What soapy thing have you done today?

[steffamarie]

Measured out my oils and mixed up my lye water for soaping tomorrow...now I just gotta get motivated to do my soap dishes so I can actually do something with the stuff I measured today!!!

 

[Lin19687]

Embrace the ash

I actually have 3 soaps that the Ash looks so cool on the top design !
https://dtkp6g0samjql.cloudfront.ne...hero_5c8604ec-f9d9-4729-abff-b970cee1d94b.jpg

 

[earlene]

Embrace the ash

I actually have 3 soaps that the Ash looks so cool on the top design !
https://dtkp6g0samjql.cloudfront.ne...hero_5c8604ec-f9d9-4729-abff-b970cee1d94b.jpg

In some cases a little ash as accent or highlight, does look nice. In some cases, it doesn't look as nice at all and I prefer to remove it. For example, my Faux Fluid Acrylic Pour Castile soap I made for the May 2017 SMF Challenge, without ash looks like this:

With ash most of the bars now looks like the two on the bottom in this photo:

Before putting on the labels and shrink-wrapping these soaps, I'd really rather they look more like they did when they were new, so I really am not willing to embrace this ash. Once I get out my steamer, I am hoping I can get even the little crevices clear of ash. If not, at least most of it.

 

[wardbond]

Well, not bad for a first attempt with a divider. Just cut this morning.
Im thinking about buying a mold that has one built in so i dont have to try and hold it straight.

almost reminds me of a Domino or a Harlequin nice

I use a utility knife to cut it down.

Would you still need a liner?

 

[Misschief]

Would you still need a liner?

I'm using the pvc board only as an insert. I still line my mold but not the insert.

 

[wardbond]

Scraped out the ugliest dryesf bits of the chicken soap. Can anyone say “rustic”? Cause i think this looks like the definition of it. Made a small ball with the scraps. At least it smells pretty because it doesnt look pretty at all. And the color doesnt help!
View attachment 30990

it almost looks like carrot or honey or as if it wants to go translucent.. maybe shift the recipe to take advantage of its inclinations, or add some ingredients that compliment the current properties of it, Or if you gel the next batch soap see what it does

 

[msunnerstood]

Today I learned: Never store liquid soap in an empty distilled water bottle. At first I thought one of the dogs had an accident, which would be very unusual, till I got closer and discovered a very LARGE puddle under My storage cart and gasped as I saw the dripping liquid coming from one of the shelves and onto my wood floor.
An hour later, a roll of paper towels and a future of mopping that spot till the soap is gone, I will never make that mistake again.

 

[Alfa_Lazcares]

it almost looks like carrot or honey or as if it wants to go translucent.. maybe shift the recipe to take advantage of its inclinations, or add some ingredients that compliment the current properties of it, Or if you gel the next batch soap see what it does

The gelling was unnintentional since the FO accelerated everything and gelled the whole thing, which was good because I was able to stirr it and flaten the thing in to the mold. Right now the color looks a bit more like mustard. I do plan on experimenting more with it

 

[amd]

Packed for tonight's market. Switching up the stock a bit to mostly new soaps, lip balms and bubble scoops to see if that improves sales. But really, I don't expect much. I think people come for the free band and socializing, they don't come to buy stuff, unless it's food or beer. I have a show on Saturday so I'll have to unpack and repack again for the bigger setup. I STILL have to make the dirt and tomato vine soap this week. Maybe tonight after the show I'll get it done quick.

 

[Lin19687]

I just bought all my FALL scents and a few others. Wow, my poor bank account

Now to think about different packaging....and hide inside due to 90 something heat outside

 

[earlene]

A bit of ash removal, some planing and such, and some shrink-wrapping today. Also worked on soap label design. A nice break from the really tedious work of increasing security of my personal information via changing passwords and paying bills.

I want to make soap, but I feel like I have to get this other stuff done first.

 

[msunnerstood]

I am doing the best I can not to make soap until my soap stamp gets here..

 

[Holly8991]

I bought some shelves from Depot and have my boys assembling them. Whoo hoo! I have a soap/craft room downstairs but hate it. Its like I am socked away from everyone. So now I can just store finished or curing goods down there and keep making things upstairs

 

[user 27375]

I have been intrigued by Soleseife, and just finished my 4th test batch.

I used various oils in different combos, different superfat percentages, as well as weak to strong saline solutions. I live in a coastal town and am thinking of collecting some real sea water tomorrow. Just not sure yet how to "clean" it.

I've also thrown 2 batches into the oven afterwards (the Germans appear to like doing this; have been looking through a German forum). Although those two batches hardened very quickly, I didn't like how they came out of the molds. The surfaces contained small dimples. I tried a lower temperature the second time hoping to avoid this, but that didn't work.

I'm curious to know which soap will feel best to me after they cure. I'll probably make one more test batch before I call it a night. Want to try adding citric acid to see if that helps with the soap scum, I imagine a 9% superfat soap will produce.

 

[earlene]

Started my soapy day today with steaming the ash off of 7 bars of Castile Marbles soap. The last time (which was also the first time) I used this steamer, it was such a miserable failure, I put it away for several months and forgot where it was. Yesterday I pulled it out and decided to give it another try this morning. The trouble with it last time was really user error. This time it worked super well. It is a small hand-held which cannot be tilted over the soap, but needs to be held mostly vertically while the tops of the soaps are also vertical. What I had done before was to try to tilt the steamer over the soaps which were lying flat on a surface (this leads to spillage) OR to hold the soap in one hand while holding the steamer in the other. The second method was too difficult to manage without burning my hands.

So this time, I thought it through better and used one of my little drying racks, which I sat next to the sink on my kitchen counter. This way, with the soap standing up on it's sides on the rack, I was able to hold the steamer vertically at the necessary level and even sweep the steam up, down and sideways over the ash-covered surface without burning my hands or spilling any water. It worked perfectly.

Now I want to steam more bars of soap because it worked so well. I'd take a picture of the process, but I'm too lazy right now. Maybe later. Plus yesterday my little Fuji camera door stopped cooperating with opening to get at the SD card and to charge the battery. I had to use a pair of pliers to get it open. That door has always been an annoyance to me right from the start, so I'm not even sure I am willing to get this camera fixed. It's not like I don't have others.

 

[Dean]

Used my orange wax soap for the first time. Its ugly and doesn't smell great but it got the job done.

 

[scard]

Made some silicone molds for embeds, this could become an addiction if it weren't so expensive.

 

[earlene]

Ooooh, scard. I would love to see what you made!

Today I had so many irons in the fire, so to speak, I didn't get much soapy stuff done. But I did print labels for 3 soaps, shrink-wrapped a dozen or so bars, and labeled a few, too. Other than that, I brought down the materials to make more deodorant as I am running low. When Hubby & I go to Chicago for a few days next week, I don't want to be caught without deodorant!

 

[Misschief]

I printed labels for one batch of soap but I think the sheet fell out of the Jeep when I opened the door because I can't find it anywhere and I sort of remember seeing something white fly past me when I put my stuff in there after work. That means I'll have to go in to work for a few minutes tomorrow because it's one of the soaps I was planning on taking to the market on Sunday. Bugger!

(I have a printer at home but it hasn't had ink in it for years; I'm allowed to print whatever I want at work.)

 

[Lin19687]

Last night I redid Labels for the FM today. Just a Brown Kraft paper cigar band with card/label on it. Handwritten name/weight
It's cute and will do for now

Today is Fm day