Savingdogs-Saving the chickens

[abifae]

Huh! I never would have thought about using crisco. How do the soaps feel?

 

[snapshot]

They look wonderful!!!!!! Is the crisco recipe somewhere here in a thread?

 

[Javamama]

They are beautiful!

 

[valmom]

I love the goat head one!

I have used Crisco also since starting soaping- I wanted cheap, readily available oils to practice on. The new Crisco (with palm) even had its own category on SoapCalc so I went with that and olive oil that I had already. I have since branched out and added coconut oil to add suds and shea butter.

 

[lorihadams]

I have GOT to order some lye already.....must. make. soap......

they look WONDERFULLLLLLLL!

 

[savingdogs]

This is the recipe I use:

http://www.pureandnaturalsoaps.com/recipe-easy-crisco-soap.html

However, as per glenolam, I replaced the water with 100 percent goat milk. Last batch, I replaced 8 oz of water with goat milk and added about 1/2 cup honey and 3/4 cup GROUND oatmeal and that batch was just wonderful. I was almost ready to make it exactly the same, it was so nice. However I wanted to put more goat milk in to see how that came out, and this is scented.

I bought Baby Rose, Indian Sandalwood and they sent me some free almond as well. My goal at this point (besides providing the family with high quality soap) is to give the majority of my soap I make this fall as family Christmas gifts and sell a few bars to the people who remarked that they were interested, get a little sales started so I can buy more oils and scents. I was thinking of making a scent assortment for those interested in purchasing, and putting 3 bars in a package (three different scents) for 15.00. Big bars, not some of those little ones. And the balls are the pieces that I just mushed together, I plan to use those to test how it comes out.

I'd like to make the bars look smoother and nicer, if you look at glenolam's or Freemotions photos you will see a tremendous difference in the professional look. Only 1/2 came out of the molds perfect, the others all didn't retain the whole shape. I like the new individual molds better than the sheets you cut apart. I managed to reshape some of the goofs and I might trim off more before they are done, but they are still soft.

However, we are 100 percent sold on homemade soap, I love the stuff and use it for everything. I never was a big soap user before and used very expensive beauty products (usually Mary Kay) and now I just use my soap and inexpensive lotion and my skin seems BETTER.

I want to learn to make lotion bars too but so many soaping ingredients are expensive, I have to buy things a little at a time. I spent over 50 dollars on the lye, molds and scents so I won't make much money at making soap until I get more stock purchased. That is partially why I'm interested in the nonscented soap, the fragrance is the biggest cost and many people liked the unscented. With the honey and oatmeal, it already had a mild, nice fragrance.

I was really happy how the goat head one came out, it just popped out of the mold perfect and so easy.

 

[valmom]

I kept a log book of soap expenses and income when I started. Well, more start up expenses for the first 6 months or so (scale, cheap pot, lye, soap only designated measuring cups and spoon/spatula, and a stick blender). I recouped my costs for everything- including scents, excluding oil (since I never remembered to write it down after grocery shopping)- selling my soap at work and at a Christmas employee craft fair last year. I sell my bars for $3 each, very informally.

 

[sunsaver]

Those are cute! I loved the cow ones best.

 

[savingdogs]

Those are cute! I loved the cow ones best.

COW??????

those are goats....... Do they look like cows?

Sorry, SS, I got carried away.

 

[freemotion]

I'd like to make the bars look smoother and nicer, if you look at glenolam's or Freemotions photos you will see a tremendous difference in the professional look.

Let me tell you my secret. I only make "rustic" bars for the very reasons you state that your bars are imperfect....I trim-trim-trim with my trusty carrot peeler and if more ash were to form, I could easily trim it right off without ruining the bars. If some sticks in the mold....trim, trim, trim! If there are mystery specks, trim, trim, trim!

I suggest that you make simpler bars for sale such as my dishpan bars. Soooo easy! You can cut them as big or small as you want to. Or get a loaf mold for smaller batches. Offer the fancy single-mold ones at a much higher price to cover the extra work load and to cover the cost of ruined bars that won't unmold or that get too ashy to sell. You and your family can only use so much soap, after all. I have enough to last me the rest of my life, I'm sure!