Friday, May 31, 2013

Making Milk Soap

Milk Soap Samples

Making milk soaps can be a little tricky.
At the Soap Conference,
I attended a session on making milk soaps.
It was fun and informative.
 
You can read all about it on
 
 


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Chemistry Lesson at the Soap Conference

Here's another blog post about the Soap Conference.
This one is on chemistry.
It was the most fun chemistry lesson I've ever experienced.
I learned a lot, and laughed a lot.
 
I hope you'll check it out on the Soap Queen Blog
 
 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Peacock Swirl Soap

How to Make a Peacock Swirl
In Cold Process Soap
 
I'm so excited!
At the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild conference,
AKA The Soap Conference,
I got to attend a session on a very cool kind of swirl.
 
It's called the peacock swirl.
 
Anne-Marie, the Soap Queen and the CEO of Bramble Berry,
 Invited me to be a guest blogger on the Soap Queen Blog.
She missed the soap conference this year.
She was awaiting the arrival of her sweet baby girl.
So I get to write about some of the sessions.
The Peacock Swirl is one of the sessions I wrote about.
I hope you'll stop by The Soap Queen blog and read about
 
Thanks for reading!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

I'm Here!

I keep pinching myself to make sure it's true.
I'm at the soap conference!!!!!!!
 
Here's a picture for proof.
Get ready to be impressed.
This lovely creation was submitted to the soaper's showcase.
Yes, it's soap.
Wow.
My photo doesn't do it justice.
If I can get a better one, I'll post it later.

See the huge bag the gal to the right is carrying?
That's a goody bag full of gifts.
Every conference attendee gets one.
 
Here's what Bramble Berry gave.
Yes, to each attendee.
 
I have 4 of these in my Bramble Berry shopping cart.
It's 4 inches square and holds about one pound of soap.
I've been wanting one.
For how long, you ask?
Ever since Bramble Berry introduced it.
Now I have one.
Yippee!
 
This is a 9 cavity silicone sphere mold.
I already have some of these.
I'm not telling you how many.
I love them.
Now I have one more!
 
 I use them to make soaps like these.
 
I got this great coupon book!
 
Some Brazilian clay and activated charcoal.
 
The goodies from Bramble Berry
Included oils and fragrance,
Clay and Charcoal,
Everything but the equipment (safety first, please!),
Lye and water
To make a batch of soap
In this cute little mold.
They even included the recipe.
And directions.
 
If you are thinking about making cold process soap,
But are concerned about the ingredients,
Or about the process,
Check out this kit from Bramble Berry.
It includes everything in my pictures,
And more!
It's a low risk, low investment
Way to try out cold process soap making.
 
Check back soon for more conference updates!
I better get going -
I have a full day of soapy fun
Headed my way tomorrow.
 
Thanks for reading!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

HSMG Annual Soap Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina

I am so excited to have the chance to attend the
HSMG Annual Soap Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina!
 
I have dreamed of going since I became a soap maker.
But I didn't know whether would ever get the chance.
Then along came this great opportunity.
 
I get to attend the conference as a
Guest Blogger for Bramble Berry!
 
Anne-Marie, owner of Bramble Berry and
the world famous Soap Queen,
Is unable to attend this year.
 
Why would the Soap Queen miss the Annual Soap Conference?
Her baby is due during the conference!
How exciting is that?
 
That's how this wonderful opportunity came my way.
I'm excited to meet fellow guest blogger,
Michele Lang, of Tierra Verde Handmade Soaps.
 
You can follow our posts on
 
If you are going to the conference,
I'd love to meet you!
 
Thanks for reading!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day 2013

It's Mother's Day.
Oops! You didn't forget, did you?
In case you did,
Quick run and pick up some handmade soap for Mom.
She'll love it.

Here's what we got for my Mom for Mother's Day.
Want one?
We got it from Doherty's Flowers in Des Moines.
They did the flowers for our wedding.

That was a few years ago.
They did a wonderful job then.
And they still do a wonderful job today.

I am so thankful for my Mom.
I love her for who she is
And for who I am because of her.

I wasn't easy to raise.
Just ask her. She knows.
Oh, she'll be kind about what she tells you.
But raising me was definitely a challenge.

I appreciate my Mom more all the time.
My respect for her has grown through the years.
Especially as we raised our children.
I can't count how many times I wondered how she did it.
For Example:
How to you settle down giggling kids at bedtime?
How do you drop them off on that first day of school?
How do you get them to eat their vegetables?

I don't understand how much she has done for me.
Or how much she continues to do.
However, once I had children of my own,
I believe I began to understand some of it.
And I felt more loved than ever.

My Mom has always be creative and crafty.
Crafty in the making things kind of way.
She passed along her love of creating to me.
So there's a little part of her in the soaps I make.
Not literally.
You know what I mean.

Mom, I hope you know that
I am very thankful that God gave me to you.
I love you.
Happy Mother's Day!


Here's what we got for my husband's Mom for Mother's Day
This delicious Handmade Traditional English Fudge
Is available at TeaAtTheBrits on Etsy.

Of course, I had to try some before
Giving it as a gift.
And then I had to try some more.
Addicted? Who, me?

Miriam from TeaAtTheBrits was kind enough to send
A Couple of orders of this fudge
Directly to Hubby's Mom.
That was good.
That way, we know she got ALL of the fudge.
Not just the left overs from what I couldn't resist taste testing.
Right.
Like there would have been any left overs.

 Hubby's Mom is my Mother-in-Love.
I am blessed that God put me in my husband's family.
My Mother-in-Love is a
Wonderful mentor and friend.
Thank you for that.
Happy Mother's Day!

These are my grown up kids.
I couldn't be more proud of them.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms who read this.
I hope you have a lovely day.

Thanks for reading!









Saturday, May 4, 2013

Soap on a Rope

Have you ever used soap on a rope?
I love soap on a rope.
Okay, you got me.
I love soap.
Period.
 
These soaps are made from a Goat's Milk glycerin base.
It's so creamy and bubbly.
It leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized.
 
This is a Celtic Triskele.
It's kind of cool.
 
This is a massage bar.
It has massaging bumps on one side.
 
It's contoured on the other side.
 
Both of these soaps are available
in my Etsy Shop.
 
Thanks for reading!