Oregon Coast Soaps

Long before pumpkin spice became a marketing season, pumpkins had a cozy place in our lives. A fairy godmother looks at one and sees a carriage. Linus waits patiently year after year in his sincere pumpkin patch. Our loyal friend Jack Pumpkinhead looks upon us with his perpetually carved smile. Jack-o’-lanterns light our porches, picture books fill our laps, familiar friends visit our televisions, and pumpkin pies fill our bellies.

The rain is back. Here on the Oregon Coast, it is more than weather; it is the foundation of one of the rarest ecosystems on Earth. Explore the forest beneath the Sitkas and discover the toxic little newt locked in an evolutionary arms race with garter snakes.

I grew up with East Coast sugar maples, never realizing Oregon had a maple-sugaring story of its own. One enormous Bigleaf maple sent me down a rabbit hole that eventually led my family to Bigleaf Maple Camp, an Oregon tree with our tap in it, a bottle of distinctly Western maple syrup, and, naturally, a bar of soap.

Five handcrafted soaps. Five Nordic traditions. Explore the stories, places, and everyday moments that inspired Oregon Coast Soaps' newest collection and discover how ordinary traditions connect us to home, heritage, and one another.

Can creating art together help people feel more connected? After inviting 109 people to contribute to a collaborative weaving project, I came home with far more questions than answers about belonging, community, and the simple act of creating together.

What is a King Tide and why does it matter? Including a "how to view" checklist.

This is the story of the importance of the Scandinavian influence on the Oregon Coast.