RamsdenDesigns

New Stockists Page

I really miss my camera. Little C broke it and I need to get it fixed…and if it can’t be fixed I’ll just have to buy a new one. Cause life is no fun with pictures.

Nor is a blog either so here’s one for fun.

Cracks me up every time.

In other news I’ve added a Stockists page to my website. At the moment it only has two listings but so what…things are getting exciting.

And still from this post is this list of jobs needing to be done:

Finalise the core colours for my scents that will be representing them

Make up labels ready for the printers

Work out codes for each item for sale

Start catalogue for wholesale orders

Make up an order form for wholesale orders

Keep working on a whipped butter recipe (it must be perfect)

Congratulate self on awesome scrub and lip balm recipe

I’ve got about two and a half weeks till my next market and I’d like to have quite a few things made by then.

Day 68 - 70

Thirty days to go.

My blogging has slowed down…that's because my money has run out for a bit as I mentioned in this post Big B has put the brakes on it for just a little while, and so I’m not making as much right now. Just a couple more days to go and I’ll be in full swing again.

Today was supposed to be a triumphant day at the Mundaring markets but actually was not so. Mostly because I didn’t go. A raging headache for the last two days and sick family members made me think it was better to not subject myself or Little J to the rainy conditions, or expect Big B to look after a two year old while not feeling the best. The wonderful sunny conditions ALL day left me kicking myself that I just didn’t take the kids and go anyway.

Next time I won’t be such a sook.

I’m still excited about finishing my 100 days. I think about it constantly, what to make, how to package things, solutions to problems I have. The end product is beginning to take shape and it’s just a matter of pushing myself to finish those last pieces and get it all done. If i work at it now, and put my head down I’ll have it finished before the 100 days. That would be awesome because then I’ll know I can achieve whatever I put my mind to and will feel very confident about the future.

Monday:

1. Make 4 Solid Body Bars – 12 each
2. Fill in more market applications

Tuesday

1. Make two Delight Collection soaps: Monkey Farts and Vanilla/Cocoa

Wednesday

1. Work on Website: adding content

Thursday

1. Make 4 bath bombs – 24 each

Day 45 - 46

I’m enjoying more and more the process of regular blogging. Before I would always find an excuse to not blog; whatever happened wasn’t interesting enough, I’ll do it tomorrow or I’d just plain forget. Now I feel I have loads to write about. I even have little notes written down on my Windows Live Writer so I don’t forget that fabulous thought I had.

The first note for today was “I’m enjoying more and more the process of regular blogging”  :)

Yesterday I spent all day driving around with mum picking up supplies and checking out packaging options. Literally all day too, we left at 9am and got home at 4pm. To top it off we then had to go out at 4.40 for a bonfire at Little J’s school. Hanging around the school yard in the freezing cold while the kids sing…something…is not my idea of fun but I’d look like a crap parent if I wagged it.

And today's lesson is: always check your invoices. Today while checking my supplies list I noticed I’d been overcharged on my olive oil. About $30 overcharged. A quick phone call to the suppliers sorted it out but it fully cemented in my mind that double checking purchases is vital. It’s not the first time there’s been a mistake, just yesterday I realised I’d ordered the wrong liquid colour while checking my purchases at another supplier. Luckily those suppliers were really casual about it and just swapped it for the colour I actually wanted. Other times I’ve left the suppliers without part of the purchase and had to drive all the way back after realising my mistake.

Now I’m also checking prices too, to make sure it’s what I thought it’d be.

In far more exciting news, my banner arrived. If I could find my camera I’d take a picture of it. I also bought an OzTrail marquee and some fab aluminium tins that will be the packaging for my solid body bar.

I also joined Adwords. It’s been blah! I get one, sometimes two hits off it a day even though my ads showing up in thousands of searches. I don’t think Adwords will be working for me. I might try blog advertising, it’s a lot more expensive but it’d be worth a try to see how that goes.

Day 38

I’m either the most inspiring person in the world…or I just thought of doing it first, but more Perth crafters are taking up the 100 Days Action Plan.

Putting their own spin on it of course, cause lets face it I don’t own the idea.

The delightful Renee (who is THE most stylish woman I know) is doing a 60 Day Action Plan and Amanda (who must never sleep, how else does she get so much done) has divided her 100 days into 5 manageable lots.

And on my 100 days I spent a good part of the day finishing off my online shop. I’m just so close to uploading it onto the net, it’s getting exciting. All that needs doing now, as far as I can tell is putting in the stock and all the ‘About Us’ and ‘FAQ’ stuff. Then uploading onto the internet (which I don’t think is going to be as easy as I think it will be).

Online Website?

I just realised how stupid that statement is…

Online Website

As if a website could be anything but online!!! Better change that quick.

Day 34

I made a few adjustments to my website today. The old version was starting to annoy me so I gave it a quick revamp.

It’s only a single page but I like it. And it’s almost 100% CSS too…that's the geek in me. All proud of myself.

I also cut up the Baby Rose soap I poured a day or two ago. That soap was a bit of a gamble, I didn’t have the pink I wanted so coloured it a dusty rose and mixed red mica through the top half. It works great too, it looks to me like a modern, sexy rose scented soap and I think I’ll keep doing that one.

Left-over's…quite a lot too because I messed up a bit but it will all make great samples.

Day 29

Posting this quick. The thunderstorm is closing in and I want to shut the computer off before it gets here.

Today I:

• Apply to more markets - nope, didn't do that...will aim to do it tomorrow.
• Work on website - tick! It's coming along great too.
• Make up cool names for the Luxury and Economy soaps I have now - I did a couple but think this will have to be an ongoing process...cool names are not my speciality.
• Make up better names than Luxury and Economy too - tick! They are now called the Lavish and Delight Collections respectively.
• Make new batches of Peppercorn and Vanilla Luxury soap - half tick! I made up Energy and Vanilla Lavish soaps as I realised I didn't have enough peppercorn fragrance oil to make a batch.

And some pics of my soap making in progress.

The lye, water, silk and titanium dioxide mixed together. This is what it looks like before I pour it into the oil.

Part of my studio. A pot is sitting on a heater to melt the oils. Then I let the oils return to room temperature before mixing with the lye solution (which is also room temperature).

Day 25

I'm a quarter of the way through. Wow! But am I getting anywhere, or is it just fumbling in the dark?

To start I'll remind myself and you what I hoped to achieve during my 100 days:

By the end of the 100 days I aim to:

• Develop and have ready to sell to shops – 10 luxury soaps, 7 bath bombs, 7 bubble bars and a collection of economy priced soaps.
• Have web shops up and running and fully stocked.
• Create a professional looking market display.

So what have I accomplished?

• Products available for sale via my Etsy account (did that today).
• Web shop almost done.
• 8 Bath Bomb products designed and made.
• 5 Luxury soap products decided on: Chocolate Cake, Yuzu, Peppercorn, Strawberry and Champagne Salt bar and Cucumber and Melon Salt bar.
• 3 Economy soaps made.
• Soap cutting technique perfected (that sounds a bit silly, but beautifully cut soap is just perfection).
• Business cards designed and printed.
• Boxes for Luxury soaps ready for packaging (pics posted later).
• Blog redesigned.
• Palm free recipe perfected.
• Wholesale/Retail/Market prices decided on.

You know I think I'm doing pretty well. It's great to have the accountability of having something to blog about everyday and my readership has increased in the process. I've also enjoyed the constant working on my developing business, rather than doing a bit here or there.

Major projects still to finish over the next 75 days are:

• Create 5 more Luxury soaps (6 really, I'm not happy with the Chocolate Cake soap).
• Create 7 Bubble Bars.
• Finish web shop.
• Create a professional looking market display.
• Design packaging for all products.

Seeing what I've done has really helped with the motivation. My desire to succeed has been pretty strong anyway but reading about my accomplishments has sent it sky high. This is such an exciting journey for me and despite the occasional bump in the road (some self doubt and a injured shoulder) I have high expectations and a strong belief in my ability to succeed.

Day 23

Ah bath bombs! How sweet you smell.

How much mess you create.

Today I wandered over to Angus & Robertson bookstore and bought “The Truth About What Customers Want” by Michael Solomon. It’s all about giving customers what they want and keeping them happy which can only benefit everyone involved.

I guess the last sentence was redundant because the title just told you that!!

Almost finished the bath bombs. They dry rock hard too. I know because Little C lobbed one at my sewing machine today and it stayed intact.

I also spent time working on the website. I’m this close to putting the items in and launching.

Day 20 - 21

I made a wonderful Gingersnap Cookies soap and a ho-hum Coffee soap today. I love/fear the inconsistencies of my craft, one attempt results in a pretty and usable soap, another leaves me disappointed and feeling like I don’t know what I’m doing.

I also made a normal and salt soap that I’d mentioned before. It looks nice…the salt grains are too large though and I didn’t scent the top coloured layer. Without that scent the top layer smells plain and it isn’t as nice as I’d like. I also started a second version and failed to scent that top layer as well so I won’t finish it.

Here’s pic of the first try. Lopsided bar of soap too…they don’t all look like that.

Is that a luxury bar of soap? I don’t think so, it needs more work to improve it.

How much all of this is going to cost has been on my mind lately. I’m almost out of olive and coconut oil and have no more fragrance oils left for anymore big batches. Each batch doesn’t cost a lot to make but it’s important to buy in bulk to get the best deal. A few more markets are needed I think to bring in some more money.

I’m racked with self doubt that I won’t make it, that my 100 Day Action Plan will fail. That children and life and lack of money and my own inabilities as a soapmaker will get in the way. And that worst, my own insecurities will get in the way, that I won’t be satisfied with what I make.

Today I worked more on the website. The long difficult task of deciding on the written content has began. I’m a terrible writer, this is going to be a torturous assignment.