Outlets

I think I mentioned awhile back that I had started making soap again on a small scale. If you've read here for several years, you know that I used to have a soap and candle business that I ran out of my house for awhile. I made everything I sold. And I loved making everything. I wasn't working then - C was in the Navy and gone a lot - and besides writing, soap and candles was pretty much all I did.

I promised myself during that time that if it every stopped being fun and started feeling more like a business, I'd give it up. And that's pretty much what happened. I brought most of my stuff with me to Wisconsin, and I continued to make stuff occasionally - mostly for myself and family and close friends, but my heart wasn't really in it. When I ran out of wax, I quit making candles.

But awhile back, I got the itch to make some cold-process soap. If you don't know what that means, let me spell it out as simply as possible:

Lye (yes, lye) + Water + Oils/Butters = Soap.

It's chemistry and cooking in one! Sorta.

I rarely make plain soap though. I have, but I rarely do. Typically I put essential or fragrance oils, natural colorants, and sometimes stuff like ground oatmeal or herbs in it as well.

This is a hobby for me. I'm trying to decide if I want to occasionally sell some - maybe find a local shop to carry some of it or something like that - but I'm not really sure if I want to do that.

But if I don't, that leaves one big issue: I'm going to run out of room. *chuckle*

I ended up making three batches this weekend. Last night, I measured out all three, mixed the lye/water up for all of them, so that I could just put them together this weekend when I had time. Last night, I made almond-scented with oatmeal and cinnamon in it. Today was Dreamsicle and Hot Fudge with cocoa powder. I went back to an old recipe for these, because I wasn't happy with the new one. I didn't think it was sudsy enough (creamy lather, but not sudsy. Matter of preference is all)

I also did my painting project tonight. I'm not 100% sure I'm going to like them when they're done, but at least I tried something new.

I also started writing a biography for the protagonist of the fantasy novel I'm trying to get started.

And with all of that ... I'm still stewing about what I'm stewing about. /sigh

But at least I'm being semi-productive.
Sorta.
Kidna.

Wanna buy some soap? lol