I love making soap

Lately I've been thinking about how lucky I am to work for myself and how much I still love doing what I do. Sometimes it gets a bit stressful balancing everything...but at the end of the day, I still really enjoy the process. Some of you may not know that I still make all of the soap myself. There was a brief period during a growth spurt (The Oprah Magazine thing), where I did hire a soapmaker, but after a year or so, I went back to being the solo Sweet Petula soapmaker. I really love making soap. It is this methodical process that is about 80% preparation and the rest is just stirring and waiting. Each batch is always different. Even when I follow the exact same steps, measures, and temperatures, there is always variables that make each batch unique. The Olive oil always comes from different trees, the ground Lavender is fresher or greener, etc, etc. The best part of the whole process is stirring and waiting for the soap to "trace". This is when you know your soap is ready to pour into the molds and has begun turning into soap. It gets very heavy and thick and slightly grainy. One of the differences in Sweet Petula soap is the amount of essential oils we add to our bars. We push the limits of adding as much as possible without overdoing it, in order to make super fragrant soap. Sometimes people are surprised that I still make as much soap as I do, and without assistance. It isn't the best way to make lots and lots of money, but it is the best part of my job. The benefits of working for myself. I get to do exactly what makes me happy...be a soapmaker.