Soap Tote = A Niche Market

I talked to someone today who was like, "No offence, but...." and then she proceeded to run down my product. "You can get it at the dollar store," she said. No, you can't. "People just use hotel soap." Really? All people use hotel soap and there aren't any people out there who have special needs and preferences who would like to take their own soap? Or even people who would like something to take that wonderful hotel soap home?

I've heard those arguments before, and while I acknowledge that while the soap tote is not for everyone, it may not be even for most people, but it is for some, and it is for those people I make the soap tote. 

In fact I have heard from those people; they happen to be my customers. Here's another comment from one.

The real question I am now asking is, why did I stay involved in a one-sided, unfruitful, conversation for so long?

Plant Hanger

Here's another project that would work with recycled billboards. Many leather projects will also work in recycled billboards.  If the particular billboard is not thick enough, perhaps two layers glued together would be stronger.
 

Link

Red and White Comic and Toy Expo

Hi if you are visiting me from the link from the Red and White Comic and Toy expo, my comic and fine art is actually at this website, http://alisonlait.yolasite.com/

This particular blog is about my adventures in recycling vinyl billboards. If you are interested in my recycled billboard products, check them out here and here.

Thanks for visiting me at the comic expo. I had a nice time and I got some good feedback on my ipad art.

Boxed Corner bag for sheet music

Sheet music bag

My dog likes to chew cardboard and paper. I needed to get my sheet music protected from him. Before we had that tiny table ON TOP of the piano. Didn't quite look right up there! So I made this boxy-shaped bag out of an old billboard.

I needed it to fit in the space under the small table which meant the space was 9X9X13". 

There are only 4 seams on this bag, I will reveal the secrets of the box corner bag in my next post. Maybe I'll even make a little spreadsheet so you can enter the dimensions of the bag/box you need so you can make your own.

Hanging Soap Boxes

I'm calling this new soap tote a Hanging Soap Box, due to its 3D shape and boxed corners. I also changed the closure so they have a notched flap and a tuck strip instead of velcro.  Less sewing!

Hanging soap box with 3" diameter soap

I created a new section on my website for them: http://www.vinally.ca/soap-boxes.php
They are not currently available on Etsy, only on my own website at this time.

I'm only using the square cutout mesh for these at the moment. The squarish font for the silver-colored soap decal was selected to coordinate with the square mesh. Unity within the design!

Front view, closed

Back, closed, showing closure system

Side view

I like how the drying mesh is held out and open so as to be easier to receive the soap.

Chads

I have been busy in my studio making a bunch more soap totes. I have a new design that I'm excited to launch, as well as a new online venue to list with. When the meshes are cut out, a lot of confetti-like chads are left over. I once thought to bag it and sell it as reusable confetti, but I didn't really want to bother with doing that.   

Shampoo Bar

Well I always wanted to learn how to make soap. For my first attempt, I made a lemongrass-scented shampoo bar with a recipe from skincarenaturals.com. Also pictured is my latest design for the soap tote, designed with thicker, larger soap bars in mind.

My goals for soapmaking are twofold. One is to have soap to sell along with my soap totes. I think that would make a neat, all-in-one gift. Just add a bow! Plus the "packaging" is reusable after the soap is used up. 

Another goal is to learn how to make soap and shampoo bars suitable for use on the guaifenesin protocol. I was bored with the soap options available to me and decided to learn how to make soap. Standard soapmaking oils like coconut and olive oil have to be changed to ones that don't have salicylates, as they are absorbed through the skin, blocking the effectiveness of the guaifenesin.   For those who are interested, the allowable oils are corn, rice, rye, oat, wheat, and soy. Not allowed are common soapmaking oils like olive, castor and coconut oils.  The protocol works for me  -- I've been on it and benefitting from it for 4 1/2 years now -- and I'd like to keep it working by using only the allowable oils.  But if you put forth that question on a soap making forum, you get more than a few dissenting opinions, I'm just sayin'. However, I will continue to heed this warning:  "Salicylates are readily absorbed through the skin and intestine when introduced from medications and supplements including plant oils, gels and extracts. Individual genetics determine ease of blocking but all patients should assume a high level of susceptibility and take no risks." So, I will be doing some experimenting to see if I can make a shampoo bar that has only the allowable oils.

I had some bloopers with my first batch of soap. My soap got stuck in the PVC pipe mold, but released a day later. Soup can + rubber mallet = splat! Overall it was a successful experiment.