Hi I'm New!

[Ermintrude]

Hi everyone

What a great website! Really inspiring to see what other people are doing and I've already got lots of interesting new tips.

[Wombat]

G'Day Ermintrude,


Welcome to the site, glad you like it! Feel free to tell us a bit about yourself.

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Ermintrude! Welcome to the site.

[hedgewitch]

Hello and welcome to the site - it's a great place to hang out

[Ermintrude]

hi everyone

I live in the Midlands and have two small children - and they keep me pretty busy. I'm trying to provide them with self-sufficientish values - so any other parents out there hoping to do the same feel free to share advice. Although I love gardening, growing my own, composting, recycling and general craft stuff my main thing is making my own soap. Are there any other soap makers out there?

[Wombat]

G'DAy Ermintrude,

I have made a few batches but am pretty much a novice! My latest novelty is shampoo soap bars which seem to have come out rather well. I tend to get involved in a lot of stuff, but it is something I want to get back to. I use a straight razor (on my neck anyway) and want to try making my own shaving soap.

Nev

[Ermintrude]

Hi Nev

It depends on if you want the squeezy tube kind of shaving soap or not. I've made shaving soap in the past by decanting the saponified mixture into a wide cup/mug. Then I left it to mature. If the original soap mixture is rich enough it makes a really good shaving soap, and all you need is an old-fashioned shaving brush to work up a good lather.

Making a more liquid soap is a complex business, but I will post advice if you fancy a challenge.

[justkate]

Hi Ermintrude (love that name) it's nice to meet you. I'm a Warwickshire lass myself, although I live abroad in Yorkshire nowadays.

Kate :-)

[Ermintrude]

Hi Kate

Yorkshire is lurvely - we're thinking of going to Staithes for our hols this year!

[Wombat]

G'Day Ermintrude,

Thanks for the idea about the mug - I like it!

I use a shaving brush and have used the shampoo soap so hard soap is OK. I have considered making soft soap, I still have some KOH from when I worked in the chemical industry. I will give it a go one of these days!

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello and welcome.

Have you ever used soapwort? I have a packet of seeds to try out this year and will see how it works out.

[Ermintrude]

Hi Andy

I've only seen Soapwort used on the TV. Where did you buy your seeds from? I'm very eager grow Soapwort and other unusual stuff. I saw another TV programme where a woman was growing Wode on her allotment - I'd love to grow Wode, use a natural dye other than onion skins and beetroot!

[Shirley]

Hi ermintrude

Great to meet you and looking forward to lots of info about soapmaking... interesting to hear that you do it and have small children!! I was thinking of waiting til Jonathan was a bit bigger (he's 3) but might just be persuaded to give it a go now.

Woolcraft posted some links about where to buy dyers herbs after we watched a Gardeners world programme that featured woad and other such plants. I must search for it as I would like to grow these too - if I find it I'll post the link again.

edited to add link http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... php?t=1449

[Ermintrude]

Thanks for that link Shirley.

To be honest I do most of my soap making at night to keep my fingers out of the biscuit tin! Soap making is pretty dangerous with a toddler about, as you could probably imagine!

I've just got into dying and knitting (if I'm not making something I get v. bored) so any tips would be gratefully received.

P.S. Glas I can now properly spell Woad!

[gunners71uk]

hi ermintude my mum and dad livedat bidford for a whie i think thats in warwicksure.