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Why We Support Local Businesses and Non-profits

Every once in a while, we get a chance to talk about why and how we support local businesses. Mostly, it’s to folks from out of town or those interested in having us switch to their company. I would like the chance to spend a moment explaining our reasons in a bit more detail about what it is we do locally because I can’t always while we’re out at an event! There’s a couple of reasons that are most important to us and I really wanted to spotlight them as part of our blog also.

We buy local ingredients or materials whenever possible because we can usually have the chance to see them first hand before purchasing. I can actually pick them up, view them, or smell them as needed before we commit it to soap. We like having the chance to see the place where it was grown or harvested, forged or crafted as much as possible. You can see if the shops are clean, the owners friendly and honest, other customers are happy, or if it is a place you should avoid working with. It also feels good to see the person you hand your money to, and know that it goes to support their family or further their business. We also like to promote local crafters, businesses, or events we like as often as possible to help spread the word about them. Lastly, there is just something awesome about being able to see something handmade in front of you! Why wouldn’t you support your local community?

We also like to give to charities and non-profits locally as much as possible. We like to donate our time as a family in addition to fundraising for them through our company. We have found that our preference is to go work hands on with the group, such as food drives, sorting items in donation drives, and helping work in an animal shelter, because they have had such a more long lasting impact on our children. However, there are some others we help financially as that is what works best for them. It also feels good to be able to see the results of your hard work make an impact in your community right in front of your own eyes. Our children have very fond memories of some of our local projects and we have made lasting connections with many of the people we’ve met along the way.

I hope that this post answers more questions some of you have had about how our company handles a few of our buying and giving choices. We hope that more people can do the same in their areas and would love hearing about your thoughts. Have a favorite store, events, craftsman, or show we need to know about? You can find us this weekend at Fenske’s Country Store to talk to us directly, email, or comment below or on Facebook. We are officially collecting food items for a HCC Food Pantry and will also gladly take your donations for them this weekend while we’re there. Fenske’s will be open on Saturday from 10-5pm and Sunday from 11-4pm. I am updating our show schedule this weekend and should have more information for those of you who were waiting to have it posted. We should be able to give you an idea of where to find us in person for at least the next three to four months. That may be just a quick Facebook post though as I’ve had a lot less time to blog lately between being a soap-making workaholic and parent, as many people can relate. Also, yes, I’m working on fixing those pictures in the shopping cart again! Have a great holiday season everyone!

Happy Washing!

Dorothy

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Market and Website

We are happy to announce that the website is going under construction by an official not-Dorothy webmaster! It will still be open for shopping and updates on where to find us while the she works her magic in making your input and our dreams come to life. You should start finding a more streamlined look, easier to navigate pages, and quicker updates on new stock as we make these transitions. We are also expanding our online voice and you will find posts from other personalities in the company on the blog soon. Please keep those comments and emails coming as we love to hear feedback.

Don’t forget this weekend we can be found at Fenske’s Market. The market is in the barn and we’ll update everyone via Facebook while we’re there. Street address for GPS users is 17719 Telge Road, Cypress, TX and is about 1/2 mile north of the Grant Rd intersection. There will be lots of great goodies to find out there so come on out and support your local small businesses this weekend!

I must now get back in the soap room to make sure everything’s ready to go in the morning. Have a great Friday everyone.

Happy Washing!
Dorothy

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Working in the background

I am lurking on the website this week as promised. It’s still frustrating to me how well I can mess up loading pictures to the site so that is high on the list to fix this week in addition to getting back into the swing of our blog after my absence. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get all of these pictures I’m staring at out where you can enjoy too! Cross fingers for me and it’s ok to laugh at me breaking this site- I laugh the hardest sometimes. Luckily, I don’t plan to try to make a living by computer work 🙂 Although I might totally rock at computer & website demolition, actually……

Across the street from our booth at Houston Beer Festival, June 8, 2013. Awesome time with you guys!
Across the street from our booth at Houston Beer Festival, June 8, 2013. Awesome time with you guys!

As mentioned before, we were at the Houston Beer Festival this past weekend. We had a blast and met a ton of great people. Always enjoy getting out there with you guys, Houston, and this was a great time! I must send a shout out to Maximus, one of our local bands, for some great music too. You made even this pathetic dancer start moving and grooving with those songs! Keep it up boys! Here are the only two shots hubby managed to get of the festival for us. The white tent you can barely see with the Beer Soap sign (thanks again Bob!) is ours and the second picture is from the back of the tent looking out. Angie’s Bits o’Glass is there on the left and my pasty white legs are on our side to the right in this picture. (Angie, forgive me for posting your butt online without warning lol) It was a very busy but fun day for us. We thank you again everyone for such a great time. And some new jokes for me- hooray!
Looking out towards crowd from behind the booth at Houston Beer Festival, June 8, 2013. Lots of fun!
Looking out towards crowd from behind the booth at Houston Beer Festival, June 8, 2013. Lots of fun!

I must now go back to my behind the scenes work and try to load pictures around soaping sessions. This week I’m making more of our Texas Suds Beer Soaps, another round of plain pioneer soap, and some of the Honeysuckle too. I’m plotting the Ginger Peach bars but pushed them back a few days so I could make sure I can get the colors I’m shooting for. More details later and I hope these pictures cooperate with me. See you around the website!

Happy Washing!

Dorothy