Shop Chat

Hi Friends. Let's chat about the shop, mkay? Last week was tough. I put up a blog post about my shop and then pulled it down. It didn't seem fitting so much once I realized that I need to promote my shop and what I do on a more regular basis. I think most people know that I teach classes, but I'm not sure that they know that I sell stuff too. I make things. I love making things. I love using my hands. I'm not the most creative person but I do like to make. And bake. And garden. But you all know that. What you might not know is that I source ingredients for my products as locally and sustainably as I can. So, for example, my salves. They are made with only 3 ingredients and there's a reason for that. The reason being is that I can source those 3 ingredients within 200 miles from where I live. And that's important to me. I think people like to see that kind of product, but unless I tell you about it I don't think people realize or understand. So my lesson from last week was to promote my business more. I think I've tended to shy away from being a 'sales person' because I want to teach people and interact and I always think that if I try to sell my products that people will be turned off by that and not want to interact. But then I look around the internets and people are really trying to sell their stuff and we don't seem to shy away from that too much. And really, if someone doesn't like that I am trying to sell my small business and the items I make and teach, then they aren't my customer anyway right? So. Here I am pretty much screaming that I am going to start advertising and selling and talking about my products and business more. I'm not going to make every post about it but I'll start including more information about it here and on social media. I love what I do and I want to make it work. I want to live this dream that I've had for a long time and I would love it if you all came along on the complete journey with me!

Last week I put out the call on Instagram that I needed some love and the response was fantastic! Not only did they come together and share my stuff, but my shop is almost sold out! Talk about needing to feel loved. I still feel the love. It was a total boost and I needed it. And then Tracy put out the call on social media and her blog about supporting small businesses (mine included) and now I'm happy to give back by sharing shops and small businesses over on instagram. If you'd like to be featured please let me know!

So, with all that said, let's talk some products in my shop and what I love about them. I'm working on restocking the shop this week after I take inventory and purchase some more supplies. But I also have a couple of limited edition items as well as some one-offs that I am listing in the shop. The limited edition items are two different kinds of salves. One is a basil lemon salve. I infused sunflower oil with basil preserved from my garden last year. And then I used that oil with local beeswax and then added basil and lemongrass essential oils. I made it last week when I was helping with a class from my local cooperative extension. And then I made a ditch daisy salve. I, again, infused sunflower oil with daisies that I picked and then dried from around the homestead. Then I add the local beeswax and again used lemongrass essential oil. Boy they are the sweetest salves! And they have the same uses as my other salves. And I'm happy to report that before I could even get the Ditch Daisy salve listed in the shop, it sold out! I won't have any more until daisies are in bloom, but I will have other fun infused salves soon. Stay tuned.

I'm also listing some one-offs. They are lip balms that just didn't set up as nicely as the other ones. Or they're tins of salve that are only half full and I can't really sell them as full containers. So I'm listing them as discounted items in the shop. If you've wanted to try something but didn't want to commit to a full bottle of something, now's your chance. Oh I also have a one-off candle that I made and unfortunately made a mistake when it was drying and it has a big line through the top. So it will be sold as a one off as well. I was making a custom candle and had just enough ingredients left over to fill a sweet little vintage creamer and make a cedarwood candle. It was so nice. The smell was great. And then in the drying process I botched it! So in the one-off sales it goes.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my kits (you can see them here, here, here, and here). I love these kits. They are so near and dear to my heart. I love everything about them from the actual hand-stamped logo to the contents in those cute little reusable containers to the recipe card. Moving forward I'll be adding in the containers for each kit. I was leaving that out but I think I'll start adding that in once I restock everything. So stay tuned for details on that. But these kits...why do I love them so? It's because they're like a class in a bag. I know a lot of people can't make it to one of my classes for various reasons and this kit is like having a class in your own home. WIthout me there of course. But still. If someone wanted to learn to make something this is a way for them to do it. All the ingredients and instructions are right there. I love teaching and this just seems like an extension of that.

So I'll be chatting about my shop more. And I'll be chatting about my classes--both the virtual ones and the in-person ones (once we're able to have those again). I'll be chatting about my business. I'll be chatting about making and doing and sharing with you all the things that I'm doing both in the shop and outside the shop. And that makes me excited and happy again. Thanks for this friends! And thanks for your continued support.

'til next time
-k
xoxo