Hi again, and a few questions...

20 years ago

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted here, but I check in every once in awhile. I kinda stopped "soaping" after christmas since I didn't have anywhere to give it, and didn't have time for craft shows. But my mom and I are going to share a booth at a craft show this fall, so Labor Day weekend I'm going to start pouring soap again. :-) I'm hoping the sale will go well - might set up a web site to sell from if it does, we'll see. I figure if I pour soap every weekend from now until then (just in the mornings), I should have a good-sized inventory to sell/give away. :-)

So is anyone thinking christmas soaps yet? The craft show we're doing is the weekend after Thanksgiving, so my focus will be on "christmasy" type soaps (leftovers will be gifts, of course), though I will have some plain bar soaps too. I'm planning on some peppermint, pine, mulberry & cinnamon scented soaps, hopefully I can find some cheap christmas molds (I need to order some more base anyways).

I just bought some rubber ice cube trays in cute shapes because I wanted to try them with soap. Has anyone used these for melt & pour soap? I was thinking small soaps like that could be "samples", priced at $.25 or so to keep people from just grabbing a handful.

My other question was, how long does your melt & pour soap usually last? I didn't want to start too early because I wanted it to be "fresh", but I'd like to put a "use by" date on the labels if they're going to start getting "icky" past a certain point, you know? I generally use the base from WSS, though I might try the SFIC stuff since they're selling that now too.

So - how's everyone doing? :-)

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Comments (4)

Hazel_SC
20 years ago
I have a rubber tray mold for unicorn heads....works great they pop out REALLY easy. seem to set up quickly also.

My soap has always been good for months, 3-4 looking as good as new, depending on how you store it. I don't think you need a "use by" date, BUT you could put a small hand out in with their purchases saying these soaps make great sachets, stick them in drawers or linen closets etc.

I've been doing soap pretty regularly, because of the web site, slowed down a bit now & I've been working on clearing out excess junk!

Off to work on some craft stuff now, maybe some soap later....Also have to pack ebay auctions......

Hazel
jamie_mt
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks Hazel - I was gone all weekend, or would have replied sooner. :-)

Now I'm really looking forward to using those ice cube trays for soap! Thank you for all the info - I was planning on making a hand out to give with all the soaps so I didn't have to put the ingredients on each label (call me lazy). I'll add the suggestion for sachets and drawer fresheners - thanks a bunch!

I'm hoping to set up a web site (off my current site) to sell soaps & crocheted crafts from, but I thought I'd see how they sold at the craft show first. Didn't know if it would be worth the time maintaining it or not, but might try it next year for a little extra income (would be nice if it would just support my hobbies, anyways). We'll see how much time I have - I'm getting married and moving sometime either next spring or summer, so lots to do then. :-)

Thanks again for all the info - I ordered some more base, scents and some christmasy molds from WSS last week, so can't wait to get that & start soaping again! I still have a little base left, so I'm going to start this weekend, since I have three days off. :-)
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elle110
20 years ago
Hi,
I have not tried the ice tray molds but have bought 2 silicone molds lately and I am getting spoiled. One is a beautiful cupcake with swirls of luscious icing, looks like the real thing, the other is a bar of soap with a very detailed gingerbread man on it. I did both soaps in goats milk base, scented the cupcake with white cake fragrance and the gingerbread man in gingerbread, of course. I love these molds, the mold makers details are unbelievable. Hazel is right they do set fast and getting them out of the molds is almost effortless. I am going to attempt to get several more molds for Xmas in the silicone and continue to add to my bakery cake line with these molds. They are more expensive but the payoff is great.

Well, just thought I would give my ideas about the rubber/silicone molds. I am getting ready for a huge show next week, it is getting down to the wire. I have done nothing but make soap, body butter etc. for at least 2 mos. The show has over 150,000 every year and I am really looking forward to it.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Michelle
jamie_mt
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks Michelle!! I'm so excited to try those new molds now - and I really want to invest in some of the rubber ones, from what you two have said. I get annoyed trying to get soap out of the plastic molds occasionally (okay, I get impatient and try too soon too), so it will be nice to have them come out easily.

My soap order is here, as well as the new molds and scents, and I'm ready to get started!! Have a great weekend... :-)

Hi again, and a few questions...

Comments (4)

Hazel_SC

jamie_mt
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Hi again, and a few questions...

Comments (4)

Hazel_SC

jamie_mtOriginal Author

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