Alchemy Update and Mad Scientist in the Kitchen

Today we made soap.  By we I mean me with Sophie's running commentary from the living room.  As always it was an eventful time.  I am not sure it would be happening to me if there weren't a few hiccups.  For the first batch, I calculated my recipe to use olive oil, coconut oil, apricot oil, Shea butter and cocoa butter.  I go to get the butters out of the fridge and they are missing.  So this could throw the whole lye balance off and really ruin my day.   I substituted avocado butter in a pinch, so I am hoping it turns out.  I made a Lemon and Lavender fragrance from an oil I bought at Natures Garden Candle & Soap Supplies.  Just as I reach trace I add all of my  add ins.  I was putting cosmetic grade mica in and Sophie scared the crap out of me at the same time.  This batch is REALLY sparkly.

Pretty Sparkly Soap

Mixing Like a Mad Fool

Second batch I adjust for the lack of the butters I wanted to use and as I am melting the coconut oil in the microwave, I hear a crazy crackling sound from behind me.  There was a little piece of foil on the lip of the container and it was ON FIRE!  Strangely the shower steam causes the smoke alarm to go off but fire doesn't.  Yay, I feel safe.  I decided to be the mix master and make up my own fragrance out of essential oils.   I used sweet orange, lemon, tangerine, clove, jasmine, rosewood and vanilla.  Oddly, it smells kind fo nice.  At least I think so.  Sophie informed me that she needed to get sick because the smells were making her crazy.  A total fib since she is at least half crazy by birth right.  This batch traced up way to fast and I had to practically spoon it in to the molds.  I really hope it turns out ok because I like the fragrance.   Please, please, please work dear soap.  I didn't get a pic of the fire because I was too freaked out.  Sorry.  :)

Brass/copper Patina #1

As for the patina experiment.  One of my friends asked me what patina was.  It is a chemical reaction that turns the surface of metal different colors.  It is used in artistic applications, or in my case by wanting to be artistic.   They turned out awesome until I glazed them.  I am afraid I ruined the pieces with the glaze.  It is turning opaque white in several places on the pieces.  I am praying it clears up when it dries or I will will be chucking these up to a learning experience.  I am afraid the chemical I used on the metal may be interacting with the glaze to make bad JUJU.  Boo.  As you can see from the picture the patina turned the brass and copper a turquoise blue color.  If by some miracle they turn out after drying, I will add individual pics because they are really cool.

Ugly Soap

Well, one of the days activities will be postponed until next week.  I had planned on making Peep shaped soaps but then realized I only had half the amount of coconut oil that it requires.  I have a super fun floating soap recipe that I use for such experiments.  I am 90% sure I can manage to pipe out the shape of Peeps, for Easter.  No J.J. you can't eat them.  They are not the Peeps you are looking for.   I usually use this recipe for making frosting on my cupcake soaps.