Monday, December 16, 2013

The 12 Shops of Christmas #8: OhYum!

I can't believe it. Two weeks until Christmas and I just finished my holiday shopping TODAY. Thank goodness. Now to wrap, and ship, and bake, and pack until it is finally time to go celebrate! I've been super busy crafting up a storm here, and doing some totally insane things like showcasing my goods at Whole Foods (more on that later...). I have also been doing a teeny bit of holiday pampering, thanks to the lovely Kathy from OhYum, a shop full of treats for your skin. 

I first met Kathy when her adorable daughters came to craft hour at the farmer's market this summer, and after a bit of chatting I found out she was an Etsy seller as well. It wasn't long before we were both vending at the same event and I got to sample some of her delicious goodies. She gave me an incredible honey lip balm that Jude keeps running off with, and I bought my favorite gift for my cousin's birthday. Kathy's sugar scrub cubes are genius. Moisterizing sugar scrubs in single portion cubes that melt in your hands and smell good enough to eat! I chose the Buttercream scent for my cousin Libby and paired it with the matching body butter. For a busy mom of two it was a great little gift for some pampering in the shower. The scrub is exfoliating and moisturizing at once, so you don't even need to put on lotion after you shower on those days when you are in a hurry (and face it, if you are chasing kids and working and running a household, that's every second of every day). For those rare days that you actually have a spare three minutes, the body butter is a luscious layer of extra scent. Because who wouldn't want to smell like buttercream all day? Read on to learn more about Kathy and her products, and don't forget to 'Like' her Facebook page for shop updates!

Please tell us a little about you and your products.

My name is Kathy, I'm a stay at home mom. I have always been a creative type of person. Where some people have a compulsion to clean, I have a compulsion to create. I soap, cook, sew, knit, crochet and photograph. 

How would you describe the mission/purpose of your business?
I want to enrich people's lives through scent memory. Scent is the sense that is most strongly tied to memory. Each fragrance I carry has a story. That story is different for each person who smells it. When I work with my bubblegum fragrance, I'm reminded of a time in my childhood where I would bicycle to the corner store and buy bubblegum in long strips like tape. I used to see if I could chew the entire roll of bubble-tape at one time. I use fragrances to remind people of the joys they have experienced. 

How did you get started as a creative business owner?
Originally when I started OhYum I was selling gourmet flavored marshmallows. I had made marshmallows many times before and several of my friends kept insisting I sell them. During that time I joined several teams and participated in some exchanges, Secret Santas and things like that. When I sent out my soaps, I frequently got feedback asking where they could buy more. Peer pressure lead me to introducing them to my shop. They quickly overtook my marshmallows. I've been up to my eyeballs in soap ever since and loving every single minute of it!

What is your favorite part of running a creative business? The biggest challenge?
My favorite part is when a customer comes to me with a request and I get to play and blend something just for them. Creating something unique always makes me happy. 


The biggest challenge is the paperwork. I have to regularly schedule time to update the spreadsheets I created to track my sales and expenses. Like many creative business owners I want to create, I don't want to be tethered to spreadsheets all the time. Making a point to do it regularly has made a huge difference in how easy it is to get done. 

What is the best gift in your shop? Who is it for? 
The most popular item in the shop right now is the sugar scrub cubes. These single serving scrubs are made with solid oils that melt with the heat of your shower and your body. The sugar exfoliates dead skin. Mango butter and coconut oil moisturize your skin without leaving your shower a slippery mess. They are also a great quick manicure for tired hands. 

I created a special coupon code: jojobean for 15% off any purchase. 

You can find me on facebook at 
www.facebook.com/OhYum

No comments: