Oh yeah, it's Sorticulture weekend!

This weekend is Sorticulture, Everett's Garden Arts Festival. This is such a fun show - tons of nursery and plant vendors, plus lots of garden art vendors with great stuff.  I always spend a little more than I planned to because I just can't resist all the pretty and unusual plants for my garden.  

There are display gardens, kids activities, demonstrations and lectures, music performances and food too. Free admission. Parking is a little tight sometimes, but there are shuttles from nearby lots.  See here for more info.

It's going to be rainy and cool I think.  There'll be rain boots.  And mud. 

June 11 - 13
Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5
Legion Memorial Park 
145 Alverson Blvd. at West Marine View Dr.
Everett, Washington 98201

"Sorticulture unites art and the garden in a celebration of creative outdoor living. Our featured artists create distinctive hand-crafted garden art and our nurseries produce a wide variety of plants to transform your backyard. Learn tips and tricks from top regional gardening experts including KING 5's Ciscoe Morris Saturday at 2 pm. Sorticulture also features display gardens, food fair, wine garden, live music and free activities for the kids."

Memorial Day

(For photo credits and to see my other photo sets, visit me on Flickr)

Happy Memorial Day!

It finally feels like it's officially summer now.  Strawberry cake for breakfast.  Grilled burgers for dinner.  Sunshine is so nice.

Top 5 regrets

I came across an article in the Guardian UK about a nurse who recorded the top 5 regrets she heard from her dying patients, and one of the biggest was "I wish I hadn't worked so hard."  Duh.  I've been feeling that all week and I'm not even dying.  U District last weekend was a tough one.  And it ended up raining the whole day on Sunday, so it wasn't even worth all the effort.   It happens.  You work like crazy to get ready and then for whatever reason - weather, location, etc.  the show doesn't meet expectations.  That's "show" business.  Life goes on.

This week is mail orders.  Catching up on everything coming in and going out.  And making sure that I'm still covering all the bases of prep for the rest of the summer shows.  But I'm trying not to work quite so hard and have a few hours here and there to catch up on life too.  I'm starting to just feel tired and burned out.  Which can quickly be remedied by a little less work focus and little more fun.   I'm going to bake something this afternoon. 

The article though, is really interesting.  She has been keeping a blog and has now written a book too - so I'm copying a bit of the article text here with the top 5 regrets.

(Copied from the article) 

 "Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. "When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently," she says, "common themes surfaced again and again."

Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."

U District Street Fair 2012

This weekend is the U District Street Fair. It's the first big street fair of the summer, and usually it's still cool or rainy, but we've been having weeks of summer-like weather already which has been so welcome.  It's going to be another warm and sunny weekend, so pull out your shorts and sun dresses and come out to play!

The details for the show:

University District Street Fair
University Avenue, Seattle
May 19 - 20, Sat 10-7, Sun 10-6 
My booth location: #309, just a few booths south of the intersection at 43rd, across the street from the Post Office on the west side of the street

I'm in the same block as always, a little further north than last year, same side of the street. I'll have a few of the spring soaps left - there isn't much. And all the new summer stuff. Plus the rest of the kit & caboodle. Hope to see you there!

The shop is open

Just a reminder, I'm over at Group Health on Capitol Hill all this week in my little shop space.

I've got all the spring seasonals.  I've got all the summer seasonals.  I've got gift basket-y stuff all over the place - tote bags and wire baskets and flower pots and the watering cans too.  All ready to make loverly Mother's Day presents.

Mother's Day is Sunday.  And I'll be open there through Saturday - so those of you who might not have had the chance to visit during week-day working hours can come on over and check it out.  Or pick up a last minute gift.

Address:  108 15th Ave E, just south of the intersection at John where the Safeway is
Hours:  Wed, Thur, Fri 9:30am to 4pm, Sat 10-3

Simplicity

(For photo credits and to see my other photo sets, visit me on Flickr)

"I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind."

Albert Einstein

Summer Newsletter 2012

It's Summer newsletter time, and I'm posting it here to make sure you don't miss all the new goodies!

Rather than posting links all over the place in the letter - I'll just pop in this one link to the Seasonal Products page on the website where you can find everything at a glance.

So here goes:

Summertime!  And the living is easy. Who doesn’t love this season best of all?  It’s so chock full of good times that a few simple words bring back years of happy memories.  Vacation.  Road trip.  Beach.  Ballpark. 

Summer is laid back and care free, with time built in for hangin’ with friends or hangin’ ten in the surf.  It’s the freedom to enjoy life, mostly outdoors.  Chores, to-do lists, and worries can take a back seat to fun in the sun - preferably with the top down and wind in my hair.

SUMMER SEASONAL SOAPS

In a tribute to summer, I’ve cooked up a couple of special soaps to celebrate the joys of the season.  These unique soaps are only available for the next few months and are made in limited production.  ($4.25 ea or 4 for $16.00)

SUMMER LINEN:  Crisp and oh so clean, like fresh laundry flapping gently in the morning sun.  This is a dreamy white linen fragrance – like vintage tablecloths draped for a picnic in the garden.  A sparkling white bar, it’s the essence of pure and simple.

BEACH HOUSE – A dreamy blend of salty ocean air, pretty lavender and green herbs, this scent is clean and light as a breeze.  With a zen-like calm, its soothing marine fragrance and beautiful translucent sea glass color transports you directly to the spa.  If I had a little seaside cottage, I’d have piles of these in every room.


HONEY LEMON GINGER – A squeeze of soft lemon and bright orange citrus dances with candied ginger.  It’s subtle, soft, creamy and sweet, a truly charming pairing that’s perfect for summer.

GARDEN MINT – Fresh, cool, peppermint delightfully blended with a pinch of spice and garden earthiness.  Tingly and refreshing, in a lovely celery green color. (100% natural)

AROMATIC SPRAYS FOR SUMMER

Summer is the perfect season to indulge in one of the aromatic sprays.  Keep a bottle in the fridge for a little spritz of icy cool on your neck or décolletage.  Spray a little bit of deelish on your summer sundresses, fresh sheets, steamy car seats, or stinky dog.  This superhero stuff goes anywhere and everywhere, making the world smell a little more beautiful, one squirt at a time. (4 oz bottle, $6.00)

THREE! scents to try, just for the summer season:  COCONUT LEMON (which was a huge hit last year), BEACH HOUSE and HONEY LEMON GINGER.  Coconut Lemon is tropical creamy coconut with a squeeze of tart lemon, dreaming of Pina Coladas.  Beach House matches our new seasonal soap scent with a calm, relaxing spa feel.  Honey Lemon Ginger is a replacement for the Orange Ginger spray, a little lighter and brighter with a hint of sweetness, a pretty pick-me-up for any time.

NEW LIP BALM TINS


Small round tins with a screw top have replaced the sliding tins I’ve used for years.  They are easier to open – and safer to keep closed, matching the little tins I use for balms and salves.  These new containers are a pinch bigger, but the recipe is the same, and all your favorite flavors will be available all summer.  Vanilla Tangerine, Raspberry Soda, Coconut Lemon, Herbal Mint, Root Beer, Green Apple, Strawberry Rose, and Lavender Vanilla – YUM!  (half ounce tin, $ 3.00)

SUMMER FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

The arrival of summer means another year of sidewalk fairs and festivals. I’ve got a full season planned and am looking forward to meeting and seeing you all.  For more details, including booth locations, check out the “Show Schedule” section on the website, SoapworksStudio.com.  As always, last minute announcements are posted on the blog, so check there too.

I’m planning to make this a summer to remember – belly flopping in all the way!

Comparison

This is a good one to keep close.  Every time I read someone else's gorgeous blog about their fabulous life; every time I see a website for another soap maker with really really pretty stuff; every time I peek around the corner at a show to see how super busy another booth is; and a million other instances where I look across the fence and start to think maybe the grass is greener - I try to remember this.

And honestly?  you really can never judge what's going on anywhere else in comparison to what's going on in your own little space.  There are so many related and unrelated factors, so many steps in the journey, that you just cannot make comparisons.  Even when you think it looks like apples to apples - it's probably more like pears to fuzzy slippers.

Just be happy in your own place at your own pace.  Because that's all that matters.

Mother's Day Shop

My pop-up shop is back just in time for Mother's Day! I 'm talking about my little retail space at Group Health on Capitol Hill which I do a few times each year. I'm open next week Wednesday through Saturday.

I am "renting" a little retail space on Capitol Hill at the Group Health central campus.  A portion of all of my sales goes to their Patient Needs Fund, a part of the Volunteer Services Dept, which buys supplies and necessities for patients there.

Usually I'm just open during the weekdays - but this time around I'm going to be open on Saturday from 10 to 3 for all of my other customers that can't get to me during the week because they have their own jobs.  This is your special opportunity to stop by and pick up a gift for Mother's Day (which is Sunday!) or stock up on spring things, find other gifts, or just check out what's happening.  

Hours: 

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (May 9 - 11) 9:30am-4:00pm 

Sat (May 12) 10am-3pm

Location: Group Health central campus, Seattle

Address: 108 - 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill, half a block south and across the street from the big Safeway store at the corner of John St.

I've got all kinds of goodies for Mother's Day and spring celebration gifts!

P.S.  behind the scenes I'm trying to get all the pieces together so the Summer newsletter can go out Monday and have the website live with all the new stuff etc.  Check back next week for more big announcements.

Blooming Tulips - New Products

New product announcement - Blooming Tulips soap!


I created this soap just for the Tulip Festival that we celebrate here in the Skagit Valley during the month of April.  It was a HUGE hit at the street fair last weekend and I'll have it available on the website for just a bit longer while the festival continues and I still have a few bars left in stock.
So you think tulips don't have a fragrance?  Well, it's subtle, that's true.  But when you're out in the fields you can't help but sniff all the fresh green of the leaves mixed with the light foral scent of the petals.  This soap is absolutely true - a very "green" leafy scent, fresh and clean, with a very pretty floral note at the end.  It's totally delightful and has been a huge hit with tulip fans.


Pair it with our matching "Blooming Tulips" bath salt for the perfect spring gift!

10 worst chemicals in cosmetics

10 worst chemicals in cosmetics via unhealthy earth

A great primer on what to watch out for. BTW, my products don't use any of these. :)

Tulip Festival and watering cans

This weekend is the Mt Vernon Street Fair - part of the bigger Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley. And it looks like it might be our 3rd dry and partly sunny weekend up here in a row. Good times. That second link will get you to the Tulip Festival page with maps of the fields, other events, all the happenings for the whole month.

Details:
Friday through Sunday, Apr 20 - 22
Fri and Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 5pm

Located up and down the main street in downtown Mt Vernon, starting at the bridge and heading south. (Still don't have a map yet, argh)

Soapworks Studio booth - space #21 (new booth numbers this year) but same spot as last couple of years. I'm in the very north block of the festival, sort of kitty-corner from the main front door of the co-op. I'm in the southwest corner of that little quad of booths, with a Tulip Festival info booth right next door to me on the north side. There's a new acoustic entertainment stage on our corner this year too.

I've got a brand new tulip scented soap which is gorgeous - really green and fresh, actually smells like tulips! Can't wait to see how you like this scent. If I can squeeze it in I might try to make a few small size bath salts in the same scent - and take a few of those to the Berry Barn show for the last couple of weeks over there too while the Tulip Festival continues. The tulip blooms are just opening up, daffodils are done, but it's all in full swing.

More good news - the watering cans that I make little gift sets with finally arrived just today! Hurray! They've been on back-order for a while. But now I'll have those at the show to make sets out of too. And I've put the Gardener's Gift Set back on the web site for ordering again, now that I have the containers back in stock.

Here's what they look like - and as always, you can stuff them full of whatever products you like. The watering can by itself is $6.00 - and then you add in your choice of goodies.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Tax Day Deal!

Save some moolah this week!

It's IRS tax deadline today and pennies are tight. We can save you a little extra cash this week - we'll pay your sales tax for you!

Here's the big print: order anything, order any amount, have it shipped anywhere - we will pay the sales tax amount on your entire order.

Offer good Tuesday, April 17 through Friday, April 20.

Fill your shopping cart HERE!

Save Big!!

There is no fine print. Just place an order on our website any time between Tuesday, April 17 and Friday, April 20. You will not be charged sales tax on your order(s). As always, orders are not charged while you are online, but rather processed here at the studio when we get your order information. That means that your online confirmation will be for merchandise only. We add the volume discounts, shipping charges and taxes (none this week!) on our end when we finalize the transaction. Capiche?

Bunny Fluff

(Flickr photo credits)

Have a fabulous, slow, lazy, celebratory Easter weekend! Gorge on chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. Roll around in the grass hunting for eggs. Spend time with a large ham and a buffet of goodies. Sounds pretty good, right?

What lucky really is

"Every living thing is, from the cosmic perspective, incredibly lucky simply to be alive. Most, 90 percent and more, of all the organisms that have ever lived have died without viable offspring, but not a single one of your ancestors, going back to the dawn of life on Earth, suffered that normal misfortune. You spring from an unbroken line of winners going back millions of generations, and those winners were, in every generation, the luckiest of the lucky, one out of a thousand or even a million. So however unlucky you may be on some occasion today, your presence on the planet testifies to the role luck has played in your past." - Daniel C. Dennett - from Freedom Evolves

That quote gives me goosebumps. It's so terrifyingly inspirational - completely freeing and at the same time so full of responsibility and accountability. You want to live up to the opportunity you've been given. A little thought for a Friday.

BTW - the photo is a teacup piggie. I have seen this photo all over the internet repeatedly the last few weeks, so I have no idea where it came from originally or who to give credit to. But it's so adorable that I just couldn't help myself.

Spring Green

(link to Flickr credits)

Hard at work this week, getting everything ready for the Best of the Northwest show this weekend. Set up is tomorrow, and I've got a million things left to do. The pressure of a deadline always makes me work more efficiently. So I'm on high buzz today.

I'm looking forward to this show in particular, just to see how the spring soap scents do in person. It's one thing to have people buy them sight unseen, just by the description on the website or from the newsletters. But it's even better to watch them choose the scents in front of you. To see which ones they gravitate to, which ones they pick up, what they have to say about them - either to your face, or to the people they are shopping with. I get so much better feedback that way. And I'm mulling over if any of them will continue on through the summer.

If you've got a special favorite that you've tried and want me to make more of it - please let me know. I'm always happy to hear my customer's requests and ideas about what they want. I almost always try to make it happen eventually.

Shows this week: March 30-Apr 1

Best of the Northwest

I'm so looking forward to this show! My space is located at the very last row in the back, facing the windows on the back wall, just like last year. Love the light, love the space - and it will be our very last show in this warehouse at Magnuson Park. They will be closed for retrofitting after this and we'll be moving full-time to the cruise ship terminal for both spring and fall shows.

Northwest Art Alliance presents the 24th annual Spring Best of the Northwest art and fine craft show. Connect with over 100 established and emerging artists and craftspeople reminiscent of an old world marketplace. Come celebrate all things handmade, enjoy live music and make purchases of gifts of enduring beauty in the light-filled space of Hangar 30 in Seattle’s Magnuson Park. Join us for the Northwest’s premiere art and craft show.

Friday March 30 from10am to 6pm
Saturday, March 31 from10am to 6pm
Sunday, April 1 from 10am to 5pm
Hangar 30 Magnuson Park - Seattle, WA 98115

Tickets at the door $7.00 per person or $5.00 (+ tax) advance online ticket sales at www.nwartalliance.com – KOMO Day Friday March 30 tickets at the door for $5.25 – free admission for children 12 and under. Plenty of free parking!


Country at Heart - Skagit Valley's Berry Barn

This is a new show on my calendar! Just like last year, the Berry Barn will be open during the month of April during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The front half of the barn is a small craft show, and I'll have a display of my soaps and products there. Stop in for fresh handmade pies (lots of rhubarb and berry varieties) and incredible ice cream too while you're out viewing the tulip fields.

March 30 - Apr 28
The Berry Barn, 14285 La Conner Whitney Rd, Mt Vernon
Daily 10am-5pm, Closed Mondays

What is creativity

"Creativity is just connecting things." - Steve Jobs

Creativity. We always seem to think other people have it and we don't. Or that it's some mysterious thing that appears out of nowhere and we have no control over it. This new book delves into what creativity really is, how it works in the brain, how it's a part of each of us. Completely fascinating.

IMAGINE from Jonah Lehrer on Vimeo.

Jonah Lehrer, from the introduction: "The sheer secrecy of creativity — the difficulty in understanding how it happens, even when it happens to us — means that we often associate breakthroughs with an external force. In fact, until the Enlightenment, the imagination was entirely synonymous with higher powers: being creative meant channeling the muses, giving voice to the ingenious gods. (Inspiration, after all, literally means ‘breathed upon.’) Because people couldn’t understand creativity, they assumed that their best ideas came from somewhere else. The imagination was outsourced.”

As he begins to explain, it's just our own humble brains sifting through all kinds of bits and pieces all day long. Putting things together, trying to make sense of random information, making connections, accepting them or rejecting them, and then sometimes there are "AHA" moments, when two dots connect that we hadn't expected to. The excitement to have discovered something we think is new and that will make sense to other people too - that's the point of creativity.

"Creativity shouldn’t be seen as something otherworldly. It shouldn’t be thought of as a process reserved for artists and inventors and other ‘creative types.’ The human mind, after all, has the creative impulse built into its operating system, hard-wired into its most essential programming code. At any given moment, the brain is automatically forming new associations, continually connecting an everyday x to an unexpected y.” - Lehrer

And as I read on, I think "Ahhh. Why didn't I think of that before?" But it's really all about where you put your focus. Because where your thoughts go, that's where your own creativity lies. Some days I'm only thinking about smells. Or colors. Other days it's the business of the business - operations and functions and process. And still other days it's marketing and selling. I'm not sure if all that scattering around is more or less creative. But I'm looking at it in a whole new way.

Rain, rain, go away

1. a flower, 2. Untitled, 3. Puddle landscape, 4. puddle, 5. rain boots, 6. rainy day, 7. Rainy Day, 8. * узоры *, 9. It rained softly at Cefn Onn

Spring means rain. Lots of it. But I'm ready for a little sunshine and flowers. Maybe a bit of those record sunny hot days everyone else in the country is having. It's cold here. And grey. And tiresome.

Yesterday was opening day at the Vasa Park show. And it was very busy in the morning, even though the rain was pelting, a total deluge of water. You had to run from the door to your car in the parking lot, and even then you were soaked through. By lunchtime, the rain was worse, and the crowds thinned a bit. But there are great things there - $3 pots of pretty ranunculus. Easter stuff - and all kinds of chocolate goodies for the baskets. It's on till Saturday. And it's drier today -- for now.

A Beer for St Patty's Day

Sending you a bit of luck 'o the Irish to you on St Patrick's Day!

The custom of imbibing alcohol on St. Patrick's Day comes from an old Irish legend. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a measure of whiskey that was considerably less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that in his cellar resided a monstrous devil who fed on the dishonesty of the innkeeper. In order to banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the hostelry some time later, he found the owner generously filling the patrons' glasses to overflowing. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and found the devil emaciated from the landlord's generosity, and promptly banished the demon, proclaiming thereafter everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day.

And, it's also an integral part of an old tradition called "drowning the shamrock."
On St. Patrick's Day, the shamrock that has been worn in the hat or lapel is removed and put into the last drink of the evening. A toast is proposed and then, when the toast has been honored, the shamrock is taken from the bottom of the glass and thrown over the left shoulder. Sláinte!

Guinness Beer Soap!!!

So this St Patrick's Day, while we might partake of dram or two, we've come up with cleaner way to celebrate the holiday - Guinness Beer Soap. I've made just one special batch of soap made with pure Guinness Beer, so when it's sold out, we'll be drowning the shamrock and shutting it down til next year.

This is a traditional unscented soap, but a bit of the hops and sweetness comes through, with just a mild scent of grain. It smells very lightly of the beer itself and is quite pleasant for menfolk, womenfolk, even wee folk.

The ingredients in beer make an excellent skin conditioning bar. The hops soothes irritation, the amino acids in the beer soften skin and the polyphenols are anti-bacterial too.

Safe for all ages! The soap-making process eliminates the alcohol content of the beer, so using this soap will not intoxicate you. It will not impair your ability to operate heavy machinery or motor vehicles. But as always, this soap product should not be consumed internally.

Price: $ 4.25 each or 4 bars for $16.00

Shake your shamrocks this St Paddy's Day! And start it off right with a quick suds-up in Guinness Beer soap.

Hope

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up."

Just clearing out some old drafts on Blogger today - a distraction from doing what I really need to be doing right now and can't seem to get going on.

I found this quote that I had saved a while back - have no idea now where it came from or who said it though. During the rougher times when things seemed like they might all fall apart. And it kept me going. It inspired me just enough to keep at it, keep thinking, keep working.

This year (at least so far) it seems as if things have turned a corner. Personally and work wise. 2012 is a little brighter, a little happier, and the flow is back. Plus it's almost spring. Almost. The sun is working it's magic. Love love love the sunshine.

First Show of the Year 2012

Next week is the very first craft show for this year - Vasa Park's spring show.

I can't even believe it - my short couple of quiet months has flown by and it all begins again. Back to the packing and shlepping. It's a total mix of emotions. I'm excited and looking forward to seeing what this year brings and to show off the new spring scents. And I'm a bit sad that I have to pick up the pace and get back to the grind. And as usual, I'm also a little stressed and anxious because I did nothing early to prepare in advance, so I'm going to be pushing it hard this week to get it all ready, packed up and loaded over there.

Here are the show deets - hope you can swing on by:

March 15 - 17
Vasa Park Ballroom
3549 W Lk Samm Pkwy, Bellevue
Thurs & Fri, 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm

I'll have all my new spring scents there. The show will be filled with spring decor, garden stuff, Easter gifts and decorations - everything you need to get hoppin' for spring.

The following week is Best of the Northwest. It's going to be the last time at the hangar in Magnuson Park. I'll have more about that next week. And if you want to check out my full schedule, it's HERE. I'm updating it as soon as confirmations arrive, and more are coming in this month.

Today's inspiration

Playing with a new toy today - Flickr and mosaics. Click here to see the images in larger format, with source info.

I'm working on a new promotion for St Patrick's Day. I'll be sending it out to my email list, so don't forget to sign up here. And I'll post it here too.

March on!

If you are on my email list, you know that I had a big deal going on yesterday. Since Leap Day is a bonus day, I gave away free stuff with orders placed yesterday.

Lots of orders came in - super cool! And you all got free soap dishes, or free mitts or soap sacks with your order. Nothing is happier than free.

I'm mentioning it here, because if you are not subscribed to my email list, you missed it. I'm going to do at least one of these "insider" deals each month this year. Free stuff, free shipping, no taxes - that kind of stuff. Discounts and special announcements. They won't always be posted on the blog.

So if you want to be in on the action, head on over to my sign up page and add yourself to my email list. But here's a gift just for you guys: if you switch over to email only, and opt out of getting the snail mail version of the newsletters, then I'll give you $5 off your next order.

You will still get the email version of all my seasonal newsletters. You won't miss a thing. But we'll save a few trees and stamps.

The auto-email confirmation you get from the sign-up process won't be able to tell who actually made the switch. So check your inbox for a special email from me with a discount code in it to get this $5 off deal. I've got it covered - I'll make sure you save the dough.

Can't leave it alone

No that's not my cat. Just one of those "crazy cats sleeping" photos that people send other people who have cats. I started here because it's such a perfect butt-in-the-copier kind of photo. And I've done nothing but take photos all week. Erm, for the web site. Not my butt.

When I first started my work life right out of college I was a lowly secretary. And my best friend was the secretary at the desk next to me. Sometimes after we'd been out partying we would head back to the office (it was all walking distance in downtown San Francisco) and hang out in the copy room taking insane copier-photos of ourselves. Not butt shots - at least that I remember. Mostly crazy-face-pressed against the glass photos. Probably it was easier than finding a photo booth somewhere. And you just gotta immortalize all that fun. I digress. Way off track.

I've been obsessed with my web site this week. I can't stop messing with it. If you've visited in the last week or so, you have probably seen big changes. And it's not really done. I guess it never will be truly done.

One of my big goals this year was to really update it. Better design. Better photos. Better descriptions. Easier to navigate and find stuff. Just more usable and inviting in every way.

Today was a big photo day. We had a couple of two minute patches of sunshine, but it was dry. So I hauled a bunch of products out to take new pictures.

Here one of the new ones - a cuter look for the soap sacks. I did more vignette-style shots with stuff in the background. Group shots of things. And added 3 little bubble-type photos of products to the home page.

It's clear that I have no photography training, expensive equipment or special talent for styling. If you've been to Etsy or Pinterest, every single photo is like a million times better than what I had up there before. So my goal was to start working on my own. A little at a time. Just practicing. Each new and better photo I've uploaded to the site. Some items have had several different photos just in the last day or so. And they will stay until I can get an ever better one. For now, I'm just taking small steps in the right direction and teaching myself how.

There is no budget. No hiring of professionals. It's all DIY over here. If you've got feedback or opinions on any of the new stuff let me know. Good or bad, I'm all ears.

"That is a cheetah."

"A cheetah. That's a cheetah."

A hilarious and refreshing take on logos, from a 5-year old's point of view.

Spring Newsletter 2012

Yep, the spring newsletter is off and running. It should be in mailboxes and email boxes today. I'm posting it here on the blog for anybody who missed it elsewhere.

I've done a full website update to go along with it. Pretty much all the same pages, just a cleaner, fresher look. And hopefully it's easier to navigate, read, and find stuff. Of course please give me a shout if you find something that needs attention. It's just 'lil old me over here. I strive for perfection, but you guys are my "team" and I count on you to give me feedback if I missed something.

So away we go: link to Home Page, and link to the Spring Seasonal page to find everything below.

“It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is.
And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you DO want,
but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” Mark Twain

Hello lovely people,

I think the very first sign of spring must be the birds. During the dead of winter there is mostly silence. But one morning, suddenly a cacophony of twittering and cheeping erupts outside your window, and you notice that there are little flocks of birdies hopping around outside, flittering among the naked tree branches and barren bushes. The birds can’t be wrong. Something is coming!

After spending months focused indoors, peering out the window I notice even more signs of spring, more every day. There are pink buds on all kinds of dead-looking plants and a couple of green spears are poking straight up out of the ground. The frosts, snow and ice storms didn’t kill them! The next day a bright, shining, shaft of sunlight pierces the grey. I stand in the middle of it, blinking, soaking it in and remembering. A few days later I realize that the morning sun is up earlier, a lot earlier. Heavens, there’s still daylight when I finish work, instead of midnight darkness and pelting rain. With a sigh of relief and a rush of delight, spring is beginning to appear.

Oh, no question, it takes its time. And sometimes it seems to take a step backward too. But maybe it’s all that eager anticipation that makes it so deliciously welcome when it gets here.

SPRING SEASONAL SOAPS

To celebrate spring -the season of love, flowers, and new beginnings - I’ve created some new soap fragrances. For me, spring scents are inherently light, green, fresh or flowery. After months of dead leaves and naked trees, the whiff of blossoms in the breeze is a breath of fresh air. Pretty flowers, flouncy skirts, tip-toeing through the tulips – that’s Spring! ($ 4.25 each or 4 bars for $ 16.00)

Grapefruit Ginger – Cheerful citrus is always a splendid way to wake up in the morning. Combined with warm ginger, this fragrance can’t be beat to perk up the winter doldrums. Filled with sweet orange, tangerine, bergamot and pink grapefruit, this is a soft and delicate citrus scent with just a subtle hint of ginger spice. It’s a lovely cantaloupe peachy color, adding a spot of happy to a plain white bathroom.

Meyer Lemon – When I traveled in Italy last fall, I fell in love with lemon all over again. Limoncello, lemon syrups, marmalades, soaps, they were heady and intoxicating and everywhere. This is a truly beautiful, luscious lemon fragrance – no tartness, no furniture polish, just gentle, light, clean and fresh lemon in the very best graceful, understated way.

Sea Salt Spa – Turn your shower into a relaxing spa! Rough and dry winter skin needs a little pampering and sea salt soaps are one of the most popular ways to get the glow without expensive spa treatments. This soap recipe is packed with mineral-rich sea salts which exfoliate and soften skin, soothing itchy or dry patches, leaving you silky smooth and hydrated. It’s not a scrub bar but rather a smooth textured soap – a moisturizing treat in just the time it takes to shower. Scented with natural oils of lavender, rosemary, mint and thyme, it’s brightly herbal and energizing. (100% natural soap)

Spring Rain – Spring rains are lighter and fresher than fall or winter rains. They dance in the new green leaves and splash around the blooming flowers. A blend of soft, ocean rain with a whiff of tender blossoms, this is my interpretation of a gorgeous spring rain fragrance. The color is absolutely beautiful too, a transparent cloud blue color that mirrors the skies on a perfect spring day.

Jasmine, Pear & Rose – Several years ago I introduced this scent, and it was the best selling soap of the season. It’s so pretty and fresh and nothing like you would expect when you imagine each of the three components individually. They just seem to come together so beautifully. It is lightly floral, slightly fruity, sparkling and crisp in a petal pink bar.

White Lilac – This soap has become a spring tradition every year, and I don’t mess with traditions. Potent and absolutely true to the flower, it’s a gorgeous lilac fragrance. Sophisticated, elegant, lushly floral in a creamy white bar. And if you love lilac blooms as much as I do, you won’t want to miss the Lilac Garden aromatic spray either. It’s available year-round, but certainly brightens up a winter-weary room right now.

VALENTINE’S DAY GUILT-FREE TREATS

There’s still time to order gifts for your sweeties. Bath goodies are the perfect thing for those of us with healthy New Year’s resolutions. And I’ve got sweet pink polka-dot organza bags, charming heart-patterned ribbons, and vintage postcards to dress up just a single bar or a whole basket full of treats. Check out the web site to see some ideas, or give me a call to put together your own Valentine’s Day gift.

WINTER CLEARANCE SALE

During the last month, I’ve had all my remaining fall and winter holiday seasonal soaps, sprays, bath salts plus lip balms at big discounts on the web site. I’ve got deals left! Check it out at SoapworksStudio.com/sale.

SPRING SHOWS

It’s still early in the scheduling of shows for 2012. Deadlines are in the works with notifications and contracts to be determined in the next few months. But here are a few that are on the calendar right now. Check the website any time (“Show Schedule” button) for all the latest information.

March 15 - 17
Vasa Park Spring Craft Show
Vasa Park, Bellevue
Thurs-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm

March 30 – Apr 1
Best of the Northwest
Hangar 30, Magnuson Park, Seattle
Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm

April 20 - 22
28th Annual Tulip Festival Street Fair
downtown Mt Vernon
Friday and Sat 10-6, Sunday 10-5

May 9 - 11
Mother's Day Gift Sale
Group Health Central Campus, shop space
108 - 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill
Wed - Fri 9am-4pm

May 19 - 20
University District Street Fair
Sat 10-7, Sun 10-6

Groundhog Day

Punxsutawney Phil poked his head out of his hole this morning at Gobbler's Knob (love that name!), and declared 6 more weeks of winter.

I know my little groundhogs don't mind hibernating in the blankies for a little longer.

And in reality, I know we've got another 6 weeks or more of cold weather, rain, and winter weather. But it's getting lighter and brighter each day. There was still daylight yesterday at 5pm! The sun is making brief appearances and it just feels lighter already.

I guess it's time to get the spring newsletter out then. It will be in mailboxes next week.

Eat. Move. Learn.

I can't stop watching these 3 little one minute videos. Over and over.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

I just want to rush right out, buy plane tickets, travel the world. Perfect inspiration when you're sorta bored, sorta blah, sorta sick of your routine.

Today's a new month. Time to get out there!

Yawn.

January is so full of catching up. Paperwork. Computer work. Bills. Schedules. Inventories. Taxes. It's all so mundane and boring. Task after chore after task.

Yawn. I'm chained to my computer. My butt is as flat as the chair. I feel brain dead and listless.

There should have been time in there to create. Create more than just lists of other stuff to do.

I need some fresh air. A little warm fresh air, preferably with sunshine would be peachy. Like Hawaii. But there's no time (or money) for that.

The bright spot is that January is almost over. I welcome a new month. Maybe February, with it's pink frilliness, hearts and flowers will pick things up a bit.

Today: Ice Storm

It's a lot of weather in just a few short days. For a mild climate place like Seattle.

We slop around in rain puddles in the winter. But not this.

Some of my plants were still alive just a few days ago. Like this geranium. And this flowering black-eyed Susan - which was still blooming last week!

So I guess I'm not getting out of the house today. Just working inside, with short forays into the freezing rain to stand in awe.

Yesterday the cats were absolutely coconuts for the snow - racing around in it, pouncing, tossing little snowballs, running in circles, and not getting enough of it. Today? they will not leave the blankies.

I'm not getting much inspiration for writing my spring newsletter this week, that's for sure.

Snow Day

Snowed in today. This is totally not normal for Seattle. I heard we have more snow than Chicago or Minneapolis now.

A big red snowmobile just raced down the street past our house. Loaded with kids. Zipping around the neighborhood here for kicks.

Otherwise it's so, so quiet. Nothing is moving. Just a few people trekking up the hill to the rail station. Me, I have nowhere I need to go. At least today. Hopefully I can get out tomorrow with the few orders that came in last night and today.

Also, I've redecorated the blog. I've decided to keep it more consistent, and not change the wallpaper so much, seasonally or by whim. Maybe a few tweaks yet in the sidebars, but I think this is going to be it for awhile. I just want something bright, white, clean, easy to read. I'll focus more on the writing and photos.

Stay warm. Stay safe. But head out for at least a few minutes to frolic.

Talk about a sale . . .

I thought I was having a great big winter sale. But in Japan they sure know how to get attention.

http://www.japansubculture.com/2012/01/its-no-ordinary-sale-its-a-fuckin-sale/

Ahem. Maybe they want to look that word up.

But the winter sale over here is going great. Lots of deals still available.

Get some rock bottom prices on stuff!