Custom orders….

What a busy month July was, SoapMuchLove went into business, moved into a new home, family was in town and our daughter Ella’s blessing was held at the end of the month. However, I am glad that I got the chance to make her blessing soap keepsakes. My soapy friend Debbie from Soapylove has a great book with lots of wonderful projects. Since I love dots and I have gotten these cute animal cutters, I chose her “Polka Dot Baby Shower Favors” project. I scented them with Bramble Berry Sleeping Angel FO. It is a relaxing and fresh aroma. I colored them in pink, green and yellow (BB liquid colorants too) to match her blessing theme. What do you think?
One of my dearest friends, who lives in Canada, ordered a custom order for her soon to be 5 year-old son. He LOVES pirates, so I was challenged to come up with two samples for her to choose from. I found it challenging to think what a little boy would like since everything in our house is pretty much pink. I wanted to make him something special that would light his eyes up, so  I ended up making a pirate skull, and a pirate eraser embedded in soap.
I am glad they decided to order 15 of each soap. I think the soaps will look adorable and will match perfect with his party theme  :D
I  had so much fun working on his B-day order as well as these other recent orders pictured below:
Frosted Rainbow Cake Soap (B-day party Flavor)	Ice Cream Soft Cone Soaps (wholesale order)
I am so excited, I cannot wait to hear how they like them!!!
Right now I am brainstorming with ideas for the bridal shower favors my dear friend  from Michigan requested, and a sample for a potential wholesale order!.
I am blessed to have a busy first month in business!.Happy soaping!Ada

Sugar Scrub Embedded Tutorial

Back in April I challenged myself participating in the Battenburg Cake contest hosted by my soapy friend Debbie at Soapylove. Even though I did not win, I felt like it was a personal victory for me.  I say this because it really challenged me and pushed my creative side and helped me to come up with a new soap technique that I have not seen before.  For those like me who have not heard of Battenburg Cake, here is the definition. Batterburg Cake is a light sponge cake. When cut in cross section, displays a distinctive two-by-two checkered pattern alternately coloured. In my search for that sponge look, I came with the idea of embedding sugar scrub cubes in a soap bar. In that moment, my Sugar Scrubs Embedded were created!!. They gently exfoliate your skin while cleaning it. The process to make them is really easy!!. I first make the solid sugar scrubs. I personally use BB recipe, but you can use any one you like. (Please click on BB link for the recipe) For this tutorial I used Clear M & P base, Sweet Almond Oil, Tangerine Wao, Orange Mica, Gold Mica and Tropical Vacation fragrance oil. (Please note that I am not doing two separate colors in my tutorial because we are moving into a new house this week and don’t have all of my supplies available.  Sorry!).
Adding the Gold Mica	Adding Sweet Almond Oil and fragrance
Adding Sugar	Pour it in the soap mold. Let it cool!
I cut the sugar scrubs in 4 pieces (it will depend on which soap mold you are using). Once I cut the cubes, I arranged them inside the same mold. Make sure you have space between the sugar scrubs because you will be pouring the soap in between the cubes.  Cut the cubes to a smaller size, if necessary, in order to allow space for pouring the soap.  Set them aside.  Melt 3oz of M & P base, either clear or white (I melted 3 oz of clear M & P base for this tutorial ). Add the Tangerine Wao with a pinch of Orange Mica until you get the color you desire, and add the Orange Peel Cybilla (or the fragrance of your choice). Pour it into the soap mold about ¼” in depth. Let it harden. Then, pour a little bit of the melted soap on top of the hard surface and immediately arrange the sugar scrubs inside the mold. Using a dropper or an injector soap tool add more melted soap in between the sugar scrubs. TIP: You need to work fast since the soap could cool off quickly, and it could get stuck inside the tool. Melt the soap as much as need it until you reach the border of the sugar scrubs.
Adding color and fragrance	Let them cool!
After pouring a litte bit of melted soap, add the sugar cubes	Using an injector soap tool pour the melted soap in between the sugar scrubs
As a final touch I sprinklered some glitter!!
Hope you like my Sugar Scrub Embedded tutorial and have fun while making it!  xoxo Ada

 

Getting Everything Ready

Hello, my name is Ada. I am 35 years old and was born in Venezuela. I received my bachelor degree in accounting in 2000 and went on to become a CPA. I used to work for Colgate Palmolive as a Senior Financial Analyst before I moved to The United States in 2005. I met my husband Kurt when I was studying at Florida Atlantic University. We fell in love and got married a year later in Key West, FL.We have a 2 year-old daughter named Hannah Sophia, and an 8 month-old daughter named Ella Marie. We are so happy to have our little princesses it works out well since everything is already pink and Ella pretty much wears all of Hannah’s old baby cloth. I hope they become best friends as they grow up. Being the only girl in my family, I know I always wished I had a sister to play with.

In 2007, Kurt and I moved to Michigan to be close to his family. He was doing his fellowship in Cardiac Intensive Care, and I was working in Finance at an automobile company outside of Detroit. After delivering Hannah, I realized that I didn’t want to continue working crazy hours because I didn’t want be apart from her for a single minute. I am sure some of you can probably identify with this. Since her birth, I have been a stay at home mom and I have enjoyed every second of it.

We moved back to Florida almost 2 years ago. Kurt obtained a job in the cardiac intensive care in Orlando and I have been very busy getting accustomed to having two little ones around. Lately, Ella has developed “stranger anxiety” and simple things like cooking have become a challenge. Ella screams and Hannah follows… but I cannot complain because I am blessed to have them in my life. They truly complete me.!

Being at home surrounded by kids, has gotten me reconnected with my creative side, and I have developed a passion for handmade soaps. I started making glycerin soaps inspired by Debbie from Soapylove, and since then I have not stopped. This is how SoapMuchLove, LLC was created. I am totally in love with my hobbie, so much fun, and creativity. Thanks to one of my best friends, I discovered Etsy and set up a shop on their website. I do not know what the future will hold for my entrepreneur adventure, but I will enjoy this wonderful opportunity. I am happy that I am able to do something that I feel passion about. I guess I could say that Kurt and I have each found something that we feel passionate about in our careers and we are pursuing it. He loves his job, and I am so proud of him.
Thanks for reading my story, I do appreciate your time.

Happy Soaping!!