My very first handmade from scratch soap. A friend told me to just dive into the craft and make it. So here it goes.
My mother in law used to make soaps as well and gave me her apparatus, lye and others. Since I have been watching, reading and learning soap making from Anne Marie of Bramble Berry, I decided to buy most of my ingredients from her company. This recipe came with the kit I bought from Bramble Berry.
For my very first soap my ingredients are:
Coconut Oil (A friend gave me a jar of extra virgin coconut oil from the Philippines) = 6 oz.
Palm Oil = 6 oz.
Olive Oil = 9 oz.
Castor Oil = 1 oz.
Water = 7 oz.
Lye = 3.0
and an ounce of Cranberry Chutney fragrance, a dash of red/blue mica and blue colorant and a sprinkling of dried lavender.
The left container contains all the measured oils and the right is the lye/water mixture.
I am not sure if this is the right trace soapmakers described, but once I get this consistency I poured the soap into two bottles with the colors.
The left is the blue and right a red and the middle just the uncolored soap. I might need to add more colors to my next batch. We shall see.
Here is my very first swirled cold process soap. This is chopstick swirling. I can cut them into bars within 24 to 48 hours but I have to wait up to 4 to 6 weeks to completely cure the soap for using. Waiting is something I am not good at. We shall soon see.
The flower arrangements inspired me to make as many handmade products as I can. I followed a tutorial from one of my sources for this.
This is how it all started. I poured the red soap, followed by the blue on the other side of the heart and then poured the yellow in between. Notice the plain red soap on the side, that soap is going to be cut into hearts for embedding later.
I finished the soap with white and sprinkled red glitter on three of the hearts. The hearts and round molds were embedded with the hearts.
The different sized cookie cutters were perfect for this project.
This picture is taken to show you the different layers and colors I used. I tried this technique previously using the awareness ribbon. The ribbon was covered with my white and did not show up in the final product. This time I layered the hearts with the clear soap before pouring the white and the red and pink to some of the bars
All the soaps came out of the molds without difficulty and to prevent any crystallization from moisture absorption, I shrink wrapped them right away.
I got a very pretty flower arrangement from a friend. So I made a few products before they start wilting. Hope I got better pictures of my hand made products by using it as part of the picture.
The ingredients are ready for when I will finally get the courage to make soaps from scratch. Since I already have all the oils necessary to make lotion bars and body oils. Here is what I came up with for now.
The two toned heart shaped bars and the push up tubes are the massage/lotion bars.
Massage/Lotion Bar Ingredients:
Yellow Beeswax
Sunflower Oil
Meadowfoam Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Green Tea Extract
The bottles on both end of the picture are the massage oils
My First Valentine's Day soaps. I still have a bunch of gingerbread fragrance oil so these hearts smell like gingerbread. It's fun when I took them out of the mold and they turned out perfectly shaped.
Another friend is leaving our town in two weeks time. We have been having friends come and go so much, I don't have enough time to make everyone a quilted postcard.
I still have a lot of honing to do with this craft. This is what I came up with for her. I hope she enjoys it.
This is the back. Everybody get to sign and said their goodbyes here.
I made these for the fundraising event my friends and I organized for the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda victims in the Philippines. These are fun whimsical and Christmasy soaps made just in time for the holidays. I gave some to friends and a few mentioned that they accidentally placed them into their mouths before realizing that they are soaps. I am still learning how to seal the soaps with shrink wrap and a hot gun. Got the idea but the wrap still needed to tighten a bit more to look more professional.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.
Combine macaroni, Cheddar cheese, ham, and mayonnaise in a 9x13 baking dish until well mixed.
Sprinkle bread crumbs over the macaroni casserole.
Bake casserole in the preheated oven until bread crumbs are lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
We had this for breakfast and again for dinner. Easy and fast dish to prepare if you have a lot of things you would rather do than be in the kitchen. From yummly.
Ingredients:
1 poundBob Evans® Original Sausage – cooked and crumbled
1 (20 ounce) packageBob Evans® Hash Brown Potatoes
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a twelve cup muffin tin. In a bowl whisk
together eggs and milk. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
We got this from the Parade Magazine. It is by Dorie Greenspan and has become a staple during Thanksgiving and Christmas in our home. The hubby likes making and eating them.
Ingredients:
2 bags (12 oz. each) fresh cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup apricot jam
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 lb. dried apricots, finely diced
The hubby personalized this recipe with a sprinkle of ground cloves, cinnamon and cardamom
Procedure:
Stir all the ingredients together in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium
and cook, stirring, until the berries pop and the sauce starts to thinkened. It will thicken much more as it cools about 8 minutes.
Cool to room temperature, cover and chill.
Because of my surprise the hubby explained that it was supposed to be my 40th birthday present for 2012 that was not finished on time. So he decided to make it our 10th wedding anniversary present earlier this year. Hubby was about to cancel purchase but seller was finally able to finished design for today. Wonderful, Funtabulous, Merry Christmas to all!
December 17, 2013
Last night, hubby went to get the newspaper came back with nothing. hubby: did we pay our newspaper bills, we don't have delivery today me: we did not receive any bills yet, but its been a while. I know, we can sign up for autopay and it will be our family Christmas gift. Vyn: NOOOOO, that is boring
December 12, 2013
We've been having single digit temperatures and Bandit decided to find a new place to hang out when we are not around. His basement bed is not as cozy anymore. Caught him a couple of times snuggled on the kids' beds these past few days.
December 4, 2013
I thought I was just helping/volunteering but I got my first check after 8 years of being out of the workforce. What a delightful surprise.
December 1, 2013
The Turkey basketball tournament. The boys are learning how to play the game and handled the ball better. More fun watching the game this year than last year.
November 30, 2013
PANEM (Philippine Association of NorthEastern Michigan) gala. This is my second gale with the association and the hubby decided to join us this year. It was a fun night with the whole family and Filipino friends.
November 23, 2013
My friends and I held a fundraising event to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan/ Yolanda which hit the Visayas region of the Philippines.
It all started when my mother in law called saying she wanted to donate her handcrafted jewelries to a fundraising event. She called me on the 13th of November and then the ball just started rolling with friends willing to help in any way possible.
So proud of my friends who made this possible. It was a successful event even when our area was hit by a storm days before the event and some friends have no electricity for a couple days. It was also a cold and snowy day but still people showed up to support the cause. A Great Thank You to Eveyone.
We are able to send funds through UMCOR of First United Methodist church, given some funds to a friend in Michigan whose family is directly affected and some of the funds also went to my friend in Cebu who is directly buying necessities and going to affected areas to help.
October 19, 2013
Vyn: How old can a person live? Me: depends if a person don't get into accident, don't get any serious illness and take very good care of their body, then 80 to 100 maybe if we are lucky. Vyn: Can a person live till 900? Me: not that I know of. Vyn: how about in bible days? Me: don't know This goes on for a few minutes, me insisting it is impossible to live till 900 and he insisting there is. Vyn: I have proof, then he went to his bedroom and came back with the bible with the proof page open for me to read.
October 17, 2013
This morning: Me: be done already, you are using too much water, the world will run out of water. Lyn: the ocean will not run out Me: you will not like to shower with salt water Lyn: God will give us more water. He will tell us to break rocks or crack mountains to get clean water.
September 14, 2013
Me: Don't do that, you don't know what kind of poop or whatever is on the ground. Vyn: Ma, you are too sensitive, the whole world is full of germs.
Lyn: ma I wish school is more funner. Me: why, are you not having fun? Lyn: I can't finish anything, everything is timed.
September 2, 2013
First day pf school was great. Lyn: I want to ride the bus home tomorrow. Vyn: I love school. It's so fun.
September 1, 2013
Lyn: Ma I have a thousand butterflies in my tummy. I am soo glad there will be some familiar faces when she start kindergarten.
August 22, 2013
First ever sleep over for Vyn
August 19, 2013
Hubby announced: I already bought my birthday gift, so you're off the hook. Of course his birthday is still months away. Me on the other hand just have a few days more to buy my own birthday gift. While shopping, somebody asked his back " do you work here" Hubby while turning around: I don't work here, upon seeing the person, I work with you.
August 13, 2013
Vyn: dogs are like people, when hungry they get cranky.
August 10, 2013
Lyn: My hot chocolate is very hot. Vyn: Mine is hotter. Lyn: No mine is hotter. Me: Here we go again. Lyn: Ok, it's time to ignore each other.
No more milk: dad: oh we should just milk Bandit. Vyn: but he is male Lyn: there is nothing to squeeze.
July 21, 2013
Lyn: Nooooo, only me can do that. Tickle me when I am bad.
July 19, 2013
While playing skylander Boy 1: You guys can play it first because I am already awesome at this game.
While playing pool Boy 2: I am better at this than any of you.
July 14, 2013
In the hospital yesterday visiting family: F: I am perfectly healthy until I came to the hospital. During questioning: Healthcare: Do you have any problems falling? F: No, but I have problems getting up.
July 9, 2013
Vyn: Mama she is tattle telling a lie...
June 20, 2013
At karate this afternoon with other parents. While talking about vacation plans and pros and cons of camping.
A: What do you prefer, country life or city life? Me: I like it both, but I miss city life because I like people watching, the street cars, buses, subways,every restaurants and conveniences all in walking distance. M: (walking into the room ) Lots of rude people in big cities, drivers thought they own the roads A: drivers like that are present here. M: Midland is a big city.
A: No, it's a little town with an attitude.
June 12, 2013
Vyn: I am done eating. You girls are so slow. Lyn: That is how princesses eat... slow....
More observation for the day:
Vyn: Why is it that when we don't have a dog, we usually don't have anywhere to go. Now that we have Bandit we are always on the go?
May 20, 2013
while planting our flowers this afternoon: Lyn: I love gardening...
May 19, 2013
Vyn: my favorite in school is gym, art and science. Lyn: my favorite is birthdays, art, reading and small group
These are the handmade ornaments I decided to do for this year. It is inspired by a youtube video I saw (I did not save the link and can't find it again as I am writing this post) combined with this video from Jenny Doan.
Went to our local Jo Ann's Fabric store and decided on these fabrics below.
Friday, October 25, the hubby was worried that the Great Turtle Race might be cancelled due to a very bad weather forecast. But since he trained and it's been scheduled, we drove over and hope for the best. We stayed at the Cabins of Mackinaw which has become our favorite place to stay. Although the drive was pleasant, it rained and got really windy at night.
The ferry ride on Saturday going to the island was not only dizzying, it was also wet and windy.
The Arch Rock. The kids and I walked to the arch rock once we had our lunch.
We had our dinner after the race at the O'Reilly's Irish Pub and this is going to be another favorite stop in Mackinaw City.
The race was typical. Nothing really stands out.
Update on Bandit:
Bandit may have a barky kennel mate dog that weekend since he came home and barked every few hours at night. He did this for a couple weeks. I was starting to worry if this goes on until winter, I will not be able to do it. But luckily he is back his usual self and slept through the night before it gets cold. Since the kids don't have school for the Christmas break, he has been sleeping in and have not bark for attention again.
