Hello All,
I've been lurking and reading many of the SMF posts for a couple months now. Along the way I acquired all the various essential tools, a few simple molds and recently ordered some scents during Labor Day sales. I have a background in science and spent many a year working in a lab before changing careers as a Stay-at-home-Dad! It just worked out that way, and I am happy and truly fortunate to be able to raise my son. My wife and I are also currently in the process of adopting a little girl to add to our family. In the mean time, I do have some down time when I'm not fixing up the house or doing other Stay-at-Home-Dad activities. I fell/stumbled onto soap making after my wife was gifted some soap from a nice neighbor of ours up the street. She unfortunately has some medical issues and had to stop making soap, but I got the bug, especially after she showed me her little soap making lab. I say lab, because that's how I see where the soap making process take place, and since I am very comfortable working in a lab...well... Here I am!! I am a bit of a creative person and have been known to compose a song or two, so the idea of melding science with art was just too exciting to pass up!
In the past two weeks I've made 4 small batches of soap (2 - 250gm, and 2 - 500gm) using basic recipes and the soap calculator and pouring into small round test molds. Along the way I experienced Alien Brains, and the last batch to which I added scent, a super fast accelerated trace. As a scientist I do not see these are failures at all, but rather part of the learning experience and I already have an idea on how to counter these based upon much reading here at SMF and by having the actual experience itself (I was wowed by how fast the trace happened just from adding scent as the previous batch without scent was fine).
My goal at this point is to continue to make small batches trying out different recipes and different scents. Then after a good cure, handing them out to friends and family and getting their feedback on what they like and don't like about the soap. I'm soap making for fun right now, but perhaps some day after lots of trials, errors, experiments and experience, I'd like to try selling some soap locally.
When I'm not acting in the role of Dad, I enjoy creating music, photography, and more recently (the last 8 months) making sourdough bread on a regular basis (former science guy geeking out in the kitchen!)
I look forward to continued reading on this forum, and am grateful for all the incredible knowledge that is shared here by a great group of people!
All the best to everyone!
Michael
I've been lurking and reading many of the SMF posts for a couple months now. Along the way I acquired all the various essential tools, a few simple molds and recently ordered some scents during Labor Day sales. I have a background in science and spent many a year working in a lab before changing careers as a Stay-at-home-Dad! It just worked out that way, and I am happy and truly fortunate to be able to raise my son. My wife and I are also currently in the process of adopting a little girl to add to our family. In the mean time, I do have some down time when I'm not fixing up the house or doing other Stay-at-Home-Dad activities. I fell/stumbled onto soap making after my wife was gifted some soap from a nice neighbor of ours up the street. She unfortunately has some medical issues and had to stop making soap, but I got the bug, especially after she showed me her little soap making lab. I say lab, because that's how I see where the soap making process take place, and since I am very comfortable working in a lab...well... Here I am!! I am a bit of a creative person and have been known to compose a song or two, so the idea of melding science with art was just too exciting to pass up!
In the past two weeks I've made 4 small batches of soap (2 - 250gm, and 2 - 500gm) using basic recipes and the soap calculator and pouring into small round test molds. Along the way I experienced Alien Brains, and the last batch to which I added scent, a super fast accelerated trace. As a scientist I do not see these are failures at all, but rather part of the learning experience and I already have an idea on how to counter these based upon much reading here at SMF and by having the actual experience itself (I was wowed by how fast the trace happened just from adding scent as the previous batch without scent was fine).
My goal at this point is to continue to make small batches trying out different recipes and different scents. Then after a good cure, handing them out to friends and family and getting their feedback on what they like and don't like about the soap. I'm soap making for fun right now, but perhaps some day after lots of trials, errors, experiments and experience, I'd like to try selling some soap locally.
When I'm not acting in the role of Dad, I enjoy creating music, photography, and more recently (the last 8 months) making sourdough bread on a regular basis (former science guy geeking out in the kitchen!)
I look forward to continued reading on this forum, and am grateful for all the incredible knowledge that is shared here by a great group of people!
All the best to everyone!
Michael
