4 days in, already making gifts.

[ashley8072]

A trip to Las Vegas inspired me to start making my own soaps. I haven't done this since I was a pre-teen when my mom bought me a kit, chopping up old bars and pressing it into little molds. I've always loved different kinds of soaps and salts. Realizing that I'd spent nearly $100 on a few bars of soap, and inspiration from the spa we stayed at, I already had ideas flowing in the plane ride home. Well it's been 4 days, still strapped on cash, and no time to really shop for things, I've still managed to get some neat things up with what I've got on hand. First day I used foil molds, second day I got a tray mold, third day I found and lined a box (big thanks to JaimeM). Slowly I've been acquiring more oils and fragrances, but I've got a lot on hand already I find everyday. ATM, I'm already trying to find a good spot to store everything. The M&P method is so easy that I just whip up a couple bars whenever I'm in the kitchen for a length of time. I've also made my own bath salts for sickness and detoxing. I tried my hand for Vicks shower soothes, but my egg carton crate wasn't a great mold. Lol! I've already given stuff away for family to try out, now I'm planning on gift baskets for everyone come Christmas.
Day 1 was eucalyptus and mint bars, coffee bars, random bars, and bath salts.

 

[ashley8072]

Day 2
Oatmeal bars, goats milk bars, a mix of what I call the Sunburn bar, and then a bar of sage.

 

[ashley8072]

Day 3 was our trip to the grocery store. I finally got the loofah! I redid the coffee bar recipe (even though the rounds on day one were awesome). I did have to pull the loofah once to redo, I think too much coconut oil. So it went from being a 2 swirl color, to a purply-pink solid. Poppy seeds from the store were my choice of ingred on those day. The lonely bar is just some layering I did of the bits and pieces.

 

[ashley8072]

And I still can't figure out why it's only letting me post a pic at a time on the iPad.
Last project on Day 3 was inspired by my FIL's visit for our upcoming camping trip with our group. Shaved soap, non-scented. Perfect for light backpacking, camping, bug out bags. And of course, soap on a rope I had to try. I love to hang things on the wall.

 

[ashley8072]

Microwave + ivory soap + 90seconds = kewl

I found out that when ivory soap is microwaved, it expands cloud-like. I couldn't resist making soap clouds for the girls. I didn't realize the bar was that fresh, but our 8 pieces turned to one big piece. We got 8 pieces out of it though. Unfortunately, our 11yr old thinks she's dirtier than our 3 yr old, and says she gets dibs on bath first. Lol!

 

[JaimeM]

Wow Ashley! You're on a roll, mama!!
I love with the loofah soap and that pinky-purple one! And your soap on a rope is too cool!! Love the hole through the soap, love the cord you used, love the look of the whole thing! Love it!!

 

[JaimeM]

And my 6 year old wants her own soap cloud now!! LOL!!!

 

[ashley8072]

And my 6 year old wants her own soap cloud now!! LOL!!!

Haha! It's great. Prob the very first time our 3 yr old washed herself without being told. It did slip my mind that 4 soap clouds in the tub was about half a bar of soap. It was a bit cloudy. Lol!

I just finished another mold tray of soap for my MIL. She is diabetic and has heart problems. I googled home remedies and herbs for her, and made her soap for it. Focusing on itchiness, dry skin, and circulation.



P!

 

[ashley8072]

One last batch ending off our 3 day weekend. Bath bombs made with our ice cream scooper for large ones, and melon baller for the small ones. The small ones I'm planning on using in gift sets. They smell delish!

 

[savonierre]

you have been busy, everything looks wonderful..Love the cloud soap..

 

[ashley8072]

Home late tonight, but DH promised me that he wouldn't do any whining while we stop at the Organic store tomorrow. I'm so excited. I've got lists and recipes galore. I even had to upgrade my notebook I was using. Tomorrow is gonna be one of those days that you're glad to make that special trip to the other side of town just to pay a bill. Hehe


P!

 

[ashley8072]

A friend of my Dads, shes a breast cancer survivor, requested some soap. She has sensitive dry skin and bruises easily. Making an oatmeal soap to smell flowery was a bit experimental, but I was happy with the turnout. I went ahead and used the small mold that I picked up, because I don't plan on using much of it ourselves. The top is actually a lavender color, the pic doesn't show too well.

 

[JaimeM]

Very pretty! Good job!

 

[ashley8072]

Everything's still an experiment

Well I failed to coat all my cubes and lost about half the loaf to falling cubes. This is antiseptic soap, so I thought that small bars would be more suitable. I also couldn't help myself from sprinkling some beeswax shavings over the top. This was my first loaf batch of embeds, still pretty happy with it.

 

[ashley8072]

I squeezed another small loaf I'm before bed last night. I was talking to DH about the antiseptic soap, ad didn't even realize it would be good on his welding burns. Since I had a bit left, I made swirls with it. Then used aloe Vera in a new base. I was really looking for a red soap, but pink was fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Soap Making

 

[Marilyna]

Your soaps and things are very pretty! Just be sure to try everything yourself before giving them away. It will save you some problems, down the road.

 

[ashley8072]

Your soaps and things are very pretty! Just be sure to try everything yourself before giving them away. It will save you some problems, down the road.

I make sure to try everything. It is causing a problem as far as soap space in the tub though. I've also had to make sure that I write down all the ingredients. My Aunt that lives next door takes a lot of pres meds for her heart and such. She has to watch exactly what she puts on her skin, so it doesn't react badly with her meds.

 

[Stakie]

It's always good to write down everything. Just in case you want to make something again.. or not!

 

[paillo]

Wonderful first tries! Did you know you can grow loofah sponges? I grow them on a tipi trellis made from branches from our woods, lashed together at the top. Loofahs are a kind of goard, I order seeds online in the spring. They grow beautiful yellow flowers, and the goards form mid-summer. They get very tall, so a TALL tipi is in order. More fun than store-bought loofahs, and much, much less expensive

 

[ashley8072]

Wonderful first tries! Did you know you can grow loofah sponges? I grow them on a tipi trellis made from branches from our woods, lashed together at the top. Loofahs are a kind of goard, I order seeds online in the spring. They grow beautiful yellow flowers, and the goards form mid-summer. They get very tall, so a TALL tipi is in order. More fun than store-bought loofahs, and much, much less expensive

I did not know that. That's awesome! I just checked that out and I wants. I knew that they were from some sort of natural material, but not knew they actually grew on trees. Thanks!