Teach Soap

I have been collecting information on CP soapmaking and now want to organize this into a useable resource. I would like it to be one that I could continue to add to as well. Has anyone done this and what did you use? What categories did you use? I'm hoping to do this while on vacation. Thanks for any help that is offered.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I don't know what you mean as a usable resource. I have mine on a CD, but also keep hard copies as a back-up. There are also resources online like http://www.millersoap.com/#Soap%20Contents or Anne-Marie's Teach Soap blog http://www.teachsoap.com/index.html Anne-Marie also has soap videos on youtube.

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

I did give some thought to the computer, but since I am not real good with setting up things on it I was hoping for a more of a written resource. I have 3 books on soaping and continue to research and I have hit all of the web sites plus this forum... hence all the little bits of paper with hints and notes on them. Some how I need to get them organized so that I can get to the info I need when I need it. I know\hope someday it will all be in my head but until then. This may just have to be trial and error - just like my soap experiments!

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Bubbles2 -

I use Microsoft OneNote. It's basically the digital version of the spiral 3-subject notebook but you can add more subjects to it, pics, videos. It's great...

Other than that when I'm on the go I use steno notebooks..they're perfect and my noes are in one place -

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Miss Rhosie,
I will look up the computer program.... we may actually get a laptop this year which would make it easier.
As for the steno books.... did you divide into catagories - like process, oils, frangrance etc, or do you use the alphabet, or just random?
I appreciate your help. Susie

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I was just thinking about asking something similar, wondering about what's in other people's 'soap notebooks', so I'd be interested in responses as well. I always print out the recipe and graphs from soapcalc, with the name being my batch number and scent of the soap and kind, i.e., Batch JR019 Sweet Pea Shea Butter, or something... Then I have a soap cure sheet I made up that has the name of the soap, batch number, time of unmolding, date of production, date of full cure (6 weeks). After that I have a chart of sorts that has a tick box for whether or not it passes the zap test and under that color, fragrance, hardness, and 'other' for each week of cure, and 3 and 6 months that I write in every week to track how those properties change over time. I put the recipe sheet and graph into one plastic sheet cover that goes into a 3 ring binder and right after that, the two page soap cure sheet so that there are two plastic sheet covers with a total of 4 pages for each batch. I'm going to add a space on my cure sheet that indicates the cost per ounce of soap so that I can get a good idea of the price point I need to make the margins I want.

I also have a fragrance oil sheet where I have all of the FO's listed with their descriptions, price per ounce, supplier, and how it performs after a full cure. I also put in how many ounces I purchased, and a column for how much I have on hand so that when I soap I go in and change the number. Then I have a formula that tells me when I need to reorder based on the amount on hand. I'm sure there are easier and less manual ways to track this stuff. I'm actually just tonight working something up for my oils as well.

I'm wondering what other information I should be tracking and the best way to do so....being fairly new to all of this I'm not sure what's important to keep track of and what's not.

I have one note book for my test recipes by date. Just the notes of each batch what worked and what didn't do so well.
Other information is all in a soap folder with different headings. Temperatures, colors, textures, fragrances, ingredients, packaging ect.

I think the recipe note book is the best way for me.

It would be interesting to hear how long time soapers do it.

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

I'm a huge fan of heavy duty page protectors. I buy the 100 box and I put each recipe in a single page protector and store them, alphabetically, in a 1" three ring binder. Some recipes I have single and double recipes and those I put back to back in the same protector. They probably aren't the least expensive way to do this, but I like keeping my things neat and clean so it works for me.

When I print out my recipes from soap calc, I always slip them right into a page protector.That way, I can check off the ingredients with an erasable marker and then when I am all finished and am cleaning things up, I wipe off the marker with a paper towel and put it back into a three ring binder to be used the next time. The protector keeps them away from splashes, especially for my handwritten notes. If they get too beat up, I just pop them into a new protector, then refile.

Be sure to get the kind that have the holes on a separate piece of plastic, outside of the 8 1/2 x 11# paper size, as opposed to the kind that have the holes through the main piece of paper.

I have a divider in another notebook for supplies and I put the invoices or order sheets from my supply orders so I can remember who I got what from. If I especially liked (or disliked) something, then I add those notes in too. I find it useful if I can't remember when I last ordered something, I can look back and see if it has taken me a while to get through my current supply (in which case I might order less next time) or if I am plowing through my supply and should order more the next time.

I also have a simple color wheel, lab color sample sheet, label samples (printed and unprinted)and a few other things in page protectors at the end of the notebook, so I guess it is my catchall. It makes it easy to pickup and bring to the kitchen when I am ready to make soap and I know I have everything I need for paper products. I find it's easier for me to have two small notebooks than 1 large notebook because I can stack them.

I also found that if you order the onlinelabel.com labels and have an assortment, those plastic packages fit very nicely into the standard magazine holders you can purchase almost anywhere. I then take a single label and put it on the outside where you would normally write the magazine name.

Hope this gives you some useable ideas. I look forward to hearing others' ideas.

Karen

Just want to say thanks for the recommendations! I have my binders, dividers, papers, pens, and page protectors all set to go. My little scraps of hints, tips and info have been gathered... my computer desk is clear! All is packed to go with me on vacation and when we return I should come back ready to start a new batch! I am so greatful everyone on this forum is willing to share. Blessings

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!