True Soap vs Synthetic

As usual business was slow during the winter months. Sometimes painfully slow when everyone is suffering the effects of rapidly declining economy. And face it. Our product is not one that most would consider to me a necessity. Most who do not know the health benefits of using naturally handmade bath soap consider it to be a luxury item that gets pushed to the back of the budget in these economic times.

Let's examine some of the reasons to consider handmade soap a regular commodity to be added to your normal shopping regimen.

NO DETERGENTS OR SYNTHETICS

These days the majority of commercial bar soap and most all liquid soap found on store shelves are actually synthetic detergents. According to the FDA, it no long fits the definition of "true soap".

NATURAL SKIN HYDRATING GLYCERIN

As is the way of big business, commercial soap manufacturers found a way to make and sell two products from one. When soap is made a natural occurrence is the formation of Glycerin; a humectant. One molecule of glycerin is created for every three molecules of soap. So commercial soap manufacturers remove the glycerin, replacing it with synthetic ingredients. They then sell off the beneficial glycerin to pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. Thus making double the profits from one original product. It's quite brilliant.

QUALITY CONTROL

Most handmade soap is made is smaller batches. Any where from 5 lbs to 50 lbs at a time. As opposed to thousands if not millions of pounds at a time. By making smaller batches it is much easier to control the process from mixing of oils, to molding, unmolding, cutting, etc. You can rest assured that your handmade soap was "supervised" from start to finish.

PASSION

Yes, I said passion. Handmade Soapmakers are passionate about their skill. Not only do they take classes and stay abreast of the lastest in handmade soapmaking technology. But they love what they do. Yes, one can make a decent live at it. But few do it just to make a living. I've been a soapmaker for 13 years, and soapmaker that I've met is passionate about his (yes their are men in this industry) or her skill. They just plain enjoy making soap. Learning new methods such as "Funnel" soapmaking. Yep, pouring various colors of soap through a funnel into your mold so as to achieve a certain design in the out coming cut bars of soap.

SUPPORT

So you can buy synthetic detergent bars or bottled liquid in the store. But your just not going to get the love and passion, and energy put into a wholesome, healthy, beautiful bar of handmade soap full of skin hydrating glycerin like you would if you purchased some great handmade soap from a skilled, passionate Soapmaker at your local Farmer's Market. Or do a web search for Soapmaker in your area. Or go to The Soap Guild and look for a Soapmaker in your state. Be patriotic. Please support local small business and buy MADE IN THE USA!

And if you live in the Greater Spokane, WA area come see us at the Community Roots Farmer's market every Sunday from 11 am till 4 pm at 2015 N. Division St. Mention This article and our Blog and receive a 10% discount on your purchase!

Todays Drying Rack & Memorial Day 25% Off Sale

Today's soaps are made with essential oils only. This means that the fragrance used to scent them is not man made but instead comes expressly from plant materials via distilation or expressing. They are colored with natural earth pigments. These soaps can therefore be labeled as 100% All Natural.

Rain Dance All Natural Handmade Soap

Garden Dreams or maybe Green Dreams All Natural Handmade Soap.

I'm still as yet undecided on a name for this one. It has a very green scent to it. And I was initially going for a green, herbal, garden feel for the scent. Unfortuantely my green soap set up faster than I wanted and I was not able to swirl it like I wanted. So it came out as you see it. And I'm not sure the name now matches the look AND the scent. Oh well, it still smells very nice.

These two batches will be ready in about 2 weeks.

Until next time. Hope your Memorial day was great. And if you have time, stop over at our website to take advantage of our 25% of Sale that ends tonight at midnight.

On The Drying Rack

I'm very exited about how this soap came out. I use red moroccan clay to color the bottom layer and added coursely powdered tomato flakes. Then scented it with tomato leaf. The top layer just has parsely flakes since basil turns brown and is scented with basil EO. It smells amazing and I think it turned out pretty to boot.

Also on the drying rack is a batch of Tuscan Garden to go along with our Tuscan Dreams perfume spray. They will make a very nice matched set. I'll try to get a photo up after my camera battery recharges.

I also made a small batch of Pirates Bounty for the men a few weeks ago. It's only 6 bars but these are manly 6 oz bars. They should be ready in about 2 more weeks.

That's it for now. I'll be making more soap tomorrow. If there is a particual scent that you may be looking for, drop us line. We just might have it and can make up a batch of soap for ya.

Hello from Sedona!

We have been so busy since arriving in Sedona that I've had no time to update. So sorry.

We picked up our dear friends John and Hannah at the airport in Flagstaff on Friday afternoon. Then took them to lunch at the fabulous and famous Cowboy Club in downtown Sedona. Famous for it's cactus fries and buffulo burgers. But also for it's past patrons. It is one of the oldest establishments in the Sedona area, made a popular hotsot by the film entertainment industry back in the days of black and white, silent pictures and white horse, hero ridding westrns. It was much cheapers to film westerns in Sedona than it was in Hollywood in the 1920's and 30's so many a director, actor and starlet could be found sitting by the fire hashing out a script at the Cowboy Club. In fact, it was in front of the fireplace that the Cowboy Artists of America was founded.

Back in the day, when someone said, "saddle up to the bar", it was easy to do at the Cowboy Club. Real saddles were mounted and modified for use as bar stools. Though they have been replaced with the more traditional bar stool, the Cowboy Club is a place you don't want to miss if your ever in Sedona. The atmosphere is buzzing with the energy of yesteryears silverscreen cowboys, the food is hearty and tasty, and the customer service is top notch.

After lunch, we headed over to Bell Rock, one of the known vortexes in the Oak Creek area. After about a 10 minute climb, we stumbled into a pocket of energy that was "like a mirage" as John described it. It was several small pockets in a larger area that seemed to kind of "hang" or "hoover", simililar in some sense to how a mirage might appear to someone. So that was a very good description. We all went seperate directions for a while for some alone time on the rock, then came back to this area of energy. Each of us had a very pround and personal experience within it. All in all it was a very good day for our friends on their first day in Sedona. And any day in Sedona, is a good day for us :)

Reno!!!

We arrived in Reno on Monday after a long and tiring drive. All we wanted to do was find food and sleep. After checking into our rooms at the Eldorado we went to eat then just kicked back in our room for a nice quick night and turned in early.
Tuesday we walked about 7 blocks to the Harrah Western Automobile Museum, of which my husbands cousin is the currator. Unfortunating, cousin Jay was out that day traveling for the museum and we did not get to see him. So we walked the 7 blocks back to the Eldorado, had lunch, did a bit of shopping, and by then it was time for Happy Hour. Oh Darn! LOL. Our favorite bar doesn't start their happy hour until 5 pm. So, we headed over to a new club called Arua, where ladies drink free during happy hour. Also where I discovered that I LOVE Chocolate Martini's LOL!!
Time to head to The Rum Bullion our fav Reno bar, for happy hour. Tuesday's are Kareoke/Gong Show nights which are an absolute blast. And when that is over, they open up the dance floor and play 80's music till its time to close. We met a super couple from Redding, CA; who knew right off that we would forget their names. She said we could call her Vanilla, and since I've never met a cop I liked, I've dubbed him "Nice Cop". We had an awesome time with "Goddess Vanilla" and "God Nice Cop". So if they are reading, the two of you ROCK!! Good luck in nursing school :)
We reluctantly said farewell to The Rum Bullion and Reno on Wednesday and headed for Laughlin, NV. It's a long drive from Reno and we will only be staying over night and then back on the road to Sedona. So I catch you later!

Medford, Oregon!!

Today we landed at my sister Breannas house in Medford, Or. It was great to get away from all the snow. The sun was shining and it was around 66 degrees. That may not seem warm to some, but to us it was a heatwave! Just to be able to stand out in the sunshine and bar-b-que instead of huddling under the porch in and parka was a real treat, lol.
But best of all was getting to see my two adorable neices for the first time ever. Tatum Nova is 6 years old and I had still never met her. And Payton Skye was born almost a year ago and just as with Tatum, all I've see of her are pictures. It almost brought tears to my eyes when Tatum ran up to me first thing upon our arrival, gave me a hug and said, "I know who you are".
Our three days and nights with Bre and her family went by way two fast and we had so much that we didn't want to leave. However, we had a long road trip ahead if we were to make it to Sedona by Thursday. So, we reluctantly said our goodbuys and got back on the road again Monday morning. This time heading for Reno, NV. I'll catch up with you when we get there. Bye for now :)

Project: Turn Peace Around

In 1958, Gerald Holtom designed what we know as the Peace Sign.

It was designed as a badge for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the UK, and as a visual plea to end the atomic arms race that started with the devastating attack on Hiroshima during World War II.

When asked about it later, Gerald said: "I was in despair. Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards in the manner of Goya’s peasant before the firing squad. I formalised the drawing into a line and put a circle round it."

A man in despair.... Is that really the symbol we want to use to represent a positive thought like "peace"?

I've recently been inspired by this site, TurnPeaceAround, to spread the
positive message of turning the original peace sign around, so that the
'arms' face upward.
In ancient runes arms are raised up to receive. They are a symbol of life. When they are dropped down, they are a symbol of death.

It is because of this meaning of the current peace sign, along with my conviction that positive energy begets only more positive energy (thus a negative symbol will not bring positive change), that I have decided to do what I can to spread this message.

After all, we don’t want an “anti-war” symbol. We need a “pro-peace” symbol.

If you're still here thus far, humor me this.

Try being the symbol. It's not hard, I promise. You'll only look silly to those that don't get it.

Wherever you are, stand up. Stretch your arms out to the side, pointing downward. Now stay like that, 10 seconds even, and notice how you feel. Do you feel at peace within? Do you feel like smiling and spreading the good news? Probably not.

Shake it off, but stay standing.

Now try the same stance, but with your arms pointed upward, toward the sky, reaching toward divinity. Doesn't that bring a smile to your face? Don't you feel much more peaceful and happy this way? Exactly.

That's the idea.

A positive symbol brings positive energies, which in turn brings the positive change you've been looking for.

That's all I am trying to do.

As Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." And to do that, I am going to spread the word about turning peace around.

This exerpt was "borrowed" from dear friend Sunfire's blog. All of us here are Valhalla Soap Co. stand in support of Sunfire and the Turn Peace Around Project. We would be thrilled if you would join us. For more information on this Project, please visit these websites:

Turn Peace Around

iPeace

Peace,
Matt, Donna & the Tribe