Friday, November 21, 2008

in the cafe spotlight: soapdeli

Featured Etsian: soapdeli
Shop link: soapdeli.etsy.com

Pomegranate Soap with Shea Butter (by soapdeli)

Give us the basics:

Roanoke, VA. I make yummy scented shea butter soaps, goat milk lotions, milk bath and foot cream.

What’s your favourite smell?
Definitely pomegranate.

How long have you been doing your craft?
I've been making soap since 2001 and everything else since 2006.

Who/What inspires you in your craft?
I'm definitely inspired by scents. Anything that smells fabulous I just have to make. I scent all of my soaps so you can smell them from the time you get in the shower to when you get out. You'll notice a light fragrance on your skin after you bathe.

Raspberry and Vanilla Soap for Extra Dry Skin with Shea and Cocoa Butters (by soapdeli)

What do you like least about your craft?
I have to say the one thing I detest about soapmaking is lining the molds. It's tedious.

What’s a normal day for you?
On days I stay home I usually check and mail orders, chat in the forums and list goodies til around 12pm. I break for lunch then I'll wrap and label soaps, unmold my soaps from the day before and then make three new batches of soap. Then dinner. Then I'll either spend a little time on etsy and if there's nothing I must do - like clean house, soccer practice, etc. I'll make lotions, creams or milk baths. I go to the local city market at least three days a week. On those days I'm on the market by 9am and I usually pack around 3:30pm or 4pm. Later on Saturdays. Then I come home, check etsy and relax for the evening.

What advice would you give Etsy sellers just starting out?
Promote, promote, promote. Also, don't expect to get 100% unless you are giving 100%. Nothing is going to be handed to you. You must work for it.

How do you discover new things on Etsy?
I like to visit shops with neat avatars that I find in the forums. I also browse treasuries and occasionally I use pounce.

Lemon and Lavender Honey and Goat Milk Lotion with Shea Butter and Aloe (by soapdeli)

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