Michi

It probably depends on what else is in there besides the mica. I'm sure there's nothing harmful, but probably the only way to tell if it'll work in soap, is to just try it.

I just bought some silk.....how much do I actually put into the lye??

Cheers,

Hellen

Well mine is in a rope type strand, so usually I just cut off about an inch of that, or probably about the size of a cottonball. Oh and that's for a 2lb. batch.

I don't know if I can really tell a difference since I started using the silk, but I'm using it no matter what, cuz I have 4oz. of it. LOL

OMG do you ever make anything that's not gorgeous?????

Nope, never ever!

I saw these on the other board and commented on how freakin' gorgeous they are!

Ok, I'm really getting sick and tired of this! LOL

Your soaps are so dang awesome, that it makes all mine (even the ones that I think look good) look like CRAPOLA-thank you very much!! NOT FAIR! Some people get ALL the talent!

Dang you!!!! I'm just sitting here with my jaw down on the floor trying to wipe up the drool pooling around me!

You definitely have THE talent with soap woman!

*soap porn approval*

:whoohoo: *super banana* :highfive: *soap porn approval*

Dang lady, just when I think your soaps couldn't get any prettier, you go and so something like THIS! I'm in awe of you and your soap!

Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!

Now, if it was just scented with something besides Lovespell (barf-I just cannot handle that scent for some reason) I'd want me some of those bars!

Good points everyone, thank you. And actually ones that I should have known already, duh!

I have a feeling Meredith that you may have hit on something with the weights being off, at least for last nights batch, cuz I did the zap test this morning on it, and zzzzzzzzz major zapola!

Crap! Pretty swirls too (well, on top at least), gosh darn it!!

Sometimes I just want to throw in the towel with this crap going on all the time.

I can make pretty M&P bars no problemo! LOL

I don't get it!

It seems no matter what I do (short of using the oven), I cannot for the life of me get my soaps to gel! ??

I mentioned in another thread how all my batches lately have been super soft and how I'm unable to cut them for about a week or so (and they're STILL a bit spongey and sticky) so...

Last night I made the recipe that Meredith posted for me (thanks Meredith ) and even put the lid on AND a towel covering it fully and still never got any warmth from it, so obviously no gel.

This morning it's still super soft and sticky and looks like it'll be sitting in the mold for better than a week, just like my other ones.

I've only had I think 2-3 batches that ever gelled out of all the batches I've done. ??

Top posted a recipe for me last night and told me to make sure it gels, well how do I force gel?

Do I HAVE to put it in the oven?

If that's the case, I will have to get a wooden mold right? I've just always used plastic things.

I was really excited last night about this batch! It was my first time using that many oils/butters (9) and instead of making a log like I've always done, I did a slab style, and tried swirling (although my colored portions got too thick and so I couldn't get them down through to the botttom).

Hey, that brings up another question- why do my colored portions (no FO added ever) always get so dang thick? I'm guessing its b/c its such a small amount that it starts "drying". ??

Just frustrated, and being one who doesn't have much patience, it sucks having to wait almost 2 weeks to cut my friggin soaps!

Yah, I guess I could go to the store for more OO, but I wanted to try soaping without it (or very little) since every single recipe I've made has had it in there.

Also, I don't have any cocoa butter.

I'm basically out of everything except palm, shea, mango and CO, since I had planned to order a lot more oils and butters in the coop but my order kinda got messed up, so I didn't get to order everything I wanted then, and haven't gotten around to ordering , since I'm kinda on the fence about ordering from Soapers choice after his switch n bait within the coop. :/

Oh I DO have lard- if that helps. ??

For some reason, I have a hard time figuring out what goes good with what. I've tried a few times and can never get good numbers on the soap calc. And even when I've gotten "ok" numbers, my soap has been so dang soft, I can't cut it for better than a week! :/

I MAY be able to squeak out 6.4 oz of OO for the recipe you posted Barb-thanks!

Thanks to you Scented and Carebear also- I knew someone would understand my soap itch that just needs to be scratched TONIGHT! LoL

Or any recipe that has the oils that I have here, cuz I'm itchin' to soap, but all the recipes I have here require an ingredient I don't have dang it.

Ok here's what I have:

Coconut Oil 76

Palm Oil

Castor

about 8oz. of Babassu

Mango butter

shea butter

Canola Oil

teeny bit of olive (maybe 6oz.)

Thanks in advance.

It's been about a year for me having this little sample bottle of it (I'm not a foodie fan)...and it still smells like frosted carrot cake. Maybe your bottle was mislabeled? Email Peak...I'm sure Nachelle and Alan will take care of you.

Donna

I agree with Donna. Do the live chat with Nachelle (I just love that they have that feature on their site), and tell her your concerns.

Now I wish I would have sniffed it before it left my house, darn it! Then I could've told ya if it was just your nose or if it really is off. LOL

I swear I've gotten FO's that people have just raved about and they have smelled dead on like cat pee pee to MOI!

Have you used this FO before?

Hmm now I'm anxious to find out the conclusion to this.

Ok here's Ultra Violet from TSW:

My attempts at swirling are just not getting any better, although at first I was sure they would be gorgeous (looking at the top and sides of the mold right afterwards), but after cutting, just a bunch of jumbled color on the inside. Oh well, at least the color went all the way through and this scent is KICKIN'! LOVE IT! Just cannot afford it (just had 2oz.). LOL

Oh and my purple leaves little to be desired! Not the purple I envisioned when I was mixing oxides. Can't wait to get my new colorants from the coop!

Here's some recent soaps I've done.

This first one is Solas' Elderberry, which immediately upon pouring the FO into my soap, turned the whole batch bright mac-n-cheese orange! Which wasn't so bad cuz it kinda went well with my purples and green, for a mardi gras kinda look.

BUT THEN, it started to get darker and darker, until it turned into this ugly baby poo colored mess

Fugly ain't it?! LOL Oh well, it smells yumma!

LMAO. When I need silk, I will PM Shannon!

e

Really! LOL Holy Cow woman, you will have that stuff forever and a day!

I think I bought 4oz from Carrie, and I'll probably never use it all up! LOL

On a side note, does anyone else think this stuff STANKS??! UGH, thank goodness it doesn't come through in the soap, but dang, it turns into some stanky stuff when I add the lye-shooo weee! LOL

Brooklyn Biscotti from Solas is a worthy bakery type.

It is official. I do hate you. WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I wanna be you when I grow up!!!

I want to officially put my name it to purchase one of these.....I must have one. Not only is the scent combo intriguing...but it's damned purdy too!

Oh yes...I will be calling.

Donna

ME TOO! ALL of the above!

You've definitely got the magic touch with HP!

I have never wanted to do HP cuz in all the pics I had seen, it looked rough/chunky- but dang if every one of yours is smooth AND beautifully swirled (which I had never seen before either until you)!

I think you should do a tutorial on your technique-hint hint!

Yep, the wagner I have from Wallyworld (about $18) is still going (knock on wood) after 3+ yrs. Of course I'm sure I don't use mine as much as you Barncat!

Now vacuum cleaners-UGH we used to have the worst luck with those suckers! LOL going through one every other year.

Then, I got me a Dyson, love this thing! I've had it for about 4 years now, and use it for my carpeting, tile AND wood flooring! I even use it for the cars (since our shop vac died). we definitely give this thing a workout!

Ohh man, I hate to hear that C word where anyone is concerned!

I still consider myself a noob at soapmaking etc so wouldn't even want to begin to tell ya what would be good for someone's skin in your mom's condition. Plus I know next to nothing about what happens to one's skin with the treatments etc. ??

I think there was a discussion some time back on here though about it, I'll search around for ya.

I will definitely add your mom to my prayer list. Would you mind PMing me her name? If not, no biggie, I'll just pray for "Donna's Mom".

Hang in there, and tell her that I'm pulling for her. Have the drs. said anything about the chances, treatments etc.?

I'm sooo sorry for you and your mom and the rest of the family, this is going to be tough on all of you. Thank goodness you're an LPN, your training will kick in and you'll be Nurse Donna, that will be awesome for your mom!

Definitely definitely definitely will keep praying for her Donna and never doubt the power of prayer!

That's too cool, it looks like decopauge (<----I know I butchered that word!! LOL), not paint. How'd you do that?

I'm glad you're having a GREAT time with your new group!

I wish my MIL would get involved with the group in her town-I saw them a couple of times at the parades in town, and they just look like they have so much fun, and since my FIL died last July, she needs something to keep her busy!

I digress, sorry.

We don't have a place like that here (small town) but I've seen them on tv and they look like fun!

I'm sure your daughter will love that Georgia!

AWESOME set up ladies!

You said you did this show at the PX-it looks like a mall to me-is that the way PX's are set up? Obviously I've never been to one, just heard about the great deals one can get there.

Your set up looks like a kiosk, is that what it was? Or did you just set up tables and such?

LOVE the pink arrangement-perfect for the big LOVE DAY! And those heart containers look really good sitting in the plate holders-GREAT idea!

So did you guys meet there at the base? And were you both doing candles before you met? I'm so curious about your "relationship". How awesome to have someone who shares your passion to do shows and such with!

Great job!

The pics are fuzzy, but it doesn't look bad to me, perfect color for cucumber.

Remember, what you think is fugly, someone else may love, so no reason not to try and sell it!

Now fugly is what I made last week-holy crap, I've never seen uglier! LOL

Very very pretty-my daughter would love to have that (her fav. color)-she's on a "I want everything if it's teal" kick! LOL

GORGEOUS Girl! Does look like a sunset when it's just starting and it's got all that pretty pink and blue with dusty clouds!

AWESOME!

The other ladies have given you some great suppliers to check out, but I just wanted to say Hello :wave: from a fellow Californian!

I'm originally from the South Bay Area, and am now living closer to Central Cali.

Thanks for that tip E! Thank goodness you were able to save that huge batch!

I've had this happen ONCE (knocking on wood) and I had no idea I could salvage it, so threw it out.

It's nice to know there's still life after seize! LOL

Thanks as well to jbren-sounds like it goes much quicker in the micro.

Never even heard of it! ??

You say you use it in your beds? On the dogs? Hmmm tell me more please!