THE Weekend Cometh

I’m working on a few finishing touches and a bit more packing/gathering of things for Miss K & her new apartment.  Both K & I felt like colds last night.  😦   Of course, all her remedies are already packed but I’m hoping a good night of sleep helped her.

Part of my work today is cutting soap.  I made 8 batches in a bit less than a week that encompassed last weekend.   With all the humdity, they aren’t even setting up very quickly.  I usually cut my big block within a day or 2 of pouring and today struggled to cut the batch I poured on 8/20.   Frustrating to me!

I am really low on inventory so they need made so they can get curing but summer soaping is tough.

In this marathon of soaping, I’ve made:

• Red Clover Tea
• Evening Mocha
• Almond, Milk, & Honey
• Beach Boys
• Black Raspberry Vanilla
• Cherry Blossom
• Fairy Flowers
• Blackberry Vanilla Musk

Four batches still need cut.    There are 4 more on the replacing inventory list of regulars to be made yet and I have a list of 5 new ones I’d like to get done.  At least not much is planned for next week!   🙂

Most of these fragrances are totally sold out.  Hence the need to soap even tho it  has been humid!  These will be ready the end of September. I move to my show in town on Monday.

There are tomatoes to pick for K and I grilled extra meat to share with her since her gas (oven & stove) won’t be turned on until Friday.    She has been able to go most nights this past week to clean.   She’ll be so happy to be moved!

Gpa came over with a few things for K.  Including a put-together small set of 3 drawers.  I could have painted it — had I had it sooner!! haha!  Phil seems to delight in the challenge of packing the truck so I’m sure we’ll get in all we plan on taking.   🙂

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Missed It!

Welcome to a new month… but I missed my goal for January.

I had  good Christmas sales and found myself very low or sold-out on many, many of my soaps!  So I made a list and checked my fragrance supply.  Some I needed to reorder but some I still had in stock.  My list had 15 of my current soaps that needed remade!!  That is a long list.

So I set to work.

I can prep 2 batches at a time so one day I’d get 2 pans of oils and 2 pitchers of lye water ready.  The next day I’d mix one batch.  The following day I’d mix the next batch.

Sometimes I try to cram in 2 batches a day with mixing in the early morning and then the next one near bedtime.  But that really starts to stress me out and I have many other jobs on my list as well.  (quilting and re-doing Phil’s office as well as regular life!)

I finished these batches:

• Crisp Breeze
• Beach Boys
• Denim Wear
• Gardener’s Blend
• Patchouli Musk
• Raspberry Rhubarb
• Red Clover Tea
• Sandalwood
• Smokey Mountain Pine Tree
• Rosemary Mint
• Lavender

I have 1 batch prepped to mix tomorrow and then I’m at the mercy of the shea butter supplier as I’m out!! Ack!!  I know it takes awhile to get but I still didn’t reorder that soon enough.  Then I have 3 more on my list to complete.

I have a few new batches I’d like to get made just for me and fun and to try something new.  😉

The soap cures about 6 weeks so even the first ones have a bit more curing time to go yet.  But all are cut and curing nicely in the furnace room in the basement.  I have them in cardboard boxes and covered loosely.

Next will be a big empty table to trim all the bars, make labels, and wrapping with ribbon.

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Numbers

224

Ounces of goat milk lotion Mrs. So & So made, bottled, and labeled on Friday.

20

Minutes of rest period on Friday.

95

Pounds of soap made in January 2009

20

Months since my sewing machine had been serviced.

And on my receipt I found:

5,465,315

T0tal stitches my machine made since I bought it in 200?.

2,778,999

Sewing stitches (mostly piecing & quilting)

2,686,316

Embroidery stitches

1

Accidents  Nina had in the house today, and the day before, and the day before that, and every other day since she has been home with us.  One.a.day.

0

Items Phil bought at the farm auction today.

7

Great-nieces & nephews counting…

1

in the oven! 🙂

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Out my Back Door

I did this.

I usually mix my lye water for soaping outside.  Haven’t been feeling like standing outside this week.  I prop open the back door for a good breeze instead.  No finches have fallen yet!  🙂

Today I let the pitchers sit in the snow while I took the measuring cups back to the kitchen.  A great cooling place, don’t you think?

I know this is such a lame post.  Today is a lame day.  :p

This was prepping batches #5 & #6 since Wednesday when this bod finally got back to work.   The soaping is going nicely.  This afternoon I’ll mix Baby Kisses.   🙂

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Company and a Busy Week in November

For 8 days in the midst of November, we had company that included Mom (Kristy) and children at 8 y/o & 6 y/o.  This house is so not used to young ones!!  LOL!

The children have been raised in southern areas so went into orbit with a few flurries on some of their days here.  It was also a new experience on a farm and they delighted in the baby pigs and farm equipment.

Here are some pictures from their visit:

The 6 y/o (son) enjoyed his first ever combine ride!!  And he was thrilled to help as well!

Movie time before bedtime.

Here is a  quilt I finished for Kristy.  She is now ready to mail it to her sister for her new nephew.

 

During the week I also moved Mrs. So & So’s soaps & lotions to two craft sales in neighboring towns.   This is the first time I’ve had my products at 2 different places at once.

On Friday, the 21st, I worked at Lynn’s show in my town.   When I arrived for my 4 hour shift, it was 16′ with a wind chill of 6’F.   Shiver!!!  The sale is held in her outside Carriage House.   Thankfully for this Christmas show the check-out is in the one area with a closed door.  That made it tolerable to work in our layers and winter coats but without gloves.

Today it is time to move my products home from Lynn’s but they will remain at the other location through Christmas.  

Remember: It is OK to use it… I’ll make more! 

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