Summer Soaps!

Soap

I've been on a long binge of subdued greenish soaps, in part, because it's spring and part due to the large bag of spirulina powder I purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs. It's time for some more lively soaps. Inspired by a soapmaker I'm following, I tested out the tiger stripe method with a black and white soap. Now, this was fun....it turned out great!

Since Tigers hang in the jungle, I thought I'd do a jungle inspired essential oil blend to complement. The predominant scent in the blend was a new oil I just received in the mail--petitgrain--apparently squeezed from various citrus leaves and twigs. I added a little lemongrass and patchouli to anchor down the lighter scents. Now, this was something I know I've smelled before, but can't place it. It's been sitting on my dining room table for a week. Every time I pass, I can't help but pick one up and take sniff. What was I thinking? Even though the method is called tiger-stripe, I did a zebra with pink, and they don't live in the jungle. What essential oil blend would you use for a Savannah-scented creation? Funny, but everyone that's taken a sniff of this soap has the same reaction, "Ooooh, that's nice, but what is that smell?"--completely familiar, but untraceable   I have a feeling this oil will blend spectacularly with so many others. I may use it for the next project.

Tomorrow I'm going to start on a two-part soaping project. I want to do an elemental design--a beach scene--to herald in the upcoming season. Stage one will consist of making orange citrus scented soap balls. I'll make a small half pound batch of my cheap recipe, color it with turmeric or paprika and scent with a petitgrain tangerine blend. My usual CPOP, once I take it out of the oven and once cooled to a fond-able state, I'll roll out tiny little sun balls--future blazing summer suns for my elemental design. Next weekend, once I receive a few new supplies, including a shimmery aqua blue mica, I'll finish the soap. It's all in my head--screaming to get out. At last, I'm entering a more mellow time at work, the resumes perfect, my students settling in for the job search, while their starry-eyed career development specialist dreams of soap.

Dirt

It is early spring--the soil is warming and seedlings slowly growing. Life is good. I'm very excited about my German Chamomile bed; the first flush of flowers are preparing to explode. I planted calendula seeds about a month ago and they are up and getting ready to sprout their first true leaves. My indoor warm weather plants are getting so big. I transplanted to larger containers and I hope I can contain them until it's safe to plant outside.