Sunday 11 December 2011

Soap Making In Progress


I will be adding some of these photos to a new “Soap Making” section on my other blog  http://naturalmentemediterraneo.blogspot.com/

I am lucky to have the chance to be working with a photographer lately. We are swapping services as I am giving him language classes. He is also a web-designer... hmmm... the possibilities...


equipment...


some ingredients...


measuring and pouring...


this time I was making a Pomegranate soap






some butters & hard oils...


mixing after melting...



mixing lye with oils...



awaiting trace...


adding the at-trace ingredients...



pouring...

 

cut soap...


I had experimented with madder root but unfortunately it didn't take too long before this colour (which I had really liked) turned dark because of the pomegranate juice...

There are a ton more photos but these are some of my favourites.  Hope you have enjoyed a peek behind the scenes!

Which were your favourite photos here?

UPDATE:  My recent olive oil experiment is almost complete.  I am waiting for testing results from a couple of more people and then I can put all of the information together and publish, hopefully before Christmas!!
Happy soaping!!!

xoxo Jen

25 comments:

Patrice-The Soap Seduction said...

Love your photos! They always put me in the mood for...soapmaking!

Unknown said...

Hi Jennifer! I like photos of pomegranate juice red and golden oils, and you!
I'm interested in the experiments of olive oils, and I'm experimenting with five different olive oils now because I was inspired by you!

I don't use blender by the way. all my soaps made by MANUAL! (but I don't like manual car lol)

bis
Mika

Julia said...

Me parece estupendo que pongas esta nueva sección, el paso a paso es muy interesante para todos. Siempre podemos aprender de lo que hacen los demás, y contigo desde luego será muy enriquecedor.
Un abrazo.

Dennise said...

My favorite pictures are the pouring lye and the finished product at the end. I also really like that hair net.

Donna OShaughnessy said...

I love the EO measuring photo and the lye pouring photo, but what I cannot believe is....HOW DO YOU WEAR A SWEATER AND WORK? Amazing. I get so hot moving all around the kitchen but then again I'm alittle meatier than you are Jen.

Beautiful soap by the way

Coco said...

Good lord that bottle of patchouli must have cost a fortune!

The soap looks wonderful as always. Sorry it darkened more than you wanted.

Jennifer Young said...

Patrice, Thanks! What a lovely comment!! So happy to hear that my posts inspire you to want to make soap! xo Jen

Mika, I can't wait to hear about your olive oil experimenting as well. Please let me know the results! It's that funny... I like blending soap with the hand mixer but I prefer manual cars!! xo Jen

Julia, Muchas gracias por tu comentario!! xoxo Jen

Briny Bar, I know... this hair net is so sexy... I am thinking about wearing it out dancing on Saturday night... I have a matching one... wanna join? ;-) xo Jen

Donna, The sweater? We have a problem in southern Spain, as the houses were built to keep OUT the heat. So in the winter, it is warmer outside than inside and I always have to wear a sweater inside - even to bed!

Coco, Ah yes, my prized Patchouli - my favourite oil. I almost ran out lately and I got all panicky... it is expensive but adored. If I could, I would sleep with it. ;-) I have a lot more experimenting with madder root to come - with water, with milk etc etc. xo Jen

Happy soaping everyone!! xo Jen

Unknown said...

Jenn que fotos tan bonitas es dificil elegir una en concreto, y me ha gustado mucho el paso a paso.Un beso. Ana.

Alegria Mediterranea said...

I love your smile,Jen!
Keep smiling,always!
All your soaps looks wonderful !
I can't wait to hear about your olive oil experimenting.
Happy Merry Christmas !
Love&Bless,
Claudia

p.s. I know exactly what you mean about how warmer is outside in the winter (here in Spain ) and always you have to wear a sweater inside - (even to bed!)...
Still,I love the weather here,especially the sun!!!

cokesiete@gmail.com said...

Me encanta tu blog! y esta entrada tambien!

Tara said...

Loved the sneak peek, Jennifer. I especially loved the photos of pouring the soap into the mold and the last photo of the soap.

Mary Smith said...

Your soap is beautiful!
Thanks for the wonderful pictures.

Jennifer Young said...

Jabonera, Me alegro que te hayan gustado las fotos!! Gracias xo Jen

Claudia, Thanks for the comment about my smile. This was a funny photo because the photographer said "a big smile for the camera!" so I gave him my big smile... then he said "ahh... and now maybe not so big....!!". You are right, even though it is cold in the inside here, having sun almost every day makes it all worthwhile. xo Jen

Cokesiete, Muchisimas gracias !! xoxo Jen

Tara, glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for letting me know which are your favourites!! xo Jen

Mary, thank you so much for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the photos! xo Jen

Lola said...

HOLA JEN, EN REALIDAD ME GUSTA TODO EL PROCESO, PERO EL QUE MAS ES CUANDO AÑADES EL COLOR Y LO VAS MEZCLANDO, ESE BRILLO QUE DA.
GRACIAS POR EL TUTORIAL , SIEMPRE APRENDIENDO.BESOS.

Soaps and Bubbles said...

beautiful Jen :D
you have perfected the art of soap making. U look gorgeous and so happy :D

Two Blooms Design Studio said...

Cool shots and I like the ones of you pouring the oil and the ingredients all laid out.

Hurry up olive oil people I'm desperate to see the results. Jen you should just go ahead and publish the results, you've been so patient.

Michelle

Patti said...

Wow! Wonderful photography!

Jennifer Young said...

Lola, Muchas gracias por tu comentario! xo Jen

Soaps and Bubbles, Thank you so much for your sweet comments! xo Jen

Michelle, Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the photos. I am down to one persons results for the Olive Oil Experiment and I think I can probably put it all together this weekend... xo Jen

Milla, Glad you liked the photography!!
xo Jen

Jennifer Young said...

Lola, Muchas gracias por tu comentario! xo Jen

Soaps and Bubbles, Thank you so much for your sweet comments! xo Jen

Michelle, Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the photos. I am down to one persons results for the Olive Oil Experiment and I think I can probably put it all together this weekend... xo Jen

Milla, Glad you liked the photography!!
xo Jen

Blanca said...

Hola Jenni. Muy buen tutorial y las fotos muy buenas. Yo vivo en Málaga y tenemos la misma temperatura, todo se arregla poniendo un radiador, ja, ja. En invierno no te queda más remedio si no quieres pasar frio.
Estoy deseando ver el resultado del jabón de aceite de oliva.
Muchos besos.

Jennifer Young said...

Blanca, Gracias por tu comentario. Si... las 7 de la mañana y el radiador ya esta puesto... no quiero ver la factura de luz... pero bueno lo bueno es la luz y sol aqui asi que no me quejo. Estoy agradecida de poder vivir aqui. Malaga es precioso. Mi marido hizo su masters alli y hace muchos años me gustaba ir a Nerja... xo Jen

Amy W said...

Great photos - all of them! I was going to comment on the hair net too, but I see Dennise beat me to it! :) The one of pouring the lye is pretty neat. I was a little surprised at how light the color of the soap was after it came out of the mold!

Oh, you might be interested to know that I finally compiled the results from the shampoo bar testers.

Jennifer Young said...

Thanks Amy! I am going to go check out your test results now!!! xo Jen

Gabbie said...

absolutely beautiful photos, and the pomegrante soap is gorgeous!

Jennifer Young said...

Thank you Gabbie!! Merry Christmas! xo Jen