Soap Makers Help!

[MissPrissy]

The Soapmakers Companion

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Thank You !

 

[MissPrissy]

Look for a used copy.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
No problem divulging at all. I purchased mine over at Camden Grey, which is where I ordered my lye. The Lemon Verbena FO I bought over there is in the paraffin and soy section under "Verbena". The info at the bottom of the page says that all of the FOs are skin safe and most are phthalate free (this one was). They purchase their FO's and don't make them themselves, so not all of the oils have been tested directly by them on CP soaps. This one had not, but like you I really wanted to do one so I took a chance that it'd be fine. It did not discolor the soap at all when we made it. It performed exactly like all the other FO's I've tried so far. It smells really good. Everyone thought it smelled like a lemon poppy seed muffin. Yum!

Here's the link: http://www.camdengrey.com/essentialoils/1504-O/

As for the plant, I saw one just recently at Armstrong Nursery. If you have those near you it may be worth checking.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
Got mine on Ebay and the price was GREAT. In the meantime, check the local libraries. They didn't have a copy in my town, but there was one in the next town over. I read that for the three weeks I was waiting for my personal copy to arrive.

 

[MissPrissy]

Here's a heads up on gifting-

When you pop in Target take a minute to browse the $1 section inside the front doors.

We picked up a stack of fingertip towels embroidered with Christmas trees for $1 for 2 towels. They are nice little towels, thick and not cheap looking or feeling.

Those towels and a bar of homemade wonderfully scented soap makes a great hostess gift or a small token for those you want to show good tidings too during the holidays.

Just after Halloween I got pumpkins and leaf shaped dishes at Target for $2 - they are super nice and will hold 2 - 3 bars of soap. A little clear bagging and a nice bow and that is a great gift for a co-worker, a teacher, even a nice neighbor.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Thanks for that info. I wouldn't have thought of it. I was just going to put in some colored celofan and maybe wrap it. so it would be a suprise.

 

[redhead83402]

Quote:
No problem divulging at all. I purchased mine over at Camden Grey, which is where I ordered my lye. The Lemon Verbena FO I bought over there is in the paraffin and soy section under "Verbena". The info at the bottom of the page says that all of the FOs are skin safe and most are phthalate free (this one was). They purchase their FO's and don't make them themselves, so not all of the oils have been tested directly by them on CP soaps. This one had not, but like you I really wanted to do one so I took a chance that it'd be fine. It did not discolor the soap at all when we made it. It performed exactly like all the other FO's I've tried so far. It smells really good. Everyone thought it smelled like a lemon poppy seed muffin. Yum!

Here's the link: http://www.camdengrey.com/essentialoils/1504-O/

As for the plant, I saw one just recently at Armstrong Nursery. If you have those near you it may be worth checking.

Well I feel like an idiot ~ all this time I have been looking for lemon verbena under ~lemon~ rather than just plain ~verbena~ sheesh ~

lol ~ And thanks for the source, I will look into camden grey. I wish we had an armstrong, lol ~ maybe if I look under heirloom seeds under VERBENA, lol, I might have better luck.
~Red

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
I'm of the belief that no question is a bad question, so ask away as far as I'm concerned.

Brambleberry also has a lemon verbena:
http://www.brambleberry.com/fragrance_hton.html
I haven't tried Brambleberry yet, but others have been happy with their FOs.
Sweetcakes, another favorite of soapers has a lemon verbena as well:
http://www.sweetcakes.com/default.php?cPath=6&sort=1a&&page=2

Hope one of these works for you.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Am I addicted yet?

10 days and 4 batches of soap!

Today was Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey. Ninja sufficiently frightened me about the goat milk

, so I did more reading online before getting started. I only had 32 ounces and needed 42 ounces for the recipe I was making, so I opted to use distilled water for the remaining 10 ounces. I figured that gave me a little more wiggle room. Now that I pulled it off (I hope), I won't be as afraid to do the full thing next time.

I froze the milk until it was good and slushy and added the water to make the entire amount. I completely emptied my ice maker into the sink and filled it up with water to create an ice bath to help keep the temperatures down in the milk/lye mixture. Then, I added the lye to the milk really, really slowly - over about 10 minutes, stirring and watching the temperature before adding more. I still got a color shift in the milk, but I actually like the color - kind of the color of honey, which I think fits the soap.

I was surprised that the milk/lye was kind of thick. What causes that?

Once my oils and milk were both around 95, give or take, I slowly began combining them. At light trace I added the avocado oil for superfatting along with a couple T of Honey and 1/2 cup of ground oats. Then I added the OMH FO. Just a bit more stirring and it was good to pour.

It took longer than my previous batches to get to trace, but it looks really good. It's nice and smooth. I have a lid on it and a thin towel, but I'm watching the heat on it and will remove all when it starts to do what it needs to do.

I'm

and hoping that it will be successful!