Hello, everyone! I have bad news…

Due to the slow economy, Magic Senses® decided to put the Creative Soap Week project/event on hold and concentrate all the resources, time and energy into product development and marketing. Therefore, there will be no soap making contest this year in November, unless someone is willing to sponsor and put their time into organizing it. This was a very sad and hard decision to make but, hopefully, we’ll be able to resume soon.

Love,

Betty

Today I am delighted to introduce you to Ann Stoermer, the soap maker behind Pitter Pattern Designs. Here is our interview:

Who came up with the name “Pitter Pattern Designs”?

My mom and I started this business selling baby gifts (blankets, burp cloths, baby clothes, etc) and we came up with our name and logo to fit the handmade baby blanket and sewing motif.  In 2010, my mom decided that she needed to focus elsewhere, and although I do sew, I much prefer to make soap. So I decided to take the business in another direction. Since our logo has feet (which are my youngest daughter’s baby feet) and our name reflects the “patterns” I make in soap, I thought it was still a nice fit.

When did you start and why?

My mom and I started this business in 2005. I was formerly an elementary and preschool teacher. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness, and I had a baby in the same year. I found myself unable to work at a traditional job. My mom and I both love to make handmade gifts, so we decided it was the perfect time to start a business together using my newborn as inspiration. It was strictly an online business at first, and although we lacked the knowledge to really make it take off at the time, it allowed me to feel productive in the midst of a crazy life. My mom is no longer an active participant, but she still continues to be my biggest fan.

How did you learn to make soap?

I have been an avid crafter for many years and have tried almost any craft you can imagine. I love anything that allows me to express myself artistically and am always eager for an artistic challenge. I saw some gorgeous soap online one day and thought, “I want to make some!” I basically taught myself by reading books, reading online articles, watching online tutorials, and with trial and error (an emphasis on the error!). Once I started, I never looked back.

Your soaps are very beautiful! What’s your secret?

When I am planning a soap, I am primarily influenced by the scent. If it is a nature inspired scent, I search for natural images that inspire color. Sometimes I just want to try out a new technique I’ve seen somewhere. I definitely want the look of the soap to reflect what you are smelling when you use it. For instance, you will never see me make a orange soap called “Blueberry.” I also love baking, so I naturally gravitated toward the whole cupcake craze since making soap seems so much like cooking to me. I really think it’s fun to put interesting toppings on my cupcakes to give them extra interest. Poppy seeds are a favorite of mine because they stand out so nicely against the color of the soap.

What’s your favorite soap to make?

Hmmm. That is a hard one. Although the cupcakes are fun, I like to do swirls the most. They can be very unpredictable, which is so exciting! I get giddy right before I cut the soap and dance around a lot when I am happy with the result. I absolutely love it!

Could you please tell us how you market your business?

I market mostly online, through Facebook, Twitter, my blog, on Etsy, and occasionally by visiting forums and joining groups of like minded people. I have also started trying out some local markets and fairs, and of course I talk it up whenever I can. I am starting to venture into the realm of wholesale (which is a scary step). I am still pretty new at this, and it is something that I’m still learning. It’s definitely the most difficult part of running a small business, especially since I am not a naturally a really outgoing person. It’s tough to put yourself out there and just hope to be accepted.

Any plans for the future?

I hope to get to the point where I can sell soap full time, and of course the ultimate in wish fulfillment would be to successful enough to own my own local shop. Mostly I just hope that I can continue to grow, learn, and create more beautiful soap!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I really enjoy the whole process of making soap. I don’t like to stop when the soap is finished and just slap a label on it. I love choosing the paper for each soap according to the look I want to achieve and to use other materials to enhance the soap as much as possible. I want the whole experience of getting a bar of soap to be fun and creative.

Photographing my soap is also really enjoyable to me. It is extremely gratifying to photograph my soap and to share it with others. After all, I could make really beautiful soap, but if it is not photographed well, it won’t look the way it was intended to the online masses. Since people online cannot touch or smell the soap, they are relying on sight alone. I want them to know what they will receive as clearly as possible. I see this as a really important skill to improve upon for anyone selling their creations online.

Where can we find you?

You can find me and my soap at:
My Etsy Shop: http://www.pitterpatterndesigns.com
My Blog: http://www.intheinterestofannie.blogspot.com
My Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pitterpatternsoap
My Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pitterpatsoap

All pictures are courtesy of Pitter Pattern Designs.

I want to thank everyone who submitted an entry (or more) to our Directory Listing Giveaway.

Now, it’s time to announce the winners. Here we go:

Celine Blacow
Suzanne Jones
Jessica @ Old Wives’ Tale Soaps
Tracy Fritze
Lindalu Forseth
Ann Stoermer
Candi Scaiola
Denise Ryczek
Joy

Congratulations! You just won a FEATURED Listing for 6 months (valued at $25)! I will email each of you a link to the form where you can fill in all your details.

Your listing includes:
Company Name
Company Description
Company Website
Country
Up to 6 product images
Social Media Links (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube)
Link to your Blog
Link to your Newsletter Sign Up Page
Your listing will be featured in our Directory for 6 months.

Hope it helps your business!

Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to Ms. Victoria Barrett from “Escential Elements by Victoria”. Here is our short interview:

1. When did you decide to start soap making and why?

Being directly affected by the economic crisis, I became unemployed and displaced from my regular employment of 25 years in a niche specialized field. I then realized that I must work aggressively to pursue a new direction. I had always dreamed of making soap and natural herbal products. Then, I began to see that the initial misfortune was truly an opportunity to move forward and give myself a new start and soap making became my direction.

2. Could you please tell us more about you?

I am extremely hard working and dedicated in everything I do. I believe that honesty and integrity are values to live by in all aspects of life, be it personal or professional. I enjoy networking with others in the soap making and related business and have built some wonderful relationships in doing so.

3. How would you describe your soap in 3 words?

Luxurious, Captivating and Refreshing

4. What makes your soap different?

My Cold Process soaps are skillfully made in small batches and are uniquely my own. I use a variety of formulations and the finest ingredients for various skin types. And I love to make them for both men and women.

5. What’s your favorite soap to make?

I truly love Cold Process Soap. My favorite is my Goat Milk & Shea Butter and then Hemp Soap would be my next.

6. How do you market your business?

Being unemployed with limited funding it is difficult to take on costs of formal marketing or advertising. I have, however, used other forms of communication, via internet, social networking and am an active member of the Indie Beauty Network which is an excellent resource.

7. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Artisan Soap is an absolute luxury. It is a perfect way to experience the tranquility of scent while experiencing the luxury of pampered clean skin. Each bar is custom made from the finest skin loving ingredients and goes through a 4-6 week curing period. It is unique in its creation and in its delivery. I think it is the best and most uniquely thought out gift giving idea!

8. Where can we find you?

Our website is www.escentialelements.net
Our Facebook Page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Escential-Elements-by-Victoria/182599951756814?ref=ts
Please stop by anytime.

###

All photos courtesy of Ms. Victoria Barrett.

We are working on a Soap Makers Directory and decided to give away 10 spots FREE!

The Giveaway

This giveaway is for soap related or soap supplier websites and blogs, all over the world!

Prize: 1 Directory Listing! Till December 31, 2011!
Winners: 10
How to enter (required): All you have to do is leave a comment that you are interested and include the link to your website. Only 1 link per comment, please. If you want to submit both your soap blog and soap store, for example, please leave a comment for each.

For additional entries (please leave a new comment for each additional entry):

- one additional entry if you join us on Facebook;
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter;
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to CreativeSoapWeek.com
- one additional entry if you join our Flickr group.

#########

The giveaway ends on June 28, 2011 at the end of the day.

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address so we can contact you.
*The winners will be announced on our website and via e-mail and must respond within 2 days or other name(s) will be chosen.
*Incomplete entries will be disqualified and deleted.
*We reserve the right to delete any comments that are NOT relevant to this giveaway.

This a great opportunity to advertise your soap business, blog or soap store! Don’t miss it! Good luck, everyone!

Today, I am delighted to introduce you to a very special soap maker from Israel: Mazzi Pelet, the artisan behind Latika Soap. Here is our short interview:

1. When did you start and why?
“As a kid, my mom always made beautiful things with us at home, so handmade work was around at all times. at some point she started making cold process soaps and i was just mesmerized by the process.
Two years ago I started playing with the design element of soap making and fell in love completely!
I think it was those cupcake m&p soaps that got me.”

2. In your opinion, what makes your soap different?
“I don’t think that I am the first to make cute or designed soaps, but I know that each of us soap makers have their own way to make things. It’s the whole package of ideas and inspiration, customer service and the activity in the blog and facebook page.
I really want to build a family of soaploving people around LATIKA.
I want people to receive the full experience when they approach LATIKA in a fair or visit the site.
So – I put a lot of effort in to the packaging, design and being in touch with everyone. It really is handmade with love.”

3.When creating your soap, what inspires you?
“I love old things like 1800 apothecary shops, old style candy and sweets.. love tea parties and vintage cake stands.. and off course I really love the natural look of cold process soap, chunks and chunks of it ”

4. In three words, how would you describe your style?
“Sweet vintage inspiration”

5. How do you measure success?
“Returning costumers.”

6. If you were to start all over again, what would you do differently?
“I really think everything we do leads us to the right direction. I don’t know if we even can do everything right, it was all good and exiting for me… I might have taken a break from school if I could do it again.”

7. Since you started your business, could you please tell us about your biggest mistake?
“Working too much on weekends ”

8. How do you advertise your business?
“I have a blog and facebook page I inspire to keep active and fun. I choose carefully who to associate my product with, I want the readers of the article or add would be in the right context to my product. A tiny picture of a soap will sometime do much more than a big article about us, if it’s not in the right context. This is something I learned from reading and going to lectures about self publishing and social network for small business.”

9. There are a lot of soap makers who have just started their business. Any advice for them?
“Love your work. Dare to try the craziest recipes! Dare to think big! Remember: it’s not just the soap making, a lot of your success depends on being a great business owner.

Take the time to learn, read and live the small business community and how it works.”

10. Where can we find you?
“I’m online a lot, less and less on etsy, more on my blog and facebook and in the lab.:)
Anyone can email me and join LATIKA’s family online We have a translation button in the blog now, thanks to the god of google
www.latikasoap.com

All photos courtesy of Latika. Here are a few more:

Today’s story comes from Samantha Champion, the founder of The Soapy Cauldron. Here is what she has to say:

“I started soapmaking in 2005 as a hobby when my 3rd son was a tiny baby. He had problematic dry skin and all of the things given my doctors were at best not working, and at worst exacerbating the problem.

Then my (late) Nan told me about oatmeal and after one ‘porridge bath’ his skin massively improved. So I began researching and experimenting with natural skincare – and the Soapy Cauldron was born!

One of my biggest ambitions with soap making was to open an independant shop. I started my working life in retail and always wanted to be a stand alone retailer. Sadly my Nan passed away in 2007 but she left me enough in her will to open a little shop- and in May 2010 I finally realised my dream. Today I am a retailer and wholesaler of Soap, Bath Bombs and other bath and body products, and I specialise in Artisan soap.

We also showcase other local handmade crafts and talents. We have a thriving Party Plan business as well with 30+ Consultants signed onto our books, and we are looking to take on a light industrial unit for the busy Christmas rush.

All because a little boy had dry skin ♥”

You can visit The Soapy Cauldron website at: http://www.thesoapycauldron.co.uk
You can also find them on Facebook.

Thank you, Samantha, for sharing your story with our readers!

As you know, we had a Text Link Giveaway a couple of weeks ago. Now it’s time to find out who the lucky winners are! Here we go…

… dim the lights please…

And the lucky winners are…

Comment no 2… comment no 7… and… comment no 4!

Congratulations, Bertie Em, Denise Ryczek and Suzanne Easton!! Each of you has won a text link on Creative Soap Week website for 3 months!! Your links will be posted by the end of the day.

Thank you all for participating! It’s been fun reading your comments.

Initially, we started this Text Link Giveaway on our Facebook page. However, it seems that it is against Facebook’s Terms and Policies to have a giveaway there. So we moved here! This way, ALL our fans can participate and we are in compliance with Facebook’s Terms! All entries from Facebook, are reposted here.

The Giveaway

This giveaway is for soap related or soap supplier websites, all over the world!

Prize: 1 text link on the sidebar! For 3 months! Value $25.00!
Winners: 3
How to enter: All you have to do is leave a comment that you are interested. If you want, you can include the link to your website, but it’s not mandatory. Only 1 link per comment, please. If you want to submit both your blog and store, for example, please leave a comment for each.

For additional entries (please leave a new comment for each additional entry):

- one additional entry if you join us on Facebook;
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter;
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to CreativeSoapWeek.com
- one additional entry if you join our Flickr group.

#########

The giveaway ends on March 31, 2011 at the end of the day.

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address so we can contact you.
*The winners will be announced via e-mail and must respond within 2 days or other name(s) will be chosen.
*Incomplete entries will be disqualified and deleted.
*We reserve the right to delete any comments that are NOT relevant to this giveaway.

This a great opportunity to advertise your soap business, blog, store or Facebook page! Don’t miss it! Good luck, everyone!

photo courtesy of Scent Trail

As you know, we like to acknowledge all soapmakers. Even if they are not extremely creative. Here is a short introduction to Scent Trail, a small soap company founded by Suzanne Jones and based in the North West of England.

Suzanne started over a year ago; she never imagined how fast the soap, soap ingredients, oils, etc. would invade her house! In fact, none of us, soap makers, do! Here is what she had to say about her journey!

I started making soap for fun, and to foist on anyone I know. They liked it so much I decided to turn my hobby into a business. In February 2010 I became “legal” and Scent Trail was born.

I do not do the creative stuff like swirls and sparkles, but I still enjoy putting on my pointy hat and stirring my cauldron and ending up with a lovely bar of beautiful smelling soap.

I have recently started supplying the National Trust after being added to their local stockists list and I am working hard to try to build a successful business.

If you want to say hi to Suzanne, please visit her Blog, Twitter page or follow her on Facebook! Tell her that Betty at Creative Soap Week sent you!