Thursday, April 19, 2012

Checking in and sharing my thoughts for today...

Just wanted to check in and say hey to all my "fans". I had a nice break from school and was able to soap a bit but it's back to the grind and back to study time. I will be graduating and taking my certification exam in June so no slacking for this girl.


I do want to say this though, I am really enjoying the soap challenges that Amy at Great Cakes Soapworks has been putting out there for her fellow soapers. Check out the challenge here. I also really enjoy Amy and her great attitude. She has encouraged me and answers questions when I have them. I don't often ask questions of my fellow soapmakers, mostly because the few I have reached out to have not been very helpful. Youtube has been my best friend. I have learned so much on Youtube from some really generous soap makers. I can spend hours watching people make soap and cut soap. I find myself wishing I could jump in and touch and smell everything. I have so many questions since I am still learning. Some folks are really helpful and others treat you as if the world will come to an end if they share one tip or secret. They say that they have spent years of time and money to get where they are and they didn't have anyone to help them so I shouldn't expect them to give a helping hand. Sounds selfish and bitter to me and it's really sad.


Luckily I have found several other helpful people in my Yahoo soap groups and also a couple of soap forums I belong to. I guess I just find it odd that folks would put "how to" videos up on Youtube but not want to answer questions or help a person learn "how to". Not all are negative. In fact Bonnie and Edential Farms / Good Earth Spa is very helpful. Holly at Missouri River Soap is a blast to watch on Youtube. Also have to give a shout out to Catherine at Soaping 101 on Youtube. I'm sure I am forgetting a shout out. Yell at me if I did... lol :ox


I may be new and I may not know it all but if somebody needs my help I am going to help them. I will not do it for them but I will guide them. What ever I give I will get back ten fold. I really believe in Karma. I also believe that soap is an art and not one batch of soap comes out the same, even if we use the same ingredients and technique. There is room for us all. Everyone uses soap and since each of us is an individual, we have different ideas of what we like and dislike. If somebody asked me for a shampoo bar with a specific ingredient or scent that I didn't have or didn't make I would refer them to somebody I know who does. It's kind of like a shoe business. If all I sell are high heeled shoes and a customer asked if I had any jogging shoes I wouldn't let that customer leave my store without referring them to somebody who had great jogging shoes. Because, that customer will remember how nice and helpful I was and when they need high heels or somebody they know needs high heels they are going to come back to me. It's all about the customer and being friendly to your fellow business peers. 


I read a really good article today from Anne Marie at Brambleberry. Her view on business is right on the mark. I admire her vision and approach to her business and her fellow business persons. If you have a business, you might like the article too. Check it out on her blog here.


So that's it for today. I am working on my soap challenge although I am not enjoying it at all. We are supposed to mix up some fragrance for a batch of soap with what we currently have on hand. So far all I have gotten is watery eyes, nausea, and a few headaches.. lol.. I am not going to get rich on designing perfume, that is FOR SURE!!


Later taters!! :)

4 comments:

  1. Amy is wonderful - I enjoy her blog, too, and I've learned so much from her tutorials. It's a shame that you've had some bad experiences reaching out to other soapmakers for help. I've heard of this happening to other soapers and I don't understand it either. Have you joined any soap forums? A couple of great ones are the Teach Soap forum (run by Bramble Berry) and the Talk Soap forum (run by Soap Making Resource). The folks at both are all very friendly and helpful. You should come check them out! And congrats on graduating in June - best of luck to you on your certification exam!

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    1. Thank you Jenny, you are so kind :) Yes I joined both of those soap forums years and a few Yahoo groups too and they have been very helpful. I do find the forum format a bit daunting though. I will edit my blog comments to include the helpful people on the forums and groups as well. I suppose I was mainly speaking about the handful of soapers that put out "how to" videos on youtube but don't really want to answer the questions you have. I'm not really complaining... just an observation.

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  2. Once you learn the soaping basics, let your imagination do the rest. There is no right or wrong when it comes to design. If it looks right to you then it is... you are the artist and the soap is your canvas. Being unique in soapmaking is a good thing! Thank you for the 'shout out' + for watching my videos. Catherine :)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and giving encouragement Catherine. I can't tell you how much it means to me. I admire you so much for putting the teaching videos up. I have always loved your soaps and when I stumbled on your teaching videos I was so excited. I am grasping the art form but the "perfect" basic soap recipe is just not coming to me. I probably have it already but I keep trying this one and that one and lose sight of it all. All I know is, I am so happy when I am soaping :)

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