What soapy thing have you done today?

[violets2217]

With this weekend off I decided to start a project that I’ve been thinking about for a while. While forming a plan, I inadvertently discovered another project that has been hiding for the last couple years. The hidden project was easier so I finished it to get it out of the way... figuratively and literally! May I introduce my new spice rack! I’m waiting for some more jars to be delivered but mostly done!

Now my “Soap” project! This is my goal:

I’m starting on the drying trays and am going to work on the frame around them... In theory, it should work! First drawer done:

Holds at least 50 bars of soap. Could hold 10 more bars, but then it’s toooo heavy!
So my plan is to make a rack to hold 8 trays so I’ll be able to have 400 bars curing and will get back some of my linen closet space. Pluse I think my soap will cure better in my craft room/sun room. It’s under air and a bit less humid! So fingers crossed my plan comes together!

 

[TashaBird]

A fun experiment! The outcome wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but they’re still pretty! And I learned a LOT for next time! A new disc design, new formula, new color scheme... and ALL the colors!
Also, first time using the new custom guide that NS made for my cutter. The original was too short and it left a ding in all my round soaps. I love the new taller one!! I think it will also help keep my longer loaves more straight.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Today, my dad helped me modify my mini mixer. I got tired of it eating through AA batteries like there's no tomorrow. He made a D cell size battery box (out of cardboard, of course) for it and I made a wooden dummy battery with terminals which are connected to wires from the battery box. With D cells instead of AAs, it should last quite a bit longer before the batteries run down. I have to use alkaline batteries with it because rechargeables start out with a much lower voltage which defeats the purpose. He did tell me what kind of power supply I'd need if I want to plug it into the wall, so I will want to do that eventually.

View attachment 57554

So, equipped with a mixer that can handle a tiny batch of soap, I made a mere 173 grams of oil into soap for a fragrance test. I used a lard, olive, coconut and castor recipe. I then divided the batter into three tiny pitchers, and added fragrance to each. I am looking for a good vanilla cake scent, and I wanted to compare these three. I have others that I'll test later. None of these accelerated or riced or did anything funny, besides Buttercream Cupcake which seems to have discolored slightly. We'll see what color each is when I unmold. I am expecting all three to turn brown by the end of curing, and how dark each gets is part of what I'm testing. In a day or two I will make another batch that is the same except with VCS added. My goal is to make cupcake soaps that smell like real cupcakes. I'm going to make chocolate ones too eventually.

View attachment 57555

The only other soap I made today was a batch of hot process soap from a recipe that I had made before. But that first batch was my first batch of proper HP soap (only HP before that was shaving soap) and I overcooked it. However, the soap was still fantastic, probably one of the best that I have made yet. It was by far the ugliest (made in cavity molds, so each one had that "puffed rice cake" look on one whole side ) but as far as lather and the way it feels and everything, it is awesome. So today I made that recipe again and I made enough that I ended up with one short loaf, plus two and a half bars in a cavity mold. I tried something new with coloring in the loaf mold, we'll see how that turns out.

What a brilliant idea for the micro mixer.
Update: its gonna be interesting to see how the soap changes colors due to your different vanilla FO's.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

A fun experiment! The outcome wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but they’re still pretty! And I learned a LOT for next time! A new disc design, new formula, new color scheme... and ALL the colors!
Also, first time using the new custom guide that NS made for my cutter. The original was too short and it left a ding in all my round soaps. I love the new taller one!! I think it will also help keep my longer loaves more straight.

Wow' such pretty soaps. my goodness

 

[melonpan]

My soapy thing of the day is prepping for my next soap session, the only two things left to decide are which EOs and green colorant to use for my pine inspired soap.
So I've been searching the forum and the internet for inspiration, wondering if it's worth to try and mix french green clay with a bit of activated charcoal to make it darker, or if it's best to just go with spirulina...

Just realised I never finished the story of the mould disaster

I was catching up on the thread and I was hoping you would finish the story! The soaps look lovely.

With this weekend off I decided to start a project that I’ve been thinking about for a while. While forming a plan, I inadvertently discovered another project that has been hiding for the last couple years. The hidden project was easier so I finished it to get it out of the way... figuratively and literally! May I introduce my new spice rack!
[...]
Now my “Soap” project! This is my goal:
View attachment 57589

Your spice rack is so satifying to look at, with all the matching labels! And I may or may not have saved the ref picture for your soap project... love the idea!

 

[Kiwi2:)]

I hear ya! I'm almost out of soy wax - seems we have a national shortage ( I blame covid). There'll be no reworking of my recipes without it - its a mainstay for me. Unless i just keep making @Zany_in_CO's NSC until I can get more. I've already subbed my usual brand with an alternative that seems to be working fine, but now that's running low and is out of stock at the supplier.... eek!

Hiya -
I've tried this in my CP and it works out fine - 100% soy - and it's still in stock!!
https://www.candlecreations.co.nz/product/soy-wax-seasons-s100/

 

[Adobehead]

I used up the last of the olive oil infused with rhubarb root. It is paler in color than I was hopeing, so made more oil today. The specks are cranberry fiber.
I made a killer blend for the Geranium EO. Going to try this again and hope for more pink next time.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

With this weekend off I decided to start a project that I’ve been thinking about for a while. While forming a plan, I inadvertently discovered another project that has been hiding for the last couple years. The hidden project was easier so I finished it to get it out of the way... figuratively and literally! May I introduce my new spice rack! I’m waiting for some more jars to be delivered but mostly done!
View attachment 57588
Now my “Soap” project! This is my goal:
View attachment 57589
I’m starting on the drying trays and am going to work on the frame around them... In theory, it should work! First drawer done:
View attachment 57591


Holds at least 50 bars of soap. Could hold 10 more bars, but then it’s toooo heavy!
So my plan is to make a rack to hold 8 trays so I’ll be able to have 400 bars curing and will get back some of my linen closet space. Pluse I think my soap will cure better in my craft room/sun room. It’s under air and a bit less humid! So fingers crossed my plan comes together!

Love Love Your Beautiful Soap! & Your New Designed Soap Curing Drawer' I Think It's Gonna Cure Your Soap beautifully. Is that pine wood that you've used?

 

[TashaBird]

This disc was super funky and experimental. There was too much fine detail in it maybe. Still fun playing with new designs! I’ll show y’all the disc when it gets cleaned.

 

[violets2217]

Is that pine wood that you've used?

Lol! I’m guessing it’s pine. I even checked my Home Depot app shopping list and it doesn’t say what type of wood it is... They are the cheap 1x2 furring strips that I use for most of my diy projects.... They serve their purpose most of the time. It’s funny because the Pin that I found with the diy curing rack said that you can spend $50 on wood and a couple hours building. I’m wondering how old the post is because I’ve spent a wee bit more on lumber!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Hiya -
I've tried this in my CP and it works out fine - 100% soy - and it's still in stock!!
https://www.candlecreations.co.nz/product/soy-wax-seasons-s100/

Thanks Darl! It’s $10 more than I usually pay, but looks good if the other doesn’t comeback in stock in time.

 

[TashaBird]

This was the disc for that last one. I think if the thin openings were thicker it would translate better. But if someone wanted something feathery looking, like WINGS, a design with those aspects would work!

 

[JuLeeRenee]

I burnt 2 of my fingers trying to make a soap dish mold so I can make my own resin soap dish. I really need to remember that hot glue guns are um hot.

 

[Quanta]

Lol! I’m guessing it’s pine. I even checked my Home Depot app shopping list and it doesn’t say what type of wood it is... They are the cheap 1x2 furring strips that I use for most of my diy projects.... They serve their purpose most of the time. It’s funny because the Pin that I found with the diy curing rack said that you can spend $50 on wood and a couple hours building. I’m wondering how old the post is because I’ve spent a wee bit more on lumber!

I would be surprised if you found some that weren't pine. They are like 2x4's that way.
Lumber is one of the things in short supply due to the pandemic. Prices will be higher than normal for a while yet as suppliers are catching up. Fortunately, I have quite a stash in my garage that was purchased pre-pandemic so I haven't had to go to the lumberyard in a while. I could make quite a few soap molds and still have some left.

 

[Vicki C]

A fun experiment! The outcome wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but they’re still pretty! And I learned a LOT for next time! A new disc design, new formula, new color scheme... and ALL the colors!
Also, first time using the new custom guide that NS made for my cutter. The original was too short and it left a ding in all my round soaps. I love the new taller one!! I think it will also help keep my longer loaves more straight.

I LOVE these, they are all beautiful. My eye is especially drawn to the one with the very subtle rainbow border then blue, then white, red, orange, yellow. Really stunning.

 

[GemstonePony]

Cherry blossom batch 3 was cut, mostly to see how my design ideas turned out: the TD I put in the lye solution hid that the lye had flaked since the solution was too cold, and thus the soap is unusable because it has lye chunks. Also, the colors were off because I forgot how much purple I really do have to add to counteract the FO going yellow. My phone camera makes it look less orange than it really is. But, here's a pic because the overall design is close to what I wanted.
Also, today I made a layered soap with BB's Lily of the Valley FO, and just a little NS Earth meets Sky to ground it a little. Still in the mold because the "slight acceleration" Brambleberry listed for Lily of the Valley turned out to indeed be slight. It was soaped as separate batches for each layer anyways, since it was intended to be a confidence-booster soap.

 

[KimW]

Cherry blossom batch 3 was cut, mostly to see how my design ideas turned out: the TD I put in the lye solution hid that the lye had flaked since the solution was too cold, and thus the soap is unusable because it has lye chunks. Also, the colors were off because I forgot how much purple I really do have to add to counteract the FO going yellow. My phone camera makes it look less orange than it really is. But, here's a pic because the overall design is close to what I wanted.
Also, today I made a layered soap with BB's Lily of the Valley FO, and just a little NS Earth meets Sky to ground it a little. Still in the mold because the "slight acceleration" Brambleberry listed for Lily of the Valley turned out to indeed be slight. It was soaped as separate batches for each layer anyways, since it was intended to be a confidence-booster soap.

Oh bummer that the cherry blossom soap won't be usable. They sure are a lovely design!

 

[Zing]

A fun experiment! The outcome wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but they’re still pretty! And I learned a LOT for next time! A new disc design, new formula, new color scheme... and ALL the colors!

I love your photos. Totally awed by them. Awed, I say!

I used up the last of the olive oil infused with rhubarb root. It is paler in color than I was hopeing, so made more oil today. The specks are cranberry fiber.
I made a killer blend for the Geranium EO. Going to try this again and hope for more pink next time.

View attachment 57598

What's your blend if you care to share? I'm curious about geranium -- can you compare it to anything? I like your soap and I like cranberries and you got 'em all in one!

 

[Adobehead]

What's your blend if you care to share? I'm curious about geranium -- can you compare it to anything? I like your soap and I like cranberries and you got 'em all in one!

Zing, I thought I discovered that Bergamot in a 50-50 ratio kicked up the Geranium scent but now I think 75 geranium, 25 Bergamot is the ticket. I also add 1 teaspoon of Pachouly in addition as a base note and to hold the scent better. It is not discernable as pachouly but it enhances the others.
Geranium is like geranium and has many fans, not all women. It can be said to be floral but I think comes from the leaves of the pelargonium. If you haven't tried it, get a sample, quick!

 

[TashaBird]

Tuesday I leave for FL to see my family. Usually I see my gbabies twice a year, but this is my first visit since covid started.
I realized if I didn’t make a rainbow soap is been planning, yesterday, it wouldn’t be ready in time for pride.
So, we shall see how it turns out.
The batter for each layer wasn’t quite enough to cover the embeds. But I kind of made it work. The stripes won’t be as crisp as I’d wanted. But I got to use a bunch of yogurt containers I’d been saving! Cut down on clean up today as I’m packing.
And why the heck is my essential oil oozing out?! Hopefully it soaks back in during the cure.