Spring Newsletter 2014

Can you believe it's already February?!  Which means it's time for the spring newsletter wherein I announce all the new stuff I've been working on for spring.  Whoot!!  And as always, I like to post them here too for those folks who may not be on my mailing list or email list.

I've copied the text below, and all the new items can be found on my "SEASONAL" page.

Dear Friends, The word “spring” has so many meanings, not the least of which is the season that follows winter. Hope springs eternal, water springs from the ground, super heroes spring into action, and a spring is what makes a trampoline bounce.  We joke about our spring chickens, savor our spring rolls, and each year we carry out our spring cleaning. All of it is positive, uplifting stuff.  However, the time of year when the weather begins to warm and Mother Nature starts revitalizing all her plants, flowers and trees seems incredibly magical.  It’s the most anticipated season of all, bringing with it a sense of joy, relief and wonder.

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare; Today the glint of green is there; Tomorrow will be leaflets spare; I know no thing so wondrous fair, No miracle so strangely rare. I wonder what will next be there! ~ L.H. Bailey

We sow our seeds, plant our little seedlings, and watch all the tiny green buds pop out of branches and sprout up from the sun spots in the dirt.  New beginnings, full of new life and new hope – that’s the miracle of spring.

NEW - SPRING SEASONAL SOAPS

For me, spring scents are inherently light, in a palette of fresh, flowery and green.  After months of dead leaves and naked trees, the hint of blossoms in the breeze is a welcome breath of fresh air. This year I’m bringing back a couple of much loved spring seasonal scents from the way back machine. These new seasonal fragrances are limited in production and available February thru May.  My “regular menu” of standard soaps is available year round, with all time favorites of of Lavender Lemongrass, French Lavender, Clove Mint, Vanilla Bean & Honey, and at least a dozen more – standby’s for both men and women.  See website for full selection: SoapworksStudio.com/soap.

($ 4.25 each or 4 bars for $16)

JASMINE LEMON  - Sweet jasmine blossoms blended with bright, clean lemon.  A very pale shade of sunshine yellow, it’s bright and happy, soft and pretty.

ROSE PETAL – This fragrance is absolutely true rose, a fresh bouquet of pink and red rose petals.  Nothing perfumey or old-fashioned, this is a very sophisticated fresh floral scent in a pretty pink bar.

ORANGE SPICE – Last season’s Clove Orange soap has been one of the most popular and requested scents, so I’ve pumped up the spice a little and kept it on the menu.  Sweet orange, spicy cloves and a big pinch of cinnamon, it’s a bit softer than the Breakfast soap with no texture added. (100% natural)

PURE SOAP – Many more people are asking for a pure, natural, unscented soap lately.  Sensitivities are becoming more prevalent, and as we learn more about what’s in our food, air, water and beauty products, we want to choose the best quality items we can find.  Hand made soap is some of the best stuff on earth for your skin. This soap - with no color, no fragrance, no preservatives, no nothing in it but natural vegetable oils -can be used by absolutely anybody, even the most sensitive. (100% natural, fragrance free)

NEW - SPRING AROMATIC SPRAYS

This spring there are two new aromatic sprays to match the seasonal soap scents. Jasmine Lemon and Rose Petal 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. The full menu of sprays includes Lilac Garden, French Lavender, Lavender Lemongrass and Sweet Dreams (in addition to others) all of which capture the essence of spring in a bottle. Complete list: SoapworksStudio.com/sprays. (4oz bottle $6.00)

NEW - ROSE PETAL DEAD SEA BATH SALTS

This was a dearly loved seasonal scent a year ago, so it made sense to bring it back now while I’m featuring soaps and sprays in the same scent. True to its name, it’s a fresh-cut bouquet of gorgeous roses. In aromatherapy rose is both calming and stress relieving, as well as uplifting for depression, making it a perfect soaking scent for the bath. French Lavender, Vanilla Bean & Honey, Wildflower, Almond Ginger and Sandalwood Jasmine are my year round fragrances, with a little something for everybody to indulge in. See complete list: SoapworksStudio.com/bath.

(16 oz bottle $8.00)

WINTER CLEARANCE SALE During the last month, I’ve had all my remaining fall and winter holiday seasonal soaps, sachets, and lip balms at big discounts on the web site.  There are still deals left and it’s a great time to stock up on your favorites!  Check it out at SoapworksStudio.com/sale.

SPRING SHOWS

It’s still early in the scheduling process of shows for this year.  Deadlines, notifications, and contracts will be determined in the next couple of months.  However, here are a few spring shows that are on the calendar right now.  Check the website any time (“Show Schedule” button) for all the latest information.  I’m keeping it updated constantly as I finalize details.

March 13 – 15          Vasa Park Spring Craft Show, Vasa Park Ballroom, Bellevue

March 28 - 30         Best of the Northwest – Spring Show, Hangar 30, Magnuson Park, Seattle

April 3 – 5             Pickering Barn Spring Craft Show, Pickering Barn, Issaquah

April 25 - 27          Tulip Festival Street Fair, Downtown Mt Vernon

May 17 - 17             University District Street Fair, University Street, Seattle

Cheers! A toast to spring showers and May flowers . . .

Daily Affirmation

Jessica's daily affirmation - standing in front of the mirror and telling herself that life is good. She's only 4, but she's definitely on the right track. Great way to start the day!

New Kitchen. As promised.

I know I've probably promised pictures of the newly remodeled kitchen at least a couple of times in the past two months.  After all the rush, rush, rush to get it done by Christmas - well it wasn't completely done.

We had most of it installed, and it was all back to working order so we could cook Christmas Eve dinner.  But we were still waiting for the windows to come in, so we had big torn out spots with the old ones there for weeks.  It was just after New Year's that we finished that part.  Which meant another round of painting - trim and touch ups.  By then I wasn't in such a huge hurry to get that done, and it was several coats over the course of a week.

It's been so grey during the days this month, that I took pictures but they don't look all that great.  I should have taken new ones this past weekend when the sun broke out for a few hours.  But holy moley.  When the sun shines in through those back windows it's so darn bright you're practically blinded!  The sun is low in the sky in January and it just beams right into your eyeballs and reflects off all the shiny new stainless.  I need sunglasses to walk around in there.

So I'm posting a few quick pics, with the apology that the color is not great.  It's better than nothing.  I always hate when people say they are going to show us the stuff they've been yapping about, and then never do.  And I don't want to be one of those people.

It's hard to see the actual colors, but the floors are a barn grey stain of bamboo.  The lower cabinets are called 'peppercorn' and are also a slightly darker color slate grey stain.  The upper cabinets are called 'flour' and are a creamy off-white stain.  The wall and trim color are also a creamy white color.  The island area counter is a quartz composite, Eco by Cosentino "Luna" which means it is mostly that same sort of cream color with flecks that are mostly natural tones of grey, slate, brown, beige and a little silver shiny stuff.  Butcher block counters in the other two corners.  Big deep single sink in stainless.  

We knocked out a little section of the wall where the island part is, so that it was open to the dining room and the rest of the house.  It was all wall cabinets before with a tiny doorway that made the rest of the house darker.  So much sunlight comes through the kitchen that we wanted to open it up and bring it into the other rooms - this is a really small house so it makes a huge difference.

I love the new look.  It's actually much prettier in person than it seems here. It's way easier to cook in there and a lot more fun.  I've never even had a dishwasher before!  It didn't cost a fortune and came in under our little cheapie budget. And it's finally, totally, absolutely done.  It's starting to get back to normal around here which is the biggest relief.

Since this isn't a home decor blog, I haven't blathered on about brands, styles, appliances etc.  But I'm happy to share details if someone wants more info.  Just leave me a comment or something.

Studio Closed Jan 23-28

PLEASE NOTE:  The studio will be closed from Thursday, January 23 through Tuesday, January 28.  All orders, inquiries, etc. will resume on Wednesday, January 29th.  Thanks for your understanding.

Hi all!  That little red note up there - that's what I just plastered on all the pages of the web site.  I'm taking a few days off before the whole spring newsletter and hoopla at the start of February gets going.  A quick break before the madness begins.  The holiday season was a long haul.  And the last few weeks have been a lot of behind the scenes catch-up plus work on all the new spring seasonal products and announcements.  So a short break is definitely due.

I won't be shipping orders or available by phone or email until next week.  Beginning Wed, Jan 29, everything will be open for business.  Back on track.  And in full swing mode.  The following Monday (Feb 3) all the spring stuff goes live on the website.  The newsletter gets mailed.  The email version gets sent too.  I'll have a copy of the announcement here on the blog. The cycle of the seasons takes another turn . . .

Until then, however -- just taking a quickie breather.  See you soon!

Oh, and if you were still thinking about catching some deals on the big winter clearance sale, do it soon.  I'll mention it in the newsletter and then the early bird favorites will be long gone.  There's still a pretty good selection of stuff this week, although a few of them have sold out.

P.S. We're going to the superbowl!  . . . happy dance . . . Go Seahawks!

Telemarketing Rant

In the last couple of months I've got a handful of calls to "update my business information."  They don't really say who they are, or if they do, it's some sort of ambiguous data service name.

The first few times, I just did it without thinking.  It seemed like a good idea for any business to make sure their name, phone number, type of business was correct, right? Especially that first call who thought I made swimwear.  Or the second call that listed me as a detergent manufacturer or something.  I'm still not sure that the next time it won't be something equally off since I'm pretty sure I don't fit into one of their neat little boxes with a category number.

But then I started getting at least one, if not more calls each day asking for charitable donations.  All kinds of things I've never heard of.  Issues that totally don't relate to me personally or professionally.  And it's getting really annoying.  Plus I hate having those conversations where you turn down perfectly good people who are trying to help out humanity by saying "take me off your list" kinds of things.  It's frustrating and doesn't need to happen.

If only the Do Not Call list were still a real thing.  But I think there are loopholes in it the size of Montana.  And I'm beginning to think that having your business listing updated is code for 'we're selling your business info to any kind of telemarketing gig we can.'  If you willingly give them your name and phone number - to that "data service", ahem - then it must mean you want to be bombarded by anyone who has something to sell you or request money for.

So today I got another one, only this one was a robot with no identifying information. I listened all the way through to see who they were and at the end there was an option to speak to a live operator.  I clicked to connect and asked who they were and what they were doing with my business listing.  She did a lot of hedging around and then said it was perfectly fine for me to opt out.  That cinched it.

Clearly this is not just helping me out by marketing my business to customers. Well marketing my business to THEIR customers.  Slight distinction.  Geez.  I need to get smarter about all that stuff.  Or I'll spend all day on the darn phone just listening to robots, scripts and huffy hustlers.  Caller ID doesn't work anymore because they all have legitimate phone numbers from somewhere, even cell phone numbers, and I can't be sure it's not a customer.

/End of rant.  I know I've probably had this one before.  It's a pet peeve.  Distractions are hard enough when you're in the middle of something sticky.  But unwanted telemarketing is the worst.

It's cold, blustery and wet out there today people.  Wear your warm socks.  How I wish I had a closet full like this:

Time for the Big Winter SALE!!

Now that I've had a chance to finish inventory-ing and cleaning up the studio, I've got a pile of winter holiday stuff left.  I'd rather have a sale and clear it out of here, then let it sit around and gather dust.  So I'm having a big winter sale!

All the fall and winter soap scents are on sale.  There are a few other flavors of soap tossed in too. A couple of lip balms.  Plus a few left over holiday bags of lavender sachets and spice sachets.  It's a great time to stock up on something you got for the holidays that you loved, because it will be gone soon.  Spring seasonals are coming out next month so we'll be changing focus from spices to flowers, evergreens to citrus.

Supplies are limited to just what I've got on hand.  Check out the selection HERE

Happy New Year!

Best wishes to you all for a very happy, healthy, adventurous and fun-filled year, full of love, laughter, and good friends!

Winding Down 2013

This year is finally coming to a close.  I picked up and packed up the last show yesterday.  And put it all away today - finally getting the mounds and piles of stuff that I've been dodging around the last few months all back in place and organized.

I just didn't want to start off the new year in an office and studio that was a complete tornado, full of left over bits and bobs cluttering my space.

Later this week I'll still have to do inventory and counting it all up.  And January is a full month of bookkeeping, accounting, analyzing - trying to figure out what went right and what went wrong.  There is all kinds of work ahead, making plans for the new year.

But for the moment, right now, this afternoon, I am done.  Done with the lists.  Done with the endless tasks and chores and bits of work that are always nibbling at my heels.

To be honest, it's been a tough go the last couple of months.  I know it's just that I'm tired and haven't gotten it all past me yet, but it feels longer and harder each winter holiday season.

I am very much looking forward to a few days of rest and recuperating.  No deadlines.  No wagon loads of mail orders.  No shows to prepare for.  Just quiet solitude at my desk.  Catching up on everything, but at my own pace.

Creativity and new ideas sometimes come out of challenges, but the bigger picture ones, for me at least, come from a place of peace.  I hope January is that place.

Just to catch you all (regular readers) up on how it ended - the kitchen project was almost finished in time for Christmas.  It's gorgeous and I'll post a couple of photos soon.  The windows were delayed, like most things, and didn't arrive until last Friday, so we are doing trim now, and I still have a day or two of painting ahead.

But we had our huge Christmas Eve feast cooked in the new kitchen, with a dishwasher this time!  So much more light and space.  Everything is so shiny and pretty and new.  I sometimes just stand there and stare and sigh.  What we waited so long for, and worked so hard for, is finally finished and perfect.  Feels good.

Deep breath.  A place to stop.  Hope for a better tomorrow.  That's what New Year's Eve is all about.  Collectively we all mark a spot to say "check", "done".  And begin to dream about what's new and what's next.  It's a beautiful space to be in.  Cheers!

Wishing you the merriest

and brightest Christmas!  May you all have marvelous celebrations with family and friends, no matter what kind of holiday you are celebrating this season.

I'm so looking forward to a couple of days away from the hustle, bustle, and to-do lists to enjoy the most important things in life, and appreciate what I have rather than focus on what I do not.

May the peace and wonder of the season last the whole year long . . .

Oh yeah, my last show of the year

Ooops!  I forgot to stop by and let you all know that I was at Phinney Ridge last weekend.

I guess it doesn't matter now.  Plenty of people already knew, and a gazillion others showed up.  It was a crazy busy show this year.  Not a record, but close.  I sold out of so much stuff - both days.

And then Monday I worked like mad to send out a thousand mail orders that had come in over the weekend.  Ok, maybe I exaggerated a little bit on that part.  But it certainly felt like a thousand.  And I barely made it to the post office and UPS before deadline.  Racing like mad with my heart pumping.  But it all worked out.  And then I skipped dinner and face planted in bed.

So Tuesday I worked like a crazy person once again to get ready for this week's show at Group Health.  I have a little bits of everything, but it's the last of the last.  And again, I forgot to stop by the old bloggie-poo to let you all know about that too.

Tonight, I have just a few short minutes to catch up on the blog.  It's total pandemonium this time of year.  Barely time to breathe.  Ok, that's an exaggeration too.  I still have time to breathe.  And shower.  But not much else.  The rest is all work, work, work at a ridiculous pace for ridiculous long hours.

The point of all this is that I am set up and selling my last bits of soaps at my (semi-regular) pop-up shop space at Group Health in Capitol Hill this week.  I'll still be there Thurs and Fri from 9:30am to 4pm.  It's located at 108 E 15th St - kitty corner from the big Safeway store there at John St intersection.  Well, actually closer to the new Bakery Nouveau spot across the street (yowza! sugar buzz!).


Warm Beach goes on til Christmas, and so does Allied Arts in Bellingham.  I'll try to restock a little there, but I don't have much left.  And we're running out of days to mail order in time for Christmas.  I'm trying to keep the site updated with what's available.  Today, it's almost everything.  But it's just a few of those everythings.

If somebody orders 2 or 5 of something, it's gone.  There are a couple of batches curing. And I keep thinking I can squeeze in the time to make another batch or two.  Sigh.

Anyway, come see me at my pop up shop!  I've got holiday tunes!  Gift sets!  A full bonanza of lip balms that I made the other night into the wee hours.

What time is it now?  9:30pm?  Oh yeah, plenty of time to make more sprays and pack a few more orders to go out tomorrow.  plunk.    zzzzzzzz

What I am thankful for . .

I have the very best customers in the whole world.  Really.  Some of you have been with me since the very beginning of my soap making journey.  You're like family.

I can't tell you how much your loyal support has meant to me.  The daily compliments and kind emails.  The friendly faces at shows and the genial phone calls.  It's what keeps me in this business.

So without getting mushier than a bowl of mashed potatoes, I just want to say thank you to all of you.  Old friends and new ones.  Thank you for sharing your personal lives with me.  Thank you for supporting me year after year, even as tastes change.  I'm so grateful to still be in business after 17 long years of ups, downs, twists and turns.  You've made it all possible.

Happy Thanksgiving.  May this next year be full of more peace, health, happiness and success to all of you.

What's the B. F. Deal?

The entire universe is full of "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" hype.  It's overwhelming and obnoxious.  Full of cutesy word soups and clever jingles to get you shopping here, heeere, HERE!

I'm in the "bah humbug" category.  I fully admit it right up front.  I've never gotten up at the crack of dawn to stand in long lines at a mall or big box store in the freezing cold or pouring rain to save a few bucks on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Sleeping in, relaxing, and generally enjoying my time off has had more value to me.  I know there are a few really great deals out there, if you can find them, or spend your Thanksgiving day at Walmart instead of with your family at home eating a gorgeous meal.  But mostly it's just  hype - and sales prices that continue on after the appointed hour, and sometimes get even better as Christmas gets closer and there is still inventory on the shelves.

Now that I'm in the retailer spot, I'm still not that thrilled with coming up with marketing ploys to get people to buy my soap on one of those two days either.

I am announcing right now, just in case you all are wondering - I will NOT have any super duper sales for Black Friday.  Or Cyber Monday.   Prices will be the same as the mad Wednesday before Thanksgiving when I'll be shopping and cooking in my five spare minutes.  In fact, prices will be the same as the whole darn weekend and all next week.  I'm barely keeping up with what I already have on my plate.  Both work-wise and inventory-wise.  So no need to just sell the dwindling supplies even cheaper.  Or put myself through even more headache by increasing my workload by a gazillion.

I will again, like every year, try to sleep in a few more minutes on Black Friday morning.  And get back to working like my hair's on fire on Cyber Monday morning.

It's not all Ebeneezer Scrooge over here though.  I do have sales throughout the year.  If you're on my email list, you'll get first crack at them.  The next big one being half-off winter holiday close-out scents and stuff in January.  But before Christmas?  I don't think that's going to happen, sorry to say.  Love you guys, but I can only crank out so much soap and I didn't get far enough ahead this year to plan a big Thanksgiving week hoopla sales event.  Maybe next year.  Sigh.

Shows. More of 'em.

Yes, it's November.  And yes, there are more shows this week.

Two ongoing shows that opened last week, and I forgot to post early.  But they both go on all month and all next month too.  So there's still plenty of time to get over there and shop.

Holiday Festival of the Arts

Allied Arts of Whatcom County's annual Holiday Festival of the Arts started on Friday.  We've got a new location this year, which is actually an old location - one we've used before, a few years back.  This show has some of the best and brightest artists and is chock full of beautiful, unique and original handmade holiday gifts.  Shop local and get something one of a kind!  Click the link to check out who's there this year.

Location: 1825 Cornwall at Ohio
Dates:  November 15 - Dec 24
Hours:  Wed thru Sunday 10am - 6pm
            Closed Thanksgiving, closing early at 3pm Christmas Eve
            Bonus days Mon and Tues Dec 23 and 24

East Shore Gallery Holiday Show

This is a small but beautiful gallery located at East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue.  It's open all week but not staffed during weekdays, so if you're heading over there mid-week, just check in at the office and they'll let you in to shop.  Open fully on weekends, especially Sundays around worship services.  Each year they organize this fine art event with unique handcrafted holiday gift items.

They are having an open house this Saturday, 11/23 (link to the evite and all the details)

Location: just north of Factoria at 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue
Dates: mid-November thru early Jan
Hours: open weekdays by checking in at the office, open weekends

Group Health - Bellevue

This is a little one-day holiday craft show at Group Health's Bellevue location - just across the street from Whole Foods.  It's primarily for employees, patients and visitors to Group Health, but we're open to the public and happily selling our wares.  This coming Friday, 11/22, 9am to 5pm, located in the conference room, just behind/next to the coffee shop in the lobby at the front doors.  If you're in the neighborhood, or this is a convenient location to pick up some gifts - you're absolutely welcome to visit.

There is nothing new next week, just the two ongoing shows listed above.  It's Turkey Day, and parade day, and tree-trimming day all in a row.  Then we head off to set up Warm Beach for the month of December.  And Phinney Ridge is coming up too.  With a final appearance at Group Health Capitol Hill in early December. But believe it or not, we're actually getting close to the end of the line with shows, shows, shows.  Me?  Not complaining. :)

I love trees

So true :)

Fry-day

Today is Friday.  It's not even 7am.  And I'm already feeling fried.

This time of year is so hectic.  I have no idea why I thought that adding a kitchen renovation project to the cake batter would make a better cake.  The cabinets arrived yesterday, not without it's own set of glitches.

But we hadn't quite gotten paint on the walls yet.  So the piles of cabinets around the house is enormous.  Plus the sink and vent hood arrived yesterday too - sitting in a corner of my bedroom as a bonus.  And the flooring is piled up over there.  It's like I'm a hoarder in here.  Just the tiniest of pathways to get from my bedroom to the little electric kettle and toaster in the far corner of the dining room.  Did I mention I have claustrophobia?

Enough whining.  It's all working out, and now things will start to go pretty quickly.  I think.  Except the counter top, which will take maybe a month from now.  Which means I will have lost my sink and tiny little work surface on Monday - until way past Thanksgiving and half of December.  Not thinking about that.

What I AM thinking about is how I'm going to get everything done today in order to set up the Bellevue Club this evening.  I don't even have half of my inventory labelled and packed. Plus these two big wholesale orders need to go out today, since they are already a day or two late.  And I need to restock the Red Ribbons and Reindeer show this morning, with a few supply pick-ups on the way to or fro and be back before 10am when the painter gets here.

The Winter Holiday newsletter, which I posted here yesterday, also got sent by email yesterday.  But the snail mail version was still waiting for those darn gingerbread holiday postage stamps to arrive, which should have been here Tues or Wed  but arrived yesterday too - in all that hullaballoo.  So they are headed to the Post Office this morning too and will be on their way.  Of course that means a trickle of mail orders hit my email box too yesterday.  And I am intending to squeeze those in during the extra few seconds I have today to blink.

Also a lovely woman called me from a local Japanese language newspaper to get my permission to write me up in their upcoming gift guide and will I send photos in the right size.  Very nice and unexpected surprise.  And of course I'll do that too.  There must be some other seconds to squeeze out of this day.

Are you exhausted already just reading about my day today?  Me too.  But it's just a day.  And it will be all over in a blink of an eye.  Tomorrow I'll be selling soap at my little display at the Bellevue Club.  Come on over and see me - extra wrinkly, and a little loopy but happy to be out of the house for a few hours :)

Winter Holiday Newsletter 2013

The new Winter Holiday Newsletter is on its way to mailboxes everywhere.  I like to post these here on the blog too, for those of you that are not on my list, but checking in here every now and again.  

It's seems like a huge waste of time for me to try to add individual links to every item listed below, so I'll just give you this one:  it's all on the Seasonal Page on the web site.  

Dear Friends,

I always think of winter in two parts.  Act 1 is the crazy, busy, happy holiday season all squished together in one rushed month, and Act 2 is the long quiet solitude that comes after that.  It’s nice to have a little of both, a perfect balance between the chaos and the peace.

Holidays, by definition, are celebrations after all.  They compel us to join cherished friends and family in cheerful activities, enjoying people we don’t get to see often enough.  Parties, decorations, special once-a-year happenings – just the anticipation of it all makes the month of December joyous and extraordinary.

And yet, when the hubbub dies down, as we sweep up the glitter and party hats, the silence of winter is its own special pleasure.  Cozying up indoors by the fire or chasing snowflakes in the tingling cold, it’s a time of quiet reflection.  We need this short break to regroup, make our resolution lists, and dream big plans for the year ahead.

Soapworks Studio has the perfect holiday gifts

As the holidays approach, the gift lists grow longer. The perfect gift is a unique, special, treasure - both useful, and use-able.  Soapworks Studio’s little gifts of soap and bath goodies totally fit the bill.  All locally handmade and reasonably priced, there is something for everyone on your holiday gift list.

Winter Holiday Seasonal Soaps

The upcoming season has sparked new wintry wonderful soap scents for a little fun in the shower, or a treat for that special someone (or all your friends and family).  The autumn seasonal scents are still available a bit longer. Plus our full list of soaps and goodies are available online at all hours.  There’s something for everybody! ($4.25 each or 4 bars for $16.00) 

Douglas Fir & Mint  – The perfect winter day is spent outside in a snowy Northwest forest – skiing, hiking, or searching for that magical Christmas tree. Fresh juniper, pine, fir needles and cedar blend with icy cool peppermint for a tingly, refreshing soap. (100% natural soap)

Winter Spice  - A delightful twist on the classic spice scents we love so much in winter. This one is a blend of cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper, wintergreen and sassafras.  (100% natural soap)

Our two must-have favorites both from previous years and earlier this autumn will continue through December.  As Scrooge shouted to the rooftops, “I haven’t missed it!” – no, you haven’t missed it! 

Clove Orange – Sweet oranges, spicy cloves and a pinch of cinnamon stick. (100% natural soap)

Cranberry Harvest – Tart, juicy cranberries and zesty orange peel, loaded with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and pepperberry.

Helping Hands Soap Sets – Winter Holiday Edition

Hugely popular since we introduced them a couple of years ago, these charming packages of mini soaps have been a gift-giving favorite!  We’ve put our standard version on hiatus to introduce a Winter Holiday edition of fragrances featuring:  Flannel Jammies, Sleigh Ride, Gingerbread, Winter Forest and Breakfast Soap.  One of each of the 5 fabulous scents are piled up in a little stack, and tied with bakery twine.  Such pretty colors.  Such a great idea for guest baths, travel soaps, or small gifts.  Such a reasonable price too - it’s only $10 for the whole package.  You’ll want loads of these for the upcoming holiday season.  And with 50% of the proceeds for these Helping Hands soaps dedicated to the charitable organization Kiva, it’s a gift that multiplies around the world too. (10 oz pkg, $10.00)

New – Soapscriptions!

Soapworks Studio's Soap-of-the-Month Club is now a Soapscription! No more panicky moments in the shower, wondering if you’ve got another bar for tomorrow.  With a “Soapscription” you’ll know that you’re always in the suds because you’ll be receiving regular shipments of soap bars so you never run out! Club Soapscribers will join me on a journey through the seasons, sampling some of my year-round favorites and my seasonally inspired new scents. 

Your Soapscription arrives in your mailbox at the start of each month with two full-size bars of handmade, artfully created Soapworks Studio soaps in a padded envelope, plus the latest seasonal newsletter detailing my inspirations and descriptions of the current crop of products.  You also receive a 10% off coupon to order other products or more of something you have fallen deeply in love with.

There are 3 options: starting at 3 months, 6 months and a full year of soap adventure. Your very first delivery will include a scrubby soap mitt and a natural wood soap dish as a gift to get you started on your sudsy adventure. All shipping and taxes are included in the subscription price.

This makes an awesome gift too! We would be delighted to send this each month directly to your gift recipient, and will include your personal message in a gift card with the goodies. 

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

Holiday shopping online or by mail saves you time, expense, and the headache of traffic jams and crowded malls.  We’re offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more, sending them off within two business days. We’ll happily send your items directly to family and friends with gift cards too, so you don’t need to spend any time boxing or waiting in lines at the post office.  Send in the enclosed order form, call during business hours, or for any-time brainstorms, order from the website at SoapworksStudio.com.  Spend more time celebrating and less time fretting.  Let Soapworks Studio be your answer for holiday gifts!