Recent content by JumpinKaren

I did a 9% superfat and started mixing when the oils and lye were at 125 so that they wouldn't solidify. I cut the soap this morning and it worked just fine. The crack down the middle of the log reduced over night and the nice textured top is retained. The bars are very nice and hard! Just...

I just made a batch of CP soap with equal parts palm kernel oil, coconut and palm oil. Trying to get a nice hard bar of soap. The soap got hard very quick and has started rising, cracking down the middle of the log mold and gelling at a very high temperature. What gives? I'm worried I won't...

Uhh... whoops! No, I did not discover that beer has magic soap making properties negating the need for lye. Typo! :lol: I replaced the water with two bottles of beer that had simmered for a while to remove alcohol and carbonation and to concentrate scent and color. Here is my recipe: •...

I don't do melt and pour either. It sounds like with the second one though that maybe the honey and molasses acted like liquids. Maybe a longer cure time would help? Oh, and watch out with the cayenne pepper! Despite it being able to color naturally, I really don't think you'd want to wash...

I loooove beer soap! I recommend using a dark stout (my favorite thus far is Obsidian Stout from the Deschutes Brewery), cooking it down and replacing all of the lye mixture with beer. Goood stuff.

I'm in the process of getting my Masters degree in speech-language pathology and have the first 2/5 of my comprehensive exams this morning! You better believe right now that I am wishing I had chosen to do a thesis instead. -Karen I just want to make soap!

Brambleberry has a few nice pine scents. Last week I made a batch with Christmas Forest - smells just like going and picking out a christmas tree.

We've got moderately high ceilings and a ledge that runs around the length of our house about 4 feet below the apex of the ceiling (at the height of a regular ceiling). This spot would just be wasted space, so I recently started putting my soap on cardboard or cookie sheets and tucking it away...

I had some friends over to teach them how to make soap, and the results of our time together were fabulous! These are the best soaps that I've ever made (or, helped and supervised the making of). I always get adventurous with my soaps, but tried some regular stuff with my friends so that it...

How long did it cook for and how large was your batch? Typically I use the zap test to determine if my HP soap is done. Sounds like yours still needed to cook longer. I do usually add a little bit of extra water when doing HP vs. CP.. but just a little bit. Adding a can of coconut milk is...

You could mix a lot with a pine fragrance. I think lavender would go nice. I've used a touch of honeysuckle before that worked really well.

Post a picture! ...And maybe some tips! I haven't had much luck getting a nice swirl/marblized look. -Karen

It totally depends on what goes in it. I've made HP soap that turned very white to dark brown. All about the oils and the extras!

Brambleberry does rock. Their retail store is about five minutes away from my school. I'm a lucky girl. :lol:

I made a batch of soap (~#15) using a stick blender for the first time tonight. Oh my goodness!! What a difference that stick blender makes! I'm used to using my hand mixer with a "stick blender" attachment and 45-90 minute trace times. Tonight - 2 minutes! It was miraculous. I never felt...