Cindy's Scentuals: Soap, Bath, & Body

Even though I had vague swirls of doubt and apprehension running through me like thin traced soap, I decided to kick my soap hobby up a notch. While I'm building an Etsy shop, writing descriptions, policies, figuring out the mysteries of shipping and handling and making the soap to go along with it, I've sent in all the stuff to the state to start a business. I just sent in my transient vendor's license application just this morning. Since I'm heavily olfactory-wired, and cannot pass up a bar of soap without picking it up and sniffing, I knew Scent had to be in there, and soap is oh so sensual, once you've got it lathered up real good and it's washing away the day's dirt and doldrums...so scentual it is...Cindy's Scentuals!

Now, it seems like there's a heck of a lot of soap on Etsy...gorgeous sensuous soaps made by upteen-zillion soap makers, so I don't know if my soap will get any hits or not. To ensure that I don't have soap sitting around for months, I applied for a few local craft shows in October and November. The one in November is a smallish one, at my kids' high school to benefit the band boosters, and only $40 dollar entrance fee. There was no review or anything. I think they'll take anyone who'll sit behind a table.

The other one is a two day show and kind of big and intimidating. When I e-mailed the show manager, I had no idea it was one of those you have to be "selected" for. I just asked her how much a booth is. Opps. She said we could discuss that once I sent her in 3 or 4 photographs of my work. I sent them off and then she said e-mailed back to tell me I'd be a good fit! I was having an interview and I didn't even know it. This is really funny to me cause that's what I do for a living...write resumes, interview, and place students! I didn't even know I should be nervous. Ignorance, is surely bliss.

After I had a chance to revel in the glow of soaping acceptance, the reality set in. What kind of traffic does this show get? It's not one of the huge ones, but it's a good size and well-advertised. It's run by Avant-Garde Craft Shows. Well....sheesh...how much soap should I make for a two day show? One hundred bars? Two-hundred. I figured the lady knew I was a newbie, so I just came out and asked, "Do you think 150 would do it?" She thought it would, but really, it's completely up to me. I might need to move up to a bigger mold!  What if I run out? Or worse yet, what if no one likes my soap and stuck with 150 bars of soap?

In the meantime, I'll read all I can on pulling off your first craft show...and make soap. This morning I made my first ombre soap with deep aqua to light aqua gradient
. I threw in a cocoa line and some orange soap balls left over from my landscrape soap. I'll be cutting soon.

Also, I finally made that batch of goat's milk I was scarred to death of, but that needs a whole post.