Newbie with One Success Behind Her!

[BakingNana]

Hi everyone. I stumbled on this forum a few days ago and I LOVE you guys!! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. I've already learned so much from just 'cruising' here.

I'm a 54-year-old stay-at-home mom/grandma newbie who made my first CP last week and is trying really hard not to let success go to my head!! After a LOT of reading, I took the plunge and made an 8 pound batch of veggie CP...just what all the books told me not to do (start with a small batch, etc.). I used a bay rum FO at request of DH and the bars are curing now. So...I'm looking for that next recipe!

BTW, the avatar I chose from your site looks just like my little Chihuahua Emily. She sure doesn't like being locked in her crate when I soap!

 

[Guest]

Hi
welcome to the forum and to making your first batch of soap . Do you realize that making soap is totally addicting :wink: . But it sure is a wonderful hobby or business or therapy . You have a real little cutie pie for a fur baby .
P.S we love to look at soap pictures

Kitn

EDTA more info

 

[Bnky]

Congratulations on your first batch and your curing large batch! I hope it turns our great for you. Cute dog!

 

[heyjude]

Yea for you! Making more soap is just more to love.

It's nice to have you here!

Jude

 

[MikeInPdx]

Congratulations and LOVE your avatar (looks like one of my babies too).

 

[BakingNana]

Thanks everyone! I'll post a picture later today; I'd love to hear if anyone sees anything weird or funny about it, since I only have other people's soap I've used in the past to compare to. MikeinPDX...you have Chi's too? My friends call her my "pretend dog." She's a love...sheds too much, though. I have to use an organic shampoo on her from an outfit in Vermont because her skin is so sensitive. I'd love to replicate that and same some moola, but I'm not experienced enough yet to try.

This forum is the greatest..although I have to say for the past three nights I've dreamed about soap so much that I'm not sure how much rest I'm getting!

 

[BakingNana]

OK-here's a photo. What may look like a powdery white dot isn't....I'm a lousy cutter and it's a flake of soap that the flash glinted off of. I have 34 of these bars...plus a glob of leftover batter that I want to try rebatching and tinting green. I cut these with an old bench scraper of mine that isn't too sharp. Guess next time I should use a sharp knife.

It's nearly 2 weeks old. I finally mustered up the courage to do a zap test. No zap, but I'm waiting the 6 weeks more to use it. I need to work on getting the top of it smooth in the mold. Just one problem...since I am only making soap for family use and to give as gifts, and I KNOW I'll be making a ton of soap because I'm weak...what do you do when you have a couple hundred bars of soap hanging around?!?

Any critiques would be appreciated!!

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3286/totheforum2.jpg

 

[carebear]

Ah bitten by the addiction!

A suggestion from someone with a houseful of soap - make smaller batches so you can soap more often! For trial and hobby soaps I like to do 2# batches.

Very nice job, by the way!

 

[BakingNana]

Thanks! And yup, I've been combing the house looking for things that would hold a 2# batch. Everything looks like a potential soap mold now.

 

[cwayneu]

Making soap is almost as fun as spoiling the grand kids.

 

[BakingNana]

So true, although my kiddies just moved half way across the country. Waaahhhhhh! Soaping takes my mind off missing them so much. Love the pic avatar you have. Soaping and sailing....life is good!

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[BakingNana]

Thanks! I tried today to rebatch a couple to tint them green and failed miserably. I think I ended up with whipped soap. I piled it into a couple of those plastic molds for M&P. Even though it looks good visually, it sure isn't what I was going for. Bet those 2 float!