tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316670082024-03-04T23:50:43.794-06:00How to Make Goat Milk Soap with OatmealArticles for soap makers -- featuring tips on beginning and more advanced soap making techniques, ideas on packaging and marketing, how to run a home-based business, and how to be successful on-line.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-69290154508171464712013-02-18T19:12:00.003-06:002014-02-17T22:52:46.757-06:00Recent ActivitySo life takes it's turns and it seems that I can never completely escape from a life of making my own soap and beauty products. This week I am teaching a couple of friends how to make soap. One friend just wants to make it for her family. The other friend plans to take his new skill to Africa and teach some people there to make soap (just as I did two years ago)... I am so excited for his mission to help the lives of other people. Meanwhile I would love to share with you all what my current endeavors in music have been. You can find my <a href="http://www.cherienorquay.com/" target="_blank">new website</a> here.....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-52972418535520537732011-03-01T23:20:00.000-06:002011-03-01T23:20:36.496-06:00Making soap in Lugati Uganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVATLo9ZEBC4ikIlwUlmwvevIFoClIBHPuk66gJmDbyGOPvl8rBMzGUr6tZE67pZG_kjt1KyFvfuitk0jHzF3sYdujuX8zcUjOPyDst_OZh5L8GOLtnZ57ahoUbXICzAqOovCiBw/s1600/131770_1574407317335_1150119871_31281198_3679264_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVATLo9ZEBC4ikIlwUlmwvevIFoClIBHPuk66gJmDbyGOPvl8rBMzGUr6tZE67pZG_kjt1KyFvfuitk0jHzF3sYdujuX8zcUjOPyDst_OZh5L8GOLtnZ57ahoUbXICzAqOovCiBw/s320/131770_1574407317335_1150119871_31281198_3679264_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here I am measuring the oils for the soap. I found it very challenging to make soap in the bush of Africa. No running water near by, so we had pails. The water was COLD so it wasn't so easy to clean up the containers afterward. I couldn't find a detailed enough scale (so I shipped one over after I returned) and the list goes on. The good news is...it can be done!<br />
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Even men were watching what I was doing and taking notes. I could see their minds thinking...I can do this in my village/city. I plan to return again this November and spend more time teaching. In the meanwhile I have ordered some sesame oil and am planning to create another recipe which relies heavily on sesame, canola and palm oils. While these are not necessarily my favorite oils for soap making, these oils are in abundance in this region, so they make the best sense for sustainable living. I will post my results as they become available!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-14754590392440367352010-12-12T11:13:00.003-06:002010-12-17T22:57:27.752-06:00My Adventures in Soap Making in the Bush of Africa<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml3ITBIGCUrXwDiZ198lEJAGI9y5nK2Iqo3rpEDQ31RcLWURcDdh5QsJiiUrn4yWPKhEFsjOrwoBWOV0cPWEdZVw_3KVBrKA4zGwg9NFEPdkOX-wBOcJQmW1rVT0AKV2-7NPSMA/s1600/Africa-Day1+372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml3ITBIGCUrXwDiZ198lEJAGI9y5nK2Iqo3rpEDQ31RcLWURcDdh5QsJiiUrn4yWPKhEFsjOrwoBWOV0cPWEdZVw_3KVBrKA4zGwg9NFEPdkOX-wBOcJQmW1rVT0AKV2-7NPSMA/s320/Africa-Day1+372.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating fresh cut sugar cane. It was so juicy!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My first full day in Uganda we visited one of the schools we visited last year and then took a tour of the farm that Pastor Moses oversees. I was amazed at the amount of work that had been done there since last year. Our ministry team contributed a solar power unit and batteries to the farm. The workers were very excited about this equipment. We soon hope to have a truck and tractor to make taking care of 100 acres easier than 100% manual labor. There is an orange grove, avocados, cabbages, sugar cane, special grass for dairy cows, goat herd, piggery and so much more....<br />
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I will be posting pictures of the work on the farm as well as my efforts in teaching soap making to a group of 50 widows (many of them over 80 years old) in Northern Uganda. The people in the northern part of the country have been ravaged by war. Most of the men and sons were killed. Once the terror subsided, the people no longer had basic living skills as they were huddled into tiny communities and all their needs were provided for them by humanitarian relief organizations for over twenty years. The one thing they failed to provide, however, were skills for the women and children to survive on their own once the war was over.<br />
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The Lugati village is only two years old. But in two years time there is already evidence that a vital strong community will result with nurture and care. A memorial garden was planted and a school constructed. A small pharmacy and a daycare are also on the school grounds as well as a 40 acre garden. Most of the widows in this village have taken to distilling grains into alcohol as a means to support themselves. However, I am praying that the new opportunity to make soap cooperatively will sustain their needs in such a manner that none of these women will want to continue distilling.<br />
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So stay tuned....I will be posting several articles of the adventure in soap making in the bush of Africa!!!! <br />
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<a href="http://www.milksuds.com/">How to Make Goat Milk Soap</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-47700631805388676992010-10-18T11:38:00.000-05:002010-10-18T11:38:59.930-05:00Scientific Old-fashioned SoapMy mind has been thinking and thinking and thinking ever since I went to Uganda last year.....how can I help these people without giving them a hand out? What would be something lasting that could improve their lives? I have lots of ideas, but I hadn't really thought I'd be able to work with them to make soap....their would be a lot of obstacles to deal with. <br />
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HOWEVER... it occurred to me this week how I can make soap from scratch scientifically. So...this week I begin the process to make my soap the same old fashioned way our grandmas and great-grandmas always did, but I am going to actually measure my leached wood ash water (the lye solution) with a pH meter. If I can replicate how I make soap now and replace the lye solution with an old fashioned lye solution of the same pH and same volume/or weight, then they could possibly make soap in the bush without needing expensive ingredients!<br />
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So I will document this process in hopes of helping others reproduce this same effort in other parts of the world.<br />
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Stay tuned!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-64481924248624371412010-10-11T19:22:00.000-05:002010-10-11T19:22:28.383-05:00Uganda...here we come againOn November 19th we leave for our second trip to Uganda. This time we are taking our two oldest children and a team of others who have been called to work in Uganda. Amazingly enough, it looks like I will be investigating how to get some widows started in a soap making business....can you believe it? I have a lot of research to do, because things in Africa are not the same as here....so I will let you know this progresses. Very excited!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-20823712872877802812010-09-07T11:19:00.001-05:002010-09-07T11:19:50.813-05:0025 Ways to Market Your WorkI ran across <a href="http://www.artsyshark.com/2010/08/16/25-ways-artists-craftspeople-can-market-their-work/?goback=.gde_1072337_member_27325862">this article</a> that I thought could be useful to anyone wanting to establish or continue building their handmade soap business. Like anything....diversification is the key!! The holiday season is fast approaching. Now is the time to finish those soaps for Thanksgiving and Christmas Season!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-11164759163130635632009-11-09T09:46:00.000-06:002009-11-09T09:46:32.051-06:00We're Going to UgandaIn less than two weeks, my husband and I will be boarding a plane for Uganda. We are traveling with our pastor and his wife. We are working with a pastor there who has started and over-sees 130+ churches and feeds over 3,000 orphans each month. We plan to train Pastors, lead healing and evangelistic crusades and see how we can establish businesses to help support and improve the lives of orphans and struggling families. One of my endeavors is to create a hand-craft co-operative for women who are interested in hand crafting crocheted cotton washcloths for soap makers (this will probably expand, but it is a starting point). Cotton is a pretty big industry in Uganda, but the country lacks the "value added" aspect to it's raw products. Producing yarn and then crocheting an item increases the value of the raw product tremendously. I am excited about promoting a product in the US which will help impoverished women in Africa. I am specifically designing a round washcloth that would tie around round soaps (made in PVC pipes) and a retangular washcloths to fit the rectangular size soaps from my <a href="http://www.milksuds.com/">soap making video</a>. <br />
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I will also be looking for raw products that can be used in soap making. <br />
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If you have any thoughts or ideas before I leave, I'd love your comments!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-78313207516057794162009-11-07T21:00:00.000-06:002009-11-07T21:00:49.899-06:00One Beautiful Botched Batch of Soap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2t8iHPU3nXoIopW3IZTtB9-5vJKnDHO7OlvMc9GpveHHnV0HFN0y9LfuJqMu6ftJLvWQlUdGKnD2t4_TgjVVXv2XtVJ9fxzb8zD430evXz5fsdS2fgB1PB-cdcKZYx57GhjS1A/s1600-h/Tuscan+Sun+Rose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2t8iHPU3nXoIopW3IZTtB9-5vJKnDHO7OlvMc9GpveHHnV0HFN0y9LfuJqMu6ftJLvWQlUdGKnD2t4_TgjVVXv2XtVJ9fxzb8zD430evXz5fsdS2fgB1PB-cdcKZYx57GhjS1A/s320/Tuscan+Sun+Rose.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isn't this a beautiful soap! This soap is actually a mishap that couldn't have been planned. The soap has a Rose fragrance and was supposed to be pink/rose colored. However, the soap seized in the pot and it turned out orange. The result.....a beautiful mistake. This soap now sports the name of an orange colored rose, Tuscan Sun and the seizing of the soap has resulted in a very interesting texture in the soap. This is proof that even when our best plans don't turn out exactly as we would like, the results can still be stunning. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Soap making is certainly creative and always an adventure!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks Shelly for sharing your beautiful photo and good work in creating unique handcrafted soap!<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-41696124004214070052009-10-26T17:26:00.002-05:002009-10-26T17:32:34.547-05:00ALL-NATURAL FRAGRANCESI've recently checked the <a href="http://www.sweetcakes.com/">Sweet Cakes</a> website and see they now have some ALL-NATURAL fragrance offerings! I would be interested to know if anyone has tried any of these to see how they liked them?, did they sell?, does the fragrance last?<br />It seems as though we have an alternative to the synthetics and essential oils, and since customers are expressing a preference for products with a high percentage of natural ingredients that still smell GREAT, these may be a great "new" product for your soap making product line. Here is a list of the all-natural fragrances that they offer. They sound good enough to eat!<br /><br />New -- All-Natural Fragrance Blends<br />* All-Natural Mango Sugar Mint fragrance<br />* All-Natural Grapefruit Apricot fragrance<br />* All-Nature Herb Garden fragranceAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-12761721649883257602009-03-09T13:54:00.003-05:002009-03-09T14:36:24.566-05:00Creating Soaps that Sell using Essential OilsWhen I use Fragrance Oils (which are synthetic) I always choose fragrances that have been researched by big perfumeries as they have spent millions of dollars in research and they have products that sell, sell, sell. When you are selling to the general public, they are most likely going to want these synthetic fragrances. I <em>do</em> love to use natural fragrances, i.e. <em>essential oils, </em>too. They have benefits that synthetics cannot match. But I haven't found much information that I could benefit from as a soap maker by using essential oils. So it is more of a guessing game trying to develop your own essential oil blends.<br /><br />In order to create soaps that sell using Essential Oils, you should sell the benefits of the essential oils that you use. For instance:<br /><br />Bug repellent soap could include citronella, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bergamot</span><br />benefit: natural insect protection that can be used in conjunction with a natural bug repellent.<br /><br />Common cold soap could include Eucalyptus and Peppermint<br />benefit: helps open up breathing passages<br /><br />So you name your soap appropriately and sell the benefits of those essential oils.<br /><br />This is just the tip of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">iceberg</span>. One site that I found on-line that talks more about blending essential oils can be found <a href="http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/fragrancesandaromatherapy/ht/htcustblend.htm">here</a>. This site addresses top notes, middle notes, and the lower notes of fragrances and gives ideas on how you can create your own custom blend.<br /><br />I found another site that has <a href="http://www.essential-oil-recipes.com/">essential oil recipes</a>. This would be a good place to start for ideas on blending and the amounts of each oil in the blend. They have a lot of other kinds of recipes too. I haven't tried any of these recipes, so I can't say if they are any good, but they looked interesting.<br /><br />I normally use 1 oz. of essential oils per 2 pounds of soap, but when I am making soaps with mint in them I normally use about 1/2 the amount (1/2 oz. per 2 pounds of soap or even less). The reason I found to do this is that the essential oil in the soap is irritating to sensitive areas of the body at 1 oz. per 2 pounds of soap.<br /><br />Another good resource is this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_essential_oils">list of essential oils</a>.<br /><br />I hope this gets you started in using natural essential oils in soap. Remember you need to sell the benefit of the essential oils you use. I'd be interested in your comments about oil blends that you have tried, liked, and have thought sold well to the public.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-86681655232565860812009-03-04T15:22:00.003-06:002009-03-04T15:49:27.334-06:00Lavender Essential Oil in SoapI love to use Lavender Essential Oil in soap. You can read some detailed information about Lavender at this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender">site</a> and some detailed information about the essential oil of lavender <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_oil">here</a>.<br /><br />Lavender soap, my second or third best selling soap, has universal appeal and is very popular with relaxing spa products as well as baby items. I like to buy my essential oils from Camden Grey. They carry several different Lavender Essential Oils, so you may ask yourself which one should I buy?<br /><br />Because cold process soap has lye that needs to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">saponify</span> I always wonder what that lye does to the essential oils/fragrance oils. We know that there are many different chemical reactions because soap many times turns out like you least expect it to. So it is important to read fragrance descriptions <em>very</em> carefully, lest your white soap turn brown or some other mishap. But not being a scientist.....it can become a guessing game. So here is my experience.<br /><br />I purchase the <a href="http://www.camdengrey.com/essentialoil/LAV-40-16/">lavender 40/42</a>. The price is right when compared to the other lavenders, and the description states that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">most</span> soap makers like this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">EO</span> because it is more consistently uniform in fragrance (which is pretty important when you develop a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">clientele</span>), so that is what I buy. I <em>still</em> like this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">EO</span> and it has <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">consistently</span> been a good seller for me. I use about 1 oz. of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">EO</span> for every two pounds of soap.<br /><br />Often I will make an oatmeal and lavender soap. I tend to make this kind of soap without any colors so it looks pure and natural which a lot of people really like. <br /><br />I have also blended lavender EO and Orange EO in a 50/50 blend. I really like this smell, but it didn't hit the charts when it came to sales so I fazed that one out. Has anyone else got a lavender blend that was an outstanding seller? Care to share?<br /><br />Please post your suggestions!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-35047089989284768242009-02-27T23:11:00.003-06:002009-02-27T23:27:49.783-06:00Essential Oils and SoapBoy do I have a lot to post on essential oils.....it's exciting. I have met a certified aromatherapist that I just adore. She has created an incredible line of products and I am so excited about her essential oil blends. Here's why.....<br /><br />If you have noticed, fragrance oils cost a lot of money and they are synthetic, not natural. But investing the money into many different essential oils and experimenting with blending them just never appealed to me. I blended a few essential oils that I liked, but I had several combinations that smelled horrible. So I still have about 12 essential oils sitting on my shelf that are doing nothing (I can assure you they cost a couple hundred dollars). None of them smells good on their own....what to do?<br /><br />What do you do with a blend that doesn't smell good? It is a waste of time, money, and product. I know many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">soapers</span> use those blends anyway so they aren't out money, but I wonder if those soaps sell at all. I smell a lot of soap everywhere I go to see how it smells. There are lots of soaps that smell just awful. Wouldn't it be wonderful to get some beautiful blended oils that would appeal to a large audience of people? And wouldn't it be great to know the benefit of the blend? I'm honestly looking for feedback here!!<br /><br />Most websites sell pure essential oils, but I really haven't found anyplace that carries blends that I really wanted to use in my soap. So......I am going to work with this aromatherapist to develop blends that are suitable for cold process soap. I think there is a market for this. What do you think?<br /><br />Anyway, I've always had several essential oil soaps in my line, but also carried Bath & Body Works or Victoria's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Secret's</span> fragrances because they always sold well. I plan to experiment with these essential oil blends and will let you know what I think (you never know how the lye will react with anything, but I haven't had too much trouble with essential oils before).<br /><br />So, I'll keep you posted!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-51320702931975140182009-02-20T07:48:00.005-06:002009-02-20T08:02:52.660-06:00Disappointment Turns to Profit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj507U8262ox_BPHLoFFJL9GnTbK4zE14ihlcCvHdo_SpxSjDgR4ys9Ahp9BCfsQxN4CsI4odCPFDgb4oAMyLAnJXPcomQazug-YtUihpSgFSOcE7ocxnzAdgsaMBPiJ1i1u9563A/s1600-h/soap+swirl.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304879527210649170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj507U8262ox_BPHLoFFJL9GnTbK4zE14ihlcCvHdo_SpxSjDgR4ys9Ahp9BCfsQxN4CsI4odCPFDgb4oAMyLAnJXPcomQazug-YtUihpSgFSOcE7ocxnzAdgsaMBPiJ1i1u9563A/s400/soap+swirl.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I thought I'd post a picture of a soap I created that I initially believed turned out disappointingly. This soap is a seasonal soap I make for Christmas. It uses the Sweetcakes fragrance oil called Christmas Spice. Not reading the description very well I didn't notice it had vanilla in the fragrance. Vanilla will always turn your soap brown. SO what I had envisioned:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>a creamy white soap with a green and red swirl (beautiful for Christmas!)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What I got:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>brown soap with a green and red swirl.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Well, I took the soap to market anyway and sold out. In fact it sold so fast that I have never changed the way I make this soap. The green and red are made from pigments that I had originally bought from the pigment lady on-line. She is no longer in business, but I do recommend getting pigments from Brambleberry now. I'm not sure they have the crimson pigment or the jade pigment I used for this soap, but if they get enough requests perhaps they will carry it. Also they may have colors that will get similar results.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>To make this soap I took a couple of cups of soap out of the main pot at light trace and mixed the pigment into them (each color needs its own little container to mix in). Then I poured the main soap into the mold. After pouring the soap into the mold I then poured each green and red into the soap and swirled a <em>little</em> with a stainless steel knife. I emphasize a <em>little</em> because if you swirl too much the color gets blended in and I really wanted a more chunky swirl (which is why I didn't pour the color into the pot before pouring into the mold).</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This soap sells well in the fall where I live. I live in the north where Christmas time is coooold and people do lots of holiday baking and this soap is reminiscent of delicious baked goods.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-1265424013980216732009-02-03T14:31:00.005-06:002009-02-03T14:52:59.899-06:00Soap Color DyesI was recently asked where to find good soap color dyes. I had always bought my dyes from the Pigment Lady, but she has closed her doors. It took some investigating, but I am very pleased with my results. I would recommend buying pigments from <a href="http://www.brambleberry.com/micas.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Brambleberry</span></a>. They carry the same products that I used to be able to buy from the Pigment Lady.<br /><br />First let me say that there are a lot of spices that dye cold-processed soap very naturally and beautifully and I would highly recommend using spices. But if you want a color you cannot achieve with a spice look at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brambleberry's</span> Mica powders. You need to read the fine print (just like with the fragrances) to be sure the item works properly with cold-process soap. If it says it doesn't work, then don't waste your money....it won't work! I like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">micas</span> because like spices they are natural. Nothing artificial.<br /><br />Your next choice may be an oxide. Oxides are not my favorite because I don't really care for the artificial look of many of the colors, but some color blends are very pretty. I prefer colors that are softer versus colors that are neon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">brite</span>!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Brambleberry</span> does have an instruction page linked to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Micas</span> and Pigments page so be sure to read that, but you will have to learn how much dye you like according to some experimenting. I usually use very little for one batch of soap (maybe only 1/4 or 1/2 tsp.) so error on too little if you are experimenting. Just make sure you WRITE everything down. I guarantee you won't remember the next time unless you do (ask me how I know).<br /><br />I hope this helps get you pointed in a good direction for soap color dyes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.milksuds.com/">How to Make Soap</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-28075690691999047352009-02-01T21:11:00.003-06:002009-02-01T21:57:32.360-06:00I Finally Did It!I finally got the monumental job of transferring all my information from my old blog at <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/milksuds">www.homeschoolblogger.com/milksuds</a> to this blog. It is such a relief that I cannot tell you. For a long time now I have been sending people to my old blog to dig up information. The old blog required a pretty extensive knowledge base of html code. All I know about html code is self taught so that is not much information! I didn't know how to properly organize all the information and I felt terrible asking them to dig through the archives. Blogger makes blogging easy with their neat little wigits and gadgets and such! Now everything is labelled -- neat and tidy and information should be easy to find!<br /><br />Please be sure to subscribe to the blog and also subscribe to my new yahoo group.<br /><br />Here are the details on Milksuds yahoo group:<br />Group home page: <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/milksuds">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/milksuds</a><br />Group email address: <a href="mailto:milksuds@yahoogroups.com">milksuds@yahoogroups.com</a><br /><br />The yahoo group is only available to individuals who have purchased the on-line/DVD video or my e-book which is soon to be released. This is in an attempt to keep things <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">manageable</span> on my end. I really have thought it would be neat to have a forum for people to share their thoughts, ideas, successes and failures. Don't you think it will be valuable to get input from other soap makers who began just as you did?<br /><br /><br />On the yahoo group note....make sure you sign up for the <span style="color:#cc0000;">individual</span> posts instead of the digest as I don't think (I could be wrong) there will be so many individual emails that it will bombard your inbox.<br /><br />I certainly hope this organization helps you out!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-18930002504106220532009-01-24T18:13:00.001-06:002009-02-01T18:14:43.303-06:00New Soap Making Book Coming Soon!I don't really consider myself a procrastinator....only a person who sometimes takes on too many things. I am my happiest when I am busy so taking on many things is a joy to me. The only problem is that sometimes completion can take a long time. And thus is the story on the well intentioned soap making ebook.<br />I spent a lot of time in December working on this project because I felt I really needed to get it completed before I embarked on another project. I have recenlty been asked to write a few chapters for another book as well, so I really can't dilly around any longer. But.....I have to say another part of my lollygagging was the fact that I didn't really think this book was needed. Boy am I wrong. I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with one of my soap dvd purchasers trying to help her navigate through the world of colorants.<br />So now I am more convinced than ever that soap makers are a creative lot, but they are also smart and would appreciate a short cut to getting a successful business up and running. This one particular soap maker called me when she encountered another failed batch of soap (out of many in a row). The recipe was awesome, but the color was hideous. So she felt as though she couldn't sell it and make money....thus more wasted money on trial and error. So far she has invested about $1000 and would like to start recouping that investment and make real money.<br />So with new determination, I am working on finishing up the ebook that gives you an outline on how to shortcut setting up a profitable business. This book is a guide and you can certainly use your own creativity, but when you know for sure you would like to have a profitable business, following my suggestions will at least get you going with sellable products. Then use your creativity for extra soaps or seasonal soaps. So watch for a nearing completion date and special introductory pricing.<br />Enjoy your day!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-29119103071001562902008-11-15T18:16:00.000-06:002009-02-01T18:17:41.588-06:00Breeding My Alpine GoatWell, I am excited. My alpine goat, Mary, is off to my friend's house where she is being bred for the first time. I can hardly wait for the arrival of a new baby goat (or two--hopefully does) and the great goat milk that accompanies having babies. I had the awesome opportunity to hand milk another friend's milking goat, Amelie, several times this past year and I enjoyed the interaction with her goat very much. I know I will enjoy milking my own Mary even more. It does seem weird not having Mary here and I know little Maggie misses her friend, but at least she has the sheep for the time being. Maggie is about 7 months and is a cross bred 1/2 Dwarf Nigerian goat.<br /><br />I still have some goat milk (from Amelie and also from Mary's mom Wendy) in the freezer for soap making over the winter when my schedule is much less hectic, but I can't wait to make the soap from my own Mary!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-14271413386790321012008-11-15T18:14:00.001-06:002010-12-12T11:25:30.376-06:00Organic Goatmilk SoapA number of people have asked me about using organic oils to make organic goatmilk soap. When I first began making soap about 10 years ago, using organic oils was just too expensive. However, today there are more organics being produced and the cost isn't as high as it once was. <br />
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If you are interested in making organic goatmilk soap, then check out Columbus Foods for your bulk soap oils. They now carry a large variety of organic oils that are not priced too much more than conventional oils. I do wonder if it really makes a big difference in the end product of your bar of soap as the lye destroys so much in the process of making soap, but the flip side is supporting farmers who choose not to use poison on their crops and land. This is very very good. So if you are wondering about making organic goatmilk soap, look at Columbus Foods for your oils and support a cleaner. healthier planet!<br />
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If you would like more help in making organic goatmilk soap please check out my website at <a href="http://www.milksuds.com/">Organic Goatmilk Soap</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-12788992213542086372008-10-31T18:58:00.003-05:002009-02-01T18:59:52.291-06:00What Am I Doing With My Pig Lard?I know....I know.....I told you all that I was going to use my rendered lard in some soap. But I don't think it is going to get that far. The other day I had my little kids clean out a few pumpkins. We roasted the seeds and also cooked the pumpkin for a real honest to goodness from scratch pumpkin pie. Guess what went into the pie crust? Yep......lard. And it was the best tasting pie crust I have ever made (and I take great pride in my pie crusts!) So I think my soap making creations are going to take a back seat to pie crust and I'll have to wait and render the fat from the two Scottish Highland Beef that are going to market mid November. Tallow makes a harder bar of soap than lard anyway!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-59818328138027288592008-10-11T18:59:00.001-05:002009-02-01T19:01:12.913-06:00Lard Lye Soap MakingToday I am rendering lard from a pig we had butchered this summer. I plan to create a new soap recipe to use this lard. Lard lye soap making isn't any different than using vegetable oils in your soap. One of my first successful batches of soap used lard. I chose not to use lard in my soap (that I was selling) at that time, not because I didn't like the soap, but because there seemed to be such an emphasis (demand) for vegetable oil only soaps. So I ditched the lard and chose vegetable oils.<br /><br />Today, I think sustainable agriculture is important and I am going more with my beliefs than following the current trend (although the current trend in this area is that more and more people are desiring to buy more and more products locally from small producers). This entire past has been a year of growth and learning. I brought home 14 chickens last October. I already knew we were going to pursue getting sheep and goats, but we spent the winter learning all we could. By spring, we purchased a small flock of sheep, 2 goats, and 3 turkeys. Then we hatched out two batches of chickens from our own chickens' eggs and raised more layers and meat birds we purchased from a hatchery. In August we got three baby feeder pigs. We acquired three horses that are being boarded at a neighbor's place. We added a puppy in February and so.......... our little farm is growing. So you might be wondering how all of this ties in with sustainable agriculture. Well.....doing as much as you can for yourself and making the most of everything you have is an important aspect. This winter, I will be rendering more lard from the three pigs we have raised and making more soap. Doesn't it make sense to use everything we have rather than going out and buying a lot of other supplies?<br />So....if you raise your own pigs....use that extra fat for soap. If you don't raise pigs.....why not work with a farmer in your area who does raise pigs. Most of the time people who have pigs butchered do not want the extra fat......maybe you could get and use it? Why not try asking a few meat processors what they do with the fat that no one requests? You might be pleasantly suprised. You may be able to get it for nothing or barter a trade for some fat. This is better than allowing the fat to go to waste.<br /><br />I found my first batch of lard lye soap to be a very hard, long-lasting, mild bar of soap. I can't wait to see how this recipe will turn out. I'll post the recipe once I have iti figured out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-51962635178573663052008-09-27T20:47:00.000-05:002009-02-01T20:58:49.863-06:00Making Soap from Sodium Hydroxide and OilYou cannot make handcrafted soap without making soap from sodium hydroxide and oil. Sodium hydroxide is commonly referred to as lye. When I first began making soap several years ago, it was easy to find. The most important thing to note was that you had to use real lye that was 100% sodium hydroxide and not a drain cleaner. However, today you stand a much less chance of even finding lye on a store shelf. This is due to the illegal drug industry using lye to manufacture illegal drugs. I have recently found more links for purchasing sodium hydroxide on-line. You can check out these resources if you cannot find lye locally.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gtflabs.com/">GTF Labs</a> This is where I purchased my 50 pound box of lye from<br /><br /><a href="http://secure.candlesupply.com/catalog_page.cfm?queries_index=index7&ProductCodeID=49&ProductSubCodeID=317">Bitter Creek Candle Supply</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.texasnaturalsupply.com/">Texas Natural Supply<br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.lehmans.com/">Lehmans</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thesoapdish.com/">The Soap Dish<br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.boyercorporation.com/">Boyer Corporation<br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/">Snowdrift Farm<br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/">AAA Chemicals</a><br /><br />These links are at least a place to start. Remember you need to use Sodium Hydroxide NOT the Potassium Hydroxide for most soap recipes -- they ARE different.<br />If you are afraid of working with lye because you have never done so before you can check out my new soap making DVD for soap making. I show you how easy soap making can be and I will really take the fear out of working with this unknown chemical. You can go directly to my web page <a href="http://www.milksuds.com/">Making Soap from Sodium Hydroxide and Oil</a> and you will soon be making soap yourself!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-4792341180210640522008-08-30T19:01:00.002-05:002009-02-01T19:03:45.991-06:00My Friend is Making SoapHi all!<br />My good friend, Jodi, is making soap from her own goat milk. I gave her one of my videos last year. I'm not sure if she watched it or not. She doesn't use my recipe for goat milk soap and was concerned that her bars of soap are not very hard. She said she uses olive oil, vegetable (soy) oil, and coconut oil in her recipe. I have also had various other individuals ask me about using other oils, like sweet almond oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, and more.<br /><br />It is always a good idea to start with one good recipe and then to modify off that recipe than to just make a totally new recipe. Why? Because with soap, so many things can go wrong and it is difficult to determine exactly what the problem with a soap was, if everything was different. It is a good idea to educate yourself on the properties of the different oils and know what they do for your soap. If you want a hard bar of soap, it is not a great idea to use much castor or sweet almond oil as they make the bar soft. But castor oil can contribute to lather, so use sparingly.<br /><br />I'm happy my little effort in putting together this video has helped a lot of people get started making soap. Please feel free to leave a comment on your soap making progress!<br /><br />Enjoy the day!<br />CherieAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-19801696829181144132008-08-21T19:03:00.000-05:002009-02-01T19:05:00.460-06:00Soap Making ResourcesI am one happy woman!<br /><br />I have found resource that may make your soap making endeavor just a little less costly. Please check out this link <a href="http://www.suppliersbystate.com/">www.suppliersbystate.com</a> and you may be able to find a local resource for your soap making supplies that could save you shipping costs (esp. if you are ordering oils by the pail). <br /><br />While this is nice, what I am really thrilled with is a link from Illinois that I found for clear labels that you can buy by the sheet. I have never found labels that are crystal clear and I have been looking for them for years. I love making lip balm in Sweetcakes clear lip pots. I have always wanted to put a pretty clear label on top of the lid but could never find one that is crystal clear. Also, I have made customized labels for several organizations that sold my soap and I had always had to use the frosted clear labels, but now....tah dah.....I have found CLEAR! I prefer clear so the customer can see how pretty the soap is through the label. Here is the link fo this label company <a href="http://www.labelsbythesheet.com/">www.labelsbythesheet.com</a><br /><br />Hopefully you will find this sight as helpful as I have!<br />Enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-11139775718436389382008-07-24T19:19:00.000-05:002009-02-01T19:20:53.115-06:00I Have Goats!It's been quite a while since my last post. You may be wondering why that is so. Well, in the past several months we have added quite the menagerie to our growing homestead. Two of our new additions are goats! Mary is an Alpine yearling and we will breed her this fall. I can hardly wait to actually have my very own goat milk. Our other goat is a Nigerian Dwarf named Maggie. She was just weaned in May and will most likely be too young to breed this fall. <br /><br />I really had never spent time with goats before so I was in for a surprise--they are very personable and friendly and my children and I love them very much. I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my soap making--have plentiful goat milk (more than I can possibly use!) for all my soap making endeavors. I can hardly wait.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31667008.post-25213954815692141122008-05-17T19:24:00.001-05:002009-02-01T19:39:19.202-06:00Laundry Detergent ProjectI am in the midst of a laundry detergent project.<br />I am trying several different soaps in the recipe to see which detergent I like the best and which one is the most economical to make. I had never thought to make my own detergent before, but with five kids living in the country, I have so much laundry to do that I thought perhaps I could economize on detergent costs if I made my own.<br />My laundry detergent project has tested using Fels Naptha detergent, ivory soap, and homemade soap. So far I cannot detect a noticeable difference using any of the bar soaps, so my recommendation is to use which ever is the cheapest. I do like my clothes to have a nice (but not overpowering) smell, so if I went with the ivory soap, I would probably add a bit of lavendar essential oil to the deteregent (just note that if you add a fragrance, you also add cost). But a detergent without fragrance is very desirable to many.<br />You would have a fragrance free laundry detergent with the ivory bar or with your own homemade soap. I would be sure to modify my homemade soap intended for the laundry just a tad. I would strive for a bar that does not have any margin in it (usually I have 5% superfatting for a mild, gentle soap). I think it helps not to have the extra oil in the soap. Again, I have not done a scientific experiment to prove this, but I personally would try to have a bar without margin. If you need help in making your own soap go check out my website at <a href="http://milksuds.com/">How to Make Soap</a><br />I am still working on this project and am sharing the laundry detergents with others to get feedback, so I will post the results as they come in.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849812036202352915noreply@blogger.com0