Order up! This delight of a soap will be ready around March 2.  It contains bentonite clay, which provides slip for a razor or a great facial soap for oily skin. One of the best advantages of making soap is that we get to use it! I l love this bar of soap and our own bar is getting a bit on the small side.  I hope it lasts another 4 weeks...
The next soap to be made will be lavender vanilla.  Another one of my favorites. 
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Hello February! 02/01/2010
 
I'm waiting patiently for my favorite man in brown to arrive- that's right the UPS man! I know that he barely tolerates deliveries to our home, our drive is narrow and up a mountain with no turn-around.  I really feel for him. Hoping to butter him up every so often, I offer a bar of soap or some cookies.  (Although, there never seems to be any extra cookies here). He's bringing me soap supplies today! Hooray! I would love to buy my soap supplies locally. Unfortunately, there in not a place where I can buy large quantities of oils for soap in town.  So, I must do my best in order to make soap.  I do grow my own herbs when possible or buy them local. I try my best to support local businesses and sell my products in local stores.  It's all about community and the economy of small businesses.  They value and understand cottage industries, such as Larkmartin Soaps.  Support your local businesses today!
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I made several hundred pounds of soap last year and a large quantity the year before.  I've already made 48 pounds this year and my goal is to make 1,000 lbs of soap in 2010.  That's alot of soap for my little business and me.  I have several bestsellers and mainstays in my line up, including Lemongrass Citrus Scrub, Patchouli, Lavender, Eucalyptus Spearmint, Lavender Vanilla and Clean. I'm looking into unique soaps, utilizing Adam's homewbrewed beer and our local honey.  There have been ocassions that I make soaps that seem like a great idea and they don't sell well. It is all a learning process and I'm trying to figure out my market.  I was certain that Old Fashioned Lye Soap would do very at the farmer's market.  It did not, even the after the second time I made it.  I couldn't even give it away. So, Old Fashioned Lye Soap will not be at the market this year, unless someone wants 48 bars of soap for themselves.  Also, coffee soap was a flop.  The dark brown color was probably turn-off and people want to drink their coffee, not bathe in it.  Although, I probably could some mornings. Cranberry Fig was a seasonal soap that smelled delicious to me, at least.  That was another slow seller and it is in the graveyard of soaps, never to be revived. I'm sure that I'll think of many other soap ideas that will come to fruition and not perform as well as I want them too. I have the ability to experiment and find that special soap that will find it's place in theLarkmartin Soaps

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Spa City Co-op 01/22/2010
 
I'm back from working at the co-op today.  Our online market runs every other week at www.spacity.locallygrown.net.  I've been involved since it's inception and have been a part of it in so many ways.  I sell my soaps there and am the market manager and President.  It is a very gratifying volunteer experience, helping people pick up their orders of fresh, Arkansas grown products.  The customers are always a pleasure and the volunteers make the job fun! This is a great market to experience healthy, delicious local foods and products.  Take a look at www.locallygrown.net to see if there is a market in your area!
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Welcome! 01/21/2010
 
I've been working on this website mostly in mind for at least a year now.  I'm so excited to have something started and tangible! Well, maybe not tangible, but an actual site that is up and running. 
We are having a beautiful, sunny day here in Arkansas.  Although, spring is nearly here, we are still faced with low humidity and dry,cracked skin.  Our lotion is a wonderful addition to your skin care. It is rich and emollient.  We made up a batch of lotion yesterday.  It smells like a fresh lemon drop! A wonderful scent for spring fever!
You'll be happy with the results.
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