Soaping Withdrawals!!!

I have made my first batch of soap in almost two weeks! Country Garden is gelling in the mould now and I will be making more tomorrow - a new one for teen/oily skin and also my very first castille soap. Castille is usually 100% olive oil soap and I will be using Extra Virgin - for my first time....lol..... 

Country Garden is made using my Camellia Tea recipe and using Lavender and Rose Geranium essential oils as fragrance.  With a mauve and green swirl in the creamy base soap, it evokes in me a walk through an old style country garden.  I have an antique amber glass container inherited from my Grandmother; the lid is painted with a lady in a sunbonnet surrounded by her lovely flowering garden and this inspired my Country Garden soap.  

My new tester recipe for oily/teen skin will definitely be a 'girls only' one.  I am using a Fantasy (type) fragrance oil and colouring it with a blend of raspberry and grape micas, all from Big Tree Supplies in Queensland Australia - so, very girly!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas doing whatever you enjoy doing best, and I wish everyone a Happy New Year and a very prosperous and fulfilling 2010.

 

 

 

Yummy!

I have just finished snacking on some amazing gingerbread people (Mum, Dad and Baby ones!) that my darling daughter made for us today.  She used a very simple recipe that she found on Taste's website ~ http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/20689/gingerbread+people
and they are wonderful with a cup of espresso coffee.....a long black double shot by preference *big smile*.

With Christmas Day so close now I really have to get on to cooking my microwave pudding to take to my sister and brother-in-law's place for Christmas dinner. I will also make peppernut biscuits with my daughter on Christmas Eve....something of a tradition with us over recent years.  Peppernuts are traditional Christmas fare in Germany - you get lots for your dollar and they keep for at least a month.  These too are wonderful with coffee.....

Peppernut Biscuits:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup (molasses or treacle will probaby work too)
1/4 cup water
60 grams butter
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 1/4 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp mixed spice
icing sugar

Combine sugar, syrup and water in pan, stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil; remove from heat, add butter and soda, stirring in well.  Cool to lukewarm, stir in egg, lemon rind, sifter flour and spice.  Refrigerate dough several hours or overnight.

Roll pieces of dough on lightly floured surface into long sausage shapes, about 1 cm thick.  Cut into small pieces about 1 cm long.  Place cut side up on lightly greased oven trays (I use baking paper here).  Bake in moderate oven 12 minutes or until browned.  Cool on wire rack, dust with sifted icing sugar.  Store in airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

I usually make a double mixture and give some in jars as gifts.

I have also been stocktaking my handmade soap - I cure my soap on racks in a cupboard for 4 to 6 weeks and then store the soap in cardboard boxes until I am ready to label them.  Do you know how confusing it is to find the exact batch of soap you want next, if you haven't a clue which box it is in?!  A note in top of each box with the contents listed is such a time saver for me now....lol....I currently have stored and ready to label:  Calendula Sunshine, Sweetpea Delight, DeGreased Lightening, Very Vanilla, Gentle Teddy Lavender, Confetti and Coconutty.  Made but still curing in my cupboard are Bluebell Breezes, Heavenly Silk, Dreamy Coffee & Cream, Camellia Tea, Lime in de Coconut, a new unscented Goatsmilk Bastille as well as Summer Nights - a new floral fraganced soap which is divine!

 

No soapy talk today....I have been helping my youngest son sort through his belongings.  You know, what is good to keep, good but not needed, and rubbish.  We found very little he wanted to keep - mostly we found clothes that are too small and toys that he has completely grown out of (he is 14) and very little rubbish in comparison.  We have 5 big bags and boxes of items to be given to our local charity collection now, just in time for Christmas :)

.....Oh, I did cut and bevel some soap and delivered a Christmas order too.....

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Some of my Favourite Soap Pics

I have just finished making an unscented Goatsmilk Bastille (mostly olive oil) soap for sensitive skin, so now I have some time to post some piccies (love taking pics of my soap!).

Here are a few of my favourite soaps.......

Sweetpea Delight - I entered this photograph into an online forum competition....and won!
(As featured in Saponifier Magazine)

Ramblin' Rose (named after the Nat King Cole song)

Camellia Tea - this soap included camellia tea seed oil (green tea oil), a wonderful antioxidant

Buttermilk & Honey Cream

Sand'n'Sea Spa Salt Bar

 

Zen Confetti Facial Bar

And my limited edition Christmas soap - Hollyberry Snow

Welcome to Titania's Dreamy Delights

Hello and welcome to my blog :)

I will be posting about my cold process soapmaking and bath and body care products, as well as all sorts of things that attract me and I am interested in. I hope you will enjoy sharing my journey with me!