Hello from coastal Virginia

[Mobjack Bay]

I decided it was time to stop lurking and join the community! You’re a talented, generous, friendly group of individuals and I’ve enjoyed learning from you and about you and your soaps!

I found the forum a few months ago when I decided to try my hand at making some body lotion. Next thing I knew, I was buying more oils to make soap. After a few batches of HP and scouring SMF and the internet I was brave enough to try a batch of CP. I’m getting close to a dozen batches now. Making soap is a wonderful combination of chemistry, artistry and what seems like a little magic. I LOVE that I can make a bar of soap that makes bubbles in my hard well water! When I’m making soap, the cares of the day just wash away!

As soon as I find the instructions, I will add a photo so you can see some of what I’ve made.

I’m probably going to stick with fairly simple soaps, with “natural” colorants like clays, coffee and spices and EOs for my scents, but don’t hold me to it!

And, a little bit about me... I’m a university administrator now, but for most of my career I was a marine ecologist, who mostly studied the Chesapeake Bay, but occasionally also travelled to wonderful places further afield. Unfortunately, I haven’t made it to Australia or the Great Barrier Reef (yet!). One of my soapmaking goals is to make a series of soaps that look attractive, while also capturing details of coastal ecosystems that are familiar to me and my scientist friends (truly a niche market!).

 

[bohunk]

Hi there; I'm coastal Virginia also. Eastern Shore is my home. Which side of the bay are you on?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’m on the other side, but have spent lots of time on the beautiful Eastern Shore!

Here are some of the soaps I’ve made to date, from left to right:

Goat’s milk with lavender EO; Activated charcoal and sea salt added to a base recipe (Mottling was my intent); jagua and green clay added to a base recipe (attempted to get some layering, but still plenty to learn), Monoi de Tahiti and rose clay, “Bergamot Butter”; my very first HP from a basic recipe (front); a lard-based bar with a little green clay and a nice EO blend from the drugstore.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Mobjack Bay!


IrishLass

 

[lsg]

I love the dark blue bar, (It looks blue on my computer screen). Welcome to the forum.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I love the dark blue bar, (It looks blue on my computer screen).

Thank you! That’s the one that has fine activated charcoal (from BB) and salt mixed into the mid-grey layer.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Well done, Mobjack! Those don't look like "Newbie" soaps at all. I'm looking forward to see what you come up with as "details of coastal ecosystems". I'm intrigued.

 

[Relle]

Welcome Mobjack, . We have a designated Photo Gallery you can post your next lot of Photos in.

 

[bohunk]

ES can be lovely but for the last several weeks we've been covered with a fine sheen of pollen. Even my grey cat gets covered with pollen if he sleeps in the open window. You're soaps look lovely; you're way more adventurous than I've ever been with soap.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Welcome Mobjack, . We have a designated Photo Gallery you can post your next lot of Photos in.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[earlene]

Welcome to the forum, Mobjack Bay. I love your history and the way you describe your plans for incorporating your passion with the sea into your soaps.

 

[DWinMadison]

View attachment 38458

Here are some of the soaps I’ve made to date, from left to right:

Goat’s milk with lavender EO; Activated charcoal and sea salt added to a base recipe (Mottling was my intent); jagua and green clay added to a base recipe (attempted to get some layering, but still plenty to learn), Monoi de Tahiti and rose clay, “Bergamot Butter”; my very first HP from a basic recipe (front); a lard-based bar with a little green clay and a nice EO blend from the drugstore.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...pink blah, blah... but HOW did you get that starry horizon in the soap next to it?????? (I'm kidding. I love the rose clay soap, but still, that night sky... Please share you technique).

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yeah, yeah, yeah...pink blah, blah... but HOW did you get that starry horizon in the soap next to it?????? (I'm kidding. I love the rose clay soap, but still, that night sky... Please share you technique).

Daryl - if you’re asking about the dark soap with the layering and mottling, the mottling is achieved by adding some salt directly to the batter. I learned about the technique from Auntie Clara’s website. She made a beautiful “dappled” soap for a friend.

As for the pink, it’s not my thing, but there are lots of women in my extended family who love pink...

 

[DWinMadison]

Daryl - if you’re asking about the dark soap with the layering and mottling, the mottling is achieved by adding some salt directly to the batter. I learned about the technique from Auntie Clara’s website. She made a beautiful “dappled” soap for a friend.

As for the pink, it’s not my thing, but there are lots of women in my extended family who love pink...

That's the one. Does it not look like a night sky with moon rising over the mountains to you? It's beautiful. As for pink, not my thing either...I don't care for "rose" or "bubble gum" fragrances, so I never know what to pair with it.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

That's the one. Does it not look like a night sky with moon rising over the mountains to you? It's beautiful. As for pink, not my thing either...I don't care for "rose" or "bubble gum" fragrances, so I never know what to pair with it.

I was looking at that dark soap one way only (for my “mud” series) and appreciate your creative vision!

I scented the pink soap with Monoi de Tahiti infused coconut oil. It’s a gentle, natural, gardenia scent that seems to be holding up in the cp soap which is now more than 2 months old.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I deep cleaned a cabinet in my soaping area this past weekend and came across a lost bag of soap and a jar of soap trimmings from one of my first hp batches. It was pushed way into the back behind a box. In addition to misplacing the soap, my notes from the very beginning went astray. They have not yet reappeared. I’m posting a pic of the soap just in case I lose it again .

 

[TheGecko]

One of my soapmaking goals is to make a series of soaps that look attractive, while also capturing details of coastal ecosystems that are familiar to me and my scientist friends (truly a niche market!).

You joined before I did, but 'welcome' all the same. It's good to have goals; one on mine is to replicate a failed 'layered drop swirl' in cavity molds.