Teach Soap

After spending a small fortune on soap from Kettle Morraine (New Orleans) and Hickory Ridge (St Augustine), I've finally decided to try my hand at soapmaking, LOL! I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about CP soap for the past 3 weeks, and I've read "The Soapmaker's Companion" from cover to cover. Also watched tons of internet videos!!
OK, so now I feel comfortable enough to begin my soaping journey...but I have a few questions before I start. Please be patient...my ignorance is about to make itself known, sorry!
1) I've shopped around for supplies locally (I live in GA), and have found that I can buy coconut, and of course olive oil at the grocery store. Since I can't find Palm or Jojoba oils, or cocoa butter locally; I had intended to buy these from BB, along with my GFS extract, and fragrance oils. I will stick with the plan to buy the latter two from BB for all the reasons mentioned on this forum, but does anyone have any recommendation for the oils? I noticed some postings about high shipping costs for these if you're on the East coast, so any advice would be welcome!
2) One of the main reasons I became interested in making my own soap was the simple fact that I wished someone would offer soaps in scents that I love. I was super-excited to see BB fragrances in tomato leaf and lettuce! I'm also dreaming of a black pepper soap with whole peppercorns in it that actually smells like black pepper!!!! I saw that BB offers a black pepper EO, but no mention of using it CP soaps. Can it be done?
Thank you all in advance for your patience with a complete newbie, and I look forward to any advice you can offer!

Another thing I'm curious about...both of the fabulous soapmakers I mentioned in my previous post keep whole "logs" of soap from which they cut bars of soap if they are running low, as well as shaving off samples from these logs. Every thing I've read says to cut your bars after 24 hours, then let them cure for 4-6 weeks turning them over midway...so I'm a little confused!
My ever-patient husband (who does lots of woodwork) is making me two 5-lb wooden molds and one 2-lb mold out of white pine with removable ends. He wants to know if I want a mitre cut "guide" one inch from the end in order to cut my soap evenly. I'm thinking yes...what do you all think?

Welcome!
I find BrambleBerry's fragrance oils quite good. As far as a mold, most people new to t he craft use smallish plastic boxes til they get the hang of it. Once you know the size of the bar that you like, have your DH make you some molds then.

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

Cerelife,

Maybe 1 inch on one end of the mold, turn it around and have another option on the other end.. maybe 1 1/8" ?
Not necessary - BUT since he's customizing...

Thanks!
My beloved husband watched a couple of youtube.com videos on wooden soap molds to get an idea of what I wanted. About 30 minutes later he comes out of his shop with a completed 16" mold with removable ends...a top with an old drawer pull as a handle...AND a fitted dam in case I need to adjust the size!!! All this out of scrap materials he already had...and I haven't even made my first batch of soap yet!!

Want to send him my way????

Count your blessings

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

My DH made my wooden molds too. I wish he could make a silicone liner too, but alas I'm stuck with parchment:-)

I'm in GA too. I bulk order all my supplies online because it's just easier. Most of my scents and colorants come from BB. There is a soap supply place her in Atlanta depending on where you live that will allow pick-ups. I've ordered from them but had it shipped. It's soapgoods.com . Olive oil, sunflower oil, etc. I get at the grocery store. Lard is cheap and easy to find at Walmart or Target. If you have access to one of the wholesale clubs, that's the cheapest place to get olive oil.

Have fun...but beware, it's addictive.
Rena

Thanks Rena!!
I will def check out the website...I gave up on my search for palm oil and ordered that, along with cocoa butter and some FO, from BB yesterday. The shipping cost wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...like $16 for a 10 lb package, but I might get a better price from a closer source! You are dead-on about the wholesale clubs...I got my olive oil from Sam's for $12.98 for 101 oz, yay! BB was out of jojoba oil...I keep thinking I should be able to find this locally, but no luck so far...any ideas?
I'm hoping my BB shipment will be here in time to soap for the very first time this weekend!! SUPER EXCITED!!!!

_________________
Pitter Pattern Designs - http://www.pitterpatterndesigns.com
blog - http://www.intheinterestofannie.blogspot.com