waysideviolet - cozy, lovely things

Hanging stockings, trimming trees, addressing dozens of cards and hunting for that perfect but elusive gift, as magical as the holidays are all have those little stresses can add up and drive us crazy.  Here’s the perfect solution, take a few minutes for a relaxing bath with a handmade bath-not-bombs by katevw!

Q. Could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hello there! I’m Kate. I am an artist, a doula, a businesswoman, and a bath enthusiast. I live in a colorful apartment in Vermont with my sweetie and my badass brown cat named Twyla Sharp. I might have more clothes in my dress-up bin than in my closet. I like hammocks, dance parties, having friends as neighbors, crepes, & hot toddies. 

Q. How did you begin making bath bombs?
Last year about this time, I was on the hunt for handmade gift ideas for family & friends. I would usually default to my trusty sewing machine, but had been doing a lot of sewing for work and wanted a new and exciting project. I stumbled on a bath bomb recipe online and it seemed perfect –something fun and sensual to make, that people would not usually make or buy for themselves. I worked on perfecting my recipe, and the rest just kind of fell into place. I listed a single bath bomb on etsy right before leaving for a New Year’s Eve party, and when I checked my email in the morning it had sold! I figured that was a sign to keep going, and it’s been a very smell-good year!

Q. Your shop is so lovely! What is your creative process like?
Well, thanks! I pretty much make bath bombs that I want in my own baths. I am kind of obsessed with essential oils, so I might start with one and work out a blend from there, or sometimes I start with an idea like a PMS/cramp-busting-bomb, which became my “suck it, cramps!” variety. I do a lot of research about the ingredients I use, which keeps me interested. I go from there thinking about what botanicals seem to match, what color it should be, all of those little details. Then to the very official testing phase–which really just means that my friends & family get to try new ones out and give me feedback. They like that.

I love making these things–I feel part sorceress, part scientist, mixing up all of these potions. There is something compelling about the size, shape, and weight of them, they are just so pleasing in the hand. Plus, my apartment smells consistently amazing.

Q. What’s a normal day in your life like?
Like most Vermonters, I have a few jobs, so there is no “normal day.” I co-own a green baby shop and hang out with a sassy one-year-old a few days a week in addition to my etsy endeavor. I start and end my day with the New York Times–reading it with breakfast, then KenKen (my new obsession) or crossword before bed. In between, there might be some working, bath bomb mixing, cookie baking, smooching, tea drinking, reading, Bravo watching, some gardening in the summer. There is absolutely always plenty of chocolate consumption. And yes, I do take baths quite often. :)

Q. What inspires you most of all?
I am inspired by small talk with strangers, the way things feel in my hands, the power of plants, histories held in bodies, seed pods and nests, collections and curiosity cabinets…& I am a true believer in the power of a long, steamy, aromatic bath. They really do make everything better! I love knowing that my customers are taking time for themselves to draw a bath and just mellow out. We don’t do enough of that, do we?

The Giveaway: a lovely trio of bath-not-bombs!

The trio includes: RESTORE (juniper berry + clary sage), BALANCE( gingergrass + bergamot), and WINTER WELLNESS (eucalyptus + rosemary + lemongrass). To enter simply visit katevw and leave a comment here about your favorite item.

The giveaway will be open until December 22nd. Good luck!

Tags: etsy interview, giveaway, katevw, relaxation