Blending Day

It is early January, and you know what that means; it's time to plan our soap year. Each new year, I break out a new notebook, a favorite pen, my computer, all my bottles of oils and scents, a box of lunch bags, and a box of Q-Tips, and I blend new scents and revisit popular scents from years past. I make the poor, unfortunate souls who happen to be in the soap studio (mainly The Bibbed Wonder) sniff things. It is probably quite unnerving to see me approaching one with a Ziploc bag help up to nose level, saying, "Give this a sniff. What do you think?" The Bibbed Wonder has a lot of fun with this.

He acts all putout or disgusted, claims he hates it when I give him things to sniff and makes subtle and not-so-subtle innuendos. However, I have become a master at ignoring his inappropriate innuendos, and I shove a lunch bag filled with Q-tips dipped in oils onto his face like an oxygen mask. At least he's quiet when he has a plastic bag over his face. Sigh. This is how I spent yesterday. I did a lot of ignoring, scolding, and blending. At this point, I have the soap year planned through July. As always, I am excited about the upcoming year and new soaps.

This year, we have decided to retire some of our scents permanently. The Woodsman is retiring. As well as To the Moon and Back, Coocoo Banana, and Cotton Candy. The Bean is currently revamping the kid's line of products. My bean has a nose and talent for scent blending. She also has a real knack for predicting what will be popular and flop. Hers is the most trusted and valued opinion regarding new scents. Everyone who helps us out has input on new scents. It's one of the drawbacks of working for The Smiling Goat Soap Company. You are forced to sniff things and then give an honest opinion. However, we have a relaxed, open, and trusting environment and everyone is comfortable shooting down my ideas. There are a lot of jokes that fly around the studio on blending days. Inevitably, I will spill some super expensive oil and be made fun of for making a mess. Currently, The Bibbed Wonder is on a Wreck-It Ralph-themed comedy act.

Aside from the jokes, the spills, and the destruction of perfectly good ideas, blending day is one of my favorite days. This year, I am excited about a new scent that will be released before Mother's Day. This is a blend of lily of the valley and osmanthus flower. It is fresh, green, spritely, and delightful. I have a vision in my head of how I want this soap to look. However, I may have to resort to plan B for its appearance. I cannot find a lily of the valley silicone mold that is small enough to accommodate our soap tops. I am sure with some planning and a bit of inspiration; I can come up with something that will work. Did you know that the lily of the valley represents a mother's heart? I enjoy researching the history and symbolism behind scents and flowers. It's a bit of a soap nerd thing.

Once I have the scents planned for the year, it is time to sit down with my colored pencils and the list of micas from Mad Micas and plan the appearance of the new soaps. My goal this year is to jump into the world of soap dough. Soap dough is a pliable soap that can be formed into shapes, embeds, and 3-D sculptures. I am looking specifically at making embeds. An endless supply of extruder discs creates shapes for every theme imaginable. This is something that holds great interest to me. The Bibbed Wonder, not so much. We have not reached an agreement on using soap dough or extruders. Don't worry, he will come around. I know this because I already bought an extruder….insert a wink.

Sometimes, we all need a push into new and uncomfortable territory. It may be a total flop, but we won't know until we try. If nothing else, it will be fun to play around with a new technique. This is how I maintain excitement for what we do. I dabble, experiment, and play. After eight years of soap making, I am still excited to learn new things, try new techniques, and create new products. It's like being an adult child in a wonderland of soap. I wish everyone could do what they love and what inspires them. I also wish The Bibbed Wonder weren't so crabby about new ideas and change, but we all know not all wishes come true.

Today, I will finish our soap plan for the year in between making soap, doing dishes, and filling orders. Again, the variety of activities keeps me excited about what we do. I enjoy the people I work with. I enjoy soapmaking's creativity and love seeing my visions become a reality. I hope you are looking forward to the new year, new soaps, and new products. Being excited about what you will accomplish this year is the zest of life. I hope your life is zesty.

On this flurry-filled Thursday, stay safe, be smart, be inspired, love what you do, do what you love, and, of course, wash your hands.