Annie's Goat Hill Handcrafted Soap Story
People often ask me, "How did you get started in making soap?"
I became interested in handcrafted soap when I was very young. I went on a school field trip to a “pioneer village.” I loved the old houses, the “wobbly” glass seen in the window panes, the cooking hearths, and the woodworking, candle, and various other primitive shops on the grounds. But what I was most interested in was the hand-crafted soap made on that farm!
Early in my adult life my passion for scents, soap, natural products and aromatherapy sparked. I began buying hand crafted soap for my own use. I traveled long distances to purchase quality soap. The studying began. I read everything I could get my hands on regarding soap making, perfuming, aromatherapy.
I began purchasing wholesale hand crafted soap. I sold it at specialty shows, flea markets, and community markets. I learned the properties of each essential oil, and I stood behind it. I longed to make my own soap but my set up just was not ideal at that point.
By the year 2001, I found myself in a home in the country, with spare time, and a full sized basement that opened my eyes and heart to soap making. I launched my first soap sales, promoting hand crafted all natural soap.
After an unexpected move, I took a break from making soap. During that time I pursued my interest in goats. After several curves in the road I began considering soap making again. Soon the ideas fit together like puzzle pieces, hand crafted goat milk soap!
I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to make goat milk soap. As supportive as he is, he quickly jumped on the bandwagon by clearing out one bay of the 50 year old garage. He actually had to shore up the roof, it was ready to collapse. He built walls, insulated the room, installed heating and cooling…and I have to admit, I now have one great looking soap making room!
That leads us to now…when I walk out my back door at night, sometimes to walk our boxer dog “Spike,“ I pick up the aroma from my soap shop, and thank my lucky stars, a true blessing, because I am now making what we consider fine quality goat milk soap, that we hope you will enjoy as well!
2008-2012 © Annies Goat Hill, Leesburg, Ohio
