What's been going on at Magnolia Soaps

Finally, I've gotten around to creating a fan page on Facebook for Magnolia Soaps.I'm hoping this will drive some traffic my way and get my products out there. I don't seem to be having a lot of traffic with my artfire stats either. I get hundreds of views but no orders.I don't know what to do about this upset. If any of you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm selling my products competitively but something is off somewhere. Maybe my shipping is running off potential customers? Or maybe it's the variety of products?I'm on a budget and can't advertise unless it's free or cheap. My friends and family are my main business.
I had a Lather Party (a soap party) back in October. I brought all my wares to a friends home and she served appetizers to her guests. The ladies all ate, shopped, and visited with one another. It was smooth sailing which was a blessing since I was so nervous. My products sold themselves by scent alone and not to mention one guest was a devoted customer already. After having that soap party, I realized I could get over my anxiety and that my products could sell themselves. I hope to do more home parties in the future.I do know I need to put myself out there and not worry about failing. Failing is always a possibility, but I can't succeed if I don't try in the first place.
The last few months have been quite busy. I made 30 types of soaps, 20 being fragrance blends and 10 being essential oil only bars. I made 6 different body balms in which some were fragrance or essential oil. I also made 3 new lip balms as well. Can I say I was cranking out some bath and body stuff! I was hoping to add body and linen sprays this Spring but may have to put it off until this Summer. These sprays will be made with fragrance oils and essential oils also.
Besides squeezing in some Lather Parties, I plan on doing some craft shows this year. I did a show recently this month and it was a bust.I was rained on for 2 hours! This was my second attempt at a craft show.I'm hoping the third time is a charm. The Blueberry Jubilee in Poplarville, MS will be on June 12th and I plan on giving it a try. This festival is a big tradition that is celebrated every second Saturday in June that's geared towards families with good southern charm and entertainment. This event is free to the public as well. Head out to the Jubilee for some blueberries locally grown that are loaded with powerful antioxidants. For more information go to http://www.blueberryjubilee.org

New Items

I recently added new items to my artfire shop. They include two new body balm scents as well as three new bars of soap. The body balms Pure Rain and Mango Papaya are made with shea butter, beeswax and sweet almond oil. They also are packaged in a twist up tube that makes all over application easy and is perfect for travel (not a liquid). These body balms can help get your dry areas recovered from winter skin dryness. Our bar soaps, Plumeria, Pomegranate, and London for men, are always made with vegetable oils and butters. The combination of olive, palm, coconut, castor oils and shea butter always leaves your skin balanced and never feeling dry.

Soon there will be more items available. I'm in the process of adding new scents to our product line. It has been hard deciding what new fragrances to add for Spring. These new scents will include a great variety of essential oil only products. Also, as always there will be our phthalate free fragrances that scent our luxurious soaps and body balms. Our product line will include body balm,lip balm,bar soaps and a surprise will be launched in the Spring. What could that be??? We promise it will be made with quality fragrances and ingredients will be used. Our goal is to make bath and body products that are safe and benefical.

Lolita

Introducing my Lolita body balm, a  sweet, sensual fragrance blend of lemon, orange, cashmere, and sandalwood. This is very delicate scent despite the sandalwood.

Lemongrass

Image via Wikipedia

The Lemongrass soap is fresh! These bars are scented with Lemongrass essential oil. A bit of a whirly swirl done in the pot. I have to practice more with colors and swirling so I can create masterpieces that are useful. My kitchen smells lively with this aroma whofting through and quite pleasant I must add. Those of you not famaliar with lemongrass, it is a pungent,earthy lemony scent. It is astringent, antiviral and antibacterial. Lemongrass essential oil comes from grasslike leaves that naturally repells insects especially combined with Citronella essential oil. Lemongrass is great for oily skin. Always be careful not to use this essential oil full strength on the skin as it maybe a skin irritant or use in direct sunlight. All citrus oils and those similar to the same chemical makeup, can cause the skin to become irritated when in direct sunlight.

Southern Scents Social

Soon, September 26, 2009, the yahoo group, MISSsoap@yahoogroups.com will be having it's annual get together at Porter Farm in Canton, MS. A beautiful farm nestled on the Natchez Trace that's sure to wow. The social hosts and farm owners, Judy and Dred Porter, are a very nice couple that show great Southern hospitality. The food served for lunch is delicious. The members are so friendly and are kind enough to share their knowledge. Last year's social was my first and they soon took me in. This year the same group of great folks also attend the Alabama Meeting, also a yahoo group. Over the years, the Alabama group has grown by leaps and bounds. I know the Mississippi group will grow just as large, in time.

The Southern Scents Social has members who come from as far as Illinois. I recently noticed the group even has a member from Australia! The Southern Scents Social invites all, as long as they join our yahoo group, and for only a small fee that covers the costs of food during the event. Once all the demonstrations and socializing are squared away, a hayride closes out the day's unique and entertaining events. Last year was the first hayride I had ever been on. Last year was so much fun! Along the ride you get to listen to a ghost story while driving along the Porter property where a Civil War skirmish once took place. Great stories if you are a history buff, like I am. But even now, I can still hear the ghostly story of "Taily Bone". "Taily bone...taily bone, where's my taily bone?" All long, while riding in the early fall night air with a starlit night as our guide.
Fun times at Porter Farm!