What soapy thing have you done today?

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After a long hiatus, during which I was relegated to a wheelchair due to hip pain, finally had a hip replacement, then fell on our concrete driveway and broke 3 ribs, I’m now back in the saddle. I was afraid I’d forgotten how to do this, but my first batch turned out nicely. Only problem was the Lemon Verbena FO from Nature’s Oil I used. Smells like Lemon Pledge. Very chemical. ☹
Welcome back @Kari Howie! sorry to hear about all the mishaps but glad you have been able to make some soap.
 
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@The_Phoenix I LOVE the wacky lollipop! Just skewed enough to not appear like an accident.

Do I see right that the snowball-esque soap qualifies for the What’s with the halo? showroom? Or is it just partial gel crazing out?
It’s hard to say if there is a halo effect. If there is it’s very very slight. I used an ombré for the body so perhaps what you see are varying blue gradients. I may redo both batches.

The snowballs took a loooong time to make. About the amount of time it would have taken to have a real snowball fight. 😄🤪
 
Last night I measured out all the oils to go into 5 MB buckets. My buckets hold 6150g oils and with six different oils, it was a long hot night in the soap dungeon. Debating if I will melt them down tonight or wait for cooler weather tomorrow. Likely with 5 buckets it will take me both nights. I need to finish portioning out the cocoa butter yet too. I'll wait until it gets cooler to portion out the shea butter. Now I remember why I used to portion out my hard oils as soon as I would get them, it saves me a lot of time when I'm ready to fill my buckets.

Soapmaking officially begins Saturday morning to start filling wholesale accounts. Might sneak in my ombre attempt for a last minute entry.
 
Made my second ever batch of soap today. I really need to find some patience to wait for me soap to get thicker before I texture the top next time. I was going for an ocean look to match my South Pacific Waters FO. I had a few minor lumps in my batter. I'm thinking it maybe could have been from my cocoa butter starting to solidify? Hopefully it wont be a problem.
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After a long hiatus, during which I was relegated to a wheelchair due to hip pain, finally had a hip replacement, then fell on our concrete driveway and broke 3 ribs, I’m now back in the saddle. I was afraid I’d forgotten how to do this, but my first batch turned out nicely. Only problem was the Lemon Verbena FO from Nature’s Oil I used. Smells like Lemon Pledge. Very chemical. ☹
I’m happy to hear that you’ve mended, but so sorry to hear what you’ve been through. I can’t wait to see the soap!
 
Here the bars are cut. Do you ever make soap and have a plan, but then when it comes to get it in the mold you just don't do what you planned? I was going to do a marble on the top, but then I just started plopping the soap in random layers and just ended up with only blue on the top. I think it did turn out quite nicely in the end, even if it wasn't what I had intended.
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Here the bars are cut. Do you ever make soap and have a plan, but then when it comes to get it in the mold you just don't do what you planned? I was going to do a marble on the top, but then I just started plopping the soap in random layers and just ended up with only blue on the top. I think it did turn out quite nicely in the end, even if it wasn't what I had intended.
It’s very pretty. During my first year of soaping I learned to always have a Plan B thought out in advance.

My soapy thing today was to make one more soap for this month’s challenge. I used dual lye for the first time.
 
Today I picked up beer and soda from the pub for their soaps, so tonight I will boil down the beer, make lye solution, and make sure I have the recipes ready to go. I didn't get my MB melted last night as my back went out, so that will also be on the agenda tonight. Hopefully it will have enough time to cool before making soap tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow I will do the three beer soaps, and then on Sunday I will do the two soda soaps and my ombre attempt.... as long as my back stays good.
 
I used melt and pour soap base for the first time. My little ones really wanted to help make soap, and I don't want them around soap batter. They had a blast. They both want to make soap when they grow up now. 😁

I also got an order of new fragrances to try, but due to Covid I have no sense of smell right now and can't even detect any scent OOB. 😢
 
Today I made a tall skinny soap mold. My first attempt at lining it. Had left over wood in the garage waiting to by used. So here is my first.

2 3/16 x 10 1/4 mold dimensions. Extremely tall I could trim but this was a 2 hour prototype project to see what I do and don’t like about it.
 

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I also got an order of new fragrances to try, but due to Covid I have no sense of smell right now and can't even detect any scent OOB. 😢
Sorry to hear that! I am 10 months post-C19 myself, and still don't have a normal sense of smell or taste. It varies day to day, with the occasional olfactory hallucinations, too (smelling things that aren't there). It is hard to know how, and how much, my soaps smell, and whether any particular fragrance actually smells like I think it smells.

It's frustrating, but on the upside, for the first time in my 59 years, I now like the taste of broccoli and Brussels sprouts -- because I can't smell or taste the sulphur that always made me gag in the past.
 
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Sorry to hear that! I am 10 months post-C19 myself, and still don't have a normal sense of smell or taste. It varies day to day, with the occasional olfactory hallucinations, too (smelling things that aren't there). It's frustrating, but on the upside, for the first time in my 59 years, I now like the taste of broccoli and Brussels sprouts -- because I can't smell or taste the sulphur that always made me gag in the past. But it is hard to know how, and how much, my soaps smell, and whether any particular fragrance actually smells like I think it smells.
Oh my, 10 months! I hope that my sense of smell comes back sooner than that. I'm sorry it's taken so long.

I haven't made CP the last couple weeks because I can't smell, and a big part of what I enjoy about making soap is the fragrances.

I hope your nose recovers the rest of the way, and mine too.
 
Oh my, 10 months! I hope that my sense of smell comes back sooner than that. I'm sorry it's taken so long.

I haven't made CP the last couple weeks because I can't smell, and a big part of what I enjoy about making soap is the fragrances.

I hope your nose recovers the rest of the way, and mine too.

@AliOop …. I was looking for that silly burnt orange hack that was going around social media for you guys that bring back smell and taste … I found this article instead which is pretty interesting!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pr...rnt-orange-hack-covid-19-loss-of-taste-smell/
Your nose has to regenerate the sensory nerve/cell and then the travel to brain reconnect. You have to learn to smell again. That’s why it takes so long. The body is pretty amazing sometimes. FYI… there is a “scent training “ exercise they explain at the end of the article.
 
I just made this...

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My husband said that it's rather obvious to him that I need a vacation. At the sea shore. With my grandkids. He's not wrong. :thumbup:
That top is incredibly stunning and you are already incredibly talented! Can't wait for the cut.

Oh, peeps. It is evening now and I did not make soap as intended today. The outdoors with no humidity and cool temps were calling me instead. I did masterbatch (double batch), sketched out my challenge design, chose a scent blend, and printed the recipe.
 
My New Heat Sarcophagus

Just built this today to conserve the heat from the gelling process. It's upside down in the picture. I will be putting it over my wooden-box slab mold. Made with 2 " thick extruded polystyrene. Has an R-Value of 10.

The polystyrene cost $41 Canadian dollars. Probably a good thick blanket could have done as well! :shakinghead:
 

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