brydean

I used to make something similar, I melted the fels-naptha in hot water and mixed it all together in a 5 gallon bucket. I don't remember the exact measurements any more. What I found was that while it did clean very well, got out stains that seemed impossible. But, it was too harsh on the clothes. My clothes started looking faded and dingy after a couple of months. I switched back to regular detergent. HTH

Thanks for the replies!! The whole preservative issue scares me! LOL:eek: Which is why I usually stick to items that don't need them. Thanks for the tip about the sugar probably disolving. I was thinking if I made up a larger batch then I wouldn't have to do it so often. I think I will start small and go from there now!LOL

Ok, I tried the search but, can't find an answer. I want to try the following sugar scrub: Ingredients: 1 cup fine loose salt or loose sugar 3 teaspoons liquid glycerin-or use all honey 1 teaspoon pure honey 3-5 drops of your favorite essential oil Since this will be in the shower ( just my own) I want a preservative. But, the only one I have at home is Germaben II which I know is more for lotions. But, since this does contain less than 25% oil, can I use it?? I'm still trying to figure out preservatives! Thanks!!!

My kiddos found my pail opening tool and thought it would be fun to play with! Mommy squashed that idea very quickly! LOL:D I have vision of frantically searching the bottom of the toy chest! LOL

Go for it! Sleep, highly overrated! I tried the same thing, with the cheapy liquid M&P colors. Didn't work worth a darn. I got a nice color sample pack from Brambleberry(I think), for a reasonable price. Have fun!

Woo Hoo!! Congrats! Isn't it fun! What kind of colors, were you using? When I use micas or oxides, I find it works best when I disolve them in a little bit of oil or glycerin before I add it too the soap. It also help keep the soap more fluid for pouring. You're not going to get a good swirl with HP more of a marbeling. When did you make it? I usually do mine in the evening and cut the next day and its usually still reasonably soft. Easily squished! It will harden up as it cures! So when is the second batch?

Ok, the soap I posted about yesterday, soaped milk powder too hot. Today I realized that I had forgotten to add my superfat after the cook.:rolleyes2 So I decided to chunk it up and rebatch it later, well the inside was this funky brownish orange. All I could think of when I looked at this soft chunked up, funky soap, was that it looked like a bowl of BABY POO!! Asked my dh if he thought I could market it some way! LOL I almost threw it all out it looked so disgusting, but reason and my inherit cheapness prevailed! LOL

I have the 2 lb. one from ebay, I really like it. I want to get one of the bigger ones soon. I've found that it actually holds closer to 40 oz. I just line it with a cheap white plastic garbage bag. Works great!

Ok, I tried to HP a soap with milkpowder. Of course I burned it!:embarasse I had some buttermilk power and wanted to play with it. So I made a slurry with it and 1 oz of water I had pulled out. I was scenting with honey/shea so I added some honey in. I know milk and honey in HP, what was I thinking? After the cook, I pulled it out and let it cool about 10 min, hoping that was enough time, NOT. It instantly turned dark brown, as soon as I had added everything in. So I just plopped it into the mold, sprinkled some candula petals and top and am hoping for the best. What I'm wondering is if even though the color is funky, is the soap still good? Thanks!!!

I usually do HP, but when I tried to HP salt bars I ended up with a crumbly mess. So the next time I did CP and they turned out great!

I second the link CareBear gave you! I read over several tutorials before I tried HP. I found that one to be the easiest to understand and follow. Have fun!

Thanks for your help everyone! The oil seems to be absorbing in now. Doesn't look to bad. It's not lye heavy, I checked several pieces. My dh hates it when I use my tongue to check for lye. I can't convince him that I am not going to poison myself! My lye and oils were both cool enough. I did a 33% lye solution. I think that should be OK? I agree that I should try an unscented batch or at least check the scent review board, before I try it again. Until, I get a better idea how to handle CP. I love HP, but I want to be able to do both. I did do a HP, coffee soap w/ blackberry the same day. That one is awesome!

I can do HP just fine. But everytime I try and do CP, something goes wrong! UGH! Last time I used Tuscan Nights FO and I had a major siezure. Last night I used Fresh Linen FO, it immediately started to get a little clumpy on me. So I quickly gave it a good stickblend and got it into the mold. Now this morning, the top looks like it has a bunch of small airbubbles. I'm guessing from the stickblending. I cut a few pieces to see inside, and I found a few pockets of FO. How did that happen, when I actually stickblended the fragrance in? Should the oil, just eventually absorb in, or should I rebatch? TIA for any help!

I love confetti soap! I saved up all my scraps and chopped up my ugly bars a while back and made one. Everyone loves it! All different colors and sizes of soap pieces in it. Since they all had different scents added to them, I just made sure I used a strong FO with the base, so that they wouldn't all clash. Give it a try and have fun!

Maybe I would be willing to reconsider when she is 12. But, I guess what I have to go on now, is that even though she is responsible and listens well. She tends to be a bit of a butterfingers and gets flustered very easily when she is excited or nervous. It just gives me visions of lye disasters! I do let her make all the bath salts she wants though! LOL:D

I have to chime in here. I have a 10 dd, who I also consider very responsible, and able to follow instructions. I am in the process now of teaching her to sew. Yes, I'm willing to let her use my sewing machine with out too much worry about her hurting herself. But, no way I would let her touch my soap supplies. She may be interested and do her very best to follow instructions. But, accidents can and will happen. Even at 12 they may be responsible, but they are still kids! One mistake could give them burns that could scar them for life. I'm not willing to let my child take that kind of a chance. Maybe an older teenager 15-16, I might consider. But no younger! Just my .02!

Everyone has given you great advice! I have 3 kids 9,7 and 3 plus 2 cats. I was afraid at first also but have learned if proper safety precautions are taken, it is possible to soap with kids around. As others said I do try to soap after bed time. But at times when they are up, I make sure everyone is aware that I will be using lye and the kitchen will be off limit until I am done. One thing I do, is always measure and pour my lye in my sink. I feel that I have less of a chance of an accident that way. if i drop it or knock it over, only my scale will be in danger! I won't be terrified of lye being all over my kitchen floor or counters. Give it a try! Be careful and have fun!!!

Thank you!! I put all the suggestion to use, and finally got it out today!!! Yippee!!!

My soap is stuck in my mold! :embarasse I usually HP. But I wanted to try making a loffa(sp) soap. So I greased a piece of PVC pipe, put the loffa sponges in and poured the soap at thin trace. That was Sat. and I still can't get it out. I hate to destroy it, it smells heavenly. Honeydew melon and lime. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

No, that also includes $5000 coverage for products or personal mishaps. I am also in NY. Where abouts are you? Since I am also looking for insurance please let me know if you can what is the name of the insurance company. You can pm me if you don't want to give it out on the boards. I am in western NY. I'm not sure of the company yet. It's thru a broker, I haven't received the paperwork yet.:smiley2:

I would like to try a few craft shows this year. Since I know most require insurance, I checked with my agent. He was able to get me a price of $300 for the year. Thats for 1 million dollars coverage. He also said if I ever went a show that wanted more I could buy more for only $20. I think this sounds very reasonable, is it? I'm in NY. Thanks!

I ditto this!(Except I HP) My kids are 9,7 and 3. If I didn't use any scent or color they would be highly disappointed! One of the reasons I got into soap making was that my kids, especially my daughter have sensitive skin. Almost every soap I tried, burned or irritated her bottom.(TMI) But I have no problem with any soaps I have made. She is thrilled she can even use bath fizzies and such as long as I make them. She never got to have any of those fun things before. I have also found that if I bath my 3 year old with a food scented soap such as chocolate or gingerbread, then tell him that it's so he will taste better when I eat him. It makes him giggle so much he forgets to complain!

I'm with the crowd that loves the rustic look natural soaps! But I do use MP molds with my HP soaps all the time. What ever soap I have left over after I fill my log mold goes into a MP mold. Sometimes I take a bit of my soap out before I add fragrance and put it in a MP mold, for unfragranced bars. I spray them with Pam ahead of time then put them in the freezer for a bit. I usually have no problem getting them out.

I was wondering what peoples preferences were? I am planning on ordering from Columbus foods soon, I'm debating which to order, or maybe both. I use lard all the time, I love it. But, the word lard seems to gross people out. I'm wondering if tallow might sound better to people? Thanks!

Thanks everyone! Thats what I needed! It seems several names come up quite often, I'll start with those! Not to worry about the molds! Too expensive for an addiction! I actually tried the Martha Molds but couldn't find them at my K-mart. A friend is going to make me some molds. Thanks!