The last week of the school holidays didn’t give me much time to devote to the business. I made some soap, wrapped a few bars and uploaded a few items to the pending website and had one, massive, disaster. But more of that later.
I didn’t make a lot of soap this week but I did make a double batch of Tutti Frutti. Here it’s in the mould, before and after the top swirl:
And the cut. I think I tried to be a bit too clever this time. I wanted the colours to more strictly follow the order of the colours of the rainbow (so how did I get red next to green lol?) but to do that I had to be a little more ordered in the pouring. I think I prefer the more randomly poured swirl so. Apologies for the rubbish photograph…
I also learnt my lesson and made a TEST batch using a new fragrance. Warm Gingerbread FO is one I’m hoping to use for Christmas, and I planned small batch with a simple design just to see how it handles. I’m glad I did – the website testing notes said it would accelerate, and accelerate it did. This pic is immediately after the cut – the two bottom layers should turn a lot darker over the next few weeks because of the vanilla in the fragrance oil. I left the top layer fragrance free:
It smells delicious, and I really want to use this FO to make a drop swirl bar for Christmas, so I’m going to have to use all the acceleration-reducing tools in my arsenal – and keep my fingers crossed!!
As I’d already made a start on the Christmas bars during the previous week, Candy Cane, Star embeds for the Christmas Tree bars, and a couple of batches of Dinosoaps, I’m confident that I’m on track time-wise.
And that disaster. Urgh… I was making more of the Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) soap. The last version was ok, but the bars weren’t uniform enough and the mountain itself didn’t really reflect reality. I intended to use the sculping soap technique (I was recently reminded of it by the incredibly creative Danica of Seife und anderes – if you like soap blogs you really should check it out), but the soap batter riced on me in seconds. I’ve used this fragrance before (and besides, the testing notes say no acceleration) so I REALLY wasn’t being reckless.
Anyway, just for the giggles :-/ I decided to try to squish it into the mould anyway. I actually had to get my hands in there to mix in the colours and colour squishing IS now a technical term. Was there the slightest possibility that it would come out acceptably rustic looking? NO. No, no no NOPE!! The soapy gremlins were well and truly esconced in my kitchen that day lol:
No, I didn’t rebatch it. Yes, I trashed it. I know, I know, one of these days I’ll have to give rebatching a go but I don’t currently have spare a slow cooker that I could do it in, and, really, I just don’t feel the rebatching love…
Thanks for reading, back very soon!
I tried rebatching once. Epic fail. Never could get it hard again.
Leave the top white. Huh. You are wicked clever!
Hahaha!! Shame about the mountain – more of a landslide, yeah? All you need is a fancy name and sell it as a one-off special!! We were growing and selling vegies once (in another life), and had to move from the land we were on before the garlic had “set”. My (now ex) pulled up the half set garlic and sold it at a premium price as “garlic leeks” – being in Wales, you’d get the leek thing(!).
The customers couldn’t get enough of it and kept asking for more!!
Sell it as a “volcanic rock special” – LOL!!!
Also – I did a small rebatch by just a little (short, it gets hot quick!!) zap in a glass jar in the microwave – all you need is heat. Or put in a pot in the oven – slow cooker not needed…
I just love your soaps so much … I understand you had a plan, but to me the soap really looks cool and wonderful. And love the gingerbread one! That must smell amazing!
Hmmm – if it really does look like swiss cheese, I wonder if it’ll float! I once used an electric handwhisk ( don’t ask!) and ended up with such a light soap that it just bobbed along on the surface. The kids loved it ! Or could it be re-purposed as embeds? Though I think the microwave idea is a fabulous one – it’s got to be worth a shot. Good luck
Aw, too bad. We all have failures here and there, even with tried and true recipes. Just put it behind you and move forward. 🙂 The other ones are just lovely though.
Vicki:
Lovely Gingerbread – even in layers it’s beautiful, so maybe you don’t have to fight it and keep it simple instead. (I just did that with one of mine and dusted gold mica in between the layers, which looks nice.)
I’m not one for re-batch either, and never heard of the microwave method, but would love to hear how it turns out. I agree with others to use it somehow – grade it up for Confetti soap; cookie cutter and use the cut outs, or a sales gimmick/ donation.
Keep me posted!!
Sly