Bittersweet and the little soap company

just whistle

I remember my mom planting flowers in tiny little cracks. One of my favorite things. The shop window shadowing a hand made shop.   

Vintage apothecary jars. This one is a favorite. Notice the ratio. I wander what this was used for? I'm curious, since the container contained such a large amount of alcohol. 

I'm mixing up beer soap this morning. It's interesting, cold process soap requires the carbonation be removed in the beer, otherwise it will explode like a bomb! Little things you learn along the way. 

If you need me, whistle! A common phrase here lately.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

With all good wishes, 

Jill 00

Related articles

Shoo Fly

kicking back

in honor...

without a trace

A soap-maker knows the importance of soap tracing. It's impossible to make quality soap without first obtaining a trace. I always put on a happy face when I see a trace. After this many years in the field I consider myself to be a seasoned tracer. Nowadays Bittersweet soap traces within the first 5 minutes of mixing. It wasn't always that fast. When making those first batches some sixteen years ago I had to earn it! The process reminds me of preparing custard or tapioca. Stir, stir and more stir until you get that creamy thick pudding. Sometimes stirring for 30 minutes until the consistency is thick enough. Soap tracing is quite similar but a bit more finicky. 

Provided your measurements are accurate and the temperatures are right you should get a fairly quick trace. If something is off however be prepared to stir, stir, stir, stir, stir and stir... Here's a soap making tip... If you whip instead of stirring your soap will float! 

If you've watched my old HGTV clip detailing making soap then you know I use a mixer and a wooden spoon to stir my soap. The decision to use both utensils is personal. There really isn't any explanation on why I prefer this method other than it makes me fill complete. Left brain, right brain mechanics I suppose.

It has been rather cold the past few mornings. The extreme coldness slows down the manufacturing some. The coconut oil is harder therefore more difficult to work with. The sodium hydroxide is apposed to sudden drops in temperature. Keeping in mind, it reaches 200 degrees once it comes in contact with water. Then I shock it by sitting it outside for a spell while its caustic fumes are released. Isn't chemistry amazing? I love it!

Off to make more soap!

Enjoy caring and sharing winter days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 

 

 

Chunky Herbal Soap!

I could not wait to get up this morning and cut this soap!

They were cut into big chunky bars and stamped with a B. I wish you could get a whiff of em, because they smell out of this world!

Notice the little moisture rich bubbles on top of that soap!

The jardin savon will be available mid June on our web site. I think I'm going to include with the chunky bars, a natural bristle nail brush. You can rub the brush onto the chunk of soap and then clean hands and nails.

No frills packaging planned for this minty blend. Maybe some brown paper wrappings and a sprig or two of dried mint from the garden.

Packaging idees floating as they usually do and you know that's my favorite thing! I also have little boxes that would fit the soap chunks! H'm....

There's something really cool about having dried botanical and herbal powders in soap. Not only do they infuse their unique aromatherapy benefits into each bar they scent the bars soft and sweet.

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 

 

 

soap making roots...

Sometimes it's nice to go back...

Case in point.

The past few days I've been making soap with my original castile recipe. That receipt was used to make some of the very first bars of Bittersweet some 15 years ago. It feels good to touch on and go back to my soap making roots. I'm even pouring the rich aromatic soap into shoe boxes! That's the way we used to do it. Cover the boxes with blankets so that it will stay warm and then cut the large rectangles into chunky bars.

This morning I made a garden savon. I scented the jardin savon with peppermint and cinnamon and then added a few ounces of peppermint leaf powder. I wish you could smell my studio!

The gentle moisture rich garden soap will be available mid June.

There will be more to follow as the spring weeks turn into summer and the garden herbs become more abundant from my garden.

I'm also trending back towards some original soap packaging.

Those simple no frill ideas seem to fit my mood lately.

Bringing back the "Kissed with summer" wraps for summer and working on some special gift idees.

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Warmly,

Jill 00

A tribute to patchouli

I just grabbed a pachouli soap off the rack. That's when I noticed they're almost gone!

I'm not sure why I prefer this scent over any other. It's fragrance is unique and one of a kind. I'm a spice girl rather than floral, maybe that's it.

It becomes very frustrating when the price of the essential oil goes up. I in turn have to increase the price of a bar of soap.

It's happening once again, the price of patchouli essential oil is at an all time high. If the price stays where it's at, and I think it might. Well then, you know.

That's the way it works if you're in the soap business.

Bittersweet scents our soap with 12 ounces of essential oil. That's quite a bit compared to what most soap maker's use.

Did you know that sandalwood essential oil is over one-thousand dollars a pound? Probably not unless you're in the essential oil business.

Another off the charts price...

Jasmine, almost two-thousand a pound.

Both oils have been high ever since I started manufacturing soap some 15 years ago.

Of course Bittersweet could use artificial fragrance to make their patchouli soap. What the heck did I just say? No we can't! NEVER!

We will keep you posted on the patchouli updates.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

 

Your opinion, please...

I'm attempting to put the wraps on the first flavour of the new spring soaps, Country Fair and I need your help, please. This is Blue Ribbon Rose savon.

By first glance at both of these pictures which one did you like the best? No. 1 or No. 2. I am leaning towards one, but not quite tipped. I asked the same question on our Face book page and at Pinterest and the verdict so far is~

No. ?.

Fooled ya! Your input will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Sample No. 2

Sample No. 1

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than none)

 

Mellow coolness

This photo is from last fall. Although summer is still around I'm noticing autumn is ever so subtly easing her way in to the summer season. The mornings are mellow and cool and quiet and carry with them that unique cheerful, can't put my finger on it feeling you get when the transformation quietly begins. I like to call it mellow coolness.

Back to school tomorrow! That's a sure sign things are changing, isn't it?

My schedule will be early to rise and early to bed as we head into this busy time for Bittersweet.

The rest of the week will be devoted to making holiday soap. I found some pretty recycled papers to wrap the Cranberry Spice in and silk ribbon. Who doesn't like silk ribbon?

I get excited with the holiday season approaching. I do believe the special packaging of the holiday soaps thrills my soul. You know how fastidious I am when it comes to soap packaging and to have the many beautiful papers and ribbon to choose from is almost too much for this soap wrapping girl.

If you do a search for holiday soaps on the side bar you are sure to bring up archives of many past Christmas wrappings. Some similar, some quite different. 

I've glanced at the month of December already to plan the Bittersweet open house. I have always had the the event the first Saturday in December, but the past few years have moved it up in tune with customer demand. I believe I'll ponder the date November 6.

After 13 years of being in the handmade business I still get excited about all this stuff!

Orders going out today as well as a little package to my friend Clarice and her sweet girls. 

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)  

  
  
  
  

Country Fair Soaps

 
Even after thirteen years of soap making I still get excited when I create a new one or two.  

I should be in holiday soap mode by this time, but have not really even pondered those thoughts yet this season. Every year is different in the land of Bittersweet. Some years I'm on target, other years I play catch up scurrying to get the holiday soap made long enough for it to cure nicely before September, because that's when folks begin purchasing it. 

Before I get to carried away carrying on about things that you're probably not too interested in reading about lets move to present day. A summer day in Bittersweet land where fresh soaps are wrapped in summer cloth that remind me of a country fair where home baked cherry pies line the long tables topped with red and white checkered tablecloths. That's what Bittersweet summer soaps remind me of.

I'm getting ready for tomorrow's party!

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Happily,

Jill 00

 

 

   

Freshness

Not that kind of freshness! I'm referring to freshness of the products we buy.

I've noticed lately at the super market that the sign above the produce marked fresh, does not necessarily mean what it says, at least my definition. 

What exactly does that word  mean to the super markets?  My guess, is fresh is stuff that's been sitting in the truck for 4 days maybe longer, then in the back of the store for, your guess is as good as mine, then out amongst the other fruits and veggies for, well I guess as long as doesn't sell. H'm, I wonder how many days fresh that is?

Well, after reading that, I am realizing the word fresh has lots of loopholes, and loose definitions. I mean, "having just arrived" after being on a truck for 7 days, still means fresh!

I'm one of those annoying women you see in the produce section squeezing the lemon's and  avocados's, shaking the cantaloupe's. I always heard it you could hear the seeds shaking from inside, the melon was ripe.

I am learning the word fresh does not translate into the word I imagined, with the exception of Bittersweet Products! Had to get that one in there folks! Fresh Bittersweet means made within a few hours, or a couple of days.

Why I'm on this unexpected topic, why not explore the word "Natural", also.

So I am guessing the definition of a word, is probably the foundation for creating our labels on just about everything. Interesting...

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

  

Soul-Fulfilling

I'm afraid the picture above doesn't look that special to you, but to me it's a soul-fulfilling shot. You see, that picture is the first freshly made  batch of Cranberry Spice, one of Bittersweet's Signature Holiday soap's. It' special in a way that it's one of two of our moisture rich soap's  milled exclusively for the upcoming Winter season.

Every year Bittersweet changes the packaging on these warm and toasty savon's.

This year I believe my design choices has far exceeded years past and I can't wait to share with you the look.

Considerable amount of time is spent choosing the perfect packaging.

You see the old tattered quilt in the picture? Covering the newly made soap with these hand-me-downs add even more soul satisfying feelings to the process.

If you look close, you'll notice the sides of the pan have a creamy residue. The soap, in its beginning stages, right before pouring into the molds sticks to the sides of the pan, that means its ready to pour!

I'm so blessed that for the last eleven years I've been allowed to fulfill my passions, soap making being very high on the Bittersweet list of hand-made soulful creations.

There isn't a day go by that I don't thank GOD for gifting me with spirit and passion and allowing me to create things with my two hands.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than none)