Mobjack Bay 2024

[Sudds]

When my husband passed away, I thought I would die. I was so mad at him for leaving me! I know irrational!! He was my best friend, and my second husband, we were married for 32 years. When I met him I was a single mom raising a son since he was 18 months old, and I went back & finished college, & I never ever wanted to get married again! I was single for nine years and the brother of a friend of mine walked into my life, it changed my view, and a few years later we got married. I know for a fact, that I will not get married again! When you have the best partner, at my age all the men want is someone to cook, clean & take care of them! No Thank You!! I enjoy being single. I can do what I want, go to bed when I want, and eat what I want...I had Irish oatmeal with cherries, blueberries, and raisins for dinner last night! If I can't afford something in the soaping or sewing world I want I start saving for it, I am not made out of money, I drive a 22 y.o. Miata that I love and I have a house payment and all that goes with it, it needs new windows and flooring, I save, I want a new or used mechanical Jukie sewing machine, and I am saving for it. All in good time, I finally got my first wire soap cutter last year & I still haven't made a bar of soap, hopefully, that will be next week..had to get the soaping area the way I wanted it first. All in good time. I still have a box to make for a silicone mold, but it has been so cold here in Wisconsin that I can't go out in the garage and use the saw because my hands get so cold they won't work, I could ask my son, but I won't. I want to do it myself.

 

[akseattle]

To kick off 2024, I had fun making kaleidoscope and ebru soaps. From top to bottom, scented with Oregon Trails Green Tweed, OT German Chamomile and Nurture's Seventh Heaven blended with some Litsea:

View attachment 76781View attachment 76782View attachment 76784

ETA: sneaking this next batch in. I had it stashed away in the dark because the colorants include Spirulina, along with annatto, Himalayan rhubarb and activated charcoal.

View attachment 76819

I also took a chance and used 2+ year old dandelion-infused olive oil to make this simple layered soap. The oil smelled absolutely fine, but I was prepared for crazy acceleration. Much to my surprise, the dandy batter behaved perfectly while the brand new GV OO from Walmart that I used for the white layer wanted to make soap on a stick. Isn't the yellow gorgeous?! Scented with a citrus and ginger FO blend.

View attachment 76785

Some time ago I bought a 5-way split cup - the kind they make for acrylic pouring - and finally got around to using it. To keep the batter as perfect as possible for this technique, I hand-stirred both batches to emulsion/very light trace and used very well-behaved FOs (OT Bonsai for the blue and green soap and Be Scented's Karma for the multicolor soap). One of the greens in the first batch was a wee bit shy of where it should have been trace-wise, but otherwise all was good and the batter for both soaps remained fluid even though I had to refill the cup a few times for each batch. I am just amazed by the level of feathering detail that can be achieved with the cup without muddying of the colors.

View attachment 76786

View attachment 76789

The yellow on that dandelion infused oil/ soap is beautiful. I bought a two-way cup that I still have not used. Heck, if your 5 way cup can get that beautiful defined feathering w/o mushing up the colors, I need to jump in there and try my 2-way cup! I can't wait! Love your soaps!

 

[Firefly24]

I will step in here and tell you what I do with my PVC tubes. I cut a piece of silicone that fits the bottom of the tube perfectly, then I cover it with a double layer of plastic wrap, secure that with painter's tape and then screw the bottom on. If you look in the plumbing department you will see that there are bottoms for the larger pipe sizes that some of us use for our soaps. The bottoms are round, so you will have to stabilize it with a towel wound up like a donut or have a handy husband who can make you a wood-turned stand for it...which I was lucky to have!

Ok Thanks.

@Firefly24 View attachment 76876

Thank you.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@Mobjack Bay may I ask what you seal the bottom of the tubes with? I am new and would like to give this technique a try.

For the 6” acrylic tubes, I use a circle of corrugated cardboard sandwiched between layers of plastic wrap held on the tube with electrical tape. It works quite well as long as the tape is wrapped tightly at the bottom. I know they make orange caps for this kind of tube but I don’t want to buy a dozen or pay high shipping. I get multiple uses out of the makeshift cap. I have rubber caps for the longer tubes but they are too big for these tubes due to a difference in tube wall thickness.

 

[Firefly24]

For the 6” acrylic tubes, I use a circle of corrugated cardboard sandwiched between layers of plastic wrap held on the tube with electrical tape. It works quite well as long as the tape is wrapped tightly at the bottom. I know they make orange caps for this kind of tube but I don’t want to buy a dozen or pay high shipping. I get multiple uses out of the makeshift cap. I have rubber caps for the longer tubes but they are too big for these tubes due to a difference in tube wall thickness.

Thanks, I think I have something figured out. Just waiting on the discs to arrive.

 

[PaintyLiz]

I usually am quite happy with my single life. It is only when I hear about these partners who have all these tools that they use to make soapy presents that I wonder if I made a mistake

Just learn how to do it yourself. I'm the one with all the woodworking tools in my family - my husband doesn't do any of that stuff. I do woodworking, stained glass & fusing, sewing, fimo clay, etc - YOU CAN DO IT! My husband likes to cook, so I'm happy (but then if I was alone, I'd just eat cheese sandwiches & be happy LOL)

 

[not_ally]

I really can't use woodworking tools, I don't have enough strength/steadiness in my hands. But I can cook! I think I'm happier cooking for myself and paying for soap stuff than the other way around, so it's all good.