Sunday, January 3, 2010

A Beekeepers Soap

Yes - we did it! We made soap yesterday! And it even turned out :o) Gordon made soap way back when in chemistry class, and I know that Melissa has done this type of thing for a job. So for them this is easy-peasy :o) But it is all new to me and WAY fun to boot!

Here are our supplies all set up.

I am measuring out the specialty oils and fats. Our recipe includes beeswax and honey from Gordon's honeybees :o)
These are the molds that Gordon made from wood and we lined with wax paper.

Here is Gordon stirring the Lye very carefully outside where it is freezing!

We have combine the melted oils and fats with the lye and I am mixing it with a hand blender being careful not to fling the mixture about.


Me in my protective gear! (have to be cautious with the lye) I look like something from a sci-fi movie!

This is near the end when it is thickening up (reaching 'trace') and I am finishing it with a wire whisk. (it's gone through saponification! I am learning all kinds of new words....be impressed....cause I am!)

It's been poured into the molds and we tried to even it out with a spatula.

We cover them with their lids and then wrap them up in a blanket for 24 hours.

Gordon just removed them from the molds.

Now they are cut into something of a bar!
Now we let it cure for 2-4 weeks. We'll keep you posted :o)

2 comments:

MelissaPurls said...

That's pretty cool, Carrie! I've been thinking about "making" soap this week, too (Meaning, getting one of those melt-and-pour-into-molds kits), but none of the stores around here have them anymore.

Phang said...

Hey Carrie --

I am so pleased to see your GLORIOUS soap! Soapmaking in the winter is great (that lye solution cools nicely outside with no fumes in the kitchen) and you seem to have done everything just Perfedtly Right.

Thank you for letting me know about this and your blog!

Cheers

Toni