My motivation was born of illness.

2021 was not a good year for me. I was in a very bad relationship and ended up having to quit my job because of him. This happened right around my birthday in July. A month later I am being life flighted to a Pittsburgh hospital because my bronchitis turned into covid pneumonia. Fast forward to Thanksgiving that year and I'm finally coming home. Unable to walk and hardly able to breath. It's been an extremely long road. Currently I am still disabled, with issues being able to walk and extreme shortness of breath. Thanks covid! Oh, and I dumped that guy. 

Anyway... what got me started making soap?

Basically hours laying in bed watching Tik Toks and Facebook videos. I thought hey! This is something I can do with my limited mobility! It would get me out of bed and help me focus. The brain fog I was experiencing from Covid was just rediculous. My skin as well just was nothing like it was before I got sick. I used to have great skin, albeit a tad oily. Now I'm so dry, my skin doesn't seem as reslient as it used to be, and don't get me started on the dermatitis. Seems like I'm allergice to everything now.

So essentially, my soap making journey was born of not only boredom, but necessity. Not one soap or body wash or facial cleanser I bought would help my skin out and sometimes, just made it that much worse!

Needless to say, my mom got me some stuff and I started making some soap. My first one turned out really good! But...my recipes were all over the place, my record keeping was just terrible. And...my hands were all burnt up from lye splashing on me and not being abel to feel very much. My nervous system was still all wonky. But I kept going, and a year later here I am with my own set up.

I've come so far from those first days of mixing up some chemicals and colors. I still have a long road ahead of me, but it's getting better day by day!

Necessity is the mother of invention  

Being disabled, sick, just not feeling like myself, soap making definately helped me learn to live again. I know it sounds corny, but when you're laying in bed all day, in pain, you need something to take your mind off it.

Hopefully I can grown this business and make something of it! I know there are a thousand other shops out there trying to do the same thing. Most people are trying to do the same thing as I am: 

1. Create a product for your skin that targets the areas specifically needing help.

For me it was bad perioral dermatitis and eczema.

2. Have some kind of supplimental income since I personally am unable to work.

3. Create something beautiful and functional.

What's in a name?

I get asked a lot about where I came up Ruddy Duck Soap Company. 

I really don't know! My Covid addled brain was trying to come up with names and I was just struggling. I orginally wanted something with the word Willow in it, as that's my gamer tag. But I just couldn't think of any thing at all! Then it just popped into my head one day. And I remember when I was a kid, my dad was an avid hunter and supporter of wildlife conservation, and got me into that as well. He had a collection of miniature ducks that he got from The Franklin Mint. And my favorite was the ruddy duck. With it's bright teal colored bill, rust colored body and tail that sat straight up in the air. And there it was... Ruddy Duck Soap Company was born.

One last thing

I'm not going to make blogging a habit. My story is one like many others who survived this stupid virus and had their lives forever changed by it. Maybe some day I'll get into the nitty gritty of it all, but now is not that time.

Anyway! Thank you so much for visting my site! And thank you to everyone who have placed orders so far! Much appreciation and love!

Happy soaping!

-Kristy