Warm Vanilla Sugar (And plans!)

I would like to think I've been a busy, busy bee over the last few weeks.

And in a way, I have. But I also haven't.

I did, however, make a new batch of delicious smelling soap. Warm vanilla sugar. This was actually a request from a coworker, whose face lit up when I brought her a few bars when she was in the hospital for surgery last week.

Delicate little swirls!

I love how the little sugar beads look, though they sort of melted a little bit as it heated. :(

I used the hangar swirl technique to get the white swirls with the layer on top.

I'll be working on some more batches soon enough -- right now I'm focusing on saving money for our next move, plus a week long trip to Cali for my boyfriend's cousin's wedding. Woohoo!

Hiatus Over! Cherry blossoms, Rain, and Chamomile to soothe the soul..

I am so excited with everything that has been going on in my life. I know, I know, it's been nearly a year since I posted, but guys -- man, have I got some catching up to do!

Instead of the BMW hire I had been hoping to get, I started working at ZF Transmissions in Gray Court, SC. It was a plant job, and I was doing some German translation, which was super cool, but my shifts were 12-hours every single day of the week. No days off, nothing. I made one whole batch of soap for a coworker for a Christmas gift to his family the entire time I worked there. 

A blend of Lemongrass, Listea, and Lemon essential oils with poppy seeds for exfoliant!

After Christmas, I started speaking to a long time friend of mine -- I've known this boy for about 13 years now, we've known each other since we were kids. I really wanted a fresh start, to just move out of the state that seemed to harbor all my troubles. After lots of consulting with friends and coworkers, I decided it was the best move for me. My friend, Jay, lived in Washington state, so it was a daunting prospect. Slowly, between December and January 12, I began giving away/donating my stuff to friends or Goodwill, shipping out necessary items, or giving things to people for safekeeping. I flew out January 12, leaving my car to my uncle and signing it over to him. I landed January 13, with barely anything to my name aside from the stuff I was waiting to arrive and a lot less baggage.

Some people call it running away. I just saw it as a chance to start over.

I got a job in a call center not far from home (it was about a 35 minute walk) to make money while i slowly built up my soapmaking stash again. One of my friends from SC is actually moving up here with me this summer, and he plans on driving the trip, so he'll be bringing some of the stash I left in SC for safekeeping with a friend. On top of the job, I've also acquired a new car! (New to me, of course. I'm broke!)

The move wasn't easy, BUT -- I am here to show you how amazing my life has gotten! With some amazing soaps tied in.

I know I've said it before, I dont usually post personal stuff on here, but I feel like my old loyal readers (Jenny! <3) would like to know why I dropped off to nowhere. I'm here to tell you it was every bit as worth it as it was needed.

First of all, Jay and I have started dating. He was my childhood crush, which we touched on at the time when we were kids, but he was incredibly loyal and was already seeing someone. So I moved on, and we sort of inadvertently kept chasing each other for nearly 14 years. With me starting over and actually living where he is, I figured I would go with the advice my dad always gave me: your soulmate is usually your best friend, and you never even realize it. He married his best friend 23 years ago, and they are still every bit as in love as when they started. So here we are, taking a chance for us for once.

Jay and I out on the bluffs. I havent smiled like that in years! Also, ignore the white streaks in my hair.

I also picked up snowboarding, and ATVing. Which are both as dangerous and crazy as they sound. I can't tell you how many weekends I've spend barreling down the aide of a mountain while cartwheeling, the affectionate term Jay uses for my wipe-outs, considering I tend to fall hand over heels the whole way down.

So with Washington, the first few soaps I made sort of resembled the new change in direction. First, I made a cherry blossom scented soap, with my usual recipe, using the Brambleberry FO (shipping is so much better when you live pretty darn close to it!)

These are EVERYWHERE here.This one is in my friend's yard.

I used the normal recipe with the FO, and then I did a mica oil swirl on top. Inside, I used charcoal for black and a red mica from The Conservatorie to really make it pop, and did a simple swirl inside.

Next, I main a soap using BB's Rain type FO. Appropriate, for the mists that seem to plague WA weather.

This one I did TD on the bottom and a blue swirl on top, also with mica oil swirls. I got on a kick, what can I say?

I also made a Lavender Chamomile Huggies type, which I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE.

It was lightened using TD, mica oil swirl on top of purple, with little sugar pearls on top as well. I learned not to CPOP those like I usually do though -- sugar pearls turn into black blobs when baked. :(

I appreciate all of you for following my blog and being interested in where this crazy journey takes me. My next soaps are going to be an Amber soap, a new Lavender, and Warm Vanilla Sugar! Stay tuned~

Galactic Soap - First CPOP

After seeing Anne Marie's post on CPOP on her Soap Queen blog, I wanted to try it. Beautiful CP swirls but with the HP processing -- what more can a girl ask for? Especially one as impatient as I am! Before I started, I noticed my oven's lowest setting was 200F, quite a bit over the 170F that was recommended. I preheated the oven to 200, but let it sit a while off, so it cooled down. Once it was around 170-180F, I knocked it to warm. One step down!

I made up my soap, choosing to use activated charcoal, titanium dioxide, and fizzy lemonade pigments from Bramble Berry. I also wanted to try a spooning technique I saw on a blog post, though now it eludes me. :( (If anyone knows what I'm referencing, let me know and I'll give credit!)

Layering the first bit of soap. I gues the concept here is plopping it down in somewhat straight lines. Or drizzling.

Looking at the pictures, I realize I got much wider in my lines. Which explains why this didnt turn out the way I wanted it to. :(

Cant have swirled CP soap without a lovely swirled top! Kept this one simple, as I love the mantra-style swirls.

In the oven!

I left the mold and soap in there overnight, popping it out around lunchtime the next day. The colors were SO VIBRANT, especially the fizzy lemonade. It just POPPED.

However, I didnt turn off my oven for about an hour and a half, causing the top to get these little bubbles in them. It made a weird texture, but I ended up leaving it on the bars. Apparently, this happens when you bake your soap! Oops! :)

Here you can see the textured tops. Look how bright the yellow is! Wow!

I packaged this bar very simply, and I'm calling it Galactic. It's scented with SnC Cucumber Melon, but it faded/baked off a bit in the oven, so it isnt as strong. Other people don't notice, but soapmakers might. We're an odd bunch. ;)

As always, thanks for dropping by, and Happy Soaping!

Shopping, new soap supplies, and LYE.

With tax refund money in-hand (sort of. Close enough. You get what I mean!), I was able to do some heavy soap-shopping, which is very exciting (after some bills and groceries and ((UGH)) ordering new parts for my gaming rig. Ew.). Here's what I'm getting, hopefully very soon!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/82736171/56-lb-hdpe-no-liner-soap-mold-molds-and?ref=shop_home_active

This is my first purchase from Mrdoright, and hopefully (although I've noticed people either LOVE these or HATE these, with no middle ground) they will work for making several large batches at the same time. I'll hopefully be setting up a wholesale client account with a lady around 45 minutes away from me, but still -- very cool!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95725742/soap-mold-lye-glycerine-based-no-liner?ref=v1_other_1

This is the other item I got from Mrdoright, so I can make beautiful column and peacock swirls in something bigger than a 9x9 silicone brownie pan. I love my brownie pan, so don't get me wrong, but it's become my "test batch" pan.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006Z9LUDG/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I really want to start shrinkwrapping my soaps, since it's easier than putting them in a cello bag, trimming the bag, and then taping it all shut gift-style. OY! So time consuming. And thanks to Soap Queen's tutorial on wrapping soaps with plastic wrap, this should do the job nicely!

http://theconservatorie.com/

I also ordered several micas from The Conservatorie, very excited! They're some of the pigments that Kenna uses over at Amathia Soapworks. I've been very jealous of her lovely, shimmery, and very very VIBRANT colors, so I had to order some to try for myself!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EDBEZM/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

QUICK! For other soapmakers reading this, Essential Depot has their lye on special for 1.99/2lb container, plus 9.96 shipping. This is the cheapest lye option I've found, so I ordered 5 of them (since you get an extra 5$ off -- and 10 lbs goes a looong way!)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ARQVM5O/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This came in just yesterday, YAY! I had been using a cheapo all-plastic stick blender, and though it worked well, cleanup was annoying. There was always dry soap somewhere in a nook or cranny. I'm excited to be able to detach this one.

I was also able to go ahead and by my Magic Swap Express items for both my CP and M&P soap swap! I will be shipping all 24 of my made bars out early next week! <3

More soaping may happen tonight in my 5lb wood mold and my 4lb vertical mold, we'll just have to see.

Have a lovely evening, fellow soapers, and HAPPY SOAPING!