It seems that a few of us have leapt into the world of making soap. When I first set out I wanted to try all the recipes in the book! But of course finances dictate just how many bars of soap one's allowed to make. So, what does everyone think about the idea of having a soap swap. It's a nice way of a) trying a soap made by someone else, and b) gettting a sample of what different recipes are like so we know whether or not it's a recipe we'd like to make ourselves.
This is how it would work. We each follow a recipe that we like or would like to try, it can be from the M Coss book or elsewhere, but we must be able to post the recipe instructions here or post where the recipe came from. We make a batch of soap from this chosen recipe and cut it into small sample sized bars (think matchbox size), enough for each of those who are interested in taking part to receive one. We could either each send our samples to the names on a list, or we can each send our batch of soaps to one organiser who will then distribute to those who are taking part.
As soapmaking is a long process when you include the curing time I'm thinking of setting a date for a couple of months away, perhaps the end of June or somewhere around then.
Would anyone be interested in taking part?
Last edited by Jesse on 07 Apr 2006 07:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Aqui
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Posted: 07 Apr 2006 02:47 pm Post subject:
My first batch will be the simple recipe on the soap kitchen website, but for my second batch I will be making an oatmeal soap.
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Super I'll set a deadline for those who are interested to post their interest here by the 7th May. Then we can work out how many mini bars we each need to make, I'll ask for a pm with addresses and we can all decide on a deadline for the soaps to be sent to me for distributing.
It would be nice to all make something different but if anyone wants to make something in particular and someone else is planning on making the same thing then we can still do that, it might be interesting to see if there's a difference in the same recipe made by different people?
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Aqui
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Posted: 20 Apr 2006 01:37 pm Post subject:
Just a reminder, those who want to take part please say so here by the 7th May (this Sunday) so that I can compile a list of names for the soap swap. Please also have a think about which soap recipe/fragrance you will be making.
oooh, I'm glad you girls reminded me. I'll compile the list today and post all the names, once we've decided what recipe we want to make please post here so we can all make our decisions based on all the information.
What posting deadline suits everyone best? I like to leave my soaps for 4 weeks to cure, and I need some time to get my act together and get soap making, for me a good time would be first or second week of July, that gives me about a month to get the soap batch made.
Phew that's a relief, by July I should be as fit as a fiddle and all the planting and seed sowing should have calmed down. And like you, it will give me time to decide what soap to make and get the ingredients as I have such a job getting things. Now that my son has moved south I might be able to go out with my daughter in law as it is near a big town, so can be sure to source to cocoa oil and palm oil etc in the town.
I am looking forward to joining in. Having a project gives you the extra motivation does't is and often things get put on the 'back burner' for another day and soon the time flies.
So July soap making should be a good way of getting some of the Christmas presents done shouldn't it.
Maybe, someone might want to swap a whole bar (we could weigh them) for a bar of someone elses so that we have a nice selection - or maybe not. Whatever, it will be great to try out a little bit.
Thanks for organising it Jesse.
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Jesse
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Posted: 08 May 2006 08:43 am Post subject:
That's a good idea about the whole bar swap for christmas pressies Lottie, would give a nice selection rather than making loads of batches each ourselves.
When I said posting date by July that means the soap would be finished being made in June, leaving 4 weeks to cure before posting in July because you wouldn't be allowed to post caustic soap with royal mail. If you want the posting date to be set later then say when and we'll arrange a different time.
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Jesse
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Posted: 08 May 2006 03:51 pm Post subject:
Aqui
n
Alison
Lottie
Kathy (can you confirm Kathy, you weren't sure last time)
me
If we finish making our soaps by the 17th of June and post by 15th of July, that gives us just over 6 weeks from today to make a batch of soap, and allows 4 weeks for curing before posting. How does that fit with everyone, anyone need more time?
I think I'm going to make a soap using the soap kitchens basic recipe but fragranced with a blend of the following essential oils: rosewood, rose geranium, grapefruit, bergamot, petitgrain and palmarosa, hopefully this should result in a scent reminiscent of summer.
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GREENWIZARD
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Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 370
Location: SCOTLAND
Posted: 15 May 2006 01:34 pm Post subject:
well my last batch turned out to be honey and oatmeal, so I plan to do something different this time. I'm just not sure what yet - off to google for some ideas!
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Just to update, there are six of us taking part, that means you need to cut 5 bars for sending on to me for distribution amongst those who are taking part. If you can please make sure they're small/sample sized bars to keep postage costs down. Please also remember to attach some sort of identification to your soaps (a label/sleeve) so that we know who made each soap, it sounds as though each person is making something quite different but just incase two or more soaps look very much alike.
I've decided to include two different soaps from me, if anyone else wants to include more than one they're more than welcome to, but bear in mind you may not receive back the same number of soaps that you sent out.
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alison
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Location: North Devon
Posted: 01 Jun 2006 08:00 pm Post subject:
Funnily enough I made mine today. It is quite a deep colour, so I am not sure if I put too much in, or it will fade, anyway
it is an orange and patuli, with a puice stone grit in, for gardeners, in a shocking orange colour.
The fats were coconut oil, olive oil and another one I can't remeber at the moment.
Ummm
Not sure.
Perhaps the coffee one which is supposed to stop your hands smelling garlicky in the kitchen.
Or ???
Need to think.
n
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Revised date for posting, please post soaps for the swap by 1st August. That means you need to have made your batch roughly 4 weeks earlier in order for it to have cured by 1st aug for posting.
phew that's a relief. I hadn't had the chance/energy/ingredients to make another batch of soap until this weekend - made one from the coss book called salad days (or something) but left out the essential oils. so it's basically castille soap with avocado oil added.
This weekend coming I plan to make another one - honey, cinnamon and almond (again from the book, but without the essential oils). that'll be the one for the swap. (i hope!)
Reminder, remember to post your soaps to me by 1st August for the swap. Please remember also to label your soaps somehow so that when we each receive our pack of soaps be know who made which ones.
Sorry Leonnie, I'll need to "opt out", hope this doesn't muck things up. Just can't get in the kitchen without either dogs or children and I won't do it unless I know I'll have a full half day to complete the task.
Okay, I'm sure Alison has made her soap, I think I read at downsizer that she'd made some so there's at least three of us. I'll pm you my address, anyone else needing it please let me know. Oh and yes, matchbox size or thereabout and send them to me for distributing, please include a return address on your envelope/box so that I can send some soaps back to you.
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