Skip to main content

Makeover in Progress (and a Soap)

 I've come to the realization that this soaping thing is getting Very Serious, and I am in need of more space.  My work table is becoming more of a storage table and my actual work space is getting smaller every day.  I'm not the only one that noticed.  Lookee at what the Mister did in my soap room this week!
a coat closet that has held totes of cake pans for several years


Ta-Da!

I'm still arranging and re-arranging everything and filling up my new shelves. I've heard rumors of another shelf project and I plan on repainting the room so it should fit my needs better and look great for my upcoming year of soaping!

And finally, one of my last batches of the year, newly cured.  It's scented with China Rain and I only have a couple of bars left--most of them were spoken for when I made it.

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 17, 2011 at 11:10 AM

    Amy, I have learned that the space for soaping is never enough! I have taken over a whole bedroom and organize it at least twice a month. I may sleep on the floor of my studio while my son sleeps in his room but I wouldn't have it any other way!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy@10th Ave.December 17, 2011 at 2:17 PM

    Hee-hee! You are SO right Melissa! I've already taken over the downstairs kitchen (my soap room) and two closets around the house. And I've really tried hard to be careful about what I buy, knowing I have to store it. But I wouldn't have it any other way, either!

    ReplyDelete
  3. TopcatDecember 17, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    How exciting to get shelves and have your own special spaces for everything! Your China Rain soap is beautiful xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Amy@10th Ave.December 18, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    It IS exciting to be able to expand (and fill up my new shelves)! ;D

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Soaping with Madder

I know that any color added to soap can morph into a surprise, but there is an added element of unknown when using botanicals to color my soap.  Some people jump out of planes or ski off mountains, but this is how I live on the edge these days.  Hmm.  If I weren't having so much fun, I'd be embarrassed. I recently had my first go with madder.  So....whatsa madder?  It's a root--the root of the madder. Ahem. (I love puns...) I infused 8 oz. of olive oil with 2 t. madder root powder for almost a week.  This amount worked out to be 20% of the oils in my batch. I wanted something in the way of embeds to add visual interest.   I dearly love my soap balls but I don't want to over do a good thing.  I've recently done square-shaped embeds, so this time I cut a bar of white soap into slices. I panicked a little that it wouldn't get dark enough--it was kind of a dusty peach--so I added 1/4 t. dried powder right before pouring. Madder powd...
21 comments
Read more

Loofah--from vine to soap

If you've followed my blog for a long time, you've already seen a post on one of my favorite things to grow--loofah, but I think it's time for another one.  People are often surprised when they learn that loofahs are grown.  No, a loofah isn't a sea sponge, but the mature "skeleton" of a zucchini-like plant.  Everyone knows they are good for the bath but they also make great natural pan scrubbers in the kitchen.  They are so popular that I have to remember to tuck away any that I want to keep myself. I raise three or four plants every year.  Like a zucchini or a cucumber, it likes to spread out with little regard to another plant's personal space.  Here is last year's crop. Early in the summer, the loofahs remained neatly on the trellis: But then they wandered over to the basil: Cozied among the tomatillos: And hung out with the butternut squash: Harvest time was a regular treasure hunt.  But I ended up with about 20 loofahs fr...
17 comments
Read more

Soap Challenge--Dandelion Swirl

This Great Cakes challenge started off, well, challenging for me.  I had internet problems (a lack of it) and something went rather tragic in my attempt to cobble together a recipe without access to my online lye calculator crutch or a good saponification chart.  Obviously, I need to work on this skill, since my first batch of soap is still not firm enough to cut.  I've seen firmer marshmallow cream.  I'm estimating that I'll be able to cut it in a week or two or maybe three. The top came out pretty, though, didn't it? Sigh.  I wonder what the inside looks like. On to batch number 2.  I went for a winter/snowy theme this time, scented with BB's Fresh Snow fragrance. I made a small 6-bar batch.  I kept noticing that my divider (a dollar store cutting mat) didn't stay in the center but kept migrating toward the edge with every pour.  I was concerned that it would ruin the design, but it held well enough. I know this challenge was all abo...
29 comments
Read more