Punkins' world....SUNSHINE, seeds and no more drought!

[Farmfresh]

Be VERY careful punkin ... that soaping bug is ALMOST as bad as a chicken keeping bug!

Once you get started it is hard to stop!

 

[punkin]

FF, I hope it's as fun and relaxing as everyone says. Although, I know it will be a while before I get over being nervous.

BTW, I forgot to mention I found a make & take soaping class. It's in Fayetteville, TN which is about a 2 hour drive from here. They teach cold & hot process, show you which oils to use and why, and teach safety precautions. They have their own farm and use milk straight from the goats. The cost is $65 which includes safety equip., supplies, recipes and lunch. I can't attend the one in Oct. due to DS' racing, so I'll have to wait until Nov. 7th. And, DH said if they don't use alot of fragrance, he may take it with me.

I'm so excited!!

 

[me&thegals]

That is so exciting!! If it's like making bee's wax balm, look out. Supply may soon exceed demand

I have an older friend who "soaps." Can I use that as a verb?!? I have been bugging her for a year to do a class. This is a great reminder for me to start bugging her again. I really, really want to learn to make soap this winter, too. It seems like a perfect winter project--great for stocking up for the rest of the year.

Does fresh, homemade soap store well? Could it last an entire year?

 

[freemotion]

It keeps indefinitely. It may lose some quality that makes it not as presentable for sale, but it works just great.

 

[punkin]

It keeps indefinitely. It may lose some quality that makes it not as presentable for sale, but it works just great.

FM, once it's completly cured and is unwrapped for a couple of more months, could you put it in an airtight container and expect better quality at a year?

Just wonderin'

 

[freemotion]

Oh, sure! I was referring more to loss of scent if you use essential oils. The longer it ages, the harder it gets, and a bar will last longer, generally. And don't keep it on anything with ink that it will pick up, or where it will get dusty. It could discolor a bit, too. But for the family, it cleans just fine. Before I was making soap, I got a lot of free soaps from a soapmaker who's soap I sold in my office, and I got the rejects from him for free. They were still wonderful soaps, mind you, he just couldn't sell them.

 

[punkin]

That's good to know, Free.

I made my first batch of lye soap today! Ya'll were right, I obsessed more about doing it than I needed to. It was easy and I think I got the right trace. It's an olive, coconut oil and Crisco based soap. Who would've thunk you could make soap with Crisco? I don't think I put in enough fragrance, but that's OK. It's wrapped in blankets in the big tub and I'll find out if I did it right in a couple of days.

This was about a 4 lb. batch so I should get quite a few bars from it. I used the lye calculator and recipe resizer on the Honeybee site that someone (can't remember who, but thanks again) for suggesting. It was very simple to understand.

:bun I'm almost a soaper!!

 

[Blackbird]

You ARE a soaper! Congratz!

I think that was Monique who mentioned that site.

 

[punkin]

You ARE a soaper! Congratz!

I think that was Monique who mentioned that site.

You're right, I went back and looked on the other thread. And, it was Summerbee, not Honeybee.

 

[Farmfresh]

That is my favorite site for soap!

Congrats Punkin! I am so very proud ... you need never be dirty again!!