beau's mama

http://www.oregontrailsoaps.com/seeds.html

They have Apricot Seed Meal & Shell Powder.

4oz is more than enough to play w/ & it's not too expensive.

Soooo, you're stepping to the other side now, huh?

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_comparison.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=printer&category=LaserJet&lanAttr=&subcat1=photo&leftNavIndicator=&PROD_LIST=CB373A%23ABA%7CCC376A%23ABA%7CQ6455A%23ABA%7C&catLevel=2&brand_name=hp&sort_list=Black%2Bspeed%257CColor%2Bspeed%257CBlack%2Bresolution%257CColor%2Bresolution&hide_clear_link=1&a1=Color+printing&v1=Color&compare1=Compare&PROD_IDX=CB373A%23ABA&PROD_IDX=CC376A%23ABA&PROD_IDX=Q6455A%23ABA

I'm guessing it's new

I'm drooling over laser printers again. What grabbed my attention was that it seems a little shorter than the 1600, does 5,000 more pages monthly AND the cartridges are a little less expensive than the 2600n.

One thing I have no clue about is the type of processor it has. How much of a part does the type of processor a printer has play in the grand scheme of things?

Any thoughts?

TIA

OK, CP noob here

Why would you want your soap shiny? Does it add to the look of it? Feel smoother?

I would like to see a video tutorial of a really good swirl technique. I've read all the instrucitons I can find, and I have had some success, just trying different things, but a tried and true technique would be great. Also video demonstrations of pouring layers, showing the thickness of the soap at different stages and when to pour, etc. This would be really helpful to newbies without much experience. Once you do it awhile, you figure it out, but it would have been helpful to me in the beginning.

I think the base you use makes all the difference, the SFIC is the best IMO. My soaps always turn out great, I add a dab of liquid soap to up the lather, one TBSP/pp of an oil mixture called Africas best herbal oil, then other things like herbs, oatmeal, honey, aloe, cocoa butter. I have found this general recipe turns out a bar that is hard, with a rich creamy thick lather. I don't follow any recipes, I make each batch with the same basic ing, and customize each one as I go. I have never had a problem in getting layers to stick, as long as the bottom layer is still somewhat warm and spritzed with alcohol. Let's see some pics in the gallery of some MP creations!

Hey tamtam:wave: Where ya' been?

I've added clay before.

The red clay for me no matter how little I added always made the bubbles red and left a tint on my skin....washed off easy enough, blended well but I didn't care for it and the bubbles went way down.

Did make the soap a nice rich red in color that really looked nice when using a soap mold with a design on it but.....

I didn't bother with the other kinds cause of the bubble factor.

I just got some sea kelp powder from Snowdrift Farms and was gonna try that next.

I've never used sea kelp powder. Does it have a smell?

I had made a few batches of soap (nothing to brag about)...but today.....

I dove into b&b with both feet.

I made lotion, emulsified sugar scrub, whipped body butter, AND soap!

WOOT!

I'm tired but my skin is soft and smells good lol

Thanks to all of you who make this possible for noobs like me!

dana

Congrats to you

This is so addictive, but soooo much fun!

forgot to mention, FNWL is a good one too

Are they really open for business LOL? They do have a variety of things, but every time I click on something I may want to order, it's always OOS.

That site has a "twilight zone" feeling to me...like the lights are on but nobody's home...

ETA: WSP here too...and the Sage...and Oregon Trails...and Elements Bath & Body...and...

Have you ever dreamed of having enough money to buy all the things you needed at one time...and plenty of it... I do

Every single minute of my life

I've been using oxides & ultramarines from WSP with no problems, except for when I get a little heavy-handed. Water based colors always bled on me that's why I stopped using them.

Many people here use colorants from http://tkbtrading.com/index.php?category=29 They have "non-bleeding" colorants. Maybe someone will chime in and let you know if they bleed or not.

HTH a bit

I'd love to see how if it's possible or certain adds that allow me to paint the mold first, then pour in the soap. Then unmold it and the paint is attached to the soap, so I don't have to worry about trying to not mess up, I can wipe a mold, but not the soap for some of the smaller stuff.

As for the lather adds: yeah, there's a lot of stuff to search it out, but more often than not, the current search yields nothing of use hardly. A lot of it seems to bring up classy's. I think instead of just listing them out, a better proposal would be what goes with what.

Like Goat's Milk you can add X ingredient but for Shea, Y is better to make more bubbles!

Umm.. how about a 70's psychadelic bar? Something that swirls from the middle out in a circle... like a hypnotizing swirl?

Soap carving maybe?

Well, Hun, that'll get 'cha about 500 answers explained 600 different ways LOL. Everyone has a "perfect combination" that works for them. You can make as small as (1) 4oz bar to test combos to keep from wasting ingredients.

I've looked at those carving kits at WSP and I had some soap paint somewhere around here. I'm not patient enough or artistic enough to fool with them. I can make shapes/carvings from a stencil, though

Hmmm, the hypnotizing swirl...I have a sudden urge to listen to "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"

I will say this...I don't like making lotion much. I even confessed that in my tutorial. It is quite the pain in the hiney...There are days when I long for a base!

Yeh, it can be a PITA, especially when you try to do something stupid like make an 8oz batch for testing to "save" on ingredients LOL

I make lotion 2 ways: w/ Fusion Magic when I want to use it right away (cold emulsification, no waiting, less measuring) and the ewax/stearic method.

I would love a base. I looked for a base, but nothing ever measured up to what I had in mind for my lotion, so I bit the bullet, got a bug up my butt after a year, & just made what I wanted. I'm happy.

The only base I've ever used is M&P. Everything else I do is from scratch. But I don't sell to the general public, so making things from scratch is easy right now.

I think base vs scratch is a matter of how much time someone has. Scratch is definitely cheaper IMO, but more time consuming.

I use a base for both of my lotions. My customers LOVE the one, and not too sure about the other one yet. I don't feel comfortable making lotion. I will try it someday, but not anytime soon

Hmm, you might change you mind about that if you received personal, hands-on guidance

Boy, My solution has been waaaay too strong! I've been doing 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. But I have never had to sanitize jars and bottles, just equipment for making lotion.

Oh my, I've been mixing 1 part bleach to 9 parts water . I also do it to sanitize my work area & lotion equip. I somehow always believed if I can't smell the bleach, then it's not working LOL

Can too much be too much?

Hey there M&P'ers...they buried us! We can't let that happen

Your ideas have been heard, and I've got a feeling there'll be a couple of fun things happening on CT for us

While the fun stuff is brewing, here's a chance to have some (experimental) fun while we wait.

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69599

Old & new, young & old...all are welcome.

PM me w/ any questions

Bethany, thanks for posting this. I did a lot of reading, reading, and reading b/4 I made lotion, but never saw this.

Quote: "Personally, I think safe is more important than natural. We are all aware of natural products that are very toxic, so we need to stop thinking of natural and safe as being synonyms."

So very true. Before I started handcrafting, I always thought "natural" was safest & best. I've learned different in almost 2 years. In some things it may be, but in lotion, unless it's for quick, personal use, it's just not gonna work.

OK, dumb question time: do these actually smell like fruit?

I go to GOW's site all the time, but I've never seen these, maybe 'cause I wasn't looking, huh?

DeAnna, those are nice, girl! Do you ever sleep? LOL

Are those made w/ the bath bomb tablet maker thingy?

I'm going around the house measuring every tube I can find' date=' I'm going to point him in your direction! [/quote']

*gasp* CB baaad girl LMAO

Been there, done that, time to move on :rolleyes2

Aww SpaceGirl, thank you. I just printed it out.

Now, if DH has me committed b/c I'm going around the house measuring every tube I can find, I'm going to point him in your direction!

Vio -- you can calculate the volume with this equation....

[Half of the diameter of the tube (the radius)]^2 (squared) * pi (about 3.14159) * the length of the tube.

Now you soapers have some tricks for going from volume to the amount of oils that I don't know.... hope this helps and that I didn't just tell you something you already knew.

What? English please & 'splain it to me like I'm a 2 y/o. Better yet, just sign me up for advanced math 101 for really big dummies!

I got a headache just reading that

[quote=beau's mama;647533]WOOOOOHOOOO, my little flower! That's why I love you...you love to push beyond normal limits...and you really are a lil' bit nuttier than I am. You go girl. Aww, and you have a cute lil' mold, too.

Now, you know if I was off work today I'd be in the "lab" right now weighing out 4oz's of oil while my M&P is melting Well, there's always next week...what can we play "limbo" with next? LMAO!

hmmm I am thinking maybe a 8 oz batch of LS! yeahhhhh that'll learn you not to mess with the mentally distrurbed!santa mad LOL

Oh no, Psycho Santa! LOL, you really are not playing fair! I gotta learn how to make LS first b/4 I go making baby batches all willy nilly like! You make it, I'll watch, then you can give it to me to test

WOOOOOHOOOO, my little flower! That's why I love you...you love to push beyond normal limits...and you really are a lil' bit nuttier than I am. You go girl. Aww, and you have a cute lil' mold, too.

Now, you know if I was off work today I'd be in the "lab" right now weighing out 4oz's of oil while my M&P is melting Well, there's always next week...what can we play "limbo" with next? LMAO!

Oh yeah, you know that I LOVE dares!

I've been making and selling M&P soap for a couple of years now and absolutely love it and the versatility of it.

One thing I haven't tried is adding silk fibers and/or clay. I assume this can be done. I do know you can add different clays but I don't know very much about them or their qualities, etc.

I would also be interested in spa & herbal type recipes for M&P. I am ashamed I have not tried very many herbs and I have only dabbled in a few EOs. What I am driving at is I don't know a lot about what herbs or EOs are for and what, why, and how certain herbs, EOs, or blends are good for the skin.

Come to think of it an 'herbology' or 'essential oils' tutorial would be something I would LOVE to see on this board.

Clays are great! I've used Kaolin white & rose, bentonite, & fullers earth. A very sweet person just gave me some red moraccon (sp?) clay so that will be the next thing to play w/ on my list.

I haven't dabbled w/ many EO's beyond the usual Tea Tree, lavander, etc.

There's a wealth of info all over the net about clays & eo's. Mountain Rose Herbs has great info.

You really have to know your stuff regarding the EO's. Some are not good for pg women & people with epilepsy. Some are photosensitizing.

Get to Googling woman! Researching can be a pita , but it's worth it ...it'll only make you so much better at your craft!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

Here is the Floralissima cut. I got 3 bars, but I was so frantic, I stuck a bar in some water just to make sure it would float (it's 100% coconut) and hot damn it did And WOOOOOOOOW! I had to use a teeny, tiny slither just to be sure I actually had soap. That lil' slither bubbled like crazy. I can only imagine what a full bar will do.

I did not think I'd like the 100% coconut soap, but it just may become the standard CP in my house!

Wait, hold on!

Girl, you went from your first CP, to cream soap, to that beautiful M&P. And dammit, you got real swirls!

I am scared of you!

Awesome job!