well...
8 of the new soaps are made, 4 are in the molds tonight, 4 are sitting next to me ( the ones pictured) . i have to admit, i really enjoyed making them... there was something so nice about it. and this was unexpected for me -- i felt like i was going back to my roots. back to where i started. and there was something really comforting and soothing to my soul about that.
i forgot what it was like to make something so wholesome, so perfectly plain. ive really been doing a lot of thinking lately, a lot of reflecting and a lot of future planning. you know how women get a biological clock tick and need to have babies? i feel like im having a life tick and need to start preparing for when my life ends, to not leave a giant mess for the people closest to me to deal with. and part of that, is the business.
whether someone wants to take it over or not, i at least want to make that a possibility. right now, if i were to die tonight in my sleep, you better all rush in to get everything you love at the shop because it most likely could never be made again. i dont have recipes anyone in their sane mind could follow. i dont have instructions written out, i dont have anything in order, its all in my chaos that works for me. lol and a lot of it is just stored in my memory bank. this new soap project is making me have to make it in a way that someone else can make it because thats all part of the plan!!
maybe this covid aftermath economy crisis will end up being the push i needed to get things into a better position for the future. maybe.
anyhow, back to those soaps. i made 4 yesterday and 4 today. so far, just one little mold of each, i didnt want to get too crazy on the first round in case i needed to switch up my plans.
i think initially im going to put about 10 kinds out --- and id like to narrow it down to 6-8 that are always in production. its a tough decision to make because there are so many options. clays or natural pigments? lime cedar or cedar lime? haha so im sitting here like... hmm what are good mainstream scents? lol im not used to so simple --- so many of the soaps i make have really tricky ingredients, difficult things to achieve, and complex blends with crazy expensive oils... so this is kinda like new territory in one way, however as i mentioned.... its almost like im going back to the start of all things bodygoodies. when i first started making soap. but back then i didnt know oils, didnt know blends, didnt know much lol but i knew i wanted it to be all natural, and thats what i did.
i made an orange basil bar yesterday that smells so absolutely wonderful i actually cant wait to try it and im not really a citrus bar fan. but man it smells good. its super simple, no colorant other than the natural color of the essential oil and a little natural mineral in a swirl of a lighter shade. thats it. no fancy top, no glitter, no layers, no honey, no milk, no-things. i love it. i felt like i was going home. comfortable and clean. simple and honest.
also made yesterday: a rosemary mint bar with cambrian blue clay, a tea tree mint bar with a few little scattered poppy seeds and a nice solid shade of blue... and a lavender mint bar -- today i did a plain lavender bar in a pink clay, plain patchouli, lemongrass with calendula petals and a vanilla espresso bar.. all real simple, all real pure. and i really, really like it. i didnt realize how much i was going to like this. i also think, its going to make making my elaborate soaps that much more fun for me when i do make them.
the bar colors seemed to influence my mood as i was making them. i was super relaxed. everything about it was simplified and it was a really relaxing soap day even though i made 4 completely different kinds. i also love the colors they came out. theres something just so wholesome about light muted shades for a bar of soap. and they look so nice together as well.
i think the trickiest part about this whole thing -- is getting the bar size and shape uniform. i dont do well working between lines. im a free bird and i like it that way. so this is going to be the toughest part. definitely some figuring out to do, and please, bear with me initially as things take shape because it may take me a bit to get this part right. i did order a cutter, HAHAH it just makes me laugh though you know?? the thought of a thing that helps cut bars besides my hand and a putty knife just makes me laugh. i do think im going to be ordering a custom one in the future however.
i know parts of these initial batches are going to be just trial and error getting the cuts right, learning new tools, finding the right bar weight etc... but we'll get there. i also know already, theres a thing or two i want to add/take away from the bars i just made. i also have to keep reminding myself that someone else will someday be making these, and someday not too very far away they will be made in a 50lb block mold -- not a tray mold and will not have any tops to decorate. but i guess until then we can enjoy a little bit of somethings on there.
im super excited to get up to the shop tomorrow to check out the ones i made today. as this line begins to take shape... i can see where its heading. im actually way more excited about it than i thought i would be. i feel like im back to the beginning, in the best kind of way......and now i actually know what im doing ;) ha.
until next,
-heidi