The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on June 11, 2010, 04:48:05 pm
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well, following on from being too scared to make soap due to the 'potential volcanic reaction' (!) I am pleased to say that I am now one step away from having my own goats milk soap business!!
I have found a lovely man who is sorting out my chemical assessment and a shop up the road (farm shop) has offered to sell it as the owner liked my sample soap. have also had enquires from friends who want to buy :)
very excited (can you tell??!!) so far we have The Purple Baaa (lavender with a funky hint of orange) and The Milky Baaa (pure and simple) took delivery of some chocolate oil today so will have a nice brown 'chocoate baaa' next week.
I know, goats say maaa not baaa but am stuck for another name LOL
LIsa
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baaa - mee!
sounds good lisa.
are you going to do mail orders, so we can have a try?!!
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I will do indeedy!! must get a website sorted (or rely on ebay!)
Lisa x
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Good for you plums!
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Good luck with your soap making venture!!
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Roxy you are about,ev yer read yer birthday messages.That rotten wizard is at it agen ??? :D :D :farmer: :wave:
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Certification came through today (on a sunday!!) so all systems ready to go really ;D
there is a facebook group for anyone interested in (being bored to death by) pictures of my soaps, its called 'Its Baaa-th time' ;D
currently some pure white, pure milk baaa's curing, will be ready in a couple of weeks, some lavender/orange (purple baaa's - great for gardeners!) ready and a few pure baaa's with a hint of tea tree ready.
Lisa
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there is a facebook group for anyone interested in (being bored to death by) pictures of my soaps, its called 'Its Baaa-th time'
"like!"
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So what does 'certification' involve Lisa? Is it a paper pushing exercise, or does someone actually visit you?
For your online store, have a look at my hubby's shops - www.hobbygamer.co.uk or www.cookiesdelivered.co.uk and see what you think.
Hubby is happy to help you set up and register a domain if you like? Nominal fee for TAS members! ;)
Must meet up soon and swap some milk for honey!
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Thanks Little Blue ;)
The certification means submitting the recipe you use to a qualifed, accredited chemist who then shuffles loads of paper, ticks boxes and types a report stating that you are safe to sell that particular method/recipe to the public. I am allowed to sell my milkey baaaa and the lavender baaa and have paid to be allowed to - if I want to sell another fragrance I have to submit again and pay again (but less than first time) oooh worra palava!!!
thanks for those links - will have a peep tomorrow (just got back from a psychic event in stratford - ooooooooh!!! and very tired so best go to bed!!) and yes, must meet and swap milk for honey!!! I can use the honey in my honey and g-oats baaaaaa!!!
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Love the look of the soaps
....am thinking Christmas pressies - how long do you think they'd keep for?
how much "notice" would you need, assuming you still get enough milk in the winter (!)
better stop with the questions.... and we've barely had a summer yet!!
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Aw thank you :)
I believe they will be good for 6 months or so (more due to shrinkage as the moisture of the soap evaporates over a long time) but as this is my first year I dont' know for 100% however, I will be making batches all the time so will have some xmas ones ready.
I need about a month's notice ideally as they need to 'cure' so they are as mild as possible :) that said, I will make in bulk as have been asked to sell at school xmas fair so hopefully will have plenty.
Milk wise - i am freezing loads!! I have to use slushy icy milk so the lye doestn' burn it and turn the soap brown so frozen is the way to go. we still have soooo much milk everyday, the chickens and cats love it luckily!
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brilliant, will give you orders october-ish then!
Don't give all that lovely milk away to the animals... we were over run, then have had to go AGES without any goats milk... come on Geraldine- drop that kid!!
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I think we need to buy a bigger freezer to keep it all!! its been good for hand rearing baby bunnies and the kittens have loved it but will definately take on board your advice :)
loved your pic of Geraldine - she looks like my Reggie!!
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Why not Vacuum Pack it.It cost nothing to run a sealed packet on the shelf where as a deep freeze? :wave:
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loved your pic of Geraldine - she looks like my Reggie!!
thankyou :) toggies are beautiful aren't they? always have that cheeky look!
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;D absolutely. well reggie lives up to his cheeky look - he's worked out how to get my mobile out of my jeans pocket and run off with it! (its got a strap bit that he pulls, little monkey!) and he knows he can butt me over when I'm on tip toes getting stuff from their shed roof - love him really ;)
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lol.
Gera has settled down now she's in kid... but was a terror when she was little!
Havig said that, I came home once to find Husband asleep on the goat shed on a hay bale, with her cuddled under his arm across his chest, and Margo with her chin on his legs. ....talk about "all played out!"
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Ahhhhh that's so sweet!!! I hope you got photo's!!
now my hubby, the only 'quality' time he spends wiht the goats is mending fences and all you can hear is him muttering under his breath about what he'll do if they get out again. I'd love him to see the other, lovely side of them (but truth be known, he's scared bless him!!)
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It'll come!
my dad was tbh quite horrified at first... now he goes straight to them and says "hello goats!" all be it through the fence!
you want to see my husband watching the bees - he stands that far away you'd swear he cant actually see them!!
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Hey Little Blue Me to I only watch them from afar I was doing some video in Lady Yarborough's Walled garden When she and Jim were tending the hives.With a long lens so I was stood well back."You can come nearer you know Then you can hear what Jim is telling me" Thanks M'lady but I am alright here.I always pass behind the hives and I always speak to them.When Jim passed away I went down to them and told them.Do you know I was brave enough to stand in front of the hives and tell them.I was wearing Jim's veil mind you .Lots came to see who I was but none settled on me.So I don't know if there is any truth in the stories or not.Yet if there is a big fat bumble in the window I will catch her in my hand and take her out side and let her go.They seem to know I wish them no harm. ??? :D :farmer: :wave:
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WEBSITE up and running!!!
www.itsbaaathtime.webs.com ;D
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Hello Lisa Plums. Used the link sounds really nice.I don't think at 73 there will be a great advantage in changing from Carbolic to your Toilet brand do you? ;D Good Luck with the venture we hope its a great success for you :D :farmer: :wave:
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What a great site. I wish you all the luck in the world although I suspect you won't need it ;)
We're not too far away but I may send for some for the good lady wife.
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CREEP :farmer:
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Ohhh how lovely.. where can I find these delights?? ...
I build websites if you need any pointers :) ebay is always a good option too
Sam
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Hello Sam
they are on ebay from time to time and the website (with shop and online payment option ) is www.itsbaaathtime.webs.com
currently wrapping some new fragranced bar's - minty, patchouli, almond milk,dewberry and orange to add to the usual honey and oats, pure goats milk etc
Lisa x
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love the website well done and good luck with it. :)
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Thank you very much :) am currently working on a new range of products, still all goats milk based but to include shampoo, hand cream and lip balm!
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Lisa my soap arrived this morning what fast service. Thank you very much, I look forward to trying it now. :)
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Hello James
glad to hear it reached you safely :) I do hope that you like it
Lisa
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I've just ordered some Dewberry - can't resist trying some! Just have to remember not to let anyone/thing eat it!
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Hello Shnoowie and thank you for your order!!
its packed up and will be posted out first thing tomorrow morning - I hope you like it :)
Lisa x
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The soap arrived today, and it smells lovely. :love: It has been confiscated by my mother so she can use it on the children!
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Ah, thank you for the feedback :) glad you liked it!
LIsa xx
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Our order came today Lisa.............almost had a fight over it with some of our customers. They were really impressed. By the way, one lady is a staunch vegan and refuses to use anything with ingredients that are forced from animals kept in appalling conditions (her words). When we explained how you work, she left with the almond baaa. ;)
As she's not on the internet I suspect that I may be ordering for her in the future. :)
Thanks for the swift response.
Ian
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Ah that's lovely!! thank you Ian :)
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Plums, where do you get your ingredients (oils etc) from? I have been looking at soapbasics.com, and one other, don't like ebay. Itching to have a go on using up some of the 4.5 ltrs of goats milk I get daily, and the girls are back at school, so no more excuses...
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Hello :0)
Gracefruit is quite good or soaposh. I don't use palm oil because of ethical reasons (orangutans becoming extinct >:( ) but I do use other oils with my milk. B&Q will sell you the lye (saves paying double by having to pay P&P on such a heavy item too!!)
good luck!!
Lisa x
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Thanks, will check it out. Have got Lye from Boots aready - only a few more to go (oh and the goatsmilk is still coming plentiful...)
Anke
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good to hear!! our milk is slowing a bit (eek!) so need to seriously sort out a billy for savannah when she is in season. getting nervous about it but now there is a business depending on milk I have got to get on with it!!
there's a couple of lovely milk soapmaking books on amazon for inspiration (or sneak round LUSH like I do lol!)
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just an update...I will be adding bath bombs to the Its baaath time website very soon. Some will be goats milk bombs others will be non-milk. have just made some tea tree and sea salt ones as well as rose petals with vanilla. the kids are having a whale of a time testing them!!
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...and goats milk bath salts!
coming soon - bath creamers and bath melts, just perfecting these now ;)
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I love the sound of bath melts, they sound heavenly. :)
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Just to say your soaps are great, Lisa.
I ordered the pick 'n' mix to try - we have very hard water round here and some handmade soaps just don't lather - yours are doing great I'm pleased to say.
I'll be doing an Arnie ;)
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That's lovely Mo, thanks for letting me know! I am so pleased that you are happy with them (Arnie lol!)
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hi do you do any man type soaps???? thinking about xmas pressies and your soaps look great
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Hello :)
If I know they are for men, I can leave the flower off the decoration on the current range (ie the plain milk one) but I also do a seaside one that is seaspray fragrance with seaweed in it.
I am formulating a shaving soap that will be poured into a scallop shell and come with a shaving brush. ready by xmas
Lisa
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thats great thanks will def buy some of them off you :wave:
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hi and thank you so much i have recieved my soaps, they are lovely, ideal stocking fillers, plus some for me ;D ;D :wave: :wave: :wave:
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Brilliant :) am glad they arrived safely. thank you for your custom xxx
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thought ur idea and website was great, what sort of goats do u use? very tempted to try some, do they all get rid of the smell of cow poo? tee hee :wave:
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:wave: hello! funnily enough, I've got a batch of coffee ground soap curing as we speak - its reputed to get rid of garlic, onion and billy goat smells lol!! you can test it for me if you like ;)
current milk comes from my toggenburg, reggie's grandma. I am looking for a new milking goat as we lost our togg in september and I want to use my own goats milk again x
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hiya i have left you a message on fb, just in case you come on here first, please can you tell me when the "welcome" guest soap will be ready? that will be ideal for the holiday cottage :wave:
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Helloo helloo!! sorry, not been on FB properly yet.
THe welcome soaps could be made to fit your requirements - basically I can either do plain goats milk or if you prefer a different fragrance we could go with that. Once made we are looking at around 3-4 weeks cure. they are only about 50g so not too big and are oval with the word 'welcome' :)
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hi thanks so much that would be great, a lovely little token for new holiday guests, i think a fragance soap would be nice, i would probably be looking at atleast 20 bars, could you do them all in one batch or a few at a time, whatever is easiest for you :wave:
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I'm sure I have 20 moulds, will double check but at worst it would only take 2 days to make them so still cured in that time really. if you have a peek at www.itsbaaathtime.com (http://www.itsbaaathtime.com) you will see the fragrances and essential oils I can use so the you can just let me know which you would prefer :) thank you xxx
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please could i have jasmine, as my mini shetland mare is called jasmine, its a lovely smell and appropriate name, do you have any leaflets or anything that i could put in the cottage information pack then the holiday guests will know where the soap has come from and they might just order some when they go home ;) :wave: thank you for doing this for me :bouquet:
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Of course :) Shall I keep them colour free or would you like a hint of yellow perhaps?
I've not used jasmine in soap yet (only the creamer and bombs) so will make a batch, check they don't discolour (due to fragrance oil) and can let you know in a few days how they are looking!! am sure they will be fine
Leaflets - I need to get onto this. I have been asked a few times, maybe tomorrow while the girls are at school and nursery I will be able to complete one and get some printed by my trusty label printer (aka tony!)
thanks again
LIsa xx
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Hi Lisa, i will leave it up to you with regard to the colour, i would be happy with either, my little cottage starts picking up with guests and booking form april , i think this will be a lovely little touch, plus some lovely soap for me also ;)
looking forward to hearing from you,
thanks your a star :wave:
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have made 4 bars today to test how well the fragrance works, fingers and toes crossed! will feedback to you later this week xx
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oh gosh its exciting, will keep everything crossed also :wave: thanks
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Good news :) they have held their colour and fragrance! shall I make a batch?
Need to order in some more jasmin oil but they would be ready with in 4 week period from now x
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oh yes please, that is great news, thank you so much :bouquet: :wave:
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Still smelling gorgeous ;) jasmin oil here now so will make a batch and message you to let you know when they will be ready. will get a picture on here for you asap x
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cant thank you enough for this, im really excited :wave:
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Its My pleasure!! I hadn't realised just how gorgeous jasmin would be in soap so you've given me plans to make more soap with it :)
here's a link to the picture
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15140&id=127693420597938&saved#!/photo.php?fbid=190639660969980&set=a.128151003885513.15140.127693420597938&theater (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15140&id=127693420597938&saved#!/photo.php?fbid=190639660969980&set=a.128151003885513.15140.127693420597938&theater)
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they will be great for the cottage guests, ( and us ;)) dont forget some leaflets please :wave: