Big City suds - Soaps for your Soul!
Thursday 17th May 2012
Our 1st Home !
Sep 30 2011 I am so excited, exhausted & disorganized, but we are so happy that we now have our own Home! This fall Gene and I took the big plunge and bought a 1920's brick bungalow up in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. After 2 months of long days, I can say we have pulled off a kitchen renovation with the help of my wonderful Family, and we have sucessfully moved in which is no small feat!
Big City Suds in Wicker Park
Apr 24 2011
You can now buy Big City Suds soaps while out shopping in Wicker park!! Real Naked Foods has opened its doors and they will be stocking Big City Suds soaps. We are so excited to be working with this wonderful small organic grocery store in the Chicago area. They are bring local, organic eco-friendly foods and products to the neighborhood of Wicker Park and we are exited to be apart of their shop
Where Do I Start?
Mar 25 2011
What have you been up to you ask?
Jeez where do I start?
I have been a busy little girl. If only I had more hours in the day and a maid to clean my house and a babysitter to play with my little ones... okay.. not really but, Things are crazy busy here. I spend 89% of my time with my little ones. Next month is birthday month, Winston will be three & Fiona one. I can't believe it! The good news is the kids are both starting to sleep through the night, so that will leave me a little more time to get some things done.
Big City Suds is rolling along. I have been working really hard on a new website. It is almost ready to go, and I must say I think it is looking pretty good. I have built this whol website, by my self and I like it! Check it out at (bigcitysuds.com). This will be our 3rd year at the farmers market and a few Wholesale orders are coming in, and I welcome more.. so tell your friends!
I have been working with a few more products, Felted Soaps.. and Bath Salts! I am excited to offer them this year and see if they take off. The felted soaps are so fun to make and use, I really hope they are a huge hit!
What It's almost Christmas?
Nov 30 2010
The summer was great and so was the fall, time has flown by with our new baby girl Fiona, to warm our hearts. she is such a delight! Our son is now out of baby-hood and on to the little man stage! The summer flew by with lots of soap flying off the shelves. It was great to have my wonderful friend Jen to help out with most of my shows, Fiona in tow. It was fun to have the girls out and about every other Sunday morning. Now I prep for my last three holiday shows!
Waters' Holiday Artisans Craft Fair | Chicago
featuring over 50 local artisans
Where: Waters Elementary School - Chicago
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Spring Has Arrived
Apr 09 2010
After a gloomy winter I have been looking forward to the arrival of spring and the birth of our daughter. We had a great trip to Indiana for Easter weekend. The flowers were in bloom and the egg hunt was a success. Our little guy would open one egg at a time, eat the goodies, then move on the the next. Good thing there were only about 12 plastic eggs!
Making Shoes!
Mar 09 2010
So I have been working on some news cloth baby shoes - Still sticking with my theme of re-claimed fabric although jumping into designer scraps instead of sweaters.. although I will try the pattern out of my sweater scraps as well... I bet they will be just as cute!On a side note: We are getting excited for our new baby girl who should be arriving in the next 6 weeks. I have lots of little projects I would like to get done before her arrival. One of which was making a few pairs of shoes. So Thanks to all my facebook friends yesterday who gave me a little motivation. I needed that, Its hard to get things done at this stage in the game!
Cheers-
Marmalade
Jan 31 2010
After almost a weeks vacation in Florida I am back to the cold weather of Chicago. Not that I really mind, although I had a wonderful trip visiting my Dad, Pam and My grandparents it is always nice to be home. It was a very relaxing week minis my son crying every time i left his sight. I came back with a slight tan and a backpack filled with grapefruit. After examining my frig I discovered I had all the ingredient to make a Citrus Marmalade. It was a little more work to make than I thought but boy is it good and it also made about 14 8oz jars. They are so pretty but i will never eat that much Marmalade in my life time. So if you are in the mood for Homemade Marmalade send $3.50 via pay pal (cost to ship) to my account shannaukarch@yahoo.com and I will mail you out some! It's good stuff I'm telling you! :)
Now I am gearing up for February's Handmade Market should be a great show! If you are in Chicago come and see me! February 13th from noon - 4pm @ The Empty Bottle
Lip Balm -
Jan 31 2010
Lip Balm is the word for the week!
This week I made two different lip balms, labeled, photographed, listed and sold them! Okay so I only sold them for 2 dollars a piece and sold only about 10 so I can't say it is making me rich but over all I will say it was a good week...
I had a craft show this afternoon and I can say that my Lip Balm was a hit!
Thank you Chocolate Orange and Coconut Vacation lip balm, with out you my show would have been a failure.
Now if I can just get a few sells on my etsy shop. I am not sure how you hit it big on etsy with soap... for now I will just take a few sales. I have to come to the conclusion that It's hard to buy soap or lip balm on line when you can't smell it before you buy it... but don't worry I am still going to try
If only you could smell a picture....I can only hope that some day u can.
This week I made two different lip balms, labeled, photographed, listed and sold them! Okay so I only sold them for 2 dollars a piece and sold only about 10 so I can't say it is making me rich but over all I will say it was a good week...
I had a craft show this afternoon and I can say that my Lip Balm was a hit!
Thank you Chocolate Orange and Coconut Vacation lip balm, with out you my show would have been a failure.
Now if I can just get a few sells on my etsy shop. I am not sure how you hit it big on etsy with soap... for now I will just take a few sales. I have to come to the conclusion that It's hard to buy soap or lip balm on line when you can't smell it before you buy it... but don't worry I am still going to try
If only you could smell a picture....I can only hope that some day u can.
BigCity products in a shop near you!
Nov 18 2009 I am so excited to announce that I got my first whole sale order! You can now find my lovely made felted goods, along with my all natural hand crafted soaps @ Lemon Sky Unlimited. This shop is located at 6130 Northwest Hwy, Chicago IL. The shop owner, Jane, is such a joy to work with. She is full of energy and has a great eye for beautiful products. Her shop is full of vibrant colors and is quite stunning! Just check out the store front, bright yellow lemons on a aqua background! U Can't miss it!
You will be able to find a new product I have been working on, fleece lined mittens made from recycled sweaters. They are unbelievably warm and each one is unique.
My fingerless-mitts are also available, each one is 100% wool and great for the spring, fall or that cold indoor work space!
Last but not least you will be able to pick up my wonderfully smelling, full of lather, hand crafted soap. Each bar is 5oz and smells so good you could eat it. Showering will never be the same with out it! I am so excited about them!
Fall has arrived
Sep 30 2009
The Crisp air of Autumn has Arrived! (lets not talk about winter)
I have the smell of apples flowing through my home. I have been making apple butter and canning it this week. It tastes so great and makes the house smell wonderful! My Great Grandparents always held a fall festival every autumn at there home, when i was a child. They made apple butter in a big iron kettle over a wood fire. I always loved those days running around with my cousins and eating apples that had dropped from the trees, not a care in the world. My apple butter is made in the crock pot, but no matter how its made it is a delightful addition to my toast each morning.
I have the smell of apples flowing through my home. I have been making apple butter and canning it this week. It tastes so great and makes the house smell wonderful! My Great Grandparents always held a fall festival every autumn at there home, when i was a child. They made apple butter in a big iron kettle over a wood fire. I always loved those days running around with my cousins and eating apples that had dropped from the trees, not a care in the world. My apple butter is made in the crock pot, but no matter how its made it is a delightful addition to my toast each morning.
Craft Show Applications Due
Jul 06 2009
So applications are due soon for Renegade craft fair Chicago and DYI Trunk show 2009
I put together these two images for submition.. I hope I get in to one of them!! Now.. got to run little Winston is asleep and Its time to make soap!
First Farmers Market
Jun 17 2009 Here are the dates for 2009Jun 14, 2009 : Jun 28, 2009 : Jul 12, 2009 : Jul 26, 2009 : Aug 9, 2009Aug 23, 2009 : Sep 13, 2009 : Sep 27, 2009 : Oct 11, 2009
Hours:9 am - 1
Below is my set up ... needs some work but not bad for my 1st all SOAP set up!
