Weekly Feature and Giveaway: Allegheny Hearth Soaps {Closed}

This week's giveaway is from Allegheny Hearth Soaps

Bonnie of Artfire's Allegheny Hearth Soaps has been making soap since 1979 - 31 years. She is a self taught artisan and takes advantage of every opportunity to learn all aspects of soap making. She reads books, attends classes and conferences. She also belongs to organizations dedicated to the advancement of the craft and regularly exchanges ideas with other soap makers. Bonnie is always looking to learn and always willing to pass on the things she has learned.

Bonnie lives in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania atop a hill on five wooded acres. Her inspiration comes from the abundance of nature around her - the trees, flowers, her garden, and all their wonderful scents.

When Bonnie started out making soap she was limited to what her local grocery store sold. Now, thanks to the advent of the internet, Bonnie is able to purchase the finest ingredients. Her cold process soaps are fragrant with shea, mango and cocoa butters; coconut, palm, avocado oils and more, and these scents extend to the powders, balms, salts and other bath and body products in her shop.

While you are looking around Bonnie's shop, take advantage of her special offer - $1 off your purchase with coupon code BonnieBuck. Also, to keep up with Bonnie you can visit her on facebook.

This week, one lucky winner will receive a Set of 3 Gemstone Glycerin Soaps from SoapSmith.

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For a chance to win this week's giveaway:

Mandatory: Visit SoapSmith, come back to this blog post (not facebook) and post your favorite item and email address in the comments section of this post.

Additional chances to win (leave a separate comment with your email address for each entry):

1) Tweet the giveaway and post a link to your tweet in the comments below - 1 extra entry (once daily)

You may tweet the following: Win a set of 3 #handmade gemstone glycerin soaps @ http://bit.ly/dq6zD9 ~ US contestants only. ~ @NMGiveaway #artfire #giveaway

2) Blog about the giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below - 1 extra entry

3) Add one of my ad buttons (left hand sidebar) to your blog or website and post a link to your site in the comments - 1 extra entry

4) Join Nature Manipulated's mailing list (by doing this you agree to receive a monthly newsletter from NM)- 1 extra entry

5) Follow my blog publicly via Friend Connect - 1 extra entry

6) Purchase an item from the featured shop and post a link to the item you purchased (transaction link) - 5 extra entries

ENTRIES WITHOUT CONTACT INFORMATION WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY. (Email address, Etsy username and Artfire username accepted. If your Blogger profile links to your email or shop, that is acceptable too. Leave contact info for each entry. Tip: When leaving your email do not use the @ and . symbols, instead spell out AT and DOT.)

Entries for this giveaway will be accepted through Sunday, April 4, 2010, 11:59pm Eastern Time. I will notify the winner via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond before I choose a new winner.

This giveaway is open to U.S. contestants only.

Thanks for participating in this week's giveaway. Be sure to stop by every Monday for another great giveaway.

Read Nature Manipulated's giveaway disclaimer.

Meatless "Chicken Scratch" - Vegan Bath and Body

This feature is LONG overdue (and long, but worth reading). It's been in my hands for quite some time and somehow I have not gotten around to posting it until now. Sorry, Beth!

Chicken Scratch has been one of my favorite shops for awhile, with many of owner, Beth's items in my favorites. Chicken Scratch is full of handmade vegan bath and body product: massage candles, scrubs and bath bombs that look good enough to eat - even if you are a carnivore!

Now, before I get hungry looking at Beth's Cranberry Fig Soy Candle and Gingerbread Bath Bomb, here's a little bit more on her and her shop:

NM: How long have you been making candles and bath and body products for? Which did you start out with first?
BM: I've been creating bath & body products for about two years. I started with melt & pour soap, but wanted to branch out and get a little more involved in my products. I experimented and gave a few gift baskets to friends at work. Soon I had enough people demanding candles and bath bombs that I opened shop on Etsy.

NM: How did you begin making these items? What attracted you to them?
BM: My sister and I had fooled around with homemade cosmetics when we were teenagers - you know, mayonnaise hair conditioners and such. I've always been a DIYer because we could never afford many luxuries. After I became a vegetarian in my twenties, I began reading product labels and becoming concerned with what I was putting in and on my body. I realized I could concoct many products myself and have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what went into them. Now I try to keep all the ingredients of my products familiar and pronounceable - as well as vegan, of course!

NM: What differentiates your handmade products from others in the same category?
BM: I focus on vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, and madly research everything I include in my products. I also like the idea of creating "spa luxuries", little things to spoil yourself when you need a pick-me-up. Over the next year I'll be expanding my product line to include massage oils, facial scrubs and masques, and hair treatments.

NM: Your shop states your items are vegan. What materials are generally used in bath and body or candle products that are not vegan?
BM: I only use soy wax in my candles, instead of beeswax or petroleum-based waxes. Soy burns cleaner and longer than beeswax. Even the wicks are cotton fiber dipped in soy wax - I have to get them from a separate supplier. I also don't use lanolin, which is derived from sheep's wool, or other more obvious products like honey or milk powder. Sometimes the preservatives used come from questionable sources or contain parabens. I only use optiphen or essential oils like rosemary and grapefruit seed.

NM: Do you have any items for sensitive skin? Dry skin?
BM: I can make any of my products unscented or color-free, and will make substitutions in case of allergies. My body butters are wonderful for dry skin - they contain shea butter and cocoa butter, as well as avocado oil. My candles are great moisturizers, too - I light one during my bath and then smooth down my legs with the warm oil afterwards.

NM: How long do your candles last?
BM: My candles are good for about two full body rubs, head to toe. You can get several back massages out of them. If you're only burning them (which is just half the fun), they last about 25 hours.

NM: What inspires your mixtures/scents?
BM: I live steps away from a huge park, and everything in Southern California blooms year round. As I walk to work in the afternoons, I breathe in the eucalyptus, plumeria, magnolia and jasmine. I want to capture all these smells and send a little California sunshine around the world. It's hard not to get inspired.

NM: Do you have anything special for the holidays?
BM: I listed Gingerbread Men fizzing bath bombs and a Fresh Cut Spruce massage candle. I expanded my listings so that all scents are available in all products (although you can always request a custom order). I also have a big package of new scents at my place - including a Frankincense & Myrrh blend, Turkish Mocha and Snickerdoodle.

NM: Are your items available anywhere other than Etsy and Artfire?
BM: I have cold process soaps on sale at the Old Globe Theatre gift shop in San Diego - so if you're in the area, stop on by!

NM: Where/how do you promote your shop?
BM: I'm a member of the EtsyVeg team and do a lot of group promoting with them on blogs. I'm on twitter - chknscratch - and always notify my followers of new items or sales, and offer twitter exclusive promos. My facebook fan page is facebook.com/chickenscratchbathandbody.

NM: Do you sell your items at craft fairs? If so, what advice can you offer artists considering their first fair?
BM: I haven't ventured into the strange new world of craft fairs yet.

NM: What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
BM: I love my Eucalyptus Lemongrass massage candle because it was my first product created and listed. The scent is bright and happy, and an instant hit with my customers and friends. I rub out my poor arthritic knees when they ache, or a little on my chest when I feel congested.

NM: Do you belong to any groups on Etsy, Artfire or elsewhere? Tell us a little bit about them.
BM: I belong to EtsyVeg, a group of sellers who are vegetarian or vegan and sell vegetarian goods. Check out our blog - etsyveg.blogspot.com. It's a wonderful, supportive and creative group of people. I feel like I have friends all over the world - and besides helping me with business advice, we talk about everything: families, vegetarian recipes, politics.... I'm so lucky to have found this group.

NM: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
BM: I love a challenge, so bring it on! I'll customize any product to your liking, or create something unique just for you. I also welcome wholesale or bulk inquires.


Business Details

Your Name: Beth Merriman

Shop Name: Chicken Scratch Bath & Body

Location: San Diego, California, USA

Website URL: chickenscratchbathandbody.com

Etsy URL: chickscratch.etsy.com

Artfire URL: chickenscratch.artfire.com

Twitter: twitter.com/chknscratch

Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/chickenscratchbathandbody

An Order of Shea from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen

Several months ago, I stumbled upon the Web site byhand.me and noticed that Rebecca of Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen was one of the most active participants on it. Shortly after that, I noticed her on Etsy and Artfire as well. You know how that happens? You notice something for the first time and then it keeps popping up afterwards; you wonder how come you never noticed it earlier. Anyway, I ventured into Rebecca's Etsy shop and was taken aback by the yummy sounding soaps - Lemon and Poppyseed, Coconut and Lime, Nanny's Pumpkin Pie. They're almost good enough to eat! Rebecca's sales weren't too shabby either - over 2000. Totally intrigued by her shop and her frequent participation on multiple handmade venues, I wanted to know more about Rebecca.

NM: How long have you been making soaps?
RD: Since 2001. I started out making glycerin melt and pour soap but quickly fell in love with cold process soapmaking once I got over my fear of lye.

NM: How did you begin soap making? What attracted you to it?
RD: I've always had extra sensitive skin and discovering handmade soaps after college was like a blessing to me. After months of buying soaps from other soapmakers I took the plunge into making my own starting with extensive online and book research. I still buy from other soapmakers time and again though. No one makes exactly the same soap and it's fun to experiment especially if you're as big of an addict as I am.

NM: Do you make soap full time?
RD: I did up until recently. I've been way laid by some health issues recently and have cut back to try to get myself mentally and physically in order. I'm very lucky to have a supportive husband and the ability to take time off as needed. However, that being said, I have a large amount of soaps back stocked to get me through the holiday season if needed. I work hard when I can because I know there will be days or even weeks I can't get anything accomplished.

NM: What differentiates your handmade soap from others?
RD: The recipe. Every soapmaker has their own recipe or recipes they use. I have two basic recipes - one that's good on all skin types and another that's formulated specifically for drier skin types. My soaps are also designed to have a nice, rich lather and work well not only as body bars, but as facial soaps and shampoo bars as well. I also heavily scent all of my soaps so the smell lasts from shower to shower without fading.

NM: Since joining Etsy in 2005, you have sold over 2000 items. You also have more than 200 sales on Artfire. How do you attract people to your shop? Where/how do you promote your shop?
RD: It's all about marketing. I joined Etsy as a buyer while it was still in beta and originally sold some art and m&p soaps there just for fun. I didn't get serious about selling on Etsy until January 2008. That year makes up the bulk of all my sales because I was able to market constantly. I actually wrote an article about my experience as a "newbie" to selling online and have it posted here. I've also found giveaways effective.

NM: Are your items available anywhere other than Etsy and Artfire?
RD: I offer my products in several local shops - Shades of Color and Calhoun & Kipp in Roanoke, VA; Poked You Too in Daleville, VA; and my mother-in-law is opening a new brick and mortar in Zanesville, OH soon and will be carrying my soaps there as well. I gave a brief go at selling at 1000 Markets, and even sold some things there, but didn't have the time to juggle multiple shops nor 1000 Markets' markets.

NM: What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
RD: My Raspberry and Vanilla Soap is my favorite. It smells fantastic and it's great on my dry skin. (We have especially hard water where I live which doesn't help.)

NM: Do you sell your items at craft fairs? If so, what advice can you offer artists considering their first fair?
RD: I sold for about 4 years at the local Roanoke City Market which is similar to a farmer's market but it allows crafts as well. Recently I pulled out of the Market to focus on other things in my life including my mental health after recently being diagnosed as bipolar... and that's on top of having agoraphobia. So I'm searching to take a new direction now and working on improving my quality of life. In lieu of selling in person, I have placed my products into shops, sell online and I have some wonderful people who are taking my products to shows and fairs for me to sell there for a percentage of the sale. First timers should always take business cards. Even if no one buys that day, that business card can bring them back to your online site down the road. Be cheerful and maintain a positive attitude even if sales are bad. Your time isn't being wasted because as long as you are there you are getting free up close and personal advertising.

NM: Do you have a blog? If so, please tell us a little bit about it.
RD: I actually have two blogs. Soap Deli News is my blog for my shop, Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen. You'll find lots of fun craft and soaping projects there as well as all of my new updates to my line, contests, etc. My other blog is Shop ByHand. Shop ByHand is a handmade shopping blog dedicated to products handcrafted by indie artists. Discover fun, new handmade products and unique gift ideas by independent artists, along with artist features and artist interviews.

NM: What is your affiliation with byhand.me? Can you tell us a little bit about the site?
RD: My husband, Adam, built ByHand to give back to the handmade community. I try to manage it but lately have been struggling with it. We've considered selling, but want to keep it a free and open community and not become divided by venues, etc. Right now I'm looking for ways to make "maintaining" the site easier on me and trying to rile up Adam's attention to it once again. Perhaps someone can think of a cool coding project for him?!

NM: Do you belong to any groups on Etsy, Artfire or elsewhere?
RD: I do, but they're not worth mentioning as I'm not active due to lack of sheer time.

NM: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
RD: You can shop through Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen on Artfire through 12/25/09 and receive free shipping to the US or Canada when you spend just $30 or more. Use coupon code: FREESHIP at checkout.

Business Details
Your Name: Rebecca D. Dillon
Shop Name: Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen
Location: Roanoke, VA
Artfire Shop: soapdeli.artfire.com
Etsy Shop: soapdeli.etsy.com
Blog URL: www.soapdelinews.com and www.shopbyhandblog.com
Twitter: twitter.com/soapdeli
Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/soapdeli
ByHand.me: soapdeli.byhand.me

I Smell Flowering Tree Botanicals and it Smells Good!

Have you ever walked into a room and been thrown back by the smell? Or have you ever followed a smell until you found where it was coming from? I have! I've even done it on Etsy. Yes, I've followed a smell on Etsy. How else would I have come across Flower Tree Botanicals? Flower Tree Botanicals', Etsy shop name layla, shop smells SO good. It is filled with wonderful dried flowers, fruits, nuts, teas, candles and more. You can smell it from a hundred shops away! I'm not the only one who think Flower Tree Botanicals is great. Layla has over 850 sales. I think other people may have found her too.

The best part of Flower Tree Botanicals is that Layla donate a healthy portion of every sale to charity. The charity of her choice is It's Meow or Never Animal Rescue & Sanctuary. You can visit them online at www.itsmeowornever.org

In awe of all the wonderful scents, I decided to ask Layla a few questions. This is what she said.

1. How would you describe your shop?
My shop sells herbs, spices, dried flowers and raw ingredients for many of the crafting needs of artisans and crafters. I also make many items myself using those same, high quality ingredients. It's an honor to provide goods to such talented individuals and a real treat to see how they use the items from my shop!

2. How long has your shop been around for?
I actively started Flowering Tree Botanicals in March of 2008 on Etsy and it's grown like wildfire!

3. How did you get into this line of work/hobby?
Interestingly enough, I'm in the IT industry and I was looking for a way to make a little "pocket money" but wanted to do it in a different way for some much needed work/life balance. I purchased a particular type of lavender buds for a craft project and fell in love with it's intoxicating scent and it became my first product. I now have over 430 and counting!

4. Do you do this full time?
I work full-time during the day and do this business nights and weekends. It's a dream to do this full-time and that's what keeps me pushing forward when it's midnight and I'm still packing orders!

5. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
I'm sentimentally very fond of my bulk lavender because it's my first product. A newer product I'm really excited about is the "Kylie Bomb" - a set of two big citrusy orange bath bombs I'm selling as a fundraiser for a wonderful little boy with cancer.

6. What are some of your favorite Etsy shops or items?
Lizzie Jane - My mom's shop
Creations by David - My Uncle's shop
Outrageous Shortbread Seriously, beyond delicious and really, really sweet husband/wife team
Blue Between - A local artist that makes the most fabulous beads in her home studio

7. You currently have 857 sales. How do you attract people to your shop? Where/how do you promote your shop?
I do blog just about daily and try to share tips and project ideas for using my products. I'm also pretty active on Facebook, join groups and talk about projects there. I also approach local businesses to carry my products. With today's economy, you'd be surprised at how many shops need new products in small quantities - they can no longer afford to place big orders from their normal suppliers. Seize this opportunity!

8. What advice can you offer other Etsy sellers to boost their sales?
The myth of "build a store and you'll make money" is just that - it takes work and LOTS of marketing - tell *everyone* you encounter about your products! And above all, be flexible but also be smart about your business. Try new things and try them daily. Don't get discouraged when you think you have a great idea and it doesn't pan out. Change it. Scrap it. But whatever you do, don't stop trying! I once tried to make a blend of bath salts and they turned out terribly. I dumped them into an old food processor and voila - one of the most wonderfully scented carpet powder/room deodorizers I have ever experienced! I sold every single bag at a craft fair and took orders for more.

9. Are your items available anywhere other than etsy?
I sell on Etsy, eBay, Artfire and Silk Fair. I sell everywhere I can find that makes good business sense. My favorite place to sell is at local craft fairs - I love having that face to face connection with my customers.

10. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell us a little bit about it.
I do! My blog started out as the blog for my freelance web design business but has morphed into a place where I share project ideas, recipes, fun tips, tricks and things I find in my internet travels. My favorite thing to do is feature someone who has used something from my shop to make something fantastic. If you fall into that category, let me know so I can feature you too!

Business Details

Business/Shop Name:
Flowering Tree Botanicals (Etsy username is Layla)

Name:
Layla Colegrove

Location:
Woodinville, Washington

Website URL:
www.floweringtreebotanicals.com

Etsy URL:
layla.etsy.com

Blog URL:
ladybugwebdesign.blogspot.com

Featured EtsyBlogger - Spotted Cow Soaps

This month's featured EtsyBlogger is Linda Wheelock of Spotted Cow Soaps. Like I did with last months featured EtsyBlogger, I decided to ask Linda a few questions about her shop, her craft and Etsy. Here it goes ...


1. How would you describe your shop?
The handcrafted soap shop that has something for everyone. Handcrafted in the Heart of Vermont ~ 100% pure & natural the way Mother Nature intended it to be! Your Skin Will Thank You!

2. How long have you been making soaps for?
I have been making soap for over 8 years.

3. How did you get into this line of work/hobby?
I was looking for unique gifts to make family, friends and teachers when I
happened across a soapmaking website. I spent several months researching
suppliers and lurking on various soapmaking forums before placing my first
order for supplies. The recipients were enthusiastic and eager to buy more
if I would continue making the soap.

4. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
Right now ~ Gingerbread Whipped Sugar Scrub. It is my favorite because it is yummy goodness for your skin. I'm a big lover of sugar scrubs but not a very big fan of the oily tub and skin that most leave behind. After a bit of experimenting, I developed this scrub that cleanses,
exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling fabulously silky smooth afterwards. The sugar is fine enough that the scrub could be used on your face.

5. What are some of your favorite Etsy shops or items?
This item is a hoot and I happen to have purchased one to give as a gift last spring. I see they have a nice gift set for Holiday gift giving this year - Veggie Folk Carrot
I love this shop - agoodwitchtoo She's a good Witchy, and I love her soap!
I am amazed at the artistic abilities, not to mention, patience of Lily aka Hot Lips from Tulips Treasure Box

6. You currently have 485 sales. How do you attract customers to your shop?
A lot of promoting both on and off Etsy. Promoting eats up a lot of hours every day. Aligning myself with groups both on and off Etsy has proved to be beneficial, as well as being active in the forums, chat rooms and virtual labs on Etsy. But it doesn't stop there...social networks are a great tool. Twitter...if you don't Twitter, you should. It is the single most important marketing tool one could use. It is helpful if you don't bombard your followers with sales pitches all the time...try to keep an even balance by tweeting non-sales related info to your followers.

7. What advice can you offer other Etsy sellers to boost their sales?
Don't give up. This is my second attempt at marketing my products. The first attempt was not very successful in terms of sales, but it was helpful in that I learned a lot about what doesn't work. If something isn't working, then stand back and reassess your approach. It helps to attact customers to your shop if there are different price points.

8. Are your items available anywhere other than etsy?
I've opened a shop on ShopHandmade.com and I'm an artisan listed on The Artisans Shoppe


Business Details:

Owner Name: Linda Wheelock

Business/Shop Name: Spotted Cow Soaps

Location: Vermont

Website URL: spottedcowsoaps.com (currently directed to Etsy Shop)

Etsy URL: spottedcowsoaps.etsy.com

Blog URL: spottedcowsoaps.blogspot.com


Hope you enjoyed the interview and check back for the next featured artist.

Erin & David of Crazy Times Candle & Bath Co. tell NM about their business

Crazy Times Candle & Bath Co. listed their first items on Etsy in January of 2008, and in nearly four months had 310 sales. Incredible! Shop owners, Erin and David must be doing something right! Maybe it's that Crazy Times is always participating in the forums, in BnRs, and other Etsy games. Maybe it's that their items are reasonably priced, ranging from $2.50-$40, or maybe it's that their items look too good to pass up. How can you turn down a cupcake for your body or a bunny for your boo boo?

After chatting a few times in the forums with Crazy Times, Nature Manipulated decided that their shop and pleasant manner warranted an interview. I decided to ask Erin and David a few questions about their business. Here is what they had to say...

1. How would you describe your shop/business?

We are a home based candle and bath & body business specializing in artisan candles and soaps, as well as all natural Spa Bath & Body items.

Our passion is to create the best possible quality products for our customers. We truly enjoy what we do and reflect that in our work to bring others the same joy.

2. How long have you been making soaps/candles/etc. for?

We started playing with wax in 2002. The testing process was quite long, but we had fun doing it and would not be satisfied without being able to make the best possible candle.

Our soaps and bath & body line followed a few years later in 2005, followed by our business becoming official in June of 2006.

3. How did get into this line of work/hobby?

Our love of candle making began in 2002 when we decided to attempt to make a great candle that burned evenly, cleanly, and was scented throughout.

The bath & body and soaps came a few years later as an expansion to our candles to offer diversity and a natural option for those who enjoy products free of chemicals as well as for those with sensitive skin.

Our bath & body products were developed to be gentle enough for the most sensitive skin. Many of our current customers say that our soaps are great for their eczema or psoriasis.

4. Where does your inspiration come from? What sorts of things inspire your work? (Examples)

We like to look at each of our candles and soaps as a work of art. Each one is slightly different and has its own look.

Our main inspiration was brought by dislike for poorly burning, weakly scented commercial candles. After we were satisfied with our candle making skills we focused on developing bath & body products and soaps for our sensitive skin.

5. What is your favorite piece? Why?

It is so tough to pick a favorite, but I think we would say we really enjoy making the chunk pillar candles because they are so interesting and require a few extra steps to make. Plus it’s always fun to get ready to take them out of the molds because before they come out their true beauty is still hidden inside of the aluminum mold.

We really enjoy making these chunk pillars in custom colors as well. That adds a little extra fun to our work.

6. What do you like to do when you are not crafting?

We enjoy spending time with our children, friends, and family.

Additionally, Erin has found a new hobby in crocheting and I enjoy working on computers with maintaining our websites and graphic designs.

When the weather gets a little better we love to camp as well.

7. Are your items available anywhere other than etsy?

We have had a website for two years now.

Also, we do quite a few craft shows in our area in the summer months and have several wholesale accounts in Wisconsin and Michigan.

We are always open to adding new wholesale accounts.

Our products have recently been featured on Wickedly Chic

Website URL: www.crazytimescandles.com

Etsy URL: crazytimescandles.etsy.com

Blog URL: crazytimescandles.blogspot.com

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/crazytimescandles

Myspace: www.myspace.com/crazytimescandlescrafts

Thank you so much Erin and David!

There is probably a lot of Etsians and business owners that can learn from Erin and David. I hope you post your questions for them in the comments.

Country Meadow ....... Special Offer

Nature Manipulated and Country Meadow have teamed up for the month of July to bring a special offer to our customers.

Starting July 1st Country Meadow will offer NM's customers 1 FREE bar of soap (their choice of soap) with any order over $20.00. In order to receive this free gift you must enter "Nature" in the coupon box during checkout.

This offer will expire July 31st.