302 days to go!

A couple days ago we made it past the 2 month mark and we're going strong. The last few days have been kind of slow though. I've been super busy with sick kids, and with my new classes that started yesterday. It is also spring break which means no school for the kiddos. I'm gonna try and get some soaps listed today because we haven't had a sale since the 10th which was six days ago. That just goes to show if you want to be successful no slacking is allowed :). Another bummer is a big custom order I sent out over 2 weeks ago still hasn't been received. I have to get on the phone with the post office to try and find it. Thankfully I have the receipt! I think on all large orders I better get tracking numbers, because that could be costly.

Please Help

It's day 59, and until April 4th 2010 all proceeds will be donated to a very special cause! I just found out that my second cousin, a very special little girl's mother is in desperate need of kidney surgery. If she doesn't get the surgery she only has about 6 months to live. I have never met this woman, but her daughter I have, and she has the greatest spirited I have ever known and I would hate for something so devastating to happen to her. If you want to read her story you can go to http://www.giveforward.org/justtosavealife/. Thank you so much!

Holly

Now on Youtube!

It's day 54 and I finally put a video up! Make sure you check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_1Y7J3fiQ8 The song is by one of my favorites by Amos Lee. Every time I hear it I can't help but smile, and realize how great life is! I hope you all enjoy it!

Holly

Day 45

Hello everyone,

I must say the mini duck soaps are quite the success! So far I've sold 88 little ducks this month, that is sooo exciting. Also my first thought was that they would be great for Easter, but a lot of people are using them for baby showers. That is a great idea, especially if you don't know the sex of the baby.

I have sold a lot of stuff this month, in fact we are up to $106.41 in sales. Since I've been reinvesting the money in molds and soaps and shipping cost unfortunately are bottom line number is staying low. Right now it's at $2.79 :(. But on the bright side, I have tons of inventory! Just posted on my shop alone is $85 dollars worth of products, and I have tons more in my cupboard. I think maybe Caradoc and I should do inventory again. That always makes me feel better when my budget is low.

I made a ton of soap yesterday, and even got a few listed today. I made these really great egg soaps but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get them out of the mold. Caradoc put them in the freezer hoping they would shrink a little and fall out. Here are some pics of the new soaps I made. They are my new Two-Tone Heart Collection! For now I better get, my kitchen is in dire need of my attention.

Bye,
Holly

Day 41

I can just not get over how cool it is to be able to make lipstick out of crayons! There are so many colors to choose from and that is great because they are fun for face or body paint too. They will be great for Halloween, or sporting events, and there are great shades for everyday use. I can't wait to get some labels made up!
I'm gonna try and get the labels designed today then printed up tomorrow. I have an ink jet printer, so I need to go somewhere that has a laser printer. I read that the ink jet will just smear with the oil in the lipstick.

Today I've had two sales, one on my etsy shop for a set of colored ducks, and then my mom in law bought some more lavender flower soap squares and some pink and black hearts. It's the first time I've had more than one sale in a day, maybe they'll keep coming in. I think the funnest part of starting this little business is breaking my own little records.

Today, however is also a bit stressful! My husband is taking the 2nd part of his CPA exam. It's always a bummer because you have to wait at least six weeks to find out the results. He has been studying a lot so I think he'll do great!

I better get going, lunch time is rolling around again.

Holly

Wow, we've made it to day 40!

It is a rainy day outside, all the more perfect to make soap inside, but first I need to clean my kitchen up a little. I'm getting kind of a late start today, I had to run some errands, then I went to visit a friend I haven't seen in a long time.
Now I'm back home, and ready to get to work. First task is make lunch, second clean kitchen while kids eat, third make soap. I don't really have to much to update today, no new sales, but our shop got like 38 views yesterday! I think I need to go through my listings and write better descriptions, they are just pretty basic and I think I would like them to be more interesting. The kids are telling me they're hungry so I better get. Oh I almost forgot, here is some pics of the bath salts I made yesterday. Since they are wild berry scent I thought t would be fun to make their container a little wild and added a little boa to the lid. Very fun!

Holly

Day 38

Good Morning Everyone! Today's mission is organization. My craft area is a mess and no thanks to my youngest daughter my soap molds are everywhere. I'm gonna go look for some sort of cabinet today that is "childproof", and hopefully be able to keep the place picked up. Maybe something like this...

I made some really cute black and pink heart soaps for the gift bag I'm working on, they turned out so nice I might put them on my shop. They are larger than my mini heart soaps. I just have to wait to post them for a bit because I used a different kind of dye for these and I want to make sure it doesn't get ruined if it bleeds. If you remember those black and white squares, they ended up bleeding so much that they kind of just look like purple squares now, so I had to take them off my shop.
Speaking of shop, my Etsy store has been doing great at averaging 21 visits a day, which is incredible. www.soapsandsuchbyholly.com didn't get a single view yesterday, but I think it will just take some time. Well I'm off to go organize wish me luck!

Holly

330 days left to make a profit...

and we have a long way to go. Yesterday I made a new banner for my store fronts and my website. I really liked the last one, but it is just way too blurry and doesn't look professional. Let me know if you like it!

I thought the paisley background was a nice choice because all the photos of my soaps have paisley and other neat designs in the background.

Now that I have a new domain name I want to print off some more business cards today, and maybe edit my labels and tags. I also would like to add some more items to Artfire.com, even though in the last 11 days, I've only received 18 views. I tell you what, nobody beats Etsy.com as far as traffic goes, I received 22 views just yesterday.

I will be making soap today, but not for my business. Since Alexa has been so interested in my soaps for her birthday the other day I got her a soap making kit. There is no school today, so we're gonna see what we can make. I'll try to get some pictures.

Holly

The big three O

Yeah, it's day 30, and we have hit 300 views! I finally finished my math test yesterday and got a 90% (awesome), and we had a great time celebrating birthdays last night, however no soap making was done. I did get some good ideas going though. My mom came up with a great idea, and that is animal print soap. I'm going to have to play around and see what I can come up with.

Today no soap making will occur either because I'm going up to Prescott to help my mom in law move. Well actually since I'm prego, so I'll be watching her move, but still I will be out of my kitchen. I won't be back till tomorrow, so tomorrow's post might be a little late. I'm excited to get out of the city for a couple days though, maybe I'll get some more inspirational ideas.

Holly

Day 28 and things are GREAT!

So far we have had 3 separate sales transactions, that's good but can be better. This morning I renewed some listings and think I'm gonna hurry and get some more spring inspired items goin. I went to Hobby Lobby this morning to buy some more raw soap because I was completely out, and I also bought some paper for my labels and tags. My budget is now down to $7.56, that is the lowest it's been, scary.

Oops, I was just trying to multitask and melt some soap while I blogged and burnt my soap. It looks like a pretty coffee and cream color, but smells horrible. Thank goodness it was just a little because those types of incidents do not help the budget.

Today I have a pretty busy day. I'm gonna try and make some unburnt soap, get my house ready for my mom to visit tomorrow, and finish and English assignment and take a Math test. I better get going.

Holly

Superbowl Soap Day

My soap doesn't really have anything to do with the super bowl, except I'll probably be making soap while it's on. I personally am rooting for the Saints mainly because they beat out the Cardinals, and if the Cardinals have to lose to somebody it mine as be the winners of the super bowl. Anywho, enough football talk. I got kind of a late start today on my blog so I apologize for that. I had family here visiting this morning, then I had to take Alexa shopping for her birthday that is coming up this Wednesday.

I did have to recall my spa sets this morning unfortunately. It's a great product and I actually tried the sugar body scrub last night and my skin is super smooth. The only problem is the grape seed seeps through the plastic bags I packaged them in. So until I find or rather am able to afford a better container it will be put on the shelf. However the bath salts store really nicely in the bags so I will probably list them separately.

Yesterday I figured out some cute packaging for my soap squares that are pictured above, they turned out even better in real life. I also made some lemon/green tea body scrub, which doesn't use as much oil as my other scrub and I will be able to list them soon.

My mother in law purchased a set of soap squares from me this morning, so now our budget is up to $15.73. Thank you so much Karen, I hope you enjoy them! Also today is my mother's and Karen's birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU TWO!!! Now I am off to do some listing on my shop.

Holly

Day 26

Hello Everyone!

Having a live in accountant definitely has it's advantages when your starting a business let me tell ya. Last night my husband and I had a lot of fun taking inventory of my soaps and figuring out down to the penny what each ounce of soap cost, and much the profit is and all that good stuff. The only thing that was a little discouraging is I found out if I sold every item I've made so far it would put me at $80.31, then add that to my $12.74 and I would have a grand total of $93.05 which is $7.00 away from my goal. Now that I think of it though that's not really that bad because even though I have spent almost $30.00 on molds, it's really like I only $6.95. Aw, okay I feel better now. I also still have some raw soap that wasn't accounted for in my inventory too.

Caradoc and I were also looking up craft shows online and came across this great organization,Az Home Show Women. They do all kinds of things like party planning, and house parties, and craft fairs. They give tons of resources to women to find jobs and help them to work from home, and all sorts of stuff. Here is a link to their website if you want more info http://azhomeshowwomen.com/default.aspx. What is neat is they are all around Arizona, but also do a craft show the 2nd and 4th Friday and Saturday every month. It cost $25 a day, or $35 for 2 Fridays or Two Saturday, or $65 for all 4 dates. You get a 10x10 area and an 8ft table with chairs. I don't have nearly enough inventory, but as soon as I do I'm gonna be all over that craft show. I'm just really excited because crafts shows are what my whole childhood was about. Every weekend I was either with my grandparents, my mother, or my Aunt Diane somewhere in AZ working a craft show. All my family made their own jewelry, and I would sell little earrings I made. If I wasn't selling earrings I would run around and look at all the great booths, then take naps under the tables. It was always a lot of fun, and I can't wait to take my oldest daughter Alexa with me. I think she would really like to look at all the pretty stuff.

I've already made some soaps today that are drying, but I probably won't get anything else done today. Some of my family is getting together for my mother in laws birthday in Anthem, and then come back to my house for the evening. As usual though I will try to check in on the shops and what not.

Holly

I smell peppermint!

Today is day number 24, and my entire house smells like peppermint. It's not to bad though because peppermint is suppose to be a cure all aroma. They say it helps with allergies and sinuses, and makes you feel refreshed and alive. Yesterday I made some peppermint heart shaped soaps and soap squares that turned out really cute. I also made a peppermint sugar body scrub and peppermint bath salts too. I was thinking maybe I would sell them as a combo on my shops, like a little spa set. The weather was so gloomy yesterday I couldn't get any good pictures, so I will try today if the sun comes out.

I decided to open up another shop on artfire.com, the address is www.soapsandsuch1.artfire.com. It's ranked pretty high as far as traffic goes, but it is going to take some getting use to. It has so many features that I'm not sure how they all work yet. I think this will be a good step in the right direction. Etsy is fabulous, but I need to get my stuff seen if I want to not go over my budget.

Today I'm going to try and update all my sites and do some networking, and do the finishing touches on my new bath products. Hopefully I'll get the spa set posted today.

I better get,
Holly

Happy Day 23!

I've figured out why I like blogging so much, I think it is because it's the most relaxing part of my day. It's the only time I get to sit for more than 5 minutes and just relax, well and write. Anyhow, today Maddie and I took a field trip to the container store, and to Whole foods to get ideas. I saw lots of cute containers but they were all super expensive, and at whole foods they have tons of natural soaps and essential oils. All of the soap smelled so good, but my favorite was the lemon/lavender. Here's a picture of their display, I would definitely like to make some soaps like these in the future.


I did spend some more money between today and yesterday, but I just couldn't help myself. I was watching a craft show yesterday called, "She's Crafty" hosted by Wendy Russel. She had guest on who makes bath and beauty products and they made the cutest sugar body scrubs. I already have all the ingredients to make some, but I really really needed a container to put it in. On the show they use cute honey bear containers, but I couldn't find any of those except online. I also decided to look up other homemade recipes online and there are tons, for masks, scrubs, and bath salts, you name it. I thought if I started making some of these products too, than the "Such" at the end of my shops name would make more sense. Not just soap, Soaps and Such by Holly. So I ended up spending $6.36 on Epsom salt, plastic bags, 6 little bottles and some paper for more tags. Actually it turned out the cashier didn't charge me for the bottles, but I didn't find out till I got home. My budget is now all the way down to $12.74.
I think I might need to upload more items on zibbet.com but I still have only had 7 views, so I don't know if I would just be wasting my time. It makes me kind of sad, because I think zibbet.com is a newer site, and the people behind it seem pretty cool. I would open shops all over the net, the only problem is it is so time consuming to set them up, then post descriptions and yadda yadda. Then the best part of this project is connecting with people and the craft community, but there is no time for that when your busy posting. With Etsy.com you get to read a lot of great articles about the sellers and meet new buyers, and just mingle around. I guess I'll post a couple new things on zibbet.com but if the view trend stays the same I might have to move to the next venue, or keep zibbet.com for back up.

Today's to do list:

1. Post items on zibbet
2. Make scrubs and salts
3. Clean kitchen
4. make soap
5. Brother and Sister in law come to visit

Until next time think happy sale thoughts,
Holly

hmmm

This one isn't bad, but this is suppose to be the bottom of the bar.


This on didn't turn out very neat or clear.


You can't really tell what is embedded in this one unless...


you hold it up to the light!

Well my soap experimenting so far today wasn't a complete failure, however I wouldn't exactly call it a success either. My soaps did not turn out good enough to sell, but I think I learned some tips.

1. Make sure your molds are clean and completely free of left over soap. This will help keep them neat and tidy.

2. There are two bases to start with, white and clear. If your embedding soaps I don't think you should use clear with clear because it is hard to see, unless maybe if your using the loaf technique.

3. Be patient, no soap looks good with a fingerprint right in the front of it, let your soaps harden all the way.

Now remember in no way am I an expert, these tips are just my opinion, and stuff I learned through trial and error. I said I would post some soaps even if they didn't turn out good so here you go.

Enjoy,
Holly

Day 11 Continued...

Today was extremely productive! First I made up the cutest little business cards, then I was off to the craft store. I got an amazing steal of a 5 pound bag of soap for only $8.99, thanks to my 40% off coupon. Since I saved so much, I got some vanilla fragrance and a duck shaped mold also. My total mount of money I have left is $29.79, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous. Also today I made a lot of different soaps: green and yellow hearts, hot dog and french fry shaped, ducks, and mixed fruit. They all turned out really great! I even listed a couple new soaps on Etsy. I like to spread out my listings so I keep getting visitors, and my stuff is just sitting at the bottom of the search list.

I haven't opened any new shops online, just because I don't want to get overwhelmed to quick, but I just might have too if nothing sells soon. I'm thinking maybe I need some better photos of my items, ones that make them look more desirable. Or maybe I just need to relax, it's only been eleven days.

Tomorrow will not be as productive, I'm going on another road trip, this time with the whole family up north to Prescott. We're going to see my sister in laws new house and play in the snow before it melts away. I'm very excited, and the kids are excited too. I'll try to sneak away again to list a couple more soaps and do a little blogging. Until then, Good Night!

Holly

Day 11

I found the greatest soap tutorial today on this great blog I'm subscribed to. Here is the link http://goplanetearth.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-designer-soap-fun-with-gpe-paper.html. The show how you can use water release paper that has print on it, to transfer onto soaps. I'm definitely going to use this idea, but the transfer paper is so expensive that I'm going to have to wait a little while. I already have a great idea on what I want to print, but it's a surprise so I can't tell you yet.

Today I'm bone dry outta raw soap, so I must go to my craft store again. I will try to stay strong and only by soap, but I was thinking that I might like to get another fragrance. I have enough molds for sure for now, and enough color dyes. I would like to get some more packaging ideas. I saw this vendor on Etsy that puts the cutest little tags on her soaps. Which reminds me I still need to make my business cards. Okay, I better get to work!

Holly

One week today!!!

So it's been seven days that I have been working on this project, lets recap and see what been accomplished.

1. We named the company, Soaps and Such by Holly
2. Fully supplied of soap making tools and raw soap
3. Have made and messed up soaps, but have came out with six successful products to sell
4. We have one online venue setup and ready for business. www.soapsandsuch.etsy.com
5. Social networking is in progress

Not bad for just seven days if I do say so myself. We have had no sales yet, but there are a lot of soap makers on etsy, so we need to find a way to stand out. I have a different shop on etsy that has been open for a little over a year, and has sold 16 items. It took a month before my first item sold, and I think I even lost money on that sale. I didn't go wholeheartedly into that shop, or I'm sure it would have been more successful. I still like to keep it around though, because even though I'm obsessed with soap making, I enjoy making all different kinds of things. My point is that we have a chance to make this shop turn a profit, I just gotta stay on top of it, and use every resource available!

Now that we a have a little bit of a foundation laid, what I would like to do in the coming week is:

1. Get some of those business cards printed out
2. Stay on top of the social networking
3. Maybe find another online venue
4. And hopefully sell something

I do however need to quit buying soap molds, they are just sooo hard to resist. Last night at Walmart I bought ten molds for nine dollars, that is such a steal because usually they are $1.99 each. I also found some cute little plastic bags with ties to use in my packaging for two dollars. It's my first week and I've spent over 50% of my budget. From now on till I make a sale, I'm only allowed to buy raw soap!

Happy 1 week,
Holly