As if it isn't difficult enough to sell handmade soap, now our local WalMart has added an ENTIRE aisle of soap supplies...sigh... from molds to soap bases to fragrance oils...you get the idea. So now everyone's and expert. With no knowledge of any aspect of soaping, I have people telling me how easy it is, and how they don't understand why I charge so much, since there's hardly any work involved. I was actually called a liar when I tried to explain the difference between CP and melt and pour. Sigh.
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- Thread starter Lin19687
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Oh Dear!! Well, there will never be a substitute for real, quality, beautiful handmade soap....some of the oils--babassu, or soy wax, are not going to be used by the basic hobbyist....and they will get tired of it soon enough. It takes a certain type of person to truly love the soap and an even narrower group that become the artists I love....so !!!
Wow! Walmart is now competing with JoAnn's and Michael's for the MP market. I have not seen them in any of our local WalMarts, but I'll take a look next time I am in a Super Center in my travels. Out of curiosity I'd really like to see what they carry.
Or maybe some of them will become hooked on soapmaking and start searching for more educational opportunities like we did.
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
Gripe, my mid back is sore. Should have used the back massager longer last night ;p
Its how new soapers are made!!
scrubadubdub
Active Member
IMO, MP does not stand up to CP. People will eventually notice the difference and understand how much better CP is for the skin. According to feedback from friends and family, they love my soap because it feels so much better on the skin.
Lin19687
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MP feels like rubber to me
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
For me it only gets this way if I overheat it or use a Michael's brand or something. ...
BattleGnome
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UPS.
Two packages were left open on my porch today. Our neighbor was sitting in her driveway all day and only saw the deliver driver come near the house. One package was sealed with that string/tamper proof tape while the other was a large envelope with the top slashed open. It’s almost guaranteed that whoever was looking for pills/meds. My husband filed a police report and the verdict of what can be done is “talk to the post office in case the packages were damaged in shipping.” It’s a bit too specific for the damage to have been random
Two packages were left open on my porch today. Our neighbor was sitting in her driveway all day and only saw the deliver driver come near the house. One package was sealed with that string/tamper proof tape while the other was a large envelope with the top slashed open. It’s almost guaranteed that whoever was looking for pills/meds. My husband filed a police report and the verdict of what can be done is “talk to the post office in case the packages were damaged in shipping.” It’s a bit too specific for the damage to have been random
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Tsk tsk. Still, I'm with Earlene... I wanna go check it out and see if it's a good source for me... kinda "good news; bad news", isn't it?
au contraire, mon petit chou... there are some VERY talented MP'ers amongst us. You and I just don't happen to be one of them.
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scrubadubdub
Active Member
I think there are many great MPers, I love the look of some creative MP soaps. But that is the extent of its usefulness to me. It just doesn’t make my skin feel good like CP soap. That seems to be the feedback I get when I make MP.Tsk tsk. Still, I'm with Earlene... I wanna go check it out and see if it's a good source for me... kinda "good news; bad news", isn't it?
au contraire, mon petit chou... there are some VERY talented MP'ers amongst us. You and I just don't happen to be one of them.
Like Lin said, it does sometimes feel like rubber. I bought some of the stuff from Michaels once and it was really ‘boingy’. Is that a word? Lol
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
I am not saying that MPers are bad, it is just how it feels to me. Like Scrub said, Boingy feeling. It's just different and to Me I don't like it. I;m also not a fan of Neutrogena soap either.
Gripe. Thunderstorms where here this morning as I woke up to get going to a FM today Guess I'm not going
Gripe. Thunderstorms where here this morning as I woke up to get going to a FM today
Guess I'm not going
Bummer, BattleGnome!
Were the contents removed or damaged? Did you also contact UPS?
So far, I feel pretty confident about deliveries to my home, but I still pay really close attention when I am expecting crucial, expensive, or fragile deliveries. I request update texts for all of them when at all possible. I discovered getting updates from FedEx is more complicated than I'd like, though. But UPS and USPS are good with the update texts. If I am at home, I receive the text upon delivery, which is nice because our doorbell had not worked for over a year and Hubby doesn't seem to feel a need to do something about it; not sure why.
BattleGnome
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My husband talked to the police and filed claims with UPS. Nothing was taken or damaged - for one package it was probably a quick check to see if they could pull anything out of the box quickly, the other package was cut open but thankfully was a $20 limit swap. I enjoyed the swap contents but unfortunately tea and yarn don’t have a high resale value.
We got a PO Box for future packages so hopefully this won’t happen again
We got a PO Box for future packages so hopefully this won’t happen again
That is so sad, BattleGnome! Too bad you have to resort to paying for a PO Box, but I certainly see the wisdom in that choice.
Another option I thought was pretty cool, but only available with Amazon, I think and only in large metropolitan areas, is Amazon delivery boxes, a lot like PO boxes, but not. Amazon has placed banks of lock boxes at various locations where they will deliver and text or email the customer the code to unlock the box (& give the box number) when the deliver has been placed in the box. I used it a couple of times in Texas when visiting my son and really liked it. My area is too small for something like that, but where my younger son lives, they're available at a variety of locations.
Another option I thought was pretty cool, but only available with Amazon, I think and only in large metropolitan areas, is Amazon delivery boxes, a lot like PO boxes, but not. Amazon has placed banks of lock boxes at various locations where they will deliver and text or email the customer the code to unlock the box (& give the box number) when the deliver has been placed in the box. I used it a couple of times in Texas when visiting my son and really liked it. My area is too small for something like that, but where my younger son lives, they're available at a variety of locations.
BattleGnome
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I’ve seen those before but unfortunately our area is much too small for something like that. I also don’t often order from amazon which would probably make it a moot point.
The PO Box is something we’ve discussed before at least. We get fairly harsh weather during the winter. Having the box would protect our packages if we order something sensitive out of season
The PO Box is something we’ve discussed before at least. We get fairly harsh weather during the winter. Having the box would protect our packages if we order something sensitive out of season
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
Gripe, Thunderstorms rolling through all day so that makes me distracted enough that I KNOW I can't soap
newlee
Well-Known Member
My gripe today. Why does it take soap so long to cure! I have created at least six different batches of soaps with six different recipes. I cannot tell the true effectiveness of the soaps until they all cure. I only started making soap 2 weeks ago.
My mind cannot fathom a 6 week cure let alone a year cure for Castile Soap. If anything this will teach me patience and who doesn't need more of that. In the meantime, I know there is much to learn and experience. But I'll keep on going to see what the end is going to be.
I only started making soap 2 weeks ago. My mind cannot fathom a 6 week cure let alone a year cure for Castile Soap. If anything this will teach me patience and who doesn't need more of that. In the meantime, I know there is much to learn and experience. But I'll keep on going to see what the end is going to be.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Yes, Grasshopper, the first rule of soap making is PATIENCE. After a few cures, it will be old hat and you will develop a rhythm that allows you to gleefully anticipate the result. (Well, maybe not "gleefully" haha)
Perfect! Whatever else, allow the soap to "do it's thing". It has much to teach you and you will learn throughout the process by observing and taking good notes for the next time.
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
Don't worry, I still am not patient waiting. I will start to test at a week if I just love the scent. But that is usually at the kitchen sink where I don't wash that often.
But then again I have been soaping a long while so I should know what to expect.
I don't have the patience to wait a year for a castle lol That would be my Gripe for the day
But then again I have been soaping a long while so I should know what to expect.
I don't have the patience to wait a year for a castle lol That would be my Gripe for the day
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