Packaging Finally Done!

Phew! After a month of designing and ordering, I have finally gotten all of the parts together for my new packaging. Since the line is going to be more upscale I needed something suitable so I'm going with boxes which will have fitted, printed inserts that will hug the soaps snugly.

There will be an option to buy soap dishes as well. This photo shows the light Maple one. There's also a deep Black Acacia style that is really gorgeous. The custom letterpress tags are made by Joie Studios. (thanks Tina!)

Now on to the soaps! I have to make some molds so I'll probably list each design as they're done. I'll keep you posted!

Mini Modern - Pint Sized but Big on Style

Flickr is one of my favorite online places to poke around. There always seems to be some sort of new hobby (ie obsession) to discover. One day I came across Mini Modern's pics, which led me to the Mini Modern blog. I'm afraid the designer doesn't tell us much about himself, but he creates the coolest dollhouses I have ever seen. If only my Barbies could have lived in so much style!

This shot is of a loft space he put together. What's really neat about the blog entries is that you get to see all of his arrangements, whether they worked or not (in my opinion they all do, but he's a tough critic!). He also shares where he got his pieces and tips on where to find some good houses. The last thing I need is a new hobby or reason to buy stuff, so I'll just enjoy Mini Modern!

Add a little Todd Oldham style to your Google page!

Do you know about Todd Oldham? Chances are you do. He is an amazing designer who has designed everything from jeans to recliners, houses to dorm room decorations. He had his own show called Handmade Modern and is one of the judges on an interior design reality show.

What I love about him is that he seems like a really cool, laid back person who respects the fact that many of us don't have a huge budget for "designer" purchases and does things to make all of his creations accessible.

Like this little clock. You can add it to your iGoogle page and have a little Todd style for free!

One thing I notice about his style is that he often pulls inspiration from other eras. He just blogged about a new line of area rugs he designed, and explains his inspirations for each group. You can read all about them here.

And if you miss Handmade Modern like I do, you can see clips from some of the episodes here. Have fun!

What I Want Today...

Today I found, through the Oh Joy blog (which you should definitely check out!) about Lines & Shapes, a great series of design books. They're new - only 2 have been published. Each one is a collaboration of artists' interpretations of a theme. They have a very modern feel and the photos are beautiful. I even noticed a couple of soap designs in there (there are some great sneak peeks of pages on the site)!

At only $21 each, they're a bargain for how inspirational each one looks. I could imagine going back to this book, finding new details every time. Sigh!

Hello and Welcome to The Soap Lab!

Hello! Welcome to my new blog called The Soap Lab - a place where I can share my thoughts on design with a modern aesthetic. You may know me from Soapylove where I create soaps inspired by rainbows, candy, and kids, but I must be a little bipolar because I also love modern art, furniture design, fine art, and fashion.

Here I'll share my faves and also give you sneak peeks of my newest project called "The Soap Lab" - a mini collection of 4 soap designs inspired by a new theme each month.

Thanks for coming!