Teach Soap

I am Leeann from the boonies of Southern Maryland. I really mean the boonies. we are surrounded by farms, have an Amish community up the road and a couple old cities and prison type things. I live 5 miles from Historic St. Mary's City, the first capital and about 30 mins from Point Lookout where in the Civil War, the Union used it as a Prison Camp for captured Confederates to be housed. My dad re-enacts down there a lot. this area of SOMD is steeped in history.

I am a 29 year old University of Phoenix BSIT student have completed my AA at the UoP's Community college last Feb. I am due to finish my BSIT in Software Engineering early next April and then take a much deserved Vaca and then go into my MIS.

I am a multi purposed crafter. I started learning at age 5 to sew and then through out the years have picked up crocheting, needlepointing, latch hooking, cross stitching, oil painting, loom knitting, card making, mixed media, beading. I dabbled in candle making, soaping and other bath n body products when I was 20-21. But I was a kid and didn't really research or much of anything. Just bought my supplies and went with my creativity.

I am getting the itch to try soaping again. The last 8 years have matured me as far as crafting goes, so this time i am doing booku research so that I do it "right" this time with my soaping. I have learned quite a lot in the last 2 weeks and I plan on waiting a year or so before I start even thinking of selling. Or I might wait till I finish school and get a job so I can have all the required paperwork. I can not currently while on disability. I depend to heavily on my medical, so I'm not going to risk starting up a business while on disability and lose my medical. I've heard too many horror stories, so I will just prefect my craft till I get a job to support myself without Big Brother hovering in the back ground.

I have been spending lots of time reading on this forum and the teach soap forum. I have also been spending lots of time on Soap Queen. I have been soaking up all the information I can before I go out this Friday to Michael's to pick up M&P stuff to play with. I am gonna stick to M&P for now cause it is what i have used before and reading on Lye, has me spooked. I'd probably get it every where and all over me.

While I am in school and because my disability is no where near enough, I currently reside in my parents basement. so I will have time to develop my product before I get brave enough to think about selling my soaps and starting a business. Our house is filled to the brim with animals. 5 cats and my 2 small dogs. So I live in organized chaos.

I am a Disney Princess Freak and I like some Japanese Anime as well as a nice collection of Manga's or Graphic Novels. I collection Disney Snow Globes, Mainly Beauty and the Beast, with one Hercules Globe. I used to collect Care Bears, but out grew it and instead switched to collecting 80's vintage cartoon cross stitch pattern books.

I grew up on a mix of oldies and country music, listening to country all the time for almost 20 years. I like some of the oldies and a little Southern Rock

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Welcome!
Wise choice. Read and do your research. MP base is fairly easy to experiment with. Follow safety guidelines on essential oils and fragrance oils, so you don't add too much. That way there's less of a chance that the fragrance could become irritating to the skin. Make sure that you are using scents that are safe for soap. Most fragrances from craft store have been diluted, so they are not pure. Our forum hosts, BrambleBerry, carry some wonderful fragrances that are pure and undiluted. Get yourself an accurate scale and measure everything! Convert the measure into grams for better accuracy.
Have fun and ask questions on the forum.

I realize that you are doing MP soap at this point, but you might want to read my sticky about cold process soap. some of the points would apply to you as well. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3800

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Hi Leeann and welcome!
Just a word of warning about the MP bases from craft stores - they're awful! They set up really quickly and aren't very nice to use. If there's any way you can get a sampler pack of bases from Bramble Berry, do it! Ther's a world of difference between the two.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

It's going to be a long drawn out process for me. Unfortunately for me I am on disability for the forseeable next few years. So fixed income for about 5 to 6 more years. Since I am in school and since my fixed income can't even rent a room around here, I live in my parents basement. I pay my Mt. Rainier size mountain of debt my ex left me, for my doggies, food, and such. No rent currently cause mom is helping me by no rent till jan, so i can get 3 of my 4 bills paid off.

So since no rent, I am confined to only 10 percent of my monthly for craft junk as mom calls it. So only 70 a month.. So it's going to take me a good while to get completely set up.

I am also buying for my friend this month. So it's 70 split 2 ways. I am getting mica's and sample bottles of scent for both of us from Elements Bath and Body. I need pretty much everything and Jennifer recommended the mica's over liquid dye. She just needs scents and base...so Jen will be easy. But me, i need color, scent, molds, base. I need a good book as well.

I will get scale and everything eventually. So untill I am free and not having big brother looking over my shoulder, i can't do much more but practice. The Gov, don't want SSI people making extra money and i need my medical too much to risk it.

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

I am on a really tight budget of 70.00 till Jan cause mom is letting me use rent money for trying to pay off 3 of my 4 bills. Then in Jan I will be un restricted.

I could get the sampler pack and then divide it up so i can send half to Jennifer. she's my bestie and has even less free cash than me. So I am getting up both set up. However she does resin, so has molds and colorant. It's me that needs everything

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Welcome, Rain! Good luck with your soaping adventures. There is so much you can learn here that will help you stretch your budget.

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

Well in October it will be easier since I will not be buying for 2 people

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

I will be working out a wish list.. kinda already started too

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Hi, Rain, and welcome to the forum!

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- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
Follow me on my

Thanks for the welcome. My order has been shipped out..so hopefully next week i will be able to play.

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Welcome to the forums! You can find all sorts of good molds in your recycling box! Single serving yogurt containers are really good for example. Just make sure you wash everything super well!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I will have to remember that if i can get mom to save her light n fit container's. My dad uses his at work. I have 6 multi cavity silcones coming, a fortune cookie mold form NG, and my bestie is sending me molds. So I will have enough to get started off with and con focus on gathering mica's, scents, and base.

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"