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Entrepreneurship:  Linen Water, Bath Salts, Etc  |
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evahensley
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Eva
Centralia
MO
USA
7 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 07 2005 : 12:02:12 PM
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Hi Farm Girls!
I own a small gift shop/florist/gift basket company and have decided to try my hand at making linen water, bath salts, etc., to sell in my store? Have you tried making anything like this? If so, do you have a tried and true recipe you could share with me? And, any information on packaging, supply sources, etc., would be of great help!
Thank you.
Eva
Show-Me FarmGirl |
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JanaM
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Jana
Miller Bay/Indianola
WA
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2005 : 1:11:54 PM
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Hi!
Mountain Rose Herbs is great, as "Bayoubunch" mentioned. The quality of their products is always superb. Also, From Nature with Love has a big catalog with many products as well. You could experiment with recipes from the many books and internet resources available to find the recipes that you like best. (people just have their own preferences for quality, scenting, etc.) Have fun!
Jana |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2005 : 05:00:21 AM
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Eva,
My very favorite blend to give for friends' BD gifts is a milkbath. Simple to make and absolutely wonderfully soothing in a bath. I usually package them in old Mason jars with glass tops. I used to sell them in my shop as well. Big hits;
The recipe:
equal parts each of powdered milk, dreft, and epsom salts. blend and add a couple of cotton balls with a few drops of whatever essential oil you like. Seal in an airtight container for a week. Package and sell!
Hope this brings you the sales it brought me.
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2005 : 09:27:53 AM
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Thanks Joy! This is great! I am going to try it.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. http://www.xs4all.nl/~josvg/cits/sb/sb101.html |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 08:55:12 AM
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| I also love Mountain Rose Herbs, it's a great company. I buy all my oils and bees wax there. I made bath salts as favors for a tea party I threw as a wedding shower. I had a small problem with it though. I mixed dead sea salts, lavender, spearmint and rose buds together ans sprayed it with a little lavender oil ( to make sure it really smelled) I put the mix into little muslin bags that way the ladies could just drop the bag right into the bath. Now the problem - I went to go pack up the bags to get ready for the party and they were swetting pretty bad so I have to spead it all out on a cookie sheet to dry everything back out. So may be it was the lavender oil or it could been because the bags were stored next to our homemade soap, or we could just blame it on the fact that it's so darn moist here in Arcata all the time. Just something to look out for. but in the end the ladies love them. My recipe was about equal parts - dead sea salts, lavender, spearmint and tiny rose bud ( petals would probably work). Blessed Be. |
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Jana
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Jana
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
USA
482 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 12:57:45 PM
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I make a linen spray that can be used to spritz on your sheets or on your ironing. It simply 1 qt. of distilled water and 1/2 tsp. of good essential oil.(I love just lavender). Check out ebay for good deals on essential oils or google soapmaking supplies. Its WAY cheaper to buy a large bottle than the little health food store ones. Just make sure its pure essential oil.
Jana
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 8:37:26 PM
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Jana,
Thanks for the spray idea. Once in awhile I will buy one at a boutique type stuff for $10, then I am always so frustrated because it doesn't seem to last. I can't wait to try this! I love to use a mixture of tealeaf and lime too! I just drove through Eau Claire about 7 hours ago on my way back from Northern WI to see my aunt. Boy, has it grown! (See, I don't get out much. [smile])
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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evahensley
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Eva
Centralia
MO
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 8:38:47 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by JoyIowa
Eva,
My very favorite blend to give for friends' BD gifts is a milkbath. Simple to make and absolutely wonderfully soothing in a bath. I usually package them in old Mason jars with glass tops. I used to sell them in my shop as well. Big hits;
The recipe:
equal parts each of powdered milk, dreft, and epsom salts. blend and add a couple of cotton balls with a few drops of whatever essential oil you like. Seal in an airtight container for a week. Package and sell!
Hope this brings you the sales it brought me.
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience.
Show-Me FarmGirl |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 8:38:52 PM
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Yes Dreft as in laundry detergent you use for baby stuff. Really!
Enjoy
quote:
Originally posted by bayoubunch
Joy...dreft..as in the laundry detergent????..thanks for the recipe..keep safe ..lorij
Rejoice...
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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evahensley
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Eva
Centralia
MO
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 8:41:30 PM
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Joy,
Thank you for such a great idea! What price did you sell the milk bath for? I always seem to have problems in trying to decide how to price things and most of the time I end up pricing things too cheap!
Thanks.
Eva
quote:
Originally posted by JoyIowa
Eva,
My very favorite blend to give for friends' BD gifts is a milkbath. Simple to make and absolutely wonderfully soothing in a bath. I usually package them in old Mason jars with glass tops. I used to sell them in my shop as well. Big hits;
The recipe:
equal parts each of powdered milk, dreft, and epsom salts. blend and add a couple of cotton balls with a few drops of whatever essential oil you like. Seal in an airtight container for a week. Package and sell!
Hope this brings you the sales it brought me.
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience.
Show-Me FarmGirl |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2005 : 03:19:33 AM
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A rule of thumb for something like that is 4 times the price of the materials (including packaging) plus 25%. I always bumped it up to the next 98 cents. There is a whole mentality out there about perceived value. It basically says the customer will indulge in any given item no matter what the cost as long as the perceived value is great. I used to do things like personalizing the jar on the spot with paint pens, let the customer pick out the color of the ribbon and the antique button to string on the card, and always used the curly ribbon (and lots of it) to increase the perceived value. Also don't settle for making just 12 at first. Make 36 or even 48 and create a display that is over the top with lots of product stacked on the sides so the customer doesn't feel she is ruining the display by buying the product. A child's bathtub with jars of milkbath set on wood blocks of varying heights surrounded by fluffy fiberfil, electric flickering candles, a current hot book, and a glass of "wine" go a long ways in setting the stage for the purchase. Remember too if you start out cheap, and have a sale, you're not making a profit. If you start out expensive and have a sale, the customer is happy because she got a deal, you're happy because you've realized a full profit margin. Because they are so cheap to make, you can afford to give one to neighboring businesses to say "thank you" for directing people to you. (Even if they haven't, they will in the future!) Oh too, (Learned this the hard way)make sure the packaging price is figured based on what the normal costs are, not on the good deals you got. What started this whole thing I that I got 3 boxes of canning jars at an auction for a buck. So I figured the price at about 5 cents per item! Dumb! When I needed to make more, the price was about 60 cents each x 4 x .25. It turned out I had to charge about $3 more, that was quite a jump and forced me to do extra little details to increase the perceived value. Look up Milkbath on the internet, and committ the words they use to describe what a milkbath feels like to memory. It will help you sell many more.
This is WAY more than you asked for, so sorry. I was in business for 7 years until my husband's job forced me to sell. If I'm totally honest with myself, I really miss it. But even more than that I can't tell you how many businesses I've seen go under because women are afraid to charge a fair, business price. It breaks my heart to see people barely make it year after year because of the pricing issue or go under because they were hesitant to go big. (I'm taking boutique big here, not chain discount store big.) Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
quote:
Originally posted by evahensley
Joy,
Thank you for such a great idea! What price did you sell the milk bath for? I always seem to have problems in trying to decide how to price things and most of the time I end up pricing things too cheap!
Thanks.
Eva
quote:
Originally posted by JoyIowa
Eva,
My very favorite blend to give for friends' BD gifts is a milkbath. Simple to make and absolutely wonderfully soothing in a bath. I usually package them in old Mason jars with glass tops. I used to sell them in my shop as well. Big hits;
The recipe:
equal parts each of powdered milk, dreft, and epsom salts. blend and add a couple of cotton balls with a few drops of whatever essential oil you like. Seal in an airtight container for a week. Package and sell!
Hope this brings you the sales it brought me.
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience.
Show-Me FarmGirl
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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evahensley
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Eva
Centralia
MO
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2005 : 05:52:09 AM
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Joy,
Thank you very much! You have absolute wonderful ideas! Wish you were closer to me! I am definitely going to get to work on what you have given me. I totally agree on your pricing advice. I have made some mistakes pricing and have been really discouraged lately. Thank you very much. I'll let you know my results.
Eva quote:
Originally posted by JoyIowa
A rule of thumb for something like that is 4 times the price of the materials (including packaging) plus 25%. I always bumped it up to the next 98 cents. There is a whole mentality out there about perceived value. It basically says the customer will indulge in any given item no matter what the cost as long as the perceived value is great. I used to do things like personalizing the jar on the spot with paint pens, let the customer pick out the color of the ribbon and the antique button to string on the card, and always used the curly ribbon (and lots of it) to increase the perceived value. Also don't settle for making just 12 at first. Make 36 or even 48 and create a display that is over the top with lots of product stacked on the sides so the customer doesn't feel she is ruining the display by buying the product. A child's bathtub with jars of milkbath set on wood blocks of varying heights surrounded by fluffy fiberfil, electric flickering candles, a current hot book, and a glass of "wine" go a long ways in setting the stage for the purchase. Remember too if you start out cheap, and have a sale, you're not making a profit. If you start out expensive and have a sale, the customer is happy because she got a deal, you're happy because you've realized a full profit margin. Because they are so cheap to make, you can afford to give one to neighboring businesses to say "thank you" for directing people to you. (Even if they haven't, they will in the future!) Oh too, (Learned this the hard way)make sure the packaging price is figured based on what the normal costs are, not on the good deals you got. What started this whole thing I that I got 3 boxes of canning jars at an auction for a buck. So I figured the price at about 5 cents per item! Dumb! When I needed to make more, the price was about 60 cents each x 4 x .25. It turned out I had to charge about $3 more, that was quite a jump and forced me to do extra little details to increase the perceived value. Look up Milkbath on the internet, and committ the words they use to describe what a milkbath feels like to memory. It will help you sell many more.
This is WAY more than you asked for, so sorry. I was in business for 7 years until my husband's job forced me to sell. If I'm totally honest with myself, I really miss it. But even more than that I can't tell you how many businesses I've seen go under because women are afraid to charge a fair, business price. It breaks my heart to see people barely make it year after year because of the pricing issue or go under because they were hesitant to go big. (I'm taking boutique big here, not chain discount store big.) Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
quote:
Originally posted by evahensley
Joy,
Thank you for such a great idea! What price did you sell the milk bath for? I always seem to have problems in trying to decide how to price things and most of the time I end up pricing things too cheap!
Thanks.
Eva
quote:
Originally posted by JoyIowa
Eva,
My very favorite blend to give for friends' BD gifts is a milkbath. Simple to make and absolutely wonderfully soothing in a bath. I usually package them in old Mason jars with glass tops. I used to sell them in my shop as well. Big hits;
The recipe:
equal parts each of powdered milk, dreft, and epsom salts. blend and add a couple of cotton balls with a few drops of whatever essential oil you like. Seal in an airtight container for a week. Package and sell!
Hope this brings you the sales it brought me.
JoyIowa
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience.
Show-Me FarmGirl
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience.
Show-Me FarmGirl |
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Entrepreneurship: Linen Water, Bath Salts, Etc |
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Linen Water, Bath Salts, Etc
