Whose idea was starting a small business?

by Veronica on April 22, 2014

in Soapmaking

soap 011

Easter, wow. It’s not my favourite holiday, despite the plethora of chocolate around. I wasn’t organised, mentally at least, for the chaos it was going to cause. Plus, two ASD children adjusting to the first school holidays of the season have made it interesting.

I think things are starting to smooth out now. No one has deliberately made Evelyn scream today – except for me when I forced her to have her face washed.

But onwards and upwards.

I registered a business name last night, and in the coming months we’ll be getting our business off the ground. No details yet – I can’t do anything until I register with NICNAS as a soap maker selling soap, and I refuse to pay them a registration fee now when I’ll have to pay again in September no matter what. Complex process, but it gives me a chance to get stock levels high, cure everything for at least two months and get ahead of the game.

In theory, anyway.

Above are three soaps I made on Easter Sunday. One gardenia, one lavender, one unscented. The swirls were a happy surprise from the heat of saponification.

Below are today’s soaps, still in their moulds and just finished gelling. They’re a honey brown colour, which wasn’t what I was aiming for, but turns out yellow ochre gets all temperamental when added to lye.

soap 008

Scented with a honey and citrus blend, it’s a lovely warm smell. Not the sharp smell of my favourite lemon soaps (I’m still searching for a to-die-for lemon scent), but warm and inviting and I really like it.

I have been so busy, Internet. Between the soaps, the kids and obsessive reading of books to ignore everything going on around me, I haven’t been online much. Except of course when I spend hours researching soap boxes, only to discover that shipping is horrible and everything is ruined forever.

I gave up on boxes in favour of muslin bags. If I was super talented, I’d even screen print them, and while I probably could (I like screen printing) I doubt I have the time or energy.

Clearly I need more minions. Or unpaid interns.

Positions vacant. Apply within.

 

victoria April 23, 2014 at 11:32 pm

wow they look great!

Veronica April 23, 2014 at 11:42 pm

Thank you!

Tory Crabtree April 24, 2014 at 1:42 am

I’ll be a minion 🙂 I know how to make soap too!!

T xxx

Veronica April 24, 2014 at 9:47 am

Awesome. I need a minion. I just cut 3.4kg soap and it seriously cut into my “drinking tea and doing nothing” time.

Jenn April 24, 2014 at 8:51 am

You can get a cheapish stamp made and grab an ink pad and stamp your muslin bags till you’re blue in the face! 🙂

Veronica April 24, 2014 at 9:46 am

Of course I can. BRILLIANT. Thank you!

Kate April 24, 2014 at 7:31 pm

Jenn’s idea is brilliant, but also consider origami boxes. I needed a pile of pretty boxes for something and just spent a few nights folding colourful cardboard! Probably too labour intensive, compared to the stamp idea, though!

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