Small Batch Of Soap

I found this soap recipe on the internet yesterday and it is so cool. It is a great recipe for trying a new scent or for someone that only needs a few bars of soap. I did run it through soap calc. Here is the recipe
Olive oil 4 ounces
Shea Butter 4 ounces
Water 3 ounces
Lye 1 ounce
Fragrance .5 ounces
Heat oils in a double broiler just until shea butter is melted remove from heat.
Mix your lye and water always put the lye in water never pour water in the lye.
Bring the temp of oils and lye to around 100%
Mix with hand blender till you have reached a light trace.
At this point add fragrance and color if you wish.
Pour into molds wait 24 hours unmold. I do not insulate molds.
This will make approx 6 mini muffin cups

Here is another version with a different oil added just follow same directions for above soap.
Coconut oil 2 ounces
Shea Butter 2 ounces
Olive Oil 4 ounces
Water 3 ounces
Lye 1.1 ounce
Fragrance .5 ounces
Have fun! If you try leave me a comment on how it turned out. 

How Lye Becomes Soap Article

http://www.grit.com/Tools/How-Lye-Becomes-Soap.aspx

STILL ALIVE

Hello everyone yes I'm still alive. Summer is here and things have kicked into to high gear. I will not have another post untill around Nov. I have five farmers markets a week so not much time to do any thing else. I hope to post alot this winter and give alot of information on making soaps and candles. I would like to share my experiences and hope it helps others. Have a great summer and if I have a free moment maybe I can get a post on. Thanks for following. Rebekah

BASIC LOTION RECIPE

This recipe came from http://www.asonomagarden.wordpress.com/
1 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup emulsifying wax
1/4 cup olive oil
24-36 drops essential oil
Melt the emulsifying wax and olive oil together temp will be around 155% set aside Warm water to
125%  mix with wax/oil mixture at this point it will turn milky white. Add essential oil.  I then put in my blender and blend for a few minutes. Then put in containers of choice. If it does not set up like lotion just reheat in the microwave till hot. Blend again and pour into containers. There are things you can add a little of and will not effect the consistency of the lotion. Some examples are vit. E, glycerin, cocoa butter. Below is a list of oils that can help preserve the life your natural hand lotion.

Essential oils are the most natural antimicrobials you will find.

 Preservatives for Cosmetics by David C. Steinberg, essential oils that have demonstrated antimicrobial activity include;
caraway,
cinnamon,
clove,
cumin,
eucalyptus,
lavender,
lemon,
rose,
rosemary,
sage,
sandalwood
thyme
Grape fruit seed extract
Re-posted from http://www.making-sense-of-scents-aromatherapy.blogspot.com/

Buying Opprutunity

I have put a list of my soaps on the right.  Also I have put the shopping cart button on the right so you can also buy my soap right from the blog. Shipping costs are estimated so if they are less I will refund your money. Happy shopping and hope you like the soaps. Have a great night Rebekah

Zesty Lemon Soap

My latest soaps Zesty Lemon Soap With Lemon Peel

All my soaps are for sale $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00 if interested just email for information at rhoover@cbpu.com.

8 BAR SOAP RECIPE

Here is a recipe for 8 bars of soap. I love it because you can try something new and don't have a whole bunch. I have tried this the bars on my header photo are made from the recipe. Note you might get more or less depending on what size mold you use.

You can switch the water for milk. If you do use milk I put my milk in the blender and added the  lye well blending my mixture. The soap stayed a nice white color.This way the milk did not curdle or turn orange when adding lye.

I get my oils and solids to temp then do my lye.  Usally your lye will be right temp because the liquid is cold. If your lye goes below 110% just sit it in some hot water to get it up to right temp.
 
When soap traces it will look like pudding that is getting thick. It don't always leave a trail on top of soap if you drizzle some on. If you do not think your soap is tracing after stirring for 30 minutes just pour in molds it will be fine.

I let my soap sit in molds only 24 hours.

Please when making any soap wear goggles, gloves and a apron of some sort.

After all that is said here is the recipe.

1 pound lard or shortening
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp cocoa butter
1. cup water or milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp of lye
fragrance of choice
Take water or milk and freeze until slushy. Once slushy add your lye slowly to liquid. Set aside get solids and oils to 110%. Once the lye and oil mixture is at 110% add the lye to oils slowly. Stir until trace then add your fragrance and pour in to molds. Allow to sit in molds for 2 days then cure for 4 weeks.

LINKS

Thought I would post a link to a very helpful soap making page. It is http://www.millersoap.com/ she has alot of help, good ideas and recipes here.

The next one would like to post is a good place to get oils is http://www.soaperschoice.com/

The next one is a place to get lye at a fairly reasonable price https://www.essentialdepot.com/

This is a soap making article on a blog http://razorfamilyfarms.com/category/crafts/soap_making/

Also a place that has been useful to me where people share their ideas is soap making for beginners in facebook.

Well hope this gives you little bit read about. Me, the son and hubby cut wood most of the day so I'm tired. We have chores and 4-H meeting yet tonight so not much time for blogging. Have a great day! Rebekah

ONE BAR SOAP RECIPE

Here is a recipe someone gave in my homesteading group. Thought I would share. I'm wanting to try this. It is called experimenatal because it does one bar.
Susan Cavitch and her book, The Natural Soap Companion, EXPERIMENTAL SOAP BAR RECIPE: (one bar) - 16.8 grams lye (sodium hyrdoxide), 45.4 grams distilled water, 42.2 grams olive oil, 36.2 grams coconut oil, 42.2 grams palm oil.
Feel free to change as needed, for example, I use goats milk in place of the water... Oh, and use higher temps - 120F - for fats and lye as this small amount doesn't hold the heat very well. And this is a 10% lye discount recipe (meaning there is 10% less lye than it takes to completely saponify the fats). If you change the fats, you may need to adjust the amount of lye. I use the magic mountain soap site lye calculator. Disclaimer- I have not tried this recipe so I don't know how it will turn out. Rebekah

WELCOME

Welcome to homestead soap and candles. Here I will endevour to create a page with links, tips, recipes and reader comments that will help you with your candle and soap making. I have a lot of work to do so please be patient with me as I get the blog started. I will also be sharing my experinces in candle and soap making. Thanks for visiting Rebekah.