This morning I unmolded my four pound soap log with the alkanet root for coloring - well it is not lavender, it is not white, but it is presently a light pinkish, beigish, tannish color with dark speckles. As it continues to cure, I'm hoping the color may continue to develop as the pH decreases. Next batch will be done with an infusion of the alkanet root into some oil that will then get added to the batch at trace. I would love to get a beautiful lavender with the alkanet . . . one of these days . . . hopefully. My batch yeilded 14 bars, and while the color is less than perfect, the scent is wonderful; I just love lemongrass and it is a nice compliment to the lavender.
Now I need to begin planning my contribution for the soap swap I will be co-hostessing for one of my soap forums. Our swap theme is winter . . . broader than just Christmas, or Holiday, and encompassing all of winter visions. I'm not sure just what direction to take my contribution. I thought I would do a soap, but the swap is not limited to just soaps . . . it can be any B&B products. I could do a sugar or salt scrub, or a body butter. A scrub or a butter would be far easier, less of a time concern for curing but now I'm just not sure . . . winter is the time for bathroom pampering . . . dry air and cold nights (and days, depending on the area of the country) that conjur up images of crackling logs on the fire, candles and hot cocoa, snuggling under an afghan or the covers, or luxuriating in a hot bath. Maybe I'll do a "gift set" with a travel size soap, scrub, and butter.
I've discovered that all my Select Shades FD&C Cosmetic grade dyes for my soap must have been left by accident in the house in Bakersfield last fall when we moved to West Sacramento. I'm so bummed out about that . . . any coloring I do will have to be with herbs, my red palm oil, my titanium dioxide (white - how thrilling, lol), green oxide, or my gold mica. Yet another thing I need to add to my inventory building order. The dyes aren't super expensive, but many of them had hardly been used and a few had not been used at all - money down the drain . . . I just hate that!
Well, last night I stayed up until 4:00 AM this morning . . . I'm beat beyond words, my back is killing me as it always does when I'm overly tired and my ankles and feet are swollen and retaining water as well - I need rest. Jerry will be chastising me unmercifully if I do not get to bed at a decent hour tonight. Because no matter what, Thor and Bacchus wake me every morning at 8:00 AM to go out and take care of buisness, and by the time they are done, I'm wide awake and getting no more sleep. Hard to get anything done if you are too tired to keep it together.
Now I'm just rambling, so I best conclude my writing for the day.
Blessings,
Rebalspirit-robi
Thor's - Leader of the Pack Bath & Body
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