Well, we’ve been back from the coast trip for over a week, and I still haven’t gotten the new tarts on the site!  I’ve been trying to deal with a shopping cart malfunction.  Well, I don’t think the cart is malfunctioning really, I just jumped the gun and updated WP, but I don’t think my cart was ready for it.  Too much geek work for me, I would rather play with soap.

The soaps have been a huge success and taking up a lot of my time. After setting aside an extra or two of the bars that I personally cannot live without (GM & Clay, Peppermint Luffa) I’m nearly sold out of all of the first batches!  I can’t keep my oils and butters stocked around here, I’m forever waiting for an order or something or other to arrive.

The next batch that is almost ready is a lovely bright and colorful hibiscus, lemon, and sweet orange. I tested it out today and the lather was so fluffy and thick, I think it’s going to be a fun bar o’ soap. Also coming soon… a chocolate lover’s dream, a bar with tons of unrefined cocoa butter and real cocoa powder to give it a chocolatey swirl. YUM.  We’ll just pretend that every mad scientist batch of soap is coming out perfectly without any issues like gooey congealed half-soap that bleeds blueberry juice out of unauthorized crevices.  IDKWYATA.

I delivered my first soaps to Ash Way Pet today! If you are in the neighborhood, stop on by and check them out! I was working really hard on a graphic for the dog shampoo bars, but couldn’t achieve what I was envisioning, so I have enlisted the help of a stellar graphic artist, and I can’t wait to see what comes of that.

In case you were ever wondering where my company name came from….

"Oh, are we taking photos?"

I get a lot of help with every aspect of the business, especially product photos.

It’s been a busy week with out of town visitors and a fun time with Mike D and Thee Loyal Bastards last weekend.  I also got turned on to Fernando Viciconte who I am enjoying listening to, especially in these wee hours late into the night in my little laboratory.  Long week, but now it is time to pack up the wagon and dump a whole lot of money into the hands of the oil tycoons.  We are headed to the Oregon Coast to enjoy sand, (hopefully) sun, surf and 30-something of my favorite people for a 4 day gathering.

This is from the same spot last September:

Beautiful!  We will drag ourselves home on Monday, and I will pick up where I left off on Tuesday.  Next week I will be changing the site over to the new massage tarts - now just a little bit smaller, in a “single serving” candy wrapper, and selling for almost half the price.  I will also offer 2 tarts in a tin, which is awesome and reusable.  I’m packing around bars and bars of soap with me so they will all get a good testing this weekend.  I have a couple of recipes that I already think are going to become regular sellers, and yet I’ve still only scratched the surface of the soap world!

Have a great weekend!

~ Crystal

Good news for you lavender lovers out there. I have blended this happy essential oil in to the most perfect little tube of lip balm! Mmmmm…. Lavender Lips…..

I have also reformulated the lip balm tubes just a bit. I added in a touch of beeswax to firm it up a little. The previous recipe was excellent for Winter, but now that it’s warmed up I needed to protect against your balms turning into goo in your pocket! The tins will remain beeswax free, so those are still a vegan recipe. I am going to test out some candelilla wax to possibly replace the beeswax, or to at least offer a separate vegan option.

The rest of the luscious lip loving labor of love recipe is the same… mango butter, shea butter, jojoba… seriously, if you haven’t tried it, you need to!  Not only will you be thanking me, but everyone that pays a visit to your lips will notice the difference!