New Scents

Today, I'm trying shamefully to get the word out about my blog and Artfire shop. I hate self-promoting when it comes to me. I do have soaps that are great but I don't give much exposure. I give stuff to family and friends and so far they love them. I've come along way since my melt and pour soap days. I now make my soaps all by hand. I like to use Olive,Palm,Coconut and Rice Bran oils as well as Cocoa and Shea butters. I even recently added Castor oil to my base formulas and the results are fantastic. My soaps give lots of bubbles and the added Castor oil adds a nice creamy lather. The scent of my soaps are either from fine fragrance oils that are paraben and phthalate free as well as nature's own essential oils like ones used for Aromatherapy. Whether it's natural essential oils or fragrance oils, scent plays a huge part for our senses. A wonderful smell can transport you to a time and place that has been forgotten. Sometimes those scents bring fond memories or even not so fond memories. When deciding on a fragrance try to pick one that gives a feeling or memory that is one you want to revisit. Vanilla smells yummy and you might want to eat but not a good choice if you are dieting. Choose Citruses when you want to feel energized or if you want to remember a tropical vacation. Lavender if you want an old fashioned scent that is a classic staple in all bath and body lines. Whatever you decide, have fun and find your own path down memory lane.

Wooden Soap Molds

My dear husband made these very simple wooden "log" molds for me. They turned out great considering Louis doesn't have a workshop loaded with fine tools. He just has a simple Black and Decker work table that folds up for easy storage. He also has some clamps to help hold the wood straight and flat as the saw cuts. No fancy workshop but he gets the job done!
These molds will make a soap log about 18"x3.5"x3.5" at maximum fill. That's a lot of good soap! The molds hold about 64-72 oz of oils before adding lye solution. I plan on making some soap in my new molds tomorrow once the wood glue is dry. I just have to remember there are metal screws holding the wood together when I'm taking them out the oven. Yikes! Have ya ever touched a 170 degree screw? In my case, lots of expletives fill the air. LOL. Now off to make something.

Fresh Out the Oven!

New soaps are adorning my soap rack! Bladder wrack (essential oils of grapefruit, cedar wood, geranium and oak moss)is an earthy, sensual blend that's a head turner. This bar of soap is perfect for men and women that want a natural alternative to fragrance. The second batch that's firming up is Brown Sugar & Fig. I'm a fan of the scent of caramelized figs drizzled with honey. My shower has this cozy smell wafting through the air and it's so yummy!
I'm so excited about my new photo box and the pictures I have of my soaps. Now, I can list my soaps on Artfire. I'm very pleased with them and the fact that they look more professional than without the box. I can take pictures rain or shine and late at night when I do most of my alchemy. I have to give some credit to my sweetheart of a husband for being patient and helping me with the photo editing. He's the best ever!