Working with Nature

My e-commerce site "Working with Nature" is now live, it has taken many hours of patient messing about LOL. I will be blogging over there now, why not join me? there is a trade login to buy the "classic" range of soaps as well as an online shop to purchase my new ethical range...so long blogspot and thanks for all the fish.
Regards,
Allyson.

New Web Site

I'm in the process of setting up a web site for my new ethical "Working with Nature" range, take a look here it has all my new products and an online shop. I had to set up a PayPal pro cart which is still in the verification process, should go live in a few days.

Palm Oil

As you know we are very comitted to a planet friendly lifestyle, for some time I have been concerned with the destruction of the rainforests by the race to expand plantations with no concern for the natural habitat of animals including the Orang utang and the Sumatran tiger .

I have been for some time searching for a supplier of organic oil and have eventually found a reliable traceable source.

We are proud to announce that our soaps are now made with 100% certified organic Palm oil from a sustainable plantation in India. If you would like to read more about the Palm oil crisis please go to

http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/biodiversity/case_studies/palm_oil/

http://www.rspo.org/

Trade price lists

If you would like to stock my goodies please send your business snail mail adress to allysonx@hotmail.com and I will send you one out asap. Sorry, no home adresses or ebay traders.

We have signed up to the "Truth in labeling" campaign, please visit http://naturalingredient.org/ to find out more.

Design Edge, Sandown Park

We will be exhibiting at the "Design Edge" Trade fair at Sandown Park 16, 17, 18th September. Now in its 2nd year, Design Edge represents the very best in contemporary British crafts, and is a one stop shop for independent retailers, craft and art galleries, heritage shops and interior design practices, top end garden centres and department stores, it is a wonderful event with some truly fabulous woodworkers, jewellers, artists, glassmakers, potters and of course...soapmakers!!!
Buyers can register here http://www.design-edge.uk.com/

Carbon Neutral

We have just been awarded carbonNeutral status, I was suprised by how little Co2 we actually produce...only 2.2 tons. Handmade soapmaking is very energy efficient...it generates it's own heat to saponify the oils and fats. We burn recycled biomass in our Rayburn, I work from home and send out parcels with a carrier so I don't drive much and we don't travel abroad to trade shows. There are loads of other little things we do like using low energy lightbulbs, trying to shop local, shredding our waste paper for packaging, conserving water and we recycle just about everything we can. I have chosen an alternative technology project to offset the Co2 we can't reduce, more details can be found at http://www.carbonneutral.com/

We don't think paying to plant trees etc. it is the end of it, we will still strive to have a non wasteful lifestyle both at work and at home. Now if I can find the time!! I want to grow my own organic herbs to put in the soap...OH! and lovely veggies for my family :o))))

Ingredients

I thought you might like to know a little bit more about my soap. Real soap is always made from fats, oils and spring water mixed together with an alkali in exact proportions and at a carefully controlled temperature to start a one way reaction called saponification, this produces a really mild soap rich in natural vegetable glycerine. I use olive, palm and coconut oils for my base and often add other luxurious emollients such as cocoa and shea butters. I am lucky enough to have my own spring to provide the clear chlorine free water.
I use the "cold process" method which is very energy efficient, it's a bit of a misnomer really as the soap does heat up due to an exothermic reaction between the oils and the alkali, but what it really means is it's not boiled to within an inch of it's life like commercially produced soap.

I only use food grade oils of extremely high quality. My soaps are coloured with mainly organic herbs, spices and clays with the exception of the Rose Geranium which is coloured with ultramarine pink pigment. I don't add artificial hardeners, preservatives or salt as this is completely unnecesary in properly made soap.
I make 8.5kg blocks which are cut by hand into logs then individual bars, every batch has 165g of essential oils in them which is why handmade soap is more expensive than commercial soap or "melt and pour" which requires very little essential oil indeed perhaps only 15-30g per 8.5kg batch, most commercial soap is fragranced with artificial chemicals.
All of my soap is wrapped by hand in fairly traded petal paper finished with a crisp band which carries all the relevant information required by law.
I love making soap, it is my passion!!! I hope it shows in my product

Stockists

I have been asked to provide a list of my outlets, here goes...

Spirit of Colour Jewellery, Kirkharle.
Pebbles Art Cafe, Allendale.
New Horizons, Bellingham.
Percy House Gallery, Cockermouth.

The National Trust, Holy Island.
Pretty & Practical, St Georges Market, Belfast.

The Gates, Oswestry.

The National Trust, Wallington.
Michael House School Shop, Heanor, Derbyshire.
Northacomb Farm shop, Stocksfield.
Jaspah Crafts, Hexham.

Alston Wholefoods, Alston.

The National Trust, Petworth House.
Floors Castle Garden Centre, Kelso.

The Eco Box, Hants.

Artisan for unususal things, Teynham, Kent.
Poppies Gift Shop, Shrewsbury.

Lanehead Gallery, Ryton.
Be Admired, Crowthorne, Berks.

The National Trust, Cragside.
Gate Gallery, Alnwick.

City Library & Arts Centre, Sunderland.
Bonita, Harleston, Norfolk.
Natural Crystal Shop, Rothbury.
Bishops Gallery, Bishops Castle, Salop.
Dilly Dilly, Warkworth.

Quirky Women, Alton, Hampshire.
Newcastle Tourist Information Centre.
HL Gallery, Ingleton, North Yorkshire.
Davids Bookshop, Letchworth Garden City.
Grindon Farm B+B, Haydon Bridge.
Artisan Organics, Stourbridge.
Blanchland Post Office, Blanchland.

The National Trust, Seahouses.

New gift boxes

Here is our new gift box, it contains four of our best selling soaps nestled in a bed of sexy black paper, it proved very popular at the Home & Gift trade fair, looks like a best seller for christmas!

Gallery

Soapmaking area in the old "Game larder"

A block of Rose Geranium in the traditional wooden mould

Soap being cut by hand into logs

Soda Ash being planed off the logs

The wrapping area in the packing room

We used 99.9% recycled packaging.

Ebay shop

My ebay shop is now open http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Bellingham-Soap-Company for all my customers who don't have a stockist nearby, if you do not like buying from ebay why not ask your local gift shop to stock my products.

Our new address

Shankfoot Farmhouse
Plenmeller
Haltwhistle
NE49 0HX
01434 322066

Home and Gift, Harrogate

I will be exhibiting at the Home and Gift trade fair in Harrogate, 15th-18th July. Why not come and see my products, I am on stand 36 in the craft marquee. I love trade fairs, it's nice to talk to all of my existing customers and perhaps gain a few more. You can register online here http://www.homeandgift.co.uk

Well I have moved!

I am all nicely installed in my new workshop, the office is set up and the soapmaking room is underway. I have a lovely view of the South Tyne valley out of my window, very peaceful.
My shop is no longer open at the Kirkharle Courtyard but the soap is still available there at Lorna Speight's "Spirit of Colour" jewellery shop in the Stone Barn. http://www.spiritofcolourjewellery.co.uk/
I'm sorry to leave Kirkharle but the changing nature of my business meant that it was no longer time efficient for me to run a shop so I have become trade only.