I have too many projects in my mind.  If you are not crafty or artistic, you may not understand that your head gets so full of ideas that you need time off of life to fulfill some of the ideas.  Well, I ordered a few items to help make a project or two.  While I was looking around, I stumbled upon purple Ball canning jar lids and bands.  I thought I would show you the new ones with the purple jars.  Unfortunately my lids look more blue in the photo.  I also ordered some solid lids for my project.  I ordered red and pink.  The pink arrived.  It is more of a purple tinge than I would like.  I placed a bubblegum pink folder next to one photo for comparison.  These are not for regular canning, just for storage.  I also ordered wooden spoons for my laundry soap and they came in the mail today.  I had to share, just in case you haven't viewed the new Ball canning rings and bands in purple.

 

See how the pink has a purple tinge.

They sit outside the back door hoping for a treat.  

Snow, Chickens, and Soap Sacks

It is a snowing here.  We probably have about 5" on the ground.  No, I am not complaining.  5" is nothing compared to the 3 feet or more of snow that the New York area of our country has.  Both of the kids shoveled snow.  One did the front and one did the back.  I am grateful.  The dogs stayed in.  The chickens were a little reluctant to go out, but they did. 

As you see, we have an assortment of types and sizes of chickens.  This may explain the varied egg sizes and colors we get.

I have been making soap sacks.  I wrote out directions in case someone else would want to make them also.

Click on the directions and they will enlarge.

Front and back.  As you see, there is one seam and it is centered in the back.

As you see, I frayed the end about 3/8".  This way it looks a little country/rustic.

I hope you are having a good weekend!  We are enjoying the sunshine along with the snow.  It is a perfect crafting and cleaning weekend!

Please view my web store at:

 http://www.custercottage.com
 

And my Etsy shop at:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Have a great weekend! Dawnie

Laundry Butter

Shred or grate the soap.

I am finally trying the laundry butter from fat farm girl soaps.  No, I am not being mean.  She calls her company that name.  This recipe starts with basic coconut butter soap which is not super-fatted.  When making soap normally, a soap maker will add extra fat or oil that does not get suponified which makes the soap less drying on the skin.  It is called super-fatting soap.  Oil, butter, or fat, water, and lye are the 3 ingredients necessary to make soap.  I just had to put some color in it my basic coconut nonsuper-fatted soap--- just a little purl pink mica, and of course some fragrance.  I had some Tresor fragrance oil and I used a very small amount.  Oh boy!  My house smells wonderful!!!  Instead of calling my soap laundry butter, my co-worker came up with the name Whipped Clean. 

Grated soap mixed with water.

Borax mixed in.

Washing soda mixed in.

Overnight Gel

Whipped.

Finished Whipped Clean Laundry Soap

Do you remember using bluing in laundry?  Actually you can still buy it, but the common use of it was before my time.  I know that I can not explain the purpose of it very well, but a blue will intensify white laundry.  A blue-white will reflect more light and make the fabric appear whiter.
Have you noticed that we have much less white laundry than we did 50 years ago.  Who still has white sheets and white underwear now?  Very few of us.  I do still love the look of crisp clean white sheets with the outdoor fresh smell from hanging on the clothesline.  

Please view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com
And my Etsy shop at 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thank you for reading my blog.
Dawnie


You will find the recipe at this post:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8166745332559091209#editor/target=post;postID=1404802857832352989;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=9;src=postname

Hand Made Soap

What is a truly handmade soap and what is a melt and pour made soap?  What is the difference???

I make handmade soap, with one exception.  My soap gag gift is made from a melt and pour base.  I make lotions, creams, balms, etc. from scratch.  If you look on some of the websites such as Etsy,  (Yes, I also have an Etsy shop too.) you will find many soaps that are made with melt and pour bases, or lotion bases.  This is where the seller buys the soap or lotion pre-made.  First the soap is melted.  Next the fragrance, coloring, and other botanicals or clays are added.  Then the mixture is placed in a mold(s) and cooled.  If making lotions from bases, or pre-made, a person would add fragrance, coloring, and other additives into the formula and place it into bottles to sell.  Nothing is wrong with this method; however, it is not all natural and not from scratch.  I do feel that the seller should disclose to the purchaser if the soap is made from a purchased base or if it is made from scratch.  I know this is not something many soap makers would want to do, especially when they use the pre-made bases.  At times you will see the term hand crafted used to indicate the use of melt and pour mixes.  

As far as the difference between the two, I have not answered the question very well for you.  One of the best websites to answer the question is https://sellwoodsoap.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/what-is-melt-and-pour-soap/

 I was looking on Etsy and wondered what the ingredients were in a pretty soap displayed for sale.  Then I saw the ingredient sorbitol, which is not a normal ingredient for soap made from scratch.  I decided to look up a little more about melt and pour soap and I found the above website.  It is worth the look if you have the time or inclination. 

 Real Hand Made Soap:

Soap Ingredients: coconut oil, palm oil, water, lye, raw cow milk,  pink Himalayan bath salts, wheat grass, hand made soap shreds, peppermint infused grapeseed oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, fragrance, coloring, titanium dioxide

 

Melt and pour soap:
 

Soap Ingredients:  Glycerin, prop. glycol, sodium stearate, sodium laureth, sulfate, sorbitol, coconut oil, sodium myristate, triethanolamine, sodium laurate, sodium cocoate, purified water, juniper berries mica, fragrance, wool

I was looking on Etsy and wondered what the ingredients were in a pretty soap displayed for sale.  Then I saw the ingredient sorbitol, which is not a normal ingredient for soap made from scratch.  I decided to look up a little more about melt and pour soap and I found the above website.  It is worth the look if you have the time or inclination. 

Please view my web store at: http://www.custercottage.com
And my Etsy shop at 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thank you for viewing!  Dawnie