cbv1

I will look into those book recommendations. I too have a 1 hour commute each way. That has always been the worst part of my job!

Thanks for the suggestions and support from all of you. They really mean a lot to me!

Coleen

I hear you Holly! And my business is my true passion. I love it!! And I am so thankful that I found my passion, even though I was already 50 before I found it! Thank you for your words of wisdom! :smiley2:

Thank you to all that responded to my post. I had a very bad week and stayed in bed for 4 days. Then I threw myself out of bed and came back to work today. I am starting to plan and yes, I do need to use the next few months to build up my stock. I also emailed my web guy with a list of things I want to change and add to my website. I have been in technical support for 16 years and pretty burnt out in this profession. I am hoping that this is the opportunity that I have been afraid to take on my own. Now the choice seems to be right in front of me so I will try to make a go of my business. We have many farmer's markets and craft fairs in the summer so I think I will plan on hitting all of those and just see what happens. Selling my product through a 2nd party has been difficult to say the least. I would love to have the control of selling my product directly to the customer. And, I will keep my eyes open for maybe a part time job too. Who knows... how can I acheive my dream if I never try and reach for it?

Yes Faerywren, I appreciate your input also. And you are so right. I won't know unless I give it a try. I have always taken the safe road. I have always made sure I always had a job that paid the bills first and foremost. And they haven't always been jobs I liked. I need to be brave for once in my life and step outside the box and try to succeed in something I love.

I hope others see this post and can share success stories about succeeding when following their dreams.

I know it won't be easy, but I have busted my butt for all the employers I have worked for in the past. I know how to work hard, I just have never done it for myself and achieving success in making my dreams come true!

Thanks Crafted. I appreciate you taking the time to give your input. I felt so lonely and afraid last night. I have a very supportive family so I am very lucky really. This just pulled the rug out from under me. And others have larger problems than I do. This isn't the end of the world but it felt like it last night.

I do have a website but of course I don't get a lot of traffic because I haven't had much time outside of my real job to market my products.

I think I will take your advice about writing things down, start making a plan. I have always wanted to submit my products to a local health store, but never had the time to actively go after that. I did have my products in some stores but unfortunately they all went out of business. Times are tough, but I can't let this get me down. I have a passion for soapmaking and I know I make quality products that I am proud of. Now I need to take charge and do something about it. I will put my heart and soul into getting this up and running. I have to at least try and if I don't put my all into it then it won't be successful.

And I can spend the winter months gearing up for craft shows. I do one each summer and have always done well. I will have plenty of time this coming summer to do more of them, and make products besides on the weekends.

I will make this work... I will make this work.... I will make this work...

OK, I think I will get dressed now. Feeling sorry for myself is not the answer.

Thanks again Crafted!

So, I am up at 2:00am, thinking too much. Got news yesterday that my real job will be gone in 4 months. So, my mind is racing... Do I take this as an opportunity to put more time into my soap business? Working a full time job all these years hasn't afforded me the time to really pound the pavement and get my soap business name out there. Is this an opportunity to try to get my business up an running? I am scared right now.... and confused. I pray for guidance because I sure could use it right now.

I guess the wind is unusual in this location because of the nearby lake. Last year the wind was almost as bad but this year was so bad I vowed never to do this event again. 3 years in a row with horrible weather, rain, cold, wind. It was just too much for me to take. It even hailed this year! They do this event the first weekend in June and I think it is too early for a mountain event by a lake.

I found this thread because I had a terrible time at the beginning of June where the wind was horrible. I have a Caravan 10 X 10 and had 40 lb weights on each leg. The wind was horrible and gusty and at one point a huge gale force gust came up off the lake and it took 5 of us to hold my tent down. The legs along with the weights were off the ground! I was so freaked out I am now afraid to do another craft fair in fear of the wind. I guess I need heavier weights. What do you all use for weights and how heavy are they?

I wonder why I can't see the picture. I only see a small box with a red X in it.....

I'll tell ya, My shop is right on the main st. I'm sittin here listening to music (the band YES right now), having a rum & diet coke, lovin it! And yes, I've had a couple) Lots of people stopping in.

Oh man... you are living the dream aren't you? Good for you, and best of luck to you!

What type label on what jar? I remember someone saying to put a label on the face of a round jar first put a rubber band around the jar. Stand the jar up and measure and move the rubber band until it is straight and then lay the jar on it's side an apply the label above the rubber band.

This rubber band tips sounds like a good one! I may just try this one myself!!

Years ago, before I started making my own CP soap, I ordered some handmade soap from someone who I read an article about their business. I ordered 1 or 2 bars of soap that they didn't have in stock and said they were making it that week and would mail the following week. I got the soap and it seemed normal. I didn't really know anything about cure time etc so I just thought this was normal, make soap, use it right away. The bars were hard so I have no idea how they got it ready so fast, and it was Cold Processed as described on their website. Years later I started making my own soap and couldn't figure out why mine was so soft to start with and took weeks to harden up. To this day I still scratch my head wondering how they could send me soap a week after it was made!

Is the challenge test an ongoing process? I mean, do you periodically have to test batches? Or do you test every batch with the challenge test?

I sent one recipe in for a challenge test. If I create a new recipe, then I would have that new recipe challenge tested. I won't have this recipe challenged tested again unless I make a change to the recipe. Before I sent my recipe in for challenge testing I did test it for almost 2 years, on and off, using the testing strips from Snowdrift. I tested it new, after a month of use, then 2 months after use, etc., until I finished up the jar. I never had anything grow on those strips so I felt pretty good about my recipe, but I decided if I was going to be in business, and sell my product, I needed to be absolutely sure. I sent this batch in for testing, using the exact recipe I use when selling my body creme so I am confident that it is a good recipe. I still use those test strips now and then. If I decided to sell a sugar scrub or emulsified body butter of some sort, I would have a batch of each challenge tested after I had gone through my own limited testing at home. I certainly didn't want to spend $900.00 and have my product fail the challenge test. My nerves were on edge until I received my results back, but it was party time when I had the documentation in hand that my product passed the USP Preservative Challenge test! So, the product has to be one I absolutely love, and one that I get rave reviews from my testers that give me feedback on a new product. Then I will save for a challenge test for that new product and hold my breath again! :smiley2:

I wear goggles, apron, rubber gloves, and a face mask that fits over my nose and mouth. The face mask I use when mixing the lye in conjunction with everything else. I don't wear the mask over my nose and mouth when mixing my soap. One time a little tiny splash caused by my stick blender caused a tiny bit of my soap mixture to land on my cheek. I washed it immediately but it still hurt. I can't imagine if that had landed in my eye. I am very careful, but that was an accident and I was surprised it happened. I am even MORE careful now and still wear all the gear. I learned from the best, here and from published authors, so I am glad I listened! My motto is "Better safe than sorry!". :smiley2:

I didn't know MMS sells the test strips, I use the strips from Snowdrift Farm.

Yes, now that I think about it I did get those test strips at Snowdrift. I order from both so I got them confused!

Yikes. I thought I had read somewhere on here way back that someone was having stuff tested for 30-60 dollars. You must sell a heck of a lot to pay those kinda numbers. Our teeny shows around here it wouldn't pay.

Glo

Not for the preservative challenge testing and I got quotes from a handful of labs and they all were about the same. They introduce bacteria, yeast, and mold, then test to see how the preservative holds up at 14 days, then again at 30 days. Then I get all the scientific documenation that states my product passed the USP Preservative Effectiveness testing. So, I think since this is a testing processes that is certified by the US it costs more. I could have additional testing done for this same product that was initially tested with lower fees. And no, I don't sell a lot of product yet but I wanted to make sure what I had was tested properly and in a certified lab. I saved up for this and this is really the only product I sell that needs a preservative. It was expensive but it was worth the peace of mind.

If anyone knows of a certified lab that does USP preservative challenge testing that only charges $60 I would certainly like to know! I would then make additional products that need testing. Right now I can't afford to test new products at that price!

I made it up end of January with Optiphen Plus at 1%...so far so good. Test strips for bacteria and fungi are negative so far, but I have yet to re-test after the 'use and abuse' method and of course will need to re-test weeks later to see if it's holding up.

I use O-Plus in my sugar scrubs and have found it works great for months and months...at initial test and after 'use and abuse'.

Do you use the test strips from MMS? The test strips are things I used while I was having family and friends test my body creme but I had lab testing done when I started selling it. I sent my body creme to a lab for testing but that cost $900. Ouch!

Just finished reading this entire thread. haha I would love to give this a whirl, but am interested in using paraben free preservatives. Has anyone tried this with Optiphen? Use the same amount?

Has anyone else tried this with a paraben free preservative?

I am in business for 3 years now. My first year I just had my website and nothing. I give away a lot of soap to co-workers and friends etc., just to get them to try it. I sold more to co-workers the first Christmas I was in business, for presents. I did one craft show the summer of my first year and got a phone call from a customer that bought my products at the craft show. They lived in another state so I shipped them what they wanted and they sent me a check. The second year I did the same craft show and had repeat customers but my website was still not getting me any business. Now my third year in, I am getting orders on my website from out of state and the only thing I can think of is that these people came to the craft shows. I give out menus listing my products and prices along with my business card to anyone that will take them at those shows. I have 3 retail locations that I give them a discount and they sell my products and for the first time in 3 years I ran out of soap by the end of the holiday season. I have been frantically making new batches each weekend, as I work full time at another job. I am hoping that at some point I can do my own business full time but we will have to see. So each year gets a little better and I am hoping this year is better than last, and I plan on being better prepared for the holidays!

Here are a couple of places I found on search. Not sure what size you need but maybe you can find it from one of these.

Angi

http://www.associatedbag.com/category.asp?cn=ABC&c1=ENV&p1=ENV_M350&c2=FC02&pg=1

http://www.uline.com/BL_3651/?pricode=wk457

http://www.cleartecpackaging.com/?gclid=CKPv4Nj48JcCFSMgDQodKiOkCw

http://www.visipak.com/

Thank you for your response. Yes, I have seen these different websites and 2 of them I am awaiting responses from. I think they don't respond as quickly when it isn't a huge sale. There isn't anything out there for us little guys so that is why Kangaroo Blue was so great for these. I did get a response back from Kangaroo Blue today that they are looking for a replacement supplier and hope to be able to offer these tubes again. I will keep my fingers crossed and in the meantime will await responses from these other companies.

Does anyone know where else to get the bath bomb tubes that Kangaroo Blue used to offer? They no longer offer these and this is the packaging I use and I have a picture of this packaging on my website also. I have searched high and low and don't find any offered by any of my normal suppliers. I did find one plastic company that offers 4ft lengths of thin plastic tubing in different widths that you would have to cut yourself, or special order the length you want. I am awaiting a response from them about the cost if they cut the lengths for me. I am concerned that special ordering the lengths can increase the packaging cost too much.

Boy, packaging can be a real pain!

I use to make sure my oils and lye were around 90-100. But now, I'm not even melting my butters or waiting for my lye to cool down. I weigh all my oils and butters, place them in my bowl, make my lye and as soon as it is made, I start to add it to the oils and butters, using the heat of the lye to melt them. This method has saved me tremendous amounts of time.

I have never tried this, and don't remember ever hearing about this method. Thanks for the tip! :smiley2:

This could possiible be a 4 oz for you - I found it at O.Berk -http://oberk.xture.com/Glass-Jars/Cleopatra-Jars/125-ml/1737462/oberk.aspx

125 ml = 4.226 oz

They didn't have any larger LP glass that I could find

Thanks scrubzz.... I saw this site too. The one thing I didn't like about a lot of the sites is that I couldn't order on-line. I did see their link for smaller quantities which brought me to BottleStore.com. So, I passed these types of jars by this potential wholesale customer so I will see what their response is. In the meantime I found some nice sites for glass pump bottles once I perfect my liquid soap.

I have a wholesale customer interested in carrying my body creme but they would like me to package it in a glass jar rather than my low profile plastic jars. I am looking for a low profile glass cosmetic jar in 4oz and 8oz sizes and I am not having any luck. I can find 2 oz jars an under, or the larger sizes but they are high profile. I need something that is low profile, glass, and nice looking. If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate the help.

Microsoft Office Publisher is what I use. I can get 4 bands on an 8X11 sheet so that works for me.