Well Now Isn't This Just Ugly

[GrandmaArial]

Honey oatmeal with cinnamon swirls. I used olive oil to infuse the ground cinnamon and saved the oil back to cook with, used the pulp to color the swirls. I am hoping that I removed enough of the essential oils from the cinnamon so it isn’t irritation, I really wanted the color.

Took it out of the mold and sliced… and not what I was expecting at all when I started, though better than the florescent orange it was when I poured it. I guess I should be glad about that… but I look at it and I think “mud” and who wants to wash with mud?

It actually looks better now, about 2 hours after I sliced it. When I first sliced it there were virtually no swirls. Creative, I think I found your swirls! LOL

Next time I try this (provided it cures nicely and I ever make it again) I will try swirling the honey as well as the cinnamon.

[Hibiscus]

That doesn't look ugly to me. It reminds me of one of my first soaps that I used cocoa powder for the swirl. I think your off to a great start:highfive:

[Brenda]

I'm a fan of tan and brown! Nice look. :smiley2:

Doesn't look like mud at all!

[CBE]

Honey oatmeal with cinnamon swirls. I used olive oil to infuse the ground cinnamon and saved the oil back to cook with, used the pulp to color the swirls. I am hoping that I removed enough of the essential oils from the cinnamon so it isn’t irritation, I really wanted the color.

Took it out of the mold and sliced… and not what I was expecting at all when I started, though better than the florescent orange it was when I poured it. I guess I should be glad about that… but I look at it and I think “mud” and who wants to wash with mud?

It actually looks better now, about 2 hours after I sliced it. When I first sliced it there were virtually no swirls. Creative, I think I found your swirls! LOL

Next time I try this (provided it cures nicely and I ever make it again) I will try swirling the honey as well as the cinnamon.

Grandma!! You found my swirls!!!! I think your soap looks awesome! I love browns!! I don't think it's ugly at all! I think you did a great job! Now.... send those swirls back to me please!!! LOL;)

[ruba]

I think they look good.

[GrandmaArial]

What I wanted is tan and brown. The picture doesn’t do it justice; it is a reddish orangey brown. Not even a nice cheerful reddish orange, like fall leaves, but a dull, dark, depressing color, like the leaves after they have been setting under the snow rotting all winter. THAT’S IT! It’s the color of compost! I’m hoping it will fade down, if not I’ll just give it to the in-laws for Christmas. Put some fancy labels on them… make them look expensive, they’ll love them. LOL. Either that or give me your addresses and I’ll just send them to all of you…

If I was trying to make fall soap I might be satisfied with it, ok, not really, but more than I am now. It’s oatmeal honey soap; it should be a soft golden tan.

Well, the good thing is it doesn’t smell like peanuts. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, I kept smelling peanuts and thought it had to be the soap so checked my oils thinking I goofed and used peanut oil… nope… but knew we didn’t have any peanuts in the house as we’re on a diet… yeah, right… hubby snuck a jar of peanut butter in and was snacking on it when my back was turned. Ok that’s my happy thought for the day. Maybe I’m just angry at the soap and that’s why I don’t like it. Yesterday while cleaning up I broke my candy thermometer and can’t get to the store to get a new one till this weekend. I’m going through withdrawal! How can I make soap if I can’t measure the temp of the lye water?

And Creative.. no… I’m keeping the swirls! Only good thing about this soap. You obviously weren’t taking care of them so they ran away and came to live with me! LMAO

Oh, and don’t try using honey to color your fall soap, it really is a funky color in person.

[Brenda]

Have you read about room temperature soaping? You can be free of the tyranny of the thermometer. When I first started soaping I meticulously took the temp of the oils and the lye solution with every batch.

But then, I came here and discovered the idea of room temperature soaping. Melt the hard oils, add the soft to the pot. Mix your lye and water as usual but let it cool to room temperature.

Then mix the two together. Saponification will happen as you stir or stick blend. It's a wonderful process. I can't remember the first post I read about it, but I will never go back to watching temps!

Do a search!

[GrandmaArial]

Have you read about room temperature soaping? You can be free of the tyranny of the thermometer. When I first started soaping I meticulously took the temp of the oils and the lye solution with every batch.

But then, I came here and discovered the idea of room temperature soaping. Melt the hard oils, add the soft to the pot. Mix your lye and water as usual but let it cool to room temperature.

Then mix the two together. Saponification will happen as you stir or stick blend. It's a wonderful process. I can't remember the first post I read about it, but I will never go back to watching temps!

Do a search!

You are such an enabler!

[CBE]

Grandma....I guess I can share swirls with you... but you're being greedy! LOL Just send a tiny bit back over here! I think they are pretty.

I soap at Room Temp. too... since I started... I've never checked temps or anything. I just let my lye water and my oils cool to room temp. Usually takes about 2-3 hours for the lye water to completely cool off. I usually do my lye water... put it hiding in the laundry room, then I start melting all my butters and hard oils. When those are melted, I add all my liquid oils to my melted butters and hard oils and just let it sit on the counter... then I keep myself busy doing other things... folding clothes, washing dishes, mop the floor... etc.... then after about 3 hours... I start soapin'!!!!!

Oh by the way.... I'll take one of those bars!! LOL

[GrandmaArial]

Grandma....I guess I can share swirls with you... but you're being greedy! LOL Just send a tiny bit back over here! I think they are pretty.

I soap at Room Temp. too... since I started... I've never checked temps or anything. I just let my lye water and my oils cool to room temp. Usually takes about 2-3 hours for the lye water to completely cool off. I usually do my lye water... put it hiding in the laundry room, then I start melting all my butters and hard oils. When those are melted, I add all my liquid oils to my melted butters and hard oils and just let it sit on the counter... then I keep myself busy doing other things... folding clothes, washing dishes, mop the floor... etc.... then after about 3 hours... I start soapin'!!!!!

Oh by the way.... I'll take one of those bars!! LOL

Ok Ok… you made me feel guilty; I’m sending your swirls home. Don’t let them wander off again or I’ll keep them LOL

When I read what Brenda said about soaping at room temperature I got excited and ran to the kitchen… then realized it was going to take about 3 hours for the lye water to cool… that was about 4:30… time to start dinner… so where can I possibly put lye water to cool safely… I don’t think I can. Do they make a pitcher with a lock on it?

Remind me in a month when they're done cureing. I will gladly send you one, if they turn out acceptable and don't wind up in the trash.

[jbren]

doesn't look ugly at all. I'd use it in a heartbeat!

[elitenaildesign]

I think they look great!

[P&V]

I love the way your soap looks. Send it to Florida, those are my colors!!!!!!

Note to self: Research Room Temp Soaping

Good grief, I haven't even mastered a pretty bar of melt & pour yet! Someone save me from myself before it's too late!

[hollyberry]

oooohhh i dont think it is ugly either, i love the colors ..kinda rustic and that is my thing lol:grin2: would use it in a heartbeat too!

[GrandmaArial]

Oh the difference a day can make! Went and looked this morning and it’s much lighter. The top bar is off the end, about half the size of the others and seems to be fading faster. The top and right edge are exactly the color I had in my mind when I planned it, the color of oatmeal with a little honey in it.

I also tried a piece to wash my hands with, it’s nice. Good creamy lather, satisfactory level of bubbles, very mild. No scent… smells like soap still, but the sweet green tea didn’t start smelling good for a week, so I’ll keep waiting.

[jaybyrd]

:highfive:

I liked them at the beginning, and even more now!

You li'l swirl stealer, you . . . lol!

Jeri

[P&V]

Very pretty... I really like the way they're changing.

[Jeana]

Ok Ok… you made me feel guilty; I’m sending your swirls home. Don’t let them wander off again or I’ll keep them LOL

When I read what Brenda said about soaping at room temperature I got excited and ran to the kitchen… then realized it was going to take about 3 hours for the lye water to cool… that was about 4:30… time to start dinner… so where can I possibly put lye water to cool safely… I don’t think I can. Do they make a pitcher with a lock on it?

Remind me in a month when they're done cureing. I will gladly send you one, if they turn out acceptable and don't wind up in the trash.

I use a pitcher with a tight lid and I put it on the top shelf of a closed cabinet, if I am letting it cool on its own. We have lots of nosy, little animals around here.

If I want to hurry the cooling of the lye, I put it in the freezer (label your container). You can also put the lye/water container in some ice to cool off too. You can get it really cool in about 30 minutes.

Oh, and BTW, I like the way your soap looks too.

[GrandmaArial]

This is my nosy creature, though not so small. I think he’s finished growing, he’s 4 now, and about 30% bigger than he was when this picture was taken 2 years ago. He’s into everything. Right now my lye is in the original 2 lb can (closed tightly) which is in a 1 gallon paint can (also closed tightly) set in the back of the top cupboard at the back behind several boxes. I still worry. There is not a door in the house he can’t open. That includes the ones I tried putting a child proof lock on. He had less trouble opening them than I did. The only way I have been able to keep him out of the kitchen while making soap right now is by staying in the kitchen and threatening him every time he tries. It’s not that he doesn’t know what “no” means, he knows… he just doesn’t care.

The second picture… I just noticed this… does it look like a drawing of a goat or maybe a cow to anyone else but me?

[P&V]

Your kitty is adorable. The soap looks freaky to me, goat like. Turn it upside down & I'll come up with something else. I love this game. We're outside so much around here I do it all the time with the clouds. If I don't like what I come up with I change my angle.

[eugenia]

Have you read about room temperature soaping? You can be free of the tyranny of the thermometer.I can't remember the first post I read about it, but I will never go back to watching temps!

Do a search!

Brenda is totally correct. I switched to RT about a year ago and I will NEVER go back. It's a very forgiving method with lots of play time. RT is what allowed me to finally achieve swirls to the bottom of my molds.

e

[GrandmaArial]

If I can figure out how to so it safely I will defiantly try it. I need a container that he can not open if he gets to it or knocks it down. His favorite past time is knocking over 5 gallon water bottles and watching the water gurgle out. No way I can trust him to leave a pitcher alone.

Oh, and no P&V, he is not adorable and he is not a kitty. He is a pit bull in a cat suit, we just can’t find the zipper. But I have t sdmit I adore him, watching him figure things out facinates me. Currently he is obsessed with the cd player... smacking the eject button over and over to see the tray go in and out and in and out...

[Jodi]

Its VERY PRIMITIVE LOOKING an thats a GREAT THING !

You did a FABULOUS JOB! Keep up the good work

[jaybyrd]

He is a pit bull in a cat suit, we just can’t find the zipper. ...

LMAO!

[jaybyrd]

This is my nosy creature, though not so small. I think he’s finished growing, he’s 4 now, and about 30% bigger than he was when this picture was taken 2 years ago. He’s into everything. Right now my lye is in the original 2 lb can (closed tightly) which is in a 1 gallon paint can (also closed tightly) set in the back of the top cupboard at the back behind several boxes. I still worry. There is not a door in the house he can’t open. That includes the ones I tried putting a child proof lock on. He had less trouble opening them than I did. The only way I have been able to keep him out of the kitchen while making soap right now is by staying in the kitchen and threatening him every time he tries. It’s not that he doesn’t know what “no” means, he knows… he just doesn’t care.

The second picture… I just noticed this… does it look like a drawing of a goat or maybe a cow to anyone else but me?

Great kitty (pit bull?) pic - adorable doesn't begin to cover it. And your soap - actually, it puts me in mind of the Lascaux and Aboriginal cave paintings. Really, very cool.