Oh Lily My Love
Armed and dangerous with my new fragrance oils, I decided late last night to make a small batch of soap and scent it with lily of the valley. It's a scent that reminds me of one of my best friend's mom's bedroom. She used to wear lily of the valley when we were kids. I remember vividly the talcum powder sitting on her dresser. ( you know who you are Auntie Joy)
Anyway, I was delighted to see a huge bottle of lily of valley FO in amongst my booty and decided that it would be the 1st soap I made.
Of course I wasn't thinking about the fact that florals can be trifling to soap because they accellerate at lightening speed. (Budding soapmakers take note - always add fo's LAST). So i'm doing my thing, everything's looking real good even after I add the fragrance and stir it all in. Then IT happened!!! I managed to pour the soap in the mold but by the time I sat the pot down to jiggle the mold and allow the soap to settle, it had turned into this stiff mound standing to attention in my mold. I practically had to flatten it down with brut force. So much for the pretty 2 color green swirls on top that I had envisioned in my head!
Not one to give up too easily, I did attempt to swirl and the result can only be described as laughable. I didn't even need to put the bloody thing in the oven, it was rock hard already! So I had this cement block in the mold with a pool of green watery stuff floating on top of it - NOICE!
As you can see from the picture, I did not give up on my little Lily. I put it in the oven overnight and removed it this morning before slicing it up and sitting it out to cure. Can I just tell you, it smells like heaven! I'm keeping each and every one of these hideous looking things cos I love them like a mother loves her ugly kid.
Anyway, I was delighted to see a huge bottle of lily of valley FO in amongst my booty and decided that it would be the 1st soap I made.
Of course I wasn't thinking about the fact that florals can be trifling to soap because they accellerate at lightening speed. (Budding soapmakers take note - always add fo's LAST). So i'm doing my thing, everything's looking real good even after I add the fragrance and stir it all in. Then IT happened!!! I managed to pour the soap in the mold but by the time I sat the pot down to jiggle the mold and allow the soap to settle, it had turned into this stiff mound standing to attention in my mold. I practically had to flatten it down with brut force. So much for the pretty 2 color green swirls on top that I had envisioned in my head!
Not one to give up too easily, I did attempt to swirl and the result can only be described as laughable. I didn't even need to put the bloody thing in the oven, it was rock hard already! So I had this cement block in the mold with a pool of green watery stuff floating on top of it - NOICE!
As you can see from the picture, I did not give up on my little Lily. I put it in the oven overnight and removed it this morning before slicing it up and sitting it out to cure. Can I just tell you, it smells like heaven! I'm keeping each and every one of these hideous looking things cos I love them like a mother loves her ugly kid.
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