Christmas 2014

[Relle]

Relle is slacking on the countdown.

Ah, well, can't do everything, life happens outside of SMF. The castile is waiting patiently and Christmas will arrive eventually.

37 weeks to go

 

[Hazel]

For a minute, I thought you had called off Christmas.

How come you can't do everything? I'm depending on you to pick up my slack.

 

[BabyPickles106]

Does Castile really have to cure for a year?

 

[Hazel]

No, it's personal preference. I prefer a long, long cure ( well over a year) because I don't care for the feel of olive or the lather. I remember one person said she only cures them 3 months, some people feel Castile is good to go at 6 months. I suggest you test a sample at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, etc and decide when you think it's cured.

 

[BabyPickles106]

Thanks Hazel. I'm new to soaping and finding it very hard not to try it before a couple weeks have gone by.

 

[Hazel]

I'm going to be heretical here but soap is safe to use after all the lye is converted - so generally by the next day if the soap is gelled. If it isn't gelled, it may take a few days longer.

However, the soap isn't the best it will become plus has excess water in it. Allowing several weeks for curing, the excess water will evaporate and the soap will become milder. I've also noticed the lather becomes better in my soap but that's my recipes. Your soap might have great lather right from the start.

 

[new12soap]

Nice creepy zombie reindeer (she says, backing slowly away)

 

[Hazel]

I didn't even notice until you mentioned it. I went back and looked. Sure enough...zombie reindeer. Now I'm going to have nightmares. Thanks.

 

[new12soap]

HEY! Relle posted em, not me!

 

[Hazel]

But you brought them to my attention. Now I have to go to bed and I'm going to be afraid to fall asleep.

 

[new12soap]

Oh. Hmm. Okay well in that case, you're welcome

 

[Pepsi Girl]

Nice creepy zombie reindeer (she says, backing slowly away)

Really? I just thought they were Irish reindeer with the beautiful green eyes!

 

[Relle]

It's not a zombie reindeer - this what it says on the emoticon, I wanted happy.

Happy Reindeer

 

[BabyPickles106]

Looks like a bobble head reindeer with pretty green eyes.

 

[Hazel]

It's not a zombie reindeer - this what it says on the emoticon, I wanted happy.http://www.sherv.net/happy.reindeer-emoticon-1492.html

Umm...I wouldn't call the expression on this reindeer's face "happy". However, I can see a similarity to another expression which begins with the letter "h". This expression generally appeared right before the consumption of a massive bowl of 3 flavors of ice cream smothered with Hershey's chocolate syrup and Cap'n Crunch cereal. Aah! The good old days.

 

[grayceworks]

The eyes --and the smiles-- look like when the kids or animals would play in the Kryptonite in Smallville, and turn into Krypto-Zombie-Mutants -- They're Krypto-Deer... Krypto-Deer that just noticed a potential victim and smiled.

 

[Relle]

Early post this week because of Easter.

Down to 36 weeks. happy bunnies.

 

[inkyfingers]

Oh dear, a newbie found this thread!!!

Now I'm inspired to make castile soap for Christmas gifts, too. Except for I can only let it cure for 10.5 months and hope the recipient will let it lay around for a few months so it can be a better bar of soap.

At least now I'll know what to give most people on my list for the holidays, soap, lotion bars and lip balm!

 

[dixiedragon]

I need to build up my stock again! I had out of town company this week and I wanted to give them some soaps, but realized I'm running low on pretty soaps! I have lots and lots of ragged ends and chunks, etc.

Of course, I put out the basket of pretty soaps but forgot to tell people they were there, so I still have some. I think I want to start making summer and patriotic soaps now.

 

[Hazel]

How about taking the chunks and making a 'chunk' soap or confetti soap?

Now I'm inspired to make castile soap for Christmas gifts, too. Except for I can only let it cure for 10.5 months and hope the recipient will let it lay around for a few months so it can be a better bar of soap.

The length of time for curing castile is personal preference. Some people only cure for 4 weeks, others 6 - 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, etc. I cure castile for 1+ year. You could cut a bar up and test at specific intervals to see what you prefer.