Moon Over Miami

View of Miami from my hotel room

I recently attended the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild conference in Miami, Florida.  It was not only my first trip to Miami, but my first conference being a member of the HSMG Board of Directors.  The conference was fantastic, offering attendees a variety of informative speakers, good food, and even a couple of great parties!

You might be asking yourself, "Do soap makers really have conferences?  Are there enough of them to even have a conference?"

The answers are yes and yes.  The HSMG boasts some 1,500 members worldwide, although the majority of members are from the USA.  Over 300 of them attended the conference.  Our members are either in the process of making a business selling soap or are in business selling soap.  The guild exists to support those members, offering programs and services to promote them.

Each person who attended returned home inspired and motivated to put into practice what she has learned.  Keep in mind that while most members are female, we do have male members, also.  It's just difficult to be grammatically correct without excluding one gender or the other.  But, I digress.  

Our keynote speaker was Barbara Corcoran, of NBC's Sharktank, as well as appearing on the Today Show, showing homes for sale throughout the US.  Barbara was in turn funny, a little crude, and motivating.  She was also kind enough to sign her book and take photos with attendees.  We certainly enjoyed her and gained tools to use in our businesses.

Other speakers helped us with business or with soapmaking techniques, and I for one, hope to swirl better, making soap with greater artistry.  I will employ better business methods that I hope will help my business grow and will serve my customers better, all without losing that personal appeal.

I'll be posting more photos this week, so stay tuned!

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We northerners are just getting out in our gardens.  It's muddy, but it's now time to transplant perennials and to sow outdoor seeds.  It's also Lilac time!  The lilacs are ending their bloom, but the scent is still heavenly.

We are getting dirty, so I've been making good use of my Gardener's Soap.  It features natural "scrubbies" to help clean out the dirt, yet it's still moisturizing.

It comes in several types:

Classic:  essential oils and exfolliants such as cornmeal and poppy seeds for men and women

Salt Bar:  uses salt for exfoliation and a floral scent.  Lovely lotion feel. Very pink!

Cedar & Sage:  same exfoliants as Classic, but specifically for men

Garden Walk:  fragrant floral for women, with exfoliants

Get 5 bars for 25.00!

Don't forget about our lilac-scented products!  Get 10% off of any Lilac scented products totaling $20 or more!

Not on my site, but also available:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - just $2/ea. 

Liquid shower gel: Natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00;  8 oz.  $11 -  In any scent listed above. 

Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7; 8 oz., $12

Foaming Soap: Comes in the seasonal Apple Pie, plus Gingered Orange, Summer Tropical, Lavender, and any other scent I sell. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Look for Soap and Garden on Facebook and Twitter.  We just love gardeners!