What soapy thing have you done today?

[songwind]

I made a couple of batches of hand soap tonight.

 

[jules92207]

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks dibbles.

 

[gigisiguenza]

Made two batches of soap tonight

Lavender sachet, colored with alkanet powder in the lye solution, nettle powder in the lye solution, and plain white soap.

The other is a Peppermint Eucalyptus soap, colored with nettle powder in the lye solution, spirulina powder mixed with a pinch of indigo,both in the lye solution, and plain white soap.

Hope they came out ok. One behaved and poured nicely, the other thickened up too quick and was harder to pour.

 

[penelopejane]

I am waiting for my first order of FOs to come and some coloured clays.
So I made another batch of plain Castille soap. I got permission from my dh to add 1 tbs of Manuka honey to his soap. :smile:

It poured beautifully and is sitting in the oven (warmed to 100*F then switched off when the soap went in) overnight to gell.

 

[Deedles]

Jules....here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

My soaping plans were nixed today, I'm watching water rise instead. Right now we've got about 2" in the house and my shop. All my soapy stuff is in tubs so I'm not worried about it. I did manage to get the yarn that was in boxes on the floor up and out of it before they got more than just damp. Sewing machine controllers are off the floor and if there's anything else on the floor it can just be washed. I have a feeling I'll be doing alot of washing and cleaning soon!

You know what's most aggravating about this flooding? This house has been here since 1962. There is a Jr. High school next door that was built in 1963, the school was located at the back of the 40 acres, leaving us with just yard to look at for years. Four years ago they decided to rebuild the school. The moved it up even with our house, raised the elevation about 4 ft and their new driveway is about 10 feet from our property line. Besides the noise of the loud speakers all day, the traffic of kids and cars at all hours of the day and night, they worst thing they did was mess up the drainage. In the 53 years I've lived here (my parents built this house) the property never flooded, much less the house. Now we get water in the house at least twice a year.

Thanks for letting me vent a little! I know I can't complain too much, there's someone somewhere worse off than I am.

 

[jules92207]

Needles that is awful! I'm so sorry. Wishes for an easy clean up.

 

[Misschief]

Deedles, you have my sympathies. I can't imagine the mess!

I'm in the process of making some charcoal soap.

 

[CTAnton]

unfolded my experimental 50% lard soap...my sample of lemon that I used smelled like furniture polish...my added small amount of soap shreds incorporated nicely...my liquid yellow colorant faded thankfully to something a little less bright...things I learned...
1. stick blend in colorant..I thought a spatula would suffice...WRONG!
2. Add soap scraps after all stick blending is over...fold them in as they say in cooking...well, that didn't happen.
Thankfully this is a R and D soap so nice to learn these things before a bigger batch...

 

[Deedles]

All is not lost after all. The water is going down so at least we aren't standing in water everywhere. In fact, my kitchen is the only dry spot in the house. DH asked why didn't I make soap today since I couldn't do anything else? Hhmm....so I started gathering supplies and realized I was out of goats milk. This batch of soap is specifically for Christmas gifts for friends who like the GM soaps so I didn't want to try something else. Anyway, my sweet DH got in the truck, braving the flood waters to town, and bought some GM so I can have a little fun before the work starts.

After 45 years I think I'll keep him a while longer!

 

[janzo]

Sorry to hear about your flooding Deedles. We have the opposite problem. Kariba dam is at an all time low, that is where they have the hydro electric scheme. Consequently most cities and towns are having 12 hour power cuts cos of lack of electricity. The presidents solution. ....... day of prayer and fasting, um that's fine but you do need a plan in case that doesn't work!!! On a positive note our rainy season is just around the corner, it's not going to fill the dam this year but it will take a few hours off the power cuts and the coffee trees on the farm will be happy! !!

 

[penelopejane]

Deedles, sorry to hear about your flooding. Until you experience a flood it's difficult to understand how invasive water is and it's never clean water! Such a huge clean up job. I'll hope for some nice warm breezes for you.

 

[snappyllama]

Yikes Dibbles... wishing you dry wishes. I lived in Houston most of my life and do not miss the flooding. I remember picking up my daughter from kindergarten and having to carry her on my shoulders threw waist high water on Kirby hoping not to slip. Scary stuff! I hope it dries out quickly for you. Stay safe.

Today I'm making another pine tar, apple spice, and possibly gingerbread soap.

 

[dibbles]

Yikes Dibbles... wishing you dry wishes. I lived in Houston most of my life and do not miss the flooding. I remember picking up my daughter from kindergarten and having to carry her on my shoulders threw waist high water on Kirby hoping not to slip. Scary stuff! I hope it dries out quickly for you. Stay safe.

Today I'm making another pine tar, apple spice, and possibly gingerbread soap.

Well, thank you very much Snappyllama, but it is Deedles with the flooding. I will send her your dry wishes.

 

[dibbles]

All is not lost after all. The water is going down so at least we aren't standing in water everywhere. In fact, my kitchen is the only dry spot in the house. DH asked why didn't I make soap today since I couldn't do anything else? Hhmm....so I started gathering supplies and realized I was out of goats milk. This batch of soap is specifically for Christmas gifts for friends who like the GM soaps so I didn't want to try something else. Anyway, my sweet DH got in the truck, braving the flood waters to town, and bought some GM so I can have a little fun before the work starts.

After 45 years I think I'll keep him a while longer!

What a sweet guy. Snappyllama sent you dry wishes - it must have helped. Glad it wasn't worse for you, and hoping the clean up isn't too awful.

 

[doriettefarm]

I feel like I made everything under the sun besides soap today! Made my 2nd batch of lotion and I think this may become a new addiction. It's just as much fun to play with the oil/butter combos and see how the end product changes. It's also a good way to use up small amounts of FOs that aren't enough to soap with (of which I have plenty).

Let's see what else . . . I also made my first ever emulsified salt scrub. Had some fine pink himalayan salt that was begging to be used and a sample of Key Lime FO so I made a Pink Margarita salt scrub. I attempted to color it with apple green mica but the pink salt just took over. I decided to embrace the pink because I feared it would turn out some gross color if I added more mica.

And last but not least, I was out of almond face scrub (it's a copycat recipe of Lush's AOBS) so whipped up a double batch. Don't know how I managed to make 3 different items in one day without destroying my kitchen but that will change tomorrow if I end up soaping. Need to make a batch of pine tar and a batch of scrubby coffee kitchen soap . . . we'll see if I actually get it done.

 

[gigisiguenza]

I unmolded my two batches, only to discover they were too hard to cut, splintered like broken slate, and useless. I've tossed them into a bucket in disgust, unsure what the heck to do with them. Sigh.

 

[nsmar4211]

Gigi-Are they salt bars? Or lye heavy? Or did you just wait too long?

For salt bars or too long, you could crumble them up and use them like confetti in a new batch. Never tried rebatching salt bars so not sure if that would work. For lye heavy, rebatch and add oils

Just tracked my order of Castor oil because I think I only have enough for one batch left....resisting the call of the overpriced walmart brand...resisting...

 

[gigisiguenza]

Gigi-Are they salt bars? Or lye heavy? Or did you just wait too long?

For salt bars or too long, you could crumble them up and use them like confetti in a new batch. Never tried rebatching salt bars so not sure if that would work. For lye heavy, rebatch and add oils

Just tracked my order of Castor oil because I think I only have enough for one batch left....resisting the call of the overpriced walmart brand...resisting...

nsmar4211 - I'm.pretty sure I just waited too long. I fell asleep after I put them in the fridge, so they sat there for quite some time thanks to my forgetfulness. Then I didn't get home in time to catch them during my magic cutting time window

 

[mymy]

Gigi, they are still can be used i guess? If I were you I'll find a machete and chop chop. Haha

 

[Wildcraft_Garden]

Gigi-Are they salt bars? Or lye heavy? Or did you just wait too long?

For salt bars or too long, you could crumble them up and use them like confetti in a new batch. Never tried rebatching salt bars so not sure if that would work. For lye heavy, rebatch and add oils

Just tracked my order of Castor oil because I think I only have enough for one batch left....resisting the call of the overpriced walmart brand...resisting...

The resisting is hard, especially when you have an idea and you want to do it NOW!