A - Z Soaps

 We have been busy! We have been making all kinds of products, we have tested them and we have packaged them! This year we experimented with Sugar Scrubs, Sugar and Salt Scrubs, Bath Teas, Bath Salts, and more! This year we have worked hard to try and get all our scent names and descriptions up on the website and social media so that everyone can get a taste of what we have to offer. Currently, we are offering items we have in stock, but we do take pre-orders! The wait for these are usually up to 2 weeks (depending on the product)! We hope to have catalogs and order sheets available soon!

Creative Arts

As some of you may know, Creative Arts was started by just one person, me, Amy. You will notice my name almost everywhere I am A. L. Keegan, I am Amyl Creations, I am 15 Designs, I write the recipes for Master of the Kitchen, I create the puzzles for Puzzle Time Games, Creative Photography and for the most part I wrote (and will write) all the blog posts! And last year I added Bath and Body products to my company/website under the product line name: A - Z Soaps. I had hoped to add Event Baskets also where you can create your own basket filled with all the goodies I have to offer but we didn't end up doing that. Hopefully Event Baskets will come in 2021!

As you can imagine all of that is hard work for just one person. And that is why I took a break from writing these blogs. Blogs took up a large part of my life and I would write them a month ahead of time just to make sure everything went out on time. It was exhausting. I started this website and blog with good intentions. I have always been creative and I know a lot of people that are also. I thought it would be a great (and cheap) way to show the world my work and my friends' talents. Ultimately, that backfired. Some of my so-called friends were lying to me about their talent and my company had a rocky start. It was a setback and a huge blow to say the least. (I won't name names but we had a huge problem when trying to share content on other websites like Deviant Art.) Now I am happy to say that I have a small group of friends that I trust on here sharing their work. I can't wait to share with you what we have been up to! I thank you all so much for taking the time to read this. And I hope you enjoy my new ideas for blog posts. I really don't know if I will post regularly like I used to or what posts I will have going. But some is better than none and I plan to do what I can when I can and still find a balance in my day to day life. So check back often here and on our other social media to make sure you don't miss a thing! 

You can find us on: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativearts6/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativearts6/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Creative_Arts6 

Deviant Art: https://www.deviantart.com/creative-arts6 

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/people/Amyl92 

(You can find downloadable crochet or knitting patterns here.)

GuruShots: You can find my photos without the watermarks there. You can also purchase directly from there.

Email: creative-arts@outlook.com 

Our Website: https://creative-arts6.wixsite.com/creativearts

Twitch (We share artist we enjoy - we do not stream yet): https://www.twitch.tv/creativearts6

Making Products

Making products for any business is hard. A lot of planning has to go into them and then a lot of work and sometimes it doesn't end there. When I create graphs for knitting or crocheting, I have to think of what I want and plan it out. Then I have to create it and make sure it looks good. Once that is done I have to either crochet it myself or test someone to test it out. The same goes for most things I made here for Creative Arts. With recipes, I have to think of them, make them and test them. And I like to make it for a lot of people to get a sense of what I should change or what other people think before publishing it.

With bath and body, things are a little different. Along with all this, you have to test it yourself, and only once you are sure it is safe and a quality product can you even think about selling it. You also have to register with the government to be able to sell these items and you have to fill out forms about what is included in the products. Then you have to worry about the packaging. In Canada, and in other countries, you need to label your products according to Government standards. For us in Canada, we have to list all the ingredients by the percentage of the amount that is in the product (including scents and colorants when applicable). We also have to write what the product is in both French and English. This can all be a challenge and a lot of work.

One of the biggest challenges though when starting a business is, of course, money. It is natural to want to make everything in all kinds of shapes and scents and colours. But that isn't practical. My goal is to make products. To get recipes that I can count on and that people love. Once I have the recipes I can make them in any scent, colour, shape, size I want. A savior to small businesses is pre-orders. Once you have recipes you can count on the world is your oyster. And you can offer all the scents you can get your hands on. The great thing about pre-order is that you can make your products to order. That way you know you aren't wasting money or product for nothing and you know it will sell. Once you establish a demand than you can focus on making everything under the sun!!

Another great tip is to make what you love. Especially at the beginning of your business. Make things you are going to us, make scents you enjoy. Chances are you are going to have to use or keep some of your products and that's okay. And it is also a comfort at times. Make whatever you want and be comforted by the thought that even if you don't sell it at least you love it, at least you will get use out of it. You may get stuck with 50 lip balms, but at least you will love them and use them up and that really isn't a waste. Also, Dollar Stores are your friends. You don't need expensive containers or bags, just get them at the Dollar Store to start (you may want to get something to seal jars for a more professional look). Even ingredients can be bought at the Dollar Store (Sugar, Salt, Coffee grinds, things that won't affect the quality of your product).

So here is a sneak peek of all the products I am testing at the moment! You can look forward to seeing Sugar and Salt Scrubs (tester size, small, medium and larger), Perfume (small and large in the tin or in a stick), Lotion and Massage Bars, Wax Melts and Candles! Feel free to message us about pre-ordering these products and to find out what scents we have available!

Happy New Year

Happy New Years to all! This post is a little late compared to what we used to post our blogs at but this is a special announcement!! 

​​SMLXL

 

As some of you may know, Creative Arts was started by just one person, me, Amy. You will notice my name almost everywhere I am A. L. Keegan, I am Amyl Creations, I am 15 Designs, I write the recipes for Master of the Kitchen, I create the puzzles for Puzzle Time Games, Creative Photography and for the most part I wrote (and will write) all the blog posts! This year I am also adding Bath and Body products to my company/website under the product line name: A - Z Soaps and I hope to add Event Baskets also where you can create your own basket filled with all the goodies I have to offer. 

As you can imagine all of that is hard work for just one person. And that is why I took a break from writing these blogs. Blogs took up a large part of my life and I would write them a mouth ahead of time just to make sure everything went out on time. It was exhausting. I started this website and blog with good intentions. I have always been creative and I know a lot of people that are also. I thought it would be a great (and cheap) way to show the world my work and my friends' talents. Ultimately, that backfired. Some of my so called friends, were lying to me about their talent and my company had a rocky start. It was a set back and a huge blow to say the least. (I won't name names but we had a huge problem when trying to share content on other websites like Deviant Art.) Now I am happy to say that I have a small group of friends that I trust on here sharing their work. 

Hugh Chandler is an amazing musician. He has a Master of Music in Guitar Performance from the University of South Carolina and he completed a Doctorate in Music Composition at the University of Texas! He composes music for short films, for videos, and for plays all around the United States and has had his music preformed in not only the U.S but Mexico and Sweden as well. He is truly a great friend of mine, and He has so kindly named a few of his songs after me, and my ideas. He is a great inspiration to me and my writing process. He has even made a song for some of the characters in my books! (Which I hope to be able to share with you this year). 

​​SMLXL

 

 

Keysar Trad is a friend of mine also and he has a beautiful collection of poetry and art. He is also a passionate religious figure in his community and has a love or art and words. He has a few religious publications but he also has a wonderful Poetry book titled the Forays of the Heart. He also is a wonderful artist and enjoys doodling in his spare time (you can find these works on our website or our Deviant Art page). And if you enjoy both Art and Poetry, Keysar offers both in the form of Greeting Cards. 

​​SLXLM

 

Now for me. I am just a small town girl that grew up trying all kinds of different art forms. I loved writing in school and wrote short stories often in class and just loved it. I started writing my first novel when I was in the sixth grade. It was really a great way to help me deal with my Anxiety that would ultimately play a huge part in my life. In fact Anxiety is the reason I started this business in the first place. Anxiety is hard to navigate and it doesn't have a schedule. It makes working a traditional job almost impossible for me. So this website was my chance at having a normal job and trying to be successful and make money. That is why I started this and try to make it the best it can be, not only for me but to help better my life, my friend's lives and maybe even my family's lives also. 

​​SMLXL

 

I thank you all so much for taking the time to read this. And I hope you enjoy my new ideas for blog posts. I really don't know if I will post regularly like I used to or what posts I will have going. But some is better than none and I plan to do what I can when I can and still find a balance in my day to day life. So check back often here and on our other social media's to make sure you don't miss a thing!

You can find us on: 

Facebook: Page, or Group :

15 Designs

Amyl Creations

Master of the Kitchen

Creative Photography

Instagram

Twitter

Deviant Art

Ravelry: You can find downloadable crochet or knitting patterns here. 

GuruShots: You can find my photos without the watermarks there. You can also purchase directly from there.

Email: Creative-arts@outlook.com

Blogger

Twitch (We share artist we enjoy - we do not stream yet): 

Recommendation Wednesday - Starting Soap Making!

As everyone in the "soaping" world will tell you Bramble Berry is one of, if not, the go to place for anything soap or body product. They even offer easy to do kits if you want to just try your hand at a certain project. They also offer a Starter Kit that includes a handful of useful items for getting started with the Soap Making or other Bath and Body Product making process. 

Unfortunately, Bramble Berry is an American based company and that can result in very high and expensive shipping charges. Some alternatives to this are of course ordering to a P.O Box in the US that you can pick up your order from, or ask a friend to looking into what may be cheaper shipping charges or to hold them for you until you can pick them up. (Please note that it is your responsibility to claim anything you bring into a country at the boarder, this includes Soaping Materials.) 

Alternatively, you can try and find what Bramble Berry suggests to start with. According to the listing on their website for the starter kit, it includes: 

     - 1qt Mixing Bowl 

     - 1 Square Spoon

     - 1 Spatula 

     - 1 Ladle 

     - 1 Round Spoon

     - 2 Easy Pour Mixing & Measuring Containers

     - 2 Squeeze Bottles

     - 1 Pair of Soaping Goggles

     - 1 Plastic Mini Mixer

     - 1 KD 7000 Scale with Adapter

The only other item we would recommend is a Stick Blender especially for making soap. This will come in very handy. Some of these items can be easy to find and if you are new to soaping you don't need to spend crazy amounts of many just to start off. 

The mixing bowl seems to be a Tempered Glass Measuring Cup, and this should work fine especially when beginning. Though we couldn't find any online examples of this, we recommend Anchor products they are tempered (please read the information provided with the glass containers to make 100% sure of this) and they are good quality. We got ours at Canadian Tire for less than $12. The Spoons, Spatula, and Ladle can all be found at a Dollar Store or any kitchen supply store. The key to buying these is to make sure they are silicon. Some of the other items can be found at Candora.ca or Amazon.ca, These are the best Canadian options we have found. Unfortunately, Candora's shipping charges can get expensive too so trying to buy a large order at once or picking up personally would be a good option. 

The Dos and Don'ts of Soap Making

Soap Making has become a very popular past time and with amazing resources like Youtube, Brambleberry,  and wonderful vloggers such as the Dutchess of Soaps (Royalty Soaps), Soap Queen Tv, Ariane Arsenault (La Fille de la Mer) and Humblebee and Me.

Making your own soap can be a lot of fun, however as any of the above will tell you, it takes time to perfect this craft. Making Soap is not a cheap hobby so there are somethings you should take into account before diving in.

Don't: Rush into making the most complicated soap you can think of.

Do: Try Melt and Pour first. You can find bases online for relatively cheap. All you have to do is melt it down (you can use a double boiler or just in the microwave - a few seconds at a time). Pour it into a silicon mold (you can find these at craft stores or baking stores - do NOT us for baking after using it for soap). This is the cheapest way to try out soap "making". Of course, you can add colours and scents if you wish (make sure they are skin safe and made for soap use). 

Don't: Assume soap making is easy. This is one of the worse things you can do. Soap making is hard and it takes time to perfect. Educate yourself. Find resources to help you. And start simple. 

Do: Watch as many videos as you can and read as much as you can on soap making. There are some very easy beginner recipes out there to get you started if you decide soap making is for you. 

Don't: Rush out to buy all the equipment you think you'll need to be a master soap maker.

Do: Buy what you need. By planning your soap ahead you can make a list of what you need for that soap. Then buy the items. This mostly applies for beginners, because you don't want to buy stuff you will never use. Once you are sure you enjoy soap making, buy more things. Even if you don't use them right away you will get to them eventually. 

Don't: Buy scents you believe are popular. 

Do: Buy scents you like. Again this is best for when you are just starting out. You want to buy scents you enjoy because you'll be the one using it. Don't plan on selling your first few bars of soap, plan on enjoying them yourself. 

Don't: Pick one site and buy everything from it.

Do: Shop around. There are many sites that offer cheaper alternatives to items you may like to buy. Shop around. And look around also. If you don't have any crafting shops or bulk shops around you, the internet is your best bet. But if you do shop around in stores also - even grocery stores can be a great place to start.

Lyes and Lies

As many people may know homemade soaps and bath products has become extremely popular over the last few years. With this trend, it means that a lot of people are also exploring and experimenting with soaps and different recipes and recipes online that they might not completely understand. This leaves it open for people to take advantage of customers that don't completely understand what they are buying. 

The biggest thing in soap making that is often not 100% clear or understood is lye. When people learn about lye they hear about all the safety steps you need to take to deal with and handle lye. This can be very scary and a lot of people feel, if it is such a strong chemical, why am I putting it in my soap or why am I buying a soap with lye in it? And it is completely understandable. Why would you want a harmful chemical in your soap? And people, sometimes unknowingly, take advantage of this fear and offer "Lyeless" soap.

TRUTHS:

Lye's chemical name is Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), and it is a strong chemical. 

You need to be extremely careful when handling lye, it will burn skin and clothes. Make sure to wear protective eye gear, rubber gloves, long-sleeved clothing, long and thick pants such as jeans to protect your skin. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area when handling lye.

QUESTIONS:

Why am I putting lye in my soap?

You can not make soap without lye. ALL soaps are made with lye and a fat (oils, butters, etc). No soap recipe can be without lye. With that being said there is no lye in soap. 

No lye in soap? 

When working with lye for soap purposes, you add a fat to the lye. When the fat and lye mix, it goes through a process called SAPONIFICATION. Once saponification occurs the lye is not dangerous anymore and the chemical make up has changed to make soap.

What is lyeless soap?

Lyeless soap usually is what some soap kits are called. This just means that someone has dealt with the lye already and you don't have to when buying this kits. These kits are also called MELT AND POUR. This is because the saponification process has already happened and the results have hardened ready for you.This DOES NOT mean there is no lye in that soap.

What is melt and pour?

Melt and pour is when someone else had made the base of the soap already (this may be yourself or a company) and then has let it solidify. Usually, this is what is in basic soap making kits. All you have to do is melt the soap base, add your own colouring and scents and then pour it into a mold to create soap. This just means the lye and fat blending process has been done already for you.