Yesterday was a busy day. We visited handfuls of shops, some with pretty interesting soap.
One $15.00 bar of soap really fascinated me. The shop manager told me that she tried the soap herself. She said you have to have a wide place to set the oblong-rounded soap or you constantly have it dropping to the tub floor. We had a good giggle over that discussion!
I can honestly say this, none of the big brand soaps that I picked up during my excursion matched up to my rustic goat milk soaps. They do not smell as good, and most importantly, they are definitely not the silky soaps that Annie's Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps are. I am not Crabtree & Evelyn, no doubt, but their goat milk soap holds no candle to mine!
In this economy, many of the local shops (in a 5 county area) are leery of adding products to their line. They are having difficulty selling what they have on hand. The walk-in customers, holding onto every penny, are extra concentrated with caution in our rural area. I am not sure if you are aware of this, but our area has been suffering from a lack of jobs (as the overall U.S. is), but we are also gradually losing 10,000 jobs out of one location. The story appeared on 60 Minutes a couple of weeks ago. I also wrote my own article on the topic in December.
I refuse to succumb to the economy, I am too happy to let that even begin to etch the surface. For all of us, no matter what our jobs are (mine is a soap and bath product maker, goat keeper), we will be on the upswing again, and when it happens, if we are smart enough to keep our feet on the ground, the roller coaster car is going to sweep us back up up first, right on front, and carry us to the top of the hill in front of those that missed the car the first time!
Today, after I go and visit the Country Home Crafts shop, in Hillsboro, Ohio, where I am gratefully moving products into this week, I will begin filling the curing racks in my own shop again. And the buzz in my head says, you may see a change in my own shop in the very new future. An exciting change!
I have a lot of blog reading and commenting to catch up on! I haven't forgotten...just swamped, and still nursing a very achy back.
Have a wonderful Friday!
6 comments:
Good morning O Queen of Goat Milk. Loved your post! It's fun to get inspired by the shops you are visiting, isn't it? I wish I were your assistant. We would have a blast together.
FYI - I woke up to another frozen tundra here this morning. Frost covering our now brown grass and even a layer coating my chaise lounges out by the pool. It's so cold there is steam rising off the lake. I can't remember when we've had this much consitently cold weather in Florida. Weird.
I'm off to Dallas this afternoon, where warm weather is predicted for the weekend. Hooray. Will be back with stories and photos ASAP. Until then, carry on and keep an eye out for me next week.
Oh, Ms. Alix, you inspire me too!
The first customer with a soap named after her at Annie's Goat Hill. :)
Definitely looking forward to your stories and photos. I know how being with a sister is, no doubt you will have many chapters to write!
Have fun...be careful.
How fun Mary and take care of that back of yours!
The lye is due to arrive today, and if so, I'll try making my first batch of soap this weekend. I'm excited and wish me luck. You take care Mary.
Amy, I almost slipped again a bit ago. You cannot walk on this stuff, and it is too thick to remove. Within 3 or 4 days most of the thick ice should be gone. Thanks!
Joanna, best wishes, good luck! I bet you are anxiously tracking that package!
Mary,
Yes, the ice is still thick here too but it is supposed to be in the 40's tomorrow ( Saturday ), it's supposed to be about 50 next Wednesday, nice:-D
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