Feature Friday: Flatlanders Soap Co

Meet Sarah Fox of Flatlanders So co. Sarah started making natural soap because of her sensitivites to the chemicals often found in commercial soaps. Coming from a long line of artisans she, along with her mom, have taken soap making to a new, and unique level - felted soap! I had never heard of felted soap until I saw Sarah's, what a neat idea!

What is your favourite item in your shop and why?
The trio of Aqua & White Felted Peppermint Soap Balls. I really like colour combination and the vintage aesthetic. My mom felted them and I love her work, she is very creative and talented. She does about 1/2 - 2/3rds of the felted items in the shop. She is the one who introduced me to felting in the first place when she gave me a lovely pair of felted slippers for Christmas a few years ago. She also introduced me to felted soap. I was making plain soap bars at the time, developing my new soap company, and she stumbled upon felted soap on the internet and made me a bar. The rest is history. I still make plain bars, but making the felted soap is a really fun process.

Long term aspirations for your shop?

Well, I plan to continue to be active on Etsy to keep a regular connection to other Winnipeg Crafters. Etsy was a great way for me to get linked into the local crafts community. I also have the goal of having at least 100 items in my shop and to get enough sales to support myself financially.

Advise to those planning to open an online shop...

I have two bits of advice:

Have good photos. I've noticed that items for sale that have a very good quality photo tend to be favorites more, which gives them more exposure. Take a look at Etsy's photo tips and heed their advice.

Be active. Join a local street team, they tend to be very supportive and willing to take time out to answer questions you may have. Join a treasury team, create treasuries, favorite items and shops you really like. Add people to your circle who favorite cool things you like.

What /who inspires what you?

Architecture, quilt patterns, vintage wallpaper patterns, the thought of being my own boss.

I like crafting because I think I would go bonkers if I couldn't make art.

Some of the crafts that I make aside from (soap) are,

Honestly, I don't have time for other crafts presently, but if I were to do another project it would probably involve finishing the blanket I started crocheting 2 years ago. I might also knit myself a new winter hat or something. In my fantasy life I can quilt, make patterns and sew remarkably well, make bonsai trees, and lace.

I choose handmade because

I think knowing how to make things with your own two hands is important. I find handmade products to be of a higher, often timeless quality. I take issue with modern manufacturer’s planned obsolescence of their goods. Handmade products often last longer and can be repaired more easily. I also think it is important to support small scale, local economies.

I am currently reading

The Man Who Never Died: The Life, Times and Legacy of Joe Hill, American Labor Icon. It's pretty amazing. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about history, particularly histories of the oppressed.

I am currently listening to

In the Aeroplane over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel