Casting the Gauntlet of Challenge!

[thefarmerdaughter]

which companies have the best turn around times?

 

[DWinMadison]

Ooooh, count me in!

Thanks for agreeing to participate.

 

[DWinMadison]

Would it be breaking our own rules to DISCUSS what approaches we are taking without actually posting pics until the 20th, of course?

 

[DWinMadison]

Thus far I have made two attempts. The first was a funnel pour using those little oval Crystal Lite containers I found. I'd give it a B-...clearly not my best work. For the 2nd attempt, I tried using curls cut from my "Gazpacho" soap to create confetti. It would have been great except I was in a hurry, used a vertical mold, tried to incorporate too much "confetti" and ended up with huge air pockets. c- Great idea... bad execution. c'est la vie

 

[maiseycat]

Ooooooh, are we discussing our approaches now? Because I kinda want to tell someone besides my husband. I mean, he's polite, and listens, and is very supportive, but he does not "get it".

 

[DWinMadison]

I figure we can make the rules as we go....but no pictures until the 20th!

 

[maiseycat]

Ok, well, I figured we were gonna end up with a boatload of very colourful soaps, so I went another way. When I think Mardis Gras, I think New Orleans, food, and drink. So I decided to make a red beans and rice soap. I used rice milk for my liquid, I used lard as one of my major oils to represent the ham, and I ground up some red beans as fine as I could get them with a coffee grinder and added at trace as an exfoliant. It's pretty simple, but I am kind of excited how it will feel when used.

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

WOW! that's so creative, maiseycat.

it makes my idea seem kinda lame

 

[maiseycat]

Thank you

 

[DWinMadison]

Ok, well, I figured we were gonna end up with a boatload of very colourful soaps, so I went another way. When I think Mardis Gras, I think New Orleans, food, and drink. So I decided to make a red beans and rice soap. I used rice milk for my liquid, I used lard as one of my major oils to represent the ham, and I ground up some red beans as fine as I could get them with a coffee grinder and added at trace as an exfoliant. It's pretty simple, but I am kind of excited how it will feel when used.

Knowing LA culture pretty well I am VERY impressed with your creative approach. Who would have come up with red beans and rice...for soap!!!!! Brilliant!

 

[judymoody]

Hmm, the wheels are beginning to turn. I've been too busy to soap lately - maybe this will get me started up again. I am nearly cleaned out of soap at the moment.

 

[maiseycat]

Knowing LA culture pretty well I am VERY impressed with your creative approach. Who would have come up with red beans and rice...for soap!!!!! Brilliant!

Thank you I was thinking at first about using cosmetic rice powder, and then I saw the rice milk by the soy at the grocery store, and had a total "A-HA!" moment, lol.

 

[cerelife]

which companies have the best turn around times?

Candlescience, Peak and The Scent Works are super fast, but both CS and SW are in the Carolinas and I'm in GA, so it might not be as quick to you. WSP is usually at my door in less than a week. Brambleberry takes forever to get to me!!

Count me in! I've been planning a red beans and rice soap as part of my New Orleans line of soaps (I don't sell, but I do like to make a nice presentation for myself and family/friends...kind of nerdy, I know). Mine is a bit different from MC's so I hope she won't mind if I do one as well!
I had planned on waiting until summer to do my creole tomato soap (so I could actually use creole tomatoes), but I may fudge it for this and just use store-bought. I'm also thinking of a "Cafe DuMonde" cafe au lait soap...so many ideas!! This is going to be fun :-D

 

[maiseycat]

Of course I won't mind I get so many of my ideas from this forum, it isn't even funny.

 

[semplice]

My thought was to do a "hurricane" soap scented with Peach Daiquiri. The first problem was getting a peachy color for the bottom. It was way too dark. Then, the fragrance oil started to separate, and by the time i got it in the mold it was an oily mess. I gelled it and let it sit for a couple of days before cutting it. It looks like tomato paste, but I'm going to use it anyway.

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

Candlescience, Peak and The Scent Works are super fast, but both CS and SW are in the Carolinas and I'm in GA, so it might not be as quick to you. WSP is usually at my door in less than a week. Brambleberry takes forever to get to me!!

Sweet! I'm in Tn, so I'll take a look at both those sites.

Semplice, I've been mulling over the 'hurricane' idea also. but finding an FO to match is tricky. At this point I'm considering blending 3 different ones.

 

[MaitriBB]

BB finally shipped my stuff - now to wait another week for it to arrive

Unfortunately they're the only place where I could find what I was looking for.

My idea is based on the bead strings of Mardi Gras .. I found multicolored jojoba beads at BB and plan to use them in CP soap somehow. Haven't quite figured it out yet Maybe some curls on the top to represent streamers.

 

[MaitriBB]

Sweet! I'm in Tn, so I'll take a look at both those sites.

Semplice, I've been mulling over the 'hurricane' idea also. but finding an FO to match is tricky. At this point I'm considering blending 3 different ones.

I found a really nice FO at Peak Candle supply called "Storm Watch" .. it's a nice fresh unisex scent.

 

[2lilboots]

I am thinking "masks and feathers" for my theme. I haven't even thought of a fragrance for it yet. I keep thinking gumbo and I know that won't smell good in a soap....lol!

 

[MaitriBB]

I am thinking "masks and feathers" for my theme. I haven't even thought of a fragrance for it yet. I keep thinking gumbo and I know that won't smell good in a soap....lol!

Mmm fish LOL!!