New Soap

Here is my latest soap. It's my first swirl attempt. I found the technique on You Tube and decided to try it.

There of course were some problems with streaking but I like it anyway. The fragrance oil is Yuzu which is a fruity floral. It's light and really nice.

I am having so much fun with the whole process. It stretches my creativity.

Rhonda

Cherry Blossom

Isn't this a cheery color?? The scent is Cherry Blossom. This was my first attempt at a 2 color pour. I was very pleased with how it came out. It feels like I am progressing in knowledge as I go. After it has cured for 2 weeks I will try it and see how it lathers. Then it will cure another 2-4 weeks before I can give it out to my test group and see how they evaluate it.


Now it's outside to weed. Can't believe how much I have to do already.

Blessings,
Rhonda

More soap

Seems like every time I have some "free" time I am trying out a new soap recipe. My friends and family will be the cleanest group around.

This one smells wonderful. It is colored with Neon yellow and fragranced with Pearberry. The color is super fun and the fragrance is light. It was a great pairing.

This next one started out as a Pepto Bismol pink but as the soap cures it is becoming a nicer shade of pink. can't wait to try this one.


I can't wait for my new shipment of fragrances. I'm going to try a honey oatmeal and a coffee soap next.

Happy crafting
Rhonda

Soaping

It's been awhile but this new obsession is taking over.
Batch # 2 This batch is a plain batch with some Bamboo fragrance. It was a free sample from Brambleberry. My supplier... Soap supplies.



Did you know that Lye is used in the production of bombs and Crystal meth?? Neither did I till I started making soap. Making soap is a chemical reaction too. But what fun I'm having. The possible combinations are endless.

Batch #3 is an all Olive Oil soap. It's called Castile soap. It's supposed to be the best soap for you.



The only problem with it is it has to cure for 3-6 months before you can use it. Can't wait to try it.

Batch #4 is my favorite so far.
I used a red palm oil to get the color and the addition of canned pumpkin and pumpkin spice fragrance oil makes this a bar good enough to eat.
This is it going through "Gel Phase" which is a step in soap making. Love my new loaf molds.

This is it all cut up for curing. Seriously doesn't it look like pumpkin custard except in block form. Wish you could smell it. It smells just like pumpkin pie.


The "curing" area.



My family will be the cleanest is the county.
Happy Weekend.

Rhonda

Pinterest Projects

Ok.... Like I need another source of projects. But have you seen Pinterest?? Of course I have several boards and will be starting more I know.
One of the projects in my file there was a cover for my Composition books. You know the kind with the black and white covers.
I have one for Quilting 2012, Soap making 2012 and Wool. But I needed to appeal to my aesthetic side. They, to me, were unsightly with their cardboard covers.

So......... I found several tutorials on Pinterest and combined them for my covers.


Couple things I like about them. One I can leave them on my shelf and they don't stand out as a modern book. Two they have a built in book mark and Three the flaps on the front and back are handy for storing papers that I write notes on until I can transfer them to the pages.
In my next ones I'm going to try and put in an envelope of some sort and a pen holder??? That may be too much for the book but we'll see.

The tutorials are found here on Pinterest

Enjoy!!
Rhonda

Soap-Another Obsession

Happy Sunday to you all. As I was researching the laundry soap recipe I found lots of articles on making regular bar soap. I was intrigued with the whole process. So began another obsession for me. I began reading everything I could get my hands on about making soap. At present count I believe I've read 9 books. Anything the library had I requested. (The librarian is starting to look at me kinda funny.)It was amazing to me how many You Tube videos I found too. I lost count of how many of those I watched.
The ingredients are pretty accessible-just oils mostly form the grocery store. but one thing kept me from jumping in LYE. Yep the ingredient that kept me stymied was the thing that makes soap soap. It reacts with the oils in a chemical reaction that manufactures soap. Ok I know what you're thinking. Why put that in your soap. It's in all soap. We just aren't seeing the word lye. They use it's chemical name. Sodium Hydroxide. But I digress. So I pulled up my big girl pants and went looking for Lye. Did you know you can make crystal meth and a bomb with Lye?? I didn't... but I do now.
You should have seen the looks on people's faces when I asked if they carried it. You know that MasterCard commercial PRICELESS.
Nough said.
In the end I sent for a beginners kit. Bought all the utensils and waited for the arrival of my ingredients.

Here's my first attempt at soap making. It has a Cranberry Fig fragrance. It's not the prettiest soap I've ever seen but for my first attempt I'm pleased. It went through all the chemical processes it was supposed to. It sat for 24hours and then I could cut it. I didn't like the long skinny bars so I switched to more of a rectangular shape.




Here is a close up of a cut bar.

Now it has to cure for 4-6 weeks before I can use it.
I have so many pretty bars pinned on my Pinterest board that I can't wait to try more. I'm thinking as I make more and get into it more I'll do Soapy Sunday posts.
I have been bitten by the bug.
The possibilities are endless.
I'll have the cleanest family on the block.
There's so many oils and fragrances as well as other natural ingredients that I can't wait to start more types. I'm thinking Honey Oatmeal, Goats milk and Honey, Pumpkin Spice. The ideas are endless.

Enjoy your day.
Rhonda

Cinnamon jelly

This is the best jelly ever. It is really easy to make and looks fabulous when it's done. It's a great gift for anyone.

The ingredients



The process begins (the white is the cheesecloth filled with spices)


This is the finished jelly.
Isn't it pretty.




Here's the recipe

Christmas Berry Jelly

2 cups apple juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c cinnamon imperials (red hots)
3/4 c water
1 tsp red food coloring
1/4 tsp Mace
1 box powered pectin
8 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
4 cups sugar

Combine apple juice,lemon juice,red hots,water,food coloring,mace and pectin. Tie cloves and cinnamon stick in a spice bag. Add spice bag to juice mixture. Bring to a rolling boil,stirring constantly. Add sugar,stirring to dissolve. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 2 min. Remove from heat and skim foam, if necessary. Carefully ladle hot jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe jar rims clean. Cap and process jelly for 5 min in a boiling water bath.

It makes up really quickly and doesn't make a ton so it's perfect for a quick gift. I got 5 jelly jars from this recipe.

Enjoy,
Rhonda

Rhonda