Where are you from?
I am from Layton Utah. I grew up here and moved away after I graduated from college. I met my husband at BYU and moved with him to California. We returned to Utah after 4 ½ years. So I am a locally grown girl.
Do you have any pets?
I have a black lab named Cocoa.
How long have you been into soap making?
I have been making cold process (cp) soap for about 3 years.
What got you into soap making?
I have always loved to craft. I happened to see a cold process soap making video on YouTube. I wanted to learn a new skill and so I decided that I would try my hand at soap making. I started out making melt and pour soap bars. I found that I could not make all the designs I wanted. I started watching YouTube videos to learn how cold process soap was made. I ordered a soap-making book, looked at many cp soap recipes and took 2 different soap making classes. I jumped in with 2 feet, as they say, and learned along the way. I tell everyone that you can learn anything on YouTube.
What helped you come up with the idea of creating your soaps to look like decadent desserts?
I am not really a foodie but love to eat. I have looked at desserts on Pinterest to come up with some of my soap designs. I think it is so fun to make cold process soap look like desserts. I have even had some people try to eat my soap thinking it was food. I love making a variety of designs in my soaps.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I have taken inspiration from other soap makers, Pinterest, YouTube, and baking shows.
What is your soap made out of?
I make my soap out of several skin loving oils: coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil castor oil and sweet almond oil.
What was your favorite soap you've ever made?
I made a watermelon soap cake this summer. It is one of my favorites. I saw a watermelon cake that someone had baked and posted on Pinterest. I drew my inspiration from that and made a watermelon soap cake. I made soap dough seeds and watermelon slices to go on top.
What is your favorite part of the soap making process?
I love creating designs of my own and then cutting the soap to see if the design resembles what I pictured it to be.
Do you use molds? If so, where do you get your molds?
I use many molds. I use loaf soap molds, slab molds, individual embed molds and silicone food molds to create my soaps. I buy these molds from many soaping supply companies. I buy from Wholesales Supplies Plus, Etsy, Brambleberry and Amazon. The internet has so many companies that have wonderful soaping supplies.
Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to pick up soap making?
If you want to learn, you can do it! I started out wanting to learn a new skill and learned by watching YouTube videos. You can learn beginning soap making from Soap Queen, Royalty Soaps and Soaping 101--to name just 3 very good YouTube channels.
Do you listen to anything while making soap? (TV shows, podcasts, audio books, music, etc)
I usually listen to audible. I have downloaded books on my phone and listen as I make soap. I loved Oprah when she said “Will somebody please get a book?” The teacher in me is coming out. I always tell my first graders that you can go on any adventure if you read a good book.
Do you have any other hobbies?
I have been a slow runner for many years. My husband and I have done several ½ marathons. A couple of years ago I had a knee replacement and it has been a slow recovery. Now my goal is to walk Ogden ½ marathon this fall because I am not ready to give up the thrill of crossing the finish line.
Do you like to create other crafts?
Yes! I have done just about every kind of hand craft you can think of. This will date me but I like to paint, quilt, and scrapbook.
Do you sell your soaps? If so, where can people find you?
Yes, to anyone who will buy them. I sell my soaps on my Facebook page (Lisa Mehr) and my daughters Facebook page (Amber Peterson). I have a twitter account (allwashedupsoaplady) and I take orders by email. lmehr@dsdmail.net
Are there any small businesses you love? (soap making or otherwise)
Online, I like to shop at “Two Wild Hares”. This small business has lots of soaping and bath bombs supplies that I really love.
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