Decisions

WOW!  Things have been busy in the soaping kitchen.  I've been making body butters and I just learned how to make bath bombs.  Now to decide what to continue making this week.

Not too hard really.  I need to make another batch of Memory, and it's time to start working on my fall and winter/holiday soaps soon.

Pumpkin soap with real pumpkin, and Christmas soaps.  Lots of ideas, and I want to make body butters and bath bombs to go with each soap so people can get a package gift.

So far I have made only Lilly of the Valley Bath Bombs but I want to make Mango Tango to go with my Mango soap and My Mango Tango Body Butter, Lemon Meringue too and of course Lilac.  Then on to a Caramel soap, body butter and bath bombs, and Buttercream Snickerdoodle Body Butter for one of my besties.  It's going to be a busy week.

So, one of the questions asked of me is "What do you do with the money you make off selling" well, that's an easy answer - I put it right back into the business for supplies.  Fragrances, Butters for body butters, oils (that goes without saying).  Yup, no profits yet.  No going out to dinner on a few bars of soap, nope it all goes back into the business.  There is always something I need, I'm running out of Fragrance Oils and I definitely need to get more butters - but I need to start buying in bulk.

That being said, I have an exciting announcement!

My sister got in touch with a person who was a patient of hers and they run a perfume company.  This person is interested in meeting with me to discuss how we can work together!  No more Middle Man.  Soon I will hve all my fragrances custom blended just for Mrs. Finnegan's Finest Soaps. 

Well, I am off for now. Packages to prepare for shipment and Bath Bombs to make.  I can't wait to make some soap too.  Blackberry Vanilla for Christmas with lovely purples, golds and cream's.  It's going to be wonderful!!  Stay tuned. 

It's Spring! and things are growing!

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been here - sorry for not being around, sometimes life can get hectic as I am sure you all know.  

It is finally spring in my neck of the woods - not too hot and FINALLY not too cold.  

Perfect weather to play with oils and lye and make some soaps!  But there are other things going on in the soaping kitchen too.  Butters!  Rich, creamy, DECADENT BUTTERS  - as in BODY BUTTERS! YUM!!!

A lovely friend in one of my Facebook groups shared a recipe for body butter about 2 weeks back.  I was captivated by her pictures of fluffy whipped peaks in jars.  So, I figured, why not? I'll give it a try!

I started out with Mango - I call it Mango Tango and I can't keep it in stock!  I have made  a Lilac fragrance and a  Lemon Meringue to go with some of my soaps.   I am planning on a Coconut fragrance too.  Then I learned of a fragrance special going on with one of my suppliers because they topped 800,000 likes on their page - so I ordered Lilly of the Valley, Black Raspberry, BITE ME (Fresh citrus notes of lime and orange sparkle with effervescent highlights as they lead to a luscious blend of berry and cherry in this playful scent. Leafy green accents add intensity as a base of vanilla creates sweet tones for the fragrance) and a Caramel that was on special.  I can't wait for my fragrances to get here.  I am looking forward to making more sample sized containers, and then on to 4oz jars of rich luscious body butters for you to enjoy. Bite me was a choice because my 85 year old mother said "I am always careful when I go out after my shower, I smell so good I always worry that someone will smell me and follow me home so they can lick me"  My mom loves my soaps and I am sure you will find something to love too.

So, check out my facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mrs-Finnegans-Finest-Soaps/131680387009764?ref=bookmarks

If you are lucky, and if you "like" my page, you can get entered into a drawing for a free bar of soap!  (or maybe some body butter) 

Ciao for now!

Why I am no longer satisfied with good enough . . . and what I plan to do about it!

Well everyone, I have been surfing other blogs of some AMAZING soapers and to be honest, I feel it's time to kick it up a notch (AGAIN!).  This time last year I was doing melt and pour soaps and I was pretty happy with my results, and so were the people who were buying and enjoying my soaps.  Now I am making Cold Process Soaps, and while they are pretty enough. they are not AMAZING!  

THESE SOAPS ARE AMAZING:


found on:   thesoapbar.blogspot.com
 



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SO, IT'S TIME TO KICK MY SOAP MAKING INTO THE NEXT GEAR!  When I can come up with stuff that looks THIS amazing, I will consider myself a success. . . just like getting to Carnegie Hall, it takes PRACTICE AND LOTS OF PRACTICE!!!

So grateful for so many things!

As a mom, I will always worry about my boys.  No matter how old they are.  I have 3 boys ages 32, 18 and 15. 

Today I got a call that no parent wants to get "Mom, we had an accident."  I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat.   Then I realized he was ok since HE was calling me and the police weren't knocking at my door.  I let myself breathe when I realized they hadn't been driving my car. They were less than a mile from our front door, just driving out of the little "village" we live in.  They were at the stop light and had a green light and proceeded through behind the truck that was in front of them.  He made a right turn and they were going to make a left when a car smacked right into the drivers side and basically pinned her in the car.  (Fortunately, they were able to get out the passenger's side of the car). The other driver kept saying she had a yellow light, but that's impossible since the truck would have had to been making an illegal right on red. 

I raced out of the house, not locking the doors and drove without my seat belt  ( I know, I know) to get to them as fast as I could.  All I could see was these two kids in an accident.  Yes, they are 18 and technically adults, but hey, this is my KID!  As parents I am sure you know the feeling.  He drove her car back to our house and put it in the garage to await the insurance company tomorrow, while she was transported to the ER via ambulance. After a few hours waiting, X-rays and a good talking to by the Dr. about WHY YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL YOU WEREN'T HURT WORSE SINCE YOU WEREN'T WEARING A SEAT BELT!!!  AND HER REMINDER TO HERSELF FROM HER MOM TO ALWAYS "BUCKLE UP BUTTERCUP!"  She was released and went home to take some ibuprofen and rest for the next few days.  My kid refused to have the Dr. look at him and I told him that if he starts to complain about pain I would remind him that he refused to be seen by the Dr.  He decided he needed to spend the night at her house to "watch over her."

So, now I sit here and I am counting my blessings, and yes there are many to count.

I have awesome kids (who although they can drive me crazy, I love them to bits.  )

No one was seriously hurt.  Had the other driver been going faster (like the speed limit) on that road, they could have been killed or at least very seriously hurt.  

Cars have insurance for a reason, but I am really grateful they weren't driving MY car!  I just had him taken off my insurance policy last week. 

My son is blessed with this amazing young woman in his life.  He may only be 18 but thanks to her, he has started to pull his life together.  He LOVES HER AND WANTS TO SPEND HIS LIFE WITH HER.  

So blessed that they are ok and weren't hurt.  So grateful the other driver wasn't hurt.  So grateful they all walked away from the accident.  So grateful to have awesome kids in my life to love.  

 
 

This is all new and exciting!

Well, this is all new and exciting -  you learn something new every day!

MY MOM USED TO TELL ME: YOU STOP LEARNING THE DAY YOU DIE.  SHE IS SO RIGHT!

HERE I AM, BLOGGING ABOUT A NEW BUSINESS!

TODAY I ATTENDED A "WEBINAR" ABOUT SELLING MY PRODUCTS ON PINTEREST! (lots of notes to review)

TODAY I LEARNED HOW TO PUT A BUTTON FOR MY ETSY SHOP ON MY BLOG, (Ok, so maybe I didn't LEARN I just managed to get it done and it actually works!).  I discovered that I could actually do it by visiting my friend Mariam's blog yesterday.  I hope to have a button for her up on my blog soon too.

If you want an awesome blog to follow check out my friend
Mariam from Purple Lilly Studio

http://www.purplelilystudio.blogspot.com

And here is Adelina's blog:

 http://www.homemaidsimple.com/



Be blessed with an amazing weekend everyone!

THE TOP 10 THINGS I WANT FOR MY BUSINESS NOW!

HERE ARE THE TOP 10 THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR MY BUSINESS NOW!

THESE ITEMS SURE WOULD COME IN HANDY 

LETS START OFF WITH THE BASICS - I NEED LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ORDERS!

 THE TINY BUT MIGHTY BUCKET LID OPENER

I NEVER REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT SOMETHING SO TINY ACTUALLY IS!

PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM FOR MY BUSINESS

A HEAVY DUTY PROFESSIONAL SOAP CUTTER

IT SAVES TIME, AND CUTS OUT WASTE!

 

ACRYLIC LOG MOLD - 4 PLEASE

WITH THESE MOLDS, MY SOAPS COME OUT WITH INSANELY SHARP AND SMOOTH EDGES.  

 

SLAB MOLD - JUST LIKE THE ACRYLIC MOLD MAKES MY SOAPS COME OUT WITH SMOOTH EDGES AND I CAN MAKE INDIVIDUAL BARS WITHOUT CUTTING.   PERFECT FOR GUEST SOAPS

THE TRIPLE LOG MOLD WILL ALLOW ME TO MAKE 15 LBS OF SOAP AT ONCE OR THE EQUIVALENT OF 45 BARS OF SOAP

ANOTHER LARGE ORDER OF OILS AND FRAGRANCES - YOU JUST CAN'T EVER HAVE ENOUGH

 

DRUM HEATERS - TO KEEP BULK OILS LIQUID

WHICH MEANS I WILL BE ORDERING MY SUPPLIES IN DRUMS!!

THESE PRETTY BOOTS TO WORK IN, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE PRETTY!









ok, so now that the blog is done for now,  IT'S TIME TO GO MAKE SOME SOAP.  


I GOT MY IDEA FOR THIS BLOG TOPIC FROM 
www.marketyourcreativity.com

Check out this amazing website!

If I knew I would not fail, I would . . .

If I knew I would not fail, If I knew I COULD NOT FAIL, I would go to a bank and get a CHUNKY loan.  With that loan, I would finish off my shop and purchase enough oils and fragrances, and colors and equipment to keep me going in soap making for a year.  I would sign up for EVERY SINGLE CRAFT SHOW WITHIN A 200 MILE RADIUS and I would make soap EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I wouldn't worry about failing.  It wouldn't even be a consideration because I WOULD KNOW I COULDN'T FAIL.  I would stop worrying and start enjoying more of my business.  I would have fun!  I would learn to believe in myself.  I wouldn't get anxious if I didn't sell every day because I would already know that I wasn't going to fail.  I would try even more new things.  New molds, new fragrances, new bold colors and new techniques without fear.  I wouldn't feel like I had to try to be as good as the next soap maker, and I wouldn't think I needed to do everything just like someone else did because THEY ARE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL SO THEY MUST KNOW WHAT WORKS AND IF I FOLLOW THEIR LEAD I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.  I would realize that I am successful just by doing what I do.  People who use my soaps love my soaps.  Making soap unique to you is what it's all about.  Not copying someone else.  I AM MRS. FINNEGAN'S FINEST SOAPS!

UNFORTUNATELY, knowing I WILL NOT FAIL isn't that easy.  It's more than just wanting to believe it.  It's knowing in my heart that as a Child of God, as a Daughter of THE KING, I can and will be successful.  It's a matter of faith.  It's BELIEVING ENOUGH and some days, no matter how hard I try, sometimes I just don't believe in myself enough.  There are the small voices in my head saying "what makes you think you can be successful? "you have failed at everything you try, why try again?"  There are the voices from people who say "you are wasting money on this stupid business when you aren't making money and you are spending money"  

Just because I hear those voices doesn't mean they are right.  It means I need to work harder to prove them WRONG.  It means I have to work harder to PROVE TO MYSELF THAT I CAN AND WILL SUCCEED!!!  

SOAP ANYONE?  

I GOT MY IDEA FOR THIS BLOG TOPIC FROM 
www.marketyourcreativity.com

Check out this amazing website!