Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Heading to Denver!


airplane follies., originally uploaded by carbonated.

Bye everyone! I'm heading to Denver tomorrow evening for the HSMG's Soap Conference (http://www.soapguild.org/industry/conference2010.php). I went last year and it was so much fun. I left motivated, energized, and much more educated!

This year I am attending as many workshops as I can, plus I'm teaching 2 of them: Artistic Techniques and Melt and Pour Crash Course. If you will be there, please come to one or both! I want each to be as informative and entertaining as possible. I'm super excited!

If you're not attending, I'll try to snap lots of pics and share with you when I get back. Have a great weekend everyone!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Beautiful Mother's Day Soap Idea

Mother's Day is May 9, and for us crafty types that means we should make plans for our special projects pretty soon.  I got my weekly email from Dover Publications today, telling me about this week's clip art sampler.  I LOVE these because they're all royalty free and their weekly picks are also free of charge!  You just right click and save to your computer, and you're ready to go.

This week's selection includes beautiful botanical illustrations from Redoute Flowers and Fruits. These would be perfect to use in place of the butterflies in version 3 of the Butterfly Soap Tutorial from Spring '10 Let's Get Soapy.  Mom would love these all natural soaps, featuring these pretty floral images printed on dissolving paper (which actually lasts for many many uses of the soap!). 

And if you're wondering how to wrap your special creations, check out this great Flickr group dedicated to soap packaging. Enjoy!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Get a Soapy Pop, Help a Baby!

Our family friend, Linda, is walking in a fundraiser for the March of Dimes next weekend.  This excellent organization gives hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. The money raised supports programs in our communities that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. And it funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies.

To help her and this excellent cause, Soapylove is donating all profits from the retail sales of our cute Candy Carousel Soapy Pop until April 23!  It's a great chance to grab a few soaps for a friend or birthday gift and help a baby, too!  Click here to be taken to the Soapylove site, or click here to go directly to Linda's page and make a donation.  Every dollar helps!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

A Soapylove Contest - Celebrating Soapy Fans!

We have passed 900 fans at the Soapylove Facebook Fan Page!  The 900th fan has won a prize and you can, too!  Just head over to the fanpage and check out the contest details.  If you are a good researcher and know where Soapylove can be found online then you may be the next winner!  Good luck!

Thank you to Ani-Bee for making her great photo available via Creative Commons. 

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

In Loving Memory: Phil Lavigna 1963-2010

Phillip Mario Lavigna, my brother, died on April 1, 2010.  Born in Yonkers, New York in 1963, Phil and our family moved to San Diego, California in 1977.  He attended Serra High School and later enlisted in the Army and National Guard.

Phil was an artistic and creative person, who worked in graphic design and eventually became an authority in Linux programming and Ulteo.  He authored "Test Driving Linux" and "Fun with Fink." He even set up a free WiFi network in Little Italy, one of his favorite neighborhoods in San Diego.

I'll always remember his loud laugh and sarcastic sense of humor.  Phil will be missed.

If you are a friend or associate of his, and would like to get in touch, please comment here or email me at debbie{at}soapylove{dot}com.  Thank you.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Amazing New Soap Designer: Cleaner Science

 
Being a HUGE Flickr fan, I am active in many soap groups there and recently something completely new caught my eye.  A petri dish.  This seemed very out of place in the collection of soap photos, but when I clicked on it I found out this it WAS soap!  I immediately had to know all about this incredibly innovative soap artist.  So please enjoy my interview with the brain behind Cleaner Science - Sara.
  • Okay, first of all, who are you and where have you been all my life? 
Haha!  I have been buried in books my whole life it seems.  I'm Sara, I'm currently a first year Pharm. D. (pharmacy) student from Houston, Texas.  I've been creating my whole life, but I have only just recently gotten into soap, and I am absolutely loving it.  
  • What made you think of creating soap that looks like bacteria growth?
The idea sort of just came about one day.  Everyone is always asking me that same question, and it's always hard for me to give them an exact answer.  I've had microbiology classes in the past, so all that information has been stored somewhere in the back of my mind for a bit.  We had just finished up an immunology class this previous fall semester, and I was in the middle of studying for our pharmaceutical care class...  I was just thinking it would be hilarious to have something that cleans, but is also representative of something dirty.  What's better than "dirt" in one of it's purest forms: growing on a petri dish?
  • The glowing bacteria are so awesome.  What is your most popular style?  Which one is your favorite?
Most popular, I would say, is the fluorescent cyanobacteria.  It has three different glow colors that really go together well!  AND!  It glows in the dark.  How could it possibly get any better.  My personal favorite (second to the cyanobacteria) is the aqua glow E. coli transformation petri dish.
  • Have you been making glycerin soaps for long or is this a new kind of craft for you?
Completely new!  The idea of petri dish soaps was first, so learning to work with soap just came along with it.  I have to say, though, I am absolutely loving working with soap.  It has so many possibilities, and needless to say, it has an added bonus of having clean hands all the time. 
 
It seems I've been making things my whole life though.  I'm not even sure if anyone in my family has received any birthday cards or Christmas presents that weren't in some way made myself.  I like to start new projects all the time, and usually when I discover some new technique or form of art, I just dive right in and try and become the best as I can be with it.  
 
My mom likes to tell me frequently that I was somehow "destined" to be making soap.  I once, when I was little, me and my best friend figured out that the color of bar soap looks a lot like the color of teeth.  And then we figured:  Soap = Teeth = Money.  I think my parents, the generous tooth fairies, even gave me money anyway because of the effort and the great idea haha.  
 
Not sure if this means I was destined, but I must say that I think I finally found something that I'll be sticking with for quite a while!  There are so many possibilities and combinations, especially with just petri dishes alone.  Soap is also very useful and functional. 
  • Do you only sell online or do you sell locally as well?
I sell primarily online, but I may have some big news coming soon, but I can't exactly say what it is right now! :)  I know!  It's killing me to not tell everyone in the world right now... but it definitely will be 'local' :)
  • Are your soaps scented, too? 
Yes!  All of the soaps are scented, but the natural honey soap on a rope has a completely natural honey scent, no additional fragrances added.
  • Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you, your business, or your soaps?  Inquiring minds want to know!
Right now there's a giveaway for some free soap!  Once we reach 200 fans on Facebook, I'll be having a giveaway for any soap in the shop.
 
Also, CleanerScience.com is coming soon, and you can visit the site now to join the mailing list for news and updates.

Links:
www.cleanerscience.com - still under construction, but you can sign up for the mailing list to receive news and updates
 
Thanks so much Sara!  We will certainly be looking out for your announcement.  Keep on doing what you're doing, and best wishes on your Pharmacy program!!  :)