Candybee

My camera is on the blitz so I don't have pics. I do a lot of craft shows and markets so I use those standard portable 6' tables to display my products. For candles I use risers as I like each row to be higher so you can really see each candle. Also, it keeps the display at eye level which is important. I hate displays where everything is flat on the table. So boring. I live on the East coast and got my risers from Gerschal Brothers online. They have a store in Philly, PA and an online store. The specialize in selling all kinds of store displays. The displays I got were cheap cardboard. But they are super sturdy and can hold 4 rows of candles in all sizes including huge 26oz candles. I take the time to cover the risers in contact paper from the dollar store. The paper makes the risers look like real wood risers. They weigh light because they are cardboard and fold down to flat for easy packing and storage. Can't do that with real wood risers. For my soaps I went to Michaels craft store and bought a bunch of pretty boxes in assorted sizes large enough to hold anywhere from 2-4 rows of soap each. I nested the inside of the boxes with some pretty sheer colored fabric and made my own dividers. Customers are always asking where I got my beautiful soap boxes. I also like that they have lids so when its time to close up for the day I just flip the lid closed. Packup is a breeze. They have boxes as big as small suitcases and as small as a large fat book. Many are fabric covered cardboard and some are metal like big lunch boxes the size of suitcases. They are beautiful. So glad I checked out Michaels. I also have a few assorted wicker and rattan tray baskets that I also use for holding soap. Lately I have been using these for my summer salt bars and shaving soaps. I got the wood trays at Big Lots. I got a long composite wood plankboard from Lowes and 2 large square plastic baskets from the dollar store to make a display shelf for my table. That way I have a long shelf on my table. I cover the table with a tablecloth and the shelfboard with a matching fabric and put the soap trays and boxes on the table on and the shelf. I am always on the lookout for display items at local thrift stores, Big Lots, Target, dollar stores, etc. You can find a lot for cheap. I try to keep my branding visible to my customers. So I have all my biz cards, table signs, tent sign, and labels with my logo and colors. I also purchased tablecloths for my table set up in the colors of my logo design so everything matches.

Amanda I have been doing farmer's markets for about 8 yrs and the hot summer months are typically slow. So July and August I am not expecting too much. I do 3 markets a week and like you sales have been poor lately. On the other hand, my repeat customers are loyal and thats where my big sales come from. Lately I have been slammed with customer orders and wholesale orders. My soaps sales are really picking up in this area. A lot of it has to do with establishing my customer base. So keep at it as you never know that first time customer today may come back for a larger sale tomorrow. I also find that farmer's markets attract local shop owners looking for handcrafted items to sell. They love soap and candles. Every market I do there is a local shop that also sells my soap.

Thank you so much Chris! I've been considering trying a soap with neem oil. I guess my friends batch had an oil that didn't incorporate or she didn't SB enough maybe. Don't know for sure. She is a brand new soaper and only has about 4 batches experience so far. One last question, how do you deal with the smell? It drove my friend right out of her home. She ended up throwing her neem oil soap in the trash. I think its a waste and she could have been rebatched but she said she couldn't tolerate the stink!

I have a friend that made some soap with neem at about 8%. She says the soap was dripping oil the next day. Is that normal for neem oil? Never used it before so I am curious if its the neem or something else going on with her batch.

I think pineapple, orange, or papaya would work nicely too.

Twigs & Berries was not a great mover for me. But if I did start using it again I much prefer the BW version.

Sales were slow again this weekend but better than last. My best ones were my repeat customers so thats good news. This past weekend seems like everyone is interested in the aromatic and earthy scents. Sold most of my Goddess and Egyptian Amber soaps. Lately I have been doing a 'bargain' soap bin. I get tired of waiting for some of the older soaps to sell so I throw them in the bargain bin and sell at half price. Those have been selling like crazy. Bargain bin is empty after each weekend. Lots of people buy several at a time. Helps me sell soap that isn't moving and make room for soaps that are selling.

Thanks Ravens! Was looking for a starting point.

For those of you who use neem oil what % are you using?

Rocky Mountain Christmas is awesome! Great in soy, palm, parasoy, M&P and CP. Haven't tried the others.

Thanks for the link SimplyFragrant. ChandlerWicks or Moonshine-- do either of you have a sample of Autumn Embers you could please send them? I am totally out or I would try it. I am worried about replacing this fragrance. It sucks when you have wholesale accounts asking for soap in that fragrance and all I can say is I am waiting to find out about it!! Argh!!

That's funny!

Beautiful! I love them.

Would someone post a link to them? Where are they located? I am on the East Coast. I need Autumn Embers or a replacement for it that is soap safe. I checked with Pure Fragrance Oils who is supposed to be the new supplier for MW about AE and they don't plan on stocking it anytime soon. I asked them what that meant and if they would stock it in the future and they emailed me back without a specific answer on that. So I am looking elsewhere.

This week I only have 2 days to make soap and I need to make at least a half dozen different batches to keep up. Its great that soap sales have picked up but doing the extra markets leaves me precious little time to make soap. So this week I will make some Burberry, Cucumber Melon, Twilight Woods, and if I have time some Lavender, Goddess, Cinnamon, Unscented lard soap, and a baby castile.

They are on my ever growing to do list!

Hope you have had time to recoup and get some quiet time and relax. I would have been angry too. Just think about refocusing right now and whats best for your business. Let us know how things go.

First off, quit giving your mom any more testers or any kind. Period. If she asks why tell her she already knows why. No need to get into a long discussion. Explain to her that when you are finished testing your products and ready to sell she may purchase them from you then. Then stick to your guns on this. Also, don't trust her to give the products to other family members or friends for testing. She obviously did not do as you requested so she cannot be trusted. If you want a particular family member or friend to have a sample product you need to give it to them personally. I don't think any of these people your mother gave the soaps and melts too will try to sue since the email did mention they were testing them. But it is wise to be concerned as there is the potential due to your mother's carelessness and selfishness. Good luck on your testing. I hope you are wiser for your experience. Sorry you had to go through this. I think its hardest having a close family member betray you and not feel its personal. It is.

Awww... I see what you were talking about now. Thanks for clearing that up and sorry if offended you. Was not my intention.

I sent an email to Pure Fragrance Oils.com asking when they might get Moonworks Autumn Embers in. The email they sent back said they have not received any requests for it. They are offering to get some if I want to order 25 lbs. Well that isn't gonna happen! My point is I think we have to be very verbal about Moonworks oils and let Pure Fragrance know which ones we want and need. Otherwise I fear they will disappear. If anyone else wants Autumn Embers or any other oil you need to let them know.

Its a shame this FO isn't soap safe or I would have tried it by now. So instead I got Soapalooza'a Blue Chamomile and Tassi Lavender and make my own Lavender Chamomile for soap. I just blend them at 50/50%. NO A&D and have time for a lovely swirl. Have to agree with Amanda-- it sells like crazy. Don't know if my version works in wax. Just thought if you were looking for a soap safe version this one is awesome. I hate it when CS comes out with a FO I want then I find out its not soap and body safe. Argh!!

This will be for CP soap so it needs to be soap safe and hopefully doesn't fade or A&D. I want an olive that is an olive oil scent or as close as possible. I want my olive oil soaps to smell like olive oil.

For me personally it was a maddingly slooooooooow weekend. Sales were less than half of what they were the weekend prior. Hopefully this coming weekend will be better. It may be because on the east coast it was overcast all last week and the weekend. Humidity was about 80% and very sticky and uncomfortable. I think people just like to stay inside in the air conditioning on days like that.

I realize if you are a new soaper you may not be able to answer this question but I thought the info that some experienced soapers could add might be interesting and helpful. I started out using only 4 ingredients in my basic recipe. Since then I have been experimenting with a lot of oils and butters in a variety of recipes looking for that one basic bath bar recipe I am happy with. For a long time I was using 7-8 oils in my basic bath soap. I am still working on it after these past few years and still am not 100% happy but getting very close. No I am "rediscovering" going back to the basics. Meaning I have found that often using less is more and creating a more basic recipe with fewer oils. I have also found I actually like the lather better with less coconut oil or not more than 15-20% of my total oils. I am more pleased with the results of a bar that has a higher conditioning, more creaminess, and less lather (according to soapcalc). Although as I mentioned I really like the lather more using less coconut. I still split the coconut oil with palm kernal oil but that is more about using up the last of my PKO. Then I think I will stick primarily with only coconut oil. This is only for one recipe; my basic bath bar. I have a salt bar recipe; a shaving soap recipe, castile, bastile, shampoo, facial bar, etc. But the one that seems the hardest is that basic bath bar. Maybe I am so particular because it represents the largest proportion of soap I make. So how have your recipes evolved over the years?

I just can't seem to get in the soaping mood this week. I just made a nice pine scented soap with french green clay. So far thats all I've made this week and I have a lot of soaps I need to make to catch up. Maybe its the markets I do. Maybe they are wearing me out.