Hi everyone! Mid-December, already?! How did that happen?!! Is Y2K over yet?!
Seriously, I have been busy making hot process soap. I am addicted and feeling the pressure of the clock ticking away until Christmas, so I have not written anything in awhile.
I had a brilliant idea (?) to make a "soap of the month". Clearly, I am wild with ideas and careen from one recipe to another. I need to stop the insanity and settle down!
Yesterday, I began my "Winter" soap in earnest. I made my current fave batch (olive oil and a smidgen of coconut oil), superfatted with shea butter. I divided the batch and scented a portion with a very nice vanilla and the rest with a lovely citrus and incense. I then poured my batters into a prepared mold.
Gorgeous!
The vanilla scented portion turned a lovely light beige, nicely contrasting with the creamy ivory color of the rest of the batch.
This morning, I anxiously cut into the soap loaf.
It crumbled apart.
gggrrrrrr
I spent most of the day doing a rebatch. I am going to leave that puppy alone for a few days. Soap in Mold isolation! I hope that it turns out better looking than when it went into the mold.
If it works, the soap will now be "January" soap.
I then made a batch of gingerbread soap to cheer myself up. I threw in some oats and blackstrap molasses. I usually do not make the 'baked goods' type of soap except for the holidays.
This gingerbread soap is another great experiment. I rather like the little "surprises", and happy accidents in soapmaking, but I despise wasting a goodly amount of nice oils, butters and time.
I had made a gorgeous castile soap. Total success. Pure and lovely. It is drying/curing.
Also had a batch of honey and beeswax soap that is nice. I split that batch up and left a portion unscented, but with the aromatic sweetness of the honey and beeswax. The other soap I scented with rosewood essential oil and tonka bean with a touch of vanilla absolute. It smells spicy - not at all what I expected.
The longer the soap dries (cures), the milder, harder and bubblier it becomes...sometimes that translates into a dimming of the fragrance. As much as I love
good scent, I appreciate an
artful and
quality bar of soap more!
I set aside some holiday soaps that I need to get packed up and out for gifts. That will take my day tomorrow. Not my favorite thing to do, but it gives me a sense of 'completion'.
Now, I must practice patience........and not keep sneaking peeks at the molded soaps!!
I will try to get some fotos up of the new soaps, but for now, I will leave you with the Spicy Ginger Cherub -
In love, peace and beauty ....
