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Thursday, 28 December 2017

Cold Process Liquid Soap (CPLS)

I am having so much fun with potassium in my soap kitchen! Why potassium do you say? Because Potassium hydroxide AKA caustic potash is used to make liquid soap. You could make liquid soap with sodium hydroxide (lye) by just adding more water but it is gloppy and sloppy and slimy---eww. Sodium hydroxide based soap wants to be solid, whereas potassium hydroxide produced soap will stay a nice liquid which many of us enjoy in a shampoo or body wash.

I've made liquid soap with the hot process method and it's messy and takes FOREVER in watching and tending. Frankly it makes me a little nervous having a hot boiling pot of caustic concoction bubbling and boiling in my soap kitchen. When I came across the cold process method, I thought "Why not? I make the best bar soap with the cold process. Lets give it a try." Guess what? It's amazing and so easy! You still have to play the waiting game and leave it for a week or so before dilution. Warning: thickening diluted soap is kind of like making bath bombs (a 'feel' kind of thing with so many different options your head may spin a little at first).

Here is a link to making CPLS with me in my soapy kitchen...

Making Cold Process Liquid Soap



You might also want to continue on to the next step 24 hours later...



Day 2 CPLS--The Vaseline Stage

Then if you are still interested come on the journey to testing your soap paste..



Day 3 CPLS Testing your soap paste

Then comes the fun stuff! Making products with your Soap Paste...



Making Goldi Dreadlocks Soap Paste


I'm still making more videos on this topic so hit 'Subscribe' on my YouTube channel while you are there and say hi! Making your own Shampoo with CPLS paste is up next!  Spoiler: Chocolate Chip Cookie scented Shampoo! It's heavenly (IMO) and aids in the most lovely curls in my hair.

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Soap dough is so much fun...have a peek at some of my newest projects..

After the Beekeeper soap is one of my personal favorites...





For Christmas we have 'Naughty or Nice'. Complete with stockings, ornaments, candy and cookies for Santa.


I've got a Youtube channel now so I'll link a how to DIY video here soon!

In the meantime go and visit Bee at Sorcery Soaps! She's the one who got me hooked and she has some wonderful free recipes and advice. If you like them be sure and buy her Sorcery Soaps book it's worth every penny!


Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Almond Macaron Soap now in the Etsy Shop!


I'm back to dreaming up new and exciting soap and here are the two I made this past week...


Almond Macaron Sparkle Soap


Movember Man Soap


These are available for purchase in my new Jentle Soaps Etsy Shop.  


While playing around in my new soap kitchen I also made a few more things...

Berry Almond Meringue Soap

Watch for these in the shop. I just love it! 



My first Mashup Soap

Berries and Cream Soap (cupcake base) topped with Strawberry Bliss Bubble Bar frosting.




Flying Unicorn Alien Saucer Soap


 (or something like that). I was testing various sprinkles for soap suitability.

Icing Top Bubble Bars in Strawberry Sparkle Bliss


Here are the cuts...


Almond Macaron Sparkle Slice

Movember Man

50% of the profits from Movember Man will be donated directly to the Movember Man Foundation. I'm getting a head start on this one because soap  drying takes some time and I want my donors and customers to enjoy it the whole month of November this 2017!

Monday, 22 May 2017

English Angoras Improved!!!

I just want to update my site with pictures of my homegrown English Angoras that I'm really pleased with.

This is Tufftoo. She's my Holland project designed to keep the size small and has improved (I hope) the texture and type of wool in her line...


TUF2
She has a wonderful personality and we're taking her to show despite having some issues with mites about 2 months ago. I really hope the judges like her texture as her density is going to  work against her in one spot at least this show. She grows out almost matt and felt free but is quite a bit of work after 5 inches of growth (but totally worth it as you can see). She's a tiny girl under all that fluff (just over 5 lbs).

This is Rosie. She's my brood doe in my REW lines. Although she has too much guard hair she also grows out fairly easily and has a full and DENSE coat right now.

ROZ4
Rosie is a wonderful mother and has fostered several other kits as well. She is a little prone to hooking up with my French Lop however and has had a litter or two of hybrids with him. First time it happened I was so excited to get Harli angoras and then I actually thought about who I know has harlequin in his lines. Grr. He's a perfect angel in the house (totally housetrained) and apparently has won this girls heart twice now, I may actually keep one to see if Giants (angora) start to emerge, LOL.


This is Cole. He's a beautiful dark black homegrown boy from a line I picked up in Vancouver. His growth pattern in his face suggests that he has some French in his lines somewhere but it's not on his pedigree. He has a lovely dark coat and is one of the sweetest boys in my lines. He tends to molt at least once a year so comes from molting EA lines. He's an easier care buck as well.

COL
His mother Blueberry was a terrible dame. She nibbled most of her litters and this guy was no exception but we saved him. He's missing one toe! 

My first ARBA show quality boy came in a couple of years ago (Cole is his kit). His name is Ricki. I got a doe (Lucy) but she never bred with him due to arriving with a vent disease and passed before she could fully recover and have kits of her own.

RKI

He's given me some pretty good kits and we're excited to incorporate some new even better does and bucks into our lines.  Cole has Chu's Daniel (a grand champion REW) in his pedigree. I just got Frosting from him (a rew kit we're taking to the upcoming VIRBA Vancouver Island show on June 3)

I'm very excited to announce we've gotten some amazing lines from Tessa Black. She's worked with Windle Wabbits and the kits we're seeing from her are WOW! From my new Chestnut's first litter (she was bred with Respendence-a blue tort (he's gorgeous),   we got a rainbow of colours. Black, Opal, Blue, Chestnut, REW and even a cream one that chilled so we didn't get to see him grow out.  I'll be posting pics soon!

Dark and mysterious. Don't worry the wait is worth it!
Chestnut Kit

There is a little castor foster sibling in this pile. Can you pick him out?







Saturday, 28 January 2017

CRBA Capital Region Beekeepers Association Demo Recipes

Jentle Soaps
CRBA Honey and Beeswax Beauty Crafting Demo Recipes

Krissy's Bath Bombs
1 c. Sodium Bicarb (baking soda)
1/2 c. Citric Acid
1/2. C. Cornstarch
2 T. Coconut Oil
2 t. Honey
1 t. Melted Beeswax
1 t. Water
2 t. Scent (eg. Lemongrass Essential Oil)
Mix bicarb, citric and cornstarch. In separate bowel mix melted coconut oil, honey, beeswax, water and scent. Combine wet and dry. Quickly and firmly pack into moulds. Tip out carefully and allow to dry overnight.

Honey Soap
1 lb honey melt and pour soap
3 T. Honey
4 T. Honey cappings
2 tsp. Almond essential oil or fragrance of your choice

Melt soap in microwave at 2 min intervals. Add cappings and essential oils once the soap begins to cool to a thick consistency. Pour into moulds. Once it hardens, slice into bars.

Honey Bee Lotions
Honey Foot Cream: 2 T. Multibase EL 1/2 t. Honey
Warm all ingredients together in microwave. Mix well. 10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Light Honey Lotion: 1/4 c. Multibase Easy Lotion 1 c. Water 1 T. Honey
Warm all together in microwave. Mix well. Add up to 1 t. Lavender Essential Oil.

Honey Mist/Hair Conditioner: 1/4. c. Multibase EL , 2 c. Honey tea (2 c. Water 1 t. Honey) 4 drops Ylang ylang essential oil. Warm all together and mix well until incorporated. Pour into a mister and use to hydrate the skin when required.

Honey Sugar Scrub
1 c. Granulated sugar, 1/2 c. Honey 1/4 c. Coarse sugar 1 T. Multibase EL
Mix together well. Add water to give the scrub a paste consistency. Use in shower to exfoliate.

For private classes, supplies/ingredients contact Jen Olson jenspice1@yahoo.ca

For more recipes: www.blogspot.jentlesoaps.com