Packing it up!

No, we're not the latest store casualty going out of business!! : ) Not at all!

I just unloaded the van and brought everything in for the last time this season (unless I find another craft show I absolutely must do before Christmas). It was sort of a relief, because I've packed and unpacked the soap, tent, tables, and all other things necessary to do a show at least 40 times this year, and that's just since May! It'll be nice to take a little break before the spring season kicks back in.

Yesterday was my last show of the year, and what a way to end the season! I had such a great time, it was a very well known, well run show at the St. Michael/Albertville High School. The crowd was unbelievable, I was actually thinking that it would not be much fun to be a shopper in the first few hours, it was so crowded people could hardly move, let alone have fun shopping.

Several of my favorite customers stopped by too. One lady (Jane!), is so much fun...I was busy wrapping up some gift sets for customers, so there was a line at my booth, and she was telling people (anyone within earshot), how great my soap is and that it's all she's used for the last two years and has helped to greatly control her eczema. She always comes with her daughter, and they're just great people to see. I asked her if she wanted to hang around the booth for a few hours and just be my salesperson! I love her! Of course I gave her an extra free bar for being so nicely outspoken about my soap...she deserved it. Jane, you're the best!

For the next month I'll be working hard on the recipes for new products (bath salts, bath bombs, lotion sticks/bars, body butters and more). They're coming along nicely, and I'm hoping to have them all perfected before mid-January, as I do have one big show the end of January that it would be nice to have new products for. But I won't put them out for sale unless they're just right! I'll send out an email special when they're ready too.

Thank you all again for being great customers this past year! It's been a delight.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Valarie

Win FREE Soap!

How would you like to win a year's worth of FREE SOAP?

For every order placed between now and December 31, 2008, your name will be put into a drawing to win this basket jam-packed with a dozen bars of handmade soap!

There's nothing to do...except place your order (yes, you can place as many orders as you'd like, and each time your name will be put into the drawing)!

Drawing will take place on January 1, 2009.



And there's more exciting news...we're expanding and doing some new product development!

Felted soap is now available. What's felted soap you ask? It's soap with wool roving wrapped around the soap, then felted (wet and rubbed so the fibers lock together). As you use the soap you'll get great lather and a nice scrubby texture.

Skip the washcloth or poof and try felted soap. They're beautiful and practical, and make great gifts. You can choose to have any bar of soap felted, but please be aware that it will delay shipment of your order for five days, while your bar is being felted and dried. Colors will vary.




Creations like whipped shea butter, bath salts, sugar scrubs, lotion balms and fizzy bath bombs are all being worked on, tested and perfected. The guinea pigs (friends and family, not real guinea pigs!) are testing, testing, testing products and giving me lots of feedback. Hopefully there will be several new items on the website to start the new year off with a bang (or a bomb...bath bomb that is!).


I'm also considering lip balms, and would love to hear what kind of items you'd like to see us make, and your favorite scents, etc. Any feedback/ideas/suggestions are appreciated! Just email me, valarie@realsimplesoap.com, and let me know your thoughts.

Thanks for being a customer! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

End of the season!

Thursday was the last day of the Farmers' Market for the 2008 season. It was bittersweet, of course.

Thankfully we had an absolutely gorgeous fall day to end the season. Did you make it out to the market this year? If you didn't, here's what you missed:

We'll start again next May, so mark your calendars! It's not only a great way to spend some time, but you never know what you'll find there (if you're interested in the free kittens, let me know and I'll hook you up with that person!). They need a good home! : )