Jane in January – A New Persuasion Soap!

Jane in January2

Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s already 2015! What better way to start the new year than with Jane Austen! During the month of January, we are having a ‘Jane in January’ event, focusing primarily on “Pride and Prejudice,” with a few exceptions, one of which is today’s post!



Readers’ Choice Soap Contest in Honor of Persuasion and Jane in January!

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Regency Cameo Design

Did you know that thanks to the creativity of Evie Cotton – Jane Austen fan, devoted Austen Variations reader, and soap maker extraordinaire – Theo Darcy from the Austen Variations original story, The Darcy Brothers, has his own soap, as do various other characters from Pride and Prejudice? Her original bar soaps include Lizzy’s Lavender, Mr. Collins’ Exuberance, Anne de Bourgh’s Detoxification, Lucky Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet’s Nerves.

Lizzy's Lavender

Lizzy’s Lavender

Recently she asked herself why not characters from Persuasion, too? To kick off her line of Persuasion soaps, she’s asking you – our Austen Variations’ readers – to help her out by voting on which character her first Persuasion soap will represent, as well as the various characteristics of the soap. Thanks to her generosity, at the end of the month, two bars of this unique soap will be given away as part of the Jane in January special giveaways.

Here are the various options you’ll be able to vote on:

Jan 8th – Character from Persuasion

Jan 13th – Type of soap

Jan 15th – Shape or design

Jan 20th – Scent

Jan 27th – Color

Jan 29th – Additives

The winner of the soaps will be announced Sunday, February 1st.

Here’s more from Evie about her business…

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Evie Measuring Ingredients

My store name/ Business name, Shirley’s Handicrafts, doesn’t sound like it has much to do with me, but in fact, it does. My grandmother, Shirley Fae High (formerly Stoneceipher) was a avid genealogist. I spent many happy afternoons as a child sitting at the dining room table, listening to stories of our past as she showed me charts of our ancestry and maps of England. My Grandma High can definitely take the credit for instilling a love of history and research in me, as well as giving me an intense curiosity and imagination. My family is very important to me, and we are all very creative, artistic people. When deciding to start a business, I wanted it to be open to my entire family, an umbrella of sorts, which would cover any of us in whichever form of art we choose. Shirley, the mother of us all became the symbol of our familial bond, thus began Shirley’s Handicrafts.

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Theo Darcy’s Soap

My chosen art form is pretty obvious, soap. I love creating new combinations of color, scent and design. The more I create and practice my art form, the better my products become and the more ideas I have. Reading, history, geography and the authors of Austen Variations are a huge part of my life as well. My love of creating soaps and my connection to all things Jane Austen melds perfectly in my line of Jane Austen Inspired Soaps. In 2014, I partnered with Austen Variations to design a soap dedicated to Theo Darcy, a character from their original work, The Darcy Brothers. I went on to create a complete line of Pride and Prejudice Inspired Soaps, dedicating a unique bar of soap to all of the major characters from the novel. In November, I began a new line of soaps inspired by the authors of Jane Austen Fan Fiction and their novels. I will continue that line of soaps throughout 2015 and begin a new line of soaps inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion. This new line will begin with the first Reader’s Choice Soap Contest!

Jane's Rose Bar

Jane’s Rose Bar

You can check out my website or visit my Etsy page for more information! And if anyone has questions or would like to discuss creating a special soap just for them, they can email me at shirleyshandicrafts@gmail.com

 



 

23 comments

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    • Joy Dawn King on January 2, 2015 at 12:30 am
    • Reply

    Captain Frederick Wentworth – something spicy (like spiced rum) – in the shape of a boat

    I love Evie’s soaps and have many of them already. This whole idea of branching out into Persuasion is awesome. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with. Her ability with design is amazing.

      • Evie Cotton on January 2, 2015 at 1:36 am
      • Reply

      Thank you so much for the compliment Joy! I can’t wait to see what/who wins this contest

        • Barbara on January 2, 2015 at 3:45 am
        • Reply

        Hi I’m from Italy and I following you since a Long time!! I’m so happy with all these events!! I believe that the Capt. Should use sandalwood with tulip fragrance!! Happy new year! Barbara

  1. Anne should be your first soap from Persuasion. It should have a floral scent because of her walks in the garden.

    Captain Wentworth should be 2nd and smell fresh like the ocean.

    • Evie Cotton on January 2, 2015 at 1:43 am
    • Reply

    I really enjoy modeling soaps after character’s activities, like walks in the garden, but Oooh, I do love an ocean smell! A friend of mine just returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic and I convinced her to bring back some sand from the beach. It’s going to be fun experimenting with it! Be sure to stay tuned for your chance to vote!

    • Megan on January 2, 2015 at 1:48 am
    • Reply

    I enjoyed reading this article! I think an Anne soap would be nice with a tulip and lily scent in a tulip shape

    • Deborah on January 2, 2015 at 5:33 am
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    I love your soaps Evie. They are fabulous. That said, I can’t decide if Captain Wentworth or Anne should be first. If Captain Wentworrh , the ocean and rum, as I believe each sailor had an allotment of rum daily. As for Anne, I agree with the floral scent….perhaps Jasmine, vanilla & pear combination. Can’t wait to see what you decide on.

    • Maggie Griscom on January 2, 2015 at 8:18 am
    • Reply

    It is a tie between the Captain and Anne. I think clean ocean or clean laundry for the Captain. My brother was in the Navy for 31 years and always said if something happened to him he would die clean. Anne, I think should be something floral but not too sweet, more jasmine and it should be pale blue or lavendar. What a great way to start the year!

    • Christa on January 2, 2015 at 8:48 am
    • Reply

    How wonderful! I have tried to make soap, and was unsuccessful. Thank you for sharing your store information. Soaps are a wonderful gift. So very traditional. I will be watching for the Persuasion line. I must say I missed checking AA daily, so happy to see you again.

    • Betsy on January 2, 2015 at 10:13 am
    • Reply

    Wow! What fun! I love the ideas for Anne and Captain Wentworth already mentioned, how about a wrinkle soap for Sir Walter Elliot with lots of oils for softening skin and removing those nasty freckles? I also thought of a lime (Lyme haha) soap for the lovely Harvilles…

    1. Great ideas! I’m working on my 2015 calender, plugging in all of my release dates. You can be sure that if your ideas don’t win, they will for sure be plugged into a Persuasion slot on my calendar!

    • Sheila L. M. on January 2, 2015 at 11:00 am
    • Reply

    I love the scent of lavender but that has already been done. So I am open to whatever you come up with. As Joy’s husband was a captain her input is most valuable. Thanks for this opportunity.

  2. So many lovely soaps, Evie!!
    And I like the idea of a Persuasion soap made with Captain Wentworth in mind… Deep blue, perhaps, like the sea, with white shells on top 🙂 .

      • Sheila L. M. on January 2, 2015 at 2:32 pm
      • Reply

      Those colors sound soulful.

  3. I seldom you soap to bath and wash my hands because I prefer to use body and hand wash. The only exception is for my face where I use honey soap. I echo the sentiments of everyone who suggest to make a soap inspired by Captain Wentworth.

    • Carole in Canada on January 2, 2015 at 4:17 pm
    • Reply

    What a wonderful idea and great inspiration! I am torn between Captain Wentworth being first or Anne! I think maybe Anne wins out as a lady should always precede a gentleman. I love the scent of lavendar but as that is Elizabeth’s scent, I would like peach with a hint of jasmine or bergamot (like Earl Grey tea|). Not sure how these would actually smell together but peach is so soft and warm….

    Thank you for your generosity and Happy New Year!

      • Sheila L. M. on January 2, 2015 at 4:22 pm
      • Reply

      Oh, love Earl Grey tea so that would, indeed, be a smooth addition.

    • Kimberly on January 2, 2015 at 6:01 pm
    • Reply

    The soap could be in the shape of a seashell to remind us of the ocean. You can’t go wrong with Anne or Capt. Wentworth but how about something with healing or restorative properties for poor Mary? Or Champagne and strawberries for Miss Elizabeth Elliot who tried to retrench, really she did!

    • BeckyC on January 2, 2015 at 7:35 pm
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    What fun! I love how you take a creative interest, honor family, make money and add an Austen flare. Wentworth definitely needs to have ocean related colors and scents. (US)

    • Cindy on January 2, 2015 at 8:48 pm
    • Reply

    What a truly fun idea this is! As many of you stated already I too and torn between the Captain and Anne. Perhaps I am leaning a little towards Anne though. I think it should be a floral scent, perhaps lily of the valley as it is a small and shy flower? Will be interested in what you decide on.

    • Kathy on January 3, 2015 at 12:34 am
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    What a great, creative way to enjoy different scents and Jane Austen. Looking forward to whatever you come up with!

    • schilds on January 6, 2015 at 6:46 pm
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    I love her soaps!

    • Monica P on January 7, 2015 at 3:04 pm
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    Evie is so creative & I love that she’s expanding her Austen line. Can’t wait to see what the results will be.

  1. […] (owner, Shirley’s Handicrafts) will be making to honor the Persuasion 200 project. (See our January 2nd post for more info about this contest and Evie and her soap making business.) As part of “Jane in […]

  2. […] the end of the month courtesy of Evie Cotton, owner, Shirley’s Handicrafts (US only).  See our January 2nd post for more info about this contest and Evie and her soap making business. You can enter to win the […]

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