I’m Alex and I like to make things 🙂
3 years ago I quit my job in London and moved to France. I used to work in tech as a Designer/Product person helping make websites and apps, but after 15 years I just couldn’t see myself doing that anymore. I needed something less corporate, more creative, and not sitting in front of a computer screen all day long!
Luckily my dad lives in rural France having retired there. La Chaume is where we live, a quiet hilltop hamlet in the Allier department. Try to put a pin in the middle of France and you’re not far. After figuring out how to get a visa (stupid Brexit!), and saving enough funds, I hopped on the Eurostar from London.
I spent the first year gardening, relaxing, and probably recovering from burnout. I started making things, first in the workshop with old wood lying around, then in the kitchen with produce from the garden. Here is a video of me making a greenhouse so we can grow more tomatoes!
I soon stumbled on soap in my quest to try every creative hobby possible and I love it. It's a mix of geeky science, creative choices and at the end you get something functional. I’ve been using my own soap for over 2 years and I miss it when I go away!
I always knew I’d want to start a business and soap felt like a good place to start. My goal is to keep developing the soap products, but also add other related handmade products. The cedar soap dishes are just the start. For me what matters is making good quality products that respect nature and the person using it. I’m not interested in mass production, I’m interested in craft and in the small being beautiful.
Thank you for showing interest in what I do, and hopefully you find something to enjoy 🙇