Archive for April, 2008

Friday was Anzac Day and of course we were at our cottage store- out the back in the workroom and office – Eric was cleaning out the storeroom putting up much needed shelves for our ever growing mail order section. It’s amazing the difference that Eric has made to the small space and the organisation that has resulted. I think Kezza (front of house specialist) almost died of shock to see the improvement!

I spent the day packing wholesale orders as well as beginning the lengthy and convoluted process of organising the logistics for the latest order from our Japanese clients as well as supporting Kezza and Marri who were looking after our customers in the front of Moon Haven. It was a fun but exhausting day.

Yet Anzac Day is a special time for me personally … you see my father lost his dad (Alan Wilfred Moore but everyone knew him as Gerry -his profile is at borneo pow ) in the second world war as a POW (Prisoner of War) at Sandakan, Borneo. My sister and I grew up with stories of our grandfather and the Sandakan POW camps and the Death marches.

We learnt of a man who marched off to war to protect his family – his wife and four kids and his country. We heard stories of his quiet and gentlemanly nature, hard working and determined to provide- a man of honour and integrity – a Queens Scout and a man to be proud of and someone to whom we would have to live up to.

So while we may not attend Anzac Day services, ANZAC day is a day we remember the unknown man who has loomed large in our lives, our grandfather whom we never met but who has helped shape our lives from the moment of our births and who my sister and I look up to through the eyes of our father.

It’s been all go at Moon Haven the last couple of weeks as as we produce over a tonne of soap – literally. We received a large order from our remarkable Turkey distributors as well as filling our local requirements. This has meant that for the last few weeks we have been living and breathing soap 24/7. Our daily routine has followed the pattern where we (Eric, Chris and Leonie) arrive at the “Soap Shed”early in the morning… Eric and Leonie unmould the previous day’s 20 batches of soaps, cut these into logs and bars, put on curing racks. We then prepare the moulds for that days 20 batches. Meanwhile Chris is pouring oils and preparing caustic for that day’s 20 batches of soap. Then its all hands on deck as we begin our soap making marathon. Each batch is individually crafted – each has it’s own permutation – herb teas, oat gunk, different colours, swirls, textures and additives.

While Eric is the master soap maker, his minions ,Chris and Leonie feed him ingredients, utensils (envisage a sugeon like demand for a “scraper” and a loud thunk as it is slapped into the outstretched hand ) and handing off of used bowls, buckets and pots.

Chris then dashes off to clean the pots in our industrial sized sinks and pour even more oils while Leonie prepares for he next batch. Eric in the meantime is putting the recently crafted soap “to bed”.

This means finishing off the texture for the soap if this is required and placing a towel over the mould to ensure the warmth is retained. If all things are flowing well we then move onto the next soap.We do this at least for several hours until we are almost fainting from hunger!

After each of the soap batches have been put to bed and put away on our purpose built shelves the real cleaning up begins where every pot, bowl, spoon and bucket is thoroughly washed and dried. Surfaces are cleaned down and everything is sparkling clean. Then its a late in the day snack as we review our progress and take a break from standing on our feet and constant movement. Phewwww.

The day’s work has not finished as it’s then time to prepare for the next day’s soaping with herbs to be ground, botanical teas to be made, colours measured and scent blends poured. Each is carefully placed on the shelves in our soaping clean room in regimented order according to the next day’s soap schedule. Floors are swept, surfaces and floors given a another clean, towels collected for the night’s washing and we check that all soaps are progressing well through the various stages of saponification. We turn off lights and look back on a good days soaping as we lock the doors .. knowing everything is ready for another full day of soap creation tomorrow… It’s all immensely satisfying… there is nothing like seeing the soap curing racks full and the soaping shelves full of saponifying soap.

I was recently honoured to have my story – the moon haven story – included in a book published by the Small Business Development Corporation entitled “Women in Business – 12 Inspirational Stories”.

The book was launched at a breakfast for International Women’s Day where I met some of the most amazing women, including 7 others who were featured in the book.

Margaret Quirk, the WA Minister for Small Business held the breakfast launch and I felt very privileged to have been included. From Denise Price of Daneechi Swimwear – bathers for real bodies- to Danee Jenks of Stitched up Embroidery from remote but vibrant Kununurra, each has a interesting story to tell.

One strong theme that runs through the book and through the lives of the 12 stories is that anyone can achieve success…however you define it.. it is just a matter of perseverance and dedication. Shear hard work features strongly as well as remaining true to your dream.

If you would like to read an excerpt of the book click on the text picture.