I just read a Meaningful Story .....

..... at this link http://www.cashandjoy.com/secrets/ and it is just so true!!!

I love this story.  I am truly passionate about making soap, making it from scratch.  Devising my own recipes and waiting (impatiently!) to test them and test them some more later on...and again later on.  Changing my recipes and testing them again....and telling everyone who will listen (and sometimes even those who won't) all about it, all the time.  Am I crazy?  Absolutely!  Crazy about making and sharing handmade soap.

I..just..love..doing..it.  

And I love what other soapmakers do.  How can I not?  I also love sharing what other soapmakers are doing - and why not?  I don't make soap like Lyn of Lynnz Artisan Soap and Candles; I don't make soap like Tiggy of Future Primitive Soap; I don't make soap like Sharon of Platypus Dreams (although I sometimes dream about doing that, as her soaps are works of art);  I don't make soap like Madame Louise of The Soap Gallery.  I make soap like ME.  Of course, I am influenced by every one of them and by many, many others; all of whom make beautiful soap that is gentle to use and a pleasure to have.

Soap is my creative outlet and the only one I have ever had.  I discovered it only a few years ago and do you know how exciting it is to realise you can be creative?  I believed that I didn't have a creative bone in my body and that just wasn't true!  It is like my soul has awoken to the beauty around me and I am translating that beauty through the medium of soapmaking.  What a pleasure.  What a passion!

What are you passionate about?  In what way are you creative?  When did you realise it?  Have you always known?  Share your journey too.

And me?  I am off to make some more soap ~ Easter is coming! *smile*

The Soap Gallery and Madame Louise......

I love soap swaps!  It is just so much fun to send off a parcel to some exotic destination and receive one in return.  This time I was fortunate enough to get a bar of Chocolate Mint Bliss soap from the wonderful formulary of Madame Louise of The Soap Gallery, situated at Winnipeg, Manitoba in the heart of Canada.  Isn't it beautiful?!

I have just finished using the very last little piece of this and it lathered right down to the last sliver.  This one smelled of a yummy choc mint dessert and the scent really bloomed for me in the shower during use.  It had a creamy, velvety lather that lasted the whole shower long and left my skin feeling soft and smooth....lovely soap!  Thank you so much Louise *mwah!*

I'm In Love!

...with the most beautiful fragrance oil.  I have lots of favourites I must admit, however right now my absolute favourite is 'Be Delicious (DKNY type) fragrance oil from my supplier Big Trees.  The scent description says "Interpretation of the Donna Karan New York™ (Brand) fragrance. Fruity and vibrant, this fragrance is uplifting and mouthwatering - a compilation of green apple, grapefruit and white amber."  

I soaped this on Monday using one of my WSP silicone loaf moulds as a test.  I also made enough soap batter to fill my 3 new individual Bebe silicone soap moulds which I got as Christmas presents from my family.  I am so happy with how well the Bebe moulds worked with my recipe and how easy they were to unmould too.  

Here they are with the soap setting up in them~

And here are the soaps unmoulded ~

The soap loaf - not yet cut ~

I am calling this 'Deliciously Mine' and it is the first of my new range of mild soaps based on my Gentle Teddy oil blend, without the goats milk ~ a moisturising high olive oil soap with luxurious tussah silk for the silkiest lather.  I will be scenting these with a new range of sophisticated fragrances including 'Cucumber Wasabi Cilantro' as well as 'Passionflower & Acai Berry', 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' and 'Rice Flower & Shea'.


What is your favourite fragance?  I am definitely partial to sweet and fruity or light floral scents as well as almost all citrus *smile*


Have a wonderful weekend!

It's Summer Time......

.....in the Southern Hemisphere and I love getting ready for Christmas while cicadas are singing and my wonderful gardenia is blossoming

Can't you just smell these?


One day I plan on visiting the Northern Hemisphere to experience a white Christmas, however until then the white of my gardenia flowers will suffice *smile*


What are your plans for Christmas?  Will you stay home?  Travel?  Do you have any special traditions you follow?  Up until now my husband's parents have come to us and spent several days visiting.  My children loved to wake them up on Christmas morning so they could watch the present opening ~ fun!  Now that they have both passed we will be having a quiet Christmas morning at home and then will be hosting relatives for dinner.  This year I will be cooking turkey, slicing ham and putting together salads.  Oh, and making my microwave pudding.  I have almost perfected changing it over to gluten-free without it being too dry.  Maybe this year it will be just right!


Have a wonderful Festive Season, however you celebrate it.  Take care on the roads if you are travelling and stay safe, happy and healthy ~ Namaste

Shaving Soap!

Do you have a special man in your life (or men) who prefers to shave with a razor?  Well I do, so I have made my first Shaving Soap!  I am really excited about it and look forward to my testers feedback.  Of course, girls shave too don't we, so I encourage you to lather your legs with this luscious, mild and moisturising soap *smile*

This first tester is scented with crisp, fresh notes of citrus, cucumber, passionfruit, wasabi, cilantro and fern; teamed with moisturising glycerine and aloe vera juice; a generous amount of avocado oil and shea butter for a nourishing boost; and with tussah silk and kaolin clay included for excellent razor glide.  A mild shaving soap allowing you to build the perfect lather.  It will be available for purchase early in 2011 and will be individually scented with your preferred fragrance, by the pot or solid puck.

 

 

Have a wonderful day!

Finally Took A Pic......

.....of my latest batch of Light Body Nectar.  I wanted to develop a luscious, moisturising body and hand lotion that spreads well yet sinks in fast with a lovely, light after-feel.  My result was even better than I had hoped!

It is made with a generous amount of aloe vera juice teamed with my favourite skin-loving oils of rice bran, soybean, jojoba and with some yummy cocoa butter to help protect your skin.  If you would like to try some you can find it on my Facebook page.


Now it is time to sit here with my cuppa and browse some of my favourite websites, so 'bye for now and have a wonderful day! *smile*

Christmas is a'coming!

Christmas......a time of gatherings and good things to eat and presents and love for family and friends.....one of my most favourite times of the year!  To celebrate I have made two special limited edition Christmas soaps 

~ Hollyberry Snow (a revamp of last year's version)

~ and Christmas Mint

Both of these soaps are made with lashings of olive oil and with tussah silk added for truly silky lather, as well as shea butter (for Hollyberry Snow) and cocoa butter (for Christmas Mint).  You can find both of these limited edition Christmas soaps available on my Facebook page HERE


Have a wonderful day!


Tanya :)

Scented Teddy Soaps are ready!

You may have seen my 'Loopy Teddy' soaps several blog posts ago and now they are joined by four more scented teddies!  Here they are all together.....

From left to right:-  Rosey Teddy, Berry Teddy, Juicy Teddy, Loopy Teddy and Snuggly Teddy.


And here is the full Teddy range including my original, unscented Gentle Teddy .....

All of these Teddy Soaps are made with lashings of mild olive oil and goats milk, formulated especially for those with sensitive skin and children.  If you would like to make these Teddies your own you will find them on my Facebook page very soon.


Have a wonderful day!

Thick and Luscious Cream........

I have just made a batch of my Goats Milk & Oatmeal Cream....and remembered to take pictures this time, yay!  I love making lotions and creams.  It is quite magical to watch them thicken and become something smooth and creamy or thick and luscious ~

Here are my melted oils, butters and emulsifing wax:

Once combined with the water-based ingredients everything turns milky white:

After time and cooling, the mixture becomes gorgeously thick!

Here is some in a jar, almost ready to be labelled:

This gorgeous, thick cream spreads well and sinks in fast with a lovely velvety after-feel. Made with a generous amount of soothing aloe vera juice; teamed with skin-loving oils and butters chosen for their anti-oxidant properties; and including colloidal oatmeal - for its soothing relief of dry, itchy or sensitive skin; and powdered goats milk - for its soothing, smoothing and moisturising properties.  This is best used unscented if you have a sensitive skin or certain skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.  If you would like to try some you can find it on my Facebook page and also in my Ethikl store.


Have a wonderful day!

A Few New Creations....

It seems like simply ages since I have posted here....and I have been catching up on photographing my most recently added soapy creations, so I'd like to share them with you *smile*



Copacabana soap ~ scented with a refreshing spa fragrance to transport you all the way to sunny Brazil! Teamed with gentle olive oil, silk and with shea butter added for extra creaminess. 

Oat Milk & Linseed soap ~ scented with a refreshing essential oil blend; teamed with oat milk and silk to soothe and soften; made with added linseed (flaxseed) oil which is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and a generous amount of castor oil. This soap may also be used as a gentle shampoo bar.

Heavenly Silk soap ~ scented with may chang and lavender essential oils to uplift and sooth you.  This soap has Australian pink clay swirled through to gently tone your skin, teamed with aloe vera juice and silk to soothe and soften; with a generous amount of mild, gentle olive oil and rich, nourishing cocoa butter for added creaminess.

Puppy Wash Bar ~ dogs skin has a pH averaging around 7.4 - similar to human babies and higher than a human adult - so they need a very mild and gently cleansing soap. I have used oils with higher linoleic and linolenic acid profiles to develop my Puppy Wash Bar specifically for our canine friends.
Lightly scented with essential oils to discourage ticks and fleas; teamed with neem oil for its insect repellent and skincare properties, oatmilk, silk and with a generous amount of castor oil added for shine.

You can find these and more on my TITANIA'S DREAMY DELIGHTS  Facebook page and they will soon to added to my ETHIKL online store.


Have a wonderful day!