Canadian Soapmakers Conference 2015 Banff Alberta

So here we are nestled into the space between Tunnel mountain and Cascade mountain here in Banff Alberta. It was a spectacular drive in the new car and the roads!!! Kudos to Canadian roadmakers...were the most outstanding example of drive ability on the planet. Clear, clean, wide and free of debris or potholes. Simply gorgeous. Meeting several fantastic people here at the conference has been very rewarding and the response to my lecture has been very positive. I understood that the message was going to be either well received by those needing the facts of "doing business in the Soaping industry" or not well received by the hobbyist who perhaps needn't hear the tsunami of work involved in the future of the process should one decide to follow a more business oriented path. Regardless, people were amused and compliments were many. I don't think anyone actually LIKES speaking in front of a group of any size.
ahhhh Banff is beautiful!
as we head away from out summer activities of a very successful farmers market season we are stepping into the Christmas season already......I know. ..already!
in retail we're always early...
the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival was a major success for us as per usual despite a wee bit of rain. Tens of thousands of people show up from what they tell me. ...I don't actually know as we're at the table selling soap!
upcoming of course Circle Craft Christmas Market ..November 11-15 at the Convention center
then MAKE IT show at the PNE forum building December...first week of december...check out their site for exact dates....3,4,5,6 of December I'm pretty sure.
Then......the store on Granville Island.... the  Soap Gallery is bringing out all the goodies plus a few new ones for the season!!
We will be busy with all the stuff being made right in the store..... come on by and check out the  action.....till then enjoy the lovely autumn and I'll try to do more info blogs.....it's hard with soapy fingers..haha

Make it shows and the Granville Island Soap Gallery

hey fellow soapies
we are applying to a few show this year for the fun of it the following are applied for but not confirmed:

Make it show

http://makeitproductions.com/vancouver/welcome-to-make-it/

the cranberry festival in Fort Langley...a few links:

http://www.miss604.com/2013/10/fort-langley-cranberry-festival.html
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/fort-langley-cranberry-festival-Langley
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/10/05/berry-good-times-at-fort-langley-cranberry-festival/

we ARE confirmed for the Circle Craft Christmas fair...(aahhhhrgh don't say Christmas yet!!)

http://circlecraft.net/Christmas-Market


ohhh so much to make!!

cheers and bubbles,
Darren

Happy spring fellow soapers!

ok soooo this week we are focussing on getting ready for the farmers markets and "doin the do" as they say.
im super excited to get back to do the markets cause it gets us out of the store into the fray with fun marketers and all our regulars who seek us out religiously.
some of our new products coming to the markets this year::

our beer and wine soaps
salt soaps
our new "about face" skin care soap line
our body butter.....like buttah!!!
our new "CASTILLE" soap....100% olive oil in rustic blocks......sooo divine!

of course all the regular best sellers we will bring too.

upcoming this month we are doing
Burnaby farmers market on the 17th and 31 st
Ambleside on the 18th
Whiterock on the 25th

and one of my favs...Langley on the 21st and 28th
the links to  all of these are below!

www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/
www.artisanmarkets.ca/
www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/

see you there!!

New products at the Granville Island Soap Gallery

Highdee ho good neighbors!

ok so now that I am back in the store making products for the new season we have a long list of  new ones to add:
last season we made our new shaving soaps (with added slip and shear ....sooo great!) our massage bars which continue to be a favourite moisturizer on super dry areas for many of our clients and our "About Face" line of soaps.....top sellers.....and our shampoos....can't keep them in stock!
It sounds like im bragging but alas...noooo.....I'm just TIRED haha!!!
Now we are creating a whole new line of cold process soaps with olive/palm/coconut/shea butter/jojoba/silk protein.............so smooth and gentle.
Our salt bars are coming back for this year.......a total treat for the skin to shed all the winter flakes.
oh! and the new beer and wine soaps are finally making an appearance:
Merlot soap
Champagne soap
Guinness soap
G.I Lager soap
....all super cool and delish!!

ok back to work I guess.
stop by and say hi if you are on Granville Island

Social media and the soaping world

ok ok ok.....apparently I can make pretty good soap but am bad at keeping up with my facebook and blog inputs. Mainly because I forget my passwords and then cannot get into the pages........case in point....this blog!
So my tip for the day here at the Granville Island Soap Gallery is....make your password long and dirty......!
yeh its a pain to type in but you will never forget it. hopefully more blog entries to come.
oh yes.
FARMERS MARKETS THIS UPCOMING 2014 SEASON
we will be at the Langley market on Wednesday afternoon
both Ambleside and White Rock on Sundays and
on Saturdays  Burnaby and Lonsdale in north Vancouver
see you there!!!
we have lots of new stuff along with our famous and regular stock.
cheers and bubbles,
Darren

Springing into the Farmers markets with Granville Island Soap Gallery.

Highdee ho good neighbors!
Spring has sprung here on Granville Island and we are getting ready....already...for the Farmers Markets upcoming around Vancouver and surrounding areas.
We are super pleased to be attending  three markets for the months of May-October.
Coming to a market near you will be all our handmade natural and organic products like our soaps, skin care items, natural wool dryer balls and more!

Check us out at the Lonsdale farmers market as well as the Burnaby Farmers Market...

http://www.artisanmarkets.ca/?_year=2013&_month=5&_cday=1&loc=&date=

Lonsdale especially is really easy to get to from its close proximity to the seabus stop.
We will be leapfrogging our dates with the two staring in May

We will also be at the Langley Farmers market on wednesdays....

http://www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/

this is a really good market and one of the only ones (that I know of) on Wednesdays.

Come see us at Whiterock Farmers market on Sundays
http://www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/

this market is well attended and of course...is in sunny Whiterock so go for a stroll...have some fish'n chips and come see us!

we will put up dates at a later time otherwise call the store here on Granville Island at 604-669-3649

cheers and bubbles!
Darren Monette

Granville Island Soap Gallery 2013

Good day happy soapers and soap lovers!
January sees a new year with new and exciting things happening at the Gallery.
We have suspended our soap making classes for the time being as the Soap master Darren Monette is and has been so busy with the frenetic Christmas season including our attendance at the Circle Craft Christmas Market.......which was fantastic for us!
As per usual the holiday season was a matter of making product as fast as we can. The good news (and partially sad) is that we sold Woofles and Meowz to a wonderful couple, Stuart and Tracey who are continuing with the excellence that is that store. This gives us more time to concentrate on the Soap Gallery and making more products.
On that note we were pleasantly surprised to see three of our newest products sell like gangbusters at the craft fair as well as at Christmas. Those were the Lavender (repair) eye gel...the Cucumber/seaweed (help me!) eye gel and our amazing Night moisturizer with Co-enzyme Q10 and natural amber extract.....a stellar firming and hydrating treatment.
We are poised to create our online sales this spring and we will be offering other retail establishments an edited menu of our products.........great news!
Also......and finally!! our own line of natural shampoos, conditioners, leave in hair hydrators, bath bubbles and body wash is coming in February.
We are very excited!
There is also a few questions about our address as it seems that both google and a couple of other online sites have it wrong. I can assume they shared the info.......that happens.

The actual address of The Granville Island Soap Gallery is:

#104-1535 Johnston St
Vancouver BC
v6h 3r9
604-669-3649

more news coming.........see you at the gallery!