Good morning Thursday, this week is flying by fast so far.
I still have melt and pour soap bases left over from when I was selling soaps in my Etsy shop. There are so many soapers and with the addition of the shipping costs it just was not worth my time any more. I was buying non detergent all natural soap bases from Wholesale Supplies Plus-that is a wonderful place for soap making supplies, recipes, tutorials-they have everything you would want.
In my stash I still have a big chunk of goat milk soap so am using that to make soaps for me and my friend this week. I did also purchase last year another 25 pound box of their baby buttermilk base but decided to work on using up the goat milk first-I forgot I still had some.
I recently purchased a new book from an herbalist I have followed for several years, her blog is in my list of blogs I follow I have learned allot from her, and all her recipes have turned out well for me. She usually makes the traditional cold and hot press soaps so I was excited for her new book for melt and pours. I probably won't use many of her recipes but the information was amazing to me. Using natural to color soaps, how to infuse herbs into the soaps and more.
So yesterday I dug out my supplies and equipment and made calendula soaps with her methods. I have my own dried dandelion, calendula, and wild camomile flowers in my herb stash. I also have a huge bag of calendula that I had purchased from Wholesale Supplies Plus that I added. Once you melt down the soap base you add in the herbs, essential oils, color-I used turmeric for this one-and a drop or two of honey (adds more suds) and let steep for 30 minutes. strain and pour into the molds.
I made two batches late yesterday and am in the process of making two more batches.
Herbs, wildflower honey, essential oils infusing in the warm soap
The book suggested so many natural ingredients to use for colors many of them were clays which I will look into soon.
Next up will be lavender soaps that I will infuse first with the lavender flowers.
I made soap for a while and enjoyed it. The process was soothing to me, and there are so many ways to make them. I like both your first and second batches of that soap. I can smell it in my imagination :)
ReplyDeleteGood morning yes I do enjoy making the soap. for some reason homemade cold press or hot press soap is too harsh on my skin, so these melt and pours I found are so nice-very creamy to the skin, sudsy rinses well too this has been fun learning how to get herbs into these melt and pour soaps
DeleteThey all look good enough to eat! 🤣
ReplyDeleteI was very pleased with the colors
DeleteBeautiful soaps, a friend sells hers at the local markets and does porch pickup orders. She seems to do well marketing on Instagram.
ReplyDeletethank you-happy for her
DeleteI am not on instagram because you can only load photos if you have a smart phone and I don't use those allot of people do well there though I don't sell anymore I just make for myself as I don't use purchased soap for me and share with a good friend
wish I lived closer!
DeleteBoth colors are lovely. Using colors with clay in them, will it and if so, how much will they add a drying effect to the soap? Would it be gritty enough to use as a facial scrub?
ReplyDeletethanks for mentioning about the added clay in soap-I need to research that thank you for bringing that up
DeleteYour soaps are little works of art - well done! They must smell heavenly! Have a nice afternoon, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteThank you Valerie-yes they do smell wonderful
Deletethank you Laurie-I was very excited with this color too-very fun project for sure-hugs
ReplyDeleteFor a time I made melt and pour soaps. I didn’t have fancy molds. Didn’t add color and used essential oils for fragrance. your soaps are wonderful and I like the color of both batches
ReplyDeletethanks CJ when I was selling soaps I picked up quite a few molds and was gifted some too I love calendula so had to have this one haha
DeleteI bet your soap smells wonderful, I love the colors, beautiful design on the bar too!
ReplyDeleteTammy x
thank you-the orange was a nice add to this one
DeleteHow interesting your soap making sounds. I was given some home-made soaps recently and they are so much better than commercial soaps and seem to last much longer too.
ReplyDeleteLavender soap with lavender flowers sounds marvellous.
I was given a melt and pour soap set for Christmas years ago. I gave it and the various molds to a friend who likes to make soap, but not through the hot melt process I use (with lye). In fact, I think Scott and I will be making some next month so it will be ready by Christmas. Your results are wonderful and I agree they are little works of art. Turmeric, I have found (when dyeing fabric) doesn't dissolve, even if you boil the water it's in. I really like both batches, but I can see that the second is more yellow and "happy."
ReplyDeleteI wanted to share a startling statistic I learned about yesterday. Between Aug. 28 and Sept. 3, a total of SIX days, over 100,000 confirmed cases were reported of children in six states, one of which was MISSOURI. Even if 90% of these children survive (and that's not a given), they still potentially infected their parents, siblings, and teachers. This is an epidemic that is out of control.
Even MY state is sending kids K-6 back to school, while 7-12 are distance learning. I just hope they keep accurate information on the kids who are attending school, because I have a neighbor (next door) who has kids in both situations. I thought you would like to know since you felt adamant that kids need to be attending classes.
Yes I have noticed that the covid cases are spiking here in Missouri-one of the problems is so many driving in from the big cities to the lake-and then partying like crazy and going back home. I still think with safe practices in place kids should be able to go to school learning at home by themselves in front of a computer is not a good thing in my opinion-they already don't know how to socialize with others do to those smart phones-staying home will make it worse in the end
DeleteOh and have fun with your friend making soap-I decided playing with lye is not for me haha I can be a accident waiting to happen
DeleteI agree that children need to interact with friends. My friends in CA are feeling frustrated at times because they can't go to school. Yes, they want to visit with their friends, but they have set up zoom parties on Saturday afternoon where they can all get together virtually. Kids are very smart and very resilient. On Sundays, we (the three youngsters and I) visit a virtual museum. The latest one we all visited was the Dali Museum in FL. Since I don't have a cell phone, they call me and we talk as we make our way through the various rooms in each of the museums. The oldest one told me these museum visits have become popular discussions on their Saturday zoom parties. I assure you, kids will find a way to interact and visit with their friends. If they are loners, they will not want to join in anyway. However, all the students are invited to join in, regardless of their ages. The teens told me the zoom parties are set up for under 12 and over 12 age groups and each are invited by one of the teachers in their school.
DeleteGood morning, thanks for sharing-that sounds fun for them
DeleteI love making soap too, Kathy! I often use the melt and pour technique as it is easy and I do not wait too long to use my soaps. Your soaps look beautiful! Enjoy, my dear friend.
ReplyDeletethat's what I love too-ready to use right away
DeleteYour soaps look very good.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the Lavender soap will be good too.
All the best Jan
Those bars came out beautiful. I wonder if soap making is as popular as it was a few years back. I was never into it but I knew several ladies who were. I bet it was a fun time making some bars again since you haven't done it recently. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteThank you Erika, Yes this was fun and I loved the way they turned out-first time infusing the herbs first-straining and using a natural for color. I think there still are many that make soap-most make hot or cold press but I didn't want to play with the lye and didn't have a spot to do it besides my kitchen which I wouldn't use with the lye.
DeleteThis was so interesting to read. You have a fun house-always making good food and making some kind of art. I'm happy to know you!
ReplyDeletethank soooo much-sending hugs
Deleteyes YEs YES!!!! Super Excited About The Lavender On The Horizon - Would Love A Block!!! You So Rock And Thanx For Inspiring Others
ReplyDeleteCheers
I love lavender soap too send me an email with your (side bar contact) and I will send you a bar
DeleteI still have soaps my friend made and gave to me last time we were in Perth. Too precious to use (and who knows when I can see her again! "Corinna" made Australia lock us all out).
ReplyDeleteHubby bought stuff to make soap and never did, sadly. I am tired of asking... Yours look wonderful!