u/PunkRockHound

...technically. on paper.

My plan was to make an ombre from pink to purple to blue and scent it with black raspberry vanilla. My beer accelerated trace and was remarkably dark. Since it was so dark, I figured a different scent would be smarter. So I wanted to pivot to Dark Kiss and a red, pink, copper ombre. Dark Kiss also accelerates. I tried to mix in the first color and it already was thicker than scraping/sculpting texture. So another pivot. Two colors: red and natural, slapped into the mold and slammed down repeatedly.

It filled the mold. It hardened on time. It cut nicely. I filled in air bubbles with the scraps.

This soap is TECHNICALLY a fail. Because it's not what I planned. Because a LOT went wrong. Because my end soap kinda looks like a brick.

But I'm still going to label and sell this soap and not feel even a touch of guilt. No one else knows what I wanted out of the soap. No one else saw my plans for the design or the fragrance. All they'll see is a soap. And they'll know it smells nice.

Remember that even when a soap goes a bit sideways and you have to make several unplanned pivots...

As long as your math (and dissolving) is solid

Even if it's lumpy and ugly

It IS still soap

...only because it's summer and I'm eating soup

Another leftovers/clean out the fridge soup

Smoked chicken stock, smoked pork shoulder (husband smoked it for a hangout), green beans and onions (from the same hangout), kale, leftover breakfast potatoes from brunch out, and frozen peas. Added salt, pepper, and sumac

In total, I cleared out 6 separate containers from fridge and freezer and got a nice couple lunches from it

Picked another large zucchini today. Almost half of it was icky and husband asked if I just wanted to pickle it. So here's the results.

Left (yellow) is a recipe using turmeric, mustard seed, and coriander seed. Right (red) is something I decided to try on a whim. Raspberry syrup (the kind you use in coffee and whatnot), thyme, and fresh ginger.

Bought some cucumbers. Turns out one end on ALL of them was going soft. I'd also recently bought pickles from Sam's club (my personal fave--best texture, salty, dilly and tiny!) Sliced the cucumbers and just plopped them in to the nearly-empty jar.

Normally I make these into standard jewelry--pendants in this case. But these didn't have the oomph to catch someone's eye to plop down cash...alone. A set of 6 for the same price as one normally SHOULD encourage some of my excess stock into other's possession.

This is acrylic pour art. The kind where ypu pour thinned paint on a canvas and swish it around. These are all made with the "skins" of the paint: the dried spills that fall off the canvas

Another soap made with blueberry beer and lard. Scented in Vanilla Bean Noel. Only added scent to the dark area since this is a known discolor. Kind of a "secret" way to use pretty colors and discoloring fragrances together. Secret only to the brand new anyway lol

Not the sexiest pickle pic but these are my recent experiments.

Roasted Garlic is VERY garlic on the carrots, but wimpy on the kale. Thinking about throwing the blend away. We don't like it on roasted veg either

Chicago steak is the opposite: wimpy on the carrots and great on the kale. When I have more kale to use, this'll be my choice.

Taco pickled peppers are brand new today. Got some absolutely flavorless mini peppers from Sam's. They work as a hummus delivery system but I actually like to taste my veggie.

Not pictured: my recently moved pizza pickles and the giant jar of Sam's mini dills.

This is the best Japanese steakhouse soup I've ever had. Ordered a sushi roll (very good btw) and got a side of their clear soup. This variety has noodles at the bottom! It's wonderful

Yesterday I went to the neighbor's pool. Today I made soup. Yes it is still 90 out. But I had things in the fridge and freezer that I needed to use up.

Alligator sausage, kale, peas, ginger foliage--all local!

Her name is Wendy. One of triplets. The ewe claimed the other two. She took 3 ounces of formula this morning!

It was fine. A little over salted and the broth was pretty flat. Def should have had more herbs though

Started with pickled onions (recipe included a few garlic cloves, bay leaf, and oregano) then I screwed up and used rice cooking wine instead of rice wine vinegar 🤦‍♀️

So next day, re-boiled, and decided to lean into the pizza smell I got. Added the herbs that are mentioned on the back of the Italian herb blend. The onions would be AMAZING on a pizza btw

A couple days ago, I'd eaten all the nicest sugar snap peas that were developed enough for good flavor. So, I plopped them into the brine too. They're not quite ready yet but still taste good

My shirt is ugly, yes but look at the corset belt thingy! It used to be curtains. I used plastic straws cut in half for the boning. But it's cute!

Title just to say...I forgot to post earlier lol.

One of my clean out the freezer soups. Actually was a bit more normal than usual. Seasoned broth leftover from my last soup, kale that was too limp for the bunnies, a cheap sausage from perkins, a few chunks of leftover baked potato...

The weirdest ingredient is probably the pickled onion I started with. Threw it in the pot without even oil as it heated so I got some dry frying, then added some olive oil and the frozen kale--which absolutely soaked up the oil like a sponge. Sausage and more oil next.

After I was tired of babysitting the saute/sweat stage, I added the block of frozen broth. By the time that was almost melted, I added the potato. I then added a TON of salt. Like, 20 grinds of pink salt from one of those Sam's club salt grinder things.

I ate a bowl and a half for lunch, then ate the rest of the pieces maybe an hour later. The broth went back into the same container it started in and right back into the freezer to do it again

This soap is making me sad. Yesterday it was brightly colored. Today, it's starting to discolor. I even picked a scent i was CERTAIN had no vanilla and that I'd been sitting on and loving for years, not sure how I wanted to use it.

I guess if it continues to darken, it'll be only a personal batch. Probably will make another just as a contingency plan

I used lard, apricot oil, beer, (all used before), and Cameo Sachet from Studio Fragrance. I still like their products and I will continue to recommend them but dang I'm sad about this

Pressed under a book. The backing is a piece of recycled paper and I've had the frame for years