One Year Down...

Rut Row...its been a while since we last posted and our goal for 2013 is to try and be a bit better about the updates on our Lil Ole Soap Family.

Its officially been a year now since John has been working with us!  We continue to work hard, purposefully put out good products & keep up with the wonderful demand you have all created!  Its been a good year thus far and we feel a ridiculous amount of gratitude.

As we nearly finish up the 2012 year, we have to express our thanks to all of those who have supported our family business.  We realize every time you purchase products from us, whether it be in store or via the web, you are investing in our family.  We do not take this lightly and feel that in turn we have an obligation to make sure we provide great products, be good stewards of the money that is generated and keep the dream alive!  Yes, a small family owned business STILL can thrive in America if we allow them to. 

So, as the holidays approach us again...I want to encourage you to buy local, buy with a purpose & support your family owned businesses.  There are lots of them (not just ours) and it makes a huge difference!

Now, go and get dirty!

~Diana

Full On Family Owned Business!

Happy New Year! We are gearing up for another great year! Thanks to all who have supported us & continue to do so! We have lots of new goodies on the shelves and can't wait to see you!

Other news.... John has been able to sign on with us full time! He actually started on October 1st, but we didn't want "sympathy" buys so we didn't make it completely public! So we are officially a Full On Family Owned Business from start to finish. Even Big Bob (John's Dad) has come out of retirement to help out at the shop.

The decision to leave a "secure" job for John was not an easy one. But the quality of life for our kids, our marriage & overall health of our family unit was begging for Big Daddy! John has been an incredible asset to the business throughout the years with his Chemistry skills, overall knowledge of each product & belief in our success. It only makes sense that he is here full time.

There aren't many couples that can work together all day and still like each other, but apparently we got it! We feel really blessed to have this. We work better as a cohesive unit and know that this is the right decision for our kids and family life. Paying the bills is overrated right? Ba ha ha ha ha!

So in a day and age, where sometimes hope and encouragement seem to be lacking at times, know that there are still families working together and trying to make a good, hard go at it!

Is it scary? Yep.

Is it worth it? Yep.

Are we going to give up because its hard? Nope!

So go on and get dirty and know that when you need a gift, a good ole fashion bar of soap or just someone to chat with... we are here in little ole Hazelwood. (HazelHood to be exact!)

Family Owned Businesses not only exist, but thrive if you let them!

Thankful...

As we continue forward with our 5th retail year, its hard not to think back on all of the many days at the good ole Soap Co.! When we remininsce over all of the memories and efforts throughout the years, it always comes down to feeling an enormous amount of thankfulness!

This week my sweet Teague was down & out. He just felt like poop! Unfortunately, the bills & life do not go away when one of my little ones gets sick. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to have my rugrats by my side and even luckier to give them all the TLC they need while mixing and pouring away. We live in a town that not only respects our way of doing things, but actually cheers us on. My Teagan has grown up in this little soap shop. He has learned how to crawl, walk and now take orders from customers! :) He has been the taste tester (yikes), the label guy, the sweeper and my right hand man Monday-Friday at the soap shop. He IS, along with our other 3 children, what our shop is all about!

When we started out on this venture, we did not know what to expect. What we have gotten in return these past 5 years is a whole lot of support, love, loyalty & community. We certainly have had our fair share of stories to tell, but not without laughing! So we may not be millionaires, but we work hard, love our kids like crazy and appreciate what a community does and is for our family.

I will always cherish this picture (above) because it will keep me grounded on days where things feel overwhelming. On a tough week when my main man was down & out, I was still able to give him a big ole hug and say "its gonna be alright" because I had him right there in my lap.

Thanks to all of you that allow our family to just be a hard working family! Thanks for always getting really dirty and letting us supply you with some goods to get you all cleaned up! It is not about the money you accumulate, but about the relationships, experiences & wealth of love and support you find in others. We are wealthy beyond belief!

Happy Spring!!!

~The Laursen Clan

"Debbie Downers" this one is NOT for you! (or is it...)

Have you ever had one of those hours, days, weeks or months when everything seems to be going wrong? You wake up and the coffee bag is empty, you're alarm clock didn't go off and if your kids have one more tardy for school DSS might be called in or how about if you finally make it out the door to only forget that TODAY is the day your boss is going to be making his rounds to make sure everyone is doing his/her job. Whatever! Or...maybe your best friend was just diagnosed with cancer or your other friend's child is dreadfully ill. Or how about you are just sick of NOT seeing the sun! If you feel the need/want to just do something, we may just have the thing/things for you! Pictured above is our little "Pick Me Up" collection. 5 invigorating scents with 5 inspirational words to get you going in the morning or after a long day! Its the little things that make a difference and maybe, just maybe a little bottle of wash labeled OPTIMISM will do the trick. This little package also makes the perfect addition to an Easter Basket. Its the treat that keeps on giving! How great are these for the lonely traveler or the homesick college kid!

Sass it up with some Spring Scents!

Are those individually wrapped soaps featured above? Yep! They sure are. As if I don't have anything else to do other than wrap each soap tediously by hand. But, these little treasures have kept me from going insane! With Spring just around the corner, we were hit yet again with the dirty 4 letter word yesterday...SNOW! Yikes! I lost it. I lost it big time. But this morning is a new day with sunshine and now beautifully wrapped Shea Butter Soaps! These beauties are just the thing to get you in the mood for Spring! They are bright, cheery, smell good & look wonderful just sitting there.

So, for now...I will continue to wrap each soap until Spring begins! If you know of anyone who suffers miserably from the last dribbles of Winter...why not pop into the shop and pick up one of these soaps. It is sure to put them in a better mood!

Buy Local Movement

I have decided to do an entire blog post on why I have chosen this one item to carry in our shop. For obvious reasons, its a sassy tote that gets the message across LOUD & CLEAR! On another note, not until you actually pick up the tote and look inside in the tag do you realize how significant this one tote can be in your life.
These totes are going to retail in our shop for $18. WHAT! $18 for a tote bag? In the day in age where you can get a recyclable tote just about everywhere from grocery stores to gas stations, why on God's Good Green Earth would we carry such an expensive tote bag? (and I will tell you I am not even going to be making a good profit off of these at all, well not a financial profit that is).
It all starts with a "practice what you preach" moment I had. It is January and I am searching for new products to sass up the shop and get folks excited. I come across this one company, I'm Organic and I am intrigued. I go further and start snooping around. What I find is a company that has an honest mission statement to make a difference. They are a small business trying to do the right thing. Their bags are made in the US, 100% certified organic and SWEATSHOP free! So as I am making the decision to buy these, I consciously decide that YES, we will join the movement to try and make a difference and practice what we preach. I am supporting a USA made product that has put thought, concern and most of all hard work into a product. Will I have these totes still on my shelves come December? Who knows. One thing I do know is that Small Family Owned Business are STILL ALIVE and we depend on your support! So buy local, buy USA made and do your part to keep local businesses alive! Now, go get dirty!
till next time...
~Diana

We Continue To Prepare For SPRING!!!

Only 7 more weeks until Spring! ONLY! Whew...we are ready now! I get it, I get it...we are supposed to be patient. Well, nothing teaches me patience more than my good ole fashion Shea Butter Soap Recipe. These bars take 6-8 weeks to cure. We are just about there.

I have decided to spend most of my time when I have been able to get into the shop, making lots and lots of bar soap. It makes me so happy everytime one of these babies are sold! They are made with so much love that it just gives me treat feelings everytime someone expresses how much they love them. I will save my comments for those who think otherwise. :)

I also love having tons of bar soap in stock because it reminds me of our humble beginnings. "One bar at a time" was my motto most days and that is exactly what we have done to build our business. One bar at a time!

In order to try and get out of the "Winter Funk", I have been focusing on SPRING SCENTS!!!! Pictured above is our Zucchini Flower & Honey bar soap. Cherry Blossom, Basil & Herb Gardeners Soap, Earth Blend and a couple of others will be out on the shelves in just 2 weeks. We are NOT waiting 7 weeks until Spring over here! Thanks for all of your continued support and loyalty. Now, go get dirty!

Till next time...

~D