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Post by tracey on Jul 5, 2017 13:30:36 GMT
Maybe it's the high amount of 'moisturisers' in the Dove that delayed felting a bit? Great that the cheapo bars worked well! It makes a more profitable felted soap doesn't it? Yes you may be right there Lyn. The cheaper soap is a better shape, it looks like you are getting more for your money! See picture, the Dove soap is the reddish one, the rest are the cheaper but still sweet smelling soap.
www.dropbox.com/s/qy2z7ctpqqkj2gm/20170705_141748.jpg?dl=0
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Post by lyn on Jul 5, 2017 17:20:08 GMT
Certainly does look as if you're getting more soap for your money! I like your colour blends.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jul 5, 2017 22:34:00 GMT
Lavender scented soap sell the best for sure. I am luck to get Yardley lavender very cheap.
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Post by zed on Jul 6, 2017 10:30:37 GMT
They look nice, Tracey!
The cheap ones I get are Johnson's baby Honey ones, 4 for about £1. Living in an area where organic/natural/vegan things are high considerations, I thought that option was a fairly safe one!
It smells nice too.
Asda used to do about 4 for 60p if you want really cheap! I always liked the 'Buttermilk' soaps you'd get at school or public loos.
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Post by lyn on Jul 6, 2017 10:47:55 GMT
I didn't know about the Johnson ones - sounds lovely and would be a good selling point.
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Post by Pandagirl on Jul 6, 2017 17:00:21 GMT
I've used the Yardley and they work well. Unfortunately, I've learned I'm allergic to fragrance and can't use them or make any more. :-(
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Post by halay on Jul 7, 2017 12:58:58 GMT
Today I couldn't resist and bought a large bar of French soap from Provance, quite expensive (250 gr = 9 oz) and decided to cut it in half to make two felted soaps. I used a sharp and thin knife, but while cutting through, on half way it started crumbling. One side was OK but the other piece ended up all uneven and with lots of bits and pieces. To save it I wrapped the coap in a piece of medicinal cotton gauze and filled the pieces where they were missing. I wrapped the soap in wool, put it in a nylon stocking and started felting. I used coarse carded wool with some silk embellishments. I'm glad my soaps turned out fine. You cannot tel which piece was damaged.
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Post by tracey on Jul 7, 2017 13:40:39 GMT
I am busy making more soaps and up to now I have only covered them in Merino. Yesterday I added silk hankie to the outer. When I was felting I noticed the water had tinged a little blue. I put it outside on a piece of kitchen towel to dry in the hot weather. When I picked it up I saw small blue spots of the hankie dye on the towel. I decided that all though the effect was lovely, these are to sell and this could happen with a disgruntled customer when it is wetted again, so I cut it off and will maybe try a different embellishment as Nada did.
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Post by halay on Jul 7, 2017 14:46:11 GMT
Tracey, I wouldn't worry about colour. It will soon be washed out. If you want to be completely sure, you can soak your soap again and see if it still bleeds colour.
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Post by tracey on Jul 7, 2017 18:35:30 GMT
Oh ok, thanks Nada. It did look good with the hankie on it.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jul 9, 2017 2:12:31 GMT
It may only be the one hanky. you could soak them to get the excess dye out first. I use silk hankies all the time.
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Post by tracey on Jul 9, 2017 5:36:52 GMT
That's a great idea Ann, I will definitely do that, thanks. Our forum members coming to the rescue once again! Here's a question.....One day village craft fair, pre Christmas, 14 stalls, good footfall (about 200 last year they reckoned), good advertising - how many soaps would you take? ?
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Post by lyn on Jul 9, 2017 7:51:50 GMT
How many can you make?
If you have the soaps at the front of your stall and advertise them as being great for Christmas gifts/stocking fillers, then they should sell well and perhaps encourage customers to hang around and look at the rest of your stuff.
You only need put out a basket/box full then keep replenishing from a stock behind your table.
Maybe you could put a little note in your basket about other colours being available - then you could show your entire stock by request.
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Post by tracey on Jul 9, 2017 8:04:37 GMT
I can make and make Lyn, I just need to know when to stop!
I thought of putting them in a nice open picnic basket maybe with a sign saying Soapy Stocking Fillers, and yes I hope to have to replenish them. I like the note regarding other colours, thanks.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jul 9, 2017 10:55:24 GMT
Tracy I make as many as I can stand making for christmas time. They do sell best when ther is a bunch of them. The last lonly one is harder to sell. The nice thing about them is you can just keep the ones that don't sell and you have them for your next show. They sell all year. and ther is always a chance a store will ask to get some to sell. That is how I startd selling at the musium store. Make sure you are priced so that if store took a cut( upto 40%) you would still be happy.
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