What soapy thing have you done today?

[Servant4Christ]

We are homeschooling 8 going on 9 children in an 1,800 square foot house. There's no place to go with anything! At night sometimes, I dream about a big-enough house with an honest-to-goodness pantry and an extra kitchen for soaping and canning. Ahhhh, those are sweet dreams!

I'm with you. We've been homeschooling for 9 years now but this is the first year with all of them being school age, so it's been an adjustment. This is why my soapmaking is somewhat sporadic and has to be planned and efficiently executed. There just are not enough hours in a day.

This afternoon, I decided to make a small (125g oils) batch of liquid soap paste using lard (traditional, no glycerin method). It's now zap free and ready to dilute. I'm really enjoying this cold process technique.

 

[Nonnie]

Soapy messes must be in the air lol.

I attempted the heat transfer method for the first time. Not bad results, yet kinda nerve wracking watching it, seeing it cool and chunks still floating. Everything finally melted tho. My big mess was after. I poured into a column mold, turned to grab a towel to cover it, and batter was going everywhere! The bottom corner popped apart and was leaking likecrazy. Luckily, for some reason I had placed my 4" pvc on the desk too. I politely screamed at my DIL for help, and got everything transferred into the pvc. Cleaned my desk, thankfully I put down butcher or parchment paper, and floor, and piled up my dishes. One good thing from it is my room smells of glazed candy apple

 

[melinda48]

I tested, no zap. It firmed up somewhat after cutting too, though I think it will need a long cure before becoming properly hard. Maybe I used too much water (I did a 2:1 ratio but I couldn’t get the salt and sugar to dissolve in my lye solution so I added some more water to finish dissolving it all). Possibly I can add the salt/sugar to my water before dissolving the lye?

The colors are pretty muddy but I can probably blame my technique for that. It’s a tricky swirl

I add sugar to my oils; salt to my distilled water.

 

[Chaiat5]

We are homeschooling 8 going on 9 children in an 1,800 square foot house. There's no place to go with anything! At night sometimes, I dream about a big-enough house with an honest-to-goodness pantry and an extra kitchen for soaping and canning. Ahhhh, those are sweet dreams!

OMG... I am homeschooling too, but only the boy. He is the youngest, 12 years old and soapmaking partner My eldest is in university in Singapore and my second applying soon. I think it's awesome that you have the fortitude to HS all yours I am always mayhemic of course and made loads of mistakes with my girls.

I totally relate about the lack of space! I barely had room for my books (I collect children's literature) and when I added another hobby (this soapmaking business LOL), I of course added more madness and mayhem into the mix. I want a workshop for my soap and am plotting which space I can hijack now. [There is none to be had... but I plan anyway.]

 

[Chaiat5]

This is the way

This is the way

I don't know about THE way, but it sure is my way, and I refuse to be shamed over it. Sloppy soapers, unite!

This is the way.

[Finally, I get to use my signature in a post!!! Haha!]

 

[Chaiat5]

Tuesday morning in Islamabad. It is terribly smoggy out here, but I am stoked I've finally found a couple of lovely suppliers and was able to order some nice clays (French red & pink and rhassoul!) and best of all, essential oils! I even found avocado oil! My eldest is visiting from Singapore and she will be bringing me some butters, so I expect I will be pestering you lot with more questions as I experiment

The wallet is considerably lightened, but my sense of purpose is much renewed