First soap of the year

 As it had been a couple of months since my last soapmaking session and I had supplies that needed to be used up, I made a quick and easy batch of soap which wouldn't be 'giftworthy' as I knew it would turn darker as time went on. 

I wanted to use up some grated soap I had accumulated as well as oil near its 'use by' date plus a Fragrance Oil Oatmeal Milk and Honey which I shouldn't have bought as I knew it would turn the soap tan due to the 3% vanilla in it. The original idea was to keep the soap white by adding Titanium Dioxide  but in the end I left it out as I was too lazy to dig it out. LOL!

I added the grated soap after getting the soap to trace, mixed it in and then added the Fragrance Oil and had to move quickly then as I knew it would go to a thick trace quickly. 

It is not a pretty soap but will be okay for us and it used up a few odds and ends. 

I used the loaf soap mould with the rose design on the bottom. 

As a soapmaking friend had recently sent me this special cutter that she didn't want any more I thought I would cut the soap in half horizontally in order to then cut larger slices that would show off the rose design. This cutter is perfect for cutting Taiwan Swirl soap to show off the design. That will be incorporated in my next lot of soap which hopefully will be 'giftworthy'. 

I will add the recipe I used for future reference as I can never remember what fragrance I have used in my soaps when someone asks.

New Year's Soap

230g Olive Oil

300g Rice Bran Oil

220g Coconut Oil

35g   Castor Oil

298g Water

110g Lye

25g   Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil

Always run your ingredients through a soap calculator such as SoapCalc when planning a soapmaking session just to make sure you are adding the correct amount of lye and water to the mix. 

I have been caught up with trying to get my head around meshwork and do you think I can work out how to do the third layer. I am trying to do the Tumbling Blocks pattern which also seems to be called the Madweave Pattern. No wonder!!! It is doing my head in and I think I will have to put it away for a while and come back to it later on....after taking a few Valium. LOL!

I heard a strange noise in the pecan nut tree the other day and saw this kookaburra with a rat in its beak and it was banging it on the branch to kill it. Ugh! It then sat in the tree with its partner for about four hours afterward obviously looking for some other wildlife to catch. 

The dahlias are still flowering and often people passing by comment on them. I tell them all I can see are the weeds that need pulling out due to the rain we have had this summer. It is hard to keep up with all the gardening and mowing that needs to be done in a wet season. Normally we are in drought at this time of year but I am not complaining. 

Due to concerns some people have had about the COVID situation in Queensland at this time we have postponed our Simple Living Toowoomba February workshop until March when our two really creative presenters will be teaching everyone how to make different types of drawstring bags. I am really looking forward to this morning as we always learn something new. Then in April Racheal from Birdsong Market Garden will talk about Lacto-Fermentation which will be very informative I am sure. 

I hope everyone is keeping well and happy. Have a wonderful week!