Starr

I started doing HP soaps earlier this year and couldn't get my recipe right, everything I did was just so DRYING on the skin *ICK*. I tried again with quietgirl's recipe that I found here a few weeks ago, tweaked it just a tiny bit and am having a BLAST with it. Though I do have to agree that 25lbs of lye right off the bat is A LOT. I've been buying small containers of it from my local ACE Hardware stores relatively cheap. I've had about a dozen successful batches under my belt and might consider larger batches in the near future but I still don't think I'm ready or comfortable sinking that much in money and materials (containers, bags, etc...) into my lye yet.

Remember too that this might be something that you don't enjoy doing or find is such a PITA that you don't want to do it that often. Having that much lye on hand would really suck if that were the case.

Crisco, Lard, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Coconut Oil are all things you should be able to find at your local grocery store/Walmart and are great in soap. On your first few batches, not only would I go somewhat small, I would go somewhat cheap on the oils so that you can get a feel for it and if you have any "OPPS" batches they don't hit your wallet quite so hard.

It is LOTS of fun though and I do hope you enjoy it!

I keep a spray bottle of plain old rubbing alcohol around for sterilization, it also helps for small oil spills while you're working. I hate having to stop everything, go get the degreaser then get back to work.

I got a Cinnamon Buns for NG that was REALLY wonderful. (Now I just need a pretty silicone cinnamon bun mold to go with it!)

I think your best bet might be encouraging your customers to reuse their containers after they're done burning the wax out. You might want to make up a little card or something with suggestions like holding buttons, loose change, etc... or maybe list the number of the nearest recycling center.

One off the top of my head was almonds. WONDERFUL fragrance. When I reordered in a larger quantity, the source had changed and the new "almond" smells more like wild cherry! I am not EVEN gonna talk about what happened to the wonderful nag champa they used to carry that smells like dirty feet from India now...

:laugh2: Don't hold back now, tell us how you REALLY feel about those new scents.

This sounds like a really cute idea. I might have to give it a whirl myself!

Thanks much, I'll probably pick one (or two) from your suggestions!

I'm going to default to quietgirl because the only time I've gotten soap to come out good is when I've either used her basic recipe or a slight variation on it. IMO, she knows her stuff!

Nope, wasn't Staten Island. It was Brooklyn, not sure how I mistook the two.

http://www.saveonscents.com/

I could've sworn there was a supplier in or around Staten Island.

*goes to check her stuffs*

My cats are always skidding across the kitchen floor. We get a great chuckle over it.

*Waves to my not too distant neighbor in the LV Valley*

I got a request for about 40 pine scented tarts. I've yet to find a pine that doesn't smell like Pine-Sol, anyone have a good one?

Thanks

For a 2 inch round, you can get plastic caps that will fit over the bottom opening. That and some metal foil tape (which you can also get at the hardware store) should be sufficient.

*Gets ready for a full-on POUNCE of Mr. Mailman*

Has Starr been a good girl this year?

:yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay:

Yes!

I am pretty sure Joannes, Michaels and Hobby Lobby sell it. I never used it...I used Liqued Rainbow a LOT. http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Liquid_Rainbow It also may be your location as I am 99% sure all my stores still have it in stock.

http://www.craftsetc.com/store/search.aspx?searchTerm=gallery+glass

I've checked Joann's and Michaels. I don't have a Hobby Lobby near me so I can't check there.

This is the first I've heard of this place, I'll check it out. Thanks!

Thanks!

I need the frosted clear (and a fair amount of it, the mirror isn't small), leading in either black or gold (preferably gold), and either ruby red or burgundy.

I checked a couple of stores and just checked their website. They have 1 kit box thing but it doesn't have most of what I need.

Yup, that's the stuff.

This is a craft that I used to do probably about 10+ years ago and it was kind of a new thing and a big craze. It's not quite as popular these days but I have a mirror in my bedroom that I'd like to do something with so that I don't have to *GASP* see myself first thing in the morning.

There's a few places that sell it online but the selection is piddly. I know that the somewhat local (ok, really NOT local but it's near C&S so I usually stop by when I go there) JoAnn doesn't carry it anymore and I haven't found it on their website.

Anyone know where I can find this stuff?

Those are precious! I love it!

I wouldn't say it's bad/ugly/etc... but it's not something I would buy. It certainly is unique! Good job!

You're probably right. Doing HP is still a fairly new thing and I just used what I had on hand. Admittedly, it didn't dawn on me that C&S does deal only in a small way with soaping and only MP at that. I also did NOT anticipate green going to red but at least now I know. I was more concerned with "Did I do something wrong?" "Is my lye somehow still active and it did something?" etc... types of things.

Thanks for the advice!