Going from hobby to business is exciting, challenging and intimidating for some soapmakers. Time is split between formulating, implementing that formulation and finding ways to sell; not to mention regular day to day activities! One method of manufacturing that has saved many Handcrafters quite a bit of time is master batching. Master Batching is the process of mixing a large batch … Read More
5 Tips to Help You Prepare for a Craft Show
As the holiday season approaches, we are now getting ready to enter…craft show season (simmer now, we can hear your heavy applause and yells of joy from here!). Craft shows are a little different than farmers’ markets. Typically it will be a one-day show. There won’t be time for a trial period to see which of your products perform, and … Read More
Marketing Your Business: The Facebook Edition
Love it or hate it, social media is one of the biggest platforms that small business owners have to advertise their business. Sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter provide a free way to get the word out about your business, and a relatable way to connect with your customers. In this article, we’ll explore how you can use Facebook as … Read More
Common Scents: Citronella
Welcome to our series, Common Scents! Common Scents is a series of articles exploring the history of commonly used essential oils and how they became popular in modern day soap and cosmetic crafting. This month, we’ll learn about citronella. Here in the great Northeast, we love our few beautiful summer months. What we really don’t love are the mosquitoes and … Read More
The Shelf Life of Oils
Let’s talk about shelf life! When formulating your product, understanding the shelf life of the oils you are using is an important step in ensuring quality and longevity for your customers. If you’re anything like me, I don’t usually need to worry about the expiration of my cooking oils because I seem to go through them very quickly; that is, … Read More