Bittersweet and the little soap company

what's in a name?

Often times, I'm perplexed about what to name a new soap. It happens often, it seems. So I thought it would be interesting to explore this topic a bit further since it's a perplexing one. 

As I'm making the soap my thoughts go to asking myself, what am I going to name this soap? Then after it saponifies, and is ready to cut into bars I again ask myself, what am I going to name this soap? Time passes, and that question sits in the back of my mind. Good thing I have four to six weeks to ponder names of soap!

The nose knows...

After the new soap cures, I pick up a bar and hold it to my nose. This is somewhat of a ritual around here and has been for the past twenty-one years. If a stranger walked in while I was sniffing a bar of soap with a serious look on my face they might think I'd lost it. I do it often at the shop, but make sure no one is around.

After seriously sniffing the new bar of soap a few names pop up. Some names better than other's, while every now and then I'm even surprised. So to answer the question of how do you come up with the names for your soap. That is the answer. 

Today in the soap studio I'm making a new soap and I'm calling it Alice! That was my mom's name. Her name has been branded on bracelets too. 

I just finished wrapping another soap that had once been called Spice Attar. I fell in love with the word attar. It's an old word but carries a useful meaning. 

noun

Also atar, athar, ottar, otto. a perfume or essential oil obtained from flowers or petals.

Also called attar of roses. rose oil.

You see...

The dictionary comes in handy as well. 

Here's a little nose knows story that happened recently. 

During the holiday season, the most fastidious of noses ventured into the shop and held a bar of Spice Attar to his nose and declared that he loved this scent of that soap! I've renamed the soap to Tom's Soap in honor of his admiration for the Star Anise and Rosemary blend. 

What's in a name?

Just like a person, naming a soap can make it or break it. Something this soap maker has observed over the years. Packaging has the same effect on a product.  

So the name game continues...

 

The shop is taking on a warmer appearance. The whites and neutrals are always my go-to colors. 

No matter what the trend my fondness always leans towards neutrals. 

Keep the faith. 

Jill 

generation gap

The popular phrase "generation gap" has a different meaning when I think of my rich soap making women relatives. My great grandmother a natural soap maker, as my grandmother, then my aunt and then me!  However, had it not been for my lovely aunt Vivian those eighteen, almost nineteen years ago sending me her luscious silky goat milk soap bars that she made in her soap kitchen, I would mot be making soap today. Oh , I might have dabbled with melt and pour, I'm almost sure, but the process of cold process soap making probably would have intimidated me. Isn't that interesting? You see, you simply never know what kind loving gifts and gestures grow from thoughtful seeds.

A soulful twist on the phrase "generation gap." A gap that fills my cup and runneth over with sweet heartfelt memories. Soap making stories passed down from generation to generation. Some of which include hand written letters from my aunt about how she'd be in awe as she watched her grandmother Lucy make homemade lye soap in a big black kettle on a sunny summer day. She would then use the soap to wash dishes, laundry and home keeping chores. Back then, soap was an valuable commodity and was used for many things other than bathing. Part of my fascination with soap is because of those earthy stories that have been so tenderly shared. I treasure them.

I'm guessing that's why, when I make soap feelings of happiness overcome me each and every time. Even after 18 years of making soap, my soul is filled with excitement and content. As though my life was not complete before I became a soap maker. 

A hand made life. Feeling gratitude.

Speaking of soap. Wow! I'm whipping it up!

Enjoy caring and sharing days and with all good wishes.

New projects in the works. Looking like they will be launching in 2016. Excited to share, later.

Jill 00 

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S is for Shop

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I can't begin to explain the soulful feelings wrapped around this big chunky rippled block of artisan soap. I'm going back to my soap making roots and it feels good. What's that saying? If it feels good, do it!

Many years ago, eighteen to be exact, my aunt Vivian sent me a bar of soap she crafted in her kitchen. She wrapped the silky goat milk savon in simple tissue paper and tied raffia around the bars. It's funny, I can still recall the touch, feel, smell of that soap. I was in awe and certainly intrigued that aunt Vivian, my favorite hip and cool aunt, the aunt that wore Chanel and spoke softly had created her very own soap! Those feelings turned toward inspiration as I began searching for any kind of literature or information about soap making. At that time, there were very few books about the craft, (only one), but the yearning to make soap had a strong grip on my soul and I was determined to learn the process. It's interesting because the Internet was just kicking but back then it took forever to search for information. Do you remember "dial up?" I prefer to call it something else, because even though it was a wonderful new resource it was s l o w in performance and could frustrate the heck out of you. There was one book about modern soap making at the time. I quickly ordered off the Internet and anxiously awaited its arrival Once the book arrived, I browsed the pages and took in the instruction. The list of supplies was minimal and I believed that making my own soap would be the greatest thing on earth.

Present day, and I still feel the same. Just think, had my aunt not made that soap I probably would not have continued the tradition. You see, I come from a long lineage of soap maker's. I am a fourth generation soap maker! I often ponder how had it not been for my aunt so generously and in her caring and sharing way sent me that silky, smell good soap wrapped in tissue, there might have easily only been three generations of soap maker's in my family.

I mentioned how I'm going back to my soap making roots. Those many years ago I'd pour the soap in shoe boxes, cover it with an old quilt and place it under my bed to cure. I remember trying to sleep and the excitement circling my mind knowing my soap, the one I made, was under my bed. No peeking, and I'd have to wait until morning to see it for the first time. It felt better than Christmas morning!

I dug out my shoe boxes,lined them and poured the thick creamy soap in the boxes just like I did those many years ago. I did not place it under the bed, I make a much larger batch then I used to. It was a joy to take the cardboard lid off the shoe box and cut the bars in fat chunky squares. I topped each bar with a B.

It's a glorious blessing to be passionate about something. It's an even grander blessing for someone to care and share. Thank you Aunt Vivian, I love you!

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

With all good wishes, 

Jill 00

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A Peasant Top break  and I've happily switched  to soap making mode. In particular focusing on Jardin Botanique, Garden Botanical. Most of you know I've been a soap maker for a long time. I'm always pleased, happy and joyful with the excitement that comes from creating a new soap.  Sometimes the excitement is generated by a fragrance, often times the color,  in this case the added botanical icing. Which had me at the first herbal sprinkle. I refer to the technique as fairy dust. In this case, botanical dust.  The soulful moment I decided to dig into my dried flower stash of bright red and pink zinnia petals and sprinkle them on top of the lemon grass bars created soap euphoria. I'm still impressed with how something so simple can produce such big happy soap making feelings.  Today at the shop, I went back and forth with packaging ideas. The Jardin Botanique isn't just any soap. It's packed and loaded with good for your skin botanical. Calendula, Chamomile, Rosemary, Patchouli, Oats, Poppy Seed, Olive and Coconut, Lemon Grass and zinnia petals. So the notion of soap wrapping choices almost seemed daunting.

 I started with Kraft paper, moved to white, went back to kraft, and then finally had an awe ha moment when I came to the scalloped trim and colorful paper. Often times I feel my personality to be similar to a story book character. Goldilocks comes to mind. 

My grandmother Lola used to tell me that bed time story in a most remarkable way! I always loved it when Goldilocks flopped down in Papa Bear's bed and says, "just right!" I can relate. 

By the way... The new lemon nail creme stick popularity took me by complete surprise. I have very few left and sold a record amount in just one short week. I'm happy that you like the new application. Thank you. 

Soap, soap and lots of it. What we need is lots of soap!

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Warmly,

Jill 00

 

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mounds and mountains

I've been wrapping soap the entire week! Beginning to see the fruit of my hands progress when I gaze over the mounds and mountains of savon sitting throughout the shop. Progress at the soap shop on water street!

Soap wrapped in cloth and pretty hand made papers. 

Getting a jump on the holiday rush. The crazy busy time won't officially kick in until after Thanksgiving. At least that's the way it's been for the past sixteen years. 

Completely sold out of Pumpkin Spice in less than two weeks! Sometimes it happens. Most always occurs during the holiday season. 

I'm in love with the button sachets! Just say'in...

Come new idee roots being sprouted and I'll share later. Something special for the holidays.

Almost Chutney time. Oh the sweet and spicy flavors! This homemade concoction fills your kitchen with a lovely aroma. Kind of wish I could bottle it for soap making!

Enjoy caring and sharing autumn days. 

Warmly,

Jill 00

(Two heart to heart hugs are always better than one) hug left to left. My good friend Debbie taught me that method of hugging years ago. Who knew so much thought could go into a hug. Probably should though, don't you think?

 

a many splendored thing

The shop is winter quiet this morning. The studio has  romantic floral and lavender drops throughout. The soap maker girl is wearing a vintage hat that her aunt Vivian sent awhile back. You may recall me talking about my lovely aunt. That's a picture of the two of us in Bittersweets profile picture.

I could hardly wait to get out of bed this morning! This is soap manufacturing week.  I'm anxious to begin whipping up the new soaps and the lovely fresh scents. I'm behind in fact on manufacturing, but all is well. The "new soap" excitement continues just as it did some sixteen years ago. In fact, I believe the frenzy escalates more today!

The "Romantic Soap" has been popular with many. Although I'm fond of Bittersweets generic soap wrappings I'm equally fond of pretty ruffled vintage flavored  foo-foo packaging too. The Romantic Soap fits in-between the two. The wrappings remind me of a childhood story. Goldilocks felt her third choice was just right. That's kind of a metaphor for the romantic soap packaging.

I'm particullarily excited about bringing back this soap and its packaging.

Honestly, if you held this soap to your nose and then sniffed a bouquet of lilacs your nose could not distinguish the two. I'm envisioning this soap having a lavender colored whipped edge.

Well I could talk all day long about soap. Most of you know our favorite little phrase, and one taken by the childrens book I used to read to Patrick when he was a little boy. "What we need is lots of soap!"

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 

Scratch here.

Bittersweet soap production is in full summer swing! 

Yesterday I made a new soap for fall. The new soap elixir blew me away! This soap has to be my all time favorite scent of all time. What is it you ask?  Well certainly, Tangerine and vanilla. Scratch here to smell. Oh how I wish that were possible! 

Imagine sitting under an orange tree. The ripe oranges have fallen from the tree above and in front of the tree, vanilla bean orchids growing.  Some of the orchids beans have split open and their warm vanilla scent surrounds you as the hot summer sun shines upon them.  

Can you imagine?

Pondering more citrus soap flavors with a woody addition, like cedar wood. I love the aroma of cedar! But then again, I'm a woodsy spicy girl and oh so fastidious with a capital F when it comes to choosing perfumes. 

Believe it or not, I'm sensitive when it comes to fragrance so I have to be quite careful in the choosing. 

I have found that when manufacturing  body essential it's best to use the highest quality oils to scent them. 

It's funny when I had the shop downtown folks would start to walk into the shop only to say, "I can't handle fragrance." Then immediately after saying that they would say, that's funny  the fragrance in your shop doesn't bother me. I heard customers saying that over and over again. 

Since I'm sensitive to fragrance I could relate to how they felt. Or better yet, how their nose felt. 

To be continued...

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Jill 00

 

Minty Summer

The mint family sometimes gets a bad rap. What I mean to say is that often I hear folks say that the mint plants have taken over their gardens. Yes it does tend to do that, but I still love it!

Peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, cat nip and even lemon balm all in the mint family. Did you know that there are over three-thousand species considered to be from the mint family?

I found this  website interesting in regard to the subject.

Adding tinctures of mint to a large bat of soap brings herbal gratification. The pungent scent of its oil awakens my senses as I mix it into the soap right before it traces. It's such a joyful experience that I really can't put it into words.

The minty garden savon if is infused with peppermint powder. The leaves are dried and crumbled into a fine powder and then I add it to the soap. In addition to the peppermint powder I mixed in spearmint essential oil. Long story short, the garden soap smell out of this world!

I also made into fat chunky bars.

The packaging is no frills and I stamped the top with a B!

It's actually more than four ounces, but in the soap regulation world I always like to make sure the weight of the product is under a bit. If the final product weighs less than what the label says then you may run into a  big problem! We won't go into that....

A busy week and some beautiful hydrangea images to share with you later this week.

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Warmly,

Jill 00

 

 

Bless that lovely inspiration

 
Generally new soap packaging has been thought out and completed long before it's ready to be wrapped.

Pleased as pudding and happy as a pie with the new wrappings of yesterday's soap indeed directed by an impromtu soap making interlude yesterday morning while digging thorough my stash of essential oils. I had a light bulb moment, so they say.

The thought of making a new soap generally gets my juices going, always has, and without a doubt will continue when I'm old and gray, God allowing.  It's a soulful feeling to have the same excitement and anticipation I experienced as I made that first batch of Oatmeal Soap some 14 years ago.

A large part of that excitment centers around the packaging.

Let's see if I can run those feelings in a uniform order of significance...

The actual stirring, mixing, and making of the soap, very relaxing and a tranquil moment unlike any other I've ever encountered. The selection of fragrance, one word, ZEN! Most often, I do not know which flavors I'm combining until I begin making the soap. This is somewhat of a  Bittersweet ritual and ushers in more excitement. The packaging of the shiny olive oil bars. Hours upon hours, days upon days can be spent pondering packaging ideas. With the exception of yesterday's soap. I knew right off the bat the look I wanted.

Introducing... Herbs de ProvenceSavon.... Inspired by vintage French soap packaging and herbal blends, "Herbs de Provence," embraces our love for days gone by savon. A savory blend of sage, rosemary and lavender. H'm, can a soap fragrance be considered savory? Well of course it can!

Her shell is soft and Frenchy, simple but sweet, I think....

After the soap is cut into bars it is needs to rest for 4 to 6 weeks before packaging. Although you probably don't associate cheese making with soap making, the process is quite similar.

The resting process allows the soaps pH to reach a level of mildness perfection. I'm a bit biased being the soap-maker and all!

Did I mention that during the nap the soap performs magical duties?

All by itself, during the siesta, it produces its very own glycerin. Not that stuff you purchase already made, but the real thing baby! In fact along with the almost 70% olive oil content, WOWSA by the way, it crafts approximately 25% NATURAL, and that N word holds true here... GLYCERIN.  Now that's a moisture rich bar of soap dears!!!

You won't find that soap recipe on the Internet or in any books either because it's my very own!

Stepping down from my soap box a moment, step, step.

Toot, toot!

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

Remnants...

Some remnants of summer can still be found in the studio. When January and February come I will be yearning for them to return.

I've discussed how typically Mondays are a kind of laid back kind of day. Not today!

Holiday Soap manufacturing going on even as I type. I'm waiting for oils to cool... Then a list of design client phone calls in between soap production. CraZy!

I picked up this cd and book last night. Love these vintage flora designs.

If you're a graphic loving girl like me then you'll like it too! You can order it here.

The little well designed booklet is full of stunning vintage fabric swatches that can be used to make all kinds of stuff.

All righty... Oil's are cool and it's time to pour.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Happily,

Jill 00

Two hugs are better than one