Hi folks!

[MtnSoaper]

I've lurked here for too long. . . .
My name is Matt and I've been making soap (bars and liquid) for over 9 years and selling for over 4.
I try to keep things simple. I only use about 6 different oils--and only about 3 at a time in any batch. My favorite soap is a 75:25 mix of olive and coconut, either unscented or lightly scented with lavender.
I have a culinary degree that I don't use (the restaurant life isn't for me), but I make my own wine and beer. I keep chickens and have broke ground on a goat barn.
My husband and I live a simple life. No television or cell phones (the internet is a necessity for my online store and his day job). We read a lot and take care of our 3 cats and newfoundland puppy, the chickens, and the gardens. Nice and simple.
Thanks for listening. I feel like I know a lot of you already--kind of stalker-ish, isn't it?--and thought it was time to reciprocate.
Matt

 

[Saponista]

Hi there Matt, thanks for introducing yourself to us all. I love getting to know the members of the forum. Hopefully we will be hearing more from you now

 

[KristaY]

Hi Matt & welcome!

It sounds like you've created a wonderful, content life with many stressors removed. That's not so easy in today's society! We'll all be looking forward to hearing about your soapy adventures.

 

[Susie]

Hey and welcome! Have you tried lard in soap yet?

 

[not_ally]

Hi Matt,

Your life sounds awesome! I want to come visit with you. Susie, you are funny. Matt, Susie is the goddess of lard and I am one of her lowly acolytes. It is truly great stuff. Please keep posting and tell us about life on the simple side.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Matt! :wave:


IrishLass

 

[jenneelk]

Welcome Matt .. you're life sounds like my dream! My husband will not build me a coup.. and my HOA won't allow it. haha! I dream of a simple life but my 4 kiddo's and house of animals do not. Maybe later..

As for lard.. I love it but the blasted smell I can't ever get to fully go away.

 

[Dorymae]

Welcome! Simple is great. I've been wanting a few chickens and I want a beehive as well. (Been researching beekeeping for years, still not sure if I want to get into it. Too much honey from what I've heard!)

Anyway it's wonderful you've decided to join us.

 

[navigator9]

Welcome, yours sounds like a great life, Matt, and once you get those goats.......goat's milk soap from your own goats, yay! And if you've never tried luscious, full fat, goat's milk yogurt, you might want to think about that, too. Wine, beer, soap, books, animals...what more do you need? Yes, except maybe bees. Dorymae, did you mean too much money? Because I don't think there's such a thing as too much honey!

 

[snappyllama]

Howdy and welcome! You'll have to post pictures of all the baby critters. And the soaps. But mostly the goats!

 

[MtnSoaper]

Thanks for the kind welcome!
I love honey and all the good things bees do for us, but I'm terrified of them! Over the years I've gotten better with honey bees but routinely get chases inside by everything else. I'm not allergic, but I had a bad experience as a kid. A couple of friends keep bees and they did coax me rather close to a hive once but I still have nightmares from all that buzzing!
We can't wait until we have a small herd of goats. I love goats milk soap and used to make it from store bought, but now I prefer to buy the soap from someone with there own herd--at least until I have my own. So far this summer we've had so much rain that it's been hard to get much done outside. And then there was that business about murderers lurking in the woods (I'm sure many of you have heard about the recent prison break in upstate NY; we live 15 minutes away).
I've tried lard and truthfully I'm so-so about it. Like Jennee, I can't seem to get around the smell. I'm the same way with Crisco (either in soap, pie crust, or anything else); it has a smell that I just can't stand. I use a hefty amount (25%) of bleached and deodorized shea butter and even with our hard well water, I get plenty of bubbles.
I'll leave you all with a photo of my puppy, Siberias. This was about 1 month ago, he was 5 months old, and still wet from his bath.

 

[lizard1232]

He is too cute. Welcome to the forum. It does sound like you're loving the good life.

 

[not_ally]

Oh my goodness, so cute. He has that "Thank Goodness that scrubby thing is over, now where's my treat?" smile on his face

 

[cmzaha]

Hi and Welcome :wave:

 

[soapmage]

Welcome and I love the sound of your low stress life!!! I'm jealous lol. Your doggie is adorbs!:wave:

 

[Susie]

I can usually smell lard at 50 paces, LOL. But I can cover the smell easily with even modest amounts of EOs. Truly.