asheebeans

Hi all! I was wondering if anyone here has had to replace the black bands on your Upland molds and what you used? Both my 4lb log as well as my 12 bar slab mold are in desperate need of new bands. Any tips/hints would be much appreciated! (I tried doing a search first but didn’t turn up any information) Thanks in advance!

I couldn't win with these molds. If I used freezer paper, the soap had a wrinkle exterior. If I didn't line at all, I had to practically chisel the soap out! I still have my Upland round but am on the fence about parting with it. May give it one more go with the suggestions here about freezing the soap/mold before removing.

Maple Pecan Streusel by WSP for candles. For soap, Oatmeal Milk and Honey by Lebermuth

The chemistry store has a great tutorial on doing fluid hot process soap. With what I have read on the internet and with CS's recipe, I recently made a batch. IT IS CRAZY! It really does go fluid. Not sure if it's the yogurt, but I did get some swirl action. The last time I made HP it was a gloppy mess! I was pleasantly surprised, though the real test, IMO, is the bar of soap! Still letting mine cure, though they say you can use it next day. Mine's a bit rubbery at this stage, but I'll post updates. ?

I agree! Love those lakes!

Just saw this post and this is a great idea for scented polymer clay! I'll have to try adding it in the glaze, because when I brushed it on then baked--no good smellz! I love playing with clay when I can find the time. What fun!

It's been a long time and I just wanted to pop in and say hello to all the "old" and new Craftserver members! I haven't been soaping or candlemaking so much lately, but I've been doing a lot of writing. I'd always dreamed of being a writer and I've been working on a few different projects that I'm excited about. I hope to finish one this year and begin the process of hunting down an agent. I know it's a long process but I am ready for it. How has everyone been? How is life? Made any new soap lately? I would love to hear from you!

How about ***Great Granola!*** It's simple and easy to remember......I haven't looked to see if there's one already though. I can even see a logo with a shocked cartoon face on the bag. LOL

I have that and a serious case of soap cutter envy too!! LOL

Okay, loom knitting a scarf is officially taking me forever. I'm ready to pick up knitting needles and try knitting one instead! Two hours? I've been working on my scarf off and on for two MONTHS, during little bits of free time! I want a pretty scarf!!! Waaaahhh

WSP used to sell vanilla color stabilizer years ago.....not sure if they still do but you may want to check there. I used to use it with much success.

I get in on co-ops every time I can!

You could always cut out a thin layer of brightly colored CP with polyclay/fondant flower cutters and put those on your soap.......it'd be tricky to get them just right but you could experiment and see what happens.

Also, there is a Natural Perfumery group on YahooGroups that is wonderful with lots of information! I'm a member and am slooooowly learning about perfumery. (as if I really need another hobby! LOL)

The Great Value brand premium plastic wrap (professional strength) from Walmart is good & stretchy--perfect for packaging some MP!! I've used coffee filters as well and I don't wrap in plastic, but I use them for CP--for my MP I probably would wrap in plastic first in case the soap would start sweating. That wouldn't look very pretty if the soap started sweating & got the coffee filter all gunky.

I LOVE ruffle scarves!! I just got the Mary Maxim catalog and they have some really pretty ruffle yarn with metallic accents....can't wait to get some of that yarn and knit me up a scarf or ten. P.S. LOOM KNITTERS: There is an Isela Phelps ruffle scarf tutorial on YouTube especially for loom knitters! SO excited to see that I could loom knit one of these beauties!

Nice job!!! It's hard enough to sculpt in clay, but in that tiny of scale--amazing work! What clay do you use if you don't mind me asking? I've been finding that Sculpey is too mushy to get fine details and would like to make some halloween pins for my lab coat.

I've gotten a kit from Kristen on Etsy! (the person moonrose64 provided link for) She is great to work with and you can even ask her to provide you with certain color papers. I got some old magnifying glasses from eBay and have made pendants out of those too. I've used photos that my friend in Finland has taken, and have also used purchased graphics. They turned out really nice! I have an art pendant tutorial on my blog, The Crafty B. www.soapgoddess.wordpress.com You'll have to scroll a bit to get to the art pendant tutorial....but I hope this helps you. Glass pendants are fun!!!

I changed it once, from Kel-Lee's Candles to Suzy-Q & Sally Too. I did that because if I ever decided to stop selling candles (which is going to be sooner than later) I obviously needed to drop the "candles" from my name. I wanted something generic, but dear to me. My grandpa (who was like a dad to me) used to call me Sally as a nickname. My grandma (who was closer to me than my own mother) used to call me Suzy-Q. Suzy-Q & Sally Too just seemed like a good fit, and I am able to sell what I'd like without being restricted by a name. Plus, it quietly honors the two people I loved more than life itself when I was young.

Are you talking about the crystals? I think my heat fixing tool is a Darice brand, sold at Pat Catan's. ( a local craft store) I'm having a heck of a time figuring it out though, and actually bought it to heat-fix crystals to polymer clay items. Little did I know that you can put the crystals on the item and then heat-fix them in your craft oven as you are curing your piece! LOL

Instead of brown sugar which is a finer crystal, I'd use demerarra or turbinado sugar (& use less of it.) Those are scrubbier sugars than straight brown sugar & hold up a little better to the heat. Also, is that vanilla extract you are using? Does it add fragrance to the soap? I can't imagine it would add as much fragrance as a FO, unless you are trying to avoid using FO in your soap.....then I understand you using it. My vanilla extract is the most precious liquid in my house besides my liquor! LOL If it was me, I would use something else to fragrance my soap with & save the vanilla extract for baking cookies.

It'd be a tossup between NG's Pink Sugar, SS's Red Clover Tea and NG's Cannabis Rose. Love 'em all.....so hard to pick one! If I absolutely positively HAD to pick one, it would be the Pink Sugar.

Thanks, Vicki_CO!!! I will definitely see if those pointers can help me with this bag! That extra flap in the front is the tricky part.....but perhaps these tutorials can walk me through what to do.

The bag consists of six fat quarters. The pieces are put together length-wise so that you have three panels sewn together. The third panel then wraps around the front and folds down partway, showing the lining fabric and creating a nice big pocket on the outside of the bag. So I guess technically, it is a front/back piece that are sewn together. The pattern designer had us cutting a square out of the fabric's either corner before we made our boxy corners. Maybe to reduce the bulk a bit? I really want the next one to turn out nicely!