What soapy thing have you done today?

[Christa10]

@Zing ❤❤❤ My nephew was Navy Nuke until last week. He’s been in my area over much of the last decade and often brought a Navy friend or two or five to our house for a home-cooked meal. They always helped with the clean up! I‘m really going to miss those visits.

Okay, I still can’t do a hanger swirl like @Jersey Girl , but I’m pretty chuffed with this batch even though my new hanger tool turned out to be a tad short for the mold. A bride-to-be ordered it for her bridesmaids after trying a bar of my soap at a house she rented on the outer banks. I think the property owner picked up a bunch of bars during my fundraiser in December.

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So pretty!

 

[TheGecko]

After a delay, I have started on the Wedding Soap. As per plan...I made two master batches of oils/butters and then colored each batch with Klein Blue and Fire Cedar; both from Nurture Soap. I have NEVER used so much mica at one time...a full ounce of each (with a tiny bit of Nocturnal). I was going to takes pictures of the oils, but no way could my iPhone do then justice.

The Con to using pre-colored oils is it is a little harder to tell when your batter has reached emulsion so the Klein Blue batter thickened up a little more than I wanted, plus the amount of batter I calculated was too much so now I have a couple of "me" soaps. I did over pour and banged the heck out of them...should have seen the cats trying to get purchase on the linolumn...it was funny. They firmed up pretty quickly so I then leveled them off with a pasty cutter (only used for soap) and filled in a few low spots. They are small enough and I used a little extra Sodium Lactate so I should be able to unmold in the morning and then whip up another batch (after I recalculate).

Think I'll go make some more soap.

 

[Christa10]

With much input from Zany, I made two small batches - 1. Zany's no slime olive oil castile and 2. Aleppo soap with just oo and laurel berry oil. After they cure for a few days I'll post some pictures and the recipes I used and hopefully they will be good for my cousin's problem skin!

 

[Ladka]

Tested my new loaf mould to make a tallow-sunflower-coconut oil-castor oil soap. Used five colours and three FO's and poured OPW, even made a simple pattern on top. It is gelling hopefully wrapped in an old towel.

 

[TheGecko]

So I made three more batches of soap. I'm trying to use up the last of my MasterBatch and also use up all my Trial, 1oz and 2 oz bottles. To which I made two small batches with Bayberry and Cuban Tobacco (RE) and a regular batch of Dark Chocolate Orange. I was going to give the Column Pour a try, but my feet are too swollen. I'll post pictures in my "Some of my Soaps" Thread after I unmold and cut and provide more details.

 

[Ugeauxgirl]

Trying to decide what to do with my next batch. It's called "wild rose" and it's got geranium, petitgrain, orange, litsea, cedarwood and rosewood essential oils. I'm using rose clay and activated charcoal. It's going to move fast, so I need something simple. Maybe a hanger swirl?

Sounds gorgeous- please post a picture! I use ITP swirl whenever my batter thickens up too fast. I think it looks better than with thin batter.

 

[Ugeauxgirl]

I finally made gardening/mechanic soap using @earlene 's recipe. I had to use a different exfoliant as I didn't have any pumice. I waited too long though. By the time these are cured it'll be too hot to work in the garden much till Fall!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

By the time these are cured it'll be too hot to work in the garden much till Fall!

Just in time for Fall Clean-Up!

 

[Catscankim]

I learned the hard way the importance of getting as much batter as you can out of your soapy dishes before washing them. My sewer alarm has been going off intermittantly for the past few weeks. I didn't do anything about it because I wasn't sure it was my alarm that I was hearing. Whenever I went out to check it would stop.

Saturday morning I did a load of laundry and about 10 minutes later I hear glurp glurp glurp sweeeeeeesh from the guest bathroom. I crept around the corner (cause it scared the heck out of me), and there was water flowing out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, and sewage all over the bathtub....gross. The toilet and bathtub drains exploded...backed up is the proper term, but it sounded like an explosion. Then I heard the alarm going off. I have been having problems with my sewer/grinder since I moved in, so I figured it was its final death throws. I called the city (because it's their responsibility). They will come out 24/7 to respond to an alarm. So the guy knocks on my door to show me the problem...loads of what appears to be lard all stuck in the contraption (I don't know what its called..it was inside of the grinder).

He was like, MAD LOL. All I could say was "I don't know what it is from, I'm a vegetarian" LOL.

So I'm going to be a good girl from now on and wipe my containers out before I wash them.

My other soapy thing...

I brought two bags in with me today for girls at work that ordered soap. Our nurse practitioner saw them and started rummaging through the bags. "OMG I want to learn to make soap so bad, I just told my husband the other day that I want to learn. Where did you get these?" When I told her that I make them she got super excited and now wants me to teach her.

So now I guess I have a student. Anyway, she wants a list of supplies. I wonder if it would be best for her to come over and use my supplies, and if she gets hooked then tell her what to buy. I would hate for her to be invested in equipment and then realize that it is more work (and mess) than she planned. I dunno. I think I'm gonna go with a lard bar since it is so easy to work with and its my regular recipe. Maybe something simple like a drop swirl, or should I just make it one color for her first go?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

He was like, MAD LOL. All I could say was "I don't know what it is from, I'm a vegetarian" LOL.

I know it isn't funny but that response was classic!

I'm fairly certain others will give you tips on cleaning soap dishes -- from wiping them with paper towels until they are as clean as you can get them -- to letting them sit until the soap is saponifed enough so it's easier to wash up and get them squeaky clean.

For teaching soap making to a friend, I would send her over to Lovin' Soap Studio for a good grounding then ask her what she would like to make before getting together for making soap.

 

[Catscankim]

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I know it isn't funny but that response was classic!

I'm fairly certain others will give you tips on cleaning soap dishes -- from wiping them with paper towels until they are as clean as you can get them -- to letting them sit until the soap is saponifed enough so it's easier to wash up and get them squeaky clean.

For teaching soap making to a friend, I would send her over to Lovin' Soap Studio for a good grounding then ask her what she would like to make before getting together for making soap.

yeah, I know how to clean them out. Never had a problem (I thought) so I got lazy about it. I will be more diligent from now on. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist. I used to get them squeaky clean with paper towels, but I guess I figured that if I ran enough hot water... Lesson learned. Wasting water vs wasting paper towels.

He snaked my pipes too. He was so annoyed with me LOL

At this moment I decided to do a mock lesson with an invisible NP. Then I realized that I was out of castor oil, which I ordered, but it is held up in transit. So I had to run out to the store to buy some. Then I didn't have enough FO to match my recipe, but that's ok, cause I think its really strong after the cure, so we are off to a rough start LMBO.

"We" are back on track now, just waiting for the lye solution to cool down

I will check out that website. Never heard of it before

 

[Catscankim]

I woke up today to realize that I forgot to turn the oven off (cpop). Guess I cooked my soap. I have alien brains...the first time I have ever seen that, but it's quite distinct.

I don't know if this batch is going to be ok. It has been sitting on the counter in the mold for about 12 hours now and it is still way too soft to unmold. Like gooey soft. I could probably stick a finger down through the center of it.

I hate when I do something stupid...

 

[Zing]

I recently tutored 2 friends on cold process, and made my own batch. So not only was I impatient to unmold mine, I also was impatient for their unmolding! For some reason, they took to calling their batches "soap baby" and referred to me as master. So now I call them Grasshopper. Grasshopper One unmolded and cut after 24 hours and was super stoked.

However, there was silence from Grasshopper Two. Yeah, I get she's a single mother and all, but, hello, priorities! JUST KIDDING JUST KIDDING! She finally cut after 48 hours.

After viewing their photos, though, I told them that they had switched their babies at birth. They are now working on some sort of shared/joint custody agreement.

 

[Catscankim]

I am 0-2 for soapmaking this week. Two nights ago it was the baked soap, last night it was extreme acceleration from a fo that i never used. Frosted Ligonberry cc.

Everything seemed fine when i added the fo, but within seconds it was POUR NOW KIM!!! And i was only stirring. I was only at emulsion, because i enjoy the stirring in a non complicated batch. Just kinda relaxing i guess, and guaranteed no bubbles.

It should be ok. I hope theres no holes in it because by the time i got the last bit in, it was beyond tapping down.

Luckily, I only used one color because i am tired of people saying its for decoration…like no chance for repeat sales. So I am including some solid colors in my lineup. I have gone back and forth on the idea over the past year, but when i ask somebody if they are ready for more soap, i learn that its just on a shelf in their bathroom.

Another soapy thing… i got my new router from Wild Plantacia today. I freakin love this thing. I have only been home for a half an hour and i am already at it. So hard to choose which key to use lol. I have plenty of previously ugly soap that i think will look prettier with this little touch.

 

[Ladka]

@Catscankim Me too, I'm tired of people saying they'll use my soap for decoration. On Monday I had a CT with a contrast and when I passed the scanning and had to stay there for another half hour in case there were any side effects I gave the nurse a yellow butterfly bar of soap. And she immediately told me she'd keep it for admiration. When I told her it's not only for admiration but also for use in the bathroom she said she'd place it in a wardrobe to smell its wonderful scent. I told her she may as well enjoy its scent in the bathroom when using it. But she insisted she'd keep it in a wardrobe at least for some time ...

 

[Catscankim]

@Catscankim Me too, I'm tired of people saying they'll use my soap for decoration. On Monday I had a CT with a contrast and when I passed the scanning and had to stay there for another half hour in case there were any side effects I gave the nurse a yellow butterfly bar of soap. And she immediately told me she'd keep it for admiration. When I told her it's not only for admiration but also for use in the bathroom she said she'd place it in a wardrobe to smell its wonderful scent. I told her she may as well enjoy its scent in the bathroom when using it. But she insisted she'd keep it in a wardrobe at least for some time ...

Yeah, i figure i am going to make my usual decorative soaps and a plain jane to match it. See how it goes…

 

[TheGecko]

Luckily, I only used one color because i am tired of people saying its for decoration

Part of the reason why I don't do 'fancy'. The other is that I don't 'fancy' for anything and 'fancy' doesn't really go with my company 'theme' (or whatever you want to call it.)

Another soapy thing… i got my new router from Wild Plantacia today. I freakin love this thing. I have only been home for a half an hour and i am already at it. So hard to choose which key to use lol. I have plenty of previously ugly soap that i think will look prettier with this little touch.

@SoapLover1 very generously passed hers on to me. There should be a little thingy to lock in the key from underneath or the key will just pop out. And even well-cured soap will drag so place the bar on a piece of wax or parchment paper (except for the very edge to be beveled).

 

[AliOop]

There should be a little thingy to lock in the key from underneath or the key will just pop out.

Mine came with two lock-thingys, and I only use one at a time. Do you want me to send one to you?

 

[Catscankim]

Mine came with two lock-thingys, and I only use one at a time. Do you want me to send one to you?

Mine came with two lock things too. It slides through the hole to hold the key in place. I bet they will send you a couple if you are missing them. In the meantime, I think a small appetizer like skewer would work.

Actually I just tried it, it does work with the little skewer. But I'm sure that it would get annoying after a while.

I also have two, so if you want me to send one I can. It will change your life if you hate it because of that. @AliOop is a little sketchy, if you'd rather I send one instead

 

[AliOop]

She's right Gecko, you might want to go with hers instead.