Miki 2

Content Paradise's Miki 2 is a lot of fun for us 3D types to play with. I've been making a new skin texture from high resolution photos and working on a new character for her. Here's a little peek at her head texture.

I watched the Etsy founder, Rob, on Martha Stewart today. I've never seen the show before and I have to say except for the Etsy presentation, it was pretty boring. How exciting to see other sellers' work featured on TV!

I'm beginning to think that B&B products are going to give jewelry a run for its money as the category having the most sellers. There's been a mushrooming of people selling soap lately.

I'm always happy to see people try new and creative things. But soapmaking isn't something you just jump into and you start selling the next day. You certainly shouldn't be selling your first batch of soap you ever made either. You need to study, learn, experiment and most importantly of all -- test the soap that you make to insure that it's safe for other people to use. There are no shortcuts, unfortunately.

While it's true that making great soap isn't exactly rocket science, you still need to know what the heck you're doing. You need to know, for sure, the difference between essential oils (which can be very costly and must be used judiciously and with care, depending on their application) and fragrance oils. Puhleeze learn the difference if you want to be taken seriously as a soapmaker.

I'll just say it, OK? You can't get essential oils at Michaels or Joanne's craft store. There is no such thing as strawberry or coconut or lilac essential oil. If you're listing these as ingredients in your shop, you're going to look foolish and turn off buyers who do know a lot about handmade soap. Take the time to learn your craft.