It always sad losing someone you know, sadder still when you didn’t get to know someone as well as you’d have liked.
Our artisan community lost a special member yesterday. Denise was a rare talent and a master soapmaker. (She had the certificate to prove it and everything!) She loved blending fragrances to create unique scents and had an exceptional eye for color.
Denise’s history in cake decorating served her well in soap design. Her bars were masterpieces with delicious swirls, lucious frothy-looking tops, and charming little embeds set on top to make soaps that were visual delights.
Denise also rocked body care products. As makers are wont to do, when we sell unneeded supplies for whatever reason, we also have to include some sample goodies, too. We absolutely love it when other makers try our products, and we love trying other makers’ products, too. Denise was helping me master cream soap and using that base for scrubs. She’d sent me a sample of one of her cream soap-based scrubs along with a small pot of this amazing scented body butter. I was touched in a way only a maker can be and I fell in love with that body butter. It truly was Zen. (We won’t talk about what happened to the scrub when my younger daughter discovered it. The little bit I got to use was nice, at least.)
Besides being an exceptional artisan, Denise was a kind soul, too. We got to know each other in the early days of her business as I helped her with new phases and approaches she wanted to try. She had a bright light that perfectly reflected her fun, whimsical soaps and her flair for the dramatically artistic. Simply put, she was a joy to know.
I have only one regret: We never met outside of Facebook. We messaged, were Facebook friends, and were in a few groups together. There’s no great excuse. We only lived about two hours apart. Often, when I’d go to that part of the state to do things – shows, visit people, field trips with my daughters – I’d stay with my parents. I am always reticent about using Mom and Dad’s as “base” merely for the sake of going off and visiting friends who live up there. It seems selfish and ungrateful.
My take-away is this: Make time to get to know people. Friendships are valuable and need to be nourished so they grow. I thought I’d have another “later” to arrange to meet Denise, and now all the laters are gone.