How did I do that??????

[Dennis]

Hello beginners, lurkers and wannabe soap maker visitors! I am pretty much new, having been gone for a number of years after a short run of wild soap making that supplied friends and neighbors and still left me with soap still stashed. In those years of absence I have used down my soap supply a bit and run across quite a few bars that made me exclaim -
"Wow, this stuff is great! How did I do that?!"
I have no idea how I did it because my notes and records of old batches are really awful, if they can even be found. You've heard it from others but this is the voice of experience who has used the last of several batches that were earth shakingly wonderful and no chance of being repeated. Keep good records, attach pictures, lots of numbers, everything you think is insignificant may not be. No detail is too small when you realize next year, or the year after, or maybe 3 or 4 more that you hit a home run and want to do it again. Can't wait to make another batch!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Ah, there's nothing like the voice of "Woulda, coulda, shouda..." to make a point! Thanks for sharing!

 

[cmzaha]

Welcome back Dennis, you have been gone awhile. I am betting your fantastic soaps are due to the few years of cure time.

 

[shunt2011]

Welcome back Dennis.

 

[Dennis]

Thank you cmzaha and shunt 2011. I don't doubt that age has a lot to do with how good some of my soaps have become. Kinda freaking out because I might have enough for about a year but really want to have a large stash getting better and better. Kinda excited about making soap again. I have a ton of hobbies!

 

[earlene]

Hey, don't freak out! You are so right about documenting. I learned that so long ago. Like after my second son was born and I didn't write stuff down in his baby book. I thought I'll never forget his first 'this or that'. But boy oh boy do I not remember. I only remember my firstborn walked on his first birthday because he was my first and it was his birthday. I think I wrote it down, too, but I'm pretty sure that's not why I remember it.

Same thing with my first soap. I thought I'd remember where I put the recipe. I thought I saved it somewhere. I thought is was in my computer or in SoapCalc or in Saponify on my phone. I have no idea which recipe I used for my first soap and where it is saved or even if it was saved or if it was overwritten. It probably was overwritten. I keep a soaping notebook and try and take extensive notes, but sometimes I just don't get around to writing down as much as I wish I had. When I go back to look, there's just not enough information! I do keep all my recipes in the notebook and in my computer, though and even variations are documented now, but the ongoing follow-up notes are my downfall.

 

[Relle]

Dennis, I'm sure you can up with some fantastic new recipes that will be even better. Get all your stuff together and just get going. Move it, move it.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Relle:

 

[lsg]

Dennis, Soapmaker 3 is great for recipe and record keeping. As long as you number or date your batches and keep that info with the stored soap.

 

[Jayne]

You've inspired me to start some sort of record keeping Dennis. I've done 3 batches so far and I've been struggling a bit to work out how to track everything. Which meant I hadn't set anything up. Which definitely won't work.

I hope to buy soapmaker 3 one day but it will be a few months til I can afford it. Until then you've got me following at least a basic record keeping system.

 

[SunRiseArts]

Well I am new-ish, but welcome back! I keep a ledger and notes in my computer, otherwise it would be a mess.

Relle, my little one would go crazy for that song! I had to play on repeat every time we were in the vehicle!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/suntradetoo/38678492110/in/dateposted/

 

[Saponificarian]

@SunRiseArts. He is soooo cute!!!!