Mother Earth News Fair

Hi everyone! Did you have a good weekend in the sun? I sure did. It was over 80 degrees in Puyallup at the Mother Earth News Fair on Saturday where I taught two cold process soap classes. There were tons of vendors, workshops, demonstrations, and even a tent full of farm animals. I loved watching a man with a team of Belgian horses pull a huge log around the arena with ease. Unfortunately, I missed out on the cheese-making classes because they were going on as I was setting up and while I was teaching. It's still on my list of things to learn! Notice in my interview above by Gina from Mother Earth News, there is an electric car passing in the background. There were so many wonderful natural alternatives for everything from your broomstick to the vehicle you drive.


I had a great time teaching and could have talked for hours on the subject. We were given 45 minute time slots, so I packed in as much as I could, including a soapmaking demonstration using Star Anise and Lavender Essential oils, with activated charcoal as my black pigment. Charcoal is a very smart choice for coloring your soap naturally, as it is a renewable resource and it doesn't lather black like other pigments. I was very pleased to see that all of our information packets were taken and the seats were packed for both sessions.


Here's a look at some of the finished bars from the demonstrations. The charcoal is gorgeous swirled in with the uncolored neutral soap. My recipe included palm, coconut, olive, sweet almond, shea butter, and palm kernel flakes. That's some happy skin!


There were some really good questions and concerns about making soap from scratch. Some worried about the expense of making soap, but keep in mind, you can make a long-lasting, luxuriously lathering bar with only three affordable oils (I do it all the time!): Palm oil, coconut oil, and canola oil. You only have to invest in a good mold once, and there are many essential oils that are as affordable as synthetics. Orange Valencia Essential oil is only about a dollar an ounce! For more pictures and information from the Mother Earth News Fair in Puyallup, click here.