Soap Classes

Alexis and I have been hosting soap making classes both at our farm and our local high school for several years. The classes begin with an ice breaker game, time to browse the sales table which includes cured soap, goat's milk soap laundry detergent, books, frozen goat's milk for those who want to make their own soap at home, plus a fun slide show of our Nubian goats.

Once everybody is settled in there is a lecture time including an in-depth explanation of soap terms and how to make cold process soap, followed by a soap making and cutting demonstration. At about this point most people feel even more intimidated than when first they arrived, but soon after they have been handed a wand mixer and a pair of goggles they quickly figure out that making soap isn't so scary.

Next, we pair everybody up into groups of two where they get to make their own batch of soap and then help their fellow student mix up a batch - some are even courageous enough to try swirls and color combinations. It is so fun to see the transformation in our students who enter both scared and excited, then leave two hours later laughing and confident with a box of their own hand made goat's milk soap under their arms.

Overheated Soap

Not every batch of soap turns out pretty enough for pictures, or even for resale or gifts. Especially soaps made with goat's milk can tend to be tricky to make because goat's milk easily overheats. Previously I have always wrapped my soap in old bathroom towels to insulate them after pouring the finished mixture into their molds, but recently several batches have overheated. At first I thought it was just the new scent I used, which could have attributed some to the heat level. But after the second, then the third batch had those eery looking teeth, I did some investigating and discovered that yes, my soaps were overheating.

After a few not so perfect batches I have since gone to the other side of the gel or not to gel debate and have started to pop my soap into the freezer, unwrapped, after pouring the fresh soap in the mold. Results: beautiful soap, no overheating, no eery teeth.

 

One of the best parts about making goat's milk soap is raising the very goats who provide all that good milk. Kidding season is nearing its end on our little farm with five out of six does having already kidded. There are some doelings who will stay on our farm to be future mommas, and the bucklings have begun to find new homes~ one even as far away as North Dakota. Love those long Nubian ears!

On the Curing Rack

Some new soaps are curing on the rack and will be ready to go in another week or so. The first bar is the ever favorite Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Goat's Milk Soap. Made as a special request order for a local customer this bar appeals to many who don't want any extra scents, just an all around great bar of soap with some extra exfoliates.

 

Baby Powder Blue Goat's Milk Soap is another trial bar using our new oil recipe, and it seems to be passing the test with flying colors! I love the bubbly goodness from the castor oil, and of course, farm fresh goat's milk is great in any bar of Nubian's Delight soap. The blue turned out very soft and pretty, and it smells so exactly like baby powder that your nose even tickles when you smell it!
 

Both bars will be ready for shipping in just a couple more weeks.

Lemon Poppyseed Goat's Milk Soap

Oooh~la~la!! This may be my new favorite bar!

It is certainly a new favorite design.

I am imagining numerous color variations and scents ...

the possibilities are endless.

 

Lemon Poppyseed Goat's Milk Soap, fresh out of the mold. Made with our new oil recipe (castor, olive, and coconut) which has proven to be a perfect blend for lots of sudsy bubbles, plus our farm fresh goat's milk and some poppy seeds mixed in for extra scrubbing power. What a fun, sunny looking bar!

How do you do that you're asking? Well, let me show you the trick.
 

At a light trace I separated my plain soap batch by pouring roughly 1/4 of the mixture into a pan and added some Poppyseeds.
 

Next, I added Fizzy Lemonade mica powder from Brambleberry into a couple tablespoons of oil and added it to my pail (with 3/4 of the soap) along with Lemongrass Essential oil. I mixed this concoction up to a heavier trace and poured it into my lined soap mold. Once it was starting to set up, I used my spatula to make some dips and curves.
 

Now comes the fun part. Before I started the soap I dug out an old pair of nylons, cut the toe off and used it to cover the opened end of my little plastic bottle of Black Oxide (yes, again from Brambleberry). I gently tapped the end of the bottle to lightly dust the yellow soap in the mold. It really doesn't take much at all.

 

 

Then I gently scooped the white poppyseed, unscented soap on top. I sprinkled a few more poppyseeds on top for looks and covered it lightly with saranwrap.
 

Since I have been having some trouble with overheated soap lately, I popped it in the freezer for an hour, then waited patiently until the next morning when I could finally cut it.
 

Love it!

 

 

I'll put it up on the sales page soon, but it won't be shipped and ready for use until mid May.

 

A Soapy Give Away

 

Come on over to OurCrazyFarm for a soapy give away!

Soap Labels

A fun, simple way to dress up your soap for resale: scrapbook paper labels.
 

With my paper cutter I cut strips of scrapbook paper about 2 1/2 inches wide.

Then I simply printed our name, Nubian's Delight Goat's Milk Soap, in a fun font on cream paper and cut it out using a fancy paper punch.

After wrapping the soap I glued the description onto the front, and printed out the ingredient list and our website to paste onto the back.

The colors and variations are endless!