What soapy thing have you done today?

[squarepancakes]

Unboxed the hygroscope I bought today and also refilled my dehumidifier containers (Calcium chloride). Last Saturday, I bought some stackable boxes and organised my soaps, am planning to convert a spare wardrobe into a "curing rack".

I know most of the time its advised that curing be done in an airy, low humidity and not too sunny space, but only way I can reduce the humidity is to close the wardrobe! Anyone tried something similar before and knows if it'll be alright?

Btw, 82% humidity, welcome to a typical Singapore night. Turning on my AC for an hour with my fan on high speed, it's now a comfortable 25° and 54%.

 

[TashaBird]

Made 2 soaps. Post in thread 'Soap Show & Tell'

 

[Zany_in_CO]

For some reason that link didn't work. Here it is:
Soap Show & Tell

 

[TashaBird]

For some reason that link didn't work. Here it is:
Soap Show & Tell

Thanks. Not sure what I did wrong. Trying to play by the rules. Thanks for linking!!

 

[Andy7891]

Used my "Lots of Lather" Quick Mix from Bramble Berry for the first time. We made homemade yogurt in my house, and with the whey left over from straining the yogurt, I made soap. It was pretty fast using the quick mix. Less retrieving/returning olive oil and coconut oil from the kitchen, getting side-eyes from people lol, jk. But it was fast and fun and because the lye "burned" the lactic acid or something in the whey, the soap turned a brownish orange color which was kinda pretty at first and is kinda duller now but still a kinda cool way to color a soap.

 

[earlene]

Unboxed the hygroscope I bought today and also refilled my dehumidifier containers (Calcium chloride). Last Saturday, I bought some stackable boxes and organised my soaps, am planning to convert a spare wardrobe into a "curing rack".

I know most of the time its advised that curing be done in an airy, low humidity and not too sunny space, but only way I can reduce the humidity is to close the wardrobe! Anyone tried something similar before and knows if it'll be alright?

Btw, 82% humidity, welcome to a typical Singapore night. Turning on my AC for an hour with my fan on high speed, it's now a comfortable 25° and 54%.

To increase airflow around the soap while inside the wardrobe, if possible, I would do these two steps:

1. allow more space between each soap by spreading them out a little further from each other (maybe approximately 12 cm between each soap on each side)
2. add a fan inside the closed wardrobe so the air moves, such as this example *
3. add a water absorbing system to the wardrobe, like this: https://www.amazon.com/DampRid-Hanging-Fresh-16-Ounce-3-Pack/dp/B072LN492H

* Computer cooling fans are small, but powerful enough to dry light-weight clothing (I use them when I travel for hand washing laundry.) The advantages to them are that they are compact, use USB power cords, which I prefer to standard electrical outlet plugs and they are very quiet compared to many standing fans.

 

[squarepancakes]

To increase airflow around the soap while inside the wardrobe, if possible, I would do these two steps:

1. allow more space between each soap by spreading them out a little further from each other (maybe approximately 12 cm between each soap on each side)
2. add a fan inside the closed wardrobe so the air moves, such as this example *
3. add a water absorbing system to the wardrobe, like this: https://www.amazon.com/DampRid-Hanging-Fresh-16-Ounce-3-Pack/dp/B072LN492H

* Computer cooling fans are small, but powerful enough to dry light-weight clothing (I use them when I travel for hand washing laundry.) The advantages to them are that they are compact, use USB power cords, which I prefer to standard electrical outlet plugs and they are very quiet compared to many standing fans.

1. Yup, when I put them in I properly space them out, for now the stacking in a box is in an open space where my ceiling fan is almost always on and the AC is on the rest of the time.
2. I've been looking around but have not found anything that is suitable. It's a spare apartment that I dont stay in, has only 2 plugs in the spare room with the wardrobes. I head in there to do some work a couple of times a week, sometimes none at all. I'm not comfortable leaving the fan on for days when I'm not in. That is also why I gave up on my initial idea of buying a proper dehumidifier for the room as well (I won't be able to empty it fast enough, usually 500ml a day is drawn from the air).
3. Yup, for the time being, I'm using a calcuim chloride based product to absorb moisture. My flat is near the sea as well, so I tend to close and want to specifically keep the soaps in the wardrobe.

Your points got me thinking though. I might look around for a battery operated fan that fits in the wardrobe.

 

[TashaBird]

Post in thread 'Soap Show & Tell'
Soap Show & Tell
How do I link to a post? I’m not doing it right. I use the little icon at the top of the post next to “new”. It has 3 small circles and allows me to “copy link” then I paste the link here, or use the link icon.
Anyway. I cut one soap and steamed the top of another soap. I also trimmed up some embeds for a new soap tomorrow.
Edit: looks like it worked ok.

 

[LisaBoBisa]

Do we only post soap shots in the gallery? Finished another soap mold! A little overzealous sanding the ends, but that’ll make the removable side piece slip out smoothly, so it’s ok.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Since I started working full time again this year I've started making double batches each weekend. Today I made a charcoal black and white swirl, and my secret blend of "11 herbs and spices" (Kentucky Fried, lol) Pink Musk. Currently CPOPping.
It's freezing here today - only 17 degrees (about 63 of your weird measurements ) inside this afternoon, so I just put the heater on.

 

[earlene]

I went shopping at Goodwill today. On the shelf with puzzles and other items generally aimed at children or the younger folks, I saw a box labeled 'Make Your Own Soap', so of course I had to open the box and see what was included. It was a tiny amount of MP base, a few pots of colorant, one tiny tiny bottle of fragrance, a flimsy plastic mold with tiny little shapes for individual soaps not much larger than hotel soap. All for the reduced price of around $5.00. Even at that price, I thought it overpriced, although I didn't look for the original 'brand new' price.

Just my opinion. It was definitely geared to children, but they would still need supervision.

Another soapy thing: created the voting survey for the May SMF Infinity Swirl Challenge & sent the link to the participants.

That's my soapy accomplishments for the day. Still have restrictions that don't allow me to make soap just yet. Soon...

 

[melonpan]

My soapy thing today was packing up all my soap supplies. I'm moving soon and tried to be extra careful to pad everything as much as I could, hopefully everything will ship ok. So while I'm relieved to have one less pack on my list, I'm quite bummed that I won't be able to unpack my soapy things before July! That's a long time to go without soaping.

 

[Misschief]

I didn't do anything soapy today but my neighbour gave me 3 kg of Coconut Oil, 3 kg of Palm Oil and 1 kg of Palm Kernel oil that she'll never use. They were still sealed.

 

[AliOop]

My soapy things this past week have consisted solely of using the MP soap that my grandsons made when they last visited me, and that they carted home with them. I’m visiting them now, and the youngest couldn’t wait to trot out that soap for me to use.

My daughter and her husband don’t like bar soap, but they are happily using the syndet shampoo bars and conditioner bars I’ve sent them. I didn’t have to pack any of that stuff for this visit.

 

[bwtapestry]

Cleaning before she comes is very selfish of you! You are robbing her of her chance to feel superior and showing you how to do it right.
This worked on my ex MIL until she caught on...

Edit to add what soapy thing I've done today. I fondled my curing soaps, tracked my shipment from SMR and stalked the forum. Oh and.inspected the rosemary and orange peel oil infusions, checked on the orange peel & alcohol extraction experiments. Slow day, home sick.

Fondling soap while it is curing = good for ones health! Feel better soon I hope.

 

[JoyfulSudz]

I fondled my curing soaps,

Fondling soap while it is curing = good for ones health!

So relieved to learn I'm not the only weirdo one doing this! There's something so very satisfying about handling, admiring, and smelling my curing soaps.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I just finished making a few batches of soap for a special extended family I know after learning that they have 16 alums of the same university. Wowsers! The school colors are green and gold, which immediately made me think of stripes. I also finally used a heart column mold that I’ve had for about two years now.

 

[MellonFriend]

I just gave away seven bars of my goats milk soap to some people that came to pick up some goat kids from me today. This is the first time I can get some feedback from someone outside my family. I told them to give me honest feedback! Piccies

 

[Catscankim]

Patiently waiting for my micas. I ordered two day delivery for my neons from mm…not thinking that it was a holiday weekend so that was stupid of me lol.

In the meantime i have been cleaning my house, just to wreck my kitchen later again when my micas arrive.

I have been seeing videos of the oasis swirl, which was this month soap challenge clubs challenge. I love this swirl. Still in the planning stages, and i dont have dividers, so will just use cardboard box cutouts.

Also still trying to figure out how to cut the soaps. On one of the videos she gets all the way to the end but doesnt show how she cuts them. I dont want to butcher a loaf by trying to figure it out. So if anybody has any insight it would be appreciated lol.

 

[dibbles]

I have been seeing videos of the oasis swirl, which was this month soap challenge clubs challenge. I love this swirl. Still in the planning stages, and i dont have dividers, so will just use cardboard box cutouts.

Also still trying to figure out how to cut the soaps. On one of the videos she gets all the way to the end but doesnt show how she cuts them. I dont want to butcher a loaf by trying to figure it out. So if anybody has any insight it would be appreciated lol.

Edgar Kameraki created this technique and taught it for the Soap Challenge Club. It's so pretty, right? Anyway, he does have a YouTube video showing the technique and the cut.