After watching President Obama's acceptance speech I headed to the soap shop. I had not made soap for many weeks. I need to get the curing racks back in action!! I pulled muscles in my back while lifting hay last night, so I watched the speech on a heating pad, which helped by the way, and for that I am grateful! I am a go, go, go type of person. So, I got up, put on my coat, and announced, "Off to the shop. I cannot call in sick today!"
These are the two batches that I just poured into molds. I did not go red/white/blue. I was in a green color mood. The soap on the left is grapefruit mint. It will not be as dark in color once it cures. The soap on the right, hmmm, quite the different story. I'll start a new paragraph dedicated just to the soap on the right, tee hee.
I'll start with, I have been making soap since 2003. Today is the first day that I have used a colorant other than herbs, essential oils or complextion clays. With that being said now, I'll also tell you that I hate to read instructions! Yes, I am one of those people that likes to try things on my own and then go back and read. Don't ask me why, even I do not know why. I learn a lot more that way, always have. But, things go wrong from time to time. So...today, I made one batch of soap that was supposed to be teal with white and green swirls. Hmmm...does the soap on the right look like teal, white and green to you? Naw...It is more of a peach cottage cheese with white and green swirls. Ha ha ha. I am not sure if it is going to "take," for a few other reasons that only a soaper easily detects. So, I may be throwing it out. I hope not!
I have been lucky, my record stands at 2 batches of soap thrown in the trash can in 2008. The one on the right just might be another. Tee hee. I hope not, it smells devine!! One of the batches that I threw away stunk, yes, it absolutely stunk! It was supposed to be a replica of a famous perfume, instead it was P-U-fumey!!!! I tried to like it. I cannot politely tell you here what it smelled like. My husband walked into the shop the day that I cut that loaf into bars and asked me what stunk so bad, and he cannot smell anything! I opened the trash can and dumped the soap. Took the trash bag out of the room as well. Funny! It had to go!
Anyhow, that is my soaping story for the day. Tomorrow I will cut the loaves into bars and share pics then too. I took a new shot inside the soap room today, just to show you how bright of a day we are having. I didn't even flip on the fluorescent lights. It was nice!
Take care...enjoy!!!!
14 comments:
How fun and pretty! It has been a sunny day here too, nice but on the chilly side!
I'm looking forward to all the new colors Mary. 11 degrees here, is your shop heated?
When I looked at the soap on the right about an hour ago, I did not see the peach, it appeared teal. Interesting. Next check, cutting tomorrow. :)
It was chilly here too, Amy.
Joanna, I have heat in the shop. Wow, it really was cold down your way today! I think we had a high of 19. Not too warm either, but it feels reasonable to me now that the sub zero stuff is gone. :)
Thanks for commenting on my blog! I don't think I had seen your name before, so I came over here. I don't know what I was expecting to find, but Inauguration Day Soap and goat's milk products weren't on my list! Great post, by the way.
Goat's milk body products have been my wife's favorites for many, many years. I will come back here often to learn more!
By the way, if the soap smells divine, don't throw it out! Think up a great name, Peachy Keen, or something, and voila!, you may have a brand new line!
Oh sad! I hate to see wasted soap. But, some green FD&C's definitely goes pinks or peaches so maybe that's what happened. I hope it turns out beautiful when it finally comes out for you.
Even if it doesn't, definitely do not chuck it. There are lots of people that love handmade soap, even if it's not the perfect color of teal.
You're right, the soap on the left does not fit your intended description, but it might be a good batch anyway, if it smells nice and does the soapy thing it is supposed to. Have you ever grated up soap you were not happy with and combined it with other soaps into soap balls?
I thought I would let you know, I bathed with the Lavender soap you sent me and for the first time in 2 months I have not had the terrible, wanting to scratch my legs to shreds, itching after my bath, and I use commercially, doctor-prescribed soap products to help with the dry skin.They obviously have not worked, so guess what kind of soap I will be using? Thanks again!
BTW, good way to spend the day,being productive with making something so necessary and smelling so nice.
Good to know it's not just me that has batches turn out a bit wrong. Reserve judgement till they're out, who knows!?
I'm on the look out for a good mid blue colour, if you know of one, let me know :)
Oh and the shop looks superb, I'm supremely jealous!
Good Morning!
I love comments!
Don't worry...some of my best soaps have turned out from what I thought might be flops. I do not call them disasters until they go through a lot of steps, including using a sample of the cured soap. I have full faith in what I am stewing up this week! You will be hearing more!
Thanks, Anne Marie, I love the colors!
Kathy, I use my own soap now because I only find relief with it. The formula works, and I am sticking with it. Thank you for your comments! Glad you enjoyed the sample and the lavender goat milk soap!
Mary, I think I may have solved the mystery of why the computer thinks you are in Watson, Illinois. Come back over to the post on my blog where you left your comment and read what I found! I left three comments addressed to you; I apologize for the piecemeal nature of my research....
Robert, I left new comments on your blog. Seriously, though, I always show up as coming from Watson, Illinois on the location/counters on blogs. Makes me wonder how reliable they actually are, and makes me wonder if others see the same thing when they log onto a blog with that sort of reader.
Corrie, I have some blue to test as well. Something tells me it is going to be a great blue. I very happy so far with the green! I stepped into the shop for a few moments to look at the soaps this morning. Cutting will come later this afternoon. I am excited! :)
Mary, instructions are for amateurs and when all else fails. You and I are alike that way.
Just a thought - before you chuck any more soap in the trash, is there a homeless shelter or orphanage, or women's shelter than can use it? Trust me, even stinky or P-Uy soap would be welcome.
I LOVE your soap room and I love learning about soap making. That's just the coolest. Thank you for instructing us.
By the way.... I think the peach cottage cheese with white and green swirls soap looks pretty.
PS: My word verification is "cruded" as in the soap you threw out was cruded.
Alix, soap that is fit for human use does not get thrown away. The first place I like to check the soap into are shelters for battered woman, the second is missions and/or homeless shelters.
A batch that crumbles wouldn't do anyone any good. But the stinkified one might have fit in somewhere! Good catch! Just because it nauseated me terribly, it might not have made someone else feel sick.
"Cruded!" LOL!
Mary,
It always picks a different place in Ohio with those counters, LOL!
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