National Bath Month!

Did you know that January is National Bath Month?

Being that this is a soapmaking business and all, I want to encourage all the bath taking I can so in honor of January, you can get 15% off all bath products at http://www.bubblycreations.com/

Just use coupon code BATHMONTH to get your discount!

House of cards

When I was a tiny bubble, my sister, cousins, and I would play cards all summer long. They beat my pants off every time, but I learned how to lose graciously AND eventually got much better at cards.
Except poker. I don't own a poker face.

I also learned to shuffle my deck and begin again. Sometimes, that's what life is all about.

Are you on my mailing list yet? It's a fun place to be! email me at gina.bubblycreations@gmail.com. No Shenannegans. I promise.

Put it in a box

Today is Boxing Day, a holiday generally celebrated in Canada, but I would really like to see it catch on in the good ole USA.
Truly, our neighbors to the North have something going here. The day after Christmas, they box up all the crap they don't need fromthe year before and donate it. I've been doing this all year, but I think, in honor of this occasion, I'll make a special effort to clear a little clutter.

What are you boxing up?

Oh. Now there's a holiday to celebrate

Hello folks!
Today is National Chocolate day. If you are on my mailing list, there's a possibility of goodies in the mail! Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe there's a box of See's candy under the tree.

I prefer dark chocolate, how about you?

A Festivus for the Rest of Us!

Happy Festivus, all. I would love to hear your Festivus Miracles! I will be spending this holiday with my family, which means that one of us will have to challange my mom to a feat of stregnth and lemme tell you, that lady is scrappy! I think I will make sure I have something else to do.

And now, More Yarn!

I forgot to mention, that I have posted a whole bunch (but not all) of my handspun yarn up on the BC site for your purchasing pleasure. It's piling up and I would MUCH rather see you all knitting with it than see it get dusty. Excellent prices too.

Oh boy, I sure do love some spinning.

Where can you find Bubbly Creations Soap?

A coworker just asked me where she can pick up some Bubbly Creations Soap. There are several ways.

1. My website (http://www.bubblycreations.com/) if you live in Washoe County, enter coupon code WASHOE and I'll deliver for FREEEEE. In fact, I'll even deliver right up to December 21. Any later than that and I will be unable to deliver unless you are a family member or live near my mom since I will be on the flatfoot express at that point. And yes, they are quite flat.

2. Out of my purse. If you want to skip the website and like to pay cash, shoot me an email (gina.bubblycreations@gmail.com) and we can play "buy it out of my trunk" for cash or checks. This is another local only option, but I can meet you for covert soap sales.

3. Epilog Books in Quincy, CA. That's right. there's an independant (and pretty rad) bookstore in Quincy (a little town tucked in the Sierras) bookstore carrying my soap on consignment. I like it there.

4. SOMETIMES I am at local craft fairs (too disorganized to do it but once this year) and during the Summer, I am at the South Reno Farmer's Market at the Grove.

How did I miss???

That it's CUPCAKE DAY??? I love cupcakes. They are the perfect size to get your cakey fix. What's better? Ice Cream Cake!!

And I learned that from 4 till 7 today at Marble Slab Ice Cream you can get an ICE CREAM CUPCAKE!!

Holy perfect. I know a girl who (if she doesn't forget) is totally getting one after work.

Happy Letter Writing Day!

Who knew that there was a day specifically for writing letters? There's something about the fading art of the personal handwritten letter. I think I will send one today. How about you?

Because you mean that much to me

I work in sales. Not just selling soap (SOMEDAY!!) but in my regular job. I'm not a sales person, but I do support thier efforts and in the process, I am learning a LOT about sales and am adding to my knowlage of customer service.

I believe that it is important to spoil your customers a little. To find little ways to make them smile. YOU are important and you should know that I am willing to go above and beyond to keep you around and smiling. Of course, I hope that you will buy some soap, but if not, I still love you.

Would you like to help me treat you right? email me your address and I will put you on my mailing list. I can be reached at gina.bubblycreations@gmail.com. I have a lot of fun planned for this year and want you to be a part of it!

I promise not to sell your names. Pinky swear! Without the spit though, this is a CLEAN blog.

EEK! The Holidays!

As always, they snuck up on me. Always, always, always.

So many things I want to do, so many things I want to make and offer for your holiday purchasing enjoyment.

While I still work, date, have a life. Hee Hee. Date.

BUT, I'm getting better organized. There are 4 batches curing, one is new for the holidays and will be available at the craft fair I am attending on the 3rd.

For which I am missing the Annual Sparks Christmas Parade. I had to make the choice and for once, I chose business over Roller Derby. it was hard, and I have a feeling that it is going to happen more. But this is my dream and sometimes, you have to make sacrifices.

Derby can have my next Saturday

Did I say speed bumps? I meant speedwalls

Remember how a couple of months ago I was super excited about my new purpleberry craftweel and then it didn't talk to my laptop?

They started talking. But my paper wouldn't feed. My new, expensive toy have been boxed up to send back for two months now.

Sigh. At least though, Craftwell is willing to try and fix it. I just have to get the darn thing to New York.

Short break and... Back to it!

The Farmer's Market is oer for the season and I took a couple of days to recoup. I think I'm ready top be all fired up about the holiday season!

I have some really great ideas for stocking stuffers and such so keep an eye out at http://www.bubblycreations.com/!

The worst kind of correspondence

I had to send the worst kind of email today.

I took on a project that I thought I would be able to do a couple of months ago. Then, life went crazy.

I should expect my life to go crazy after all these years, but I don't. I think that if I plan things correctly, they will remain as planned. This is not the case. This is something I would really like to change.

The project was fairly simple, but, as time tends to do when you are busy, it went by far to quickly and before I knew it, my deadline was here and I still had not finished.

Today, I had to send the "I'm an A-Hole" letter.

There is nothing I can do to change what has happend, and in a small town such as the one I live in, this is a fantastic way to create a very bad reputation for yourself.

At this point, all I can do is apologize, return the materials, and take the butt chewing she is likely to give. She has been more than patient and understanding.

I know better than to take on more than I can handle and yet I consistantly do it, placing myself in the situation where I let myself and my customers down. This causes undue stress on both ends. I don't like to make promises I can't keep, and I don't like to disappoint people.

Remind me the next time I try to take on a side job that it's not a good idea. My cups already runnith over and when I add to that, I tend to end up all wet.

The rest of the story:
She's a saint. She has someone else who can make them and will contact that person. She offered to compensate me for my time but I refused, as her understanding is enough for me. Oy. That doesn't change that I shouldn't take on side jobs... I should concentrate on the jobs I have! Speaking of... ahem.

Forehead Slap

I think, probably, my best soap conversation starter has got to be my license plate. I'm proud of myself for snagging "SoapGrl" when I had the chance, because, well, people ask about it. A lot. I have made a few sales from explaining that it means that I make and sell soap. (not that I like soap operas as is also occasionally assumed)

Yesterday, I was at the gas station when the fellow in the car in front of me asked, "So, do you make soap?"

To which I explained that I did and that I own a small business. He seemed interested in it, although he did follow up with the second most frequently asked question I get which was, "Like in Fight Club?"

No. Eew. Why in the world would I make soap out of human fat? I'd have to render that stuff. And pull out all the capillaries and other such detritus that feeds the fat in our bodies. (seriously. look it up.)

Nope. Vegetarian soap for me. Then all I have to deal with is a greasy ice cream scoop.

So, gas station dude. Interested in my soap. A lightbulb went off. I SHOULD GIVE HIM A BUSINESS CARD!!!!

I didn't have any. None. Not one. Not even a Reno Roller Girls one that he could use to find me somehow.

Fudge.

You know I mean a different 4 letter word that starts with "F", but this is a "G" rated blog and I try to keep it clean for business.

I know better. I know WAY WAY better.

another lost sale. I have GOT to get better at this...

Full speed ahead! *speedbump*

About a month ago I decided that I needed one of these

http://www.craftwellusa.com/cutters

I got the purpleberry one. I have been seriously missing the cutter I had at my last job and was able to justify the purchase by telling myself I could make my own banners and some for the Roller Girls as well. Plus I am plotting other things AND I want to make labels for the soap and all sorts of neat awesomeness. In my head.

The machine arrived, and was all pretty but I was super busy so it tool me like, a week to take it out of the box. then I downloaded thefree software it came with but it's not Mac compatible so I had to put it on the laptop. WHICH meant that I could play with my toy anywhere!

Since I wanted to hve plenty of room for laying out some banner material I cleared off my workbench in the garage. I even painted it. AND I unpacked the imprinter.

The cutter and the laptop don't communicate. I think they need couples counseling. Or I need to try harder. OR I need to fork out the bucks for the OTHER software that I found which IS Mac compatible. Then I will be able to SEE the graphics I am creating. (YAY) The laptop is really small. But the  Mac is in the house. Dangit.

Speedbumps. This too shall pass.

Review and a giveaway!

I have started sending off (if started counts that I have done it once) samples of my soap for review! Lemme tell you, it's kind of scary. My first review is in and it's a good one!

AND there is a giveaway going on. I highly recommend you go check it out for the opportunity to win a WHOLE BAR of Bubbly Creations soap. There's also a coupon code in there. Awesome.

G


http://davisdailydose.blogspot.com/2011/07/bubbly-creations-soap-review-giveaway.html

Busy busy!

I have been a busy girl with all that I do, but business great and things are moving along!

If you follow me on facebook, you have seen a few of the new product pictures I have taken. You can also look at the website for these. The new camera is awesome and someday I hope I can finish taking pictures of everything so I can have my dining room table back. So I can pile it full of crap again.

Seriously. If I didn't occasionally use it for it's intended purpose, I would find it a new home. I think that about my coffee table too.

I've been attending the South Reno Farmer's Market every Sunday and lemme tell you, I'm having a BLAST! And I'm selling soap. No complaints there!

I love Farmers Markets because I get to meet my customers and I really believe that I can sell my product way better than a picture or a description. I have had one repeat from last year and several who remembered me, which is very flattering because I don't think of myself as being a memorable person.

It also gives me the opportunity to collect stories. I sit with my spinning wheel and spin while I am there and people never fail to stop and talk to me about how I bring back happy memories of their grandmothers or great grandmothers doing the same thing. They tell me how the spinning wheels in their families have become cherished heirlooms. And children. The children are always drawn to it. Then I get to teach them about where their clothes come from and I feel like I have accomplished something other than yarn.

All in all, it's very positive and every week I leave feeling (exhausted!) accomplished. Am I a millionaire yet? hardly. but this year, my goal is to break even or make a small profit. Not a big goal, but I believe in starting slowly and not expecting miracles. I am surrounded by them anyway.

Solving the Technical difficulties

If you have known me at all over the last several years since my website went down the second time, you know that finding a new option was very difficult. I tried Etsy, the only option I knew at that point, but was put off by the listing and relisting fees.

When a good sale day is $20, those fees can quickly eat away any profit I can make. I also found it very hard to be found there.

After many initial mishaps, losing my email address, and ending up with no web presence at all, my friend over at Polkadot Bandit suggested Artfire.

Artfire allows you to have a limited studio for free. Free. I love that word. But, they also offer the option of paying for the service. I did my calculations. At $10 a month, I would be coming in just slightly over the cost I would have paid to host my site through a private party. I have no idea what it was going to cost to have the site actually built. (It was to be a gift. Long story.) And I would have had to call the webmaster every time I wanted to list or change something. AND for the price he was offering, he wasn't sure if he would be able to build in the things that I wanted to be able to offer. And then he wasn't available to work on my stuff so he suggested I set up temporarily over at Etsy. (forehead slap) Don't get me wrong, he's a good guy. And a new baby is always a good excuse to be out of time in my book.

With Artfire, I get all those things I wanted.

Coupon Codes.
Easy updating.
Pictures
Access to my prior orders
Access to my customer Database

But wait there's more!
I also get access to the Forums, where I can communicate with other small handmade businesses. The information here is SO VALUABLE! And sometimes, I get to peek into the lives of other makers. And that is always awesome.
AND I just learned that you can add items from my shop to your Amazon Wishlist (Holy crap that's fantastic!!) just by clicking the button
I get listed on Search Engines with Search Engine Optimization
I can quickly see how people are linking in...

In other words, I am happy. My Webmaster directed my web address to my artfire account so if you go to http://www.bubblycreations.com/ you get a real live website that looks as decent as I know how to make it and maybe, just maybe, you buy a bar of soap or five.

One technical difficulty down, a couple left to go.

If you are a maker, I highly suggest you check it out. If you click on my link, we both get freebies. I love freebies. Someday soon, I'll be offering a few of my own...

Become an ArtFire Pro with this link and get your 3rd month free!

Intuit GoPayment and such

I know it's an old story over here. Blah Blah Blah, technical difficulties, blah blah blah, crap, such and such went down.

Well I have news. The only think that isn't working right now is the bubble phone. And I am confident that a (nother) trip to the AT&T store will fix that little problem.

Today, my cradlepoint arrived and I am thrilled to say it's working GREAT!! I'm currently playing on the Mac AND the ipod and I'm sure if I could type with my butt, I'd be on the laptop too. But I can't. And I really wouldn't want to.

I was approved for my GoPayment account so I can now accept credit cards on the go. I am, to say the least, thrilled.

If you follow me on Facebook, you will know I have been busy taking photos.

My applications for the Farmer's market are in the email.

I love when things start to fall into place.

Wooo!!!

It's amazing how a little step forward or an attempt to step forward can thrill and excite me.

Today I applied for a credit card swiper that will attach to my ipod touch. It's not just for playing Cut the Rope anymore, folks.

I am hoping that this will assist me in getting sales during the Farmers Market this year. I will also have to get an adapter that makes my Cricket Modem a wifi hotspot.

Amazing what technology can do. I remember when they had the carbon swipers at the grocery store. And how fun I thought it would be to be a checker. And how cool the automatic change makers were. They still are. I love those things.

It's possible that intuit will decide that I'm not worth the terminal. I hope not. But for now, I will be excited that I am trying to improve my services.

I upgraded the computer the other day too. Now I can get a new printer.

I bought a new camera too. I can't WAIT to play with it. Pictures to come. And better product photos too.

The way I choose to see it

It seems as though every time I want to move forward, something blocks my way. Right now I am figuring out how to handle the following issues:

I need a new camera. Mine is several years old and no longer taking pictures like it used to.
I need a new printer. Mine is several years old and doesn't print like it used to.
I need a computer upgrade. Mine is several years old and has never been upgraded. So now programs (and printers!!!) don't run on it.
The bubble phone died.
I need new business cards, labels, sample packaging. But I need a new printer in order for them to look nice. And I may be getting a new number if AT&T can't fix the phone.
My sewing machine is still wonky.

Are we sensing a trend? As I left my day job last night I mentioned to my coworker that I was going to go get a printer. That sometimes it feels like every time I turn around I have a new technological issue and that I can't tell if it's the universe telling me to throw in my hat, or if it's just giving me challenges to rise to.

I am choosing to believe number two.

Technological Madness - Gremlin Edition

I think that it has been more than proven over the last several years that I have a bad case of the Gremlins.

Tech Gremlins.

They started by crashing the server where my website was originally hosted, causing mine, and Randy's various sites to go down. So Randy got himself his own server. Sadly, my site was never the same as I lack the know how to make it look like what was in my head and the money to buy a template. BUT, at least I had an @bubblycreations email address. Then this blog, then twitter. Then facebook. And now, a website that I can update easily which is hosted on Artfire. Phew!

But no sooner did I have that website up and running but my email went down. And I lost all the awesomeness that I had stored in there. Again. Right in the middle of negotioations with a potential custom paper company who porbably thinks I have flaked out compeltely. Not so. I just lost his number. After waiting awhile for the envyds site to start working again, I decided to go the ghetto route and use gmail. I can now be found at gina.bubblycreations@gmail.com.

The Gremlins have struck again. They went mobile and the sim card on the bubble phone went bad. It doesn't ring often but maybe it would if it worked. Sigh. That phone number is everywhere. I'm going to see if the AT&T store can fix it, and if not, I'm going to research pay as you go options so that I'm only paying for actual use of the phone, and so that I can have a text plan (I love to twitter by text!!). I'm already going to buy Captain Caveman out of the contract so he doesn't have to deal with it anymore.

I suppose I could have more complicated problems, so I am thankful that they are fairly minor. It's just difficult, in this tech savy mobile, internet driven society to maintain an active presence when the gremlins keep sneaking in.

Utilitarian Soap

In comparison with other soap comapnies, mine is a little "Plain Jane" Colors range from white to dark greenish brown. They are rectangular. Hardly something to be compared with a delicately sculpted bright pink, flowery confection. But unlike flowers, I can build mini stonehenge with mine.

There is a reason for this. I want you to use my soap.

I firmly believe in my product. I use what I make, and I make it to be used. While I wouldn't laugh at you for desplaying the pretty packaging (coming soon!) for a little while, what I really want you to do is to take it into the shower and rub it all over.

Because it's soap and it will clean your body. It smells good and is a little bit scrubby.

It would make me sad to come over to your house and see you saving the soap I made for a special occasion. Or displaying it for your guests to see (covered in dust).  It would bring me great joy to see my soap sitting in your shower, half used and eagerly awaiting your next bath.

I make it to be used. Feeling Dirty?

Research into online soap sales

Whew!
I have been busy. Not just life busy, but when I am able, soap busy.

Sadly, this time I'm not busy creating, I am busy researching!

So much to learn, so little time. I thought that if I finally had a website I wasn't afraid to hand over to people (which I did once, but it died) then I would sell, sell, sell! No so. It turns out that I need to wiggle my butt into the online world of soaping as well as just have a site available.

And, I need to find my nitch. I know that I have a wonderful product. There are a few things holding me back and I know that only I have the key to changing them.

• I don't like to give out my business cards. I know, it's silly. and really dumb.
• I still haven't put my stickers on my car. WTF? That, right there, is a 10 to 50 mile per day advertising opportunity and I don't even have to pay for it!
• I have samples promised, and never sent. Once again, a, I trying to undermine myself?

The list goes on. I am determined though. Does someone have some time I can have?

Who am I?

I frequently check the interviews on Etsy and Artfire about the people who are successfully running a craft based business from home. The ones that have made the leap and are doing what I would like to be doing.

It's scary. It's intimidating. It's ok.

THOSE people have travelled the world and lived in interesting places. (I rarely left California before I moved to Nevada) They have supportive husbands (if there's one of those hiding in my house, I have yet to find him). They started building the eiffel tower out of toothpicks when they were two. They have college degrees in design and art and live in seattle where they grow all their own organic veggies for the winter...

Well, they just aren't me.

If I were the discouragable type, I would feel discouraged. At two, I was busy chewing up the upholstery in my mom's car (see? I had a love of fabrics even then!) I was going to be an astronaut! (I'm still a little spacey...) I was going to be a scientist (all those chemistry sets. See? I liked experimenting with chemicals!) I was making happy faces with my food.

The point is, that sometimes I feel like I am nothing like those successful people busy making their dreams come true. I don't grow organic veggies, hell, I throw seeds in the garden box and try to remember to water. Sometimes my dog pees on people. How can I even compare?

I can't. Like everything I do, I have to do it my way. It might take me longer to get there, but I am enjoying the journey. And BC is not my life. Just like I stopped making Roller Derby my life because when it becomes all consuming, it's easy to forget to hang out with people and go outside to smell the flowers. I would like to continue to be a recovering workaholic. No desire to relapse.

I can be successful in my own way on my own time frame.

Can't I just send it to you?

This world of online sales is hard. HARD. So much to remember. So cold and difficult to reach out to a customer. They have to come to me, not because they saw my store when they were out and they were intrigued, but because they saw my ad and it caught their eye on some website i may never have even heard about.

I have to worry about banners and websites and referrals. Blogging and tweeting and posting everywhere just to get my name out there and THEN, maybe they might consider buying if I have good enough PICTURES and descriptions. I have to learn to network with other crafty sorts and plaster my information all over the web in hopes that someone will follow the link. I get more referrals from chickie's blog (http://www.skitteringthoughts.com/) than anywhere else!

The descriptions are ok. They could be better, but I take pride in my writing and while I'm sure I could use some tweaking, I've never questioned my ability to describe well. I rewrite my descriptions frequently.

I am not a photographer. I try. I have a lot to learn. Sometimes, I come out with something passable but overall? My pictures look like crap. I have been reading up on product photography and have been trying to follow the suggestions. I bought a photo tent. I set up a little vinette.

Sadly, I don't have the patience to take a hundred pictures. Then go through them and pick out the best ones. Then adjust them in photoshop. I just want to make soap. With limited resources, this is not really an option. I HAVE to do everything because right now, I can't afford to pay someone else to do it!

Being a sole proprietor is so much more than just being able to make something. And I have to adapt to that  in ways I never expected when I started Bubbly Creations. The marketing world has changed completely since I made my first bar. Sure, I am still going to get my best sales from farmers markets and craft shows; it is there that my customers can meet me, the soul behind the soap. They can pick up and smell and chat with me about what they want in a specialty bar of soap. Or just chat with me.

We live in an online world. I may like the security of catalogs and stamps, samples in the mail and little warm fuzzies every so often. But the truth is that most of us (myself included) do the bulk of our shopping online when we should be working. And with twitter, facebook, and all the various options out there in the cyber world, we have more opportunity to get in front of a large audience than I ever could with my little catalog.

Over the next year, I would really like to find a balance between the two. Start generating sales from my website while developing a personal relationship with the people who buy my product. I just don't think that a thank you note in the box is enough. I want to be able to talk and communicate. To reach out and touch every so often. I know that is what blogging and tweeting is all about, and I am trying to use Facebook as a tool more often. I also know that the Secret Crafters project will help, especially when we start sending out samples.  The world wide web just seems so cold sometimes. And although I can talk all I want here or on twitter, I can't say that I am being heard above all the other buzz.

Hmm. Stand up. Stand out. Be heard.

All I have to do is figure out how.

My first Artfire Collection!

Mismatched Misfits

Curated By: kindredimages

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

GRR!

I'm having trouble with my email again. Sigh. The fellow who has been helping me with webby stuff just had a baby so I hesitate to mention it. So. I will be using gina.bubblycreations@gmail.com for a bit till I figure out why the site hosting my email has been down for maintenance for the past month...

A whole new world

I remember the first item I ever posted to the world wide web for sale. It was a key box that I had purchased from Ikea with the intent of painting it and selling it on ebay, an online marketplace I had recently heard of where you could sell stuff you make and really, anything else.

I was simple in my painting, I took a picture, edited it with some photo editing software I had, (I removed the back ground, which was my messy desk and put it against a black background instead) and posted it.

It looked... Like the door from Twilight Zone. No wonder it didn't sell. There went my brilliant idea of making my fortune selling hand painted key cabinets. I wish I still had the picture so I could show you.

Point is, in thinking and photography skill, I haven't come much further. If you build it, they won't just come, you have to go out and find them. You have to entice them and schmooze them. Selling online isn't like selling at a craft fair where people look, they like, they buy. Or so I am learning.

As I learn more about what I will have to do to be successful as a soapmaker (or any other craft) I am realizing that it takes more than just having a webs site and some pictures. And holy crap, my pictures still suck! But I have looked at them over the years and they are improving. A little bit.

I have so far to go. So many things that need to learn.

It's SO EXCITING!!

So much exciting stuff!

Its been a good month for Bubbly Creations. If you follow me on twitter and facebook (if you don't, you should) you know that since last post I have been super busy restocking and redesigning and having an overall good time with my craft.

It's exciting.