Reading the blog of one of my favourite artists yesterday, she said "Damnit, if I can't cuddle, I might as well paint!"
Well I'm not an artist and I can't paint - but I think she has a point. So today in amongst lots of phone calls and PMs and IMs and txts and all manner of wonderful communications with sooo many people (THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!)
I soaped. And then I stitched.
Vanilla Soap
Inspired by my sweetie - but who knows if he'd even like it :) :) so I made a whole batch of 12 bars in case anyone else thinks they may like it ....
250gm Coconut Oil
250gm Grapeseed Oil
250gm Lard
250gm Rice Bran Oil
250ml water
137 gm lye
30ml Vanilla fragrance.
Simple plain recipe. Nothing fancy, no hassles. Used full water amount to give me more time to play but this soap will take at least 4 and preferably up to 8 weeks for minimum cure for use.
The creative part is in the vanilla fragrance. This fragrance is known to discolour soap. It will turn the whole batch a tan or coffee brown over time as the soap cures.
So what I did was pour two thirds (roughly) of the raw soap into the square mould, then mixed the fragrance with the remaining one third and then poured it in as a swirl type pattern. I then used a spatula to mix it around a little. This is known as a blind swirl because I wont know until the soap cures what the swirl will actually look like.
I think I may have over-mixed so it will look more marbled than swirled - but the fun part is I have to wait to see what the results of my creation are .....
White Witch Soap
This is a fragrance I bought at Christmas to suit a fragrance a friend wears. I think she's liked the bubble bath powder I sent her with this in it. Anyway I thought it was time I had a play with some new mould and a patchouli-based fragrance appealed :) :)
250gm Coconut Oil
250gm Macadamia Nut Oil
250gm Lard
250gm Rice Bran Oil
250ml water
138 gm lye
30ml White Witch fragrance.
I used grapeseed oil in the first recipe as I wanted to keep the base bar as white as possible so the blind swirl would show through .... I much prefer the feeling of macadamia nut oil so I used it in this recipe and it will be a softer more yellowish hue to the bar. Also played with some 3D two part moulds instead of the usual cavity pour. When the soap got too thick I poured the rest into a standard cavity mould.
Again I used full water so I would have more time to play with pouring before the recipe got too thick. Also as it was in individual moulds, there was no gel phase so curing will take longer with this soap. Definitely up around the 8 weeks for a good hard long-lasting bar ....
Stitching
Finally tonight I stitched - got some more done on BoInk. Hope to get a progress pic put up tomorrow when I get a little bit more done. I've got the first Barfy done and just need to outline him. I've started on the green but need to add in the gold to outline the second installment before I take a picture - hopefully tomorrow - or should I say later today.
Have no idea what I'm talking about - see here.
26 comments:
MMM, the soaps sound wonderful - I just used the very last of what I got for Christmas, after saving as long as I could. I don't know if I'd be creative enough to come up with the scents. Can't wait to see your BoInk - I've worked on mine once this week, but might get more time in tomorrow on it.
Well the White Witch fo was for you - so you will definitely be getting a bar in a month or two - if the batch turns out OK .....
I admit to cheating in yesterday's batches - I used commercial fragrance blends - didn't quite have the creativity to make a blend myself .... but I do need to buy some more Lime eo for the next batch I need to make .....
I loved the White Witch bath stuff....it was gorgeous and I didn't itch afterwards which is always a plus!!!
OK that's bar number two accounted for :) :)
Cool, thank you. It's one I really liked..
I love the perfume, too. I get compliments on it all the time :)
There was a perfume? A Karen special only? neat!
What I'd love is a "solid" perfume in one of those little heart shaped tins....
That's exactly what Karen received :))
So any particular fragrances m'dear? I'll make one and send it to you with the next batch of goodies ....
Glad you like it - I know its not quite the same as the one you were telling me about but it was the closest I could get too at the time I think - I can play more in future ....
Will have to think about that. I've been wearing the Burts Bees "Baby Bee" in my pentagram and something light but floral would be nice...Something where the scent will "waft" up to me but not make me sneeze or be overbearing....like that makes any sense but it is near 1am and we had one heck of a long long day out.
Let me think on it - you go to bed ....
Actually I think the Vera Wang type fragrance I have might work - did you get any of that at Christmas time ...
Your soaps sound wonderful Mel! And creativity in any form is a great outlet for the "blah's".
Um,,,,yes, been saving that one...planning a long afternoon soak for later so will use it up and see if I like it....bet I will though:)
Let me know when you do get to it :) :)
That goes for everyone else too - if you've received any bathroom goodies from me at all, please let me know any constructive criticism - I would like to develop my craft and also target my funds - so if you received something that was not to your taste, or it didn't suit your skin please please please tell me !!!!
Mels soaps ARE wonderful. I'm using the one she sent for Christmas and its gorgeous. Mind you I nearly lost it when Jon came down. He thought a soap with bells imprinted on it was "cool" and I had to retrieve it from his case
Remind me this year and I'll send you two - one for Jon. You *will* have to remind me though ....
Memory of a goldfish - that's me.
OH OH OH !!! I have to skite !!!!!
I unwrapped the vanilla soap this morning on the way out the door and the swirls look fab !!!
I took a pic and will upload tonight!
Sounds wonderful ! I loved the sound of ti when you spoke of it earlier...pretty swirls, yummy!
Mel Said: "That goes for everyone else too - if you've received any bathroom goodies from me at all, please let me know any constructive criticism - I would like to develop my craft and also target my funds - so if you received something that was not to your taste, or it didn't suit your skin please please please tell me !!!!"
Mel, I am not sure if it was you or Hilary that sent me the Dragons Blood soap 2 Christmases ago, but it was lovely. Nathan loved it too and kept using it when he took his showers. It didn't flare my acne like 99% of commercial soap do. Yes, at 38, I still have acne. Sigh. Family trait. Gotta love crappy genes.
Hi Mel,
I have been 'saving' my stuff from you! Mainly until I get new bath safety mat and curtains. It is hard to sit in a wonderful smelling hot bath when everything around you has rusts stains on it! But I am using the chocolate lip gloss you sent me, YUMMY! Since my pants are telling me enough junk already lately - it is my one way of getting my chocolate fix without the actual chocolate!!! I LOVE it! And two checks from now, I will be able to replace those bathroom things and I promise to report on which ever yummy smelling item from Christmas I use!
Of course, all the chocolate has been long gone but I saved all the neato wrappers!!!
Chele
That was me. If you didn't get any last year then it must have been because you told me you used liquid soap or no soap .....
Glad you liked it :) :)
All your soaps are great. So much makes me itch and not one of yours has ever...it amazed me as I was so scared of using them first time around. I'm so used to everything making me itch, even stuff which says no preservatives at all and only organic ingredients...whatever it is that makes yours special, keep doing it:)
Well I have to say that I've enjoyed ALL of your bath products. The fragrances have all worked well for me, and the soaps seem to last so much longer than the commercial ones. As for the lip balm, well, the chocolate one is gone already! :)
I adore vanilla fragrances and wear/use them quite often. Did I get any of the White Witch bath powder? If so, I don't believe I've used it yet. What's the fragrance like?
From suppliers website blurb:
White Witch - This is our own special blend of Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils including Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk, a tiny bit of Rose and more. It's truly a one of a kind and once you try it, you're hooked. It's earthy, sultry and comprised of so many different elements, you're sure to love it.
As to what it smells like in real life - I have no idea - I've had sinus affecting my sense of smell from last September. Even these batches I made on the weekend and last Christmas I cannot smell properly - one of the reasons I am hoping for honest feedback - I honesty cannot smell if an oil has gone rancid.
Its also why I'm using commercial blends instead of making up my own .....
So that's what's in the white witch,..the rose adds just that touch of sweetness to it...It's lovely!
Didn't realise you still had the olfactory problem:(
Oh Gothy! I hope your nose comes back to life soon (and that blend sounds wonderful!)
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