A New Toy

Not new soaps, but newly wrapped.

Soapmaking is fun, we all agree on that. I think most of us would agree that packaging can be the biggest pain in the keester. I've been trying to figure out the most cost efficient but effective way to wrap my soaps since they're prone to glycerin dew. I've read about how many soapers like the sealer from National Shrinkwrap, but I thought Holy Hannah, I can't afford that, my soaps aren't worth that much.

Well turns out I can. Or at least the husband thought so (or he got tired of me grumbling about glycerin dew and seeing it for himself). His rationale is if it looks professional, then it will sell. So after much hemming an hawing, I took the plunge and bought it.

The new toy with samples of various poly.

So guess which bright person read this, laughed and then forgot it a few hours later and proceeded to remove the teflon tape?

I love this!

The sealer set up on the kitchen counter.

Do you enjoy figuring out what to do for packaging, or is it just something you have to do to keep your soaps looking good? 

Happy Memorial Day long weekend to my American friends!

Expanding my horizons

It's good and bad to read blogs by other soapers: good because I get so inspired by all of you, bad because you tempt me into trying new things.

During my last visit to Otion, in a temporary moment of insanity (wait, that's wrong, it's usually moments of sanity. Well never mind) I went and bought some citric acid to make bath fizzes. Why is this wrong? Because I'm so not a bath person! When I want to get clean, I want to do it quickly, not sit around in a tub until the water get cold.

I'm sure someone will enjoy these though. I used the star mould as well as the beach mould to make these and scented it with Exotic Fruit Smoothie from Brambleberry. I guess I didn't mix the colour in well enough but I don't mind the spots of concentrated colours.

Oh, and I learned something this weekend, some techniques (well probably most) that work for CP soaps doesn't translate well to MP soaps.

Apparently, stamping doesn't work quite as well on MP soaps, even when you try and make it sparkle with glitter.

It's the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada, so happy extra day off to my Canadian friends. Hope everyone has a great week.

Happy Mother's Day

For Mother's Day, we took my mother and father-in-law out for brunch. Thankfully we got there shortly after the restaurant opened and it wasn't too busy. I'd say the brunch was as much for me as for them since it's a rib place and I'm such a carnivore.

During lunch, my mother-in-law mentioned that she was cleaning up her house and was getting rid of a lot of things, including her baking tools. Of all her kids and grandkids, I'm really the only one with enough kitchen space to house a lot of pots and pans and I love to bake. So, afterwards, we went back to their place where she proceeded to load me up with all sorts of baking pans, including one that was from a bakery in San Francisco.

It's a beautiful book, full of lovely pictures. I'd love to say I'm going to try out each one of those recipes, but I'm no Julia Powell of the baking world.

I hope all of you wonderful mothers are being spoiled rotten and that you in turn are telling your mom how awesome she is.

Bold Blocks of Colour

Sounds more like a fashion statement doesn't it? "This season, designers are going with big blocks of colour. See it everywhere, men, women, even dog apparel."

In this case, the big blocks are literally, big blocks. Building blocks, that is. My lovely sister sent me her building block mould, which is fabulous! It definitely makes a statement, and I can almost hear the ad for it in my head:  (deep male voice, like the ones they use for truck commercials) "These building block soaps are made for big boys who need to get clean, and don't want to use girly soaps with floral scents."

I used BB's Mango and Melon FO for two of the soaps and  Crafter's Choice Morning Rain and Sun Ripened Cherries FO on the other two. I think they're gender neutral enough scents, don't you?

For perspective

Speaking of men, I had to kick this guy out of the lightbox before I could use it.

"Make sure you get my good side, okay?"

As an aside, after taking so many photos of the blocks, trying to figure out the right angle and all, they started to remind me of family portraits. Not necessarily my family, but they all seemed to be looking in all different directions, strutting poses, and acting goofy. I think I need to get out and socialize more, these voices in my head are doing way too much talking. :P

Have a great week.