Making Soaps for Christmas

Just in case anyone has ever wondered about the mysterious process of soapmaking, here are a few photos I took of my equipment and supplies that might (or might not) be of interest to the uninitiated:

Several stainless steel bowls/pans

Several all-natural base oils

Lye

Distilled Water

Natural colorants (like powdered sandalwood,
madder root, French green clay, etc.)

Essential Oils

Fragrance Oils

Botanicals (like oatmeal, rosemary, lavender, etc.)

Several wire whisks

Stick blender

Several spatulas

Scale that weighs in ounces

Thermometers

Large (as in huge) stainless steel spoon

Large plastic spoon

Smaller spoons

Wooden molds (designed by me, made by Mr. C.)

Freezer paper

Apron

Goggles 

Rubber gloves

...and probably some other things I'm forgetting at the moment.

Oils and lye water getting to temperature

'Sweet Baby Calendula' with
all-natural, calendula-infused olive oil

poured into the freezer-paper-lined mold

Ready to cure

After the soap has its initial cure,

I cut the soap log and set the bars out on drying racks

Some Christmas soaps on my drying racks

And here they are, photographed and
 ready to go to my website and Etsy shop.

Each bar is 4.5-5 oz.
Every bar is vegan.

When I get a soap order,

the bars are each labeled with their specific label

placed in a clear cello bag,

and sealed with a gold paper seal.

Then they are carefully wrapped and placed in a bubble wrap mailer
along with a little card that explains how to care for
your handcrafted soap,

and off they go to the post office.

And there you have it!

***

Buy any 5 or more, Get 1 FREE

 Check out all my handcrafted vegan soaps at

HomemadeSoapNSuch

and at

Our ETSY Shop 


 

Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties:  Amaze Me Monday and Inspiration Monday and Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective and    Treasure Box Tuesday and Vintage Bliss Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Our World Tuesday and Tuesdays at our Home and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Vintage Inspiration Wednesday and Ivy and Elephants Wednesday and Adorned From Above  and Artsy Corner Thursday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Saturday's Critters

Ghost of Blackfriars Bridge, London, Anglophile Friday

Pilings from the old

LB & SCR Railway

(London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 1846-1922)

Blackfriars Bridge

One night, after meeting outside St. Paul's Tube Stop and following a ghost around a particular neighborhood in London, the group returned to St. Paul's. We needed to get to Blackfriar's Tube Stop in order to take the train back to our hotel. London's puzzling enough in the daylight, but even more so after dark.

As my daughters and I were studying a London tube map, suddenly, our tour ghost appeared before us, took pity upon us, and offered us a ride to Blackfriars. Who wouldn't get into a car with a ghost?

We knew he had a reputation to uphold and doubted that he was going to turn into a serial killer that night.

It was amazing how deftly he sped through London traffic to get us where we needed to go.

Shaughan Seymour, actor and tour guide, was a superb guide for 'Ghosts of the Old City,' informing us of so many interesting facts about the area while scaring us to death and even breaking into song, often at the same time.  Quite the fun experience.

"...when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."

- Samuel Johnson 

*** 

This post is linked to:

Treasure Box Tuesday

Weekly Top Shot
 

Check out my handcrafted, vegan soaps
Buy Any Five or More, Get One FREE

'Green Tea & Ginger,'   'Morning Brew'
Natural, handcrafted vegan soap

HomemadeSoapNSuch

and

Our ETSY Shop 

Have a great weekend!

 

Downton Abbey - Inspired, Vegan, Handcrafted Soaps

 Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary

photo from UK Daily Mail

Okay, Downton fans, are you ready? Season Three of Downton Abbey begins next Sunday night. I have no idea why we have to wait several months after the series is aired in the UK, but maybe it's just as well. At least here in NW Wisconsin, it gives us something fun to watch during the longest, coldest months of the year. (Don't get technical on me. Those of us who live in this climate know that February is also one of the longest months of the year.)

The series will resume just as I've planned to start a winter knitting project. Since I've not yet learned to knit well and watch TV at the same time, we'll see what happens. I'm definitely not skipping Downton for a sweater.

Just in time for Season Three of Downton Abbey, we've introduced two new Downton Abbey - inspired handcrafted, vegan soaps:  'Lady Mary' and 'Oh, Matthew!'  Currently, they are only available at our Etsy store, and these are limited edition soaps, so be sure to check them out as soon as possible. And, be sure to let your Downton Abbey-loving friends know about them too! Or better yet, maybe you can surprise them with a gift of a Lady Mary/Oh, Matthew! set.

 Lady Mary

Oh, Matthew!

'Lady Mary' and 'Oh, Matthew!'

are available at

HomemadeSoapnSuch

and at

Our Etsy Store


***

This post may be linked to some of the following: Mop it Up Monday   and Mealtime Monday and   Amaze Me Monday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Mosaic Monday  and Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and On the Menu Monday and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and  A Return to Loveliness and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and Love Bakes Good Cakes and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Overflowing With Creativity and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and I'm Lovin' it Thursday and  Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and  A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and  Saturday Nite Special

Figgy Pudding - And CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!

'Figgy Pudding'

...with everything you'd expect in your Christmas figgy pudding, well, except for the flour and eggs.

Brown sugar, figs, oranges, spices - they all add up to an amazing fragrance you'll love. And the soap? Made with all natural base oils, essential oils, and quality fragrance oils. Altogether, it makes a beautiful and fragrant bar of soap for your shower or bath.

Why use heavy chemical soaps when you can treat your skin to a kinder, gentler, natural bar of soap that will leave it feeling soft, refreshed, clean, and moisturized - and smells great.

Each beautiful bar of 'Figgy Pudding' comes wrapped in its own distinctive label with a list of ingredients on the back, and is enclosed in a clear cello bag, ready to give as a gift. Of course, the cello bag is resealable - so if you're careful, you can take a whiff of that amazing fragrance before you give it away! No one will ever know.

All of our soaps are natural, handcrafted, and vegan. Only natural colorants are used - no oxides.

Great for stocking stuffers or 'Thinking of You.' This is a gift they will remember, for these natural, handcrafted bars last a long time.

Stock up now. You-know-what is just around the corner! 

***

 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:

Now through December 19

BUY FIVE - GET ONE FREE!

on all our natural, vegan, handcrafted soaps at

HomemadeSoapnSuch 

...and more! Check out all our handcrafted soaps

This offer currently not available at our ETSY store. 


  Mop it Up Monday   and Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and Gluten Free Monday and  The Chicken Chick and The Marketplace and    What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous  and  Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday  and  Inspiration Board and You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and   Cast Party Wednesday and   We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Mom on TimeOut and  Link it Up Thursday and It's Fall Y'all and Crafty Friday (Thursday) and Mandatory Mooch and  Petals to Picots and  Threading Your Way and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog  and I'm Lovin' it Friday and Maiden d'Shade and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Foodie Friends Friday and Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and Overflowing With Creativity and  Home and Family Friday and A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and  Saturday Nite Special

 

 

The Perfect Birthday Gift

The title is misleading, I realize. So maybe it's not the perfect birthday gift for a son-in-law, but I don't want that Indiana resident to forget Wisconsin...thus, the Holstein grilling apron and cap. :-)

The apron pattern was not easy to use. It was a kids' apron pattern that I found lying around here, so I thought I'd use it. But rather than teaching children 'wrong' side of the fabric, it called it 'the ugly side' of the fabric. What??  Ugly is rather subjective, and it wasn't the only thing that irritated me about this pattern. Why is it people think that kids can't learn things the proper way, or have to be talked down to in order for them to understand?

It's a pet peeve of mine.

Since our son-in-law had just purchased a grill, he needed an apron. I thought the heart (as in 'loving Wisconsin and everything about it' would be a nice touch. :-)

Yeah, the cap was a little over the top (no pun intended).

And that Indiana 'boy'? He (and our daughter and Henry) AND our other daughter and her husband are going to be here this week!  If I don't get anything else posted all week, you'll know why. Well, we'll see what happens. I'm so looking forward to seeing them!

***

SUMMER SALE

on

Handcrafted Soaps

On now through August 8

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

HomemadeSoapNSuch

You'll find me at These Linky Parties: 

 
Mop it Up Monday  and Make it Great Monday and Bedazzle Me Monday and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and Make it Great Monday and  Made By You Monday and Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous  and  Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday and Maiden d'Shade and  Inspiration Board and  Your Home Cozy and You're Gonna Love it Tuesday  and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays   and What's Cookin' Wednesday and Tasty Thursdays (Wednesday) and  DJs Sugar Shack and  Cast Party Wednesday and   We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Somewhat Simple and Show Off Your Stuff and Taking a Time Out  and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Crafty Friday and  Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and Overflowing With Creativity and  Home and Family Friday

 

Anglophile Friday - London

If I were in London this week and next, you would find me here, far from Olympic Park.

Imperial War Museum

Victoria Station

Buckingham Palace

Palace of Westminster

London Eye

Victoria & Albert Museum

Royal Albert Hall

Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms

10 Downing Street

St. Martin-in-the-Field

National Gallery

National Portrait Gallery

Hyde Park

Westminster Abbey

Okay, maybe not 10 Downing Street. I'll take the Virtual Tour instead.

And, of course, there are so many interesting places in between!

Trafalgar Square with St. Martin's in the background

Boudicca 

near Westminster Pier

Buckingham Palace

Charing Cross Station

This is actually a picture I borrowed from Joe. He spent five days in London and didn't turn off the date stamp on his camera. :-((((   So yes, I know the cloning job didn't work so well. I know it's difficult to ignore, but at least you can see Charing Cross Station, the bridge, the boats, and the amazing River Thames.

***

Summer Sale
 on Handcrafted Soaps

...and more! Check it out at

HomemadeSoapNSuch

This post is linked to
Travel Party at Let Birdz Fly

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

Special Father's Day Offer on Handcrafted Soaps

5 (at regular price) for Him

1 (FREE) for You

Handcrafted Soaps

Top Row, from Left:

Rugged Denim - Sweet and spicy, nice manly fragrance and rugged appearance.

Morning Brew - All-natural coffee soap for the chef or aspiring chef. Keep it at the kitchen sink. Works great for eliminating food odors (like onion and garlic) from your hands.

Highland Tweed - A nice woodsy, spicy scent. For one of my friends, all it took was suggesting Russell Crowe in a kilt. (Yeah, I don't get it either.)

Bottom Row, from Left:

Barely There - All natural, imperceptibly-scented shaving soap!!

Herbal Meadows - Brings the fresh green of the out-of-doors into the shower!

Just for You - Choose any one soap in my  My Soap'n'Such Gallery for your free bar. 

Beautiful, handcrafted soaps made from the finest base oils, essential oils, quality fragrance oils, and botanicals. He'll love the masculine look and the great fragrances!

This special offer is available today through June 16, 2012.



 Check it out at Homemade Soap'n'Such 
for more information and online ordering.

.

My New Gallery of Handcrafted Soaps

Essential Oils

Tools of the Trade

Last week my daughter Angela built a gallery of my handcrafted soaps and helped
spruce up my online store.  If you saw all the html behind the gallery, you'd know how much I appreciate all the work she went to to create it for me. :-)

You can check out the new gallery and other changes at Homemade Soap'n'Such.

'Sweet Baby! Calendula'

All natural with calendula-infused olive oil

A Gentle Soap for Baby

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

HomemadeSoapNSuch

Lionel's Response...

...when I told him that I'd blogged about the sleepless night he'd caused.

Don't worry. We've made up and settled upon a pretty good arrangement. He told me that if I took the potted plants off his window seat, he'll refrain from lying on my head and licking my face during the night - at least part of the time.

I'm unveiling a new soap on Monday, here on Cranberry Morning.  I just posted it on Soap'n'Such, my online store.

Have a great weekend! 

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

Soap'n'Such

Handcrafted Cranberry Soap

 Mulled Cranberry Cider 
Handcrafted Cranberry Soap

Yes, it smells as good as its name sounds. Mulled Cranberry Cider. Made with all quality oils and fragrance oil, plus a secret (but natural) colorant. Never harsh, always gentle to your skin. This is another soap you will want to have on hand for the holidays. Set them in the shower and bath, and give others as gifts.  They're sure to make a happy recipient.

Each of my handcrafted soaps also comes wrapped with its own specific, decorative label and enclosed in a cello bag, keeping the scents separated and perfect for gift giving.

All soaps are approximately 4 ounces, usually more.

To see or order Mulled Cranberry Cider and any of my other handcrafted soaps, just click on the Soap'n'Such link below.

As always, it's Buy Five - Get One Free! Don't miss it! :-)

...and more!

Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

Soap'n'Such

This post is linked to: Making the World Cuter Mondays and Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and Making Monday Marvelous  and Anything Related Tuesday and Take a Look Tuesday and  We Did it Wednesday and Cast Party Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and  Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday