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Story by
BeyondThePicketFence,
objecked
Published on May 22, 2009 in This Handmade Life |
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(music by Lineland)
Gwen Neucall of BeyondThePicketFence is not just a soaper, she's her own scientist and R&D lab. One might go as far as to call her a bathmatician. Well, I would anyway, after visiting Middletown, New York, where Gwen lives with her husband and two dogs and whips up soap from scratch in her home studio.
Gwen was gracious enough (and fast enough) to walk me through her entire process of making her signature Working Woman soap start to finish. Prior to this I knew very little about soap, but I left feeling like an expert. For those unfamiliar to the drill, soapmaking is a very involved and complex process — one where ingredients that are mixed together have to be carefully timed, as well as carefully planned in order to mix properly with one another. I had no idea the level of danger involved in making something that seems so soothing to skin, but there are times in a soap's early life when the soaper has to wear gloves in order to touch it. It takes a lot of research to dial in a great soap, and soap makers must really do their research as to what ingredients will mix well together and not fail. This results in not only a lot of reading, but also a great deal of hands-on trial and error.
For Gwen, it all started in 1996, when her mom — desperate to figure out what to do with a large sum of essential oils about to go bad — decided to try her hand at soap making. Gwen walked in on her with buckets of soap, and that was the birth of a mother-daughter business that her mother eventually left to Gwen to run on her own. But I won't steal her thunder, you can read more about that story in Gwen's Profile.
Bath and Beauty Showcase | Bath and Beauty Category
124 comments Login to add your own!
cottonbirddesigns
adoreneko
magpiefelts
LaveMeSoapCo
swanmountainsoaps
Gwen is not just an awesome soaper, but a truly great businessperson and an awesome friend. Yay BTPF!!!!!!!!
BathArtisanSoaps
Yay Gwen! Rockin' the video and rockin' the soap!
Whoohoo!
weirdwolf
I love seeing this process. Makes me want to become a soapmaker! Or at least buy some amazing handmade soaps from Gwen...
odiliafu
This is cool!! Love those handmade soaps, look sooooo delicious!!
BeyondThePicketFence
(blushing) thanks everyone! and thank you Eric for a great video!
marymary
guymelamed
how awesome is THAT!!!! YOU GO GWEN!!! Hudson Valley Etsyians in the house!!! :)
sewlola
HomeStudio
My utmost respect to the handmade soap makers out there. Really incredible to watch the process. I think I'll stick with just being a BUYER of great handmade soaps. Very enjoyable to watch. Thanks for the vid!
cloud9designstudio
millalove
All fo the work that goes into soap! It makes me appreciate the whole process more AND wonder why it's so reasonably priced!? We should all take advantage of handmade soap!
urbaneden
Great video! You did a fantastic job explaining it without getting overly technical. Congratulations!
SoapScentsations
((((Gwen!)))) you sound great/professional/well versed! this is a fabulous piece! Congrats and many happy sales!
copperlilly
daniellexo
clodaghmolloy
Lovley feature. Really interesting to see how it is done. Thank you.
Vanessa
Oh, that's how soap is made! It had been so mysterious to me until I saw this. Soap is like magic.
foxandmoon
zozca
PipocaHandmade
fineartstoneware
Well, I just bought soap today-here! from Pinkparchment.
so, of course I watched the video. Very interesting to see how another craft is done!
edor
hey.. I just whipped up my first batch of soap last night! It is indeed time/attention consuming and a little scary!
MyJunkyTrunk
dennisanderson
Ive always wondered how to make soap, and now I can give it a whirl :) lol j/k Great video.
baconsquarefarm
Great video and awesome story~ thanks for walking us thru the process of making handmade soap. Facinating~! Great shop Gwen and congrats on making this video for Etsy. Wish you continued success too~!
dennisanderson
Wanted to add, that there is many different methods of soap making. Hot Processed soap is just like cold processed, except for pouring the oils after trace right away, you cook them in a crockpot for 30-45 minutes and the soapbar could be cured within 2-7 days depending on percentages and water discounts.
KBShimmer
PacificParadiseSoap
Fabulous job Gwen, you make us so proud, you bathmatician! Hope this piece brings you many sales!!!
asundrynotion
Fascinating! I've been wanting to make my own laundry soap & this is just the inspiration I need. Good handmade soap really is the best & most economical in the long run. Thanks for this feature!
krugsecologic
trudiedavies
I really enjoyed that video with my coffee on Saturday Morning. Thank you
CatalinaCalderon
GalleryJuana
handmade soap is the best. thanks for the wonderful read and video.
pulpsushi
sudsbysarah
bellagracedesigns
SimpleTraditions
Great job with the video and great job explaining everything. You made all us soapers look awesome!!!
anniepoo
recycledwares
I love all the colors, textures, scents and shapes that soap makers are using. Thanks for keeping us clean with your creative ideas.
topsyturvydesign
yum.. soap always makes me hungry :)
love this process series
Arctida
jared
Wow, that was amazing! You really get sense of Gwen's passion and mastery of handmade soap. I loved watching this Process video just now. Thank you so much!
Morado
This is really awesome! Always wanted to know how making soap works. Great job!
TianaCHE
VedaArts
VintageShenanigans
Am I the only one who thinks these amazing handmade soaps look good enough to DEVOUR??!! I simply can't pick one favorite seller, they're ALL so unique and creative. Guess I'll have to try them all (hee hee).
VintageShenanigans
Oh!
And what a totally terrific gift to bring to the hostess of a summer BBQ ;) - Or even a friend fresh out of the hospital, sweetest way to help them feel like themselves again.
zeropumpkin
Thistledelight
Wonderful piece Gwen and well deserved. Love it when the plight of us soapers is truly revealed.
Very well done.
bedouin
ThreeFive18
buttercupbloom
that was really, really, really interesting. Great job, Gwen - you explained that so well & gave me even more appreciation for the process of soapmaking! Sweet.
vsimonds
VintageShenanigans--
Whatever you do--don't make the mistake of not reading the feedback on every soaper's shop you visit!! There are some deceptively good looking ones--but, if you pay attention to their feedback--you'll avoid any problems. I learned that the hard way!!
HansenSoapCo
Woot!!! Way to go Gwen :) Awesome video. You look so cute with your mask and gloves ;) LOL!!
lovejujube
Thanks for sharing! I want to learn making soap for a long time.
floraldots
AmourAmi
harvestmoonbyhand
AmiVegan
vsimonds on a crusade against soapies?
I love all you soapies!
You rock and probably smell awfully nice.
aktie9
MMMM I love these soapers. I will be a customer for life! Never going to buy big box soap again!
silentlotus
terrific video! i'm not a soaper, but i do love handmade soaps!
i also gotta recommend reading feedback carefully- and to take into consideration the source before choosing not to buy due to negative feedback, when all other buyers have left glowing reviews!
aBreathofFrenchair
*waving to all my soapy friends!
Congrats, Gwen, on an awesome soap video!!
magglepie
Great article and video! Shows all the awesome and hard work you soapers put into your products :)
savannahsoapkitchen
Sudstress
LovinHandmade
Awesome Video Gwen. I loved watching it! You did an amazing job.
HeidisHandmades
OakenstoneHandmade
OliviaClare
MileEndSoapandCandle
Great to see the soap sisters doing their thing. And nice to hear about the switch to natural colorants. Loved the video!
raisinlike
EllePdesigns
wow I love these! Now I can feel better that I have tons of the same thing sometimes. Maybe I should learn to embrace it and instead of a clutterer, I can call myself a "collector"
GourmetSoaps
SIRENALUNA
That was a really nice video! I am a soaper too and I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into making a quality bar of soap. Thanks for representing for the natural soapers.
Peace!
LaLa
LuminousMom
awesome! I'm a soap maker too (but I dont sell my treasures yet) and I love seeing other peoples work spaces and processes!
What a great shop!
hobocampcrafts
what a lovely shop! and local to me- thanks for sharing this!!
MetroGypsy
Fascinating...I always was curious about the artists on Etsy who feature soap work. Nice!
CutieDynamite
ireneagh
ourfrontyard
That video was fantastic....very informative...all natural soap is the way to go. I may never buy store bought again
IndigoRain
BlackbirdsCloset
Hartleysoap
AuntNancysSoap
BodyDelibyShelly
nomivintage
SundraSandrusi
SomsStudio
SpiritedWoodland
MoonMaidenSoap
GWEN!!! That turned out AWESOME ... what a great vid and hooray for SOAP! Woo hoo!
AnniesWearableArt
It is so gracious of Gwen to share this process with everyone...soapmaking was such a fascinating mystery (to me at least!) It's so great to know now exactly how it's done!
Many thanks Gwen and objecked and etsy for your hard work in bringing this to us!
LeslyeWrytes
Signs
vilte
theaxx
Ooooooo, I wish I had a bath...... to be deliciously calmed by the yummy products!
thea.
xx
LathersbyLinds
LOL love to see the soapy love!!
This video rocks, i'm glad someone wanted to show how we do it!:D
happyhourcn
sage12888
EJPcreations
Those pics make me relax just looking at them!! Makes me wish I was home in a nice hot bath.
miasophia
I've tried making soap....NOT as easy as they make it look, i assure you! I have a pantry with loads of oils on the bottom shelf; haven't been brave enough to try again! I'll just buy it here on etsy...much easier and nicer~
orchardfarmsoap
pomly
Very cool. I always wondered about the mysterious soap making process. And wow - right in my hometown!
MGMart
Loved watching this video,as I was always facinated by soap making!!
Thank you :)
Marianna
stephaniek
Really love that you are into the natural fragrances and colorants!
Thank you for sharing!
TheFancyLamb
That video was absolutely fascinating! I have a newfound appreciation for soapmakers -- I never realized how complicated the process was! Well done Gwen!
museumshop
cajata
This soap makes me want to jump into the bath and use a whole bar!
Yummy
MargaretLS
Not that I don't love all the completely awesome videos on Etsy, but you had to feature soap! I'm such a soap addict.
*facepalms*
klaradar
SudsNSuch
Gwen, that video was awesome! Great job walking everyone through the process!
riskodesign
TwoTreesBelgium
alittledream
I just love how to videos. I love to see how other artists work in their studios doing what they do best. Great job. More please.
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