The autumn release is set for Saturday, September 4^th. In addition to eight cold process soaps, I will have three cream soaps: Black Walnut, Cacao Pumpkin, and Candy Corn.

Black Walnut will be extremely limited – I only have a little over an ounce of this fragrance remaining. Bad Wolf, ZomBee and Black Walnut will also be available in a sugar polish and body whip.

As excited as I am about the new scents I’ve developed, I’m equally excited about my new label designs.

The designs started out as special labeling for autumn, but I decided to keep them permanently… I think they turned out beautifully, and I hope all of you love them too!

DreamCatcher will be back in my Etsy shop today along with a matching Body Whip and Sugar Polish. I’ve decided to make DreamCatcher a limited edition for Spring only. I will only have eleven bars of soap, four whips, and three polishes available until next year.

I’ve re-named my body lotions “Body Whip”. It seemed a little more fitting since they are about the consistency of cool whip. Also, I am already working on an ultra light spray lotion for next summer.

Over the next week, you will see a few changes in the scent catalog. Some blends will be designating as seasonal limited editions only… I may add more or switch them around a bit over time – it’s a work in progress. I may also separate out some into an “Apothecary Spa” collection. These are the all natural essential oil only blends with therapeutic and aromatherapy properties for both the skin and senses. 

I’m already getting psyched for the cooler months… my favorite time of year!

It has taken some time to create a lotion to meet my expectations… I’m very picky about lotions. In fact, I am not really a lotion person, but I now realize it’s because of the lotions I’ve tried in the past.

The moisturizers I use to pick up in popular bath and body stores felt too dry… almost like they were drying out my skin – not at all moisturizing or nourishing. Looking at the vast array of chemicals found in them, I can now understand why they felt nasty on my skin. So, I purchased natural lotions chock-full of the best ingredients nature has to offer. Unfortunately, most of these sat on my skin like a grease slick for hours and caused blemishes.

The lotion I’ve created has all of the qualities I have always wanted in a lotion… a light, supple texture that smoothes on easily with very little “drag”. At the same time, it’s full of natural, nutrient rich ingredients for ultra nourishing benefits and protection against the damaging effects of the sun. It is easily absorbed and leaves my skin silky soft and nicely scented.

Lotions will be available on Saturday, May 29^th in a very select number of scents. Thereafter, other scents will start to trickle into my shop as they are created. If you have a favorite scent you would love to have in a lotion, please let me know!

New soaps are much bigger… weighing in at 4.5 – 5.5 ounces each. I intended on making them taller, like a square, but after two test batches I realized I didn’t like the shape. It just didn’t feel right. So, instead of making them taller, I am cutting them thicker. A nice chunky soap that is easy to grip in the hand.

New packaging and photography is taking more time than I anticipated. I need to photograph each soap again because of the size and shape difference… trying different angles and such. I’m not sure if I like the new photos yet.

I will be posting new listings in my shop on Sunday, March 21^st. I placed an “Back In Stock” list at the top of my Etsy shop announcement and will add to the list as I get each soap completed.

I will have my Soap Sampler back in my Etsy shop on Friday, March 12^th.  The listing will include old and new scents in a limited number of each scent… six to be exact. Once a variety is gone, it will be unavailable until the next batch is created.

Mini bars were previously cut as needed from fully cured bars. However, after the destruction of two cheese slicers, I have made the decision to only create mini bars when I initially cut the batch into full size bars. The soap is very soft when I initially cut it, but it becomes rock hard and difficult to cut as it cures.

I hope to have a scent catalog completed by Friday as well – listed here and on my Etsy Profile or Policies page. The catalog will hopefully make it easier to choose samples in the event the full size has sold or has not been listed yet in my shop. It is a work in progress, but will give you an idea of the new soaps that will make the scene over the next few weeks.

As soon as I’m finished packaging mini bars and writing the scent catalog, I will turn my attention to packaging and photographing the full size soaps. The first wave will include Chai Latte, Mango Tea, Blackstrap, Primeval, Beowulf, and Caribbean… The second will include Amber Crush, Carnival, Bee Charmer, Fable, Lovecraft, and Bamboo Pear. I’ll have availability dates in my next update.

On a personal note… I just started watching a new British show called Survivors on BBC America. I have a weakness for British television, and since Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Primeval are on hiatus… and Life on Mars is sadly over, I’ve been itching for something new.

Survivors fit the bill and reeled me in instantly. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but once a week I like to sit down and watch something that isn’t SpongeBob related.