The Beginning

Last year around this time I was taking a soaping class at Nova Studio with Lori Nova herself learning all about soap. I came away from that 2-day intensive Soap Boot Camp armed with knowledge and a bunch of pages of information. I had already made one batch of soap before the class that hadn't turned out so well, mostly due to there being no electricity and my arm feeling like it was about to fall off after whisking soap for over an hour. I really had no clue about so many things at that time. After the class I went home, and although I didn't have any essential oils, I was so antsy to make that first batch of soap with my head filled with all this new information. I decided it would be plain with a little bit of cocoa powder as a top layer, with that being the only thing coloring and scenting it. I loved the way it turned out. It was simple and creamy and perfect for my kids during bath time. I was hooked. After that came a large order of essential oils and lots of time making soap while my kids were at school. I started stocking my racks and thinking, "Hmmm, what am I going to do with all this soap?" So I started giving it away to friends and family. They were my guinea pigs, whether they knew it or not. I asked for their feedback and their favorites and based on what they told me, I either kept the recipe for later use or got rid of it. Over that year, 2010, I kept experimenting and getting my recipes in check. Halfway through the year we moved to the city- Santa Rosa, ca to be exact. We bought a home close to good schools and took on the biggest only renovation we had ever done. Let's just say it was more than we expected. We slept in our backyard- in a tent- for two months. We got new bamboo floors, new paint, a new kitchen, and finally got to move in. This whole "project" kind of got me off the soapmaking job and into the hammering and ripping out job. Now that our house has all the major projects out of the way I am back to soapmaking.

I officially sent in my papers to sell merchandise and am able to sell my products. I got a website up and running and am now on the verge of "starting" this business, although the train has been going for a whole year already, it is officially official.

I am looking in to the Farmer's Market close to our house for Springtime and trying to figure out how to get my products out there.

So here it is- My beginning. I've been known as only "Mom" for the past nearly 7 years and it feels a bit weird to be working. The boys ask what I am doing and I tell them I am working and they say, "Oh". All they know is that this working bit is taking their playtime with mommy away, or at least making it shorter.

So there you have it, the beginning of Cloud 9 Bath & Body.