A few months ago I was following some blog comment trails…… as you do and came across this blog and read this post about testing out her home made soap.
I did a soap making class YEARS ago (like 13 years ago) and made a few batches soon after, but hadn’t made my own soap again since.
I was inspired. And decided that if I did a batch straight away that it just might be ready to include in Christmas presents for family members.
Not knowing where my old recipes might be packed away, I used this one.
It took AGES for me to get the first batch to trace – I definitely recommend the stick blender for hurrying the whole process up.
I made two batches – one blue with peppermint scenting and one pink with vanilla scenting.
I added oatmeal to both batches for texture.
My mould was a clean, empty 1 L UHT milk container. I was careful to cut a section out of the top instead of just cutting the top clean off so that the corners remained to help keep the container in shape.
Once the mould had set, I turned them out and sliced them into nice sized bars. I ended up with around eight from each batch.
They weren’t quite hard enough by Christmas, but I did pop them in the presents anyway with an explanation not to use them for a couple more weeks.
Now that couple of weeks is up and they seem hard enough so we have been using them and they are lovely!
A bit softer than bought soap, but not drying.
I’ve found some of my old recipes and books and we are going to soon be making some more.
First up a Stinging Nettle Shampoo Bar to see if we can get rid of Miss Lou’s dandruff.
Yes Stinging Nettles……….. now which one of the kids should I con into picking them for me? 
LOL
You have stinging nettles growing naturally, locally?
Right in my backyard next to the vege patch! ~ B
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They’re great, B
Good on you and good luck with conning the kids lol
lol Thanks ~ B
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Funnily enough, I get rid of my dandruff by cutting my chocolate consumption. By about 95%. It’s not that I get dandruff every time I eat chocolate, just that when I’ve been eating more than usual, more often, I get the snowflakes on the shoulders look.
Do you have chickens? They love stinging nettles, it’s a great source of iron and makes the egg yolks a lovely deep yellow colour. People can eat nettles too. The sting disappears with the cooking.
That’s interesting…… pity it wouldn’t work on Miss Lou – she doesn’t really eat much chocolate to cut it out to see if that works.
Nope, no chookens……..yet. ~ B
I’m far too slack to make my own soap. I wouldn’t even know where to get the ingredients anyway, but that looks pretty cool.
the supermarket. ~ B
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Your supermarket maybe, I think I’m lucky when my supermarket has such luxurious goods as flour and milk. No, I’m not making that up.
well maybe not your supermarket then lol – seriously though, I did get all the ingredients at the supermarket – olive oil, copha, caustic soda, distilled water, oat bran. I pick up essential oils from a $2 shop. it’s not a very practical project with small people around though when you have to deal with caustic soda ~ B
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You have no idea how impressed I am with this!
WOW!!!
Now I’m off to check the links and see what I need to do this…what a great idea!!!
Good luck!! I’m loving using my own soaps. ~ B
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You know that you are my hero, don’t you?
They look fantastic.
Ta ~ B
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I used to make my own soap from scratch too – haven’t done it in over a year because it has gotten so difficult to get hold of lye around here. Sheesh – you think they were worried I was going to use it to hide bodies or something. LOL. Seriously, I used to buy the Red Devil brand in the plumbing section of the grocery store but it’s all off the shelves these days and I’m not sure I want to invest in a big amount of it from the soap supply mail catalogs or not. Stinging nettle is supposed to be great for shampoo bars. I usually buy the dried kind from my health food store so I don’t get stung!
It’s a pity your ingrediants aren’t readily available anymore. We have baby stinging nettles growing in our yard all the time – the place had been vacant for ages before we moved in and the weeds ran rampant. ~ B
They look amazing.
Thanks darl.
~ B
have you considered taking orders ? if i hadn’t already sold it for hot chips when pregnant with offspring#2 my soul would be on offer in exchange for a dandruff cure that worked.
*drool* peppermint and vanilla.. my favorites !
am insanely jealous of your soap making prowess
I will at some stage, just not sure when yet. I’d been hanging off for the kids to go back to school to sort myself out lol ~ B
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