(Breathtaking view opposite the blood moon eclipse. Oct. 2014) I don’t want to make soap this morning. Just not lined-up with it, I can tell. This is today’s “ugly truth.” An ugly truth, I’ve decided, is present moment breakthrough that sparks an internal war between my Cerebral, Practical Self and my Wise Nature. My Cerebral, Practical Self – let’s call her CPS (aka: Inner Snark) – just barks barks barks “This is your busiest season CP soap doesn’t cure overnight you just got in huge shipment of supplies what are you going to do with 18 lbs of lye if you don’t make soap NOW???” My Wise Nature reasonably points out that anytime I’ve forced myself to do something creative that felt more like a “should” than a “woo hoo!” the endeavor has either been...
One of my many take-a-ways from the whole 101 New Experiences in 1001 Days thing was to drop the idea of instant perfection and accept, no, embrace the evolution of an idea. There are already enough critics in my head – finding the kernel of good in each experience keeps me excited, curious and psyched about my creative process, rather than curled up in a little ball thinking exceedingly Dark Thoughts. Recently, a young friend contacted me about leading a soap-making class for a non-profit that she works with, one that helps teens develop healthy relationship expectations and positive body image through art projects. I usually teach the gospel of Cold Process (CP) Soap, an undertaking involving lye, eye protection, and patience (ie: a requisite 4- to 6-week cure time). Due to these factors, my CP class...
Coming off of the exciting, exhausting whirlwind that characterized my first experience with “holiday fair retail season,” I resolved to put the breaks on in January, step back, and reevaluate how this whole soap-y endeavor fit into life. But I can’t stay away for long – tweaking products is a happily creative outlet for me. When I saw Magdoline’s post on the Addicted to Soap blogspot (“Funnel Swirls Tutorial” credited to Lomond Soap), I immediately saw an application for my Grapefruit Star Anise soap. To the right you’ll see my initial batch of the Grapefruit Star Anise, made in fall 2013. I felt good about the result as this soap represented a series of “firsts” for me: my first time designing a completely...
