Anne-Marie Faiola, Author at Soap Queen

Make Like a Tree and Leaf

September 16, 2010 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Melt & Pour Soap

I’ve been itching to try these One-Time-Use soap leaves for the longest time. I just whipped them up this morning. Really. Just made them. Super easy. Although, no one has to know exactly how easy they really are. You don’t have to soap and tell!

Ingredients

Clear Melt and Pour

Orange Spice Fragrance Oil

Water Soluble Paper

Fall Leaves PDF

Buy everything you need for this project in one click!

ONE: Download this PDF file of leaves. Print them on any type of color printer onto Water Soluble Paper. Then cut the images out with scissors. Leave a little piece of the white to use as a handle when we’re dipping the leaves.

Hint: Remember that leaves are not perfect and often misshaped so don’t spend too much time cutting around every nook and cranny.

TWO: Tear off a strip of wax paper or butcher paper and tape it to a hard surface, shiny side up. This is going to be our drying rack.

THREE: Melt 2-3 ounces of clear soap base and mix in your fragrance oil of choice (I chose Orange Spice for Fall- refreshing, spicy and delicious).

Other Fall Favorites: Red Apple, Pumpkin Spice, Turkish Mocha, Chai Tea, Ginger Pear, Sandalwood Vanilla.

FOUR: Hold a paper leaf by the “handle” and dip the entire leaf into the melted soap base. Then place the soaked leaf on your wax paper to let dry.

FIVE: Once the leaves are cool, peel them off by the handle. Use your scissors to snip off the handle and trim up the edges with a craft knife or your fingers. Some leaves might have a little extra soap on the edges while others will look perfect!

SIX: Put the leaves in a little bowl by the bathroom sink. Each guest will have their own individual soap to use!

Hand Washing Advice from the Soap Queen: Experts say that you should keep a good lather for about 30 seconds or as long as it takes you to sing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. These leafy soaps will last for the perfect (and recommended) amount of hand washing time.

I Voted + Sneak Peak

September 15, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite soapmaking supplier at Sapoifier Magazine. The Survey closes next Friday (September 24th) so you still have time!

Vote Here!

We’ve been incredibly busy this week (in a good way). It’s an exciting time in the warehouse; we just hired our seasonal pulling and packing staff and we’re right in the midst of interviews for our new Customer Service rep (an addition to our team; everyone you know and love is still here!) We’re also prepping to film SoapQueen.TV this weekend (yay!). We’re shooting three episodes and today, we worked on scripts, prepped some of the step-outs for the filming and half of the example soaps. And, just for you, here’s a sneak peek at tomorrow’s Soap Queen tutorial: Single Use Fall Leaves! Ooh la la!

The Building Blocks of Your Reputation

September 14, 2010 Filed Under: Business Musings

My Father recently sent me a random page he found on the ‘net that amalgamated all the footprints I’ve left on the ‘net for the last 13 years. Scrolling through the pages was a bit like going through an old closet – there were some bad choices made, some tacky things said and some dubious colorful commentary. Overall though, I wasn’t displeased by the pages and pages of references (some going back to 1998!). Generally, they showed a positive, forward-thinking businesswoman who sometimes spoke with too much candor but had a clear purpose in life.

When I started Bramble Berry as a naive 20 year old, I never envisioned where the internet was going. I didn’t realize that there would be hundreds and thousands of online communities started and then shuttered with their archives alive for everyone and anyone to see. I didn’t think of my words being like handwriting on a fogged up window, disappearing until someone came along and blew.

My entire life is out there on the internet just waiting to be excavated. Now, I’m lucky. I’m self-employed and (knock on wood) hope to continue in this fashion for the rest of my life. I don’t have potential employers scouring the internet to find my one or two indiscretions. I’m happily married; I don’t have possible suitors checking me out online before a first date. But, what I do have is potential customers searching about my company, making a value judgment on if they want to do business with us.

Every little thing you say, on every arcane forum or every forgotten blog or every long-lost site, is out there, ripe for the reading for anyone with a little bit of time on their hands and a basic grasp of the Way Back Machine.

What are you saying right now? Are you leaving trails that you can be proud of? Are you living your life offline and online with integrity and commitment to your values? Are the words you’re writing today something that you would be proud of your kids reading in 20 years? Yes, be honest. Be authentic. But, always be mindful of your reputation because every track you leave online is building the foundation for your reputation.

Fall Arrivals at Bramble Berry

September 13, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

We have lots of exciting Fall arrivals at Bramble Berry. We have six new fragrances coming by the end of the month but to whet your appetite, two of them are already here and they’re perfect for the chilly season ahead.

Winter White Fragrance Oil: If you lived in the North Pole and walked out of Santa’s Workshop and took a deep whiff, what would you expect to smell? Winter White is designed to invoke a subtle twist on clean air mint with notes of Spearmint, Peppermint and exotic Water Mint. Of course, at Santa’s Workshop, you won’t be surprised to find a few notes of Chocolate and Hot Cocoa wafting out of the windows as well. This blend is finished up with a beautiful soft dry down of Vetiver and delicate West Indian Vanilla. Because of the sweeter notes, this fragrance does discolor in all soap (though vanilla color stabilizer can decrease this). This fragrance performs beautifully in CP. Flashpoint over 200º.

Silver Spruce Fragrance Oil: Silver Spruce is what walking through a cold, snow-covered White Spruce forest smells like – notes of White Spruce are mixed with supporting notes of Blue Spruce and Walnut Tree. The fragrance also has a sprinkling of Cranberries and Hollyberries blended perfectly with notes of Tree Bark and Sap. This complex blend comes off as a sophisticated forest fragrance without wilting at the end.

We’ve also added some delightful soap cutters for projects like the Plaid Soap or the Strawberry Pie soap project:

Get your Daisy, Heart and Round Soap Cutters to make the perfect dessert for fall.

We’ve also added Rubber Bands! Use ’em for their intended use (you know, for banding things together) or try a fun project like this one.

Princess Rubber Bands

Cat & Dog Rubber Bands

Sea Creature Rubber Bands

Honeycomb, Honeycomb, Oh Honey Honeycomb

September 12, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

It’s another Bramble’versary – this time for someone not only near and dear to my heart, but someone also related to me by blood (my lil’ brother!). I will admit to a little selfishness when choosing the dessert that I decided was ‘Erik’s favorite’ dessert. We both loved Chocolate Covered Honeycomb growing up and I was especially craving it today when I started planning for Erik’s 4-year Bramble’versary.

How to make Honeycomb

* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
* 1/4 cup Honey
* 1/4 Water
* 1 Tbsp (heaping!) Baking Soda

You need a candy thermometer. Do not attempt this project without one. Take a baking pan and rub butter all over the bottom of the pan and lightly flour it.

1. Add the sugar, corn syrup, honey and water into a pot that has at least 3 times the head space. The entire thing poofs up like crazy in a bit and overflowing sugar is a huge mess.

2. Stir the ingredients together until smooth with no lumps.

3. Put the candy thermometer into the mixture. Turn the heat onto medium-high.

4. Wait, no stirring, until the mixture reaches at least 300 degrees. The brown caramel color is what you’re going for. Turn the heat off. Wait for at least a minute until the mixture has stopped bubbling.

5. Add that generous Tablespoon of baking soda to the mixture. Stir. Stir. Stir. Watch for the poof. See it? It keeps growing.

6. Pour into your lightly floured, buttered pan. Don’t fill it up all the way because the entire mixture keeps poofing.

7. Let sit for 2 hours until hard. Hit with a hammer to break up.

8. Optional: Dip into chocolate for a sweet yummy surprise.

Soap Puffed Marshmallows

September 9, 2010 Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

As promised (on Facebook; what, you’re not reading our Facebook fan page obsessively? Shame. Shame), my Hot Cocoa Soap recipe in all of its chocolaty goodness! I used an advanced technique called ‘In the Pot Swirl’. Basically, you split up your batch into two different colors and pour 1 color into the second pot in various places. The soap batter naturally swirls the colors together when you pour the soap into the mold (I used the 5 lb Wooden Log Mold). I also used real cocoa powder as my brown colorant then mixed in Super Pearly White Mica (in about 12 ounces of soap batter) for the swirling color. Swirling a thin layer on top adds a nice touch so save a little extra of the Super Pearly White soap. You can use any swirl technique that you want though. If you want to see exactly how the ‘In The Pot Swirl’ technique is done, check out this video to watch the step by step process.

The Recipe (screen shot from the SOAP iPhone App)

I do have to admit that I made this recipe to test a new fragrance called Hot Cocoa that Bramble Berry is bringing in for the holidays. It’s pure chocolate bliss and passed the cold process test with flying colors. I’ve already ordered it so keep your eyes peeled on the Bramble Berry site. In the mean time, I would suggest a combination of Dark Rich Chocolate and Vanilla Select.

And now the secret to my ‘mallows! They were totally inspired by Soapylove’s Soap Frosting recipe (check out the guest blog post here and a Soap Queen TV episode here). They smell delicious and look positively edible!

Ingredients

4 oz White Soap Base

2 Tablespoons Liquid Soap

Vanilla Select + Vanilla Color Stabilizer

Glossy Silicone Tray

Electric Mixer

Knife

ONE: Melt 4 ounces of white soap base in the microwave. Use an electric mixer to blend the melt and pour soap base with 2 tablespoons of liquid soap, 1 ml of Vanilla Select and 1 ml of Vanilla Color Stabilizer. Once the mixture is fluffy, scoop it into a silicone tray mold and let cool for about 30 minutes.

TWO: Once the mixture has cooled, gently release (or pry) the soap from the mold and cut evenly into marshmallow sized squares. Use your hands to round out the corners (they mold really easily).

THREE:Pop them on top of your CP soap at thin trace for a sweet accent!

Get everything you need for the soap and the marshmallows with the click of a button. The only thing you’ll have to get on your own is the olive oil. I’ve also included the 5 pound wooden mold but if you already have one, remember that you can delete anything that you don’t need from your shopping cart.

The Whale that Turned Into a Seal

September 8, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Though it feels like a mini-lifetime ago, this Labor Day weekend was a phenomenal 3 day extravaganza of friends and fun experiences. Every girl should be so lucky to have such a good friend as Ms. Breakfast Cookie herself, Erin Baker. Her sweet hubby had a birthday and they brought the birthday party to them, chartering a large 47 foot boat to share Bryan’s magical day.

It was the last great weekend of Washington before Fall truly comes down upon us (which means rain, rain and more rain!). Here’s a photo of Erin and one of the boating friends overlooking beautiful Friday Harbor.

We walked around two different boating harbors and birthday boy got in a little nap while we went in search of food (ice cream!) and sealife.

Though we did not see any Killer Whales (we dilly-dallied a bit too long on the shore in the cool harbors to make it out into the open waters far, far away to see the whales), we make friends with this adorable Harbor Seal. How cute is he?!

After the amazing, perfect, wonderful, awesome day on the boat with friends, we had an entire weekend with even more friends but this time, friends from high school! We’re all married now so we all had our spouses with us for a weekend of massive eating (we ate sooooo much, including crepes at this awesome local hot spot, Magdalenas) and epic game playing (Settlers of Catan and Apples to Apples). And to top off a perfectly perfect weekend, my parents were in town (ironically to go whale watching with my husband’s parents!) and they stopped in for dinner and conversation. It was a truly blessed weekend with so much laughter, joy and love. I hope you had an equally charmed long weekend.

From Maine … with Soap

September 7, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I had an awesome Monday. Well, that might be overstating the case since A. It’s Tuesday and B. My email quit working mid-morning so I got to fight with Outlook for part of my day. Nothing says ‘Boy, I feel productive!’ like staring at your monitor for long periods of time. But overall, it ended up fantastic because I spent the day with Nadeen from Maine. She has been here for almost a week, exploring the fantastic Pacific Northwest. And, lucky for us, there was only one day worth of monsoon-like deluge. She made the most of her trip – going to Pike Place Market, hiking and visiting all the great sight sites. But, she saved the best for last – a full day of soapmaking.

She spent the morning with Kat (one of our incredible instructors) learning Cold Process Soapmaking – beginning and Advanced. Notice the progression from left to right. By the time Nadine left, she definitely had her cold process skills way up to soap par.

The day wouldn’t have been complete without a full lotionmaking session and a melt and pour lesson (including the famous SoapyLove Plaid soaps and the Naiad Soap Arts Ambrosia Soap). The Ambrosia soap turned out absolutely adorable.

Thank you for coming to spend the day with us! It was a huge honor and we can’t wait to host you again.Update from 9/8: Check out the CP soap on the right all trimmed up over at The Soap King (Otion’s blog).

"Fall"ing In Love with Autumn Inspiration!

September 6, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

I love Fall in Bellingham, Washington. There’s a nip in the air that screams hot cocoa, sweaters and snuggling. Red, orange and yellow leaves cover the ground for a breath-taking and a naturally artistic scene (Bellingham locals, you know what I’m talking about). I’m ready for pumpkins, spices and warm fragrances. Feast your eyes on some Autumn inspiration from Etsy.

Buh-by Summer.

Hello Fall!

Row One

Autumn Calla Lily Soap Favors by Enchanting Soap Favors

Natural Cinnamon Soap by Dragon Soaps

Acorn Guest Soap by Satin and Birch

Row Two

Spiced Pumpkin Pie Soap by A Slice of Delight

Autumn Caramel Candy Apple by Sunbasilgarden

Juicy Apples (with sweet spices) by Body Language Soaps

Row Three

Pile of Leaves by Bubble Genius

Indian Summer Felted Soap by 1846 House Soaps

Fall Harvest Guest Soaps by Satin and Birch (again, but so cute)

Check out some of our favorite fall fragrances and check out the Fall Mash-Upfor more fall inspired projects.PS – I hope you’ve had a fantastic weekend. I’ve had friends and family up all weekend and played copious amounts of board games, eaten more cheese than should be legal in a 3 day period and spent an entire day on a boat searching out whales. If I took any decent photos from the weekend, I promise to share them! =)

It’s Soaping Cats and Dogs

September 2, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

You’ll never believe how quick and easy this project is. Bramble Berry’s new lidded mold offers a simple way to make cute soaps and in a hurry (with no packaging required). And for the super cute touch? I embedded the hottest back to school trend: Shaped Rubber Bands. You can get the rubber bands at Bramble Berry.com and pick between the Cats and Dogs, Princess or Sea Creatures.

Ingredients

24 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour

Get everything you need in the click of a button!

ONE: Melt 24 ounces of clear melt and pour soap base. Pour a super thin layer (about 1/8″) into the bottom of the lidded mold. Liberally spritz your rubber band with rubbing alcohol and drop it into the melted soap. Let the layer harden and cool and repeat with your other molds and rubber bads.

TWO: Now the fun part. Add the Yuzu Fragrance Oil to the rest of your clear melted soap (you should have about 20 ounces left) and mix well. Then add your colorants. Once the soap has cooled to 125 degrees, pour the second layer. I had fun with mine using the embedding and swirling techniques. TIP: Make sure that you spritz the clear layer of soap before pouring the colored layer.

THREE: Once the soap has cooled. Pop on the lids and they’re done and ready to travel, sell, sample, or give away!

Mighty Weighty Kudos

September 1, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

The new Kudos Molds are selling so fast. I can’t believe I already had to place another order to get more. WOW! I wonder if it has anything to do with the Facebook Coupon Code (grin)? It only lasts until Monday so get the deal while you can. I also had a couple of emails from customers wanting to see the actual mold and see how it differs than ‘regular’ molds. Here you go! It’s the super flexible silicone that allows for the meticulous details and I can’t tell you how easy they are to unmold. I could do it blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back (that would be a sight to see).

In other news, Bramble Berry just launched our TWO new calculators: The Liquid Soap Calculator and The Fragrance Calculator. Check out the Lye Calculator- There are some new features like an option for liquid soap, grams and ounces and the addition of some new butters and oils that we didn’t have before. There’s also a place for notes on your recipe!

Below is a screen shot of the new fragrance calculator. You’ll never have to second guess yourself again about how much fragrance to use. Just plug in the product that you’re making (lotion, soap, etc.), the size of your recipe and which fragrance or essential oil you want to use. Then hit the ‘calculate’ button and we’ll give you the recommended usage rates! Easy!

Do you have any other suggestions on how you’d like to see us improve the Bramble Berry site to make it more useful to you? If you do, I want to hear them!

Finally, The Saponifier magazine is having their ‘Academy Awards for Vendors’ contest to choose the best soapmaking supply house on the ‘net. You can vote for your favorite supplier here!

Thinking About Opening a Store?

August 31, 2010 Filed Under: Business Musings

An interview with … me (!) about opening a craft store. This interview was done for a small business advice book that (to the best of my knowledge) was never published. I didn’t want it to languish in the archives forever so am dusting it off to share with you!

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to someone who
is considering opening a craft store?

Budgeting is a mundane yet important part of opening a craft store. It is so much fun to think of all the items you’d like to buy, the signage, the displays, the branding and the overall look and feel of the store that it is easy to overlook the importance of budgeting and the prosaic aspects of spreadsheets. In my experience with opening a craft store specializing in soapmaking supplies (Otion), every little extra expense ended up adding up to a large amount of overages. If I had been more serious about my budget, I wouldn’t have overspent in my opening months. Can you offer any insight into emerging trends in crafts?

With the economy being a little difficult right now, I’m noticing a trend towards staying home and making entertainment options at home rather than going out to dinners and movies. After all, it’s cheaper to stay home and make bath fizzies with your family of 4 than it is to take them all to dinner and a movie. We’ve seen our business grow this year with more new customers than ever because of this trend. What is the biggest mistake you see new store owners make, and how can someone avoid making that mistake?

New store owners often neglect marketing and networking, thinking that advertising is enough to get the word out. Sadly, advertising alone will not drive customers to your store. You need to be ultra creative to ensure that your message gets out to the general public. For example, when we opened up our crafty soapmaking store in Bellingham, WA, we went to local restaurants and offered them customized soap products for their bathroom at a discount if we were able to put up a small sign stating were the soap came from. We did free classes every Wednesday at noon and heavily advertised the classes. We did coupons and frequent buyer punch cards. We joined the local Chamber of Commerce. More of our customers come from word-of-mouth than traditional advertising methods. If you are a craft store owner yourself, what is the one thing you wish
you had known before you started?

I wish I had known how long the day could be when not many customers come in. Some days, people just don’t come into the store and finding things to do to keep busy for 8 hours can be tedious, demoralizing and downright boring. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career as a craft store
owner?

I love talking and interacting with customers. Listening to their crafty and creative creations inspires and energizes me. The customers are the best part of the job! What has been your most effective marketing tool for generating new
business?

Blogging has been very helpful for our business. Otion blogs at http://www.otionsoap.com/blog. We reach a wider audience through the blog than just our walk-in traffic allows and are able to have a conversation with our customers in a new and different way. Social media is an amazing tool that is really coming into its own, five years after I started Otion. Advertising is getting cheaper and cheaper because you can utilize social media to harness enthusiasm and eyeballs. Do you have any words of encouragement to offer new store owners?

Being self employed is the best thing I have ever done. I love being in control of my own financial destiny. Just remember that “how you do anything is how you do everything.” The little things DO matter. Dusting, keeping a clean shop and greeting customers within 15 seconds don’t seem like much on their own but taken all together, they help to ensure a friendly, welcoming environment. There are many little things that individually don’t seem like a big deal but add up to a successful shop. Keep your business reading up. I love reading Fast Company and Inc. magazine and discussing business books with other small business owners. Having a network to turn to during difficult times is definitely one key to sticking it out through the long haul. You’ll be glad you did.

New Kudos Molds

August 30, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

New Kudos Molds,

Row 1: Two Daffodils, Blooming Butterfly, Dare Dragonfly

Row 2: Flourish Heart, Kudos Mouse, Moon Face

Row 3: Ripple, Sweet Dreams, Textured Heart

We are positively leaping for joy that the new line of Kudos Single Cavity Silicone Molds is here. These are all originally hand sculpted designs. And, for our production soapers, we’re offering discounts when you purchase 5 of any one kind. You can see the entire line HERE (starting on page 2). And pssst, if you’re a fan of ours on Facebook (hint hint), look for an introductory coupon code today…

Soap Queen Projects on Facebook

August 30, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I am always so thrilled when I see soaps that were inspired by a Soap Queen tutorial (melts my heart). Here are some projects that were posted on the Bramble Berry Facebook page! Become a fan and show off your soaps. Until then, enjoy some soapy inspiration:

Tammy Wall-Brodbeck posted her pinwheels via Facebook.