Monday, October 7, 2013

Super Soapers "October 2013, Featured Artist"!!

"Featured Artist" 
Hilary Goldman

Super Soapers: Tell us a little about yourself.

Hilary Goldman:
Bonjour! My name is Hilary and I live in Berkeley, California. I’ve lived in the bay area now for 29 years - YOWZAH. I came out here as a summer intern in computer science with IBM in 1983 – and was smitten with California! So with much luck and persuasion I managed to get hired on after graduation. During my time at IBM I met my husband (that’s what you do sometimes when you work at the same company ;+). After a decade at IBM I moved on to work for Charles Schwab for 15 years, and, at the same time completed a Masters Degree in business, at night. I really liked the integration and use of technology to streamline and solve business related problems. When not needing to solve problems (although I suppose that is a constant in life) – I enjoy bike riding and settling in with a good book, drinking coffee, big zinfandels, and time with friends and family. I’m a big "Francophile" and have traveled many times to France; avec mon mari avants enfants et maitenent avec mes jemeaux identique. Our kids (identical boys, age 11) attend a local French-American school in our city, and they have reached a level of fluency that surpasses us. I’m still stuck in the basic tenses of past, present, and future – but both my husband and I can slowly carry on a French conversation. In 2011 (I had already left my corporate life behind in 2009) – my husband’s company said he could leave for a one year non-paid sabbatical and a job upon return. So our family uprooted and jumped at the chance to live abroad. I closed A Slice of Delight and we took a life sabbatical – moving to Dakar, the capital of Senegal, West Africa (where French is spoken) to live for one year. You’d think it would have been France but, the compass directed us to a new contient. Our goal was to just immerse ourselves in the country, the language, the food, music, transportation, culture and the people. Our kids attended a French/Senegalese school and my husband and I both had volunteer projects. Me – teaching English to young Senegalese women, and my husband revamping a schools special "one lap top per child network". It was an exceptional experience and will always be, one life-altering event, that has grounded us in ways we never imagined. Since our return a year ago, I have re-opened A Slice of Delight, & resumed myself to making soap again.



SS: How did you get started in soapmaking?

HG: I’m kind of a crafty person and already enjoyed scrapbooking and card making. I took a soap crafting 101 class at The Nova Studio, taught by Lori Nova in Richmond, California in 2007 (an hour bike ride away from my house), and I had a lot of fun. I found myself then taking another one, taught by Soapylove, who was a guest instructor. One Soapylove class, always, leads to another. Top that with Soap Queen TV episodes, and all of a sudden I found myself delving into a new hobby.

Then in April of 2009, I took the opportunity to transition out of my high technology profession after 25 years, with much support from my husband, to "rest" and "rejuvenate". Frankly, I was just burnt out and needed a break! My company, with whom I still have high regards, was going through layoffs and I took a chance to put the message out there that I was ready and okay to leave.

My husband had done the same thing at one time in his corporate career, so I was confident that there would be an upside to the downtime. As a technical project manager I was accustomed to overseeing things with a plan in place. And now, for the first time, I was just going to "meander" a bit.

Not much time lapsed before the "resting" unleashed my creative juices to begin, nurture and grow "A Slice of Delight". So I atteded another Soapylove class, where I talked with Debbie about starting my online presence, and she so, firmly, and sweetly stated - “So, what are you waiting for”…and that was it - the transition from hobby to business began.


SS: Do you CP or MP, & why?

HG: I do MP mainly because that is the first class I took. And once I kept building on all the techniques that can be applied to melt and pour, the possibilities just seemed endless. Admitingly, I do enjoy the instant gratification, turnaround, of the melt and pour process.

SS: What inspires you most?

HG: When a person finds my soaps attractive, at a fair or online, and actually buys one (or more ;+}). It’s a tingly happy feeling. And even, more so, when you see them return – because they know exactly where your booth will be. Or, if online they write you a nice feedback that just, gushes, with oodles of lathery delight  

SS: Do you consider yourself an artist?

HG: I’ve never thought of myself that way directly, but I was referred to, at a craft fair once, as “The Picasso of Soap”, even if my favorite painter is Chagall.  I guess, when you start to cut and mold soap that is embedded inside of more soap, or you create patterns, circles, waves, or diagonals with molds, which I do, then yes, I guess it is artistry of another kind.


SS: How has soapmaking changed your life?

HG: One thing – it has introduced me to a whole new bath and body industry (of which I’ve barely scratched the surface to understand), and the opportunity to make personal connections that were, never, imaginable before taking on this new path. Running my own business has allowed me to exercise all kinds of other professional business skills that were hibernating. It’s refreshing to see some MBA nuggets of learning coming to the forefront. But perhaps the most important change was actually closing shop – letting it go for a year while in Senegal – staying focused on that magical year – and finding the confidence to know that I would preserve to get the momentum to start again. And here I am! 


SS: How would you describe your creative process?

HG: Good question. Cookies, Cakes, Target and Crate and Barrel. I’m not talking about "eating" or "shopping", but surfing online, perusing paper & online catalogs or popping into a brick and mortar store, & seeing how the merchandising and color palates are pulled together. Many times I buy fragrances from their description on the supplier’s websites. It’s always fun when the new scents arrive. I smell the fragrances and let them percolate. Sometimes the aroma makes a straight on “HELLO” with me and other times not right away. It takes some “relationship building” with the scent. Eventually I’ll see colors that tie me back to the fragrance, and somewhere, somehow, a design is born.


SS: What do you benefit the most from other artists in your craft?   

HG: The willingness to share and learn from other crafters who feel at ease in helping others. I’m very happy to have been invited into this group and recognizing the names of soap crafters who I have admired for so long. It’s nice to get help and guidance when I ask. 



 
SS: Now for a little bit of fun.
Most soap artists seem to be all about their FO's & EO's, which of course are an important part of soapmaking, & everyone knows that scent is the major trigger sensory known for people. If you could explain which, FO or EO, has triggered the biggest memory from childhood, or the most important time in your life, which would it be & why? (this is optional of course).

HG: I suppose at this point the FO that has the most meaning to me would be BB’s "Rise and Shine". It was one of the first fragrances I bought, and after taking in the notes of orange, apple, grapefruit, peach, strawberry, and loganberry, I came up with a design, and something triggered me to change the name to “Groovy Day”. I took the worst photos. My packaging needed help, and I barely understood Etsy, or even how to create a listing. BUT, I decided to post the soap. It was late at night, and I figured I’d solicit a friend to buy it, so I could see how a transaction worked. My approach on this is a throwback to my ‘software testing’ disciplines. Well, I woke up, and my soap listing was gone. Gone Gone. What? Then I see these 2 e-mails in my inbox. OMG! Someone actually bought my soap. Out of that transaction, I realized I did not charge enough for shipping, and forgot to setup taxes. And with ALL that learning, I got this for a feedback, "What a fun and happy soap! Thank you so much! I will for be back!!!!"  (it was and she did!) Of course it took some time before more soaps were sold, but from that day forward, it was my “Grooviest Day” ;+}

  



You can find more information about Hilary & her soaps by visiting the links below:
 
 A Slice of Delight -Hand Crafted Soaps - Lather Up and Treat Yourself!online shop - www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com
twitter - www.twitter.com/asliceofdelight
facebook - www.facebook.com/asliceofdelight
 
This interview was conducted & edited by Misty Raines Clapp, Super Soapers Creator & Admin.
You can contact Misty @:



Come Join Our Group:

Monday, September 2, 2013

Super Soapers "September 2013, Featured Artist"!!






"Featured Artist"

Tracie Blyther

Super Soapers: Tell us a little about yourself.
The Charming Frog:
The shop began in New England as a brick and mortar shop. We have continued on as a collective from the imagination of my sister, Jenny. She began as a creator of fine jewelry in stones and silver then incorporated soaps, perfumes, and lip balm.

Combined, we have many years of art under our belt and love to integrate colors and creativity into everything we do. We create our own molds and love the originality we place in every soap. We also purchase molds and try our best to craft new designs using them. From our experiences and places we have lived, this gives us the different perspectives we engage into our art. Currently we have converted a storage room into my shop at my home in Colorado Springs near Pikes Peak. Our inspiration comes from the beautiful scenery that Colorado offers us!!

As we move forward, we want to illustrate our passion of art into the products we offer. We will continue to make soaps that are artistic enough to show off in any art gallery! We are always incorporating more products and invite you to visit our shop! We welcome comments and suggestions from our customers and other shop owners! ~ Hugs, soaps, and smiles! ~The Charming Frog~

SS: How did you get started in soap making?
TCF: I started out drawing from a young age and added different types of mediums as the inspirations came to me. Creativity was encouraged by my mom and my sisters. Currently, I have begun to create the beautiful soaps you see within our shop with the encouragement from my family.
SS: Do you CP or MP, & why?
TCF: Right now my medium is melt and pour but I also make lip balms, bath bombs, salt and sugar scrubs, shaving soaps, and will be incorporating many other products. Eventually, I will add cold process into the mix.





SS: What inspires you most?
TCF: I have to say, as a part of a soaper’s group and with the communication of my customers, they both inspire me the most. Looking through pinterest, browsing through fashion magazines, and many other visual art, and other medias gets the creativity going as well.
SS: Do you consider yourself an artist?
TCF: At times I would like to think my creations are artistic. I do work with other mediums such as paint, mosaic, pyrography, ink, and clay board so I believe I am an artist at heart. My mother had much to do with encouraging us to be creative in everything we do growing up. 


SS: How has soapmaking changed your life?
TCF: Soapmaking has opened many doors and opportunities. After getting laid off from my day job, I was able to make time and become more creative. My sister was about to close her store but I wanted to continue her dream and kept the shop open. We are considered a collective and she still plans on doing more with the store in the future. I have been able to meet so many great people, learn new processes, learn new business tips, and dedicate myself in making the best soaps I know how. My hope is to open a B&M within the next two years.


SS: How would you describe your creative process?
TCF: Most soap makers know how to create the MP process but I carry it a couple steps beyond this by incorporating art into each piece. I try to create pieces unlike others I have seen. Originality and being unique are very important. I am not just in it for the money. The shop I have really means a lot to me and I love making others happy. I am so elated when I receive positive feedback and strive very hard to make sure everyone has a happy experience when purchasing with me.
SS: What do you benefit the most from other artists in your craft?
TCF: The biggest benefit I can think of is the “push” of keeping up with the many fantastic artists out there! I love learning so many tips and tricks; it inspires my creativity and encourages me to work that much harder 8)





SS: Now for a little bit of fun.
Most soap artists seem to be all about their FO's & EO's, which of course are an important part of soapmaking, & everyone knows that scent is the major trigger sensory known for people. If you could explain which, FO or EO, has triggered the biggest memory from childhood, or the most important time in your life, which would it be & why? (this is optional of course).
TCF: There are two that stand out the most for me…one is falling leaves scent that brings back so many wonderful memories of my youth in New England. I was born and raised there and would love the smell of fall…I miss that so much! The other would be cinnamon, oatmeal, and maple syrup. As a child, I can remember going over to my great grandmother’s house and she would always, without fail, have oatmeal with cinnamon, topped with maple syrup waiting for us when we would arrive. She was our Nana; I missed those days!


You can find more information on The Charming Grog soaps by visiting their Facebook page.

Their soaps are available through their Etsy shop. 
 
 
This interview was conducted & edited by Misty Raines Clapp, Super Soapers Creator & Admin.
You can contact Misty @:
thesupersoapersgroup@gmail.com



Come Join Our Group:






Monday, April 1, 2013

Super Soapers April 2013 "Featured Artist"!!

 
 
Featured Artist
Giustiniano Francioso
 

This month we bring you one of the FEW male soapers in Super Soapers Facebook Group, Giustiniano Francioso. Giustiniano joined us recently & has shared with us some amazing soaps, & now we are featuring him so he can share his creations with everyone else.
 
Super Soapers: Tell us a little about yourself.
Giustiniano Francioso: Hi everybody! I’m from Italy. I live in a seaside town, in the south of Italy. I studied in a city in the north of the country, Turin, where I had a bachelor's degree in Economics. After this period in Turin I came back to my hometown. I am the oldest of three brothers with whom I have a good relationship with. Currently I’m a business consultant and I deal mainly with personnel management.
 
 
SS: How did you get started in soapmaking?
GF: As things often happen in life, I stumbled into the art of soap making while searching YouTube & coming across a video of a man making handmade soap. It intrigued me; I was really amazed that the union between an oil and a caustic solution could generate a soap, the subject of one of the daily rituals of us all. So I began to learn more about the subject: I read books, studied, seen a lot of videos, then (with so much fear) I made my first experiment. I still remember the day, It was October 8, 2012. Since then I have not stopped.
 
SS: Do you CP or MP, & why?
GF: I CP, never tried MP or HP. I like to think of chemistry (saponification process) that can give wonderful results. I like to create soap. The art of the melt something ready is not for me!
 
 
SS: What inspires you most?
GF: I borrow a lot from the color of my cats collection and the nature that surrounds me. Then I love to contemplate the creations of all soapmakers. By anyone there is always the possibility of getting inspiration.
SS: Do you consider yourself an artist?
GF: Absolutely not. I consider myself a beginner, and every time I am amazed with my results. And this brings me to fall in love more and more to this beautiful art. I hope one day (before dying) that others may consider me an artist.
 
 
SS: How has soapmaking changed your life?
GF: It has changed a lot. Surely the art of soap has changed my life: 1) now I read all the labels of soaps to understand the ingredients, thing that I did not do before; 2) I got close to a natural lifestyle by buying second nature; 3) I made a lot of friends on the web; 4) I have found a passion for the art of soap making.
SS: How would you describe your creative process?
GF: There are different stimuli that lead me to create a soap, for example it can be a scent that leads me to imagine how it can be a soap in color and form, or it can be the final utility of the same soap (a soap suitable for certain types of skin with different characteristics) or simply looking at the work of other soapmakers I get inspiration to play something like that.
 
 
 
SS: What do you benefit the most from other artists in your craft?
GF: I think that the greatest benefit is to be able to share and compare experiences with other people. To belong to a group as Super Soapers gives you the ability to do this. Comparison with others enriches you to improve yourself. I think the most important thing as far as my experience in soapmaking is the encounter with others just because you fail to address arguments on questions or problems we had during the production of soap to prevent their occurrence.
 
 
 
SS: Now for a little bit of fun.
Most soap artists seem to be all about their FO's & EO's, which of course are an important part of soapmaking, & everyone knows that scent is the major trigger sensory known for people. If you could explain which, FO or EO, has triggered the biggest memory from childhood, or the most important time in your life, which would it be & why? (this is optional of course).
GF: It is true, all soapmakers think to FO and EO just because anyone who takes a soap in hand  brings it immediately to their nose to smell it. The scent is memory! The scent I prefer above all is lavender, I associate it to my childhood when I visited my grandmother: she always had a bag of dried lavender to scent drawers and closets. Also this perfume gives me the idea of fresh and clean. My first soap was lavender scented.
 
 
 
You can find more information on Giustiniano Francioso & his soaps by visiting his Facebook page.
 
 
This interview was conducted & edited by Misty Raines Clapp, Super Soapers Creator & Admin.
You can contact Misty @:
thesupersoapersgroup@gmail.com



Come Join Our Group:









Monday, March 4, 2013

Super Soapers March 2013 "Featured Artist"!!

 Featured Artist
Alicia J Morales
of
Clean by ali, llc
 
 
 
 Now that we are into March, & Spring is right around the corner, with much anticipated warm weather, we bring to you this month's "Featured Artist" Alicia J. Morales of Clean by ali, llc. This mother of three, and grandmother of two brings to us her story of how a school science project turned into a passion, & dreaming of one day sinking her toes into some warm sand at her beach side bungalow.
 
 


 Super Soapers: Tell us a little about yourself.

Alicia Morales:  Hi everyone!  I was born in Biloxi, MS.  I have lived all of my school aged years on the Mississippi gulf coast, graduated high school, and joined the Naval Reserves.  I met my husband of 23 years while in Naval 'A" school.  We have 3 children and 2 grandchildren.  I earned my Bachelors degree in Accounting, and a Masters degree in Business Administration.  I have been an accountant for public and private industries for 20 years.  My focus for the last 12 years has been payroll for a local citrus company.  This is what I fondly call my "day" job.  I live in The City Beautiful, Orlando, Florida, and from time to time, during the summer months, I dream of snowy days to keep cool.

 
SS: How did you get started in soapmaking?

AM:  My journey into soap making began as a complete and last minute surprise.  My middle daughter had a high school science experiment, in which she was required, to make liquid soap.  I was at a complete loss!  So, google and I became super great friends.  After much research, we headed off to the store and purchased all the supplies we needed.  It took 2 attempts, but we finally got it right.  I was so proud!  While doing the research for liquid soap, I became fascinated with the bar soap methods of soap making. So, I swore to myself that if she ended up with a good grade on her project, I would set off to attempt bars of soap.  She received an A!  So my journey began and has not stopped since.  I had so much soap in the beginning that I was giving it away to family and friends.  They loved it, so I have stuck with it.  I hope to take over the world, one bar of soap at a time!

 

SS: Do you CP or MP, & why?

AM:  I CP.  I love the science behind it really.  I think it is pretty amazing that you can throw all those oils together and end up with a beautiful bar of soap!  I mean, when you think of all that oil - cooking oil - why would you want to bathe with it?  I have to admit that I never read labels on soap bars.  I was a shower gel girl.  When there was a sale at my local bath store, I stocked up.  Once I really got into soap making, I found out that most of that soap is NOT soap.  I had a bout of psoriasis for a while - gone long before my journey began.  However, I think about the fact that I could have probably helped it with my own soap rather than giving myself a shot each month.  Needless to say, since beginning making my own soap, my local bath store has seen a decline in sales.  LOL.

 

SS: What inspires you most?

AM:  Other soap makers inspire the heck out of me!  I love chatting with other artists about their process and adventures.  I cannot get enough of looking at soap 'porn'!  I never realized there was such a large community of soap makers.  Nor did I ever realize the magnitude of the different types of soap!  I can literally spend all day surfing Facebook and the internet, in general, just looking at it.  I like to see what types of scents they are blending, and their interpretation of what that scent "looks" like.  What colors did they use to channel the scent, and design, of what they see?  Although this can be a competitive industry, everyone I have come across or chatted with are extremely kind and helpful.  That inspires me to be that way with others who are new to the process.  Everyone can use a helping hand at times, so I try to pay forward the help that has been given to me.

 

SS: Do you consider yourself an artist?

AM:  Well, I am a little partial, so I am going to say, yes.  LOL.  I think that is because I am such an analytical thinker.  I always wanted to be an artist, and I have always loved the "artist" communities.  They tend to see the world in a different way than the rest of us.  So the first time I was described as a soap artisan, I latched on!  My husband and I have always had a running joke about my "artistic" side.  You could say it basically did not exist.  However, since my soap making began, we cannot really use that joke any longer.  That seems to be the one and only place that I am actually creative in, an artistic sense.

 

SS: How has soapmaking changed your life?
 
AM:  It has opened me up to so many new friends and collegues.  I have met so many new people.  I stay busy most of the time these days.  Most of all, I have learned to deal with failure in a very healthy way.  Not all of my soap batches turn out as a masterpiece.  There are periodic failures and "what the heck happened here" batches.  I never really dealt well with failure.  I mean, who does, really?   However now, I brush it off and move on.  We are our worst critics.  Most of all, soap making has given me a true outlet to spend time in a world all of my own at times.  And honestly, we all need that.

 

SS: How would you describe your creative process?

AM:  Hectic!  Most times I see a design I want in my mind.  A lot of times, it does not work out that way when I have the finished product.  However, I am usually happy with how it ends up.  I try to match colors with scent, and how I picture the scent looking.  I try and think about what I would "see" if I were blind.  Could I smell it and automatically know that lavender essential oil or fragrance oil would be a beautiful shade of purple?  Or would the Energy fragrance oil be a hippie tie-dye bar?  I do not want to make a bar of fresh snow and color it blue or pink - neither one of those colors would scream "snow".  LOL.  I try to be very organized and have everything ready to mix at a moments notice.  Sadly, I have forgotten things from time to time.  Between my mother and myself, we are always cleaning!  She is a neat freak, so she is always behind me picking up my messes.  That helps out tremendously!  I hate cleaning in general, so the less I have to do, the more I can focus. 

 

SS: What do you benefit the most from other artists in your craft?

AM:  I think I benefit most from hearing about others experiences.  Whether it be from using a particular scent, purchasing supplies, shipping product, or just complete disasters they have had - it helps me know that I am not alone.  I like knowing there are others out there with the same thoughts or issues.  In the beginning, it was hard.  Hard not really having a group of people to turn to when I needed the help.  So to have the Super Soaper group of such talented artists - well, that is the bees knees!

 

SS: Now for a little bit of fun.
 
Most soap artists seem to be all about their FO's & EO's, which of course are an important part of soap making, & everyone knows that scent is the major trigger sensory known for people. If you could explain which, FO or EO, has triggered the biggest memory from childhood, or the most important time in your life, which would it be & why? (this is optional of course).

AM:  Well, like most of the previous featured artists, that is a hard question to answer!  However, I think my favorite so far has been the tropical vacation fragrance oil.  I am a tropical climate, beach girl!  I grew up on the beach, and then moved to Florida to be close to the ocean air.  Although I am not yet as close as I would like to be, I am bugging my husband about selling our house when my youngest goes to college and getting a beachside bungalow!  So that FO just reminds me of everything I always envisioned as the way I wanted to live my life - laid back, free, swinging in a hammock with a great book, and sipping a tropical drink out of a coconut!  Does it get any better than that?  I don't think so!  I have always been fascinated with the beach and the atmosphere surrounding it.  When you go to the beach, all your worries wash away.  Appropriate yes?  Why not capture that in a bar of soap?






You can find more information on Alicia J. Morales and her soaps at -
Facebook: Clean by ali, llc
Etsy Shop: Clean by ali, llc


Website










This interview was conducted & edited by Misty Raines Clapp, Super Soapers Creator & Admin.
You can contact Misty @:



Come Join Our Group: