Sorcery Soap & Nurture Soap

I'm approached by suppliers and individuals for collaborations occasionally. So far most are written in a casual sense, so I take few seriously. When my curiosity has gotten the better of me, I ask questions.

• What is your vision?
• How do you imagine this project to take place?
• What prompted you to want to collaborate with me/Sorcery Soap?

All seemingly reasonable questions for an idea that hasn't bloomed, yet. 

My questions to show curiosity and responsibility for fleshing the out the idea. Because of my curiosity I have received many terse replies. Thank you. Thank you for showing your hand early. 

If someone has answered me bluntly, tersely or simple annoyed I asked questions that person/company has failed to pass my first level of scrutiny. I do not enter into business arrangements lightly, ever.

There was a company I went back and forth with for over a year, sent a large shipment of example soaps, followed up, etc. (Showing I do what I say and can produce, not just in words, but in action.) Then, I was asked by the editor, to push forward. I reminded them that a phone appointment wasn't kept and that is why nothing had been done. That phone call was a crucial discussion as it involved payment.

I won't tell you who they are, but this company employed someone else to create my idea and pursued it without me. You are welcome for the idea. Apparently it was yours to take.  

I do not want a long-term relationship (business or otherwise) with someone I have to treat with kid-gloves, someone who won't hold themselves responsible and own their mistakes and most of all someone who takes credit for my ideas. I also want to be paid. So, there's that. 

Now I can eliminate that idea from my thought process. My thoughts are a sacred place where fairies visit and enchanted beings sprinkle inspired ideas, some of which I grab on to, some of which (once fleshed out) aren't so ideal for the material world. Even enchanted beings have to go through the fleshing out process. 

Ideas are the value. Put this concept to the test: Try creating without a vision, without an idea. 

Then, take that same vision from idea (ethers) to the material world. Work out the kinks, the process of turning ether into material form - a complex mysterious process we have yet to fully understand.  This is also a time consuming process. So many people take this process for granted, so many people take this - photos, ideas, finished materials - they take! 

The idea is the VALUE! To put a finer point on this, our world needs idea-benders, ether-hunters, alchemists. Ideas are the engine to the train. There is nothing to haul without the idea.

When deciding to collaborate with a company or a person these are some things I'm concerned with: 

• What is that company/person reputation? 
• Do they operate with integrity? 
• Do they do what they say? 
• Will it be a mutual exchange?
• Will we both gain from this collaboration? 

Nurture Soap passed! 

My relationship with Nurture Soap began before my relationship with Carrie, the owner of Nurture Soap. I began buying Nurture products, found them to be reliable and shipping to be exceptional. Unlike some suppliers who seem not to care you've ordered at all. 

A few years back I posted something that got Carrie's attention and we began to talk. After years of email exchanges and some phone calls of general chatting, we conjured ideas. These ideas were ours. Both of ours. Ideas flowed between us. Images and concepts. Eventually we landed on an idea that suited both of us. Not without effort, but the process flowed smoothly.

The first idea did not come to fruition, but I was inspired by our process. It was a seed that sprouted years later.

When I wrote the book The Magic of Soap Dough eBook I did not anticipate collaborating with Carrie on this or any project. I added Carrie's micas and recipes in my ebook because I genuinely like her micas and use them. I cannot write about something I don't have experience using. 

So, there you have it. How it came to be that Sorcery Soap and Nurture Soap collaborated. It didn't happen overnight and because of this I have grown to understand Nurture Soap and therefore Carrie, a bit. She's still a bit of a busy whirling dervish, but there's still time. 

Because of this experience I have grown to love and admire Carrie Thornsbury from Nurture Soap. That is an ideal relationship, in business or friendship, just ideal.

The color sets Carrie and I have brought forward in hopes it inspires your to draw down from the ethers into this material world, to conjure enchanted creations too!