Really Bad Soap
January 9, 2007
Because not every batch can be a good one!
The night before last I made a batch of soap and just knew something wasn’t right. It didn’t gel properly and the seizure it had was truly something to behold. This is from a tried- and- true recipe, but the fragrance oil was new. It was bad, but I was hoping to save it.
So, today I decided a rebatch was in order. I cut up the soap, threw it in the soap pot and tossed it back in the oven.
Once it melted down, I went ahead and added in a bit more FO. Hurm. That’s not pleasant. What would cover up that smell? Maybe I can save it and just use it around the house, so let’s try this. Nope. How about this? Naw…I know! This one.
Great- now to slosh it into the molds and I’m done.
Ah, the trials and tribulations of being a soap maker.
I’m proud to introduce you to my newest creation…
Looks like .. uhm .. like spoiled rocky road ice cream. And the scent?
Dead on for flea shampoo.
Current Score
Soap Gremlins: 1
Natural Magic Soaps: 0
Post Holiday Sale!
January 8, 2007
Join us for the Post Holiday Sale at Natural Magic Soaps!
Also, once the inventory is cleared out, we’re launching even more All Natural soaps! Here’s a peek at the exciting new additions:
Coastal Breeze : Grapefruit, Cedarwood, Geranium, Oakmoss
Flirt: Vanilla, Ylang Ylang
True Romance: Chamomile, Neroli, Petitgrain
Citrus Spa: Orange, Lemon, Petitgrain
Candied Almond: Lemon, Lavender, Bitter Almond, Ginger
Intoxication: Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood
Science In Action
January 1, 2007
My daughter, a 5th grade student, has decided on her science project-
Saponification Experimentation: The Effect Of Soap On Our Environment
Her project basis is simple; she’s taken four liriope plants and is watering each with a ’special’ water.
Even though the project has just begun, I thought I would share it with you since the results so far were surprising, even to me!
She started the process by grating up two seperate bars of soap, a Dove white bar and a bar of Natural Magic Soaps Goat’s Milk soap.
The soap shreds were then weighed and added to distilled water. Each bottle was shaken the same number of times to help the soap dissolve.
We were all quite surprised at this point to see what happened to the water:
She also gathered up a jug of unfiltered well water and a bottle of purified spring water. These two bottles will be used as well, to create her ‘control’ group.
The water with the Dove soap in it is so cloudy that Samantha says she feels sorry for the ‘Dove’ plant; it looks like it’s being watered with milk.
Since she’s on day two of the experiment, there aren’t many results to share just yet. However, as her research comes in, I’ll be sure to update!
Last Minute Solutions!
December 18, 2006
Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Still in the midst of a shopping frenzy? Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
As long as your order is placed today or tomorrow, we will ship your packages on December 20th- and they will arrive in time for December 25th.
The festive season is starting to get to us, so we’re not only offering 10% off your total with coupon code HappyHolidays, we’re also offering Free Shipping on orders over $50!
And don’t forget- Natural Magic Soaps Gift Certificates can be delivered electronically, from your email or ours! They’re perfect for stocking stuffers and even better for procrastinators!
Natural Magic Soaps Holiday Hours
We will be closing for the holidays at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 23rd, 2006. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007.
As always, we wish you and yours happiness and good health.
Tamara Dourney,
Owner
Natural Magic Soaps
Have questions or comments? Contact Us!
A Supersonic Good Time
December 13, 2006
Yep! Supersonic! That’s the best way to describe this past weekend’s Atomic Holiday Bazaar!
We left early (up at 4:30, on the road an hour later) and stopped in Arcadia for breakfast. We got to the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium just in time to start setting up. Crazy stuff! Here’s a few shots before the doors were opened:
We got right to work setting up the Natural Magic Soaps booth. I hadn’t had a chance to set everything up before the show but was really pleased with how it turned out:
Overall we had an amazing show, selling out of several items and wishing I’d made more! The turnout was amazing and Adrien & Cemantha should be really pleased with themselves; all their hard work paid off in spades!
Highlights:
GREAT band
Having a line of people waiting to get into the booth.
Meeting so many awesome people and finally putting faces with those names. Sonic cheesecake bites.
Scoring some Vanilla Spice Chai Vegan Whipped Body Frosting from Luca
FINALLY getting home!
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the show, to Adrien & Cemantha for all their work in making it a success and to everyone who was a vendor- ALL the stuff rocked!
The New York Times
December 3, 2006
I was interviewed by the NY Times for an article that is in today’s Sunday magazine. You can also read it online!
The article mentions Natural Magic Soaps, Craft Revolution and the Indie Friendly Directory!
Read it online here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/magazine/03wwln_consumed.html
Shop Now! New Items Available!
November 15, 2006
Also available now- and for a limited time only!
These gift sets come in your choice of All Natural, Nearly Natural or Mixed soaps and are sure to please everyone on your holiday shopping list!
And remember- ALWAYS free shipping on orders over $25!
Indie Update and more!
November 11, 2006
Indie Update
Looking for holiday gifts? The indie community has come together to provide you with an endless supply of great gift ideas! Here are a few of my favorites.
I don’t just love this website because I am the site designer- I love the products! We’ve worked hard to put together a guide that brings you a wealth of products with prices ranging from $5.00 to $500. There is sure to be something for everyone on your list!
This .pdf guide was created by kjcreative, one of the generous members of The Switchboards. The guide is a listing of products that can be downloaded and emailed to your friends and family. Thanks to KJ for her hard work!
Holiday Sale on Today’s Business Mom
This is a wonderful shopping guide featuring unique gift ideas sold by Mother Owned Businesses! Some crafts are mother-designed as well. The mother owned stores feature:
*unique jewelry pieces
*books
*natural soaps
*spa delectables
*a variety of other gift ideas
By purchasing from the vendors you are supporting mother owned businesses!
On The Drying Rack
Today the drying rack is pretty full! Here’s what we have:
Hot Apple Pie
Everyone who has smelled this scent tells me it is dead on, which I have to agree with. A wonderful soap for the holidays!
Lemongrass And Sage
This all natural soap gets it’s color from annatto seed and french green clay. The clean, lemony scent comes from a blend of Lemongrass Essential Oil and Clary Sage Essential Oil. One of my favorites!
Pina Colada
I can’t help but start singing each time I sniff these bars. Can you name the tune? “BRINGGGGGG me two pina coladas….I want one for each hand….”
Not an all natural soap, but boy does this smell good- a fruity mixture of coconut and pineapple that is heavenly!
In The Soap Pot
What’s coming next? Toasted Vanilla Sugar, Iced Cranberry…the list goes on!
On The Drying Rack…
November 8, 2006
On The Drying Rack
I started by infusing some freshly harvested Tuscan Blue Rosemary into a base of Sweet Almond Oil. As it slowly simmered behind me, the aroma began to change my mind. Originally planned as Rosemary Mint, the oil was just too good on its own to dilute with peppermint. The aromatic oil even held its scent throughout the mixing process! I finished it off with a gentle swirl of French Green Clay.
The result:
Tuscan Blue Rosemary Soap that smells good enough to eat.
In the Soap Pot
Today I’m working on that Hot Apple Pie. I think I’ll use some of my organic tangerine essence honey to give it a bit of color.
Deals
Never ordered from Natural Magic Soaps before? Now is the time to try! Enjoy a 10% discount with the coupon code “NewToMe” at checkout!
Custom Soap Molds = Discounted Soap For You!
November 6, 2006
My dad took the time to make me some custom soap molds. Here’s a peek at one of them:
This weekend I got to try my first batch in the new mold. Sadly, I didn’t quite calculate the mold volume correctly, which resulted in some irregular bars. The recipe has been adjusted accordingly, but now I have a batch of wonderful Tequila Sunrise soaps which is smaller than my normal bars. Here they are in all their short but colorful glory:
The base is a Soy/Coconut/Sweet Almond blend that I love and the scent! It is absolutely amazing! It’s a blend of citrus and honeysuckle with just a hint of musk that smells like a summer day.
As much as I hate to part with them, when these little beauties are all cured and ready to ship, they’ll be available on the web site for only $4.00 per bar!
In the meantime, I have some freshly harvested Tuscan Blue Rosemary infusing in a bath of Sweet Almond Oil in preparation for tonight’s soap: Rosemary Mint. Then, on to the Pina Colada and the Hot Apple Pie (winner of the ‘pick the scent’ contest!)
