I was looking up some blogs today and realized it had been a while since I had updated mine. I didn't realize it had been 8 months. That is 8 very lonely months to my blog. I must do better, I MUST do better.
To be honest, I've been unbelievably busy. I've said this before, but I have a "real" job. One that pays for my health insurance, car payment, two very rascally dogs, and my other hobby, running. I love this job (as I love making soap, which is why I do it) but it has also been very busy. This is a good thing and a bad thing. I feel very needed and valuable to a major organization, but I also haven't had as much time to devote to my soap. I'm hoping I have gotten to a point where I've learned how to balance this. Life is always a balancing act, sometimes, we fall off the tightrope, we just need to get back on. And make sure there's a net below. There always needs to be a net.
With that said, the other thing, as I mentioned above, that has been keeping me extremely busy is running. I decided to train for a half marathon. It's tiring, draining, frustration, painful at times, but most importantly, so very very rewarding. But I have a love/hate relationship with it. I sometimes hate it while I'm doing it, but love it when I'm not. I love competing with myself (I will NEVER be a world class runner) and collecting finisher medals. It means I did something for myself. I made it.
So that is what has kept my busy.
Something else has too. I've been working on a line extension for Inspiri. I am not ready to reveal it, it's still several months out from being where I want it to be, but I will say that my running has inspired it. There's still so much research, formulating, and testing that needs to be done, but I am very excited about the changes. And no worries, your favorite soaps (well, most of them) will still be available as well.
I just wanted to say hi, give an update, and let you know that there will be new things to look forward to.
Until next time, stay inspired!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Inspired Soap - Watson's Library
I am a nerd. Self-proclaimed. Always have been, always will be. And with that comes my indisputable love for books. While I have switched to a Kindle (1 lb, vs 20 lbs of books on vacation, I'll take it) I still love books and reading. Currently, my favorite author is Clive Cussler, particularly the Fargo and Isaac Bell series, but my most favorite stories of all time are the Sherlock Holmes collection. I've read them all at least three times but I STILL love to read them each and every time. Not only do I have two full collections, I also have a beautiful hardbound book with all of them and I keep them on my e-reader. I actually liked Sherlock Holmes before the movies and most of the shows. I may be a *little* bit of a fan.
Anyway, so while developing new soaps, I came across a fragrance that automatically took me to the Victorian Era in England. It smelled like what I imagine an old English gentleman's study would smell like; leather chairs, bound books, wood furniture, tea, a little pipe tobacco. In an instant, in my imagination, Dr. Watson came into the scene. And it hit me, this is exactly what Watson's study would smell like. And because he's a doctor and likes to study, his library. So the soap, Watson's Library, was born.
I still had to figure out the colors. It wasn't too hard, thinking of the elements that made up the fragrance. There was leather, books, tobacco...brown, black, and red came to mind.
And so, my good friends (said with English accent), that is how we came to the naming of Watson's Library. You also now know my weakness for all things relating to the amazing perceptive abilities of one Sherlock Holmes.
Every soap has a story.
Anyway, so while developing new soaps, I came across a fragrance that automatically took me to the Victorian Era in England. It smelled like what I imagine an old English gentleman's study would smell like; leather chairs, bound books, wood furniture, tea, a little pipe tobacco. In an instant, in my imagination, Dr. Watson came into the scene. And it hit me, this is exactly what Watson's study would smell like. And because he's a doctor and likes to study, his library. So the soap, Watson's Library, was born.
I still had to figure out the colors. It wasn't too hard, thinking of the elements that made up the fragrance. There was leather, books, tobacco...brown, black, and red came to mind.
And so, my good friends (said with English accent), that is how we came to the naming of Watson's Library. You also now know my weakness for all things relating to the amazing perceptive abilities of one Sherlock Holmes.
Every soap has a story.
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| Saponification, my dear Watson. |
Friday, September 6, 2013
Revamped Beach Glass Soap
Have you ever seen my Beach Glass Soap? If not, you're in for a treat.
Gorgeous, right? Well, I think so. I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and loved looking for beach glass as a kid. We have little bowls throughout the house with it to decorate. There was actually an interesting article recently on Hurrican Sandy and beach glass, here.
I've always loved beach glass. The colors, that it's a little rare to come by, and that you find it at the beach. Which is where this one was inspired. Plus, we used the same fragrance as our Sunrise on the Sand soap, and it smells just like the beach! A little salt air, a little suntan lotion, a little sand, completely amazing.
Recently, I switched colorants. Not because I didn't like them, but I've been working with micas more. I love how they look, how they shimmer, how easy they are to use and the colors I've been getting. So while this may be a little more muted than the old version, I think it is just as beautiful and love how they turned out. Make sure you check out our Beach Glass Soap in our Etsy shop.
Do you have anything from the beach that love? Have you ever found beach glass? What did you do with it?
Stay inspired!
Gorgeous, right? Well, I think so. I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and loved looking for beach glass as a kid. We have little bowls throughout the house with it to decorate. There was actually an interesting article recently on Hurrican Sandy and beach glass, here.
I've always loved beach glass. The colors, that it's a little rare to come by, and that you find it at the beach. Which is where this one was inspired. Plus, we used the same fragrance as our Sunrise on the Sand soap, and it smells just like the beach! A little salt air, a little suntan lotion, a little sand, completely amazing.
Recently, I switched colorants. Not because I didn't like them, but I've been working with micas more. I love how they look, how they shimmer, how easy they are to use and the colors I've been getting. So while this may be a little more muted than the old version, I think it is just as beautiful and love how they turned out. Make sure you check out our Beach Glass Soap in our Etsy shop.
Do you have anything from the beach that love? Have you ever found beach glass? What did you do with it?
Stay inspired!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
How times (and products) have changed
When I started this journey a little over two years ago, I had NO idea where it would lead. It started with bath salts (and not the kind that make you eat people's faces) then lotion for myself and then morphed into what it is today. Little did I know two years ago that I would make these little guys:
Also, I never knew that I would move from this type of soap:
To this type:
I've had a few people ask me why the switch. To be honest, I love both. But there is something that truly speaks to me with our From Scratch line. Mostly, I have complete and utter control. With the Glycerin soaps, I have a base, I cut it up, melt it down, add color and fragrance, pour, and move on my merry way. With From Scratch, I mix every ingredient, carefully measure out, determine the type of pattern (and deal with any weird things that the fragrance may do) and then wait with what little patience I have for them to cure for testing.
Sure, not every batch turns out exactly the same as the last, but that's the joy of handmade. No two bars of soap will ever look exactly alike. They each have a personality and a story, just like we all do. One day, I'll go into a more in depth analysis (it is what a do for my day job after all, I'm just a soap ninja by night and weekend) on why I made the switch. But for now, if you've seen your favorite bar take on a more rustic look, that's why.
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| Spearmint Lip Balm |
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| Lily of the Valley Glycerin |
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| Lily of the Valley From Scratch |
Sure, not every batch turns out exactly the same as the last, but that's the joy of handmade. No two bars of soap will ever look exactly alike. They each have a personality and a story, just like we all do. One day, I'll go into a more in depth analysis (it is what a do for my day job after all, I'm just a soap ninja by night and weekend) on why I made the switch. But for now, if you've seen your favorite bar take on a more rustic look, that's why.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Inspiration for Life - English Gardens
I love to garden. I'm not very good at it, my plants occasionally die, my fruit and veggies don't get that big, and my flowers seem to have a tendency to get unwieldy. But that doesn't stop me from trying (usually).
One day, I dream to have a big, beautiful, lush garden. Although, living in the south, I'm not entirely sure that our weather is conducive to that. Maybe a big, beautiful, lush, SHADY garden is what I'll have to work towards.
And you know what inspires me the most when it comes to gardens? English gardens. They're amazing. I've been to England several times now and I love going through small towns and peeking through garden gates to see what treasures are behind them. And no, I'm not trying to be creepy, I just have a love affair with English gardens.
The colors, the variety, the fact that they don't have to be 100% perfect just appeals to me so much. Which of these do you love the most? I just can't decide!
One day, I dream to have a big, beautiful, lush garden. Although, living in the south, I'm not entirely sure that our weather is conducive to that. Maybe a big, beautiful, lush, SHADY garden is what I'll have to work towards.
And you know what inspires me the most when it comes to gardens? English gardens. They're amazing. I've been to England several times now and I love going through small towns and peeking through garden gates to see what treasures are behind them. And no, I'm not trying to be creepy, I just have a love affair with English gardens.
The colors, the variety, the fact that they don't have to be 100% perfect just appeals to me so much. Which of these do you love the most? I just can't decide!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Inspired Design
I have officially dipped my toe into the world of video making. As you may know, all of our soaps have a story. And I am long winded. I can fit WAY more words into a video than any description online, and I can say it quicker than a blog post. So I present to you my first video! Very fitting since it was the first fragrance I ever worked with!
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Inspiri Inspired
I've been making bath and body products for just over two years now. Yet, I feel after the last 48 hours, I've had a major change. What happened, you may ask. I'm attending the HSGC (Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild) conference in Raleigh, NC. I've met so many amazing soapers, including some of my soapy idols. Soap-alebrities, if you will.
On Friday, there were some really amazing seminars that I got to witness, including how to make natural shampoo, making a peacock swirl (I'll talk about my experimenting with this at another time), as well as how to make milk soap (which I am planning on trying, I've already got a recipe and fragrance in mind). Today has been equally as awesome. This morning, we got to learn about the chemistry of soap, by Kevin Dunn, a professor of chemistry at Hampdon Sydney College as well as learning most about natural and synthetic fragrances (there are definite advantages to both!). This afternoon, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a class by Ruth Esteves on making soap cupcakes and I have new techniques I can't wait to try. Plus, a coloring class (you all know how much I love color). So many ideas! I'm completely blown away by the talent of the people that are not only presenting but so many of the attendees and their knowledge, experience, and creativity.
After being here, I am truly motivated to work harder to bring better products to you. Not only that, I'm reinvigorated about why I started making these products in the first place. Because I love them. Not the well-I-like-this-and-it's-fun kind of love. But a passionate, honest to goodness, desire to make and bring fantastic, beautiful soap and other products to the world. I may not be the biggest, and I never expect to be. But I want to do what I can. I love soap. I love the colors and the scents. I love the way it feels and how it doesn't leave my skin feeling dried and taxed. I love making it and the chemistry that goes into it. I. LOVE. SOAP.
So if you start seeing more from me, you know it's because of this conference. I can't wait to get back home to the soap kitchen for experimenting, creating, and crafting.
Stay Inspired!
On Friday, there were some really amazing seminars that I got to witness, including how to make natural shampoo, making a peacock swirl (I'll talk about my experimenting with this at another time), as well as how to make milk soap (which I am planning on trying, I've already got a recipe and fragrance in mind). Today has been equally as awesome. This morning, we got to learn about the chemistry of soap, by Kevin Dunn, a professor of chemistry at Hampdon Sydney College as well as learning most about natural and synthetic fragrances (there are definite advantages to both!). This afternoon, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a class by Ruth Esteves on making soap cupcakes and I have new techniques I can't wait to try. Plus, a coloring class (you all know how much I love color). So many ideas! I'm completely blown away by the talent of the people that are not only presenting but so many of the attendees and their knowledge, experience, and creativity.
After being here, I am truly motivated to work harder to bring better products to you. Not only that, I'm reinvigorated about why I started making these products in the first place. Because I love them. Not the well-I-like-this-and-it's-fun kind of love. But a passionate, honest to goodness, desire to make and bring fantastic, beautiful soap and other products to the world. I may not be the biggest, and I never expect to be. But I want to do what I can. I love soap. I love the colors and the scents. I love the way it feels and how it doesn't leave my skin feeling dried and taxed. I love making it and the chemistry that goes into it. I. LOVE. SOAP.
So if you start seeing more from me, you know it's because of this conference. I can't wait to get back home to the soap kitchen for experimenting, creating, and crafting.
Stay Inspired!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Chambanachik Giveaway
While my hubby was still in the military, I got very connected to a bunch of other military spouses. It kept me sane and I'm still good friends with many of them, even if we've never met in person. They're wonderful and I love to do fun things with them from time to time when I can. Which is why I am involved in my lovely friend's holiday giveaway series. You should check out her blog here.
You should also check out all the other amazing giveaways that she has going (and the rest of her blog because she's a fantastic lady who I'm honored to have gotten to know better over the past couple of years). Plus, who doesn't love something fun at the holidays?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
::Crawls Out From Under the Soap::
Hi friends! I'm so sorry I've been missing the last few months. Life has a way of changing even our best laid plans. I recently accepted a new full time job and have been very busy adjusting to that as well as getting ready for the holiday season. I even have a few new holiday soaps I thought you'd like to see. Mostly, I want to have pretty pictures to distract you from the fact that I've been gone for so long.
I am also excited to announce that we are offering variety packs of soap. You can choose your own soap in 3, 5, or 7 bar packages. The more you buy, the better the price! And if you let us know, we can gift wrap them for you for the holidays.
And last but not least, something I am very excited about offering, we now have sample packs. Get 5 or 10 samples of your choice so you can see if you like a soap before you commit to a full sized bar. I know that choosing fragrances online can be tricky, but now this helps. Also, a great gift for someone who has ever changing tastes!
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| The fall is my favorite season. One of the reasons is apple picking and cider. This not only smells like the fresh pressed apple cider of my youth, but it also has the added cinnamon and other spices to round it out making it more sophisticated. |
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| Just in time for the cool winter months, this soap will have you dreaming of sugar plums in no time. The tart scent of cranberry is paired perfectly with the sweetness of figs. It reminds me of one of my mom's chutneys that she uses around the holidays. With just the slightest hint of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, you won't know whether you should wash with it or use it as a garnish. |
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Lift Off!!!!
I am so excited to finally announce the launch of our From Scratch line. These are made using the traditional cold process method using oils, water, and lye. Yes, I said lye. It's what makes oil turn into soap during the saponification process. Which really translates to is "to make soap". And I promise, there isn't any left once they have finished mixing and curing. Just lovely soap that will have your body feel super clean and lovely.
I've also used some other fun ingredients that I hope you love, like coffee, oatmeal, aloe juice, beer and wine. Yes, real beer and wine!!! It creates amazing bubbles because of the sugars. And wait until you smell them. To start, we have things like Mocha, Honey Ale, Champagne, Cocoa, and more. We'll have more coming out as the weeks go since our soaps need 4-6 weeks cure to make them as gentle as possible. Once you try handmade soap, you'll never go back. Make sure you check out our whole line at http://www.inspirbody.com. Also, because of this new launch which has been 9+ months in the making, we are celebrating with a giveaway on our Facebook page. Make sure you go over and click on the Giveaway tab for a chance to win a 3-pack of our new soaps!
Happy cleaning!!!
I've also used some other fun ingredients that I hope you love, like coffee, oatmeal, aloe juice, beer and wine. Yes, real beer and wine!!! It creates amazing bubbles because of the sugars. And wait until you smell them. To start, we have things like Mocha, Honey Ale, Champagne, Cocoa, and more. We'll have more coming out as the weeks go since our soaps need 4-6 weeks cure to make them as gentle as possible. Once you try handmade soap, you'll never go back. Make sure you check out our whole line at http://www.inspirbody.com. Also, because of this new launch which has been 9+ months in the making, we are celebrating with a giveaway on our Facebook page. Make sure you go over and click on the Giveaway tab for a chance to win a 3-pack of our new soaps!
Happy cleaning!!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
MISA (Missing in Soap Action)
Hello lovelies! I'm so sorry that I haven't been around lately. Between the full time job, household duties, craft shows, visitors, and prepping for my new line release next month, I keep putting my blog on the back burner. And I'm sorry :-( I will try to do better. I've actually been coming up with some topics/tutorials that I'll be posting in the next few weeks. These include:
Carbonated Melt & Pour
Soap Cupcakes
Infusing Alkanet
Simple Scrubs you can make at home
In the meantime, I am releasing my new line of soaps on August 1. In conjunction with that, I'll be doing a giveaway that you can enter to win! I'll be giving away a three pack of my new From Scratch (cold process) soaps. I'll be giving away a Lemon Poppy Seed, Lavender, and a third soap that is yet to be determined (although, I think I may do one of my wine soaps, which is made with real wine!)
Want a sneak peek? Here's the Lemon Poppy Seed. It's scented with Lemon Verbena and has real poppy seeds for exfoliation. I can't get enough of this one.
Make sure you check out my Facebook page if you haven't already to pre-order new soaps, find out what we're up to, and give us your feedback and input.
Carbonated Melt & Pour
Soap Cupcakes
Infusing Alkanet
Simple Scrubs you can make at home
In the meantime, I am releasing my new line of soaps on August 1. In conjunction with that, I'll be doing a giveaway that you can enter to win! I'll be giving away a three pack of my new From Scratch (cold process) soaps. I'll be giving away a Lemon Poppy Seed, Lavender, and a third soap that is yet to be determined (although, I think I may do one of my wine soaps, which is made with real wine!)
Want a sneak peek? Here's the Lemon Poppy Seed. It's scented with Lemon Verbena and has real poppy seeds for exfoliation. I can't get enough of this one.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
What's New
Here at Inspiri, we're always looking for the next thing that will inspire us. This spring has been full of muses and ideas. We have been busy making lots of new products. Here's some of the new ones we have either recently added to our line or we will be adding to the shop soon.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this soap. This is our Citrus Sunburst. We've had the lotion for several months, but we've been trying to develop a style that we liked. I finally found the perfect orange and this bright soap has tones of orange, tangerine, and satsuma.
Did you grow up with honeysuckle bushes the way I did? Our Honeysuckle soap smells very true to the delicate flower. I love how the green and yellow swirl together to remind you of the colors of the flowers and the bush together. This is one of my new favorites and hope that you all like it as well.
My most favorite floral scent is Lily of the Valley. This was one of the first fragrances that I started working with. We have the lotion and a small guest bar. We've had several people ask for a large bar and we're happy to present it. Already popular at our Farmer's Markets.
I wasn't too sure about this one, but this is another new favorite! Royal Honey is a blend of honey, beeswax, floral blossoms, and just a hint of almond. This is perfect for the Queen Bee in your life (even if that's you!).
We'd like to introduce our Rub-A-Dub Ducks. These cute little guys are perfect for your favorite little one (although we recommend 3 & up) or for a baby shower. We currently offer them in Raspberry, Bubble Gum, Grape, and Pearberry. Let us know if you'd like a different fragrance and we can work with you on a custom order.
Groovy, isn't it? This is Trippy Hippy. Strong with notes of patchouli, it has a slight smoky scent to it, similar to a campfire. Great for someone who is looking for a more earthy tone.
Along with our Lily of the Valley, our Evening Lilac is now available in large bars as well. I grew up with Lilac bushes just outside my front door, and the sweet scent wafted through the night air, making for a very romantic setting. Smells very true to the flower.
So that's what we've been up to. Other things you can look forward to in the near future: AfterGlow: An After Sun Lotion, After Shave, and of course, our line of from scratch Cold Process soaps which we will be releasing later this year (although we may sneak one or two in before the end of the summer).
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Essential Oils, Essential to Inspiri
Many
of you have probably heard of essential oils. These are derived
directly from a plant/herb/fruit etc. So when you smell lavender
essential oil, it is coming directly from a lavender plant (well,
probably many lavender plants). Fragrance oils are usually created in a
lab and can cover almost any scent you want.
As my regular customers may know, I don't have a ton of products with essential oils. Being that they are natural, they do have some things that need to be considered. For example, did you know that there are certain essential oils you shouldn't use during pregnancy or if you have high blood pressure? Others are photo-synthesizers so they can make you burn quicker if you have them on your skin if you go out into the sun. It's for these reasons that I have been slowly working them into my line. You can expect to see a lot more being used in the next year. However, I do have a few favorite essential oils that I want to tell you about.
Lavender - This is a very common oil. The reason I love this is for its calming properties. Add a few drops to your bath water for a wonderful way to wind down after a rough day
Orange - This is another favorite of mine. It has energizing properties and is awesome when you need a pick me up in the morning. I am actually formulating a soap that mixes orange and my next favorite oil
Rosemary - Such an awesome essential oil, but it must be used sparingly. Not only is it energizing, its great for soothing nasal passages. Think Vick's Vapo products. Another that I like that's a bit similar is eucalyptus.
Peppermint and Spearmint - These two are technically different but I like to group them together since they are both in the mint family. Peppermint and spearmint both have cooling properties which is why we use peppermint in out foot products. Spearmint is a little sweeter but still great, I especially love it in lip balm. We use it in small quantities and leaves just the coolest tingle on your lips.
As I continue to experiment more, I am sure that my list of favorites will grow and I can't wait to test more. There's a bottle of basil essential oil that I cant wait to test out!
As my regular customers may know, I don't have a ton of products with essential oils. Being that they are natural, they do have some things that need to be considered. For example, did you know that there are certain essential oils you shouldn't use during pregnancy or if you have high blood pressure? Others are photo-synthesizers so they can make you burn quicker if you have them on your skin if you go out into the sun. It's for these reasons that I have been slowly working them into my line. You can expect to see a lot more being used in the next year. However, I do have a few favorite essential oils that I want to tell you about.
Lavender - This is a very common oil. The reason I love this is for its calming properties. Add a few drops to your bath water for a wonderful way to wind down after a rough day
Orange - This is another favorite of mine. It has energizing properties and is awesome when you need a pick me up in the morning. I am actually formulating a soap that mixes orange and my next favorite oil
Rosemary - Such an awesome essential oil, but it must be used sparingly. Not only is it energizing, its great for soothing nasal passages. Think Vick's Vapo products. Another that I like that's a bit similar is eucalyptus.
Peppermint and Spearmint - These two are technically different but I like to group them together since they are both in the mint family. Peppermint and spearmint both have cooling properties which is why we use peppermint in out foot products. Spearmint is a little sweeter but still great, I especially love it in lip balm. We use it in small quantities and leaves just the coolest tingle on your lips.
As I continue to experiment more, I am sure that my list of favorites will grow and I can't wait to test more. There's a bottle of basil essential oil that I cant wait to test out!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Getting it All Done
Recently, I've had several people say to me, "I don't know how you do it." What they mean is juggle my life. Currently, I work a full time job (besides Inspiri), have a husband, dogs, house, side business, spend as much time with friends and family as I can and I haven't completely lost my mind. Well, I lose my mind sometimes, but that's just because I have a tendency to do that. I've even had people ask me if I will quit my business once we have children. To that I simply let them know that I do not plan on quitting, but how it is treated will have to be re-evaluated.
To be honest, there are days that I'm overwhelmed and exhausted. There are days I want to throw in the towel, grab a giant bowl of potato chips, and never leave the couch again. But I don't. And I won't. I have developed a few key ingredients into making it all work. Here they are:
1) Time Management - I recently took a course that helped me develop some better time management skills. Personally, what I find what works best for me is something I call "Power Scheduling". I literally schedule out an insane number of things in my day, no matter how inane. Whether it's 20 minutes for "Cleaning out Inbox" or "Write blog post" for an hour once a week to 10 minutes of "Empty Dish Washer", I try to schedule these things and follow my schedule as closely as possible. This doesn't work for everyone, but for me, it's extremely useful, especially at my day job. It's made it possible for me to be able to get all of my regular work done during normal hours so at the end of the day, I can head home and work on what I really love.
2) Determine what's important - This may seem like a no-brainer, but this is something else that came from the course I took. I actually keep a time diary of the time I spend doing many of my daily and regular tasks. I can see if certain things are giving me benefit and if not, I don't have to worry about them. For example, at my day job there's a certain task where I would drop everything to handle a request coming in. I realized that these requests weren't as urgent as I made them be in my head. I have now set aside a two hour block once a week to deal with them and it saves me a ton of time, stress, and distraction.
3) Eat Right - I know, I know, everyone says this, but it's true! Do you eat breakfast every morning? I do. And I do my best to get some protein in there. Try eating a solid breakfast every day for a week (and no, Froot Loops do not count as a solid breakfast) and see how you feel. The extra energy and momentum you have will really keep you going. We eat salads at least once a week for dinner and we always feel so fresh and clean the next day. What you feed your body is important and will definitely have an affect on what you can be motivated to do.
4) Sleep - I am an 8 hour a night kind of sleeper. And most nights, I get that much or more. It's because I make it a priority. If I don't get enough sleep, you might as well just leave me in a hole all day because I'm not going to get anything done. If you need only 6 hours a night, like my husband, good for you. But don't forget how important recharging your body is. You can't expect to get everything done if your energy levels are low and all you want is to crawl in next to your teddy.
It's as simple as that. That's how I work 40+ hours a week at my full time job, make/label/sell all of my own products, as well as doing Farmer's Markets and craft shows, be a good wife, dog-mom, housekeeper, cook, and everything else involved in every day life.
Think about your own life and what you can do to keep it all together.
Live life inspired!
To be honest, there are days that I'm overwhelmed and exhausted. There are days I want to throw in the towel, grab a giant bowl of potato chips, and never leave the couch again. But I don't. And I won't. I have developed a few key ingredients into making it all work. Here they are:
1) Time Management - I recently took a course that helped me develop some better time management skills. Personally, what I find what works best for me is something I call "Power Scheduling". I literally schedule out an insane number of things in my day, no matter how inane. Whether it's 20 minutes for "Cleaning out Inbox" or "Write blog post" for an hour once a week to 10 minutes of "Empty Dish Washer", I try to schedule these things and follow my schedule as closely as possible. This doesn't work for everyone, but for me, it's extremely useful, especially at my day job. It's made it possible for me to be able to get all of my regular work done during normal hours so at the end of the day, I can head home and work on what I really love.
2) Determine what's important - This may seem like a no-brainer, but this is something else that came from the course I took. I actually keep a time diary of the time I spend doing many of my daily and regular tasks. I can see if certain things are giving me benefit and if not, I don't have to worry about them. For example, at my day job there's a certain task where I would drop everything to handle a request coming in. I realized that these requests weren't as urgent as I made them be in my head. I have now set aside a two hour block once a week to deal with them and it saves me a ton of time, stress, and distraction.
3) Eat Right - I know, I know, everyone says this, but it's true! Do you eat breakfast every morning? I do. And I do my best to get some protein in there. Try eating a solid breakfast every day for a week (and no, Froot Loops do not count as a solid breakfast) and see how you feel. The extra energy and momentum you have will really keep you going. We eat salads at least once a week for dinner and we always feel so fresh and clean the next day. What you feed your body is important and will definitely have an affect on what you can be motivated to do.
4) Sleep - I am an 8 hour a night kind of sleeper. And most nights, I get that much or more. It's because I make it a priority. If I don't get enough sleep, you might as well just leave me in a hole all day because I'm not going to get anything done. If you need only 6 hours a night, like my husband, good for you. But don't forget how important recharging your body is. You can't expect to get everything done if your energy levels are low and all you want is to crawl in next to your teddy.
It's as simple as that. That's how I work 40+ hours a week at my full time job, make/label/sell all of my own products, as well as doing Farmer's Markets and craft shows, be a good wife, dog-mom, housekeeper, cook, and everything else involved in every day life.
Think about your own life and what you can do to keep it all together.
Live life inspired!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Learn From Our Mistakes
When you first learned how to ride a bike, did you fall off once or twice? I know I did. And I should've known better when it came to soaping. I wasn't going to be ready for the Tour de France after 10 batches. But unfortunately, I got cocky.
Over the weekend, after a rather unfortunate incident where I flooded the kitchen with palm oil (a story for another day) I made a batch of soap. And it was the most beautiful batch of soap that I've ever made. Ever. No seriously. Look at the picture, it's absolutely gorgeous and turned out perfectly, in my mind.
I checked it in the morning and was so impressed with myself. I tried a new method and it had worked so perfectly. Except....then I noticed a couple little spots of brown liquid seeping out. "That's odd," I thought to myself. I had had liquid seep out before (sometimes an effect of it overheating or the glycerin pushing it's way out) but it was always clear. I went to my full time job and let the lovely soap sit, basking in all it's glory, on the kitchen table.
At lunch, I had to check it out again, because I was just so proud of it. However, the fact that the liquid had not reabsorbed had me a little nervous. I decided to test it, just to make sure it was oils or something totally harmless. Have you ever tested a 9-volt battery with your tongue to see if it has a charge? Yeah, that's sorta what it feels like when something isn't going right. And let me tell you, I got a "shock" of a life into me.
I hung my head low once I realized what had happened. And even lower when I realized I had to scrap this batch. But not scrap as in throw away. I had to do something called rebatch. It is also known as double milled or French milled soap. Unfortunately, it makes the beautiful swirls in the soap go away, because I basically had to chop the soap up, melt it down and then get it into the mold.
It ends up looking like this:
Looks a bit like a cement block, huh? Yeah, I was pretty sad. But on the positive side, I did learn a new technique. And also a technique I will NOT be trying again in the future.
And failure comes in all forms, from soaps to bath bombs. I spent several hours and multiple pounds of products working on a new recipe so that I can start offering the amazingness that is bath bombs. The first batch, well, they went off early and then, started to grow, then shrank. At least the color is pretty.
Well, the next batch, well, let's just skip that one. After severe frustration, I threw that in the sink and just let it foam everywhere. The next batch, I had high hopes for. I was trying to use less ingredients, but I was expecting too much and once again, it started to expand, which meant I had set them off early. It just turned into a big pile of foaming crumbles.
However, I couldn't let this go. So I made one more batch. I tried not to get over eager. I measured my ingredients exactly and didn't go over board. I played with the mixture until it was just the right consistency. I ended up making four nice half spheres. The two blown up ones, well, I got a little eager to see if they had hardened. I'll let you in on a secret...not as much as I expected.
From failure we learn. What doesn't work and what may be best for us. Plus, while my beautiful soap maybe didn't stay beautiful, I did learn a new technique and am getting better at my photography.
Over the weekend, after a rather unfortunate incident where I flooded the kitchen with palm oil (a story for another day) I made a batch of soap. And it was the most beautiful batch of soap that I've ever made. Ever. No seriously. Look at the picture, it's absolutely gorgeous and turned out perfectly, in my mind.
I checked it in the morning and was so impressed with myself. I tried a new method and it had worked so perfectly. Except....then I noticed a couple little spots of brown liquid seeping out. "That's odd," I thought to myself. I had had liquid seep out before (sometimes an effect of it overheating or the glycerin pushing it's way out) but it was always clear. I went to my full time job and let the lovely soap sit, basking in all it's glory, on the kitchen table.
At lunch, I had to check it out again, because I was just so proud of it. However, the fact that the liquid had not reabsorbed had me a little nervous. I decided to test it, just to make sure it was oils or something totally harmless. Have you ever tested a 9-volt battery with your tongue to see if it has a charge? Yeah, that's sorta what it feels like when something isn't going right. And let me tell you, I got a "shock" of a life into me.
I hung my head low once I realized what had happened. And even lower when I realized I had to scrap this batch. But not scrap as in throw away. I had to do something called rebatch. It is also known as double milled or French milled soap. Unfortunately, it makes the beautiful swirls in the soap go away, because I basically had to chop the soap up, melt it down and then get it into the mold.
It ends up looking like this:
And failure comes in all forms, from soaps to bath bombs. I spent several hours and multiple pounds of products working on a new recipe so that I can start offering the amazingness that is bath bombs. The first batch, well, they went off early and then, started to grow, then shrank. At least the color is pretty.
Well, the next batch, well, let's just skip that one. After severe frustration, I threw that in the sink and just let it foam everywhere. The next batch, I had high hopes for. I was trying to use less ingredients, but I was expecting too much and once again, it started to expand, which meant I had set them off early. It just turned into a big pile of foaming crumbles.
However, I couldn't let this go. So I made one more batch. I tried not to get over eager. I measured my ingredients exactly and didn't go over board. I played with the mixture until it was just the right consistency. I ended up making four nice half spheres. The two blown up ones, well, I got a little eager to see if they had hardened. I'll let you in on a secret...not as much as I expected.
From failure we learn. What doesn't work and what may be best for us. Plus, while my beautiful soap maybe didn't stay beautiful, I did learn a new technique and am getting better at my photography.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Mad Scientist
Making soap, while an art, has a bit of science to it. Especially if you're making cold process. My husband likes to refer to me as a mad scientist, and I believe many people who make soap feel that in one way, we sort of are mad scientists.
As I've been delving more into the world of cold process, I'm finding myself thinking up recipes and oil combinations that people will love. My favorites right now include Coconut, Palm, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, as well as my favorite for lotion....shea butter. But getting the right mix and having the soap still come out right can be tricky. There's lots of experimenting going on in our kitchen right now....and soon, my soap shop.
My husband has been very supportive of my little endeavor and for that, I am eternally grateful. He likes to see how products look, he'll smell every product I put under his nose, and last week, he got me the best gift ever...my own soap lab. Well, sort of.
For Valentine's Day, my hubby got me the makings of a soap lab. He's converting part of our garage and giving up some of his tool space to provide me with my own dedicated space. I'll have cabinets and storage, a work space, and peace of mind that I won't hurt our kitchen counters.
So now, this mad scientist not only has her experiments and creations, but also a lab in which to work. Check for updates on this soon to happen makeover!
As I've been delving more into the world of cold process, I'm finding myself thinking up recipes and oil combinations that people will love. My favorites right now include Coconut, Palm, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, as well as my favorite for lotion....shea butter. But getting the right mix and having the soap still come out right can be tricky. There's lots of experimenting going on in our kitchen right now....and soon, my soap shop.
My husband has been very supportive of my little endeavor and for that, I am eternally grateful. He likes to see how products look, he'll smell every product I put under his nose, and last week, he got me the best gift ever...my own soap lab. Well, sort of.
For Valentine's Day, my hubby got me the makings of a soap lab. He's converting part of our garage and giving up some of his tool space to provide me with my own dedicated space. I'll have cabinets and storage, a work space, and peace of mind that I won't hurt our kitchen counters.
So now, this mad scientist not only has her experiments and creations, but also a lab in which to work. Check for updates on this soon to happen makeover!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Fell Off the Earth, and Back Again
So sorry I have been MIA from this blog. With the holiday season, I was unbelievably busy. The best part is, 2012 is looking to be even more busy. I already have two shows booked and I'm working on two new lines for this year: Children's Soaps & From Scratch Soaps. The children's soaps are slowly being added, but they are super fun and will definitely get your little ones wanting to wash.
The from scratch are a little different. I started making soaps with a process of something called Melt & Pour. Melt & Pour (or MP) is great, because it allows for amazing creativity without the handling of certain chemicals. I love Melt & Pour and throw my whole self into it. However, I needed a little something more. I decided in the last couple months of 2011 that it was time to start experimenting.
Think of MP as making a cake from a mix. You still have a lot of work to do, but some of the measuring was done ahead of time. From scratch is just that....the soap is entirely from scratch. Since this is a new process and takes a little bit of a learning curve, 2012 is our year of testing. We have several testers and their first samples will be going out in the next week or two. Why test for a year? Well, I want to bring the absolute best products out rather than add one or two, then find out people don't like them. We're doing our best to make sure that these products are awesome from day 1!
So that's what has been going on here. I'll do my best to update this more and with some awesome pictures. In the meantime, here are some of our fabulous Valentine's soaps. If you're interested in any of them, please visit us at http://InspiriBody.etsy.com
The from scratch are a little different. I started making soaps with a process of something called Melt & Pour. Melt & Pour (or MP) is great, because it allows for amazing creativity without the handling of certain chemicals. I love Melt & Pour and throw my whole self into it. However, I needed a little something more. I decided in the last couple months of 2011 that it was time to start experimenting.
Think of MP as making a cake from a mix. You still have a lot of work to do, but some of the measuring was done ahead of time. From scratch is just that....the soap is entirely from scratch. Since this is a new process and takes a little bit of a learning curve, 2012 is our year of testing. We have several testers and their first samples will be going out in the next week or two. Why test for a year? Well, I want to bring the absolute best products out rather than add one or two, then find out people don't like them. We're doing our best to make sure that these products are awesome from day 1!
So that's what has been going on here. I'll do my best to update this more and with some awesome pictures. In the meantime, here are some of our fabulous Valentine's soaps. If you're interested in any of them, please visit us at http://InspiriBody.etsy.com
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| Champagne & Strawberries - I love this soap. While making it, I couldn't help but keep sniffing it, it's intoxicating. |
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| The Romance Package - A blend of roses, champagne, and a hint of chocolate. Everything you love about romance in a soapy cube! |
Friday, June 3, 2011
Do What You Love, Love What You Do
It was roughly March when I really got interested in doing some bath and body products. I got my first set of ingredients in April. Since then, I have made close to 20 lbs of soap, three batches of lotion, four batches of scrubs, plus bath bombs, bath salts, and a few other things that aren't coming to mind. I have had amazing successes and a few failures (and spills).
But you know what, I've loved it. Every minute. I've learned from my mistakes. I find great joy in opening a new package. Even if I know it contains ingredients from Bramble Berry such as Stearic Acid or a new color. These might not sounds like exciting things to you, but they bring a great sense of joy to me, because it means new and more creations.
I thought I would like this "hobby" when I got into it, but I had no idea how much I would love it. As silly as it may sound, I feel like this is something I could do professionally, every day. Each new product is a new creation, waiting for someone to love it. I wait for inspiration to hit. And for inspiration from people. I want to create products people love. Not just what I love. And I want it to be beautiful. I want a beautiful product to make you feel beautiful.
Want to see some of what happens in my little corner of the world?
This may look like a giant mess to you. To me? It looks like a success. There are 13 sample jars of my Sunrise on the Sand lotion there. And I'm proud of EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Here's what a block of my Lily of the Valley sample size soaps look like when they are fresh out of the mold.
When that block comes out, this is what it looks like. I cut it, wrap it, wrap it again, make it look pretty, add labels, etc.
Since I feel like I put a part of myself into my products, I want everything to look beautiful.
By the way, the Etsy shop should open this weekend. As soon as it does, I'll post and let you know :-)
But you know what, I've loved it. Every minute. I've learned from my mistakes. I find great joy in opening a new package. Even if I know it contains ingredients from Bramble Berry such as Stearic Acid or a new color. These might not sounds like exciting things to you, but they bring a great sense of joy to me, because it means new and more creations.
I thought I would like this "hobby" when I got into it, but I had no idea how much I would love it. As silly as it may sound, I feel like this is something I could do professionally, every day. Each new product is a new creation, waiting for someone to love it. I wait for inspiration to hit. And for inspiration from people. I want to create products people love. Not just what I love. And I want it to be beautiful. I want a beautiful product to make you feel beautiful.
Want to see some of what happens in my little corner of the world?
Here's what a block of my Lily of the Valley sample size soaps look like when they are fresh out of the mold.
Since I feel like I put a part of myself into my products, I want everything to look beautiful.
By the way, the Etsy shop should open this weekend. As soon as it does, I'll post and let you know :-)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Welcome to The Blog
Welcome to Inspiri's blog. This is where I'll be showing off trials, failures, and any other things that relate to the bath & body products I am creating.
Today, I shipped out my first set of boxes. Wow, that's a big stack!
Today, I shipped out my first set of boxes. Wow, that's a big stack!
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