What soapy thing have you done today?

[Whillow]

Also, had to laugh about your loofas. I'm old and it was not that long ago that I learned -- from guess where -- that loofas are a plant. I thought they were something you got at the store!

People are pretty surprised that they are a plant. You can actually eat them when they are young before they get all fibrous. They look like zucchinis

 

[Misschief]

People are pretty surprised that they are a plant. You can actually eat them when they are young before they get all fibrous. They look like zucchinis

They're in the cucumber family. I did grow them one year, and tried another year but they did not do well for me. I still have some seeds so I might try them one more time next summer.

 

[AliensrReal]

People are pretty surprised that they are a plant. You can actually eat them when they are young before they get all fibrous. They look like zucchinis

I seriously thought they were something that grew in the sea.

 

[AliOop]

I seriously thought they were something that grew in the sea.

Same! When I learned otherwise, I bought some seeds but have never remembered to plant them yet.

 

[Whillow]

From what I learned from my first crop of these. I should have started them much earlier inside before transplanting, because we ended up with frost before they were dry on the vine. Also, I believe they are heavy feeders, so I should have added more fertilizer that manure.

 

[AliOop]

From what I learned from my first crop of these. I should have started them much earlier inside before transplanting, because we ended up with frost before they were dry on the vine. Also, I believe they are heavy feeders, so I should have added more fertilizer that manure.

Thanks, that is very helpful information!

 

[Kiti Williams]

Actually, it's not really me that you have to look out for. It's a certain Canadian....

I know!

 

[Misschief]

From what I learned from my first crop of these. I should have started them much earlier inside before transplanting, because we ended up with frost before they were dry on the vine. Also, I believe they are heavy feeders, so I should have added more fertilizer that manure.

I read that they should be started as soon as February and planted as soon as all danger of frost is over. They love heat and the need a lot of water. And you need to make sure they have room to climb, like a fence or trellis.

 

[Zing]

Not me, surely. I would never.............

I did see that, though, and WAS going to comment but decided to leave it for someone else. Like you.

 

[AliensrReal]

Same! When I learned otherwise, I bought some seeds but have never remembered to plant them yet.

I was today years old when I discovered they were from a plant. I stopped buying them because I thought it was hurting the little fishies and they were losing their homes.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Same! When I learned otherwise, I bought some seeds but have never remembered to plant them yet.

Laughing because that’s something I would do…

I read that they should be started as soon as February and planted as soon as all danger of frost is over. They love heat and the need a lot of water. And you need to make sure they have room to climb, like a fence or trellis.

A friend in NC grew them and had great crops. Of course their growing season is quite long, mid April through October and sometimes longer. I may give it a shot, will definitely have to start early indoors.

This morning I baked a soap dish liner. It's made out of polymer clay. Aluminum foil was placed over a sealed terracotta plant pot base, to form its shape and keep the clay from sticking. View attachment 75102Now we have three liners. View attachment 75105The first 2 were coated with an
View attachment 75103 We'll see how the white one does without a coating.

Those are really beautiful!

 

[The_Emerald_Chicken]

I'm over here in VA giggling while catching up on this thread I haven't soaped much this year, but today I bit the bullet and made 3 batches back-to-back. It felt really good! And with the time change tonight, I have an extra hour to cut it in the morning!

 

[Cindy D.]

Those are really beautiful!

Thank you so much! They are really fun to create.

 

[Jorah]

Last week I made a batch of soap. Today I put it on the drying rack (it's been a busy week, and the bars have just been sitting on my workbench waiting for attention).

Yes, I said A BATCH. I continue to serve the community as an example of what not to do. In this case, I can tell you that trying to make a 12-color colorant test is not a great idea. When I finally emerged from the soapery (aka my basement), my wife said "Well, that was a marathon session." This test will be helpful in learning which tints I want to focus on, though the amount of mica I used was so over the top, that it's like the bars are over promising what colors I'll get in the real world with reasonable amounts. Each of the sets has enough colorant for around 32 ounces of normally-tinted soap.


Today I'm hoping to make a batch of soap using oil I tinted with fresh spearmint from the back yard. More to come on that little experiment!

 

[not_ally]

Last week I made a batch of soap. Today I put it on the drying rack (it's been a busy week, and the bars have just been sitting on my workbench waiting for attention).

Yes, I said A BATCH. I continue to serve the community as an example of what not to do. In this case, I can tell you that trying to make a 12-color colorant test is not a great idea. When I finally emerged from the soapery (aka my basement), my wife said "Well, that was a marathon session." This test will be helpful in learning which tints I want to focus on, though the amount of mica I used was so over the top, that it's like the bars are over promising what colors I'll get in the real world with reasonable amounts. Each of the sets has enough colorant for around 32 ounces of normally-tinted soap.

View attachment 75110
Today I'm hoping to make a batch of soap using oil I tinted with fresh spearmint from the back yard. More to come on that little experiment!

The colors sure are pretty. Where/what company are the micas from in the soaps on the left (the brighter pink, yellow and green?) Is there any bleeding in the suds?

 

[Cindy D.]

Last week I made a batch of soap. Today I put it on the drying rack (it's been a busy week, and the bars have just been sitting on my workbench waiting for attention).

Yes, I said A BATCH. I continue to serve the community as an example of what not to do. In this case, I can tell you that trying to make a 12-color colorant test is not a great idea. When I finally emerged from the soapery (aka my basement), my wife said "Well, that was a marathon session." This test will be helpful in learning which tints I want to focus on, though the amount of mica I used was so over the top, that it's like the bars are over promising what colors I'll get in the real world with reasonable amounts. Each of the sets has enough colorant for around 32 ounces of normally-tinted soap.

View attachment 75110
Today I'm hoping to make a batch of soap using oil I tinted with fresh spearmint from the back yard. More to come on that little experiment!

You may find the video about, How to test mica colors by "I Dream In Soap" interesting. She has lots of helpful videos.
I used a silicone ice cube tray.

 

[Jorah]

The colors sure are pretty. Where/what company are the micas from in the soaps on the left (the brighter pink, yellow and green?) Is there any bleeding in the suds?

I'll give the bars another week before doing a suds test, but I am guessing they'll bleed a lot. I'm pretty badly color blind, so I'm not sure which soaps you're referring to. I will post a list of which mica gave which results after I make this spearmint soap (assuming I don't fall over from exhaustion; it's been one of those weeks).

You may find the video about, How to test mica colors by "I Dream In Soap" interesting. She has lots of helpful videos.
I used a silicone ice cube tray.

Thanks, Cindy. I'll try to look at that later in the week.

 

[Whillow]

I read that they should be started as soon as February and planted as soon as all danger of frost is over. They love heat and the need a lot of water. And you need to make sure they have room to climb, like a fence or trellis.

I started the seedlings in Mid-March. I totally need to start them in February (thanks for that tip). I made a trellis up to my pergola and they hung in the sun, but the growing season was just cut short.

 

[Jorah]

The colors sure are pretty. Where/what company are the micas from in the soaps on the left (the brighter pink, yellow and green?) Is there any bleeding in the suds?

Disclaimer; I'm badly colorblind and likely loused up my grouping, particularly of 9 and 10, but this is probably 80% accurate.



BB: Bramble Berry
CC: Crafter's Choice

Sub-batch	Type	Colorant	Vendor
1	Clay	Rose	Unknown	(I got this in a sampler pack)
2	Mica	Buttercup	BB
3	Mica	Caramel Brown	CC
4	Mica	Crimson Red Wine	CC
5	Mica	Desert Rose	BB
6	Mica	Lavender	BB
7	Mica	Magenta	BB
8	Mica	Merlot Sparkle	BB
9	Mica	Rose Gold	BB	Lesson: don't put your two rose tints next to each other.
10	Mica	Rose Pearl	BB
11	Mica	Yellow	BB
12	Oxide	Green Chrome	BB

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I'm badly colorblind and likely loused up my grouping,

I'm so sorry to hear that... but I'm curious... what do you see when you look at those soaps? Black/gray/white? or what?