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| Patchouli Suzie made colored with Wheat Grass, Charcoal and Spirulina Powders Coconut, Olive Castor and Sweet Almond Oils |
Yesterday I spoke at Illinois Valley Community College's Homesteading Conference and as always come home feeling good about what it is we do here. Helps that two of my blog/fellow homesteader buddies Deborah Niemann and Cathy LaFrenz were there teaching as well. We do have a lot of fun when we get together!
The first class I taught was about raising pastured cattle and pork. Although only 4 folks showed up we had a great discussion as smaller groups facilitate that. However, in my next class on the basic of soap making, the room was filled! I even had 5 men take the class.
That just goes to prove...nothing really.
Sometimes you are into pigs and sometimes you just want to smell good.
With all that's been going on with our farm, soap making took a back seat. But the last two weeks I have been able to catch up a little due entirely to those Internet fans of mine, Carolyn, Susan, Fitz and Julie who have recently ordered boatloads of soap. AND another order of soap for Miss Effie's Summer Kitchen .
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| Geranium Rose Colored with Infused Alkanet and Red Clay for dividing line |
Nothing like motivation to get you off your raw milk high horse and back into the world of oil covered kitchen counters (and floors.)
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| Lemongrass via the ever famous in-the-pot swirl |
Ok, how do you get your alkanet to stay red. I use alkanet a lot and it always goes purple on me. I would love to be able to keep it on the red side.
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Hi Lois. I infuse a 1/2 cup of alkanet powder with a 1 cup of olive oil. I let the two sit together (mix well first) for at least a week. Then when I make my soap I will measure out the colored olive oil (removing that same amt of olive oil from my soap recipe). Over time I've learned how much of the infused oil to use to get the color I want. It depends on how much alkanet was used in the olive oil mixture. Really lots of trial and error and then writing it in a notebook for future reference. Different oils will cause the alkanet to take on different shades as well. For example when I soap with lard, which makes a very hard bar, my colorants work better and are brighter. With all that said, rarely do my soaps come out exactly as planned (color wise) and I'm just fine with that.
DeleteI opened the box and put it on my coffee table; my living room smells SOOOOOOO good I don't want to lose that fragrance (you know, the old hippy smell) but I sooooooo want to use that soap! Thanks for making it for me.
ReplyDeleteYou DID make it just for lil' ol' me, right?! :)
I like making my own soap, but honestly, mine is butt ugly and yours is much prettier. And I'm really lazy. Thank you for not being.
Carolyn. I am secretly very lazy. I have been known to make entire batches of soap while lying supine on my couch feet up watching Grey's Anatomy. Which might explain why all my tops are deeply oil stained. I do not however add any lye water without standing upright. I mean removing mid century facial hair is best done at the salon.
DeleteSo glad you love it. You certainly waited patiently for it. Yes, that batch was made just for you. Hoping to recreate it for myself!
Received my box a week or so ago. Oh, the scent that filled the room! Patchouli is wonderful, as you said it would be.
ReplyDeleteDid you sprinkle Spirulina or wheat grass powder on the bottom layer of that first bar? It looks amazing!!
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