What soapy thing have you done today?

[AliOop]

So many soapy things. Is everyone sitting down? I. Made. Soap. Today! Terrderr! In this past year, a number of factors have conspired against me for making soap, and from perusing this beloved Forum. I made my Gardener's/Mechanic's soap. The advanced part was the beeswax and borax. But the easy part was no dividing and no colorants (other than using brewed coffee in my lye solution). Oh what a simple joy to feel up under the towels and touch the warm soap gelling. It has been awhile!

It's scented with several essential oils and smells earthy. Two new essential oils are petitgrain and clary sage. I also added rosemary, lemon, and bergamot.

It took me a minute to get organized. I discovered that my stick blender had fallen victim to the Great Beeswax Lava EXPLOSION of 2024 (lookin' at you, @Sting !) So now that stick blender is in the pile of Sting's new possessions -- along with my favorite trusty hot plate that got me through some tough times. So I ordered a new stick blender.

I also wanted to get one of those new fangled infrared thermometers. I was gonna post a question here on recommended brands. But then I thought to do a search first. And whadayaknow, the first result was MY post from months ago with that very same question! I went with a product recommended by both @AliOop and @Mobjack Bay .

Always great to hear from you, @Zing! But now I really want to hear more about this great beeswax lava explosion. Do tell.

 

[Martha]

I crawled out from under my rock to make soap and say hello. I made 4 batches and only forgot the FO in one of them. I like to give soap to friends/family for Christmas, so have to get cracking! Great to see all the fun things you guys are making.

 

[dmcgee5034]

That’s the prettiest purple/lavender, @Martha - may I ask what you used?

 

[Zing]

Always great to hear from you, @Zing! But now I really want to hear more about this great lava explosion. Do tell. now I really want to hear more about this great lava explosion. Do tell!

Surely I've written about this?! You really want me to re-live and re-count this part of my life?! On par with @KiwiMoose 's Red Mica Explosion?! Some people's kid, namely @Sting, was processing beeswax. It involves beeswax in cheesecloth and boiling water to filter out pure beeswax from contaminants. This required a lot of space in my soaping shop. And Sting decided to WALK AWAY. And then we hear pops and plops and new noises coming from the basement. There was beeswax everywhere. EVER-EE-WHERE. Cement floor, walls, rug, countertop, soaping utensils, radio, fan, oh the humanity. Months later, we are still finding it.

After much trial and error, Sting discovered the best cleaning agent is lighting fluid -- and that's such a pleasant scent in a basement with no windows, doncha know. Lots o' stuff immediately went in the garbage including a wire rack shelving unit. My trusty hotplate that got me through soaping and making lotion bars when we moved into our new house that initially had no kitchen -- destroyed. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

So, yeah, thanks for asking?

 

[Tammyfarms]

I don't have a pallette knife, but I do have trimmings. I wonder if I could market these as Wholey Holey Sugar & Spice.

I don’t use a pallet knife. I take a little chunk off the small ends (my cutter cuts 8 bars plus a small slice on each end) with my fingernail and push it in the hole then blend it in. If I’m careful you won’t even see the patch.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Surely I've written about this?! You really want me to re-live and re-count this part of my life?! On par with @KiwiMoose 's Red Mica Explosion?! Some people's kid, namely @Sting, was processing beeswax. It involves beeswax in cheesecloth and boiling water to filter out pure beeswax from contaminants. This required a lot of space in my soaping shop. And Sting decided to WALK AWAY. And then we hear pops and plops and new noises coming from the basement. There was beeswax everywhere. EVER-EE-WHERE. Cement floor, walls, rug, countertop, soaping utensils, radio, fan, oh the humanity. Months later, we are still finding it.

After much trial and error, Sting discovered the best cleaning agent is lighting fluid -- and that's such a pleasant scent in a basement with no windows, doncha know. Lots o' stuff immediately went in the garbage including a wire rack shelving unit. My trusty hotplate that got me through soaping and making lotion bars when we moved into our new house that initially had no kitchen -- destroyed. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

So, yeah, thanks for asking?

That is so awful! I’m guessing that as great dad you will continue to remind @Sting about this mishap? Sounds truly awful.

 

[AliOop]

Surely I've written about this?! You really want me to re-live and re-count this part of my life?! On par with @KiwiMoose 's Red Mica Explosion?! Some people's kid, namely @Sting, was processing beeswax. It involves beeswax in cheesecloth and boiling water to filter out pure beeswax from contaminants. This required a lot of space in my soaping shop. And Sting decided to WALK AWAY. And then we hear pops and plops and new noises coming from the basement. There was beeswax everywhere. EVER-EE-WHERE. Cement floor, walls, rug, countertop, soaping utensils, radio, fan, oh the humanity. Months later, we are still finding it.

After much trial and error, Sting discovered the best cleaning agent is lighting fluid -- and that's such a pleasant scent in a basement with no windows, doncha know. Lots o' stuff immediately went in the garbage including a wire rack shelving unit. My trusty hotplate that got me through soaping and making lotion bars when we moved into our new house that initially had no kitchen -- destroyed. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

So, yeah, thanks for asking?

So sorry, I was just trying to figure out if my Great Hot Lotion Lava Flow was still in second place behind the Great Red Mica Explosion. From the sounds of your Great Beeswax Blowout, I’m now relegated to third place. Umm, congrats on that?

 

[Midnight_Sun]

Soap #2 ever! Looks like I got partial gel phase, though I’m not sure what all the lines in the gel phase center are? I do see lots of air bubbles too. Lots of room for improvement of course.

 

[AliOop]

Pretty soap, @Midnight_Sun!

Those crinkly lines are called glycerin rivers. They usually come from soaps with a higher percentage of water (lower lye concentration). You can read more about that here.

 

[Midnight_Sun]

Pretty soap, @Midnight_Sun!

Those crinkly lines are called glycerin rivers. They usually come from soaps with a higher percentage of water (lower lye concentration). You can read more about that here.

Thank you so much! I’ll read up on that.

 

[Chaiat5]

I cut the swirly soap of doom this morning. Definitely not what I was going for, but it doesn't look bad for a plopful situation. There are several air holes, unfortunately.

These look AMAZING! The colours are very chic! And I agree with @Mobjack Bay ... we are our worst critics.

I made some small soap cupcakes today, and picked the wrong piping tip for what I hoped my frosting would be like. Tossed it so I don’t make that mistake again. Used neons for colorant and some heart top embeds for the toppers. Scented with NS Smell the Rainbow.
View attachment 79613

These are so adorable! I have never piped or frosted anything in all my life LOL!

 

[Relle]

So many soapy things. Is everyone sitting down? I. Made. Soap. Today! Terrderr! In this past year, a number of factors have conspired against me for making soap, and from perusing this beloved Forum. I made my Gardener's/Mechanic's soap. The advanced part was the beeswax and borax. But the easy part was no dividing and no colorants (other than using brewed coffee in my lye solution). Oh what a simple joy to feel up under the towels and touch the warm soap gelling. It has been awhile!

It's scented with several essential oils and smells earthy. Two new essential oils are petitgrain and clary sage. I also added rosemary, lemon, and bergamot.

It took me a minute to get organized. I discovered that my stick blender had fallen victim to the Great Beeswax Lava EXPLOSION of 2024 (lookin' at you, @Sting !) So now that stick blender is in the pile of Sting's new possessions -- along with my favorite trusty hot plate that got me through some tough times. So I ordered a new stick blender.

I also wanted to get one of those new fangled infrared thermometers. I was gonna post a question here on recommended brands. But then I thought to do a search first. And whadayaknow, the first result was MY post from months ago with that very same question! I went with a product recommended by both @AliOop and @Mobjack Bay .

So sorry, I was just trying to figure out if my Great Hot Lotion Lava Flow was still in second place behind the Great Red Mica Explosion. From the sounds of your Great Beeswax Blowout, I’m now relegated to third place. Umm, congrats on that?

Think I'm coming last with the Great Liquid Green Colour Sploosh

 

[Firefly24]

Made a few things the other day. I have never used embeds in soap before. Turned out pretty good. I just love the "White Christmas" Fo.

 

[ackosel]

Red Mica Explosion

my Great Hot Lotion Lava Flow

Great Liquid Green Colour Sploosh

Great Beeswax Lava EXPLOSION of 2024

I'm kind of afraid to make soap any more!

 

[Tammyfarms]

So sorry, I was just trying to figure out if my Great Hot Lotion Lava Flow was still in second place behind the Great Red Mica Explosion. From the sounds of your Great Beeswax Blowout, I’m now relegated to third place. Umm, congrats on that?

That’s one contest I hope to never participate in. If I inadvertently do, I will be sure to post pictures or the very least, share the story.

 

[Tammyfarms]

@Midnight_Sun that’s a great second soap! Well done.

 

[AliOop]

Think I'm coming last with the Great Liquid Green Colour Sploosh

I’m not so sure - to me, anything with colorant dispersed through the room probably shoots to the top of the list. But @KiwiMoose says you must produce pictures in order to dethrone her as the Disaster Queen.

 

[Servant4Christ]

I'm kind of afraid to make soap any more!

I want links to all of these stories. To me, this is what an Adventures in Soapmaking Storybook should look like. We need a book full of these types of stories to pass down through the ages. I'd buy it.

 

[Servant4Christ]

View attachment 79621View attachment 79620
I crawled out from under my rock to make soap and say hello. I made 4 batches and only forgot the FO in one of them. I like to give soap to friends/family for Christmas, so have to get cracking! Great to see all the fun things you guys are making.

I wanna know how you made that last one and pretty please post a picture when you cut it!

 

[Relle]

I’m not so sure - to me, anything with colorant dispersed through the room probably shoots to the top of the list. But @KiwiMoose says you must produce pictures in order to dethrone her as the Disaster Queen.

Who's got time to take pics, with green all over and I'm still finding it. Mr Zing needs photos then, for the dethroning.