luxury Soap & Gifts

VISIT MY SOAP STORE . JUST CLICK ON THE SNOWMAN!

2011-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

Beer Soap/ Shampoo bar

2011-12-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful scented bar and yes it is made with real beer!

Pumpkin Lager with a hint of firewood. A scent any man in your life will love!

Luxurious lather! Made with jojoba oil and safflower oil....makes for a wonderful shampoo bar according to a close friend and my husband:)

Bars are 4.1 oz

$4.50 ea

Pineapple Jasmine w/ cocoa butter

2011-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful scent! The sweetness of pineapple and the floral of Jasmine come together in a beautiful scent that will delight any lady in your life!

Bars are 4.1 oz

$4.00 ea

Kudzu

2011-12-12T15:50:00.001-08:00

Kudzu....this one reminds me of the old fashioned grape sodas :) Fun and sweet scent of grapes.

Lather is creamy and thick.

Bars are 3.4 oz

$3.75 ea.

Orange Clove

2011-12-12T15:43:00.001-08:00

Another great scent for Christmas! The sweet scent of orange combined with the spices of Nutmeg.

Made with cocoa butter

Bars are 4.+ oz

$4.00 ea.

2011-12-12T15:35:00.000-08:00

This is a delightful and refreshing scent perfect for Christmas or anytime! Made with shea butter and cocoa butter for a super moisturizing bar. A wonderful gift for anyone.

Bars are 3.7 oz

Cost $4.00 ea.

2011-11-18T13:01:00.001-08:00

Please visit my store at http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/LuxurySoap

I tried to keep up with my store there and post all my new soaps here on my blog but just find it too much to handle and take care of my family as well:)

Thank you for understanding:)

Gardenia Cocoa butter & yogurt soap (1 LEFT)

2011-07-26T11:31:00.001-07:00

I love a true Gardenia Scent! And this is it! Made with yogurt for a luxurious lather!! IF that's not enough.....I added Cocoa butter and silk for a true luxury experience! Comes in a cute, reusable drawstring bag.

Cold Process

Bars are 5.5 oz Comes with a reusable drawstring bag! 1 LEFT
$6.50 ea.

Victorian Rose 100% Goatmilk soap (1 LEFT)

2011-07-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Lovely GoatMilk soap scented with Victorian Rose, a favorite with everyone. Smells like a lovely antique rose.
It lathers beautifully and is silky soft to the skin!

Cold Process
4.2 - 4.5 oz bars!
$6.00 ea

Lilac Yogurt soap

2011-07-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

SOLD OUT

This is a very True Lilac scent. I love adding yogurt to my recipes as it gives such an incrediable silky lather to my soap! I now add it to every batch I make. It's increadiable!

Cold Process
6 oz bars! Comes in a beautiful reusable drawstring bag
$6.50 ea

100% Goatmilk infused with calendula & scented with Energy

2011-07-26T11:14:00.001-07:00

This is an increadiably gentle Luxury bar of soap! Made with 100% Goat Milk and 75% Olive oil infused with Calendula,it doesn't get any better! Very gentle to sensitive skin, Creamy and lushious and silky soft lather!! Scented with a clean, fresh, slightly sweet scent of Energy.....it is so refreshing!

Cold Process
5.5 oz Bars!! Comes in a reusable drawstring bag.
$6.50 ea.

Hyacinth Yogurt soap

2011-07-26T11:04:00.001-07:00

SOLD OUT

A true scent of Hyacinth! Lovely lather, creamy too! Yogurt is so lovely in soap that I now put it in every bar I make! Soap made with Lard and olive oil are hard and make a very creamy lather....a Luxury feel!

Cold Process
Bars are 5.2 oz + Comes in a beautiful reusable drawstring bag
$6.50 ea

Bamboo & White Grapefruit Goat milk soap (1 LEFT)

2011-07-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

This is such a unique scent. Clean, Refreshing with Green tones and a crisp grapefruit, lovely combination. For Men or Women! Silky soft lather with 100% GoatMilk which is soooo good for your skin. A pinch of silk gives it a luxurious lather!

Cold Process
Bars are 5+ oz and come with a reusable drawsting bag.
$6.00

Goat Milk & Yogurt Vanilla scented soap

2011-07-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

SOLD OUT

Oh MY! If you like Vanilla.....this is it!!! This is the ONLY vanilla I truly love! It smells like a deep dark Vanilla extract, a true scent not artificial. Increadiably Yummy! This is another one of my lushious Yogurt bars! The lather is so creamy and silky! Added Goat Milk for your skin and you have a real Luxury, good for you bar of soap!! If that's not enough.....I added Vitamine E and silk....ooohhhh la la!

Cold Process
Bars are 4.7 to 5 oz and come with a reusable drawstring bag.
$5.50 SORRY SOLD OUT

100% Goat Milk soap

2011-07-25T13:34:00.001-07:00

Goat Milk soap....unscented. Large bars at 6.5 oz. Cold process

Goat Milk has the same Ph balance as our own skin making it the ideal moisturizing bar! With over 50 nutrients it's everything your skin is craving!
Soothing, luxurious, and good for problems skin conditions such as Ezema.
Wonderful lather!!
All Natural simple ingredients.
Perfect for ANY skin type!

6.5 oz bars
$6.50

Lemon Verbena Cocoa butter soap

2011-07-25T13:26:00.001-07:00

SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT (will have more available in two weeks)

This is my husbands favorite. He said it's not only the cleanest freshest scent I have but the cleanest feeling LOL. (they all clean the same....but we won't tell him:)
Lemony tart, invigorating and refreshing!! Cocoa butter is so wonderful in soap for moisturizing.
This seems to be a favorite with everyone who tries it.....You'll be glad you did too!

5 oz bars
$5.00 SORRY SOLD OUT

Bastille Calendual infused Goat milk soap

2011-07-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is an unscented bar of bastille. This soap is made by infusing Olive oil with calendula petals. Olive oil soap is great for the skin as is Goat milk.

Goat milk has the same ph balance as our own skin, making it soothing, moisture renewing, and a nataural gentle exfoliant. It can even be healing to problem skin.

Calendula is an anti-inflamatory and healing type herb.

This combination of high percent of olive oil, goat milk and calendual make this soap a #1 choice of those with skin problems such as Ezema.

Bars are 4.7 oz
Skin type: ANY
PRICE $6.00

Goat Milk Lotion

2011-07-25T12:10:00.001-07:00

In 9 Different scents!

This is a lovely smooth creamy lotion that is non greasy and absorbes quickly and is very moisturizing. Great for dry skin or problem skin, Gentle enough for any skin type!

Goat Milk, Aloe Vera, ....everything your skin craves!

Goat milk is the only milk that contains capric-capryllic triglyceride, which helps moisturize the skin. 50 nutrients, minerals, acids and enzymes that serve to nourish and revitalize dehydrated skin.

Goat milk has a pH similar to that of human skin and regular use of goat milk soap n lotion can maintain a moisture balance that results in smoother, softer skin.

This is a 3 oz container in a squeeze malibu bottle. Unscented

Solid Lotion Bars made with cocoa butter & shea butter

2011-07-25T11:57:00.001-07:00

Scented with Love Spell.....
What a lovely gift these beautiful lotion bars would make or treat yourself to thes luxury bars made with cocoa butter and shea butter. No more messy bottles with waisted lotion you struggle to get out of the container. Just rub these bars over your skin and feel the difference! Absorbs quickly leaving your skin feeling soft and silky!
These bars are a beautiful pure white, my camera just could not get a good picture of them and still be able to show the cameo design. In the picture they look cream colored but in actuallity they are pure white.
1.3 oz bars Scented with Love spell.

Lotion Bars & Upcoming scents!

2011-07-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

I just could not get a good picture of these beautiful lotion bars. They are solid white and turned out beautiful. Made with cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and almond oil. REAlly Nice feeling on the skin, not too greasy and absorbs quickly. Love it, scented with Love Spell.

I'll be going to MI as of tomorrow and spend a week visiting. I placed an order for new scents today so they would be here waiting for me when I get home:) I will be making My holiday line of Apple Jack peel, Sandlewook, vanilla noel, lemon verbena, cean cotton and a new blend I got from a friend: Rose Geranium w/ Lavendar...OOOOOooo so lovely!!! I will also be making more vanilla and rose and I've had some requests for a bar I made a year ago of Lavendar w/poppyseeds as exfoliant. Lots of work to do when I get back.....can't wait!;) I'll post pics as I get each one finished.
I'm also going to work on adding paypal back to this blog so you can make purchases directly from here instead of having to move over to Artfire or Etsy.
Lots of wonderful things coming!

4 Birds with 1 stone

2011-06-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

I know, but this is an exception to the rule:)

So, I decide to clean the oven, 2 hrs. later, I go to cook supper, well, I can't do that with the oven locked! I don't like to fry anything sooooooo

Stone #1: While cleaning the oven......

Stone#2: I decide to make my husband a snack to take with him on the road.....

Stone#3: Eat supper while I'm at it.......and......

Stone#4: Make a double batch for future quick last min. snacks:)

So here is how I did it:

While the oven is smoking and burning my eyes.....I start popping pop corn. I need 16 cups for this recipe.
After popping the corn, split it up into two large bowls.

Measure out the folowing ingredients, divide between the two bowls, and do the following:

16 cups of popped pop corn +2 handfuls (for eating now)
3 Cups of frosted cheerios + 1 handful (for eating now)
1-1/2 c. pecan halves + 1 sm. handful (for eating now)
1pkg ( 14 oz) M&M's - 3 or 4 pieces (for eating now)
1 pkg. ( 10 oz pkg) pretzel sticks - 5 or 6 sticks (for eating now)
1 pkg. english toffee bits (10oz) or almond brickle bigs - 1/2 tsp (for eating now)
1 pkg. (10-12 oz) vanilla or white choc. chips - 3 or 4 (for eating now)
1 Tbs. Vegetable oil (you could kill 5 birds here if your constapated!!! +1 Tbs for eating now:)

Dump one bowl into a gal. size zip lock bag, hide it in the back of the closet for future snack mix.

Now, in a small bowl, add 1 Tbs. of veg. oil and the bag of choc. or vanilla chips, melt in the microwave at 20 sec. bursts until melted. Pour over bowl of goodies.
Now you MUST sample the finished product!;)

My oven is almost clean, I've made a road snack, extra for another time, had my favorite kind of supper:)
Hope you give it a try, if you do let me know!

Photo Update

2011-06-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Chubz is growing fast!:) he is now 8 weeeks old.

Goat Milk Soap

2011-06-18T17:05:00.001-07:00

I started making soap because it was so much better for my skin than commercial soaps. (there is also the crafter in me that just had to try it:) but seriously, I was getting older, starting to have dry skin and needed to do something about it, thus started the process of learning all I could about handmade soap. Of course you can only keep so much soap in your home, lol, that started the sharing and eventually the selling of my products when I was sure of what I was offering. Now, several years later, I have come to appreciate the benefits of goat milk in soap and lotions. Handmade soap is wonderful, but add the enriching properties, the healing properties (in some cases) to soap and lotion and you have everything your skin and body are craving! Goat milk has the same PH balance as our skin! Over 50 nutrients, is soothing and restorative. The lactate in the milk acts as a natural exfoliant. I mean this stuff is liquid gold to the skin! Now I'm thinking.....'If I want the 'Best' for my customers, then why am I not adding goat milk to every batch of soap and lotion I make?" Well fear no more, because now I will be! Hence forth every bar of soap will have 50% to 100% Goat milk as the liquid ingredient. I want the best for you! and that includes using goat milk in every batch!

Goat milk is great for any skin type but especially for those who have dry skin, aging skin & problem skin such as ezema.
Even though I no longer need lotion like I use to when I was using store bought soaps, I do still occasionally injoy the luxury of lotion, especially after a long day in the sun or on my hands after a day of cleaning, so I have added Goat Milk Lotion to my Artfire store. You can purchase it in unscented as well as the following list of fragrances in 3 and 5 oz bottles:
Amazing Grace
Asian Pear & Lily
Bergumont & Yuzu Fruit (EO)
Cool Mint
Cucumber Melon
Dreamsickle
Energy
Euphoria
Fresh Rasberry
Hyacinth
Lavender
Lemom Verbena
Lilac
Love spell
Ocean Breeze
Sweet Pea
Vanilla Sugar
Victorian Rose

2011-06-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

Three Weeks! Where does the time go?! Well, in the past three weeks we have a new baby born to the farm. There were three baby rabbits but only one lived. He is a fat little thing since he gets all his mommas milk and loves to sleep on his back! We named him Chubz (by play of 'Chubby'):)

The other project has been the chicken coop. I love my girls and they needed a nice safe house. I love the construction of it.....I can gather my eggs from the outside from a lid that lifts right above the nests.....so convenient! All I lack is painting it and finish burying the wire around the outside perimeter so critters can't dig under the coop. (No I don't have plans for egg soap:) I do plan on hatching a bunch of baby chicks though.

With all the 'farming' we have been doing there has been no time for soap making. We planted a garden as well, with 4 rows of purple hull peas, two rows of tomatoes, green beans, 2 rows of okra, squash, zucchini, watermelon, carrots, lettuce, chamomile (for my soap:) We plan on doing a lot of canning for ourselves as well as having a small truck patch for selling.....that's if I don't 'give' it all away to family and friends:)) I love sharing!

As soon as VBS is over I will be making some more Goatmilk bastille soap. Yesterday I ordered some clean fresh scents for lotion. Can't wait to get them. I only ordered three: Cucumber cantalope, Asian pear & lily and Fresh rasberry. I want to make goat milk lotion. I'm really thinking that goat milk and yogurt will go in every bar I make hence forth. Mostly goat milk. It is just so good for our skin. It's not only good for people with sensitive skin and ezema but for aging skin and people who are on medications that dry out their skin....like me! My medication has dryed my hair out so bad that I am going to experiment with using my goat milk soap on my hair and see if it helps......I'll let you know:) But seriously, Goatmilk has so many healing properties and any one can benefit from it. So I thought I would also include goat milk lotion for those of us who like to sunbathe.

I also have a friend who suffers from extremely dry skin in the winter months that I think will benefit from goat milk lotion.

I orderd some sample jars. I like to try things out before I make a bigger purchase & I figure many others feel the same way. Upcoming projects to watch for: More Goat Milk Bastille bars, Goatmilk lotion & Goat milk facial cleanser!

It's Been A Very Long Time!!!

2011-05-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since last I posted to my blog. I actually moved from the beautiful state of WA back to my home town and state of TN. I'm glad to be back, I missed family and friends and the kids love it here:) We have remodeled a small farm house and I love it. We have started our small farm with 8 chickens, 1 calf (my sons) and 6 rabbits, a collie and a shitzu. I also recently hatched out 18 guinea chicks. After my son picked up a baby copperhead while raking leaves I decided I needed some. Guineas are notorious for killing snakes and cutting down on the flea, tick, misquito and other insects. I'll keep about 5 and sell the rest.

I sold all the soap I had to a store in WA state and had to start over, I now have soap ready for sale. Please check out my Etsy store. I'll be posting more in the following week. Right now the scents I have available are: Bamboo and White Grapefruit, Lemon Verbena, Rose, Vanilla sugar, Vanilla Noel, Gardenia, Lilac {No Sandy, you have to share! lol} , Hyacinth, Energy and my Bastill bars.

I'm also making beautiful handmade paper! My paper is easy to write on without any additives. Great for Scrapbooking, cardmaking, stationary or whatever else your creativity takes you:) They can be seen in my Etsy store as well.

Don't be suprised to see Angora wool in my store in the near future! I have a pair of beautiful Angora show rabbits. I grew up with rabbits and I guess I'm reliving my childhood Lol. They say Angora wool is the warmest wool there is. Great for spinning or felting!

I look forward to getting back into the swing of things with my online friends and communities!

Father's Day

2010-06-08T12:13:00.001-07:00

Shaving mugs for Dad with shaving soap made with Kaolin clay and comes with a bar of redwood and cedar and shaving brush.

Kawaii Kimono Baby Shoes

2010-06-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Kawaii means: everything adorable, precious, cute & lovable. That pretty much says it all! These little baby shoes are reversable. The pink ties on with a ribbon the other two have elastic in the back to help hold on the shoe.

Camo Soap

2010-05-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

I'm going to shrink wrap it and call it: 'Gitter Done' ....my family is a Dodge family:) Scented with Redwood and Cedar, wonderful scent for men!

Totally undecided about the pink camo. I keep thinking of that song: 'Girls Just wanna have fun" but that is kinda long. hmmmm???? Any suggestions? It's scented with Love Spell

CupCake Anyone?

2010-05-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

"Bath Bomb" cupcakes that is:)

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

2010-05-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU FOR LEAVING FEEDBACK!

Susan said...
DH and I LOVE this wonderfuklly aromatic soap. It left our skin feeling clean and smooth adn lathers up very nicely. I will be back! LOVE IT!

June 16, 2009 10:07 AM
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dbj4ever said...
Hello. I was talking to your grandmother today and she said she uses her Lavender Soap every morning. She said it smells very good and lathers up alot. Highly recommends this soap to anyone.

June 13, 2009 6:03 PM
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Sam74 says:
This is one of my favorite.Very pleased with seller.I will be back!
May 14, 2010 Love Spell/ sheabutter and cocoa butter

.Sam74 says:
So very cute,I love them.Seller was very nice and thoughtful!
May 14, 2010 6 Earth Tone colored facial/scrubby

.Sam74 says:
Smells wonderful,Thanks
May 14, 2010 Rosemary Mint Luxury Soap

.Sam74 says:
Bought as a gift but will be hard to let go!
May 14, 2010 Orange Burst Luxury soap w/free gift

.Sam74 says:
Very nice scent,can't wait try.
May 14, 2010 Apple Jack Peel Luxury Butter soap
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.Dualfantasystudios2 says:
Safely and swiftly shipped, professionally packaged and smells great. Goes on smooth and I hope it does wonders for my chapped lips!
Apr 14, 2010 Private Listing for Dualfantasy
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.NDhunter says:
I can't say enough about this sellers soap and I believe I shall return for more! There are many sellers who don't know how to make an exceptional bar of soap but this seller has nailed it. Take a chance what are you waiting for?
Dec 9, 2009 Stawberries N Cream withCocoa butter

.NDhunter says:
I highly recommend this sellers products!!! There are so many to pick from and she might be new to etsy but she sure knows what she is doing when it comes to making handmade soap! Extremely high quality soap......
Dec 9, 2009 Gardenia handmade soap w/shea butter

.NDhunter says:
This soap is wonderful stuff. Great lather, and nice hard bars of soap. Gentle on the skin, without over cleansing it.
Dec 9, 2009 Island Tango Shea Butter Soap

.NDhunter says:
Super awesome soap, this stuff is the best. I absolutely LOVE this scent. You have GOT to try this scent out, it's out of this world. My skin feels so great after I've used it.
Dec 9, 2009 Energy Super moisturizing Mango butter soap
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dbj4ever says:
Light clean smell. I like it alot. I'm having a hard time keeping my soap that I order. My mother likes everything I get from you and I whind up giving most of it to her. :)Guess I will have to start doubling my orders.
Jun 27, 2009 Lemon Verbena
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Anonymous said...

I've been ordering soaps from Luxury Soap for over a year now and LOVE THEM!! They have more oils in them, which is wonderful for our dry skin. They just leave you feeling soft, fresh and relaxed. Everyone looks forward to getting soap gifts from LuxurySoap!! The quality is definately over the top.
Delivery time is excellent too!

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Dona said...

I order soaps from LuxurySoap for the shop where my handmade items are. We have customers that come in on a regular basis just for these soaps. Several have said they've tried others, but none compare. One lady will buy NOTHING else than the Gentle & Pure for her skin issues. She also has several friends and relatives doing the same. Excellent Products

July 25, 2011 3:23 PM

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Topcat said...

I recently used Luxury Soap & Gifts handmade soap and was thrilled with the lovely, luscious lather that lasted the whole shower long and felt velvety on my skin. My skin was soft and moisturised afterwards. The Bamboo & White Grapefruit scent is a lovely, fresh unisex scent and the Vanilla is sweet and edible smelling. I also love how the goatsmilk lotion spreads so far on my skin and sinks in quickly and stays on very well. Fantastic products for pampering! I highly recommend these products for even the dryest skin. Thank you Kim :)

July 26, 2011 9:34 PM

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Sandy said...

I just received over 70 bars of Luxury Soaps for our shop. People LOVE THEM!! They will stand and smell all the varieties, having a hard time determining which they like best. They usually leave with a couple bars...and return later to purchase more. They move the added oils in the soaps, especially in winter here (Wa state)

November 2, 2011 4:47 AM

Reusable Bags....talking about going green!

2010-04-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while searching the web for a pattern for a re-usable grocery bag, (don't ask how it turned out lol) I ran across this style. It is really neat! It's called Furoshiki. The wraps are made of silk which is suppose to tie easily, hold well and yet you are able to untie it just as easily. There are many many ways of wrapping this for different things. Do a search on the net and you will find a really cute shoulder bag and purse as well. I think it is a very stylish way to go and would make a beautiful gift wrapped present!

Today....Pink Sugar Lotion

2010-04-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Amazing Grace Lotion

2010-04-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

I've been happily busy:)

2010-04-23T12:47:00.001-07:00

I have had a wonderful opportunity to set up and display my products in a beautiful Floral shop in Selah, WA. , Owner, Dona Vankuelen, of Abbey's Floral & Gifts, wanted to add handmade gift products to her store. She has a great variety of products from handmade bags, woodwork, diaper cakes, cards, prayer boxes, embroidered Tee's to Jewelry and now ......(drum roll please:).....Handmade bath and body products!!! Business partner, Sandy Lawson invited me to add my products to the store. Needless to say I was thrilled. Dona has done a beautiful job of with the display! Click the picture for a bigger view.

Bastille infused with Calendual

2010-04-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Will be ready in 3 weeks. I did not scent this one this time. They are a creamy white.

You've got a friend

2010-04-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

My friend Clara had this on her facebook page this morning. To amazing not to pass it around and share:)

Clays In Soap

2010-04-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Clays come in beautiful colors and are easy to incorporate into your soap, facial masks, shaving soaps, deodorant & even shampoo.

The benefits of clay:

1. Can be used as a natural soap colorant

2. Adds slip to shaving soaps

3. Added to soap as a cleansing agent.Clay is a great exfoliant when added to soap and body products. Some clays draw oil from the skin (great for people with oily skin or even oil hair) Others can help normalize skin levels balance. There are clays for all skin types: normal, oil & dry. Cays cleanse the skin, promote blood circulation and invigorate the skin.

You can add clay at any stage of the soap making process. You can also add it to Melt and Pour soap. Adding 1/2 Tbs. per pound of oil is a general rule.

Here are three different ways to add the clay to soap. Be sure that whichever method you use that you mix it in very well.

1. You can add clay directly to the lye water. This works best with lighter clays. Heavier clays tend to clump more. I don't like this method because of the danger of splashing the lye water.

2.Add it directly to the base oils using the stick blender to incorporate. I have not had the best of luck with this method.

3. My favorite method is to use a small amt. of the base oils and make a slurry. You can even do this in a small baggie which will enable you to 'squeeze' the clumps out.

WHITE KAOLIN: This is the gentlest of clays. Good for dry and sensitive skin types. Exfoliates and stimulates without drawing oil from the skin. Gives a creamy silkiness to soap. Can even be used in body powder.

PINK KAOLIN: is the clay most commonly used for normal skin types. It stimulates and exfoliates without drawing oils from the skin.

FRENCH GREEN CLAY: highly absorbant, pulling oils and toxins from the skin. Not recommended for dry or sensitive skin. This would be great in a shampoo for oily hair.

*Personal Note* Many will consider this clay in soaps to be used for Acne, since it draws oil from the skin. In my opinion it would not be a good choice. Acne is a skin sensitive problem, not an oil problem, and this could irritate the skin, which is not what you want to do. See my article on "Acne Soap" for more information about what Acne is.

BENTONITE CLAY: A good choice for oily skin (again not Acne). This clay is highly absorbent, pulling oil and toxins form the skin. Adds a wonderful creamy , dense lather and a silk slip to shaving soaps. Not recommended for dry or sensitive skin.

FULLER'S EARTH CLAY: This is the only clay that I would consider using in any product made for Acne as it has the ability to tone down the skin and lighten it and level out the skin tone. It does draw oil from the skin but is milder than most oil drawing clays.

ROSE & RED CLAY: Both are great for facial masks and soaps as an exfoliant. They add different shades of pink colors to soap.

RHAUSSUL CLAY: This clay is very rich in minerals, it is added into spas all over the world. It is known to smoothen, relax and rejuvenate the skin. What woman doesn't want that!:)

AUSTRALIAN RED REEF CLAY: has a very content of iron and essential minerals. Known to soften and condition in facial masks. This clay will give you a very close maroon red in your soap when used as a colorant. Can stain wash cloths.

CANADIAN GLACIAL CLAY: Absorbant and is said to be high in minerals and trace minerals that are beneficial to the skin.

I hope this gives everyone a list to go by and answers some questions about clay and it's uses.

My next project is shaving soap:)

2010-03-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone so long. My mom fell ill with a sick Pulmonary aneurysms so I had to make an emergency trip to TN. Thankfully all is well and she is recovering.

It's a 5-1/2 hour flight from seattle to Nashville, TN. and boy is it exhausting! My rear end hurt from sitting so much!

The trip back was delayed two hours right off the bat in Nashville. Because of that delay I missed my connection in Atlanta so had to wait 2 hours there for the next flight to Seattle, WA.

I'm got home on Thurs. night but slept most of the day on Friday and rested on Sat. Sunday was church and rest. Today I managed to get my appointments reschedualed and I'm almost back on track. I still feel like I'm having to wind myself up every few hours to keep going though.

Today My favorite Christian auther, Francine Rivers, released her new book: Her Mothers Hope

"The first part of an unforgettable epic family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter and the very nature of unconditional love. On the eve of the First World War, fiery Marta Schneider leaves Switzerland and her difficult childhood behind, determined to find a new life on her own terms. Barely out of her teens, Marta is haunted by a devastating loss that fuels her ambition to one day own a hotel. From the cramped quarters of a French housekeeping school to the portrait-lined halls of a stately English manor, Marta becomes a hard working domestic who has little time to dwell on what might have been. Instead, she draws her strength from what could be. Then, Marta meets Niclas Waltert, a man just as determined as she to forge a better life in a new place. Niclas captures her heart and together they endure the harshness of life as tenant farmers on the vast prairies of Winnipeg, Canada, before following the promise of the American dream and migrating to the agriculturally rich Central Valley of California. Marriage and motherhood bring both joy and heartbreak, as Marta must surrender her long-held ambitions for the sake of her husband and children, including her daughter, Hildemara, upon whose shoulders her own hopes now squarely rest. Only the strong survive and Marta is determined to raise a daughter as strong as she. But as Hildie reaches young womanhood and another war is fast approaching, those hopes become too heavy a burden for Hildie to bear. Born with a heart to serve others, Hildie pursues her calling as a nurse, something Marta can’t understand. Marta’s years of hardnosed parenting have left Hildie still hungry for her mother’s love…and now for her mother’s respect. Amid the drama of WWII, Hildie falls in love and begins a family of her own. She wants her daughter, Carolyn, never to doubt her love—but the challenges of life conspire against her vow and the only person who can come to her aid is the person she remains so desperate to please: Marta, her mother. With hallmark touches of brilliant prose and gripping characterizations, Her Mother’s Hope is a rich, moving epic about faith and dreams, heartache and disappointment, and ultimately the resilience and tenacity of love."

I can't wait to get my copy. I was so disapointed when the book store did not have it in stock this morning. But I will get it tomorrow!:)

Other good news: I recieved a call for a re-order on my Ezema soap. The lady told me she has been trying for a year to heal certain spots on her arm and my soap did the trick!! How exciting is that!:)

Carrier Oils

2010-03-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of carrier oils and their characteristics.

Almond (sweet)- Relieves itches, softens skin, for all skin types

Apricot karnel- Restores the glow, rehydrates, used in facial massage

Avacodo- For dry skin, easily absorbed, plumps up prematurely lined skin

Borage- Treats eczema and psoriasis, anti-aging properties

Calendula- Heals rashes and cracked skin

Carrot seed- Reduces premature aging and scarring, restores elasticity, and rejuvenates

Coconut- Great for brittle or cracked skin, retains skin's moisture

Evening Primrose- For dry skin, rich in fatty acids

Grapeseed- For full body massage, odorless and easily absorbed

Hazelnut- For oily skin, easily absorbed

Jojoba- Anti bacterial, anti inflammatory, hydrating and emollient

Macadamia- Maintains natural moisture of the skin

Olive Oil- Disinfecting, healing, excellent to soothe cracked skin

Passion fruit- Maintains skin's elasticity

Roseship- Regenerates tissue, good for scars, burns and wrinkles

Safflower- Easily absorbed

Sesame- Natural sunscreen, odorless

Sunflower- Softens skin, maintains skin's natural moisture

Wheat germ- For dry skin, antioxidant, has strong odor

(I make no medical claims to these properties)

Pictures of Double Boiler method

2010-03-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

As I told you the other day, I am sold on the double boiler method! I thought I would post some pics to show just how smooth it gets in a double boiler. And it gets really hot! But best of all, Absolutely NO burning or soap getting hard on the sides of the pan.

I scented this one with Black Cherry & Champaign. It smells fabulous!

Making Handmilled soap

2010-02-27T10:19:00.000-08:00

No I'm not rebatching:) This is deliberate and it's called Handmilled, lets define handmilled verses Rebatching.
Rebatching is usually done from a failed batch of CP soap. Something goes wrong so you grade it up and melt it down and try to correct and save the soap.
Handmilling is a deliberate process of grating down good soap and melting it to add ingredients.
Yes they are basically the same process with the same results:) But I like my definitions for selling purposes, don't you? LOL

I added a little jojoba oil and cocoa butter and some Goat Milk to this soap and scented it with Vanilla Rose. Really nice fragrance for you vanilla lovers! Unfortunately it only made 2-1/2 bars. But this was an experiment of sorts. I've tried every method of remelting soap except the double boiler methond. I am hooked on this method!! No burning, and I didn't have to handle any hot soap. I highly recommend this method, so super easy!!

This is peppermint tea. I LOVE the way this one turned out. It is very smooth and looks more like hp than handmilled. I added goat milk, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, peppermint tea and peppermint FO. Very nice!

This is vanilla rose. It looks handmilled. I should have let it cook just a few min. longer.
I did one more but it isn't ready to cut yet. It is Banana coconut made with real banana and coconut milk with mango butter....will post tomorrow.

I Made Soap!

2010-02-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

I finally got a chance to make soap today! It's been three months since I made a batch. I made love spell fragrance (which is very popular) Goat Milk soap with mango butter. I think it will be really nice soap.

I made it in a pringles can so I could have round bars. Then I dyed some coffee filters Pink to wrap them in, with a ribbon and a home made sticker, it should be a very prettily wrapped soap. Least I'm hoping so:) Can't wait to cut them and get um all wrapped up. I'll post a pic tomorrow afternoon:)

Some soapers freeze their goat milk for soap and add it to the lye. It's a pain in the butt to do it this way because you have to do it really really slowly! And then you still get a dark colored soap. It stinks while your making it and sometimes even burns.

I like to add it at the end, subtracting my Goat milk liquid amt. from my water amt. and add it in the end. If your using concentrated milk or milk powder you can still accomplish 100% Goat Milk soap this way. I don't have to put up with the stinch or worry of adding it to my lye. You'll also get a lighter colored goat milk soap.

UPDATE: And it didn't turn out:( I guess I'm out of practice. I put it in the oven, forgetting that it was a milk soap, by the time I thought of it and ran to take it out, it was too late:(

Oh well, not a total loss, I was able to cut off the top.

I also forgot to put my beloved p.sugar in and I wanted pink and got salmon.:(

I dyed some coffee filters to wrap them in. I think the packaging is rather pretty.

Fake Magazine Cover!

2010-02-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

This is so cool! You simply upload a picture, choose your magazine cover and Wala! It can get very funny.

How to line your mold w/ freezer paper

2010-02-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

I still have people ask me how, so I thought I would post this. It's always a quick last minute option.

Movie Review: Dear John

2010-02-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

A friend and I went to see this movie yesterday and I was pretty disapointed. It had a good story line but, In my opinion it was ruined by the scene with his father in the hospital. I mean this was suppose to be a Very romantic love story between two people and yet he says that the two things he thought of before he passed out from the gun shot wound was coins and his father. HUH?

Well I get that the story mentions his relationship with his father, but again, this was suppose to be a love story between John and Savannah ( Amanda Seyfried) that scene just made me think....."well he wasn't too in love with her."

I also thought it could have been played out better by the director and more drama and emotional issues could have been brought forward if they had detailed why she let him go and married. So basically the way it was written, they fell in "puppy love" with each other during two weeks of summer, he goes off to war, they write each other and then she marries another man giving him nor the viewers reason why she is dumping him. And then when his big dramatic scene where he gets shot, he thinks of coins and his father ?????

I guess the director was aiming for an emotional shock as to why she married but it really didn't work out that way, in fact the audience in the theater actually laughed at the scene and were disgusted!! The guy she married came off in the film as a fatherly figure not only to his son but to her as well and he WAS NOT very nice looking! I had to agree with the audience, I said ,"ewwww " right along with them!

Tell me your thoughts on this movie if you've seen it.

Take a break......and Smile:)

2010-02-11T11:56:00.001-08:00

Watermelon Lip Balm

2010-02-10T16:43:00.001-08:00

Fun, but tedious! Made with beeswax, cocoa butter, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, flavoring, sweetener and honey.

I kinda messed up three in the pouring process so I gave one to each of my boys and one for my purse. My youngest put some on his lips and exclaimed MMMMmmmm!!! I had to laugh:) He'll have his gone before bedtime:)

Two New soapies

2010-02-10T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is a lovely true Lavender scented bar made with cocoa butter and shea butter:

This one is very unique. The scent is very suffisticated...smells of warm sandalwood, frankincense, amber, peach, citrus and a hint of white florals.
My friends on the forum helped me name it: Mid-Knight Tower, made with cocoa butter and Goat Milk.

Obituary

2010-02-08T15:34:00.001-08:00

> Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment
> community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast

> infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the

> belly. He was 71.

>

> Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of

> celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs.

> Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker,

> the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch.. The gravesite was

> piled high with flours.

>

> Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described

> Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded.

> Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was

> filled with turnovers.. He was considered a very smart cookie,

> but wasted much of his dough on half-baked schemes.

> Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old

> man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

>

> Doughboy is survived by his wife Play dough, three children:

> John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus ....

> they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly

> father, Pop Tart.

>

> The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

>

> If this made you smile for even a brief second, please rise to

> the occasion and take time to pass it on and share that

> smile with someone else who may be having a crumby day and

> kneads a lift.

Sent to my by my MIL:)

2010-02-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

A video I saw on another blog but wanted to post it here for my family and friends, it really is cute:)

Here's another one I enjoyed. Wish I could play the piano like her!

Soy wax candles vs Parrafin wax candles

2010-02-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

About.com Article

Pretty interesting, but it is my understanding that the soy wax candles are stronger. Is it my nose?, but I have trouble smelling regular parrafin wax candles throughout the house. Time to try soy wax.:) I like the wax melts, they're wickless.

Candlelynn, has a variety pack of 12 (you choose scents) for $7.95 How can I pass up a deal like that!

Now to find a tart melter. There are three varieties:

1. The tea light warmer:

The advantages are that you can find tons of novelty type tea light burners from a dog carrying a bucket to dolphins.

The disadvantage is you have a burning candle to worry about and you must not forget to blow it out when you leave home or leave it unattended. And it's kinda like having to use two candles to me.

2. The electric tart melter: is nice, come in some very pretty little bowls with a top plate that your tart sits on. This is ok but you have a cord to contend with and if you don't have much counter space this could get in the way.

3. The Plug in tart warmer: is the one for me. I can plug it in, it doesn't take up much space, no cords to get in the way and no flame to worry about.

So I'm off to find a plug in tart warmer!

What little boy wouldn't like to have this spider?!

2010-02-03T18:01:00.001-08:00

Made with 5 - $1.00 bills.

My other Hobby

2010-02-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

When I'm not making soap or reading...I crochet. Here is a picture of some facial cloths I made out of 100% cotton thread. Sure saves a lot of money if you buy those disposable facial pads!

And then I made these Valentine Java cozies:)

Building site

2010-02-01T11:49:00.001-08:00

I visited my husbands construction site this past weekend and took a couple of pictures. The two monkeys waisted no time climbing the pole barn for their picture to be taken. The one on the left is David w/his new transitional glasses, Jacob on the right. The second picture is a rare one! Seldom do I get this clown (our oldest son, Jonathan) to pose for a picture.

Sweet Tart Candy Soap

2010-01-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

I've had my eye on these adorable molds for a while. I finally gave in:) Pure glycerin soap scented with cotton candy fragrance.

You can find them in my ETSY store.

Goat Milk Bastille for Ezema/Psoriasis

2010-01-15T13:31:00.001-08:00

I made this bar for those who have very sensitive skin. It's a very gentle bar. Made with a high content of Olive Oil infused with Callendula which is know to help with psoriasis and ezema. The liquid used to make this bar was Goat Milk, also know to sooth irritated skin and moisturize.

The slightest hint of spiced pear gives this soap a nice clean scent.

I make no medical claims to this soap, but it may help if you have sensitive skin. I gave a few bars away with requests to let me know how the soap worked and I have heard from two different people that the soap really helped them.

Find it HERE

A GENTLE Sugar Scrub!!

2010-01-13T13:30:00.001-08:00

Have you ever tried sugar scrubs and found them too harsh? You'll love this one because it is made with superfine bakers sugar. Making it a lot more gentle to the skin!

Love sugar scrubs? You'll love this gentler version with Shea butter ans sweet almond oil to quench your skins thirst!

Ex foliate and moisturize all in one, leaving your skin super soft, smooth and silky.

It's also not as oily as most sugar scrubs.

Your chose of Gardenia or Green Tea. 8oz jar....Find it HERE

Treasures from TN

2010-01-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

Our trip to TN was mostly spent visiting, but I did get to go shopping once with my mil to an antique store in McKenzie where I bought these cute little bowls. I thought they would be cute as soup bowls and in fact we have enjoyed them twice already since we have been back home. The kids enjoy picking a color:) I also bought a French coffee press that I am enjoying. (Thank you Jeremy for showing this to me!!:) The roses in the background are from my husband for our 15th anniversary:)

On the way home we stopped in Kemmer, WA home of the first JCPenny store. On the next street over, just behind the store, is the Home of Mr.J.C.Penny. On this day they were not giving tours of the inside:( Isn't it cute!

And last but not least, my most treasured photo:

Now, how's that for two happy brothers on a nearly 3,000 mile trip home?! Thanks goodness for DVD players and Alf ;)

And one tired puppy:)

One of those days.....

2010-01-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

You know the kind.....everything goes wrong and of course everything gets blamed on the hubby, right? ;)

So I finally get him to fix the washing machine but he still didn't fix the dryer. Being a determined self reliant person that I 'use to be' I pulled the dryer out myself to take a look. Meanwhile I'm washing a load of clothes and water is pouring out all over the floor!

I get the water mopped up and start testing the dryer to see if the venting is the reason why it takes 2-1/4 hours to dry a load of clothes....that test failed too.

On to a sick little boy, high fever....so I am trying to keep track of the time between alternating with tylenol and motrin. Then he tells me his throat really hurts. Why is it kids always get sick on the weekends when you can't get them in to see a Dr.?!!!! I just hope we can make it to Mon.

Then...I'm working on my new website and loose track of time. I rush out of the house to go pick up my older son from school. After picking him up I decide to go pick up my meds because I may not have enough to last till Mon. and this particular pharmacy is not open on weekends.

This guy pulls up beside me and motions that I have flat tire. Sure enough! Thinking I will save myself $ I open the trunk...no jack.....actually there was, you just had to know where the hidden compartment was! Ugh! Ok, got the jack......where is the spare tire? (van) After searching all over my son gets the owners manual out. Now I'm embarrassed! Turns out there is a little hole between the two front seats that you unplug, stick the wrench down in and start unturning the screw which realeases a spare tire held under the front end of the van!!! I never!!! We get the tire half way out and need to jack up the car in order to fully pull it out....about that time the tire store mechanic shows up....simply aired up my tire and told me to follow him to the store. ?????? I just spent 30 min. searching and working on this tire!!! He spent 5 min.! I can't complain though..... they fixed my tire for free and did not charge me a service charge!!! Less Swab has a earned a new customer!

3 hours later I arrive home to a worried sick little boy, whom I could not call and let know what all was going on because we don't have a house phone. *note: tomorrow shopping list: House Phone!

Oh and did I mention>.... In my rush to pick up my son from school, I ran out of the house without my purse. No drivers license! I'm soooo thankful I did not get pulled over.

*sigh*****

Then my husband calls. I was quick to inform him I tried to get him to fix this tire before we left TN because it was leaking air then. Pour guy....he gets blamed for everything.....just because things don't get done in my time frame; and yet I balk at being ' TOLD' to do something. WOMAN! LOL......I love the old saying: "It's a woman's prerogative" LOL

All is well now.....watching 'Criminal Minds" :)

NEW WEBSITE!!!

2010-01-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

I now have a new website that will hopefully make it easier to purchase my products. WWW.LUXURYSOAP.ORG check it out. Not much there right now but I hope to be adding to it every day.

Our trip to TN for Christmas was thankfully uneventful. The roads were clear the entire way. The only weather problems were on the way back, Fog was terrible coming across Idaho and WA state. We got home late Sat. night....home never looked so good!!! after a trip like that!

We had a great time visiting friends and family:) The kids managed pretty well with minimum fighting, thanks to the dvd players and Alf!

Remember Alf....the tv serries came out when I was pretty young so I couldn't remember much but I knew it was suppose to be a funny family sitcome. I picked it up at wal-mart and was rewarded with laughter from both kids almost the entire trip:) Does a mom's heart good!:)

{ALF was a 1980s sitcom about a suburban family that takes in an alien who has crash-landed into their garage. After his home world of Melmac is destroyed, ALF (real name "Gordon Shumway") follows an amateur radio signal to earth where he is taken care of by the Tanner family. Airing from 1986 through 1990 on NBC, the show was eventually canceled after the fourth season - although ALF's story was taken up again in the 1996 television movie Project ALF.}

Christmas gifts

2009-11-30T17:58:00.000-08:00

They can be purchased in my Etsy store.

Customized Soap Bands

2009-11-28T19:34:00.001-08:00

Choose any 1 bar of soap in my store and Customize it!! A cool Christmas gift personalized with the receivers name or any message you like up to 20 words. How cool to get a Luxury Soap bar with your personal message right on the wrapper!

Purchase any bar of soap in my store for $5.00 add $1.00 for customization and you have a very special Luxury Christmas gift anyone would love to receive for only $6.00!

Feel free to email me with any questions you may have.

Organza bags and ornaments are not included.
Can be purchase at my Etsy Store

This is the cuttest video!:)

2009-11-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Egyptian Soap Line...Queen of the Nile

2009-11-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

Made with 100% Goat Milk of course, as everyone one knows Cleopatra herself was reknown for her beauty which she gave credit to milk baths. It also has cocoa butter. Sorry, it won't be ready for a while. It needs a long 12 week cure because I did not let this soap gel and I used a full water % so that I would have time to work on that fancy top:)

Baby Shower Bouquets

2009-11-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

Aren't they cute!! Each one has 1 onesie, 2 hats, 1 bib & two pair of socks.

Daniel & The Lions Den

2009-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

About five years ago I was visiting the parents of a friend of mine and they had an oil painting of this picture, "Daniel and The Lions Den" It was a huge oil painting that covered the whole wall! I absolutely fell in love with it! It is on my wish list/must have lists:)It was painted in 1615 and hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The artist is Peter Paul Rubens. Peter was the most well known European artist of his day. He is now widely recognized as one of the top artists in Western Art History. This painting is part of the Baroque period. It is painted using oil on canvas. I guess I love it because I want my faith in God to be as strong as Daniels, in the most difficult times in our lives, to be able to fully trust God to take care of every aspect and detail of your life and to be able to stand calmly in the face of tribulation in assurance that he will!
Of course I can't have an orriginal, the one I have my eye on is in color by Briton Riviere. Gorgeous!!

Converting soap weight to % & vice versa

2009-11-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

What if soapcalc is down and you are in need of making a recipe and all you have are the weights, but you need percents so you can change the recipe? Here is how you convert:
Let’s say you have a recipe that makes two pounds of soap.
So, first let’s convert a recipe from measurements to percentages.
We’ll start with a simple recipe-(Remember we're weighing everything, not using liquid measures.)
12 oz. Olive Oil
10 oz. Palm Oil
9 oz. Coconut Oil
8 oz. Canola Oil
2.5 oz. Castor Oil
2.5 oz. Cocoa Butter
This will make about a 4 pound batch of soap. But what are the ratios of each oil? Now what if you want to make a 7 lb batch of soap.
Total up the total number of ounces of oils. In this case, it’s 44. Divide each individual weight by 44 to get the percentage of that oil in the recipe.
12 oz. Olive Oil – divided by 44 = 27% (I’m rounding.)
10 oz. Palm Oil – divided by 44 = 23%
9 oz. Coconut Oil – divided by 44 = 20%
8 oz. Canola Oil – divided by 44 = 18%
2.5 oz. Castor Oil – divided by 44 = 6%
2.5 oz. Cocoa Butter – divided by 44 = 6%
So your recipe is:
27% Olive Oil
23% Palm Oil
20% Coconut Oil
18% Canola Oil
6% Castor Oil
6% Cocoa Butter
A pretty well-balanced recipe.
So let’s say you want to make a 7 pound (112 ounces) batch of soap. (Remember, that’s just the measurement of your oils. Leave room for the lye and water.) Multiply the percentage by the desired amount.
27 % Olive Oil x 112 oz. = 30.2 oz.
23% Palm Oil x 112 oz. = 25.8 oz.
20% Coconut Oil x 112 = 22.4 oz
18% Canola Oil x 112 = 20.2 oz.
And so on.
Now before you panic, for those of you who don't like math, most online soap calculators scale your recipes for you in both percent and weight. This is for those, like me, who are too impatient to wait on their favorite soap calculator to come back online:)

Sodium Lactate--part 2 side note:

2009-11-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to add that if you have a batch of soap seperate on you during cphp from using SL don't panic like I did. I thought I had lost the whole batch...2 batches in fact and threw them out. All that oil wasted! Then I was told to keep whipping it and it would come back together. Sure enough, the next batch seperated too. (this was before I figured out how to add SL to my recipe)I grabbed the stick blender and started blending like crazy and it did come back together.

CANDY!!!

2009-11-05T08:38:00.001-08:00

Not really:) These are single use sugar scrubs. Aren't they cute!!!

Peppermint, spearmint & cinnamon sugar

My adventures with Sodium Lactate

2009-11-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Sodium Lactate is a natural humectant, moisturizer and a ph regulater. Great for lotions and soap. In soap it helps harden the bar. When using the cphp method it is know to be a soapers best friend. The SL keeps the soap loose and more liquid, making it easier to pour into the mold instead of having to glop it in the mold.

I like to make cphp (crockpot hot process) soap because I'm an impatient person. With cphp the soap is ready to use after it has cooled, but I like to wait about two weeks to let the bar harden up good. So anyway, this SL sounded like a cool thing....I could make smoother looking cphp soap! I made 3!!! failed batches!!! I added the SL to the lye water. I brought the soap to trace and put the lid on to let it cook. 10 min. later the soap had seperated back to oils!! I was heart broken the first time:) Aggrevated the second time! And mad by the third batch!! So what gives, everyone was telling me to add SL to the lye water. Well, I don't know how they do it because it sure wasn't working for me!

Finally I went back to the drawing board....where I bought the SL, and did some reading. It said it was water soluable. Hmmmm , Ok, so I made a small test batch and added the SL to the WATER FIRST, mixed well, then added the lye. NO seperation! Hip Hip hooray!!:) and yes it did pour like syrup into the mold....really nice! Here's a pic:

So then I tried it in cp soap and I got rock hard bars in just days!! Love this stuff!!:)
SL can be used up to 1/2 oz ppo. Studies have show that SL is a better moistuizer than glycerin. And SL is a lot less sticky compared to liquid glycerin; so for those of you who make Lotion this would be ideal for a less sticky formula.
I don't use SL in all my soap recipes. Many harden up just fine on their own, but with SL as my new best friend, I can experiment more with those recipes that are low on the Hardness scale in soapcalc. Nice:)

2009-10-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with HTML smileys lately. Aren't they cute! There are just so many fun things to do on the internet these days!:)

Paying the Dr.s Rent

2009-10-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

And Christmas too I think. I guess the flu bug has hit my house. My youngest ran a fever of 103.5 last night. I sat up till 2:30 with him when it finally broke. I'm so tired, but as usual, it's evening and like most kids do, the fever is back up. Looks like another long night. Poor guy.

My 2nd youngest has an infected ingrown toenail . He is on his second round of antibiotics an will see a podiatrist on Monday.

On Wen. I took the youngest to the dentist. One x-ray later and $250.00 dollars poorer!!

I'm excited about my dr. apt., I'll be seeing a specialist about my fibromyalgia!

Tomorrow, if my baby is feeling better, he wants to start his own blog. That should be a lot of fun!:)

Ok, soap in the works: I made a Hawaiian soap, pineapple sage and a grapefruit. The first two will be ready in 2 weeks, the grapefruit is going to take about 8 because I did cold process and prevented the gel stage. It makes for a creamier looking soap....nothing more.

I'm planning on making some more Acne Bar soap. I heard from one customer so far but she was very excited about it because it was really helping her! That made me really happy.:)

I'm also planning on making a whipped sugar scrub. I LOVE sugar scrubs! I bought some cotton candy, pink sugar and grapefruit FO just for that!!!

What would you like me to make for christmas? I have in mind, thus far, : candy cane, christmas tree, pumpkin pie and apple. Drop me a line or leave it in a comment under this post.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Castille soap and DOS ....possible solutions for my fellow soapers....

2009-10-08T14:00:00.001-07:00

DOS=Dreaded Orange Spots=Rancid Soap!!!

#1 Fear & worry for all soap makers is DOS. And everyone wants to know what causes it. Rancid oil? Out of date oil? Bad lye? Humidity? Certain oils alone have been called the culprit, such as Canola oil. All of these could be possibilities. Of course you don't want to use bad oil, so always make sure your using oil that has not gone bad. As for humidity? I think it could cause sweeting but not DOS.

Let me recommend a book by Zonella Gould and Sally Trew. It's titled: Soap and Other Obsessions. It's a great book for beginners as well as the experienced soap maker. In her book she addresses the Issue of DOS. According to her a study was done by Hampden-Sydney College. The lab tests came down to oils that are high in iodine are responsible for DOS in hard soap.

As a general rule, the lower the iodine level , the harder the bar and the less the conditioning qualities. The opposite is also true, the higher the iodine, the softer the bar and the more the conditioning qualities. Therefore, when using soft oils that have a high iodine level you should watch and make sure you don't let this level get too high or you will have rancid soap (DOS).

I have never had DOS and I beieve it is because None of my soap has ever had an Iodine level over 70, with the exception of Castille soaps. (Thank goodness!!) The author says the only time she has ever had DOS was when the Iodine level was over 70.

So what about a Castille soap (100% OO)? The Iodine level for a 100% Olive Oil soap is 82, not too high over 70; Compaired to a 100% Canola, which has an Iodine level of 110!!! Some people have problems making a 100% Castille bar and some don't. I really can't give you a concrete solution to this, but rather suggestions. Take into consideration your climate and the humidity level. High humidity is a problem and I would recommend a dehumidifier. The second step I would take, if your doing cp, is to do as much of a water discount as you can, thus helping the bar to harden and cure faster.( AS we all know, Castill bars take so much longer to harden and cure.) You also might consider using Sodium Lactate which helps harden the bar.

The best suggestion I have for you is to use the cphp method. This process cooks the soap to completion, evaporating most all of the water out of the soap. You will find though, that with 100% castille, the soap will still need a cure time to completely harden up. When doing cphp, usually you don't want to take a water discount, but, since you are trying to harden the bar as quickly as possilbe, you could take a slight water discount. If your worried about the soap being too stiff to pour, you could use Sodium Lactate. When using the cphp method, Sodium Lactate helps the soap pour smoother and easier into the mold as well as helps harden the bar.
If you've been having problems with DOS, I hope these tips help you and I would love to hear from you!

BE INSPIRED!

2009-09-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Take a look at these lovely creations by a very inspirational lady named Crystal. She is a very sweet lady from Texas and I was very inspired by her story. You can see more of her creations in her Etsy Shop. I just don't think I could tell her story like she did so I am sharring here the note she sent me. If your a small business, just starting out or thinking about starting a business, then I hope her story inspires you as much as it did me.

"My name is Crystal and I live in Texas. I started making soap about 6 years ago. My husband was just starting his business and we just had our first baby. I knew I wanted to be a stay at home mom so I started trying to make a little money to help out. I tried a lot of things but when I tried my hand at soapmaking I was hooked! I officially started 'Annie's Powder Room' a year later. When I started I just thought it would be a great way to make a little extra money and be able to stay home and home-school my kids. I NEVER dreamed it would become our main source of income! My husbands business went under last year and finding a job was impossible so he went back to school!!! How's that for a WHAM!!! Not only is it keeping things going around here but it's also bringing us even closer as a family. You will rarely find me out in the soap's studio alone....my kids and my husband are my biggest helpers and even bigger inspirations!! In fact, just about every soap in my shop was inspired by my kids or my husband in one way or another:)And even my dad is getting in on the gig by desighning and making soap molds for me!!! Things are super tight but we are having SO much fun and a lot of REALLY BIG things are in the works for us so stay tuned!!!"

WOW! You go girl! and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us! Thanks for sharing Crystal.

I love these little birdies!!!

My fav!!!

What guy wouldn't love this soap!!!

See more of her creations from a bowl of cherrios to lollipops at Annie's Powder Room

2009-09-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Notice the big Red Ad on the left? Yep, Christmas is just around the corner. As you've noticed, I'm a member of Artfire and they are helping us, the artisian crafts people, to convert the mass- made corporate Christmas to a "Handmade" Christmas. Yea I know, advertising right? :) Well, at least they are working for us members:) But seriously, There is nothing like recieving a handmade gifts that says, "You mean enough to me to take the time to make me something with your own hands". Now I'm not down playing those of you who aren't artistic or really just don't have time because of your career and family, but I am saying if you are crafty.....have a handmade christmas and give your family and friends a gift they can cherish. And if your not crafty and don't have time, well that's where Artfire comes in, you can purchase a handmade, UNIQUE item for your special someone that says "I put some time and thought into this gift for you!". Most often around christmas time, crafters special wrap all their gifts....What a time saver that is! And they do it professionally and beautifully. Start now and you have 2-1/2 mo. to think about what you want to make and get it done.
Last year I made everyone member of my family pajama bottoms that fit their personality. They all loved them and they were sooooo easy to make!

Here are a dozen really simple ideas to get your brain thinking of all the possibilities:
1. Photo album
2. CD of their favorite songs
3. Decorate a notebook and title it "Person's Name-Journal"
4. A pillow case-painted, wrote on, or just choose a fabric that fits that person. Last year I made my son, who plays the trumpet a pillow case made of musical notes material.
You could embroider the pillow case.
5. Buy a piece of Fleece, cut 1" x 3" frill all the way around it....Walla! your done! Now it doesn't get easier than that! Want to make it two sided? Buy two different peices of felt, cut the frill around the edges of both and then tie those two peices of fabric together by the frills.
6. Scarfs made of fleece....same way as the blanket but just cut frills on the ends.
7. Fleece Hats and gloves...super easy.
8. Recipe book.....I use those small picture albums, that way if anything gets spilled it can be whiped right off.
9. Christmas snack box, for example, My bunch just LOVES homemade beef jerky which is super easy to make, but a little expensive, that's why they only get it at christmas time. They now expect it:)
10. Hankies are making a come-back. Pick your material, sew an ebroider stitch around the edges to keep from fraying. Last year I made some and added lace around the edges and embroidered my mother in laws initials in the corner. They were very pretty.
11. Make your own salt baths. a simple sea salt & epsome salt with Essential oil (health food store) and food coloring makes a lovely stress relieving gift.
12. Did you can any fruit or make jelly? Wrap a pretty peice of material around the top, add raffia.
There are thousands of ideas on the net like these that are super easy to make.
Its not hard to have a handmade Christmas.
I would love to see what you make. If you send me a picture via email I'll post it here on my blog.

2009-09-18T14:30:00.001-07:00

A visit from TN

2009-09-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

My brother in law is visiting us from TN. I'm sure I won't see much of him as my husband will be proudly touring him all over our beautiful state.

Fels Naptha Soap

2009-09-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

You've probably seen this soap in your grocery isle. Ever wonder what it's for? I thought it was just 'Old Fashioned" soap. If you are a homebody 'martha stewart type' homemaker, you have probably heard this listed as a main ingredient for home made laundry detergent. I know I have.

A fellow soaper shared this info on a forum & I thought I would pass it along. And I think I'll Pass by this soap too.

The following was taken from Wikipedia:

While sometimes sold next to personal-care body soaps it should not be used as an overall body soap or as a regular laundry additive since it contains Stoddard solvent, a skin and eye irratant.

According to the "Chronic Health Effects" of the National Institutes of Health's MSDS for Fels Naptha:

Chronic toxicity testing has not been conducted on this product. However, the following effects have been reported on one of the product's components. Stoddard solvent: Repeated or prolonged exposure to high concentrations has resulted in upper respiratory tract irritation, central and peripheral nervous system effects, and possibly hematopetic, liver and kidney effects.

Standard solvent is another name for mineral spirits, which are, like petroleum distillates, a mixture or multiple chemicals made from petroleum. Exposure to standard solvent in the air can affect your nervous system and cause dizzyness, headaches or prolonged reaction time.

It can also cause skin, eye and throat irritation.

Laughter really is the Best Medicine

2009-09-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I seriously LOVE to laugh! And believe me, I do it well. I'm talking about the gut splitting, tear rolling...can't stop no matter how hard you try...kinda laughing! Actually it is rather embarrasing. My mother is the same way. And get one going and you will deff. get the other going. My dad use to love to see and hear us laugh, sometimes it would even bring some tears to his eyes.

I recently ran across a book called: Laugh Yourself To Sleep by Racheal st. John-gilbert......night time devotionals for the "Unconventional" woman. You never know about these kind of books. Usually there are only one or two stories that bring a giggle or a real good smile that has you retelling the tale to your spouse or friend. But this one, so far, (I'm only on the 3rd story) has really had me giggling.

Last night I picked it up for a quick read before lights out. My husband likes for me to read to him.....he says, "just to hear me". So fine....I began to read. I didn't get very far before I was giggling like crazy. It took me at least 2o min. to read this short story. I have never laughed so hard in my life!!! My throat hurt!!

Laughter really is the Best medicine and I thought if it made me laugh ( i hope) it will make someone else laugh. I hope I'm not the only one out there with a sometimes over zealous insanely over productive giggle box. Or is it just a warped sense of humor?:) OR maybe (gulp) because I can relate? lol

Here is the story told by Rachel St. John-Gilbert Intitled:

Nippy about Tucks

Okay. Fair warning. This will be a touchy subject in more ways than one, so let me cut to the chase. Once upon a time, the most emotionally charged debate among women was whether or not to work while raising young children. Nowadays, however, with the proliferation of makeover shows on the tube, the hottest suburban debate may well be "to tuck or not to tuck." And I'm not talking about your shirttail, either!

Admittedly, I've done my fair share of thinking about the nipping and tucking tug-o'-war. Will I or won't I? Now that's the million-dollar question---literally. As it turns out, it ain't cheap to buoy up your breasts or suck the lard out of your belly. This tomboy-woman somehow ended up with enough cleavage to put the cleve in Cleveland. Honestly, many times I've wished I could share the wealth with women who bemoan their flatter landscapes.

My pangs of longing for smaller breasts usually hit me (nearly slapping me in the face!) when I'm jogging. With wayward parts sometimes harnessed down by not one, but two, industrial strength. sports bras, I try to make the best of it.

Of course the desire to whittle these wobbling wonders down also hit me every time I nursed on of my newborn babies with Hindenburg-proportioned mammary glands. Having three preganancies under my belt (stuffed under) and having nursed all three offspring "till the cows come home" (finally- with homogenized milk instead of looking to me for their daily cream), I made a stark discovery. One morning as I stood unclothed before the bathroom mirror, I was shocked to see that my previously perky appendages had taken an oddly hangdog appearance. My breasts had gone from resembling two perky golden retriever pups to a pair of aged dachshunds suspended nose-down the length of my torso.

Suddenly, I heard faint echoes of that old Girl Scout camp song: "Do your ears hand low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie 'em in a knot? Can you tie 'em in a bow?" Well, I couldn't do it with my ears, but maybe.....

A friend of mine recently had her chest "modified" and suggested I might go for a reduction consultation. At my age and stage in life, all I really want is a lift. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to get the low down on why my breasts were so , well, low-down. My husband, who, by the way, was not the instigator of this explorative exercise, teasingly called this investigation, "Operation High and Lifted Up."

The verdict? For me, for now, a lift is on hold. I'm not sure I want to trade my unblemished longitude for latitude with surgical scars. And there's also a not-so-small matter of a very large bill.

So I figure if the dachshunds keep defying gravity, I can either embellish them with rhinestone designer collars or throw them over my shoulders like continental soldiers. Who knows? They might appreciate a change of venue, and I might become a trendsetter. I can already envision the informercial for "The Backwards Bra"; it could come in handy for women like me who don't know if we're coming or going half the time.

Nearly all women have a body image issues. To avoid getting stuck on the gerbil Wheel of Perpetual Cosmetic Surery, it may be wise to make peace with most effects of aging and gravity. Some nonsurgical or less-invasive procedures may lead to an equally desirable result. Barring that, some resourceful women give their less-than-perfect assets an endearing nickname. Not a bad idea. Perhaps an even better idea is to give each other grace and space regarding this potentially touchy subject.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm taking Oscar and Meyer out for a jog while I thank God for the small and not-so-small blessings that are uniquely mine. At least for today.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

Artistic Soap

2009-09-14T16:02:00.001-07:00

This week I thought I would feature some other fine soapers who go at soaping with a flare, An ARTISTIC flare! Truely amazing artwork. Looking for a fantastic unique gift? How about;

POPCORN SOAP:

"These soaps are ready to pop in your soap dish," says Leanna of LOVELEESOAPS

Leanna says she comes from a family of creative enterpreneours, most of whom, have their own businesses. She started out by helping her mother with her Etsy shop, WILDOLIVEKIDS.

Leanna has been making soap since Oct. 2006. I'd say she deffinately has a creative niche in her soap making!

These adorable popcorn soaps can be purchase at her Etsy shop. You get 4o!! (shea butter) popcorns in an adorable popcorn box:)

But that's not all she makes! Check out these increadible irrisistable artistic soaps she makes, and all of them can be found at her Etsy shop. Be sure to check out her halloween soap!!!

Please Don't Eat the soap!

SALE- Oatmeal, Milk & Honey

2009-09-02T17:02:00.001-07:00

Cleopatra was know for her beauty and was also know to enjoy milk baths:)

Here is an all natural Oatmeal Bar with buttermilk and honey to soften the skin. Oatmeal to exfoliate and polish.

Natural, Unscented and no color.

Buy two get one Free, at my Artfire Store.

Finally

2009-08-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Last but not least is my Acne Bar.

Finally

2009-08-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Last but not least is my Acne Bar. Solid black....for a guy of course....and scented with lemon verbena.

2009-08-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Still waiting on pictures? So am I:) I ummm sorta, kinda lost the charger to the camera. Yikes! I've been looking for it for two weeks now. I finally went down to Best Buy to see about buying a new one. No luck of course. So I bought a new battery. Great! cept, I am still going to have to wait on pictures because we are getting ready to go camping tomorrow. So don't give up on me! Next week, there should be lots and lots of soap porn on this page! A n t i s i p a t i o n!

Upcoming Soap

2009-08-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

I've been making fall soap for the past two days. Upcoming soaps are:
10 Berry Wine ....Ready Sept.24th (CP)
6 Butterscotch and Snickerdoodle....Ready Sept.3rd (HP)
8 Essence of Bethelehem....Ready Sept.3rd (HP)
10 Spiced Pear....Ready Sept.24th (CP)
6 Apple Jack ....Ready Sept.3rd (HP)
And I finally got the Acne soap done...Pics soon. 5 Ready...Sept.3rd (HP)
Pics will follow in a couple of days.

Soap Pot

2009-08-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

I've been researching a lot about soap for Acne. There are a lot of recipes out there, but most of them are, In my opinion, very drying and that is not the goal. The goal, to me, would be to make a soap that is healing, balances the oil of the skin, draws excess oil and bacteria out and leaves the skin clean, soft and not dried out. Learning the properties of oils and their benefits to the skin is very intresting. There are so many that I can never remember so I have to go back and re-read again and again. Thank goodness for my notebook!
I have finally come up with a recipe that I am really excited about. And that's what is in my weekend soap pot....a non drying but skin balancing, antibacterial Acne soap. It is for a young man so I will be scenting it with tea tree oil and either Lemon or Lavendar...haven't decided yet. I need to do a bag/stick test first. The client is in a hurry for this soap so I will be making it CPHP and allowing it a 3 week cure before shipping it off. I'm also doing CPHP because this is not a tried and true recipe. I have carefully created my recipe with an Iodine value of 53 to insure no DOS and the hardness value is good too. I'm very confident the soap will be fine. I'll keep one bar for myself to test again in 6 months.
I'll post a pic asap. Your going to be suprised:)

Solid Perfume Pots

2009-07-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

These little porcelain perfume pots are adorable and as romantic as the perfume inside them!

Solid perfumes are great because a little goes a long way and they last a long time. Made with sweet almond oil....your skin will love you too!

The scent is romantic, sweet and delicate. With the essences of sweet violet & tuberose with a powdery background. It's Simply Romantic. To purchase visit at my Artfire store.

Milk Cartons

2009-07-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today I made these cute little Milk cartons. They are great for my Milk baths ( of course) and hold enough for 4-5 baths. I've included the template here for you to try. Try adding a ribbon or printed cardstock with a band. The possibilities are endless!

Have fun!

Milk Carton Template

2009-07-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

Craft Store Display

2009-07-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

There is a nice little craft store in my hometown. The are always looking for vendors. So I decided to purchase a shelf and see how it goes. In the display below: Beginning at the Top and moving down: lavender bath salts and my Egyptian oil. Next shelf I have body butter, facial scrub sets and tooth fairy pillows. Next shelf is mostly all soap with the exception of two tea bags and a crocheted soap saver. Next; hair bows and more tooth fairy pillows. On the bottom and on each side of the shelf are my pillow dolls. I did all this in a hurry yesterday, mostly to save this spot and shelf in the store. Now I can go back and add, take away or change:) FAll is just around the corner! Pumpkin spice, cranberry and apple pie fragranced soap sounds good for fall.

Re-usable Tea Bags

2009-07-04T12:21:00.001-07:00

Aren't these cute?! I plan on making a lot of these re-usable little tea bags to go with my Sea Salt Milk Baths.

Don't Drink and Drive

2009-07-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

This is my oldest son's truck. His prized 1997 Dodge. He was drinking one night and on the way home rolled his truck several times. My son Steven was in there as well. It just so happened their buddy/co-worder stayed home or he would probably have been killed. It's a mom's worst night mare! So if you are drinking, think of those who love you and get someone to drive you home!

We were very blessed that both our oldest boys walked away from this wreck! Steven's body was twisted and he sprained his ankle really bad. Jonathan walked away with only bruses and very hard earned lesson.

Kids Go flying

2009-07-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Our town has a program that encourages kids to become pilots by giving them free flights! It's really cool and the kids thought it was the greatest.

Jacob is standing in the sun and David is under the wing in the shade.

Jacob also got to help pilot!

Yesterdays soap

2009-07-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here are all the soaps that I made yesterday. I told you I was soaping like crazy! The one in front is Christmas tree...love the smell. Then the solid green is Green tea and the yellow and white is my Lemon Verbena. The green tea may get handmilled. It was the one I told you was soap on a stick. I forgot to take a picture of the Gardenia.

I needed to get my beer soap done today but I am just too tired after running errands all day....tomorrow's project:)

Soaping like crazy!!

2009-07-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

I've been soaping like crazy trying to get some soap made for Christmas. I want them to have a good curring time. Thus far, in the past 3 days, I have made Cranberry Fig (green & pink swirl), Sweet Pea (pink & white) and Gardenia. The gardenia was almost soap on a stick. It set up super quick when I added the fragrance. It looks more like CPHP due to the fact I had to glob it into the mold. It is solid white and smells fab. Then today I have made a large batch of Lemon Verbena (my fav!) and Christmas bliss which smells really good. Tomorrow I need to make the beer soap I've had setting on the counter for the past 3 days trying to get rid of the fiz. I'm also going to make a soap with the fragrance name of Bethelehem. Love that one. And I want to get my Queen of the Nile soap made before I leave. I just don't know what color to make that one. I'm asking my friends on SMF for help:) I'll post more pics tomorrow.

Oh, I made up 4 Egyptian Queen bath oils too. I also made 4 re-usable tea bags for the bath. Whew, and I haven't even started getting ready for my trip yet. ....right now I gotta go to Costco and get more Olive oil so I can make some more soap! That's the most important thing, right? lol

Vacation Time

2009-07-01T16:57:00.001-07:00

My two youngest boys and I will be driving from Washington State to Tennessee. It is 2,230 miles. Please pray for our safety and my insanity traveling that far with a 10 and 12 year old!
Maybe I will get some good pics to share with you.

Strawberries N Cream

2009-06-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

Isn't this pretty! Someone told me that my beautiful pink might turn brown:( I will cry if it does!!!

I didn't quite get the swirl I wanted, the pink kept swallowing up the white too quick.

Well, time will tell how it turns out. If I wind up with a brown strawberries n cream....I'll throw it away! yuck!

No soaping today, too many kids underfoot. That's ok, I need to do some packaging anyway.

Experiment not so good.

2009-06-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Last month I got the bright idea to make a 'Double Duty Bar', one side soap the other side salt bar. Everything went well until I added the fragrance then it traced too quick on me. I got it in the mold though with no problem. They were so pretty when I cut them. The salt side solid white with an embedded heart and the soap side white with pink swirls.

Here they are 5 weeks cured. Not so pretty anymore. I forgot to discount my water so the soap side shrunk on me. Now I have a warped bar of soap. And the salt side turned yellow due to the shea butter. So now I have to do another one. Next time I will make two seperate batches leaving the shea out of the salt batch, remember to discount my water so I won't have shrinkage. Use an FO that I know doesn't speed up trace. All in all it was a great fun experiment!

Experiment not good

2009-06-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Last month I got the bright idea to make a 'Double Duty Bar' One side soap and the other side a salt bar. Everything went well in the making till I added the scent, then it traced on me a little too quick....that was ok, looks cool. In fact when I first cut them they looked really pretty, white on one side (salt) with a little embedded heart and then the other side was white with pink swirl. Nice!

But they didn't cure so nice:( One thing I know I did wrong was I forgot to discount the water, so the soap side shrunk giving me a now warped bar. And the salt side turned yellow....cool I guess, but I preferred the white. The reason It turned yellow is because of the shea butter.

So now I have to do it again. This time I will make completely seperate batches and not forget to discount the water for the soap side. And no shea in the salt side!

Soap FIX

2009-06-25T16:33:00.001-07:00

Look what I made last night! I tell ya, I was starting to have withdrawal symptoms, at least, so says my dh who said I was grumpy LOL

Anyway, this is Lime Margarita, Cold Processed. I just love it.

Today I made Strawberies and cream, smells great but I don't know how it's going to turn out. I did an ITP (in the pot) swirl and I just had a feeling I wasn't going to like it so after I got it poured in the mold I did a swirl in the mold lol. And then finished topping it off with white like I did the Lime Margarita. So it will be a suprise to both of us. I'll post pics of it tomorrow. I also made a dog soap today, handmilled. I love handmilled soap. It seems to last so much longer, but I'm not sure I'm good at it. That will be another 'tomorrow' suprise.:)