Hark! Cooler weather approacheth!!

*waves* Hey y'all...tis that time of the year again...the crispness of fall...and I am beginning to feel very festive! I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but the Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love the colors, the smells, the food that is in season, and the nice hot drinks. One of my favorite hot drinks is hot cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows. So....you can just imagine where this is going!! ;) (please allow time for pictures to load.)

Ok so I was unable to get pictures of the separated soap batter, or the fact that I used real cocoa but I was able to snap off shots from here a bit. Incidentally I swirled at this level in an effort to try to get a little bit of the white batter to incorporate through.

So here is the "whipped cream" like I would put on a cup of hot homemade cocoa. I tried to get it to fluff a little higher but like whipped cream does sometimes it didn't want to cooperate. lol

So I was going to do a "chocolate drizzle on top but it wound up being more than anticipated...so I just went with it, and decided to do a bit of a melted marshmallow look.

Looks yummy doesn't it? You could smell this soap all the way out to my driveway I kid you not! Auh-,mazing!

After unmolding. At this point I can't wait to see the inside.

I cut it, and decided to get festive. Looks similar to how I make our hot cocoa. ;)

I just love how this turned out. :)

No, we're not done yet!! I made another batch of soap the same day! Before I show y'all the pictures I want to tell y'all about my inspiration behind the next batch of soap. I have a wonderful friend, Michael, who lives in the UK, that loves pumpkins as much as I do. Unfortunately in his area pumpkins are not as plentiful as they are here, so sometimes he has to purchase cans of them online (he calls them tins *giggles*) , bless his heart, and stock up. Sooo right before Fall we got to talking about our mutual love of pumpkins and cooking, and started sharing recipes back and forth on facebook. Now last year I added some real pumpkin to a batch of soap, but it was a small amount. But since we love pumpkins so much I added a little extra to the soap batter this time. (almost a half a can lol!)  Fingers crossed that it was ok to do that...lol, we'll see how they look in about 6 weeks. ;) For now...I give you Michael's Pumpkins!

I couldn't take any pictures of the process before this, because I soaped at a little higher temp than I anticipated so it very quickly hit trace and I had to move fast. If I would have used a fragrance I imagine it would have made it quite difficult to do any swirl. I decided to add the brown, red, and black in keeping with the season.

This was after I unmolded it and right before I cut and cleaned it up.

In keeping with the Fall festive mood. ;) I love how Michael's Pumpkins turned out. Another auh-mazing! I can't wait to test it!

I also want to mention that the main reason why this Michael's Pumpkins are unscented is because I have yet to find a supplier that has a pumpkin fragrance that smells like actual pumpkin instead of overpowering cinnamon. I love cinnamon, but most folks can't tolerate that much cinnamon.  If you know of someone that has an actual pumpkin fragrance, give me a holler. :)
Well folks, I have a paper in my Environmental Sciences class to do, and I am hoping to get in lots of soapmaking over the weekend. :) Check back soon!
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Almond Joy...only without the chocolate!!

*waves* Hey y'all!! Goodness sakes it sure was good to get back in the shop and get rolling with some soap! My husband, bless his heart, was able to get my little laptop fixed so I could have my music in the shop as well. So let's get to it shall we? :)

So awhile back, an aquaintence of mine mentioned using almond milk in soap...and that got the wheels turning so to speak. So I went out and got a big ol' jug of almond milk to try it! Here's how things went.

This was after I added the lye mixture to my oils. Stir stir stir!

Seperated the soap batter into cups with colorant and had to whip it a bit more before the pour.

So I start pouring color over color.

This was right after I swirled. Sorry about the flash. I was having problems with my camera. :(

After unmolding. I unfortunately had to switch to my cell phone to take pictures because my camera began acting funky.

After cutting the bars! It reminds me of the inside of an almond.

I'm ready for my close-up!! These bars smell divine! They are still a bit soft from using the almond milk, but I am so glad that I got a chance to try it. I plan to do some unscented almond milk bars soon. :)

 Ok folks, look for some more posts because I have become a soap making fiend! *muahahaaaaahaaaa* ;)
Have a great evening!
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Well hello strangers!

*waves* Hey y'all! My goodness I haven't popped in here since May! Land sakes it has been a loooong time! I am so sorry to have neglected this blog. Schoolwork, my family, and a sweltering summer has kept me from getting my soap mojo going and I have hardly had time to take a breath! Not to worry though, I am going to be back in my shop in a couple of weeks in between my classes cranking out some more soap.  I have perfected my new recipes thankfully, that are so luscious for your skin, and I am going to get ready to open my online store soon. Now I have turned more into perfecting designs and trying a couple of new techniques. I am sooooo excited! So check back in soon for some new additions to the blog. :)

By the way... how do y'all like the new blog look. Since Fall is in the air, and Halloween is just around the corner I thought I would get a jump start on the new look. I just love those sunflowers!! I may need to tweak a couple of things on there...if I can figure out how to remove the duplicate buttons without sending my blog into a tailspin! lol
Ok folks, it's time for me to turn into a pumpkin! Goodnight and y'all take care now, ya hear? :)
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Swirling some magic

*waves* Hey y'all! Hope everyone is doing great! Ok so instead of making just one batch of soap each time I hit the shop, I have been doing at least 2 batches each time. This means that I am really behind on posting. lol Without further ado...it's picture time!! Please bear in mind that I have stopped getting pictures of the actual process unless I have never tried it before.

Here is the batch right after molding and swirling. I really selected some good vibrant colors, and I enjoyed doing this swirl. :) What makes this interesting is the fragrance caused major acceleration (it hit trace very very quickly and unexpectedly). Luckily though I only used the fragrance in the base color so I had time to swirl the top after pouring.

After unmolding about 14 hours later. I love the effect on the top of the soap, which was caused by oxygen hitting the raw soap batter.

After cutting the soap.

As you can see, because the base color accelerated so quickly, it has a layered look.

I decided to call this batch "Magic". The smell is amazing...it has a fruity, slightly earthy and woodsy fragrance. I can't wait to try this when it comes up from cure! Check back in soon for another adventure.

Suds & Bubbles,

Soapy

Taste the rainbow!

*waves* Hey y'all! I wanted to pop in real fast and say hello! :) I hope everyone is doing great! I sure have because I have been making a ton of soap, and getting things ready for my grand opening! After a year of trying, failing, and trying again I was finally successful at making some rainbow soap!! I used a recipe that wouldn't move fast, and a fragrance that wouldn't accelerate. I soaped at a low temp also, and did the colors after it hit a very thin trace. While I was unable to get pictures of the process, I do have pictures after I swirled, unmolded and cut.

After swirling. Doesn't it look neat?

After unmolding the next day. I was sooo excited about this batch!

 

After cutting.

Goodness I really loved this batch! The only thing I would have did different was decreasing the amount of white.

Close up!! This soap smells sooo yummy and I am really happy with how it turned out.

I have a lot of catching up to do post wise on soaps, but wanted to take a moment and share an awesome success. :) Keep checking back for more adventures. :)
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Chasing the trace...

*waves* Hey y'all! Ok so I have been busy busy busy making soap, and trying out a bunch of new scents. I have been having issues with my soap batter hitting a fast trace for some reason so I have been trouble shooting. There were a few common ingredients in these two batches, and I soaped at anywhere between 120-125 degrees, and neither fragrances that I used would cause the batter to accelerate. The last batch that accelerated, it happened so quickly I had to glop it in the mold and beat it down. I really felt a little uncreative with these two batches because they moved so quickly, and I was unable to do much with them. At any rate, here are the pictures of each finished batch. By the way, I was unable to take any pictures during the process as everything happened so quickly.

Sisterly Love recipe reformulated in order to provide a little more moisture to the skin. The top of the loaf was supposed to have purple as well, and both were supposed to be applied by squeeze bottle. The original plans were to link the teal and purple, but unfortunately the batter hardened in the bottles and I was unable to do that. It was only by hope and a prayer that I managed to get the teal on top.

Sisterly Love Cocoa Butter Soap just cut

Sisterly Love Cocoa Butter Soap is cut into 1" slices

Sisterly Love Cocoa Butter close up. Just have to clean up the edges a bit.

This is the batch that I had to pound into the mold because it accelerated so fast, but it did come out looking quite interesting. This batch did superheat a bit in the mold, but appears to be fine. The name of this is Nahimana's Spirit. It has Eucalyptus & Spearmint in it and wow does it ever smell good! :)

Nahimana's Spirit after being cut into 1" slices.

Close up of Nahimana's Spirit.

   Well folks, today is my 15 year wedding anniversary, and after such an eventful day out with the hubsters I am exhausted. I am going to spend what's left of my evening with him. Have a good evening folks, and check back for my next soaping adventure! Goodnight!


Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Soapy makes Salt Bar Soap

*waves* Good afternoon y'all! In my last post , I mentioned posting about my latest salt bar adventure. 
I have seen other Soapers making these bars, and while I have never tried one, a lot of people swear by them. Salt bars are exfoliating of course, as well as full of lather from the large percentage of coconut oil that is used in the recipe. The reason why so much coconut oil is used is because otherwise the salt will affect the lather. The interesting thing is, when using such a high amount of coconut oil, normally it can be drying to the skin. That doesn't appear to be the case with the salt bars at all, as long as you have some additional moisturizing oils added in the recipe. Ok y'all onto picture time!! This time the hubsters was there snapping pictures! ;)

Ok so I decided to use Pink Himalayan Salt for this recipe, and have added it to my soap batter.

Whip it good!! I whisked this for quite a bit until the batter became as thick as what pudding would almost be. I just want to mention that I only added salt to the white soap batter because I didn't see the need to add it to the blue and green color.

Salted soap on the bottom. :)

As you can see I layer the other colors on top of the white soap batter and smoothed them out.

I decided that I wanted to try some sort of a textured top for it, so I poured the remainder of the colored soap into the salted soap batter and did a slight swirl.

Putting on the top.

Ok so I wasn't sure if the top that I poured would work for this when it came time to cut it, so I got the skewer out and played with the top for a bit.

Now what is really fascinating about making salt soap is the fact that it is unmolded and cut while it is still hot because the salt content makes it harden quickly. If you wait until it cools, it will be like cutting a brick and crumble.

A few hours later I return, and see that it has superheated a bit, which as I have mentioned in the past doesn't affect the quality of the soap.

I didn't like how grey the blue came out but it still looks interesting in this soap.

The loaf was too hard to cut with my new soap cutter, so I only used the soap cutter to mark where to cut, and then cut with a knife. I cut an end piece for samples. By the way, I added Shea Butter and Jojoba oil to this soap. Yummilicious for your skin!  I cannot wait to try it!

By the way, my goofy hubsters took a couple of shots of what I listened to while soaping that day.

My playlist for that day for those interested was:
Enya- Aniron (yes I am a LOTR fan)
Loreena Mckennit- The old ways,  Samhain night and Bonnie Portmore
Gypsy Soul- True Love (Scarborough Fair)
My playlist varies from day to day, just depending on my mood, but I mostly prefer Celtic, some New Age, and 80's and 90's oldies when soaping. On occasion I delve back into the 20's through 70's. I grew up in a family that had a variety of musical tastes, and I love a lot of the music that my parents and grandparents grew up with.
Ok folks, I have to stop rambling on and get to the loaf of soap that's out in the shop waiting to be cut, so check back in soon for a new soaping adventure!
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy

Back in the shop again!

*waves* Hey again y'all!! I am so glad to be back in the shop making my soap! I tell ya what, the past five weeks have been absolutely horrendous for me, and land sakes did I ever breath a big sigh of relief when my supplies came in! I think the moment I stepped up onto the porch of my shop, all the tension left my being. Walking through the door of my shop was like stepping into another world. Since then I have made three batches of soap. So let's get to it shall we?

Ok so everything is setup ready to go.

and away we go....

Got my colors and getting ready to pour!

So unfortunately I was unable to take any pictures of the layers that I was doing. I was out in the shop by myself at that time, and the soap batter started getting thick fast so I had to pour fast. I was able to do my little textured swirlie top. ;)

So let me just say, that I used a color that I thought would turn out to be pink, and used a light purple. After I unmolded it was a bit of an orange. It had a bit of condensation on top but I think it may have been the temp that I soaped at. 

Yes that is my new soap cutter! Isn't it wonderful!?!?!

There you have it! Of course I have to clean up the edges just a smidge but I'll do that tomorrow. The only thing I would have changed about this soap was the colors. I wanted the purple to be a bit darker, and I was hoping for a dark pink as well but that color morphed. The reason why I chose these colors is because the other night when we had severe storms come through, the lightening would flash across the sky and it would have a white and purple look to it. It was breath-taking. The pink color I chose because the same night of that storm , as the storm clouds began to fill the sky, the rest of the sky behind me was pink. Now mind you, I don't normally care too much for pink, but that sure was a beautiful pink in that sky which was a nice contrast to the lightning. The entire sky resonated with me, and while the storm symbolized how the last five weeks were for me, the pink represented a new beginning. So I decided to name this batch Stormy Weather. ;)  Life's storms can sometimes hit very unexpectedly, but like the severe weather that rolled through that night...it doesn't last long. This batch reflects that.

Well folks, it's about that time for me to call it a night. Check back in for another adventure in the Soapy Chronicles. My next adventure to share will be making salt bar soaps. :) Have a good evening y'all.
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy