Come Clean

You all know I love you right? And I’m completely overwhelmed by all the love that regularly comes my way. So, I’m going to try and make this as painless as possible and do it quick . . .

Soap in Carbonite just had a price increase! Current price: $9.95 / New price: $12.95

(peeks through fingers)

Laaaame! I know. Let me explain.

First the soap – while this soap is from a mold, it also has tons of hand-finished details and a hand-applied finish (ALWAYS done by yours truly *curtsy*). And the cost of my materials unfortunately isn’t going down, so that’s part of the price increase.

Secondly, within the last 8-weeks my life has changed dramatically. In a huge way. If you have been following this blog, you know what I am talking about. If not, please feel free to poke around. I read every single comment) In short, I am literally on the path to a whole lot of awesome. I do not have to get up to an alarm clock. I do not ever have to wear denim again. Isn’t that everyone’s goal? And while that’s terrific, it also means some other changes . . .

I’ve had to actually HIRE people . . . both to help develop Luxury Lane Soap and to keep what I can of my sanity. A wise person told me (more than a few times) “Don’t waste your time doing something someone else can do better than you.” … or something like that. Well, I am really really good at making soap. Not just that, but I know and understand how to manage my business well. I can’t balance my check book, and meeting people IRL scares the crap out of me, but otherwise, I have found the thing I do best.

So with that being said, I’ve got more costs. I’ve got EMPLOYEES (still weirds me out). I pay people. I have storage facilities and bulk accounts! And honestly, there are somethings that become easier with higher volume, and this soap is NOT one of them.

So yes, Soap in Carbonite has gone up in price. I could have raised my prices all across the board, but instead I put it on the one product that is taking up soooo much of my time. (In a good way!) I have hand-detailed over 700 cussing gray soaps in the last 8 weeks. My whole business is growing, which absolutely thrills me! And I do not want to inhibit that growth, So, Mr. Soap in Carbonite, you got me into this and now you are going to earn your keep. ♥

To make up for the fact that you now need to give me more money, I am offering to make Soap in Carbonite cooler. Cooler? GASP! How is that even possible?! Well, let me tell you… I am now personally signing each and every soap, along with personally adding “frozen on dates* Yeah.

More awesome? Oh, you know it! I am hand-detailing each and every single one of these with not two, but THREE pigment depths. That means your soap has been created solely for you and is an individual piece of epic awesomeness. There will never be two pieces exactly alike. Ever. Like little Carbonite snowflakes

So in order to keep up with so much cool, I can only produce 75 each week. That. Is. It.

PLEASE NOTE: As most of you know by now, I am a HUGE sucker for people telling me how great I am, so if you really need one and I am sold out for the week, I will probably cave if you spend more than 7 seconds on an email and make your story good. I will have to make special requests during the weekend while my kids are screaming and pestering me for food, so I am going to charge you more. A rushed or special order will be charged an extra $15.00 w/ $5.00 shipping. When I work on the weekend I am giving up TNG time and I just finished the fifth season tonight and going into the sixth.

Please keep this in mind if you hunt me down and make a special request.

♥ Again. Thank you to the amazing people in my life who have helped me get to this point. From fan to friend on Twitter and to those people who put up with me never answering my phone or replying to emails. I love you. ♥

I want to make a honey soap.

While doing extensive research (Thank you Google…) I have come across many informative and beneficial articles….

” The fact is, researchers are turning up more and more new evidence of honey’s medical benefits in all directions. The benefits of honey don’t just stop at satisfying the palate; honey also offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health, and amazing healing properties as a head-to-toe remedy, from eye conjunctivitis to athlete foot. Its powerful healing attributes have long been used thousands of years ago and known to promote healing for cuts, cure ailments and diseases, and correct health disorders for generations after generations…” -http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/

“Due to its qualities honey is widely used in different skin care products. It is used as a skin care product (for) centuries. Cleopatra used honey and milk for her bath to keep her looking youthful…” -http://www.skincareresourcecenter.com/honey-and-skin-care.html

“Honey is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are wonderful beauty aids that nourish the skin. Honey is high in vitamin C, a variety of B vitamins such as niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid, as well as minerals such as potassium. It is rich in amino acids, the basic building blocks of life, essential to our very existence.” -http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/honey-skin-care.html

Really, I could go on and on… But it boils down to the fact that I want to make honey soap! NATURAL honey soap, not pre-made, stored on a shelf for years, honey soap, but the real thing.

My dilemma… Is or isn’t Honey Vegan? Some say yes and some say no. I pride myself on having high quality, Vegan friendly, cruelty free products. Does producing a soap containing honey, even with all of the potential benefits, directly violate my prime directive?

I would love to open this up for commentary! NOT a debate on whether Vegan is better or not…I enjoy fat amounts of steak and I love meat. I DO live in farm land after all…however, I am STRONGLY against animal cruelty. No person has any right to torture animals, especially in the name of beauty production.

When you try to define honey as Vegan it gets messy and sloppy and I do not like it. Would organic honey be a better alternative? Then you get to jump into the “What is Organic, by definition” debate…

So really, I am asking my friends, and customers and whomever, what do YOU think of Luxury Lane Soap releasing a line of honey based products? Do you feel is a direct contradiction to my Vegan aspect, or do you feel it is an avenue which should be explored for the health benefits?

♥

I’m trying!!! Today Rory and I shipped forty Soap in Carbonite soaps. *whew* Same goal for tomorrow! (I actually started writing this blog on Monday…it is now Friday…) Just wanted to let everyone know I didn’t take your money and leave the country! Though Canada sounds lovely….

Last week I had posted about how to get a hold of me. I am SO happy that you are indeed, getting a hold of me.

I have actually had a few of you express joy because I am NOT a robot. I am a real person. *waves* (If you were to ask anyone if I have ever posted a no makeup, in my comfy clothes, non edited, messy house background pic, they would instantly tell you no. Go look at my TwitPic See? It is so full of cute…and sarcasm)

Dearest customers, I am doing everything possible to get your orders out the door. I swear to you. PLEASE feel free to nag, email, call, tweet, text…Anything! I can’t always get to replying right away, I am not ignoring you. Sometimes I shower and I would HATE to get my phone wet…Sometimes I sleep…but more than likely, I am in the shower….

I digress.

Customer Service.

The top thing I am noticing from customer inquiries is that the majority of you are shocked I even care. That I am indeed, not a robot. I am going to take a second here and brag. You can check out my rocking Etsy Feedback HERE and HERE Over 1,300 happy transactions.

If I were you I would be pissed I didn’t have my order yet. I am not asking for my customer to just brush this off. I am asking you work with me. Let’s hug it out. I have said it before, and I now say it again, I LOVE what I do. I love making things and I love every single aspect of learning how to run a business with this high of volume. I want everyone to know, ALL SOAPS WILL BE (finally) SHIPPED NEXT WEEK! I kid you not. Haven t gotten your order yet? Oh baaaaby it is coming your way in under seven to ten days. ♥

In all seriousness, Thank you. When you email me telling me you love your orders and you wait for me to finally get on twitter or finally reply to your email…It means so much to me that I am working with friends.

Now, that is enough mush and love for one day. I will be out of town this weekend and *trying* not to work, so I have GOT to PWN this Friday like non other. Really rip this Friday a new one. It also happens to be #FollowFriday on Twitter and I probably wont get to a picture or posts. SO! Go follow everyone I follow and love the cuss out of them.

AND!
Again @jeffisageek is rocking my socks off…. http://bit.ly/aqyBB6 He melts me with his kind words. ♥ If you dont follow him, you should. He has the hook ups when it comes to cool.

And could you do me a giant big favor and give some love in the way of @UberDorkGirlie She is working on the coolest project EVER. Take these surveys. They are quick and painless…you know you are sitting there doing nothing anyway. ♥
http://www.tinyurl.com/UberDorkCafeFirstSurvey
http://www.tinyurl.com/UberDorkCafeParentalUnitSurvey

Time to get my work on! ♥

I am writing this in anticipation that you have found my blog due to the fact you emailed me, tweeted me or called me and you got no response. You are feverishly searching for a way to contact me because you want to know why your order hasn’t been confirmed…why you haven’t received your order…what’s going on…AHHH! SOLO SOAP! Where are you? WHERE Kylee?!

Shhhh.

I love you.

I swear to each and everyone of you, I am getting to your orders/emails/texts/calls as fast as I can. I am honestly the only person here…so far. (Rory starts working with me full time this week! *jumpsupanddown*)

In the last three weeks alone, I have received nearly 3,000 emails and 3 phone calls regarding Luxury Lane Soap. I sold over $8,000 worth of product in under 7 days, hitting $4,000 in sales in under three days.

I refuse to go on autopilot with this. I am responding to every correspondence personally. Seriously.

If you have any questions about anything, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE feel free to email me, tweet me, text or call me. I probably wont get a hold of you right away…

Choose your correspondence wisely…

Twitter.com/KyleeLane
You can find me on Twitter for a more personal experience if you’d like. Be warned, I post a lot of science fiction, geekery and general coolness. This is my personal twitter account. I should probably make a business one but that would be boring. I haven’t had a lot of time to tweet but when I do, I will totally clog your time line.

LuxuryLaneSoap@gmail.com
Probably the best way to get a hold of me. I use to send emails instantly but I am learning how to divide my day up better for this whole Cool Mom/Hot Wife/Business Lady thing. (Dear friends, THANK YOU for letting me stress out in our emails and not being mad when I never respond. It has helped me keep my cool publicly so that everyone else thinks I am a Cool Kid. Could you even imagine what people would think if they found out I live in my pajamas cause I refuse to wear uncomfortable clothes or that I hate wearing bras and socks.? I have Star Trek AND Star Wars tattoos? Gasp and if they knew I was a teen Mom way back when and that I have liberal tendencies? Whew good thing it is only between us, right?)

712-229-9115
Please note that if you call me, I will be the one answering my phone. My personal line just kind of became my business line…so if you hear my children in the backround or I am in the middle of working, do not be alarmed. I am a real person and not a robot. I appreciate your calls and if you need an immediate response you will get one, a real one, unless I am eating candy, watching TNG, playing with my kids or brainstorming with my husband.

Awesome people send me cool stuff. Thank you @GEEKLEETIST for starting this trend with your freaking mind blowing coolness. I also want to thank @lisaluluquinn@katiedoyle @geeksoap @rabbitinski @CapSteveRogers @UberDorkGirlie @geekwithsoul @nerdrage42 for spoiling me with mail.

Want to send me cool stuff too?

Kylee Lane
P.O. Box 593
Primghar, IA 51245

Visit my FAQ for more information!

PS
Thank you @darthmolen for pimping my soap and tricking @jpuent into thinking I was cool. Thank you @GeekGirls for giving me a chance to write to the world about how much I love my Nerdy little family. It was the first time I had ever been aloud to just yell to the world that I freaking rule.

The End.

No, no wait…
(Future) Thank you @PhysicistLisa for hanging out with me at #SDCC.

@jeffisageek for making that one video of my soap. I never properly thanked you for being the very very first person to ever have my soap in a blog video. *blush*

PSS! There are a ZILLION people I want to thank. I have been working on a HUGE thank you blog post for all of my lovies. Coming soooon *wink* Until then, go hit on @geekgirldiva for me. ♥