Mini Haul: Week of 8 Sept 2014

A mint hail from Natural Candle Supply. I am still not sure about the fragrances as they seem quite subtle to my nose. Here's hoping.

Soapy hugs
Kayla xx

Soaping & Mini Haul

Below are my four most recent creations. Alas, I keep forgetting the camera to video how I made them and give a running commentary on how the recipe is and how the scents are reacting.  It certainly doesn't help when I have half of my stuff in one house and half in another. Hopefully this will be rectified soon enough.

Lastly is of a mini haul from China with 4 silicone moulds that I am going to use for bath melts.just need more money and hours in they day to pay for everything so I can get up and running! Anyone know the winning lotto numbers?

Green Man

Ice Man Cometh

Lemon Goat

Girly Girl

Early August Super Mini Haul

Not much to report, but I did manage to find some cheap colloidal oatmeal on Ebay. I have been skeptical about buying this kind of stuff from Ebay as there are so many dodgy sellers out there. The sellers feedback wasn't too back, a couple of reports of non delivery but nothing about the quality.

Would love to hear from everyone with their favourite trustworthy Ebay seller for soapy goodness!

Soapy hugs
Kayla

Soapmaking Standstill

Alas, my soap making for the moment has ground to a halt.

Still moving from one home to another to keep my final moving cost as low as possible. But I am also slowly running out of space to store my freshly made soaps whilst they cure. I have yet to clear out the back sheds to make way for the new venture and when that is done, find the money to get the two tables that I am after from Bunnings along with drying racks and a few other storage things from Ikea, plus the sink... Oh to win the lottery, sod off this daily crap job and to soap, sew and dance all day!

Soapy hugs
Kayla

Soap Haul: Week of 15 June 2014

Nothing spectacular this week other than 5L of coconut oil, some colurants, glycerine, bees wax and a desperately needed cheese cutter since other cutting methods were leaving me with 'door step' soap bars that are just horrid! Next pay day will be more macadamia oil as I am now starting to run through that quickly too. On another note, when the EVOO is finished, I will be getting light EVOO as I am not liking the darker oil colour and really don't want to be using TD. 

Soapy hugs

Kayla 

 

Mini Haul: Week of 1 June 2014

Nothing major. Just a mini haul from Big Tree Supplies on fragrant oils. I am very happy with the pricing, speed of delivery and the beautiful smells that are probably going to suffocate me! I will be starting to build back up my aromatherapy/essential oil collection as money allows. They are so much more expensive!

Soapy hugs

Kayla

Soap Haul: Week of 19 May 2014 - part 2

Part two of my soaping haul for this week...

I have had a field day getting supplies ready and I am itching more and more to make soap and create something that has some substance and life, not just plain old boring, cream!

4 new silicone moulds have arrived from China. These are fairly small but I happy with the size, they are the same size as the other mould in the bamboo 'holder' that I won a few weeks ago in an auction package. By the way, I AM STILL SEEKING OLD LEGO, DUPLO OR THE LIKE...hint, hint!

I have also had a great colour haul  from Kinibug with glitter, micas and oxides. I do love it when I can get sample packs, especially as a newbie to the field so I can work out what I like and what I don't. I just wish I could get more fragrance sample packs like that. I can only find one supplier so far here in Australia.a

Also, I grabbed a tea strainer for my micas as I would love to make a soap that looks like lapis lazuli with beautiful gold pencil lines.

Last but not least, I learnt a good lesson... I have been searching in various major chain stores for small glass measuring cups, the one that are about the size of a shot glass. Nada, nothing, just the big stuff. Not what I wanted for FO's and EO's. So I went to a specialty homeware store and found them there for around $7. I really should have gone to the $2 store a few shops down (same place I got a HEAP of batter bowls with handles that are of a descent size - 3L). They had those little buggers for $1.50 each! Yep, grabbed some more. They are glass and you never know when you may drop one, or two...

Soapy hugs

Kayla

Soap Haul: Week of 19 May 2014 - part 1

First haul for the week with another to come! A huge Thanks to Kerry from Heirloom Bodycare for allowing me to slip in some last minute oils!

This haul contains some lovely mica samples along with the glitter I have been trying to locate in trustworthy format. Lilac and Dragons Blood FO's.  I really want to. Old ur my soaps with natural colors so I grabbed some alkanet root powder and FINALLY ordered charcoal! My last minute adds were macadamia oil (so hard to find in stores) and coconut oil as I didn't realize how much I would go through. I hope the other half doesn't kill me for using the good stuff? Oh well, he didn't like food cooked in it anyway!

Soapy hugs
Kayla

Soap Stamp

Yep, there it is, the results of my new soap stamp from Etsy. It is a brass peacock. Down the track I would to be able to have this as a side business so my partner and I can start a family and at least have anther source of income if possible.

The name of my business is Black Peacock, not sure yet if soapery, soaps or beauty. The logo is yet to be designed but the thought is out there. It will also translate over into my Peacock Noir Bellydance so definitely will be getting a double use of that logo!

The soap was from my last soap course and not a full size so the stamp J U S T fits on the bar. It is a funnel swirl of the natural creamy colour of the batter and a very subtle lilac. I don't like over the top colours especially when it comes to naturally fragranced soap. This has EO's of ylang ylang, bergamot and grapefruit. It smells divine but still has another 3 weeks of curing time. I am intending on having my EO soaps coloured with natural colourants, FO soaps will be in stronger colours and the EO/FO blends...you get the picture.

Soap hugs

Kayla 

Two More Deliveries!

Oh, do I hate pay days! Pay is in and no sooner has the change finished spinning on the counter, I am off buying more goodies to soap with. Nope, still haven't started, still banned until we move! But, stay tuned for my adventures into advanced/graduate soapmaking class with Remington & Emmett!

Below you see my recent acquisitions from Ebay and Aussie Soap Supplies. Again, I have forgotten to order activated charcoal, someone shoot me, there goes another $40+ order!

Ebay order: soap mould (inner and outer) a bit small but very happy, along with a soap cutter with two cutters. The wavy/crinkle cutter will be going as I HATE them. Just me, but there is a lot of wasted soap with those things. 

Aussie Soap Supplies: 'twas a happy day when I ordered, CUBE soap moulds! Happy dance! Also were indigo, titanium dioxide and 10 fragrant oils (not pictured). So many goodies but no move yet!

More goodies on the way from Etsy and Ebay. Pipettes and litmus papers to test Ph levels and a brass stamp from Etsy so I can make my soaps pretty!

Not to mention the small amount of glitter and tussah silk from Dragon Micas that have just turned up too...

Soapy hugs

Kayla 

Soaping Haul 4 April 2014

Yes, this is a soapy haul! My sealing waxes and stamps are for my soap wrapping. I finally managed to get a cheap laser thermometer gun. So happy that I have bath bomb moulds and my clear M&P to be used in a cold processed soap idea that is rattling around my head. 

I have a little bit of Tussah silk and glitter coming. Now the temptation to go ballistic on Ebay, Etsy and all the Aussie suppliers is overwhelming, but, I - MUST - CONTROL.

Soapy hugs

Kayla 

...and these are just some of the reasons to buy handmade...

This is a post by one of my old dance students, Bec. She reminds us about just some of the reasons why we should buy handmade.

Kayla

The Procastatrix - Why Handmade?

Bits n Pieces

Yep, it has been a little while. My soaps have been cut and curing and are now being used! Loving them madly.

My other half has banned me from starting up soapmaking until we move. Fair enough, but I am itching like crazy to make up some more but with what? I have gone on a small binge and bought some utensils, measuring jugs, gloves, glasses but still need all the other essentials like mould, cutter, oils, lye, butters, essential oils...yeah you get the drift!

With the help of friends, I am hoping to move before my birthday, that is my goal. Hands up if you want to volunteer!