I’ll be away from the internet until around mid-March. Ahhhhh.:-)

The market for high quality essential oils, absolutes, resins and delicate synthetics is being grazed these days. The best quality goes to China. Yep. Because they buy a lot, and more and even more. Thus, buyers who used to be served with priority in the past because they were good buyers, find themselves second tier or third tier, fighting for high quality oils with companies such as Givaudan or IFF or others.

I’ve been lucky, I guess merely because I’m using small quantitites. But seeing what major perfumers have to go through in terms of sourcing is interesting, but a tad bit frightening, to say the least.

I was so happy today when I left work. I’d set out to continue on my artisan path.

To buy more of my paper. My handcut, Italian paper.

It’s what I package my soap bars in.

I walked down the stairs from my office, down to Seilergraben, then across the street to Chorgasse, then to Predigergasse.

To buy more of my paper. My handcut, Italian paper.

When I made it to the paperterei I was on a cloud. Walking through the Niederdorf does that to me. All of the little shops. The hatmakers. The woodworkers. The jewelrymakers.

I want to be one of them.

Walking through the Niederdorf does that to me.

So I walked to the paperterei.

To buy more of my paper. My handcut, Italian paper.

I turned the doorknob and opened the door. The tinkle of the bell on the door welcomed me.

I said “Gruezi” and made my way to the shelf that held my paper.

My handcut, Italian paper.

That I package my soap bars in.

The soap bars I make for you.

The shelf was empty. For all intents and purposes.

My paper was gone. Probably sold in the Christmas rush.

My heart dropped. Dropped.

But I saw what could be a reasonable alternative. The paper maps pictured above. The woman who sold them to me wasn’t the owner. I’ve chatted with the owner, but I haven’t seen her in a while.

The maps will do. But I want my paper. My handcut, Italian paper.

The supply chain in Switzerland, or maybe just Zurich, is interesting. When something is gone, it’s gone. Until the owner decides to order it again.

I have a few bars of soap left. Wrapped in my handcut, Italian paper.

I will take them to the paperterei tomorrow.

And I will ask the woman there, in the best German an Ausländerin can pull from her soul: “Können Sie mir helfen? Ich liebe Ihre italianisch Papier. Können Sie für mir bestellen…bitte?

“Ich mache Seifen. Ich bin eine Handwerkerin.”

Handwerkerin. I don’t think ‘artisan’ translates.

My perfume bottles came today.

I’m fighting sleep to do a little decanting. I wish I could stay up all night and play.

In the dark

In the stillness

With bottles and droppers and candlelight

And the soft, sweet offerings of a garden, reaching around me

Stroking my shoulders

Tickling my nose

Holding me

Playing

Keeping me company as we listen to the sound of the trams lessen

And lessen

Because I’m a perfectionist/procrastinator, I have a tendency to hem and haw and sit on something until I think it’s perfect. Hence, the ridiculously long time it’s taking me to get the main soap site up.

I’ve got to get some energy moving.

So, I’m selling bars of peppermint.

Now.

Note: Because I’m still figuring out the PayPal credit card fees, I’m only selling within Switzerland at this point (I’ll send y’all an invoice).

The soap

I make my peppermint soap using olive, palm, coconut, sunflower, castor and sweet almond oils along with peppermint essential oil and peppermint leaves. Each bar weighs approximately 100g, is around 7.5×7.5 cm, and is lovingly wrapped with Italian paper and sealed with a wax stamp.

All of the above courtesy of my two little hands.

CHF 15.00 per bar

What to do

Send your name, address (remember, I’m selling only to Switzerland right now) and how many bars you want to info (at) sapuna (dot) ch. I’ll send your order along with an invoice.

Thanks to everyone for the support!

This bottle winked at me from a brockihaus window as I was walking back from Saturday shopping.

I. Had. To.

And I got it for CHF 5.:-)

I totally missed the deadline for the site. I hope to have it up this weekend.

Tonight I decanted the ylang ylang, sandalwood, rose blend after letting it cure for a couple of weeks. I’ll let it sit for a few more. The ylang has settled down and the rose is slowly stretching her arms and yawning. Ready to meet the sunshine.

I’ve set a deadline for myself to have the soap site up and running by next weekend. I worked on it today.

The Panaroma sales gave me the kick I needed. Now on to take soap photos and get labels printed.

It should be an interesting week.

The bottle is from a collection of old ‘apothekerflaschen’ I bought.

Update: LOL! I had no idea what Bismuth subgallate was.