Hi everyone! My name is Lynn, but my friends call me Lynnie.  I live in Idaho with my husband and our 21 year-old tabby cat, Chewkie.

Years ago, My husband's niece was into soaping, and she used to send us soap when we lived in California. I fell in love with it! I was spoiled for a couple of years, there. Then she and her husband started a family, and her soaping went out the window. I thought about taking it up at the time, but we owned a business and our life was crazy.

Now, though, my husband is very close to retirement. Months. And I'm getting nervous. I'd like to get into making my own soap, and if it goes well, maybe even make a little money on the side.

I've been lurking for a little over a week, and I've never seen a better group of people in a forum! I'm amazed at how nice everyone is, and how much you encourage and help each other! It's so refreshing! I like you all, already! It's so much fun to read your messages. I can just hear your accents! Hah! It's great! You do use words I've never heard before, though. Sometimes I sit there, confused, trying to figure out what you mean.  : )

I haven't made any soap, yet. I went out to get lye yesterday, and came up empty. Why? Because I guess it's the main ingredient in crystal meth! I had no idea! Wow! They're really messing things up for us. First it was certain OTC drugs, and now lye? Sheesh! I'm hoping Lowe's will carry it. Once I do get everything together and make my first small batch, I will take pictures, because i've learned it's the number one thing around here!

One thing I'm wondering -- well, really. There are sooooo many things I'm wondering, but they can wait until I get my feet wet -- is what a normal batch is for most of you? I want to make lots of soap. We've got kids and grandkids nearby, and I'll need testers. But I'm wondering what size molds I should get. I want to make loaves. Wow, i've seen such beautiful soap here! Gorgeous!

I just thought I'd drop in and introduce myself. I'm so excited about learning. Thank you so much for creating this magical place! I feel very privileged to be able to join in and learn from you!

Welcome Lynn. The kindness and support on this forum impresses me as well. When I started making soap I used a tupperware-type mold and I could make 12 soaps at a time. You will find out quickly that you will always have more soap than your family can use

Welcome! This really is the nicest forum around.

If you want to make lots of soap, but want to make it fairly often, maybe start with 1 kg (~2 pound) batches.  That will give you approximately 10 bars at a time, depending on how thick you cut them.  If you or your husband are handy with building things, you can easily build your own mold, it's cheaper and you get the size you want.

 

Thank you! Thank you both! I'm so excited!  :::jumping up and down:::

Welcome, Lynnie!  I'm Canadian but I've been here long enough that I use the English vocabulary (still have my accent, though!)...

You'll get the bug and the ensuing momentum soon enough and will want to try loads of different recipes, colours, textures, fragrances, etc.  So I'd start with pound batches if I were you.  Check out empty Pringles tubes for moulds- cheap, disposable and good for small batches-  then you can get going as you think about other moulds to use...

I just love accents! Thanks for the advice! I need all of it I can get! I want to learn fast, and get comfortable enough to do what everyone here does so well: make beautiful soap and make it look easy! I'm in awe of the talent I'm seeing!

 I probably need to have everyone teach me proper English, too! I've always envied the way the Brits speak. They have such a wide vocabulary, and they really put it to good use! So, do you speak French, then? 

Hi Lynnie and welcome. 
Just start simple with a basic formula and work/test from there. You can use so many things for moulds, I even used bleached out milk cartons when starting. Mostly just have fun while learning, enjoy the experience.

Eire

Thank you, Eire! Okay, I'll look around to see if I already have something lying around that I can use for a mold. But... It won't make for pretty pictures, will it? I want to put pretty things out there. Haha! I'm worried about image appeal!   

Hi Lynnie! Welcome!  :buttrf:

You have already learned the most important: we need love pics!   :mwaha:

Hi Lynnie! nice to have you here!  :buttrf:

Soap serves a function, not just eye candy, get the base right first. Understand the process, what trace is, gel versus non gel... If you add other ingredients (oil, butter etc...), know why and what it will bring to the soap. If you don't have a control batch (base), you can't keep track of improvements.
Start basic and build on it, don't rush it. It will really stand to you.
And good luck

Eire

Good advice, Eire. Okay. I'll do that. You're right. I'm serious about this, and I want to be good at it. Real good. Thank you.

Thank you, everyone! Eva?  Got it! I'll be good about pics! I'm so happy i found this forum!   

welcome Lynnie .
 I agree with the others best to walk before you run.
im still amazed at just how much there is too learn when it comes to soap making!
i think ive had more disasters along the way than successes but its so so interesting
and im a sucker for a challenge 
oh and you are in the right place if you want to learn,
 i cant tell you how much ive learned since being here
such a  warm and friendly bunch too   

Hi Lynnie, welcome!