Wildcrafter

I wouldn't say so. I store all my supplies in my shop which is not heated in the winter. The only time there's heat is if I'm working in there or I have my 5x5x4.5 ft dehydrator going. My oils stay cold cold cold. I made a cream yesterday with shea, jojoba, hazelnut, rosa mosqueta and a few other oils and it turned out perfectly. There may be something else going on.

I'm in agreement that once the bars are cut, they'll look great. I don't see anything wrong with that soap at all. I do know that we can be our own worst critics. Don't ball it! We may have to start a Save The Soap campaign! Oops, I posted and then saw your pics. The balls look beautiful and so do the bars. They'll sell, either way!

Don't chunk! You can call it "Get Your Groove On!"

http://www.getsuckered.com/Category/Candy-Flavoring-OILS.aspx I've never used them, but I hear other people do.

I'm in the 25-75. I'm: full time online farmers markets herb school

I live in Washington state and if I ship a package instate to another county with a different tax rate, I have to charge them their rate. I am able to have that done automatically with mal's ecommerce. I would be able to do that as well with each state if this passes. Although, I don't know how many places I have available on the ecommerce site for adding in each state tax and each tax within each state. That sounded clumsy. At the end of the year, I have to separate income for each county within the state for the internet sales plus my farmers markets which are in different counties. It's a PITA and takes time, but it's doable. I'm not happy about this at all, but if it must be done, then it must be done, like it or not. I won't stop doing business because of it.

This sounds like the ex-husband. He'd mess up and then point fingers all over scrambling to find someone else to pin the blame on so he'd never have to take any responsibility for his own actions. The government has screwed up royally that past few years, just take a look at the economy and the unemployment rate. They want us little people to shoulder the responsibility of their money mistakes by scrambling to grab whatever money they can. Just my opinion.

I never said you were a bad person Meredith. Please read what I said. I said I think you are a good person who posts valuable information. I don't know what's going on in your life, or why you are twisting everything I'm saying and I'm sorry if I pissed you off in any way. I think you're getting worked up over something that doesn't really matter in the whole scheme of life. I'm sorry if my answer offends anyone. I was just answering a question asked. Now, I'm off to meet with a bunch of soapers to have a great time together swapping soap stories. I will not respond to this thread anymore.

Wow. I have read other posts from you and you share quite lot of valuable information and seem like a good person. I can only assume you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

I don't write that I've been making soap for 20 years to brag or boast. It's to say that I have been doing this for 20 years and have that much experience. No other reason. I teach and talk on forums from this experience. I don't care if someone has 1 day or 100 years experience. If I can learn from that person, I do. I love to learn. I didn't say that anyone splashes around irresponsibly. I said I don't splash around. I didn't say anyone on this forum does or that anyone said they do. I said I don't wear glasses/goggles. I didn't say no one should wear goggles. I said it was a choice for everyone to make themselves. When I teach people how to make soap, safety issues are discussed. I'm in no way irresponsible. You have never taken a class from me, so please don't think you know what I do or say in my classes. Lye is to be respected. I respect lye. Plain and simple. I've been lucky for 20 years? No, I've been careful for 20 years. Luck doesn't last 20 years and I don't believe in luck, anyway. Please don't read more into what I wrote. I write what I mean with no hidden agendas or meanings. Lastly, the question was asked Do you wear safety goggles for soaping? I saw nothing on that question that ended with....so we can blast those who don't.

Well then, I must be crazy. I have been soaping consistently for my business for 20 years and I've never worn glasses during soaping nor do I wear gloves and wear short sleeves if I'm having a hot flash. Lye is something to be respected, sure and I don't go splashing it around irresponsibly like some crazy lady, I am careful. I have had bits of soap splash while I stickblended, but am always amazed at how quickly my eyes close even before the teeny bit even makes it halfway to my face. Our bodies are wonders! I have a galfriend who has been soaping as long as I have and her batches are 400 pounds each. She doesn't wear glasses, either. What everyone does is their choice. Yep. If someone wants to wear all that gear, I say more power to them!

Howdy!

I cure my laundry soap 1 year before using or selling. Most CP soaps are cured at 4-6 weeks, but the longer they sit, the harder and longer lasting they are. Some will also lather better.

There are even more changes now!

You better contact them. By law, they should be labeling with the correct product whether it's an EO or FO. I live close by them, but do not buy from them for several reasons which I will not get into. One of their lavender "EOs" is actually a blend of FOs and EOs, but they are labeling it as an EO. I think that is unethical to say the least. I know this because the owner's brother who is the manager of their retail store told me.

I'm speechless. I'm going to call my weblady and ask her if you can retrieve anything.

Now, THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! Sounds like you know what you're doing!

Thanks! I am blessed to love my "job." I always have.

I see your point, but stand on my statement. Why buy soap from someone who's inexperienced but already off and running with a "business" without enough trial, error, success and time under their belts to make a quality bar of soap? I don't mind you disagreeing with me. I've been making large quantities of soap consistently for 20 years, but I'm far from knowing it all.

Please check out the Cedar Mountain page and let me know what you think. I think overall, the background color needs to be lighter. My whole website is going to be looking like this when it's all said and done, but it's in process at the moment. I'm going to have a blog that my apprentices can write on, there's going to be an apprentice bio page, the store is going to look completely different. And more interactive. It's going to look great when it's done, I think.

One of my former soap students makes soap and (yes regularly steps on my toes and goes to the same markets as I have done for well over a decade) tells people to use her soap right away while it's soft because it's fresh. People come up to me and tell me her soap is gone in a couple of days and it hurts their skin. This woman knows better because I taught her better than that. She's doing this because, I'm thinking, she's thinking if her soaps go faster, then they'll come back and get more. No. They come back to me and buy mine again. And tell me they're sorry they ever left me! I would never sell CP soap that's less than a month old. Now, HP soap, you can sell in a week. That's a different process though. I am always highly suspect of soft soap being up for sale. It tells me that the people are either new and ignorant or unethical and greedy. Either way, neither of these types should be selling soap.

I don't feel like they were directed at me. I don't have the interest to take things personally. I just don't think plastic wrap or foil and a sticker would work. How do I know? Past experience. Plain and simple. So I use what works and my customers appreciate that.

A pretty sticker isn't going to cut it, really. Maybe black tape doesn't look good, but I will trade look good for work good. And I haven't lost a customer yet for using it. I pack things really well for shipping, but it doesn't mean the post office isn't going to flip the box upside down 40,000 times before it gets to the receiver.

How about a strip of cardstock with the EO on it and slip it into a little ziplock? That's how I send my students home with testers.

By the way....what are you putting in them?