First try.....

[Sterling]

That's pretty right on Danielle. If I remember correctly the bear looked to be about 7 inches and she had them priced right around $15.00. I do remember that she did not sell the scent to go with it. She did mention the blow dryer to liven up the scent again. They were very quiet people, and I noticed while I was watching her booth at one point, that she was a very meek person. I thought it was a pretty neat product given the fact that I had never seen them before and she was the only one there with them. I'll have to look out for her this year and see.

 

[Kathy2m]

Sterling, where do I find the oatmeal cinnamon bar recipe? I would love that one, do I need to do anything to the molds or toys before I put the soap in them? How long to they keep once they are wrapped up?

Thanks, Kathy

 

[Sterling]

LOL...Kathy.....it's a recipe that I made up from reading one of my soap making books I got at Michael's this weekend. All it is is the Avacado/Cucumber glycerine base. That formula helps "suspend" the particles and does'nt let them float to the bottom, and I wanted something that had some natural ingredients in it as well. I then melted the base and added the ground cinnamon and a few teaspoonfuls of quick oatmeal. Thats all! :bgrin As far as how long will it retain it's freshness, I'm not sure. Hopefully Danielle or Corinne can answer that for us. I wrapped them in saran wrap just the other night and so far I can still smell them thru the wrap. They look good enough to eat too!

Right now I'm using the clear plastic molds and I don't do anything to prep them. Just melt and pour the soap.

Gotta let us know how they turn out soon as you do some up!

Edited to add.....I don't do anything special to the toys either. But one thing I did find out, keeping the alcohol spritzer bottle handy is a must have to keep the bubbles out. You can also spritz your toy before you put it inside your soap to keep the air bubbles at bay too.

 

[Kathy2m]

My first batch is cooling as we speak, I have alot of air bubbles, sprayed with alcohol, still have some deep inside what did I do wrong? Kathy

 

[Cathy_H]

No, not dipped in soap, they are dipped in soy wax

oh ok - I used regualr wax.. Also the bears & bunnies are cute sitting in a small wooden chair. I shaved some wax & put in an itty bitty flower pot that sits on the bunnies lap. I can add scent to the wax chips as needed..... You can do the same with soap.

 

[Kathy2m]

O.K. here is my first try, they are not as clear as the ones you all made could it be my soap?

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Kathy2m, the more you stir your base the more air-bubbles your going to get. I melt mine in a double boiler and never have problems with bubbles, but I do spritz them once they are poured too. I have seen some bases come out not very clear that were bought at "hobby shops". I still think you can tell a lot of differance in a base if you buy it from a actual soap supplier. You can also buy a extra clear base, that base is very reasonable. I only pay around $35.00 for 25#'s of it. plus shipping. I never made the scented bears either, but I sure plan on giving them a try. My daughter is making air fresheners right now. I just poured a bunch of fall embeds, and small horse heads to use for embeds too. Corinne

 

[minis3]

I made my first soaps today and what fun it was. Only problem was that I only bought one set of molds with only 5 sections in it so I ran out of molds quickly. So I searched the house for things I could use for molds and found my old Tupperware hamburger patty maker and used them. I even embedded toy horses in some of them, like some other folks here did, and tried some artificial flowers too.

I haven't removed the soaps from the molds as yet so I hope all comes out well. I was at our WalMart today and they have no soap making supplies at all so I may be making my almost 1 hour round trip back to JoAnns tomorrow. I would like to try Micheals but that's an even longer drive for me.

Hopefully my order from Bramble Berry will get here quickly. I am so anxious now to try so many different scents, colors, molds but have no place locally to buy anything. Oh well, I'll just have to be patient.

Wish I could post pics but I don't know how. I do hope everyone keeps posting their pictures with their creations. I love seeing them all. This is so exciting.

 

[Danielle_E.]

:aktion033: :aktion033: :lol: :lol: :lol: , you are all turning into "soaping machines" :bgrin . It is fun though, isn't it and sooo addictive. As I said it's only a matter of time until you eventually try cold process soap making from scrach. Kathy I can't see your pics!!! :no: If you are adding things like oatmeal and such you should add a preservative if the soaps aren't going to be used immediately, but time will tell as I have not added oatmeal to melt and pour bases so perhaps there already is a preservative in those types of soaps. You would have to look at the incredients label of your melt and pour base.

I went to the $ store today, ROFL, spent $60.00, haha. Oh and when I got home I had a note from the post office, MY BIG order is in, WOOHOO!!! I am going to be a "soaping machine" this weekend I tell ya. I bought so many different fragrance oils and essential oils and it's suppose to rain all weekend which is PERFECT, no excuse for me not to be soaping! I will take pics on the weekend and post of what I accomplished.

Mini3, you should remove your soaps from the molds as soon as they set with melt and pour and that would be NOW! Post some pics too, pretty please. If you want I can post your pics for you, just send the pics to [email protected]

 

[Denise]

So which one of you are selling soaps?? Do you have them listed on your websites?

 

[Sterling]

Kathy....your pictures did'nt come up for me.

I tried to copy and paste and that did'nt work either. Have you worked out the bubble issue? I use an alcohol spritzer to zap those bubbles away.

minis3.... I would love to see some of your pics!! Initially I too only bought one mold and had to go back to get another. I am going to be putting in an order with Brambleberry today as well. I can't wait!

Danielle....I did'nt think about the preservative on the oatmeal. Thats a good thing to keep in mind and find out. If I do I'll post it so others will know too.

OK so now that we've done embeds and all...can anyone shed some light on how to do picture imbeds? Can that be done at all? I've seen somebeautiful picture soaps and have wondered how on earth they do that without decoupaging it onto the soap itself. I gave it a try yesterday with 3 bars and it did'nt turn out for me. The soap turned the pic brown or it just melted/ran the colors on the pic together.

 

[Kathy2m]

I don't know why the pics didnt come up, Loaded them like I always do from photobucket. I did spray the alcohol on them, it got the ones on the top, but they are embedded in the mix, cant get to them. I placed an order with brambleberry as well as peaks. I got a few molds, scents and oatmeal soap. Have you tried the ones you make with cookie cutters? Thought I might try those. Kathy

 

[minis3]

Here are my first soap attempts. Have no idea if this picture is going to show up. Hope so.

The basket is full of flower mold soaps scented with rose and I have also put a rose scented sachet in the basket. Will make a terrific gift. Although I am going to keep my first one. I also made 2 Tupperware hamburger patty molds and put horses in them and made one with 2 lizards in the mold for my grandson. I must get better molds than my hamburger patty maker but it was a start.

Thank you Danielle for offering to post my pictures. If this picture doesn't work, I will email you.

I had to put a piece of white paper under the mold with the 2 lizards. Wasn't showing up very well. This mold got a little cloudy compared to my molds with the horses. I don't know why unless it was because I had added some glitter to the mold.

 

[Danielle_E.]

So which one of you are selling soaps?? Do you have them listed on your websites?

I am working on a website but at the moment I can't keep up with the people who want them who I work with. I made 100 bars of soap, various ones, and they are all sold! I have an order from one woman for 5 christmas baskets of soaps, body lotions, body butters, lip balms, etc. etc. I have another 10 people who eash want a basket made up also for Christmas giving, I have orders for the scented critters , at this point 5 cats, 3 bears, 6 dogs and 1 horse. I have no idea when I am going to get this all done since I work away from home during the day and have no holiday time left, took my vacation time of 4 weeks to be here for Crystal when she foaled and that didn't help, we still lost the foal :no: . I do plan on making at least 100 bars this weekend, of the cold process soap (from scratch) but they have to cure for 6 weeks. Thank goodness the lotions and body butters and lip balms aren't as time consuming as the soap from scratch! So I am hoping that in 6 weeks time I will have products to sell and my webpage should be up and running. Keeping my fingers crossed. I am VERY lucky that one of my co-workers father is a beekeeper, has been for over 20 years now and produces honey BUT I am thrilled that he also sells bees wax, pure and oh so sweet smelling and no additives :aktion033: and absolutely perfect for lip balms which will be rich and soothing when I add my other ingredients. I had bought some bees wax for my lip balms from the cosmetic supplier and it was "refined" meaning snow white, no smell, don't even want to know what they do to it to get it like that. This stuff is absolutely wonderful and because I am on a "natural" kick for my products I am THRILLED!!!

Here are my first soap attempts. Have no idea if this picture is going to show up. Hope so.

The basket is full of flower mold soaps scented with rose and I have also put a rose scented sachet in the basket. Will make a terrific gift. Although I am going to keep my first one. I also made 2 Tupperware hamburger patty molds and put horses in them and made one with 2 lizards in the mold for my grandson. I must get better molds than my hamburger patty maker but it was a start.

Thank you Danielle for offering to post my pictures. If this picture doesn't work, I will email you.

I had to put a piece of white paper under the mold with the 2 lizards. Wasn't showing up very well. This mold got a little cloudy compared to my molds with the horses. I don't know why unless it was because I had added some glitter to the mold.

Minis3 you did REAL GOOD :aktion033: :aktion033: mind you your picture is a bit tiny :new_shocked: for my aging eyes, lol. Are you enjoying yourself making these?

Kathy, don't worry about the air bubbles with practice you will have the perfect see-thru bars. As mentioned, don't stir the glycerine too much when melting it, better to not stir at all if you can help it.

I am going to do some melt and pour with my grandaughter tonight. What I am doing is loofa fruit slices (sorry not sure on spelling of loofa?). You take a loofa sponge, long cylinder type and put it standing up in a tall round container, you melt your melt and pour see through glycerine and color and scent. You then take the soap and pour it into the mold and around and inside the loofa sponge. Let it set. Take it out and you cut slices, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. You not only have a soap, you have your sponge to exfoliate all in one :bgrin . I am going to make various ones, lemon, lime, orange, blueberry, etc.

This is what a lofha soap looks like when cut (found the correct spelling)

 

[Denise]

Danielle I'm going to be checking that website of yours!

The ones your making tonight is a great idea! Love the loofa idea. From being on my knees with trimming the minis, wearing barn boots those would come in real handy for knees and feet!

:

 

[Kathy2m]

Danielle, thanks for the vote of confidence, was hoping to get to some today but needed groceries and to clean house. Have you made the lotion bars? I saw them on Bramble Berrys site and my sister got one last year for christmas she loved it. I thought they might be neat to try too.

 

[Sterling]

minis3....your soaps are really NEAT looking!!! The pic is tiny, but from what I can see, they look pretty darn good!

: I love your embedded toys....never thought of lizards for kids!

Danielle....I had seen that lofha idea in my book I bought and some on the internet. I think that is such a cool idea! Soon as I get more experience under my belt, I'd like to try one. I also saw where you can cut the lofha into tiny pieces and let them float and suspend thru out the soap...but I think this way it looks neater.

Kathy....OK...I got this tip out of the book I got at Michaels. It says what you can do to keep bubbles at bay while embedding toys in your soap is to spray/spritz your toy first with alcohol. Also to pour a little bit of the soap in your mold first then let the skin form, spray your toy with the alcohol and embed it...and pour the rest of the soap. Hope this tip helps!

Yesterday I made a few bars of vanilla/lavender with a swirled wine color on an avacado/cucumber base. The molds were victorian roses. They turned out sooo pretty and smell sooo good! They look old fashioned!

Anyone have any clue as to the embedded pics or just pics on/in the soaps?

 

[Kathy2m]

Sterling, I read online about spraying the toy first. I think I stirred it too much, I read (after the fact) to let it sit for 10 minutes and most of the bubbles should go away, I also read to cover the bowl with saran wrap when you heat it in the micro, do you guys to that? The ones you made sound beautiful. Cant wait until my order comes in. I found some stuff on Ebay, (I LOVE EBAY) has anyone bought from there?

Kathy

 

[Sterling]

Yes, I have been covering my pyrex with saran wrap...they say it keeps the moisture in your base. I have not checked ebay out yet, but you just reminded me that I have to put in an order with Brambleberry! I've had such a busy couple of days and probably will end up putting my order in tomorrow. Let us know if you conquer the bubble monster on your next batch! I did'nt do anymore soaps today...but hope to tomorrow. :bgrin

 

[Danielle_E.]

As I mentioned I got my BIG order from my supplier and ordered "princess decals" for soaps. Perhaps the one you used need you to pour the soap at a cooler temperature so that they won't burn or change color or perhaps they just aren't meant for that. You will find with making soaps that some times, even though you think something will work, it doesn't

: . That is the fun, learning. If I were you I would try those decals again but as I said pour the base at a much cooler temperature, just try one. If it doesn't work then get some different decals and try again. The decals I got from the supplier i have to immerse in water for 30 seconds and the backing will come off and then I apply. Will let you know when I get around to trying it how succesful I am with them.

Makayla fell asleep very early tonight so grandma is on her own to make those exfoliating fruit slices, so off I go, wish me luck.

To answer the question about lotion bars, yes I have made them and they are very easy to do as well. Earlier this summer I made a body lotion scented Pineapple Ginger. I only made 20 of them, bought the lotion container fromt he supplier, and they sold within 2 days, lol. I LOVE THAT SCENT!!! Have any of you ordered scents from suppliers? I am putting an order in tonight for more, lol. The order I just got, I have a new scent they came out with "Spa", "and then "Ginger Lily (LOVE IT), "Tropical Breeze" (LOVE IT AND GOING TO USE ON SCENT CRITTERS), "Pink Grapefruit" (LOVE IT and will be good in soaps and lotions), and a christmas scent, forget the name off the top of my head, "Sweet orange" (yum), and a slew of others as well. I am a scent nut! I do however want to buy the "dupes" to famous perfumes. My favorite perfume is Aqua di Gio by Armani and I found a supplier with a dupe. I am going to buy a small quantlty first to see if it really does smell like the real thing.

Before I head to the soaping pot, lol, just wanted to post a picture of a soap made by a member at candletech.com. This woman makes AMAZING soaps, cold process (from scratch) and I LOVE the colors in this soap....

BEAUTIFUL SOAP