Clean the world!

As you know, there was a terrible earthquake in Haiti on January 12. People from all over the world have rallied to help the people of that nation.  A charity called Clean the World started taking donations specifically to be diverted to the people of Haiti.  Clean The World's mission is to recycle soap, shampoo, and lotion discarded by hotels and to distribute the recycled products worldwide to people who cannot afford these essential items. 

The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild has partnered with Clean The World (CTW) and so I decided to send donations to CTW and to help you do so, too.  For every $15 you spend (before shipping & taxes), I'll donate a bar of soap to CTW on your behalf.  Then, I'll match it.  So, for every $15 you spend, 2 bars will go to someone in need.

The first box is ready to go.  Thirteen pounds of soap!  Thanks, everyone who's purchased so far this year.  I plan on doing this through the end of March, 2010.  So, get some great Pepo Park products for you and help someone in need!

Lil' Soap t-shirt is back in print!

At the HMSG conference in May, my Lil' Soap t-shirt from Threadless was a big hit. Unfortunately, it was out of print.

However, I just got word that they've reprinted it! So, get yours now before it's too late.

Soap boxes

Finding good boxes for soap was a big topic at the HMSG Conference.
I mentioned Grigsby Paper Box and the place I'm having mine made (Eagle IMS).
The Box Coop was also mentioned.

But, I just found these boxes on Susan Emery's site. She was at the conference, too.

It's hard to find boxes because regular box making companies don't make boxes that are the shape of soap. You'd think that a basic, smallish rectangle would be easy to find. But, it's not.

Good luck on your box search! :)

Coloring your soap

One of my favorite sessions at the HMSG Conference was Lori's session about color. Coloring soaps is hard because different coloring agents (dyes, pigments, herbs, clays, etc.) react differently depending on many things that seem random. Some fade over time.... It's definitely art as science. Lori tested 70+ colors and presented the results to us.

A slide of all the soaps/soap colors:


Six colors of clay:

Clay names/types:

I'd like to do another "shout out" because Lori never uses PowerPoint. She must have labored for hours to get her deck together, get all of the photos in so nicely, etc. Not to mention, laboring over the color experiments.

Photos added

I've updated each post from the Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild conference with photos.
I had a great time, met great people, learned a ton and am now very inspired and overwhelmed!

A few more photos:

Debbie and Erin enjoy their masks:


Bob and Irv enjoy their masks and some laughs care of Wendy Liebman and Jon Reep:


Feathers & fun! :)

HMSG - Day 2

The day started with the Annual Meeting of Members. Elections, votes, etc.

At the HSMG, we vote with our spatulas:


Spatula:

Then, great sessions. I only have time to post a few quotable quotations:

"It's asthma. I do not have that piglet thing." - Linda
Linda is a great lady with a tonne (added the "ne" for extra tonage and metric-ness) of knowledge. Linda makes 900 bar batches. I don't think I've ever had that much soap around at one time, let alone in 1 batch! Also, a "PowerPoint shout out" to Linda. She lost her presentation and redid it overnight. I really liked how she presented only images, not slides and slides of words.

"Don't do it, Sweetie. It's going to go rancid." - Linda (again)
Sage advice to all of us about superfatting given to Jim, the youngest soaper in attendance.

Finished the day with a nice dinner, spa facials courtesy of Dead Sea Bulk Materials (smoooooth!) and drinks with Vanessa and Erin.

Erin and Bob:


Good night!

HMSG Conference - Day 1, night

Wow. Wow. Wow. Three cheers, or maybe even four, to Essential Wholesale (listed previously as Kayla). Though, it was slightly surreal to go to a Mardi Gras themed party after attending Convergence in March.

We had a fun table:
Ruth and Lori:

Bill, Me, Barbara:

Anne and Vanessa:

Angie, Debbie, Erin:

1. Amazing party. Great food, great entertainment. Wendy Liebman and Jon Reep made us laugh and laugh. Both were totally funny.
2. Amazing gift bag. I am in looooove with their creme. OMG! It is insanely fabulous and I can't wait to try their other products.
3. Super fun table of new friends (see above).
4. Also, fun "after party" with even more new friends. And, again, inspirational discussions.

(Sorry, the pictures didn't turn out well.)

It's so great to be an attendee over being a "booth worker" or other.

Pictures coming on Friday, once I get home.

Forgot to mention: Got kudos for the packaging. Yay, Mikeyvi!!! Can't wait to see how it does in the competition!!!!

Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Conference - Day 1

What an awesome day! We started with an inspirational keynote by Erin Brockovich.

Erin Brockovich:



Then, plenty of great information about:

• viral Internet marketing (like blogging and Facebook - become a fan)
• good manufacturing practices
• embedding stuff into your CP soap
• making lotion

There are a few quotable quotations:
"There is nothing sexier than a hairnet and gloves." - Kayla Fioravanti
I went as far as to buy some safety goggles. Still holding out on hairnets & gloves.
"Soap is just science." - Kelly Bloom
And, this is why it's fun for me! I love the experimentation.

I'm really inspired to get home and try some new things. And, I've been inspired by the people I've met who are making cool products or making a living doing this. Some even do both! :)

Now I'm off to the big dinner. Apparently, even the hotel staff are excited about it, so it must be good.

Photos from the EtsyRAIN Spring Craft Show

Posting a few photos from the weekend's craft show, then off to bed.

The table:


Basket o' soap:


The table from the other end:


Thanks to Shawn for helping me set up.

Tomorrow I leave for the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild annual conference. I'm not sure what to expect, though I'm quite sure it will be nothing like the last conference I went to.