What soapy thing have you done today?

[Relle]

@Relle @AliensrReal my post was really long, so I completely forgive anyone who skipped over the part where the DH encouraged me to open a few of them and use them. Who was I to argue with that??

Seriously, he knows how much I still have left to make before our annual Ladies' Christmas luncheon (a week from today). I was up till 1am this morning working on lip balms. I had planned to do bath bombs today, but it has been snowing here since Thursday night (it is now Saturday morning where I am). This same thing happened last year, and my bath bombs were all warty from the extra humidity. I recently learned that our new heating system has a dehumidifier setting, so I'm going to try that. Then it's back to lotions, sugar scrubs, and some mechanic's soap for a January order. Wish me luck!

I know, know, I did read it all.

Would love to go to the luncheon, only to get the gift bag of course. It would take me a little while to get there but maybe I can use my jet .

 

[Shelley D]

I know, know, I did read it all.

Would love to go to the luncheon, only to get the gift bag of course. It would take me a little while to get there but maybe I can use my jet .

Me too!

 

[Jorah]

maybe I can use my jet .

I'll pick everyone up in my Leer...

 

[Savage Daughter]

Is that including the stalk and all the leafy bits?

Actually, I brain farted I forgot about my bucket o' retch-inducing fertilizer, as well as the mound I threw in my soil rejuvenator / 'reactor'....I was wandering around thinking THAT'S IT ?!? after posting that statement, then walked outside the next day & noticed my bucket o' stink & recalled all the work I had done with that kelp....

It's easy to forget how much a person is doing out here when you're always busy doing something....

We are still clear of snow over the next couple of weeks according to the forecast, not even freezing WOOT! so hope to have an opportunity to haul in some more of those beautiful puppies for the purpose of growing organic food crops & herbs...

I may finally be rested enough to start some soaping work. I have a lunch date with a friend, but already this morning I've chopped some soap scraps for a future confetti batch, which is a chore that's much easier to do in smaller bits, like this half-quart, rather than waiting until the day-of. More importantly, I've set up my two lye safes. I am using the Damp Rid tubs now, but eventually I'll get a couple of those 'safe dehydrator' gadgets that you plug in to refresh. Here are photos for folks who may not have heard of them before. They're large buckets with 'gamma lids,' a screw-top that fits on round buckets. You put your lye in them with something to catch humidity, which keeps the lye containers in as low-humidity an environment as possible. I got the idea from this forum, of course.

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The chopped soap (duh).

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Five jars of lye in the bucket.
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Packing paper stuffed in to keep the Damp Rid cup upright. Kludge will be replaced with a dehydrator gadget soon.

Very good idea. Those lids are something which many people who use bokashi make use of. I don't bother because I like doing things the easy way....but for the purpose of keeping 25kg of lye nice and dry, chunk-tastic-free, that is a great idea! I have been mulling this over this week before opening this honking bag of lye.

I love Waldo! And so do my kids! That's my youngest dressed as Waldo for Halloween this year ~ along with my DIL and grand daughters

That's awesome I LOVE Waldo, always have!

I sure hope this pricey but amazing SB lasts a long time, because even if it doesn't, I can't go back now - I'm ruined!

My Floridian friends introduced me to an All-Clad stick blender when I had dinner with them at their house one night....I was putzing around their kitchen helping them put the finishing touches on dinner & was shocked at how QUIET that stick blender is. I really like it & am considering buying one for myself....

Nah. Finding Waldo was in pictures. Finding Carmen SanDiego was geographical clues. I never watched the cartoon that came out years later. I watched the kids' game show with Rockapella singing "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego!"

I seem to remember my kids having a Carmen San Diego computer game in the 90s....I think....don't quote me on that

 

[AliOop]

@Relle well if you do fly in, can I hitch a ride back with you? Australia is on my bucket list. See, there's this lady there who makes the most amazing yarn pieces that I'd like to purchase, but I have to go there to get them, since she refuses to ship them. If you don't mind stopping over in KiwiLand for some painted rocks, that would be awesome, too. If it's not too much trouble?

 

[Relle]

@Relle well if you do fly in, can I hitch a ride back with you? Australia is on my bucket list. See, there's this lady there who makes the most amazing yarn pieces that I'd like to purchase, but I have to go there to get them, since she refuses to ship them. If you don't mind stopping over in KiwiLand for some painted rocks, that would be awesome, too. If it's not too much trouble?

Not too much trouble, I could call in to NZ and pick up Kiwi on the way over and we could stay a while. Oz is not that far, a couple of sleeping tablets and your here. hehe.

 

[MomInWA]

Me too, me too! I want to go to NZ and AussieLand! Bondi beach has been on my bucket list for years.

 

[MomInWA]

Some of you may recall my amazing flop for last month's hanger swirl challenge. Never one to give up, I present the following experiment. I rebatched the failed hanger swirl into a rose-pink loaf, which I still wasn't happy with. In the interest of Science, I have been rebatching it with different recipes.

First was this. I took a chunk of the soft soap and mixed it with my melted oils. SB'd it until it was smooth. Added my lye water, purposely force gelled it at 150F. Took it out the next day, cut into bars and tested the scraps. YES! I have adequately usable soap! What I would have done differently: First, I should have let it sit two or more days, but I got overexcited and unmolded it. It's partially gelled and I hope it will be ok. Second, I should have wiped off my cutting blade in between slices, because....well...you can see it smeared onto the bars. What's the best way for me to clean up the bars now?

Recipe is simple. Almond Oil 300g; Coconut Oil, 400g, Soybean Oil 100g. 244.44g liquid + 122.22g lye. I did not add more colors. The fragrance seems to be holding up well. So far, so good! Stay tuned for Rebatch #2, where I redo the hanger swirl! I can't unmold it for at least another day. Patience, patience.

ETA photo from today. It actually looks pretty good! Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!

 

[Blue1969]

Bingeing on what now?

Soapmaking

 

[Blue1969]

Had a lovely soapy day!
Tried 3 different sample batches with pure macadamia ingredients - can't wait to see how it turns out.
Then made a Christmas soap with Santa's hat and some star embeds, followed by revenge on the FO that turned my Father Christmas's beard brown - by using it to make a "Christmas cake" soap.
Currently waiting to cut/unmold.

 

[Guspuppy]

I am in the midst of making soap for the first time in two years. Lye is cooling and oils are melting. Just a simple plain soap, no scent or color. But I can tell you now the addiction to soapmaking is IMMEDIATELY back!!

 

[Blue1969]

I am in the midst of making soap for the first time in two years. Lye is cooling and oils are melting. Just a simple plain soap, no scent or color. But I can tell you now the addiction to soapmaking is IMMEDIATELY back!!

Will we EVER get rid of the addiction?

 

[Relle]

Not too much trouble, I could call in to NZ and pick up Kiwi on the way over and we could stay a while. Oz is not that far, a couple of sleeping tablets and your here. hehe.

Forgot to add, @AliOop , @KiwiMoose will have to wait out the front of her house, I won't be stopping, just using a grappling hook to grab her and keep on flying, costs too much to land and take off again. lol

 

[KiwiMoose]

Forgot to add, @AliOop , @KiwiMoose will have to wait out the front of her house, I won't be stopping, just using a grappling hook to grab her and keep on flying, costs too much to land and take off again. lol

Beam me up Scotty!

 

[Relle]

Beam me up Scotty!

Now, that would be easier.

 

[Zing]

I have climbed out of my COVID cave, tried to catch up with you all here -- and made soap today! It was my second attempt at the Splash Swirl my challenge entry. White with accents of green and blue and the scent is awesome. I am predicting stearic spots again, heavy sigh. Wait, wha?! November's done? The entry thread is closed?

Psst, @AliOop , Santa's watching you know and making a list of those who are peeking at their presents. God only knows what happens to those naughty ones WHO OPEN UP AND START PLAYING WITH THEIR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS ALREADY.!

 

[Shelley D]

Will we EVER get rid of the addiction?

I sure hope not! It's one of 2 most functional hobbies I have ~ basket making being the other

 

[dmcgee5034]

I made some gift sets for the boutique this Friday. These have a soap and lotion bar in them. Don’t they look cute in this little galvanized bathtub my neighbor let me borrow?

 

[MomInWA]

I did it! I did it!!! Here is my November Challenge hanger swirl rebatch. Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Using @ScentimentallyYours recipe "Vegan Friendly Soap, Very White Base", which is what the original recipe was that I messed up the first time. She was kind enough to tell me what I did wrong the first time, so I thank you very kindly, Ma'am! I think I got it this time!

To rebatch, I melted 17% shreds of the first batch with my oils, SB'd it to smooth, added lye water. Separated batter into three parts: Original rose pink, purple, and black. Placed loaf mold on the diagonal and poured the rose pink. Allowed to partially set. Placed mold on its back and poured purple, then black, then a bit more rose on top. Performed hanger swirl. And here it is!

 

[Shelley D]

I did it! I did it!!! Here is my November Challenge hanger swirl rebatch. Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Using @ScentimentallyYours recipe "Vegan Friendly Soap, Very White Base", which is what the original recipe was that I messed up the first time. She was kind enough to tell me what I did wrong the first time, so I thank you very kindly, Ma'am! I think I got it this time!

To rebatch, I melted 17% shreds of the first batch with my oils, SB'd it to smooth, added lye water. Separated batter into three parts: Original rose pink, purple, and black. Placed loaf mold on the diagonal and poured the rose pink. Allowed to partially set. Placed mold on its back and poured purple, then black, then a bit more rose on top. Performed hanger swirl. And here it is!

Bravo! That looks amazing @