The Nova Studio Blog

January - June 2009 is Posted

2008-11-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

Hello loyal blog readers,

I wanted to share with you a rose that was SO beautiful, I just had to take its picture.

I am looking forward to stopping to smell the roses a little more now that The Nova Studio's six month class calendar (January through June of 2009) is finally posted. I still have a few links to link and two 4-day boot camps to finalize, but you can click here to take a peek at all the rest.

Thanks for looking :-)

Soapy Love is Coming 12/13

2008-11-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

EXCITING NEWS - JUST ADDED TO OUR DECEMBER CALENDAR

~ SOAPYLOVE IS COMING ~ SOAPYLOVE IS COMING ~

We are tickled pink to have soap artisan Debbie Chialtas of "Soapylove" coming from San Diego to The Nova Studio for one day only to teach 2 spectacular classes on Saturday 12/13/08.

The first class is 4 Fun & Festive Holiday Inspired Soaps Projects:

The second class is 4 Deliciously Tempting Sweet Treat Soap Projects:

Here's a great little video where Debbie shares how she got started in Melt & Pour Soaping:

SOAPYLOVE DISCOUNT FOR BLOG SUBSCRIBERS: Sign-up for both classes & receive $10 off ($5 each class).
Call 510-234-5700 to sign-up with a credit card or mail in a check and deduct $10 from the total price of the class fees. Note: Cannot be combined with other offers.

Indie Beauty Comes Clean

2008-10-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Guess who loves our soap? The founder of the Indie Beauty Network. Here she is giving rave reviews about The Nova Studio soap from (where else) her bath tub!

By the way... Today is the last day (10/31/08) to get the early bird discount at the Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild annual conference, which will be in Palm Springs, CA in May of 2009. Click HERE for details and the schedule as it stands currently. I'll be speaking on "Taking the Mystery out of Coloring Soap" and our very own David Critchfield of Mission Peak Soap will be speaking on "Properties of Fixed Oils in Soap." It's sure to be yet another amazing event. We hope you'll join us!

Soap & Cosmetic Labeling Class

2008-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

*NOVA NEW FLASH - JUST POSTED*

Marie Gale, president of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild and author of "Soap & Cosmetic Labeling: How to Follow The Rules & Regs Explained in Plain English" is going to be HERE at The Nova Studio for one night only - NEXT Wed, 10/15/08 from 7-9:30pm for a class on Soap & Cosmetic Labeling. Now is your chance to get your labeling questions answered in person, by the expert. If you are already selling or considering selling, don't miss this rare opportunity.

Limited Seating - Click Here To Sign up

I'm Confirmed!

2008-09-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Exciting News - I've been invited back to speak again at the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild annual conference. Next year it will be in Palm Springs on May 12-14, 2009. It's such an honor - I feel so fortunate to be included with such a wonderful and knowledgeable group.

The topic I proposed was COLOR WITH CONFIDENCE: Unlocking the Mystery of Coloring Soap. At the last conference when I was demonstrating my swirls, so many people had questions about what colors to use, how they work, etc. On the bus ride up to Sandy Maine's place (the optional tour the day after the conference), I was brainstorming about what I could teach in 2009, and my friend Sherry suggested a class on color color. Right there on the bus (it was a LONG ride - about 3.5 hours each way), we constructed an outline for the entire presentation. The more I thought about all the different options, the more complex my outline became. There is definitely enough information to cover a full hour and then some. I mentioned it to Leigh at the end of the last conference, and she liked it!

I'll most likely be doing the class a few times here at my studio before taking it to Palm Springs and shortening it to 1 hour (the time for most of the presentations there). I'm really excited as once I started getting into all the specifics about color - my sheet was covered with cross references (for different soap types and different color types), categories, sub categories, etc. My goal is to write up a VERY comprehensive guide (perhaps laminated?) that soap makers can use when ordering colors and then again just before making soap to ensure the right color for their soap master pieces (no surprises like a lavender-scented, brown soap - yuck).

For those of you who aren't members yet, here's the latest email about the conference from Leigh O'Donnell, conference chairman. Note the early bird deadline is October 31:

September 11, 2008: From The Conference Committee Chairman

I would like to personally invite you to attend the largest soap conference in North America! It will be May 12-14, 2009 at The Miramonte Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California. With almost 300 handcrafted soapmakers expected to attend this will be an event not to miss!

Erin Brockovich
There will be exciting and informative speakers covering a wide variety of business and soapmaking topics, all intended to help you improve your business and your products. The keynote address, generously sponsored by Essential Wholesale, will be from well-known speaker, environmentalist and award-winner, Erin Brockovich, who will share her personal story and the life lessons she has learned.

Further speakers and topics will be:
* Donna Maria Coles Johnson - Become Your Own Media Outlet
* Jamila White, The eCommerce Diva - Blog Your Way to More Web Sales
* Linda Stevens - Profit Margin Killers and Setting Up Shop
* Kelly Bloom - Trademarking and Stars & Stripes Forever, CP Soap Design
* Kevin Dunn - Temperature in Soapmaking
* David Steinberg - Preservatives & Preserving Cosmetics
* Susan Ryhanen - Booth Design for Maximum Profits
* Lori Nova (that's me!) - Color With Confidence - Taking the Mystery Out of Coloring Soap
* and more to come!

There will also be several special events you won't want to miss.

The lowest rates for registration is available expires on October 31st. Don't wait, sign up now! This is a good investment in your business. As one conference attendee said, "Attending the HSMG Conference is the best thing you can do for your business. The sharing of ideas, information and techniques is priceless!"

New Calendars Posted

2008-08-15T09:23:00.001-07:00

The October, November and December 2008
calendars have been posted!

Please help spread the word by forwarding this message to friends. You can click on the individual links above or access all upcoming calendars by visiting our Main Calendar Page.

Calendar Highlights: We have some really cool NEW classes like Liquid Soap Making with David, 3 Types of Balms for Lips, Eyes & Body with Joan along with 2 different all-natural candle making classes: Soywax and Beeswax, a brand new one from Alice - Aromatherapy Mama & Baby Products and one more Hands-On CP Soap Lab with Lori and David just in time to make a whole batch of soap (18 bars) for the holidays. Also, we've lowered the price on a few of Patrik's wonderful PMC classes - the PMC Rings (with a new option to make "stackable" rings) and his brand new PMC Perfume Amphora (which comes with a free sample of Lori's all-natural perfume).

Coming up on Saturday, 9/13/08, from 1-5pm, don't forget to mark your calendars for our 5-Year Anniversary Party! We're constantly updating the description page with the latest in demos & donations that will happen that day. Some generous companies are donating some very cool items with more being added daily. If you would like to get involved in the celebration (more details about all of these can be found on the anniversary page here). Feel free to call 510-234-5700 or email(at)thenovastudio.com

Here are some way for you to get involved:
~Simply SHOW UP to the event on Sat. 9/13, between 1-5pm and enjoy yourself
~PARTICIPATE in a soap or bath/body product SWAP (advanced sign-up necessary)
~DONATE products or services for the goodie bags or raffles
~VOLUNTEER a few hours of your time at the event
~DO A DEMO or a service to show off your talents or products
~More details for all of the above can be found here.

Hope to see you soon!

p.s. We are currently taking requests for classes January through June of 2009!

8/13/08 CA Soapers Meeting

2008-08-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know about a brand new Google Group created by Nova Studio student Feleciai Favroth. Here is a picture of us at the Soap Guild Conference in Vermont this past April (exhausted - but loving every minute of it!).

Feleciai had the great idea of starting the Google Group (californiasoapmakers) after the conference. There are many soapmakers in the state of California, yet no one was getting them together! She said she would start the group and I said I would support it by offering my studio as a meeting space.

We are happy to announce that the first meeting of the group is coming up! It's next Wednesday Night, 8/13/08, from 6:30-9:30pm at The Nova Studio. I just added a link to my August 2008 Calendar.

This group is for individuals dedicated to the art of handcrafted soaps and skin care products. Our goal is to expand our knowledge about the products and network with other soapmakers. All are welcome! There is no charge for the meeting - just show up (soap in hand, or not!).

If you can't make it to this meeting but are interested in joining the group - visit this link for more information. If you have questions before joining, you may contact Feleciai directly at: Feleciai.Favroth@gmail.com

For those who haven't been to The Nova Studio before, we are located only 20 miles away from downtown San Francisco in historic Point Richmond. You can find directions by visiting our Location Page. Our address is: 24 West Richmond Avenue, Point Richmond, 94801. Our phone number is 510.234.5700.

If you are planning on coming to our first meeting (how exciting!) Wednesday, 8/13/08, please RSVP (to Feleciai.Favroth@gmail.com) so we know how many people to expect. There is no charge for this event - and all types of soapmakers (cold process, hot process, melt & pour) are welcome!

Feel free to forward this invitation along to any other soap makers you feel might benefit from meeting and networking with other soapers in California!

5-Year Anniversary

2008-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Is the picture of the cake big enough? I usually choose "small" or "medium" for my images, but this one deserved "large."

I can't believe this September is going to be FIVE YEARS in business in Point Richmond! It's unbelievable really that it's been that long. It's literally flown by. I posted a page on the website about our BIG Anniversary Party which will be on Saturday, 9/13/08, from 1-5 pm (mark your calendars!). I really hope you can join us! You can get involved by joining the product swap, coming for the free make & take projects & demos (schedule soon to be posted), or volunteer your time to help out. If you want to be involved but don't live close by, we will have a raffle table and hopefully goodie bags so we are in the process of accepting donations from our on-line friends & recommended suppliers. If you donate something, we will proudly display your website and donation on the anniversary party page here.

I just spent the last several hours gathering pictures & setting up a slide show from pictures of the last 2 anniversary parties. It was my first time creating a slide show so it took me a little longer than it should have. I have so many great pictures of the events that happen here at the studio and just not enough time to share them, so I hope you'll be patient as I share them when I can. I hope you like it...

Citrus Oils in CP Soap

2008-07-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of citrus essential oils in Cold Process Soap. They smell SO good and make me happy when I smell them. Even though they are currently out of season, somehow to me they are the essence of summer.

Here is a great article by Snow Drift Farm (linked with permission from Trina - thanks Trina!) that gives more detailed information about citrus oils in soap. Trina did a talk at the St. Louis Soap Guild Conference a few years ago on blending scents for handmade soap.

I have pretty good luck getting citrus essential oils to "stick" in my cold process soap, but a lot of people seem to have a problem with it. Of the things mentioned in the article, I have personal experience with blending lemon with litsea cubeba with very good results (that's been my "lemon poppyseed soap" blend for a long time) and I also use the folded citrus oils whenever I can. My other top citrus blends include Lime & Spearmint (aka Mojito) and Orange & Petitgrain (I would add Neroli if it wasn't cost prohibitive).

One last thing to remember about citrus oils is that they are phototoxic - so be aware that if you use personal care products with citrus oils and then go out into the sun, your skin will be more vulnerable to sun burn/exposure. It's probably more important when using citrus oils in a leave-on product (like lotion/cream/body butter/lip balm), but even in a soap I'm sure some amount of penetrates the skin. If you are worried about sun exposure, just be sure to either wear sunscreen or use your citrus oil products in the evening (and personally I NEVER use citrus oils on my face).

Hope you are all having a JUICY summer!

p.s. Isn't this lime picture amazing! I found it on-line. It was taken by Javier Cuervo.

Join Me Live On Indie Radio

2008-07-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

In twenty minutes (10am PST / 1pm EST) I will be a guest on the Indie Business Radio Show Today! You can join the show live by calling toll free: 800-773-0355.

I will be joined by two fellow Business Boot Camp Speakers, David Critchfield of Mission Peak Soap, Elizabeth Hagen, author of Organize With Confidence. The theme is sort of "Open Mike" where you can call in with questions.

You can tune in live and ask questions by going to http://www.indiebusinessradio.com at 10am (PST) or 1:00pm (EST) and clicking on the Listen Live link at the top of the home page.

A few days after the show, the free download or streaming audio will be posted here:
http://www.indiebusinessradio.com

We hope you can join us!

Here's a description of this Internet Radio Program:

Your Life | Your Business | Your Way

Launched in October 2005, Indie Business Radio offers practical advice and workable strategies to achievement-oriented, independent entrepreneurs (Indies) who are trading in the traditional corporate ladder to enjoy life and business on their own terms. Guests have included Paula Deen and Warren Brown (both of Food Network), Julie Clark (Baby Einstein founder), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul), James Ray (from "The Secret") and other well known and not so well known Indies. Indie Business Radio is for people who want to break all the rules and build their own corporate ladders so they can enjoy the freedom and flexibility they need to enjoy life and be more available to contribute to their families and communities.

Thanks Ideal Bite

2008-07-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to "IdealBite.com" for mentioning our upcoming Fresh Facial Masks & Exfoliants Class on their website here. The class is this Saturday, 7/19, from 3-6pm and at this time still has several spaces left.

Here's what they said:

Title: Bossa Nova
The Girl from Ipanema didn't get tan and lovely without a little beauty help. Get some for yourself by samba-ing over to the Point Richmond's Nova Studio and picking up a few homemade beauty skills. NS hosts weekend DIY classes on stuff like lip balm, bath salts, and soaps. Claim a spot in the Fresh Facial Masks and Exfoliants class, where you'll learn how to turn pantry items - such as fruit (cleansing powers), and grains and nuts (great exfoliators) - into spa-quality treatments. It's a big step up from rubbing paraben-laden, overly packaged products on your kisser. You'll leave with two fresh masks, as well as a pair of two-ounce jars of mix to use down the road. Jazzy.

Here's a blurb about them from their website:

Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living – ideas for real people who lead busy lives and want to make small changes that add up to big results. Our Daily Tips cover everything from biodynamic wine to eco-pet products to organic cosmetics. The secret sauce? A spoonful of “incremental environmentalism” combined with a keeping-it-real attitude.

The mission of Ideal Bite is to create a more sustainable world by connecting enlightened companies with responsible consumers who are ready to make small changes that add up. Ideal Bite is a sassier shade of green.

2008 Conference Video

2008-07-11T19:24:00.001-07:00

How exciting! The Soap Guild just released their video of highlights from the 2008 Conference in Vermont. I'm in it several times (how could I not be - I don't think I slept the entire time I was there) and there is a great shot of my lavender swirled cp soap demonstration. If you are not a guild member yet, this will hopefully push you over the edge if you are on the fence about joining. I can't say enough good things about it. They really did a great job capturing the excitement that you feel being around all the other soap makers. Check it out here:

Please Sign This Petition

2008-07-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Donna Maria of the Indie Beauty Network has put together an amazing campaign against the 2008 FDA Globalization Act. If you don't know what this is about, see the short video below that explains it. If you have heard about it but haven't yet taken the time to sign it, please do so now. It will just take a few minutes (I just signed it myself yesterday).

If this law passes it will impact anyone & everyone making and/or buying natural personal care products.

You can all help spread the word by sending this link to friends/colleagues. If you have a mailing list of customers who buy your products (or even a list of friends/family members who use & love your products) please ask them to sign it too.

Twitter Huh?

2008-07-10T17:25:00.002-07:00

CHIRP!

Okay - so everyone is talking about Twitter. I've ignored it as long as I can. So I went to their website (www.twitter.com) and saw a cute little bird. Okay, I'll admit it - I have a "thing" for birds - you got a problem with that?

After realizing that this service is something that might actually help me and my business (it's part of the whole Social Networking thing), I finally pulled my head out of the sand and joined up a few weeks ago. I've been stalling on actually "twittering" - and people are already "following" me - so today I've done it. I've crossed over and I'm a tweeter - (i don't know what we are called really). I'll give it a shot for a while and see if it's worth continuing.

If you are wondering what the heck Twitter is, here's the skinny:
Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

They have a cool video that you can watch here (I love simple animation):

If you care to know the answer to the question "What I am Doing" you can click here to "Follow Me On Twitter."

So for those who are paying attention... yes, I'm blogging about twittering and next I will go and twitter that I've blogged about it. What is the world coming to?

Student Spotlight: Brenda's Body

2008-07-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Brenda Tucker-Johnson of www.BrendasBody.com - she was recently featured in the June 23, 2008 edition of The Indie Experience (an on-line publication of The Indie Beauty Network). You can read the wonderful interview in full here.

Brenda is a good friend of The Nova Studio. She first came here in November of 2006 and has taken just about all of our group classes and several private lessons with me AND she was the first official sign-up for our 4-Day Business Boot Camp coming up at the end of September.

Below is a picture of Brenda's lovely soap:

Brenda has worked very hard and we are SO PROUD of how much she has achieved.

YOU GO GIRL!

Technorati Registration

2008-06-26T15:14:00.001-07:00

This post is necessary for me to register my blog with a service called Technorati. I learned about Technorati at our Social Networking Class with Chelise last weekend. Her class was very informative and useful for me - loaded with great tips about how to network and spread the word about your business on-line (and where not to waste your time). Hopefully we will offer this class again next quarter (October-December 2008).

Here is the link that I need to post so they can "verify" my blog:
Technorati Profile

Radio Co-Host Gig

2008-06-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just a quick heads up - I'm going to be an "indie guest co-host" on The Indie Business Radio Show this Monday morning (6/23 at 10am PST).

The topic for Monday's show is Starting and Sustaining a Business in Tough Economic Times. The main guest speaker is Rieva Lesonsky, author and former editor of Entrepreneur Magazine. She wrote a book called "Start Your Own Business."

If you would like to listen LIVE click here, the show will start at 10:00 am this Monday morning (pacific standard time). I will be speaking approximately in the first 10 minutes but plan to stick around for the whole show (they are each about 1/2 hour long). If you miss the show live - there will be a download link available at a later date (and I'll try to remember to post a link here or on my website too).

If you haven't yet checked out the massive archive of Indie Beauty Network Radio Programs you are really missing out. There are hours of valuable information there for the taking. That's where I found expert organizer Elizabeth Hagen (who will be part of the 4-day Beauty Business Boot Camp in September). She has a very helpful system that got me organizing some "problem areas" of my home after listening to her for just a short time.

Hope you can join us!

My Retreat

2008-06-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs a retreat. This is a bit about mine. I have mixed feelings about sharing personal stuff here on this blog. It may not be the proper place for sharing of this kind, but I decided to do it anyway.

You know what they say, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." And, quite simply, I am the nova studio's mama. Even though *many* individuals contribute to its success and really make it what it is, at the core it's me... here... making decisions every day that determine the future of the studio - and that can be stressful.

The problem is that I've been working like a dog, non-stop for as long as I can remember and I don't take enough time for myself. Nearly two years ago, I experienced a traumatic life-changing event. My husband decided to abruptly end our 12 year relationship. In an instant, my solid foundation was shattered and dealing with this has made these past 2 years both the most difficult/challenging and also the most personally informative/rewarding of my life thus far.

I'm getting better at recognizing when I'm pushing myself too hard, so last Friday, I dropped off my beautiful constant companion canine Cami at daycare/boarding and drove three hours away to a place called Esalen in Big Sur for three days. I've been there twice before for workshops (in January of 2007 and January of 2008), but this time I was on a "personal retreat" (which just means no workshop). My intention was to treat myself (for my 37th birthday) and relax, recuperate, and renew. Get back in touch with me, myself and I.

When I got there, I was wound up like a top. I soon realized most of the tightness and tension in my body was due to the fact that I was not really breathing (just taking very short shallow breaths). Immediately, the themes for my retreat started to emerge:

Breathe.
Put Myself First.
Stop. Slow Down.
Listen.

I had three WONDERFUL days of...
~relaxing by soaking in the natural hot springs for hours each day,
~getting back in touch with my body through yoga, dance, massage & feldenkrais (I haven't felt so loose in years),
~clearing my mind through meditation, contemplation & conversation,
~filling my stomach with nutritious organic food three times a day,
~and connecting with other amazing people, one in particular, at Esalen.

It was EXACTLY what I needed.

[By the way - these are all pictures I took this past week at Esalen - I hope you enjoy them.]

The teacher in me (and my desire to connect) always leads me to share my experiences and what I've learned with others. This time, my purpose for sharing all this is really just for me. But, if in doing so my story inspires you to find what you need at your own retreat (even if it's in the bathtub for 20 minutes) that would be a bonus gift.

I'll end with a chant from one of the meditations that really resonated with me:

May I be happy.
May I be free.
May I be peaceful.

May you be happy.
May you be free.
May you be peaceful.

May all beings by happy.
May all beings be free.
May all beings be peaceful.

The Mother of All Business Seminars

2008-06-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

okay - so it's been three weeks since my last post. what have i been doing you ask???

lying around, eating cake, drinking pineapple iced tea, basking in the summer sun with my faithful companion cami dog by my side. I WISH.

i've literally been working non-stop day and night on planning the mother of all business seminars. this was something that donna maria (of the indie beauty network) and i spoke of almost a full year ago and it's so exciting to finally see it on the schedule.

click here for details on the 4-day bath & body BUSINESS boot camp with bath & body experts galore!

oh yeah, and i also posted our next quarter of classes (july, august & september). we have some really exciting new classes and fantastic new teachers (more on that to come).

for those of you in driving distance... SAVE THE DATE! our 5-year anniversary celebration will be on saturday, september 13, from 1-5pm. you won't want to miss it!

now i'm going to hide out on the coast of big sur for a few days (to rest and celebrate my birthday). i'll be back in cell phone range and checking email again after tuesday (9/17).

hope you are all having a great summer so far!

"Vintage" Art Match Books

2008-05-21T11:37:00.001-07:00

I taught a candle making class this past Saturday at my studio. Before the class, I was attempting to organize my boxes and boxes of candle supplies (bewildered at how one person can have so many supplies for just one product - they literally take up all the space under a six foot long table that's about 3 feet deep and tall). With all the products I make, I collect (or stockpile) packaging materials, hoping one day to actually do something with them. Some materials get used/incorporated immediately, others stay in the box for months, or worse, years.

Such was the case with some generic cheap matchbook (boxes) that I purchased YEARS AGO for about $1 for a pack of 8 from a local grocery store. I had seen a layout in Martha Stewart about covering plain match books with pretty papers and I thought, hey, I could do that! And... that would be a great thing to add to my candle class! Well, the candle class is already 3-4 hours jam packed, so I never did add it to the class.

So, I'm cleaning up from my candle class this past weekend and getting the studio ready for Diane Bouchard, a very talented paper artist who teaches classes at my studio. Diane had a class this past weekend on Advanced Beeswax Collage. So there they were... the match books... staring me in the face and I thought, Diane could do something amazing with these. So, I set them out with a little post it asking if she could do something, anything with them.

So I read her blog this morning and how cool it was to see those old boring matchbook brought to life - as mini works of art. The posting that refers to the matchbooks is called "Little Pink Things". Her blog is really great to read - wonderful pictures and information about all the beautiful pieces she creates. She also does great reviews/follow-ups to the classes she teaches. Her blog is called Altered Book Studio.

Thanks Diane - Excellent Job!!

(I have my 5 year anniversary of The Nova Studio coming up in September... maybe I can convince Diane to set up a table and have people do mini match books as a free "make & take" project!)

The Soap Bar Reviews Nova Soap

2008-05-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've been reviewed! How exciting. So for those of you not in the know, there is a very cool blog out there called "The Soap Bar" by Joanna Schmidt which I've been enjoying reading since it started in August of 2007. It's a fabulous concept: you send her your soap - she tries it - and then blogs about it. It's a great blog to subscribe to because she not only writes about the soap and the experience of using it, but also takes really great close-up photos of the soap.

Joanna and I traded some products a while back (she has an awesome line of handcrafted goodies called Product Body) and on a last minute whim I decided to include some of my soaps to be reviewed. Most of the people who send soaps for review actually have soap to sell on-line, but even though I don't (yet) I thought it would be fun.

You can read my full review here.

So, come on students of The Nova Studio (who are selling soap), let's bombard her with our amazing soap! First check out the blog, pick a few of your best ones, and send them off! It's really that simple.

The address to send your soap for review is:

Joanna Schmidt
The Soap Bar

Box 3773

Tequesta, Florida 33469

You're Invited to The Stroll

2008-05-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

I wanted to invite everyone to the annual POINT RICHMOND STROLL this THURSDAY, May 15, from 5:30-8pm. It's a big open house for the town (those of you who have been to the studio know that Point Richmond is a cute little quaint historic town). Once a year, just about all the businesses open their doors and give away wine, some food, music, and raffle things off (it's all free). The Nova Studio (as always) will be doing some sort of a giveaway - a free product make and take. If you are in the area, we'd love to see you!

If you are interested in helping at the event - please give me a call at the studio 510-234-5700. It's always nice to have a few extra helpers during events like this.

Save $5 off any class on 5/15/08	Anyone who comes to the Point Richmond Stroll this Thursday, May 15, 2008, from 5:30-8pm and signs up for a class in person will get $5 off of each and every class they sign-up for (with any teacher). The discount applies to cash or checks only (sorry, but we can't process in person credit card payments at this time).
Offer Expires: 5/15/08 - at the end of the stroll or 8pm.

It's a Soap Frenzy!

2008-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

This month really is a soap frenzy! We have so many soap classes, I had to create a new Soap Summary Page to keep it all straight!

As I prepare this message to let you know about all the great soap classes we have coming up, I'm also working on final preparation for the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Annual Conference in Burlington, Vermont.

As you might have already heard, the last 2 years I won "Best in Show" for my swirled soaps (click here to see all the Soaper's Showcase winners for 2006 & 2007). It's basically a beauty contest for soap. Unfortunately they've banned me from the competition this year (they didn't think it was fair for me to keep entering), but they will have a special "honorable mention" display with my soaps on it - which is cool with me. Even better, they asked me to teach my "award-winning" swirling method in Vermont - so that's what I'll be demonstrating this year (last year I did Hot Process Crock Pot Soap Making in St. Louis).

I leave in just a few days and I still have to put the finishing touches on my handouts and also come up with a label and packaging for 200 lavender swirled soap samples that I plan on giving out at my presentation(s). See picture to the right of the samples drying on trays. These were cut from the bars above in the header picture. This is the same soap I will be demonstrating at the conference - a classic lavender with purple & white swirls - similar to one of the soaps that won me the award last year (see pic above left).

As long as I make it to the plane on-time with my handouts completed and my samples packaged, I get to enjoy the first 2 days of the conference as a student. The third day is a definite working day. It starts at 8:30am when I'm on the soap making "Experts Panel," then my first presentation on CP swirling from 11am-12noon, and my second from 1:30-2:30pm. It might not sound like much, but since I only have an hour to show the whole process, the lye solution and oils have to be all measured out and cooled down at the start of the hour. Not quite sure how I'll do that since there is only 1/2 hour in between the end of the experts panel and the beginning of my first presentation, but I'm sure I'll figure it out (no doubt with the help of my trusty friend & superstar TA Sherry, who will also be attending the conference and helping during my demonstrations). Here's a picture of Sherry (to the right) pointing to one of her first swirled batches.

OK - enough about the conference.
What's going on at The Nova Studio?

I'm really excited to tell you about our line up of soap classes over the next quarter. We've always offered soap classes, but never before has one calendar had such a variety of soap classes to choose from - for all levels of soapers.

Those brand new to soap making can enter this fun hobby with Cold Process Soapmaking 101 where students gain a thorough understanding of the basics (and more).

If you've taken a soap class here (or elsewhere) but have yet to make your first batch, YOU'RE IN LUCK. We are debuting our brand new HANDS-ON CP Soap Lab. If you've been itching to make soap, but are still a little nervous about doing it alone, this soap lab is the answer to your prayers! You will get expert advice and coaching from soap making power team David Critchfield and Lori Nova.

For those who already have some experience making CP Soap, and don't need the hand-holding offered in the hands-on lab, how about Cold Process 201: Swirls & Layers where you will learn intermediate design techniques like swirling colors and creating multiple layers in soap. This is very similar to what I will be teaching at the conference (if I ever get my handouts done!).

For those of you who live farther away or prefer to take as many classes as you can while here, we have two great options for you.

Our popular weekend Soap Making Boot Camps - will give you more than you can absorb in two very full days. We have two dates with openings currently - in July & September 2008.

Last but not least, the last day in May and the first day of June, we are proud to announce the return of Alicia Grosso, author of The Everything Soap Making Book, who is making a special studio appearance to teach two different "Pushing the Envelope" soap classes. Her CP Soap: Pushing the Envelope covers advanced techniques that involve energy exchange principles & water discounting. It's perfect for those who want to veer outside the lines of the "recommended" levels of soap making safely and effectively.

The second day is for you instant gratification folks. Melt & Pour Soap: Pushing the Envelope is appropriate for all levels of soap makers (no pre-req) and covers loaves, geodes, citrus replicas & gemstones. Look at this picture of the lemon soap to the left. I had to do a double take of her lemon look-alike melt & pour soap - I've never seen anything like that - I really thought it was an actual lemon!!

Once again, you can find information about all upcoming soap classes at on our new Soap Summary Page.

Oh, and last but not least, for those of you who are closer to the North-West part of the US, check out the weekend of soapmaking classes offered by Otion Soap in Bellingham. Alicia will be teaching there as well, with Anne-Marie Faiola of Otion Soap, Debbie Chialtas of Soapy Love and Paula Kates from PJ Soaps. I wish I could take more time off - it sounds like a ton of fun!

Save up to $20 on Business Classes

2008-04-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

We hear your cries for a creative outlet - and the desire to turn "what you love" into "what you do." Many people come to The Nova Studio for classes because they are interested in turning a hobby into a profitable small business. We fully support the idea - but making the dream a reality is hard to do all by yourself. And why should you have to? Why not learn from experts who have made the mistakes (so you don't have to)?

We've been on the hunt for the right combination of teachers and classes to provide you with the best advice, time saving tips, and information you need to start or grow your existing business. Below is a summary of what's coming up:

Business Branding Basics - April 19, 2008, Sat., 3-6pm
The Art & Craft Show Circuit - May 24, 2008, Sat., 3-6pm
Social Networking for the Artist - June 21, 2008, Sat., 11am-2pm
Online Selling & Marketing - June 21, 2008, Sat., 3-6pm

This current grouping of business classes was designed for you - the budding craftsperson - whether your craft is soap, candles, bath & body products, paper arts & crafts, jewelry or other high quality handcrafted goods.

LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER - SAVE UP TO $20:
When you enroll in at least 2 of our 4 business classes scheduled in April, May or June, you will save $5 off each class! So, if you sign up for 2 classes, you'll save $10, if you sign-up for 3 classes you'll save $15, and if you sign up for all 4 business classes you'll save $20. A great way to start your business off right - by saving money!