Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!
But first, a continuation of last week's groundhog saga...
Earlier this week, about 4 days ago, we spotted a very large, adult fox trotting across our front lawn and into the woods. This is very exciting! I think foxes are so beautiful.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M9eiHPqp-S7dHhENn9-UMTC-zrfqNix9yFHbErp8dkZqa8MG00xBr2420BvFKwvmFnjJDvXkhQKpWZf2RcuaQEm7Z4YfbLf7tPqOJ8kh5hWfEFJk9EK5PSvxRZ3ibSmfs635/s400/foxy.jpg) |
Mr. or Mrs. Fox is welcome! |
We have also
NOT seen John G. Kennedy groundhog since last week. Coincidence? Maybe. Mr. or Mrs. fox is welcome to stay and keep the critters away, but I worry about our neighbor's cat that is let outside and wanders over here from time-to-time. :-(
Next, since it is a holiday weekend, how about some fireworks from Mother Nature? Say hello to "Ruby Spider" daylily ....isn't she gorgeous?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCFxNAr6IGkXHXJeaarW0Ut2gmWUEfy_JRuoDXK9NizyCc1QyaSsA9LuAqWDxK927_oYZOSqd1muPWP9BsJmPX2Nwd1SU-FhodLuCcxQIs8jVErQ2lsOXC99-CYva5G3acChB/s400/lily+2.jpg) |
"Ruby Spider" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaYx41cYNvmYHYKRZPsp0Q6A3braDWH4iTJr44cf2EALLJp_Svh4yhSQhBuK4_lZlVIWzZQTEyme904tRdmcBsr4lxuvi-ugSAsqajB_wNRLrHywmTuMMYbPadtxbYiEjoEm4/s400/lily+3.jpg) |
I'm ready for my close-up! |
There is a man at one of our local farmer's markets that sells the most amazeballs plants. It's hard for me to not buy from him...I've already purchased 5 daylilies (4 last year), an echinacea, and a coneflower. I'd buy more, but I need to do some garden-bed prepping first.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIa7qaCcQ5uMygzat9UABo2latp1en_VrhdqQZRXW_OhJDncqZw4m1S9JY_Ljpnpp-_I6rx0Af7vSEknlNU5jsxYFBmco_UeWak9EQuSniewNz5PilI8492qzbzUgCaMUwpb3y/s400/lily+4.jpg) |
"Lavender Stardust" |
On to soap, shall we?
This week, I received some wonderful goodies in the mail. There is a lady at my UPS store who has been begging for me to make some coffin shaped bath bombs (she likes things "goth/emo") that look like this:
So, I bought this cake mold and will play around with it this week. I also bought the pink "faux bois" wood grain silicone mat to line the bottom of my soap mold for some future sandlewood-type soap.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYbyD-6FGbJUeUuvsW4QzZ-V0JaT5M2_yfH0-oVdzGjMo47XdDqBN1LPxDr-hpF37StlGuw1Yx_appjG4bdpeJrCEqmIqZ4RHxYYTv7yBujjhSCkRj8b7Ypcs8xYM5ctz2hLD/s400/coffin+mold.jpg) |
Coffin bombs coming soon! |
Wholesalesupplies.com had a sale on their large 6.5 lb. silicone soap molds, so I bought 2 for future loaves when I am comfortable with my recipe and process. Messing up a small 3 lb. loaf of soap (on left) is MUCH cheaper and less painful than it would be if it were almost 7 lbs.!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwy2ioyehmrvkI0LYu2Yk_QKngsYFuEPgDZrr44u7z2zIXFndmKgWlPEPXMFdlDfSL_xEHlp8SdGieZM6tB-axbPNDW8cdkXs9CgJVvjpVUkTC4tN7AtQwxy8W99LsO80-TbUi/s400/molds.jpg) |
3 lb. mold on left (it's dirty in this pic) and 6.5 lb. mold on right |
For example, I made a "White Tea and Ginger" soap that at 24-hours was still a little too soft to take out of the mold and it tore in the corners. I had a hunch that I needed to do a water discount, so I made another similar batch with a FO blend the next day, but with a 15% water discount.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRTijIx0BwxhLTsWftRYyUXTy4PcmWIlsxKIVHPMwTdmCZ7E9qyUTQnIE4KzV8m4PA_fPCaZA8EZhElJDTA3iMXjDv_BHjQwYFPqRT_Eyppb3J-PRQXs6hAh7JamvMmGZNsTt/s640/white+tea+ginger.jpg) |
Looks like something took a bite out of my soap! |
The 2nd soap was the perfect consistency at 24 hours, BUT when I made the soap, one of the FOs that I used caused my batter to "rice" and so, the soap wasn't perfect.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-YGAkt2MHgg1B9qQxgURPm49_ZWelL7uLICWFljTb1zs52uGlan3Gr6Sc6zl_CKpnwcrO530b4w1wbCBuD9z6sj3cmG263u_UOqNY0-3oeTnuJAOYY6Y748BbIzItgvERv5c/s400/avobath+soap.jpg) |
Better consistency, but a naughty Fragrance Oil |
I'm aiming for consistency and I'm close, but when dealing with unknown fragrance oils (FOs), always, always, ALWAYS do your research to see how it will perform. This is why I am working my craft every week.
All of these "imperfect" but perfectly usable and wonderful soaps will be shared among friends, coworkers, family, and anyone who takes a bath!
No comments:
Post a Comment