MY FIRST BATCH OF SOAP, ROSEMARY TOPIARIES AND A BUST...

So I really enjoyed my holiday weekend!  You?

As you know from my last couple of posts I have been anticipating making SOAP.  Homemade soap with good for your skin all natural ingredients....not like the chemical laden soaps you purchase at the store nowadays.  Anyway, I have been gathering my supplies for the past few months and I was finally able to make my first batch of soap this past week.  YAYYYY!

Looks like a yummy dessert doesn't it?

Though I was somewhat scared at first that I would screw everything up (especially when using the lye) everything happened just like the Youtube videos showed and my soap turned out great...what's more...IT WAS SO TOTALLY FUN!  I'm now addicted...for reals!!!

I made cold process MILK, HONEY & OATMEAL soap using 100% pure or organic all natural ingredients that you can get at just about any grocery store.

I used Pure olive oil, organic coconut oil, pure honey, old fashioned oats (crushed), evaporated milk, pure cocoa butter and not included in the picture, Taste of Thai unsweetened coconut milk to make a nice creamy moisturizing soap.

Because of the coconut milk, coconut oil, cocoa butter and pure honey used in the recipe, this soap smells delicious too.

I whipped everything up and poured it into my found "cheese box" mold.

I textured the top and let it set for 24 hours before unmolding it.  The waiting was the hardest part of the whole process!!

I then cut it into bars and lined them up like soldiers in the bathroom closet to cure for 4-6 weeks (cold process soap must cure...kind of like fine wine).

At first I was worried that my recipe with just 19 oz. of oils was not large enough to fill my mold right but everything turned out perfect and I got 7 nice size bars out of it.  I CAN'T WAIT to try it out!

In other news I FINALLY found a bust!

I've been looking for one of these for at least 3 years now.  Every shop I have been in has signs attached to theirs that read "NFS"....Not For Sale.  That is because they use them for the same reason that I wanted one....for display...of course if you know me, mine will be used for decor too...hehehe.

Anyway, they've had this one at the shop next to the office for over a year now but it also was "NFS".  Drats!!   The shop was closed for the winter and when they reopened here recently I went in looking for some more heat sealable teabags...I will tell you about those some other time...and I noticed my beloved bust now had a price tag on it...$25.00....SOLD!!!  I snatched it up so fast it's head fell off...

Just kidding, it never had a head but it did have a few minor flaws (that were there all along)...a tear in the linen at the top of the neck and no cap...but I figured I could remedy that.

I used a piece of lace that I picked up at a thrift store a long time ago to cover the tear in the fabric and a wooden canister lid I found at a local flea market for free as a cap.

Now she's good as new.

Lastly, I took a little time over the weekend to start a few Rosemary topiaries.

I took cuttings from a larger plant I bought a month or so ago and dipped them in honey water as a rooting hormone.  I braided three sprigs together for each topiary, planted and then staked them using a skewer and twine so they are stable and grow straight.

I really hope these take root and do well.  I have been wanting some of these for a long time.

Aren't they CUTE!!!  Please pray my black thumb doesn't kill 'em and they get big, lush and bushy!!  Hahaha.


Well that's it.   How was your weekend?  Do anything fun?  DO TELL!!!

Ciao,

KNOCKOUT ROSE PETAL JELLY...

I figured as long as we are still living at our current house I might as well make good use of all the goodies we have around here....and we have an abundance of roses right now.  Knockout roses!  Now the normal person would simply stick a few stems in a vase here and there to enjoy their beauty indoors but not me.  I had something different in mind for my roses.  ROSE PETAL JELLY!

Did you know roses are edible?  Yes they are...even the Knockout Rose variety.  Now while I don't go around noshing on roses all the day long, I figured I could handle some sweet rose jelly.

To make my jelly, I gathered up a large bowl of fresh roses...

Washed and rinsed them well in cool water and then de-petaled them...

I needed 2 full cups of petals for my jelly.

Once I had what I needed I rinsed them again and put them in a pot with 2 1/4 cups of water and simmered for 5-10 minutes.  Most people clip the white ends off their rose petals before use because they tend to be a little bitter but I tasted one of my petals and they did not need clipped as they were not bitter.

While they were simmering, I put a few pretty little jars and lids in a water bath to sterilize them...

After the roses had simmered for a while, I strained the liquid off...

Isn't that gorgeous???

Some people use the petals and all in their jam, which I think would be lovely, but I decided that I wanted jelly and not jam; therefore, I left the petals out of my recipe.

I added the liquid back to my sauce pan with 4 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1 package pectin powder, stirring until everything was dissolved,

Then brought it up to a rolling boil

Now on a little side note, your more fragrant rose varieties have more flavor.  Knockouts don't have much fragrance so they are pretty much flavorless.  However, I remedied that in my recipe with 7 drops rose essential oil.

I could've also used Rose water but I didn't have any of that on hand.

On another little side note, true Pure Rose Oil is EXTREMELY expensive...$100.00 or more per ounce.  I didn't have that on hand either for obvious reasons so I used a rose oil blend which is simply a small amount of pure rose oil blended with a carrier oil, which was pretty inexpensive.  You have to use a little more because it is so diluted but works well over all.

I boiled everything for 1-2 minutes and them removed from the heat.  I filled 4 sterilized jars with the jelly, reserving out a little to try right away...put the lids and rings on and then inverted them for five minutes to achieve a seal.

Let them set overnight and I have four gorgeous jars of Knockout Rose Petal Jelly...

YUMMMMM!!!

Recipe:

2 full packed cups rose petals (any kind)
2 1/4 C. water
4 C. sugar
1/4 C. lemon juice
1 packet pectin powder (1.75 oz.)
7-10 drops rose essential oil

I am going to attack our ginormous MINT bush next....Mint jelly anyone?

A COUPLE OF THINGS I'VE BEEN MAKING...

As I've mentioned a few times I am going to be making homemade soap with high quality moisturizing oils and ingredients.  I'm almost ready to get started on that.  I had to get some equipment like a stick blender and digital kitchen scale.  I now have those things thanks to a few blessings from God and I am almost ready to get started.  I hope to be making my first batch in a week or two.  Yay!

In the meantime, I have been making a couple little things to keep on hand at my "market".


Scent Clips....

These are regular ol' clothes pins soaked in quality fragrance oils, all gussied up in cuteness and ready to be clipped to air vents either in the car or home.

I have made them in several different styles and fragrances.  They come in fruity, flowery and bakery scents to fit everyone's tastes.  I have several in stock and ready to go.

Next up, I've made Homemade after bath dusting powders with hand made powder puffs.  These are made with the highest quality all natural ingredients and 100% pure essential oils.

There are no harsh chemicals or skin irritating perfumes in these and they come in a few fragrance choices as well.  Cool mint, Vanilla Cinnamon and Lavender Rose.

I have a few other things in the works as well, which I will share later. Plus, I hope to get started on the soap soon.

So what have you been up to lately?






PS...In the event of sounding all weak and petty, I tell you that I hesitate (fret) to share my projects and ideas here.  I have had people (friends of mine) steal my projects and other ideas in the past and use them as their own. That REALLY irritates me.  Please be a good person and use your own ideas...at the very least don't steal from a friend!!  Please don't make me regret sharing here. I would really like to continue doing so.  Thanks!!