• Blog - Crafts

    Soap day 2

    September 13, 2013 - By 

    soap blocks barsI was able to remove the blocks or loaves of soap from the molds today.

    The oatmeal topped one smells so good!!

    I cut them into bars and set them to cure for the next month.

    I have to say that they already felt “soap-like”.

    The next thing I need is a better way to cut the blocks into bars to get a more even, consistent bar. They are all approx the same weight but they are definitely not even.

    Can’t wait to do the next batch! I have to make room in the storage room before I do more. Space…it always seems to be an issue.

     

  • Blog - Crafts

    Soaping today

    September 12, 2013 - By 

    The garage is finally a comfortable temperature again so I got my soap making supplies out and made two batches this morning. The first was an unscented batch that I felt comfortable making again as it turned out well the first time around.  soap

    Next I decided to branch out a bit with new recipe, fragrance and an inclusion. I’d observed this soap being made by my friend Patty so I had a clue before starting.

    The inclusion is oatmeal ground in my coffee grinder. I sprinkled a few oats on top of the mold so I’d be able to tell the two batches apart very soap moldseasily.  The oatmeal acts as a wonderful exfoliant and general grime fighter.

    The molds are tucked away in the storage room waiting to be released from the molds in 24 hrs or so. I lifted the wool blanket a wee to show you the two batches. There was a lot of heat under there.

     

  • Blog - Crafts

    Beyond the list

    September 5, 2013 - By 

    sept cardsIf you joined me for T stands for Tuesday, you know that I had a list long enough to choke a horse. I usually do but I always try to allow for a little “playtime” each day as well.  I can’t say that it happens all the time but I am ever grateful when it does.

    We have some occasions this month that are in need of greeting cards so I’ve been hard at work creating them for the events.

    20130902_3343In addition, I’ve been making a bit of miniature terrain as well. While Mr. G was purging the office, I spied a few pieces that looked like they would work really well as gaming terrain.

    These first three were….CD spindles. Did you guess right?

    I thought they’d make good bunker or storage pieces.

    20130901_3331Next came some molded Styrofoam packing pieces from a very ancient…in the computer world…CDROM drive. I looked at it an saw another bunker, nearly the same design as one you’d pay  upwards of $50 for. Crazy, right? So I cut it in half and glued it together….now I have two!

    20130902_3342After adding some additional foam pieces and painting the whole works with a mix of gesso and black craft paint, I spray painted everything with my splatter technique.

    I layer the colors of spray paint without letting it dry between coats.

    I use a light hand with the color. It gives a rich depth of color…almost an airbrush effect.

    I used 5 colors of spray paint on these pieces.20130902_3339 They were obtained from the recycle center and my folks place.

    I know this is not my usual type of art but sometimes I get a very different crafty bent. This happens to be one of those weeks.

    Hope I didn’t scare you off. 🙂