Scrum-dilly-ious Works of Art

Can you believe that these are actually cakes? I was stunned by their beauty. They are all created by artist Shinmin Li who owns I Dream of Cake in San Francisco. I don't think I could bear to cut into one of these signature style masterpieces. It would be akin to taking a knife to a Van Gogh painting.


You might be wondering what one of these stunning cakes will cost. Prices range from $8-25 per serving, depending on size and design and custom cakes start at $350. They come in flavours from chocolate to pumpkin spice.



As I admired these delicious works of art I started wondering if this same artisry could somehow be applied to soap. No doubt it would a daunting task, but I'm convinced it could be done by someone, just not me! I would love to claim that I have risen to this type of artistry in soap, but if challenged, I would fail miserably.

What do you think? Are any of you up to the challenge? I'm thinking that a tiered type soap cake is doable. Hmmm... it's got me thinking. Many of you are pretty talented soapers. What's your thoughts? Some little pea size balls of soap dusted with shimmering mica could be threaded onto fishing line to look like an elegant strand of pearls that drapes over the top of the soap cake. My mind is starting to race with ideas. For now I'll have to sleep on it; but, it's certainly an idea I will revisit.

Bacon Soap?? Now this is recycling to the extreme!

I stumbled upon this video the other day. It's amusing and believe it or not, informative in the sense that it does give a generic overview of how CP (cold process) soap is made. I'm not so sure I would ever use "bacon soap", but it's a novel idea. ENJOY!

This link will take you to the step-by-step instruction page and video clip.

http://www.instructables.com/id/E1ZSYTGJ9NEXCFLZ64/?ALLSTEPS

Soapmaking Certification Program

The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild (HSMG) recently annouced a soap making certification program to members of the guild. If you are not yet a member of the soap making guild, I encourage you to join. They offer many member benefits including a soapmaker's journal that is published several times a year, product and general liablity insurance at group rates, resource library, online forum to meet and chat with other soapmakers, and many other added benefits and incentives.

I am quite excited about the the certification program as it will promote high standards among handcrafted soap makers and will help to establish an industry wide standard of excellence. Three levels of certification will be offered for both CP/HP soapmaking and MP soapmaking. The levels include

1) general soapmaker level
2) advanced level
3) master level

I've been appointed to serve on the certification steering committee to help establish criteria and test questions for all levels of MP soap making pertaining to formulating techniques. The Soap Guild hopes to begin the first level of testing on October 1, 2007 (cost is $25). The advanced level of certification will be implemented April 2008 (cost is $50), and the master level October 2008 (cost is $75).

For more info about the certification program visit http://www.soapguild.org/CertificationCommitteeProposal-approved.pdf

Back from Vacation

Vacation was over way too soon. It seemed as if we had barely gotten unpacked and it was time to go home. I felt a twinge of sadness as we left our Northern Michigan cottage. The entire week was so restful and being with our kids and grandkids was an absolute delight! I hated to see it all come to an end. The weather was warm, sunny, and the evenings just cool enough to make a bonfire by the lake to toast marshmallows for smores. As you can see by the photo, the sunsets were breathtaking.

We spent a great deal of time on the pontoon boat just cruising the lake, swimming, tubing, and fishing. Our 4-year old grandson, Carson, caught his first fish with his mommy and talked about it for the entire day. Our sweet princess Olivia drove the boat with Poppy, swam in her little pool (which we put on the boat), and was showered with plenty of smooches from NeeNee (that would be me).

My terrific staff held down the fort while I was away. They'll be enjoying some famous fudge and cherries from the Travese City area when they return to work on Monday. It's always crazy the week after a vacation, so please bear with us. Apart from the fact that I've gained another 5 pounds this past week, I am refreshed. Seeing myself photographed in my swimsuit was rather frightening. Gosh darn, it's hard to be trim at this age. Why is it so easy to put on those extra pounds, but to lose them takes double the effort? Anyway, it was a great vacation!

Hurray! ON VACATION

To My Dear Customers,

As of 4 PM, Friday, July 13, 2007 I am on vacation. Our entire staff has worked like crazy to ship orders prior to next week's vacation closure. Every one of my staff members deserve a round of applause for their hard work and extra hours. Feel free to order online while we are away, but with the knowledge that we won't be shipping until we return on July 23.

I must give thanks to so many of my wonderful customers who have emailed with well wishes about this vacation. No doubt, this vacation is long overdue. For those of you who run an online business, you are well aware that it's pretty much a 24x7 job and at times overwhelming. I hope to come back refreshed and ready to give you the same great service you have come to expect.

I will check email (on a limited basis). Many of my customers (God love you!) told me I shouldn't even check mail. If it's something I can fix while away, I will. Otherwise, it will have to wait until I return. I need this time with family and I truly appreciate your understanding (as does the rest of the staff).

I won't be posting on the blog during vacation. I'm hoping that each of you are able to take some time off this summer. Life is short! Enjoy family!!

Best,
Denise

Do-It-Yourself Romantic Candle Dress Ups

I love candles, but don't want to fuss with making them. I now just purchased ready-made candles and then look for ways to dress them up. Here are a few ideas that I've used (courtesy of Better Homes & Garden) and all cost very little money. Most of these items can be found around your home.

Wrap gold crafts wire around the clear glass candleholders. Wrap and twist the wire freely, or tightly for a wire motif bow. I like to thread a few glass beads through the wire.

For a natural look, use tiny clay flowerpots for holding candles. Add a base of polished rocks and bits of moss, highlighted with a few larger rocks that offer words of congratulations. Use a stencil for the lettering or rub-on letters.

Stand candles in vase and tie with ribbon. Make sure ribbon is well away from flames.

Fill the bottom of a vase or glass container one-third with sand or gravel. Arrange a grouping of dripless taper candles in the sand, allowing the candles to fall playfully to the side, resting on the container edge.

The next time you have a garden or yard party, tea, or special event such as a bridal shower think outside the box. Candles make great centerpieces and generally cost less than floral arrangements. When visiting a second hand shop, the beach, a dollar store... look for containers, elements, and ideas for making unique candle arrangements. Some of my best candle containers have been found at garage sales. Someone elses junk can be your treasure!

Try your hand at soap painting

Another new design from Mold Market. Very detailed and deep enough for mulitple color pours (for those of you who are patient and skilled in the process). If you don't feel up to the task, why not try your hand at soap painting.

The dragonfly pictured was painted with our liquid gel colors using a good quality artist brush (rounded tip). The foliage was painted in Jade green, and the dragonfly is a mixture of neon purple, blessing blue, radiant gold, and copper for the dragonfly tentacles.

When painting soap be sure to lightly dust the face of the soap with cornstarch. Blow off any excess cornstarch. Soap is oily and the colors get stubborn about wanting to stick; the cornstrach helps the paint to adhere better. Make sure to shake the color pots before each use AND allow paint to dry completely before applying a second coat.

Sad, but true, the colors do come off in the first wash. But they still make lovely gifts and it's a fun way to excercise your creative side. Painted soaps should air dry for at least 2-3 days before wrapping. If there's concern about soaps sweating while they dry, place them in a covered container with some uncooked rice. The rice will absorb excess humidity.

Below are examples of other painted soaps. All molds are from the Mold Market Collection.

New Mold Designs

Two new holiday designs were recently released by Mold Market. The Mold Market brand of molds is comprehensive, well made and continue to be our top selling mold line. GoPlanetEarth.com carries the entire mold collection, which includes a full monogram mold set. In my opinion, Mold Market molds get a thumbs up for quality, value, and selection!

Mid-July is when many of you start gearing up for upcoming fall and holiday craft shows. You'll want to add these two new molds to your holiday line-up. They're in stock and ready to ship!

Masculine Soaps

Yesterday, I had an inquiry from Rob. He stated, "being a guy, I like 'masculine' looking soap... how do I go about making soaps like this?" The site Rob referenced was Juniper Ridge and the soap photo pictured is from their web site. I will be addressing Rob's question in this post, but first, I had to take a peek at the Juniper Ridge web site. I was very impressed with what Hall Newbegin, the owner, has to offer.

All items sold are made from wild harvested plant material with NO essential oils, perfume oils, or colors - all the smell and color of the soap comes from the wild plant. You can enjoy the aromatic pleasures of hiking in the deep, dark woods of the Northwest or the sage blanketed hills of Southern California without ever leaving your tub.

Juniper Ridge makes more than soap. They also sell natural, woodsy smelling wild herb incense, Northwest wild herb berry jams and syrups (the old fashioned pulp style), wild herb teas, and wreaths that stay soft and green for up to two years (they perserve them with an internal glycerin process). While visiting the site I ordered the soap gift pack for my husband who loves all things natural and vegan. He has an upcoming birthday and I'm certain the soap will be a perfect gift.

OK, back to my guy Rob. I can't provide a recipe for the soaps made by Juniper Ridge as this group goes to great lengths to cultivate and gather herbs for their own unique soap recipes. I can tell you they are using a cold process method of soap making which is much different than melt and pour soap making. An Internet google search will provide you with a host of free CP (cold process) soaping recipes. Also, consider joining a soap making forum where soap savvy members are willing to share their soaping knowledge.

As far as what fragrances to use for masculine type soaps, hmmmm, let me think. I would suggest Evergreen Breeze, Spruce & Berries, Sandalwood, Teak & Sandalwood, Pear & Redwood, or Bay Rum. All of these are great men scents and can be purchased at GoPlanetEarth.com. My personal favorite is Spruce & Berries.

If you're looking to reproduce some of the neutral, masculine colored soaps pictured above, I suggest using liquid gel earthtone colors. They produce stable, non-bleeding colors in rich earthy tones. The 1/2 ounce 6-pack is a perfect testing size. Then, there are other earthy colors like tomato red or oriental mustard. All these colors lean toward a traditional male color palette.

Good Luck!!

Flip Flops (a sidebar to previous post)

An absolute must for every handbag! Foldable flip flops. Just drop them in your bag for those emergency situations...

**You had an emergency pedicure and can't put your freshly polished toesies back into your pumps;

**You shopped all day and your feet are on fire;

**You danced all night and your feet are on fire;

**You wore your new Yves St. Laurent 5 “Tribute” platforms for two hours and your pieds sont flambées;

**What – you think I'm walking barefoot through that airport security line??

I love the whole concept. The bag and flip flops come in a number of colors. They even have bags that read "BRIDE" and "BRIDESMAID". A perfect gift to give to the gals in the bridal party when they're getting that bridal day pedicure.

Flip Flops... from Geek to Chic

Flip flops have definitely evolved. When I was a kid they were just a slab of rubbery foam with a V-shaped strap (like the pair pictured in blue). Today, the flip flop, or sometimes called the shoe thong, has morphed into high fashion. They are the footwear of choice for us working gals and guys. At our facility, it's the only thing we wear year round. Rain, sleet, sun, or snow, a pair of flip flops are always in tow or on our feet.

What is our love affiar with flip flops? For me, it is all about comfort. Having worked in the corporate world for many years, the dress code was strictly business suits and heels. No wonder my feet cry out for comfort. Flip flops allow my feet to breath, expand, and show off my pedicure.

So what has caused toe thong shoes to go from geek to chic? Perhaps it started when women abandoned pantyhose which in turn prompted a surge in nail salons and toe rings. Afterall, who wants to hide pretty feet? I have flip flops for every occasion. Some are cheap charlies, others more pricey (for those upscale, dressy events). Target and Wal-mart are my two favorite places to buy inexpensive, yet stylish flip flops. The plaid pair pictured below are from Target and retail for a mere $10.99.

I was amazed to find you can even purchase flip flops with add-on features like a bottle opener nestled in the sole of the sandal, or a place to store your credit card or cash while at the beach. Even, Oprah has her favorite flip flop pick which retail for $23 at havaianasus.com (pictured below).

You may be wondering what flip flops have to do with soap making and why in the heck I'm posting a blurp about them. First, flip flops have nothing to do with soap making. Second, I want you to know that all orders shipped from GoPlanetEarth are processed by a bunch of fun-loving, flip flop wearing employees (owner included!). By the way, we sell a terrific bath size flip flop soap mold made by Mold Market. It's just one of the many cool molds we stock from this company.

Hats Off to the folks at Alabama Soap Gathering

I can't say enough nice things about the Alabama Soap Meeting gang. Every year our company donates a great deal of product to soap gatherings. Without fail, it is the Alabama group that sends a personalized thank you letter once the gathering is over, which includes the hand written signatures of every attendee. I repeat handwritten, NOT copied. AND... it comes by mail, not email. Even better!!

Karen White does a fantastic job in making certain that every sponsor is recognized and appreciated for donations made. I wish other soap gathering committees would step-up to the plate and get as organized as this group. The only other gathering this year that has sent thanks to our company for donations (after the event) was the Arizona group. It is appreciated. It takes time and money for companies to put together goodie bag donations and door prizes. For the most part, there is no acknowledgment that the product was received much less given away. Placing a banner on the gathering web site is great, but a personalized thank you is still proper etiquette. If someone gives a wedding gift, it's acknowledged by sending a thank you note. Whenever you receive a gift or donation of any kind, you send a thank you. Maybe I'm from the old school, but I'm beginning to sense that these gathering committees have come to "expect" supplier donations and we suppliers have promoted that expectation (at least in my opinion) because we willingly send off free stuff without question or concern.

In the past, GoPlanetEarth has donated gift certificates of generous value to gatherings only to find they are never used. I have spoken with other major soap suppliers about this issue, they too find that donated gift certificates go unused. Where in the heck do they go? Who wouldn't take advantage of free soaping product? It baffles me; OK, it also slightly irritates me that someone wouldn't use a gift certificate. Our site is extensive and I find it hard to believe you couldn't find something useful.

Next year, I will be changing our polices for donated product. We are inundated with requests for gathering donations and the list continues to grow. I'm finding its time to rethink how it all works. Especially when there is little thanks from gathering planning committees once an event takes place. It would be nice to know how the event went, was it successful, how many attendees, etc. It's not just the issue of receiving a written thanks, it's the disorganized manner that these gatherings are soliciting product. Just this week I received a second email request from a (major) gathering soliciting donations. Our company had already sent donations over 45 days ago (to the tune of over $5oo). It's a bit perplexing to think that the planning committee didn't even know they had received the product.

Anyway, I will be rethinking how I want to handle gathering donations for next year. Between my two companies, we donate a substantial amount of product every year.

Adventures of Whipped Soap (Soap Frosting)

Thanks to a fellow soaper friend from Australia who kindly granted permission to share some photos of "Whipped Soaps", also known as soap frosting. It's not often someone is willing to divulge their soaping secrets, so bravo to my soap friend Terry! I have no doubt that whipped soap will challenge your soaping abilities and stretch your artistic talents to new heights. Terry is the PRO of whipped soap and willing to offer assistance should you decide to give it a try.

The purple basket weave soap was decorated with whipped soap using just a basic round circle colored in blue. Amazing!! A great tutorial, including several recipes, can be found at Terry's website. Below is a photo of what whipped soap looks like.

Also, take a look at this incredible gingerbread house made from soap. Yes, you read it right, soap.

The project started when a few other soapers put out a challenge to discover creative ways to used re-batched soap. Terry decided on a gingerbread house even though there was no logical way to use the soap. Of course, I don't see anything practical about an eatable gingerbread house, either. Do you know anyone who has actually eaten one? Yuck!! Anyway, I love the whole gingerbread soap idea!! Find out how it was done here.

Neat little flowerpot cakes... from Martha

A while back, I came across a neat recipe on the Martha Stewart web site. I remember thinking that the little pebbble candies looked so real that it was hard to believe they were candy. At some point I surfed the web endlessly looking to find these candies at a reasonable price. I was determined to make some of these clever looking cakes in the near future. My web search was a success and I found the candy pebbles at http://www.sweetcandy.com/ for just $9.99 for a 5-lb. bag. A much better price than the place Martha recommended at $8.00 per pound.

Sadly, once these sweet little pebbles were delivered to my doorstep they became forever lost in my pantry. I just never seemed to find the time or the event to feature these tasty little cakes. That is until this weekend.

Finally ... the time and an event! I served the cakes at a cook-out we hosted. They were a hit from the get-go. Instead of a mint sprig on top of the cake, I used an edible flower (carnations). I wish now that I had taken pictures as they really were quite attractive. As for the candy pebbles; well, everyone raved about them, but no one actually ate them. I did try a few. They tasted like jelly beans which is my least favorite candy. Still, they definitely added a realistic touch to the flower pot cake. It was a fun dessert. As for the cake, absolutely delicious!

Generic Print Cartridges, Not such a Bargain

With 3 color laser printers throughout the office, we go through a good number of print cartridges each month. In an effort to cut costs, I decided to try the generic brand for our printers (which all happen to be HP). I immediately started calculating how much I could save over the course of a year by using generic cartridges. It was a substantial amount ($20 x 4 cartridges per each printer was close to $1500 a year saving).

Well, the print cartridges arrived and apart from the generic box they looked pretty much like the HP brand. But, and this is a big BUT, the quality of the product and the manufacturer's concern for recyling didn't fair well.

The HP brand includes a pre-paid UPS or Postal mailing label for returning used cartridges for proper disposal. A big plus in my mind since many of our local recyling centers don't recycle this type of product. The generic brand didn't include this option or even a mailing address where we might send the cartridge for recyling should we want to pay the shipping. As far quality, on a scale 1-10, the generic brand scored a 5. I spent at least 30 minutes just trying to get one of the generic replacement cartridges to print properly. A portion of the cartridge broke during insertion and I had to rig it to work. My time and frustration wasn't worth the savings. Also, when I factor in that our local Staples store delivers for free, well, need I say more?

Unfortunately, returning the generic cartridges wasn't an option. Our staff was desparate to print and we didn't have time to wait for replacement HP product. It was just another reminder that you get what you pay for. From here on out, I will buy only name brand print cartridges. You would think that I would learn. It wasn't that long ago that I tried generic brand cartridges for our two fax machines. Same issues. It was a nightmare and I ended up ordering the branded product.

So, the next time a customer emails about the pricing of products on our web site, I will point them to this blog post. "You get what you pay for!" If you order a $2.50 mold, that's what you get. If you order a $7.50 mold.... you get better quality, durability, and a longer life cycle.

New to Soap Making? Here's help!

Just this morning, I received an email from a customer that read:

"Started to place an order but do not know what to order. This is the first try. What all would I need to make soap? Realized that I should not order without some kind of direction."

I often forget that some of my customers are truly "green" about soap making and have absolutely no idea on how to get started (what I endearingly call "greenbies"). So, this blog post is for all of you greenbies. It's the same info sent to my customer. It provides you with the links to materials needed to get started. We include an instruction sheet with our soap bases which is ideal for beginner's. And, don't forget, we are only an email or phone call away. If you get stuck, we're here for yah'!

2-lb clear and 2-lb white soapbase

http://www.goplanetearth.com/bases_melt_pour_soap.html

Neon Color 6-pack
http://www.goplanetearth.com/colors.html)

2-3 fragrances of your choice
http://www.goplanetearth.com/fragrance.html

Soap molds, I recommend the Mold Market brand. They are durable and well-made. However, any of our molds will work.
http://www.goplanetearth.com/molds_sheets_goplanetearth.html

That's pretty much it. You can use a large glass measuring cup to melt your soap (the larger 4-6 cup size works best). Just cut the soap into smaller chunks and melt what you need. Color and scent as given in the directions included. Pour in molds, let set up, and pop out! Once you get the hang of it, you can try other advanced techniques, like our Soap Curl Kit, or Loaf Soap Kit.

NOTE: When coloring white and clear base you get two entirely different color shades. Example: You will never turn white soap red no matter how much red color you add. It will always be pink. Add red to clear base and BINGO BABY, you've got red. Using orange in white soap base gives a cantaloupe melon color, but in clear base you get a true orange.

Make sure you wrap your finished melt and pour soaps. If you don't, you may end up with what is called"glycerin dew" on the surface of the finished soaps. Glycerin dew is little beads of water that form as the glycerin extracts moisture from the air. It doesn't hurt the soap, but it isn't exactly pretty. What do I use to wrap soaps? Well, my favorite is the Saran brand of stretch wrap (the red box, not the blue box). Tear off or cut the size needed for your soap. Stretch wrap over the face of soap and pull edges towards the back. Tape or put a label over the stretched ends. The beauty of stretch wrap is you can still smell the scented soap.

Father's Day Tribute

Today is Father's Day and I'm off to my parent's house for a BBQ with my sister and her family. We're cooking organic burgers, having grilled corn on the cob, homemade potato salad (made by my husband, and it's the best!!), and Southern style ice tea. The weather is sunny, humid, and perfect for an outdoor picnic. We plan to play some suffleboard (my parent's have their own court), a few games of Sequence (my Mom's favorite!), and a game or two of Phase 10.

This Father's Day is extra special to me. My Dad (pictured with my mon) is battling prostate/bone cancer. I honestly wasn't sure he would be here this year to celebrate this day. I am grateful and overjoyed that he's made it another year. He's gaining strength and his PSA level has dropped 24 points since he finished his radiation treatments. Today, I celebrate not only my Dad and his ongoing legacy of love, but also pay tribute to other Fathers battling cancer. I pray you have the same family support my Dad has had through this illness.

It seems the darkness of cancer is overshadowing all of our lives in one way or another. I HATE this disease. I've watched its devastating effects and mourned the loss of 4 close family members to this disease within the last 2 years. Even now, I watch it ravage and debiltate my Dad's body. If that's not enough, I watch a cousin (breast cancer, single mastectomy) and a close friend (breast cancer, double mastectomy) suffer the after effects of this disease. Thankfully, they are survivors, but it summons every ounce of their strength in this ongoing battle.

On this Father's Day, I say to my Dad...

"I love you! Every daughter should be fortunate enough to have a role model like you. You live your life by example, and it doesn't go unoticed. Integrity, morality, generosity, kindness, love and so much more; I've learned by watching you. For years, you have been the wind beneath MY wings, and now, as you battle this horrific disease, I feel honored to be the wind beneath YOUR wings. Happy Father's Day to my heroic dad."

No kidding, an owner who takes customer calls?

As the owner of GoPlanetEarth, many customers are surprised when I answer the phone. I certainly have employees willing to take calls, but their knowledge of soap making and/or product use is somewhat limited and the calls end up being forwarded to me. This is not to imply my employees aren't adept at what they are hired to do. Without doubt, they are the BEST at packing, keying orders, processing UPS labels, taking inventory, and pulling orders. However, many new employees haven't acquired enough soap making knowledge to answer customer questions without assistance. So, for all practical purposes, I am the best candidate to take customer phone calls. I'm not available 100% of the time, but I sure do my best to pick-up the phone whenever possible. And based on customer feedback, I return calls in record time.

I believe it is important for customers to be able to speak to the person in-charge. Many online companies run phone calls through a customer service department which generally ends up with transferred calls, or worse yet, having your call forwarded to the voice mail of someone who may or may not be able to help. On a personal level, I find it absolutely frustrating.

The plus side of answering company phone calls: It's fun to chit-chat with customers and get to know them on a more personal level. Their feedback helps improve company operations. Of course, there are always those few who tend to monopolize your time and chat endlessly. You quickly learn to gracefully disengage from the conversation (otherwise, you will be on the phone for hours and get nothing accomplished). There are also phone customers that I call "Fishers". They are forever fishing for information with no plans to ever order. Occasionally these "Fishers" do place an order. It's usually for $5 and takes us 45 minutes to finalize the order. You quickly learn to identify these customer types. {Sorry, we just don't have enough time in our day to provide this level of customer service. If I, or my staff, took that amount of time on every order, our company would be bankrupt!!}

We live in an age of automated service. A "real person" answering phone lines is the exception. I want my customers to know that I will continue to personally answer phone lines, assist with product questions, and help you grow your business. Let's face it, without you, I wouldn't be in business. I'm convinced that our company's commitment to great service and products is what makes each of you a repeat customer. I am no different than you, I have a mortgage to pay, a gas tank to fill, and groceries to buy. That's a pretty good reason to make sure we're doing things RIGHT!

Students turn used oil into soap

Two Singapore engineering students saw waste as an opportunity. As part of a research project, they were determined to find a way to purify used cooking oil into a useful and environmentally-friendly product. After much tinkering, they have succeeded. They are using the purified oil to make a simple and indispensable product: SOAP.

The soap was recently tested for use as a jantorial cleaning product. It was distributed to school canteen vendors who claimed it worked, but it didn't smell so great. The pair went back to the drawing board and came up with an improved version that include fruit scents like peach. After graduation, these two inventive students plan to continue with their research. They want to develop a soap for use on the skin. Right now the texture of the soap is too harsh for skin use. Once they've fine tuned the process, they also hope to patent it. Who knows, in the near future you could be making your soaps with the help of recycled cooking oils.

Remember Dick, Jane and Spot? Well, this is a whole new Jane. It's Jane at work!

If you happen to fall within my age group, learning to read was all about Dick, Jane and Spot books. "Look Dick, see Jane Run." Well, Jane is all grown up now and she's a working girl. See Jane Work is a company totally devoted to supplying office products that are fun and stylish, but also affordable and practical with fashionable high-end asthetics. One of my California customers, Jack, turned me on to these deliciously color-coordinated office products. While chatting by phone, I learned that Jack's wife was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It wasn't long before our conversation took a U-turn from the topic of soap making. Partly because my husband attended Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti (a neighboring community of Ann Arbor) and the fact that we live just minutes from Ann Arbor. While talking, Jack casually spoke of his friend Holly Bohn, owner of SeeJaneWork.com.


The products offered sounded really cool and my interest was peaked. After hanging up with Jack, I paid a vist to Holly's web site. It's awesome and I confess to being a new fan. I will be placing an order soon. The only down side is that the web pages seemed to take an incredibly long time to load. Not sure why as I have a very high speed internet connection.



Slow loading pages were easily forgiven once I discovered that this store can help turn a chaotic work station into a stylish, uncluttered and groovin' work zone. See Jane Work is all about banishing ugly office accessories and helping us girls get organized and stay organized...and all with pizzzaazzz! Scented erasers, task paper clips, memo mouse pads, some absolutely "kick-butt" file folders, clear stapler with fancy staples (sure beats that ugly tan or black one sitting on your desk, come'on, you know you have one), and some truly hip letter trays that just scream with color.




Even if you're not looking to purchase office supplies, you've gotta at least drop by this site to browse. I've already bookmarked several gift items for Christmas stocking stuffers, graduation gifts, my nieces birthdays... things like Smencils (smelly pencils), journals, cool luggage tags and CD cases. All very affordable and items that could be incorporated into a gift basket that ROCKS!!

Thanks, Jack, for turning me on to this wonderful site.