Friday, July 31, 2009

Truly Touched By You

I want to thank all of you who took the time (and courage, I know for some of you) to come out of your comfortable place and tell me what you want from this blog. From me. I was beyond blown away by the things that were said. I have to admit to you I wasn't really prepared for the emotions that surfaced. Perhaps I am a bit more emotional at this point in my life, or this time of the month or this time of the year or whatever... I've put more of myself into this blog than I realized... Maybe I need this more than I care to admit to and that actually seeing that people are really reading this blog kind of stuns me even though google analytics tells me so. Those analytics are numbers... Comments are real. And so were the heart felt emails I received from people that were inspiring, life changing, incredible stories they shared with me that I am so honored to have been even part of their soap and life journeys that they are on. It brings me more joy than you know.

So as a part of my life is pivoting so is my blog and I am pleased to have you with me as we move together and I don't feel alone doing this. I absolutely love this and as long as I do, I will keep doing it so no worries about me stopping. Really, the point of me asking was to make sure I was touching the wants and needs of all of you.

Soap Porn
I think I hear you. We definitely need to keep the soap dope going. Porn is a good thing. We all love to look at the pretty soaps people are making and I love to gather it for hours every time and share it with you so it works out really well that it's my job.

check!

Reviews. Yes. It has been very rare lately and I will tell you why. For a long time I was getting loads of soap to test and review and it was going great. I was doing reviews all the time. Remember those days? Well. Life became busy, work, life, you know...reviews slowed down and so did deliveries of soap. Then I received a number of soap packages that I couldn't review. Didn't like the soap. This really stinks when this happens because I really do not want to make anyone sad and tell them I couldn't use their soap or review it. My policy is that if I don't like it, I won't review it. Period. I just won't bash soaps and their soap makers. Unfortunately, during the move into the new soap shop I lost 2 or 3 small soap packages and now no one knows whose soaps were lost or if theirs were rejected by me. Typically, I have an organized list and a soap cabinet where I have things labeled but when we moved the list went missing as well. My memory is like a sieve so all I can do is fess up right now and tell you that if you sent me soap and I have not reviewed it, please don't just assume I hated it. Get in touch with me, pleeeeease.

We will work it out.

So reviews will be back up very soon. That being said, I do need soap to review if you want your soap to be reviewed, this may be a good time. I will be taking a vacation from this Florida place for one week starting on Monday August 3rd and returning on August 10th. After the 10th I can receive soaps at my shop.

I need to start fresh.

Techniques and Tutorials
These are all thanks to guest bloggers which I try to get periodically because we need flavor over here. FLAVA! We all need to learn new things, teach new things, try new things. We have so many talented people among us, we have to dip into the vat of goodness, dont you think?

So, thank you to all of the tutorial makers of the past, and I urge any of you who would like to create tutorials for the future for The Soap Bar. It is good for all of us. Think about it, then get in touch with me.

I keep telling you: I don't bite.


Contests
Contests and Give-Aways... I haven't had those in awhile, it's true. I had some good ones, though, didn't I? My favorite one was the cereal challenge. :P Did you play that? It was more fun putting it together than playing scrabble. My kids had too much fun trying to stump you all with picking the cereals, too. I guess with postage going up and business costs increasing I just got cheap. Lame, I know. I will spice it up and do one soon. I'll try to think of something fun while I am on my road trip relaxing and unwinding....

  • Business Tips, balancing home/work. Great topic. I hadn't thought about that. Should really talk about that. Didn't think anyone would be interested in me rambling, really. Just SOAP SOAP SOAP.
  • My hair? OK, I will post a picture of me soon. Not crazy about my hair right now.
  • oil properties: I can list those.... list more resources and guides...
I have a lot to do here with you. For you. But I think I have been going in the right direction and I am so glad that you have spoken your mind. I urge you to continue to comment and tell me what you'd like and what you want to share, whether it be your experiences, thoughts, pjhotos or soaps.

This is not just my blog. To me, you are my community. You.

And thanks for making me cry.

***

9 comments:

Jan said...

Hi Jo,
I just wanted to say I also think your blog is just wonderful, I'm a soap maker from Australia and I've been wanting to send you one of my soaps for review for quite a long time.

Now that I've seen you're looking to do some more I think I'll get the courage up and send you one.

Keep up the wonderful work, you are fantastic at it.
Regards,
Jan

FuturePrimitive Soap Co. said...

Hi Jo
A really inspiring post..have to make some soap now. And I have been meaning to send you some soap to trial, so will do that when I have made my last organic batch. just got to think up my scent. make it. cure it. send it.
love you! haha

Susan said...

Hiya, Jo..

I think my soaps were one of your first reviews back in the early days, and I reckon you've made many a soaper's day when they've seen their work take pride of place here. You've come a long way... both with ProductBody, and with TheSoapBar. I read avidly, but I am one of those techyphobes. I'm looking at the little radio buttons as I'm writing this and it's like... run away now girl!

You've got a great feel coming through this blog. The content is always worth the read, the soap pics are great, and your personality shines. Just keep it coming...

Kim said...

I didn't comment on your last post because everyone else pretty much covered what I would have said. I did have one thought and wanted to leave a suggestion here: although I can understand your not wanting to post a poor review of someone's soap, why not communicate with them privately to offer a critique and suggestions? (Perhaps you do that already, but it didn't sound that way from your most recent post) That's the best way to improve, with honest feedback, though I agree, nobody wants to get an F or a D in front of the whole class ;-) Just a suggestion...I do love your blog and want to thank you for all the great information and inspiration!

kat said...

Been so far behind lately and did not get a chance to think much let alone comment on your last post. I agree with the porn and the reviews and would be really interested to hear much more detail about running your business, balancing business with personal... it helps me to imagine a future like that for myself. Sorry for the late comment - on the follow up post... just lagging lately.

Cindy said...

Love your blog, love your products and think you are pretty awesome.

xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

Need a tissue? Or a box of tissues? ;)

Erin Napier said...

You have been nominated for a "One Lovely Blog" award. Check out details on my blog here:
http://innerearthsoaps.blogspot.com/2009/08/one-lovely-blog-award.html

beachbubbles said...

I am a soaper who burned herself out and went on hiatus for 2 yrs. I recently got the soap bug again, promptly ordered lye and went in search of soap sites to drool over to tide me over. I adore your blog! I have read all the way back to April 2008 and every page has made me less and less patient for my lye to get here. I ordered from 6 sellers you reviewed (including you of course ;)) so I have some wonderful things to satisfy me until I can play with my own soap. Super job on the blog!