Bill and I were out walking the other day with one of our granddaughters, Sofia.  We came upon beautiful beds of Pansies in violet, white and yellow.  I pointed them out to Sofia.  Bill, who usually does not get excited about planted annuals shouted, "Wow, I have never seen one so big!  I have to come back and dig it up!"  Sofia and I both looked at him with disbelief as we were on the grounds of a neighboring University.  "Look, the huge Dandelion!"  Still we were spellbound...  "I use it in the soaps!" he exclaimed.  (The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphococcus aureus, pneumococci, meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, proteus--who knew?)  We drove back home with this weed in our car, and later he dried it out on the soap drying racks and added it to some of the soap.  Ahhhh, beauty in the eyes of this soapmaker!  Its a treat!  Here is a little of our soap and candle making history:

When Bill and I needed handmade soaps and candles for a co-op shop in Somerset, KY a couple of years ago, there were no artists making them in our area.  Having used them for decades, and especially fond of high quality products with a high lather and spicy scent, we searched for recipes, containers and a label all our own.  Within six months, we developed two products that meet our expectations, sell well, and give us another way to thrive creatively.

These soy based soaps and candles quickly took hold in the marketplace upon acceptance into the KY Guild of Artists and Craftsmen and Promanade Gallery in Berea.  Below are a few of our soap and candle qualities and ingredients that we found to be the best choices for this new venture.

SOY WAX is an all-natural favorite of environmentally conscious people because it is not made from petroleum, like paraffin candles. Burning of soy candles does not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere and produces 90% less soot than paraffin candles. Soy candles last longer and soy wax spills are easy to clean up with hot soapy water.  To get the most from your candle's burning time, always make the first burn last until the melt reaches the edges of the container.

SOY OIL in soy-based soaps supplies the body and skin with essential fatty acids necessary for health and beauty.  Natural ingredients like soy cleanse the body without upsetting natural PH balance necessary for soft, healthy skin.

ESSENTIAL OILS extracted from plants are compatible with humans due to similarly structured compounds found in both. These oils are used by plants in somewhat the same way they are used by humans--they fight infections, contain hormone-like compounds, initiate cellular regeneration, and work as chemical defense against fungal, viral, and animal foes.

CANDLE/SOAP WRAPS are made from recycled men's shirts.  RECYCLE our cans by putting them in the freezer to easily remove wax.  STORE last bits of soap for travel.  Enjoy our cabin-made products and visit us soon.