On Saturday I was home alone watching Lost. I suppose I should explain. Friday was a "snow day", I didn't have to go to work because of some wacky weather and I really wasn't feeling well. I decided to watch a few episodes of Lost that I had on DVD but have never watched. I spent the entire day Friday watching episodes 1-8 of the first season on DVD. I was hooked. On Saturday, I was at the video store 10 minutes before it even opened to rent the rest of Season 1 (which I finished watching by about 11:00 am on Sunday).
Yes, that's 24 episodes of a TV show in approximately 48 hours.
The only reason I'm not well into Season 2 is that I'm borrowing it from a friend who lives about an hour away. I can assure you once I get my hands on it, it will also be devoured.
So, early Saturday morning I get an e-mail from Lera suggesting that I try my hand at hot process soap making. For some strange reason she believes that I'm impatient and that perhaps hot process soaps would be better for me to make because you can use them immediately and not wait weeks for it to cure.
Well, if Lera suggested it, it MUST be a good idea, right??????
So, I tore myself away from Lost and started a batch of lemon poppyseed soap using the hot process method.
I should explain that with hot process soap, instead of pouring it in the mold and letting the saponification take place in the mold, you put the pot of soap in the oven and let the heat from the oven accelerate the process. According to the tutorial I used you're supposed to check on the soap every 15 minutes and give it a stir. At about the 45 minute mark the soap should be done, at which point you add your essential oils and any other additives (like poppy seeds).
So, I put the soap in the oven, set the timer and ran back to the living room to watch more of Lost. The timer went after 15 minutes and according to the tutorial the soap should be thickening up and resemble a nice custard.
Well, I opened the oven and it looked like a volcano had erupted. SOAP WAS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!! The lid of the pot had popped off, the soap was overflowing. Thank goodness I had a tray under the pot to catch any spills. For a fraction of a second I considered finding my camera, but time was of the essence and I had to save the soap.
It was just like a scene from "I Love Lucy". For about 15 minutes I was frantic. I scraped as much soap as I could from the OUTSIDE of the pot, the lid and the pan that was underneath it. I added the essential oil (still not enough I don't think) and the poppyseeds. I squished it all in the mold and crossed my fingers.
Here's the finished soap in all it's glory:
So, uh, thanks Lera for the wonderful suggestion to try my hand at hot process soap making. I think I'll stick to cold process soap that doesn't turn into a volcano and scare me to death. ;)
14 comments:
the soap looks really great--despite the volcanic action. i am hooked on lost, too. during season 2 i was frantically watching season 1. i'm caught up now, but haven't watched the last week's season premier...it's on tivo waiting for me when i get home.
The soap looks great, and the combo of lemon and poppy seeds sounds great.
I think that the name is the series is terribly appropriate, because every time I try to watch it, I'm just... lost.
My stomach hurts from laughing so much. I started laughing at the first sentence!!! I knew it was going to be a good one!
And for the record (although YOU, Karyn, already know this), I have NEVER EVER had a soap volcano in my oven. EVER!! I think you did something wrong! :-) And, I don't think you told me the lid came off! That is too much!
I really, REALLY wish you had taken photos! I would have loved to have seen that! I would have been Ethel, your sidekick, in that episode, but I'd be laughing my butt off instead of scheming with you.
The soap is lovely. The poppies are evenly distributed and it looks beautiful. And I do think you should try it again. Maybe on my trip to Canada I can "squeeze" in some time between VV, BB and buffalo wings.
And, we all know (DianNe included) that you are a tad impatient. But that's just one of the reasons we love you. (Is this comment long enough? Sorry.)
I'm laughing at your Lucy story. I can only imagine. Add this to the list of reasons my husband thinks soap making is not a craft I should contemplating taking up.
Happy Monday - hope you're feeling better. I haven't quite gotten into Lost yet - but when I resume my Netflix subscription, I think I might have to add it to my queue.
LOL thats just exactly how I got hooked on LOST! And the first couple of seasons a especially good.
Cold pressed soap from now on for you missy thing! Even if the soap did turn out might pretty :)
That's hilarious! I felt your panic, but laughed a lot too! The soap does looks fantastic! Clean oven now?
Reminds me of my chocolate-pudding microwave volcano. I do have a picture of mine... no urgency in m mind to clean that mess up!
I have loved the inspirational ideas that come from your blog ... but where oh where are you finding such lovely soap ideas??? I can't wait to make some of them! :)
Okay, so your friend is a liar....I thought I had LOST season 2 but can't find it...either it is LOST or I am a loser. LOST is more fun than soap.
I discovered the series "24" recently and I also watched one full season in less than a week! Wow, that was a lot of TV watching. I was up until 2:00AM sometime nights which led to crabby days. Ooops!
Your soap looks great in spite of the explosion! I guess this is one of those funny stories to tell about your early days as a soap maker!
ha! at least your oven is clean now! (gosh, i'm too funny!) it looks lovely, though (the soap, I mean, i haven't seen your oven).
What? You're impatient!?!?
That is a hilarious story. I just keep laughing at the thought of you trying to save the soap from a volcano!
Lemon and poppy seed sounds delicious. Does it smell good?
oh oh oh...I am just getting ready to make some soap too...yours lokks divine dahling! ...and my dh call me Lucy...so I expect an episode every day around here. Please tell more about your soap adventures. I also get Lost watching LOST.
oh my! I was laughing reading this:) At least the soap turned out pretty! :)
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