Consolation Prize: New York

So I get a call from my sister Myia about a month ago asking if I could get the week before Memorial Day off. I knew she had something sinister up her sleeve, but I didn't think she was planning a trip to The Dominican Republic! "Nooooooooooooooooooo..." I told her. But then she told me that she paid for the airfare and hotel. Okay, I'm thinking, maybe I can roll after all, but wait: There were some hidden fees involved: expedited passport, $160.00, round trip train fare from DC to NY and back, $200-ish-probably more..." WHOA NELLY!" That's almost $400 and I aint even left the country yet!!! That, along with my lovely parting gift from the IRS has left me destitute (okay, I'm exaggerating, but all my "play" money is gone.) When I broke the news to Myia, she was silently pissed and disappointed (I think more so because the tickets are non-refundable.) So, what do I get out of it-a trip to NY for her birthday weekend. That's doable-I only have to spring for a gift and dinner. I was secretly looking forward to going to DR though. A really good friend of mine is a native of that country, and she always talks about how beautiful it is. Why couldn't I be like Jesus and whip the sin out of the tax collectors??

Going All Natural!

I've been a real hypocrite. How can I talk about going green with my soap ingredients when some of the fragrance oils I use contain phthalates? Phthalates are a large family of colorless, odorless (or low odor), oily compounds used in many everyday products. Phthalates are used for different purposes-to make vinyl soft and flexible, and to plasticize toys among other things. In the case of personal care products, they are used to make fragrances last longer. You can read more about phthalates here.

If you are a maker of bath and body products, you'll see some fragrances listed as being "P-free." Now you know what it means. The fragrance oil contains no phthalates. Southern Soapers carries a line of P-free fragrances, and Wholesale Supplies Plus has recently made the decision to transition all of their fragrance oils to P-free. While it may limit my choices, my conscious will be clear in knowing that I'm offering a product that really is eco-friendly and natural. Oh goodness, I just had a thought: What if they say the world's supply of olive oil is harvested by slave labor or something?

Bitch Post #6: Sellers Who Don't Thank Their Customers

You know I'm long overdue for one of these posts:-D

Nothing irks me more than a seller who does not take the time to thank his or her buyer for their time and their money! I think it's rude, unprofessional, and a repeat buyer killer! I work hard for my money, and I don't spend it on something "extra" unless I am so in love with it that I have to have it! Case in point: I made two purchases last week on both Etsy and 1000 Markets, and neither seller contacted me with a simple "Thank You," "I received your order," "Kiss my butt..."-NOTHING!!! You didn't have a problem taking my money, yet you couldn't take the time to drop me a line? These sellers have lost my business forever (and that's a mighty long time.) If you're guilty of not contacting your client after they buy something from your shop, I implore you to start doing so. All it takes is two words: Thank You. You could lose lots of money without even realizing it!