Bath Truffles??? Hmmmm....

I have to admit, I am not a real big fan of chemical type stuff.  Yes, I know lye is a chemical and a chemical reaction creates soap and things like the preservative in my lotion = chemical too! I know....BUT....if I can avoid ingredients like SLS or even SLSA  then I will.  That being said:

I WANT TO MAKE FIZZY THINGS!!!!

Actually...I want to add something simple like bath truffles to the line up.  I considered bath melts, but this is Texas. It gets HOT in the summer and yes folks, summer has basically arrived.  Since I live so far out, and since I ship things as far as California (where the fam is you know), things that melt are no bueno...it's too hot between here and there to trust it would arrive without ice packs and that doesn't go over well with things that dissolve in water either!

Then I thought "Hmmm...perhaps truffles?"  I actually saw this video by the Soap Queen about how to make bath truffles   and the second half of it has a recipe without SLS in it...

I'm torn...I dunno....the OTHER major issue we face here in the "armpit of Texas" is the humidity!  Oh yes, we call it the armpit of Texas because just like an armpit it is sweaty, sticky, and wet here like 75% of the year! Yuck right?  You adjust...sort of...actually not really.  But you get over it at least :)

The final issue: I DO NOT HAVE A TUB!  That's right, remember we are a "shower only" household....I'm gonna have to get a baby pool to test these in LOL or find some nice kind guinea pigs (which I can always find) to do my testing for me....

So I guess I am still in the "I dunno" stage - I really want to add a little something else to the line up, but I dunno if it will survive the climate and such...we shall see.....we shall see....

New soap cutter = I am in LOVE!

I know, it's just a CHEESE SLICER from Walmart but to ME it is the best $20 I have EVER spent on soap right now!  No really - I am in goat farmer soap maker HEAVEN tonight!

I'm going to have to name it something VERY clever and appropriate - like Jaws LOL!  This bad boy had me all a-flutter when it arrived finally on Monday.  Here in the sticks, we do not carry froo froo fancy pants cheese slicers such as this on the shelves in our Walmarts...oh no...you gotta special order them! It really didn't take it too long to get here - but when you go make 8 batches of soap in anticipation of trying this thing out on arrival it makes the wait that much harder. ESPECIALLY when you usually have no patience in waiting to cut your soaps for more than a day! But I waited...patiently...and I was rewarded :)

I was so happy to see it, I made a video even! Go look....I was positively GIDDY Monday afternoon when it was unpacked!

So then, what I really more than anything in the whole world wanted to do was make a video using it.  But I got all over anxious and forgot :(  Oh yes, I was so excited to go cut soaps I left the camera (aka my "too smart for me phone") in the living room.  I went in and began slicing away...took a couple of bars to adjust to but DANG WOWZA AMAZING!  No, seriously, AMAZING I said! 

Usually I make a batch or 2 at a time and cut then next day right? Takes me about 30-45 minutes to cut them up and my loaves make about 11-12 bars depending on how crooked I cut things.  A little bit off each time affects the end result ya know?  So I go in and start with the guillotine mad crazy chopping slicing and WHOA! NO WAY!  I cut EVERY soapy loaf of goodness in 45 minutes! For me this is AMAZING! I counted - some I did smaller and flat style...so they only make 10 bars in a batch...and the rest I did normal for me and those I get 12 out of right?  Totaled out to 88 bars cut up in 45 minutes and THAT my friends for me is a record!

Who needs a super fancy top of the line tank cutter?  NOT THIS FARMER!!! The time I save is terrific, the money I saved is ANOTHER NEW GOAT LOL!!!!!  (Don't go telling the husband though okay? We're gonna slide that one by him later....) OH and the truly best most fantabulous part here?  MUCH STRAIGHTER BARS!

Why yes, I tend to cut things crooked a smidge....I just am not a "stay between the lines" kinda gal I suppose....but with my new super gizmo I cut straight for the first time ever! HAHAHAHA!!!!

Yup...I have a new toy for soap making and I am officially in LOVE!  Singing songs and such as I go...

Pink Sugar - a video experiment...

Okay...so first off this is like what, video number 4 maybe?  You know, for all that I spent all 4 years in high school VERY active in Theatre Arts, I am a freaking THESPIAN!  (No, for real, and no smart remarks ya'll, I have already heard them)...anyways, yes, a thespian I tell you and I canNOT do awesome superb videos????  What is wrong with me right???

I dunno...but I am actually fairly pleased with this one....oh yes, not the greatest, but I like it :) 

I got 2 samples of "Pink Sugar" with my latest order from Rustic Escentuals.   If I did it right, that link should show off the fact that they carry MULTIPLE options for Pink Sugar FO and ALL of them sound pretty good right? All sound pretty close, all are bath and body safe, same price...AHHHH!  So I picked 2 - SNC and their "best seller".

So far....my vote is the "SNC" copy....the best seller may sell best, but to MY nose at least it does not SMELL best!

I do think they are just absolutely GORGEOUS though! 

OH!  and what I was trying to say in the video towards the end:  When a fragrance discolors to a dark brown, it's not that people are not clever or creative with it..BUT...we are ALL stuck with that color (the brown discoloration) as part of the soap SOMEHOW right???  Which is why I haven't ever soaped this fragrance until now - I already have several brown vanilla sweet smelling soaps and I didn't know that I wanted another...but I think I see myself heading off into more cupcake type stuff with this one.  It is very delicious to sniff :)

And...what else was I gonna tell ya'll??? OOOHHHH!!!!!

So...at about the 16 minute mark....watch for the blackout!  No really, power went out for a second only...but see!  I am NOT making it up, living out here is CRAZY most days!

And there you have it:  I am going to work on getting better with the video thing...but I like making videos :)  At least I am talking to share with other people and not just talking to myself LOL :)

Well shucks ya'll! The month of April has left the building I see...

I TOTALLY spaced it a few weeks back on posting my link for the mica swirl to the Great Cakes soap challenge - but I have been spacing a TON of stuff lately!  We have baby goats arriving left and right LOL, it makes one a little bit CRAZY and flutterpated!

So...I posted the link to the leopard spots challenge one I made a while back just now...can NOT believe I spaced it on the mica lines :(  Oh well...I will admit though, after doing more mica swirl awesomeness I think I have a new favorite soap trick of the moment!

Let's see...hmmm....taught a soap/goat class a few weeks back, made a trip (6+ hour round trip) to get 2 new baby goats. They are the most perfect mini nubian doelings EVER!  Just see for yourself - meet Hannah (the dark haired beauty) and Nugget (the blue eyed bomb shell)!

Then of course all the prep work and stressing over my 2 does that are due - UGH! Waiting on babies to be born is SO stressful!  Mostly for me, the goats don't seem to really care....they take it all one day at a time style....but I am tearing my hair out!

And then...THEN...there's the soap!  Yes, I have found time to sneak in and soap like MAD CRAZY lately!  I don't know what has come over me...but I will have pics a plenty to post!  OH! and I made a video AND I THINK I have conquered youtube finally!  Have to keep working on that....it's another post though really...

So yes, I have been an absentee blogger lately, which I swore I would not do!  But man oh man - I have had so many emails and phone calls and trips and such that were goat related I just couldn't squeeze in time to blog much...but I'll get all caught up, never you fear :)

Speaking of...guess I better go post about that video before I get sidetracked and forget how to work this computer thing-a-ma-jig huh?

Cutting the Mica Swirl Tops Soaps :)

I was all "video makin' happy" last week lol! I got these all cut and on tape and then I walked away from the computer (mostly) for a few days...sooooo...I am FINALLY getting around to posting these!  IDK how great the video is in reality.  In MY head at least I think it is wonderful because I finally did it :P

But anyways, I HOPE it came out okay :) I was uber excited and still am!  Black Raspberry Vanilla and Moonlight Pomegranate - mmmmmmm :)

I think before I officially go post my link on the GreatCakes page I will go get some still shots and put those on the blog - just because my video is NOT that great - but yes, giddy excited a bit I was when I figured out I had a perfect spot to perch the phone and still get ok passing for viewable videos! Happy dance happy dance :)

I want to say I was having a less than beautiful day - but let's be honest, that's how farmer woman tend to roll.  Old t-shirts and make up free! If I really like this video thing I may start doing my hair first LOL :)

Also - please note the OCD with my cutting - I never get a straighter than straight bar and I have some issues haha! Perhaps someone (husband dear) will get me a REAL cutter soon! Actually, maybe I will get me a REAL cutter once I am done with baby goats next month.

And yes, before I start I scrub the HECK out of my hands!  I can't cut for beans in gloves, I tried, didn't work, my hands gets all slippy.  VERY ugly scene!  SO I scrub my hands like medical style before I cut soaps. Just saying - I dunno, another OCD thing with me.

Guess I better go get those pics then so I can post my link for real huh?

Cutting "Key Lime Pie Soap" (aka da Lime in da Coconut)

I've been making videos! YAY froo froo fancy pants phone!  No, no video camera here - just an android phone - but still!  Okay, so don't laugh - there's some MAJOR double chinage going on...but here it is! My "Key Lime Pie soap" all cut and purdy-fied!

The scent is really called "da Lime in da Coconut" from Rustic Escentuals, and it's harder to see in the video that this is indeed the same sparkly mica dusted tops, but it is :) Smells OH SO GOOD!

I have been dragging my feet getting things uploaded BECAUSE I have been moving and grooving doing some "spring cleaning" in this house!  Actually....it was just well over due time to clean the fuzzy dusty house, not because of spring...but you get my drift I think :)

And so, may I present, Key Lime Pie (soap) :)

Back to the market??? Oh yeah baby!

Ok, so I'm not gonna lie...even though mankind CAN try my patience, I actually REALLY do like people!  Living out here where there aren't many people, I find myself craving them sometimes.  So back to the market I went this weekend! I REALLY had fun last weekend when I sit down and look back at it and you know, the cash is nice.  Plus, to have more room on my soap shelves to make MORE fun soaps is really helpful too!

See, when I really looked at it, I had lotions a-plenty, and TONS of stuff I have been making since February and March - like for real, probably 200 or 300 bars of soap (when I count I'll let you know). I'm not gonna lie, even though that one redneck kinda pushed my buttons, most of the people I met were pretty awesome.  And yes, the lady with the noisy toys...the toys drove me AND come to find out another lady nuts LOL...but she was at least nice.  So, I loaded up and headed back this weekend - I know, crazy right? But why pay for insurance if I'm not gonna make an effort and really sell some stuff eh? Plus, with baby goats coming I won't be able to do it again for a few weeks at least ya know?  Can't leave when mommas are due any minute....

Anyways, I HAD A BLAST!!! Met some awesome people, pretty much sold out of everything else I had that was ready to go and now I am WHOOPED! Overall, the environment is relaxed, the market handles all the "tedious" part as everything is covered so no tent needed, and they have a LARGE table in each space so I don't even have to mess with that either! Just show up and put out my stuff :)  I think I might be addicted lol :)

Plus, get this - they do a drawing each day at 3p.m. for a space number and the winner gets $50 - and GUESS WHAT!!! No, really, guess...come on, guess.....YES!!!!!!! I won today!!!!!!!!!!  And to be honest, I NEVER win anything, not even a dollar on a scratch off! No, seriously - the only stuff I ever win is phone calls from time shares :P and I won something :)

So, I had a tiring but fruitful weekend.  Now, I need to regroup, get pictures of last weeks work posted for ya'll, and get ready for baby goats AND my garden...oh my sad attempts at a garden :(  I HAVE to get on that!  But oh yes, I think I am an addict to selling things, I KNOW I love talking about my goats and my soaps all day and I will return!

OH!  I forgot to say...when you ask "Where have you been?"  I have been at "Olde Security Square" - and I have LOVED IT!