Welcome To...The Blog of Artisan Handmade Soapmaker and Fairy & Fantasy Artist, Carol Ochs!

Domain Law Updates....

2008-07-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

New updates have evolved in trademark infringement law. See some of the updates and useful links at our page http://www.simplysoap.com/infringement.htm

Hate to post this, but feel we HAVE to......

2008-07-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hall of Confusion

Tubing....

2008-07-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

This is a fun little YouTube we put together....

New Art Products!

2008-07-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that several of my artworks are licensed with and available at Ellen Million Graphics in several products including mugs, totes, mousepads, aprons...all kinds of fun stuff! I am also the soapmaker for a line of fantasy soaps EMG has labeled with the art of Ursula Vernon at the same location. Come check it out!

If you enjoy fantasy art, I also invite you to come visit The Fantasy Art Gathering and peruse the art of our many talented artists! To buy, or just enjoy yourself on a leisurely sidetrip into the magic of fantasy! New artist pages were just added this weekend....

Hope you're having an enjoyable July 4th weekend! Stay safe!

June Update

2008-06-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer, Newsletter Subscribers!
It's been awhile since I've updated, sorry for the delay...just very, very busy, both with business and family events, including a graduating high schooler (last one!) who's now getting ready for college! Where did the time go?

We're now using a *new* newsletter provider you've all been imported into from our last provider, and it has bells and whistles I've yet to figure out, but will. Please add us to your address books! We also invite you to subscribe to our BLOG! (E-mail feed subscription available!)

Simply Soap News-
It's HOT, and we have just the soaps for you...MINT, of course! Mint essential oils are naturally cooling to the skin, leaving you refreshed and energized, mentally centered again! And nothing beats a mint soap shower before slipping between crisp sheets at bedtime or to sooth sun-exposed skin! Currently, our favorite mint soaps: Peppermint Twist, Mint Menthol Whisker Bar (described as a shave soap, but a great any soap!), and Mystic Mint Milk Soap! Stock up now and beat the heat!

Our popular soap, La Playa ("The Beach") is flying off the shelves, because of course, it smells just like the beach and has real San Diego beach sand in it for very gentle exfoliation! A mini vacation in every bar!

Retailers, remember we offer soap you can Private Label! Buy in bulk logs or bars and apply your own label to customize to your store theme or special event!

Also, rising fuel costs obviously affect literally everything and everyone...including us. All of our raw ingredients have gone up, as well as surcharges on our vegetable oil barrel deliveries. We know everyone is feeling the pinch in the pocketbook though so we're holding tight to usual product pricing...but, you may not see us offering sales at this time like we usually do in newsletters, and that is why. We hope you understand. We're negotiating some better pricing as part of a group supply buy, but that is still in the "talking stage". It's also partly what has delayed our new soap lines we're working on...Ancient Alchemy and Wylde Wytch Soaps.

Wild Oaks Art News -
Since our last newsletter we added several new faery art pieces:

Take Flight, My Friend, Sweet Autumn Rain, and Captured...we invite you to come view them!

Our Wylde Faerie Soaps with our Wild Oaks Art on the labels continue to be a best-seller! Stock up for your craft, medieval, and fantasy faires, retailers!

Other artists! Want soap you can put your own label on? We can help! Let's talk!

Enchantasies News -
New art piece Cottage Witch

Some of you have kindly e-mailed to ask about our workshop and tours. We are unable to conduct onsite tours unfortunately due to residential zoning, but we did post an online photo tour of our WORKSHOP and you're welcome to visit!

Hot summer nights can also bring sleeplessness. In additon to the above-mentioned cooling mint soap showers, try this....

Sweet Slumber Potion
1 teaspoon chamomile flowers

2 teaspoons of dried peppermint

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground valerian root

Add the chamomile, peppermint, and honey to a cup of cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; then reduce to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the valerian and simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a mug. Serve hot or over ice, for iced tea. Enjoy and then Zzzzzzzzz!

Till next time, thanks for letting us into your e-mail box, come visit us any time, and feel free to drop us a note! Keep safe this summer...and clean!

~ The Fairies, Elves, and Good Witches of.....
Simply Soap - www.simplysoap.com - simplysoap@aol.com
Wild Oaks Art - www.wildoaksart.com - wildoaksart@aol.com
Enchantasies - www.enchantasies.com - info@enchantasies.com
Toll-Free (888) 575-7627
San Diego Local: (619) 287-1394

New Art!

2008-06-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

"Captured"

New Art! - "Cottage Witch"

2008-05-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

"Plant rosemary at your garden gate,
Grow lavender for luck!

- Green Witches Proverb

New Art!

2008-05-19T08:51:00.001-07:00

"Sweet Autumn Rain"

Easy Does It There, Easily-Angered Customers!

2008-05-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

CUSTOMER REMINDER: When you call our workshop toll-free (888) 575-SOAP (-7627) or San Diego local (619) 287-1394, we're usually "in-production" and unable to grab the phone the moment it rings, however we do have secure voice mail available--our "electronic secretary"! Soapmaking is a time-sensitive procedure and cannot be stopped when we're in the middle of a soap mix/pour, or the soap will harden prematurely. We do not have a full-time human phone answerer (to keep overall soap costs down for YOU!) so please leave your message and we'll return your call ASAP! You can also E-MAIL us your inquiry (simplysoap@aol.com) and it too, will be responded to ASAP!

Seems we've received some rather nasty and accusatory messages from an apparently easily-riled customer who was incensed at not receiving a human voice at the end of the phone when she called....deeming us "unprofessional". While we ALWAYS appreciate and respond to customer feedback, we also feel a need to stand up for inaccuracies. To illustrate the truth of the matter....

This seems like a good time to also mention that many soapmaking base ingredients have tripled in cost over the last year or so, along with fuel delivery surcharges, AND product liability ins., driving handmade soap costs up significantly, and some soapmakers out of business altogether! Here at Simply Soap, we're doing our best to maintain our usual pricing. NOT hiring a full-time phone answerer is one way we do that...a cost (wages + workmans comp. ins.) we would otherwise have to add into the end cost of our soap.

So.....a gentle reminder to those of you who might be inclined to get upset when you don't get a human picking up the phone...we're usually working our little soapmaking tails off when you call, but I do make a point to return calls throughout the day ASAP! Please consider, I'm working hard to keep my soap affordable, and in my book, that IS being professional.

Thanks for your consideration!
~Carol

New Faerie Art!

2008-05-06T19:46:00.001-07:00

The smallest or greatest of us, all need encouragement now and then. Sometimes the supportive words of a friend can be the magic that gives our wings flight!

Seduced by faeries!

2008-03-25T12:50:00.001-07:00

Today I swear I heard whispers on the wind and voices in the garden! One of those perfect spring days when you KNOW there's more in the yard than just plants! Lo and behold, I was RIGHT!.....

Back to work...... *wink* (I wonder if I could capture & train them to help me?!)

(Visit: www.miniature-gardens.com)

'Nuther quick update!

2008-03-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

See our Wylde Faerie Soaps featured at FAE NATION!

We've added several new ideas on our Gift Ensembles page for GIFT GIVING...including we're now offering Gift Certificates that can be given online or off! Mothers Day is not far off, Folks, and it won't do to forget your Mamas! Our pages our chockfull of wonderful soap selections for even the pickiest of scent selecters!

Be sure to also check out our themed selection of Soap Stacks...or create your own! What a warm idea for those relatives back east still suffering in the throngs of lingering winter....send 'em a California Soap Stack! Or how about our Tea Soap Stack--including two new tea soaps: Black Tea Rose Soap and Chamomile Bergamot Orange Tea Soap....ooo-lala!

Back early before summer is La Playa ("The Beach")...made with our own San Diego beach sand added from our favorite beach. There's even pics posted so you can see where it came from!

More work to be done.....catch ya on the other side of the tub!

Quick Update!

2008-03-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have many new things in the works and updates on the horizon...here are just a couple quickies!

Many of you have expressed wanting to find our California themed soaps all on one page. Here ya go! Simply California!

Many of you have expressed wanting to find our tea soaps all on one page. Here ya go! Simply Tea Soaps!

You begged. We heard. It's back...BEFORE summer and as a new "regular"! - La Playa ("The Beach") Enjoy!

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Where did February go?.....

2008-03-04T16:41:00.000-08:00

It was a veritable blurrrrrr! I can't even remember parts of it!

The month was mostly consumed with thoughts and energy devoted to my father who at age 80 (3 days past his birthday) passed away Feb. 12 after a battle with mesothelioma...asbestos-related lung cancer after a lifetime of work as a master craftsman carpenter. Dad was diagnosed in Nov. of '06 and only given a few months to live. He beat the prognosis and was doing very well (still chopping firewood, gardening, and canning his famous pepper relish) right up until this past Jan. when he began to deteriorate. The disease can vary person to person, and many linger and suffer for a long time. I guess we can consider Dad blessed that his deterioration was accelerated toward the end and he was spared a protracted and lengthy amount of discomfort. He was able to die at home. The day before he was to die, I had an instinct to get up to see him quick, and hopped a plane the next day up to the Sacramento area. I feel gifted to have trusted that instinct and spent Dad's last 10hours with him and see him off...his famous humor was intact till the end.

I then stayed with my Mom several days to help her and help arrange the Memorial Service to take place a couple weeks later. I later flew back up again for that and just returned this past weekend. It was a wonderful service and celebration of Dad's life, a rebonding with siblings, all of us coming together to help Mom out and reconnect. We all agreed that if we had to celebrate a life, we did it the best it can possibly be done and came away with many wonderful memories not only of our Dad, but of our family. I am very lucky to have the family that I do!

And now it's time to get back into the cycle of life and work. Many of the projects I was in the midst of before Feb. were put-off, but I trust you understand the priority that family is. I have several large soap orders I'm working on and of course, taxes to get prepared before April. My nose will be to the grindstone for a bit but when I come out the other side, I hope to get those new promised soap lines revealed finally and on the website, as well as some new art in the works!

Thank you to the many of you who have sent remarkably kind notes of condolence and support to my family and myself...it is greatly appreciated! I wish for you the kind of love and family strength that I feel blessed to have.

I saw new buds on many trees today, loads of blossoms on my lemon tree with busily buzzing bees, and the sun's warmth felt like a preview of Spring. New life.....feels good!

Be well...
~Carol

New ....errr...old (?) Fairy Art!

2008-02-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

Shhh! Didja hear? There's an old fairytale rumor going around that faeries are "forever young" Pish Tosh! Daisy, Pearl and Fauna here prove otherwise! They are just "some" of the wisest of the fae realm! Who do you think teaches all the young fae their BEST magic? Just because you don't see older fae out flittin' around with the young ones....don't think they aren't having as good, or better a time, .....and playing the best of tricks!

(And yes...Old Faeries feel PERFECTLY comfortable in their old skins, bare-ass nekkid!)

Come visit us at Wild Oaks Art!
~Carol Ochs

Online Art Marketing Book

2008-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention in my last post, there is a new book that just came out, written by a friend of mine, Steven Marwick: Online Art Marketing....and it is chockfull of valuable and very current online marketing tips, tricks and advise.... even if you think you already know it all, your eyes will be opened to some new angles that are invaluable! It's downloadable and very easy-reading! Check it out! Online Art Marketing

Is winter finally thawing? Time for handmade spring soap!

2008-02-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

We got warm! Perhaps that is a misnomer, but San Diego is acting like, well ....SAN DIEGO again...at least for the day! The warm sun has me all ready to pack away the fleece, drag out the tank tops, and shoosh the cold away for the season with a big seeyalaterBYE!....AND it's also got me thinking about what handmade soaps to add for Spring! If you have favorite scents you'd like to see offered, I'd love to hear about it! Shoot me an e-mail at: simplysoap@aol.com THANKS!

We're also getting a LOT of requests to offer our very popular Wylde Faerie Soaps for private labeling to retailers. A great opportunity for fellow fairy/fantasy artists to sell our faerie soaps on yoru site or at shows with YOUR art on them! I'm thinking about it, and if I get significantly more feedback on that...I may just do so. Convince me one way or the other with your opinion! simplysoap@aol.com

Brrrrr.....Baby It's COLD Outside!

2008-01-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

Woke up to frost in San Diego!!! Practically snow(!), kinda, sorta-ish...heh heh! For a gal who hails from upstate NY, any white on the ground is cause for excitement---good eastern memories! We always got our biggest storms close to VALENTINES DAY back in NY!

Speaking of V-Day, we have our Valentines Day Soaps page up for you at:
VALENTINES DAY SOAPS

Available again this year are all of our usual much-loved Valentines favorites like:
- Mocha Truffle Soap (chocolate soap that leaves your skin smelling just like the real thing! So good you want to eat yourself! I've been using it all week and walk around obsessively sniffing my arm! Available as "bars" or our heart-shaped soaps in a gift box just for Valentines Day!) Note: Chocolate soap gets darker and darker in color (deep chocolate brown) the more it ages.
- Tuscany Wine Spice (made with real burgundy wine and a nice combo with Mocha Truffle to give wine and chocolate WITHOUT the calories)
- Love Soap (a sensuous scent blend including reknown romance oils of patchouli, sandalwood, rose and jasmine!)
- Bellisima (our classic rose soap and with EXTRA enrighment for dry skin!)

...and don't forget soaps the guys will love too!

- Java Bean Scrub (for coffee lovers)
- And come see our large variety of spice, shave soaps, and other men's favorites listed under Simply Soap For Men!

We still have some limited stock on-hand of our Holiday Soaps, so if you have favorites you don't want to have to wait for till next autumn, grab them now! We have quite a bit of Blizzard Bar for you Ski Bunnies! :)

This cold weather is taking it's DRYING toll on skin! All of our soaps are naturally moisturizing, but if you have extreme dry skin, try our extreme moisturizers---Recommended: Goatmeal Butter Bar---a 50% shea butter, 50% olive oil bar! Bathe buttered in relief and luxury! Also check out our Rustic Soap Collection---all unrefined, virgin shea butter enriched! The BEST, most enriching form of shea butter! Dry skin's salvation!

I'm working diligently on our coming new soap lines, Ancient Alchemy and our fun Wylde Wytch Soaps...however that convenient little soap lull post-holidays has all but disappeared and I'm working new projects in between a ful-on busy schedule again.

Some of you have asked, How can it take so long? I'll tell you.....Ancient Alchemy has had an incredible amount of research invested in it to create, indeed, UNIQUE soaps! One reason I know I'm on the right track with this line, and the research and experimentation is so worth it is, testers for me, testers with very problematic skin have reported wonderful results to me.....results such as:

"This is the first time I've been able to use soap that works! And I've had hardcore psoriasis all my life! Even my dermatologist is amazed!"

THIS is the kind of thing that thrills me and makes me have so much fun getting up and making soap each day! Stay tuned to that line coming soon...all based on ancient recipes!

Our coming Wylde Wytch line will be introduced first and available at our Enchantasies website, where all things "witch" are celebrated and adored, and we know, There's as little witch in all of us, how little is YOUR witch?

Some of you have commented recently about playing phone-tag with me. I apologize. My machine IS my secretary as I'm usually in the process of the time-sensitive process of soapmaking (can't stop stirring our pouring) to grab the phone quick enough and not ruin the soap batch (sets up QUICK!)! However if I have to hire someone to man phones, I'll have to include that cost in soap prices, and I'm sure most of you would prefer to keep prices as low as possible. I appreciate your valuable time and try to return calls ASAP! Please leave your number(s) and an e-mail address and I definitely always return your message!

Also, our website is chockful of helpful info if you explore a bit, and feel free to check out our wholesale FAQ's which helps answer a lot of questions and offers helpful tips and advice for new retailers! Our success is based on your success, so we're excited to see your business carrying soap gets off to as great a start as possible! Plus, we just love to hear what everyone is doing out there, how they offer soap! If you have a retail shop in your area that you'd like to see carrying our soap, let them know, have them call or e-mail us and we'll be happy to provide them all whlsl info.!

And, as much as I promote my calorie-less chocolate soaps for Valentines Day, you can be darn sure there's no way I want my own man coming home chocolate-less that day! Nor do I disappoint him! One of our Valentine's Day traditions is watching the movie "Chocolat'" with Johnny Depp and Juliet Binoche, and I make a replica of the hot chocolate made in the movie! It's insanely RICH, but by golly, the souls needs it at least once a year! Ahhhh..... dat's gooood!

Chocolat' Hot Chocolate

2 cups milk
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate - melted
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3/8 teaspoon (generous) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon finely pulverized instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 teaspoon corn starch
two good pinches chili peppers

Extras:
marshmallows

Heat the milk over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate, then mix it with the cocoa powder, warm water, sugar, cinnamon, instant coffee, vanilla, and corn starch. Whisk chocolate mixture into warming milk. Stir in chili peppers. Heat until frothy. Add a marshmallow or two if you like it frothier still.

Pour into warmed glass cups or fancy ceramic or China tea cups. Serves two.

NOTE: Midnight snacks for two are some of the more enjoyable moments to savor with your significant other. What better, on a chilly night than a deluxe hot chocolate inspired by the movie "Chocolat". This great first date flick features, among other things, terrific confections, including a velvety dark hot chocolate laced with chili. I hesitated at first, but the chili heat is indeed the secret ingredient here.

Love and be loved blog readers! Make the most of this romantic month!

Till next time....

Carol, and the faeries, elves and good witches of:

Simply Soap
Wild Oaks Art
Enchantasies

*POOF*

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All!

Gosh....2007 went so FAST, it really has me a bit scared that either my world is spinning quicker, or I'm not slowing down enough to smell the roses! I think in part, I just have too many things I want to/have to do all the time, ...some are have-to-dos, a lot is ambition, but it all makes the time go TOO quick!

I really want to thank all of our wonderful customers who allow me to do what I do...making soap and art...something I feel gifted to be able to do for a living--things I love to do! I hope to continue to serve you in a way that is always interesting and exciting and provides you products you love! We are ALWAYS open to suggestions and comments so please feel free! It's through constructive suggestions that we have made changes in the past that have been very positive! E-mail: simplysoap@aol.com or wildoaksart@aol.com

I'm not much of a resolution-maker, but I do always start the new year with some fresh eyes and new direction. We have some new plans for Simply Soap coming but they will take a little time to implement, including building a wholesale shopping cart for qualified buyers. Until it is fully in-place you are welcome to use our retail cart but specify "Wholesale" in the comments section...*IF* you are a qualified wholesale customer and have provided us your resale permit number etc. as per our website instruction. Some have also expressed wanting a search facility on our site to facilitate finding things quicker; another plan in-the-works.

And after much hemming and hawing, we will be pulling a few soap varieties that after a dozen years, suddenly did not sell as well last year as previously, and we will be bringing in some new soaps! Namely, our Wylde Wytch soap line, and our Ancient Alchemy soap line. I know some of you have expressed disappointment that we haven't launched Ancient Alchemy sooner (as promised), but what happened was, some of the creative ideas for it overlapped with our popular Wylde Faerie Soaps and the coming Wylde Wytch soaps, so we had to sit down and re-think through our direction with each line rather than duplicate ourselves. We look forward to introducing all to you!

On the art front...last year was a slow year for me in producing new art and it was simply out of sheer over-busyness! I intend to remedy that by making a concerted effort and daily designated "art time" that will be surrounded by an impenetrable barbed wire fence. One can't create and move forward without time to do so, but it has to be uninterruptable sacred time that is considered priority and not time continuously relgated to the end of the day when creativity is measured at zilch! You fellow dual-career artist-types know exactly what I'm talking about, but I think actually ANYONE knows what I'm talking about when it comes to needing some time to yourself that you don't feel guilty taking, and that puts you on the road to creative goals you have. That time won't magically appear, you have to grab a hunk of it and cradle it protectively to make it grow into something! That is my art goal!

For Christmas, my husband gifted me with a Wacom board....the means to create digital art, which I'm now also in the throes of learning! WOW! Seems like so much to learn, but I'm having fun and look forward to showing off some first works with that in the not-too-distant future.

I also plan to experiment with some different mediums this year, including acrylic paints! I have a feeling I will always remain a watercolor artist as my first love, but it's good to master new skills as well!

The week before Xmas some crazed wild-hared spirit jumped in my body and decided to turn a vacated bedroom in our home into an indoor art studio! So I began pulling down old wallpaper, painting, pulling up carpeting, and moving most of my art supplies and books into the new art digs! Ahhhh....WARMTH! My fingers can bend again at night and hold a pencil & paintbrush! I had art space all set-up outdoors in the soap workshop for years, but quite honestly, despite rumors of California being a warm state....it's been really cold nights and so hard to paint or do anything out there when my fingers were stiff as popsicles! So I'm looking forward to the new studio enhancing more art production as well!

During the move, I also realized what a large collection of art books and tutorials I have amassed over the years that whispered to me to re-visit them. Without a formal art education, these, as well as practice, ARE my university and I plan to make study a big part of my impenetrable barbed wire art time. ;) Soooo, if I seem a bit absent at forums or new projects to sign-up-for this new year, it's likely because I am making a concerted effort to focus on honing my skills that I really need to hone, at crafts I really want to excel at, as well as continue to serve all my soap customers the best they've ever been served!

And with a touch of New Year's reflection...you know, I can't help but see the nightly news each day, and forever be thankful that I'm an American who lives in a free country where no matter how much I may disagree with the state of anything, or certain politicians or policies, I still live free and have the opportunity to live a life where I can do what I want and say "Hey, I wanna make soap and do art today!" And you just can't put a price tag on that! My New Year's is filled with thankfulness, more than resolution, and a deep appreciation for all the armed forces that put their lives on the line, and their families who sacrifice so much, to protect what we lucky Americans have.

I wish you all a year filled with what makes you happiest, and the ability to give back to help others find happiness too!

The Elves, Faeries & Good Witches of.....

Simply Soap
www.simplysoap.com

Wild Oaks Art
www.wildoaksart.com

Enchantasies
www.enchantasies.com

~Carol Ochs :) *poof*

Holiday Soaps!

2007-11-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

Simply Soap Holiday Soaps include: Christmas Tree Farm, Wassail, Blizzard Bar, Orange Gingerbread (makes a wonderful aromatic sachet bar just to scent a room!), Orange-Cranberry Seed Scrub, Reindeer Poop (chocolate soap), Peppermint Twist, Frankincense & Myrrh, Apple-Cherry Cider, Figgy Pudding, Pomegranate, Yule......

Got a POOPY person you want/have to give a gift to? Give 'em Reindeer Poop! (CHOCOLATE soap!)

YUM!
Enjoy!

Welcome---Blog Opening!

2007-11-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to this new blog, created to keep customers and friends updated with biz news, as well as "this and that" ramblings and posts! Glad to have you here! Subscribe to our feed to receive our blog posts directly into your mailbox! Easy-peezy!

~Carol ;)