New product from Barony

A quick photo and note to say Barony Shower Gel is going to make its stall debut at the Perth Show this weekend. There's a very limited number of bottles available so make sure we're your first stop at the show (we're in the craft tent). If you can't make it to the show then you'll soon be able to buy online.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

It’s been a week and a bit since my last post, due to the amount of soap making and summer craft fairs/shows we’ve attended. I’d better give you a quick update.

Friday night, the 18th, David and I headed North for the Inverness Highland Games. We chose the easy option of a Premier Inn for our ‘keeling over and passing out from exhaustion’ sleep over. We got to Inverness around 10ish and tried to check in. No reservations in our names!?! We’d gone to the wrong Premier Inn! Found the right one 10 minutes later, so, not so bad. Saturday and Sunday we set up shop. Struggled with the wind which tried to blow the tent over regularly, but we survived unscathed.

Ewer & Basin by Len Whatley, Crieff Ceramics, made especially for Barony's first Trade Show.

Monday was delivery day. First soap delivery of the day was made to Len at Crieff Ceramics. It was a glorious day so when I arrived Len was outside enjoying the sun and having a wee tea break. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to take him up on the lovely offer of a cuppa… maybe, no definitely, next time. I had to shoot off back to Gloagburn Farm Shop at Tibbermore to delivery their first order. I’ve loved going to Gloagburn for a few years now, and it’s only a few miles down the road from us. I love their café and all their quirky gifts in their shop. I sure Barony Soap will fit right in.

So without sampling any of their yummy raspberry meringues (which I have done on several previous occasions) David and I drove off into wide blue yonder, well Blairgowrie (it could’ve been – I haven’t been to Blair in ages) to deliver the last order of the day.

400 bars - various types - of Barony Soap were delivered to a team heading off to the Interceltique Festival in France as part of a VisitScotland campaign. A bit coals to Newcastle, I know, but some had a distinctly Scottish lilt to them (whisky, heather and oatmeal soaps). Along with a few other companies Barony Soaps were asked to supply products made in Perthshire. It was my friend Lisa at Primrose Hill Interiors who passed my web page details on to the organisers. Thanks again Lisa. Be sure to visit Lisa’s website and blog. She’s a dab hand at this blog thingy (unlike yours truly who’s just started).

So the weekend just past we had three shows, the Comrie Fortnight opening, Arbroath Seafront Spectactular and Hopetoun House Summer Fair. Today I will be making up orders for Tuesday’s delivery to Scone Palace and Buy Designs in Alyth. Next show is Perth Show on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd of August. Hope to see you then.

Barony Jute Bags At Last!

My dinky jute bags have arrived and I love them to bits! They are ethically produced, sustainable, and printed using water-based inks. By buying a Barony jute bag you are making a financial contributions to Climate Care who provide a climate repairing service throughout the world.

Barony jute bags had their first outing on Saturday at the Crieff Market and they went down a storm. Everyone loves the size of them and many people have commented on their really soft handles. I suggest using them as packed lunch bags for work, a handy car tidy or to stash all your lovely Barony goodies. If you have any other ideas let me know. You can buy them on-line here.

Crieff Cranachan Soap Launch

Today we launched a new soap - Crieff Cranachan - and all went well. The balloons, the ice-cream and the prize draw all came together without a hitch. It's been 1 whole year we've had our little stall at the Crieff Country Market and for our 1st birthday celebration we thought we would launch a really special soap bar and have a bit of a party. Oh, I'd better tell you a bit more about the bar - It smells heavenly, a mixture of Raspberries, Vanilla, Honey & Oatmeal and, of course, Whisky.

The bar is made with Crieff Honey from Dargies, Oatmeal from the Aberfeldy Watermill and Whisky from The Famous Grouse in Crieff.

I asked The Famous Grouse if they could come up with a cranachan freebie for me and it was decided that cranachan ice-cream would do the trick. So, for a 'Thank You' to all our customers and supporters over the year and to help celebrate the launch of Crieff Cranachan we gave away little samples of cranachan ice-cream to everyone. How nice are we?

The Prize Draw was for a huge 9 Bar Selection Box

handmade here at Barony and valued at £35.00.

And the winner is ... Mrs Grubb from Glasgow.

You can buy our Crieff Cranachan soap bar on-line here.

First Post for The Barony Soap Box

Hi Everyone

Well it has to start somewhere! I've been meaning to do this for a long time now but have never had the time. So, what's changed? I'm still super busy and I still have no spare time but I have so much news and photos now, the news page on the website is starting to look like a newspaper.

I think this is the best place to just chat about the highs and lows running my little soap business.

phew! I feel better I've got the first post out of the way.