Meet Stephanie, owner of Bella & Oliver soaps—
an Asheville-based handcrafted soap company with big presence in the local community.
We were thrilled to run into one of our BeesWax customers, Stephanie Zara, on Sunday at Ashevilles famous Big Crafty festival. Bella & Oliver is a company that gets a huge amount of foot traffic at events around town because their soaps smell so lovely, and we were thrilled when they chose BeesWax for their website provider. Check them out—theyve made some amazing modifications to their site to make it truly custom!
Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, personal stuff).
My name is Stephanie Zara and Bella & Oliver Soap Co. is based in Swannanoa, NC. When Im not busy making soap youll probably find me and my husband, John, at a live music show somewhere in town.
What is the first thing you can remember making by hand?
I remember making a mask for art class back in grade school.
What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?
Im inspired by the other great crafters and makers right here in Asheville. Its such a vibrant community that makes everyone feel welcome.
What are your favorite materials?
I really love working with alternative materials when making soap. Things like beer and coffee are not only delicious to drink, but are great for your skin, too!
Any tips for selling handmade stuff?
Get out there and participate in every craft show, art fair, and farmers market possible.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I love spending time out on the river with my two spaniels, Bella and Oliver.
Besides Etsy, do you sell anywhere else?
We are also active in the Asheville tailgate market scene. Additionally, you can find our products at Duncan & York in downtown Asheville.
What do you love about BeesWax?
Beeswax helps us integrate e-commerce at a fraction of the cost of other similar services, with great customer service.