What soapy thing have you done today?

[Pat McGlothlin]

I know this is kinda off topic but I'm looking for favorite laundry soap recipes. I looked for Mike's but it's been taken down. Does anyone have a recipe for one that they use and love. And suggestions for spot cleaning would be great too.

 

[earlene]

I know this is kinda off topic but I'm looking for favorite laundry soap recipes. I looked for Mike's but it's been taken down. Does anyone have a recipe for one that they use and love. And suggestions for spot cleaning would be great too.

Spot cleaning of fabric: PS80 works wonders.

 

[DWinMadison]

How did you get the spirulina so quickly? That looks great.

Woot! Aloe and Spirulina soap in the mould.

 

[earlene]

Today for the first time ever, I masterbatched oils. Only for 3 batches, but I want to get those 3 batches done & figured this might save me a little time. Plus I got 3 jars of CO emptied out so I can toss them now. I have way too many jars & bottles! Time to use up some of the ones that are low in volume.

Also re-packaged more Cocoa Butter. I'm not done with that cube, but cutting into a huge cube of cocoa butter when I want to make soap is just plain irritating. So I've pretty much run out of small plastic yogurt containers, margarine containers, and a couple other small plastic containers. Maybe later I'll just chop the rest of the block up to the best of my ability and find a large plastic bucket to put it into. Getting broken up pieces out of bucket wouldn't bother me like having to knife it each time.

After my Dr. appt. this afternoon, my goal is to finish 2 of those batches of soap.

 

[Lin19687]

@earlene I break up big chucks when I get it or enough to do a bunch of batches.
I bought Wafers this time because that was what they had. So that should be easier. It was a great price so

 

[amd]

@earlene I melt cocoa butter blocks on low (one of the few times I actually use a thermometer) to keep it just slightly above melting point and pour into Ziploc bags as it starts to melt. It cools solid and when I go to use it I just peel the bag away from the chunk. At the low melting temp, the bag doesn't melt at all. I gave up trying to cut the blocks into workable chunks, I was probably going to slice off a finger.

I spent three hours reorganizing my soap dungeon. I had to clean off two shelves that I was using for storage on my cure rack so that I can fit all the soap I need to get made and cured in the next two weeks. Which then culminated into reorganizing the other five shelves... Working on packing for the show this weekend.

 

[KiwiMoose]

How did you get the spirulina so quickly? That looks great.

Ordered it online and it arrived two days later : )

 

[KiwiMoose]

Ok these are NOT cleaned up yet. I still have to plane and bevel these but im really digging how the coloring turned out. This is Activated charcoal soap with tea tree and lemon oil.

View attachment 39376

These look awesome! How DID you get those colours looking so jewel-like?

 

[msunnerstood]

These look awesome! How DID you get those colours looking so jewel-like?

I did a pencil line with the micar and then 2 half pencil lines on opposite sides and hangar swirled in both directions

 

[DWinMadison]

Ok these are NOT cleaned up yet. I still have to plane and bevel these but im really digging how the coloring turned out. This is Activated charcoal soap with tea tree and lemon oil.

View attachment 39376

Please name them “Kryptonite!” They look great.

 

[DWinMadison]

Today for the first time ever, I masterbatched oils. Only for 3 batches, but I want to get those 3 batches done & figured this might save me a little time. Plus I got 3 jars of CO emptied out so I can toss them now. I have way too many jars & bottles! Time to use up some of the ones that are low in volume.

Also re-packaged more Cocoa Butter. I'm not done with that cube, but cutting into a huge cube of cocoa butter when I want to make soap is just plain irritating. So I've pretty much run out of small plastic yogurt containers, margarine containers, and a couple other small plastic containers. Maybe later I'll just chop the rest of the block up to the best of my ability and find a large plastic bucket to put it into. Getting broken up pieces out of bucket wouldn't bother me like having to knife it each time.

After my Dr. appt. this afternoon, my goal is to finish 2 of those batches of soap.

I masterbatched x 4 last weekend. Interestingly, I batched with ZERO super fat and plan to add it at the time of production, so I can choose which super fat I want to use.

 

[DWinMadison]

Red-letter day for Vine & Branches Soapworks, LLC

1. Registered for our first farmer’s market
2. Registered Paypal Here POS system
3. Created new “official” labels
4. Set up a USPS account and shipped my 1st out-of-state order (6 bars)

 

[Serene]

Started cleaning the studio but it was not meant to be. I had to play around with some soap bars that looked plain boring. Cleaning shall begin again tomorrow... or so I hope.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Started cleaning the studio but it was not meant to be. I had to play around with some soap bars that looked plain boring. Cleaning shall begin again tomorrow... or so I hope.

View attachment 39425

How lovely! I do painted dragonflies on rocks too. I could combine my talents?

 

[Serene]

How lovely! I do painted dragonflies on rocks too. I could combine my talents?

Very much so. Most of what I do to soap comes from techniques I have from something else I do. Polymer, Sculpting, Pottery, Lampworking, Jewelry making, Cake decorating, Mixed Media, Metal work, Watercolor, etc. Its all about experimenting with what you have at hand. Not all works, but when it does, its quite satisfying.

In this case, these are a combination of carving, and painting with Micas.

 

[Kari Howie]

View attachment 39423 Red-letter day for Vine & Branches Soapworks, LLC

1. Registered for our first farmer’s market
2. Registered Paypal Here POS system
3. Created new “official” labels
4. Set up a USPS account and shipped my 1st out-of-state order (6 bars)

A red letter day indeed! How exciting!

 

[Kari Howie]

Ok these are NOT cleaned up yet. I still have to plane and bevel these but im really digging how the coloring turned out. This is Activated charcoal soap with tea tree and lemon oil.

View attachment 39376

They’re simply breathtaking! I love the colors! Are those melt and pour embeds I think I see?

 

[kaysejean]

I got an order of tallow in, 7 lbs, which is my biggest order yet. It came in a plastic jug with a spout, so I melted the tallow in a double boiler, and then poured it out into smaller containers for easier use.
I definitely need to enlighten the internet, because the Amazon reviewers hadn't figured that part out, so the reviews are suffering.

 

[Lin19687]

I TOUCHED all my soaps on the racks checking for done-ness .
ok ok I am hungry and want steak. But I did check all 46 batches I did this month

 

[ruby61]

I ordered all my oils for the fall festivals. I know it’s hard to think about fall but if I want to be ready I need to get started soon.