Did you miss the contest? If so, you can read about it here. But don’t worry, you can still cash in on the Aloha Mold promotion. Keep reading…

Congratulations to the following WINNERS (picked at random)!

Laurie: “I would like a “FULL” moon. All I can find are half-moons!”

Ema: “Suitcases!!! Who couldn’t use travel size soaps that are already ready for the trip?”

Holly: “I have been looking for cute owl soap molds! Owls are super trendy right now, and there isn’t a lot out there.”

Marion Catalano: “I love snails, those cute ones with the house attached,I grew up with them in Germany, I can’t really find them here in America……”

Winners, please email info(at)brambleberry(dot)com with your shipping address and let us know which FOUR molds you would like. Browse the molds you can choose from HERE.

Thank you for all who participated. We got some really good ideas for new mold designs! We also got some really funny replies like a mold that lines itself and prevents soda ash from forming. Believe me, if there were something like that out there, we would be all over it!!

As a thank you for your participation, we want to give all of the Soap Queen Readers a promo code to use on any of the aloha molds. Promo Code: ALOHA20

Using this code will get you 20% off of any of our Aloha molds. See them all by clicking this link!

To use the code, just enter ALOHA20 in the coupon code section of the check out screen! Expires May 31st.

If you received the Bramble Berry Newsletter last week then this is the blog post you’ve been waiting for. This is the post where you have a chance to win some of the hottest summer soap molds! See contest rules at the bottom of the post).

Orchid Flexible Mold

[Read more…]

It’s time to announce the winners of the “Winning Surprises is Fun” contest. If you’re not familiar with the contest read about the prize here. After the epic Fair Ivy promotion, we had some amazingly, beautiful, jaw-dropping soaps and toiletries left over and we’re thrilled to be giving the loot away to six loving homes. Thank you to all who posted your favorite blogs and Etsy shops!

Round up of some of the Fair Ivy entries

The Winners (picked at random)

♦ Gretchen Whittet suggested the Sunbasilgarden Etsy Shop and Blog.

♦Amanda310 picked the Prudent Baby Blog.

♦Lianne Suggested The Soap Queen Blog (thanks, Lianne) and Silvermaple Soaps Etsy Shop.

♦Julie picked SVSoaps Etsy shop and Soap Queen for her favorite blog (awww…thanks).

♦Brook LeFevre chose the Soap Bar as her favorite blog and the Product Body Etsy shop.

♦Emily Broden likes Steampunk Movement Studio Etsy Shop.

Winners, please email us at info(at)brambleberry(dot)com with your names and shipping addresses. We’re excited to get your goodies in the mail!

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who participated. I had a blast reading your comments and browsing new Etsy shops and blogs. And yes, I’ll admit it, it was very distracting at times but a super fun contest to say the least.

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!

Reading through all the comments on the 2011 Goals & Intentions Post was absolutely overwhelming, in a good way. You all inspire me and I am thankful that we can learn and grow together. Winners, send us an email at info (at) brambleberry (dot) com with your addresses and we’ll get your goodies to you!

Read the two winner’s goals below and get inspired!

Alissa 3 days ago

My 5 goals for 2011:

I will….

1. Do my paperwork every week! I get sidetracked and I procrastinate because I hate doing the accounting stuff. I put it off for months at a time (crazy, right??). I want to do better and while I would like to shoot for doing it every day, I know I won’t be able to stick to it so I figure that doing it every week should be manageable.

2. Walk every day that I have time. I’m too heavy and I feel like I’m caught in sludge. I need to exercise and so I will pledge here that I will do it! That means no excuses like, I’m too tired, or I don’t feel like it. I really love to walk and once I’m outside I don’t mind. It’s just getting my butt in gear that is the hard part!

3. Stop spending so much time impulse shopping for my soap stuff. I spend WAY too much time browsing your wonderful website and then filling my cart with things I know I can’t afford. I have a paper list of things I need and I’m determined to stick to it….unless you happen to have a fabulous sale going on that is!!! 😉

4. Focus on better time-management. I spend entirely too much time online not accomplishing anything. I check in on every site I sell on and spend too much time “window shopping” for things I have no money for. I should be listing, making, labeling, or packaging….something is always needing to be done, right?! I’m going to try to be aware of my problem and actually DO something productive with my time and not sit in my desk chair screwing around.

5. Finally realize that I’m not superwoman and that I cannot clone myself. For my soap business, I will be aware of which things I like to do for fun and which things I need to do for profit and find a happy medium. I sometimes get so busy making orders that it becomes a chore. And I want to continue loving what I do so I will make a bit of time to create something fun. If not for sale, then at least for the sake of feeding my artistic side.

I love being creative so I would definitely choose the M&P prize!

Note: After writing this I realized that it helped me focus on things I knew needed to be worked on. I printed this list and stuck it on the wall next to my pc to help me remember my goals. Thank you for this exercise!

CarringtonCalamity 5 days ago

My goals for this year:
1. To find a workout routine that fits my capabilities and time frame, and stick with it. I’m trying out hiphop abs right now and I’m hoping I can dance my way to a healthier me.

2.Find a new job where I am happy, so I can continue to support myself through college. My father recently passed away, so I took a break from working to mourn and to collect myself. Now I really need to stop feeling bad and get back to my responsibilities. By the end of January I plan to be situated in a job that I truly enjoy.

3.Purchase a home. My boyfriend and I have been living with family members and now its time for us to leave the nest. By the end of January we plan to be pre-approved for a loan and making an offer on a house that will suit our needs for the next several years.

My Theme for this year:
Positivity
This past year has been a difficult one. This year I want to take with me the knowledge of who I am as a person and the strength that I have gained, but also have an over all positive outlook on life. Being caught up in past pains is a waste. I want for myself, to see the beauty in what is given to me today.




It was impossible to pick just two; so many of the commenters had such fantastic goals but two really stuck out to me because they were specific and measurable and covered different areas of their lives. So, I chose two Runners-Up for $35 gift certificates to Bramble Berry.   

Philosoapia 5 days ago

So, these are my goals for 2011:
1. Concerning fitness and health: Work-out three times a week, preferably outdoor activities and pilates/yoga. Mini goal for Q1: do the sun salutation every morning. Mini goal for Q2: work-out 3 times per week. Mini goal for Q3: Create an activity group among my friends ( busy women, a lot of mums) to meet once per month (can be upgraded :)). Q4: Stick to my program despite cold and bad weather!

2. Concerning far-away friends/family: Stay in touch by calling for birthdays, writing a kind of newsletter once per month and establishing fixed dates for gatherings (like a German holiday in October when nobody has to work).

3. Concerning family: Do something special 6 times in 2011. All of our 4 grandparents are getting older and older and I want to spend some quality time with them until they are too weak to do something. Ideas for this: Visit a chocolate museum in France near our home town, have a Easter brunch, invite them to a concert…

4. Concerning the music club I’ve been a member for 14 years: Have 2 creativity days per year to bring together adult and younger musicians (in Q1 and Q3). Organize a Christmas market for our Christmas concert (Q4). Q2: Play a great concert (as always).

My overall-theme for the year is to have a good time management as I am starting the final part of my studies (which means pratical education in school to be a teacher) and having SO MUCH work to do. I don’t want this work to overtake my social life, though. So BALANCE could be my word for 2011.

This is a very long post, but I am so glad to have supportive people around here as my husband and our closest friends don’t really appreciate goal setting and planning. I think it’s overwhelming them to be confronted with their own weaknesses!

I wish you all the strength and discipline to stick to your goals for 2011!

Steffi from philosoapia

Uniquegardenessences 4 days ago

This year, like you, my word of intention for the year is BALANCE. I supply several stand alone shops [in a few states], as well as having some on-line shops. I have had a bad habit of letting the on-line presence go when I was faced with issues this past year. I really need to redevelop the balance that I lost.
My theme for the year is Developing/cultivating relationships, this is both a personal and professional goal.

A few of my goals are;
1) To get back to development (my love) by dedicating 1 day a month (minimum) to experimentation/cooking. Which will help lead to success with my next goal
2) To introduce at least 6 new products to my on-line Unique Garden Essences shop, 6 to the uniqueXpression shop, and 2 to the Unique Treat Dog Bones shop.
3) To finalize the organization of the brochures by Jan. 15, 2011 and to begin distribution by Feb. 1, 2011.

I have many more, goal, both personal and professional, but I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that I gave myself a structured tract to follow for the year.
Since I make both types of soap I would love to win either, but if I have to choose I’ll ask for the mp items (of course if I don’t win those and you really need more in the other category, feel free to list me twice! lol).

Thank you to everyone that commented and shared their dreams, goals and aspirations for the new year. Now the hard work, sticking to your commitments day in and day out, is up to you! Here’s to a healthy, happy and prosperous 2011 filled with love, laughter and amazing experiences.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Contest for a Cause. I’m so proud of our tight-knit soapmaking community for actively taking a stand to oppose the Safe Cosmetic Act. All of your tweets, posts and letters to your Representatives do make a difference! So thank you, thank you and THANK YOU!

Now what you’ve all been waiting for…it’s time to announce the winner. All of the entries were printed, cut and put into a pot…