Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps

Selling Products Online Without Product Images

January 4, 2011 by Mary Humphrey

Recently we experienced the disappearance of all of our product images from our online store.

All of the images have since been restored. The job was made easier by the fact that we have less soaps to display until we rebuild our soap stock, following a wonderful holiday season.

As orders began to trickle in, despite the absence of photographs, it became obvious to us that our “regular” customers do trust our integrity. They know we are going to deliver the same quality soaps and lotions, pictures provided or not.

Thank you to everyone!

Posted in AGH Business News, In The Soap Shop, Products | Tagged business integrity, goat milk soaps, trust | 3 Comments »

As The New Year Starts

January 1, 2011 by Mary Humphrey

Comical…busy…not so relaxing. Humor was definitely a must.

How about your start to the new year?

Over Christmas weekend my husband was ill. He asked me, “Why does it seem I am always sick at Christmas?” I don’t know. One time we spent Christmas Eve in the emergency room. He looked like something from a movie, like a swollen thing that had risen from the dead. It was nice.

The Christmas ailment was passed on to me. The night before last I was miserable with a fever. Mind you, I don’t get sick often. I sent a one line email to my sister, told her that I wasn’t feeling well, that I loved her. I proceeded to tell my husband, “In case I don’t live through the night, I love you.” He chuckled, “I think you will live.” I did. Amazing.

The next day I noticed product images missing from our website. I was too sick to try to fix the problem. My husband, not the one that keeps the site going (he helps in many other ways), was speechless. I opened a help ticket.

All of the product images in our online store had been deleted. Not one or two. Each and every one, gone.

I made a phone call on New Year’s Eve. All advanced support staff had left the building. Lucky souls.

Today I sat down at the computer, thinking to self, “This is what a small business owner does…the fix-it-all person…even on a holiday,” After several mis-haps I began to see a number of images load to the website. Yes! The correction will take a few days.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but I can say this, bring on the challenges. If 2011 is any better than 2010, we are blessed. After a few years of wondering where our lives were turning to, 2010 brought work and busyness our way. Bring it on!

I hope you and your loved ones are also blessed with whatever you need in 2011, that is, everything you need!

Posted in AGH Business News, All In A Day's Time | Tagged Blessings, New Year | 12 Comments »

Dropping The Fear

December 23, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Have you had experiences in life when you have had to tell yourself to “drop the fear”?

Recently I climbed a ladder, which was more than twice as tall as I am.

As my husband stood outside of (what will be) our new soap studio on his ladder, I climbed my own ladder inside. Together we tugged on the huge electrical wiring until we got it fed through the much-smaller conduit.

As I climbed the ladder my heart began to thud. I thought I was not going to make it. I repeated the old saying, because that was all that I could think to do for myself at the moment, “Don’t look down.”

Then I remembered what I did last summer, something that made me realize I could climb ladders as long as I put the fear aside. I remembered something as simple as the motorcycle safety class. I had to put my fear away to pass the course. I nearly allowed fear to change the outcome!

Suddenly the fear of being up in the air, high up on the ladder, went away.

Facing the fear came as clear to me as life itself.

Next time you are facing something that seems enormous, something that you feel you cannot accomplish (that you could easily say “no” to) and allow someone else to do, remember to believe in yourself. Have faith. Claim the ownership.

Beat the fear…drop it like a hot potato…what you can achieve by doing so can really help you climb ladders – even those that seem to reach up into the clouds – hands down. Goodbye obstacle!

Posted in All In A Day's Time, General Reflections, Inspirations | Tagged facing fear, faith, positive thinking | 10 Comments »

The Choice Is What We Are About

December 14, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

At Annie’s Goat Hill we offer a choice in products – from natural to nearly natural (products made from a natural base with man-made ingredients added).

When we started our soap business in 2003 we focused on 100% natural products. Since that time our customers have requested products that contain fragrance oils, such as our very popular Cherries and Berries goat milk soap and lotion.

What you can be sure of is, when we describe a product to you on our website, or in a discussion, we are going to tell you the product contains either an essential oil (100% natural) or a fragrance (man-made). We tell it like it is. If you prefer 100% natural, you can choose a soap that has no fragrance added or essential oils only.

We like it that way – your choice!

Posted in AGH Business News, Products | 2 Comments »

Farm and Soap Shop Progress

December 10, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

It isn’t very pretty, is it?

This is what we have been working on all week, each morning before sunrise, every night after sundown, in single digit temperatures on a few occasions.

Two 1000 foot long trenches along the driveway, each 4 feet deep were completed for water and power lines.

Our legs hurt. Our backs hurt. And perhaps our heads hurt too, I say with a sense of humor!

Progress!

Someone was watching over us today as we finally got the electric connected to the meter box on what will be the new soap shop. The temperature broke over 30 degrees today, which helped us bend and pull the heavy wiring. I stood inside the shop on a 10′ ladder, my husband stood outside on another ladder, as we pushed and pulled. We got it done! The power company can now energize us at any time.

We definitely have been hard at work. It is a very busy season for Annie’s Goat Hill, my husband’s business, and with the preparations at the soon (to be) new farm. It is all good!

Posted in All In A Day's Time, Goat Care (and General Farm), In The Soap Shop | Tagged farm, new soap shop | 10 Comments »

Musings – Christmas Soap and Lotion Business

December 5, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

My husband and I have been tag-teaming in the soap shop. He has taken over many animal duties to ensure we are able to stick with our one to two-day turnaround with retail orders. He has also done an excellent job of boxing soaps and labeling lotions and packages. I am blessed to have a wonderful partner, my best friend, who brings the extra gift of a lot of laughter to the soap studio!

Despite the busyness, I have done a lot of thinking. The big broom came out and swept away my idea that we should never run out of any particular type of soap. My new philosophy, the early bird gets the worm. I had to beat it into myself, seriously! But…the fact is, if I were to shop at a big-name department store very late in the season, I may not find everything that I want, but if I shop early enough, I will find full shelves, with a huge selection!

With that being said, and without sounding like a running advertisement, we do still have a bounty of holiday soaps available. Also fully stocked are the favorites, such as Cherries and Berries goat milk soap.

My parting words (also derived from the big sweep that I did on myself), remember to take a break and enjoy the season! I strongly believe a person accomplishes much more by resting appropriately. Nobody can enjoy life itself while feeling stretched and stressed!

Posted in AGH Business News, All In A Day's Time, Products | Tagged Goat Milk Lotion, Goat Milk Soap, holiday handcrafted soap, small business musings | 5 Comments »

Looking Into Business Dreams

November 29, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Yes, it is a window. It could fit in just about anywhere. But there is no place like a fresh new window sitting inside your to-be soap shop.

A window to look into and through, to see hope, dreams, and new small business plans.

My husband and I have been showered with a lot of work the past several months. We are working in unison, without a lot of breaks, to make sure our i’s are dotted and our t’s are crossed. Busy isn’t enough of a description. Blessed is a good word for it.

Busy with our businesses, busy with preparing a new home, shop and farm.

The shop needs a concrete floor, insulation, wiring, and interior walls. The house is sitting on a lot, ready to move to its new permanent foundation. A barn must be built. We are running against the clock. The hands are moving fast towards winter and kidding season.

So, what can we do best? Work…and ponder, be thankful, and remember – as we sit in the area that will the porch front of our new soap shop. It is all beautiful, and we will continue to build (our lives, our businesses, and the room to enjoy life itself).

Posted in AGH Business News, Goat Care (and General Farm) | Tagged growing business, new soap shop | 7 Comments »

Thanksgiving

November 24, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Wishing you a warm, safe and peaceful Thanksgiving, filled with good things!

Posted in All In A Day's Time | Tagged Thanksgiving | 2 Comments »

It Is Too Quiet Around Here – My Owner Is Not Home

November 17, 2010 by Mary Humphrey

Kitten Little is growing up. She is on a 3 day stay at the vet hospital following her spaying and declawing surgery.

We are pitiful. We miss the little 5.4 pound terror!

Where is our little girl that steals keys, pens, anything that makes noise and is not glued down?

When I used the printer today there was no Kitten Little trying to rip the newly printed documents to shreds.

When I opened the dryer door there was no Kitten Little flying through the air, making her normal perfect landing inside the warm and fluffy clothes.

One thing is obvious, we terribly spoil the cat. We never realized it until this week.

On top of the silliness of missing her, I am left with the horror of my last words when we dropped the cat off for her surgery. As the vet was carrying her away to the crate area, I found myself choking up and saying, “She’s our bottle baby, we are pretty attached.” What? I immediately asked myself what did I just say? The cat hasn’t had a bottle, obviously, for many months.

Hmmmmffff…I don’t own a cat, she owns me.

Posted in Goat Care (and General Farm), Humor | Tagged bottle kitten, cat owner | 13 Comments »

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