Party Planning?

Hello again! I recently hosted one of my Soapy Cauldron soap parties, and I was reminded just why I love doing them. I get to speak to people that have a specific interest in buying my products, and they genuinely want to know what the Cauldron is all about.

Of course, there are down sides. Lugging the kit about isn't fun- the consultants I have usually have a small kit unless they choose to top up of their own accord, but my kit? One at least of everything in the shop!! Remembering all the other bits to bring, catalogues, order forms, a calculator (or indeed remembering to buy a new one because you smashed the last one after dropping the cash box on it), a change float (see previous!), pens, bags, testers, plus bits for party games. But you know? It all adds to the build-up. I get incredibly nervous before I do a party. You'd think after 3 years of hosting them I'd have that bit beaten but no, it seems selling soap face to face in that environment still gets my nerves jangling. These are, of course, small downsides to what is essentially a very satisfying evening. Thankfully the products sell themselves, there is something about handmade soap and general pampering that appeals to women- and men for that matter! Bath bombs are always a fascination as well, and the touch test afterwards is popular as the water is so soft and silky.

I have this one consultant who is a veritable powerhouse of enthusiasm and ideas. We love her :D At 25% of party sales kept for herself (thats what our consultants earn) she's on a pretty penny there. To illustrate- the soap party I just did took £130. Thats with only 6 guests including the hostess. At 25% a consultant would have earned £32.50, we also got 2 more party bookings. The biggest single soap party I've hosted? 17 people and we took £315! Hard work but worth every moment.

We know that one of our biggest issues previously was our turnaround time, sometimes it would take 3+ weeks to get orders out which I knew wasn't good enough. We've worked so hard to change that now that we have the shop and now the maximum we'd expect anyone to wait is 10 working days. Obviously sometimes this isn't achievable but we'll always keep people in the loop as much as possible.

Do you fancy trying consultancy? This time of year is ideal, as the build up for Christmas is approaching. Not just family and friend gifts either, don't forget teachers, the milkman (they love the detox bath bombs, helps ward off their colds!), postie... Take a look here- http://www.thesoapycauldron.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=4

Wow, it's been ages... ♥

Yep, absolutely ages since we last updated our Blog. So much has happened that it's hard to know where to begin really! So I'll take up where we left off...

So I signed the lease on the 24th April, and things really kicked off. I had a date for opening- 8th of May- and nothing was going to stand in my way! Not the electricity people ('Yes madam, we'll be along on the 11th May to put the fuse in'), not BT ('Ooh, this might actually shatter the whole window...'), not even Ikea selling us the wrong size doors for the cabinets!

I've never put so much flat-pack furniture together in one go either. Ye gods, my hands were a mess! If it wasn't for our newly-made Whipped Shea Butter I'd have been sunk. I did everything, I even wired lights up. The only thing that was beyond my remit was plumbing in a new sink and re-routing an electric socket, so a million thanks go to Tor.

The moment the fascia went up I wept like a baby. It is stunning. More than I wanted to pay but then the 'handy' man that took the letting agents sign down absolutely ruined the existing fascia boards, so it was unavoidable. Who cares though, it's bright, clean, eye-catching and 100% what we were supposed to have!

After that it was a race to get ready, stock into the shop, gaps to be filled, and plenty to make pretty. We opened and the first person through the door was a charming gentleman that wanted an organic soap. He then proceeded to tell us all about saponification, did we realise that that is what makes soap (ya think he he)? Yes, and he's been in 4 times since then and said the exact same thing each time. We love local colour :)

The first day was brilliant, exhausting but absolutely wonderful. Since then we've gone from strength to strength. Even the news of soap shops in the neighbouring town hasn't worried us as we sell completely different products, plus customers love to see the open work area where we make it, it's fascinating for them. Our 2 websites, www.thesoapycauldron.co.uk and www.wholesale.thesoapycauldron.co.uk have increased in traffic as well, we think it's because customers can see the shop.

Our latest additions are soap cakes- they've made a massive comeback! Also Lip Balms and a fabulous product called Pout Polish which is a sugar and Shea scrub for your lips.

Well, I think that's all for now, we'll be sure to update you more often from now on!

Good shop news at last...

Hooray! On friday I signed the lease on my new shop (pictured left). I'm so excited I can't sleep properly, well, excitement and a good dose of what Lily Allen terms 'The Fear'. The to do list is seemingly endless, thankfully I already have some pretty big stuff sorted such as customers, products etc (LOL). Also sorted is the PDQ machine for taking cards (this also means being able to take payments over the phone, something we're increasingly asked if we can facilitate), shop fittings- just gotta fit it together which could be easier said than done, staff, insurance...

Still to do? Fascia, cleaning and decorating, populating the shop, advertising (though my gob alone would probably do it he he), fitting a stainless steel sink to replace the miniscule hand basin that currently resides, shifting the 4 draw steel filing cabinet... Thats a job in itself!

All while keeping up with orders. We're getting through them much faster now that the storage unit is housing the shop fittings- previously it was sat in the middle of my workroom taking up valuable space, hence the long delays getting stuff out. Nightmare!

Well! Next job in the shop is cleaning and painting. The latter doesn't really need doing but I feel a splash of colour will really lift the whole place (again, not that it needs it but I love colour and can't live and work in Kansas, Toto, take me to the Emerald City ;) ). The unit has been empty for a whopping 2 years which I find hard to understand, it's a lovely unit, good decorative state, beautiful lighting with recessed spotlights in the ceiling and floor! Laminate wood floor, heck it even has a fitting in the bay window that I've got a lovely light for...

Advertising and SEO on the two websites continues with a lot of focus being put back on the retail site, www.thesoapycauldron.co.uk , as our wholesale cosmetics site now is quiet and we anticipate it being so until about july/august when our stockists start thinking about Christmas. There, I said it! Yes, we are planning that far ahead. As my Nan used to say, fail to plan, plan to fail :) We'll be pushing our gift baskets heavily this year within the shop, and we'll have a gift wrap service available all year round for a nominal fee. We offer 2 types of basket finish- shrink-wrapped (top pic, Rhubarb and Custard Gift Basket) and cellophane fronds (middle pic, Bath Bomb Selection Basket). The latter is stunning and great for dressing up an otherwise uninspiring basket (mostly this doesn't happen, but occasionally you'll get a basket request and feel it needs jazzing up a bit). The former lets the baskets beauty shine through and is fantastic for baskets with a good assortment of items and colours, and for smaller baskets. At Christmas we'll be adding metallic wire edged ribbon for extra pizzazz among other things for a lovely festive feel.

Back to today, I can't do anything about the shop (probably a good thing) so I'll be doing mundane housework, lovely playing with kids and a spot of shea butter whipping with soap making and a wholesale order to finish on the agenda for this evening...

Busy, just as I like it :)

Frustrations of a Soap Maker...

...this Blog should be called! We are STILL waiting on the shop lease to be ready to sign, the Landlord is taking their sweet time about things so all I can do is sit tight and wait. Incidentally, I'm a Gemini Monkey, waiting is as alien to me as fidelity is to highly-paid football stars... (controversial!). Still, we wait. Maybe it's good for the soul... or something.

On a more positive note, I put in for further EU certification today! Soon you'll be seeing handmade massage bars, whipped body butters, lotion bars, lip balms and more, as well as a spiffingly fantastic Baby Range. We get so many requests for this here at the Soapy Cauldron that we thought it only right. Soon the littlest member of the family will be pampered to perfection :)

Well, this evening I've been making our famous bath bombs, I think I'm up to the 120 mark but there is still more to be made, I'm just waiting for them to set enough to turn out and then back to it! I've got a long list of Bath Truffles to get made as well, that'll have to wait until morning though as early this morning my adorable 11 month old son decided that 3am was a great time to show off his singing voice and I'm hanging. Bless his cotton socks...

Drowning in Paperwork...

As some of you will no doubt know, us soapers have mountains of paperwork to complete each time we think up a new handmade cosmetic recipie or indeed, just make a batch of bathing products. With the fast approaching shop opening I thought it would be a good idea to streamline my operations a bit. Which I have done! But the changeover is immense. Instead of a traditional Product Information File with a one line entry for each item I make, I'm making a seperate PIF for each recipe. It might sound a longer way round to do things (it certainly is to set up) but once in place it will save so much time. It's just getting it done... 6 down, 200+ to do. *sigh*

Amongst all of this I have products to make, not least my Bath Truffles. I never anticipated them being so popular but I'm pleased they are cos they are just so darned gorgeous :) Best seller of the lot? Flower Power Bath Truffle. Pretty and divinely scented! (pictured). Close second is the Pink Bling Bath Truffle which isn't surprising, it's a glitter-ball of loveliness! They are absolutely flying out of or wholesale site, www.wholesale.thesoapycauldron.co.uk

Right, enough wittering from me, the bicarb is calling me...
The Soapy Cauldronx

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Busy Bee...

Flower Power Bath Truffles

Busy Busy Busy as always! Kids, house, soap... Just taking a few moments to centre myself so I thought I'd write a new entry :)

Well, plans for the shop are moving on, the original one was one problem after another so I decided to bail before it got too far down the line. I've found a new one, smaller but of course, cheaper! If I have my way we'll be in a bigger place in a year! New staff too, so lots of training and new stuff for me to learn as well. Sometimes I think I need 1,000 arms like the great goddess Kali. Though maybe not as bloodthirsty.

The Wholesale site is going from strength to strength, and considering it's only been going 5 months it's showing great promise. I've recently uploaded the Bath Truffles and boy are they a hit! I'm trying to slot in some time to make new varieties, but as always, it's proving a challenge. www.wholesale.thesoapycauldron.co.uk

Well, that's my tea drank and toast eaten, back to it!

Have a great weekend everyone xx

Wholesale, Retail and Multi-tasking...

It's no big secret, I'm a WAHM! As I sit here writing this I have a baby on my lap determined to get the keyboard, my trusty bath bomb maker working away in the background (gods bless you Karen, you're a star!) and a to-do list that would make Anneka Rice weep. But it's all fun really and thats why I love my job!

Since we re-opened on new years day the orders have been rolling in steadily which is encouraging as I am now seriously looking in to opening up a shop. Yes, thats right, The Soapy Cauldron is hitting the high street sometime soon. How exciting! I shall omit the nerves and worry... Anyway, orders. Our wholesale site, www.wholesale.thesoapycauldron.co.uk is going great guns, and considering it's only been running since october (so Google, Yahoo etc are barely registering it) it's doing very well. With enquiries from all over europe this could see us really busy and further facilitate the opening of our shop! Happy days.

We've recently taken on Party Plan consultants in Morecambe, Inverness and Motherwell in addition to our Bristol and Sussex coast presence and I am about to reveal the new brochure for Spring/Summer 2010. I'm also busy expanding the range of soap cakes we offer, thy are so popular it seems silly not to, so look out for Bannoffee, raspberry cheesecake and pineapple upside down cake. Theres never a dull moment here...

Anyway, back to it. Have a great day everyone xx