According to coordinators, more than 20,000 savvy shoppers are likely to visit Pleasant River Soap’s GMA-specific site over the next 24-48 hours.

“What an honor to attract the interest of a high profile, national outlet like Good Morning America,” said Phipps. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the online promotion and hope to represent well all the outstanding products that are made in Maine.”

The sets, along with Phipps’ entire line of exceptional, all-natural soaps and lip balms, are handcrafted in small batches along the Pleasant River in Maine. Made only with essential oils and the very best ingredients (no artificial fragrances, colors or preservatives), this unique line includes tempting fragrances such as Orange Cinnamon, Rosemary Lime, Almond Lavender, Fennel Poppy and more. The Maine Woods and Bay Rum scents are especially appealing to men. An added bonus: the products are vegan, an increasingly important quality for today’s environmentally conscientious shoppers.

About Mary Phipps and Pleasant River Soap
Driven by her desire to work at something she loves, dedicated to spending time with her young children, and inspired by the natural beauty of the Pleasant River near her home in Maine, Mary launched Pleasant River Soap in 2010. Marrying her science background with her creative intuition, Mary is committed to making only all-natural products with essential oils and the flawless blend of extra nutrients such as avocado, sweet almond and kukui nut oils. Pleasant River Soap products are available at area retailers including Whole Foods, Portland, Lalo Boutique in Portland, Maine Maven in Orono, and The Good Life Market in Raymond as well as online at www.pleasantriversoap.com. The popular line has been featured in high-profile outlets including TheFrisky.com; Bangor Daily News, Parent Palace, PA Live and LA Examiner. Regional and national distribution is well underway, making Pleasant River Soap poised to become the next must-have beauty product.

For more information about Pleasant River Soap products, visit www.pleasantriversoap.com

For an interview with mom-entrepreneur Mary Phipps, contact Ann Ewing at ann.ewing@hotmail.com or 615-419-3753.

Before You Go In

1. Record your songs during live gigs and pre-production rehearsals. Even a simple single track recording may reveal weak parts of songs.
2. Have all the musical and vocal parts worked out. (Know your guitar solos)
3. If you’re using a computer or sequencer, prepare all sequenced material before the session.
4. If you plan to use a click track, make sure your drummer is comfortable playing to it. (To get tight, practice to a click track at a very slow tempo.)
5. Rehearse more songs than you plan to record. You never know which songs will sound strong on the final tape. (If you plan to have a four-song EP, prepare six songs just in case.)
6. Take care of your body before and during your recording sessions. Eat well, get enough sleep and keep your ears rested and clear.

Setting Up

7. Be early. At some studios, the clock starts running whether you’re there or not. Find out about their cancellation policy as well.
8. Make the studio a comfortable and relaxed place. If it’s not, it will show in your finished product.
9. Make sure you and the engineer have the same vision – go over your songs with him/her before recording. Before booking your studio time, ask to hear other material the engineer recorded.
10. Depending on the track capability of the studio, plan out how you will leave room for all of the essential parts. This should simplify the mix and eliminate the need for bouncing tracks later.
11. Use new strings, cords, drum sticks and heads – bring spares.
12. Find out the hours of the local music store just in case…
13. Don’t use new gear or different equipment that you haven’t used before, even if it’s “better than what you have.” Surprises can cause problems.

The Recording Process

14. Remember, it’s emotion and feeling that make the best song, not necessarily the best technical rendition.
15. If you mess up a part while recording, don’t stop and start over. That can easily cause you to burn out. Instead, check to see if the engineer can punch in the correction.
16. You don’t have to fill all the tracks. Don’t try to force something that won’t fit.
17. Always keeps in mind the focus of your music. If it’s the vocals, plan to spend the most time on them. Don’t waste time on things that don’t highlight the focal point.
18. Get the sound you want while recording. (Never assume that you can fix it in the mix.)
19. Unless you have unique effects, record individual tracks clean and add effects later.
20. Don’t necessarily double track everything. Doubling the lead vocal can hide all the subtleties that make a song personal and likable (although it can work well for a chorus).
21. Know when to quit for the day. If you’re tired, it will show.
22. Keep guests out! It’s your recording. Guests will distract you and may sway your opinion of how music should sound.
23. Make backup copies after every recording session.
24. Tune up often.
25. Singers: always bring water but don’t use ice! Ice constricts your vocal chords. Hot tea with lemon and honey works well to relax your vocal chords.
26. Always get a track listing and accurate time log from the studio.

Monitoring the Mix

27. Listen to your music at moderate levels in your car or on a boom box. This is how most of your fans will listen to it, and mixing at loud levels will fatigue your ears and distort the “true” sound.
28. Sometimes it’s good to take a day off and come back to listen. The same applies for mix-down. Ears don’t last very long in the studio.
29. As you review each mix, make sure you can comfortably hear all the instruments. Tweak the mix on a small pair of speakers at an extremely low volume. Headphones are also very valuable at this stage, but don’t base your final decision on them. You should be able to pick up each instrument even at this level.
30. Learn to recognize ear fatigue. You’re better off quitting a session early when you’re tired than wasting time making a bad mix that will have to be redone anyway.

Mixing

31. Listen to the studio CD’s you’re used to hearing on your home stereo to get an idea how of the studio’s system sounds.
32. If mixing somewhere other than the recording studio, make sure you use the same speakers. If not, the mix will sound completely different.
33. Once you have selected an engineer (or producer) to mix your recording, have them do the first mix. Their ears are better trained than yours. Try to keep an open mind.
34. Think about the songs as a whole and not just the individual instruments. Otherwise everyone will want their instrument louder in the mix.
35. Determine a band spokesperson ahead of time. An engineer getting five different opinions on how to mix will grow tired and might cause him/her to rush through the job.
36. Decide which format you want the finished mixes to be on: high resolution .wav or .aiff files on CD-R, DVD-R, or flash drive are the preferred format, however an audio CD or DAT (although dated) are options as well (if your studio still runs DAT).
37. Budget for and count on unforeseen delays.

There was no better backdrop for this year’s award show than the elegant and refurbished State Theatre. Built in 1929 and steeped in rich history, this Maine legend features the distinguished architecture of Herbert W. Rhodes, who crafted a fusion of Spanish, Italian and Art Deco styles to create what truly is a piece of art in and of itself.

Pulp+Wire won for “Corporate Identity” and “Packaging”.

To learn more please visit Pleasant River Soap Co., or check out this great feature in The Dieline.

ABOUT ADVENTUROUS JOE COFFEE

Whether you’re drinking from a camp cup in a cliff side tent, navigating your daily subterranean commute or squaring off against the Sunday crossword, Adventurous Joe Coffee will get you fueled with the world’s most amazing coffees and leave you exquisitely caffeinated for whatever adventure your day holds.

Adventurous Joe Coffee is committed to excellence in coffee roasting using exquisite beans from coffee growing regions around the world. While on a quest to discover the world’s best coffees, AJC is also on a mission to uncover the world’s best adventures. And they’re committed to sustainable practices and to giving back!

AJC coffees are always certified Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown & Bird Friendly or Rainforest Alliance.

For more information check out the new website: www.adventurousjoecoffee.com
Or visit them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AdventurousJoeCoffee

Keep an eye out for Adventurous Joe Coffee in your favorite grocer and specialty food shops.

The Dieline is dedicated to the progress of the package design industry and its practitioners, students and enthusiasts. Its purpose is to define and promote the world’s best packaging design, and provide a place where the package design community can review, critique and stay informed of the latest industry trends and design projects being created in the field. The Dieline has quickly grown into the most visited website on package design in the world, and has become the voice of the industry.

Though initially a facelift project, we invested the time to reinvent the Pleasant River brand, addressing logo, identity materials, 12 individual soap package designs, 4 coordinating lip balms, website, Point of Purchase display and retail tags. To read more and see photos follow the hyperlink above or click through the photo below.

“Our focus is always on what’s working for our clients, but design competitions help us gauge our work against some of the best in the country, and that keeps us on our creative toes,” said Taja Dockendorf, Pulp+Wire founder. “We are honored by the recognition and very happy to play a role in our clients’ successes.”

The 8th annual Service Industry Advertising Awards competition attracted more than 2,000 submissions, and an independent panel of national judges reviewed the entries based on execution, quality, creativity, consumer appeal and overall break-through content. Pulp+Wire (www.pulpandwire.com) received six gold, three silver, and three bronze awards for the design of websites, mobile applications, and print materials for the Heritage Integrative Healthcare, Fumo Events, WPXT mobile design, Freeport USA, and the Westbrook Performing Arts Center and others. SIAA is the only advertising awards to specifically honor design achievements for the service industry.

Pulp+Wire also was recently recognized in Graphic Design USA’s (gdusa.com) Package Design Awards. For its eye-catching package designs for Pleasant River Soap Company, the firm received awards in the Packaging and Logos, Identity & Branding categories. Graphic Design USA hosts the competition each year to recognize the best work being done by graphic designers and emphasize the value of design to business and society.

Just this week, Pulp+Wire received word that its designs for DennyMike’s Award-Winning Sauces and Rubs received medals at the NBBQA National Conference. The Chick Magnet label was judged Best Label, and the DennyMike’s Gift Sets also received honors for their design and functionality.

About Pulp+Wire
Pulp+Wire (www.PulpandWire.com), located at 2 Milk Street in the Old Port district of Portland, Maine, specializes in traditional print and online media. Pulp+Wire’s client base ranges in size and scope from small, local start-ups, to craft product manufacturers to service providers with national and, in some cases, international reach. Utilizing a client-centric business model Pulp+Wire produces outstanding creative solutions custom tailored to build and help businesses succeed. Capabilities include graphic design, packaging, logo & identity, advertising, web design, mobile, social media and marketing.

Pulp+Wire has been awarded and recognized for outstanding design by GDR UK, Ad Club of Maine, Graphic Design USA Magazine, the National Barbecue Association, National Barbecue News, Package Design Magazine and other local and national publications and online outlets. Join us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pulpandwire) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/pulpandwire)