Hi, Nakedtruthbeauty -

don't mention wriggly babies as I'm in a broody stage at the moment! I saw a beautiful 3 day old baby yesterday and almost changed my mind about just having the one.

Thanks all for being so welcoming - it's good to know that when someone has a passion, they are eager to share their hard earned knowledge. BUt brace yourselves cos when i get my melt and pour kit for Xmas, i'll be one here non-stop asking for advice.

  Ooh pollyanna! 2 is crazy. Fun but crazy. I had mine silly closely together and it's been a hectic few months but little un is one now and it's getting easier. Wouldn't swap it tho. My sis has just had her first and he's gorgeous. He's only 24 hours old and I'm smitten. However, still have no desire to have more. 2 will do me just fine. Let us know when you've got news to share 

Hi Polly,

Welcome to the forum.  Lovely to hear your enthusiasm, I'm sure as you get inspired by the guys here you will fit to burst wanting the course to come sooner 

I have two, a girl who's 9 and one who is 6 today (bless him, happy birthday N).  I think we all are immune to shouting by now  :mwaha:

I look forward to chatting with you more around the boards  :buttrf:

Hey from me too Polly!  Glad you've joined up. I'm fairly new to the board too, and I cannot tell you how much I have learnt from all these very clever ladies and gents!

I have kids too - a 2.5 and a 4.5 year old. Both are WELL aquainted with my shouting skills.  :mwaha:

You said you're doing a course in London. Please can I ask with whom? I love to know about where and what courses are out there. And please, let us know what you thought of it when you've been!

Hope you enjoy this forum as much as I do.  xxx

Hi again,

the course i was about to book was the Melinda Coss one on Feb 28th next year, but I've emailed Keilly at Mad about Nature to see if she has any spaces (I've seem her posts on here). I've tried in vain to see a course nearer home, in Scotland even, but unless I'm looking in the wrong places, there doesn't seem to be any.

Of course I let you know how i got on and what I thought of it. I'm really excited about going on a course, wherever it is.

One thing that puzzles me, maybe it's a Scottish thing, but there are very few, if any, soap stalls at craft fairs here. The one i was at today in Glasgow's merchant city had no soap stall at all, which really suprised me. So either there is a huge gap in the market just waiting to be filled, or other people have tried and it wasn't worth their while.

One thing that puzzles me, maybe it's a Scottish thing, but there are very few, if any, soap stalls at craft fairs here.

Well Corrie can't be verywhere!!

There are quite a few soapers around Scotland but many are along way from anywhere.

We saw hardly any handmade soap in the shops and visitor centres in Ayrshire when we were up there on holiday in June (and you wouldn't be treading on Corrie's toes if you styed south of the firth).

I've seen Corrie's list of craft fair dates - very impressive and might even pop into her one in Glasgow.

Now you mention it, even the gifts shops that I've been in don't really stock soaps. Might need to start cracking on making soaps sooner than  planned

Ayrshire can be very pretty in parts, other parts really not so pretty, I hope you had a nice time and saw some lovely parts of the countryside and some of the nicer beaches.

Polly, if you want a day to learn pre your course, feel free to contact me. I only do CP & HP soap and whole lot of other things but I'd be happy to help you. I've been making soap for nearly 3 years and don't proclaim to know everything but I can get you started.
Sometimes finding fairs around where I am is difficult, out of the Xmas season, I've had loads of requests in the past few weeks but really I need a steady stream through the year. Also finding ones that are well attended is tricky. I tried the Troon one (well didn't) as I got a very snappy email from the people who run it saying they were fully booked....what forever? It's not an easy way to make money but if you can mix between doing fairs and selling into shops it can be done, plus it feeds a passion 

Hi Corrie,

I second the snotty attitude from the Troon guys. To get me started I though I would sell other people's soaps (natural ones that are homemade by a woman in Cambridge) and was told the same - fully booked for all of 2010. I asked to be put on the waiting list for 2011, as by then I should be making my own soaps well enough, and was told NO. But my sister who seels jewellery was put on the list AFTER i was refused.

The guy ALex who probably sent you the email sells the soaps at the Troon craft fair!  Bitter? Me? 

Thanks for the offer of learning with you, and it is something I am interested in. With Christmas coming up and everyone being busy, I will contact you after the holidays, or I might see you at the Glasgow fair in the west end - if I'm free, I'll come by and say hello.
 Thank you again for your kind offer. I'll be in touch.

Polly

Me neither! But the reply was so abrupt I did wonder if someone close to him (or himself) sold soap. Thanks for confirming my suspicion, not really a good way to run an oganisation is it?! Don't allow another soap maker, talk about cornering the market! I might email them again just to be a pain 
Pop in to Oran Mor if your free, it would be great to meet you!

 :mwaha:
Go for it. It will be interesting to know what he replies!

Welcome Pollyanna, I didn't get a chance to say it yet!!!  :buttrf:

Hi Polly

Hello and Welcome, its a lovely place around here, I have just started too, and its very enjoyable and addictive, I cannot tell you how much my skin has improved since I started making my own soap. 

I also have kids 3, aged 3, 9 and 14.  Teenager and toddler all wrapped up together.  Fun and games at our house!!

Happy Halloween !!

Hi Pollyanna & welcome 

Hi Pollyanna - welcome to the forum :buttrf:
I think Corrie would be an excellent teacher for you - her stuff is inspirational and I'm sure you could learn a lot from her - sorry not had a chance to email you back yet - have been rushed off my feet and I can't take on any more workshop until January now.
Have fun on here though and pick up as much info as possible from here and that will help you out when you do start :buttrf: