angel2211

Thanks carolgrant. Didn't actually think of that but at the moment i'm still waiting to be approved. So hopefully soon I will be and I can put that too them. Thank you for that idea.

OH boy, plenty of food for thought now, thanks heaps everyone. Is pam just like a cooking spray? I'd do a search on it but i think i'd turn up everything but what your talking about. What exactly is freezer paper. Im in australia so we've probably got it but it's probably something else. Like saran paper i'm still trying to find what our version of that is. I didn't even think of a restaurant supply store, That's a brilliant idea, we don't have any here where I live but next time i go to the City i'll be sure to head in there and check out what they've got. Good idea marking the lye water too, I'd have to mix mine and use straight away because of kids, pets and hubby. But i'm going to mark mine aswell, as a "just in case" measure. I'd hate to mix it be distracted with the baby and someone drank it so thank you for that tip. Not sure if we can get Babbassu oil but will be checking out my supplier for sure i'm hearing about it everywhere. Lots of people love this particular oil. Thank you so much for your help.

Thanks for the kind words hun, i'm searching the net now, trying to find out everything i possibly can before my supplies turn up which is hopefully day after tomorrow. Then I have to rope one of his mates into taking him fishing...hhhmm how hard will that be.... Mate: Shaun you wanna go fishing? Shaun: Nah I want to stay here with the missus and 4 kids Yeah right can you see that happening....lol Then if i fail he need never know....hehe oh the devious webs we weave.. just an after thought i'd have to take pics of the whole process cos if on the off chance it did turn out he wouldn't believe me then...hhhmm

I actually don't have a wooden mould just yet but i do plan on getting one as soon as i can. I've got an excersice book that i'm writting tips and hints in so i've just added that one to my tip book. Thank you so much for that one... Is it necessary to spray a plastic mould with rubbing alcohol or anything before a pour??

I didn't even think of a ladle, what a brilliant idea.... hhmmm thinking i'd better get new stuff for the house and then pinch the old ones for my soapmaking... Thanks for that hun, added it to my ever growing list :undecided

Thanks for the vote of confidence, think i'm gonna need it. I keep looking at the recipe and decided i'll probably jump in head first and do this one straight away. Just worried i wont know when the bottom layer is strong enough to support the next layer...lol It just might end up looking like one of my cakes would...lol all in a heap in the middle :laugh2:

I'm a newbie here and have decided to start with M&P I found the recipe i've added below, and proudly explained to my husband that I would one day make it. He laughed in my face as soon as he looked at it.. And said "yeah right you can't even cook cake you expect to make that" and kept laughing. If there is one thing you don't do to me is tell me i can't do it... any advice on how i could make this considering i am a complete newbie. I need to prove him wrong....lol I know it's a HUGE BIG ask, and I probably am taking on more then i could handle but any help would be great:o I've attached a pic of how it's "suppose" to look. Chocolate Heaven Gateaux Ingredients 1.25 kg clear soap base 0.75kg white soap base 1 cup porridge oats 1.5 tbsp powdered goats milk 2 tbspoons cocoa powder 2 Cadbury Flake bars 10 ml chocolate fragrance oil 1 tbsp honey 2 drops yellow food colour (optional) 1 round plastic cake storage jar (Tupperware 3" deep) Instructions. Melt 500gms clear soapbase. Add the honey and the yellow food colouring. Put the oats into the base of the storage container and pour on the soap base.Gently stir until mixed in fully. Spritz with alcohol. Melt the white soapbase and add the goats milk and a teaspoon of the cocoa powder. Begin to cool and add 5ml of the fo. When the oat layer has a skin able to support the next layer - spritz again and pour the pale chocolate layer on top - spritz Melt the remainder (except about 2 tbsp) of the clear soap base, add the remainder of the cocoa powder - cool slightly and add the last 5ml of the fo. When the light chocolate layer has cooled enough to support the next layer spritz again and pour the cooled dark chocolate soap layer. When totally cold, turn out of the mould. Cut the Cadbury Flake bars into 12 small pieces and use a small amount of melted soap to "glue" them onto the chocolate heaven gateaux - remember to spritz lightly with alcohol first to ensure a good bond. Slice as required into 12 delicious portions of chocolate Heaven Gateaux (and hardly a calorie in sight) TIP** When mixing in the powdered goats milk and the cocoa, mix the powder into a small amount of melted soap and mix into a paste, then add the paste to the base. This helps to stop the dreaded lumps. For a Vegan soap, omit the honey and goats milk and replace the flakes with carob pieces Comment. Remember to put a huge sign up saying SOAP! Looks good enough to eat!

Thanks Grump Girl, Nothing wrong with being cheap if it gets the job done why not.. The less money spent on accessories is more money for making... it's a win, win situation. Thanks for your advice.

Thanks heaps Kaybee and CandleFreak, that's exactly what i've been looking for. I now have my list and i'm ready to go shopping . Then i'm on my way to bending everyone's ears after my first soap batch... Thanks a bunch.

Thanks Kaybee23. I'm actually just going to make what i've called supermarket soap for starters, anything i can buy at the supermarket is the soap i'll make.. I probably worded it wrong, i'm actually after peoples must haves as far as their utensils and accessories go. I've heard a lot of people say they hand stir while others say they "must have" a stick blender... I'm just wondering what else i'll specifically need to make the soap, what sort of spoons people use, double boiler etc. As for oils whatever oils i find at the supermarket that's all i'll be using till i pay my credit card and place my next order. I just ordered up big on FO's and M&P, gotta wait for more funds before i do more exotic soaps Thanks for your reply though i checked out that link and now have a better idea of what oils i should be going for.

I've read heaps of articles on things people use for soap making. But what are your absolute must haves when soap making. I have my scales and stick blender. Not sure what else i need eg. stainless steel bowl, spoons, etc.. So i thought i'd ask other people what are there "cannot be without items". That way you may of all found other things that are wonderful that the average tutorial might not have had in it.

HOLY COW, sounds as though 25kgs would last me ages then. Fingers crossed the company get back to me, it might be a better way to go instead of paying $5 for 500gms every time. Thanks heaps

Thanks tlc, bet you know why i'm going to pick my kids up eariler then usual today...hehe I found a place that sells in 25kg bags (about 50 pounds for you guys i think). i contacted them but they haven't got back to me yet.. How long does every one find that 50 pounds will last them roughly. I know it depends on how much soap i make how often. But i'm assuming that it would last a heck of a long time. Would that be right?

Thanks Darwin we do have Lowes here in Australia but it is actually a clothes place, to buy work or school uniforms and casual wear... LOL i was starting to get excited till i thought about it...hehe

Thanks guys for your replies I can't wait for it to all turn up, Never heard of the sugar or castor oil, so looks like i'd better dig in and do some research before it turns up. Because if there is one thing i don know about my self is i'm very patient to get started before i make up my mind to do it but when i do i know when it turns up i'll just jump in head first...lol Thanks again

LMAO neither do I, i've done all my research for CP... so i'm kinda in the dark. I've spent months just reading the forums and searching the net, i finally got confident enough to join forums and ask questions and hhhmmpphh now i gotta do it again just cos i got desperate....lol At least it's a learning curve

I finally got scales from ebay and was getting sooooooooooo excited about finally being able to make soap, only to find that I cannot for the life of me source lye any where. So i've decided to cheat and i've bought a M&P kit from my supplier.. Then I added a heap of moulds, FO's, Colours and another 10kg of M&P... (hopefully i can use it or i'm in doo doo with the hubby...lol) I know it's cheating but..... when u've got the urge to soap you just got to find a way till the better stuff comes along... I'll let you all know how I go any advice for a beginner??? :undecided

Thanks rebecca, I'm a member over at the soapdish but never seem to really go there, i look to this board alot more for some reason, I think because i cn usually find what ever i need to know on here. I'll head over there now and start a thread. But im hoping the company gets back to me soon about it.

just wondering would this supplier be ok. http://www.collinsid.com.au/Chemicals%2B%2526%2BCleaners/Septone%2B-%2BCleaners/Caustic%2BSoda/SEP-HSCS25/Caustic%2BSoda.%2B25%2BKg.phtml I've contacted them asking for more information so fingers crossed.

I've hunted, and hunted & hunted to the point where i'm extremely frustrated and just about to give up.. I cannot for the life of me find Lye anywhere, i can find caustic soda but not 100% caustic soda.. I've searched the net, the yellow pages and i've exhausted my poor ole little brain through trying. What else could it possibly be under. I've searched chemical companies with no luck... Please can anyone help me

Ok i'll tell you only if you promise not to laugh at it's simplicity :undecided :undecided :undecided Bath Jelly ½ cup water 1½ teaspoons unflavoured gelatine ½ cup bubble bath or liquid soap Food colouring (optional) Heat the water until boiling and dissolve the gelatine in it. Add the bubble bath or soap very slowly and do not beat because it may become foamy. Stir gently and blend. Pour the mixture into a container with a lid. If the jelly is going to be used by children you can drop in a small toy or seashells. Put in the refrigerator to gel. To use, place a small amount of jelly under tap water or use as a shower gel. Told you it was pretty simple, my kids love it, AND makes the fridge smell nice too. Still have to test this one though to see how long it will last etc. But my kids use it before i get a chace to keep one in the fridge till it's mouldy.. ETA: the recipe doesn't say to put FO oil in but i make up my bubble bath with the colour i want the jelly to be and add FO to that, then i use the pre mixed bubble bath in the jelly.

OMG you are a god send because alot of my recipes call for flakes or shavings of castille soap, now i can make my own and use that. My hubby has to have a sensitive skin soap so this would probably work wonders for him, more so in the winter, he does sweat alot in the summer. Thanks a bunch carolgrant.

I thought it was, Hubby didn't think so

OMG You are so funny... i wouldn't clean up i'd make more soap . I'm lucky i have a husband who is a clean freak sometimes i think he has OCD. (Obesessive Compulsive Disorder).. I'm so lucky he can't stand me making a mess he cleans up for me as i go. Sometimes i have to stop him and say "honey no that still has stuff in it". I haven't made soaps yet i'm still on the basic stuff and made bath jelly and cookies the other night and when i'm done i always run over to mum's to show her by the time i get back he's even vacuumed... Like i said i'm so lucky.