What soapy thing have you done today?

[CatahoulaBubble]

LOL!! I hope they like living here, and I'm enjoying spoiling them. They're already as much pets, as livestock - more, really. I've been thinking about the stakes, and the problem with them, is that we basically live on a rock, with few areas of actual soil. I'm not sure I'll be able to get any to go into the ground - but, I'm going to try, and I'm putting the paddocks in the areas of the best soil I can find anyway, so they should/will support the brush the goats will thrive on. If all else fails, I may have to line the outside bottom of the fences with cinder blocks. I dunno.

For fencing on really rocky ground I've used 2 cinder blocks stacked up with the holes facing up, you put the stake through the holes and then fill the holes with wet cement. Once the cement hardens you have a good solid fence post that you can then wrap the wire around. Then just tack the fencing down at ground level to prevent animals from going under it.

 

[Dawni]

,
Soapy thing:
My lye won't arrive til another few days so I'm spending my time planing soap and repurposing the shavings lol

I rebatched some today in the microwave and added confetti. Let's see how it turns out. Still in the mold.

So.. I must have planed every soap from every single batch I had left lol I seriously lost track of time and didn't do anything else when the baby napped lol

I've never rebatched this much before. The main batter is rebatched soap and the confetti is some of the darker bits I planed off.

 

[Louise Taylor]

I tried to use an X-ray image as a divider. Wasn't sure so only divided a single bar mould and made a tiny batch. It seemed to work fine but then when I washed the slip of plastic the black came off. So I won't be using x-rays again. Nothing ventured . . . .

 

[sirtim100]

Made my first batch of shaving soap based on the collective wisdom of SoapMakingForum (which is some pretty heavy duty wisdom), so many many thanks to you all, especially to Zany, whose recipe was the basis for the adventure. Went very well, although there was a bit of a hairy moment when it looked set to solidify before my very eyes, didn't happen though. Now it's in the mould and I'm quietly and slowly stropping my straight razor, waiting for the first shave in 4 weeks time with my super-duper new soap.

Happy soaping, everyone

 

[KiwiMoose]

there was a bit of a hairy moment

Not a good sign for shave soap! LOL. Please send me a blow-by-blow account, as it's in my sights to attempt a shave soap soon.

 

[zanzalawi]

I made a ghost loaf! I wish I’d tried to get fancier with it
Unscented, uncolored vegan batch

 

[sirtim100]

What to do when you have too much soap????

What would you define as "too much soap"? Beware, you're surrounded by people who make astronomical quantities of soap-based products on a daily basis and call it a "hobby", so perhaps their advice is open to question. I'd say too much soap is when you find you're running out of living space and toying with the idea of buying a new house because of all the bars curing in the kitchen, under the bed, on top of the wardrobe, TV, dog, in the cellar, patio, garden shed, etc. So what do you do when you reach that awkward state of affairs? Everyone here talks about "gifting" it, but if that were the case, most of the population of the USA must be receiving new bars of soap as a gift every other day, so that's an increasingly redundant option. Rebatch it? You've got the same amount, but now in mush format. Use it? There's a limit to how often you can wash your hands before the family start muttering darkly about OCD. The only solution I can think of is to use it to build an outhouse to store the next tonnage of soap. Or sell it to those who haven't been gifted 18 bars in the last week.

 

[SoapySuds]

Some FOs showed up magically at my door today.

Weird.

Debating to make a candle now, or wash my hands, again.

Used soap. Smelled soap. Touched soap. Washed soda ash off soap.

Maybe I’ll make two more batches of soap for Xmas.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

So.. I must have planed every soap from every single batch I had left lol I seriously lost track of time and didn't do anything else when the baby napped lol

I've never rebatched this much before. The main batter is rebatched soap and the confetti is some of the darker bits I planed off.
View attachment 42593

I love them Dawni--you are making me want to make confetti again--its been awhile and I have a lot of bits to use---no no no I am done soaping until at least January

 

[KiwiMoose]

Mint mojito in the pot as we speak!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

The only solution I can think of is to use it to build an outhouse to store the next tonnage of soap.

 

[SoapySuds]

Ok. I am in love with my new FOs. I am beginning to understand why someone could become a FO HO - 50 scents and counting and I realize I have not even approached the number many of your collections........... You can’t suck me in any further. No. No. No. I don’t want to go down this rabbit hole further, but here I am. I blame all you all, I just casually walked in here one day and apparently never left and now pay a monthly fee to have the privilege of commenting. And now I make soap because it’s xmas. Because I got a new fragrance. Because I found a deal on oil. Because my birthday. Because my friends need soap. Because I need soap to match my counter tops. Because it’s raining. Because the dog is dirty. Because my other soap is lonely. Because an outhouse made of soap bricks to store more soap bricks sounds sensible. This is a black hole of soapy shame. And I am circling the drain.

I do not have a problem. At least that’s what I tell myself.

I did manage to make two and a half mini soaps for myself. In addition to the Xmas loaf. I have no idea what it’s going to look like. I did Jackson Pollock splatter the top with the leftover sputtering from my squeeze bottles. I’ll cut it and show it off later. It’s a lovely green tea scent.

 

[Jennifer Horne]

I made this loaf, its still soft as most of my oils are soft but i am ok with it.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Mint Mojito anyone?

 

[KimR]

The only solution I can think of is to use it to build an outhouse to store the next tonnage of soap.

Sirtim 100,

Thank you for the humor! Brightened my day!

 

[julie j]

It's a good addiction!

Nope to washing up straight away. Wipe off as much batter as possible then leave everything until it's saponified. Much easier to clean and better for your drains. Throw any rags in the wash after waiting too. Just don't wipe bulky bits up with rags. Use paper towel for that and toss em. I feel so Martha Stewartish right now.

Hey...I am new at making soap as well...just wondering what it could do to the drains. I have always washed the fresh batter remains down the drain up until now.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I made this loaf, its still soft as most of my oils are soft but i am ok with it.

Gosh - that looks beautiful!

 

[sirtim100]

I do not have a problem. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Spoken like a true addict.

As I write I am sniffing a loaf of recently demoulded shaving soap. This is not normal.

@KimR, so glad you liked the mail. Now I'm off to gloat over my collection of essential oils

 

[Carla Burke]

For fencing on really rocky ground I've used 2 cinder blocks stacked up with the holes facing up, you put the stake through the holes and then fill the holes with wet cement. Once the cement hardens you have a good solid fence post that you can then wrap the wire around. Then just tack the fencing down at ground level to prevent animals from going under it.

Thank you!

Did I mention that I've never put up fences, before? Today, I was trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. Turns out, I wasn't - I just don't have a very important tool. SMH... A 'come-along', to tighten the fences with, so the goats can't just beat them down, & walk over them. So, that's ordered, and the goats all got collars & bells, finally found a reliable hay supplier, got some, and now I don't have to walk them, in the crummy weather (scheduled for tomorrow, So that seems important!). So, now, I get a couple days to look up recipes for doggie shampoo bars!

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Did I mention that I've never put up fences, before?

is that a pic of one of your goats?? so cute!!! not trying to be a downer just sharing my experiences---if you are using field fence the goats can stick their head thru and not get back out cuz of the horns. I had one that did that all the time and she was in there most of the day until I came home and cut her out--unfortunately it makes them easy pickins if you have any wild animals or dogs around