Spring Fling 2015

The Spring 2015 newsletter has just fluttered into inboxes and mail boxes everywhere, but if you're not on any of the mailing lists (shame on you!) then you can always find that latest news here too. And on Facebook. And of course on the website itself too. I just like to cover all the bases, because you never know how anybody out there in that big wide universe is finding you.

But to keep things simple, I'm only going to post this one link to the new Spring Seasonals Page, where you can find all of the new items announced below.  Just head on over!

SPRING FLING 2015

Spring Fever! Oh how Spring makes your heart flutter. After what seemed like an eternity, when Spring finally arrives fashionably late to the party, you can’t help but swoon, like a love struck dreamer. Starry–eyed and with a heart full of romance, you melt at the sight of first blossoms and tiny green buds. The warm breath of sunshine on your cheek feels like a kiss. And you can’t imagine ever loving any other season quite like this. 

NEW - SPRING SEASONAL SOAPS

Spring fragrances are naturally light, fresh, romantic. Frolicking in the new grass, dancing playfully in the blossoms, this season of new beginnings is clean and pure, soft, sweet and pretty. The new spring fragrances are limited in production and available February thru May. ($ 4.25 each or 4 bars for $16)

JASMINE LEMON  - Tender floral jasmine blossoms blended with bright, clean lemon. This bar is a pale shade of sunshine yellow. It’s bright and happy, soft and pretty – and was the top-selling spring scent last year, so it’s back for a repeat performance.

SWEET PEA – Delicate and fresh, heavenly little sweet pea vines are adored for their magnificent enticing fragrance in spring gardens. And this beautiful new soap is absolutely gorgeous. It’s a petal pink bar, incredibly pretty, and pure romance.

LILAC GARDEN – Spring just couldn’t be spring without the intoxicating lush blooms of a lilac bush dripping over the fence from the neighbor’s yard. Lilac blossoms are so luscious and sweet you can even sip the nectar out of the little stem of the flowers, which we did as kids. This year’s version is a little different (better!) blend, absolutely true to the flower – fresh perfection in a dark purple bar.

SEA SALT – Turn your shower into a relaxing spa! Rough, dry winter skin needs a little extra pampering and sea salt soaps are all the rage. It’s a fantastic way to get that “glow’ without expensive spa treatments. This soap recipe is packed with mineral-rich sea salts that exfoliate and soften skin, soothing itchy dry patches, and leaves you silky smooth and hydrated too. It’s NOT a scrub bar but rather a smooth textured soap – a moisturizing treat in the time it takes to shower. If you’ve never tried one of these, don’t miss it - you’ll be hooked! Scented with essential oils of lavender, rosemary, mint and thyme, it’s got that irresistible luxury spa fragrance you can’t stop sniffing. (100% natural)

CHANGES TO OUR REGULAR MENU

We’re taking the Oatmeal, Buttermilk & Honey soap up a notch. We’ve switched the recipe to fresh, organic goat milk! Goat milk soap has so many skin benefits, it seemed silly not incorporate it in our recipe. Its creamy feel actually comes from the cream - fat molecules that are extra moisturizing and gentle for dry or sensitive skin. It’s helpful for eczema and psoriasis conditions too, with higher levels of vitamins and minerals that protect from harm, repair damage, and boost skin health. Alpha-hydroxy acids, which you can find in expensive skin treatments, naturally occur in milk, removing dead skin cells while leaving the surface skin smoother, younger looking and more radiant – without any harsh chemicals or peels. Our new OATMEAL, GOAT MILK & HONEY soap still has the soothing ground oatmeal, and fresh raw honey for their beauty and health benefits, plus the same warm, sweet fragrance you’ve known and loved all along.

LEMON GINGER CARROT, our standout soap of last summer, is now on the regular menu and available year-round. Bright, sparkly, almost effervescent, this is a blast of citrus – sweet orange, lemon and lemongrass – blended with spicy ginger for a scent that is like liquid sunshine. We’ve oomphed up the superfood in this bar too. Loaded with rich organic coconut milk, carrot powder, and carrot extract, it’s super moisturizing formula is full of vitamin C and beta carotene, plus a host of other essential nutrients and antioxidants, especially good for mature or dry skin. (100% natural)

NEW - SPRING AROMATIC SPRAYS

This spring there are two aromatic sprays to match the seasonal soap scents. JASMINE LEMON and LILAC GARDEN are fresh, romantic fragrances that make a lovely spritzer for everything imaginable - delightful as a body spray, a great deodorizer for linens, rooms, closets, cars, plus a fabulous pick-me-up anywhere, any time. Prance around the house spritzing the scent of Spring in a bottle and bring the season of hearts and flowers indoors. (4oz bottle $6.00)

NEW – SWEET PEA DEAD SEA BATH SALTS

Love, love, love – a match to the new Sweet Pea spring soap scent. Our Dead Sea Bath Salts have so many benefits, from skin soothing to smoothing, and health-ifying detoxing to muscle relaxing. Adding a heavenly floral fragrance to calm stress and bring peace to your soul? Yes, please. A soak in these pretty new spring bath salts is just the ticket. (16 oz bottle $8.00)

SPRING EVENTS

It’s still early in the year!  This is what we’ve got so far, and will update the website just as quickly as we get notifications, confirmations and contracts. Check the site any time (“Events”button) for all the latest information, including booth locations.

March 28 - 29             

Best of the Northwest – Spring Show

Hangar 30, Magnuson Park, Seattle

Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5

Apr 16 – 19                

Spring Fair at the Washington State Fair

Artists in Action area, located in the Hobby Hall

Puyallup Fairgrounds

Thurs 2-10, Fri & Sat 10-10, Sun 10-8

Apr 17 – 19              

Tulip Festival Street Fair

Downtown Mount Vernon

Fri & Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5

Wishing you a happy, happy spring – full of new life, new beginnings and fresh starts.

New: Oats & Goats!

I know you've been waiting anxiously for the new spring products to arrive already. They are coming later this week. Really. Just putting the finishing touches on everything and making sure we've crossed all the tees. But to tide you over til Friday, here's a sneak peek at one of the new items. It's actually an old item that we've amped up a bit and given a fresh make-over, because sometimes you just have to kick that old 80's hairstyle to the curb, even if it's as comfy as an old ratty sweatshirt. Ouch, right? Just keeping it real.

Previously called "Oatmeal, Buttermilk & Honey" soap - we've taken this very popular bar up a notch!
Goat Milk has so many skin benefits, it seemed silly not to incorporate it into our recipe. Its creamy feel actually comes from the cream - fat molecules that are extra moisturizing and gentle for dry or sensitive skin. It's helpful for eczema and psoriasis conditions too, with higher levels of vitamins and minerals that protect from harm, repair damage, and boost skin health. Alpha-hydroxy acids, which you can find in expensive skin treatments, naturally occur in milk, removing dead skin cells while leaving the surface skin smoother, younger looking and more radiant - without any harsh chemicals or peels. 


Our new recipe still has the soothing ground oatmeal and fresh, raw, organic honey - revered for their luscious moisturizing and skin softening abilities.  These particular ingredients have been used for centuries to soften and calm skin.  From Cleopatra's bath to now, it's the most luxurious combination for pampering your skin, and the perfect complexion bar.

We haven't changed a thing with the fragrance either! It's the same warm, sweet scent you've loved all along, a blend of oatmeal, milk and honey yumminess. This is a comforting, calming and all around nourishing bar of soap for face, bath or showers.


Ingredients: Olive oil, organic coconut oil, sustainably-grown palm oil, organic shea butter, ground oatmeal, whole fresh organic goat milk, fresh raw organic honey, fragrance oil.

Valentine's Day Humbug

I had to make a couple of shopping stops over the weekend and was horrified to see the stores full of Valentine's Day merchandise already. The whole holiday hoopla thing went by in a blink of an eye and I'm really having to push myself into all that "new year" activity and get back to work. It's all too much, too soon. I'm not ready. Especially to start planning another holiday. Is that just me? I'm thinking it's you too. 

Usually I do the big spring seasonal announcement and newsletter on Feb 1st each year. But this year I'm going to wait until mid-February. I don't have to follow the big box stores for my retail schedule. I'm thinking that the spring stuff should be a bit closer to the actual spring outside. Ok, two weeks isn't that much :) But it gives me a chance to recover and take a tiny break before rushing off into the next big thing. #MakeYourOwnRules

Winter Holiday Newsletter 2014

Yippee!  Yahoo! It's time once again for the winter holiday seasonal newsletter. For anyone not on my mailing lists, I'm posting the full text right here too, so nobody misses out on all the cool new stuff we've got for the gift giving time of year.


And as we always do, here's the link to go straight to the seasonals page on the web site, where all the new stuff is located in one place.  Of course you can meander around and just shop the "Gift Ideas" page, or check the show schedule page too, if you want.

And if you'd rather get these charming newsletters right in your inbox so you don't have waste precious brain cells trying to remember when the heck the new stuff comes out and where . . . you can subscribe right here.

without further ado . . . .

Dear Friends,

Winter’s soundtrack is quiet and peaceful, the graceful melody of wind through bare branches, the hush of muffled snowfall, the tap-tap pitter-patter of raindrops and melting icicles, the rhythmic crunching of feet in the snow.  If those feet have hooves and there’s a sleigh involved, we’re over the river and through the woods . . . jingle jangle.

This is the season of quiet introspection, reflection on a year well-lived, a deep stillness and peace.  This in-between time, the hibernation and respite, allows the other seasons to be so full.

My own personal song of favorite things still has the whiskers on kittens, warm woolen mittens, snowflakes and sleigh bells, and even the packages tied up with string. But I’d add the inky midnight skies filled with a million stars on a perfect Winter Solstice. The crackling snap and pop of a Yule log on the fire in front of a cozy hearth. Long walks in the stillness of the evergreen forest. And the warm, soft, comfort of my favorite flannel jammies to tuck into bed at night.

Winter Holiday Seasonal Soaps

Some of my very favorite things inspired the new wintry wonderful soap scents  -- for a little fun in the shower, or a treat for that special someone (or all your somebodies).  Note: some of the autumn seasonal scents are available a bit longer, plus our full list of soaps and goodies are available online at all hours. ($4.25 each or 4 bars for $16.00) 

Winter Solstice  – The perfect winter day is spent outside in a snowy Northwest forest – skiing, hiking, or searching for that magical Christmas tree. Fresh juniper, blue spruce, fir needles, cedar tips and a hint of icy birch blend together for a snowy forest scent that is naturally heavenly. Crisp and sparkling, this is a beautiful olive green bar. (100% natural soap)

Woodsmoke  - There is nothing more satisfying on a cold winter day, than warming your frosty fingers and toasting your toes in front of a crackling fire. I know what you’re thinking – soap that smells like smoke sounds dirty. It’s actually incredibly clean, like the freshness of a pine-filled woods after a rain – that clean earth smell, a bit of forest and woods, and a hint of warm smoke. Nothing ashy or cigarette smoky about it.  It’s fantastically good  - and the perfect gift for those outdoorsy folks on your list, the ones who want to blend in rather than hike the forest smelling like flowers or baked goods. And even the ones who wish they could get outside more. Because a few moments in the shower with happy memories while you get ready for a bustling day of work might be just the ticket.

Flannel Jammies – The scent of clean, fresh, cotton warm from the dryer, and one of my most-loved comforts of winter – snuggling up in a pair of cozy flannel pajamas.  This soap is ivory white, silky smooth, and a fun little something to tuck into Christmas stockings.

Raindrops on Roses – You can already hear the song, can’t you? Julie Andrews belting out “raindrops on roses and . . . warm woolen mittens.” So corny, but I couldn’t resist the “favorite things” theme. This is the softest red rose scent blended with a clean, fresh rain fragrance, and the result is pretty amazing.  Very pretty, lightly floral, irresistibly girly – and of course it’s pink too.

Ribbon Candy – My grandmother always had a little covered dish of those beautiful ribbon candies on her coffee table when we came to visit.  They were pretty to look at but hard to get one in your mouth, especially when the sugar melted and they glued themselves together into one giant chunk.  But that’s when the fun started.  We could hammer those blobs into shards and try all the different flavors at once. My very favorite was the clove flavor. So this soap is in memory of Gramma.  It’s lots of clove, a little lemon, some orange, and sweet sugar.  And it smells just like the holidays, where all the best memories are made.

Tips for Keeping and Storing Soaps for Holiday Gifts

I probably haven’t shared this for awhile, but there are a couple of things to know about handmade soap and how to store it for future gifting. The bars are constantly “curing” meaning they are continuing to harden and evaporate moisture as they age. This is good, because it means that your bar will last longer if it has aged a bit more. But it also means that the bar may shrink a bit in size.  More importantly, they should never be stored in something that is airtight – like a ziplock plastic bag. If moisture is accumulated in the bag or tight space, it may cause the soap to transform – changing the scent, creating spots, causing any of the fresh ingredients to “turn” or make the oils go rancid. You will notice this as an “off” smell or the bar itself will be oily or oozing. At that point, it’s still usable and not harmful, but it won’t be pleasant smelling either. Since my bars have so many fresh ingredients and extra emollient oils, the best rule of thumb is to give it and use it within a 6-month window. Many will last a year, but to be safe, go fresh. And tuck it into a drawer or linen closet shelf while it waits – that way you get nicely scented linens (or undies!) as a bonus. Nothing too warm, no direct heat or light, just a bit of air and quiet resting time.

New – Sleigh Ride Bath Salts

There is no better time than winter for long, indulgent soaks in a steamy hot bath. How could we resist adding a whimsical and wonderful new scent to our Dead Sea Bath salts? One whiff of this scent and nostalgic scenes of horse-drawn sleighs with children bundled in blankets, jingling through snow covered fields and forests dance through your imagination.  An enchanting blend of green apple, peppermint, clove and orange is crisp, tingly, fresh and yet reminiscent of holiday spices and treats. Pamper someone you love with a little “me” time in long, relaxing, bath that smells divine. And don’t forget to treat yourself too – this uber-busy time of year requires an extra dose of self-care.

 (16 oz bottle - $ 8.00 each)

Give the Gift of Simple Pleasures

It’s the time of year when we’re making our lists and checking them twice. Choosing the perfect gift doesn’t have to be difficult. Even if you’re looking for a treasure that is unique, special, locally made, eco-friendly, useful and use-able too. Soapworks Studio’s small gifts of soap and bath goodies tick every box.  Everything is handmade in small, thoughtful batches, yet reasonably priced.  You’ll find something for everyone on your holiday gift list.

Internet & Mail Ordering (Free Shipping on orders $100 or more!)

With so many demands on your time already, who wants the headaches of traffic messes, crowded malls, and empty shelves once you get there?  Save yourself a heap of aggravation by shopping online at SoapworksStudio.com.  We’re offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more. We’ll happily send your items directly to family and friends with gift cards too so you don’t need to spend even more time (and moolah) gift wrapping, searching for boxes or waiting in long lines at the post office. Spend more time celebrating and less time fretting - let Soapworks Studio be your go-to for holiday gifts!

Warm wishes for a holiday season filled with revelry and joy – the perfect send-off for a new year of peace on Earth.

Sneak Peek . .

The finishing touches are happening on the big Winter Holiday newsletter which will arrive in email inboxes early Saturday morning, and snail mail boxes probably Monday or so. The website will be updated and ready for early birds on Sat too, so stop by and check out all the new goodies. Just a sneak peek . . .

Autumn 2014 Newsletter

Hello! For those of you who are not on my e-mailing list, I'm posting the full text of the autumn newsletter which is winging it's way to people's inboxes and mailboxes this week. I don't want anyone to miss all the cool new scents we've got going on over here for fall!

You can find all of the new products on one page of the website - the "Seasonal" products page - clickie right here. 

Oh, and if you somehow missed getting yourself on the super special VIP mailing list, you can subscribe right here, and be the first to know what's fresh and hot for the winter holiday season (out November 1).

- - - - - - - - o o o  o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o - - - - - - - -

Dear Friends,

If we could shrink an entire year of seasons into a single day, spring would be the break of dawn - shimmering morning light emerging from the deep of night. Summer is the peak of a bright, warm, sunny day. And Autumn, of course, is the most glorious evening sunset, the sky full of wondrous clouds and streaks of color as the sun dips below the horizon.

Fall seems like such a short little season, after a long, lazy nap with summer.  It nips in quickly, explodes with both activity and breathtaking hues, and then exits abruptly, slipping us into the long, dark winter. Autumn brings with it a comfortable sense of place and order, reminding us that the passage of time and the constant of change are inevitable, yes, but welcome friends too. There’s no time to waste mourning the end of summer as we take in the wonders of Mother’s Nature’s most dramatic  season of all.

AUTUMN HARVEST SEASONAL SOAPS

Autumn’s cool, crisp air crystallizes our senses.  The whisper of wind and the crunch of dead leaves shoo us back indoors to the warm delights of home – soups bubbling, treats baking in the oven, and fireplaces crackling.  This year’s Autumn harvest scents are brimming with the very best fruits and spices of the season.  ($4.25 each or 4 bars for $16.00)

Orange Spice:  A traditional classic and a top seller every autumn, this soap is sweet orange, warm cinnamon and spicy clove, reminiscent of everyone’s favorite spiced tea blend.  It’s a bit lighter and fresher than our Breakfast Soap, but smooth, without any texture, and the perfect fragrance for fall. (100% natural soap)

Cranberry Apple:  Yes, this is the same much loved cranberry soap that people wait all year for. I’ve renamed it (from Cranberry Harvest) because the harvest part is really apple cider anyway. Plus a few other magical things, like cinnamon spices, orange peel, straw bales and plaid blankets. Well at least of couple of those things, but you’ll be thinking of them all when sniffing this one.

Pumpkin Cinnamon: Pumpkin and spice. So nice together. Because pumpkin on its own is just baby food. But pumpkin with cinnamon and sugar is all your favorite fall treats – pie, cookies, cakes and that inevitable latte too. This blend is a dollop of pumpkin, with oodles of vanilla sugary goodness and a heaping dose of cinnamon, allspice, clove and cardamom spices.

Honey Almond:  Almond lovers, this is for you. It’s almond, almond, and more almond. Oh, and just a touch of warm liquid honey fragrance to round out the edges, which you’ll hardly notice since you’re already swooning in almond.

Autumn Home Fragrance Sprays

New this year – Vanilla Bean Honey spray. This scent is truly a beloved favorite in both the soap and the bath salts already. I’m answering all your requests and pleas and making it available as an aromatic spray too, just for a limited time. Vanilla is the scent of home and comfort, a perfect match for the season.

Spiced Apple spray is an irresistible blend of tart, juicy red apples, bright orange peel, and spice notes of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.  It’s the quintessential scent of autumn -- one whiff transports you to nostalgic memories of apple orchards, cider presses, the crack-snap of crunchy leaves and bobbing for apples.

Helloooo, it’s not too early to start spritzing a little festive spicy holiday spirit around the house too!  Holiday Spice is our most requested seasonal spray, every year since the very beginning. Oranges, cranberries, spices and greens all blend together for the perfect scent of magic and delight. (4 oz bottle - $ 6.00)

HEADING TOWARDS THE HOLIDAYS

As we launch head first into the holiday spin cycle, the next few months are chock full of craft shows, fairs and festivals too.  I’ll be doing what I can to bring the goodies to your ‘hood, up close and in person.  Click on the “Events” tab on the website to see where I’ll be selling my wares.

As always, I gratefully appreciate your loyal business throughout the year, and wish you a brilliant and abundant harvest season!