What soapy thing have you done today?

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I went to my regular Saturday market which I attend occaisionally in the winter. A an experiment I sold two of my “fancy soaps” for more than typical - $9 instead of $6. I was really delighted that customers were unfazed - sold out of one and sold a few of the other. These are the “fancy soaps” - monarch and octopus. I think I need to make more octopus soap it’s proving to be popular!

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You are so talented!

Did you use an extruder to make the octopus?
 
I went to my regular Saturday market which I attend occaisionally in the winter. A an experiment I sold two of my “fancy soaps” for more than typical - $9 instead of $6. I was really delighted that customers were unfazed - sold out of one and sold a few of the other. These are the “fancy soaps” - monarch and octopus. I think I need to make more octopus soap it’s proving to be popular!

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That is so cool ❤️I am just starting out, how do you make the patterns?.This is some of mine but I need some guidance pls. I have been using Goats milk, coconut oil as a base and Cocoa, Shea butter, various EO's, various dried flowers, colourants and great moulds. I only use melt and pour as I am very wary of Lye until I get the jist of what I am doing. How long did it take you to get this good. I am 2 weeks into it 🤣🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
 

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That is so cool ❤️I am just starting out, how do you make the patterns?.This is some of mine but I need some guidance pls. I have been using Goats milk, coconut oil as a base and Cocoa, Shea butter, various EO's, various dried flowers, colourants and great moulds. I only use melt and pour as I am very wary of Lye until I get the jist of what I am doing. How long did it take you to get this good. I am 2 weeks into it 🤣🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I would be wary of adding too many things to MP soap as the structure of it can be weakened. For example, it may never harden properly, can be sticky, can get "playdoughy", or the lather is killed. Dried flowers can go "gross" as well, so just keep your eye on them. 😁

MP soap can't make quite the same patterns as CP soap can. Vicki's soap on the left would be borderline impossible to make with MP. The best fighting chance for a soap like the octopus would be a technique like this:



To make a soap like this in loaf form like Vicki did, a special column mold would be needed as MP soap can't be extruded.
 
I would be wary of adding too many things to MP soap as the structure of it can be weakened. For example, it may never harden properly, can be sticky, can get "playdoughy", or the lather is killed. Dried flowers can go "gross" as well, so just keep your eye on them. 😁

MP soap can't make quite the same patterns as CP soap can. Vicki's soap on the left would be borderline impossible to make with MP. The best fighting chance for a soap like the octopus would be a technique like this:



To make a soap like this in loaf form like Vicki did, a special column mold would be needed as MP soap can't be extruded.

Thank you, I am only a few weeks in to this new adventure but wanting to learn as much as possible ❤️
 
I mad a couple of batches and cut some as well. The blue grey soap a had all poured I to a pitcher as a layered white, blue and orange soap. Poured it I to the mold thinking this was going to look awesome. I forgot the fragrance oil! Back into the pitcher and it came out that color lol. The scent is Blueberry Duke so a blue grey isn't too bad. Tried my hand at a marble technique for a scent called Zion.
 

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You are so talented!

Did you use an extruder to make the octopus?
Thank you! And, Yes! It’s actually two pieces for the body and the legs, and the suction cups, eyes, and shadow are all separate. The fish, seaweed, and bubbles are also extruded, but the octopus was the biggest effort.
Wow! My kids would go nuts over your octopus soap! What technique is that?
I should call it the “three day technique” because it takes forever!

I posted this before but here a quick reel of me making it.I show the discs too but I have refined the octopus discs.

 
You all can just stop! @AliOop , you're making me verklempt over by here, stop it with the grandchildren stories! I'm a li'l conflicted. Passing along creativity and expertise, priceless. Poh li'l lamb getting addicted at such a vulnerable age, hmm, maybe not so priceless?
And @Vicki C , the octopus is too much. Too much. How, wha??!!
 
Thank you! And, Yes! It’s actually two pieces for the body and the legs, and the suction cups, eyes, and shadow are all separate. The fish, seaweed, and bubbles are also extruded, but the octopus was the biggest effort.

I should call it the “three day technique” because it takes forever!

I posted this before but here a quick reel of me making it.I show the discs too but I have refined the octopus discs.


Wowzer you are so talented!!

That is so cool ❤️I am just starting out, how do you make the patterns?.This is some of mine but I need some guidance pls. I have been using Goats milk, coconut oil as a base and Cocoa, Shea butter, various EO's, various dried flowers, colourants and great moulds. I only use melt and pour as I am very wary of Lye until I get the jist of what I am doing. How long did it take you to get this good. I am 2 weeks into it 🤣🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
These look great! I’m new to soap making, and my advice is to put on your safety glasses and rubber gloves, remove the small kids/pets from your work area and go for the lye process. You will become comfortable with working with it and the cold process soap is very versatile.
 
We had family and friends over for a casual Easter dinner. My youngest grandson wanted to make soap, so while the adults were lingering over dessert, we did a quick batch of M&P. He picked out the color, scent, and molds, while I chopped the base. He did the microwaving, mixing and pouring. The bars were ready to unmold and take home before they left. Wish I'd thought to snap some pics because they turned out great!

He had so much fun that he asked if he could skip school tomorrow and do more fun stuff with his Gram. His parents compromised and agreed that I could pick him up at lunch time. The plan is to make his mom a card and a t-shirt for Mother's Day, using the new-to-me Cricut Maker and Cricut Easy-Press that I just picked up on destash. And of course, we will probably make more soap, too. He just loves making soap! Where on earth did he get THAT from? 🤔🤭😁
AliOop - what is destash? It sounds ...... interesting!
 
AliOop - what is destash? It sounds ...... interesting!
It is interesting - and fun! The term refers to people who are clearing stuff out, either bc they aren’t using it, they are moving, they need the cash, they are becoming minimalist, etc.

If you are on FB, you can find entire groups and pages dedicated to soap supply destashes. I have a friend who watches out for FB destash posts for me. And of course, you can search the general “for sale” posts on FB Marketplace, Craigslist, NextDoor.com, BuyNothing, etc. Search for “soapmaking supplies” and voila! I often see cutters, molds, supplies, FOs, etc.
 
I went to my regular Saturday market which I attend occaisionally in the winter. As an experiment I sold two of my “fancy soaps” for more than typical - $9 instead of $6. I was really delighted that customers were unfazed - sold out of one and sold a few of the other. These are the “fancy soaps” - monarch and octopus. I think I need to make more octopus soap it’s proving to be popular!

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I couldn’t love the monarch soap more! Great job!
 
My Hercules soap cutting station arrived today!!! Wooo hooooooo! So my soapy thing is unboxing it and planning a soap so I can try it out asap! 🌸🥰🌸
@dmcgee5034 - Please tell me how you like it! I was gifted one for Christmas and I’m undecided. When I do a horizontal cut, my soap bars are kind of rough - I can’t get a smooth cut like I get with a good sharp knife. I’m hoping I’m just doing something wrong that I can correct!
 
@dmcgee5034 - Please tell me how you like it! I was gifted one for Christmas and I’m undecided. When I do a horizontal cut, my soap bars are kind of rough - I can’t get a smooth cut like I get with a good sharp knife. I’m hoping I’m just doing something wrong that I can correct!
Is your wire sufficiently tight?
 
My soapy thing was letting a friend bring her two sisters over to "shop" from my curing rack. She's been giving them my soaps as Christmas gifts for a few years, and they wanted to come buy some for themselves while they were in town visiting her. I didn't have a good variety of soap on hand, but they bought soaps, lotions, and Alaskan Glacial Clay Foaming Mud (a very popular DIY Bath & Body recipe). I also threw in some bath bombs and a sample size sugar scrub. It was a fun break in the middle of a busy work day!
Hello again, @AliOop! I’m a few days behind going down the soapmaking forum rabbit hole. It’s always nice to get a solid thumbs up from people who love our soaps etc. I’m intrigued by the Alaskan Glacial Clay Foaming Mud that you mentioned. I can’t find a recipe, is it available anywhere that you would recommend? I’m in Alberta so presume I could get Alaskan clay shipped to me without too much difficulty 😀 Thank you!
 
Hello again, @AliOop! I’m a few days behind going down the soapmaking forum rabbit hole. It’s always nice to get a solid thumbs up from people who love our soaps etc. I’m intrigued by the Alaskan Glacial Clay Foaming Mud that you mentioned. I can’t find a recipe, is it available anywhere that you would recommend? I’m in Alberta so presume I could get Alaskan clay shipped to me without too much difficulty 😀 Thank you!
HI there! I do love this recipe, but apparently the seller pulled it out of her Etsy store to reformulate it for those who cannot find the Alaskan Glacial Clay. She's also been struggling with health issues so it's taken her longer than normal to get this one reformulated and re-posted. Hopefully she will do that soon so you can enjoy it like I do!
 
@dmcgee5034 - Please tell me how you like it! I was gifted one for Christmas and I’m undecided. When I do a horizontal cut, my soap bars are kind of rough - I can’t get a smooth cut like I get with a good sharp knife. I’m hoping I’m just doing something wrong that I can correct!
@janesathome - I’ve only cut 2 loafs so far, but I’m loving it. My cuts were much more consistent and I finally split a loaf pretty close to perfectly even. Totally upgrade. I hope you’ll make an adjustment and love yours, too. 🌸
 
I went to my regular Saturday market which I attend occaisionally in the winter. As an experiment I sold two of my “fancy soaps” for more than typical - $9 instead of $6. I was really delighted that customers were unfazed - sold out of one and sold a few of the other. These are the “fancy soaps” - monarch and octopus. I think I need to make more octopus soap it’s proving to be popular!

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@Vicki C i LOVE your monarch soap - recognize it from last month’s challenge. One of my faves! 👏👏👏
 

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