rebeccajo99

yes, I only test 2 scents max a month for my melts. When I was trying to get them on my line, I did a lot more (about 1 a week), but now that I have some... I only do 2 a month. If I still give them a F (as you say ), then I pass them to friends to test for me.

This is what I do for a test

I pour a scent or two and let it cure for a week.

Test 1 of the scents then wait a week before testing the next. If any fail, I wait 2 weeks before trying them again. If they fail the second time, then I pass them to friends.

Hope that helps

Barbara

Tried using the little bit of water and powdered goats milk. It worked BEAUTIFULLY!!!! Mixed well into the soap and no nasty orange color!!!!! Not sure about the color I used to try swirling yet. I used green and I'm not sure that color likes hp soap. We will see:)

The best part is, if the cured soap feels as good as the little bit I got on my hands while getting it into the mold, we have a winner!!!!! It will be the recipe I use for my main soap line!!! (as long as it works taking FO and essential oils. Have not tried that yet )

Only took 5 unscented batches to find my recipe. 6 if you count the failed batch, but I did the zap test this morning on the failed batch and no zap, so I tried it in the shower. Its soap, just looks nasty I'm being optimistic that the cured soap will feel as good as the fresh/warm stuff.

THANK-YOU for your help.

I use a presto to heat my m&p. I used to use a microwave until I got the presto. Heat for a little longer, (try 10 to 15 second bursts) until it stays liquid for you. Sounds like it is cooling before your ready to pour it in the mold.

Do you have a thermometer? Check with the manufacture of you m&p on the highest temp. you can get your m&p before its too hot. THat way you can take a reading to see if it can go a little hotter to keep it liquid for you too.

Thanks. I'll give that a try this afternoon.

How large of a batch will that be for. I've been making 2 lb batches until I get my recipe down.

Thanks

hmmm... I didn't even put the lye into the goats milk. I saved it until just before I poured it into the mold. Should I let it sit a little bit out of the crockpot warming unit before putting in the milk?

OK, I'm curious.....what's the hanger method? LOL

I am also. Never heard of that method before

Might have to switch to powder because I think I have my first "failed" batch . I used liquid, I do have powder in my house, but all my research was saying liquid. What do you mix yours with to make a "think slurry"

I posted this in another tread of mine, but thought I would start a new one to get some help/advise.

Here is what I did with my "failed batch" I took my water amount and "cut" it in half for the amount to mix my lye with. The other half was being left out for my goat milk amount.

it traced really quick and the cooking also went really quick (got to the mash potatoes stages within 10 mins!!!!) I also almost had my first boil over because picked up my bowls and spoons to wash up and when I got back from washing and as I sat down in my chair to watch the cooking, i heard it starting to hit my cover!!! I took the bowl out of the crock pot heating thing to add the goats milk and it turned instantly this icky dark orange/brown color. Couldn't even get it to take color to practice swirling.

So, we will see how this turns out. It still felt and looked the same while putting it into my mold. I'm wondering since it cooked so fast if its still going to be a little acid where it will have to cure like cp before using. (Might get to feel my first zap as well )

Anybody have any suggestions on what I may have done wrong to turn it that orange color?

I also have done both ways. Really depends on weather (if outside) and booth size/shape (if inside). I have found though that if I have things facing out (like the end caps if doing the rows or one of the tables), you draw in people. I have had it that people are just walking by and they look into my booth (because I always say hi to those walking by unless I'm helping a customer) they say hi back and keep looking at my booth. Some then say "ohh you have soaps" and come in to brouse some more. Sometimes they buy, sometimes they don't and just take a business card.

So whatever you decide, I think its best to have something facing out to draw in those passer-byers, even if it is just signs telling people what you all have.

Those are really cool. Is the first 2 using the "funnel" method that I have read about a few time?

Thanks Barbara

Might have to switch to powder because I think I have my first "failed" batch . I used liquid, I do have powder in my house, but all my research was saying liquid. What do you mix yours with to make a "think slurry"

Here is what I did with my "failed batch" Maybe somebody can help me too. I took my water amount and "cut" it in half for the amount to mix my lye with. The other half was being left out for my goat milk amount.

it traced really quick and the cooking also went really quick (got to the mash potatoes stages within 10 mins!!!!) I also almost had my first boil over because picked up my bowls and spoons to wash up and when I got back from washing and as I sat down in my chair to watch the cooking, i heard it starting to hit my cover!!! I took the bowl out of the crock pot heating thing to add the goats milk and it turned instantly this icky dark orange/brown color. Couldn't even get it to take color to practice swirling.

So, we will see how this turns out. It still felt and looked the same while putting it into my mold. I'm wondering since it cooked so fast if its still going to be a little acid where it will have to cure like cp before using. (Might get to feel my first zap as well )

I do that too. I always check them out from the library first. Best way to save some money. Hate buying things just to find out they are no good:sad2:

Thanks for the advice everybody. I'm going to bring it up with her and ask for her to give me my money for the rent back. I'm also going to ask her not to do it again. I know rent isn't a lot, but money is tight on my end because I'm new and still trying to recover the costs from all of my testing. Sales are also low because I'm new. I don't have the repeat customers and people are just not buying yet because of the economy.

I'm sure she has her reasons on why she did it, but she also didn't even give me a chance to get rent in before it was due or let me know she was doing it. She could have just shot me an e-mail saying, I'm deducting rent from your commission check this month. I would have told her no, I'll drop it off by tomorrow (or today, depending on what time I got the e-mail), but a heads up would have been nice.

Ok, I'm done venting

Thanks guys. I wanted to try the recipe with goat milk this weekend, but needed to finish researching on when to add the milk. My computer fried this weekend, so I couldn't finish

I've been finding that some put it in at the end before pouring it into the mold and some mix it with the lye. Would that be the same with cphp too, could I add it just before pouring into the mold, or should I do it after trace before the cooking part in the crock pot?

Well, I heard back about if she received my check or not. She said that she just deposited several checks, and to let her know if it doesn't clear in the next couple of days. I would have thought she could look up my account and say... yes I received it or no I have not.

I'm now starting to question her bookkeeping. I hate to think this because maybe she was busy and didn't get a chance to look it up, but I e-mailed it. So, it wasn't like I was waiting on the phone. If she had a customer, she could have looked it up and responded when she was done helping them.

I don't know

Here it is. Found the cable and got them downloaded. My first soap.

I've been looking at this recipe. What is the salt and sugar used for and is that regular table salt and sugar? (grandular sugar and iodized salt is what I have in my cupboard) Sorry for the questions.

Thanks guys. I just checked my bank account and it isn't showing it has cleared yet, so maybe she didn't deposit it yet (or maybe it got lost in the mail)

I'll shoot her an e-mail just to see if she got my check first. I hate confrintation, so that will give me some time to think how I'm going to approch her:)

Made my first batch of soap (cphp) last night. I must have done enough reading because I trucked right along and only looked at the directions once to see what I'm supposed to be looking for:yay::yay:

I ended up putting some color in it so I can keep the recipes I'm trying seporate (and to start practicing the swirling). I took pictures of it cut (very poorly cut, but cut), but I cannot find the camera cable to upload them. As soon as my husband calls, I'll upload them.

Put it to my tounge and said, hmmm. think that is what it is supposed to "taste" like (as I have never tasted soap or a 9v battery to know what that zap feels like:)) so I cut off a small piece and washed my hands with it. (probably not the smartest thing since I didn't know 100% if it was safe or not:laugh2:) Liked how it bubbled, liked how my hands didn't feel dry, didn't like how my hands didn't feel soft afterwards like my m&p recipe does, but most importantly, my hands didn't burn off... so it must be safe right?

The portion in my lease that is in regards to rent states "Monthly payments shall be due and payable on or before the 1st calender day of the month. In the event that payment is not received by the 5th calender day of the month, a late fee of $20 will be assessed to the Tenant. Landlord further reserves the right to withhold settlement checks from Tenant until payments are brought current. In the event that payment is not received by the 10th calender day of the month, Tenant will be considered in defalt of the erms and conditions of this lease" I mailed my check for Sept. on the 28th of August. (Sorry, I was off a day in my first post. I was thinking the 27th was Saturday)

The portion in my lease in regards to commission checks reads "Pay period cutoff is the last day of each month. Landlord agrees to pay to Tenant all amounts collected for sales of Tenant's items, less deductions, by the 5th business day following the close of the pay period." The commission check is dated Aug 27.

So to me, it seems that she is in volation of the lease and she should send me my money, but I just don't know how much of a "stink" I should be. Last couple of months checks have been really small (just covers the rent and cost of goods). I don't know if that is because it is summer or because she moved my stuff. I was going to see what the holiday season brought.

I have some of my stuff in a consignment shop which has a small rent fee. The rent is due the first of every month. I just received my august commission check and my Sept rent was taken out of it. I looked at the date on the check and it was written on August 27, which was the same day as I mailed my check and 5 days before rent is due.

Obviously I'm going to say something as I don't want to pay double rent, but should I just let her apply this money for Oct rent, have her credit my account so I get that money with my next commission check or should I ask that she sends it to me?

I don't want to be mean, but at the same time it irritates me that she deducted it from my check before rent was even due.

Agree with RebeccaJo on this; liquid is so much easier to control. I have red dye, but to attain a true pink I use liquid Magenta. It is my favorite dye; mixed with a little blue gives gorgeous purples, also. HTH

hmmm... maybe I need to invest in some Magenta dye. I have always been able to achieve the pink I have been lookign for with red so far, however, I have only experimented a few times since I don't have a lot of scented tested yet for my tarts. I will have to remember that if I just cannot get the pink that I want.

To keep cost down to start, I only have red, yellow, blue and brown dyes and do mixing to get greens, oranges, and purples.

I was thinking about those little baggies you can put a sandwich, bagel or a few cookies in.. they are thinner kraft... I know they are REALLY inexpensive, probably a penny or less a piece... wondering if those might work, you could probably fit 5-10 tarts in each bag... maybe more...

oh heres a link... maybe would work?

http://www.papermart.com/Product%20Pages/Product.aspx?GroupID=3645&SubGroupID=3646&ParentGroupID=19063#3646

hmm.. that is simular to the card bags that I was thinking as well. I also like that you can print on them in your own printer. Thanks for the idea. I think the little kraft bags are out and these types of bags are in contention.

I agree that liquid dyes are messy. That is the thing I hate about them. However, I LOVE how you can manipulate them to get the color you want. I use a toothpick if I want less color than a drop from the dropper.

For pink, I use red dye and depending on how pink I want it, 2 or less drops per lb. You may be able to get away with more drops per lb before turning red, but I have not tried yet.

Sorry that I can't help with the dye chips part.

My lye came yesterday!!!:yay:

Going to be doing my first batch of CPHP most likely tomorrow!!!! I'll post pictures after I have it cut. (won't be pretty, just doing a dye free/scent free batch.)

Thanks everybody for the links. No, they don't need to have handles. It seems like those little ones are all decrative and expensive... so I'm wondering if I get little bags like the ones that the store put your cards in when you buy them and use those.

What is your idea luminous?