Felted Hat....Love It

One of my Bunco friends just dropped off this handmade felted hat this morning. I'm thrilled. It's for my daughter's March birthday. How cool is this? I've seen these same hats on Etsy from $40 to $80. I traded off some felted wool for the cost of the hat.

Can't wait to see this on my daughter. She wears hats so well.

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Christina from Crossville, TN. She is the recipient of (10) 1/2 ounce fragrance oil samples of our most popular Spring scents. Our FB Giveaway asked that our Fans submit why they like to make soap. The drawing was random, but it was very interesting to read all the comments. I've posted Christina's comment as well as a few others. Thanks to everyone (and there were a good number) who entered. Look for more FB giveaways in March.


Our winner, Christina wrote....

"I first became interested in soap making at the age of 5 years. My family went to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO before it became known as Branson, and outside there were these ladies dressed in 1800s costume making soap. I stood there watching them as long as my parents would let me. I couldn't take my eyes off them. I never forgot it and always in the back of my mind was the desire to start my business making soap. I would go into stores and would think if only this was available in this color and fragrance only it wasn't.

At our family owned and run business that is exactly what we offer. We offer all natural soap, body care, perfume, make-up, and hair care products that we make right in our kitchen. I am thrilled to see my life long dream come true. I truly love being able to personally make each customer's order. When they are allergic to a product offered we simply customize it for them using ingredients they are not allergic to.

Owning our business with my sister enables me to home school my 12 yr old daughter and spend quality time with her. It has drawn us much closer than when I was working for Employers. We look forward to seeing our business grow and my daughter is learning it."


Alison from California wrote:


"In this constant struggle against germs and dirt, One person must grab a bar of soap and say "Enough is enough!" I see myself as a hero amongst those who wish not only to be clean, but smell good and feel soft in the face of this adversary we call Body Odor! No longer will we walk around destroying others nose holes! No longer will we be ashamed to raise our arms with fear of killing those near us and ask "why can't we just smell good for once!?" That is why I Love to make soap! To help those in need of a good bathing. Not only help them, but help those around them AND RISE UP AGAINST STINK! =] "

Denise's comment: Clever~might need to hire you for marketing ;)


Tami from Utah wrote:

"I love soapmaking! As a woman, much of what I do each day... I wake up and do again the next day (laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.). Soapmaking gives me a creative boost, and in the end I can stand back and look at the beautiful, fragrant soaps I have created and feel a touch of pride. Using them in the shower is the icing on the cake!! Having someone say their "wife asked for my soaps for Christmas" is the ultimate!!!"

Denise's comment: Yes, having someone request product or compliment you on it is a high. Keep it up!


Nikole from Michigan wrote:

"I've never thought of myself as a creative person - in fact, I pretty much thought I just ruined anything I tried to accomplish. so when I forced myself to choose a hobby, I picked soap making. Hey, why not get soft happy skin while stimulating my brain...right? It has completely changed my outlook on, well everything.

Not only is it actually fun to design and create items that are actually good for your skin, but for me it's more. Making soap gave me confidence that I've really lacked for a long time in different parts of my life, it extends further than just feeling that boost from having people compliment me on my products (and actually purchase things from me because they really do like them) but somehow it's also helped me to realize that I can't possibly suck at Everything, right? haha, That's what I'm going with anyways :) "

Denise's comment: You keep going with that girlfriend!! I've always been a creative person. Sadly, my daughter always compared herself to me and my work. She felt she lacked in her creative abilities. Today, she has far surpassed me in more creative ways than one. It's all about perservering and believing that you can "DO IT!" Thanks for sharing.

Win (10) Spring Soap Making Fragrance Oils

FB FRIDAY FREEBIE! Register to win (10) 1/2 ounce FO samples of popular Spring scents. How? Email why you enjoy soap making. Include first/last name & state with your comment. That's it!

Drawing held March 1, 2011 at 8 AM (ET). Winner notified by email. We'll post winner's first name & State on the GPE blog & FB page. If you live outside USA, and win, you'll be emailed a coupon to claim your prize when placing a future order.

All fragrance oils are suitable for CP, HP and MP soap making as well as candles.... yes, soy candles included.

Not yet a FB friend? Click here.

VENTING: USPS Service STINKS!

Ok. For months, even years, I have withheld my opinion of the US Postal service. We ship a good number of international orders and if there was another shipping option, that was reasonable, we would be using it.

On a scale of 1 to 5:

Overall service= 2

Phone service= 1 (even had someone hang up on me today because they had NO IDEA how to assist)

The fact that I am paying tax dollars for this service gets a 2, and their web site service is sporadic. I spent over two hours today trying to print two international custom forms to Russia.
Forms never did print and the person on the phone line treated me like I had never navigated the Internet... that person gets a "0". I so wish I knew their name. Funny how the US Government doesn't require employees to give name/badge numbers.

Tax dollars at work!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me mention that we ship to Russia several times a month. This is not anything new to us and the person I spoke to was more than insulting. I can only guess she has never seen anything outside of the rural area she lives. Yes, that sounds ugly, but it's probably VERY TRUE. MY POINT: don't put people in phone positions who are clueless about the region, international area, or company types with which they are working. HELLO.... you are the US governement... is your employee pool that limited???

OK... I will take your feedback, but don't expect any kindness on my end.


For those of you working for the US Post... sorry. But, this is a government agency that needs reorganization. Sometimes there are just not good things to say about a company (it this really a company, or a monoply?). Sling your good and bad comments my way, but I will never be a fan of the USPS. It should be privatized and taken out of the hands of the US Government.

What are your thoughts?

HELLOOOO, Winter! Good-by Sun!

We went from this lovely view from our room in Chile .....

to 12 inches of the white stuff!
You can see why we didn't want to return from our trip.

The only white stuff I would like to see right now is the snow capped Andes. This is a picture I took on our plane ride from Santiago to Mendoza. We flew directly over the Andes Mountains. It was pretty awesome. It's much nicer to fly over the white stuff as opposed to driving in it.


Needless to say, I'm not sure who will be working today. The roads are still unplowed and treacherous. Everything is cancelled, including the University. You know it's bad when a major University closes its doors. Please be patient with us for the next two days. We are working the best we can under these winter conditions and UPS pickups in our area could be delayed.

Earthquake in Chile

As many of my followers know, I have been in Santiago, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina for the past week. Our group will be leaving Mendoza this afternoon to fly back to Santiago where we will catch our flight home. During our stay in Argentina we received news of the earthquake that hit 100 miles outside of Santiago. Several beachfront resorts were evacuated, one being in the same area that we stayed upon arrival to Chile. Spending time with the Chileans made our group very aware of the damages caused during the February 2010 earthquake in Chile. They are still repairing the damages and lifes were lost.

I prayer for a safe trip home today as it will be a very long day of travel (not to mention a time difference of two hours). I want to give a shout out to my staff who managed to process orders and take care of business while I was away. Monday morning will be a very busy day for me as I catch up on those items and affairs of business that I couldn't handle last week. I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Arrived in Chile

it was a long flight (9 1/2 hours) but the sunny, 97 degree weather was worthy of the journey. I am sitting poolside answering emails and attending to what business I can from afar. It never ceases to amaze me how one can stay so connected via electronic devices. maybe too connected when you're on vacation. I am limiting work to a couple of hours in the morning. Then, the balance of the day is for "vacation" time with my husband.

My assistant, Kristy, will be taking care of business while I am away. Orders will process as usual with the exception of international postal orders which will not be processed until February 14. Email is the best way to communicate with me while I am out of the country. Either Kristy or myself will reply as soon as possible.

Examples of Cold Process Soap Frosting

I just love when customers share their soaping projects. These soaps were made by my New Zealand friend, Jude. All of the soaps were made using Mold Market molds. And, of course, GoPlanetEarth stocks the entire mold line. For the above ice cream soap, Jude used the "cone" mold. The ice cream topper and cupcake frosting were made using a cold processed soap recipe found on David Fisher's soap and candle making site. You can also make a melt & pour version of these toppers using GoPlanetEarth's body butter whip.



I love how Jude put an engagement ring into the cupcake frosting. Very unique idea and a wonderful way to "pop the question". The mold for the cupcake base can be found here.

The above 3-D Popsicle Mold is available from GoPlanetEarth. You'll find the how-to instructions here. Thanks, Jude for sharing your wonderful creations!

DIY Room Spray

I went shopping with my daughter last week at Kohl's. We were heading for the check-out when my daughter stopped and picked up a bottle of Linen Spray.

"OMG", she said. "I love this stuff. You spray it on your sheets and they smell wonderful."

I took one look at the price and gently pried it from her hand.

"What are you doing, Mom?"
"I'm going to make you a home-brew and trust me, it will be 1/4 of the cost."

I had a container of a new linen base that I was sampling and this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. I had some extra bottles and sprayers lying around and I knew I could whip up a scent similar to the one my daughter coveted. I used a 3 to 1 part ratio (1 being the fragrance oil). A few vigorous shakes of the bottle, and the results were awesome. I used Lavender, Island Retreat, Silk & Cashmere and Martini Rose fragrance oils. I kept the labels very simple using natural kraft 2-inch round circles. A few squirts in the air and.... wow... the aroma lasted for hours.

I can't wait to give my daughter her new home-brew linen and room spray. I'm giving serious consideration to stocking this linen base. I'm certain that you could do a 2 to 2 part ratio and still have a powerful scent. I'm pretty impressed with this product, but want to do some more testing. I'll keep you posted if we decide to add this product to our line-up.

FREE Soap Saver Bag!!

Make an online purchase of any value between 12 noon today (January 24) and 12 midnight ET, January 26 and receive a sample of our new mesh soap saver bag. Here's the catch!! YOU MUST type SOAPBAG in the comment section at checkout. If you forget to do this, the offer is void. Offer valid on online shopping cart sales only.

Just slip your soaps in and close the top by pulling on the cord. A great little spring loaded stopper will lock it shut. The net mesh has a "crinkle" effect that is wonderful for exfoliating action and you simply hang to dry. Click here for more details.

This Web-based App is Worth a Peek & It's FREE

Small businesses are often operating on a shoe-string budget. This is especially true when just starting out in business. The Internet offers a wealth of apps and programs that can help jump-start your business and many are FREE. But which ones are really worthy of consideration. Well, (in my opinion) this particular app/program is definitely worth a second look. More than just a to-do list manager, Remember the Milk acts like a full-blown calendar, but without the row-and-column display. You can send reminders via SMS, e-mail or instant message, and view the lists themselves via RSS (Really Simple Syndication).


Remember the Milk web app has been widely acclaimed over the past several years, and it works for individuals as well as small businesses. Best yet, RTM integrates with Gmail and Outlook, and the service has mobile apps for Windows, Android, iPhone and BlackBerry. My iPhone has a calendar but I don't have the ability to separate all my entries into specific lists. With RTM, you can. There is a list for Work, Personal, Study or personalize it by creating your own list folder like "Meetings" or "Customers". Once I create my list entry, I then set a reminder to be sent to my iPhone (see below). You can also have it sent to your email address, instant message program and even Skype.




This is a very thorough planner and list maker, easy to use and best of all it's free. It's definitely worth a peek.

Melt & Pour Soap Making: Divided Love Valentine Heart Soaps

I've been going stir crazy since I've been home with the flu. Last night I was on the mend and decided to pull out some soaping supplies from home and see what I could whip up on the fly. The end result were these Divided Love Heart Soaps. I know they aren't the traditional Valentine colors, but my color palette was rather limited when working from home. I used what colors I had available. I'll load up on more supplies today and will give it another whirl.

I'll be sharing how these were done in a later post. For now, I just need to firm up the technique and experiment with some of the creative ideas I slept on overnight. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. It's snowing again here in Michigan. Surprise, surprise.

Valentine Melt & Pours Soap Projects

Valentine Cup Cake Soaps

Here's a recap of some of the Valentines soaps we have done in the past. You will find information on how to make these soaps under our Tutorial RESOURCE section of the GoPlantEarth web site.

Cupid's Heart Soap

Drizzled Heart Soaps


Embed Heart Soap

OUT OF OFFICE due to Flu Bug

I will be out of the office the remainder of the week. I have a case of the flu bug that is kicking my behind. I'm home on bedrest. If you need to contact me while I'm recovering, please email. If you leave a message on the office phone, I can't reply. I will, however, be checking emails on an ongoing basis. Orders will process as usual, but no one will be in the office to take calls.

Thanks for understanding.

Denise

Let the Countdown Begin!

In a prior blog post I mentioned I will be heading to South America in early February. If you follow GPE on Face Book you know I am offering a Countdown To South America special. Starting tonight at 12 midnight (EST) receive 20% off an online order placed through January 16, midnight (EST). Each countdown week decreases the coupon value by 5%. So order early to reap the biggest savings. The last week to save is January 30 through February 2.

Now, here's the skinny on how to make sure you qualify:

• Your item total must be at least $65 (shipping/handling excluded)
  
  
• You MUST key the discount coupon code COUNTDOWN in the coupon code box during checkout. We will not add the code later. It must be done at checkout, or no discount will apply. Please don't email later and ask cuz we're gonna say "No".
  
  
• Discount valid on online orders only. Phone order, fax orders, email orders excluded. Sorry! But those are the rules.
  
  
• When you key the discount code, the shopping cart will apply a "one penny" discount. Rest assured you will get the full discount once the order is received and reviewed. Why do we have to review it? Because there are some things that don't qualify for this Countdown discount. These include:

1. 24-lb. soap blocks
2. Body Butter Whip
3. Clearance or items already discounted
4. 32 ounce Liquid Gel Soap Colors
5. 11-lb. soap blocks (hemp and olive oil)
6. Organic Soap Base
7. Anything currently out of stock
8. No backorders allowed
9. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or coupons

Other than that, it's all good. So what are you waiting for? Get shopping and take advantage of this first week savings... 20% off!

South America Here I Come!!!!!

Yesterday, I received a call from my honey-man. He said, "Hi honey-woman (then a long pause). IT'S A GO!!! WERE GOING TO CHILE AND ARGENTINA!!!!!! For those of you who follow my blog, you know that my husband is in the fine wine business. He works for a major national distributor and is brand manager to many suppliers. He has opportunity to travel abroad on many occasions, but it is very rare that spouses are allowed on trips. So, I am tickled pink that I have been invited. We will be traveling with another couple which is icing on the cake. Just giving a heads up that I will be gone February 4 - February 13.


First, a big thanks to my honey for working and managing his accounts to earn this trip. Second thanks to the winery and supplier hosting this incredible get-away. The itinerary is nothing less than spectacular.

We will be staying in Chile but a 2-day stay in Argentina is planned where we will visit the winery and dine in some pretty awesome places. What I love about this trip is there is plenty of free time to visit local sites and hang out at the beach.

My staff will be working to process orders while I am away. I will be in contact with them via mobile devices and Internet connections. However, this is a vacation for me (and I don't take many) so I want to keep work issues to a minimum. If my staffers are unable to assist with questions or concerns during my away time, it will have to wait until I return.

Orders will go out as usual with the exception of international shipments. International order received during the week of February 3- February 13 will not ship until February 15.

Did I mention that I'll be leaving Winter weather temperatures of 20-30's to spend time in a tropical place with temperatures in the 80's? I'll be sure to blog while away and fill you in on the many wonderful places we visit.

My $2.00 New Years Eve Manicure

On New Year's Eve morning my granddaughter, Miss O, gave me a very special manicure. She wanted my nails to look nice for our dinner party later that evening. She carefully picked out, not just one, but 5 different nail polish colors. Her exact words:

"NeeNee, I'm going to do each nail a different color. I think everyone will really like that, don't you?"



As you can see, she did just that. Each nail was painted a different shade of pink (cuz that's her favorite color). Miss O even had a special tool (which was really a cuticle tool) to remove any excess polish from around the edges of the nail. And, rest assured, there was plenty. For a 4-year old she did a pretty good job. There was gobs of polish in the center of the nail... yes, in the center of nail. She couldn't quite master spreading the polish across the entire nail bed...but she's working on it.

Considering the cost of a manicure, I think my $2 manicure was a bargain. However, if Miss O is to make a living at this she must remember to never ask "What's that?" (she was referencing the knuckle area of my hand. I simply replied, "It's wrinkles, that's what happens when you get old." To which she replied, "Oh, that's too bad." Sadly, she missed out on a tip ;)

Reflections on 2010 and Survival Tips for 2011

On the eve of this 2010 New Year, there are a few things I want to share. The end of a year is always a great time to evaluate where you started, where you ended, and where you want to be down the road. With the economic times we now face, there is much uncertainty about future plans. So many are closing up shop and the bigger guys just keep gobbling up the little guys. Certainly, nothing new. However, it seems to be happening more and more. The small home-based businesses can't survive and import items seem to offer the better bargains though not necessarily the better product.

Sad, but true, customers are looking for the best price. If they see it on another site for less, they assume you are overpriced. The truth is, many small online businesses are selling at discount prices and are happy to make just a marginal profit. That's great...except for those of us who operate small businesses and pay commercial rent, warehouse space, IT people, web site developers, employees, and purchase manufacturing equipment and inventory product at all times.

As I look ahead to the future of small businesses, I see many changes. Not because we want those changes, but because the government, economy, customer interest, competitors and trends will ultimately dictate how well a business survives. So how do you survive? Here are a few tips to help jump start your New Year Business Resolutions:

• If you haven't already, start a blog and then make sure you post every few days. As a business owner, I know it's sometimes hard to post everyday...BUT...you need to post on a regular basis.
  
  
• Remember, you don't need to market to the masses to make a living. Market what you know and make sure you do it better than the other guy. Figure out what you need to make per month and then focus your marketing strategy based on that figure. Determine the steps needed to make each sale to enable you to reach your goal.
  
  
• If you need help, consider hiring a virtual assistant. I know, it sounds crazy, but it's the wave of the future. If you need help with marketing, problem solving, or answering emails or setting up monthly newsletters but can't afford to hire multiple people to fulfill those tasks, then a virtual assistant may be your ticket to survival.
  
  
• Find an untapped niche. Yes, there are still plenty of new ideas out there. It's not so much about "what" you do as it is about "how" you do it. You need to have a detailed business plan on how you will execute your product to the marketplace. You could even make "customer service" your niche. Out service the other guy!
  
  
• Change your behavior and attitude to meet the needs of your customers, not the needs of your company. This is a tough one but will ultimately yield a big return. You may have the skills to do your job, but does your behavior and attitude lend themselves to generating new business?
  
  
• Make use of social media marketing... like Face Book. With so many hand-held search devices, you can't afford to not diversify your search marketing options. For small companies, this can become all consuming. This is where you might want to earmark some funds to hire someone to help you set up a social media network.
  
  
• There is nothing wrong with NOT expanding your business. Sometimes it's easy to look around at what everyone else is doing and believe you should be doing more. It's OK to reach a point in your business where you have no desire to expand. Hey, I'm in my mid-fifties and quite honestly, I want to retire at some point and expanding the business will no longer be a priority.
  
  
• Join a network of people that can help you grow your business. Brainstorm with these individuals. Bounce your marketing ideas into their arena for shared input. Find out what business growth strategies have worked for them and learn from their experiences. LinkeIn.com is a starting place for networking with others.
  

I am getting ready to sign off the computer for today as I prepare to entertain a few friends for a New Year's Eve dinner party. I hope that each of you have a safe New Year's Eve and a joyful and prosperous 2011. All of us at GoPlanet will be back to work on Monday. We look forward to servicing your soaping needs in the next year.

Life Happens at the Most Unexpected Moments

This weekend my husband and I hosted our annual family Christmas gathering for his side of the family. Apart from my brother-in-law (a Colonel and Doctor in the army), and one nephew and his family from Seattle, the entire family was present. There were 53 of us gathered at my home on Saturday.

Sadly, in the midst of our Christmas Celebration we received news that my husband's Mother passed away at the age of 92. It was quite unexpected, and was a sad note to our family celebration, yet, there was comfort in having our entire family together at a time of loss. We shared a prayer and thoughts about the life of someone that we loved.

Not only are we preparing for the holiday closure, but I also am preparing to bury someone very dear to my heart. I will do my best to make sure your orders are processed before our closure, but at this point, I can't promise. Please understand that this is a difficult time for my family and sometimes life happens at the most unexpected moments.

I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas.

Denise

Those Darn Magic Elves! Always Into Something

Well, as I mentioned in a previous post, the Magic Elves have arrived. Yes, by parachutes no less. You know those dog-gone elves are terrible sleigh drivers. The sleigh crashed, and thankfully, Santa made sure they each had a parachute... just in case. The grand kids rescued all of the elves and brought them inside to decorate their Elf Mailboxes.

I honestly thought that my 7 1/2 year old grandson would not be as excited this year. WRONG to the nth degree!! He is more involved with his Elf than ever. He loves the mailbox because he can send messages to Santa or his Elf. The day after the Elves arrived, the grand kids stayed overnight. Those darn Elves got into the pantry and found everything they needed to make s'mores. The next morning we found them in front of the fireplace. They had roasted marshmallows and even brought Baby Jesus in from the cold. Marshmallows were everywhere as were chocolate candy wrappers and graham crackers. It was a mess!

My grandson, Carson, printed out a note to his Elf. It is shown below (via interpretation by his Mommy).

Can you talk to me You thre elfs pleys And santu can you Bring me a wolit with A chane on it and A blak jakit with Scine jens

Interpretation:

Can you talk to me (meaning can his Elf talk to him). Your three elves play. And, Santa, can you bring me a wallet with a chain on it, and a black jacket with skinny jeans?

Called me crazed, but this is what I am going to do.... Carson so wants his Elf to communicate with him. As adults, we know that isn't possible, but I think I've figured out a way to make it happen. Remember that talking toilet paper roll that I blogged about back in 2007? That's the ticket! Freckles will leave a message on the toilet paper roll and then Carson can record a reply. Below is the message Elf Freckles has left...

Elf Freckles Message to Carson

Carson will be here on Wednesday for Awana's. While he is at class, I will flip the on switch for the pre-recorded message. Won't he be surprised the next time he uses the bathroom?