Soap Makers Help!

[ChicksterJo]

LOL! Good thing we don't have kids yet...I already can't find enough time for all the hobbies I have.
I am going to try both the salt and sugar thing. Our water is still kind of hard and I don't believe we have a water softener since we've never bought the salt for it. Maybe I will try a beer soap even though my SO might just drink the beer or complain that I'm letting it go flat

What state do you live in, if you don't mind me asking? We are trying to look for a property with woods/acreage and a house on it so I will hopefully be a woman in the woods, too! Just saw a good deal today - a $30000 house with land. I am excited and I want to tell my SO but he is at work. I don't know if we have enough money for the loan and closing process...neither of us have bought a house before and I'm worried about all the fees.
Once you have your husband on a momentum, i.e. having him do all that stuff, don't let it stop lol. It's easier at least for me to ask my fiance to do a bunch of things at once than to ask at separate times. There are more chances of him saying no!

I froze some milk in the ice cube tray so once they're frozen I will start another lard batch.

 

[WomanInTheWoods]

Awesome! I just saw a recipe for an oatmeal, milk & honey that used 100% lard. Sounds very moisturizing.

As for the beer, disguise it! I label everything. Label the beer in a mason jar as "vapidus cervisia" ... (Latin for flat beer via google

) Once flat, freeze them into cubes, pop them into a labeled zip bag in the freezer. If you label them as beer cubes in the freezer he'll think you were being extra thoughtful!

We're in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The fall colors on the trees right now will knock your socks off! I love this time of year! We live in a log house on just over 11 acres. I feel truly blessed to be here. I hope you are able to get your house & land. There are lots of great deals for first time home owners, I'm sure you'll find a way. Your real estate agent or loan officer can help you find them, and interest rates are still ridiculously low, so it's actually a great time to buy. Good luck!

You're right, handing the man a list to be done is the best way to go! That he can handle, but he gets very grumpy if I ask him to do just oooone more thing once his royal hiney has touched the couch cushion.

Asking while a game is on... Bahahaha!!! ...not happening.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hey! Quick Q, how much cocoa powder per lb oil (it's hersheys unsweetened)?
Waiting for oil and lye mix to cool down right now.
Many thanks!

 

[WomanInTheWoods]

Quote:
From reading a few threads on the SMF, I'd say try 1 Tbsp ppo... that's what I would do.

I've not tried it yet, but I'm looking forward to it! Is there anyone else around that's maybe actually done this before?

 

[ChicksterJo]

I advised that I used 1.5 T. for my 32 oz. batch. I am about ready to do my milk & lard based soap. Just going to start weighing out my oils while I wait for the milk to fully freeze..wish me luck and hope that my stick blender doesn't burn out (or my arm)!!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Thanks Y'all! I got powder crazy and it is black --- but it should smell like chocolate. I colored half the batter pink and scented with peppermint and the other half the batter added cocoa powder. It'll be a smelly mess!

Good luck! Don't be scared by the milk soap. I've never made anything except milk-based soap from the beginning.

Lisa

 

[WomanInTheWoods]

Yay! Good luck!

I want to do the shampoo bars tonight, but I'm really excited about my shave soap recipe, too! I hope I have time for both... maybe... if the kids actually go to bed and stay there the first time around...

 

[buffbeauty]

I'm so jealous. I was a soaping fiend a few weeks ago and now I've been too busy to soap for several weeks!! Chico swirls are gorgeous and you'll LOVE the spearmint eucalyptus

 

[WomanInTheWoods]

buffbeauty, I did a eucalyptus / cajeput for my first batch (kids had colds so it made sense

) with tallow... it came out so white and smells so good! I, of course, have no patience whatsoever, so tested out too soon and thought it needed more bubbles and improvement. I've been using it again the last few days and find it's sooo much better. My hard head learned what I've been reading all along~ the DO improve with age! lol

 

[buffbeauty]

They do!!