Soap Makers Help!

[chiknwhisperer]

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I can't believe how stupid a person would have to be to fall for that crap. Or to think that someone will fall for it for that matter.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Almost ready lol. I have almost everything labeled and wrapped. I really think I like the soap boxes better then the shrink wrap. They just seem to look better. But there are some of my soaps that definitely won't fit into those boxes. I used up all the soap boxes I have and DH really likes the look of them. Those are going to be on my reorder list for sure.
My MIL took the basket that she was putting together for a bridal shower gift into to work today. The bride's mother works there and my MIL said that when the lady opened up the bag she had the basket in, she started crying about how pretty and professional it looked. It seems that my getting her to let me stick to wrapping them all the same made a big difference. Although unfortunately we both forgot to take a pic

My MIL likes things to look good when she gives them as a gift but she has a tendency to make them look like what lots of people think home made stuff looks like. I have told people before that I make a lot of homemade stuff and they kinda get that look like eww. People don't seem to realize that you ca make beautiful things yourself. The problem is, is that when my MIL does these things she kind of leans towards giving people a reason to say eww. I'm am so happy that lady liked that gift that much.
Well I better get going off to bed. I haven't been sleeping because of all the excitement and I have a ton of little things to do tomorrow and have to squeeze in making laundry soap for SIL and clipping my chicken's wings

I lost one of my GC babies tonight because her and her 2 sisters decided to go over the top of the run while my labs were out in the yard. One of my labs I use for hunting and he is the one who you have to worry about. Well he got Saleen but we still have Steeda and Shelby. Poor Steeda was screaming from under a bush and I htought Shelby was gone for sure. I walked all over calling for her and I just barely noticed a twitch by my fence. The poor girl was upside down on her back in between the chain link fence and a landscaping timber. Saleen and Steeda looked a lot a like but I think it was Saleen that we lost. They used to be a bit smarter about staying in the run while the dogs were loose. Poor Steeda screams now when she sees O'ryan my lab. Oh well I've done to much rambling.
Time to go t bed and dream of soap and chickens.

 

[NanaKat]

Yes Morgaine, I gell all my soaps now.
When I used a 12 x 12 inch mold, one bar thickness, the soaps did not always gell.
Now that I'm using log molds, I get a nice gell each time.

I had read somewhere about using green tea in soaps and decided to try it. I have yet to have a batch turn brown....
My research indicated that green tea helped to keep the milks from "burning".
I find it easier to add the milk at the light trace.

 

[Morgaine]

I'm sorry you lost one of your babies.

I'm so glad that she liked your soaps in the gift basket. I bet she'll love them even more once she tries them. Just wait till you get people coming back to you at the market saying how much the like your soaps. It's so cool when other people like the stuff you make.

Nana Kat, I use log molds too and like them better, although I find them a little harder to swirl in, I can never get it like I want when I used a slab.

Interesting about tea and milk. I love to read more about it. When I do milk soaps, I use a equal parts lye and water, mix, and then let them cool to room temp (below 90 at least) then I add the milk with some powdered milk if I want an all milk soap. The milk just comes right out of the fridge so I don't have to bother with freezing it. I still get a decently light colored soap this way that nice and creamy. For me that's been the easiest way. The only milk soaps that go dark are ones with honey.

 

[cheeptrick]

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In dark (green or amber) glass in a cool, dark place.

yes, the price break is definitely worth it.

I'll have soap sweat on me during the summer ... then again it's pretty humid here and we don't have an AC

I get soap sweat mostly when I mix melt and pour glycerin...the glycerin ALWAYS sweats when layering etc. AND do not add salt to a pure glycerin bar...it melts it. When we are at the swaps too...I make sure the glycerin is shrink wrapped because it melts/sweats. So the soaps I use glycerin in I put in Biodegradable Wraps from Nashville Wraps. My purely CP soaps never sweat much...the ones I gel usually are the ones that sweat.

I put my dehumidifier near my racks when curing...it helps speed it up.

I'm getting ready to make some beach butter...anyone else????


Nanakat...those are gorgeous bars!

 

[Morgaine]

I was going to do three batches last night, but ran out of Castor oil after weighing the first one so I have everything waiting till later today when my order from columbus gets in today. I've been a soaping fool the last week, I've soaped 72 pounds (in oils only) Thursday-Wednesday. Oh and my rebatch, I need to cut that today too.

 

[cheeptrick]

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Can you come and soap for me too??

DH had a heart attack 6 weeks ago...he's only 38 and we've had a tough go of it and still shocked and love him like mad and seeing him in a hospital bed breaks my heart.
I'm going to my next swap with only 160 bars of soap...hope its enough....it'll have to be for this one. I just made an order for more oils...I've been adding SAFFLOWER oil to everything lately...and jojoba spears. I love them...also been more into EO's and loving them so much better. FO's are cool...but the EO's are so much more stable and last so much longer in the soap...I used a bar that was a year old and it was FABULOUS!!! Smell was still very stong.

 

[Morgaine]

to you and your hubby, I can't imagine how scary that was! I'll make sure to say some extra prayers for your family.

What EO's have you been using? I don't much experience with them.

 

[cheeptrick]

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Actually I ordered a bunch from your University Essential Oil website...I LOVE IT. I have almost completely switched over from Sweet Cakes...just ordering my Oatmeal Milk and Honey and Clean Cotton from them. I order my Fresh Lavender from The Chemistry Store (it really is the best lavender in my opinion).

I have curing a BASIL EO and a Rosemary EO bar and after seeing your pics of the your soaps where you turned the mold on its side....you got me inspired with your layering on the Yuzo Grapefruit and I wished I had seen that before I poured the basil. I might do that with the rosemary...

How did you do it?? Just placed something under the mold to make the soap layer sideways like that? It is so beautiful!!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

cheeptrick I'll keep you and hubby in my prayers

So far I have 203 bars wrapped and ready to go. Do you think that will be enough? I can put a few more in there but I was kinda wondering if I should hold a few back so I have some for next week.