Lard soap questions

[justsomeguy]

Sending you a pm.

A note on shipping. Writing it here so it may help others. I discovered Pirate Ship about 6 months ago and have used them 6-8 times with great success. Generally the postage is about half of what it costs through the post office or UPS. You create an account on their website, put in your address and the recipient’s address along with package measurements and weight then print the label. Shipping is through the post office or UPS, you choose which when you print the label. Drop off the package at the post office (bonus, you don’t have to wait in line) or the UPS store/office and you’re done. You still get tracking info just as if you had used the post office or UPS. Honestly, I can’t see a downside. Not sure how they do it but they do. I have sent soap in boxes that are 4.5x4.25x12 full of soap from
Idaho to NC for less than 10. It would have been around $20 through the post office. Best part - at Christmas I skipped the lines.

I am using pirate ship and the flat rate padded envelope by USPS

 

[cm4bleenmb]

I do not have ADHD but I am getting older. I type out my recipes (soap name goes at the top), listing ingredients in two columns (one for a single batch, one for a double batch), print my recipes out, laminate them, three-hole punch them and place them in a binder - keeping them in alphabetical order. As I make a batch, I measure out each ingredient, crossing it off using a China marker (grease pencil) on the recipe as I go. I move my measured fragrance/essential oils and mixed colorants to my prep table so they will be in front of me as I work. Since I write out the process for each batch, I follow that and doing so insures I don’t forget to add essential/fragrance/colorants/etc. When I am done, I wipe down the laminated sheet with cloth or paper towel and put it back in the binder, make out my batch card and clean up. Works for me. Done and done!

Please everyone, understand that telling a person with ADHD to slow down is like telling a person with major depressive disorder to “snap out of it.” It is not something that a person can easily control. It is not a matter of willfully ignoring advice. It is a brain disorder that manifests in varying degrees of severity from one individual to another. They have difficulty staying task focused and tend to impulsive behavior. That’s why simpler is better and activities with immediate gratification are ideal for them along with medical management as deemed necessary. On the plus side, they often have high rates of creative abilities/achievements, which, fortunately, are not blunted by medication. In the meantime, as far as soap making goes, she may require in-person mentoring to help put the brakes on and ensure she’s following a simple recipe from a lye calculator with a hard copy to keep in front of her while she’s working. Failing all that, another creative outlet may be better suited.

When I did my first batch I was so afraid I would mess up and after all the warnings about working with lye, I decided it was best for me to be a little anal about it and wanted a back up to the check list. So, I do similar to melinda48, but in addition to the checklist, I put all my ingredients on one side of my workspace, and once I have added something and checked it off, I place it on the other side of me. I have the process listed in steps, and any prep or pre-mixing is done first and that goes into the unused side until I need it. I put the checklist right next to my bowl, on the side closest to where I put the used items, so it's harder to miss checking them off. I saw someone mention using an additional checklist for gathering ingredients and I think that's brilliant!

 

[AliOop]

I put all my ingredients on one side of my workspace, and once I have added something and checked it off, I place it on the other side of me.

I do this as well, and it is so helpful for me!

 

[Sudds]

So a good friend recently made 100% lard soap, her very first time. I do not like it, the lather was very creamy and lotion-y. She calls it slimy and is asking for feedback. I have never used animal products. Did she use too high of a superfat, or is lard like olive oil? She has raging ADHD and cooks by just throwing in ingredients. I impressed upon her that she HAS to follow an actual RECIPE and use a LYE CALCULATOR and all the things. She "can't remember" her recipe so all I know is she used 100% lard. Let me know if you have experience or any ideas. Thanks.

[I'm not hating on people with ADHD. I love my friend and her energy and all her interests. But she's super high energy and I told her when she makes soap that she has to slow down and read and ollow directions 'cuz she's messing with lye.]

Hi Zing, I am also blessed/cursed with those malody's and it sucks but she has to learn to not brush it off & accept it. I wasn't diagnosed until my 50's and it was a huge relief! I sought the help of a Psychiatrist who let me make the choice of taking a low dose of anti-anxiety medicine (or not) to see how if it would help, my world entirely changed! Folks like myself don't remember most information fed to them or what they read, once we learn a task, anyhow for myself I won't forget how to do it until 6 or 9 months pass, sometimes never. I am a garment maker and processes I learned 40 years ago I can still do today, if I meet a person at a party, if I don't associate their name with something they are wearing I won't know it 4-5 minutes later. In soaping, I have all of my recipes written in a notebook with very detailed notes so I don'take mistakes. If you were to walk into my soaping area everything is labeled and put away as clutter distracts me and I can't think clearly because my mind is always running at 1000 miles an hour. So maybe this insight into your friends headspace will help you help herself. If you like, let her read this, it might let her know she is not alone in this mind whirlwind where she just needs to stop and take a breath!