What soapy thing have you done today?

[Krowsyad]

I packaged up about 40 bars from the last batch. Waiting to be labeled now. Finished up soap and candle section on the website.

Today I have to try to finish the soap cutter by adding the back stop along with getting my regular computer work done.

 

[amd]

Still making removable tags for the soaps at the peddlers market, and packaged some bath scoops in clear truffle boxes. Hopefully the snow storm will clear off by the weekend so I can go stock my booth. Found a couple of bad soaps - one was a really old shaving soap (3+ years old) that had come down with a case of DOS. The other was a soap shred soap (also DOS). It only had dos on the exposed ends of the shrink wrap band, so I suspect that it was too much exposure to heat/sun at shows this summer that did that bar in. The other bars from that batch do not show any sign of infection.

Hoping that today I will finish doing the tags, so that my workbench will be cleared off again and I can make bubble scoops for my nieces. Daughter picked out NG's Bite Me and Poison Crocus (she says it smells just like her Dark Kiss body spray, btw, if you're looking for an affordable dupe) for the scoops, so I'm kind of excited to make them.

Then I have a buttermilk oatmeal and honey soap that needs to get made before the buttermilk goes bad (poor time management on my part as a few things took longer than they should have).

Sigh... and then I better get my business account books done. I signed up for a soap business class (Courage 2 Conquer, I think it is called, put on by Modern Soapmaking) and part of the class work requires that you know how much you made and spent for 2018. Plus, I just need to do it. I have sales mostly tracked through November, but haven't even started tallying up the expenditures. Although I did an awesome job saving all my receipts and printing email bills in one place so at least I'm NOT scrambling around trying to find those.

I got called back into work this morning, but the weather is quickly going bad, so it sounds like everyone is shutting down at noon, so I should be able to go back to my soapy endeavors this afternoon. My next post should have soap pictures

 

[Kerry K.]

Cut my "flowering herb" soap. Threw in some rain and dirt FO too, and now the whole house really smells like a garden and dirt after rain. I love the way it looks, too!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Cut my "flowering herb" soap. Threw in some rain and dirt FO too, and now the whole house really smells like a garden and dirt after rain. I love the way it looks, too!

View attachment 34607

Rain and dirt FO? Sounds intriguing. We don’t have that here.
Gorgeous soap BTW!

 

[msunnerstood]

Whew got my new soap rack assembled. It was much bigger than I thought. it has to be 6' tall. Assembled it in the living room and then wondered how I was getting it into the soaping room. Thank God for grown sons. Tomorrow, I organize my stuff.

 

[Lin19687]

@msunnerstood What? no pic ? I feel cheated.

 

[shunt2011]

Today I hope to get about 12 batches worth of master batch lye and oils done so that I can have a soaping frenzy this weekend. Counting the hours to get out of work. 4 1/2 to go. Also going to try to tackle my soaping room. It's a total disaster and gives me heart palpitations every time I look in there. It's become the dump room.

 

[msunnerstood]

@msunnerstood What? no pic ? I feel cheated.

Lol I had a feeling that was coming. I will take a pic tonight after work

 

[Misschief]

I superfatted the liquid soap I made this week. Right now, I'm waiting to see how clear it gets (this was just after mixing in the Turkey Red Castor Oil so there are small bubbles throughout). This one is a Catherine Failor recipe (High Foaming Cold Cream soap) but made with a slight SF and no glycerin added. I'm really please with how this one turned out. It lathers beautifully and the lather is abundant and, yes, creamy.

 

[justrambling]

I haven't made soap yet, I'm a newbie looking forward to getting started. A couple of weeks ago I ordered a soap mold from Amazon And today I ordered a stick blender (I have one, but I use it for food) and an infrared thermometer. I already have a scale, but I plan on updating and getting a new one eventually. Now I just have to get all the oils and lye, then I can finally try a batch! I can't wait!

 

[shunt2011]

I haven't made soap yet, I'm a newbie looking forward to getting started. A couple of weeks ago I ordered a soap mold from Amazon And today I ordered a stick blender (I have one, but I use it for food) and an infrared thermometer. I already have a scale, but I plan on updating and getting a new one eventually. Now I just have to get all the oils and lye, then I can finally try a batch! I can't wait!

You can find what you need oil wise at the grocery store. Lye at some hardware stores. If you have ACE hardware they carry it in most places, Tractor Supply is a possibility, I've never seen it in Lowe's or Home Depot here.

 

[justrambling]

You can find what you need oil wise at the grocery store. Lye at some hardware stores. If you have ACE hardware they carry it in most places, Tractor Supply is a possibility, I've never seen it in Lowe's or Home Depot here.

We have an Aldi here and they have a bunch of oils I don't normally see for good prices. I don't have an Ace. I have the other stores, but not willing to pay the price they charge. LOL! I was thinking if I bought it online where ever I buy my fragrance oils and any other oils/butters that might not be available locally, then I should be good. I just have to spread out the purchases because I work as a Special Education paraprofessional and we don't get paid when we have winter or spring vacation, (My next couple of paychecks are going to be really sad...LOL!) so...little low on the funds right now. I'm trying to be patient. LOL! It's not easy.

 

[Megan]

I finally printed out the recipe for my next soap. I haven't been able to soap in a month due to sickness and moving houses, but finally today will get to make a batch!

 

[Dean]

I usually make a couple of bars at a time for personal use. Doubled the recipie today to catch up on my curing inventory. Can’t believe how much more oil was needed. Practically went thru 1/2 my stash. An entire loaf must be expensive.

I was hoping to use carrot infused oil to swirl in orange color but it wasn’t dark enough...just a saffron gold. Maybe the next batch Ill use straight carrot oil for color instead of swirling.

Sprayed with alcohol to prevent ash for the first time. Hope it works.

 

[Misschief]

I'm making my Valentine's soap but I think I'm going to be disappointed. We'll see how it looks tomorrow.

 

[justrambling]

I tried posting this before, but I guess it never posted. I went to the local High school FFA Holiday shopping night at the beginning of December. I go every year just so I can buy goat milk soap from local goat farms for myself. This year, I bought 5 bars.

Today, my family and I went out to eat and do some shopping at the outdoor mall a few towns over. We went to the Barnes & Noble store, where I could spend the entire day! I saw this book and decided to buy it. Being a newbie, I just want to soak everything in. I just bought another stick blender and a laser thermometer from Amazon the other day, so I'm slowly getting the things I need to make my first batch. Can't wait to try it. I'm going to be flying out to California in the summer to visit with family, and I'm hoping to have made a few different types of soap so I can give them some. Hopefully, they don't turn into disasters!

OOPS! Forgot to add the picture of the book! LOL!

 

[atiz]

I tried posting this before, but I guess it never posted. I went to the local High school FFA Holiday shopping night at the beginning of December. I go every year just so I can buy goat milk soap from local goat farms for myself. This year, I bought 5 bars.
View attachment 34645

Today, my family and I went out to eat and do some shopping at the outdoor mall a few towns over. We went to the Barnes & Noble store, where I could spend the entire day! I saw this book and decided to buy it. Being a newbie, I just want to soak everything in. I just bought another stick blender and a laser thermometer from Amazon the other day, so I'm slowly getting the things I need to make my first batch. Can't wait to try it. I'm going to be flying out to California in the summer to visit with family, and I'm hoping to have made a few different types of soap so I can give them some. Hopefully, they don't turn into disasters!

OOPS! Forgot to add the picture of the book! LOL!
View attachment 34647

You will be very prepared!
I’m also very new, made my first batch about ten days ago completely out of impulse with zero prep (you really can get at least the basic oils at the grocery store and/or Walmart — the latter also has lye (plumbing isle) and essential oils of a few different brands).
It’s been only ten days and I know it has to cure like 4 more weeks but couldn’t resist trying it and it’s so good! I had pretty bad memories of soap bars from my parents’ house and since then have only used liquid soap, but this is just great — bubbly, smells delicious, and not drying at all. Really worth the effort.
Good luck with the first batch!

 

[Lin19687]

Trying out a New recipe today.

 

[jcandleattic]

It's been years since I've been to this thread, so I'm not going to sift through over 400+ pages and read. LOL So I'll just let you know what I did today.

Cleaned my lab, got everything all ready to soap either today or tomorrow. I'm finally going to be making my Christmas soap. I didn't have it ready for this season but at least it will be all nice and cured for next year. I can't wait to see how it's going to turn out. Going to be doing 3 different techniques. Just have to find the time. and make the embeds.

 

[Hendejm]

I’m using Maine ocean kelp harvested by my sister near her homestead. I’m very interested so see how it turns out as I’m not sure if the salt content will play nice with my recipe. I’m taking precautions - lower temps for me (under 100F) - minimal usage 1 tsp per pound - non accelerating fragrance ( fingers crossed on that one - new fragrance for me)- no fancy swirls (just 2 plain layers) - only letting it reach very light trace. Here’s hoping......

Edit and update -
still Laughlin over MissChief’s post .....
Soap batter performed beautifully! Actually took a bit longer to trace than normal. I added FO into oils before adding lye/water...maybe that’s the reason.