The Department of Commerce recently released the January sales figures and reported that retail sales were up 1.1%. Also reporting for January was comScore, which reports E-Commerce statistics, who that online sales grew 2% in January. These are the first monthly increases in 6 months – despite dire predictions of lowered sales because of economic …
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Simmons Soap Shop Part of the 60′s back-to-the-land movement, Dottie Simmons simmonsnaturals.com relocated to rural Northern California due to allergy/sensitivity problems aggravated by the San Francisco Bay Area atmosphere. In 1968, she started “homesteading”, raising goats, poultry, other livestock, and gardening. Here she met her husband, Dennis, raised three children and, in 1977, they purchased …
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If you make soap for children with embedded toys, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) may apply to your products. If the toy is intended for use by the child after the soap is used, then the toy would fall under the CPSIA regulations. At this point, implementation of the regulations is still being …
…for Non-Members and Soapmaking Teachers The HSMG mission: To promote the handcrafted soap industry To act as a center of communication among soapmakers To circulate information beneficial to soapmakers Interested in a free Journal full of great information on soapmaking and then some? Vendor discounts, passionate stories and great ideas are included in our Journal. …
For those who don’t know, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is a bill that was designed to protect children from unsafe products. It was passed into law last year, effective February 10, 2009. Amongst other things, it required testing on all products to be sold to children. It has received a great deal …
Melinda Coss, soapmaker and teacher from France (www.makesoap.biz) has been involved in a project teaching soapmaking in South Africa. I just had to share this video! Marie Gale, President, HSMG
Barbara Downey- Earth Essentials Soap Barbara Downey wanted to learn to do something that would create greater self-sufficiency in her life. She had been buying hand-milled soap at local stores and fell in love with good soap. Since she had a love for cooking and appreciated following a good recipe, cold process soapmaking seemed like …
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Hello Members, Kelly Bloom is one amazing lady and we will have her at the next Experts Panel – “Grow Your Business” Day at the HSMG Forum. She does it all as a Supplier of Extraordinary soapmaking supplies, Soapalooza! Soap Arts Studio owner, Blog: southernsoapers.com/news/ & Southern Soapers Yahoo Forum owner as well as mother …
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I have been working with Donna Maria (Indie Beauty Network), along with terrific input from Anne-Marie Faiola (Brambleberry) and Kayla Fioravanti (Essential Wholesale) to review the FDA Globalization Act of 2009 (HR 759). Our contact at the House Commerce and Energy Committee requested our input and was quite interested to know if we could “come …
As you have noticed on this blog, February is our month for a Membership Drive and the benefits to you could not be better!It’s “Double Bubble” month. For each new member that you refer to join the Guild you’ll receive ‘double bubbles’ for your use in the HSMG merchandise section of our website. The member who …
Maggie Hanus, Soap Bartender http://www.awildsoapbar.com Maggie’s nostalgic story comes from reading Sandy Maine’s first book. It inspired Maggie to give soapmaking a try and over 14 years later she is hopelessly addicted to the craft. Maggie taught herself many handcrafted skills like crochet, beadwork, jewelry, pressed flowers, nature prints and even home building! The same …
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2009 Conference Scholarships Stratus Insurance is generously offering two scholarships to the 2009 Annual Conference! The scholarships will cover Conference registration, 4 nights hotel stay at the Miramonte Resort and Spa and $500 in cash for travel and other expenses. Scholarship Based on Need One scholarship will be based on need. Applicants must fill out …
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