Breathing

Life outside of the shop has been an adjustment, but I am feeling great about it. Really! I have had such a positive outlook on the whole thing, which I really never do. I usually look at the glass half empty when it comes to my own life, but not this time. I am feeling energy and creativity and I feel ready to be productive and work myself silly. I haven't gotten my system down yet, so my work efficiency level isn't perfected yet, but I am getting so much more done without customers walking in, or solicitors trying to sell me jewelry or chocolate or some auto place down the street wanting to do a deal with me and sell me a package where I can get 4 oil changes, brake pads and something else for only $69.99. (whatever). Then there are the browsers, who are waiting for their friends at the tattoo shop who are just killing time who have no intention of buying but like to smell things. Then, there are those random people that would occasionally pop in, like that crazy woman who came in with her little dog with the bugged out eyes and sat in my wicker chair and talked to me for 30 minutes about strange things while interrupting herself every so often telling me she wished her dog would run into traffic sometimes. I don't know if she was crazy or on drugs, but I think her state of being was not drug induced, sadly. It was permanent. That poor dog: Bugsy was his name with the bugged eyes. He was a bit sketched out. And rightly so.

Bugsy

I've caught up on my retail orders so if you are looking for your package it is en route! My wholesale orders will be cranked out and shipped out today, tomorrow and Friday except for the soaps I need to make, pour and cure. Because of the move, everything has been in "halt" mode for more than a week. Whether a delay is uncontrollable or not, I have guilt about them in my orders. My wholesale customers have become like friends to me. I care about them, so I hate it when they're disappointed.

They have been very patient and supportive. I love them!

And I have been so supported by all of you and I want to thank you for the undying support and comfort you have given me through this time. I believe it has a lot to do with my sunny outlook on closing the shop. I initially thought closing it indicated my failure, a total catastrophe. I don't see it like that at all now. I see it as my stepping stone; As my way to move forward because I couldn't focus or work hard enough to get enough done, so I was just treading water. Now I feel like I can make product - produce, produce, produce -- - if I need to... and right now, my wholesale customers, including the new ones, are needing the product they have asked for, so I better get moving and mix up the goods!

Thank you and hugs to you.

:)

xo Joanna

*

Emotional Shop Closing

Is has been a very emotional couple of weeks for me since our decision to close the store. Almost everyone that has come into the shop is a repeat customer and, while they are shopping, I've mentioned that we are closing the shop at the end of next week.

Their first reactions are usually worry and sadness.

"Why? What's wrong?" When I let them know I'm o.k., then they immediately say, "Oh no, where am I going to get your soaps, and smell them, and touch them?" ... "I can't go back, Joanna! It's all I use now....."

I love my customers. Apparently, they've gotten hooked on handmade soaps and smelling-before-buying. So I am gathering all of my local customers' names and email addresses and will contact them if I start going to a regular farmer's market or find a monthly location where I can display my soaps.

Today, one of my regular monthly customers came in and chatted me up with political conversation, thoughts on living in other countries, and ideas of a better life before we moved onto a soap chat. He always comes in alone after his shift at the hospital, buys 5 or 6 bars of different soap, talks about the world, his wife and grown up children, and jokes that being physically dirty is the reason he stopped in.

I have really loved my time at the shop for so many reasons, but in this post I want to thank all of the customers that came in because they were curious, dared to try one of my products or soaps, and came back. I loved meeting you. I loved talking to you. I wasn't pretending, except for the crazy guy with the hands like shovels that wouldn't leave the shop.
c r e e p y d u d e.

We are down to our last few days. Today was busy for me with organizing equipment and doing inventory. It wasn't a wildly busy retail day, but I told the customers about the shop and sure enough they scooped up a variety of soaps, fearing they wouldn't be able to smell them for awhile. "Can't live without these, Joanna....." Very sweet story: A 17 year old guy from the fishing shop two doors down came in for his mom "just because she was at home all day doing laundry and stuff and she'd probably like this stuff". Could there be a nicer kid? Dropped over $30 of his own money because he thought his mom was working hard at home. I can only hope my son stops to think like that when he's that age.

My heart has been doing the involuntary tightening twist these days and it's not been easy. The decision was a hard one and it was really sad at first, then brutal and heartbreaking, then it moved towards being realistic and reasonable and now I feel like it is absolutely the right decision and that it will really help me hone in on what I need to focus on with the business and life in general -- for now. The experience was incredible and I'd do it all over again. I have been wearing many hats for many years, but this balancing act was by far the most fun to "endure". Every day was a joy. I looked forward to getting to the shop every single day. There wasn't a day that I stared at the clock so I could go home.

I need to thank every single one of you who walked into the shop over the last fourteen months and changed my life. You know who you are. So.. as part of growth, both personally and professionally, I will hone in, focus, work harder than ever and make magic. This is what I need to do. But I do have you all to thank. You have touched me.

One more week in the shop. I will continue to keep you updated as we go, of course. Shop hours next week will be:

Monday through Friday: Noon - 6 pm for sure.

Saturday and Sunday we will be moving and cleaning (I think). If we can swing being open on Saturday we will be, but I just don't know...

Thank you.

xo

love, Joanna

Crush On You Is Officially #1

Crush On You has topped the charts at Product Body. It is our top seller, it is the top discusser, the top raver, it's all anyone ever talks about these days. In fact, I am making it everyday just keeping up with the demand of the master exfoliators out there. (You know who you are ;P)

I originally made Crush for the body, but found myself using the scrub mostly for my hands at the kitchen sink because we are tuna fish eaters and garlic lovers here and that Crush On You takes odors right off the hands. Oil, too. Since I make the stuff, I have a tub of it at every sink in the house. I also love using it as a pre-shave for my legs. I love the roughness of a scrub on my lower legs especially. The rougher the better ...they are in a constant state of inner itch, so the scrub just eases the tension (hard to explain, so I'll just drop it so I don't bore you all).

Since Crush On You was born a few years ago, it's been just a body scrub, or so I thought. This year, my cousin tells me she's been using it on her face and has been for months. People at work keep stopping her and asking her where she's getting her "work" done. "Are you going to a dermatologist or getting plastic surgery or botox, or what!? I need their phone number!"

Get outta here!

She says to me, "No, Jo. Really." Then she tells me her son (who is also my Godson and 16 years old) has been using the Crush On You and his acne cleared up since he started using it. WHAT!? Get out. Okay, now, looking younger and beng acne free? Give me a piece of that Kit Kat bar! So guess what? I started using Crush On You as a facial scrub every night before bed for about 2 months, and my skin is way softer, looks smoother and my pimples are at bay. Hormonal acne can't be treated... those come from within, but the excess ones? They are gone!

SO if you have a Crush On You in your possession, try it on your face for a few days and see how you feel and look. Then write me an email if you have any feedback for me. I want to hear what YOU have to say.

I do.

It Can Happen To You

It's OK To Be A Product Junkie
Product Body

The shop has been opened now for three months and we are still fairly slow, but we are now getting "regulars" and they come often. A lot of our online customers have become addicts and now I see it's happening right here in Jupiter. Women come in to the shop with a sense of urgency, walk over to the shelves nervously twiddling their fingers, looking for their "junkie" product in their favorite scent and when they find it, you can see their body change shape... there is a release of tension and nervous energy as they hold the jar tight.

I keep getting questions like, "this will remain a permanent scent in your line, right?" or "is this soap one of your signature ones? You will always have this available, right? I don't think I can live without it."

I am honored that people like the products and I am doubly thrilled that the soaps are such a big hit here. I can't make some of the soaps fast enough. I am getting soap requests and I am up for the challenge. In the meantime, spas are loving our Creme Fresh and saying their staff AND customers are flipping over it and the jars are flying off the shelves. Again, one of the spa owners (my customer) feels a bit like a drug dealer because people come to her frantic when the spa gets low on inventory. "When are you going to get more?.... I can't run out...."

It's better to be a Product junkie than any other kind of junkie, so yay to that.

Come to the shop if you are close. First sample is free...

I Love My Job

Other than cold calling, which I hate and avoid without even realizing it, I love everything about my job.

I love...
creating
thinking about creating
trying my creations
trying new fragrances, butters, oils, clays, botanicals, extracts, etc......
hearing about others experience with my creations (+ or -)
being in a creative community who share my passion
talking with and emailing customers
being in our shop
you...


Of course, Product Body is not all puppies and cupcakes (is that right or am I miss malaprop?). We wish we had more walk-in sales, more wholesale accounts, and online orders, but the reality is that I am so happy to be here and I wake up every day excited to go to work and rush to get to the shop and create.

Yay that. There was a time that the dread of going to work was so painful, it hurt.

Safe To Consume - Great News!

The Beloved Bar Of Choice. Yum Yum Yum

HERSHEY, PA., January 17, 2009 - The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today issued a statement related to peanuts:

The Hershey Company Does Not Purchase Peanut Butter,
Peanuts or Peanut Products from Peanut Corporation of America
All Hershey and Reese's candies are safe to consume

(say what?!?!?)

No products made by The Hershey Company, including items and brands in the iconic Reese's franchise, are affected by the recent recall related to peanut butter. Hershey does not purchase any peanut butter, peanuts or peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America. Peanut butter for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is made in Hershey facilities under the most stringent safety and quality standards.

All of our products are safe to consume. This includes all items sold to other food companies and used as ingredients in other products.

Consumers with any questions regarding this issue should call our Consumer Relations line at 1-800-468-1714.



Thank you, Oh Chocolate Lord Of Mine they are safe because I think I'd need intervention without them!

Pictures Of The Shop

looking from the front right to the back door

looking from near the back door to the front (the front door is very dark in this picture. Just under the lit exit sign)

Brad, my husband, and I did all the work except we hired a plumber to install a hot water heater and to run hot water lines for our lab sink. We put in the floor, built cabinets painted, cut moulding, put up shelves.....etc. When I say "we", I really mean Brad. I was really there as the handy assistant who humped my butt off and worked and sweat alongside the master pro. Trust me, I worked like heck. He worked harder.

These two are only half done...

front half (shop)

back half (formulary)

So this is complete:

you could see the formulary in the back (bakery concept, sort of)

Now, these pictures were taken after the first day of retail, so our shelves are looking pretty bare. I will have to post more when the place is packed again with soaps and goodies and when I am not sick anymore.

(sniffle)

These don't feel like they show everything. I'll try to get it all in the next time, but you get the vibe...

Wahooo! And Can I Bitch For A Sec?

My eyes are blurring. I think I must be tired. He he. The sun is setting and I feel happy standing in my shop achy and exhausted. In fact, the exhaustion feels really good even though it's exhausting. I had two customers today. People I knew, but it was good, because I got to do the the minor details around the place that I hadn't gotten to yesterday when it didn't feel ready. Things just work out the way they need to sometimes and this is one of those times.

Sadly, my friends have all disappeared from my life and I am sort of feeling sorry for myself. This is one of the biggest things in my life (except in the past when it was my wedding day and when I had my babies .) This is my third child and for weeks, my friends have completely vanished. Maybe they were giving me space and didn't want to get in my way...? I even asked one of them to come on over because I missed her and I'd love her to see the shop (she lives a mile away and has a working car). No show. What gives? I will tell you: If my friend opened a shop, I would be the first customer and bring a box of doughnut holes for opening day or a cup of coffee or get fancy and get a bottle of champagne or El Patron and limes. I've got the sea salt covered. Work perks, y'know. ;)


It's not all bad.
ps: I have gotten more support from my husband, mother and my children than I ever could have expected and it brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it.

Unexpected Feedback Lately

Product Body gets feedback on products quite a bit, but in the last week, we have been getting some unusual feedback about some things our products have been up to. Who knew?

10/23/08 My sis has been using Mama Bomb on her baby son. He got "Fifth Disease" at a young age, and it turned his skin into something akin to a lizard, so we've been trying to remedy it with Mama Bomb. So far, it's worked better than anything else.
-Gena P., Studio City, CA



10/25/08 (Crush On You) Amazing product! I have spent soooooooooooo much money on Rx products, and over the counter products for the twins and never had the results I see now! The girls have so many skin and allergies it isn't even funny. I wish I would have ordered from you sooner.
-Kit D., Wellington, FL

10/28/08 - The crush on you, it's amazing! I used to have bumps on my arms from ingrown hairs and no more since I've been using it! Yay! ;o)
- Jessica P., Seattle, WA

It is always good to hear positive feedback, but it's particularly interesting to me when people tell us a new use for the products AND have it work wonders. Love that.

Finslippy Challenge

I read is Finslippy written by Alice Bradley just about every day. I really like her writing because she has a perspective on life that is raw and it feels like she is describing my life so much of the time it's weird. I also wish I had even half the talent. Alice is a professional writer and has contributed to the books "Things I Learned About My Dad (in Therapy)" and "Sleep is for the Weak."

Right now, Alice is having a challenge on her blog. She explains it here:

Donors Choose is an incredible organization that matches teachers in high-needs schools with people who are willing to give. Teachers register with the site and describe what projects they need sponsored, and donors can pick and choose which projects they want to help fund. So the Blogger Challenge is just a bunch of us bloggers competing over who can raise the most money. If I win the Blogger Challenge, I will reenact Pat Benatar's video "Love is a Battlefield" in its entirety. Because I am dimly aware that this challenge is about helping teachers in need, and my desire to WIN WIN WIN or your desire to see me shimmying and gyrating in a torn dress and too much eyeliner.

Product Body is offering a FIGGY PUDDING gift box (not yet available to the public!!) over at Finslippy as a give away to a random donor this week. I am honored to be a part of this effort, even if it's just a small donation. I urge you to go help, even if it's just five dollars. If you haven't checked out Finslippy before, you should, but you might get hooked.

And if she wins, we get to see her do Pat Benatar. We need a little comic relief from all this political fog, don't we?

We are strong...

I'm A Bit Like A Roomba

With holiday gift sets and scents brewing at work, I can say that I have been a little busy. Not only am I trying to get orders out, I am trying to THINK, which is difficult when I am in go-go motion. It's kind of like when you lay out your children's lunch bags, and as you fill each lunch box with the same items...plop...plop...plop, blip, blip, blip, then someone comes up to you asks you to check a math question. Okay. Stop. Think. Finish checking (which actually takes me a little time because I am not quick with the math), then before I zip back into my assembly line of lunch goods, I have to readjust my brain to that mode and it does take a few seconds to return to normal. I feel like sometimes I'm like a Roomba. Ever had one of those? Well I had one once until I ran it into the ground and burned out the motor I loved it so much.

A Roomba is a self propelled, self taught, space ship-looking vacuum cleaner. It used to be that I could turn it on, leave the house and return home with the first floor pretty close to being dust free, or hairball free, whatever. Unfortunately, half the time, the thing would get caught under the same chair and beep for 30 minutes before shutting itself off. I think mine was mentally challenged because it didn't LEARN to not go under that dumb chair every day. So I guess I'm saying I sometimes feel like a Roomba, because I'm moving along doing a fine job, I hit a wall, stop, do a turn, adjust myself and move along, and I keep doing that until I get stuck under the stupid chair.

Ever get information-laden and feel sopped up and need a moment to let it absorb deeper?

Last Days Before Troops Donations Get Packed Up

On the 3rd of July, my company, Product Body, set up a way for everyone to pitch in to add additional products to a huge yummy box of Product Body products to be shipped to the troops in the Middle East.

Here is an explanation of the promotion...from our blog post "A Care Package To The Troops":

"We've decided to send a care package of our products to the servicemen and women stationed in the Middle East in the hope that it can provide them with a few moments of relaxation and luxury. Who wouldn't need a little pampering after being in the desert in one outfit, with one bar of soap?

So for the month of July, every time anyone makes a purchase on our website that totals $40 or more, we'll add another product to the box. If you want us to include a message from you, just put it in the comments field during checkout. We'll also list (first name, last initial and hometown unless you tell us otherwise) the name of every customer that helped make the box bigger.

So help us make them happy! They deserve it."

There are four more days of shopping at Product Body in order for your donation to be included. All purchases over $40 will be qualified through August 31st.

We will be announcing the troop's name and location as soon as that is cleared for us to do. Thank you for your support.

Really.

Word Verification

Not that I have loads of extra time on my hands, but I read my share of blogs every day. I like to leave comments if it makes sense because as a writer of two blogs, reading comments makes me feel that people are in fact reading, not just mistakenly landing here.

I just counted: 52 regular blogs I visit daily. (Impossible!) I spend about an hour reading and commenting and about 30-60 minutes constructing posts. I don't do this all at once. mind you, but my interest lies in many places and it's nice to feel connected with people.

The one thing I hate, though is word verification when I'm leaving a comment on somebody's blog. First of all, The swirly words aren't always easy for me to read. Makes me feel dizzy and like I should be wearing a helmet to figure out the code so in case I tip over. See the picture of the handicapped person? That's me. All challenged.

It just makes everything take LONGER. I have a job, people! I understand the word verification "system" eliminates auto commenters (why would anyone have that job? Point being to annoy??) So, I took my word verification off both my blogs months ago and I get one spammer a month which is easy to discard. So fellow bloggers: please help out an easily disoriented, have no extra time for extra energy spent gal living in Florida. The heat already is a challenge.

See? I can't even speak English anymore!

Weenus Was The First Blow

Weenus Testing

Remember when I shared with you about the WEENUS TEST....my daughter's old-detection test? To update yourself on Tween nonsense go here and read about it. And test yourself... I dare you, and then, I wish you luck. I failed miserably so don't feel bad if it didn't snap back like the old days

Strike One.

The other day, my daughter and I were hanging out and gabbing while I drank my morning coffee and she suddenly looked at me with great admiration and said, " Mom, your crow's feet look so pretty."

Strike Two.

Later that day, I'm lying in bed and my son comes and snuggles with me. We are in a sweet embrace and he looks at me with great admiration and says, "Mom, that hair that's growing between your eyebrows.... is that called a uni brow?"

Strike Three.

I'm not sure anymore about the look of great admiration. I am now thoroughly convinced that it is evil child-ness. Or just the plain truth. Now I understand the curse that my parent's wished on me when I gave them hell (although I was a pure angel before I turned 15 - no joke).

First I'd like to say, to my daughter's credit, she said she thought my crow's feet were beautiful because it was proof that I was a happy person and smiled a lot in my life. My son? Well, he has no excuse. Yes, my mother's side of the family is from Transylvania (Eastern Europe where Dracula was from) and they are eyebrow wonders of the universe over there. I am very good about keeping myself uni brow-free. I pluck every week. Otherwise, I might look like Frida Kahlo. But then, she is from Mexico and I am clearly not.

So go ahead and have children, but if you are vain, be very very careful, because your inflated sense of self will be gasping for air on the floor while you are trying to understand how these beautiful little babies that were godsends before today, clearly just took your youth right out from under you. Watch your step. You might trip on a saggy piece of skin hanging off of your body.

My Mother's Day Gift

To me, this was the perfect gift.  I love gardening, but don't do it like I used to.  I feel I have even run out of time to go shopping for plants let alone watering them.  Oh, I used to be so good.....

So some of my plants are:  cucumbers, tomatoes (3 different types), purple string beans, yellow watermelon,  jalepenos (3!), basil, lemon thyme, Japanese eggplant (2), cilantro, and peppermint. Look what a beautiful job the kids did decorating the border.

This is a frangipani flower blooming and it smells heavenly.  This baby tree is in the backyard, while I have a much larger tree in the front that blooms hot pink.  Oh they love the heat... frangipanis drop all there leaves in the Winter and look like branch sculptures and in the summer months, they bloom and smell up the joint with gorgeousness.

Wish I knew of a way to incorporate them in my body products.  I have never found a plumeria/frangipani scent that smelled anywhere near the real thing!

When Product Body was Shashy Bodycare

When I first started my bath and body product business, I named it Shashy Bodycare.  Shashy was a private word/joke between me and my husband.  "What does that mean?" was a question I was presented with daily along with, "How do you pronounce it?  Sha-shy? "  No, I would say.  Shashy, rhymes with Sassy.  Whatever.  Even my friends couldn't say it.  In 2005, I changed the name and revamped the entire line and spent hours, days, weeks and months getting ready to launch it while moving to a different house (stress).  

Product Body was born.

I came across these pictures of a few of our old products.  These are the first ever product photos my husband took with a crappy digital camera.  I liked our set design (we have always created all of our set designs).

Whipped shea butter.  Unchanged although now we offer more than one scent and cooler packaging.

Cream - unchanged.  Now we offer more scents and it comes in a better jar where you can SEE the stuff.

This is similar to the Butter Scrub, but with cocoa powder and added scent.

Massage oil, which we do not offer anymore.  

Mama Bomb.  Began way back when and has been popular ever since.  I still like the little label.

So, we have grown and sweat and persevered.  I have loved this journey!  So there you have it.  Our story.

Best News Ever

I got confirmation of some great news yesterday, but, I actually haven't gotten my hands on it yet.

My friend called me yesterday afternoon to congratulate me.

Huh?

"I saw you in REAL SIMPLE magazine! It's on page 97 and there is a big foot and they talk about Sugarfoot!"

Omagod, omagod, omagod. I was aware that Real Simple had chosen us to be a part of their May pedicure story, but they also said that I could be yanked at the last second before they go to print. I know for a fact that some other businesses have been yanked, literally at the last moment so I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. According to my contact there, the magazine is supposed to hit newsstands on Monday, but I suppose some subscribers get it a few days early (?)

Tonight my mother calls me and said she saw it on their website. So here it is. I am super proud to say that Sugarfoot is a "Real Simple Pick". I have been loving this magazine way before I even got into this business, so it kind of feels hard to believe we are IN it.

There is my jar of Sugarfoot!

When I get my hands on the real thing, I will scan it and share with you the moment I can.

Thank you all for being so supportive.

Yayayayay!

No More Parabens In Crush On You!

I played around and made a sign about our awesome news.... click on it to read.

Crush On You - Doesn't She Learn?

My mother wrote a great story about her first Crush On You experience before: A Gunk Dilemma.... I blame the short term memory loss on this. Must.... get ..... her .... some ..... help. ;)


About a week ago my niece and I went to a conference together. After about 20 minutes I became totally distracted and bored (probably ADD) and began to feel my legs. I said "Karyn, feel my legs. I should be ashamed of myself,with a daughter in the business, how can I have legs like sandpaper." At this point Karyn said, "feel mine," which I did and her legs felt like a baby's tush, soft and creamy. She said "Crush on You. I use it everyday and it makes my legs, my whole body and my face soft and creamy." She went on to say that she hadn't used any for a WEEK and just got her order in the mail today and hadn't had time to use it. Her softness was from Crush on You she put on a week ago.

Anyhow, we went on listening to the lecturer (kinda) but I thought about what Karyn had said. Karyn is not an old bag, she is only a little older than Jo, but she and her mom have a regimen, they use the Crush on You and the Lotions by the gallon.

I am turning over a new leaf. No more sandpaper legs. I am forging on and beginning a regimen of Crush on you and Lotion. With these old legs, I think I need both.

Love & kisses, Momma

Nice Catch!

My family went fishing off the neighborhood dock the other night, and my 7 year old son, caught this catfish. It was the size of my forearm.

We ate it for dinner that night. Dipped in egg, powdered in flour and sauteed in butter and olive oil with a squeeze of lemon. I had never eaten fish that was breathing an hour before. It was a bit hard to try it, but once I got through that first bite, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Delicious!