Clean Living (made some soap!)
If you've been reading here for a while, you know I'm involved with a group that makes quilts for the needy...also some 'fancies' to sell and raise funds. The ministry that the quilt group is a part of is going to have a craft fair, so I've been busy getting ready for that.
I have some aprons started, but not quite finished, and a few jewelry pieces that I had made and not ever put for sale, some sun crystals, a raggedy ann...but I spent the weekend making soap!
I used to make and sell a lot of soap, and then there were some major price increases for some of the oils. I got out of the habit of doing it, I guess. After making soap this weekend, I remembered how much I enjoy it.
I put together a batch of pear-berry with a bit of cornmeal in it to exfoliate. I also made some oatmeal, milk and honey soap, and - my most favorite - lilacs in bloom. I even made some glycerin soaps in several colors and scents. I think those would be cute in an Easter basket at the craft fair, don't you?
Every night I'm crocheting one cotton washcloth too. I think a bar of handmade soap and a matching washcloth would be a sweet gift for Mother's Day, a birthday, all sorts of things.
I don't have photos of any of this just yet, but I'll try to get them soon!
Meanwhile, we also got the plastic onto the hoop house this weekend. I raked the soil, sprinkled it, and I can hardly wait to get some seeds in there. One of our drakes started attacking the other one, so I separated them by running a fence down the center of the duck pen. The Anconas are on one side and the Rouens on the other. I'm not sure if the females were 'married' (?) to their own breed or not, but for now, that's the best I can do. The hens have been going out whenever we're outside working on projects and now it's getting near to impossible to get into the henhouse to feed, water and check for eggs without a hen making a run for the great outdoors. Bless their hearts, they like to play outside!
I hope your weekend was fun and productive too! Have a great week.
-Laura at TenThingsFarm
I have some aprons started, but not quite finished, and a few jewelry pieces that I had made and not ever put for sale, some sun crystals, a raggedy ann...but I spent the weekend making soap!
I used to make and sell a lot of soap, and then there were some major price increases for some of the oils. I got out of the habit of doing it, I guess. After making soap this weekend, I remembered how much I enjoy it.
I put together a batch of pear-berry with a bit of cornmeal in it to exfoliate. I also made some oatmeal, milk and honey soap, and - my most favorite - lilacs in bloom. I even made some glycerin soaps in several colors and scents. I think those would be cute in an Easter basket at the craft fair, don't you?
Every night I'm crocheting one cotton washcloth too. I think a bar of handmade soap and a matching washcloth would be a sweet gift for Mother's Day, a birthday, all sorts of things.
I don't have photos of any of this just yet, but I'll try to get them soon!
Meanwhile, we also got the plastic onto the hoop house this weekend. I raked the soil, sprinkled it, and I can hardly wait to get some seeds in there. One of our drakes started attacking the other one, so I separated them by running a fence down the center of the duck pen. The Anconas are on one side and the Rouens on the other. I'm not sure if the females were 'married' (?) to their own breed or not, but for now, that's the best I can do. The hens have been going out whenever we're outside working on projects and now it's getting near to impossible to get into the henhouse to feed, water and check for eggs without a hen making a run for the great outdoors. Bless their hearts, they like to play outside!
I hope your weekend was fun and productive too! Have a great week.
-Laura at TenThingsFarm
Comments
To answer your questions, the book that I use has suggestions for additives, and the amounts are surprisingly low. For example, When I add oats or corn meal to a batch that makes about 16 bars, I only add 1/4 cup of either one. It doesn't sound, or look, like much, but it's nice in the soap. For oats, she recommends that you give them a quick zip in the blender to break them up some, and that is a good thing.
My understanding is that you can add dried herbs without worry. However, I do hot process, so the lye is already 'gone' (reacted) when I add my scents, colorants and additives, so I can more or less know they aren't going to change to some new color or something. If you're doing traditional soap, the answer may be different.
Whenever I get around to photos of the soaps I'll snap one of the book too. It's downstairs (and I am not) or I'd post the title right now. :)
Hope that helps some. Thanks again for helping me find my lost post this morning!
I'm anxious to see the photos!