Howdy Y'all

[uniformsquare]

I'm a 24 year old guy from Austin, Texas that is just learnin' the basics of soap making and has yet to turn out a batch. I like cooking, phalaenopsis orchids, tea, and making ice cream. I have kind of strange interests as compared to my peers, many of them I share with women older than myself because I was raised by my granny. I am also interested in lepidoptera, I used to collect them but longer have the heart to poison them. I look forward to learnin' a lot from you folks.

 

[Hazel]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[IrishLass]

Hello and welcome to the forum and your new hobby-to-be!

And thanks for helping me learn a few new things today- I had to look up phalaenopsis orchids to see what they looked like (although it turns out I needed to look only so far as your avatar), and lepidoptera to see what they were in order to gain some insight into why you used to poison them and then lost the heart to poison them. Ahh- I understand now, and can totally see why your heart wasn't in it anymore. As insects go, I must say that they are my favorite and the only ones (besides ladybugs) that I don't mind landing on me. I got the chance one spring to walk through the live, enclosed outdoor butterfly exhibit hosted by my local botanical garden with all the butterflies flittering about and landing on people. I loved it!

Well, with you on board, our growing list of guy soapers is growing ever bigger. It's nice seeing more men get into the craft. Just pull up a chair and make yourself at home and read, read, read (and take notes!). Feel free to ask questions, and don't forget to have fun!


IrishLass

 

[uniformsquare]

In order to collect them you have to put them in a air tight jar with plaster of paris at the bottom called a kill jar, the jar's plaster is loaded with ethyl acetate to asphyxiate them and not damage the body, then you mount and spread the butterfly/moth for your collection. It is important to identify the specimens you collect. I feel bad about killing them so I longer collect.