tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35472073193322773862024-03-13T11:05:29.019-07:00Between Friends Handmade SoapMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-40738284515449445502012-04-18T07:43:00.000-07:002012-04-29T10:57:40.551-07:00An Overdue Salute to...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://xn--taller de sab-nlb">Silvia from Taller de sabó</a>!<br />
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Silvia is the talented soapmaker behind the wonderful soap shop <a href="http://www.tallerdesabo.com/">Le botigueta del taller</a> in Spain, and I'm also blessed to have her as my soap swap counterpart in <a href="http://soapartists.blogspot.ca/2012/02/intercambio-internacional-international.html">Julia's International Soap Swap</a> on her <a href="http://soapartists.blogspot.ca/">Soap Artists blog</a>.<br />
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I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the fact that I would be swapping soaps with someone as talented and as accomplished as Silvia. After all, I'm just a hobby soap lover whose soap world pretty much ends at my own front door. What do I have to share with someone so way out of my league? But after a few email exchange, I found Silvia to be such a friendly and warm person that I felt a little more comfortable sharing my passion with.<br />
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We agreed to swap two bars of soap of our own choice, as a kind of surprise for each other. And these are what I received in my mailbox....<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Lavender with lavender essential oil from the Provence</span></div>
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I just love this bright, eye-catching blue! Beautiful, stunning, and it smells oh so good! For someone like me who doesn't normally soap with essential oil, this one is definitely a special treat. It lathers so easily and the wonderful scent lingers afterwards. I'm in love with it!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Marrakech, with organic shea butter fair trade of Burkina Fasso</span></div>
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This is one gentle, moisturizing soap! I have to force myself to use it just so that I know what to say about this bar. If I weren't going to write this blog post, I swear I would have kept it and cherished it for a very long time. It has a mild citric fragrance to go with the beautiful orange hue. A bar that brightens your day and wakes up your senses.<br />
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Didn't I just say we'd swap two bars of soap? Apparently not!<br />
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Silvia surprised me with this unexpected gift, a beautiful felted soap. Notice the small handle on top of the soap? It's such a thoughtful touch. Now I can hang it in the shower without worrying about it soaked in water. I have yet to give this a try - again, love it too much - but I know for sure that I'll love it just as much.<br />
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I have to mention that each of these three soaps came individually wrapped and protected. I was so very touched by the thoughts and efforts Silvia put into this swap. Thank you so much, Silvia! <br />
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<br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-23563717577992586922012-03-25T13:04:00.001-07:002012-03-25T13:04:32.374-07:00The soap I've made lately<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Even though I haven't been churning out soap like I used to, I still find time to try new things with my soap.<br />
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Coconut milk with tapioca, anyone? <br />
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I wasn't so sure about tapioca balls in soap, but after giving it a try the other day, I've decided to make more! The only problem is cutting - tapioca balls are way too hard for my soap cutter. Have to come up with a better solution for my next attempt.<br />
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Buttermilk swirl.<br />
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I usually don't do multi-colours, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and gave it a try. Apparently pairing colours isn't my strong suit...<br />
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An ocean-themed sea salt bar. It's got sea salt and seaweed powder! <br />
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I've made sea salt bars numerous times before, but this it the first time the bars stay dry, so dry as if the soap refuses to sweat. I've never had that happened before, and I wonder if the sea salt I bought is really sea salt at all.... I know weather is not the issue because it actually rained on the day I made it. Formula isn't responsible for it either because it's the same one I used for my other salt bars. Sea salt bars that don't sweat are just not right...<br />
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<br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-83892115421945567972012-02-26T09:53:00.002-08:002012-02-28T18:43:17.788-08:00A Touch of Sunset<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Being Canadian means you live in one of the most wonderful countries in the world, but it also means you only get to enjoy warm weather five out of twelve months a year. As the winter lazily drags to the end and the temperature climbs ever so slowly, I find myself craving the sunshine and the warm air. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I like the look of gradients </span><span class="Apple-style-span">for soaps, in fact I've tried producing similar looks before but without much success. I think I got it this time! The key is liquid colorant and patience, lots of it.</span></div>
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These soaps have a slight hint of pink to them from buttermilk. I started putting buttermilk in my soap when I was at the stage when everything I saw was potentially a soaping material. As it turns out, buttermilk makes it to the list of my favorite ingredients. Give it a try and you'll know why!<br />
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It took me more than a month to finish making these soaps. I made my first two layers and then I ran out of lye. Just when you need it the most!<br />
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This look is inspired by my last coffee soap. Now instead of just simple coffee soaps, I came up with this "espresso with foamed milk and caramel drizzle" version. <br />
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My household has been battling sickness for the last two months. Somehow we all take turns getting sick, and now it's my turn. I hate being sick!! I want to get back to soapmaking!<br />
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<br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-2424335865136742192011-12-12T15:30:00.000-08:002012-02-26T09:54:45.535-08:00A Jolt of Java<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I still remember the firs time I used coffee in my soap. <br />
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As naive (and ignorant) as a newbie can be, I was completely unprepared for the stink that was about to assault my nose as I poured my lye into my freshly brewed coffee. The fragrant coffee aroma quickly turned into what I'd like to describe as the smell of deep-fried shrimps. Not that I know what deep-fried shrimps (with shells!) smell like, but interestingly enough, some of my fellow soap friends all come up with the same description. Deep fried shrimps. With shells.<br />
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I stop adding coffee into my soaps after that horrible first attempt, but I never stop dreaming of soaps with natural coffee aroma (without using any fragrance oil). With this recent attempt, I think I've got it!<br />
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I call these my Triple Shots - the oils are infused with fresh coffee grinds for 4 months, the water is replaced with super concentrated frozen coffee, and before the soap is pored into the mold, more coffee grinds!<br />
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The end result is this chocolate-like soap with a mild coffee scent - not the popular coffee fragrance, but the subtle smell of coffee grinds. I love it! Now I only hope that the scent stays and that I don't get brown suds with all these fine coffee grinds in the soap. ;)<br />
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<br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-76906077329403342992011-11-04T12:08:00.000-07:002011-11-04T12:08:34.358-07:00Been Having Fun with Cans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've been having so much fun using food cans as my soap molds lately. Haven't felt this way for a very long time, my soap addiction is back!</div>
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(I'm actually running low on lye now because of my recent craves for soap making. Hubby calls me an addict when I keep saying "I'm running low.... I'm running low.....").</div>
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Now if only I have enough lye for my next batch.... (pacing... pacing... )<br />
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<br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-83095159344379798132011-10-06T07:24:00.000-07:002011-10-06T07:24:16.620-07:00The Ugly Truth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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Well, this is the Ugly Soap. <br />
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I finally convinced myself that Ugly had been sitting on the counter for way too long and it was about time to do something about it. <br />
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The top of Ugly is a flaky combination of dry soap and dry oil. Yuk! I removed the flakes and rinsed off the oil before cutting it.<br />
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As you can see clearly on this picture that I attempted to create layers. I made two separate batches of the same recipe and same oil weight, but for some reason the lower layer came to trace in a matter of minutes while the top layer somehow went through oil/water separation before it came to trace. <br />
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After the top layer eventually thickened, I gave up on the original plan of funnel swirl and went for a regular swirl with TD. I left Ugly in my oven (at the lowest temperature setting) for about two hours and somehow my semi-solid top layer turned into liquid entirely and all the TD sank and settled at the bottom. <br />
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There was also a thick layer of oil floating on the top when I took Ugly out of the oven. My fear was that the soap might end up being lye-heavy. After unmolding and cutting it today, I'm sure that Ugly is definitely NOT lye-heavy. It is extremely soft and not crumbly at all. If you look carefully, you might be able to spot my glove prints on the soap. <br />
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Since there's no safety concerns anymore, I'll just leave them on the curing rack for a very long time before giving them out or using them as laundry soap.<br />
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So there you have it, my Ugly (but usable!) Soap. :)<br />
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</div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-28606283889569321822011-09-17T07:34:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:34:32.519-07:00That itch you get every once a while<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-whnhZe08nQE/TnTZ5Zm_dUI/AAAAAAAACrk/-f-1pQ12uN4/s1600/DSC_4397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-whnhZe08nQE/TnTZ5Zm_dUI/AAAAAAAACrk/-f-1pQ12uN4/s1600/DSC_4397.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cocoa Swirl</td></tr>
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The itch. The itch that you have to make some soaps or you'd go crazy because this idea in your head just refuses to go away. The itch that you know this next batch you're making is going to be your next masterpiece. It'll come out perfect.<br />
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Well, I felt that itch yesterday, and it was the first time in months since I felt the urge to make soap. Maybe it's a sign of me coming out of my soaping slump!<br />
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<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4V_nBvd3buQ/TnTaBZ2ae7I/AAAAAAAACro/vhLNyUN_q98/s1600/DSC_4389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4V_nBvd3buQ/TnTaBZ2ae7I/AAAAAAAACro/vhLNyUN_q98/s320/DSC_4389.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cocoa Swirl</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">I took out all my tools, measured my oils, and lined my mold. It was so therapeutic, so serene, and so enjoyable. With beautiful sun outside the window, and some light jazz in the background, it couldn't be more perfect than this - except, it'd be nice if the soap turned out ok.</div><br />
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To be honest, I had no idea what happened. I'm still scratching my head a day later, wondering what could be the culprit to my disaster.<br />
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<br />
So, everything went well. The soap thickened and traced. Poured it into the mold. Put the mold in the oven (I always to CPOP my soap) at the lowest temperature. To my horror, when I went to check on it two hours later, I saw the "soap" spilled all over the bottom of my oven, and the mixture in my mold was just some dirty-looking liquid!<br />
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I quickly took out the mold and let the whole thing cool overnight. It has hardened up, but there's this layer of bright red oil floating on top. I used red palm for the first time yesterday, and it's the only ingredient that I haven't worked with before. I think it's red palm, I want to blame it on red palm! <br />
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Now I have this ugly soap sitting on my kitchen counter and I'm not sure if it's safe to use (since some of the red palm did not saponify). It could be slightly lye heavy. I don't want to rebatch it and use it for laundry because I've heard red palm stains your clothes. <br />
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I stare at the soap, and the soap stares back at me. I really have no idea what happened and what to do with it....<br />
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ps. The soaps in the photos are not my Horribly Ugly. I actually made these last weekend with a few friends. We talked, we laughed, and made soaps together. :)<br />
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..</div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-10516264316774985002011-08-12T15:25:00.000-07:002011-08-12T12:25:30.137-07:00More soaps that kiss your skin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5959217499_302dcb244a_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5959217499_302dcb244a_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5959779420_8056e096ac_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5959779420_8056e096ac_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">These are the same soaps as my <a href="http://betweenfriendssoap.blogspot.com/2011/08/piano.html">Piano</a>, minus the keys. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">They came to trace so fast that I didn't get a chance to put in all the keys. I was a little disappointed at first, but after unmolding and cutting them, I slowly came to appreciate the simplicity of the soap.</div><br />
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</a><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/5959779218_c67f34a2d4_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/5959779218_c67f34a2d4_d.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br />
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If you look carefully, you'll see two layers of soap, with the lighter layer at the bottom and a slightly darker layer on top. The funny thing is, these two layers are made with the same recipe - same oil, same water discount, and same temperature. They're made a week apart, but I'm not sure if it makes any difference.<br />
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The weather here in Toronto has been wicked all summer. It was cool and dry at first, making you wonder if summer would ever come at all. Then all of a sudden, the temperature shot up practically overnight and put the entire city into the oven for a looooong roast. I can deal with heat, but I can't handle heat with humidity. My soaps have been sweating for weeks, and I'm so tired of wiping them every other day! <br />
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So, to those wise soapmakers out there, what do you do to deal with the summer humidity?<br />
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.</div></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-75283215510640060492011-08-03T07:33:00.000-07:002011-08-03T07:34:57.067-07:00Piano<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5959672562_8d268482be_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5959672562_8d268482be_d.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>One of my dearest friends from high school is expecting her first baby. What do you, a confessed soap-addict, do when you hear good news like that? <br />
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Whip up a ton of soap of course!<br />
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These piano soaps are my tribute to my girlfriend's love for music. She is aspired to be a music therapist because she believes in the power of music. I know her baby will be the luckiest kid on earth!<br />
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The final product isn't exactly what I had in mind. The "black keys" are kind of crooked, and the "white keys" aren't exactly white. The yellowish tint comes from chamomile-infused olive oil, and I kind of like it this way because the color serves almost like a telling sign to my not-so-secret ingredient.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6131/5959672662_a7d9d804e2_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6131/5959672662_a7d9d804e2_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The infused olive oil sped up the thickening time and I only had very little time to put in the black keys. I end up with only five of these piano soaps, but since I love them so much, I'll be sure to make more (so I can keep some to myself too!).<br />
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</div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-78580198594301982692011-07-21T06:46:00.000-07:002011-07-21T06:46:12.523-07:00Versatile Blogger Award<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-86-My-3GuNg/TieMqCINo2I/AAAAAAAAAFw/-tdbkq4GfCc/s1600/TVB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-86-My-3GuNg/TieMqCINo2I/AAAAAAAAAFw/-tdbkq4GfCc/s1600/TVB.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Thank you, my dear friend <a href="http://anitaslalaland.blogspot.com/">Anita</a>, for giving me the award! Now I can't stay quiet anymore, can I? (smile)<br />
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So, the rules of the award are --<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">1 – Make a post and link it back to the person who gave you the award </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> (and include their website address)<br />
2 – Share 7 random things about yourself<br />
3 – Award 7 recently discovered bloggers with this award, </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> and contact them to let them know they have won.</span></div><br />
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Here we go... 7 Random things about me -<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>1. In addition to soap making, I also enjoy sewing and baking. <br />
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2. I love going to the beach and just do nothing. So relaxing......<br />
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3. I'm a dog lover but don't like small toy dogs. <br />
Especially the hysterical, loud, and aggressive ones.<br />
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4. I find Captain Picard sexy and yes, my husband knows that. Ha!<br />
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5. I'm still learning to wear heels. <br />
The last time I wore them (yesterday), I got blisters on 5 toes! Ouch!<br />
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6. I love baseball and listen to the game on the radio every day.<br />
Go Jays Go!<br />
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7. I don't like eating olives because they're usually too salty to my liking and...<br />
and they look like little rubber rings/balls. :P<br />
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Now, it's time to forward this award to other interesting soapmakers in the blogosphere. Ready?<br />
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<a href="http://bbeessoapsite.blogspot.com/">bbee's soapsite</a><br />
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<a href="http://jabonesramy.blogspot.com/">Jabones Ramy</a><br />
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<a href="http://mydailysoap.blogspot.com/">My Daily Soap</a><br />
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<a href="http://pureandnaturalaromabeauty.blogspot.com/">Natural Aroma Beauty</a><br />
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<a href="http://sparklebrook.blogspot.com/">Sparklebrook</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.thefatbottomfarm.com/">The Fat Bottom Farm</a><br />
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<a href="http://summerbabe-seifen.blogspot.com/">Summerbaby - Seifen</a><br />
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These talented bloggers make some of the most stunning and creative soaps. Go check them out and you'll know what I mean!<br />
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Stay cool everyone!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-46378512326709504112011-06-12T11:10:00.001-07:002011-07-20T16:29:16.157-07:00Between Friends Handmade Soap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">To see my latest soaps, please find me at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/sets/72157604681594538/#">Between Friend's photo album</a> on Flickr. <br />
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(Last updated: 2011-07-20)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5940501679_09194d1abd_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5940501679_09194d1abd_d.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funnel Swirl<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5940501755_21265830e4_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5940501755_21265830e4_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funnel Swirl</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0; width: 500px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5825489474/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/5825489474_7e40250b49_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5825489322/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5160/5825489322_52d9e17bc9_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5824929667/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2745/5824929667_782679cca5_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5802917956/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Sea Salt Bars"><img alt="Sea Salt Bars" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/5802917956_0c5f1c1a9e_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5802917136/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Sea Salt Bars"><img alt="Sea Salt Bars" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5313/5802917136_b8f32ddf09_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5802360287/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 0 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Sea Salt Bars"><img alt="Sea Salt Bars" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5802360287_5f781e7e73_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5758175731/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/5758175731_55d7c90017_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5758719518/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2407/5758719518_ef8184a524_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5758175601/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Cocoa Swirl"><img alt="Cocoa Swirl" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/5758175601_d19e49bb7f_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5688733030/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9736"><img alt="DSC_9736" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5688733030_4571749725_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5688732934/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9732"><img alt="DSC_9732" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5688732934_e8e9874b1b_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5688732874/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 0 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9735"><img alt="DSC_9735" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5688732874_ab8b4df266_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5416150745/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil"><img alt="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5416150745_9282dc16f8_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5416761852/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil"><img alt="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5416761852_91aeb41794_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5416761778/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil"><img alt="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5416761778_66492c1c49_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5416761698/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil"><img alt="Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5416761698_c7574100b4_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5399258494/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Goat's Milk Soap"><img alt="Goat's Milk Soap" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5399258494_2d5a99407e_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5399258322/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 0 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Goat's Milk Soap"><img alt="Goat's Milk Soap" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5399258322_20b439e413_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5398657419/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Goat's Milk Soap"><img alt="Goat's Milk Soap" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5398657419_ef64458def_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5355427152/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="Sea Salt Bars"><img alt="Sea Salt Bars" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5355427152_9cfdb7cfce_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5354811717/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="My very first sea salt bars"><img alt="My very first sea salt bars" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5354811717_c65eb764ae_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5251409873/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9390"><img alt="DSC_9390" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5251409873_8b796d921e_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5251409751/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9398"><img alt="DSC_9398" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5251409751_3306e78108_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggies_soap_shoppe/5252014170/in/photostream/" style="display: block; float: left; height: 75px; padding: 0 0 10px 0; width: 75px;" title="DSC_9409"><img alt="DSC_9409" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5252014170_52546818a5_s.jpg" style="border: none; height: 75px; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px;" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><br />
I know it's been quiet here. <br />
It took me a long time to write a new post, but I didn't expect it to be even harder to reply to all your warm comments. A big heart-felt thank you to all of you who sent me your warm regards.<br />
I'll continue to make soaps, but only quietly and slowly.<br />
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</div></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-10598397091183418602011-05-05T05:14:00.000-07:002011-05-05T05:14:21.124-07:00Lavender, what else?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5688732874_ab8b4df266_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5688732874_ab8b4df266_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5688732874_ab8b4df266_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Has it really been almost three months?<br />
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I've been so disconnected from my own blog that I don't know how to start writing again. How about I start by saying, "how did I manage to blog on a regular basis before?"<br />
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The last three months have been both exciting and sad. <br />
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I travelled to visit my family and friends on the other side of the world, ate a lot of amazing food, and had tons of fun-filled conversations. I made this soap for a dear friend who has been one of my most loyal customers from the very beginning. She recently moved from Toronto to my hometown and would like me to make her soaps enough to last her a year. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5688732934_e8e9874b1b_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5688732934_e8e9874b1b_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
On the sad note, my grandmother passed away during my visit. She had been bedridden for years, and my family had known that this day would come eventually, but it was still extremely hard to let her go. I was grateful that I was able to see her during her last days with us, I just couldn't imagine not being there.<br />
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Now that I'm back in T.O. again, life has slowly returned to normal. However, I know I'll never be the same because grandma, who managed to give me one last lesson in life, taught me to live everyday to its fullest and to always show those I care about how much I love them.<br />
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So, to all my dear friends, I love you and thank you for being my friends.<br />
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</div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-34879697344116206092011-02-08T11:47:00.000-08:002011-02-13T12:50:03.422-08:00Charcoal Swirl with Hemp Seed Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5416761698_c7574100b4_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5416761698_c7574100b4_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Soap making is always full of unexpected surprises, and this time, the surprise is more than pleasant!<br />
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I've tried a few "in-the-pot swirls" before, but have never been one hundred percent satisfied with the look. This time I'm actually pretty happy with the way it turns out, but when I made it, it looked so bad that I was even considering putting these in the "failed" box. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5416761852_91aeb41794_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5416761852_91aeb41794_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The reason why I thought it would turn out to be disastrous was because the soap came to trace literally in less than 3 minutes. I turned around to grab my charcoal powder and that's when the soap caught me off guard. I decided to move quickly and mix in the colour anyway because that was what I had promised to make. By the time I had the colour ready, the soap was thicker than yogurt. I scooped the soap into the mold and feared for the worst. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5416150745_9282dc16f8_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5416150745_9282dc16f8_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I let out a small scream of joy after making the first cut. Sooooo, THIS is how you make in-the-pot swirl! No wonder I haven't been successfull. I have to wait a little longer before I swirl! Isn't it funny how we learn our lessons from the most unexpected "mistakes"?<br />
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..</div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-75168873803994247722011-01-30T06:54:00.000-08:002011-01-30T12:46:29.214-08:00Goat's Milk Soap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5399258322_20b439e413_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5399258322_20b439e413_d.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I think I'm a picky soap maker.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are ingredients I'll never use, there are soap shapes that will never be appealing to me, and I'm more than stubborn when it comes to minimum curing time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There's also something else that I'm picky about - the season. I only make milk soaps in the winter - weird, isn't it?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, since I have this obsession to make milk soaps as white as I possibly can without using any TD, I figure that I should avoid gel-ing the soap if I can help it. So in addition to freezing the milk and slowly dissolving lye one teaspoon as a time, I also "refrigerate" my milk soap once it's set in the mold. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Technically I can to this anytime of the year, but I prefer leaving my soap outdoors and let the Canadian winter do its trick.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5398657419_ef64458def_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5398657419_ef64458def_d.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't really explain why I like to leave them outside during winter. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Is it because I don't like to crowd my fridge with something uneatable? Is it because I'm afraid the lye being so close to something I plan on digesting? Or maybe it's just because I need to put it out of sight so I won't have to fight the temptation to take it out prematurely? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5399258494_2d5a99407e_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5399258494_2d5a99407e_d.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Leaving the soap in the cold doesn't really ruin it, as some might believe. These soap bars are nice and hard, and I know in a few months time, they'll charm me again in the shower!<br />
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..</div></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-63870831484763473652011-01-20T12:24:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:24:00.622-08:00Rustic Sea Salt Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5354811717_c65eb764ae_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5354811717_c65eb764ae_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Salt bars have always been on my "to-make" list, not because I love the way they make my skin feel since I've never tried them, but because they way people talk about them. Salt bar fans talk about these with a passion! Where does the passion come from? I need to know!<br />
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I did some reading before diving into the actual making process, and I increased the water ratio because of the high coconut content and sea salt (!). Those who've made salt bars all stress on the importance of cutting soaps early. Very early, like 4 hours after pouring early. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5355427152_9cfdb7cfce_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5355427152_9cfdb7cfce_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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So that's what I did. I checked on it every hour and cut as soon as I found it hard and solid. The soaps were still kind of soft and easy to cut, but somehow they always crumbled before I finished the cut. Why is that? I understand that soaps crumble when they're too hard to cut, but these were not hard at all...<br />
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And have I mentioned they sweated like crazy? Luckily it only happened during the first few hours and I didn't have to wipe them every 30 minutes for days. Now I know why some people only make salt bars in the winter!<br />
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I think I'll give it a few months before I try my first salt bar. Should've made an HP salt bar instead!<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-75988603625833070162011-01-13T11:05:00.000-08:002011-01-13T11:05:37.948-08:00Funnel Swirl - Hot Pepper!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldevT2aI/AAAAAAAACd0/8-JFWU4CO40/s1600/DSC_9463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldevT2aI/AAAAAAAACd0/8-JFWU4CO40/s1600/DSC_9463.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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After my very first funnel swirl, I've had several questions constantly spinning in my head - what can I do to make it better? What should I do differently to get that beautiful look I've been dreaming of?<br />
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I decided to take my next batch of laundry soap and "funnel it", and the results came out so different this time! Instead of parallel parentheses, I got concentric circles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldLZNezI/AAAAAAAACdw/2j_7jGs8jKs/s1600/DSC_9454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldLZNezI/AAAAAAAACdw/2j_7jGs8jKs/s1600/DSC_9454.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I cut these soaps extra thin so I could get a better look at the way patterns form in this type of swirl. I think I'm getting a better understanding of the funnel swirl secrets. Now you all know what that means - have to make another one just to see if these ideas really work!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldF9vDcI/AAAAAAAACds/_PB8IEAgDMg/s1600/DSC_9453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TS8ldF9vDcI/AAAAAAAACds/_PB8IEAgDMg/s320/DSC_9453.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>So, where's the hot pepper?<br />
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See the pinkish orangey colour? That's from *real* hot peppers! I once ordered a spicy dish at a restaurant and ended up getting a mountain of hot peppers. I packed them up and rendered my pork lard with them. The lard turned out to be this bright orange colour, and to my surprise, the colour survived the soaping process and became a soft, dreamy pinkish orange. <br />
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The crazy scientist in my head has been dying to find out if the heat of hot peppers comes out in the shower. Will this be a good soap for the cold cold Canadian winter?<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-42797853768522288802010-12-31T13:28:00.000-08:002010-12-31T13:28:04.094-08:00Lavender Funnel Swirl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5252014170_52546818a5_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5252014170_52546818a5_d.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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I can't remember where or when I first saw a true funnel swirl done nicely, but the photo stays with me until this day. I had no idea that it was swirled the funnel style, I just remember scratching my head thinking, "How did she do it?"<br />
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After rehearsing the steps in my head for the hundredth time, I finally got down to business and made my first ever funnel swirl. Boy it was fun!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5251409751_3306e78108_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5251409751_3306e78108_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I learned about funnel swirl from <a href="http://fresholi-bites.blogspot.com/2008/10/funnel-soap-tutorial-by-lomond-soap.html">this wonderful tutorial by Corrie</a>. The tricky part, at least to me, is to keep the soap mixture from reaching a thick trace before you finish alternating the colors. As in all the swirling cases, revealing (or cutting) the soaps is always highly anticipated. I'm usually quite patient when it comes to cutting my soaps. I have no problems waiting for over a week before cutting to get that nice clean line that I love. But this time I just couldn't last for more than 4 days! <br />
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Almost all the cut bars have these "smiles" on them, but the look at the bottom half of this soap is more of the look I was after - more finer and denser lines. I've worked on my second funnel swirl, which I'll share with you as soon as I have the pictures ready, but I'll definitely need a third attempt to achieve that beautiful look I once saw by the unknown funnel master.<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-77352462477948885772010-12-22T06:10:00.000-08:002010-12-22T06:11:32.389-08:00Rubber Soap Stamps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIElo9eF1I/AAAAAAAACbU/K4eUjV8W3bg/s1600/DSC_9366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIElo9eF1I/AAAAAAAACbU/K4eUjV8W3bg/s1600/DSC_9366.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Remember these soaps I made earlier? <br />
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I mentioned using rubber soap stamps I found at Michaels. Here is what they look like..<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIEfDeEZDI/AAAAAAAACbM/O5bLsRkAQ2k/s1600/DSC_9465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIEfDeEZDI/AAAAAAAACbM/O5bLsRkAQ2k/s1600/DSC_9465.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They come in a pack of 8, with different designs in different packages. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIEfM3zw3I/AAAAAAAACbI/08MJy5zruus/s1600/DSC_9284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TRIEfM3zw3I/AAAAAAAACbI/08MJy5zruus/s1600/DSC_9284.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div>All you have to do is place them at the bottom of your mold and pour! They're easy to come off and leave very clean and crisp designs on your soap. <br />
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The only thing I don't like about these is the way they curl up after I remove them from the soap. Why do they curl? They do return to their original shape though after I leave them under a heavy box to flatten them out. <br />
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Have fun soaping, everyone!<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-69673396453560483162010-12-16T06:21:00.000-08:002010-12-16T06:24:30.559-08:00Sweet Orange<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5251713138_b63e1c0704_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5251713138_b63e1c0704_d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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How about some warm sunshine already?<br />
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The weather has been gloomy and snowy. Not that I don't like snow - in fact, I LOVE snow! - but the lack of sunshine has been going on way too long. Not good, not good at all.<br />
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So I decided to whip up a batch of bright and sunny soaps, enhanced with my newly-acquired Sweet Orange 5 Fold essential oil. I remember reading somewhere that Sweet Orange 10 Fold gives you a lasting citrus scent, but 5 fold is the only close one I could get, I decided to give it a try anyway.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5251108449_e6a6f0319f_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5251108449_e6a6f0319f_d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>These soaps are my very first batch made with Hubby's soap mold! He was like a broken record for days, "Have you tried your new mold? Have you tried your new mold? Have you....?" And after I finally made a batch with the new mold, the track became, "Have you unmolded your soap? Have you unmolded your soap? Have you...?"<br />
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I guess now he knows the excitement I experience every time I make and cut soaps!<br />
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The impressions come from the rubber sheets I found at Michael's. It's kind of tricky working with the fine details because small air pockets get trapped in there if the trace gets too heavy. I like the look though, and I'll definitely go back to collect more designs for my soaps!<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-31362161858891525142010-12-14T07:21:00.000-08:002010-12-16T06:20:50.773-08:00Angel Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NhxkLcxoyws/TQR1YuDiCPI/AAAAAAAAAUE/DkI9D-cvMDE/s1600/Premio_seguidoras_con_angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NhxkLcxoyws/TQR1YuDiCPI/AAAAAAAAAUE/DkI9D-cvMDE/s1600/Premio_seguidoras_con_angel.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Thank you <a href="http://www.jabonesurbanos.blogspot.com/">Claudia</a> for giving me this award! Muchas gracias!<br />
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I'm both flattered and humbled, and now I'm going to pass the award on to the following wonderful bloggers whose blogs always make me feel warm fuzzy inside:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jenorasoaps.blogspot.com/">Jenora Soap</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cocobongsoaps.blogspot.com/">Cocobong Soaps</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pureandnaturalaromabeauty.blogspot.com/">Aroma Beauty Natural Soaps</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Happy Holidays everyone!Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-10058359384011334682010-12-08T06:02:00.000-08:002010-12-08T06:02:00.359-08:00My Early Christmas Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TPVUgDp1uxI/AAAAAAAACZ8/uF6KhJUeIEU/s1600/DSC_9273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TPVUgDp1uxI/AAAAAAAACZ8/uF6KhJUeIEU/s1600/DSC_9273.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This isn't meant to be my Christmas gift, but I'm calling it a gift anyway because I love it so much!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My wonderful Hubby made this mold for me, from design to finish. I've been talking about how much I'd love to have a wooden mold for my soaps, but for years he never paid much attention to it. He never prides himself as a handyman or a craftsman. The only handy work he enjoys doing involves just drilling and hammering. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TPVUfDTz9oI/AAAAAAAACZ0/PyV-I7EtTeY/s1600/DSC_9278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TPVUfDTz9oI/AAAAAAAACZ0/PyV-I7EtTeY/s1600/DSC_9278.jpg" /></a></div>One day, out of the blue he turned to me and said, "I'm going to make you a soap mold." <br />
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Huh? Did I miss something?<br />
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He began drawing his designs, asking me to show him how big I'd like my soaps to be, and how I'd normally use the mold. He was really putting in time and thoughts on this!<br />
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The final product looks amazing. He's thought about everything I said and made me a all-in-1 soap mold. I can use the divider to adjust the size of the mold, or better, create two mold at the same time. Neat!<br />
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After making his first ever wooden mold, Hubby already began to talk about a possible second one. He couldn't wait for me to use his mold ("Have you tried your new mold?") and he's got all sorts of ideas to make the next one even better! How wonderful is that!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-26866614015258253282010-12-01T05:51:00.000-08:002010-12-01T05:51:32.816-08:00Lavender<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5215144992_15f21b7960_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5215144992_15f21b7960_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It turns out my first batch after getting my soap room back isn't another HP after all.<br />
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A very good friend of mine has asked me to make her some soaps scented with lavender essential oil. Lavender is her favorite and she'd love to give them out as Christmas gifts.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5215144896_af1861b8c8_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5215144896_af1861b8c8_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Anchoring natural scents has been every soap maker's ongoing quest. Some talk about adding the eo before mixing in the lye ("wrapping eo with regular oil to protect it from lye"), some insist that adding the eo after trace helps ("good trace = less lye"). I've tried so many different things but most of the time I can't really tell whether they help or not, but I do find that a well-balanced blend and keeping the soap at a low temperature help retaining the scent. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5214551725_79060a1b41_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5214551725_79060a1b41_d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I love the blue color this time! It wasn't meant to be blue, was aiming for purple. I added some alkanet-infused oil, but then decided to sprinkle in some indigo powder "just in case alkanet doesn't produce enough purple". I ended up having this beautiful, elegant dark blue, what a lovely surprise! Doesn't it just add a little bit of mediterranean touch to the soap?<br />
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...Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-46812482562112581262010-11-01T12:26:00.000-07:002010-11-01T12:26:00.283-07:00Almost There!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TMcrw4CJP_I/AAAAAAAACYw/AzCitM3rF_s/s1600/DSC_9013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TMcrw4CJP_I/AAAAAAAACYw/AzCitM3rF_s/s320/DSC_9013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It's been.... let's see... three months since hubby and I started our flooring project. Our place has been in a state of extreme chaos - it's a miracle that we haven't tripped over something on the floor and cursed until we run out of vocabulary.<br />
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But I have good news! Our flooring contractor will be coming in early November and save us from our misery. Yippee!<br />
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My love for making soap has been forced to come to a complete halt because my materials are buried deep in an unknown corner and I don't really have space to cure the cut soaps. However, I dig out some of the materials and made a small batch two weeks ago for someone at my dentist's office. She needed some soaps but I didn't have anything for her, so I decided to make her some instead, or so was the excuse I gave myself to make soap again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TMcrxg3of0I/AAAAAAAACY0/FmMNrmAkENw/s1600/DSC_9016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CLScVcyPAs4/TMcrxg3of0I/AAAAAAAACY0/FmMNrmAkENw/s320/DSC_9016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I decided to go for HP soap this time partly because I only had a week to make, cut, and wrap the soaps, and partly because I had been thinking about giving it a shot ever since I got <a href="http://betweenfriendssoap.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-can-be-lucky-too.html">Becky's almond soap</a>. <br />
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I had so much fun making HP soaps that I know my first pot after getting my soap room back will be another HP too. Being able to use the soap right away (and clean the tools on the same day) is another incentive. However, I do notice that HP soaps still can't compare to soaps that have been cured for months, even though their pH level might be similar. I guess I've been spoiled by nicely cured soaps!<br />
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Ok now, what's my next pot going to be?<br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547207319332277386.post-9404915273314505332010-10-25T08:14:00.000-07:002010-10-25T08:14:50.308-07:00Dirty Dozen<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="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/resources/2010/sustainable-shoppers-guide-to-the-dirty-dozen-ingredients-to-avoid-in-your-cosme/index.php?utm_source=Dirty-dozen-inline-button&utm_medium=Image&utm_content=Shoppers-guide&utm_campaign=Cosmetics" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/images/cosmetics-guide-btn-nobg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from David Suzuki Foundation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a href="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/">David Suzuki Foundation</a> has recently produced a <a href="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/">Dirty Dozen list</a> that names 12 most common but harmful chemicals you can easily find in regular beauty products, including lotions, cosmetics, shampoos, and body washes.<br />
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I'm blessed with a very open-minded and smart husband, and it is actually him who educated me about these chemicals years ago. We got on <a href="http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/">Cosmetics Database</a> and looked up everything we had in our household. We were determined to throw out anything that got a hazardous rating of over 3. It turned out that we had nothing safe left to use. <br />
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Now, years later, I realize that I don't go down on the body care and cleaning isles in grocery stores, and I automatically skip flyer pages on these products too. I make my own soaps, I whip up my own lotions, and I just LOVE the way my skin and my hair feel! No nice fragrance or attractive packaging can ever convince me to go back, because I know my world is more beautiful.<br />
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Take the Dirty Dozen challenge and see how pretty your beauty products really are!<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1507290714"></span><span id="goog_1507290715"></span><br />
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..Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800748957962884713noreply@blogger.com0