soapy...

So... yesterday I might have gotten wrapped up in soap making, just a little bit.  Or maybe a lot.  There are currently 4 brand new batches in molds, scenting up the house with the batch of Wild Rose from last weekend. Depending on which way you turn you will smell roses, lemongrass and tea tree, white lily and aloe or raspberry ale.  Not to mention the aging soaps that are already keeping the new ones company. 

I was only going to make the one, get the supplies off the counter now that I had a enough beer ice cubes.  I didn't intend to go soap making crazy.  I didn't.  But it was misty cool outside, and I rapidly found myself melting right along with the oils and butters. 

I have had the ingredients for a long minute or two.  I just hadn't found the time.  I kept telling myself that there simply was not enough time for me to dig in and make soap.  I created something bigger than it was, and I'm not really sure why.

As I stirred the beer ice cubes and lye together, I became mesmerized.  If you haven't made soap you might not realize that when lye is added to the liquid, the result can often get very hot, very quickly. Watching the reaction between the beer cubes and lye was so different.  As I stirred to melt them down, watching it become a dark cloudy liquid I felt the calmness sinking in that creating often causes. 

Raspberry Ale Soap

Before I knew it, the Raspberry Ale soap was molded, the top sprinkled with poppy seeds, looking a bit darker than anticipated. And I was already starting the next batch of lye water.  I couldn't stop myself.  The careful measuring, the steady rhythm of the steps.  The consistency. I kept telling Hubs I was going to be done "after this batch"... 

the towels are keeping the Triple Butter warm

One batch of the awesome Triple Butter led into another.  I buy this one as a kit, the measuring is all done for me, less waste that way, and I hadn't realized I had bought those two with molds.  No reason to slow down to wait for a mold.  The scent vaguely reminiscent of Fruit Loops.  Lemongrass and Tea Tree oils mix together in a clean, slightly fruity scent. 

I really wanted to make the Caffeinated batch, but realized I only had one ice cube tray (recently vacated of the frozen beer cubes) and needed frozen coffee for that one.   Quick wash while the super strong pot of coffee was brewing means that I can make that one today. 

Not ready to stop, I started looking through recipes that I had in a nice neat pile.  Soaps that I have purchased all the ingredients for, yet hadn't made time to make.  Before I knew it and yes after I had cleaned up completely, I found myself preparing the embed for the beautiful Chrysanthemum Soap that has lingered in my I wanna do pile for over a year. 

I finally stopped when I ran out of disposable gloves.  I am not a fan of lye burns.  They aren't terrible, but why cause pain if you don't need to.  Those random little flecks that flit around during the process of making lye water bite. 

Chrysanthemum Soap - White Lily and Aloe scented

I will get some more gloves today.  I have several other soaps that I am hoping to finish.  The calm that it brings is something I need in my crazy world right now... 

Well, time to get this day started... Enjoy your Sunday!