Morganst

very nice job!!! isn't it exciting? I still get excited about each batch and i've been at it for years.

My mind's already on valentine's day 2008 (many ideas running around in me head). I totally skipped fall and Christmas!!!

I've had the same problem with bath salts but only during the summer. If I make them in the winter they stay dry. Maybe it's the humidity in the air?

They look great. What flavor are they and what method did you use? Nice 1st soaps!!!!

I have use enamel pots. My favorite one I purchased at Goodwill for around $3.00.

Girls Night Out is AWESOME in CP!!!!

Try CPOP. Kinda the best of both worlds. No crock pots and no blankets. It's the only way I soap now since I am very impatient but like smooth soap. S

Every time I lick soap I remember poor Ralphie in Christmas Story with the bar of soap sticking out of his foul mouth!! S

I've never tried adding FO's before lye. I like my soaps strong smelling anyway. S

Well done - it looks good. What flavor is it?

Rebatched some peach fragranced soap which I found to be nauseating. I added Sweet Cakes "Island Kiss" to the rebatch with some coconut & Mango FOs. It smells really lovely even though it looks like something the cat puked up. http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w101/blueshazban/funkyrebatcch.jpg S

Target also sells it (under $3.00 for 2lb box).

I have used pure beeswax (block form) as sold for candlemaking and I've used the pastilles. I prefer the block beeswax as over the pastilles every time even though it's a PITA to cut up. My main reasons are smell and texture of finished product. With pastilles it SCREAMS "There's beeswax in here" - I hate that. Also, the texture is not as smooth. Anyone else experience this?

I've never experimented with body washes but have been thinking - could you use a liquid castile soap as a body wash base?

or you could try http://www.essentialwholesale.com They do sell great lotion bases plus they'll customize for you. Also, you might want to try posting the ingredients here - someone may recognize it!

If you onlyneed a tiny bit, try your local drug store. They sell cocoa butter in a lip balm stick. The tube is yellow with brown writing (I forget the name)

Really lovely. I KNOW that smells good. I love peppermint and patchouli together, they make the perfect couple!

The first time I rebatched, my soap was soft for a good 4 months. Leave it alone for a while as it might be OK. Or you could always try again. Rebatching requires a lot less liquid than you think. You could also try soaking the shreds overnight in the liquid. - makes the job a lot easier.

LMAO - you guys are the best. You've all cheered me up tremendously!! I think I'm gonna make myself one of them there signs for the oven. BTW - While stomping about the house earlier in my bad mood I happened to grumble something about wanting a raised garden bed to plant my herbs for so long I might as well wait until next year!! Wouldn't you know he couldn't get to home depot fast enough? It's only 3:30pm and my raised garden bed is in, the dirts in, the herbs have been planted and my garden gnome is sitting in there keeping watch. maybe he should burn up my soap more often

Thanks for listening guys and for making me feel better. You may have saved him from a serious Sunday morning beat down:cheesy2: No omlet for me (I don't like them). His avoidance of me for the rest of the day will surfice as his punishment - tee hee hee. Tart Addict - sorry to hear about your aroma beads and I do feel your pain. Maybe we need to come up with some sort of zapping device that zaps them whenever they touch the oven knob I'll let you all know how it turns out tonight when I retrieve them from the oven.

you really do have to be careful with EO's and make sure you only use tiny amounts (especially in leave-ons). Some EO's can't be used by pregnant women or people with high blood pressure etc etc. You really need to research. Check out camden grey's website. There's a wealth of EO information there. Good Luck

LOL - mine stick too. I've resorted to greezing them up good before pouring. I'm wondering if they're warped from tightening the screws too tight? Something to think about....

Don't you know, I got up at the crack of dawn this morning so I could make 2 4lb batches of CPOP. Everything went according to plan and by 8:00AM both batches were in the 170 degree oven. DH makes his way downstairs to the kitchen just in time to watch me turn the oven off (timer was alarming). We have deep meaningful conversations about the 2 batches of soap that are sitting in the freakin oven. I make myself a nice cup of tea and go sit in the living room. Low and freaking behold this bafoon decides to make himself one of them big fat omelets that you put in the oven. Don't you know he turns the oven on BROIL in preparation for said omelet while my soaps are sitting in there. He goes to stick the thing in the oven and gasps at the sight of my smoking soaps. I'm so mad I could spit at him right now. His apology? - "oops" Sorry for ranting but I'm so mad right now. My soap has tiny bubbles on top (like bullfrog's back)!!! Thanks for listening and have a glorious day everyone - I'm going back to bed to wallow in self pity.

I do CPOP. I pour at medium to thick trace. Then I'll either use the end of my stick blender and just make circular imprints on the top or i'll use a chopstick and make swirlies & peaks. You can almost use anything. Even if the pattern is very slight, it will hold.

Oh no - sorry to hear about your horrid morning. I too have mr doright molds but as much as I still love them, I must say that they became warped after 2 uses. I'm still able to use them though. I'm not sure if it's the oven or the dishwasher that caused them to warp so now I don't wash them in the dishwasher at all. Hope your soap turns out nice after all that mayem :smiley2: