has a Koko-Boys set in progress (I can’t wait to meet them!). Thanks to everyone each week for being such amazing part of our soapmaking community on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page.
Maria’s Website: Kokolele Soaps
Maria’s Facebook Page: Kokolele Soaps
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!
I hope everyone had a fantastic Fourth of July with lots of friends, food and of course, fireworks. We just wrapped up our 4th of July Make It challenge, and we received a number of fantastic entries. The variety was incredible! We saw lip balms, bath fizzies, all kinds of soaps and even some patriotic nail polish. You can check out the winners here.
We’ve also added a new social media outlet to our quickly growing roster. Bramble Berry is now on Wanelo (which is a combination of “want,” “need,” love,” — cute!) You can search for products, stores and even key words, and Wanelo aggregates results from all across the web. It’s a great place for one stop shopping.
Here is the Soapy Social Media Roundup for this week.
Pins:
Top left: How awesome do these Curry Vegan Kale Chips look? They’re the perfect alternative to regular potato chips at summer backyard barbecues.
Center: It’s here it’s here, it’s finally here! If you couldn’t tell, I am elated about the arrival of the advance copy of Soap Crafting. The book won’t ship out until August, but you can pre-order a copy here. Our international friends can email sma(at)brambleberry(dot)com to request their copy. Each pre-order comes with some awesome extras (two exclusive videos, two never-before-seen recipes and a complete guide to colorants — hint hint!), so don’t miss out.
Bottom: This elegant penny ball serves two purposes — it looks great in your garden, and it also (supposedly, at least according to Pinterest) keeps slugs away. Whereas salt only dehydrates slugs, the tiny amounts of copper in pennies repels them completely. It’s a great way to keep those summer strawberries safe and sound.
Right: Something to keep in mind each and every day!
Vines and Instagrams:
Making the Mantra Swirl for the Great Cakes Soapworks Challenge club. We decided to go with high contrasting colors — black oxide, titanium dioxide and Fizzy Lemonade! The best part? It’s scented with our brand new Cucumber Oak Fragrance Oil =)
And then everyone’s favorite part, the reveal! I love the way this turned out.
This is one we’re calling the “Hawaiian Shirt” soap. Even if you can’t take a Hawaiian summer vacation this year, you can still dream about a tropical paradise. Keep your eyes peeled for a tutorial on this one coming up soon. (Tip: this video doesn’t play automatically, so be sure to click the start arrow!)
Looking for more Bramble Berry videos? Check out Vine and Instagram online. If you have the apps on your phone, my username is @BrambleBerry!
Our warehouse was closed yesterday and we have a skeleton staff today, but we’ll be back running at full capacity catching up and fulfilling orders on Monday. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the holiday weekend!
A Happy Fourth of July weekend to all! I hope that you are enjoyed a day full of beautiful sunshine, healthy food and lots of fun with your family and friends. We had so much fun in the sun on the Fourth but alas, Jamisen did not see any of the fireworks since our tired little toddler was asleep by 8 p.m. (unlike his sister who stayed up until 1 a.m. crying). In the spirit of Independence Day, it is time to announce the winners of our Fourth of July Challenge. To see all the entries in this challenge, take a look at Bramble Berry’s Make It: #4thofJuly Facebook album. Are you ready to find out who won? Let’s have a soapy drum roll of excitement…
Top Row: Jill Cooper, Catherine Witt, Tanya from Baby Duck Soap Co.
Middle Row: Timmy from Ivy Coreen, Ada from SoapMuchLove, Wendy LaJoy
Bottom Row: Holly from Missouri River Soap, Tina from TrueSkin, Janet Schreiner
Many thanks to all the incredible soapers who joined in on the Fourth of July Challenge. It was so inspiring to see all your entries (from nail polish to bath fizzies, soap and more!) and to see the creativity that you put into your creations. Be sure to keep your eyes on the Soap Queen blog for new and exciting challenges. Do you have a full tutorial (+ pictures) to go with your entry? Submit your recipe to teachsoap(at)brambleberry(dot)com for a chance to win a $10 Bramble Berry Gift Certificate, click here for more details!
Remember how fun jelly sandals used to be? They may have fallen out of fashion for now, but with this glitter gradient tutorial we’re bringing that awesome jelly look back into style! This tutorial is a cross between the Green Machine Melt & Pour project and the Sunset Ombre Cold Process tutorial, with the added bonus of ample glitter (and who doesn’t love glitter?). This project gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “sparkly clean.”
What You’ll Need:
45 oz. Clear Melt & Pour Base
12 mL Easter Purple Lab Color
5 1/4 teaspoons Iridescent Glitter
12 mL Violet Fragrance Oil
2 – 3 Droppers
Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!
ONE: Cut the Clear Melt & Pour Base into small, about-equally-sized chunks and measure out 9 oz. each into five separate containers. Be sure the containers are microwave safe.
TWO: Melt one of the soap containers in the microwave on 30 second bursts, and then using a dropper, add 3 mL of Violet Fragrance Oil and mix well.
THREE: Using a second dropper, color the layer with 6 mL of diluted Easter Purple Lab Color. If you’ve never diluted Lab Colors before, check out this post before diving in.
FOUR: Add 2 teaspoons of glitter and mix well, making sure the glitter, fragrance and Lab Color are fully incorporated into the soap.
FIVE: Pour the soap into the mold and spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles.
SIX: Melt a second soap container in the microwave on 30 second bursts. Fragrance with 3 mL of Violet Fragrance Oil and add 3 mL of diluted Easter Purple Lab Color.
SEVEN: Add 1.5 teaspoons of glitter and mix well, making sure the glitter, fragrance and Lab Color are fully incorporated into the soap.
EIGHT: Spray the first layer liberally with Isopropyl Alcohol. This will help the second layer of soap adhere and prevent separation between the layers. When the first layer has formed a thick skin and when the second layer has cooled to 130 degrees or below, pour the second layer into the mold. Spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles.
NINE: Melt a third soap container in the microwave on 30 second bursts. Fragrance with 3 mL of Violet Fragrance Oil, color with 2 mL of diluted Easter Purple Lab Color and add 1 teaspoon of glitter.
TEN: Spray the second layer liberally with Isopropyl Alcohol. This will help the third layer of soap adhere and prevent separation between the layers. When the second layer has formed a thick skin and when the third layer has cooled to 130 degrees or below, pour the third layer into the mold. Spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles.
ELEVEN: Melt a fourth soap container in the microwave on 30 second bursts. Fragrance with 3 mL of Violet Fragrance Oil, color with 1 mL of diluted Easter Purple Lab Color and add 1/2 teaspoon of glitter. Spray the third layer liberally with Isopropyl Alcohol. This will help the fourth layer of soap adhere and prevent separation between the layers. When the third layer has formed a thick skin and when the fourth layer has cooled to 130 degrees or below, pour the fourth layer into the mold. Spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles.
TWELVE: Melt the final soap container in the microwave on 30 second bursts. Because this layer needs to remain clear, do not add any Lab Color or fragrance oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon of glitter. Spray the fourth layer liberally with Isopropyl Alcohol. This will help the final layer of soap adhere and prevent separation between the layers. When the fourth layer has formed a thick skin and when the final layer has cooled to 130 degrees or below, pour the clear layer into the mold. Spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles.
Wait 24 – 48 hours for the soap to harden before enjoying your glitter gradient soap!
Happy Independence Day from all of the Brambleberrians and Miss Lily too. If that picture looks at all familiar, it’s because we staged Jamisen similarly two years ago. We tried explaining why Independence Day is an important day for the United States to Jamisen this morning. It turned out harder than you’d think to simplify the concept of tyranny, the colonies and the American Revolution.
Just a reminder for those of you wishing to engage in the patriotic pastime of stimulating the economy (aka “shopping”), Bramble Berry is closed for today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday) and while our website is taking orders and is open for business 24/7, we will not be shipping packages out. We wish you and your family a safe and blessed Fourth of July.
