October 2014 Soap News and Special

Traditional Harvest Festival

OCTOBER!  Oh yes, Fall is here!  Even in the heat of Florida we have the orange, red and brown decorations up in the stores, the pumpkin patches are open and we start to believe that night temperatures now lingering at 70 or above, might soon bring cooler days...sometime, soon hopefully.

Florida's version of Fall...see the leaf colors in the back!!!

This weekend I was at the Deland Craft Show, mainly helping my artist friend, Nautical Painter, Eve Silverbach, who had double booked shows.  So, I was set up with half of the booth filled with painted switchplates and photography and the other half with my soap trays.  Here's a heads-up for you Central Floridians:   Eve will be doing the Orlando show at Lake Eola the first weekend in November.  I will be setup in Micanopy.  I will not have the incense with me...Eve will have it in Orlando.  So, if you need incense at Micanopy, please call me no later than Wednesday  October 29th, and I will pull what you need and bring it with me.

I made it back to Orlando in my new-to-me Ford 3/4 ton 2006 cargo van.  So, for those of you wondering about the poor Mercury, it is now the Illinois back up vehicle.  Not sure how it will weather the Illinois cold winter, but, hopefully it will start if we fly up sometime in December or January.   We had so much room in the van, we didn't even reach the halfway mark...which left Bonnie-Dog plenty of room to roam.  She happened to roam through my box of ripening tomatoes, BAD BONNIE, but I still had plenty to make Rod  BLT's, a couple Mexican dishes and a few plates of fresh tomatoes to enjoy. 

I ended up staying an extra week in Illinois as my Aunt Patricia was very ill and in hospice care.  She ended up passing after a very hard 10 days for my uncle and cousins.  I stayed to be with my Mom and attend the funeral.  You will be missed Aunt Pat...

Next up for us is a quick four night trip to Key West.  After that we will begin to get the Halloween decorations out of the attic and get ready for the trick or treaters at the end of the month.  Rod suggested we also use that time to sort through what we have up in the attic and start clearing it out now.  That will help out a lot when we do make the final move to Illinois in 2016.  The Fall shows are detailed below.  I hope to see you all out there!

Show Schedule 

October 2014 

4-5          11-12    Coconut Creek--the Promenade on Lyons Road

18-19

25-26       

         

November 2014 

1-2          Fiesta in the Park, Lake Eola Park, Orlando FL  AND

1-2          Micanopy Fall Festival (my friend Eve will be doing Orlando and I will be in Micanopy--thanks for the help Eve!!)
8-9          Flamingo Follies, New Smyrna Beach, FL--Booth #106
15-16         

22-23    

29-30

December 2014 

6-7          Tallahassee Market Days
13-14      Holiday in the Garden, Washington Oaks Garden State

               Park, Palm Coast, Florida--tentative

20-21      Merry Christmas!
27-28      Happy New Year!

Industry News

Hats off to Dr. Bronner's soap who sometime in the last 10 years finally decided to list ALL of their ingredients on the Peppermint liquid soap.  Some of you may remember when I "outed" them for only listing the vegetable oils, not the full ingredient list.  I know I had used their soap a lot in my early days as I hiked and camped.  So, I am happy to announce with full authority that they are NOT using SLS's in the production of their pure castille soaps!   So what's actually it there?  Here ya go (in English):  Coconut, Olive, Hemp and Jojoba Organic veggie Oils, Potassium Hydroxide (the lye in liquid soaps), Organic Peppermint Essential Oil, Citric Acid and Vitamin E.   Way to go!!

Company News

I made this year's Christmas soap last week and this year it will be a fruity, wine scent called Christmas Cabernet and it will be marbeled with red and orange.  I am still working on a name, but, for now I am calling it Wassail.  It will be available starting at the Coconut Creek show and some wholesale accounts are already starting to stock it!  So, look for it at the next show you are able to attend.  

I also stocked up on the wood soap decks and the netty soap-on-a-rope bags for the giftbags.  There will be plenty available at shows for those of you needing giftbags.  I will also be doing a limited number of special $50 giftbags with the more expensive soap dishes, herbal eye pillows and the other goodies usually found in the $20 bag.  

I just did a batch of Simply Shea soap for the waitlist and since it was gone really fast, I will do another batch if there is any demand.  Those are $10 a bar, but, you get the whole bar with the bumpy top so it is actually close to 7 ounces in size.  I will be catching up on the Pet, Bug and Hunter soap waitlists over the coming few weeks...if you know you want a few bars, please email me here.  

Special

This month the special is just that--special!  For every six bar order, you will be able to pick out a free soap (the scent is your choice) and you will receive a half-guest soap size sample of the Christmas soap to go along with it.  You might also take advantage of the $50 free shipping special, details are on the secret page on the website.  Follow the green leaf to get there!  And always check on down that page a bit.  I will be putting up a bag of Patchouli soap endpieces at a discounted price!  

Have a great month, Everybody!

Jackie the SoapLady

P.S. the overhang over the back door of the new cottage is from an Mazda RX7 automobile!  No one guessed correctly!!  Any guesses for what heats the water in the outdoor shower?  A free soap to the first correct answer!

September 2014 Soap News and Special

 

HAPPY FALL!
Can you feel it in the air...the evenings cool off a bit and mornings up here have been heaven for a week or so.  I just bought a pumpkin/harvest sign tonight to hang on the gate--it is that kind of weather in Illinois right now.  Trouble is that I will be moving back into Summer very soon.  I should be back on the road to Rod and Florida by the end of the week.  Keep calling on the Illinois phone number for a bit longer (815-708-7200) if you need help with an order or if you want to stop by the soap shop.  Once I am back in Florida you will get a disconnected message on the Illinois phone.

The birds and bees have been busy here--literally.  The picture at the top of the page was on the day the birds--lots of Orioles and such perching on the face of the sunflowers, then leaning over to chow down on the seeds.  It was amazing to see dozens of them all feeding in the same area at one time.  The bees have been busy too--they are in the sedums now, but, they shared the sunflowers with all the birds.  Unfortunately they have found the hummingbird feeder too--but I think the hummers have the upper hand for now.

 

 

We had a good August up here starting with Rod's visit.  He brought a load here in his new-to-him minivan and got to acclimate to the new house.  We did a few projects at the house, met some neighbors, went to the fair and even went to downtown Rockford for a Thursday night, "Dinner on the Dock" with my sister and her hubby, Garry.   There, we met up with some longtime friends, the Blume's and were asked to join them on their very nice (BIG understatement!!!) party boat.   We also had a birthday party for Rod's 60th while he was here--check out the Pinterest inspired candle decorations--see the picture somewhere below.

 

 

 

The Schaumburg Septemberfest last weekend was a success--thank you all for coming out.  We had bad forecasts as usual.  The weather guys thought it was going to be rainy and stormy--it only ended up raining on Saturday at 7 a.m., the rest of the weekend was great.  Never believe the weather guys!  So many of you heard about my van trouble.  Miss Myrtle the van with over 306,000 miles made it to the hotel Friday night, but, just barely.  I had a battery warning light on that I ignored for too long.  So, we ended up borrowing a cube truck--a large cube truck--from my brother-in-law-the-contractor (thank you Larson and Larson Builders!).  My sister did all the hard work getting it to Schaumburg in one piece though and then we didn't end up needing it.  When we went to tow the sick van back to Rockford, the tow driver offered to take it to his garage, do the repair on Labor Day and then deliver it to the show--all in time for us to load up and head back to Rockford--and it was a good deal on top of that. 

 

The "Koi Pond"--before I added the ceramic fish I bought at Schaumburg...stay tuned...more later!

Please accept my apologies for the late (again) newsletter.  My sweet Aunt Patricia died after a long illness and 10 horrible days of Hospice care with her family and my Mom trying to help her transition from pain to peace. 

 



SHOW SCHEDULE

 

September 2014 First few weeks--working on yard work in IL and then traveling back to FL   

13-14     

20-21

27-28  Deland River Fest--doing the show for my friend Eve the nautical painter.  BUT, I will bring limited soap

 

October 2014 

4-5         We are going to the Keys!!! 11-12    Coconut Creek--the Promenade on Lyons Road

18-19

25-26       

         

November 2014 

1-2          Fiesta in the Park, Lake Eola Park, Orlando FL  AND

1-2          Micanopy Fall Festival (my friend Eve will be doing Orlando and I will be in Micanopy--thanks for the help Eve!!)
8-9          Flamingo Follies, New Smyrna Beach, FL--Booth #106
15-16         

22-23    

29-30

 

 

 

INDUSTRY NEWS

You have heard me talk about my LOVE of the OPI nail polish names.  Earlier this year they rolled out 8 new polishes inspired by Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted".  With names like "Chillin' Like a Villian", "Kermit Me to Speak" and "Miss Piggy's Big Number"--you know I am loving them!

OK, this will probably not shock you, but, it will certainly make you wonder about our obsession with looks--or at least looking younger.  The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reported that one in three plastic surgeons have seen an increase in requests for procedures due to patients being more self-aware of how they look in social media.  SELFIES are contributing to a 10% rise in nose jobs, a 7% rise in hair transplants and 6% rise in eyelid surgery.  These increases were for both cosmetic surgery and injectibles--with 75% of the increase attributed to minimally invasive procedures.  Young women and men are contributing to the increase--women looking to prevent visible signs of aging and men seeking nose jobs, chin implants, acne scar reduction and neck liposuction. 

My Heirloom purple tomato--first one harvested!

COMPANY NEWS

I wrote down a ton of name possibilities this past weekend while at the show.  Be looking for some great LOL new soaps in the future--but for now I really don't have anything to report.  I will be running low on some scents before I get back to soapmaking in Florida.  AND, my apologies to you incense lovers--I am out or low on a couple scents that won't be redipped until possibly next month.  SO SORRY!!  Oh, and I would love some suggestions again for the Christmas soap.  For some reason I am thinking about doing some cinnamon ornaments again...maybe.  What do you think?  Leave your comments on the blog!

SPECIAL

Click here for this month's SPECIAL.  OK, the special that is up is what I have been offering those of you who ordered already in the month...so let's go with that.  A free bar of soap for every 6 bar purchase at the 3 for $12 price.  Be sure to put your free scent in the comments area of the shopping cart.   You can always get the special online, by clicking through the green leaf at the bottom of every page where you will be whisked to the Specials page.  Spend a minute there--I also listed some shaving soap endpieces and a VERY limited supply of 100% Natural Split Personality soaps.  Be sure to click on the button of whatever specials you are trying to take advantage of...I can't read your mind...if it's not clicked I can't do the special.  But, if you forget something, you can always email me or call.  Enjoy!!

 

Oh, and don't forget if you really need to stock up or want to split an order with a friend, you get free shipping to one address if you spend $50.  Click here to go to the Specials page, click on the free shipping button and you are good to go!

Want a free bar of Split Personality with your next order (in addition to any other freebies above)?  Identify the overhang over the cottage back door.  Put your guess in the comments area of the shopping cart. (Free Soap Guesses limited to on hand supply of Split Personality)

 

August 2014 Soap News and Special

Hi Soap Lovers!

August finds me gardening.  I was going to say weeding, but, it is so much more than that here at the new Cottage.  I am a stone mason, an irrigation specialist, a landscape designer and more--only I am not expert at any of those things.  I am at best a beginner--but I am learning every minute I am out in the yard. And best yet, I am loving every moment!  Rod arrives with the first load from Florida tomorrow.  I wonder how much of what I packed to come up here a month ago I will now find that I can live without!?! 

A couple notes, one very, very sad.  My mold and soap cutter maker, Willard Larson, died at age 94 last week.  He was my sister's father-in-law--but that only tells you a fraction of the story of who this wonderful man was.  Known as the Cross Man, a master carpenter who was in the union for 70 years, a founding member of his church here in Rockford, Illinois and a navy vet who served in WWII and Korea--he was the kindest, most faithful man.  Being able to attend his funeral was a life affirming event.  A few of his grandkids and a son-in-law memorialized him...and many tears were shed.  Godspeed, Willard!  More about Willard here.

Also, for any of you having trouble reaching me on my cellphone, I apologize.  The stone cottage is not allowing me to use the cell in the house and my text messages are being delivered only when I leave the house.  (This means when I remember to take it with me as I am getting in the car--and since I am in Illinois and I can't use the phone in the car without a hand's free device--which is in he house on the counter usually--or not charged up--anyhow, you see where this is going!!!)   Please use the house number and leave a message if I am not here.  That number is (815) 708-7200.  It rings in the house, the soap factory and the shop--and I can hear it if I am in the back yard, too! 

Be sure to look around the blog if you want to see what else I have been up to last month!  I have lots of pictures to post.

 

 

Show Schedule

 

 

August /September 2014
2-3       

9-10     Mendota IL Corn Festival    

16-17  Lake Geneva WI Venetian Art Festival       

23-24

30- Sept 1    Septemberfest Schaumburg IL

 



Industry News

Have you heard how professional tasters categorize things?  There are hundreds of categories, but, basically you can set them into five basic tastes:  Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter and Umami (a Japanese word that means savory).  So now neuroscientists are doing the same thing for scent.  They have settled all scents into TEN basic categories--keep in mind these odors are not all intended to be used in person care products:

1.  Fragrant--like lavender, soapy, cologne
2.  Woody/resinous--for example:   cut grass, mushrooms
3.  Minty/Peppermint--eucalyptus, camphor, tea leaves fall in here
4.  Sweet
5.  Chemical
6.  Popcorn--has it's own category...LOL--but it includes butter, fried chicken like scents too.
7.  Lemon
8.  Fruity--non-citrus
9.  Pungent--garlic, sour milk
10.  Decayed--rotten meat, manure

I think we would have some interesting conversations about where in this spectrum things actually fall.  You know my distaste for Patchouli which I would put in the last category--decayed.  My sister would certainly put it in the Woody category.  What do you think about these categories?

Company News
At the Mount Horeb Art Fair  a couple weeks ago, I again ran across Sue Koehler one of my favorite potters.  I stocked up on a few of her gorgeous and functional soap dishes.  If you are looking for a great gift--for yourself or a friend--think about one of these dishes with a great bar of shea butter soap sitting on top!  I also have a green/blue/tan glaze and a tan/brown glaze dishes available.  You can get them on the soap page here--above the page footer.

 

 

I had a batch of the Salt Detox soap go bonkers on me last week.  I will be redoing that batch this weekend, hopefully, to get it ready for the shows coming up.  I am not sure how it will do with the humidity in the new curing building.  Cross fingers!

 

Soap Specials

 

Click here to get this month's special--a FREE soap with every six bar purchase of regular priced soaps.  You can always get the special online, by clicking through the green leaf at the bottom of every page where you will be whisked to the Specials page.  Spend a minute there--I also listed some shaving soap endpieces and a VERY limited supply of both the Split Personality and 100% Natural Split Personality soaps.  Be sure to click on the button of whatever specials you are trying to take advantage of...I can't read your mind...if it's not clicked I can't do the special.  But, if you forget something, you can always email me or call.  Enjoy!!

 

Oh, and don't forget if you really need to stock up or want to split an order with a friend, you get free shipping to one address if you spend $50.  Click here to go to the Specials page, click on the free shipping button and you are good to go!

This Week's Cottage Projects and MORE Pictures

 

 

I was at a jewelry party last night, chatting with a group of women I didn't know very well.  Isn't it funny how one topic will get everyone talking.  My friend Robin introduced me as Jackie, her friend from Florida who just bought a TINY HOUSE in town!  Well, those words, TINY HOUSE, ignited the room.  Laura, Robin's best friend had all kinds of questions.  Her daughter, Cassie, said she had been looking at the Pinterest Tiny House boards and was in love with them.  Everyone was either horrified or excited by the fact the new house was only 530 square feet. 

This week I spent hours in the yard, many of them accompanied by my Mom who spent a couple mornings with me helping me to cut back ground covers in the front yard where the English ivy was growing over the boulders and covering them up.  I love the look of the boulders, so the ivy had to go!  Then I refreshed the pea gravel on that side of the driveway.  Too bad it was tiny--more sand like than pinkie nail size--compared to the last batch of gravel from Menards.  I hate when that happens--especially when I was hauling 20 bags of it in my 20 year old minivan along with the last of the edging blocks for the Koi Pond. 

 

 

Now don't get too excited.  The Koi Pond is just the previous owner's nickname for the planting bed to the left as you pull in the driveway.  The "pond" is an area of pea gravel sitting in the middle of a mulched berm.  She had always wanted to put some painted wood koi in here to "swim".  I loved that idea, so, I finished off the pond with some Menards's edging along with some rocks and bricks to keep the mulch out of the pond.  I moved the round lily pads (stepping stones) from the front path that I worked on too!  Now, I need about a dozen of these to go in the pond along with some cute turtles and frogs sitting on the lily pads.  Just look at the shipping on those fish to see why I will have to come up with another idea!!!!

The last big project this week was on the two black stone pathways--you can see them in the picture above.  This is going to be a trouble spot as the supplier of that black aggregate is now out of business in town and the only other product I can find that comes close is the fish aquarium gravel you get at the pet store.  (Plus, the size is not the same and the fish stuff is shiny and what I have is more of a flat black.)  That will be a very expensive way to refresh the walks.  I have it in two areas in the back yard too!

So, what I did to help was the put a better separation in the lower path--putting those five square pavers across the path to separate the pea gravel from the black stone.  On the upper path, I had to cut the black plastic tube edging that goes under the driveway, lift it up an inch or so and then backfill it to hold the pea gravel out a bit better.  I also cut back the ivy and other ground covers in this planting bed so show the boulders and the other edging.  This planting bed may become known as my Creeping William/Charlie bed.  Jan, the previous owner said she always reached a point in the summer where she just threw up her hands.   Since I just started the battle, I may make it to the Fall with that war!

This week's yard waste haul was two 30 pound cans and five 50 pound bags.  Yes, not all of that was really yard waste--much of it could have gone on my compost pile.  BUT, that is full already!!

The lilies are about done, but, the Russian Sage is still gorgeous!

Blue Moon Cottage--More Pictures

A couple friends down south are wanting to see more pictures of the cottage, so, here are a couple snaps from this morning.  Everyone is wondering what it is like to live in a 530 square foot house, well, the easy answer is that it is just like living in a 1,200 s.f. house without as much cleaning!  The previous owners used every nook and cranny for storage, so, I haven't begun to fill up any cabinets or closets.  That won't happen until the Orlando house is sold and all our stuff moves up with us.  Then, it will be more of a challenge!!

I guess you could say this is the grounds maintenance complex!  The storage bins have edging, stakes and miscellaneous pots and such.

This is what I will be doing today--MOWING!  They previous owner said it takes 20 minutes to mow...I think it took me three times as long the first time!!

An area that they seeded before leaving...still needs some help, but, may need to work on that next year.  Not sure I have time to play "water fairy" this year!

This is the" Monument to Scotland"...fitting with my family history too!

A view of the backyard toward the house...with Bonnie Dog munching on a piece of mulch

 

Wow...that was a LOT of weeding to get back to bare ground back in the veggie garden.  I am hoping the weedblock will help keep the weeds at bay this year.  I figured out that even if you don't plant any veggies, you still have to weed--so next year I might as well put in veggies

This was the first project...a completed walkway to the back building

where the soap factory is located

I added a lot of pea gravel to the cobblestone walkway

More stones going in out front.  I need about six more bags to finish this area and along the driveway

Just so cute!!

So, this is the ugly screen house right outside the backdoor.  I hate it, but, it is very useful as a catch-all for everything.  It has all my project tools in it at the moment.  Oh, and the bikes!

 

 

I have not done much inside except for moving stuff in...but I will get some pictures of that next time!!  SO, out to mow I go...

 

Blue Moon Cottage --My Projects

 

Before closing, when I was looking at Blue Moon Cottage trying to figure out if the TINY house would work for Rod and I, I never expected to want to change a thing.  The previous owner, Jan the Master Gardener said, "Gardens should not be static.  They need to change to reflect your interests.  Sometimes, you will want to simplify; sometimes you will want to expand and enlarge.  So don't be married to a certain way of doing things".  I think I said something like, "I LOVE it just the way it is".   That was until I tried to pull my hand cart through the gate, to the back office--what will become the Soap Factory.  First I encountered the very uneven cobble stones, then that wood "platform" in the picture above.  Then the too tiny gate and then seemingly an acre of mulch!  So, my first project at the cottage was born!

  
Actually I am lying.  My first project was accomplished with the help of my nephew Roger.  The weather was nice and cool and I was enjoying having the windows open.  But, the back door had a storm window on it--I could not find a screen anywhere...so it had to GO!  Menards had a sale on the kind that you pull down the screen and it comes down halfway--perfect with a small dog who would scratch out a screen if it went all the way down.  I had never put on a storm/screen door before and the salesman said sarcastically that their training video said it only takes FIVE minutes.  I laughed out loud at that...saying that in my case it would probably take five hours.  That was just about right--what with having no tools, incomplete directions and having to make three trips to my Dad's house to borrow the right tools.  My nephew suggested that a trip to Harbor Freight might be in order!

 

As you can see, I pulled up the wood platform, and then proceeded to find several hidden cobble stones to put in the dirt that was uncovered.  I lucked out and found several under the steps to the  Soap Shop.  It took several hours, but, I think I will be happier when I have to bring the cart through the gate the next time.  My Dad with the back problems will certainly like a little less "wobble in the cobbles"!!

 

 

The other project, the cart walkway, was started the day after Fourth of July.  I started getting 30 patio stones at a time.  Then added 20 bags of mulch.  Then the next day, I added another 40 stones, and some paver edging to keep the walkway from migrating to the low point in the mulch area.  Finally this morning I finished with another 16 blocks, 4 bags of mulch and the finished product is below! 

 

 

The next project will involve a scrub sponge and brush, a gallon of paint and a ladder to paint the back side of the house that is the main entryway.  Come on over and wear your painting clothes!

JULY 2014 Soap News and Special



I am so sorry for the delay in this month's newsletter.  Life definitely refused to take a backseat.  Last month we were in the process of finding a great new house up in Illinois.  Rod was here and we were making an offer on the cottage.  I was starting to "nest"--thinking about the possibilities of being back close to my side of the family.  Then on June 17th, my Mother-in-Law, Cora Mack Dudley--Coty, to her friends--passed away.  Coty was going to be 94 in November.  Her hospital visits were starting to take a little more out of her each time she went in--but she always came out.  She was always happy to get back to her beach house for "just one more summer".  This time though, there would not be one more time. 

The funeral included her three kids and us spouses, a grand child and about three dozen of her church friends.  Everyone thought she would make it home again, so even though she was in her nineties, we all thought we would have more time to prepare for this.  But, despite the surprise of her not coming home once again, we mostly could remember the good times sitting on the sun porch visiting, going to the ice house to get watermelons, how just running to the grocery store with her could morph into a three hour long reunion with her buddies.

I was lucky to have Coty as a MIL.  She was kind, non-judgmental and  she raised a mighty nice young man who I was lucky to marry about 30 years ago.  Coty will be mourned.  She will be missed.  And I really wish she could have seen our cute new little cottage.  She would have wanted to try to stay up in the loft and she would have loved sitting in the gardens talking. 

Show Schedule
I am very sorry to have missed last weekend's show at University of Wisconsin--Parkside for the funeral.  I hope you will be able to visit me at one of the following shows:

July
5-6      

12-13                                      
19-20  Mt Horeb Wisconsin 39th Annual Art Festival
26-27

August 2014
2-3       

9-10     Mendota IL Corn Festival        
16-17   Lake Geneva WI Venetian Art Festival        

23-24

30-31    Septemberfest Schaumburg IL

 

Industry News

I was reading a great article in the June 2014 HAPPI (Household and Personal Products Industry) trade publication.  It was titled, "From Farm to Face".  I thought that was a great way to describe the growing trend of homegrown/homemade products, a market that tallies about $30  BILLION globally!  Perhaps what really speaks to me though is the positive spin on the marketing--instead of focusing on the bad ingredients they focus on natural ingredients and benefits.  And who doesn't like the idea of things coming from the earth rather from a test tube in a lab! 

So, this little homemade soap market place is no longer a niche market.  It is part of a mega-trend driven by people who strive to live healthy, caring lives.  These consumers don't want invasive procedures in an office visit.  They want natural products to apply topically that are not synthetic and possibly harmful.  As a result, grocery stores and other retailers are making it easier to find quality skin and body care products at affordable prices.  That benefits us all.

 

Company News

The big news is that I am in the middle of setting up the semi-permanent soap shop and factory in the two outbuildings of the new cottage.  I moved everything over from my parents house this weekend--over the Fourth of July.  It will probably take a couple weeks to get it all up and running the way I envision, but, it has been a good distraction.  I will be back in Florida later this summer to get ready for the Fall and Winter shows down there.  The time frame for moving up to Illinois permanently is still when Rod retires at 62 in just over two years.  Here's what the exteriors of the soap shops look like so far:

This will be the soap factory for now...eventually this will be Rod's Man Cave!

This building is right at the end of the driveway and will be where the
wrapped soaps and my tent and craft show display will be housed.

Please add my new summer Illinois phone number to your address book:   (815) 708-7200 and you can still use the old email address (rjturbot@cfl.rr.com) as I am still checking that via webmail.  I still have the cell phone, but, I can only use it when I am away from the house as I have no bars at the house.  That coverage map LIES!  LOL  Also note that shipping is running about three (3) days from the time you place your order.  That is due to all the products still being at my parent's house.  After the show in Mt Horeb, WI, I will move the soap here to the cottage.  Please  with me until then!

Thanks to so many of you helping with such great product reviews for the website!  Remember, you get a free bar of soap for any well written, thoughtful comments you have for a particular soap.  It only takes a few sentences to pass my quality control process--so, send me one the next time you have a few minutes.  Here is a nice review of my hand-dipped incense so you can see what I am looking for:

Hey Jackie - just wanted to let you know that I received my incense and it is delicious.  Exactly as I remembered it from ages ago.  Everything that envelope came into contact with smells heavenly.  Your home must smell wonderful.  Mine used to but my dogs (puppies to
terminally ill) seemed to have taken care of that.  Donna P.

Special

I took the easy way out and will continue the same special from June--buy six bars at regular price and get one free--a $5 value!   Shipping is only $5.05 for the seven bars anywhere in the USA.  There is a button to press on the secret page to make sure you get the freebie--get there by going to the bottom of any page at www.JackieSoap.com and clicking on the green leaf. 

OK, Soap Addicts, that is all for July.  Give your family members a hug or a squeeze, tell them you love them--life is short, so enjoy every minute of it.  If ya'll have any comments, suggestions, or just want to chat--leave a comment on the blog!
Jackie the SoapLady