March Soap Of The Month

Hello Friends!  For my March Soap Of The Month (SOTM), I would like to introduce to you Soap Mom's Lemon Lime Salt Bar!  Made with pureed lemons and limes, fresh cream, and Himalayan Sea Salt.  Divine.  It's getting flip flop season here in the midwest, so we've got to get ready for flip flop season!  I've been preparing for this since December!

Jeff and I went to the NFR in Vegas for our wedding anniversary, and as a last "hurrah" before the baby comes.  Unfortunately, I found out I was pregnant the day before leaving for Vegas, so there was no "hurrah" for me!  But, I did get some absolutely ADORABLE blingy western flip flops.  Pregnant ladies that are due in AUGUST need comfy, cool clothing and shoes!

Well now, I have my salt bars to get my tootsies in shape for the season!  Before I met my husband, I would never splurge on a pedicure.  Never.  And he bought me one for our first Valentine's Day retreat and now I'm hooked!  And yes, I am one of those people that brings my own lotions and scrubs to the chair ... Soap Mom products of course!  Luckily, since Soap Mom has grown, salons now carry my products so I don't have to bring my own!  But, in case you don't have Soap Mom products in your salon, stock up on this amazing Salt Bar right here!!!  You can sign up for a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription and get amazing treats delivered to your doorstep each month!

If you've never used a salt bar ... let me explain.  A Salt Bar is exfoliating.  Like, a pumice stone is.  Pumice stones can actually tear and damage your skin - have you ever noticed how rough your skin feels after using one?  Then you have to slather on the lotion to repair your damaged and torn skin!  Himalayan Sea Salt is a skin polisher.  It cleans deep down inside your pores, to give you glowing skin, and reveal healthy new skin.  Used on your body, salt bars can make your skin appear more "youthful".  Soap Mom's Himalayan Sea Salt is also natural and sustainable.  Sea Salt feeds your skin with vitamins and minerals, and also detoxifies your skin.

Traditionally, Salt Bars use coconut oil as 100% of the soap making oils.  You probably already know, I'm not too fond of coconut oil in soap - it is very drying.  Soap Mom's Sea Salt Bars are made with olive oil and cream.  No surprises.

The citrus in my Lemon Lime Salt Bars helps with skin brightening, vitamin C is an antioxidant, shrinks pores, detoxify, repair, and renew skin from the inside out, stimulates collagen formation (fighting wrinkles), exfoliating and astringent properties cleanse clogged pores and remove blackheads.

Sunday FunDay

On Sundays, we have what we call "Sunday FunDay" here at Casa de Hazaleus.  We wake up, go to church, watch hunting shows, and eat "snacks" for lunch and dinner.  Whether it be Jeff's amazing smoked salmon with crackers, crab dip and crackers, buffalo wings, guacamole ... it's Shaelynn's favorite day of the week.  I remember doing this when I was younger and still living at home, having "Coffee Table Night", where we would pile finger foods on the coffee table for dinner.

Well, yesterday in church was a big day.  It was the first time that a)we got to tell everyone about the upcoming baby and b) the first time Shae opted to stay with us in regular service rather than going into Children's Church.

Pastor Terry started the message telling us about his night with no electricity.  He said you don't realize how spoiled you are using clocks, cell phones, microwaves, coffee pots, etc. until you cannot use them.  Shaelynn leaned over to her dad and said "I get it!  Without God, we have no power!"  ... even a 6 year old gets it.  Best. Day. Ever.

We have had a lot of great successes in our lives.  Healthy children, great career, my amazing little soap company and dog grooming business, a beautiful home .... countless blessings.  And it was all due to us giving the power over to God.  We know it can all be taken away in an instant.  We know we didn't get ourselves to this position.  Heck, we know that we didn't even find each other ... it was all God's doing.

Pastor then said we should "Let the fragrance of our prayers rise to the heavens".  This touched me.  Several times I have made it a point not to ask for anything when I pray. God knows what I truly need, and he knows who and what is laying heavy on my heart, so I don't really NEED to ask him for anything.  So, here is my challenge to all of you....

Pray without asking for anything.  Simply give thanks for everything you have, and everything the Lord has done in your life.  You will have such a different outlook on things if you take time to appreciate what has been given you.

New Product Alert!!!

So, in doing my end-of-year paperwork (husband says I'm a procrastinator, so he's making me start earlier than usual now!), I realized that I had 157 special requests last year.  These were requests for products that I *could* make but I just didn't do them regularly and had never put them on the website.  Well, I figured if  you were all asking for it 157 times, I should make these products regular members of the Soap Mom product party! 


Okay ... here are the new products!!!

**Liquid Soap** for hands and body

**Soap Mom & Baby Line** An ultra-mild, fragrance-free line of products for pregnant women and babies

**Purse Sizes** Available in lotions and sanitizer

**Fizzing Milk Bath** (I have already added this one to the website)

**Pet Colognes**

**Linen and Body Refresher Sprays**

**MILK soaps**

I have a really busy weekend ahead of me, so I may not get products added to the website until next week. But I'll let you know when they are up!!


Today was really busy, but I did manage to get a couple gallons of my Hand & Body wash made!  I'm waiting for new packaging to be delivered, if you order before the new arrives your soap will come in my 6 ounce lotion bottles with the screw-off cap rather than the flip top liquid soap cap traditionally used.

Soap of the Month!!!

Hello Friends!

I know I teased you by releasing the fragrance for the January Soap of the Month addition!  It's a simply delectable vanilla almond fragrance.  Just enough almond to not be overpowering, topped with the sweet vanilla buttercream natural fragrance that has been oh-so popular.
Well, I wanted to share a pic I took of your soap last week.  This was taken right after pouring.  You can see the yellow and cream swirls.  The yellow swirls are the vanilla, and they will turn a gorgeous warm brown.  I'll post a picture of the color change in a couple days (I'm a tease, I know!)  I just love watching my soaps cure.  As they cure, they often change color (because my soaps are natural I never use a color stabilizer - I let them do whatever they please!), and the scent typically becomes deeper and more involved.  Also, older or "cured" soap has better lather, so that's always a treat!

For all of you fellow soapmakers out there, This is the WSP 12 bar silicone mold.  Let me tell you the story behind this one!  I used to use a loaf mold, and still do on occasion.  As you know, the "ends" are not pretty, and it's not customary to sell them.  So, I had hundreds of end pieces.  I did package them as samples, kabobs, and Ugly Betty's, but for the discounted price, it was really a waste of my time (that time management was a tough one for me to learn).  My wonderful hubby - the marketing and sales guru - caught me eyeing this mold one day.  I told him that if I purchased these molds, my soaps would not be AS beautiful as before, but I wouldn't have end pieces to fool with, and time wasted cutting soaps.  For him, it was a no-brainer, go with the slab mold!  I hemmed and hawed (that's country for ... thought about it!) for awhile, and finally took the plunge and ordered these slab molds.  I will NEVER go back!  I can still adorn my soaps, and create swirls and layers to make them perfectly beautiful.  They are VERY sturdy, I've made hundreds of batches in these molds and they have never given me any trouble.  They are oven safe for those that like to gel your soaps in the oven, and they freeze nicely as well.  I have saved so much time, and when you own a small business, time = $$$$ and headache with these molds.  If anyone is on the fence about a slab ... I say go for it!

That being said .... my top selling  bar soap for December was Oatmeal Milk and Honey.

 I'm offering that soap @ buy one get one free until the end of January.  No coupon is needed, I'll simply include your extra soaps with your order.  Enjoy friends!!

And for your laugh of the day ... here is Shaelynn after we rubbed her head with pillows.  We are easily entertained! ;)

What a busy day!

I've had a busy day!  The neighbor kids came over to play today, I need to get used to multiple kids around since we'll be having another in August!  I'm just so used to Miss Shaelynn doing everything herself, she's spoiled me!

I did make it into the soap room for a bit.  Finished up todays orders, and the beautiful Soap of the Month Club soap for January is almost done curing!  I'll get a quick pic for you before I ship them all off to their new homes!

I have stopped for a bite of dinner.  Shae had leftover pizza (yesterday's pregnancy craving), and I had an omelet in a bag.  HERE is the recipe, I made mine with spinach and green onions ... *hint* this is yummy but it took mine about 15 minutes to cook all the way through.  AND, make sure your pan of boiling water is pretty big, otherwise you'll melt your plastic baggie and have a big eggy mess!  Turns out eggs don't sit well with the baby-in-waiting, so now I have to find something else to eat.

After kiddo goes to bed I see myself going back downstairs to make more soapy goodies!  I've got to get stocked up for Farmers Market season!  I'm going to need 1,000 bars of soap and 500 bottles of each product to get started ... whew!

I did get my invite to Pinterest today!  I can see how it can be addictive!  HERE is my first board.  Dogs, cattle, soap ... pure Kansas goodness.  Yesterday evening we saw an owl out right behind our back deck.  He was SO very beautiful, but by the time I got my camera situated he found a snack and swooped off with it.  Hubby suggested I turn the Pugs loose and donate one of them for his snack.  He's just kidding (I think)!!!

Beca

The Best of 2011

Hello friends!  I'm doing a quick "Best Of" In honor of 2011 passing us and 2012 coming in!  I have had an amazing 2011, and I hope you have too!

Prettiest Soap:

Lavender and Lemon.  A special request from a customer, and I must say - I love it!  It has become wildly popular, and it's just so naturally beautiful!  Lavender buds and dried lemon peel sprinkled on top.  A light swirl patter, and the beautiful lavender and yellow coloring .... Simple and Beautiful!

Best Seller:

Clean Cotton has been my best seller during the summer market months.  I sold out of the soap and lotion in the scent every week!  I honestly couldn't make it fast enough!

Oatmeal Milk and Honey has been my #1 seller for the winter months.  I'm making about 100 bars per month, that's a lot for my little soap co.!  This is a milk soap, and starting in 2012 Soap Mom will be focusing on milk soaps.  I just cannot deny the wonderful skin benefits of milk, and since we raise cattle - we always love to support agriculture and local farmers!  Soap Mom WILL still be offering vegan soaps for my beloved vegan friends!

Biggest Surprise:

The Cream Soaps (especially Oatmeal Milk and Honey!) are new this year and so very popular!  It took me  forEVER to formulate this recipe.  Most cream soaps use a "foaming base" of some sort - store-bought and not at all natural, so I had a hard time coming up with something of my own!  After I finally perfected it, tested it, and introduced it at the first Farmers Market, it had been nearly a full year of waiting!  I sold out at each farmers market the day it was introduced, and have several mail-order customers that order it on a regular basis!  This deliciously creamy soap isn't leaving anytime soon, I promise you!

Worst Seller:(hey, I don't hide anything!)

Pecan Praline Cheesecake - perhaps it's the off-putting brown color, or the fact that it's a "foodie" scent (many folks aren't interested in bathing with cookies and cakes!) but this has been my least popular creation this year.  I'm not discontinuing it, but I think I'll reformulate this one to be a bit more appealing visually.

Manly Favorite:

Leather.  Plain and Simple.  I made this one with activated charcoal (for color and skin properties), and a bit of gold mica on top.  I was actually surprised that women really enjoy this soap as well!  It's been wildly popular in the Light Bulb Ring sets - those cowgirls out there, and those of you with the rustic/western homes ... you've kept me busy with this leather scent!  Thank You!

Well, that is all I have for you this year!

My goals for 2012 are:

Improve my pictures and get pictures of every available soap variety on the website

Better manage my supplies.  I find myself running out of things quite often!

Improve my farmers market displays

Keep up on my blog regularly

Take care of this little Soapy Baby that's growing in my tummy!

I hope you all have an amazing 2012!

Beca

Peach Spice Bath Fizzie Cupcake

This peach is to DIE for! It's not too sweet, and not too light like many peach scents tend to be. Add in the rich cinnamon, clove, and cardamom fragrances and you've got the warmest peach scent you've ever experienced!

This is our Peach Spice bath fizzie and it is perfect for fall! Enjoy it on a cool fall evening, or a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Soap Mom is the only company to offer an olive oil face mask "Icing", with a bath fizzie cupcake. Enjoy a one-of-a-kind handmade treat, or save this for a gift for someone special!

Bath fizzie cupcakes ... we all deserve a little treat! Soap Mom Fizzie cupcakes contain a generous amount of our much-loved olive oil. Still completely natural, but simply ADORABLE! I get several inquiries about exactly what bath fizzie cupcakes are, and how you use them.


1. The "icing" is actually an olive oil face mask! Add warm water to form a paste, apply to skin and leave on for 10 minutes. Your skin will be gently cleansed, exfoliated, and completely hydrated and nourished!

2. The "cake" is a bath fizzie. Full of olive oil and essential oil, simply crumble the cake into your bath and let the gentle fizzing and bubbling relax you! Your soak will be skin-nourishing, fragrant, and not "break-your-neck" slippery!

You can break your fizzie in half and get TWO baths out of each full-size cupcake fizzie!

I offer HUNDREDS of varieties of cupcake fizzies. Simply email me at soapmomsoaps@gmail.com if you would like a special color/scent combination!