# A walk down memory lane... some of my first batches



## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

ok soap porn fanatics! I figured I would take you down memory lane tonight to see some of my batches that I made nearly 3 years ago. i was under a different name then so the soaps have a different label. I like to use "Northwest Naturals" for my 100% all natural soap line. (only EO's) I was just starting to use titanium dioxide and colorants in some of these and experimenting with shea butter and cocoa butters. 

Dark Vanilla with coconut milk and oatmeal.

Zen Garden (with hand carved embeds/leaf motif) lotus and green tea scent and coconut milk added.

Peppermint candy (FIRST in the pot swirl!) with coconut milk & unrefined shea butter.

Milk & Honey with oatmeal...still wish i had that recipe, it was soooo silky smooth.

Enjoy!


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## danahuff (Feb 12, 2013)

Nice! As always, your soaps are so pretty. I also love the packaging and the way you photograph them.


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## terminatortoo (Feb 12, 2013)

Very beautiful! I especially like the dark vanilla


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

Thank you! The dark vanilla had rich, creamy BROWN lather lol! I wasnt expecting that  I know now it was from the vanilla!


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## 2lilboots (Feb 12, 2013)

Wow thanks I needed that.  I totally love the Zen soap!  I love the leaves on top. They are all beautiful.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

danahuff said:


> Nice! As always, your soaps are so pretty. I also love the packaging and the way you photograph them.


 Thank you, these were some pics that I took for my etsy site that never made it to fruition :yawn:


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

2lilboots said:


> Wow thanks I needed that.  I totally love the Zen soap!  I love the leaves on top. They are all beautiful.


 The zen soap smelled soooo good! I just ordered some more lotus scent so I can replicate it  wooo hooo!


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## marghewitt (Feb 12, 2013)

Wow you make beautiful soap. I hope to one day make such pretty pieces of art.


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## 2lilboots (Feb 12, 2013)

Rock&Royalty said:


> Thank you, these were some pics that I took for my etsy site that never made it to fruition :yawn:


 
I always wonder how anyone actually sells on etsy when there are over 500 pics of soap on there.  I like looking at pics of soap, but I get bored on about the 6th page.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

Ya, I dont know how well I will do on there, I have my page set up sorta, not fine tuned but I havent listed anything yet. After figuring everything out fee wise, I lose nearly 45 cents per bar. I hear ya, the posts tend to get "burried' as new soap pics are listed. Maybe someone will let us know of their soaping successes with Etsy?


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## 2lilboots (Feb 12, 2013)

I thought you were going to do  festivals, craft shows, farmer markets, and local stores as well as etsy.


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## melstan775 (Feb 12, 2013)

Ok royal. You're just showin off now. . Thank you for the soap porn. As always, beautiful.


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## Scentapy (Feb 12, 2013)

OMG.. those are your "early" soaps?  They are gorgeous! I am embarrassed when I look back at my early soaps!  They are awful... just awful.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

2lilboots said:


> I thought you were going to do  festivals, craft shows, farmer markets, and local stores as well as etsy.


 I still am but etsy was just one of my avenues planned. Only problem is im going to have to find the farmers markets and fairs on days that i have off....so i hope i can make this a go, my hopes are high :smile: The stores are ready to recieve as soon as I purchase insurance.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 12, 2013)

melstan775 said:


> Ok royal. You're just showin off now. . Thank you for the soap porn. As always, beautiful.


 LOL, *batts eyelashes* thank you as always


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## RocknRoll (Feb 13, 2013)

Scentapy said:


> OMG.. those are your "early" soaps?  They are gorgeous! I am embarrassed when I look back at my early soaps!  They are awful... just awful.


 i have a few fugly soaps under my belt but we all have them! Practice, research, all you guys, trial and error all make for a good combo. this is totally my way of expressing my astistic nature, glad you love it


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## CaliChan (Feb 13, 2013)

You are so talented!!! they are just stunning
It must be because your by Seattle. seems to be were all the talent flocks in this state


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## Lynnz (Feb 13, 2013)

What a gorgeous trip your soaps are amazing


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## Moot (Feb 13, 2013)

Beautiful soaps!  Zen is so pretty!  I use Etsy, and it's slow going on there for sure.  I like it though so my local customers can see what I have in stock.  Most locals here call or email me then I deliver or they pick up.  So it's helpful in that aspect.  I don't know enough about costs regarding setting up my own website and if that's a better idea.  In my area there seems to be a LOT of great soap makers.  Prices for cp soaps range from $3.75-$6.00 on average.  It's sort of tough.  

Ok..babbling here lol


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## SueSoap (Feb 13, 2013)

Thank you for the wonderful eye-candy.


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## Lolly58 (Feb 13, 2013)

I love the honey comb effect on the milk and honey. I'll understand if you don't want to share how you did that, but inquiring minds would love to know!!!  lol


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## Cindiq4u (Feb 13, 2013)

Looking Good!


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## chicklet (Feb 13, 2013)

Wow - those are gorgeous!  I especially like the zen soap.

Lolly - bubble wrap will give you the honeycomb look.  I really like the layered look on that one.


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## Momonga (Feb 13, 2013)

Really nice!  And these are your first soaps?  I hope I have that kind of beginners luck!

Oh, so that is "soap porn"!  I never click on those links from my government computer.    Just kidding.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 13, 2013)

Momonga said:


> Really nice!  And these are your first soaps?  I hope I have that kind of beginners luck!
> 
> Oh, so that is "soap porn"!  I never click on those links from my government computer.    Just kidding.


 lol! these are some of my first cold process soaps. When i started making soap about 8 years ago (and I only went in spurts) i did mainly hot process :-D but started with melt and pour.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 13, 2013)

Lolly58 said:


> I love the honey comb effect on the milk and honey. I'll understand if you don't want to share how you did that, but inquiring minds would love to know!!!  lol


  line bubble wrap in the bottom of your mold, its so easy!!!


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## RocknRoll (Feb 13, 2013)

Thank you all for your kind words. It's good to hear I have done something right lol


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## dianne70 (Feb 13, 2013)

beautiful....as always


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## danahuff (Feb 13, 2013)

Rock&Royalty said:


> Ya, I dont know how well I will do on there, I have my page set up sorta, not fine tuned but I havent listed anything yet. After figuring everything out fee wise, I lose nearly 45 cents per bar. I hear ya, the posts tend to get "burried' as new soap pics are listed. Maybe someone will let us know of their soaping successes with Etsy?



It's not so bad. I sell on Etsy, and I think some of my sales are driven by friends and my husband's friends, but a guy contacted me before Christmas because he wanted to buy local handcrafted gifts, and he found my soap store that way. If your soap is good, you get repeat business. I have a repeat business coupon to encourage that. I sell more to people at work than on Etsy, though. Still, it is a good way to get your soap out there, and I think it gets more attention on Etsy than it would on a personal website precisely because people are just surfing the site, so they find your soap more easily than they would by searching Google.


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## RocknRoll (Feb 13, 2013)

danahuff said:


> It's not so bad. I sell on Etsy, and I think some of my sales are driven by friends and my husband's friends, but a guy contacted me before Christmas because he wanted to buy local handcrafted gifts, and he found my soap store that way. If your soap is good, you get repeat business. I have a repeat business coupon to encourage that. I sell more to people at work than on Etsy, though. Still, it is a good way to get your soap out there, and I think it gets more attention on Etsy than it would on a personal website precisely because people are just surfing the site, so they find your soap more easily than they would by searching Google.


Very good point! I have to admit that exposure is good too and theres always a price for that. I will try it regardless but im hoping to do more direct sales


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## Pamela (Feb 14, 2013)

Beautiful soaps....I never get tired of looking at soap pics :wink:


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## kellistarr (Feb 15, 2013)

Before I go to sleep, I like looking at lovely soaps.  You _rock_ with these awesome soaps.  The Honey Comb is my favorite!


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## RocknRoll (Feb 15, 2013)

kellistarr said:


> Before I go to sleep, I like looking at lovely soaps.  You _rock_ with these awesome soaps.  The Honey Comb is my favorite!


 Thank you! i so wish i had kept that "honey" recipe. It was a custom one I made up messing around with soapcalc a few years back. It was so creamy looking. My new recipe for this bar is nice and bubbly but I dont get the same look. It must be that I am using different (but incidently BETTER ingridients) now a days. Thinking back, I think it was either the grapeseed or corn oil I was using. Now I use shea and cocoa butters.


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