Meet Temi Morgan | Handmade Soap Crafter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Temi Morgan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Temi, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Ever since I was young I have been intrigued by the arts. I have always found myself wanting to paint and draw as a way to express myself. When I started college, I didn’t have many opportunities to learn new skills and practice art. Around that time, I had stumbled upon videos online about soap making that I was very interested in. From there, I set aside some time to learn how to make custom soap. I originally thought that this would just be a unique hobby that I could do in my free time, but it turns out that there was more I could apply soap crafting to. When I felt confident enough in my soap making and decorating skills, I decided to open my business: Blooming Desert Bars.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My soaps are inspired by the scenic deserts found in Arizona. Every soap I make is unique, none of them are exactly the same. I individually decorate every bar with skin-safe mica that really makes them stand out and almost too pretty to use.

I am most proud of the opportunities that this business has provided me with. I have learned so much about being a business owner and managing my own finances and income over the past year. Some of the lessons I have learned may only be applied to soap making, but a huge majority of them can be applied to many aspects of life.

Getting to where I am today hasn’t been easy. There has been some obstacles that I have had to face. One issue I had was that when I started Blooming Desert Bars, the business was very slow. I wasn’t selling my soap in any stores and I had little to no orders online. Over time, with lots of perseverance, I have developed a business with multiple stores selling my soap and frequent orders from customers. Another problem I had to resolve was balancing my time correctly. With college, soap making, and a long distance relationship, it has proven to be difficult when managing my time. I have since been able to figure out what works best for me and I now have a schedule that I follow in order to stay on track.

My brand is inspired by nature and the beautiful art that Arizonans can find right outside their windows. I have always found myself at peace in nature, so when I started making soap, my initial instinct was to craft soap inspired by the wilderness.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I wanted to give a friend the best tour of Arizona, one of the coolest places to visit has to be Cave Creek. It is the cutest town with some of the most gorgeous scenic views. We would stay in the heart of Cave Creek at the Prickly Pear Inn of course. They have a charming gift shop found on the first floor of the hotel that happens to have my best selling cactus bags as well as my cowboy bags. Right across the street from the Prickly Pear Inn is a vintage 1930’s style diner called Big Earl’s. There you will find the best burger you’ve ever had in your life. They also often have drive-in movies at the back of the restaurant where they can deliver your food to your car. There is another amazing place to eat called Raven’s View. It is a bit of a drive, but it is worth it. The views from that restaurant are incredible and they have an excellent menu with extensive options for everyone. For fun, there are cute western style stores next to Big Earl’s where you can find one of a kind Arizona inspired artwork and merchandise. Overall, Cave Creek is the best place to visit for an authentic Arizona experience.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom has been a huge supporter of Blooming Desert Bars and has been helping me navigate the business world since the very beginning of my interest in soap making. Naturally, I owe her credit for my artistic abilities as well. She herself is an incredible artist and has inspired me to make art my entire life. Without her, my business wouldn’t be where it is today. I am very thankful for her guidance and advice that she has provided me with, both creatively and professionally.

Website: https://www.bloomingdesertbars.com/

Instagram: @bloomingdesertbars

Facebook: Blooming Desert Bars